MOOVE RAISES US$250 MLN TO SCALE AUTONOMOUS MOBILITY

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- Moove, a global mobility technology company, has raised US$250 million in a Series C funding round that values the company at US$2.1 billion, led by Mubadala Investment Company and co-led by Woven Capital, Toyota’s Growth Fund, and Ion Pacific. (US$1=RM4.09)

The funding will support Moove’s expansion of its autonomous vehicle business, including fleet ownership, autonomous vehicle infrastructure and its robotics-focused depot facilities known as “Nests”, where autonomous fleets are charged, serviced, maintained and managed.

The company also plans to expand into new markets and increase its autonomous vehicle workforce from about 150 employees to 500 by the end of the year.

Moove Co-Founder, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Advisory Board Chairman, Ladi Delano said the company is building the infrastructure needed to support autonomous mobility at scale.

“Autonomy requires fleets, charging, maintenance, data systems and 24/7 operations in every city — and that is what Moove is building,” he said in a statement.

Moove said scaling autonomous mobility requires more than vehicle technology, including access to capital, fleet operations, charging infrastructure, maintenance capabilities and operational systems. The company is building an infrastructure layer designed to support the deployment and management of autonomous transportation networks.

Since its founding in 2020, Moove has developed a mobility operations platform for human-driven ride-hailing services and now operates about 42,000 vehicles across 29 cities in 13 countries. It employs 3,300 people globally and has grown to US$420 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) through organic expansion and acquisitions, including Kovi in Brazil and Tokyo Taxi in Japan.

Moove is extending its fleet management and operational expertise into autonomous mobility, where it operates autonomous vehicle fleets through its partnership with Waymo in Phoenix and Miami, with future operations planned in London.

The company said it is applying its experience in fleet orchestration, operations, servicing, charging and logistics to support the deployment of next-generation autonomous vehicle systems.

-- BERNAMA

DARWINBOX UNVEILS AI-NATIVE HCM PLATFORM CORTEX

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- Darwinbox, a human capital management (HCM) platform, has unveiled Darwinbox Cortex, the artificial intelligence (AI)-native HCM platform rebuilt from the ground up for AI.

Rather than adding AI features on top of existing software, Cortex embeds intelligence into the core of the platform. It is being launched with pilot customers and technology partners, including Microsoft, Slack and Glean.

Darwinbox said Cortex is designed to understand an organisation’s people, roles, policies, workflows and past decisions, enabling users to make requests within the governance and operational guardrails already established by the organisation.

“With Cortex, we reimagined the entire HCM experience from the ground up and pushed the boundaries of what AI can do for HR through a series of innovations, including the first Context Graph in the category.

“This is not an incremental evolution of HCM; it defines a new category, and we are excited about what it can unlock for our customers,” said Darwinbox co-founder and co-chief executive officer, Jayant Paleti in a statement.

According to Darwinbox, the AI-native platform is built on four architectural foundations namely, the Signal Layer, the Context Graph, the Cortex Agent Platform and the Experience Layer.

The company said the platform is being introduced with a select group of global design partners, including Visteon Corporation and Transcarent, which are working with Darwinbox to apply Cortex to complex workforce-management challenges.

Darwinbox added that Cortex is designed for a connected enterprise environment, integrating with Microsoft 365, Teams and Co-pilot, as well as platforms such as Slack and Glean, allowing enterprise intelligence to be delivered through applications employees already use in their daily work.

-- BERNAMA

HOLAFLY IDENTIFIES TOP INTERNATIONAL ALTERNATIVES TO ICONIC DESTINATIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- Holafly has identified the best international alternatives to some of the world's most iconic travel destinations in its first Travel Dupe Index, which compares visual and cultural similarity, accommodation costs, overtourism, accessibility and social momentum.

According to Holafly in a statement, destinations such as Venice, Aspen, Kyoto and Ibiza remain enduringly popular, but travellers are increasingly seeking comparable scenery and cultural experiences without the crowds, queues and higher prices associated with major tourist hotspots.

Unlike traditional "dupe" rankings, every alternative in the index is located in a different country from the destination it replaces, allowing travellers to discover a genuinely new destination while retaining a similar atmosphere and appeal.

The study found that the strongest alternative to Venice is Ghent, Belgium, whose mediaeval canals and historic architecture offer a similar experience while facing significantly lower tourism pressure.

The ranking also highlights Banff, Canada, as an alternative to Aspen, United States; Jeonju, South Korea, instead of Kyoto, Japan; and Budva, Montenegro, instead of Ibiza, Spain, with travellers saving up to 83 per cent on accommodation costs, depending on the destination.

