News

Toronto – – October 01, 2026 -- Valour, the asset management arm of DeFi Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: DEFT), reported $640.2 million in assets under management as of September 25, 2026, a 61.2% jump from $397.2 million at the end of the second quarter. The $243 million increase reflects sustained net inflows and marks a roughly 64% rebound from Valour's cycle low of approximately $390 million.

Valour's AUM base expands as investor inflows continue month over month

DeFi Technologies said Valour has recorded net inflows every month, with specific figures to be disclosed alongside quarterly financial results. The larger asset base expands the pool available for management fees, staking and lending income, and trading-related revenue, according to the company.

Denver – October 01, 2026 -- Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) is constructing its third lunar communications ground station near Yuma, Arizona, advancing the world's first commercial lunar communications network toward full operational status.

Arizona site marks first US 20-meter antenna for KSAT Lunar network

The Yuma location will host the first 20-meter antenna in the United States dedicated to the KSAT Lunar network, which is designed to deliver continuous communications coverage between Earth and the Moon. Site preparation and foundation work are currently underway at the facility.

Denver – October 01, 2026 -- The Denver Museum of Nature & Science Board of Trustees has named Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History since 2012, as its next president and CEO, effective Feb. 1, 2027.

Johnson departs a museum holding 149 million specimens and drawing 4 million annual visitors

At the Smithsonian, Johnson has overseen the world's largest natural history collection and one of the institution's most visited sites. His tenure included the opening of the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils – Deep Time, a flagship exhibition tying Earth's biological history to contemporary issues.

Farmington Hills – October 01, 2026 -- Coretek has achieved ISO/IEC 42001 certification, becoming among the first organizations globally to earn the world's first international standard for Artificial Intelligence Management Systems (AIMS).

Certification validates Coretek's enterprise AI governance framework across the full AI lifecycle

The standard covers risk management, human oversight, security, continuous monitoring, regulatory alignment, and ongoing improvement of AI systems. Coretek, an AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and managed services provider, said the certification confirms its Artificial Intelligence Management System meets internationally recognized governance benchmarks.

North Sutton, N.H. – October 01, 2026 -- Labsphere, Inc. has acquired Photon Gear, Inc., an Ontario, New York-based designer of ultra-high-precision custom optical systems and lens assemblies, combining light generation and measurement with precision lens engineering under one supplier.

Labsphere consolidates lens design and light measurement into a single vendor offering

The deal merges Labsphere's platform for light generation, control, and measurement with Photon Gear's custom lens design, assembly, and interferometric test capabilities. Customers in medical devices, analytical instrumentation, semiconductor, and aerospace and defense can now source a designed-to-specification lens assembly alongside the light sources, integrating spheres, and calibration needed to qualify it from one company, cutting design cycles and reducing the vendor count on a program.

Collegeville, Pa. – October 01, 2026 -- The Inner Circle has named Dawn Delise Pelon a Pinnacle Professional of The Year, citing her contributions to brand development and strategic marketing.

Pelon built a career advising both legacy and emerging brands on go-to-market strategy

Pelon has worked across B2B and B2C sectors, developing cohesive brand identities, launching national advertising campaigns, and implementing data-driven marketing initiatives. Her client work has included large-scale brand transformations and dealer and channel enablement programs designed to produce measurable commercial results.

She integrates AI tools into marketing operations to streamline client campaigns

Beyond traditional brand strategy, Pelon applies emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to support go-to-market planning, content creation, social media management, web development, and video production for client organizations.

San Diego – October 01, 2026 -- Avimer Bio and structural biologists at Spain's National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have published computational methods for building self-assembling protein cages with atomic precision, detailed in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS). The study tackles a long-standing design challenge: predicting protein architecture when building blocks bend during assembly.

Washington – October 01, 2026 -- Diego Mesa Puyo began a four-year term as CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), taking charge of the world's largest public environmental funder as it opens its GEF-9 cycle backed by more than $4.3 billion in initial donor pledges for 2026-2030.

UK adds £330 million to GEF-9 replenishment as total donor commitments pass $4 billion

The UK government pledged £330 million to the fund last week, pushing country commitments to the ninth replenishment above $4 billion. The capital will finance environmental protection and restoration programs through 2030, with deepened support planned for Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, alongside expanded engagement with Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Indianapolis – October 01, 2026 -- EnPower, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of lithium-ion battery cells, has changed its name to CAMINUS, effective immediately, as the company shifts from a technology-development identity to volume manufacturing for defense, uncrewed systems, and industrial customers.

CAMINUS keeps leadership, facility, and contracts unchanged through the rebrand

Leadership, team, facility, IP portfolio, and existing customer, partner, and supplier agreements remain unchanged under the new name, the company said. Only the corporate identity has shifted, not the operational or contractual footprint built over more than a decade.

Saline, Michigan – October 01, 2026 -- Toyota Motor North America has opened a 30,000-square-foot Battery Center of North America (TBC) in Saline, Michigan, expanding its capacity to test and develop battery technology across the full production cycle, from raw-material sourcing to recycling.

Facility centralizes battery evaluation for Toyota's North American manufacturing network

TBC will support battery evaluation for Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina, as well as Toyota's vehicle assembly plants across North America. The center houses engineering and technician teams tasked with assessing battery performance for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen, and fully electric vehicle platforms, reflecting Toyota's multi-pathway approach to electrification rather than a single-technology bet.