MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific Selects Top 20 Startups for 2026 APAC Accelerator Program from 680+ Applicants

 

Selected companies represent the top 3% of applicants and will join the eighth annual APAC Accelerator Program, gaining access to mentorship, industry partners, investors, and market access support across the region and globally.


LOS ANGELES & SINGAPORE, May 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- MedTech Innovator, the world’s largest accelerator of medical technology companies, today announced that 20 high-potential medtech companies have been selected to participate in the 2026 Asia Pacific Accelerator Program.

Now in its eighth year, the MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific Accelerator supports promising medical technology startups from across the region by connecting them with leading corporate partners, investors, mentors, clinicians, and industry stakeholders to help advance commercialization and market access.

The 2026 cohort was selected from more than 680 applicants, with the final 20 companies representing the top 3% of applicants to this year’s program. As part of the selection process, 67 startups were invited to pitch across MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific’s 2026 Pitch Event RoadTour, which included four pitch events across virtual and in-person formats. The RoadTour brought together 112 unique judges and featured companies from 14 countries.

“This year’s applicants showcase the increasing depth, diversity, and ambition driving medtech innovation across the region,” said Fredrik Nyberg, Managing Director, MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific. “The companies selected for the 2026 APAC Accelerator Program stand out not only through the strength of their technologies, but also through their potential to tackle significant healthcare challenges. Through the program, we will connect them with our global network of corporate partners, investors, mentors, and industry leaders to help accelerate their path toward commercialization and patient impact.”

The 20 companies selected for the 2026 MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific Accelerator are:

1. Ardens Lifescience, Busan, South Korea
2. BaiYiHealthcare Technology, Shanghai, China
3. Bioniks, Karachi, Pakistan
4. BrainCapture, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
5. CosmoInnovations, Melbourne, Australia
6. DermR Health Solutions, Sydney, Australia
7. Eyerising International, Melbourne, Australia
8. Eyes of AI, Sydney, Australia
9. Ferronova, Adelaide, Australia
10. ImpriMed, Palo Alto, United States
11. Janitri Innovations, Bengaluru, India
12. Lumino Medison, Seoul, South Korea
13. Manentia AI, Bengaluru, India
14. mediVR, Inc., Osaka, Japan
15. Meracle, Singapore
16. Physiologas Technologies, Sagamihara, Japan
17. Prevenotics, Seoul, South Korea
18. Prudentia Surgibot, Waterloo, Canada
19. Rebee Health, Singapore
20. U2MedTek, Ulsan, South Korea

The 2026 cohort will participate in the APAC Accelerator Program from June to October 2026. The companies will begin their journey at the Innovator Summit, taking place from June 3-4 in San Francisco, followed by the Wilson Sonsini Medical Device Conference on June 5. The program will culminate at the 2026 APAC Grand Finals on October 26 in Singapore, where selected companies will compete for up to USD 275,000 in cash prizes.

The 2026 APAC Accelerator Program is supported by leading industry and government partners including Johnson & Johnson MedTech, B. Braun Medical Industries, Siemens Healthineers, Blue Goat Cyber, FormlyAI, KHIDI (Korea Health Industry Development Institute), Enterprise Singapore, Cambridge Consultants, and The Mullings Group.

For partnership inquiries, please contact Jermaine Lok, Partnerships Manager at jermaine@medtechinnovator.org.

About MedTech Innovator

MedTech Innovator is the world’s largest accelerator of medical technology companies. Its mission is to improve human health by accelerating the growth of companies that are transforming care. Since its founding, MedTech Innovator has reviewed more than 14,000 applications and supported 838 portfolio companies that have collectively raised more than USD 11.4 billion in follow-on funding, transforming the lives of millions

Since launching in 2019, MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific has supported medtech startups across 20 countries in the region, with 154 APAC alumni collectively raising more than USD 335 million in funding.

For more information about MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific, visit www.medtechinnovator.asia, follow MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific on LinkedIn, or subscribe to the organization’s newsletter.