Holafly said international travel dupes are emerging as an alternative to overtourism, enabling visitors to enjoy similar landscapes, architecture and cultural experiences while reducing travel costs and avoiding peak visitor numbers.

To compile the index, Holafly compared 10 iconic destinations with international alternatives using a weighted scoring model. The destinations were assessed based on visual and cultural similarity, accommodation savings, overtourism contrast, accessibility, and social momentum, including social media and online search trends.

The company added that each alternative had to be located in a different country from the original destination, with the methodology designed to highlight destinations that offer similar experiences, better value and fewer crowds while encouraging travellers to discover new places.

-- BERNAMA

2POINTZERO REPORTS STRONG FIRST HALF REVENUE, NET PROFIT

Samia Bouazza, CEO of 2PointZero (Photo: AETOSWire)

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Abu Dhabi-based investment holding firm, 2PointZero Group has reported revenue of 21.9 billion Emirati dirham and a group net profit of 7.7 billion Emirati dirham for the first half of 2026. (100 Emirati dirham = RM111.58)

The group said continued operational integration, wider adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and ongoing cost optimisation strengthened operational performance, lifting revenue while maintaining a blended gross profit margin of 29 per cent.

Net profit from the group's businesses increased 2,301 per cent year-on-year, driven by the consolidation of Tendam and the mega-merger that formed 2PointZero Group, new investments in African financial services, expansion into European packaging markets and steady operational progress across all business segments.

The strong performance was reflected in the group's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), which reached 5.0 billion Emirati dirham after excluding fair value changes and one-off items.

“As we enter the second half of the year, we continue to strengthen the platform for long-term growth. Nearly 10 per cent of our workforce consists of AI co-workers, embedded across the group to improve productivity, accelerate decision-making, and strengthen operational performance.

“Together with our disciplined capital allocation and strong financial position, this gives us confidence in our ability to create long-term shareholder value,” said 2PointZero Chief Executive Officer, Samia Bouazza in a statement.

The group's financial position remained strong, supported by cash holdings of 13.7 billion Emirati dirham and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, providing flexibility to manage risks, allocate resources efficiently and fund high-return investment opportunities globally.

Among its key developments, 2PointZero completed the sale of its entire 7.29 per cent stake in TAQA to Abu Dhabi Power and expanded its energy infrastructure portfolio through subsidiary ePointZero's acquisition of a 100 per cent stake in Traverse Midstream Partners.

The group also participated in the Series G funding round for WHOOP, a global health technology company, and acquired a 60.8 per cent controlling interest in Italy's ISEM Packaging Group for 704 million Emirati dirham.

Recognising its financial performance, 2PointZero ranked 36th on TIME's inaugural World's Growth Leaders 2026 list, reflecting its business growth, market performance and long-term financial stability.

-- BERNAMA

 

RHB PRESERVES ISLAMIC FINANCE LEGACY WHILE INVESTING IN FUTURE RESEARCH

(From left) Dr. Marjan Muhammad, Deputy President of Research, ISRA Institute, INCEIF University; Professor Emeritus Dato' Dr. Mohd Azmi Omar, President and Chief Executive Officer of INCEIF University; YBhg. Senator Dr. Zulkifli Hasan, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs); Dato' Adissadikin Ali, Managing Director of RHB Islamic Bank Berhad; and Ahmad Mukarrami Ab Mumin, Head of Group Shariah Advisory of RHB Islamic Bank Berhad, at the book launch ceremony.

Publication preserves industry knowledge, while RM300,000 grant to INCEIF University supports future research and innovation

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- RHB Islamic Bank Berhad ("RHB Islamic" or "the Bank") is strengthening its commitment to advancing knowledge, research and thought leadership in Islamic finance with the publication of Charting Progress Together – Malaysia's Islamic Finance Through the Years. Developed in collaboration with INCEIF University, the book captures key developments that have shaped Malaysia's Islamic finance industry.

The book is the first publication under the RHB Islamic Insight series and features 24 selected articles originally published between 2012 and 2021. Written by RHB Islamic practitioners, the articles provide insights into the industry’s growth and transformation, covering topics such as Islamic banking and finance, capital markets, Shariah governance and Islamic social finance.

The articles also reflect a transformative period in the industry's development, marked by the growing adoption of fintech, the introduction of Value-Based Intermediation (“VBI”), evolving Shariah standards and governance frameworks, and a growing emphasis on sustainability and social impact in financial services.

