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- SAPWhen AI Moves From Answers to ActionCompanies: SAPAn individual customer use case can become the foundation for future industry capabilities.
- SAPThe Future of Service Delivery in the AI-Driven EnterpriseCompanies: SAPAI is fundamentally reshaping how enterprise software services are delivered and consumed.
- VNET x CATL: Where Next-Generation AI-Native Compute Infrastructure Meets the Battery LeaderCompanies: Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. LimitedHONG KONG, Sept 22, 2026 - China’s new energy and AI infrastructure sectors have recently reached a notable convergence. PJ Millennium I Limited and PJ Millennium II Limited, wholly owned subsidiaries of PJ Millennium Limited Partnership — whose general partner is Lochpine BG I GP Limited, itself a wholly owned subsidiary of Lochpine Capital Limited, a non-controlled, non-consolidated affiliate of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (“CATL”, 300750.SZ / 03750.HK) — have completed a strategic investment in VNET Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: VNET), one of China’s leading carrier- and cloud-neutral internet data center services providers. The transaction closed on September 21, 2026. Upon closing, the buyers have become VNET’s largest shareholder, holding an approximately 38.1% equity stake in the Company. The terms of the agreement include a two-year voting and consortium alignment between the companies, providing continuity in VNET’s governance and management while maintaining its strategic direction and operational momentum. The two companies have also entered into a strategic cooperation agreement, aimed at deeper collaboration across operations, technology and ecosystem development, as they jointly pursue the rapidly emerging compute-energy integration market. Mr. Josh Sheng Chen, Founder and Executive Chairperson of VNET, said: “We are pleased to welcome CATL as a new strategic investor and sincerely thank them for their strong support of VNET and our long-term vision. Looking ahead, we will work closely together to deepen collaboration across technology, infrastructure and supply chain capabilities, jointly drive foundational and full-chain innovation in the next-generation AIDC industry, advance innovation in integrated compute-energy systems, and contribute to the development of next-generation digital energy infrastructure for the intelligent era.” As VNET positions itself as an infrastructure provider for the AI inference era, its alignment with CATL at both ownership and business levels has attracted significant market attention. A key question has therefore emerged: why did CATL choose VNET as a major ecosystem partner in its push towards compute-energy integration' According to Frost & Sullivan, VNET’s carrier-neutral data center services revenue is growing faster than the broader China market. Its wholesale data center segment has demonstrated particularly strong year-on-year growth, ranking first among China’s scaled carrier-neutral data center service providers. By retail data center services revenue, VNET ranked No. 1 in 2025, with a 12.3% market share. This combination of growth and market share highlights the strength of VNET’s market position. The Company has also developed competitive advantages across resource reserves, project delivery, customer relationships and access to capital markets — capabilities that have helped lay the foundation for this strategic partnership. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Asian Leaders Forum, VNET’s senior management highlighted that the Company’s deep commitment to the Chinese market has enabled it to capture a significant share of incremental customer demand over the past two to three years, while maintaining industry-leading delivery capability. This capability will help support the Company’s international ambitions, given the overseas growth of Chinese enterprise customers. At the forum, management summarized VNET’s core competitive advantages across four strategic pillars: First, the Company has secured abundant power-backed resources in regions with relatively low electricity costs. Second, it has demonstrated strong project delivery capabilities, taking approximately 12 to 18 months from greenfield development to delivery. Third, it has established deep relationships with a global network of approximately 7,000 enterprise customers. Fourth, as a US-listed company, VNET benefits from diversified financing channels and solid credit ratings. The Three-Layer Power-Compute Architecture: A Comprehensive Strategic Blueprint Moving forward, the two companies are now focused on translating their comprehensive strategic partnership into an actionable industrial blueprint: a three-layer architecture comprising “Gigawatt-Scale Compute-Energy Facilities + Distributed Compute-Energy Networks + Tokenized Energy Attribute Certificates”. Using this blueprint, the companies will jointly develop a three-layer power-compute system designed to build a nationwide network with global reach, aiming to shape the digital energy infrastructure landscape in the AI era. 1. Gigawatt-Scale Compute-Energy Facilities: The Energy Backbone for Hyperscale AIDCs By combining CATL’s full-stack energy technologies and energy storage systems (ESS) with VNET’s proven AIDC execution capabilities, the partnership aims to develop next-generation hyperscale campuses designed around power-compute integration from the outset. Rather than building the data center first and adding power infrastructure later, the approach is to plan computing and energy capacity in parallel from the beginning. 