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Contact

Media Contact
Bernice Tan
Program and Marketing Manager
MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific
bernice@medtechinnovator.org

Source : MedTech Innovator

Mobix Labs to Acquire U.S. Rare Earth and Critical Minerals Company Powering Defense and National Security

 

^{U.S.A F-35 Lightning II} 


Proposed Acquisition Would Position Mobix Labs Inside Strategic U.S. Supply Chains Powering Defense, National Security, and AI Infrastructure


IRVINE, Calif., May 15 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Mobix Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: MOBX) today announced it has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent to acquire Special Project Delivery LLC ("SPD"), a strategic infrastructure platform building sovereign U.S. supply chains for rare earth elements, critical minerals, and energy storage.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260514342224/en/ 

The proposed acquisition would expand Mobix Labs — already a supplier to advanced U.S. and allied defense and aerospace systems — directly into one of the world's most strategically important industrial sectors.

Key Facts at a Glance

• ~418 kilograms of rare earth materials are estimated to be used in each F-35 Lightning II.
• ~4,500 kilograms of rare earth materials are estimated to be used in each Virginia-class nuclear submarine.
• Tens of billions of dollars are already being deployed globally toward strategic critical-minerals infrastructure, with potential to reach hundreds of billions over the coming decade.
• China dominates significant portions of global rare earth mining and refining, according to widely cited industry and government sources.
• NATO, AUKUS, and Five Eyes nations have publicly identified rare earth independence as a defining geopolitical priority of the coming decade.
• Beginning in 2027, new U.S. Department of Defense restrictions on certain Chinese-origin rare earth magnet materials are expected to accelerate allied demand.

Why This Moment Matters

"In my decades leading Microsemi, I watched our defense and aerospace customers grow increasingly dependent on a narrow set of strategic materials they could not always source securely," said James Peterson, Chairman of the Board of Mobix Labs and former Chief Executive Officer of Microsemi. "Today, rare earths and critical minerals have become one of the defining competitive battlegrounds of the next decade. SPD is the right platform at exactly the right moment — federally aligned, technically validated, and assembled by an exceptional team. We believe the combination with SPD provides Mobix Labs and its shareholders substantial long-term opportunity."

A Platform Built for America's Critical Minerals Push

Founded in 2019, SPD has assembled a U.S. critical-minerals and energy platform aligned with the major federal initiatives reshaping the Western industrial base — including Project Vault, the recently announced $12 billion U.S. Export-Import Bank public-private partnership for critical-resource resilience, the Defense Production Act, and the DOE Loan Programs Office.

SPD's work includes recovery of rare earth elements from underutilized domestic feedstock — including legacy U.S. coal ash — using extraction technologies validated by U.S. defense-research partners. SPD is publicly aligned with the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, two of the largest U.S. utility participants, and three institutional financial partners.

SPD is led by Co-Founder and CEO Paul Singarella, a former Latham & Watkins partner trained at MIT, and Co-Founder and CFO John Dewey, who brings over $2 billion of cumulative infrastructure-development responsibility.

No F-35. No Submarine. No Missile. Without Rare Earths.

There is no F-35 Lightning II without rare earth materials. No F-22 Raptor. No F/A-18. No Virginia-class submarine. No Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. No Patriot or THAAD interceptor. No Tomahawk. No Javelin. No advanced radar. No defense satellite. No AI data center.

Rare earths and critical minerals are increasingly viewed as the oil of the modern defense, aerospace, AI, and advanced-industrial economy — and the same platforms that depend on them already incorporate Mobix Labs technologies today.

An American-Led Supply Chain Backed by Washington and Our Allies

From the United States and United Kingdom to Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and India, allied nations are racing to build independent, non-China supply chains for strategic materials. The proposed Mobix–SPD combination would sit directly inside that transformation.

"SPD was built to onshore the materials, technologies, and infrastructure defining national sovereignty in the 21st century — rare earths, critical minerals, and the energy systems powering the AI Industrial Revolution," said Paul Singarella, Co-Founder and CEO of SPD. "A combination with Mobix Labs would pair our platform directly with a publicly traded defense and dual-use technology company already operating inside the defense and aerospace ecosystems our materials are built to supply."

Mobix Labs intends to help build the sovereign industrial infrastructure powering that future.

Transaction Status

The Letter of Intent with SPD is non-binding and establishes a framework for due diligence and negotiation of definitive agreements. No assurance can be given that a definitive agreement will be executed or that the proposed transaction will be completed.

