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Youth Co:Lab Summit 2024 Provides a Platform for Youth from Singapore to Shine on the Regional Stage

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The Regional Youth Co:Lab Summit, jointly organized by Citi Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), positions young people at the forefront to solve the region’s most pressing challenges

SINGAPORE, July 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Representing Singapore – Greenairy and Moonbeam, young social enterprises focused on air purification and repurposing excess produce respectively, joined over 200 participants from 20 countries and territories gathered in the Philippines at the Youth Co:Lab Summit 2024. Centered on the theme of ‘Inclusive Entrepreneurship’, the Summit was a platform to celebrate and highlight the critical role of young entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds in driving sustainable and equitable economic development and in advancing the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Youth Co:Lab Summit 2024 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation, was organized together with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Department of Trade and Industry Philippines (DTI). 

Held at the ADB Headquarters in Manila, Philippines recently, the Summit was a platform to champion inclusivity in entrepreneurship, promote youth-driven climate initiatives, and harness digital skills where young social entrepreneurs present their inclusive solutions, female-centric initiatives, support for underserved communities and innovative climate responses to build inclusive and just societies. The two-day summit saw participants from diverse backgrounds, including young social entrepreneurs, government delegates, private sector partners, investors, and other youth community partners also joining virtually.

Founder of Greenairy Tanvi Ravindra Thombre, and Co-Founder of The Moonbeam Toh Varden showcased their innovative solutions before a high-level judging panel at the regional summit, highlighting their commitment to sustainability and inventive approaches. Greenairy, provides an innovative plant-based air purification solution for indoor spaces, delivering clean air efficiently through active air phytoremediation technology, and The Moonbeam aims to repurpose excess produce and create high-value products that can be consumed instead of being wasted, focusing on creating products with greater value showcased their innovative solutions at the regional summit, highlighting their commitment to sustainability and inventive approaches.     

Commenting on the experience Tanvi Ravindra Thombre, Founder of Greenairy said: “Meeting other youth change-makers and hearing about their diverse solutions reinforced the power of the youth in driving impactful change. Hearing from the government and social incubators reminded us that it takes a village to grow an enterprise. We will take these insights back and continue to grow our sustainability efforts with Greenairy. Knowing we have Youth Co:lab’s support in terms of mentorship, funding, exposure, and opportunities encourages us to work even harder to make our social innovation a reality.”

“Through our Pathways to Progress job skills-building initiative, the Citi Foundation has been a longtime supporter of organizations working around the globe to address the persistent issue of youth unemployment,” said Florencia Spangaro, Chief Operating Officer of the Citi Foundation. “With its focus on inclusive entrepreneurship, this year’s Youth Co:Lab Summit is a celebration of the next generation of diverse entrepreneurs and innovators who are committed to leaving a positive mark on their communities.”

The Summit provided a regional space for young social entrepreneurs across the Asia-Pacific region to foster knowledge and idea exchanges through networking and collaboration, inspire and engage youth to take action, discuss emerging trends in the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem, advocate for policies to enhance its resilience and inaugurate collaborative initiatives for inclusive youth entrepreneurship.

Youth Co:Lab Summit 2024 was also held in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), CVC Capital Partners, the Commonwealth Secretariat (CWS), EY, The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Spark Project, and the StartupUp Quezon City and the Local Economic Investment Promotions Office of the Local Government of Quezon City.

In Singapore, Youth Co:Lab has been partnering government agency National Youth Council since 2020 through the Youth Action Challenge (YAC) – a four-month national program that gives youths opportunities to ideate and develop potential ideas, be provided with resources, networks, and funds to implement their ideas. The initiative has benefited a total of 1100 young people since its inception, with a balanced and diverse representation across youths’ age groups, education, and gender.

Youth Co:Lab, co-created by UNDP and the Citi Foundation in 2017, is the largest youth movement for empowerment, social entrepreneurship, equality, and social inclusion in Asia Pacific and has supported young people in 28 countries and territories. Since its inception, activities supported by Youth Co:Lab have reached 280,300 participants across the Asia-Pacific region.

About Citi

Citi is a preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs, a global leader in wealth management and a valued personal bank in its home market of the United States. Citi does business in more than 180 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.  

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | X: @Citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi 

About Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.  

About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/youth-colab-summit-2024-provides-a-platform-for-youth-from-singapore-to-shine-on-the-regional-stage-302193336.html

SOURCE Citi

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KM Malta Airlines, the Maltese Islands’ New National Carrier, Implements CellPoint Digital’s Payment Orchestration Solution

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The partnership will enable KM Malta Airlines to provide passengers with a seamless payment experience and access to their preferred payment methods.

