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Canaan Inc. Closes Third Tranche of Preferred Shares Financing

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Plans to fund self-mining expansion and Bitcoin mining machine business in North America 

SINGAPORE, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN) (“Canaan” or the “Company”), a leading high-performance computing solutions provider, today announced that it has closed the third and final tranche of its previously announced preferred shares financing (the “Preferred Shares Financing”), raising additional total gross proceeds of $50 million. Pursuant to the third tranche of Preferred Shares Financing, the Company issued 50,000 Preferred Shares (the “Third Closing Shares”) at a price of US$1,000.00 per Preferred Share. Canaan agreed that the proceeds from the sale of the Third Closing Shares will be used by the Company and/or its subsidiaries to manufacture or invest in digital mining sites and equipment to be deployed or sold in North America, including any acquisition or disposition of assets from or between subsidiaries.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with this institutional investor. We believe their continued commitment demonstrates their confidence in Canaan and the significant opportunities this collaboration offers for both parties,” said Nangeng Zhang, chairman and chief executive officer of Canaan.  “By expanding our North American self-mining activities, we expect to benefit from a more diversified revenue stream, reduced volatility, and a stable regulatory environment. This strategic initiative positions us to capitalize on the anticipated Bitcoin bull market, enhancing our ability to generate robust returns from our self-mining operations.  We also hope that working on projects that utilize the Northern American power infrastructure will expand our team’s expertise on blockchain data center operations and beyond.” 

On November 27, 2023, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with an institutional investor (the “Buyer”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell to the Buyer up to 125,000 Series A Convertible Preferred Shares at the price of US$1,000.00 for each Preferred Share. On December 11, 2023, the Company closed the first tranche of the Preferred Shares Financing, raising total gross proceeds of $25 million. On January 22, 2024, the Company closed the second tranche of the Preferred Shares Financing, raising total gross proceeds of $50 million.

On September 27, 2024, the Company closed the third and final tranche of the Preferred Shares Financing under the Securities Purchase Agreement. The Third Closing Shares were sold under the amended terms of certain documents executed on September 26, 2024, namely, a global amendment (the “Global Amendment”) to the Securities Purchase Agreement as well as an amended certificate of designations (the “Certificate of Designations”) of Preferred Shares, par value US$0.00000005 per share, as adopted by the Company. The amendments to the original terms of the securities purchase agreement and certificate of designations include, among other things,

(a) while the first and second tranches of preferred shares were sold as registered securities under a registration statement of the Company, the Third Closing Shares were issued and sold as “restricted securities” under applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws, and the Buyer acknowledged that Company has no obligation to register or qualify the Third Closing Shares, or the ADSs into which they may be converted;

(b) the Third Closing Shares are convertible, after six (6) months following their issuance, into Class A Ordinary Shares that can be deposited with the Depositary for the issuance of ADSs; and

(c) so long as the Buyer holds any of the Preferred Shares or any Conversion Shares, the Buyer will limit its aggregate sales of Conversion Shares on the open market in any given calendar week to no more than 10% of the weekly trading volume of the ADSs on all trading markets for such week.

The Buyer and the Company have also made amendments to the preferred share conversion mechanism under the Certificate of Designations. First, the Fixed Conversion Price has increased. For the first and second tranches, the Fixed Conversion Price was 120% of the Weighted Average Price of the ADSs on the Trading Day immediately preceding the applicable Issuance Date of the Series A Preferred Shares being converted.  For the third tranche, the Fixed Conversion Price has been modified to $4.00. For reference, the closing trading price of the Company’s ADSs on September 27, 2024, was $1.06. Second, a 90-day average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) published on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of conversion, or a SOFR factor, has been added to the calculation of the Conversion Amount, reflecting an additional cost for the Company to use the proceeds from the sales of the Third Closing Shares until the Conversion Date. As of September 27, 2024, the 90-day average SOFR was 5.32675%.

The Securities Purchase Agreement (as amended) contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company and the Buyer, and indemnification obligations of the Company against certain liabilities, including for liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The provisions of the Securities Purchase Agreement (as amended), including the representations and warranties contained therein, are not for the benefit of any party other than the parties to such agreement and are not intended as a document for investors and the public to obtain factual information about the current state of affairs of the Company. Rather, investors and the public should look to other disclosures contained in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

The Certificate of Designations creates the Preferred Shares and provides for the designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the Preferred Shares, which becomes effective upon its adoption.