About Mobix Labs

Mobix Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: MOBX) is a defense and dual-use technology company headquartered in Irvine, California, supplying advanced components and wireless technologies to aerospace, defense, homeland security, and other high-reliability applications.

About Special Project Delivery LLC

Special Project Delivery LLC ("SPD") is a privately held U.S. infrastructure development platform with positions across critical minerals, energy storage, and Western U.S. water infrastructure. SPD was formed in 2019 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended, and is intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as well as similar provisions under applicable non-U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the proposed acquisition of Special Project Delivery LLC ("SPD"); the anticipated benefits, strategic significance, scope, structure, and timing of the proposed acquisition; the negotiation, execution, and consummation of definitive agreements; SPD's pipeline, capital architecture, federal-program alignment, technology validation, leadership, and operational milestones; SPD's positions across critical minerals, energy storage, and Western U.S. water infrastructure; the size, growth, and trajectory of the global rare earth and critical-minerals market; the expected impact of U.S. Department of Defense sourcing restrictions, Project Vault, the Defense Production Act, the DOE Loan Programs Office, and other federal industrial-policy initiatives; geopolitical, regulatory, and trade developments; estimates of rare earth and critical-mineral consumption per defense platform; allied-nation industrial and procurement priorities; and Mobix Labs' broader business strategy, growth, prospects, and outlook in defense, aerospace, critical minerals, and adjacent markets. These statements are typically identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "project," "should," "will," "would," and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements are based on Mobix Labs' current expectations and assumptions and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the ability of the parties to negotiate and execute definitive agreements within the contemplated timeframe or at all; the satisfaction of customary closing conditions; the results and findings of due diligence; the ability to complete the proposed transaction on the anticipated terms or at all; the ability to realize the anticipated strategic, commercial, or financial benefits of the proposed transaction; the ability to integrate any acquired business and retain key personnel; SPD's ability to advance its pipeline, secure federal-program participation, and achieve operational milestones; the actual size, timing, and growth of the rare earth and critical-minerals market; the development and commercialization of rare earth extraction technologies, including those involving legacy coal ash feedstock; geopolitical, regulatory, trade, export-control, and tariff developments, including Chinese export policies and U.S. defense sourcing restrictions; capital markets conditions and the availability of financing; competition; the ability of the combined business to participate in federal industrial-policy programs; macroeconomic conditions; and the other risks described in Mobix Labs' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K, which are available at www.sec.gov.

The Letter of Intent with SPD is non-binding, and there can be no assurance that the parties will execute a definitive agreement, that the proposed transaction will be completed, or that the anticipated strategic, commercial, or financial benefits will ultimately be realized. Estimates of rare earth and critical-mineral consumption per defense platform reflect publicly available industry and government sources and are subject to variance. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Except as required by applicable law, Mobix Labs undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

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Contact

MOBX Investor Relations Contacts
Chris Eddy or David Collins
Catalyst IR
mobx@catalyst-ir.com or 212-924-9800

Source : Mobix Labs, Inc.

HUAYAN ROBOTICS TO SHOWCASE AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS IN MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 (Bernama) -- Huayan Robotics, an intelligent collaborative robotics specialist, will showcase its latest automation solutions at METALTECH & AUTOMEX 2026 from May 20 to 23 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).

The company in a statement said it will present a portfolio of flexible, efficient, and intelligent robotic systems, reflecting its commitment to the Malaysian and broader Southeast Asian market.

Huayan Robotics will highlight solutions for welding applications and high-frequency industrial scenarios, including collaborative welding robot models designed for large and complex workpieces, alongside a lightweight model equipped with a magnetic base for flexible deployment across multiple stations.

Tailored for industries such as shipbuilding, structural steel fabrication and metal fabrication, the systems feature force-controlled drag-to-teach, automatic seam tracking and adaptive path correction, helping reduce programming effort while improving welding precision and consistency.

In addition, Huayan Robotics will also showcase its integrated automation solutions, including CNC loading and unloading robots which deliver high speed, precision, and stable operation, supported by long-term partnerships with leading global machine tool manufacturers.

Its heavy-payload palletising robot solution offers up to 60-kilogramme payload, 2.2-metre reach and eight to 13 cycles per minute, targeting high-throughput industries such as food and beverage, daily chemicals and logistics.