2. Distributed Compute-Energy Networks: City-Level Edge Infrastructure The second layer focuses on city-level edge infrastructure, directly supporting the strategic deployment of China’s “Six National Compute Networks” and addressing growing demand from smart-city AI applications and localized inference. By extending beyond mega-scale campuses, the partnership aims to expand into city-level edge infrastructure while promoting standardized product design and greater commercial scalability. 3. Tokenized Energy Attribute Certificates: Commercial Model Innovation The third layer focuses on commercial model innovation. By leveraging digitized, auditable environmental attribute certificates as a value-transfer mechanism, this framework enables traceable alignment between compliant computing assets, renewable electricity procurement and related energy attributes. In essence, the model aims to establish a more transparent and verifiable framework linking computing capacity with renewable power and related environmental attributes, supporting future settlement, reporting and optimization of integrated compute-energy operations. For VNET, the three-layer system represents more than a strategic framework — it provides an execution roadmap for its upgraded “dual-engine” strategy. Gigawatt-scale facilities anchor hyperscale campuses, distributed networks extend coverage to city-level computing, and digital energy-attribute management may, over time, support better traceability, optimization and utilization of green-energy resources. Together, these three layers support VNET’s transformation from a pure-play IDC operator towards an AI-native integrated compute-energy infrastructure platform. The Company believes that the entry of a major strategic industrial investor will materially influence institutional perceptions of its risk and growth potential, its financing capabilities, its operational stability and its medium- to long-term expansion pipeline. With CATL’s strategic backing and the rollout of VNET’s three-layer compute-energy architecture, investor focus is increasingly shifting from the Company’s traditional IDC identity toward its broader role in next-generation AI infrastructure. Still, market recognition is likely to depend not only on strategic narrative, but also on measurable operating delivery. That operating foundation is already beginning to show. In Q2 2026, VNET reported total net revenue of RMB2.78 billion, up 14.2% year-on-year, with the wholesale segment remaining the key growth driver as its revenue rose 29.3% to RMB1.10 billion. Adjusted EBITDA increased 25.4% year-on-year to RMB920 million, while adjusted cash gross profit rose 9.4% to RMB1.16 billion. The adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by 3.0 percentage points year-on-year to 33.0%. Adjusted net income reached RMB7.38 million, representing a return to profitability compared with the same period last year. CATL provides more than capital. Its participation brings expertise and capabilities in energy technologies that are increasingly important to the next phase of AI data center development. As AI infrastructure evolves, competitive differentiation is moving beyond basic capacity toward integrated capabilities in power access, energy efficiency, cooling, and long-term operational reliability. In that context, the partnership may strengthen VNET’s ability to participate in the next wave of high-quality infrastructure demand. Notably, several major international investment banks — including Goldman Sachs, HSBC and Morgan Stanley — have recently taken a positive view of VNET. In its latest report dated 3 September, Goldman Sachs reiterated its Buy rating and set a US$14.00 price target. Morgan Stanley, holding an Overweight rating, also set a US$14.00 target price, while HSBC set its target at US$14.10. Goldman Sachs noted that VNET is expected to secure approximately 1.0–1.1GW of wholesale orders for the full year, while its 500MW overseas resource deployment continues to progress, supported by disciplined financing and potential additional synergies from CATL’s strategic investment. Goldman Sachs also expects VNET’s wholesale IDC business to deliver a 2025–2028 revenue and EBITDA CAGR of 37%–38%, highlighting the potential for continued growth driven by AI infrastructure demand and further reassessment of the Company’s valuation. Morgan Stanley maintains its Overweight rating on VNET, setting a US$14 price target, noting that VNET is poised for accelerating EBITDA growth starting from 3Q26, backed by its solid order backlog of 862MW and 3.6GW of available domestic resource capacity. The firm expects capacity deliveries to pick up meaningfully in 2H26, with disciplined overseas expansion plans to mitigate near-term capex risks. From industrial synergies to potential valuation re-rating, VNET’s positioning within the compute-energy integration landscape is attracting increasing attention from the investment community. On one side, CATL is expanding its role from a battery supplier towards becoming a broader infrastructure partner for the AI era. On the other, VNET is pursuing a strategic transformation from a third-party IDC operator towards an AI-native, next-generation digital energy infrastructure provider. The two companies’ strategic trajectories are therefore converging at a pivotal point in the development of AI infrastructure. For VNET, the partnership provides more than additional capital: it creates opportunities for deeper integration across green power, energy storage technologies and global energy networks, potentially strengthening its competitive position as the AI infrastructure market continues to evolve.
