PRIMER SECURES US$100 MLN FUNDING FOR AI, US EXPANSION

Primer leadership team pictured left to right. Top row: Pierre-Edouard Jumel (CFO), Gabriel Le Roux (Co-Founder and CEO), Sam Elgar (VP Merchant Experience) and Theo Spyrides (VP Product). Bottom row: Caitriona Staunton (VP People), Alex Mallet (CTO), Jade Maitland (VP Marketing) and Mikael Minvielle (COO).

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Primer, the unified infrastructure for global payments, has secured a US$100 million Series C funding round as it expands its artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled operating layer for global payments and finance. (US$1=RM3.97)

The funding round was led by Sofina, with participation from Peak XV Partners and continued backing from existing investors, including Balderton Capital, Accel, ICONIQ Capital, Tencent, and Speedinvest.

In a statement, Primer said the new funding will support expanded investment in AI capabilities, including the development of its proprietary AI agent, Primer Companion.

The company said Primer Companion is already being used by merchants to address payment-related queries and generate contextual insights, with future capabilities expected to include autonomous experimentation, performance optimisation, and execution within merchant-defined parameters.

Primer said fragmented payment data across processors, acquirers, and fraud tools remains a major challenge for businesses seeking to deploy AI-driven payment systems effectively.

Founded in 2020, the company said its unified payments infrastructure captures more than 400 data points per transaction and manages more than 95 per cent of customer payment volume on average.

According to Primer, the United States (US) currently accounts for around one-fifth of company revenue, with annual recurring revenue in the region doubling year-on-year.

The company plans to increase US revenue to more than one-third of its business by 2028 and expects to hire up to 50 employees in the region to support its expansion strategy.

-- BERNAMA

CLOUDFLARE, ANTHROPIC TO PROVIDE SECURE, SCALABLE FOUNDATION FOR AUTONOMOUS AI

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc, the leading connectivity cloud company, is collaborating with Anthropic to launch Cloudflare Environments for Claude Managed Agents, aimed at providing a secure and scalable foundation for autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agents.

The integration enables organisations to run core agent loops on Anthropic’s Claude platform while leveraging Cloudflare’s global network and Workers developer platform to execute code, secure private connections, and equip agents with specialised tools.

Cloudflare in a statement said the platform is designed to help developers build next-generation AI assistants quickly and securely at a global scale.

Cloudflare co-founder and chief executive officer, Matthew Prince said the partnership would enable businesses to securely execute code and access private data using Cloudflare’s network infrastructure.

“Now, businesses can focus on building the most innovative AI applications on the planet,” he said.

According to Cloudflare, the platform provides secure sandboxes for every AI agent session through a Workers-based control plane, while security and compliance controls are automatically applied.

The company said the infrastructure allows organisations to maintain strict security standards while scaling AI initiatives from prototypes to large-scale deployments without infrastructure bottlenecks.

Cloudflare Environments for Claude Managed Agents also enables developers to scale globally with diverse runtimes, secure sensitive data through Zero-Trust connectivity, audit agent behaviour using native observability tools, and extend agent capabilities through customisable frameworks.

The launch of Cloudflare Environments marks the latest milestone in its ongoing collaboration with Anthropic to strengthen AI connectivity and infrastructure capabilities.

-- BERNAMA

INTERSYSTEMS AI-NATIVE EHR EARNS EU MEDICAL DEVICE REGULATION CERTIFICATION

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- InterSystems announced that its electronic health record (EHR) solutions have received Class IIa Medical Devices certification under the European Union (EU) Medical Device Regulation (MDR) 2017/745.

The company said the approval marks what it believes is the first fully unified artificial intelligence (AI)-native EHR to achieve MDR Class IIa certification in the EU.

The certification covers InterSystems IntelliCare and InterSystems TrakCare, validating that the platforms meet stringent EU safety, quality and regulatory standards for medical technologies.

In a statement, the creative data technology provider said the milestone strengthens healthcare organisations’ ability to responsibly scale AI capabilities while maintaining confidence among clinicians, providers and regulators.

“Healthcare organisations are rightfully demanding that AI be more than just an experimental add-on. By securing the EU’s first MDR certification for an AI-native EHR, we are establishing a standard that AI should be at the core of all healthcare applications,” said InterSystems President, Don Woodlock.

Built on TrakCare’s interoperability foundation, IntelliCare integrates AI directly into the platform’s data architecture rather than relying on standalone third-party applications.

The company said the system is designed to streamline governance, reduce clinician workloads and support safer clinical decision-making through embedded "human-in-the-loop" safeguards.

InterSystems IntelliCare includes features such as AI-generated patient summaries, clinical documentation support, conversational interfaces, and intelligent workflows.

