International Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan announces $75M Global Investment Sports Tech Fund

ABU DHABI, UAE, Dec 13, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – On day one of the prestigious Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), leading international cricketer and entrepreneur Shikhar Dhawan announced that he would be launching a $75 million Global Investment Sports Tech Fund, consisting of a Greenshoe option of $25 million. The proposition is a multi-stage fund, Da One Global Ventures (DOGV), incorporated in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and focusing on innovation across the Sports spectrum. ADGM is home to a growing number of international institutions, its vibrant business ecosystem underpinned by a robust regulatory framework.


International Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan

International Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan announced $75 Million Global Investment Sports Tech Fund; Da One Global Ventures – a multi-stage fund being incorporated at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)


This is the first VC fund organized by an Asian sportsperson and first by an Indian celebrity. The announcement by Shikhar Dhawan, his partners, and the DOGV team, came on 14th November during ADFW at the LP-GP Summit, an invite-only event hosted by 256 Network (a private organization for LPs/GPs worldwide). Held at ADGM, the international financial event draws an audience of global financial market leaders from a wide array of backgrounds who gather to address strategic macroeconomic and financial topics that will shape global, regional and industry perspectives and themes for the years to come.

Shikhar Dhawan is one of the most reputed names in the cricket world, and he has established a globally enriched and seasoned founding team that will lead the fund's investment thesis across the spectrum of Sports to include Technology, eSports, Gaming, Web3 & more. The deployment of funds will be global in nature, as is the LP community. The fund will also have other prominent sporting personalities from across the Globe representing multiple sports as LP Ambassadors. Through this unique network of GP's and LP's (General Partners, Limited Partners), Da One Global Ventures (DOGV) will provide unprecedented access to an ecosystem worldwide which will accelerate and mobilise new propositions with unique positioning.

"I am elated to start a new inning and embark on this journey in the world of venture capital. All this would not have been possible without the support of my commercial partners and the founding team's commitment to this fund, in readiness for this week's announcement and targeted deployment in Q1 2023-24. Da One Global Ventures (DOGV) will go beyond traditional investing models and will provide domain knowledge unprecedented access to sporting ecosystem across the globe. We are making a humble beginning but aim to scale this to greater heights and aspire to set new benchmarks for leading in Venture Capital, Sports and Technology. I have much gratitude to sports & I look forward to the contribution of this fund to the economic strength and growth of Sports," said Shikhar.

Shikhar is known as an Indian cricketer, a left-handed opening batsman and occasional captain of the India national cricket team, and he captains Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League and Delhi in first-class cricket. For his notable contributions to the Indian Men's National Cricket Team, Shikhar Dhawan was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award by President in 2021.

This year has been spectacular year for SportsTech with investments to the tune of $12 billion already. That is more than the total of the preceding three years combined and covers multiple segments, illustrating the rapid growth in this dynamic industry.

Da One Global Ventures (DOGV) is in active discussions with various relevant stakeholders across the globe and further developments will be announced in due course. Da One Global Ventures (DOGV) will also incubate a SportsTech Accelerator & eSports Venture studio as distinguishing verticals within its platform.

For further details, get in touch with Mr. Amitesh Shah, email: ceo@daoneglobal.vc. https://daoneglobal.vc/.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Indonesian Criminal Code won’t harm investment

JAKARTA, Dec 12, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The dissemination team spokesperson of the Draft Law on Criminal Code (RKUHP) Albert Aries clarified the fundamentally misleading news related to the adultery article, which is considered to harm Indonesia's tourism and investment sectors.


"The adultery article in the new Criminal Code that takes effect three years after its stipulation is an absolute criminal complaint. This means that only the husband or wife (for those bound by marriage) or the parents or children (for those not bound by marriage) can make a complaint. No one else can report or take the law into their own hands. There will be no legal process without a complaint from the entitled and directly harmed parties," Aries said in his statement on Thursday (Dec 8).

The articles of the Criminal Code that have recently attracted the attention of foreign tourists, including investors, are Article 411 concerning adultery, Article 412 concerning live-in relationships, and Article 424 concerning drinks and intoxicants.

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, has said he believes the newly passed Criminal Code (KUHP), specifically its provisions on live-in relationships, will not affect tourism and creative economy investment in Indonesia. "I am very confident that we can get US$68 billion (in foreign investment), and we can create 2 million jobs in this sector. But, of course, we need support," he informed here on Saturday (Dec 10).

According to Uno, investors need legal opinion before investing in Indonesia. The legal opinion must give confidence in safe. Uno added that the ministry will still need support and assistance in terms of legal certainty to convince investors to invest.

Upholds Human Rights

Aries also stated that it is not true that Indonesia's Criminal Code is not following human rights. "We certainly respect United Nations (UN) concern on equality, privacy, religious liberty, and journalism issues. On that basis, the criminal code regulates all of them by paying attention to the balance between human rights and human obligations," Aries said.

The reason is that the legal politics contained in the Criminal Code are aimed at respecting and upholding human rights based on the ideals of Pancasila (the Five Principles), BhinnekaTunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, and the 1945 Constitution.

He underlined that the Criminal Code does not discriminate against women, children, and other minority groups, as well as the press.

One example is the adoption of Article 6 letter d of Law Number 40 of 1999 on the Press into the Elucidation of Article 218 of the Criminal Code so that criticism is not punished because it is a form of supervision, correction, and advice on matters relating to the public interests.

According to Aries, it is also incorrect to say the Criminal Code legitimizes negative social attitudes towards adherents of minority beliefs. "The regulation of criminal acts against religion and belief in the Criminal Code has been reformulated by taking into account the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as inputs from the civil society," he said.

Previously, the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) passed the Draft Law on Criminal Code into law in a plenary meeting chaired by the Indonesian House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad on Tuesday (Dec 6).

In the formulation of the Criminal Code, meaningful participation as the fulfillment of civil societies' rights to be heard, explained, and consideration has been given as much as possible.

–Antara

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA) to Present at the #Adapt International Convention 2022 on 13-14 December 2022

SINGAPORE, Dec 12, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Society Pass Incorporated ("SoPa") (Nasdaq: SOPA), Southeast Asia's (SEA) leading data-driven loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces that Company Founder, Chairman, and CEO Dennis Nguyen has been invited to present at the #Adapt International Convention 2022, to be virtually held on Tuesday, 13 December 2022 and Wednesday, 14 December 2022. The title of the conference is "A New Age: Unraveling the Future of Metaverse, AI and Digital Assets".


In Keynote #6 address in Room 2, Mr. Nguyen will present "Digital Assets In The Web3 Economy. Society Points Are Digital Assets" at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, 13 December 2022.

If you would like to listen to the Company's presentation, please click on the following link to register for the conference.

