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SCHWEICKART PRIZE ANNOUNCED TO RECOGNIZE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELD OF ASTEROID DEFENSE

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Launched to honor Apollo 9 astronaut Russell “Rusty” Schweickart, it recognizes students, and early career individuals working towards planetary defense solutions
SAN FRANCISCO, June 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today, on June 30th, International Asteroid Day, B612 Foundation announced the Schweickart Prize, named in honor of renowned Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, which will recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions to planetary defense and advancing life’s evolutionary journey. The prize acknowledges the significance of embracing our collective responsibility for safeguarding humanity’s transition into the broader cosmos. “Through the Association of Space Explorers (ASE), we worked on the issue of planetary defense from asteroid impacts. Rusty Schweickart took a leadership role with the ASE to enable others to bring this global issue to the United Nations. This topic is now debated on a global stage as a result of Rusty’s commitment. This prize in Rusty’s honor is a fitting tribute to his lifetime of leadership,” said Dr. Franklin Chang-Díaz, NASA astronaut, CEO of Ad Astra Rocket Co, and NASA’s first Hispanic astronaut.
The Schweickart Prize emphasizes the need to address existential risks like asteroid impacts. “As citizens of Earth, we have to do everything in our power to preserve it and save it from all sources of danger. The Schweickart Prize encapsulates this concept and will be a beacon of achievement for all those working to prevent asteroid impacts here on Earth,” said Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE, private space explorer and first Iranian astronaut.
The prize will be awarded annually to exceptional individuals, specifically undergraduate and graduate students and early career professionals actively involved in planetary defense. Their work will demonstrate notable progress in threat discovery, mitigation strategies, civil protection, public education, or responsible geopolitical decisions. “The Schweickart Prize will recognize a new generation of students who will contribute to future advancements in space exploration for the benefit of all life on Earth, particularly in the face of existential challenges like asteroid impacts,” said Nicole Stott, NASA astronaut, artist, co-founder of Space For Art Foundation, and first watercolor painter in space. The open call for Schweickart Prize nominations will be posted this October at Schweickartprize.org.
The future awardees will have achieved accomplishments, including facilitating international cooperation, addressing legal issues, stimulating student engagement, validating NEO deflection techniques, establishing public credibility, developing visual tools, or exploring innovative approaches to minimize NEO impacts. “The California Academy of Sciences stepped up as one of the inaugural supporters of Asteroid Day because we want our audiences to take an interest in understanding the risks and opportunities of asteroids. We are proud to support the Schweickart Prize, which we hope will increase interest in this topic and enable us to develop more visualization tools and techniques to enhance public understanding of planetary defense,” said Ryan Wyatt, Senior Director of Morrison Planetarium and Science Visualization, California Academy of Sciences.
Beginning in 2024, Schweickart Prize awardees will receive a cash prize of $10,000 USD and gain global exposure through a press campaign to acknowledge their achievements. The awardees will also receive a prestigious unique  award with a museum-quality meteorite, symbolizing the existential nature of the prize’s purpose.
“The Schweickart Prize Award Committee comprises representatives from renowned universities and organizations worldwide, specializing in astronomy, planetary science, aerospace, and space policy programs,” said Danica Remy, President of B612 Foundation and co-founder of Asteroid Day. Committee members representing the many facets of the planetary defense issue will play a vital role in the process. Committee members include Anousheh Ansari, astronaut, XPRIZE (USA); Dr. Richard Binzel, MIT (USA); Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman, astronaut, MIT (USA); Dr. Irmgard Marboe, University of Vienna (Austria); Dr. Patrick Michel, Lagrange Laboratory at the Côte d’Azur Observatory (France); Hong-Kyu Moon, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (Korea); Oliver Morton, The Economist (UK); Dr. Soichi Noguchi, astronaut, Mirai Space Co. (Japan); Dorin Prunariu, cosmonaut, Asteroid Foundation (Luxembourg); Dr. Frans G. von der Dunk, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (USA) and other distinguished members to be added in the future. See SchweickartPrize.org for more information.
Founding Sponsors who have generously funded the first five years of the Schweickart Prize program include several anonymous donors, Anousheh Ansari, Barringer Crater Company, B612 Foundation, Future Ventures, Geoffrey Notkin, Jurvetson Family Foundation, Meteor Crater, Randy Schweickart and Michelle Heng, and Rusty B. Schweickart and Joanne Keys.
The Schweickart Prize launch ceremony and reception Friday, June 30, 2023, is generously funded by Lynmar Estate, California Academy of Sciences, George & Loretta Whitesides, David Ramsey, Matthew Ramsey, Will & Anya Wright and Tito’s Vodka.
About B612 Foundation and the Schweickart Prize
Since 2002, B612 Foundation has supported research and technologies to enable the economic development of space and enhance our understanding of the evolution of our solar system through its Asteroid Institute program and supporting educational programs, including Asteroid Day. Founding Circle and Asteroid Circle members and individual donors from 46 countries provide financial support for the work. For more information, visit B612foundation.org or follow on social: Twitter, Facebook.
The Schweickart Prize, a program of B612 Foundation, is an annual award that celebrates individuals who have contributed to planetary defense and the evolutionary future of life. It aims to recognize and stimulate advancements in critical areas of planetary defense, encouraging global cooperation and responsible decision-making. The prize is named after Russell “Rusty” Schweickart, renowned Apollo 9 astronaut, co-founder of the Association of Space Explorers and co-founder of B612 Foundation. For more information, visit Schweickartprize.org.
Press Release Photos can be found here.
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CoreWeave Invests £1 Billion in UK; Opens New European Headquarters and Data Centres in London to Bring Cloud Infrastructure to Power the AI Revolution