The platform also has features such as ambient clinical orchestration capabilities that automatically capture, structure and save clinical data in real time while suggesting clinical documentation and orders for clinician approval.

The company said IntelliCare is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing healthcare information technology systems, leveraging InterSystems’ longstanding expertise in interoperability, integration and healthcare data management.

-- BERNAMA

HACK THE BOX HIGHLIGHTS AI CYBERSECURITY SKILLS SHIFT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Hack The Box, the global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) cybersecurity readiness, has released its Cybersecurity Workforce Intelligence Report, highlighting how AI is reshaping cybersecurity skills, career paths, and team structures globally.

Based on anonymised data from more than 702,000 cybersecurity professionals across 251 countries and territories, the report found growing demand for advanced AI-related skills and more integrated cybersecurity team models.

The findings suggest that as AI transforms both cyberattacks and defence strategies, the effectiveness of organisations will increasingly depend on workforce adaptability, readiness, and cross-functional expertise rather than technology alone.

According to Hack The Box in a statement, organisations are accelerating investments in AI security capabilities, with AI penetration testing emerging as a leading global training priority.

Cybersecurity practitioners are also placing greater focus on risks such as prompt injection, model exploitation, and agentic AI attacks, reflecting changing approaches to workforce preparation.

The report noted that traditional role boundaries are becoming less rigid, with growing overlap between offensive and defensive cybersecurity training supporting a more collaborative “purple-team” model.

Structured hands-on training programmes are accelerating this transition, with AI-focused training completion rates reaching 64 per cent, reinforcing the role of organisation-led learning in building advanced cybersecurity capabilities.

To remain effective in an AI-driven environment, the report said security leaders should prioritise AI security skills, expand global talent pipelines, invest in integrated training models, and commit to continuous workforce upskilling.

-- BERNAMA

Persona AI Collaborates with Under Armour to Explore Performance Materials for Humanoid Robotics

HOUSTON, May 12 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Persona AI today announced a research and development collaboration with Under Armour (NYSE: UAA) to learn how advanced performance materials will support the next generation of humanoid robotics operating in demanding environments.

The robots made by Persona AI will operate in physically intensive, high-risk environments such as welding, heavy manufacturing, extreme heat exposure, and hazardous material handling. This automation is designed to reduce strain and improve safety for human workers. Through this collaboration, Persona AI is working to establish a global standard for robot-specific performance gear, ensuring the next generation of humanoids is as protected, agile, and resilient as the humans they support.

As Persona AI continues to develop and test its systems for industrial applications, the company is evaluating how external material layers may enhance durability, thermal regulation, and overall humanoid performance in real-world conditions. This collaboration brings together Persona AI’s robotics expertise and Under Armour’s innovative approach to creating materials designed for high-performance use.

The joint effort focuses on early-stage research and testing, examining how different textiles behave under conditions such as heat, friction, repetitive motion, and more. “We chose to work with Under Armour because of their track record of innovation with these types of performance materials,” said Nicolaus Radford, CEO of Persona AI. “As we develop humanoids for intense and potentially hazardous environments, this collaboration helps us understand how advanced materials can enhance long-term reliability, thereby informing solutions to better protect workers in the field.”

“This is an opportunity to apply our innovation expertise in a new context,” said Kyle Blakely, Senior Vice President of Innovation, Design Studio, Development, and Testing at Under Armour. “Robotics presents a fascinating new design challenge, and we aim to play a leading role in shaping performance solutions for these environments. As humanoid systems take on more physically demanding roles, we see real potential to create new market opportunities, and we’re exploring how concepts like thermal management, abrasion resistance, and flexibility translate beyond sport."

About Persona AI, Inc.

Persona AI, Inc. a pioneering robotics company headquartered in Houston, Texas, is at the forefront of developing intelligent humanoid robots specifically designed for a wide array of industrial applications.

Persona AI leverages a rich heritage of expertise, drawing from decades of experience in crafting sophisticated robotics for demanding environments, including space and deep- ocean exploration. This unparalleled background enables the company to address real- world labor challenges with innovative and robust solutions. Learn more about Persona AI

persona.ai

Persona AI Media Contacts

Jared Bruder
Director of Marketing
Persona AI
pr@persona.ai
713.305.6158

Jonathan Reichel
Principal Marketing Architect
Persona AI
reichel@persona.ai
(409) 549-3892

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c38c6044-4531-4ca1-aa5d-e8251d3e8f5e 

SOURCE: Persona AI

--BERNAMA

World's Education Leaders to Convene in Singapore for Better Future Forum 2026

Singapore, May 8 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Institute for Shaping a Better Future, an initiative of Teach For All, will host the Better Future Forum from May 12-14, 2026. This global gathering will bring together 200 of the world's most influential education practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and student leaders to explore the question: How can we develop all students holistically so they can shape a better future?

