Artificial Intelligence

EXL Reports 2023 Second Quarter Results

Published

10 months ago

July 27, 2023

GlobeNewswire

2023 Second Quarter Revenue of $405.0 Million, up 16.8% year-over-year

Q2 Diluted EPS (GAAP) of $1.46, up 37.7% from $1.06 in Q2 of 2022

Q2 Adjusted Diluted EPS (Non-GAAP) ⁽¹⁾ of $1.82, up 21.3% from $1.50 in Q2 of 2022

NEW YORK, July 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ExlService Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXLS), a leading data analytics and digital operations and solutions company, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023.

Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rohit Kapoor, said, “We delivered another strong quarter, with revenue growth of 16.8% and adjusted diluted EPS growth of 21.3%. Our data-led strategy, unique digital/AI capabilities and balanced portfolio across data analytics and digital operations and solutions create resiliency in our business. This has enabled us to deliver continued strong double-digit growth.”

Chief Financial Officer Maurizio Nicolelli, said, “While we remain cautious about the macro-economic environment, we are increasing our revenue and EPS guidance for the full year 2023 based on our strong momentum in the first half and current visibility for the remainder of the year. We now expect revenue to be in the range of $1.605 billion to $1.625 billion, up from our prior guidance of $1.595 billion to $1.620 billion. This represents 14% to 15% year-over-year growth on both a reported and constant currency basis. We are also increasing our adjusted diluted earnings per share guidance for 2023 to $6.90 to $7.05, up from $6.75 to $6.90, representing growth of 15% to 17% over the prior year.”

Financial Highlights: Second Quarter 2023

Revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 increased to $405.0 million compared to $346.8 million for the second quarter of 2022, an increase of 16.8% on a reported basis and 17.1% on a constant currency basis. Revenue increased by 1.1% sequentially on a reported basis and 1.0% on a constant currency basis, from the first quarter of 2023.

	Revenue									Gross Margin
	Three months ended									Three months ended
	June 30, 2023		June 30, 2022			March 31, 2023				June 30, 2023			June 30, 2022			March 31, 2023
Reportable Segments	June 30, 2023		June 30, 2022			March 31, 2023				June 30, 2023			June 30, 2022			March 31, 2023
	(dollars in millions)
Insurance	$	128.5		$	108.5			$	125.9			34.4	%		34.9	%		34.6	%
Healthcare		27.2		23.1			26.7			35.4	%		23.2	%		29.6	%
Emerging Business		67.1		53.9			66.2			43.7	%		42.1	%		45.6	%
Analytics		182.2		161.3			181.8			37.7	%		37.0	%		37.1	%
Revenues, net	$	405.0	$	346.8		$	400.6			37.5	%		36.2	%		37.2	%

Operating income margin for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, was 16.0%, compared to 13.6% for the second quarter of 2022 and 14.8% for the first quarter of 2023. Adjusted operating income margin for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, was 20.0%, compared to 18.7% for the second quarter of 2022 and 19.4% for the first quarter of 2023.

Diluted earnings per share for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, was $1.46, compared to $1.06 for the second quarter of 2022 and $1.51 for the first quarter of 2023. Adjusted diluted earnings per share for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, was $1.82, compared to $1.50 for the second quarter of 2022 and $1.74 for the first quarter of 2023.

Business Highlights: Second Quarter 2023

Won 14 new clients in the second quarter of 2023, with 9 in digital operations and solutions business and 5 in data analytics.
Included by USA TODAY in their first-ever America’s Climate Leaders 2023.
Recognized as a Major Player in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Artificial Intelligence Services 2023 Vendor Assessment.
Identified as a Leader and Star Performer in Everest Group’s Life and Annuities (L&A) Insurance BPS and Third-Party Administrator (TPA) PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2023.
Positioned as a Leader in the May 2023 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Finance and Accounting Business Process Outsourcing 2023⁽²⁾.
Appointed Pamela Harrison executive vice president and chief human resources officer, responsible for developing and implementing the next phase of EXL’s talent strategy.
Appointed Vishal Chhibbar as executive vice president and chief growth and strategy officer, responsible for EXL’s growth, overseeing areas such as strategy, marketing, sales governance, mergers and acquisitions and partnerships.

2023 Guidance
Based on current visibility, and a U.S. dollar to Indian rupee exchange rate of 82.0, U.K. pound sterling to U.S. dollar exchange rate of 1.3, U.S. dollar to the Philippine peso exchange rate of 54.5 and all other currencies at current exchange rates, we are providing the following guidance for the full year 2023:

Revenue of $1.605 billion to $1.625 billion, representing growth of 14% to 15% on both a reported and constant currency basis from 2022.

