Latest news with #PaaS
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
BofA Reiterates Buy as Agora (API) Gains Traction in Live Engagement
Agora Inc. (NASDAQ:API) is one of the 10 best debt-free IT penny stocks to buy. On June 28, Bank of America Securities' analyst Daley Li reiterated a Buy rating on Agora (NASDAQ:API), setting a price target of $7.10. Agora's Q1 2025 results showed modest top-line growth, with revenue up 1% year-over-year. While overall growth was limited, the company's international business stood out, benefiting from stronger demand in areas like live shopping and entertainment. A consumer smiling as they engage with streaming apps and voice platforms. For the second quarter, management guided for core revenue growth of 7% to 13% year-over-year. This range broadly matches market expectations and suggests that conditions are starting to improve—particularly in China's social entertainment and education markets—while international demand continues to hold up well. The analyst also pointed to signs of progress on the profitability front. Q1 2025 was Agora's second straight profitable quarter, along with an improvement in gross margins. The company is also commanding a stronger net cash position which adds further flexibility, allowing it to pursue growth opportunities like in the field of AI. Agora Inc. (NASDAQ:API) is a China-based company that provides a real-time engagement platform-as-a-service (PaaS), enabling developers to embed voice, video, and live interactive streaming capabilities into their applications. While we acknowledge the potential of API as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Best Tech Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
BofA Reiterates Buy as Agora (API) Gains Traction in Live Engagement
Agora Inc. (NASDAQ:API) is one of the 10 best debt-free IT penny stocks to buy. On June 28, Bank of America Securities' analyst Daley Li reiterated a Buy rating on Agora (NASDAQ:API), setting a price target of $7.10. Agora's Q1 2025 results showed modest top-line growth, with revenue up 1% year-over-year. While overall growth was limited, the company's international business stood out, benefiting from stronger demand in areas like live shopping and entertainment. A consumer smiling as they engage with streaming apps and voice platforms. For the second quarter, management guided for core revenue growth of 7% to 13% year-over-year. This range broadly matches market expectations and suggests that conditions are starting to improve—particularly in China's social entertainment and education markets—while international demand continues to hold up well. The analyst also pointed to signs of progress on the profitability front. Q1 2025 was Agora's second straight profitable quarter, along with an improvement in gross margins. The company is also commanding a stronger net cash position which adds further flexibility, allowing it to pursue growth opportunities like in the field of AI. Agora Inc. (NASDAQ:API) is a China-based company that provides a real-time engagement platform-as-a-service (PaaS), enabling developers to embed voice, video, and live interactive streaming capabilities into their applications. While we acknowledge the potential of API as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Best Tech Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Figure Eight Federal Collaborates With Microsoft to Redefine the AI Lifecycle in Defense
F8F's data labeling platform, Artemis, combined with Azure's cloud-native PaaS, enables rapid optimization of AI models WASHINGTON, May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Figure Eight Federal (F8F), a leading data labeling technology provider, today announced an integration of its data labeling platform, called Artemis, with Microsoft Azure Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering. By combining F8F's data labeling technology capabilities with Microsoft's native cloud PaaS services for data governance, data pipelining, MLOps, and analytics, this collaboration aims to break down traditional black boxes that surround sub-components of the AI lifecycle. This collaboration will deliver the transparency and governance required to accelerate responsible AI development across the defense and intelligence sector. "Microsoft's integration with Figure Eight Federal's labeling and orchestration platform is a significant step toward enabling a data labeling copilot for the Department of Defense and the intelligence community," said Leigh Madden, vice president of national security at Microsoft. "By integrating Azure OpenAI services with their platform, we have already demonstrated how our combined capabilities can enhance data operations. We are excited to work with Figure Eight Federal to further expand the use of generative AI and drive greater efficiency and innovation across mission-critical data environments." "By coupling our data labeling technology with Microsoft's cloud-native capabilities