The foregoing description does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Securities Purchase Agreement, as amended, and the Certificate of Designations, as amended. The full text of the amendment to the Securities Purchase Agreement and the form of amended Certificate of Designations are to be filed as exhibits to the Company’s current report on Form 6-K dated on or around September 30, 2024. The full text of the Securities Purchase Agreement was previously filed as an exhibit to the Company’s current report on Form 6-K dated November 28, 2023. Capitalized terms used in this press release without definition shall have the meanings given to them in the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Certificate of Designations, and any amendments thereto.                                                                                                                                             

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, which is made only by means of a prospectus supplement and related prospectus. There will be no sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation of an offer to buy or sale would be unlawful.

About Canaan Inc.

Established in 2013, Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN), is a technology company focusing on ASIC high-performance computing chip design, chip research and development, computing equipment production, and software services. Canaan has extensive experience in chip design and streamlined production in the ASIC field. In 2013, Canaan’s founding team shipped to its customers the world’s first batch of mining machines incorporating ASIC technology in bitcoin‘s history under the brand name Avalon. In 2019, Canaan completed its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Market. To learn more about Canaan, please visit https://www.canaan.io/.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward−looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward−looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, Canaan Inc.’s anticipated financing plans and its intended use of proceeds contain forward−looking statements. Canaan Inc. may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Canaan Inc.’s beliefs and expectations, are forward−looking statements. Forward−looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward−looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company’s goals and strategies; the Company’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the bitcoin industry and the price of bitcoin; the Company’s expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products, especially its bitcoin mining machines; the Company’s expectations regarding maintaining and strengthening its relationships with production partners and customers; the Company’s investment plans and strategies, fluctuations in the Company’s quarterly operating results; competition in its industry in China; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company and cryptocurrency. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Canaan Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward−looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Investor Relations Contact

Canaan Inc.
Ms. Xi Zhang
Email: IR@canaan-creative.com 

ICR, LLC.
Robin Yang
Tel: +1 (347) 396-3281
Email: canaan.ir@icrinc.com 

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SOURCE Canaan Inc.

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Hong Kong ICT Awards 2025 opens for enrolment

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HONG KONG, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong ICT Awards (HKICTA) 2025 opens for enrolment on April 22. Entries of locally developed information and communications technology (ICT) products and solutions are invited to compete for the Grand Awards in the eight award categories and the top accolade of the competition – the Award of the Year. Enrolment is free of charge and the deadline is July 14, 2025.

The HKICTA 2025 is organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) with each award category to be led by a local industry association or professional body. The award categories and respective leading organisers are listed below:

Award categories

Leading Organisers

Digital Entertainment Award

Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association

FinTech Award

Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia

ICT Startup Award

Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association

Smart Business Award

Hong Kong Computer Society

Smart Living Award

Hong Kong Information Technology Federation

Smart Mobility Award

GS1 Hong Kong

Smart People Award

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service

Student Innovation Award

Hong Kong Education City

 

A Grand Award will be granted in each category, and the Award of the Year will be selected by a Grand Judging Panel from the eight Grand Awardees.

In a bid to foster the innovative use of AI, the Best Use of AI award winner will be selected in each of the eight categories to magnify and honour outstanding achievements in harnessing the power of AI in respective areas.

Established in 2006, the HKICTA is an annual signature event of the local ICT industry which aims to recognise and promote outstanding ICT inventions and applications, thereby encouraging the pursuit of innovation and excellence among Hong Kong’s ICT professionals and enterprises to develop innovative applications meeting business and social needs, use innovation and technology (I&T) to bring benefits to the community, and foster Hong Kong’s I&T and smart city development. Through concerted efforts of the ICT sector, academia and the Government, the HKICTA has always been highly regarded by the information technology industry, and the winners may also be nominated to compete in other regional and international competitions on behalf of Hong Kong and be sponsored to participate in overseas I&T exhibitions. The award acts as an encouragement and recognition to the winners, and enables their access to both Mainland and overseas markets.