Adjusted diluted earnings per share of $6.90 to $7.05, representing growth of 15% to 17% from 2022.

Conference Call

ExlService Holdings, Inc. will host a conference call on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 10:00 A.M. ET to discuss the Company’s quarterly operating and financial results. The conference call will be available live via the internet by accessing the investor relations section of EXL’s website at ir.exlservice.com, where an accompanying investor-friendly spreadsheet of historical operating and financial data can also be accessed. Please access the website at least fifteen minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

Please note that there is a new system to access the live call-in order to ask questions. To join the live call, please register here. A dial-in and unique PIN will be provided to join the call. For those who cannot access the live broadcast, a replay will be available on the EXL website ir.exlservice.com for a period of twelve months.

__________________________________________________________

^{(1) Reconciliations of adjusted (non-GAAP) financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures, where applicable, are included at the end of this release under “Reconciliation of Adjusted Financial Measures to GAAP Measures.” These non-GAAP measures, including adjusted diluted EPS and constant currency measures, are not measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.}

^{(2) Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. GARTNER and MAGIC QUADRANT are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.}

About ExlService Holdings, Inc.

EXL (NASDAQ: EXLS) is a leading data analytics and digital operations and solutions company that partners with clients to improve business outcomes and unlock growth. By bringing together deep domain expertise with robust data, powerful analytics, cloud, artificial intelligence (“AI”) and machine learning (“ML”), we create agile, scalable solutions and execute complex operations for the world’s leading corporations in industries including insurance, healthcare, banking and financial services, media, and retail, among others. Focused on driving faster decision-making and transforming operating models, EXL was founded on the core values of innovation, collaboration, excellence, integrity and respect. Headquartered in New York, our team is over 48,000 strong, with more than 50 offices spanning six continents. For more information, visit www.exlservice.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You should not place undue reliance on those statements because they are subject to numerous uncertainties and factors relating to EXL’s operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond EXL’s control. Forward-looking statements include information concerning EXL’s possible or assumed future results of operations, including descriptions of its business strategy. These statements may include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate” or similar expressions. These statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of management’s experience in the industry as well as its perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate under the circumstances. You should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although EXL believes that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you should be aware that many factors could affect EXL’s actual financial results or results of operations and could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors, which include our ability to maintain and grow client demand, our ability to hire and retain sufficiently trained employees, and our ability to accurately estimate and/or manage costs, rising interest rates, rising inflation and recessionary economic trends, are discussed in more detail in EXL’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including EXL’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made herein, or elsewhere, speaks only as of the date on which it is made. New risks and uncertainties come up from time to time, and it is impossible to predict these events or how they may affect EXL. EXL has no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof, except as required by federal securities laws.

EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)
(In thousands, except per share amount and share count)

	Three months ended June 30,						Six months ended June 30,
		2023			2022			2023			2022
Revenues, net	$	404,996		$	346,782		$	805,639		$	675,990
Cost of revenues⁽¹⁾		253,220			221,207			504,689			428,723
Gross profit⁽¹⁾		151,776			125,575			300,950			247,267
Operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses		45,605			40,434			92,351			80,379
Selling and marketing expenses		28,238			23,985			57,731			48,155
Depreciation and amortization expense		13,122			14,075			26,609			27,677
Total operating expenses		86,965			78,494			176,691			156,211
Income from operations		64,811			47,081			124,259			91,056
Foreign exchange gain, net		324			1,423			429			3,179
Interest expense		(3,240	)		(1,502	)		(6,625	)		(2,378	)
Other income/(loss), net		2,661			(174	)		5,816			2,237
Income before income tax expense and earnings from equity affiliates		64,556			46,828			123,879			94,094
Income tax expense		15,554			11,125			23,612			22,327
Income before earnings from equity affiliates		49,002			35,703			100,267			71,767
Gain from equity-method investment		66			143			132			257
Net income attributable to ExlService Holdings, Inc. stockholders	$	49,068		$	35,846		$	100,399		$	72,024
Earnings per share attributable to ExlService Holdings, Inc. stockholders:
Basic	$	1.47		$	1.07		$	3.01		$	2.15
Diluted	$	1.46		$	1.06		$	2.97		$	2.13
Weighted-average number of shares used in computing earnings per share attributable to ExlService Holdings Inc. stockholders:
Basic		33,355,354			33,403,411			33,397,226			33,422,618
Diluted		33,688,449			33,830,539			33,809,555			33,862,597