for data management, MLOps, and generative AI, we deliver a holistic, robust, and highly scalable solution to accelerate AI innovation for defense applications," said Tim Klawa, head of product at Figure Eight Federal. "The result is that we not only reduce operational costs but also ensure AI models are more transparent, trustworthy, and secure against adversarial threats." F8F's integration with Microsoft, available for deployment into any client networks, provides commercial best practices into the defense and intelligence sector, enabling a data-centric, quality-first, SME-driven approach to rapid model optimization. Through this collaboration, along with rigorous government testing, F8F and Microsoft address one of the most significant challenges in AI development for the defense sector: the lack of transparency and data governance that often surrounds data labeling, model training, and evaluation. By providing robust data governance and validated quality into every aspect of the AI pipeline, F8F and Microsoft's combined technology offers a government guided approach to AI development that mitigates risk with real-time transparency and accountability, accelerating the ability to develop AI in a responsible and trustworthy way. The modular architecture of Artemis, coupled with Azure PaaS, enables agencies to rapidly stand up end-to-end data and AI capabilities without traditional high-cost and rigid licensing models seen in the defense and intelligence sector. Instead, agencies can leverage a consumption-based approach. The transparency, observability, and ease of replaceability of each sub-component enable agencies to easily plug-and-play any third-party vendor into the environment and maintain full data governance. F8F and Microsoft's combined expertise positions this integrated solution as a critical enabler for AI solutions in defense, providing a transparent, secure, and adaptive foundation for building trustworthy AI that can be rapidly optimized for mission-critical applications. "We are excited to work with Microsoft to provide government agencies with commercially proven capabilities to drive data quality, which are fundamental to unleashing AI innovation," stated Vinay Malkani, chief executive officer of Figure Eight Federal. About Figure Eight Federal: Figure Eight Federal (F8F) is Appen's FOCI-mitigated arm dedicated to serving the U.S. defense and intelligence sectors. F8F delivers accurate, reliable, human-annotated datasets that power critical AI and machine learning applications. With native support for a wide range of datatypes—including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), LiDAR, and multispectral imagery—the Artemis platform enables labeling directly on data in its original form. The platform also supports benchmarking and fine-tuning of generative AI through human-in-the-loop evaluations performed by domain experts, while integrated generative AI capabilities help mitigate the programmatic risks inherent in large-scale data labeling efforts. By leveraging Azure OpenAI Service within Azure Government, F8F offers a powerful solution for unlocking domain-specific, optimized generative AI innovations tailored to defense workflows. Learn more at View source version on Contacts info@
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Acceleronix to Showcase Innovative IoT Solutions at CommunicAsia 2025 in Singapore
SINGAPORE, May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acceleronix, a global leader in IoT solutions and services, is excited to announce its participation in CommunicAsia, taking place on May 27th in Singapore, presenting its comprehensive offerings, including the Acceleronix Core PaaS/SaaS, Connectivity Management Platform (CMP), and connectivity solutions. These services are designed to simplify the design and go-to-market processes for OEMs and ODMs across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. "We're excited to be at CommunicAsia in Singapore, showcasing some of Acceleronix's flagship offerings," said Alex Bufalino, Vice President, Acceleronix. "This event is a great opportunity to connect with our APAC customers and partners, and to demonstrate how Acceleronix solutions are driving real-world IoT innovation." Acceleronix will also be displaying their SIMPLI Kit, a plug-and-play hardware solution that delivers instant access to Acceleronix's PaaS and SaaS platforms, accelerating IoT deployment. Requiring no setup or learning curve, the kit provides immediate cloud connectivity, simplifying device integration and application development. It includes an EVB with an LTE Cat 1 module optimized for M2M and IoT, a built-in data plan, SIM slot, antenna, and LBS location tracking. The SIMPLI Kit will be available for hands-on viewing, with on-site registration open for purchase. In addition, attendees can also find out more about the Acceleronix SGP.32 solution, a comprehensive solution that simplifies device connectivity management, enabling