Author Archives: 862global

Best’s Market Segment Report: AM Best Maintains Stable Outlook on New Zealand’s Life Insurance Segment

Posted on by

Best’s Market Segment Report: AM Best Maintains Stable Outlook on New Zealand’s Life Insurance Segment




Best’s Market Segment Report: AM Best Maintains Stable Outlook on New Zealand’s Life Insurance Segment

SINGAPORE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#insurance—AM Best is maintaining its stable outlook on the New Zealand life insurance segment, based in part on improving economic conditions, ongoing regulatory refinements that support market discipline, digitalisation efforts and robust capital adequacy levels among its insurers.


While there are indications that New Zealand’s economy is experiencing signs of a recovery, AM Best anticipates muted premium growth in the life insurance segment over the short-to-medium term. Persistent cost of living pressures, high household debt levels, and weak real wage growth continue to constrain discretionary spending on protection products.

According to the report, prolonged competitive pressures are expected to support product optimisation and promote heavier discounting and incentives for new customers. “These trends can erode new business margins and further increase lapse risk, which has been elevated in recent post-pandemic periods,” said Yi Ding, associate director, AM Best. “In addition, compliance and system investments linked to regulatory requirements continue to weigh on short-term profitability.”

The Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022 (the CoFI Act), which took effect on 31 March 2025, requires insurers to operate under a fair conduct principle, ensuring policyholders are treated ethically and transparently throughout the product life cycle. Insurance companies have already absorbed substantial expenses to meet the IFRS 17 requirements, effective since January 2023. Now with CoFI implementation underway, insurers face further investment in governance frameworks, staff training, and technology to ensure compliance.

“Smaller insurers and those with large legacy portfolios are under greater pressure to modernise systems and strengthen oversight while maintaining profitability,” Ding said.

To access the full copy of this report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=359759.

AM Best will discuss New Zealand’s insurance industry in further detail at its Insurance Market Briefing – Auckland, which will take place at 3:30 p.m. (GMT+13) on Thursday, 13 November 2025, at Level 2/204 Quay Street, Auckland. Presentations and a Q&A session will run to 5:30 p.m. (NZDT); a networking reception will immediately follow. To register or for more information about the market briefing, please visit the event page and agenda here.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2025 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Yi Ding
Associate Director, Analytics
+65 6303 5021
yi.ding@ambest.com

Victoria Ohorodnyk
Director, Head of Analytics
+65 6303 5020
victoria.ohorodnyk@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Cynthia Ang
Senior Industry Research Analyst
+65 6303 5026
cynthia.ang@ambest.com

Workers at Aimbridge-operated hotels in Los Angeles and Philadelphia strike during event-filled weekend, UNITE HERE reports

Posted on by

Workers at Aimbridge-operated hotels in Los Angeles and Philadelphia strike during event-filled weekend, UNITE HERE reports




Workers at Aimbridge-operated hotels in Los Angeles and Philadelphia strike during event-filled weekend, UNITE HERE reports

Workers at hotels owned by RLJ Lodging Trust on both coasts walk off the job in effort to win wages and benefits that enable them to afford to raise families in the cities where they work

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In the shadow of the Hollywood Bowl, hotel workers at the Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Hollywood started a picket line at 6 AM local time today.

The 160-room hotel, owned by RLJ Lodging Trust and operated by Aimbridge Hospitality, expected high occupancy this weekend for one of the last Hollywood Bowl concerts of the year.

In Philadelphia, workers at the Wyndham Historic District hotel—also owned by RLJ Lodging Trust and operated by Aimbridge—walked off the job earlier today, just ahead of the Thanksgiving travel season.

“Whether we strike is up to the employers and how willing they are to pay us fairly for the work we do,” said Maria Christina Velasquez, a shop steward with UNITE HERE Local 11 and laundry attendant at the Hilton Garden Inn Hollywood since 2019. “We’re ready for anything.”