⁽¹⁾_{Exclusive of depreciation and amortization expense.}

EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)
(In thousands, except per share amount and share count)

	As of
	June 30, 2023			December 31, 2022

Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	93,960		$	118,669
Short-term investments		156,098			179,027
Restricted cash		4,628			4,897
Accounts receivable, net		288,305			259,222
Other current assets		70,186			50,979
Total current assets		613,177			612,794
Property and equipment, net		93,688			82,828
Operating lease right-of-use assets		58,423			55,347
Restricted cash		2,072			2,055
Deferred tax assets, net		68,612			55,791
Intangible assets, net		56,487			64,819
Goodwill		405,903			405,637
Long-term investments		16,085			34,779
Other assets		48,255			32,069
Total assets	$	1,362,702		$	1,346,119
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	3,019		$	7,789
Current portion of long-term borrowings		30,000			30,000
Deferred revenue		20,755			18,782
Accrued employee costs		82,044			108,100
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities		104,480			95,352
Current portion of operating lease liabilities		14,482			14,978
Income taxes payable, net		4,283			2,945
Total current liabilities		259,063			277,946
Long-term borrowings, less current portion		190,000			220,000
Operating lease liabilities, less current portion		50,575			48,155
Deferred tax liabilities, net		507			547
Other non-current liabilities		28,343			41,292
Total liabilities		528,488			587,940
Commitments and contingencies
ExlService Holdings, Inc. Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 15,000,000 shares authorized, none issued		—			—
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized, 40,349,727 shares issued and 33,152,670 shares outstanding as of June 30, 2023 and 39,987,976 shares issued and 33,234,444 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2022		40			40
Additional paid-in capital		472,124			445,108
Retained earnings		999,504			899,105
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(124,147	)		(144,143	)
Total including shares held in treasury		1,347,521			1,200,110
Less: 7,197,057 shares as of June 30, 2023 and 6,753,532 shares as of December 31, 2022, held in treasury, at cost		(513,307	)		(441,931	)
Total stockholders’ equity		834,214			758,179
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	1,362,702		$	1,346,119

EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

Reconciliation of Adjusted Financial Measures to GAAP Measures

In addition to its reported operating results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), EXL has included in this release certain financial measures that are considered non-GAAP financial measures, including the following:

(i) Adjusted operating income and adjusted operating income margin;
(ii) Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin;
(iii) Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share; and
(iv) Revenue growth on an organic constant currency basis.

These non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles, should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Accordingly, the financial results calculated in accordance with GAAP and reconciliations from those financial statements should be carefully evaluated. EXL believes that providing these non-GAAP financial measures may help investors better understand EXL’s underlying financial performance. Management also believes that these non-GAAP financial measures, when read in conjunction with EXL’s reported results, can provide useful supplemental information for investors analyzing period-to-period comparisons of the Company’s results and comparisons of the Company’s results with the results of other companies. Additionally, management considers some of these non-GAAP financial measures to determine variable compensation of its employees. The Company believes that it is unreasonably difficult to provide its earnings per share financial guidance in accordance with GAAP, or a qualitative reconciliation thereof, for a number of reasons, including, without limitation, the Company’s inability to predict its future stock-based compensation expense under ASC Topic 718, the amortization of intangibles associated with further acquisitions and the currency fluctuations and associated tax impacts. As such, the Company presents guidance with respect to adjusted diluted earnings per share. The Company also incurs significant non-cash charges for depreciation that may not be indicative of the Company’s ability to generate cash flow.

EXL non-GAAP financial measures exclude, where applicable, stock-based compensation expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, provision for litigation settlement, impairment charges on acquired long-lived and intangible assets including goodwill, effects of termination of leases, certain defined social security contributions, other acquisition-related expenses or benefits and effect of any non-recurring tax adjustments. Acquisition-related expenses or benefits include, changes in the fair value of contingent consideration, external deal costs, integration expenses, direct and incremental travel costs and non-recurring benefits or losses. Our adjusted net income and adjusted diluted EPS also excludes the effects of income tax on the above pre-tax items, as applicable. The effects of income tax of each item is calculated by applying the statutory rate of the local tax regulations in the jurisdiction in which the item was incurred.

