The Big F Awards Celebrates Culinary and Hospitality Excellence at its 13th Edition

A rigorous, independent evaluation process continues to define the credibility of The Big F Awards

New Delhi, 10th September: The 13th edition of The Big F Awards concluded at The Westin, Gurgaon, bringing together accomplished professionals, emerging talent and enterprising brands from across India’s culinary and hospitality landscape. More than a celebration of achievement, this year’s edition reaffirmed the platform’s core principle: recognition must be earned through a credible and rigorous evaluation process.

At the heart of The Big F Awards is a jury-led approach designed to place merit ahead of visibility, reputation or commercial scale. The awards follow a structured and independent evaluation process, with entries assessed through successive rounds of screening and scoring against defined parameters including originality, execution, consistency, quality and sectoral relevance. The framework is designed to ensure that every participant is assessed on the strength of their work, rather than their profile, popularity or market presence.

The jury for the 13th edition comprised Chef Nita Mehta, Chef Kunal Kapur, Chef Ashish Bhasin, Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, Pawan Soni, Diwan Gautam Anand, Sameer Bawa, Khurafati Nitin, Rocky Singh and Anirudh Singhal. Bringing together experience across cuisine, hospitality, media and business, the panel applied a common evaluation framework to assess the nominees and arrive at the final results.

Importantly, the process is built to create a level playing field. Commercial size, public visibility and geographical location do not determine recognition. The platform actively seeks to bring deserving work into consideration, including independent ventures, emerging professionals, newer businesses and establishments that may not always receive the same visibility as larger or more established names.

The awards also maintain a clear separation between participation and recognition. There are no nomination fees and no pay-to-participate mechanisms, reinforcing the principle that an award should be a result of merit rather than commercial participation. Winners are not disclosed in advance, with the final results remaining confidential until they are announced at the awards ceremony.

Speaking after the ceremony, Pawan Soni, Host & Jury member, The Big F Awards, said, “Thirteen editions have reinforced our belief that credibility cannot be created through a trophy or an announcement; it comes from the process behind it. This year, in the 6-month long process the jury evaluated nominations with the same discipline across categories, looking closely at the work, its consistency, execution and relevance. What stood out was the diversity of talent—from established names to smaller ventures and professionals receiving national recognition for the first time. That is precisely what we want The Big F Awards to stand for: a platform where deserving work has an opportunity to be recognised on merit, irrespective of visibility or scale.”

The 13th edition saw participation from independent ventures, established organisations, chefs, restaurateurs and emerging businesses across multiple regions and formats. The broad participation model reflects the awards’ continued effort to identify and recognise excellence beyond conventional industry circles.

The recipients included Megu, who won League of Legends Awards, followed by Nisaba in the Noteworthy Newcomer category. Inja received the Restaurant of the Year distinction, while Best Cocktail Bar, Cocktail Menu of the year and Best Debut Bar were presented to AaBbCc.concept. Further honours went to Porus Arora for Restaurateur of the Year and Sahil Sambhi for Nightlife Entrepreneur of the Year.

Highlights from the evening included Chef Manish Mehrotra, Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi, Rocky Singh, Rocky Mohan, Chef Manisha Bhasin, Zorawar Kalra, Sid Jalan amongst other dignitaries attending the presentation ceremony.

As The Big F Awards closes its 13th edition, its focus remains unchanged: to build recognition around work that stands up to scrutiny. The platform will continue to expand its outreach for the next edition, bringing a wider pool of professionals, establishments and businesses into a process where credibility, consistency and merit remain at the centre of recognition.

About The Big F Awards

The Big F Awards is a Delhi NCR-based platform recognising excellence across the food and hospitality industry through a rigorous and independent evaluation process. Founded on the belief that credible recognition must be rooted in process rather than perception, the awards follow a structured jury-led evaluation framework, with entries assessed against defined parameters. The platform maintains a zero nomination fee and no pay-to-participate policy, ensuring that recognition remains independent of commercial participation. Over 13 editions, The Big F Awards has sought to create a credible platform that recognises established as well as emerging talent based on the merit of their work.

Given below is the complete list of winners:

Given below is the complete list of winners:

The Big F Awards 2026 – Winners

• The League of Legend Award was presented to Megu at The Leela Palace Delhi.
• Habeeb ur Rehman Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Sourish Bhattacharya.
• The Arvind Saraswat Young Chef Award was presented to Chef Priyansh Sakariya.

Indian Cuisines

• In the Coastal category, the Jury Award went to sana-di-ge, while the Popular Award went to The Malabar Coast.
• In the North Indian category, the Jury Award went to Gulati Restaurant, while the Popular Award went to Karigari by Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi.
• In the Modern Indian category, the Jury Award went to Avartana (ITC Maurya), while the Popular Award went to Anardana.
• In the South Indian category, the Jury Award went to HOSA, while the Popular Award went to Dakshin (Sheraton Delhi).
• In the Other Indian Regional Cuisines category, the Jury Award went to Royal Afghan (ITC Grand Bharat), while the Popular Award went to Yeti – The Himalayan Kitchen.

World Cuisine

• The All-Day Dining in a 5-Star Hotel Jury Award went to Tamra (Shangri-La Eros New Delhi), while the Popular Award went to Seasonal Tastes (The Westin).
• The BBQ & Grills Jury Award went to The Pit Smoked & Grilled, while the Popular Award went to TGIFRIDAYS.
• The Café (With Alcohol) Jury Award went to OLLY – Olive’s All Day Café & Bar, while the Popular Award went to Cafe Delhi Heights.
• The Café (Without Alcohol) Jury Award went to Theos, while the Popular Award went to DIGGIN.
• The Chinese Jury Award went to Shang Palace (Shangri-La Eros New Delhi), while the Popular Award went to China Garden.
• The European Cuisine Jury Award went to Latango, while the Popular Award went to United Coffee House.
• The Japanese/Korean Jury Award went to Hahn’s Kitchen, while the Popular Award went to Kofuku.
• The Pan Asian Jury Award went to Yum Yum Cha, while the Popular Award went to YouMee.
• The Thai/Vietnamese and Other World Cuisine Jury Award went to Soy Neung Roi (Radisson Delhi Airport), while the Popular Award went to Mamagoto.

The Big F Awards Special

• The Bakery/Patisserie Jury Award went to L’Opera, while the Popular Award went to The Big Chill Cakery. 
• The Best Butter Chicken Jury Award went to Kalanji, while the Popular Award went to Havemore Restaurant.
• The Home Baker Jury Award went to Dessert Art (Deepali Mahajan), while the Popular Award went to Glaze N Gourmet (Deeksha Ahuja).
• The Home Chef Jury Award went to A Southside Story (Rekha Rigo) and Aman-E-Mithaas (Puplee Bedi), while the Popular Award went to Saffron by Archie (Archana Dhawan).
• The Delivery Only Outlets Jury Award went to Noshi – Yum Asian Delivery, while the Popular Award went to Louis Burger.
• The Pizzeria Jury Award went to Pizzeria Da Susy, while the Popular Award went to Tossin Pizza.
• The Terrace/Outdoor Dining Jury Award went to AARAMgarh, while the Popular Award went to Swan.
• The Best In-House PR/Agency Jury Award went to Pawan Hora (Wishbox Studio), while the Popular Award went to Vibhuti Sood.
• The Bar Team of the Year Jury Award went to Prateek Gusain (Kimikrai: Umami House), while the Popular Award went to Sandesh Tamang (Sidecar).
• The Noteworthy Newcomer of the Year Jury Award went to Nisaba, while the Popular Award went to Tan Yan.
• The Restaurant of the Year Jury Award went to INJA, while the Popular Award went to Japonico.
• The Restaurateur of the Year Jury Award went to Porus Arora, while the Popular Award went to Vikrant Batra.
• The Nightlife Entrepreneur of the Year Jury Award went to Sahil Sambhi, while the Popular Award went to Dinesh Arora.