The Better Future Forum is a convening built around practice-led learning, surfacing insights from classrooms and communities across five continents, and connecting them to global leaders in education with the ability to spread them at scale.

Taking place May 12-14, 2026, in Singapore, the Forum draws participants from more than 50 countries, including educators, heads of state agencies, multilateral institutions, civil society organizations, and students themselves.

At a moment of profound disruption in global education, with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence,  geopolitical conflict, and deepening inequality in learning outcomes, the Forum brings together diverse leaders from across the world for cross-border learning. Its aim is to spark a fundamental shift in education, transforming the practices and culture of education systems to achieve the holistic outcomes students need to shape a better future.

Cheryl Fernando, Director of the Global Institute for Shaping a Better Future, said, "The Better Future Forum exists because the most powerful knowledge about how to reshape education lives in classrooms and communities. Our job is to bring those insights into the same room as the people who can help spread them." 

The 2026 program will surface emerging evidence on holistic student development and feature dedicated sessions on topics such as reshaping education in the age of AI. It culminates in the Better Future Showcase, a TED-style platform where educators and student leaders share innovations already reshaping learning outcomes around the world.

Confirmed speakers include Mrs. Chua-Lim Yen Ching, former Deputy Director-General of Education (Professional Development) at the Ministry of Education, Singapore; Ms. Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-founder of Teach For All; Mr. Stanley Tan, Co-founder of Asia Philanthropy Circle and =DreamsAsia; and Ms. Chloe Tong, Co-founder of ACE Team Foundation.

The Forum's Global Advisory Council includes leaders from The Brookings Institution, The OECD, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ashoka, SEAMEO, and Teach For India, among others.

Media Attendance and Accreditation
Media are invited to attend and cover the Better Future Forum 2026 Welcome Dinner taking place on May 12 from 6-8pm. Press accreditation is available for journalists covering education, international development, social impact, and global affairs. Opportunities for one-on-one interviews with Forum speakers can be arranged in advance.

About the Global Institute for Shaping a Better Future
The Global Institute for Shaping a Better Future fosters global learning among people committed to reshaping education so that young people can shape a better future. While exemplary classrooms and systems exist worldwide, the global ecosystem lacks effective ways to surface and spread their insights. The Global Institute addresses this by engaging practitioners in learning together across borders – contributing to their leadership development while generating new evidence, tools, and resources. This creates multiplier effects as practitioners shift their mindsets and practices in their communities, accelerating collective progress toward our shared vision, that all children have the education and support to shape a better future. Learn more at www.shapingabetterfuture.org.

To request accreditation or arrange interviews, please contact media@teachforall.org. 

Contact Info

Teach For All
media@teachforall.org 

SOURCE: Teach For All

--BERNAMA

CYNREN FORMED TO SERVE FAMILY OFFICES, FUNDS, INSTITUTIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Bernama) -- CYNREN has launched as an independent international advisory firm focused on the intersection of capital, technology and geopolitics.

Operating globally through a network of senior advisors, investors and partners, the firm was co-founded by Anthony Cowell, Sunil Nair and Scott Lennon, specialising in family office, fiduciary and directorship roles, board-level strategy, impact and philanthropic structuring, as well as complex risk consulting.

According to a statement, Cowell and Nair are co-chief executive officers of the firm, and Lennon is the Global Head of Fiduciary, with additional appointments to be announced.

“We built CYNREN to reflect the reality our clients face today, combining a global network of experienced advisors with technology that allows us to scale, so we can be present at the moments that matter most and help clients navigate complexity with clarity,” added Cowell.

Cowell previously served as KPMG Global Lead Engagement Partner, KPMG IMPACT Regional Head of Asset Management and Regional Head. Nair was formerly Founding Partner and Managing Partner of Citi Venture Capital International, while Lennon founded 19 Degrees North Fund Services and has served as an independent director to alternative asset funds.

The firm’s leadership team also includes Lexi Bowes-Lyon as Global Head of Impact and Markets, Claire Griffin as Chief Operating Officer, and Arnaud van Dijk as Global Head of Sustainability.

CYNREN is supported by an Advisory Board comprising leaders across finance, technology and global business, including media and entertainment executive Leo Pearlman and engineering and artificial intelligence leader Stephen Toebes.

Together, the leadership team brings experience across global asset management, private equity, fund governance and sustainable finance, advising sovereign wealth funds, alternative asset managers and multi-generational family offices.

-- BERNAMA