A limitation of using non-GAAP financial measures versus financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP is that non-GAAP financial measures do not reflect all of the amounts associated with our operating results as determined in accordance with GAAP and exclude costs that are recurring, namely stock-based compensation and amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets. EXL compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from non-GAAP financial measures to allow investors to evaluate such non-GAAP financial measures.

The information provided on an organic constant currency basis reflects a comparison of current period results translated at the prior period currency rates and exclude the impact from an acquisition for a twelve-month period from the date of the acquisition. This information is provided because EXL believes that it provides useful comparative incremental information to investors regarding EXL’s true operating performance. EXL’s primary exchange rate exposure is with the Indian rupee, the U.K. pound sterling and the Philippine peso. The average exchange rate of the U.S. Dollar against the Indian Rupee increased from 77.68 during the quarter ended June 30, 2022 to 82.20 during the quarter ended June 30, 2023, representing a depreciation of 5.8% against the U.S. dollar. The average exchange rate of the U.S. Dollar against the Philippine Peso increased from 53.18 during the quarter ended June 30, 2022 to 55.58 during the quarter ended June 30, 2023, representing a depreciation of 4.5% against the U.S. dollar. The average exchange rate of the U.K. pound sterling against the U.S. Dollar increased from 1.24 during the quarter ended June 30, 2022 to 1.25 during the quarter ended June 30, 2023, representing an appreciation of 0.9% against the U.S. dollar.

The following table shows the reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and June 30, 2022, and the three months ended March 31, 2023:

Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted EBITDA
(Amounts in thousands)

	Three months ended
	June 30,						March 31,
		2023			2022			2023
Net Income (GAAP)	$	49,068		$	35,846		$	51,331
add: Income tax expense		15,554			11,125			8,058
add/(subtract): Foreign exchange gain, net, interest expense, gain from equity-method investment and other income/(loss), net		189			110			59
Income from operations (GAAP)	$	64,811		$	47,081		$	59,448
add: Stock-based compensation expense		11,511			13,340			14,407
add: Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles		4,204			4,146			4,149
add/(subtract): Other expenses/(benefits) (a)		578			217			(89	)
Adjusted operating income (Non-GAAP)	$	81,104		$	64,784		$	77,915
Adjusted operating income margin as a % of Revenue (Non-GAAP)		20.0	%		18.7	%		19.4	%
add: Depreciation on long-lived assets		8,289			9,929			8,589
Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)	$	89,393		$	74,713		$	86,504
Adjusted EBITDA margin as a % of revenue (Non-GAAP)		22.1	%		21.5	%		21.6	%

^{(a) To exclude effects of lease termination of $578 and $nil during the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 respectively, and ($89) during the three months ended March 31, 2023, and to exclude certain expenses related to defined social security contribution in India for historical periods of $217 recorded during the three months ended June 30, 2022.}

Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)

	Three months ended
	June 30,						March 31,
		2023			2022			2023
Net income (GAAP)	$	49,068		$	35,846		$	51,331
add: Stock-based compensation expense		11,511			13,340			14,407
add: Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles		4,204			4,146			4,149
add: Effects of changes in fair value of contingent consideration		—			1,000			—
add/(subtract): Other expenses/(benefits) (a)		578			580			(89	)
subtract: Tax impact on stock-based compensation expense (b)		(2,789	)		(3,216	)		(9,830	)
subtract: Tax impact on amortization of acquisition-related intangibles		(1,036	)		(971	)		(1,023	)
add/(subtract): Tax impact on other expenses/(benefits)		(145	)		(92	)		22
Adjusted net income (Non-GAAP)	$	61,391		$	50,633		$	58,967
Adjusted diluted earnings per share (Non-GAAP)	$	1.82		$	1.50		$	1.74

^{(a) To exclude effects of lease termination of $578 and $nil during the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 respectively, and ($89) during the three months ended March 31, 2023, and to exclude certain expenses related to defined social security contribution in India for historical periods of $580 recorded during the three months ended June 30, 2022.}

^{(b) Tax impact includes $190 and $14 during the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 respectively, and $12,520 during the three months ended March 31, 2023, related to discrete benefits recognized in income tax expense in accordance with ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation.}

Contacts:
Investor Relations
John Kristoff
Vice President, Investor Relations
+1 212 209 4613
[email protected]

Media – US
Keith Little
Senior Manager, Media Relations
+1 703 598 0980
[email protected]

Media – UK, Europe, and APAC
Anna Price
First Light Group
+44 202 617 7240
[email protected]

Media – India
Shailendra Singh
Vice President Corporate Communications
+91 9810476075
[email protected]

