XMWare

2026-06-16T08:01:00

(BPT) – The life sciences are all about delivering real-world solutions to global health challenges. With access to renewable energy and some of the world’s cleanest marine resources, Iceland’s life sciences sector is meeting that challenge and making an outsize impact despite the country’s small population through rapid growth and advancing innovation that improves lives responsibly in fields like biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, digital health, and medtech.

In Iceland, science and nature work hand in hand. Driven by clean energy and renewable resources, strong public trust, and a collaborative R&D ecosystem, Iceland’s life sciences sector has grown by 23% in the last five years. Over 80% of the country’s life sciences companies are clustered around Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavík, with close proximity to world-class universities, labs, and medical facilities. Researchers, entrepreneurs, and global partners work side by side to accelerate ideas and create one of the most sustainable innovation environments in the world.

Here are eight Icelandic companies that are defining the country’s success in the life sciences industry:

1. Alvotech

Alvotech began with just an idea: what if quality biologics could be affordable to anyone, anywhere? The company is answering this question through their development of biosimilars — medicines that work just like the original biologics but cost far less. Alvotech handles end-to-end development from early cell lines to large-scale manufacturing, enabling rapid expansion and commercial partnerships to reach patients in over 90 countries across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Today, Alvotech’s biosimilars are already reaching patients who might have otherwise gone without them.

2. deCODE Genetics

Amgen deCODE Genetics is utilizing population-scale genetics to turn human diversity into insights that advance disease risk discovery and precision medicine. The company collected DNA data from more than half of Iceland’s population and linked it to centuries of family records and health information. These DNA discoveries are already revealing protective genes against obesity, bipolar disorder, and cancer — insights shaping the medicines of tomorrow.

3. Genís

Every year, millions of people face slow, painful bone healing after joint replacements, fractures, or regenerative surgery. Genis is pioneering new ways to turn chitin, a natural material found in shrimp shells, into biomaterials that support bone healing after surgery. Following over two decades of cutting-edge research and development, Genis transforms marine byproducts into ChitoBiomer™, a proprietary technology designed to improve patient recovery and support natural healing.

4. Kerecis

Kerecis is solving the global health crisis of chronic wounds with a surprising solution — fish skin. Its structure is almost identical to human skin, and, unlike synthetic grafts, it contains natural proteins and omega-3 fatty acids that help the body regenerate tissue. By combining Iceland’s access to some of the world’s cleanest marine resources with medical research, Kerecis transformed what was once fish waste into FDA-cleared products now used in hospitals across the U.S. and beyond. Today, Kerecis products are used in over 1,500 U.S. healthcare facilities and are treating over 65,000 patients worldwide.

5. ORF Genetics

Cultivated meat could reduce animal farming and cut emissions, but not without cutting costs for growth factors, special proteins that tell cells how to grow. ORF Genetics has cracked this code by using bioengineered barley to produce growth factors — making them more affordable and easier to mass produce. Iceland’s clean environment and biotech talent have turned a humble grain into the foundation for a new food future.

6. Nox Medical

Nox Medical is helping modernize the practice of sleep medicine. The company develops advanced home- and hospital-based diagnostic technology, helping clinicians diagnose sleep disorders more efficiently while expanding access to testing for the hundreds of millions of patients who suffer from sleep disorders like sleep apnea that can raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even depression.

7. Prescriby Health

Medications like opioids can save lives, but they can also ruin them. Prescriby Health is a breakthrough solution to this challenge. The company offers a healthcare service enhanced with a digital tool that provides step-by-step tapering plans to help patients to reduce medication usage safely. Instead of being left alone, patients are supported from the first prescription to the last pill so they can reduce dependence on addictive medications.

8. Embla Medical

Named for the first woman on Earth in Nordic mythology, Embla Medical is a leading global provider of innovative mobility solutions, including its flagship Össur prosthetics, which help people live life without limitations. The company designs and manufactures high-performance prosthetics that cater to the needs of both elite athletes and everyday patients. For most of history, losing a limb meant losing the chance to run, jump, or compete at the highest level, but Embla Medical shows how innovation and determination can turn loss into world-changing performance.

Whether it’s developing new, life-changing medical treatments or redefining the future of food, these Icelandic companies are leading the way in the global life sciences sector and demonstrating Iceland’s unique culture of innovation.

Whether you’re an investor seeking growth, a researcher looking for collaboration, or a student ready to make an impact, Iceland offers the perfect environment to connect, learn, and grow. Learn more about Life Sciences in Iceland.

2026-06-15T09:01:00

(BPT) – While fraud is nothing new, today’s scams are constantly evolving. The latest advances in technology, like artificial intelligence (AI), make these schemes even harder to spot. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) tracks the staggering cost of fraud for consumers, such as $15.9 billion in reported losses in 2025 alone. While scams take many forms, most share one trait: imposters. Fraudsters pretend to be a person, company or government agency that they are not. Imposter scams are the top-reported type of fraud in the country.