- Aeonsemi Technologies, IncAeonsemi Unveils Praxium™ Multi-Gigabit Ethernet PHYs for Physical AIUltra-compact, low-power 10G/5G/2.5G Ethernet PHY family brings standards-based connectivity and flexible cabling to robots, autonomous vehicles and intelligent machines — Aeonsemi, Inc., a fabless semiconductor company specializing in...
- Global App Economy Outlook 2025-2031: Gaming, Social, E-Commerce and Productivity Apps Drive New Growth as Monetization Models and Platform Strategies EvolveSmartphone and internet adoption, especially in emerging markets, is fueling mobile-first apps, super apps and cloud services, while 5G, AI and AR/VR enable richer experiences.
- 'First Direct-Drive Stock' Shakes Up Robot Actuation: How Much Longer Can the Traditional Reducer-Based Approach Hold Up?HONG KONG, Sept 22, 2026 - Direct Drive Tech Limited (the “Company”) launched its public offering on September 21 and is seeking a Main Board listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under Chapter 18C of the Listing Rules. Once the offering closes, the Company will become the “first direct-drive stock” in Hong Kong — and the first robotics technology company in global capital markets defined primarily by direct-drive technology. The market isn’t just watching a single listing; it may be watching an industry inflection point, as robot drive solutions shift from traditional reducers toward direct drive — a transition one young team is betting on to upend the established landscape. According to public records, founder Zhang Di earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Beijing Institute of Technology in 2016 before moving to the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where he studied robotics systems and control engineering under Professor Li Zexiang — widely known as the “godfather of DJI.” His engineering instincts showed early: while at HKUST, he reportedly designed on his own a robot capable of standing both upright and upside down, and sold it to a research institution. Zhang has served as chairman and chief executive since March 2020, overseeing the Group’s overall management, strategic planning, and business decisions. Zhang founded the Company in 2020 at XbotPark, a robotics incubator in Songshan Lake, Dongguan. The Songshan Lake Robotics Research Institute, controlled by Professor Li, invested at the seed round, when the post-money valuation stood at just a few million renminbi; by the final round before the IPO, the valuation had climbed substantially. Now 32, Zhang has been named to both the Forbes China 30 Under 30 and the Hurun China Under 30 lists. Conventional robot drives pair a motor with a reducer: gears step down rotational speed and multiply torque, which suits high-load, high-impact duty. But every meshing gear introduces backlash and friction — heat, wear, and maintenance costs. Every multi-stage transmission adds response lag, energy loss, and precision drift. These are not process defects; they are structural limits baked into the gear-transmission path. And every reducer weakness maps to a direct-drive strength. As embodied intelligence begins demanding millisecond response, zero backlash, lower energy consumption, and longer service life, reducer-based solutions have hit a ceiling that iteration cannot break. This is not an upgrade; it is substitution. Since its founding, the Company has stayed on the direct-drive path, building its moat on three core technology pillars. By coupling the motor directly to the payload, its solution eliminates reducers and every intermediate transmission component. According to the prospectus, this cuts efficiency losses from mechanical transmission while improving precision, lowering noise, and reducing component wear — and it paves the way for smaller, lighter robots. This is no localized tweak to an existing design; it is a rebuild of the power-transmission path itself. The Company has built core capabilities around direct-drive motor design, thermal management, and drive-control integration — system-level know-how spanning electromagnetic design, control algorithms, and mass production. Zero backlash, zero friction, millisecond response: capabilities conventional solutions structurally cannot deliver are, in principle, within reach through direct drive. Iterating on the old technology cannot close that gap. The financials tell more than a revenue story — they trace how direct drive moved from technical validation to commercialization at scale. From 2023 to 2025, revenue rose from RMB17.5 million to RMB281.7 million, a 300.8% CAGR, as shipments of direct-drive actuator modules climbed from 0.2 million to 8.5 million units. Gross margin improved from 13.5% to 21.5%, reaching 20.7% in the first half of 2026, while the adjusted net loss margin