Details of the HKICTA are available on the thematic website (www.hkictawards.hk). Enquiries can be made to the DPO at 3974 5224 or by emailing hkictawards@digitalpolicy.gov.hk

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/hong-kong-ict-awards-2025-opens-for-enrolment-302435483.html

SOURCE Hong Kong ICT Awards 2025

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New Pearson research: The new AI talent strategy is redesigning roles

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Along with the importance of global reskilling, new Pearson Research shows age of AI calls for employers to focus on creative strategies to close talent gaps in their workforce

LONDON, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — New research from Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L), the world’s lifelong learning company, shows that, as roles in the technology industry are being reshaped by automation and AI, employers should consider a strategy of ‘role redesign’ to solve talent needs and maintain competitiveness.

For this latest Skills Outlook, Solving the Tech Talent Gap from Within, Pearson looked at how the tech workforce might evolve and be reshaped by emerging technology over the next five years. The study focused on five of the most common and high-value tech roles in the UK. The research found that these highly valued workers will save around a day a week by 2029 – just through augmenting and automating key tasks with technology.

The research notes business leaders need to think creatively and proactively about redesigning roles to more effectively use technology and to help their employees use this saved time for upskilling. This strategy helps employers better utilise current workers rather than replacing them with newly skilled ones – essentially solving talent needs from within their own workforce and providing job agility and security for these valued employees.

By examining how automation and new technologies are likely to impact tech roles, Pearson was able to identify that LLM chatbots (such as CoPilot or ChatGPT) and RPA for Internal Processes (software robotics) hold the greatest potential to save time. 

Oliver Latham, Regional Sales Lead for EMEA in Pearson’s Enterprise Learning and Skills Business Unit, said: ”In a world where Generative AI is rapidly transforming the world of work, tech leaders need to rethink and evolve skilling pathways, or risk being left with an underutilized, undervalued, and unprepared workforce. By adopting a role redesign approach now, businesses can bridge talent gaps, achieve stronger growth and create the capacity they need without relying solely on external hiring.” 

Looking at the impact on hours spent on tasks within the roles in a working week, Pearson found that between 5.2 hours and 7.8 hours could be saved in 5 years’ time through effective use of technology – about a day. This creates an opportunity to rethink how roles are structured and redefine what “core” tasks will remain with human employees.

Pearson’s tech impact modelling revealed the following results for the five jobs analysed in the UK:

Systems Software Developers

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 5.2 hoursBiggest potential impact: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for Internal Processes (software robotics)Most automatable tasks: Correct errors in existing software; perform software system maintenanceRole evolution: Role should evolve to emphasise more creative, strategic elements of development, such as architectural design, security enhancements, and collaboration with cross-functional teams on high-level project goals.

Computer programmers

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 6.7 hoursBiggest potential impact: Large Language Model (LLM) chatbotsMost automatable tasks: Rewrite programmes; write, update and maintain computer programmes and software packages; compile programme development documentationRole evolution: May be redefined to focus more on complex algorithm development, AI oversight, or system architecture, while automating routine coding work.

Computer system engineers / architects

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 5.2 hoursBiggest potential impact: LLM chatbotsMost automatable tasks: Providing technical guidance for the development of systems and system troubleshooting; advice on design conceptsRole evolution: A shift in the role from hands-on troubleshooting to more strategic responsibilities, such as overseeing system integration, long-term infrastructure planning, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. The role could also evolve to focus on human-AI collaboration.

Computer system analysts 

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 6.8 hoursBiggest potential impact: LLM chatbotsMost automatable tasks: Providing assistance to customers or users in solving computer or programme related malfunctionsRole evolution: May evolve to emphasise the strategic application of data insights, aligning technology solutions with broader business needs, and facilitating the implementation of more complex, large-scale system changes.

Computer network architects

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 7.8 hoursBiggest potential impact: RPA for Internal ProcessesMost automatable tasks: Maintain project reporting systems; performing file addition/backup/deletion activities on networksRole evolution – likely move toward higher-level responsibilities, including network design innovation, cyber resilience planning, and future-proofing infrastructure to accommodate the rapid evolution of cloud technologies, AI, and IoT.

Employers have a real opportunity to reallocate saved time to more strategic, innovative and high-value work. The research identifies what those tasks are for each of these key roles and how best to redirect and repurpose this added capacity to maintain their competitive edge.