“Hotel workers like me go on strike to win raises that keep up with the rising cost of living, pensions, high quality union healthcare, and safe workloads,” said Brent Allen, a restaurant server and member of UNITE HERE Local 274 at the Wyndham Historic District since 2023. “We’re going to welcome millions of visitors to Philly in 2026, but most of us can’t pay our basic bills. We deserve to be able to live dignified lives but that can only happen if the hotel owner and operator pay us what we deserve.”

RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE: RLJ) owns a portfolio of nearly 100 hotels across 23 states and the District of Columbia. The company just this week announced a year-over-year drop in both revenue and net income. According to campaign filings, between July and September of this year, RLJ Lodging Trust donated $25,000 to the effort to defeat a $30 minimum wage for hospitality workers that the Los Angeles City Council passed in May.

Aimbridge hospitality operates hotels across the world under known brands like Hilton, Hyatt, and Windham. Aimbridge-operated properties were among the last to settle during the 2023–2024 Southern California Hotel Strike, the largest hotel strike in modern U.S. history.

UNITE HERE Local 11 is more than 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona who work in hotels, restaurants, universities, convention centers, and airports.

UNITE HERE LOCAL 274 is 4,000 private-sector hotel and food service workers at stadiums, universities, cafeterias, and hotels throughout the Philadelphia region.

Both are affiliates of UNITE HERE, a labor union representing 300,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE: https://www.unitehere11.org/workers-at-aimbridge-operated-hotels-in-los-angeles-and-philadelphia-strike-during-event-filled-weekend-unite-here-reports/

Contacts

Rachel Sulkes | rsulkes@unitehere11.org | 602-327-4084

Workers at Aimbridge-operated hotels in Los Angeles and Philadelphia strike during event-filled weekend, UNITE HERE reports

Posted on by

Workers at Aimbridge-operated hotels in Los Angeles and Philadelphia strike during event-filled weekend, UNITE HERE reports




Workers at Aimbridge-operated hotels in Los Angeles and Philadelphia strike during event-filled weekend, UNITE HERE reports

Workers at hotels owned by RLJ Lodging Trust on both coasts walk off the job in effort to win wages and benefits that enable them to afford to raise families in the cities where they work

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In the shadow of the Hollywood Bowl, hotel workers at the Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Hollywood started a picket line at 6 AM local time today.

The 160-room hotel, owned by RLJ Lodging Trust and operated by Aimbridge Hospitality, expected high occupancy this weekend for one of the last Hollywood Bowl concerts of the year.

In Philadelphia, workers at the Wyndham Historic District hotel—also owned by RLJ Lodging Trust and operated by Aimbridge—walked off the job earlier today, just ahead of the Thanksgiving travel season.

“Whether we strike is up to the employers and how willing they are to pay us fairly for the work we do,” said Maria Christina Velasquez, a shop steward with UNITE HERE Local 11 and laundry attendant at the Hilton Garden Inn Hollywood since 2019. “We’re ready for anything.”

“Hotel workers like me go on strike to win raises that keep up with the rising cost of living, pensions, high quality union healthcare, and safe workloads,” said Brent Allen, a restaurant server and member of UNITE HERE Local 274 at the Wyndham Historic District since 2023. “We’re going to welcome millions of visitors to Philly in 2026, but most of us can’t pay our basic bills. We deserve to be able to live dignified lives but that can only happen if the hotel owner and operator pay us what we deserve.”

RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE: RLJ) owns a portfolio of nearly 100 hotels across 23 states and the District of Columbia. The company just this week announced a year-over-year drop in both revenue and net income. According to campaign filings, between July and September of this year, RLJ Lodging Trust donated $25,000 to the effort to defeat a $30 minimum wage for hospitality workers that the Los Angeles City Council passed in May.

Aimbridge hospitality operates hotels across the world under known brands like Hilton, Hyatt, and Windham. Aimbridge-operated properties were among the last to settle during the 2023–2024 Southern California Hotel Strike, the largest hotel strike in modern U.S. history.