Event: #Adapt International Convention 2022 https://adaptconvention.com/
Date: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Location: Virtual Conference
https://event.webinarjam.com/register/9/yw171i9?_se=ZGVubmlzQHRoZXNvY2lldHlwYXNzLmNvbQ%3D%3D&utm_campaign=Adapt_2022_Login_instructions-_Participants&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sendinblue

About Society Pass Inc.

Founded in 2018 as a data-driven loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) is an acquisition-focused holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its signature Society Pass fintech platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa's data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital video multi-platform network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam's leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines; Handycart.vn, a leading online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam; and Mangan.ph, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines.

For more information on Society Pass, please check out:
Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company's management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company's filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company's initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

InvesTech Holdings and NTT Jointly Launch Smart Office SaaS Service Platform

HONG KONG, Dec 12, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – InvesTech Holdings Limited ("InvesTech Holdings"; together with its subsidiaries, "the Group"; Stock Code: 1087.HK), a leading integrated smart-IT solutions provider in China, is pleased to announce that its subsidiary Wafer Systems Limited ("Wafer Systems"), which owns the smart office software solutions flagship product Virsical, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with NTT Communications China ("NTT Com China"), a subsidiary of Japan's Nippon Telegraph & Telephone ("NTT"), to carry out in-depth cooperation in the field of smart-office software as a service ("SaaS"). The cooperation agreement will encompass activities including product distribution, market promotion, technical resourcing and other mutually beneficial undertakings.

The Smart Office Management SaaS Service Platform is a smart operations and management platform self-developed by Wafer Systems, grounded in enterprises' common office scenarios and which uses lightweight SaaS applications to meet enterprises' operational and maintenance requirements in daily administrative management, including such functions as conference management, work station management and visitor management. Spatial visualisation maps and data report in all dimensions provided by the platform can help enterprises review their operating conditions visually, effectively support their decision-making upgrades, and assist them in reducing costs and boosting efficiency. Meanwhile, Wafer Systems' powerful product matrix and research & development ("R&D") capabilities can provide expansion capacity for products and scenarios benefiting from the deployment of the SaaS platform.

As a leading provider of smart office solutions in China, Wafer Systems has been deepening its achievements in the field of smart offices to meet enterprises' needs in intelligent operations, employee health, collaborative efficiency, carbon emissions reduction, energy conservation and the user experience. The provision of integrated product matrix, its strong R&D capabilities, large customer base and extensive ecological cooperation network contribute to its core competitiveness.

NTT Com China is a wholly-owned business subsidiary of NTT, the largest telecommunications service provider in Japan. Focused on providing professional ICT solutions and services for multinational enterprises running businesses in China, NTT Com China has built a complete business line of communication systems, a leading-edge operations service system, substantial overseas resources, business integration capabilities, and comprehensive marketing channels within China and elsewhere. The co-launch of the Smart Office Management SaaS Service Platform by both parties is expected to give full play to their respective advantages and jointly build out the platform so that it caters for the full range of scenarios and products that make smart offices optimally operational in order to escort enterprises' digital transformation.

Amid the continuous development of the digital economy and constant changes in the economic environment, digital transformation has become the only development path for traditional industries, and the use of digital enabling technology by enterprises to reduce costs and increase efficiency has become ubiquitous. Against this backdrop, Wafer Systems and NTT Com China have jointly reached a cooperation agreement to smooth the digital transformation journey for traditional enterprises and address their need to engage with cloud computing. Looking ahead, the two parties will continue to deepen their cooperation. As it comprehensively improves the customer experience and service innovation, the two parties strive to solve problems for enterprises in the cloud, and achieve joint contribution, collaboration and win-win outcomes.

About InvesTech Holdings Limited
InvesTech Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 1087.HK) was listed on the main board of Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2010. As a leading integrated smart IT solutions provider with more than 30 years of experience in IT industry, the Group is principally engaged in IT infrastructure system integration and smart office software solutions businesses. The Group has strong presence in China, with more than 10 offices nationwide with a research and development centre in Xi'an.

Website: http://www.investech-holdings.com/


Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

UREEQA partners i-Create to validate new NFT collection Joe Ravioli

ONTARIO, CA, Dec 10, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The founders of i-Create LLC are excited to announce the launch of their NFT project Joe Ravioli. This innovative and unique NFT collection tells a creative and fun story for buyers of any age. With the entire collection being validated by UREEQA, buyers will receive a cool piece of digital art, commercial rights, monetization opportunities, IRL (in real life) merchandising opportunities and more, while also supporting a philanthropic cause to fight hunger in America.




"Joe Ravioli has been such an exciting project for us to develop, as 3rd generation Italian brothers with a love of mob related movies and Italian food and cooking, and having always focused on unique art, pun-filled humor and fun thrown into our character IP projects. Joe Ravioli started positioning itself with licensed IRL items, a strong new metaverse animation collaboration, POD commerce integration, and a non-profit organization we hold dear. Now was the time where we wanted to create a brand in and of its own, where everyone from partnered collaborations to NFT holders and collectors will enjoy its long-term plan for growth, and of course it's amazing utilities," said John Campanella, CEO, Engineer and Co-Founder of i-Create LLC.

"When we were searching for the perfect launch partner, one that understands copyright validation along with an amazingly talented team, UREEQA opened our eyes wide, and we realized we had the best long-term NFT collaboration for this project, and continued IP projects into the future," says Steve Campanella, President, Artist & Co-Founder of i-Create LLC.

As veterans in the NFT space Steve and John have experienced firsthand the pain and cost of having their intellectual property ripped off without their permission. So, for the Joe Ravioli drop they wanted to ensure that both themselves and their buyers were better protected before releasing their work. This is where the UREEQA partnership was formed to validate the authorship, ownership, and originality of the entire collection. Buyers can purchase these NFTs and confirm via the collection's provenance page that the work in fact authentic.

"From our initial conversations with John and Steve we learned about their unfortunate experience, having their previous IP stolen and monetized without their approval. After pouring heart and soul into the project, then hearing about their struggle to fight the theft, this is unfortunately all too common and exactly why we created UREEQA," said Shannon Powell, CMO and co-founder of UREEQA.

Being Italian, food is something that has always been near and dear to Steve and John's hearts. That's why they wanted to use the drop of this NFT collection to give back, and felt Move For Hunger would be the perfect fit. "We are thrilled for the launch of Joe Ravioli, and our partnership with i-Create. This is our organization's first time working with an NFT launch, and we are excited that this creative campaign will help raise awareness about hunger and food waste across the nation," said Adam Lowy, Founder & Executive Director, Move For Hunger.

Outside of supporting a great cause, holders of Joe Ravioli NFTs have access to partnerships that give them monetization opportunities out of the gate with teelaunch. "teelaunch is very excited to be partnering with i-Create's Joe Ravioli NFT project launch," said Christopher Hamze, President and Founding Partner at teelaunch.