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LONDON, May 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — CoreWeave, the leading specialized cloud provider for AI, today announced that it has opened an office in London as its European headquarters as part of a broader expansion into the continent. The new UK expansion represents a £1 billion investment to bolster the country’s AI potential, and will create job opportunities across engineering, operations, finance and go-to-market. CoreWeave plans to open two UK data centres in 2024 with further expansion planned in 2025.

“We are seeing unprecedented demand for AI infrastructure and London is an important AI hub that we are investing in. Expanding our physical footprint in the UK is an important milestone in the next phase of CoreWeave’s growth,” said Mike Intrator, Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer, CoreWeave. “CoreWeave’s infrastructure will fill a void in the cloud market by providing AI enterprises with localized high-performance compute solutions that will help build and deploy the next generation of AI applications.”  
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Companies like CoreWeave are powering the future of AI innovation, and I am proud that they’ve backed the UK with a £1 billion investment into UK data centres and have established their European headquarters here – further cementing the UK’s position as an AI and tech superpower.
“We’re leaving no stone unturned to make the UK the best place for pioneering companies like CoreWeave to grow their roots. With the third highest number of AI companies and private investment in AI in the world, it’s clear our plan is working.”
Secretary of State of Science, Innovation, and Technology, Michelle Donelan said: “CoreWeave’s decision to base their European HQ here in London is not just a sign of our tech investment prowess, it is a resounding vote of confidence in our approach to AI and innovation. Today’s £1 billion investment will bring two new data centres to our shores, a vital tool in helping to develop the AI breakthroughs of tomorrow.
“It will also lead to new, highly paid jobs and countless opportunities for our brightest AI minds and start-ups as the UK continues to cement its global AI powerhouse credentials. Our message is clear – when it comes to investment, scaling-up, and innovation, the UK is the perfect home from home.”
CoreWeave’s new European headquarters in London is strategically located given the tremendous AI talent in the UK. The investment in the UK builds on the UK government’s established leadership fostering global awareness and engagement on responsible AI and the country’s commitment to drive investment with plans to upskill millions across the UK in AI. CoreWeave’s presence in the region will support the continued expansion of AI labs and enterprise customers across the UK, bringing much needed computing power to the UK.
CoreWeave’s existing data centres support some of the largest deployments of high-performance GPU clusters in the world, and the infrastructure through which those clusters are consumed is designed with engineers and innovators in mind. Trusted by leading AI labs and enterprises, CoreWeave Cloud manages complexity through automation to deliver the most performant and efficient cloud infrastructure for AI workloads.
About CoreWeave
CoreWeave is a specialized GPU cloud provider, designed to power the most complex workloads with customized solutions at scale. The company’s portfolio of cutting-edge technology delivers a broad range of capabilities for machine learning and AI, graphics and rendering, life sciences, real-time streaming, and more. Its world-class teams, talent, and engineering prowess bring unmatched speed-to-market for advanced compute. CoreWeave operates a growing footprint of data centers covering every region of the US. It was founded in 2017 and is based in New Jersey. Learn more at www.coreweave.com.
Contact
Jackson [email protected] 