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Artificial Intelligence

More than $9 Million Awarded to High School Scientists and Engineers at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024

Published

9 hours ago

May 17, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

more-than-$9-million-awarded-to-high-school-scientists-and-engineers-at-the-regeneron-international-science-and-engineering-fair-2024

Grace Sun, 16, receives $75,000 Top Award for a new kind of organic electrochemical transistor at the world’s largest pre-college science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition.
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Society for Science (the Society) announced that Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won the $75,000 top award, the George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award, named in honor of the pioneering drug researcher and Regeneron co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer, in the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), the world’s largest pre-college science and engineering competition. Other top prizes went to projects in second-order cone programming, microplastics filtration and multi-sensory therapy for dementia.

The top winners were honored during two award ceremonies: the Special Awards on May 16 and the Grand Awards Ceremony on the morning of May 17. In total, over $9 million USD was awarded to the finalists based on their projects’ creativity, innovation and depth of scientific inquiry. The competition featured nearly 2,000 young scientists representing 49 U.S. states and nearly 70 countries, regions and territories across the world.
Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won first place and received the $75,000 George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award for her research on building a better organic electrochemical transistor that she hopes will be used to develop new electronic devices that could help detect and treat serious illnesses like diabetes, epilepsy and organ failure. To overcome the problems that have previously prevented such devices from working effectively inside the body, Grace developed a new way of chemically treating their organic components, which greatly improved their laboratory performance.
Michelle Wei, 17, of San Jose, California, received one of two Regeneron Young Scientist Awards of $50,000 for her research to improve the speed and efficiency of a type of software that is useful in many fields such as machine learning, transportation and financial systems. Michelle’s new approach involved determining a quick approximate solution to the second-order cone programming problem, then splitting the initial cone into smaller cones, which enabled her new algorithm to greatly outperform previous approaches.
Krish Pai, 17, of Del Mar, California, received the second Regeneron Young Scientist Award of $50,000 for his machine-learning research to identify microbial genetic sequences that can be modified to biodegrade plastic. His new software, called Microby, scans databases of microorganisms and determines which ones can be changed genetically to biodegrade plastics. In tests, he identified two microorganisms that can be genetically modified to degrade plastic at a cost he believes would be ten times less than traditional recycling.
“Congratulations to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024 winners,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, Society for Science and Executive Publisher, Science News. “I’m truly inspired by the ingenuity and determination shown by these remarkable students. Coming from around the world with diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines, these students have shown that it is possible to come together in unity to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our world today, and I could not be prouder.”
Regeneron ISEF provides a global stage for the world’s best and brightest young scientists and engineers. Through this competition, Regeneron and the Society are fostering the next generation of STEM leaders who are pioneering solutions to improve our world. Since 2020, Regeneron has provided STEM experiences to approximately 2.4 million students, on track to meet its goal of 2.5 million by 2025.
“The talent, intelligence and potential of this year’s Regeneron ISEF finalists is truly inspiring, and I congratulate each on their remarkable achievements,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. “Science competitions like ISEF were pivotal in shaping my own career and fueling my passion to fight back against disease. I look forward to seeing these students continue to push the boundaries of science and technology to create positive and sustainable change for all humanity.”
Other top honors from the competition include:
Justin Huang and Victoria Ou, both 17, of Woodlands, Texas, received the Gordon E. Moore Award for Positive Outcomes for Future Generations of $50,000 for their new prototype filtration system that uses ultrasonic waves to remove microscopic plastic particles from water. In lab tests, the acoustic force from the high-frequency sound waves removed between 84% and 94% of the suspended microplastic particles in a single pass. The students are now working to scale up and fine-tune their experimental system.
Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, 17, of Hong Kong, China received the Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation of $10,000 for her research on using a multi-sensory therapy for dementia patients. Her mixed therapy app would allow patients to practice physical and cognitive skills through a personalized, immersive environment using virtual reality headsets. Ingrid conducted an eight-week study with six people living with dementia and found that the cognitive function of patients who used her prototype improved in several areas. She believes her app could serve as a viable option for dementia patients with limited access to in-person professional therapy.
Tanishka Balaji Aglave, 15, of Valrico, Florida, received the H. Robert Horvitz Prize for Fundamental Research of $10,000 for her investigation into a natural alternative treatment against citrus greening, a disease that threatens citrus farming in many parts of the world and is currently only treated with antibiotics. Tanishka injected the trunks of infected trees with an extract from the curry leaf tree, and found through tests that this potential method could effectively and sustainably manage citrus greening disease.
Maddux Alexander Springer, 18, of Honolulu, Hawaii, received the Peggy Scripps Award for Science Communication of $10,000 for his research into fibropapillomatosis (FP), a disease that is the primary cause of death in green sea turtles. Some turtles he studied in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, were stricken with a disease that causes internal and external tumors that inhibit their everyday lives. After analyzing the turtles’ diet of green algae, Maddux concluded that this disease, wastewater, invasive algae and the amino acid arginine all pose a grave risk to these endangered sea creatures.