Meanwhile, inspection robots equipped with artificial intelligence-enhanced 2.5D vision systems are designed to provide smarter and more cost-effective quality control by improving inspection accuracy and efficiency.

Backed by over 20 years of expertise and following its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), Huayan Robotics is accelerating its global expansion, with Southeast Asia identified as a key strategic growth market.

-- BERNAMA

TOMI Details Proposed Acquisition Of Carbonium Core

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Bernama) -- TOMI Environmental Solutions Inc (TOMI) has clarified its previously announced non-binding letter of intent (the LOI) for a merger transaction to acquire 100 per cent of the outstanding equity of Carbonium Core Inc (Carbonium Core).

Under the proposed transaction, TOMI will provide all-stock consideration valued at US$120 million through a combination of newly issued common shares representing up to 19.99 per cent of outstanding shares and newly created Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, convertible into TOMI common stock at US$1.00 per share. (US$1 = RM3.91)

The transaction is subject to stockholder approval under Nasdaq Stock Market rules and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, pending execution of definitive agreements and customary closing conditions.

According to TOMI in a statement, the proposed acquisition is expected to establish a domestic advanced graphite platform targeting a multi-billion-dollar market supported by United States (US) supply-chain reshoring and next-generation nuclear deployment.

In addition, TOMI Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Halden Shane, and Carbonium Core CEO, Suren Ajjarapu, presented at Wall Street Reporter’s NEXT SUPER STOCK livestream event on May 7.

TOMI is a global company specialising in disinfection and decontamination solutions across multiple industries, while Carbonium Core is a US-based advanced materials company focused on producing nuclear-grade graphite for fourth-generation reactors.

-- BERNAMA

EMGA Secures US$25 Mln Financing For Vietnam’s EVF From OPEC Fund

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Bernama) -- Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP (EMGA) has completed its first transaction for EVF General Finance Joint Stock Company (EVF) in Vietnam by securing US$25 million from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID). (US$1 = RM3.91)

EMGA Head of Investment Banking and Managing Director, Sajeev Chakkalakal said the deal supports EVF’s continued focus on the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector as well as climate-related initiatives in Vietnam.

“It was also a very positive experience working with our long-term partner OFID as they looked to expand their exposure in the Vietnamese financial sector,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, EVF Head of Capital Markets, Dinh Ngoc Bao said the transaction marks a significant milestone in the company’s strategy to expand access to financing for Vietnam’s SME sector, a key driver of economic growth and innovation.

Established in 2008 and headquartered in Hanoi, EVF is one of Vietnam’s leading non-bank financial institutions. It provides corporate financing, treasury services, capital mobilisation and lending solutions for both institutional and retail clients.

Listed on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange under the ticker “EVF”, the company has developed partnerships with domestic and international financial institutions while supporting the growth of Vietnam’s private sector and SME economy.

EMGA, with offices in London and New York, advises financial institutions and corporates on debt and equity capital raising, with a track record across emerging and frontier markets, including Vietnam.

-- BERNAMA

Esentia Prices US$2 Bln Senior Notes Offering

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Bernama) -- Esentia Energy Development S.A.B. de C.V. (Esentia) announced the pricing of US$2 billion in senior notes through a private offering to qualified institutional buyers and non-United States (US) investors. (US$1 = RM3.91)

The offering comprises US$1 billion in 6.125 per cent senior notes due 2033 (2033 Notes) and US$1 billion in 6.500 per cent senior notes due 2038 (2038 Notes).

The company said the 2033 notes were priced at 99.517 per cent, while the 2038 notes were priced at 98.444 per cent. Settlement is expected on May 14, subject to customary closing conditions.

According to the company in a statement, the notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by certain subsidiaries.

Esentia said proceeds from the offering would be used to finance a tender offer by subsidiary Esentia Gas Enterprises S. de R.L. de C.V. to purchase for cash and its outstanding 6.375 per cent senior secured notes due 2038.

The proceeds will also be used to prepay outstanding 5.465 per cent senior secured notes due in 2041 issued by subsidiary Esentia Pipeline El Encino S. de R.L. de C.V., prepay other borrowings and support general corporate purposes.

The company said the notes were offered under Rule 144A of the US Securities Act of 1933 and Regulation S for investors outside the US.