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Linnovate Partners Announces Close of USD 40 Million Funding Commitment Led by SeaTown

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SINGAPORE, May 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Linnovate Partners (“Linnovate”), a leader in asset servicing and fintech for the alternative investment industry, is pleased to announce the successful closure of USD 40 million funding commitment by SeaTown Private Capital Master Fund. SeaTown Private Capital Master Fund is managed by SeaTown Holdings International Pte. Ltd. (“SeaTown”), a leading Asia-focused alternative investments firm that is owned by Seviora, Temasek’s asset management group. This capital infusion marks a pivotal moment in Linnovate’s journey, enabling the firm to scale operations, drive innovation, and further solidify its position as a market leader.

As Linnovate continues to experience rapid growth and increasing demand for its tech-enabled services, the infusion of funds will play a vital role in meeting client requirements and advancing market innovation. The investment will enable Linnovate to allocate additional resources strategically, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of technology advancements and maintains its commitment to delivering exceptional solutions to clients worldwide.
Henry Lin, founder and CEO of Linnovate Partners, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunities this investment opens “We are thrilled to have SeaTown as our strategic partner and investor. This investment will be instrumental in accelerating our growth trajectory, providing us with the necessary resources to enhance our service offering, and continue delivering cutting-edge solutions to our clients and the industry itself.”
Dickson Loo, Managing Director of SeaTown, commented, “Linnovate has established itself to be an industry-leading player with their highly differentiated culture of customer centricity and strong technology focus. We are excited to be part of the next phase of Linnovate’s growth story, as we leverage our network, resources and expertise to help the company scale to greater heights”.
Linnovate has built a strong reputation for its innovative approach to solving manual mid-to-back-office tasks involved in fund administration through tech-enabled services. The company’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of technological advancement has earned it the trust of numerous high-profile private equity and venture capital firm clients and established it as a sought-after partner in the industry.
About Linnovate PartnersLinnovate Partners is a leading asset services provider focused on driving innovation in the alternative investments industry. With expertise across the entire fund lifecycle, Linnovate Partners goes beyond traditional fund administration to provide value-added services and technologies that empower asset and fund managers to excel in their operations. Its six core service areas include Fund Administration, Investor Relations, Regulatory Compliance, Portfolio Monitoring, Reporting Services and Technology Consulting Services.
Powering these services is a proprietary, cloud-based platform, RAISE, that provides all the functions of alternative investing in a single ecosystem and enables seamless integration and accessibility.
With offices globally, Linnovate Partners currently administers over $130 billion in assets across more than 600 private equity and venture capital funds. As an innovation-focused disruptor, Linnovate Partners combines deep industry expertise and the latest technologies to drive better outcomes for alternative investment managers and investors worldwide.
About SeaTown:Founded and headquartered in Singapore since 2009, SeaTown is a leading Asia-focused alternative investments firm with deep expertise across private and public markets.
Owned by Seviora, Temasek’s asset management group, SeaTown is a trusted steward of capital, investing alongside its investors in conviction-driven strategies. Its alternative investment fund platform offers international investors exposure to highly specialised private equity, private credit, and thematic absolute return opportunities in the region.
As a partner, SeaTown strives to deliver compelling risk-adjusted returns by leveraging its extensive relationship network, decades of investing experience and astute global perspectives.
For additional information, inquiries, or interview schedule, please contact:Linnovate Partners:Andrea [email protected]
SeaTown:Kayla [email protected]