narrowed from 349.1% to 15.4% — 13.7% in the first half of 2026. This is scale economics kicking in: a larger revenue base absorbing fixed costs, not R&D cuts, is what has narrowed the losses. It is not just one company’s growth curve; it is a substitution curve, a technology pathway moving from the margins toward the mainstream. Valuation is where Chapter 18C really matters. The Specialist Technology Company regime lets the market assess high-growth hard-tech companies on R&D capabilities, patent reserves, commercialization track record, commercialization revenue, and downstream customer validation — not net profit alone. That framework fits a company trying to change an industry’s underlying technology pathway. Traditional valuation systems revolve around net profit, and they struggle to price a technology like direct drive that is redrawing a century-old industry. Chapter 18C lets the market price “technology substitution” rather than short-term profitability. The technology pathway for global robot drives is still being written, but direct drive displacing reducers is getting harder to ignore. As the “first direct-drive stock,” the Company’s scarcity value lies in using direct drive to redraw the boundaries of the robot actuation market — giving investors a window into the rise of power hardware for physical AI. Direct-drive penetration in consumer robotics remains low, and the shift away from reducer-based solutions is still in its early days; the market has yet to fully price the trend. As direct drive finds its way into more applications, that revaluation has only just begun.
- Qentelli compresses Enterprise Delivery Timelines to weeks through AI and Engineering talentQentelli expands AI-powered digital engineering services to accelerate enterprise software delivery, modernize applications and reduce technology costs.
- Digital Realty Survey Finds More Than Half of Asia Pacific Enterprises Plan to Increase AI Investment by More Than 25%Companies: Digital Realty TrustSingapore focuses on infrastructure readiness, Australia advances on AI returns, Japan prioritizes compliance, and South Korea highlights interconnection as markets take different paths to value
- China Telecom AI Officially Releases Xing4.0-29B Agentic Large Model for Single-GPU DeploymentCompanies: China TelecomCompact footprint, full-scale capability—China's lightweight agentic large model runs locally on consumer-grade hardware while also powering enterprise production systems
- Bureau Veritas confirms LEAP | 28 ambition, upgrades total revenue growth to double-digit in 2027 – 2028 and targets EUR 1 billion revenue in AI-driven markets and services by 2030PRESS RELEASE
- AkkodisAkkodis and Hamburg Public Transport Association Showcase hvv mia at InnoTrans 2026, Demonstrating the Future of AI-Powered MobilityCompanies: The Adecco GroupBERLIN, Germany, Sept 22, 2026 - Akkodis, a global leader in digital engineering consulting and part of the Adecco Group, will showcase how artificial intelligence is helping transform passenger mobility at InnoTrans 2026, the world's leading international trade fair for transport technology. Headlining Akkodis' presence is hvv mia, one of Akkodis' Synergeticon solutions, developed in collaboration with Hamburg Public Transport Association (hvv) to create more seamless, accessible and connected passenger experiences. Together, Akkodis and hvv will demonstrate how AI can help transportation operators better serve passengers while advancing the digital transformation of rail and other transportation networks. Built on Akkodis' Synergeticon AI Conversational Service Hub, hvv mia is a real-world example of how conversational and agentic AI can connect information, services and transactions across transportation systems through a single natural-language interface. Developed with hvv, with user experience design support from Luxoom, the solution enables passengers to access real-time journey information, route planning, ticket guidance and mobility services through intuitive, multilingual interactions. Rather than navigating multiple apps, websites or service channels, travelers can simply describe where they want to go or what they need, while hvv mia brings together the relevant information, ticket guidance and journey support through a single conversational experience. By unifying multiple data sources in one place, hvv mia helps simplify travel and create a more accessible, connected and user-friendly mobility experience. "The future of mobility depends on our ability to combine AI, engineering and human-centered design to create better transportation experiences," said Jo Debecker, President & CEO of Akkodis. "Through Akkodis Intelligence, we bring together advanced AI and deep engineering expertise to help customers solve