Ria Kamat, 17, of Hackensack, New Jersey; Anna Oliva, 17, of Houston, TX; and Shuhan Luo, 18, of Worcester, MA, received the Dudley R. Herschbach SIYSS Award, which provides finalists an all-expense paid trip to attend the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar during Nobel Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
Jack Shannon, 18, of Clane, Kildare, Ireland, and Nikhil Vemuri, 17, of Cary, North Carolina, received the EU Contest for Young Scientists Award. Their projects will represent Regeneron ISEF at the EU Contest for Young Scientists to be held this September in Katowice, Poland.
For more information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit: https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
The full list of Special Award ISEF 2024 Finalists can be found at https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-special-awards-winners.
In addition to the Top Award winners, more than 450 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative research, including “First Award” winners, who each received a $5,000 prize.
The following lists the First Award winners for each of the 22 categories, from which the Top Awards were chosen:
Animal Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceMaddux Alexander Springer, Honolulu, Hawaii
Behavioral and Social Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceAndrew Y. Liang, San Jose, California
Biochemistry, sponsored by RegeneronAmy Hong Xiao, Garden City, New York
Biomedical and Health Sciences, sponsored by RegeneronRia Kamat, Hackensack, New Jersey; Kevin Xuan Lei, Shanghai, China
Biomedical Engineering, sponsored by Alfred E. Mann CharitiesAyush Garg, Dublin, California; Divij Motwani, Palo Alto, California; Akash Ashish Pai, Portland, Oregon
Cellular and Molecular Biology, sponsored by RegeneronLara and Maya Sarah Hammoud, Beverly Hills, Michigan
Chemistry, sponsored by Society for ScienceAkilan Sankaran, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Arjun Suresh Malpani and Siddharth Daniel D’costa, Portland, Oregon
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, sponsored by RegeneronKun-Hyung Roh, Bronx, New York
Earth and Environmental Sciences, sponsored by Google.orgNikhil Vemuri, Durham, North Carolina; Justin Yizhou Huang and Victoria Ou, The Woodlands, Texas
Embedded Systems, sponsored by HPChloe Rae and Sophie Rose Filion, Welland, Ontario, Canada
Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design, sponsored by Siemens EnergyAlia Wahban, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationChiyo Nakatsuji, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, Japan; Kevin Shen, Olympia, Washington
Environmental Engineering, sponsored by JacobsKrish Pai, San Diego, California; Jack Shannon, Clane, Kildare, Ireland
Materials Science, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationGrace Sun, Lexington, Kentucky
Mathematics, sponsored by Akamai FoundationAnna Oliva, Houston, Texas
Microbiology, sponsored by Schattner FoundationMatthew Chang, Irvine, California
Physics and Astronomy, sponsored by Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust IIHarini Thiagarajan and Vishal Ranganath Yalla, Bothell, Washington; Shuhan Luo, Worcester, Massachusetts
Plant Sciences, sponsored by Society for SciencePauline Estrada, Fresno, California; Tanishka Balaji Aglave, Dover, Florida
Robotics and Intelligent Machines, sponsored by RegeneronMichal Lajciak, Dubnica nad Vahom, Trenciansky kraj, Slovakia; Anthony Efthimiadis, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Systems Software, sponsored by MicrosoftMichelle Wei, San Jose, California
Technology Enhances the Arts, sponsored by Society for ScienceAnant Khandelwal, Sritan Motati and Siddhant Sood, Alexandria, Virginia
Translational Medical Science, sponsored by RegeneronZheng-Chi Lee, West Lafayette, Indiana; Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, Hong Kong, China
The full list of all award-winning ISEF 2024 finalists is available here: https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-full-awards.
View all the finalists’ research here: https://projectboard.world/isef.
About the Regeneron International Science and Engineering FairThe Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), a program of Society for Science for over 70 years, is the world’s largest global science competition for high school students. Through a global network of local, regional and national science fairs, millions of students are encouraged to explore their passion for scientific inquiry. Each spring, a group of these students is selected as finalists and offered the opportunity to compete for approximately U.S. $9 million in awards and scholarships.
In 2019, Regeneron became the title sponsor of ISEF to help reward and celebrate the best and brightest young minds globally and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM to positively impact the world. Regeneron ISEF is supported by a community of additional sponsors, including Akamai Foundation, Alfred E. Mann Charities, Aramco, Caltech, Google.org, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Howmet Aerospace Foundation, HP, , Jacobs, King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, Microsoft, National Geographic Society, Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust II, Rise, an initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Schattner Foundation, Siemens Energy, Annenburg Foundation, Ballmer Group, Broadcom Foundation, Cesco Linguistic Services, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Edison International, Insaco, Oracle Academy, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and US Army ROTC. Many are entrepreneurs across a wide range of industries. Learn more at https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/.
About Society for ScienceSociety for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its outreach and equity programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).
About RegeneronRegeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous approved treatments and product candidates in development, most of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.
Regeneron believes that operating as a good corporate citizen is crucial to delivering on our mission. We approach corporate responsibility with three goals in mind: to improve the lives of people with serious diseases, to foster a culture of integrity and excellence and to build sustainable communities. Regeneron is proud to be included on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Civic 50 list of the most “community-minded” companies in the U.S. Throughout the year, Regeneron empowers and supports employees to give back through our volunteering, pro bono and matching gift programs. Our most significant philanthropic commitments are in the area of early science education, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
For more information, please visit www.Regeneron.com or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X.
More information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit: https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
Media ContactsJoseph Brown, [email protected]
Gayle Kansagor, Society for [email protected]
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Artificial Intelligence