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FinVolution to Hold 9th Global Data Science Competition, Focus on Deepfake Speech Detection in LLM era

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The 9th FinVolution Global Data Science Competition targets deepfake speech detection, tackling the challenge of distinguishing between cloned and authentic voices in the LLM era.The contest is part of the IJCAI 2024 Competitions and Challenges track, encouraging global collaboration and innovation among AI enthusiasts.By integrating LLM-generated fake voices in the test dataset, the competition increases complexity and spurs innovation.SHANGHAI, May 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — FinVolution, a leading fintech service provider, launches the 9th FinVolution Global Data Science Competition today, with a focus on “Deepfake Speech Detection.”  The contest is part of the IJCAI (International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence) Competitions and Challenges track, a top international AI conference.

As voice synthesis technology continues to evolve, the line between cloned and genuine voices has become increasingly blurred in the era of large language models (LLMs), posing significant challenges to data security and asset protection.
The competition aims to inspire global AI enthusiasts and experts to innovate in combating voice cloning and deepfake scams. Contestants will utilize deep learning technologies to develop models and algorithms based on FinVolution’s test dataset. The competition will include LLM-generated fake voices to elevate complexity and spur innovation.
With a total prize pool of RMB 310,000, the contest will consist of preliminaries, semifinals, and a final, with an aim to authenticate true and false voices. Highest-ranked contestants will attend IJCAI 2024 in Jeju of South Korea, to receive the awards and engage with academic and industry experts. FinVolution proudly sponsors IJCAI 2024.
Tiezheng Li, CEO of FinVolution, stated, “Since its inception nine years ago, the FinVolution Global Data Science Competition has evolved into a widely recognized event in the field of data technology, facilitating technical exchange worldwide. Partnering with IJCAI this year, a top-tier international AI conference, demonstrates our commitment to advancing deep speech recognition technology.”
The Deepfake Challenge
During the preliminaries (May 10 to June 12), participants will design algorithms based on the white-box dataset supplied by FinVolution and submit scoring results to qualify for the semifinals. The dataset primarily comprises voice recordings totaling 20-40 hours.
At the semifinal stage (June 13 to June 28), contenders are expected to refine their algorithms based on the black-box dataset provided by the competition organizer, vying for a spot in the final. The dataset, composed mainly of private data, contains five to 10 hours of recordings.
Participants can register on the official website from May 9 to June 3, to download and view the datasets.
Upholding AI Ethics
Voice cloning has emerged as a major form of telecom fraud, as scammers exploit AI technology to make distinction between genuine and fake voices increasingly tricky.
The competition focuses on safeguarding user privacy and combating fraudulent activities by identifying cloned voices accurately.
Lei Chen, Vice President of FinVolution and Head of its Big Data and AI Division, said, “The applications of Large Language Models far exceed the corresponding detection technology, posing great challenges to information security. We hope to see AI deepfake voice detection technology keep pace with the developments of LLMs, thus safeguarding the data security of the public. With this concept in mind, the FinVolution Global Data Science Competition is not only a platform for technical competition but also an opportunity to explore how AI can better adhere to ethical principles and serve the public.” 
To date, the FinVolution Global Data Science Competition has drawn nearly 10,000 participants globally in total, becoming a widely recognized event in the field of digital financial technology.
Organized annually since 2016, the contest themes have spanned diverse domains, all rooted in real-world fintech business scenarios. These themes range from risk control algorithms, financial data applications, and product development to semantic similarity recognition, asset portfolio cash flow prediction, and credit schemes for small- and micro-sized enterprises.
About FinVolution Group
FinVolution Group is a leading fintech company that connects millions of consumers as well as micro- and small-sized enterprises with financial institutions.
Founded in 2007 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2017, we have been at the forefront of the pan-Asian credit technology industry, pioneering innovative technologies in credit risk assessment, fraud detection, big data, and artificial intelligence. With a proven track record of robust growth in pan-Asian countries, we have established leading fintech platforms in China, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
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