Nightlife

• The Cocktail Bar Jury Award went to Aabbcc.concept, while the Popular Award went to Vietnam.
• The Cocktail Menu of the Year Jury Award went to Aabbcc.concept, while the Popular Award went to Farzi Café.
• The Debut Bar Jury Award went to Aabbcc.concept, while the Popular Award went to She’s Here.
• The Micro Brewery Jury Award went to Fort City Brewing, while the Popular Award went to Beerlin.
• The Place for Gigs Jury Award went to Diablo, while the Popular Award went to Chica.
• The Pub/Bar Jury Award went to Rick’s (Taj Mahal, New Delhi), while the Popular Award went to Japonico.
• The Rooftop Bar Jury Award went to HauzKhas Social, while the Popular Award went to Molecule.
• The Theme Restaurant/Bar/Pub Jury Award went to Nadoo, while the Popular Award went to Sly Granny.
• The Night Clubs Jury Award went to Thanks & Beyond, while the Popular Award went to Story Club & Lounge (The Westin)

Huntress researchers have uncovered two phishing attacks that combined convincing fake browser windows with legitimate remote management software to establish persistent access to victims’ devices.

Both incidents, observed in August, began with phishing messages directing victims to attacker-controlled websites. The attackers then used a browser-in-the-browser (BiTB) technique to create what appeared to be a legitimate Adobe webpage, before convincing victims to download malicious software disguised as an Adobe Reader update.

Rather than deploying conventional malware, the attackers installed rogue instances of ScreenConnect, legitimate remote monitoring and management (RMM) software, giving them continued remote access to compromised endpoints.

Fake browser makes phishing harder to spot

BiTB attacks create a fake browser window inside a webpage using HTML, CSS and JavaScript. The window can replicate familiar features including an address bar, padlock and legitimate-looking URL, making traditional advice such as checking the web address less effective.

In the first attack, detected on 25 August, a victim clicked a link in a phishing email and was taken to a fake CAPTCHA page. They were subsequently presented with blurred documents and told they needed to download Adobe PDF Reader to view them.

The fake browser page appeared to show Adobe’s legitimate get.adobe.com address. However, the supposed Reader installer was actually ScreenConnect.

Once installed, the attackers deployed two rogue ScreenConnect clients, providing redundant routes for maintaining access. They then executed HideCursor.exe, a defence-evasion tool designed to conceal on-screen activity. Huntress intervened before the attack could progress further.

Second attack follows same playbook

Huntress identified another incident on 31 August involving the same Adobe Reader lure.

This time, the victim interacted with a malicious link delivered through AT&T Office@Hand, a legitimate communications service powered by RingCentral. The attackers again disguised ScreenConnect as an Adobe Reader update and installed two unauthorised instances.

The second ScreenConnect session was used to execute another defence-evasion binary, HideUL.exe. Microsoft Defender detected part of the activity, but the rogue ScreenConnect client still completed its installation before Huntress shut down the attack.

Legitimate tools remain attractive to attackers

The attacks demonstrate how threat actors can combine familiar phishing techniques with trusted software to make malicious activity harder to identify.

RMM abuse is a growing problem. Huntress’ 2026 Cyber Threat Report found RMM abuse increased 277% year on year and appeared in nearly a quarter of the incidents investigated by the company.

Huntress recommends organisations restrict who can install remote management tools, maintain an approved inventory of RMM software and monitor for new or unauthorised ScreenConnect clients. Employees should also be wary of unexpected software updates or file-viewing prompts, even when a webpage appears to display a legitimate address.

Read the full research here. 

The post Huntress Uncovers Phishing Attacks Using Fake Browser Pages and Rogue RMM Tools appeared first on IT Security Guru.

Penetration testing is one of the most interesting areas of cybersecurity. It allows security professionals to assess systems, identify weaknesses, understand potential attack paths and help organizations improve their defenses. For beginners, however, getting started can be confusing. You may have learned about network scanning, enumeration, vulnerability assessment, web security and penetration-testing tools. But where […]

The post How Beginners Can Practice Penetration Testing Safely appeared first on Hackercool Magazine.

This voice-to-text mic, which is also wearable, is a stylish AI peripheral from former Nothing designers.

Seafood is one of the trickiest ingredients to keep fresh at home, and most of the trouble comes down to how it’s stored between the market and the pan. The same zoning logic used in commercial refrigeration equipment on the walk-in coolers of restaurants and fish markets applies, at a smaller scale, to the fridge sitting in an ordinary kitchen. Understanding how temperature moves through a home fridge, and which habits slow down spoilage, makes the difference between a piece of fish that tastes clean and one that smells off before it ever hits the pan. This article looks at why seafood breaks down faster than other proteins, how to use a fridge’s built-in temperature zones wisely, and the small daily habits that keep a catch fresh until it’s time to cook.

TLDR — Key Takeaways

• Seafood spoils faster than meat or poultry because its enzymes and bacteria stay active even at normal fridge temperatures.
• The coldest part of most fridges sits near the back or bottom, close to the cooling element, while door shelves stay noticeably warmer.
• Home fridges follow the same zoning principle found in commercial refrigeration equipment, just on a smaller scale, so placing seafood in the coldest zone matters.
• Simple habits, such as storing seafood on ice and keeping it below other foods, extend freshness without any special equipment.

Why Seafood Spoils Faster Than Other Proteins

Seafood breaks down faster than chicken or beef because the enzymes and bacteria naturally present in fish and shellfish stay biologically active even at temperatures that would keep other proteins stable for days. Fish live in cold water, so their internal enzymes are adapted to function efficiently at low temperatures rather than shutting down the way a land animal’s tissue does once chilled. That means a standard fridge setting, which comfortably slows spoilage in red meat, only partially slows the same process in a fillet of cod or a bag of shrimp.

The muscle structure of fish also plays a role. Fish muscle is built from short fibers held together by thin connective tissue, unlike the longer, denser fibers found in beef or pork. That shorter structure breaks down faster once the animal dies, releasing compounds that create the sour, ammonia-like smell associated with aging seafood. Red meat’s denser fibers resist this breakdown for longer, which is part of why a steak can sit safely in the fridge for several days while raw fish is best used within a much shorter window.

