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INTRODUCING JOURNEY: A NEW KIND OF LOYALTY PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR THE MODERN TRAVELER

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Founded by Visionary Entrepreneur, John Sutton and Backed by Brian Kelly (Founder of The Points Guy), Journey is the First Rewards Program Tailored to Private Rental Homes and Boutique Hotels

NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Journey, a pioneering travel rewards platform, launches today to redefine travel loyalty. Journey allows travelers to earn points and perks across a curated network of unique, independently operated properties—from boutique hotels in major cities to private rental homes in remote locales—offering the flexibility and personalization guests crave.

Introducing Journey: A New Kind of Loyalty Program Designed for the Modern Traveler

“More than ever, loyalty is important to consumers,” said Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy, Senior Advisor and Investor at Journey. “Travelers want to earn and redeem points for life changing experiences. Whether that’s a safari or a private vacation rental, many of the best lodging options don’t exist within the current loyalty landscape. That’s where Journey comes in—a game changing platform that rewards travelers for staying at properties that they traditionally haven’t been able to earn points for. With Journey, travelers will no longer have to sacrifice loyalty when seeking bespoke and boutique travel experiences.”

Unlock More With Every Stay
Journey connects travelers to hidden gems—boutique hotels, luxury resorts, and private rental homes—that they may not have discovered otherwise. Travelers earn points on every eligible stay, building rewards redeemable for future getaways and perks. For guests, Journey showcases a world of accommodation options beyond the large hospitality groups, giving travelers access to unique, independently owned properties, all while earning valuable loyalty rewards.

“Travelers today face an overwhelming amount of choice,” said John Sutton, Founder and CEO of Journey. “Our curated collection of exceptional, independent stays showcases a handpicked selection of the best accommodations across the globe. By designing a platform from the ground up, we introduce travelers to inspiring, off-the-radar properties while rewarding them for supporting independent operators.”

Transforming Stays, One Reward at a Time
Journey is building an exclusive alliance of independently operated hotels and private rentals, representing a handpicked selection of top properties across the globe. Unlike many rewards programs designed to maximize profits for the loyalty scheme, Journey prioritizes operators and encourages guests to book directly for the best experience and value. Journey Rewards members (travelers) earn at least five points per dollar on eligible stays booked directly with the property versus at least one point per dollar when booking via online travel agencies. Journey also provides operators with next-generation AI marketing tools to personalize guest experiences, optimize off-seasons, attract repeat guests, and compete globally with big chains.

“Journey is about creating an ecosystem where independent operators can thrive without compromising their identity or profits,” Sutton continued. “For far too long, loyalty programs have made money for the loyalty program and not for the hotel or vacation rental. We don’t think it should be that way.”

A World-Class Team of Visionaries
Journey’s leadership team and investors bring together travel industry icons and entrepreneurial powerhouses, united by a passion for redefining loyalty:

John Sutton, Founder and CEO: John is a visionary entrepreneur who sold his digital marketing company in 2009 to join Red Ventures. He held various roles within the organization, including Chief Digital Officer for more than six years, until he left in 2021 to pursue his dream of playing professional beach volleyball. Today, as Journey’s CEO, he is responsible for setting and executing the strategic vision while hiring and overseeing the company’s roster of top industry talent.Brian Kelly, Senior Advisor and Investor: Brian founded The Points Guy in 2010 and built it into one of the top travel media empires in the world. His influential work has led him to be recognized on AdWeek’s Young Influentials list, labeled Forbes’ No. 1 travel influencer and included in Travel + Leisure’s Most Notable People in Travel and Out100’s lists. In 2017, The Points Guy was acquired by Red Ventures, where Brian first connected with John.James McBride, Alliance Ambassador & Senior Advisor: Recognized as “One to Watch” by Bloomberg Businessweek’s Bloomberg 50 and awarded Independent Hotelier of the World by Hotels magazine, James has led iconic properties from Ritz-Carlton to The Carlyle to Grosvenor House. At Journey, James draws on decades of leadership to support independent travel, helping operators thrive in a competitive marketplace while maintaining their unique identity.Eric Wu, Senior Advisor and Investor: Eric was the CEO and Co-Founder of Opendoor, the leading e-commerce platform for residential real estate. His experience building innovative, scalable businesses is a key asset to Journey’s future growth.Chris Burch, Senior Advisor and Investor: As the Co-Founder of Tory Burch and the Owner of Nihi Sumba Resorts, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge in luxury, travel and hospitality, providing valuable insight into crafting world-class guest experiences.

Join the Journey
Journey is currently accepting applications from hospitality operators who wish to become Alliance members. Visit JoinJourney.com/Alliance to learn more. For travelers who are interested in joining Journey Rewards, please visit JoinJourney.com/Waitlist. Travelers will be able to earn and redeem Journey rewards points starting Spring 2025. For more information, visit JoinJourney.com or follow along on social @JourneyRewards.