UNITE HERE Local 11 is more than 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona who work in hotels, restaurants, universities, convention centers, and airports.

UNITE HERE LOCAL 274 is 4,000 private-sector hotel and food service workers at stadiums, universities, cafeterias, and hotels throughout the Philadelphia region.

Both are affiliates of UNITE HERE, a labor union representing 300,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE: https://www.unitehere11.org/workers-at-aimbridge-operated-hotels-in-los-angeles-and-philadelphia-strike-during-event-filled-weekend-unite-here-reports/

Contacts

Rachel Sulkes | rsulkes@unitehere11.org | 602-327-4084

FIS Launches Innovative Asset Servicing Management Suite to Unlock Operational Efficiency Across Asset Servicing

Posted on by

FIS Launches Innovative Asset Servicing Management Suite to Unlock Operational Efficiency Across Asset Servicing




FIS Launches Innovative Asset Servicing Management Suite to Unlock Operational Efficiency Across Asset Servicing

Key facts


  • FIS Asset Servicing Management Suite helps capital investment work harder by unlocking operational efficiencies across all areas of asset servicing.
  • The comprehensive suite covers corporate actions processing, proxy voting, class actions claims, operational claims and tax reclaim management.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Global financial technology leader FIS® has announced the launch of FIS Asset Servicing Management Suite, a comprehensive suite of automated and integrated solutions which help unlock operational efficiency across all areas of asset servicing.

The suite combines the traditionally separate critical functions of corporate actions processing, proxy voting, class actions claims, operational claims and tax reclaim management to revolutionize asset servicing, creating a seamless experience which helps capital investment to work more efficiently and underscores FIS’ commitment to unlocking financial technology to the world.

Why FIS Asset Servicing Management Suite Matters

Asset servicing is under growing pressure. Many organizations are relying on multiple vendors which leads to fragmented data, inefficiencies, and a greater chance for mistakes. This fragmented infrastructure also makes cost control harder and amplifies operational risk, which could have a negative impact on customer satisfaction. This lack of operational agility and complexity can significantly hinder the effectiveness of asset servicing operations.

To address these challenges, FIS Asset Servicing Management Suite represents a fundamental shift in how financial institutions approach asset servicing operations. This single, integrated platform provides transparency and control across the entire asset servicing lifecycle.

The unified platform can replace the need for multiple vendors and minimizes data fragmentation, providing accurate and streamlined data to provide better insights. By automating workflows that previously required extensive manual intervention, the suite enables institutions to focus on strategic value creation rather than operational maintenance. Additionally, the suite reduces risk, improves decision-making, provides cost efficiencies and enhances the overall client experience.

Matt Stauffer, head of Back Office Solutions at FIS, said: “Operational inefficiencies in asset servicing directly translate to real financial losses for everyday investors. When corporate actions are processed incorrectly or proxy votes fail to reach their intended destination, or qualification to participate in class action opportunities are not identified, it is not just institutions that suffer – it is also the customers whose pensions and savings depend on these systems working flawlessly. FIS Asset Servicing Management Suite helps to eliminate the fragmented and often overlooked post-trade infrastructure that creates these risks, unlocking operational efficiency across all areas of asset servicing.”

About FIS

FIS is a financial technology company providing solutions to financial institutions, businesses, and developers. We unlock financial technology to the world across the money lifecycle underpinning the world’s financial system. Our people are dedicated to advancing the way the world pays, banks and invests, by helping our clients to confidently run, grow, and protect their businesses. Our expertise comes from decades of experience helping financial institutions and businesses of all sizes adapt to meet the needs of their customers by harnessing where reliability meets innovation in financial technology. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, FIS is a member of the Fortune 500® and the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index. To learn more, visit FISglobal.com. Follow FIS on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

Contacts

For More Information
Kim Snider, 904.438.6278

Senior Vice President

FIS Global Marketing and Communications

kim.snider@fisglobal.com

OMRON Releases the “Medium-Term Roadmap SF 2nd Stage”