Dato’ Adissadikin Ali, Managing Director of RHB Islamic Bank Berhad said, "Malaysia's Islamic finance industry has grown through the collective efforts of regulators, financial institutions, scholars and industry practitioners across generations. Over the past two decades, RHB Islamic has been part of this journey, and this publication reflects our commitment to preserving valuable insights gained along the way and making them more accessible to those who will continue shaping its future.”

"While preserving what we have learned is important, generating new ideas is equally vital. This is why we are also investing in research to support the next chapter of Malaysia's Islamic finance industry. We believe continued collaboration between academia and practitioners will be key to developing fresh perspectives that respond to the Islamic finance industry’s evolving needs," added Dato’ Adissadikin Ali.

RHB Islamic will provide a RM300,000 grant to INCEIF University to support research aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s Islamic finance ecosystem. The grant reflects a shared commitment between academia and practitioners to advance research and deepen understanding in ways that foster innovation and sustainable growth across the nation’s Islamic finance industry.

Bank Negara Malaysia has identified research, talent development and knowledge-sharing as key priorities for supporting the future growth of the Islamic finance industry and reinforcing Malaysia's position as a global leader in Islamic finance. RHB Islamic's publication and research collaboration contribute to these national priorities by strengthening knowledge development and industry-academia collaboration.

RHB Islamic remains committed to supporting the long-term development of Malaysia's Islamic finance ecosystem through knowledge development, research and industry collaboration, in line with the Bank’s strategy to create sustainable social impact through education and knowledge empowerment.

To find out more about Charting Progress Together – Malaysia’s Islamic Finance Through the Years, please visit www.rhbgroup.com.

About RHB Banking Group
RHB Banking Group is one of Malaysia’s longest-standing and leading financial institutions, with a proud heritage spanning over a century. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Group has a strong presence across seven ASEAN markets and is powered by a workforce of about 13,000 employees. United by a common purpose – Together We Progress – RHB is committed to empowering individuals, businesses and communities to grow and progress together.

As a fully integrated financial group, our core businesses are structured into six key pillars: Group Community Banking, Group Corporate & Business Banking, Group Wholesale Banking, Group Shariah Business, Group International Business and Group Insurance. We offer comprehensive and innovative financial solutions through RHB Bank Berhad and our key subsidiaries: RHB Investment Bank Berhad, RHB Islamic Bank Berhad, and RHB Insurance Berhad. Our asset management and unit trust businesses are undertaken by RHB Asset Management Sdn. Bhd. and RHB Islamic International Asset Management Berhad.

RHB Bank Berhad is listed on Bursa Malaysia with a market capitalisation of RM37 billion as at 30 July 2026.

Guided by our purpose, RHB is focused on delivering meaningful and sustainable value by driving innovation, fostering inclusive growth, and strengthening long-term resilience to meet the evolving needs of our customers, communities, and the broader financial ecosystem.

For more information, please visit www.rhbgroup.com.

Malaysia | Singapore | Indonesia | Thailand | Brunei | Cambodia | Lao PDR

Issued on behalf of RHB Bank Berhad by Group Corporate Communications.

Customers may call our Customer Contact Centre at 03–9206 8118 for enquiries on RHB’s products and services.

SOURCE: RHB Islamic Bank Berhad

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Azim Daman
Tel: 017-380 9497
Email: azim.daman@rhbgroup.com

Name: Nishanthi Palani
Tel: 012-420 0812
Email: nishanthi.palani@rhbgroup.com

--BERNAMA

Lantronix and Swarmer Collaborate to Create Custom Compute Module for Group 1 Unmanned Aerial Systems

 

Lantronix to develop a custom solution based on Lantronix’s Open-Q™ 6490CS SOM to support Swarmer’s AI software on small drones for defense missions, boosting onboard computing power by more than 400% compared to current platforms


IRVINE, Calif., July 31 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lantronix Inc. (Nasdaq: LTRX), a global provider of Edge AI and Industrial IoT solutions that power NDAA-compliant unmanned systems, critical infrastructure, and resilient enterprise networks, today announced a collaboration with Swarmer, Inc (Nasdaq: SWMR), a drone autonomy software company whose technology has supported more than 100,000 real-world combat missions in Ukraine since April 2024, to create a custom compute platform optimized for Group 1 UAS. Both companies are focused on accelerating deployment of FPV and other small, low-cost drones for Ukraine, U.S. and allied defense programs.