"teelaunch will be the POD (Print on Demand) delivery partner, making it accessible for NFT holders who have been granted commercial rights to sell on physical POD products after collecting and utilizing their NFTs from either or both The CHEESIEST imPASTA 10K and The Meatball Gang – Joe Goes Underground 10K. We are looking forward to a long-lasting collaboration."

You want IRL (in real life) merchandise of your Joe Ravioli NFT? John and Steve already have you covered there too as they've partnered with Ata-Boy and Decalcomania to bring the characters to life in everything from buttons, to stickers and wall decals.

"We are very excited about the launch of Joe Ravioli from the talented i-Create group. Joe Ravioli introduces us to the world of humorous Italian characters, with licenses including Ata-Boy and Decalcomania. We are excited to have this product launch with the NFT," says Joy Tashjian, President of Joy Tashjian Marketing Group, working with i-Create to build creative and unique license products.

After creating all the Joe Ravioli characters, Steve really felt they needed to take the project one step further and bring the characters to life. So he enlisted the help of Jennifer Hotai, CEO & Founder at Plover Animation.

"Plover Animation is sizzling with anticipation to bring the Joe Ravioli NFT collection to life! This is a highly anticipated project for us, as we will have access to the many digital art ingredients of this culinary-themed creation provided by i-Create LLC. We will be cooking (virtually, of course!) up several animated NFTs per week, so be on the lookout soon for those tasty drops," says Jennifer.

Get ready for the Cheesiest NFT drop ever ! JoeRavioliNFT … 12/19/2022
http://joeravioli.io/ ; http://discord.gg/joeraviolinft ; https://twitter.com/joeraviolinft ; http://instagram.com/joeraviolinft/ ; http://facebook.com/joeraviolinft

About UREEQA

The UREEQA platform strives to protect creators' work, their rights and their revenue by harnessing the power of blockchain technology. Building a robust and compelling Package of Proof for source creative work, UREEQA mints only Validated NFTs to represent creative rights. This helps keep buyers safe by giving them confidence that the work they are purchasing was minted by the smart contract approved by the creator of the work and is therefore authentic.

UREEQA provides value and opportunities for its creators, validators and token holders via URQA, the token at the heart of the UREEQA ecosystem. Established in Canada in 2020, UREEQA is modernizing the inefficient and bureaucratic systems currently in place for copyright protection. For more information on UREEQA and upcoming announcements, please visit our website, join our Telegram channel and Discord server, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

– Website: https://www.ureeqa.com/
– Discord: https://discord.com/channels/756566642418384906/824682437417369654
– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ureeqa_inc/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ureeqainc/
– Telegram: https://t.me/UREEQA
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/UREEQA_Inc

Disclaimer:
Statements in this article, including any statements relating to UREEQA's future plans and objectives or expected results, may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in technology development and commercialization. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Do your own research!

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

The best of the best real estate developers, projects prevail at 17th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final

BANGKOK, THAILAND, Dec 10, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – PropertyGuru Group (NYSE: PGRU), Southeast Asia's leading property technology company, today announced the regional winners representing the Best in Asia at the 17th Annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, presented by Kohler and supported by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.


— New World Development Company Limited is hailed Best Developer (Asia) in one of two regional wins for companies from China (Hong Kong and Macau)
— Companies from Thailand and the Philippines each garner seven regional wins
— Candra Ciputra, CEO of Ciputra Group and president director of PT Ciputra Development Tbk, receives the PropertyGuru Icon award

Also known as the finale of the 2022 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards series, the Grand Final was presented in 48 categories at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok.

New World Development Company Limited garnered the award of Best Developer (Asia), representing China (Hong Kong and Macau). Along with the design practice Lead8, the company also received the Best Mega Mixed Use Development (Asia) award for 11 SKIES.

Representing Mainland China, Lead8 additionally won the Best Retail Architectural Design (Asia) award for Shougang Park Urban Weaving District. Benoy Limited won Best Mixed Use Architectural Design (Asia) for CRL MixC Qianhai in another regional win for Mainland China.

The Philippines garnered seven regional wins, led by the Best Industrial Developer (Asia) title for Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates and Best Lifestyle Developer (Asia) title for Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI). Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates also won the honours of Best Industrial Development (Asia) and Best Green Development (Asia) for LIMA Estate.

AppleOne Mactan, Inc. also won Best Branded Residential Development (Asia) for The Residences at Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort while Cebu Landmasters, Inc. won Best Hospitality Architectural Design (Asia) for Sofitel Cebu City. Arquitectonica was honoured with the Best Office Architectural Design (Asia) award for Mega Tower.

Thailand also gained seven regional wins, including the Best Landmark Mixed Use Development (Asia) award for One Bangkok by Frasers Property Holdings (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (FPHT). Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited won both the Best Condo Development (Asia) and Best Health and Wellness Development (Asia) awards for The Aspen Tree at The Forestias. PMT Property Co., Ltd. earned the titles of Best Condo Interior Design (Asia) and Best Condo Landscape Architectural Design (Asia) for 125 Sathorn. Lake Legend Bangna-Suvarnabhumi by Hongkong Land and Property Perfect PCL was named Best Waterfront Housing/Landed Development (Asia) while Jaytiya 2 Private Pool Villas Residence by Jaytiya Property Co., Ltd. won Best Housing/Landed Landscape Architectural Design (Asia).

Singapore scored six regional wins at the Grand Final. GuocoLand was named Best Luxury Developer (Asia) and Best Sustainable Developer (Asia) while UOL Group Limited was named Best Hospitality Developer (Asia). UOL Group Limited also won Best Hotel Development (Asia) for Pan Pacific Orchard.

Park Nova by Shun Tak Holdings gained the Best Condo Architectural Design (Asia) title while Artyzen Singapore by Artyzen Hospitality Group won Best Hospitality Interior Design (Asia).

Indonesia was also represented with six regional wins that include the Best Township Development (Asia)
award for Kota Baru Parahyangan by PT. Belaputera Intiland and Best Township Masterplan Design (Asia) award for PIK2 Sedayu Indo City by Agung Sedayu Group & Salim Group.

Autograph Tower at Thamrin Nine Complex by PT Putragaya Wahana, a member of Galeon Group, won Best Office Development (Asia) while LRT City Jatibening by KSO PT Adhi Commuter Properti Tbk. & PT Urban Jakarta Propertindo Tbk. won Best Connectivity Condo Development (Asia). Metland Cibitung by PT Fajarputera Dinasti, a subsidiary of PT Metropolitan Land Tbk., won Best Connectivity Housing/Landed Development (Asia) while LOGOS Cikarang Logistics Park by LOGOS Indonesia was named Best Green Industrial Development (Asia).

Australia scored five regional wins, including the Best Boutique Developer (Asia) title for Spacious Group. SPG Land won both the Best Smart Building Development (Asia) and Best Integrated Work From Home Development (Asia) titles for Paradiso Place. Dare Property Group won Best Eco Friendly Commercial Development (Asia) for Zero Gipps and Mayrin Group won Best Housing/Landed Architectural Design (Asia) for The Archwood Residences.