This combination of active enzymes and fragile muscle structure is why seafood needs stricter handling than most other proteins. It is not that fish is inherently more dangerous to eat than chicken, but that the visible and chemical signs of spoilage appear sooner, and the tissue itself has less structural resistance to decay. Recognizing this earlier spoilage curve is the starting point for deciding where and how to store seafood inside a fridge.

Understanding Fridge Temperature Zones for Seafood

Most refrigerators are not uniformly cold throughout; they have distinct temperature zones shaped by where the cooling element sits and how air circulates inside the compartment. In most designs, the coldest air settles near the back and bottom of the main compartment, closest to the cooling coil, while the front and top run slightly warmer because they are farther from that source and closer to the door seal. Every time the door opens, warmer kitchen air rushes in first near the front, which is one reason that zone never gets quite as cold as the back.

Door shelves are the warmest part of any fridge by a noticeable margin, since they sit furthest from the cooling element and absorb the temperature swings that happen every time the door opens. That warmth is fine for condiments or drinks, but it is the wrong environment for raw seafood, which needs the most consistent, coldest air a fridge can offer. Matching seafood to the correct zone, rather than treating every shelf as interchangeable storage space, is the practical takeaway here, and shoppers comparing a fridge with clearly defined compartments will find it easier to keep this back-shelf rule in practice day to day.

In a Liebherr fridge with BioFresh, fish and other proteins can sit just above 0°C instead of on a mid-shelf that warms each time the door opens.

This zoning principle is not unique to home appliances. Commercial kitchens rely on the same logic at a larger scale, arranging walk-in units so that the most perishable items sit in the coldest section and slower-spoiling goods occupy the warmer edges. Bringing that same mindset home means treating the back or bottom shelf as the designated spot for raw fish and shellfish, and reserving the door and upper shelves for items that tolerate more temperature fluctuation. A quick way to check a fridge’s actual cold spot is to notice where condensation or frost tends to form fastest, since that usually marks the zone running closest to the coil.

Smart Storage Habits That Extend Freshness

Even the coldest zone in a fridge benefits from extra habits that slow bacterial growth further, and one of the most effective is storing seafood on a bed of ice inside a shallow tray. The ice draws heat away from the fish continuously, keeping the surface temperature lower than the surrounding fridge air alone could achieve, while the tray catches melting water so it doesn’t pool onto other shelves. This technique mimics how seafood is often kept during transport and display, where constant contact with ice, rather than air alone, does most of the work of slowing decay.

How the seafood is wrapped matters just as much as where it sits. Sealing fish tightly in plastic traps the moisture that naturally releases from the flesh, and that trapped moisture becomes a breeding ground for the surface bacteria responsible for off odors. Wrapping loosely, or using a container with some airflow, lets that moisture escape instead of sitting against the fish. A useful sequence for handling fresh fish at home looks like this: pat the surface dry with a paper towel first, place it on ice in a shallow tray, cover it loosely rather than sealing it airtight, and position that tray in the coldest part of the fridge.

There is a trade-off in this approach worth understanding. Wrapping too loosely risks drying out the surface of lean fish, while wrapping too tightly risks trapping spoilage-causing moisture. The balance point is a light, breathable cover, such as a damp cloth or a container lid left slightly ajar, which limits both problems at once. Shellfish in shells follow a different rule: they need to breathe and should never sit in standing water or a sealed bag, since that can suffocate live mussels or clams before they’re cooked.

Organizing Your Fridge for Seafood and Everyday Cooking

Storage location inside the fridge affects food safety just as much as temperature does, particularly when it comes to preventing cross-contamination between raw seafood and everything else. Raw seafood should always sit below cooked or ready-to-eat food, never above it, because any drips or leaks travel downward under gravity. A tray of raw shrimp on a top shelf can drip onto a container of leftovers below without anyone noticing until the smell or taste gives it away, while the same tray on the bottom shelf poses no such risk to food stored above it.

Dedicating a specific bin or tray to seafood, separate from the general produce or dairy compartments, also helps contain odor transfer. Fish oils and juices cling to plastic and rubber seals more persistently than most other food residues, and once a bin picks up that smell, it tends to linger even after washing. Keeping seafood in its own designated container, wiped down after each use, keeps that smell from working its way into butter, cheese, or other odor-absorbent foods stored nearby.

This kind of organization also speeds up everyday cooking, since a cook always knows exactly where to look for the ingredient rather than searching multiple shelves. Grouping seafood together with a clear, consistent spot builds a habit that pays off during a rushed weeknight dinner just as much as during a planned seafood feast. Over time, this small organizational discipline does more for food safety than any single storage trick on its own, because it removes the guesswork about what sits where and for how long.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can raw fish safely sit in the fridge before cooking?

Raw fish is best cooked as soon as reasonably possible after purchase, since its enzymes and bacteria remain active even in cold storage. The exact safe window depends on how fresh the fish was when bought, how it was handled beforehand, and how consistently cold the storage zone stays, so treating raw fish as a short-turnaround ingredient rather than a pantry staple is the safer approach.

Does frozen seafood need different handling once it’s thawed?

Yes, once seafood thaws it behaves like fresh seafood and follows the same spoilage clock, regardless of how long it spent frozen beforehand. Thawing in the fridge itself, rather than on a counter, keeps the surface from warming into the temperature range where bacteria multiply fastest, and thawed seafood should move to the coldest zone just like anything bought fresh that day.

Can shellfish and fin fish be stored together in the same spot?

They can share the same general zone, but it helps to keep them in separate containers rather than piled together, since shellfish often carry more surface moisture and different odor compounds than fin fish. Separating them also makes it easier to notice if one has gone off without the smell masking the condition of the other.

_______________________________________

This is a contributed post

B.AI, a next-generation AI infrastructure platform, recently set off a developer frenzy by offering free access to top-tier models. Within days, daily token throughput across the platform crossed 1.33 trillion—a historic milestone. 

The record-breaking figure underscores the campaign’s explosive rollout, but it marks only the first step in B.AI’s broader strategic roadmap. Moving beyond traditional compute distribution pipelines, B.AI aims to build the global settlement layer for intelligence: a core infrastructure hub engineered to power cross-node collaboration, orchestration, and value distribution for AI agents across complex business workflows. 

Positioning itself strategically above all models, below all agents, B.AI deeply integrates a diverse range of top-tier models with full-stack components, laying an unshakable, irreplaceable foundation for the mass adoption of autonomous agents and the productivity boom that follows.

 

Daily Token Throughput Tops 1.33 Trillion: B.AI’s Free Access Rollout Fuels Usage Boom

B.AI’s recent move to open free access to premium AI models has captivated developers and quickly taken over industry conversations. The push for accessible compute has not only fueled a surge in platform activity but also shattered usage records. 

In a matter of days, soaring API demand pushed the platform’s daily token throughput past a staggering 1.33 trillion. Over a 15-day window, cumulative volume reached 8.19 trillion tokens, drawing in more than 220,000 new API users. As of September 3, B.AI’s total user base had officially surpassed 2.3 million. 

That massive adoption traces directly to the platform’s zero-cost model lineup, a strategic rollout built to erase developers’ cost concerns. With every barrier removed, B.AI now offers unlimited free access to six leading frontier models: DeepSeek-V4-Flash, DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Vision-Exp, Tencent Hy3, Xiaomi MiMo-V2.5, GLM-5.3-Flash (Ox Alpha), and Qwen3.8-Flash. 