LONDON, Sept. 23, 2024 /CNW/ — CellPoint Digital, a global pioneer in Payment Orchestration, is proud to announce it has partnered with KM Malta Airlines to support the airline’s payment processes across multiple sales channels, including on its website and App, allowing passengers in future to pay with key alternative payment methods (APMs) like Apple Pay.

From the start of operations on March 31, 2024, CellPoint Digital was entrusted to support KM Malta Airlines’ payment processes across. Using CellPoint Digital’s Payment Orchestration platform, KM Malta Airlines launched the service with optimised payment processes, a cost-effective payment strategy, and a customer-centric payment model. This partnership reflects the airline’s commitment to providing its passengers with a seamless, convenient payment experience and the airline’s recognition of CellPoint Digital as a valued payment solution provider.

Through its partnership with CellPoint Digital, KM Malta Airlines gains access to a network of acquirer connections, including its newly introduced partner, Shift4 (formerly Finaro), to support its growth strategy. This allows the airline to optimise transaction routing, reduce payment costs, and settle in its preferred currency.

“It’s not often that we get to be present at the inception of one of Europe’s next great airlines, but that’s the opportunity we have with this partnership,” said Kristian Gjerding, CEO of CellPoint Digital. “By prioritising its payment strategy as a cornerstone of its launch strategy, KM Malta Airlines demonstrates that it cares about providing passengers with the best possible booking experience and setting itself up for future success.”

Roy Kinnear, CCO of KM Malta Airlines, stated, “A highly optimised, cost-efficient payment strategy is important to the success of our airline. That’s why we partnered with experts in aviation payments to deliver a comprehensive platform tailored to our passengers’ needs and allowing us to expand our offering of customer choice payment mechanisms.”

The Advantage of Day-One Payment Orchestration

Payment Orchestration is a concept that describes the end-to-end management of all components of a payment, from authorisation to routing to settlement to reporting, allowing airlines to boost conversions in direct and indirect sales channels at lower transaction costs. CellPoint Digital’s Payment Orchestration Platform, which KM Malta Airlines will implement, routes transactions intelligently to increase acceptance, simplifies and centralises back-end reconciliation, integrates various payment methods like Apple Pay, and easily accommodates multiple PSPs and acquirers, including KM Malta Airline’s preferred acquiring partner, Shift4.

For more information about the CellPoint Digital partnership with KM Malta Airlines or to speak with company executives, please get in touch with Steven Osei at steven.osei@cellpointdigital.com

About CellPoint Digital
CellPoint Digital is a fintech leader in payment orchestration and optimisation. CellPoint Digital’s main solution is a powerful Payment Orchestration Platform that optimises digital payment transactions from cards or alternative payment methods and accelerates the deployment of new payment options. Merchants can easily scale their own payment ecosystem across the world, unify the customer payment experience across their website, mobile apps and other channels, optimise the routing of each transaction, increase conversion rates and minimise payment costs. CellPoint Digital has offices in Copenhagen, Dallas, Dubai, London, Miami, Pune and Singapore. Visit www.cellpointdigital.com to learn more. 

About KM Malta Airlines

The KM Malta Airlines schedule serves 17 airports across 15 key European cities, namely, Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Catania, Dusseldorf, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Lyon, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Prague, Rome, Vienna and Zurich.

Bookings can be made on kmmaltairlines.com

Contact: media@kmmaltairlines.com

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/km-malta-airlines-the-maltese-islands-new-national-carrier-implements-cellpoint-digitals-payment-orchestration-solution-302254685.html

SOURCE CellPoint Digital

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Advantech Unveils Expanded Singapore Office to Boost ASEAN Presence and Support AIoT Innovations with Strategic Partnerships

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SINGAPORE, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Advantech (TWSE: 2395), a global leader in industrial IoT and embedded computing solutions, has officially inaugurated its expanded regional office in Singapore. This strategic investment is set to enhance Advantech’s core competencies within the ASEAN region. Located at 7002 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, the new office will double the company’s current facility space, enhancing its infrastructure to meet the rising demand for high-technology solutions, particularly in the semiconductor sector. The expansion underscores Advantech’s commitment to collaborating with silicon and ecosystem partners and investing in local talent development through industry-academia partnerships. The new office will also support Advantech’s Configure-To-Order Service (CTOS), reinforcing its strategic goal of deepening and localising industry presence while advancing a comprehensive AIoT industry development strategy.

Vincent Chang, Managing Director of Asia and Intercontinental Region at Advantech, stated, “The relocation to our new premises marks a significant milestone in Advantech’s nearly 30 years of growth in Singapore. Established in 1995, Advantech Singapore has grown to become a pivotal hub in the ASEAN region, leading to the creation of Advantech Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam as key regional business units. Advantech envisions Singapore evolving into a Corporate Development Core Competency hub, focusing on business intelligence, strategic planning, and advancing branding, public relations, and ESG programmes across the ASEAN region.”