J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Announce Winner of Inaugural 2024 Life Sciences Innovation Summit

Published

11 hours ago

May 17, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

In conjunction with Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week 2024
ABU DHABI, UAE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Group announced today Rayees Rahman of Harmonic Discovery as the winner of the inaugural J.P. Morgan Asset Management: Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery is a precision pharmacology company applying its generative chemistry platform to advance next-generation kinase inhibitors.

In partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the Summit took place on May 14-15, 2024 at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and showcased the 11 innovative finalists, as well as highlighted existing innovators and opportunities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The event also featured keynote speeches from Dr. Laurie Glimcher of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Shahrukh Hashmi of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, and Dr. David Ho of Columbia University Medical Center and provided attendees networking opportunities to gain valuable insights into the future of life sciences innovation.
In addition, the jury designated Chun-Hao Huang of Algen Biotechnologies as honourable mention. Algen Biotechnologies is a platform therapeutics and drug discovery company using world-leading CRISPR and AI to find treatments for cancer, inflammation and metabolic diseases.
The winners were selected by an esteemed, international panel of judges, which included:Laurie Glimcher, MD, President and CEO at Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteJorge Guzman, MD, CEO at Cleveland Clinic Abu DhabiProf. Shahrukh Khurshid Hashmi, MD, Director of Research, Department of Health, Abu DhabiYasmine Hayek Kobeissi, PhD, CQF, BSc., Executive Director at Blue Horizon AdvisorsAnya Schiess, Managing Partner at J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private CapitalWalid Zaher, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO, Carexso
Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Research and Innovation Centre at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi said: “Under the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership, and renowned for its world-leading medical infrastructure, Abu Dhabi stands at the forefront of healthcare excellence, offering an unparalleled opportunity for advancement in healthcare for global partners. It was our utmost pleasure hosting the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Life Sciences Innovation Summit 2024 on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week and we commend the winners for their pioneering efforts in driving impactful advancements in healthcare; their dedication to innovation not only transforms the landscape of medicine, but also holds the promise of improving lives worldwide.”
Stephen Squinto, PhD, Chief Investment Officer, J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital said: “We are thrilled with the level of biotech passion and innovation that we observed at this year’s Summit in Abu Dhabi. The energy was truly palpable we are thrilled to announce Rayees Rahman as the winner of our first Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery’s approach embodies the next generation of drug discovery and development. We appreciate the time and effort of all participants and cannot wait for our next event in the region.”
Nabil Kobeissi, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Horizon Advisors, said: “As the main sponsor, we are committed to nurturing and fostering the growth of all 11 finalists in this vibrant biotech ecosystem. This Summit marks the beginning of a transformative journey, and we are confident that it will pave the way for a flourishing hub in the region. We are also pleased to announce that we will commit to invest in and partner with the winner, Harmonic Discovery, to support its future growth in the region.”
Sponsors for the event included J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, J.P. Morgan Commercial Bank, Blue Horizon Advisors, United Al Saqer Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Salam Capital. The Summit organisation, logistics and finalist recruitment were facilitated by Lyfebulb.
Of importance, at the Summit, Mr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Sustainable Development at Masdar City, announced that Masdar City Free Zone would award all 11 Finalists complimentary business licenses to further support their establishment in the region. Masdar City is one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments and innovation hubs with a growing focus on life science entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi.