Notably, on September 3, B.AI rolled out a new pricing structure for DeepSeek-V4-Flash and DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Vision-Exp, introducing tiered discounts. Developers now receive a 50% discount during peak hours, with off-peak rates dropping to just 25% of standard peak pricing. At the same time, the platform has kept zero-cost access in place for GLM-5.3-Flash (Ox Alpha), Qwen3.8-Flash, Tencent Hy3, and Xiaomi MiMo-V2.5. Despite the shift toward commercialization, developer momentum hasn’t wavered, with platform-wide token throughput continuing its steady climb.

This sustained momentum proves the campaign was far more than a short-term compute giveaway—it is a bellwether for the broader evolution of AI infrastructure. Cracking 1.33 trillion daily tokens makes one thing clear: AI applications are moving past basic chatbots. Powered by a high-performance technical stack and flexible service mechanics, B.AI is laying the groundwork for the next frontier—autonomous AI agents operating at scale. 

 

Powering the “AI Grid”: B.AI Anchors the Global Settlement Layer for the Agent Economy

For B.AI, democratizing compute is only the prelude. Looking further ahead, the platform is committed to building full-stack infrastructure for the agentic era, cementing its position as the global settlement layer for intelligence.

In the agent era, a typical agent task calls for constant switching between models. No single provider can power a complete workflow on its own, so developers are left juggling fragmented API protocols, disjointed billing systems, and conflicting rate limits. 

B.AI’s settlement layer bridges this exact gap. Positioned strategically “above all models, below all agents,” B.AI abstracts models across different providers, capabilities, and cost structures into a unified pool of schedulable resources.

Powered by a dual-tier API structure offering official-route reliability alongside lowest-cost custom channels, developers can choose between guaranteed direct connections and deeply discounted options across a broad lineup of models. Combined with smart routing on the Chat interface, B.AI operates as a full-stack “AI grid,” ensuring every agent request lands on the optimal model to deliver reliable performance at maximum cost-efficiency. 

On the settlement front, this power grid seamlessly bridges both Web2 and Web3 models. For Web2, developers can rely on familiar traditional payment methods to top up with minimal friction. For Web3, B.AI leverages on-chain payment rails to offer global developers decentralized, verifiable, and low-friction payment options.

With dual payment systems running in parallel, B.AI enables developers and agent applications across any infrastructure setup to find their optimal settlement path on the grid, providing single-point integration with borderless global reach. 

 

Driving Core Productivity: B.AI Reshapes Agent Collaboration

Beyond building a foundation for compute routing and global settlement, B.AI is moving past base infrastructure to power real-world productivity. By enabling seamless agent collaboration across complex workflows, it delivers the missing execution layer for the agent economy. 

At the heart of this execution layer is native Codex integration. Full compatibility with the Responses API means developers can now use a single B.AI key inside Codex to run flagship GPT models and DeepSeek favorites side by side. 

Engineers can now bring these powerhouse models straight into their daily dev stack. From code generation and reasoning to debugging and refactoring, B.AI unifies the entire workflow under one roof—delivering a direct line from model selection to shipped code. 

Beyond coding, to keep agents running reliably in real-world production at scale, B.AI has built a full-stack infrastructure powered by five core components, equipping agents with a fine-tuned operational engine:

• x402 Payment Protocol: Introduces an innovative “pay-before-response” model that executes high-frequency, on-chain micro-settlements in the background during cross-agent API calls and compute orchestration.
• 8004 Identity Protocol: Issues verifiable on-chain credentials for every agent, logging execution history and credit scores to establish a reliable layer of trust for cross-node collaboration.
• Skills Matrix: Plug-and-play, standardized building blocks that interface directly with MCP servers to equip agents with instant, modular tool-calling capabilities.
• BAIclaw and BAIcode: Built-in platform assistants engineered for end-to-end execution. BAIclaw manages all-in-one terminal operations and multi-agent workflows, while BAIcode serves as an advanced developer engine that streamlines the full pipeline from task analysis and architecture design to coding and testing.

From the token surge sparked by zero-cost model access to its positioning as the global settlement layer for intelligence; from seamless Codex integration to full-stack infrastructure powered by x402, 8004, Skills, and native assistants—B.AI delivers far more than a battle-tested technical stack; it unveils a clear blueprint for what lies ahead. B.AI is building not just accessible compute today, but the definitive launchpad for a thriving agent economy. The future is here—and this is only the beginning.

 

B.AI Team

Singapore

support@b.ai

Amid a pivotal reshaping of the global financial architecture and the deep convergence of frontier technologies, decentralized autonomous organization HTX DAO today officially announced the launch of the Genesis Program, backed by an initial $10 million HTX DAO Ecosystem Fund. Driven by the real-world needs of developers and builders across its global community, the initiative goes beyond individual products and token-focused metrics. By leveraging cryptography and decentralized networks, it seeks to establish a full-scale business footprint across crypto and AI and build an open, transparent, and permissionless global ecosystem of financial freedom.

Beyond Asset Trading: Advancing a New Global Era of “Financial Freedom”

HTX DAO’s mission has never been confined to the market performance of governance tokens, nor does it seek to build a closed ecosystem around an exchange. Its fundamental objective is to drive a freer, more open global financial order unshackled by centralized monopolies.

The foundational value of crypto extends far beyond asset pricing and speculative trading. Cryptography, blockchain, and decentralized networks are systematically restructuring asset classes, global settlement protocols, and human collaboration paradigms. HTX DAO is committed to deeply participating in this infrastructure reconstruction, empowering global users to claim inviolable asset sovereignty and enjoy the seamless, borderless flow of value.

Crypto Meets AI: Catalyzing New Productivity and Collaboration Models

Global technology is currently approaching a critical inflection point. AI has unleashed an exponential leap in productivity, while crypto provides an open network environment, an asset ownership framework, and a trustless collaboration mechanism.

As AI agents transition from assisted generation to autonomous execution, decentralized networks will emerge as foundational infrastructure for settlement and attribution, spanning on-chain micro-payments between machines, Decentralized Identifier (DID) authentication, cross-sovereign settlement, and data asset ownership confirmation. The deep symbiosis of crypto and AI will inevitably catalyze a new generation of business models, underlying protocols, and decentralized organizational forms. Driving the engineering implementation and commercial closure of Crypto-AI stands as HTX DAO’s core strategic priority for the present and the long term.

A Multi-Million-Dollar Fund for Comprehensive Empowerment

Rather than acting as a top-down, unidirectional design, the Genesis Program originated directly from the genuine technical demands and operational pain points of creators, developers, and builders within the ecosystem.

To coalesce fragmented innovative forces into a long-term, evolving collaborative network, HTX DAO has established an initial $10 million ecosystem development fund. Eschewing traditional, indiscriminate grant models, the Genesis Program relies on a rigorous, verifiable milestone-delivery mechanism to provide selected teams with a three-dimensional support system encompassing development capital, foundational technical support, full-chain liquidity injection, real-world business scenarios, and global market expansion.