Vietnam scored four regional wins, including the Best Mixed Use Developer (Asia) title for Keppel Land. Sycamore by CapitaLand Development (Vietnam) won the Best Housing/Landed Development (Asia) and Best Eco Friendly Housing/Landed Development (Asia) awards. Artisan Park by Gamuda Land was named Best Retail Development (Asia).

From Greater Niseko, Andaru Collection Niseko by Blue Waves Group clinched both Best Completed Housing/Landed Development (Asia) and Best Housing/Landed Interior Design (Asia) awards. HakuVillas by H2 Group won the Best Completed Condo Development (Asia) award.

Cambodia and Malaysia each earned two regional wins. The Best Breakthrough Developer (Asia) award went to Kambujaya Development Co., Ltd, with the Best Waterfront Condo Development (Asia) title going to Vue Aston by The Peninsula Capital Co., Ltd. KL Wellness City by KL Wellness City Sdn Bhd was named Best Mixed Use Development (Asia), with Infinity8 Reserve JBCC by Infinity Group winning Best Co-Working Space (Asia).

India was also represented at the Grand Final with Embassy REIT winning Best Commercial Landscape Architectural Design (Asia) for Embassy TechVillage – Central Garden.

Candra Ciputra, CEO of Ciputra Group and president director of PT Ciputra Development Tbk, received the PropertyGuru Icon Award. Ciputra, previously named the Indonesia Real Estate Personality of the Year in 2015, received the award for a lifetime of real estate achievements covering developments in more than 40 cities across the archipelago.

The regional winners at the Grand Final were selected from the elite pool of country winners from PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards' series of celebrations this year in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Greater Niseko (Japan), India, and Australia.

Hari V Krishnan, CEO and managing director of PropertyGuru Group, said: "The Awards remain among our widest-reaching enterprise solutions, having expanded over the years to represent some of the world's most dynamic property markets from Southeast Asia to Australia. With these award-winning developers and designers as benchmarks, we hope to guide property seekers towards finding, financing and owning the right properties. In this, the 17th edition of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, we elevate not only the region's dream homes but also its finest, most sustainable live-work-play developments, workspaces, retail hubs, hotels, resorts, and industrial parks, among others, to an international platform. Whether you're seeking, selling or building property, we will see you home."

Jules Kay, general manager of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events, said: "The winners of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final aptly represent the diversity, progress, and resilience of their respective property markets. With projects ranging from boutique residential developments to vast integrated districts, these award-winning developments offer an impressive snapshot of what the Best in Asia looks like. Whether celebrated onstage at our gala events, or presented to the world online, these awardees shine bright as the Gold Standard of Asian real estate, keeping true to our vision of building the region's Property Trust Platform. To all the winners announced at our regional Grand Final – we celebrate your success. Congratulations."

The latest edition of the Grand Final marked the full return of the black-tie gala dinner and awards presentation, following a successful virtual gala edition in 2021. The 2022 Grand Final was streamed live on AsiaPropertyAwards.com as well as the programme's official Facebook and YouTube channels.

The list of winners at the Grand Final was selected by an independent jury consisting of head judges of participating markets in the Awards: Thien Duong, chairperson of the Grand Final and general director, Group GSA (Vietnam); Amit Khanna, managing director, Phoenix Advisers (India); Bill Barnett, founder and managing director, C9 Hotelworks (Greater Niseko); Cyndy Tan Jarabata, president of TAJARA Leisure & Hospitality Group Inc. (Philippines); Dato' Sr. Lau Wai Seang, president, Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM): 2017-2018 (Malaysia); Kristin Thorsteins, head of partnership growth for APAC at IWG PLC (Singapore); Lui Violanti, regional manager for Western Australia, Inhabit Group (Australia); Paul Tse, president, board of directors, Macao Association of Building Contractors and Developers (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau); Sorn Seap, executive vice president, Cambodian Valuers and Estate Agents Association (Cambodia); Suphin Mechuchep, chairperson, JLL Thailand (Thailand); and Vivin Harsanto, senior director and head of advisory, JLL Indonesia (Indonesia).

HLB, the leading international accounting and advisory firm, upheld fairness, transparency and credibility throughout all points of the selection process, under the leadership of Paul Ashburn, HLB International Real Estate Group.

Since it was established in Thailand in 2005, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards programme has expanded over the years to 18 property markets. Through its series of in-person and virtual gala celebrations, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards programme has provided an international platform for excellent real estate developers, architects, and interior designers across Asia Pacific. The programme therefore connects awardees to a wide pool of investors, consumers, and agents, as well as the diaspora, throughout the region and beyond.

Organised by PropertyGuru Group (NYSE: PGRU), the 17th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final is supported by platinum sponsor Kohler; gold sponsor Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; official portal partner PropertyGuru; official channel partner History; official magazine Property Report by PropertyGuru; official PR partner Artemis Associates; media partners BusinessWorld, Construction & Property, d+a Magazine, Daily FT, Deluxe Magazine, Discover Pattaya, Esquire PH, Hot Magazine, Housing.com, Kompas, Kopiandpropetry.com, Luxuo, Manila Bulletin, Mingtiandi, Palace, Pattaya Trader, Penang Property Talk, People Asia Magazine, PhilStar PropertyReport PH, Powderlife, Real Estate News PH, Real Living, Rem, Robb Report, Southeast Asia Globe, Suara Indonesia, The Grid, The Hindu, The Manila Times, Think of Living, Top 10 of Malaysia, Vietnam Heritage, WhenInManila.com, Yacht Style, and Your Investment Property; official ESG partner Baan Dek Foundation; official charity partner Liter of Light; supporting partners IFC – Building Resilience Index, IFC – Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, and REHDA Institute; supporting associations EuroCham Cambodia, Global Design Awards Lab, Green Building Consulting & Engineering, Niseko Tourism, Singapore Estate Agents Association, and Singapore Green Building Council; and official supervisor HLB.

For more information, email awards@propertyguru.com or visit the official website: AsiaPropertyAwards.com.