ABOUT JOURNEY
Journey is a revolutionary loyalty program designed for the modern traveler, connecting guests with unique, independently operated properties. As the first rewards program tailored specifically to private rentals and boutique hotels, Journey enhances both guest experience and operator success by boosting direct bookings and guest personalization through AI enabled tools. For more information, visit JoinJourney.com or join the conversation @JourneyRewards on Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

MEDIA CONTACT:
press@joinjourney.com

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SOURCE Journey

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7 Top-Tier Database Conference Papers Power Core Transaction Speedup of 32% TencentDB TDSQL

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SHENZHEN, China, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Renmin University and Tencent’s joint innovation lab showcased groundbreaking advancements in financial-grade distributed database systems at their 2025 annual conference. Over two years, seven papers were accepted at top database conferences (VLDB, ICDE, SIGMOD), with core technologies integrated into TencentDB TDSQL, achieving 32% faster transactions in state-owned banks and 40% improved query speeds in government big data applications.

Key Innovations:

1. Transaction Processing Optimization

HDCC Protocol: Combines deterministic (Calvin) and non-deterministic (OCC) concurrency control, resolving cross-mechanism recovery issues. Delivers 5.7x performance gains (VLDB 2025).Lion Protocol: Uses LSTM-based workload prediction to optimize replica placement dynamically, avoiding migration bottlenecks. Achieves 2.7x higher throughput and 76.4% better scalability (ICDE 2024).

2. Storage Optimization

HOCO Engine: Enables direct computation on compressed text data via homomorphic compression, offering 9.18x higher throughput for access/modification and 7.16x lower latency for analytics (SIGMOD 2024).SALI Framework: A scalable learned index that adapts to workload skew and boosts concurrency, delivering 2.04x higher insertion throughput under 64 threads (SIGMOD 2024).

Collaboration Impact: The research bridges academia and industry, with contributions from Renmin University’s data engineering experts and Tencent’s TDSQL R&D team. Attendees included leaders such as Du Xiaoyong (Renmin) and Wang Juhong (Tencent), highlighting the partnership’s strategic importance in advancing database technologies for critical sectors like finance and governance.

This collaboration underscores China’s growing leadership in high-performance database systems, combining cutting-edge AI/ML techniques with robust engineering to solve real-world scalability and efficiency challenges.

 

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/7-top-tier-database-conference-papers-power-core-transaction-speedup-of-32-tencentdb-tdsql-302436766.html

SOURCE Tencent Cloud

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Ant Digital Technologies Launches the DeTerministic Virtual Machine, Breaking the Glass Ceiling with AI-driven Web3 Advancements

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The AI-powered DeTerministic Virtual Machine Stack breaks new ground as an open source platform, empowering community advancement and revolutionising smart contract execution across blockchain networks

HANGZHOU, China, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ant Digital Technologies today unveiled the DeTerministic Virtual Machine (DTVM) Stack, a groundbreaking smart contract execution framework crafted to the increasing complexity and wide adoption of blockchain technology. This innovative solution aims to tackle long-standing issues around blockchain performance, deterministic execution, and ecosystem interoperability, signifying a significant leap forward in the evolution of emerging technologies.

The rapid evolution of blockchain technology has spurred significant performance and scalability challenges, prompting a continuous demand for innovation in high-performance blockchain networks in recent years. Central to these challenges are the constraints surrounding smart contract execution. As a result, high-performance blockchain virtual machines (VMs) are crucial for the progression of Web3 development, given their role in executing smart contracts and powering decentralised applications (dApps).

In response to the growing need for enhancements, the recently released DTVM Stack introduces a pioneering approach for smart contract execution. By leveraging WebAssembly (Wasm) technology and maintaining seamless compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) Application Binary Interface (ABI), DTVM Stack sets a new standard in smart contract performance optimisation by including multi-language SDKs and a core execution engine. In addition, the comprehensive solution integrates SmartCogent, an AI toolkit that facilitates a holistic development experience driven by Large Language Models (LLMs) and specialised AI agents to automate the smart contract lifecycle.

Dr. Ying Yan, Chief Scientist at Ant Digital Technologies, shared, “With the DTVM, we deliver a paradigm shift by guaranteeing 100% deterministic results, eliminating unpredictable outcomes in decentralised applications. Our seamless integration with the Ethereum ecosystem ensures flawless contract execution on all Ethereum-based platforms. In essence, DTVM SmartCogent serves as the Rosetta Stone of smart contract development, streamlining processes from coding, auditing to deployment into a cohesive, AI-driven workflow with unparalleled efficiency and accuracy. This empowers developers to concentrate on innovation rather than debugging, revolutionising the landscape of blockchain technology

Through rigorous testing, DTVM Stack has demonstrated exceptional performance metrics. Its logical vulnerability detection achieves a remarkable 81% accuracy rate, coupled with an impressive 86% success rate in repairing identified issues. These results stand as a testament to DTVM Stack’s superior capabilities, surpassing industry benchmarks and outshining comparable open-source projects in the field.