A Clear Value Loop: From Milestone Releases to Ecosystem Reinvestment

The $10 million fund is by no means an unconditional, unidirectional subsidy. Rather, it is built upon a framework of rigorous engineering management: fund allocation tied strictly to verifiable milestone delivery; the injection of deep ecosystem resources including liquidity, technology, and market access; translating project deployments into self-sustaining commercial business models; and ultimately, establishing a long-term positive feedback loop that channels project growth back into the broader HTX ecosystem.  This mechanism maximizes capital efficiency while ensuring that every resource injection genuinely translates into sustainable on-chain productivity.

Industrial Depth: Seamless Integration into Leading Industry Networks

Teams accepted into the Genesis Program gain far more than isolated financial backing. Rather, they gain an industry-grade collaborative network with high entry barriers.

Project teams will directly access HTX’s expansive global user base and regulatory-compliant gateways, seamlessly tap into the TRON network’s daily hundreds-of-billions-dollar on-chain liquidity base, and coordinate with top-tier global investment institutions, academic think tanks, developer alliances, and industrial strategic partners. This deep industrial synergy empowers early-stage innovations to rapidly bypass the cold-start phase and achieve robust, scaled commercial deployment.

By fostering real-world business scenarios such as on-chain payments, AI services, DeFi, RWA, and AI agents, the Genesis Program will continuously expand HTX’s practical application boundaries across the external ecosystems. It will drive a long-term, bidirectional positive cycle between project growth and HTX’s ecosystem value, evolving HTX from a mere exchange infrastructure into a core value node of the global free finance and decentralized collaborative network.

Genesis Core Matrix: A Full-Lifecycle Empowerment Architecture of Discover, Support, and Connect

Transcending the boundaries of traditional unidirectional grants, the Genesis Program focuses on building a sustainably iterating global builder collaborative network anchored by three pillars across project lifecycle:

•     Discover: Leveraging global hackathons, open-source technical communities, and university research networks to proactively identify early-stage teams in the prototype verification stage that are focused on breaking through foundational technical bottlenecks.
•     Support: Establishing a verifiable milestone mechanism based on deliverables, backed by the $10 million ecosystem fund. Beyond initial capital, it delivers comprehensive access to full-chain liquidity, foundational tech architecture consulting, global community cold-start assistance, and multi-regional market resources.
•     Connect: Acting as a connector for decentralized innovations under the philosophy of a free financial port to facilitate efficient closed loops among capital, tech developers, AI agents, and end users.

      

The ultimate destination of the Genesis Program is not a one-way invitation to “join us,” but an invitation for global builders to integrate into an open, co-built collaborative network where everyone shares in the ecosystem dividends.

Embark Now: Entering an Open Global Builder Network For More Than Just a Grant

The next decade of the crypto industry will not be defined by any single entity. It belongs to every technical pioneer solving real-world problems through code.

The HTX DAO Genesis Program and its $10 million ecosystem development fund are now officially open for global applications:

• Official Application Portal: https://www.htxdao.com/en-us/genesis

 

HTX DAO looks forward to collaborating with global technical builders to advance foundational innovation, jointly constructing a more resilient, transparent, and globally liquid next-generation financial technology ecosystem.

 

About HTX DAO

HTX DAO is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) collaboratively built by community members, early contributors, and global advisors. Supported by HTX Exchange and the TRON blockchain ecosystem, HTX DAO is committed to establishing an open governance ecosystem led by users, governed by transparent rules, and driven by efficient collaboration, serving as a key engine in advancing decentralized finance (DeFi).

HTX DAO embodies the principle of “token holders govern”, aiming to inspire global consensus and participation, align community interests with platform value, and explore a new order in the world of crypto finance.

Contact Information

Website: www.htxdao.com

Email Address: media@htxdao.com

The TCL P80 Ultra and Pro will be the company’s first phones to use its fancy paper-like displays.

Xiaomi has big plans for its push into Europe.

Filigran has launched a new attack chaining capability for its OpenAEV platform, designed to help security teams test how multiple weaknesses can be combined to create a viable path through an organisation’s environment.

Released as part of OpenAEV v3, Attack Chaining allows penetration tests and red team exercises to adapt dynamically based on what a simulated attack discovers. Rather than testing individual techniques in isolation or following a fixed sequence, the platform can use findings from one stage, such as credentials, permissions or an open port, to determine what happens next.

The approach is intended to more closely reflect how real attackers operate, where an apparently minor weakness can provide the foothold needed to reach another system and ultimately sensitive data or critical assets.

From individual vulnerabilities to attack paths

Traditional security validation can be effective at establishing whether a particular technique or control works. However, Filigran argues that this can miss the wider risk created when weaknesses are combined.

Its recent State of Threat Management report found that 97% of organisations have difficulty determining whether their exposures are actually exploitable, while 84% said attacks they face often exploit risks that were already known but had not been prioritised. The study, conducted among 550 security decision-makers and practitioners, also found that 88% rely to some extent on manual processes for offensive attack simulation.

Attack Chaining attempts to address that gap by treating the result of each simulated action as an input for the next. A discovered credential, for example, could be tested against another system. If successful, the simulation could continue deeper into the environment. If a security control blocks the attempt, the chain can stop or take another route.

“Security validation has to evolve with the way attackers operate. The goal is no longer just to prove that we can block individual techniques; it is to understand whether those techniques can be combined into a path that leads to a real compromise,” said Julien Richard, co-founder of Filigran. “As adversaries become more adaptive and increasingly use AI to move faster, we need validation that can keep pace.”

AI takes on the red team

The new capability can be operated manually, autonomously through AI agents, or using a combination of the two. In operator-led mode, security teams define the attack logic and control execution themselves. In agent-led mode, a user instead provides an objective and scope in natural language, after which an AI agent can construct and adapt the attack chain according to the findings it encounters.

This could include generating phishing emails and landing pages as part of social engineering exercises.

Filigran said the agent remains subject to predefined scope controls and its decisions are logged, providing security teams with an audit trail of how the simulation reached a particular outcome. The development builds on Filigran’s wider push into agentic security automation. The company launched XTM One in June, introducing AI orchestration across OpenCTI and OpenAEV to automate workflows spanning threat intelligence, attack scenario generation, validation and remediation guidance.

Mapping the route to critical assets

OpenAEV v3 also introduces a live attack path graph that allows teams to watch a simulation progress through their environment. Each hop, branch and finding is displayed as the exercise takes place, allowing defenders to see how far the simulated attacker progressed and which security control eventually stopped it.

Filigran said this could help organisations identify “chokepoints” within attack paths. Instead of treating every vulnerability encountered during an exercise as equally urgent, teams can identify the control or weakness whose remediation would break the wider attack chain.

“A validation outcome is only actionable when security teams can trace the logic that generated it,” said Jean-Philippe Salles, VP of Product Management at Filigran. “With OpenAEV v3, teams can build or generate attack scenarios, watch attack paths unfold, and inspect the logic and evidence behind every step.”

OpenAEV v3 expands AI security testing

Alongside Attack Chaining, OpenAEV v3 includes a redesigned dashboard called the Adversarial Exposure Command Center, bringing security posture, simulation results and detection coverage into a single interface.