LIST OF REGIONAL AND COUNTRY WINNERS
17th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final

DEVELOPER AWARDS

Best Developer (Asia)
Agung Sedayu Group – Indonesia
Auriton Group – Australia
New World Development Company Limited – China – Hong Kong and Macau (REGIONAL WINNER)
Prince Real Estate Group – Cambodia
Robinsons Land – Philippines
UOL Group Limited – Singapore

Best Luxury Developer (Asia)
GuocoLand – Singapore (REGIONAL WINNER)
SonKim Land Corporation – Vietnam

Best Industrial Developer (Asia)
Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates – Philippines (REGIONAL WINNER)
PT LOGOS SEA Indonesia – Indonesia

Best Mixed Use Developer (Asia)
GuocoLand – Singapore
Keppel Land – Vietnam (REGIONAL WINNER)
Megaworld Corporation – Philippines
Prince Real Estate Group – Cambodia

Best Hospitality Developer (Asia)
Megaworld Corporation – Philippines
UOL Group Limited – Singapore (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Lifestyle Developer (Asia)
Aurum Land (Private) Limited – Singapore
Casagrand Builder Pvt. Ltd. – India
Global-Estate Resorts,Inc. (GERI) – Philippines (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Sustainable Developer (Asia)
GuocoLand – Singapore (REGIONAL WINNER)
PT. Bumi Serpong Damai – Indonesia
PT LOGOS SEA Indonesia – Indonesia

Best Boutique Developer (Asia)
Aurum Land (Private) Limited – Singapore
PT. Bumi Parama Wisesa (NavaPark) Hongkong Land & Sinar Mas Land Joint Venture – Indonesia
Spacious Group – Australia (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Breakthrough Developer (Asia)
Kambujaya Development Co., Ltd – Cambodia (REGIONAL WINNER)

DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

Best Township Development (Asia)
Bridgetowne Destination Estate by Robinsons Land – Philippines
Correctio by PT. Jababeka Tbk – Indonesia
Kota Baru Parahyangan by PT. Belaputera Intiland – Indonesia (REGIONAL WINNER)
Meyhomes Capital Phu Quoc by Tan A Dai Thanh – Meyland – Vietnam

Best Mega Mixed Use Development (Asia)
11 SKIES by Lead8 & New World Development Company Limited – China – Hong Kong and Macau (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Landmark Mixed Use Development (Asia)
One Bangkok by Frasers Property Holdings (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (FPHT) – Thailand (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Mixed Use Development (Asia)
Baker Circle by Henderson Land Development Company Limited – China – Hong Kong and Macau
Balfour Place by Thirdi Group – Australia
Embassy Manyata Front Parcel Development by Embassy REIT – India
Heartland 66 by Hang Lung Properties – Mainland China
KL Wellness City by KL Wellness City Sdn Bhd – Malaysia (REGIONAL WINNER)
Melbourne Square by OSK Property – Australia
Prince International Plaza by Prince Real Estate Group – Cambodia
Thamrin Nine Complex by PT Putragaya Wahana, a member of Galeon Group – Indonesia

Best Industrial Development (Asia)
FoodFab @ Mandai by Mandai 7 JV Pte Ltd – Singapore
GIIC @ Kota Deltamas by Sinar Mas Land & Sojitz Corporation – Indonesia
LIMA Estate by Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates – Philippines (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Hotel Development (Asia)
Pan Pacific Orchard by UOL Group Limited – Singapore (REGIONAL WINNER)
Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono and Hanazono Resort Niseko by Nihon Harmony Resorts KK and PCPD – Greater Niseko

Best Retail Development (Asia)
Artisan Park by Gamuda Land – Vietnam (REGIONAL WINNER)
Batavia PIK by Agung Sedayu Group & Salim Group, curated by Amantara – Indonesia

Best Office Development (Asia)
888 Lai Chi Kok Road (NCB Innovation Centre) by New World Development Company Limited – China – Hong Kong and Macau
Autograph Tower at Thamrin Nine Complex by PT Putragaya Wahana, a member of Galeon Group – Indonesia (REGIONAL WINNER)
Cloud Land, Hangzhou by Greentown China Holdings Limited – Mainland China
Frasers Tower by Frasers Property Singapore – Singapore
Hudson & Ganges Office Towers, Embassy TechZone by Embassy REIT – India
Knowledge Hub @Digital Hub by Sinar Mas Land – Indonesia
One Bangkok Office Tower 4 by Frasers Property Holdings (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (FPHT) – Thailand

Best Branded Residential Development (Asia)
The Residences at Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort by AppleOne Mactan, Inc. – Philippines (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Condo Development (Asia)
Forbes Residences, Applecross by Mustera Property Group Ltd – Australia
Hinode Hills by Niseko Village – Greater Niseko
Kincang Egrets Waves 3.0 Residential by LYCS Architecture – Mainland China
Le Parc at Thamrin Nine Complex by PT Putragaya Wahana, a member of Galeon Group – Indonesia
Meyer Mansion by GuocoLand – Singapore
One Innovale by Henderson Land Development Company Limited – China – Hong Kong and Macau
Parc3 by Eupe Corporation Berhad – Malaysia
Piramal Aranya by Piramal Realty – India
The Aspen Tree at The Forestias by Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited – Thailand (REGIONAL WINNER)
The Seasons Residences by Sunshine Fort North Bonifacio Realty Development Corporation – Philippines
Vue Aston by The Peninsula Capital Co., Ltd. – Cambodia

Best Waterfront Condo Development (Asia)
Costa Mira Beachtown Mactan by Cebu Landmasters, Inc. – Philippines
Lee Nam Road 66 by Logan Group Company Limited & KWG Group Holdings – China – Hong Kong and Macau
Meyer Mansion by GuocoLand – Singapore
Paradiso Place by SPG Land – Australia
Sunteck Beach Residences (SBR) by Sunteck Realty Limited – India
Vue Aston by The Peninsula Capital Co., Ltd. – Cambodia (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Connectivity Condo Development (Asia)
LRT City Jatibening by KSO PT Adhi Commuter Properti Tbk. & PT Urban Jakarta Propertindo Tbk. – Indonesia (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Completed Condo Development (Asia)
HakuVillas by H2 Group – Greater Niseko (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Health and Wellness Development (Asia)
Forbes Estates Lipa by Robinsons Land – Philippines
Mark Moran Warrawee by Mark Moran Group – Australia
The Aspen Tree at The Forestias by Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited – Thailand (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Smart Building Development (Asia)
Paradiso Place by SPG Land – Australia (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Housing/Landed Development (Asia)
Belgravia Ace by Fairview Developments Pte Ltd (a unit of Tong Eng Group) – Singapore
Enchante Residence @BSD City by Sinar Mas Land – Indonesia
Guangzhou Nansha Amber Living by Zhuhai Huafa Properties Co., Ltd. – Mainland China
Sycamore by CapitaLand Development (Vietnam) – Vietnam (REGIONAL WINNER)
The Archwood Residences by Mayrin Group – Australia

Best Waterfront Housing/Landed Development (Asia)
Lake Legend Bangna-Suvarnabhumi by Hongkong Land and Property Perfect PCL – Thailand (REGIONAL WINNER)
The Residences III at The Glades, Putra Heights by Sime Darby Property – Malaysia

Best Connectivity Housing/Landed Development (Asia)
Metland Cibitung by PT Fajarputera Dinasti a subsidiary of PT Metropolitan Land Tbk. – Indonesia (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Completed Housing/Landed Development (Asia)
Andaru Collection Niseko by Blue Waves Group – Greater Niseko (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Integrated Work From Home Development (Asia)
Paradiso Place by SPG Land – Australia (REGIONAL WINNER)
Pisonia Ville by UDA Holdings Berhad – Malaysia