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Artificial Intelligence

Congregating in the Lion City for a Win-Win Future of Intelligent Computing at the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024

Published

13 hours ago

May 17, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

congregating-in-the-lion-city-for-a-win-win-future-of-intelligent-computing-at-the-global-data-center-facility-summit-2024

SINGAPORE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On May 17, 2024, the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024 was held in Singapore with the theme of “Power the Digital Era Forward.” At the summit, over 600 data center industry leaders, technical experts, and ecosystem partners gathered to discuss new trends and opportunities of the global data center industry in the intelligent computing era. The attendees also got to experience all-scenario, all-ecosystem, and all-service end-to-end (E2E) solutions, share innovative practices of green data centers in the Asia Pacific and Europe, and experience the exhibition vehicle to unveil the mystery of Outdoor PowerPOD that features one power system per container. By fully embracing the intelligent computing era, Huawei strives to power the digital era forward.

Seizing Opportunities Brought by AI and Jointly Building Green & Reliable Computing Infrastructure
At the opening speech, Charles Yang, Senior Vice President of Huawei and President of Marketing, Sales and Services, Huawei Digital Power, noted that since ChatGPT ushered in the AI era, large models keep pushing the limits of computing power and the intelligent computing industry is witnessing an unprecedented construction boom. As predicted, 100 GW will be added to the global data center installed capacity and the market value will exceed US$600 billion in the next five years.
According to Charles, with opportunities come challenges. The primary challenge concerning the data center industry is reliability and electricity. Data centers are scaling up from the MW-level to the GW-level. E2E reliability of data centers is becoming even more important than ever. In response to the opportunities, Huawei will work with customers and partners to expand the industry space.
Steering Data Centers to the AI Era with Product + Service + Ecosystem
During the summit, Sun Xiaofeng, President of Huawei Data Center Facility & Critical Power Business, delivered a speech titled “Power the Digital Era Forward. ” He stated that as AI large models are penetrating, the surging compute demands drive the expansive growth in data center.
To address the challenges, Huawei strives to build product + service + ecosystem E2E data center solutions that feature fast deployment, flexible cooling, green energy, and ultimate reliability.
Fast deployment: Data centers are fully modularized and prefabricated to ensure high quality and efficient construction.Flexible cooling: Air-liquid fusion and integrated cooling source emerges as the optimal cooling architecture for intelligent computing.Green energy: New generation-grid-load-storage integrated solution is built to ensure the sound operations of intelligent computing centers.Ultimate reliability: Data centers are safeguarded through reliable products and preventive protection.Currently, Huawei’s global service network covers more than 170 countries with over 1800 professional engineers, providing 24/7 technical support. With N+ flagship service centers, Huawei has built a one-hour service radius for its customers.
The ecosystem is a key part for a win-win future of intelligent computing. Huawei works with partners to develop comprehensive E2E solutions and provide customers with one-stop data center services.
During the summit, Huawei and the ASEAN Centre for Energy released a white paper on “Building Next Generation Data Center Facility in ASEAN.” The document provides insights into the status quo, challenges, and trends of data centers in the ASEAN region, and emphasizes that efficient and energy-saving products and solutions should be applied. It also proposes future-oriented policy recommendations for data center markets.
In the ecosystem exhibition area, Huawei showcased scenario-based solutions for large-, medium-, and small-sized data centers, and demonstrated data center consulting, design, integrated development, and delivery capabilities with dozens of ecosystem partners including CIMC, Weichai, CSCEC, and Huashi.
On a special note, the Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD exhibition vehicle made its global debut. The Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD features one power system per container, outdoor deployment, plug-and-play, and high protection rating and reliability. It has become the preferred choice for decoupling the power supply architecture.
A single tree cannot make a forest.
AI is presenting great opportunities. By delving into the industry, aggregating partner ecosystems, and making innovations applicable to transformations, Huawei will continue to help customers build reliable computing infrastructure, accelerating the industry to embrace AI and powering the digital era forward.
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