The release also adds an Adversarial Exposure Score for tracking validation results across exposure sources, automated reporting and AI red-teaming injectors which allows organisations to run adversarial simulations against LLM-powered agents and chatbots using the same validation engine employed to test traditional controls including EDR, SIEM and email defences.

OpenAEV v3 is available immediately, with Attack Chaining included in the platform’s Enterprise Edition.

The post Filigran Adds AI-Powered Attack Chaining to OpenAEV for Autonomous Pentesting appeared first on IT Security Guru.

If your website is attracting visitors but not generating enough enquiries, sales or leads, there are several techniques you can use to improve your conversion rate. From adding a website toolbar and interactive calculators to using limited-time offers and personalised pop-ups, the key is to make it easier and more compelling for visitors to take the next step.

This is particularly important because even small improvements can have a meaningful impact. For example, Baymard Institute estimates that the average ecommerce cart abandonment rate is 70.22%, highlighting how many potential customers leave before completing a purchase. 

Meanwhile, research from Popupsmart found that more than 10,000 popup campaigns achieved an average conversion rate of 3.49%, demonstrating that well-designed pop-ups can still play an important role in lead generation.

1. Website Toolbar

A website toolbar like this one from Barra can provide visitors with immediate access to your most important calls to action. Instead of making users search through your website for contact details, offers or booking options, a toolbar can keep these features easily accessible as they browse.

For example, you could include your telephone number, live chat, special offers, reviews, social media links or a “Get a Quote” button.

The advantage is that visitors don’t need to scroll back to the top of the page to take action. Your key conversion opportunities remain visible throughout their journey.

2. Limited-Time Offers

Creating urgency can encourage visitors who are interested in your product or service to act now rather than putting off their decision.

Limited-time discounts, seasonal promotions and offers with a genuine expiry date can all help create this sense of urgency. You could also include a countdown timer showing exactly how long remains.

The important word here is genuine. If customers regularly see the same “24-hour” offer every day, it can undermine trust. Make sure your deadlines and promotions are legitimate.

3. Calculators

Interactive calculators can be an excellent conversion tool because they provide something useful while getting visitors actively involved with your website.

A mortgage company could offer a repayment calculator, for example, while a finance provider might have a borrowing calculator. A business offering professional services could provide a cost calculator to give visitors an indication of what they might pay.

Once someone has entered their information and received a result, you can then encourage them to take the next step, such as requesting a personalised quote or speaking to an expert.

4. Pop-Ups

Pop-ups have a reputation for being intrusive, but the right pop-up, shown at the right time, can be an effective conversion tool.

Rather than displaying one immediately after someone lands on your website, consider triggering it after a visitor has spent some time on the page, scrolled through your content or shown an intention to leave.

You could use a pop-up to offer a discount, collect an email address, promote a downloadable guide or encourage someone to contact your sales team.

Recent research from Omnisend, based on 1.24 billion popup displays, found an average email popup conversion rate of 2.1% in 2025. The takeaway isn’t that every pop-up will achieve the same result, but that timing, relevance and simplicity matter.

5. Phone Numbers with a Sales Agent’s Face

A telephone number can become more effective when it’s paired with a real person.

Adding a photograph and name alongside your phone number can make your business feel more approachable and give visitors confidence that there is a real person available to help them.

This can work particularly well for businesses offering expensive, complicated or highly personalised products and services. Instead of simply seeing “Call us”, visitors see exactly who they could speak to, like this example from VZ Builders.

You can strengthen this further with messaging such as “Speak to Sarah today” or “Call our team for expert advice”.

6. Spin the Wheel

Gamification can make an otherwise standard lead-generation form more engaging. A “spin the wheel” feature gives visitors the opportunity to win a discount, free consultation or another incentive.

It can be particularly effective for ecommerce businesses, where a visitor might receive 10% off, free delivery or another relevant reward in exchange for their email address.

There is some evidence behind the approach, too. Omnisend’s 2025 data found that gamified pop-ups such as “Wheel of Fortune” formats achieved conversion rates of 3.5% or higher, compared with its overall average of 2.1%.

7. Questionnaires

Finally, consider replacing a traditional contact form with an interactive questionnaire.

Instead of asking visitors to immediately provide their name, email address and telephone number, you can start by asking questions about their requirements such as this example from Daylight Protect. This makes the process feel more like a conversation and can help you understand what the visitor actually needs. It is essentially ‘less forced.’

Plus, there is evidence that narrowing down a customer’s requirements helps with the final conversion.

At the end of the questionnaire, you can ask for contact details in exchange for a quote, recommendation or more information.

Start Testing Your Website

There isn’t one conversion technique that will work for every business. What works for an ecommerce store may be completely different from what works for a financial services company or property business.

The best approach is to test different techniques, measure the results and continually refine your website. A combination of a persistent website toolbar, well-timed offers, useful calculators, targeted pop-ups and personalised interactions can help turn more of your existing website traffic into genuine enquiries and customers.

The post 7 Ways to Boost Conversions on Your Website appeared first on IT Security Guru.

A laptop can be removed from an employee’s desk, disconnected from the network and marked retired in an asset system within the same afternoon. None of those steps means the data risk has disappeared.

Retired technology often sits in storage rooms or staging locations before reaching its final destination. During that period, devices still contain business records, credentials, customer information and employee files. Once hardware leaves normal IT operations, familiar controls such as endpoint monitoring and access management often stop following it.

For security teams, decommissioning is a transition point rather than the end of the job. A secure disposition process must account for the device, the data on it, every handoff and the evidence showing what ultimately happened.

1. Retired Devices Are Still Data Bearing Assets

The first mistake in technology retirement is treating unused equipment as ordinary surplus. A device that no longer has operational value can still hold valuable information.

That is why working with a certified IT asset disposition company matters when equipment leaves active service. A qualified ITAD Company should treat security as part of disposition from the first inventory scan through sanitization, reuse, recycling or destruction.

Risk is not limited to functioning equipment. A laptop with a broken screen can still contain a readable solid state drive. A server that will not boot can retain intact storage media. Even devices headed to recycling need controlled handling until data has been addressed.

2. Residual Data Appears in More Places Than Expected

Security teams usually think first about hard drives and solid state drives. Those are obvious targets, but they are not the only places information remains. Retired technology can contain:

• Local documents, downloads and cached files
• Browser history, saved sessions and authentication tokens
• Email archives and application data
• Customer, employee or student records
• Network settings, configuration files and system logs
• Stored credentials and encryption related information
• Data on removable media, memory cards and attached storage

Printers, multifunction devices, phones, tablets, networking equipment and specialized hardware also contain storage. A sound retirement program begins by identifying data bearing assets rather than assuming only traditional computers require sanitization.

3. Factory Resets and File Deletion Are Not a Security Program

Deleting a file normally removes its reference from the active file system. It does not prove that the underlying information is unrecoverable. A factory reset also varies by device, operating system and storage technology.

This matters when hundreds or thousands of devices are retired at once. A technician clicking through reset menus is not the same as a controlled sanitization process with defined methods, verification and reporting.

