Latest news with #ChrisYang
Barnama
5 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
Menos AI Unveils AI-Powered Research Tools For Hedge Funds, Institutional Investors
BUSINESS KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Menos AI, an artificial intelligence (AI)-native fintech company, has officially launched its flagship product, Sonαr—an intelligent research agent designed to help hedge funds and institutional investors uncover timely, differentiated investment ideas. In a statement, the company said Sonαr is currently being rolled out to selected partner funds, with a broader release planned in the near future. Founded by investment veterans and AI experts, Menos AI is backed by a US$5.2 million oversubscribed seed funding round led by prominent Silicon Valley family offices and venture capital firms. (US$1=RM4.21) 'Alpha does not scream. It whispers. Sonαr helps investment teams hear it early—and act decisively,' said Menos AI Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, William Wu. Meanwhile, its Co-founder and Chief AI Scientist, Chris Yang said the next generation of high-performing investment teams would be human–machine hybrids, and Menos AI aims to help firms build that AI edge. Sonαr tackles the challenge of information overload by filtering through vast amounts of market updates, sell-side content, third-party research and internal notes to surface alpha-generating insights that might otherwise go unnoticed. Developed in collaboration with leading global macro and multi-strategy hedge funds, the platform uses proprietary Alpha Signal Extraction technology to identify market-relevant ideas based on novelty and timeliness. Its forthcoming Voice Scoring capability will highlight contributors who consistently deliver early and accurate insights—allowing firms to act with greater clarity and conviction. Menos AI's secure and domain-specific agent platform is designed for institutional-grade integration, enabling seamless use across internal and external data sources. The solution helps teams to reduce time spent from idea discovery through to research and middle-office support.
The Star
06-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
US visa hurdles put international students on edge
BEIJING: Instead of the anticipated F-1 visa, a Chinese student received a green slip on Wednesday morning at the United States embassy in Beijing, initiating a waiting period of "about two weeks" for a decision that could affirm or upend his plan to start a master's program in the US in August. Chris Yang, a senior English major at Beijing Foreign Studies University, received an offer from the University of Pennsylvania for a dual degree in social policy and public administration. The atmosphere during the interview was notably more tense than it was two years ago when he was preparing to participate in an exchange program in the US, Yang recalled. He said that on Wednesday, the visa officer asked only two questions: "Which school will you be attending?" and "What did you do in the US last year?" Yang explained that he had taken part in an exchange program at the University of California, Berkeley and later went on a holiday trip to visit a friend and attend a concert. "The visa officer was typing on the computer the whole time. He then took my passport and gave me a green slip, saying they needed additional administrative review," he recounted, adding that he was told to expect an update in about two weeks. "My majors are not generally considered sensitive. In the past, visas for these fields were almost always approved without issue, while engineering students or PhD candidates were more likely to face visa hurdles," he said. Recent US visa policies, including President Donald Trump's previous calls to pause visa interviews and scrutinize social media accounts, might be influencing the current climate, he added. On May 27, the US halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for international students seeking to study in the country, aiming to expand the screening of their social media activity. As Yang had scheduled his visa interview days before the announcement, he was able to attend it in early June while new appointments were on hold. He expressed concern over broader US rhetoric regarding the potential revocation of Chinese student visas. "I don't have a plan B, like a gap year or studying in another country. All my master's applications were to US universities," he said. Yang's experience shed light on the growing anxiety among Chinese students amid shifting US policies toward international students. On Thursday morning, a group chat on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, sparked a heated discussion about Trump's executive order on Wednesday to restrict foreign student visas at Harvard University. The move temporarily blocks nearly all new Harvard students from entering the US on the types of visas most international students use for university study or academic exchange programmes. Following the order, Chinese students — most of whom are currently studying at or preparing to attend Harvard — expressed shock and anxiety over the new visa policy in the "Harvard F-1 Student Support Group", a Xiaohongshu group created to share information and advice about overseas study. Two Chinese students — holding F-1 and J-1 visas and not in their first year — claimed they were on a flight from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Boston in the US when they learned about the new policy, but they were able to enter the country smoothly on Thursday afternoon. Meanwhile, some first-year students scheduled to travel to the US in the coming days said in the group chat that they had made emergency calls to Harvard International Office and were advised not to travel amid the uncertainty. "Please inform us in the group if anyone successfully enters," one student said. In response to the order, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Thursday that China has consistently opposed the politicization of educational cooperation. The US actions in this regard will only harm its own image and international credibility, Lin said. "We will firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars overseas," he said. The visa suspension is the latest in a series