Advantech is also excited to launch the second year of its AIoT Innowork programme with Singapore Polytechnic (SP). This year’s projects will focus on sustainable development, net-zero emissions, and generative AI. Students will use Advantech’s WISE-PaaS, a cloud-based platform, to develop AIoT solutions, including a smart outdoor agriculture proof-of-concept within SP’s campus. Additionally, the programme will advance intelligent EV charging and parking space monitoring with Advantech’s LoRaWAN gateway and generative AI, featuring a dashboard for carpark occupancy and an assistive chatbot for availability queries.

In response to the government’s focus on future workforce development, a student team from SP is set to create a proof of concept for a “Generative AI-powered Virtual Sales Agent.” This innovative project aims to transform customer interactions by enhancing sales and engagement through cutting-edge AI technology. SP envisions this technology revolutionising customer engagement, enhancing service support, and improving operational efficiency.

Advantech Singapore is dedicated to advancing the “MySkillsFuture” programme, a key initiative by the Singapore government to support lifelong learning. Advantech aims to build a collaborative value chain that fosters a sustainable and thriving IoT ecosystem by partnering with ecosystem players, academic institutions, and industry leaders. Additionally, through academic collaboration, Advantech seeks to cultivate industry growth and align with its social responsibility objectives by producing and distributing urban farming products to underserved communities. These strategic partnerships are poised to drive long-term industry success and reinforce Advantech’s commitment to its ESG goals.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/advantech-unveils-expanded-singapore-office-to-boost-asean-presence-and-support-aiot-innovations-with-strategic-partnerships-302255164.html

SOURCE Advantech Co. Singapore Pte Ltd

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Estonia Strengthens Smart Mobility Networking and Strategic Partnerships in the Gulf

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DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Trade Estonia, part of Enterprise Estonia, is concluding its participation at the ITS World Congress 2024 in Dubai, further asserting its leadership in intelligent transport systems (ITS) and smart mobility. Estonia, known for being the first country to allow testing autonomous vehicles on public roads since 2017, showcased its innovative technologies that are setting new benchmarks in smart mobility and ITS.

At the exhibition, Trade Estonia displayed pioneering solutions, including Bamboo Apps’ cutting-edge dispatch system for autonomous shuttles, enabling remote monitoring of unmanned vehicles to enhance safety and efficiency. e-Pavement integrates sensors within road surfaces to improve safety and traffic management, while Auve Tech’s autonomous shuttles seamlessly integrate with public transport, offering efficient and eco-friendly urban mobility solutions. Metrosert is enhancing the precision of smart infrastructure, and Digilogistika Keskus is optimising logistics through advanced digital platforms, boosting supply chain efficiency in smart cities.

H.E. The Ambassador of Estonia to the UAE Maria Belovas stated, “Estonia’s footprint in integrating cutting-edge technology is pivotal in enhancing transportation safety, efficiency, and mobility. Our innovations are designed to meet the evolving needs of global smart cities and ensure a sustainable future for transportation.”

These advancements exemplify Estonia’s commitment to developing intelligent, sustainable, and efficient transport solutions that address both urban and rural mobility needs, and solidifying its global network.

In addition to presenting its technological progress at the ITS World Congress, Estonia focused on building meaningful connections and exploring new avenues for collaboration.

Forging Strategic Global Partnerships

Estonia is dedicated to expanding its international impact by building strategic partnerships, particularly in the Gulf region.

A recent networking event, hosted by H.E. The Ambassador of Finland, Ms. Tuula Yrjölä, and H.E. The Ambassador of Estonia, Ms. Maria Belovas, brought together Finnish and Estonian business delegations to cultivate global connections in smart mobility. The event also facilitated valuable discussions on future collaborations, reflecting Trade Estonia’s ongoing mission to support global innovation and sustainability in transport.

Ms. Maria Belovas highlighted the importance of these international connections in advancing the organisation’s strategic goals and enriching global collaborative efforts.

Building on this momentum, Trade Estonia is gearing up for its next significant engagement at GITEX Global 2024. This upcoming event will serve as a new stage for Estonia to underline their technological advancements and explore new avenues for collaboration with global technology leaders.

About Trade Estonia

Trade Estonia is part of Enterprise Estonia. As a state organisation, Trade Estonia helps Estonian companies to establish themselves in international markets. With a focus on future technologies and pioneering projects, Trade Estonia provides Estonian companies with access to market analysis and marketing strategies and creates the conditions for them to operate successfully on a global scale. Trade Estonia not only promotes the development of new business areas and the establishment of strategic partnerships, but also facilitates access to international networks, thus contributing to the global competitiveness of Estonian companies.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2512077/Maria_Belovas.jpg

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/estonia-strengthens-smart-mobility-networking-and-strategic-partnerships-in-the-gulf-302255186.html

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