Posted on by

OMRON Releases the “Medium-Term Roadmap SF 2nd Stage”




OMRON Releases the “Medium-Term Roadmap SF 2nd Stage”

KYOTO, Japan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–OMRON (TOKYO: 6645) has announced its “Medium-Term Roadmap Shaping the Future 2nd Stage (“SF 2nd Stage”),” covering from FY2026 to FY2030, on November 7, 2025 (JST). This Roadmap presents the Group’s vision and growth strategies through 2030, which are disclosed on our corporate website.


Overview of the “Medium-Term Roadmap SF 2nd Stage”

Since April 2024, OMRON has been implementing a Structural Reform Program “NEXT 2025” aimed at rebuilding our foundation for profitability and growth. With the completion of this Program in September 2025, we have shifted into a growth phase and formulated a new Roadmap looking ahead to 2030.

This Roadmap identifies Business Portfolio Restructuring as a core strategy. We have defined Thirteen Focus Businesses to drive the Group’s future growth. By accelerating our selection and concentration efforts, we aim to build a “distinctive” business portfolio that maximizes overall Group growth. Furthermore, to maximize the growth potential of our Focus Businesses, we will drive transformation decisively across three areas, “VALUE”, “FRONT”, and “Resource Allocation.”

Building on the profit foundation established through Structural Reform Program, we will thoroughly enhance our business growth capabilities and aim to increase corporate value through sustainable, profit-driven growth.

Related Information

Medium-Term Roadmap SF 2nd Stage

About OMRON

OMRON Corporation, as a leading automation company centered on its unique “Sensing & Control + Think” technology, develops businesses in Factory Automation, Healthcare, Social systems, Device and module, and Data solutions that utilize a wide variety of data acquired through these businesses. Founded in 1933, OMRON now employs about 27,000 people worldwide, provides products and services in more than 130 countries, and contributes to the creation of a better society.

Please visit the OMRON website for additional information.

Contacts

Investor Relations Department

OMRON Corporation

E-Mail: omron-ir@omron.com

ChargeUp Accelerator for Battery Startups Opens Application Period for Cohort 3

Posted on by

ChargeUp Accelerator for Battery Startups Opens Application Period for Cohort 3




ChargeUp Accelerator for Battery Startups Opens Application Period for Cohort 3

ChargeUp Accelerator in Binghamton N.Y. Enables Companies to Leverage Resources within a Federally Designated Battery Tech Hub to Speed Commercialization

BINGHAMTON, N.Y., Nov. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New Energy New York (NENY) has opened applications for the third cohort of ChargeUp. The six-month accelerator program is designed to support startups working on battery innovations in order to help them advance their technology development and business. U.S. companies that are working on battery innovations from lab-scale prototype to early revenue are encouraged to apply. Companies accepted into the accelerator will receive $25,000 (non-equity), training on business development and investor pitches, connections to supply chain partners, and opportunities for follow-on investment. The third round of the program follows the success of the two previous cohorts of companies, including Ateios Systems, Fermi Energy, Standard Potential, Cellec Technologies, LiBama Power and more.

“It was really important for me to become investor-ready. Being in ChargeUp, we now have the best slide deck yet, and we’re ready to scale,” said Christopher Schauerman, co-founder and CEO of Cellec Technologies. “We need partners in manufacturing, testing and engineers to make that dream come true – and going through ChargeUp put us in the position to start raising money and making that dream happen.”

The initiative is part of a $4.5 million grant awarded to NextCorps from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF-2334103) to test an accelerator model focused on technology commercialization for early-stage, deep-tech businesses while strengthening economic development within region-specific technology hubs located across the U.S. The accelerator is based on curriculum and learnings from two of NextCorps’ proven accelerators: Luminate, the world’s largest accelerator for startups developing technologies enabled by optics, photonics and imaging, and the Manufacturing Accelerator, which helps early-stage companies reduce the risk, waste and cost associated with getting hardware from prototype to mass production. The methodology used by both programs leverages university, community and industrial involvement to guide and speed the delivery of emerging technologies.