“Autonomy software only proves itself once it’s deployed on hardware that’s actually flying,” said Saleel Awsare, president and CEO of Lantronix. “A production-ready NDAA-compliant Lantronix compute platform with Swarmer’s combat-proven software provides operators with roughly four times the processing power to optimize its visual navigation, automated target recognition, pixel lock and advanced teaming algorithms.”

The integration of Lantronix's Open-Q™ 6490CS System-on-Module is designed to provide Group 1 UAS with the identical connectivity options along with a significant increase in onboard computing capability, enabling more advanced artificial intelligence, computer vision and autonomous mission execution at the tactical edge. The additional processing capacity will support more sophisticated swarming behaviors, sensor fusion and real-time decision-making while providing a production-ready platform designed for long-term deployment.

For military operators, this will result in the ability to field increasingly autonomous, software-defined Group 1 UAS that can adapt to evolving mission requirements through software updates rather than hardware replacement, extending operational capability while reducing lifecycle complexity.

“With more than seven million drones projected to be manufactured this year alone, we believe that every one of them could potentially run our AI and collaborative autonomy software,” said Alex Fink, president and U.S. CEO of Swarmer. “Our collaboration with Lantronix will produce a compute platform that is capable of running AI models on the edge in a small form factor that is optimized for Group 1 UAS. We believe this will become the new industry standard compute solution for small unmanned systems, and every unit will arrive pre-populated with Swarmer OS and Swarmer’s cutting-edge autonomy.”

Founded in Austin, Texas, in May 2023, Swarmer deployed its autonomy software in combat operations in Ukraine in April 2024 and has since flown missions with nearly 50 Ukrainian military units in active electronic warfare and GNSS-denied environments. Swarmer’s software is designed to run across any type of drone — from fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft to ground vehicles and sea vessels. The Swarmer solution based on Lantronix Open-Q™ 6490CS SOM will support all of these platforms, allowing a single operator to plan, monitor and execute missions involving hundreds of drones from one hardware base.

How Lantronix Technology Benefits Swarmer

The Open-Q™ 6490CS SOM enables Swarmer to deploy its autonomy software on a production-ready compute platform that improves performance, reduces cost and operational inefficiencies, optimizes SWaP and accelerates deployment across multiple unmanned platforms. On-device AI processing is built for GPS-denied and contested environments, where cloud-dependent compute isn’t reliable.

Sustained production support and NDAA compliance also eliminates supply chain uncertainty, enabling Swarmer to scale deployments across U.S. and allied government customers without hardware availability concerns.

Key Investor Takeaways

Expanded platform opportunity: Broadens Lantronix's role within autonomous defense systems by improving AI compute for multi-platform autonomy software across air, ground and maritime unmanned systems. 

Replaces Soon-to-be Obsolete Technology: Current onboard compute systems are becoming increasingly expensive and unable to match pace with the speed of AI. This customized platform is designed to provide roughly four times the processing power to optimize visual navigation, automated target recognition, pixel lock and advanced teaming algorithms. 

Long-term program support: NDAA compliance and a 10-year-plus production commitment position Lantronix for recurring, long-term revenue as Swarmer secures extended defense contracts, de-risking platform adoption in the defense autonomy market.

Validated, scaling partner: Swarmer (Nasdaq: SWMR) is a publicly traded, combat-proven operator with more than 100,000 missions flown across nearly 50 military units, reducing execution risk on the demand side of the partnership.

About Swarmer

Swarmer™ (Nasdaq: SWMR) is a defense technology company that specializes in vendor-agnostic software which allows one operator to intuitively control hundreds of autonomous platforms in real time. Swarmer’s primary mission areas include autonomous swarm coordination, integration of multi-domain unmanned systems and AI-powered autonomy software for distributed operations. Swarmer is not a drone manufacturer and does not depend on any single platform, supplier or hardware lifecycle. Instead, Swarmer operates at the intelligence layer, developing autonomy, coordination and decision-making software that enables large numbers of low-cost unmanned systems to operate collectively as one coherent, resilient force. Swarmer’s technology has been rigorously validated in real-world kinetic environments and was first deployed in combat operations in Ukraine in April 2024. Since then, it has completed more than 100,000 combat missions, generating terabytes of proprietary data that informs its machine-learning models and enables the replication of advanced pilot performance at scale. Swarmer’s routine use in combat missions generates continuous streams of telemetry, sensor data and operational feedback which are then used to refine performance, increase resilience and accelerate learning. Swarmer has headquarters in Austin, Texas, and maintains operations and teams in Ukraine, Poland and Estonia. For more information, visit www.getswarmer.com.