Best Green Development (Asia)
LIMA Estate by Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates – Philippines (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Green Industrial Development (Asia)
LOGOS Cikarang Logistics Park by LOGOS Indonesia – Indonesia (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Eco Friendly Housing/Landed Development (Asia)
Sycamore by CapitaLand Development (Vietnam) – Vietnam (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Eco Friendly Commercial Development (Asia)
Site of the Future – Acienda Silang by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation – Philippines
Zero Gipps by Dare Property Group – Australia (REGIONAL WINNER)

DESIGN AWARDS

Best Township Masterplan Design (Asia)
Bridgetowne Destination Estate by Robinsons Land – Philippines
PIK2 Sedayu Indo City by Agung Sedayu Group & Salim Group – Indonesia (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Mixed Use Architectural Design (Asia)
11 SKIES by Lead8 – China – Hong Kong and Macau
CRL MixC Qianhai by Benoy Limited – Mainland China (REGIONAL WINNER)
Yoho Treasure Island Resorts World Hotel, Macau by Huarchi Global Design Corporation Ltd & Treasure Island Entertainment Company Ltd – China – Hong Kong and Macau

Best Condo Architectural Design (Asia)
AMO Residence by UOL Group Limited, Singapore Land Group Limited, Kheng Leong Company – Singapore
Meyer Mansion by GuocoLand – Singapore
One East @ Damansara by CK East Group – Malaysia
Paradiso Place by SPG Land – Australia
Park Nova by Shun Tak Holdings – Singapore (REGIONAL WINNER)
Railway Leisure Town by HZS Design (Shanghai) Ltd. – Mainland China
Reference Sathorn – Wongwianyai by SC Asset – Thailand
The Commodore by JBE Holdings Pte Ltd – Singapore
The East Village at DGT by Cebu Landmasters, Inc. – Philippines
Waterfall Heights, Patong Bay (Phuket) by PropertyStore Thailand Co., Ltd. – Thailand

Best Housing/Landed Architectural Design (Asia)
Andaru Collection Niseko by Blue Waves Group – Greater Niseko
Lake Legend Bangna-Suvarnabhumi by Hongkong Land and Property Perfect PCL – Thailand
Mazenta Residence by PT Cipta Harmoni Lestari – Indonesia
Seri Austin Heights by Aksi Sepakat Sdn Bhd – Malaysia
The Archwood Residences by Mayrin Group – Australia (REGIONAL WINNER)
The Valley by Botanica Luxury Villas – Thailand
Venue ID Motorway Rama 9 by SC Asset – Thailand

Best Hospitality Architectural Design (Asia)
Artyzen Singapore by Artyzen Hospitality Group – Singapore
Shiguchi by Kookan – Greater Niseko
Sofitel Cebu City by Cebu Landmasters, Inc. – Philippines (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Retail Architectural Design (Asia)
Pantjoran PIK by Agung Sedayu Group & Salim Group, curated by Amantara – Indonesia
Shougang Park Urban Weaving District by Lead8 – Mainland China (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Office Architectural Design (Asia)
Embassy Oxygen, Tower-1 by Embassy REIT – India
Mega Tower by Arquitectonica – Philippines (REGIONAL WINNER)
One Bedford Place by Lofter Group Limited – China – Hong Kong and Macau

Best Condo Interior Design (Asia)
125 Sathorn by PMT Property Co., Ltd. – Thailand (REGIONAL WINNER)
Liv @ MB by Bukit Sembawang Estates Limited – Singapore
Orchard Sophia by Orchard Sophia Pte Ltd – Singapore
Paradiso Place by SPG Land – Australia
Perfect Ten by Property Enterprises Development (Singapore) Pte Ltd – Singapore
The Commodore by JBE Holdings Pte Ltd – Singapore
The Residences at Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort by AppleOne Mactan, Inc. – Philippines

Best Housing/Landed Interior Design (Asia)
Andaru Collection Niseko by Blue Waves Group – Greater Niseko (REGIONAL WINNER)
Kambujaya Residences by Kambujaya Development Co., Ltd – Cambodia
Mazenta Residence by PT Cipta Harmoni Lestari – Indonesia
The Archwood Residences by Mayrin Group – Australia

Best Hospitality Interior Design (Asia)
Artyzen Singapore by Artyzen Hospitality Group – Singapore (REGIONAL WINNER)
Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort by AppleOne Mactan, Inc. – Philippines
Shiguchi by Kookan – Greater Niseko

Best Condo Landscape Architectural Design (Asia)
125 Sathorn by PMT Property Co., Ltd. – Thailand (REGIONAL WINNER)
AMO Residence by UOL Group Limited, Singapore Land Group Limited, Kheng Leong Company – Singapore
Park Nova by Shun Tak Holdings – Singapore
Waterfall Heights, Patong Bay (Phuket) by PropertyStore Thailand Co., Ltd. – Thailand

Best Housing/Landed Landscape Architectural Design (Asia)
Jaytiya 2 Private Pool Villas Residence by Jaytiya Property Co., Ltd. – Thailand (REGIONAL WINNER)
Meysenses Lucia Bay Bai Lu by Tan A Dai Thanh – Meyland – Vietnam

Best Commercial Landscape Architectural Design (Asia)
Embassy TechVillage – Central Garden by Embassy REIT – India (REGIONAL WINNER)

Best Co-Working Space (Asia)
Infinity8 Reserve JBCC by Infinity Group – Malaysia (REGIONAL WINNER)
work.able Exxa-Zeta Center by Robinsons Land – Philippines

PUBLISHER'S CHOICE

PropertyGuru Icon Award
WINNER: Candra Ciputra
CEO, Ciputra Group
President Director, PT Ciputra Development Tbk

NOTE: Use of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards logo is limited to the publication of this article only.

PROPERTYGURU CONTACTS:
General Enquiries:
Richard Allan Aquino
Head of Brand & Marketing Services
M: +66 92 954 4154
E: allan@propertyguru.com

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Regional Manager, Awards Sponsorship
M: +66 93 293 9794
E: kanittha@propertyguru.com

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Media Relations & Marketing Services Manager
M: +66 92 701 2510
E: nate@propertyguru.com

Sales & Nominations:
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Sales Director
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E: may@propertyguru.com

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU ASIA PROPERTY AWARDS:
PropertyGuru's Asia Property Awards, established in 2005, are the region's most exclusive and prestigious real estate awards programme. The Asia Property Awards are recognised as the ultimate hallmark of excellence in the Asian property sector. Boasting an independent panel of industry experts and trusted supervisors, the Awards have an unparalleled reputation for being credible, ethical, fair and transparent.