An experienced ITAD Company should have a written approach for different media types and clear procedures when a normal wipe fails. Security teams need evidence of the result, not simply confirmation that someone started a reset.

4. Pickup and Transportation Create a Different Kind of Exposure

Once equipment leaves an office, school, hospital or data center, physical security becomes part of data security. Devices can be misplaced, mixed with another shipment or arrive with inventory discrepancies.

The strongest controls start before pickup. Organizations should establish an inventory or manifest, define who can release the equipment and document the point where custody transfers. Packaging, loading, transport and receiving should fit into the same controlled process.

For multi location projects, consistency matters even more. Equipment collected from several offices should follow the same handling rules even when pickup dates differ.

5. Chain of Custody Turns Movement Into Evidence

A documented chain of custody answers a basic audit question: where was the asset, and who controlled it?

Good records connect a unique asset identifier with meaningful events. Depending on the project, that includes pickup, receipt, serialized intake, data processing and final disposition. If the receiving count does not match the pickup manifest, the difference should be recorded and investigated. Useful chain of custody records generally include:

• Serial number, asset tag or another unique identifier
• Collection location and pickup information
• Receiving and inventory confirmation
• Data sanitization or destruction status
• Exceptions such as missing drives, damaged devices or failed wipes
• Final disposition such as resale, reuse, recycling or destruction

For security and compliance teams, this record closes the gap between equipment leaving the building and knowing what happened to it.

6. NIST 800-88 Provides a Framework for Sanitization Decisions

NIST SP 800-88 gives organizations a structured way to manage media sanitization. The current Revision 2 guidance focuses on a sanitization program based on information sensitivity, the media involved and its intended disposition.

The three methods are Clear, Purge and Destroy. Clear uses logical techniques to protect against simple, noninvasive recovery through the normal device interface. Purge uses stronger physical or logical techniques intended to make recovery infeasible even with advanced laboratory methods while preserving potential reuse. Destroy renders recovery infeasible and leaves the media unusable for data storage.

The right method depends on the device, storage technology, data sensitivity and what will happen to the asset afterward. Reusable equipment often benefits from verified sanitization that preserves resale or redeployment value. Media that cannot be reliably sanitized needs another path.

7. Physical Destruction Has a Specific Role

Shredding every drive is not automatically the right answer. It eliminates opportunities for reuse and value recovery when secure sanitization is appropriate. At the same time, some media should not return to service.

Physical destruction is appropriate when storage is damaged, sanitization fails, policy requires destruction or the media contains information that warrants that disposition method. It also provides a route for drives that cannot be accessed well enough to complete a verified wipe.

A capable ITAD Company should distinguish between assets that can be securely sanitized and reused and media that requires destruction. That decision should follow policy rather than convenience.

8. Asset Level Reporting Exposes the Exceptions

Large disposition projects rarely proceed without a few surprises. A listed laptop is missing. A drive has been removed. A device arrives damaged. A wipe does not complete. A serial number appears in the shipment but not on the original inventory.

These are not administrative nuisances. They are security exceptions that need to be visible.

Asset level reporting allows an organization to reconcile the project instead of receiving one final number. Reports should show what was received, how each data bearing asset was handled, which records failed normal processing and how those exceptions were resolved.

This detail also helps other business teams connect security outcomes with resale, recycling and final disposition.

9. A Certificate of Data Destruction Needs Supporting Detail

A certificate has value only when it proves something specific. A generic document stating that a shipment was destroyed offers little help if an auditor asks about one particular server or laptop.

A useful certificate of data destruction should connect the outcome to identifiable assets and the processing record. It should establish what was sanitized or destroyed, the method used, the result and the relevant date or project information.

The certificate should also align with the broader audit trail. If an exception occurred, reporting should show how it was resolved. If some devices were sanitized for reuse while other drives were physically destroyed, the records should make that difference clear.

10. Provider Evaluation Should Go Beyond a Certification Logo

Certifications give buyers an important starting point, but security teams still need to understand how a provider operates. R2v3 and recognized ISO management system certifications can demonstrate that documented processes and independently assessed controls are in place. They do not replace project specific evidence.

When evaluating an ITAD Company, buyers should examine how the provider handles serialized inventory, chain of custody, sanitization, physical destruction, exceptions, downstream recycling and final reporting. They should also ask which controls apply at the facility processing their equipment.

A provider should explain the process plainly. Security teams should know when custody changes, how failed sanitization is handled and how each asset is reconciled at project close.

Keeping Data Security Intact Through Final Disposition

Technology retirement changes a device’s location and purpose, but it does not erase the information stored on it. The security obligation continues until data has been appropriately sanitized or destroyed and the organization has records that support the outcome.

A well managed ITAD process keeps those final steps visible. It connects physical control, data handling and documentation so retired hardware does not become an overlooked gap in an otherwise mature security program.

The post Retired Devices, Active Risks: How an ITAD Company Protects Data After Decommissioning appeared first on IT Security Guru.

Learning ethical hacking is very different from simply reading about cybersecurity. You can study what port scanning is, memorize vulnerability definitions and watch penetration-testing videos but eventually, you need a safe environment where you can actually practice. The problem is that you cannot legally practice hacking against random websites, servers or networks without permission. Fortunately, […]

The post Best Websites to Practice Ethical Hacking Legally appeared first on Hackercool Magazine.

Petroleum-based adhesives are everywhere: bonding the wood and drywall in a construction project, holding together the joints of furniture, and even sticking labels to otherwise recyclable containers. 

“The labels on a container are held up with petroleum-based glue. And because of that, even though you’re putting the container in the recycle bin, it will not get recycled,” says Patty Ferreira, MBA ’97, CEO and cofounder of Silvis Materials, which is combating this problem with its fully biodegradable cellulose adhesives. 

When Ferreira began thinking about bio-based adhesives, in 2014, she started by modifying cellulose’s existing role as a stabilizer in adhesive emulsions and replicating the known adhesive properties of more expensive nanocellulose. Today, the formula can make adhesives from virtually every type of plant cellulose, and the MIT Startup Exchange (STEX) is helping Silvis work with packaging and construction companies to test the results.

She expects the adhesive to cut production emissions by up to 80% and use half the energy of fossil-based glues.

Read more at www.technologyreview.com/alumni-profiles.

As a first-generation student from a small town, Gohar Khan ’21 had to navigate the college admissions process largely on his own. He founded his YouTube channel, Gohar’s Guide, to make things easier for other young people.

Today, more than 10 million people follow Khan on social media for college application advice, study tips, and life hacks. He is also the CEO and cofounder of Next Admit, a consulting business that provides help with college essays, applications, and test preparation. “I’m on a mission to help students worldwide succeed inside and outside of school,” he says.

Born in Pakistan, Khan moved to the United States when he was six months old and grew up in Connecticut, attending a public high school that rarely sent students to top colleges. “That, coupled with the fact that my parents hadn’t gone through the process themselves, made [applying to colleges] a little bit difficult,” he says. “I wanted to demystify the admissions process for a lot of people in the position I was once in.”

Read more at www.technologyreview.com/alumni-profiles.