Key features of the DTVM:

AI-powered SmartCogent

Enhances development efficiency by providing smart contract generations, security audits, and on-chain deployments, ensuring code security while boosting productivity

Performance Breakthrough

Achieves up to 2× acceleration in ERC contract executionReduces computational latency by up to 40.5% compared to existing Wasm Virtual MachinesEnables sub-millisecond post-deployment invocation times (0.95ms), marking a substantial 23× improvement in compilation and innovation efficiency over existing Wasm Virtual Machines

Multi-Language Development

Supports a wide array of mainstream programming languages including Solidity, C++, Rust, Java, and GoMaintains EVM ABI compatibility, ensuring seamless integration with existing frameworks

Advanced Security Features

Implements hardware-accelerated bounds checking for enhanced securityReduces the Trusted Computing Base to 69.5KLoC, optimizing system integrityDecreases machine code object file sizes by 30-72.6%, enhancing overall performance and efficiency

Developed by core technical teams from Ant Digital Technology’s Antchain, Ant Group’s Supercomputing Division, Pharos, and other leading entities, the DTVM stands as a testament to collaborative expertise and innovation. Currently, DTVM, comprising the core engine, multi-language SDK, and other essential technologies, has been open-sourced under the Apache License 2.0, allowing developers worldwide access to the complete codebase and documentation via GitHub.

By offering DTVM Stack as a free and open resource, Ant Digital Technologies is not only fostering innovation but also cultivating a vibrant community engagement platform. This strategic approach empowers developers globally to harness the full potential of DTVM Stack, encouraging continuous exploration and expansion of its cutting-edge capabilities.

For further details, please refer to the following resources:
Research Paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.16552 
SmartCogent Demo&Application: https://zan.top/0x/dtvm-smart-cogent 

About Ant Digital Technologies

Ant Digital Technologies is Ant Group’s digital technology subsidiary. Ant Digital Technologies continues to promote the development and application of digital technologies, introducing leading products like ZOLOZ, mPaaS and ZAN based on its expertise in AI, privacy computing, and security technology. Ant Digital Technologies is committed to working with partners across different industries to support small and medium-sized financial institutions in their digital transformation, enable SMEs in the service industry to operate digitally, and facilitate digital collaboration across industries. Revenue from Ant Digital Technologies’ international business operation increased by 300% in 2023.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/ant-digital-technologies-launches-the-deterministic-virtual-machine-breaking-the-glass-ceiling-with-ai-driven-web3-advancements-302436715.html

SOURCE Ant Digital Technologies

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Odoo Showcases Scalable ERP at Kuala Lumpur Business Show

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Business management software Odoo wrapped up successful Business Show themed “Leverage Scalable ERP Software to Accelerate Your Business” together with sponsoring partners PCI Odoo (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, A1 Consulting, Onnet Consulting, and customer SME Aerospace.

Greeting 700 industry pioneers in person, Odoo announced the €500 million transaction led by CapitalG and Sequoia Capital and showcased its latest product version, Odoo 18.

Live Product Showcase

User-friendly yet no less comprehensive, Odoo powers through every stage of its customers’ business expansion. The event showcased:

One-stop trading and service solution with inter-connected CRM, sales, supply chain, and project managementAutomated scheduling and creation of manufacturing orders, BoMs, and job ordersIntegrated data collection, consolidation, and sharingMyInvois integration – create and upload e-invoices directly from Odoo within clicksShopee Connector – synchronize your Shopee orders and manage inventory, deliveries, and all the rest on Odoo

Implementation Partner Panel & Customer Testimonial

At the partner panel and customer testimonial session, PCI Odoo (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, A1 Consulting, and Onnet Consulting shared digital transformation tips.

PCI Odoo (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and A1 Consulting offered insights into successful ERP adoption and pinpointed the importance of designing implementation strategies according to the company size. Nicole Khor Cheng Looi, CTO and Director of Onnet Consulting, the Odoo partner of 10 years, testified that Odoo’s regular version upgrades and releases of localized features are the software’s biggest competitive edge in Malaysia. “With constant product upgrades, Odoo empowers its customers to scale continuously with the latest technology,” he concluded.

Odoo’s customer, manufacturer SME Aerospace, underscores the software’s comprehensive business management capabilities. “If there’s one key takeaway from our journey, it’s this: a strong, integrated ERP like Odoo is more than just a system—it’s a foundation for future growth,” says Mr. Ahmad Fuzli, Vice President of Defence & Manufacturing, NADI Group / SME Aerospace.

View Odoo’s upcoming event schedule to connect with your local IT service providers and industry leaders, or schedule an online call with Odoo to learn more about its services in Malaysia.

About Odoo

With 70+ official apps and 57k+ third-party apps, Odoo manages businesses’ finance, sales, inventory & manufacturing processes, human resources, marketing, team productivity, and more. The Belgian open-source service provider operates in 19 countries and regions worldwide, including the United States, Indonesia, Dubai, and Hong Kong SAR.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/odoo-showcases-scalable-erp-at-kuala-lumpur-business-show-302436671.html

SOURCE Odoo HK Limited

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