complex real-world challenges. hvv mia demonstrates how this approach can create more intuitive, connected and accessible mobility experiences today while helping shape the intelligent and sustainable mobility systems of tomorrow." More than a passenger information solution, hvv mia demonstrates the broader potential of Akkodis' Synergeticon AI Conversational Service Hub. By bringing together transportation data, information and transactions within a unified conversational experience, the platform illustrates how agentic AI, intelligent service orchestration and human-centered design can help reduce friction across the passenger journey. Together, these capabilities provide a scalable foundation for more connected and responsive transportation experiences, supporting the digital transformation of rail and other transportation environments. "Passengers increasingly expect transportation services to be as intuitive and connected as the digital experiences they use every day," said Anna-Theresa Korbutt, Managing Director of hvv. "With hvv mia, we are demonstrating how AI can simplify the mobility journey by bringing together information, guidance and services through a single conversational interface. Our collaboration with Akkodis reflects a shared commitment to using innovation to make transportation more accessible, responsive and customer centric." At InnoTrans 2026, visitors to the Akkodis booth will experience how Akkodis Intelligence brings together human ingenuity, AI, digital engineering and transportation expertise to help create more intelligent, sustainable and efficient rail and mobility networks. Alongside hvv mia and the AI Conversational Service Hub, Akkodis will showcase capabilities spanning rail simulation, transportation systems engineering and digital transformation, highlighting how the company is helping customers reshape rail at the speed of AI while advancing the future of intelligent mobility. Advancing the industry conversation As part of InnoTrans 2026, Akkodis will host a panel discussion, How AI is Redrawing the Rail Supply Chain Landscape, bringing together senior leaders from Deutsche Bahn, Hitachi Rail, Alstom and Akkodis. The session will explore how artificial intelligence is transforming rail operations, data ownership, ecosystem partnerships and value creation across the transportation sector, and what organizations must do to translate AI innovation into sustainable business impact. Media contacts Anne Friedrich SVP, Global Head of Communications, Akkodis M. +4915174633470 E. [email protected] Lisa Bushka VP, External Communications, Akkodis M. +18604630770 E. [email protected] About Akkodis Akkodis is a global digital engineering consulting company that enables organizations to innovate and accelerate by applying technology to redefine how processes and products are developed, powered and optimized. With deep expertise across AI, data, cloud, edge and software engineering, we offer best-in-class technology consultancy. Through our strong, scalable delivery models and specialized talent, we provide end-to-end solutions, from strategy and consulting through implementation. Our commitment to Akkodis Intelligence helps businesses connect the exponential power of technology with the irreplaceable strengths of human thinking and collaboration. Part of the Adecco Group and headquartered in Switzerland, Akkodis brings together 40,000 engineers and digital experts in over 30 countries, with services that span Consulting, Solutions and Academy. With deep experience across the world's major industries, Akkodis empowers businesses to solve complex challenges and achieve sustainable impact. akkodis.com | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X About the Adecco Group The Adecco Group is the world's leading talent company. Our purpose is making the future work for everyone. Through our three global business units - Adecco, Akkodis and LHH - across 60 countries, we enable sustainable and lifelong employability for individuals, deliver digital and engineering solutions to power transformation and empower organisations to optimise their workforces. The Adecco Group leads by example and is committed to an inclusive culture, fostering sustainable employability, and supporting resilient economies and communities. The Adecco Group AG is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN). www.adeccogroup.com SOURCE: Akkodis
- Noah Holdings LimitedNoah Holdings Hosts 2026 Global Investor Summit "The Year of Realization: A New Chapter in Global Allocation"Serving Global Chinese Families With a Global Investment Network, Licensed Teams and AI Capabilities — Noah Holdings Limited ("Noah" or the "Company") (NYSE: NOAH; HKEX: 6686), a wealth management institution serving global Chinese families,...