of new policies recently announced by the US. Late last month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the country would begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students, particularly those studying in "critical fields". Chen Zhiwen, a member of the Chinese Society of Educational Development Strategy, said that revoking and restricting visas for Chinese students is one of the key strategies the US uses to contain China. The US recognised that as long as China has talent, technological decoupling would be temporary, so it is simultaneously pursuing a talent containment strategy, he added. Liu Wei, senior vice-president of New Channel International Education Group and CEO of its overseas study division, said the US has long been highly vigilant about the risks of technology transfer. With technological competition intensifying, there is a more cautious approach toward certain groups of international students, Liu said. Currently, the policies primarily target students with backgrounds in science and engineering, especially in fields such as artificial intelligence, aerospace, quantum computing, electronic engineering and biotechnology. Students with family backgrounds in scientific research or the defense industry may also face more stringent scrutiny. Liu suggested that parents and students should carefully consider alternative plans — such as preparing for a potential gap year or exploring other countries with relatively stable visa policies — in case studying in the US is obstructed or delayed. According to experts, the future of Chinese student enrollment in the US will be shaped by a complex interplay of factors including visa policies, international relations and the comparative quality of education systems. "If the US maintains stringent visa regulations, the current downward trend in enrollment may continue, with a shift toward nonsensitive majors and a more selective student body," Liu said. Moreover, as global education systems improve and other countries implement policies to attract international students, the competition may prompt further changes in the number of Chinese students choosing the US — even if visa policies stabilize, he added. - China Daily/ANN
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AusperBio Raises $50 Million in Series B+ to Advance Functional Cure for Chronic Hepatitis B
SAN FRANCISCO, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AusperBio Therapeutics, Inc. and Ausper Biopharma Co., Ltd. (collectively AusperBio), a privately held clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to advancing targeted oligonucleotide therapies to achieve a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), today announced the completion of an oversubscribed USD $50 million Series B+ financing round, led by an existing, industry-leading VC investor, with strong participation from Qiming Venture Partners, CDH Investments, Genesis Capital, YuanBio Venture Capital, HanKang Capital, and Sherpa Capital. This financing follows AusperBio's Series B round completed in December 2024 and reflects continued investor confidence in the company's lead product, proprietary platform, and strategic direction. The proceeds will support the ongoing clinical development of AHB-137, a novel unconjugated antisense oligonucleotide for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), including planned Phase II trials outside of mainland China. The funding will also enable scale-up of commercial manufacturing partnerships and support the company's long-term pipeline growth. Dr. Guofeng Cheng, co-founder and CEO of AusperBio, commented, "We are greatly honored by the continued support from our investors. It's a strong vote of confidence in our vision and the progress we've made so far. This new funding gives us the momentum to move AHB-137 into the next phase of global development. We are committed to stay focused on our mission to deliver a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B and bring life-changing therapies to patients worldwide." Dr. Chris Yang, co-founder and CSO, added, "We are strongly encouraged by the recent progress of AHB-137, particularly the positive Phase IIb data presented at the EASL Congress in Amsterdam. With strong investor support, the AusperBio team is fully motivated to continue our clinical strategies and efforts to bring new treatment options to people living with CHB." AusperBio is committed to delivering patient-centered innovations, aiming to alleviate the global health burden of CHB and transform treatment paradigms for this serious chronic disease. About AHB-137 AHB-137, a novel unconjugated antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) designed using AusperBio's proprietary Med-Oligo™ ASO technology platform, is being developed to achieve a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B. Its clinical development has generated compelling data, with key preclinical and clinical results presented at leading conferences such as EASL (2023, 2024, 2025) and AASLD (2024). This novel dual-mechanism ASO has completed its global Phase 1b trial and is currently advancing through multiple Phase 2 studies in China. Supported by a clear global development strategy, AHB-137 is progressing rapidly toward delivering a potential cure for HBV. About AusperBio. AusperBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with operations in the USA and China, dedicated to advancing oligonucleotide and targeted delivery technologies for transformative therapies, with an initial focus on achieving functional cure for chronic hepatitis B infection. The company has developed a proprietary Med-Oligo™ ASO platform which has been shown to substantially enhance the current ASO therapeutics, through novel insights into ASO design. Combining with efficient targeted delivery conjugation technologies, the modular Med-Oligo™ Platform empowers ASO therapeutics to treat a broad range of diseases, including viral infections, metabolic conditions, genetic disorders, and immune diseases. For further information, please contact: Media ContactEmail: info@ Investor Relations Contact:Tel: 650-888-1756 (US)Email: growth@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE AusperBio Therapeutics Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