Media contacts
Hannah Hawkins, hannah.hawkins@pearson.com

Methodology 

Five high-value tech roles were selected by finding the most common roles in the ICT job family which earn an above-average wage for ICT jobs.Our tech impact modelling was applied to these roles at a task level, modelling the future impact of 34 emerging technology types on each of 76,600 granular tasks. The tech impact shown is for a 5-year outlook from 2024, using projected adoption rates in the UK’s ICT industry.

About Pearson
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realise the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That’s why our c. 18,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world’s lifelong learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn’t just what we do. It’s who we are. Visit us at pearsonplc.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/new-pearson-research-the-new-ai-talent-strategy-is-redesigning-roles-302435029.html

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ChangAn Automobile Embraces Innovation with “Together for a Smarter World” Theme at Auto Shanghai 2025

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SHANGHAI, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ChangAn Automobile (“ChangAn” or “the Company”), an intelligent low-carbon mobility technology company, officially unveiled its Together for a Smarter World theme at Auto Shanghai 2025. At the event, the spotlight was on the Company’s three major strategies, namely, its Mission of Shangri-La for new energy, Dubhe 2.0 Plan for intelligence, and its Vast Ocean Plan for global expansion, marking the beginning of a new chapter in advanced, green automobile technology.

As part of its ongoing transformation, ChangAn has made major technological strides through its three core strategies. As part of the Mission of Shangri-La, the Company developed the Golden Shield solid-state battery and a full range of new energy products, including the BlueCore 3.0 powertrain and the industry’s first PREV, combining PHEV and REEV technologies. The Dubhe 2.0 Plan has advanced intelligent systems such as the Intelligent TS Drive, Intelligent TY Cockpit, and Intelligent TH Chassis. The Vast Ocean Plan has expanded ChangAn’s global footprint, particularly in Europe.

With years of investment in R&D, ChangAn Automobile has built a strong foundation in new energy and intelligent mobility, driving the rollout of next-generation smart vehicles. At Auto Shanghai 2025, ChangAn unveiled three flagship digital intelligent models—CHANG-AN Q07, DEEPAL S09, and AVATR 06—a new generation of smart solutions from its three core brands that highlights the company’s leadership in advancing and popularizing smart mobility—each exemplifying the company’s leadership in digital-intelligent automotive development. In a global first, the company revealed a future mobility lineup that includes flying cars, humanoid robots, robot dogs, wheeled robots, and smart exoskeletons. These innovations offered a striking vision of tomorrow’s transportation landscape and ChangAn’s role in shaping it.

ChangAn also brought together over 500 domestic and international media outlets and more than 600 global partners to witness the digital-intelligent achievements of its three major brands at this year’s Auto Shanghai. Through immersive brand pavilion experiences, cutting-edge technology showcases, and a dedicated global media briefing, ChangAn delivered a compelling demonstration of its innovation capabilities—marking the start of a dynamic, tech-powered journey with global resonance.

“In 2017, ChangAn Automobile fully implemented its business venture, advancing three major strategies—the Mission of Shangri-La, Dubhe 2.0 Plan, and Vast Ocean Plan—to resolutely transform into an intelligent, low-carbon mobility technology company. “said Mr. Zhu Huarong, Chairman of ChangAn Automobile. Since then, ChangAn Automobile has consistently embraced innovation and pursued a high-end, intelligent, and green development path.

As the global industrial landscape evolves at an accelerating pace, ChangAn is committed to exploring new possibilities for future mobility in collaboration with the broader industry. The Company believes the power of science and technology will drive and illuminate this new era of human mobility.

About ChangAn Automobile
ChangAn is an intelligent low-carbon mobility technology company. Its product lineup includes passenger vehicles, pick-ups, and light commercial vehicles. Powered by innovation and industrial upgrading, the Company is committed to advancing sustainable mobility and becoming a global industry leader. In April 2025, ChangAn released its 2024 ESG Report—the 17th since 2008. The company has supported initiatives such as disaster relief in Southeast Asia, the Luban Workshop in Peru, and desertification control in Saudi Arabia. Its commitment to sustainability earned it a place on the “Top 100 ESG-listed Companies in China” for the first time.

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