ChargeUp follows a similar format, and will take place at Koffman Southern Tier Incubator. During the program, companies will receive more than 200 hours of curriculum that will prepare them to become investment-ready by mastering business due diligence, design for manufacturing, complex supply chains, product pricing, investor pitch preparation and other topics. Each month, participation in the Binghamton-based accelerator is split between one week of in-person instructional workshops and regional tours of supply chain partners and three weeks of virtual activities. Virtual curriculum includes instruction provided by industry and business experts, pitch coaching, regional showcases, and opportunities to build out each company’s data room so they are ready for investment. The accelerator also will connect companies to resources within the region’s rapidly growing battery industry cluster – which has been federally designated as a battery tech hub – and New York State’s efforts to pioneer critical energy storage technologies through NENY.

“The Binghamton region and our partners are driving the future of energy storage innovation. ChargeUp is more than an accelerator – it’s a catalyst for transforming bold ideas into market-ready solutions,” said Bandhana Katoch, associate vice president of Technology Commercialization and Economic Development at Binghamton University and regional economic competitiveness officer for NENY. “The connections formed here empower startups to leverage New York’s unmatched expertise and assets, accelerating their path to impact. The collaboration and shared purpose among ChargeUp companies are fueling a powerful movement that strengthens the energy storage industry and advances New York’s leadership in building the batteries that will power America’s future.”

Binghamton University, through its Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships (OEIP), is leading the NENY initiative, which aims to advance the development of U.S. battery technology, supply chains and workforce development. NENY’s cornerstone project Battery-NY, a pilot prototyping and manufacturing center for batteries that is chemistry and format-agnostic. Additionally, OEIP oversees the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, which has fostered 106 startup companies through mentorship and programming since 2017.

Startups applying to ChargeUp must be incorporated, have at least two people working full-time on the business, and should have proven their core technology, preferably having developed a working prototype. ChargeUp Cohort 3 begins in April 2026 and concludes in September 2026. The first information session will be held on Zoom at noon on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, to give companies an overview of the program and how it can help reach their goals for investability.

To apply to ChargeUp, sign in or create a free account at F6S.com.

For more information on ChargeUp, visit https://bit.ly/4oPewcO

For more information on NextCorps, visit nextcorps.org.

For more information about Binghamton’s New Energy New York initiative, go to neny.org.

For more information about NSF grants, visit nsf.gov.

Media Contact
Kari Bayait
Marketing Communications Manager
ChargeUp Accelerator
kbayait@binghamton.edu
607-777-6124

De la salle de classe à une carrière : La communauté des Compétences célèbre la Semaine nationale des métiers spécialisés et des technologies au Centennial College, à Toronto

Posted on by

OTTAWA, Ontario, 06 nov. 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skills/Compétences Canada (SCC) est fier de célébrer la 21e Semaine nationale des métiers spécialisés et des technologies (SNMST), qui vise à sensibiliser les élèves et les enseignants aux incroyables possibilités de carrière offertes dans les métiers spécialisés et les technologies partout au Canada.

Le 6 novembre, SCC a organisé un événement interactif pour souligner la SNMST au Centennial College, à Toronto. Parmi les invités spéciaux figuraient Shaun Thorson, chef de la direction de Skills/Compétences Canada, Peter Boutros, professeur à l’École des transports du Centennial College, Seán Kinsella, directeur, the Eight Fire, Ethan Almeida, concurrent d’Équipe Canada WorldSkills 2026 en Carrosserie, et Sherry Holmes, entrepreneure, animatrice de télévision et bricoleuse passionnée. Skills/Compétences Canada a également eu le plaisir d’annoncer que les Olympiades canadiennes des métiers et des technologies 2026 se tiendront au Enercare Centre, à Toronto, en Ontario, les 28 et 29 mai.