customers to optimize operations and reduce complexity. SGP.32 simplifies lifecycle management, reduces time-to-market, and ensures compliance with evolving regulatory and security requirements. This future-ready approach is built to help businesses stay agile and competitive as technologies and market needs advance. Acceleronix will also be demonstrating customer devices on the stand and visitors to the Acceleronix booth at CommunicAsia will have the opportunity to engage with industry experts and learn more about how these innovative solutions can enhance their IoT strategies. Attendees will be able to view the Acceleronix portfolio on stand 3F2-1 at the show. For more information about Acceleronix and its offerings, please visit About Acceleronix Acceleronix is a global IoT solutions and services provider primarily focused on serving OEMs and enterprises. Providing a broad portfolio of connected modules, edge-device software, vertical platforms and mobile applications, Acceleronix solutions are designed to activate and manage all aspects of IoT products, from development to data-management and visualization. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts marketing@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Finextra
26-05-2025
- Business
- Finextra
Owning Your Payment Infrastructure: Why FinTechs Are Rethinking ‘Platform as a Service': By Alex Malyshev
In the early days of FinTech, speed to market was everything. Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) models promised rapid deployment, simplified compliance, and pre-integrated features. For many startups, this was a lifeline. But as these companies grow, especially in regulated or high-volume environments, they're finding that the very infrastructure that helped them launch is now holding them back. A quiet shift is happening: FinTechs are re-evaluating their dependency on third-party platforms and asking a foundational question: should we own the core? Why 'Fast and Easy' Isn't Always Built to Last PaaS solutions are attractive for good reasons. They reduce upfront costs, abstract away complex compliance burdens, and provide ready-made modules like KYC, transaction processing, or card issuing. But there's a price to pay for this convenience: These aren't just technical issues. They're strategic bottlenecks. When your roadmap depends on someone else's platform, agility and innovation suffer. Licensing Over Subscription: A Shift in Mature Markets At we're seeing a clear trend among scaling FinTechs, EMIs, and even banks: a move away from SaaS and toward infrastructure ownership. Licensing the source code gives these companies the control they need to adapt, expand, and differentiate. This trend is especially common among startups that have already launched but find themselves constrained by scalability limits or commercial terms. As one such company told us: 'We launched quickly using a third-party platform, but now we're hitting technical and commercial limits. We need to take back control and are actively looking for a source code-based solution that we can evolve on our own terms.' Over the years, we've seen this same scenario play out repeatedly. It's no longer rare. It's the norm for startups moving into their growth phase. That's Why Offers Both Options To support businesses at different stages of their journey, provides two delivery models: PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) : A subscription-based model designed for early-stage FinTechs and SMBs that prioritise time-to-market and low upfront costs. Hosted in the cloud, it offers a fast start with 470+ API endpoints, a built-in back office, and essential integrations. Source Code License: A one-time purchase for full backend control. Ideal for enterprises or scaling FinTechs that need deep customisation, data ownership, and architectural flexibility. This model gives clients complete access to the platform's modular codebase, ledger engine, and API layer, without vendor lock-in. Both models are powered by the same core: a robust, real-time ledger foundation, modular service architecture, and production-grade scalability of over 2,700 TPS. The difference lies in the degree of autonomy clients want to maintain. Buy, Build, or License? Making the Right Choice Here's a simplified framework we use when advising FinTech clients: Owning infrastructure doesn't mean building from scratch. The key is having control over core systems while integrating best-in-class external services where it makes sense. From Platform Tenants to Platform Owners The FinTech boom of the last decade was built on abstraction and speed. But as the industry matures, priorities are shifting toward resilience, ownership, and long-term scalability. Infrastructure control isn't a luxury. It's a competitive advantage. For ambitious FinTechs, the critical question is no longer how fast can we launch? It's how far can we grow with what we've built? At we're here to support both answers.