In 2022, the Awards series is open to more than a dozen key property markets around the region. The exciting gala events welcome senior industry leaders and top media, as well as reach property agents and consumers via live streaming. Recognising excellence within each Asian market with a variety of categories, including green and sustainable development, each local awards programme will culminate in the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, which takes place after the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit during 'PropertyGuru Week' in December 2022.

For more information, please visit AsiaPropertyAwards.com

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU GROUP:
PropertyGuru is Southeast Asia's leading1 PropTech company, and the preferred destination for over 44 million property seekers7 (https://www.propertygurugroup.com/newsroom/propertyguru-reports-third-quarter-2022-results/#news_icon) to find their dream home, every month. PropertyGuru empowers property seekers with more than 3.5 million real estate listings8 (https://www.propertygurugroup.com/newsroom/propertyguru-reports-third-quarter-2022-results/#news_icon), in-depth insights, and solutions that enable them to make confident property decisions across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

PropertyGuru.com.sg was launched in Singapore in 2007 and since then PropertyGuru Group has made the property journey a transparent one for property seekers in Southeast Asia. In the last 15 years, PropertyGuru has grown into a high-growth PropTech company with a robust portfolio of leading property marketplaces across its core markets; award-winning mobile apps; mortgage marketplace, PropertyGuru Finance (https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/mortgage/home-loan); and a host of enterprise solutions now under PropertyGuru For Business (https://www.propertyguruforbusiness.com/), including a high-quality developer sales enablement platform, FastKey (https://www.propertyguruforbusiness.com/fastkey), DataSense (https://www.propertyguruforbusiness.com/datasense), ValueNet (https://www.propertyguruforbusiness.com/real-estate-valuers), Awards (https://www.asiapropertyawards.com/en/), events and publications across Asia.

For more information, please visit: PropertyGuruGroup.com; PropertyGuru Group on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/propertyguru).
1. Based on SimilarWeb data between April 2022 and September 2022.
2. The third quarter and first nine months ended September 30, 2022 includes results of the iProperty Malaysia and thinkofliving businesses which were acquired on August 3, 2021.
3. Included in the S$13.2 million of adjustments between net loss and Adjusted EBITDA in the third quarter of 2022 was a S$4.9 million depreciation and amortization expense.
4. Included in the S$8.2 million of adjustments between net loss and Adjusted EBITDA in the third quarter of 2021 were a S$3.9 million depreciation and amortization expense and a S$3.0 million net finance expense.
5. Based on SimilarWeb data between April 2022 and September 2022.
6. Does not include impact of Sendhelper acquisition in October 2022.
7. Based on Google Analytics data between April 2022 and September 2022.
8. Based on data between April 2022 and September 2022.


Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Polymer protection for vaccines and drugs

TSUKUBA, Japan, Dec 9, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – A biocompatible polymer could help deliver vaccines and drugs with reduced risk of the rare dangerous adverse reaction called anaphylaxis. Researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan have developed the polymer and performed preliminary tests, which they report in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.
A liposome (left) containing a vaccine is commonly coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) but it can trigger an allergic reaction to some recipients. A newly developed lipid (right) could serve as a safer, alternative liposome-coating while retaining the vaccine longer in the body.


Until now, the polymer of choice for encasing and delivering vaccines has been poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). This synthetic, flexible, water-soluble material has been used to surround some COVID-19 vaccines carried within the tiny spherical packages known as liposomes.

Unfortunately, some recipients have suffered an anaphylactic reaction to PEG, in which the immune system mounts an allergic response to the foreign material. Symptoms of anaphylaxis range from minor skin irritations, to breathing difficulty, nausea and, in the worst cases, unconsciousness and sudden death.

The alternative polymer is a form of fatty biomolecule called a lipid, and is conjugated to 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer.

This new substance spontaneously binds to the outside of liposome particles when mixed with them in water. Crucially, the polymer is not recognized by the antibodies that the body can generate in response to PEG, and tests suggest it does not stimulate any other antibodies that could cause an allergic reaction. This should allow coated liposomes containing a vaccine to be retained in the body for a longer time without being cleared by the immune system, in addition to avoiding anaphylaxis.

"We have also found that the polymer avoids other interactions with proteins in the blood that might otherwise interfere with its effects, and it also prevents liposomes from aggregating together," says molecular engineer Yuji Teramura of the AIST team.

Tests confirm the coated liposomes can remain stable in storage for 14 days, sufficient for real clinical applications.

"All the indications suggest that our technology should be suitable for delivering vaccines into patients who develop anaphylaxis in response to PEG," Teramura concludes.

The polymer must now be thoroughly tested in various real vaccine applications. The team is moving into this next crucial phase of the development process, prior to eventual clinical trials in humans.

Provided the animal and subsequent clinical trials go well, the technology should offer opportunities for delivering drugs into the body, in addition to vaccines. Delivery systems such as liposomes are sometimes needed to protect drugs from biochemical processes that might degrade them. This can ensure that they reach the target disease tissues while remaining in their active form.

Further information
Yuji Teramura
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Email: y.teramura@aist.go.jp

About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM)

Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAM

Dr Yasufumi Nakamichi
STAM Publishing Director
Email: NAKAMICHI.Yasufumi@nims.go.jp

Press release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Indonesia highlights the need for democracy to face challenges at the 15th Bali Democracy Forum

BALI, INDONESIA, Dec 9, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, RetnoMarsudi, said that democracy is considered to be able to help not only Indonesia but also the world leaders, in facing the challenges in the coming year.


Democratic leadership is urgently needed from leaders around the world to direct sustainable recovery by reaching out to the people most affected by the pandemic and other crises caused by geopolitical turmoil, Marsudi stated at the 15th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Thursday (Dec 8).

Marsudi officially opened the meeting, which was attended by 323 participants from 112 countries and five international organizations, with 52 of them attending virtually. "With democracy, freedom of expression and conveying aspirations is also guaranteed, and space for effective dialogue and decision-making is also possible because of checks and balances," Marsudi said.

While citing data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) that show 4.15 million productive workers are still affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, she emphasized that the principle of solidarity is very much needed in promoting an inclusive recovery. In this recovery effort, she emphasized that no party should be left behind. Democracy is the choice of the Indonesian people and has proven to play an important role in advancing peace, stability, and prosperity.

Additionally, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, acknowledged that democracy is currently experiencing a setback. Therefore, democracy needs to be defended and strengthened. "In a time of turmoil, tension, and chaos, divisions are widening, and people are hurting, democracy is declining, and civil society is shrinking," he said. Hence, the world community is obliged to act by defending and strengthening democracy.

He highlighted the importance of promoting the rule of law and the universal nature of all types of basic human rights, including economic, social, political, civil and cultural aspects. Therefore, it is necessary to uphold the democratic principles of inclusivity and dialogue because they are the foundation of a renewed social contract and the key to lasting peace, as well as stability and sustainable development.

Meanwhile, global solidarity is also needed to ensure that all people, wherever they are, can have the necessary resources and support to invest in society and their future, he added.