Après le programme officiel, des centaines d’élèves d’écoles locales ont participé à plusieurs activités Essaie un métier et une technologie, organisées par des enseignants et des experts d’industrie, ainsi qu’à des laboratoires dans l’ensemble du collège. Tout au long de la journée, les élèves ont pu se renseigner sur des parcours éducatifs et des possibilités de carrière intéressants et importants de différents secteurs des métiers spécialisés et des technologies. L’événement a également souligné l’importance de la Communication, l’une des neuf Compétences pour réussir, qui sont considérées comme des notions fondamentales pour travailler dans ces secteurs. Pour obtenir plus de renseignements sur les Compétences pour réussir, veuillez consulter le site Web Compétences pour réussir.

« Le Canada construit pour l’avenir et nous investissons dans les jeunes Canadiens qui constitueront le moteur du progrès », a déclaré l’honorable Patty Hajdu, la ministre de l’Emploi et des Familles et ministre responsable de l’Agence de développement économique pour le Nord de l’Ontario. « Les métiers spécialisés offrent des carrières valorisantes qui renforcent les communautés et façonnent le Canada de demain. »

« Skills/Compétences Canada considère la Semaine nationale des métiers spécialisés et des technologies comme une initiative importante, car elle met en évidence les nombreuses possibilités de carrière qui s’offrent aux jeunes dans les métiers spécialisés et les technologies », a déclaré Shaun Thorson, chef de la direction de Skills/Compétences Canada. « Compte tenu de la demande croissante de professionnels qualifiés au pays, les événements comme celui-ci jouent un rôle considérable en sensibilisant et encourageant les jeunes Canadiens à envisager ces parcours professionnels prospères et essentiels. »

Pendant cette semaine, les organismes membres provinciaux et territoriaux de SCC organisent un ensemble d’événements et d’activités dans l’ensemble du pays, qui visent à promouvoir les métiers spécialisés et les technologies. Pour obtenir plus de renseignements, veuillez consulter la page Web de la SNMST sur le site Web de SCC.

Selon des estimations récentes de Statistique Canada, environ 700 000 travailleurs qualifiés devraient prendre leur retraite entre 2019 et 2028, créant ainsi un besoin sans cesse croissant de recruter et de former des milliers d’autres personnes.

À propos de Skills/Compétences Canada
Fondée en 1989, Skills/Compétences Canada est une organisation nationale sans but lucratif qui compte des organismes membres dans chaque province et territoire, qui s’emploient, en collaboration avec des employeurs, des enseignants, des groupes syndicaux et des gouvernements, à promouvoir les carrières des métiers spécialisés et des technologies auprès des jeunes Canadiens. Grâce à sa position unique parmi des partenaires des secteurs privé et public, l’organisation aide le Canada à répondre à ses futurs besoins en main-d’œuvre qualifiée, tout en faisant découvrir des carrières enrichissantes aux jeunes. Elle offre aussi des possibilités d’apprentissage expérientiel, notamment des compétitions des métiers spécialisés et des technologies qui réunissent des centaines de milliers de jeunes Canadiens dans le cadre d’évènements régionaux, provinciaux, territoriaux, nationaux et internationaux, ainsi que des programmes de sensibilisation aux métiers spécialisés. Skills/Compétences Canada, dont le siège social est situé à Ottawa (Ontario), est l’organisation canadienne membre de WorldSkills. Pour obtenir de plus amples renseignements, veuillez visiter www.skillscompetencescanada.com.

Suivez Skills/Compétences Canada sur X, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram et TikTok. #SNMST2025

Relations avec les médias : Michèle Rogerson, 613-266-4771, micheler@skillscanada.com.