About Lantronix

Lantronix Inc. (Nasdaq: LTRX) is a global leader in Edge AI and Industrial IoT solutions, delivering intelligent computing, secure connectivity and remote management for mission-critical applications. Serving high-growth markets, including smart cities, enterprise IT and commercial and defense unmanned systems, including drones, Lantronix enables customers to optimize operations and accelerate digital transformation. Its comprehensive portfolio of hardware, software and services powers applications from secure video surveillance and intelligent utility infrastructure to resilient out-of-band network management. By bringing intelligence to the network edge, Lantronix helps organizations achieve efficiency, security and a competitive edge in today’s AI-driven world. For more information, visit the Lantronix website.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements concerning a potential collaboration between Lantronix and Swarmer and Lantronix’s positioning to capitalize on opportunities for long-term growth in the drone and defense technology markets. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, future business, financial condition, or performance to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained in this news release. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, such factors as the effects of negative or worsening regional and worldwide economic conditions or market instability on our business, including effects on purchasing decisions by our customers; our ability to mitigate any disruption in our and our suppliers’ and vendors’ supply chains due to changes in U.S. or foreign government trade policies, including recently increased or future tariffs, a pandemic or other outbreaks, wars and recent conflicts in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, or other factors; future responses to and effects of public health crises; cybersecurity risks; changes in applicable U.S. and foreign government laws and regulations; the risk that no definitive agreement between Lantronix and Swarmer is reached; our ability to successfully implement our acquisitions strategy or integrate acquired companies; difficulties and costs of protecting patents and other proprietary rights; the level of our indebtedness, our ability to service our indebtedness and the restrictions in our debt agreements; and any additional factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Aug. 29, 2025, including in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of Part I of that report, as well as in our other public filings with the SEC. Additional risk factors may be identified from time to time in our future filings. In addition, actual results may differ as a result of additional risks and uncertainties about which we are currently unaware or which we do not currently view as material to our business. For these reasons, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements we make speak only as of the date on which they are made. We expressly disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof to conform such statements to actual results or to changes in our opinions or expectations, except as required by applicable law or the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. If we do update or correct any forward-looking statements, investors should not conclude that we will make additional updates or corrections.

©2026 Lantronix, Inc. All rights reserved. Lantronix is a registered trademark. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

Investor Contact (Lantronix):
Matt Glover and Greg Robles
Gateway Group, Inc.
LTRX@gateway-grp.com

Investor Contact (Swarmer):
SWMR@gateway-grp.com 

Media Contact (Lantronix):
Diana Puckett
PRforLantronix@Bospar.com

Media Contact (Swarmer): 
media@getswarmer.tech  


SOURCE: Lantronix, Inc.

Chery Auto Expands Global LEPAS NEV Lineup

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama) -- Chery Auto, a global automotive manufacturer, has announced that its mid-to-premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, LEPAS, is advancing its global market expansion with a comprehensive NEV lineup comprising the LEPAS L4 EV, LEPAS L6 EV and LEPAS L8 PHEV.

The lineup showcases LEPAS’ focus on elegant mobility through a combination of design, intelligent technologies and spacious interiors, addressing a range of mobility needs across global markets.

Chery Auto in a statement said the three models have entered the global launch phase and will be rolled out gradually across international markets as LEPAS continues to expand its presence worldwide.

The LEPAS L4 EV is designed for urban drivers seeking a more intelligent and effortless NEV experience, combining extended range capability, efficient performance and convenient charging solutions for both daily commuting and longer journeys.

Powered by a highly integrated 12-in-1 electric drive system, the L4 EV delivers smooth, quiet and efficient performance. It supports fast charging of more than 120 kilowatts (kW) and can charge from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in about 20 minutes when connected to a 200kW charging station.

Meanwhile, the LEPAS L6 EV, described as an Intelligent & Exquisite Life sport utility vehicle (SUV), features LEPAS’ signature "Leopard Aesthetics" design language and targets consumers seeking a more refined and sophisticated mobility experience.

The L6 EV combines an elegant and dynamic exterior with a minimalist interior design suited to a variety of lifestyles, including daily commuting, family travel, leisure outings and social occasions.

LEPAS said the L8 PHEV balances spacious comfort, intelligent technology, safety features and long driving range capability, delivering a refined mobility experience for global consumers.

Built on a 2,800-millimetre wheelbase, the LEPAS L8 PHEV offers a spacious cabin equipped with an AQS air quality monitoring system, active fragrance system, ultraviolet (UV)-blocking and heat-insulating glass, and smartphone remote-control functions.

-- BERNAMA