-- BERNAMA

Novelty Nobility Taps AGC Biologics to Further Develop Bispecific Drug Candidate

Successful partnership continues as bispecific antibody candidate moves to GMP manufacturing; project highlights Japan's advanced capabilities in bioprocessing and AGC Biologics' expanding global network 

CHIBA, Japan, May 4 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novelty Nobility, a clinical-stage biotech company based in South Korea, expanded its manufacturing agreement with AGC Biologics, your friendly CDMO expert, to advance their bispecific antibody drug candidate through process development and GMP manufacturing at AGC Biologics’ facility in Chiba, Japan.

This second partnership, continued from the last year, underscores the successful track record and deep expertise AGC Biologics provides for developing complex biologics. The project leverages AGC Biologics’ global network, having successfully completed cell line development in Copenhagen, Denmark. The program is now on track for a seamless tech transfer to the Chiba site for the next critical manufacturing stages.

"AGC Biologics has proven to be an ideal manufacturing partner for advancing our most complex programs. Their seamless global network — from cell line development to GMP manufacturing — gives us the confidence to move NN4101 forward with speed and precision." said Sang Gyu Park, CEO of Novelty Nobility. "We believe this bispecific antibody has the potential to offer a truly differentiated treatment option for patients with neovascular retinal diseases."

Novelty Nobility’s bispecific antibody drug candidate NN4101 is a first-in-class bispecific antibody intended for the treatment of neovascular retinal diseases. It uniquely connects a fully human anti-c-Kit monoclonal antibody with a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) trap.

"Our continued partnership with Novelty Nobility is a testament to the trust and confidence customers have in our technical expertise and our global network's capabilities," said Tadashi Murano, President of the AGC Life Science Company. "Our mammalian expression teams are adept at handling complex proteins, and we are a world leader in applying flexible, single-use bioreactor technology. We are proud to support Novelty Nobility as they advance this innovative candidate toward the clinic."

The project highlights the power of AGC Biologics’ integrated global facility network, offering customers a seamless experience by combining world-class expertise with a strong regional presence. To further support growing demand in the region and globally, AGC Biologics is expanding its footprint in Japan with a new state-of-the-art facility in Yokohama. The Yokohama site is designed to utilize the latest single-use bioreactor technology to offer large-scale GMP manufacturing, making it one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in Japan.

"When clients work with us, they tap into our entire global network which brings teams together for a seamless experience," noted Susumu Zen-in, Senior Vice President and General Manager of AGC Biologics’ Chiba site. "This approach is creating wins for our partners and for AGC Biologics throughout the APAC region. The upcoming capacity at our new Yokohama site will only strengthen our ability to meet the global demand for vital biopharmaceuticals."

About AGC Biologics

AGC Biologics is a leading global biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a strong commitment to delivering the highest standard of service as we work side-by-side with our clients and partners, to provide friendly and expert services. We provide world-class development and manufacturing of mammalian and microbial-based therapeutic proteins, plasmid DNA (pDNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), viral vectors, and genetically engineered cells. Our global network spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with locations in Seattle, Washington; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany; Milan, Italy; and Chiba and Yokohama, Japan. AGC Biologics is a part of AGC Inc.’s Life Science Business. The Life Science Business runs eight facilities focused on biopharmaceuticals, advanced therapies, small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients, and agrochemicals. To learn more, visit www.agcbio.com.

About Novelty Nobility

Novelty Nobility is a clinical-stage biotech company driven by a mission to maximize the potential of therapeutic antibodies. The company is dedicated to developing next-generation treatments for immunology and inflammatory diseases. Leveraging its proprietary fully human antibody discovery platform, PREXISE®-D, together with deep expertise in protein engineering, Novelty Nobility is advancing a diverse pipeline of monoclonal antibodies (mAb), bispecific antibodies (bsAb), and antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) — modalities where scientific novelty translates into meaningful benefits for patients.

AGC Inc. corporate contact: info-pr@agc.com   

AGC Biologics media contact: ksills@agc.com

Novelty Nobility media contact: ok.kwon@noveltynobility.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cecf4f80-22df-4bbf-b0a7-f50b9acf9495 

SOURCE: AGC Biologics, Inc.

--BERNAMA