Une photo associée à ce communiqué de presse est disponible à l’adresse suivante :
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6e97b860-0514-423c-82be-60d5f8fc182d/fr

Posted in Uncategorized

Investa Breaks £1 Million as UK Crowdfunding Market Shows Fresh Momentum

Posted on by

Investa Breaks £1 Million as UK Crowdfunding Market Shows Fresh Momentum




Investa Breaks £1 Million as UK Crowdfunding Market Shows Fresh Momentum

– Strong investor backing on Crowdcube highlights growing demand for more transparent and accessible options trading – 

London – Investa, the UK’s first zero-commission options trading app (other fees may apply), has reached its £1 million minimum fundraising target just one week after launching its second Crowdcube campaign.

Following its first round raise on the European equity crowdfunding platform, which was 220% overfunded, Investa launched its 2025 Public Live phase on Wednesday, 29th October, opening the door for more investors to join its mission to transform access to options trading in the UK. After starting this latest campaign with £678,000 of direct investment, the past week has seen a further £370,000 committed to the round from over 230 investors – raised via Crowdcube investors and direct investors – bringing the total funding to more than £1 million. The strong response underscores growing investor interest in fintech solutions that increase transparency, inclusivity, and accessibility for the retail market.

Investa’s first round was the most participated-in UK fintech raise on Crowdcube in 2024 and drew nearly 500 investors. This surge is further evidenced by recent high-performing Crowdcube campaigns from Chip, Prosper, and Zero, suggesting investor enthusiasm for startup equity crowdfunding is on the rise again after a period of plateau. 

“The response since we launched early access has been fantastic and is already mirroring our remarkable first round,” said Alec Beasley, CEO of Investa. “It’s clear that UK investors want to get behind businesses with a clear mission and proven traction. We believe trading should be accessible, transparent, and community-led, and our crowdfunding round reflects that philosophy. We’re giving everyone the opportunity to share in Investa’s growth and help drive change across the UK trading landscape.”

“Crowdcube has now processed more than £1.5b of private market investment,” said Matt Cooper, Co-CEO of Crowdcube. “Crowdcube remains a vital route for growth-stage fintechs looking to engage their user base, build a strong community and attract new capital. The appetite for retail investors to invest in early-stage fintechs remains strong and it’s a pleasure to support companies like Investa as they continue to grow and innovate.”

Funds raised during this second round will enable Investa to:

  • Develop and launch its Android app 
  • Help scale customer acquisition into the thousands
  • Develop additional trading infrastructure to help build the best options trading app in the UK market
  • Give more people the opportunity to join Investa in shaping access to options in the UK
  • Strengthen operations to support growing demand following the successful iOS launch

Investa is redefining how the UK trades options, and investors can be part of that journey. For more information, visit the Investa page on Crowdcube.

– ENDS – 

About Investa 
Investa has built the UK’s first zero-commission options trading app for on-the-go traders. Founded by ex-Citi options brokers who understand the challenges faced by non-US investors and developed by the co-founder of Freetrade (Ian Fuller), Investa aims to level the playing field for private investors by providing an accessible way to trade both stocks and options.

What makes Investa different from other trading apps? 
The platform has been designed specifically with options traders in mind and removes the jargon, complex options chains, and commissions to deliver an intuitive and straightforward trading experience. Unlike traditional platforms, Investa focuses on clarity and accessibility:

  • Zero commission (other fees apply)
  • Cash accounts only, with no margin
  • Jargon-free terminology and simplified “options cards” that aim to strip away complexity
  • An intuitive interface that has been designed for the on-the-go trader

Investa is a trading name of Investa Markets Ltd, which is an appointed representative of Richdale Brokers & Financial Services Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 1008437). In this capacity, it is permitted to perform the reception and transmission of orders. Investa does not provide investment advice. Individuals should seek advice from a suitably licensed and independent professional advisor.


Visit the website for more information:  https://www.investa.co.uk/
Download the app here. 