Even as a teenager, Laurie Stach ’06 says, she had a “crazy ambition to take on the world and solve problems.” At MIT, she realized she wasn’t the only one.

“Adults always see these youth who are good at math and science and say, ‘You’re going to do great things—someday,’” says Stach. “Meanwhile, traditional education isn’t preparing them.”

That’s why in 2012 Stach founded LaunchX, a for-profit entrepreneurship program that helps high school students build practical skills through an intensive summer program in which they start real companies. Stach says that students form teams, identify a problem, and build an actual product or service that they then take to market—often generating preorders or even revenue before the four-week program ends.

Raised in Texas and the Carolinas, Stach majored in mechanical engineering at MIT and earned her MBA from Harvard Business School in 2011. She ran her first summer program on MIT’s campus with 30 students in 2013 and says “it kind of snowballed.” LaunchX now serves about 500 students per year across both in-person and online programs.

Read more at www.technologyreview.com/alumni-profiles.

For Rupert Young ’95, SM ’95, his career in data science and cybersecurity began when his grandfather gifted him thousands of stamps: He built intricate databases to catalogue them, displaying the “precise eye” for detail and nuance that his MIT application essay said would make him a good engineer.

Young is now chief product officer of ­MaxMind, whose work with IP-address location data and fraud prevention has made it a go-to resource. Streaming companies, security vendors, merchants, and ad-network providers use its signature tool, GeoIP, to determine how and where users are accessing services. This information makes it possible to ensure retail sites are using the correct currency, flag suspicious bank logins, and more.

Young’s passion for engineering was shaped by internships, and he has paid it forward by volunteering at his children’s California high school and trying to keep up with what “the next generation of engineers are tinkering with.” The next generation of product innovation at MaxMind excites him too.

“Working with my team to try to find patterns in data and solve challenging problems—to me, there’s no greater joy,” he says.

Read more at www.technologyreview.com/alumni-profiles.

When Don Yansen ’63 arrived at the MIT AgeLab for a study on technology in care­giving for older adults, he didn’t plan to launch another company. But when he heard participants talk about how hard modern devices can be to use, he decided to develop an alternative.

Yansen, a serial entrepreneur who retired to care for his wife, earned an MIT degree in electrical engineering and a master’s in physics from Northeastern. “What I took from MIT was a good education and the feeling I could solve difficult problems,” he says.

One such problem: Many older adults “can’t even use a modern cell phone,” he says, “and very few people can use something like an Apple Watch.” So Kiwi Health, which he founded in October 2024, sells a wristband controlled primarily by voice. Wearers can set reminders, make calls, send texts, and share health data, all without navigating screens. AI helps interpret these commands, accounting for the way voices may change with age. The device also measures health metrics and automatically alerts caregivers to falls. 

Yansen’s hope, he says, is that it can “help seniors live the best life that they can.”

Read more at www.technologyreview.com/alumni-profiles.

Vaccines that turn the body’s immune system against tumors have shown promise in clinical trials, and a handful have been FDA approved for certain cancers. In many patients, however, these vaccines don’t stimulate enough of a response, and the approach some researchers have taken to strengthening it—delivering the vaccine along with immune-stimulating molecules called cytokines—can cause severe side effects.

Now MIT chemical engineer Daniel Anderson and colleagues at MIT, Harvard, and the University of Houston have reported promising results with a different way of attacking the problem: amplifying the T-cell response to mRNA vaccines. The advance could lead to much more powerful cancer vaccines as well as stronger protection against infectious diseases.

Most vaccines generate not only antibodies but also T cells that can activate antigen-­presenting cells, which help tell the immune system what to attack. In their study, the researchers boosted that response with a new type of vaccine adjuvant (a material that can help stimulate the immune system). It consists of mRNA molecules encoding two genes that can switch immune cells into a more active state by turning on certain signaling pathways. 

In studies of mice modeling bladder cancer, colon carcinoma, melanoma, metastatic lung cancer, and more, injections of lipid nanoparticles containing the mRNA-­encoded adjuvant enabled the immune system to slow growth of some tumors and eradicate many others. This happened even when the mice were not given a vaccine against a specific cancer antigen, but when they were, the response was stronger still. 

“When these adjuvant mRNAs are included in the vaccines, the number of antigen-targeted T cells is substantially increased. These T cells play an important role in the immune response,” Anderson says. The mRNA adjuvant also enhanced the immune response to immunotherapy drugs called checkpoint blockade inhibitors, which work by lifting a brake that tumor cells put on T cells and are FDA approved to treat several kinds of cancer. 

“The microenvironment of solid tumors is often hostile to T cells and represents a major barrier to effective immunotherapy. We find that immune remodeling with these adjuvants creates a T-cell-permissive environment and promotes tumor rejection,” says Christopher Garris, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and one of the paper’s senior authors.

The researchers also explored whether their adjuvant could boost the immune response to vaccination against viral infection. When they delivered the mRNA particles to mice along with covid or flu vaccines, they found that the vaccine generated a T-cell response 10 to 15 times stronger than usual.

The researchers now plan to test this approach in additional animal models, in hopes of developing it for use in both cancer and infectious diseases. 

Meanwhile, they are not the only MIT scientists making exciting advances with adjuvants. A group led by Ana Jaklenec, a principal investigator at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, has used one to help the injectable form of the polio vaccine induce a strong mucosal immune response in the GI tract. That could help reduce viral shedding and transmission, a key objective of polio eradication efforts. But to date this immunity has been produced mainly by the oral form of the vaccine, and many countries have stopped using it because it carries rare risks that the injectable version does not. 

Oral and forehead thermometers may not accurately capture a person’s core body temperature, and the few ingestible temperature sensors on the market are so big they are hard to swallow and risk obstructing the GI tract. But MIT engineers created one that can send continuous temperature updates at a size of just six by four millimeters.

To create it, the researchers built a circuit that can fit on a one-square-­millimeter silicon chip and designed an oscillator based on leakage current—the small current that flows through a circuit when it’s off. Its frequency varies depending on the temperature of the chip’s surroundings.

The circuit detects temperature within 0.01 °C and can be powered with a 1.55-volt coin cell battery. A strategy known as backscattering further cuts energy consumption, allowing most of the power requirements to be outsourced to an antenna outside the body. It emits an ultra-high-frequency radio wave, which is modulated by an antenna within the sensor and sent back to the external one. By interpreting the changes in the radio wave, the external antenna can calculate the temperature value.

The result is “the smallest ingestible capsule that we have seen for temperature-­sensing paradigms,” says Saransh Sharma, a former MIT postdoc now at the University of Cambridge, who is lead author of a paper on the work. 

The researchers envision using it to monitor infection, observe patients during and after anesthesia, track fevers in children, help mark ovulation, and more. It could also be used to monitor athletes, soldiers, or anyone else exposed to extreme temperatures. 

“A sensor like this gives us the ability to monitor infections and identify them early,” says Giovanni Traverso, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and one of the paper’s senior authors, along with MIT provost Anantha Chandrakasan. “That’s very relevant, particularly for at-risk populations like people who are immunosuppressed.” Ultimately, he hopes, it could replace other types of thermometers for everyone.