Minister Marsudi again said in her speech that democracy is not a goal, but a way to achieve a goal. "Then, the future of democracy will really depend on us, whether we will continue to support or give up on democracy," she said. Minister then emphasized that Indonesia is sticking to efforts to maintain the spirit of democracy and strengthen the foundations of democracy.

The Bali Democracy Forum is a cross-country forum in the Asia Pacific region that emphasizes democracy issues. The BDF 2022 has the theme 'Democracy in a Changing World: Leadership and Solidarity'. This theme underscores the importance of leadership and solidarity as part of the pillars of democracy in the midst of world turmoil due to geopolitical and economic crises. Since it was first held in 2008 until now, BDF has presented many diplomatic representatives from countries as well as experts.

–Antara

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Led by Legend Capital, GS Biotech Completes Nearly CNY100 million Pre-A Round Financing

HONG KONG, Dec 9, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Recently, Zhongke Guosheng (Hangzhou) Technology Co., Ltd (hereinafter referred to as "GS Biotech") officially announced the completion of its nearly CNY100 million pre-A round financing, led by Legend Capital. The proceeds will be mainly used for the capacity expansion of core pipeline products 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and 2,5-tetrahydrofuran dimethanol (THFDM), and the continuous development of downstream derivatives.


Founded in 2021 with the vision of "Biomass Change Lives", GS Biotech is a bio-based material and R&D company dedicated to building a bio-based material industry chain. The members of its founding team graduated from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and have nearly 20 years of research foundation and industrialization experience in the fields of biomass catalytic conversion and furan-based material design and development. At present, the R&D team building has also been completed from biomass, derivatives to polymers, which ensures the cutting-edge of the company's product development and the availability of end products.

According to Dr. John Zhang, CEO of GS Biotech, the company has taken the development model of promoting the "two-wheel drive" of the dual track as an important strategic direction. On the one hand, the company has completely solved the problems of HMF cost and raw material sources; its original HMF continuous production process, which completed the verification of multi-dimensional cost reduction measures, has greatly reduced the production cost and effectively improved the efficiency, and it is expected that the production cost of HMF will be controlled within RMB10,000 per ton in the future three years from the extraction of non-grain raw material sources to the iterative path of the production process and to the planning of expanding production capacity. Meanwhile, the company has also reserved more than 20 kinds of high-value-added monomers and is simultaneously promoting the verification of the application of each monomer in the terminal market. Moreover, GS Biotech established a joint venture, Xinshengtai Materials, with an AI-powered drug R&D unicorn company XtalPi Inc to focus on using AI technology to accelerate the reverse design of derivatives and improve the development efficiency of downstream derivatives to further accelerate its high-efficiency and accurate market development process.

On the other hand, the company has also made significant progress in the design, R&D and industrialization of degradable new materials. The new biodegradable plastic PEOX, another important pipeline of the company, has completed the 150L pilot scale experiment and obtained market terminal verification. The performance indicators of PEOX can be compared with PGA and the price of the terminal product will be approximately RMB10,000/ton after the large-scale production. With the special performance of the product and the support of policies, many leading enterprises in the industry are negotiating with the company to sign an underwriting agreement to apply PEOX in the field of disposable packagings such as agricultural mulch, plastic bags, straws, and lunch boxes.

Legend Capital said: "Under the background of China's strategy in carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and the pursuit of sustainable energy development, petroleum-based chemical materials will gradually be replaced by bio-based materials, which are produced from sustainable resources. HMF is an important bio-based platform compound with great potential for downstream derivatives. GS Biotech has pioneered the HMF continuous production process globally and realized the large-scale and low-cost production of HMF. It has opened the entire industry chain from upstream core monomers to terminal applications and innovatively introduced AI and high-throughput machine synthesis technology into the development of downstream derivative products. The core team of GS Biotech graduated from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. With nearly 20 years of research foundation and industrialization experience in the field of biomass catalytic conversion, GS Biotech has shown strong capabilities in continuous R&D, production management, and resource integration. Legend Capital has long focused on technology investments linked to carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and we look forward to working with GS Biotech to promote technological change in the field of bio-based materials."

As an interdisciplinary subject of information science, life science and material science, synthetic biology and bio-based materials have always been the direction that Legend Capital has paid close attention to in the field of carbon-neutral technology investment. Legend Capital's investments in the carbon-neutral field focus on energy decarbonization, vehicle electrification/intelligence, synthetic biology, etc. Energy decarbonization includes photovoltaic, wind power, and smart grid; vehicle electrification/intelligence includes lithium battery vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, battery recycling and others; in the field of synthetic biology and bio-based materials, Legend Capital has invested in many outstanding companies such as Giant Biogene (02367.HK), GS Biotech, Huili Biotech, and Tidetron Bioworks Technology.

About Legend Capital

Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).


Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Samaiden Shareholders Pass All Resolutions at AGM

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, Dec 9, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Samaiden Group Berhad, a renewable energy (RE) specialist principally involved in engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and power plants, reported that shareholders have passed all resolutions at the 3rd AGM held today.
Group Managing Director of Samaiden, Ir. Chow Pui Hee


Among the resolutions passed were the re-election of Lim Poh Seong and Fong Yeng Foon as directors pursuant to the Constitution of the Company as well as the re-appointment of TGS TW PLT as auditors of the Company. Shareholders also passed the resolution empowering the board of directors to issue and allot up to 10% of the total number of issued shares of the Company for the time being pursuant to Sections 75 and 76 of the Companies Act 2016.

Group Managing Director of Samaiden, Ir. Chow Pui Hee said, "This is the first ever AGM we are holding physically ever since Samaiden was listed in October 2020 on the ACE Market. We are glad to meet our shareholders and would like to thank them for their trust and confidence in us as we endeavoured to steer the business safely through the COVID-19 pandemic. While financial year ended 30 June 2022 (FY2022) has not been without its challenges, we note the increasing adoption of RE as businesses and organisations come to terms with climate change and also volatile fossil fuel costs."

"Over the mid-to-long term, we see greater clarity for RE given the rollout of the National Energy Policy 2022-2040 in September 2022 outlining the key priorities for Malaysia's socioeconomic development. Given that sustainability practices are increasingly being used to benchmark businesses, easy access and the ready availability of RE is crucial for growth as it also covers other indices used to gauge green attributes such as carbon credits, carbon emissions and RE certificates."

"We view positively the more stable political climate in Malaysia as this will boost investor sentiment and funding for more RE infrastructure. Samaiden continues to seek opportunities to offer our EPCC services for the installation of solar PV systems as well as solar and non-solar power plants by leveraging on our core competency and experience in providing end-to-end services for potential solar PV and other non-solar projects."

Samaiden has an outstanding orderbook of RM325.40 million as at 30 September 2022 with earnings visibility over the next three years.

Samaiden Group Berhad: 0223 [BURSA: SAMAIDEN], https://samaiden.com.my/


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