For further press information, please contact: Francesca De Franco on 0794 125 3135 or email francesca.defranco@investa.co.uk

Disclaimer: Capital at risk. All investments carry a varying degree of risk and it’s important you understand the nature of these. The value of your investments can go up or down and you may get back less than your original investment. Options are complex products and not suitable for all investors. Please review Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options prior to engaging in options trading. Fees may apply.

WorldWiDE EdTech Awards 2026 Opens Global Nominations

Posted on by

WorldWiDE EdTech Awards 2026 Opens Global Nominations




WorldWiDE EdTech Awards 2026 Opens Global Nominations

Free-to-Enter Program Recognizes Innovation in Education Technology Worldwide

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Nov. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WorldWiDE EdTech Insights today opened nominations for the 2026 edition of the WorldWiDE EdTech Awards, recognizing education technology that measurably improves learning outcomes and accessibility worldwide. The global awards program is free to enter and open to EdTech innovators across all education sectors.

Submissions are evaluated by an independent panel of education experts using five core criteria: impact, design, innovation, accessibility, and responsibility. All entries remain confidential until the public announcement of winners.

“The WorldWiDE EdTech Awards were created to highlight meaningful innovation that improves learning experiences for all,” said Chris Bryant, Managing Director at WorldWiDE EdTech Insights. “We are proud to provide a transparent, global platform that recognizes responsible, effective use of technology in education.”

Award categories span the full spectrum of education technology, including early childhood education, K–12, higher education, personal and professional learning, language learning, health education, and accessibility solutions.

Key Dates:

  • Nomination Deadline: December 14, 2025
  • Evaluation Period: December 15–19, 2025
  • Winner Notifications: Early January 2026
  • Public Announcement: February 9, 2026

Winners will gain international visibility through the WorldWiDE EdTech Awards website and official communication channels. The recognition affirms excellence in educational technology and distinguishes recipients as leaders in EdTech innovation and impact.

Organizations and innovators can review full eligibility details and submission guidelines at https://worldwide-edtech.org/awards.

About WorldWiDE EdTech Insights

WorldWiDE EdTech Insights is a global organization advancing innovation, equity, and responsible technology use in education. Through research, events, and awards programs, WorldWiDE EdTech Insights connects educators, technologists, and policymakers to improve teaching and learning worldwide.

Media Relations
WorldWiDE EdTech
media@worldwide-edtech.org 

Budget 2025 : Sur le fil de fer de l’équilibre budgétaire

Posted on by

OTTAWA, Ontario, 04 nov. 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Le gouvernement du Premier ministre Mark Carney a fait table rase de plusieurs mesures fiscales introduites sous le gouvernement précédent telles que la taxe sur les logements sous-utilisés, la taxe de luxe sur les aéronefs et les navires, et l’incitatif aux entrepreneurs canadiens. Ces décisions vont dans le sens des efforts que déploie CPA Canada pour plaider en faveur de la simplification du système fiscal.

« Dans ce budget tant attendu, il n’y a pas grand-chose à se mettre sous la dent sur le plan fiscal, observe John Oakey, vice-président, Fiscalité, à CPA Canada.

« Le gouvernement a mis l’accent sur la productivité économique en élargissant les crédits d’impôt pour la RS&DE et l’exploration de minéraux critiques et en s’engageant à accélérer les déductions pour amortissement, mais il a laissé de côté de nombreuses promesses mises de l’avant dans son programme électoral. »

Bien que l’abolition de certains crédits d’impôt réponde à l’appel de CPA Canada en faveur d’un système fiscal plus simple, l’organisation est déçue de constater que le budget de 2025 ne prévoit aucun examen exhaustif du cadre fiscal canadien. CPA Canada s’engage à continuer de préconiser un tel examen, comme nous l’appelons de nos vœux dans notre récent livre blanc intitulé CPAs Renew Calls for a Tax Review: A Roadmap to Modernize Canada’s Tax System.

Pour obtenir une copie de notre livre blanc ou une entrevue, veuillez écrire à media@cpacanada.ca.

Posted in Uncategorized