Today’s scams can be easily AI-enhanced, using tools like generative AI, voice cloning and deepfake technology to create highly convincing, personalized content that can even help imposters build relationships with victims over time. AI fakes are used in many types of scams, from romance and investment scams to fraudsters claiming to be a grandchild or a romantic interest.

To help keep your hard-earned money safe, the United States Postal Inspection Service^® provides tips to help you spot and stop common types of fraud.

‘Get-rich-quick’ cryptocurrency investments

Everyone loves the dream of easy money. Unfortunately, so do fraudsters. Common schemes involve everything from securities and commodities to oil wells and gold coins. Today’s trending scam uses fake investments in cryptocurrency, which even smart investors can fall for. Cryptocurrency investment scammers might post investment sites that look real, but you’ll find you can’t withdraw money you’ve “invested.”

If you receive a phone call or email using high-pressure tactics and promising high profits, those are red flags. Someone may reach out claiming they made a lot of money and want to show you how. But legitimate investments never guarantee results. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Protect yourself: Don’t make hasty decisions about money, even if the salesperson calls it a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” with a deadline. Do research to independently verify promises of profitability, and never invest solely on what you read in one source of information. Check the reputation of any company with your local consumer affairs office or your state’s Office of the Attorney General.

Scams targeting grandparents

One of the most troubling scams enhanced by AI uses fake photos and voice cloning to make you think a relative, like a grandchild, is really contacting you, making urgent requests for things like bail money, legal fees or hospital bills. To make the story plausible, scammers add details about how or where this “emergency” happened, or tell you that a lawyer, doctor or police officer will “explain everything” if you call them. Once the money is sent, scammers bolt, and the grandparent loses hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Protect yourself: Think before acting. These calls or emails may arrive late at night, when you aren’t thinking clearly. This is on purpose. Contact your relative (or their parent) the way you usually reach them to verify the story. Urgent requests for money are always red flags, as are the ways scammers want the money sent. Scammers’ preferred methods of payment are wire transfers or reloadable prepaid credit cards, which make it impossible to get your money back.

Romance scams

Social media and dating websites are perfect platforms for tricking susceptible consumers into romantic relationships. Anyone who is socially isolated could fall for a romance scam. Fraudsters pretend to be interested in you, and after building a rapport, may ask you to send money or to cash a check or money order. Scammers create urgency by claiming to have a medical emergency. Or they may promise to come to the U.S. to be with you, but they need a check or money order to cover expenses. None of their stories are true.

Protect yourself: With any internet-based relationship, keep your personal details to yourself. Do an online search of the person’s name and town they claim to live in. Proceed slowly, noting inconsistencies in the person’s profile and information. Keep conversations on the official dating site’s platform. Red flags include: showing romantic interest in you very quickly, pushing to take your conversation to private email, and asking for money to visit you or for an emergency.

Fake tech support

You might get a bogus warning about a problem with your computer, like a pop-up warning or email that looks like it’s from a well-known company. The notice will urge you to call a phone number to get help or to click on a link. Other tech support scams might start with a call or text from a scammer who pretends they’re a computer technician. They may ask for remote access to your computer and pretend to scan for viruses. Then they’ll claim to find a malicious program and offer to remove it for a fee.

A big red flag is if they insist you pay with gift cards, a wire transfer, bank transfer, cryptocurrency or via a payment app. They want you to pay in one of these ways because it’s like using cash: Once you pay, it’s hard to get your money back.

Protect yourself: If you receive a tech support call you didn’t initiate, simply hang up. If you get an email or text, ignore and delete it. Don’t give out personally identifiable information (PII), like your Social Security number, birthdate, bank account numbers or home address, to a stranger. Don’t click on links or reply to this type of email. Block spam messages, and delete the email or text message. Review your cellphone bill for suspicious charges, and keep the security software on all your devices updated.

For more information on fraud prevention, visit uspis.gov/imposter-scams. If you believe you’ve been a victim of fraud or any crime related to the U.S. Mail, report it at uspis.gov/report or call 877-876-2455.

2026-06-15T20:01:00

(BPT) – By Ronald Ro, vice president and head of AI Home Solution Business Development Division, Home Appliance Solutions at LG Electronics

For decades, residential construction was judged by a simple standard: build well, deliver on time and control costs. At LG Electronics (LG), we know that quality craftsmanship matters, but it is no longer enough. Now, as housing portfolios grow and operating costs rise, our competitive advantage depends less on project completion and more on how a property performs over its full lifecycle.

Recent industry research increasingly links value creation to post-completion performance. Deloitte’s real estate outlook identifies long-term asset performance and operational efficiency as key priorities for developers and institutional investors.¹ Morgan Stanley likewise highlights lifecycle cost management and technology-enabled operations as central to asset resilience and valuation stability.² Green Builder Media is redefining the home buyer’s narrative as “Value Per Square Foot” (reflecting total cost of ownership, sustainability, resilience, wellness and efficiency) versus the traditional “Price Per Square Foot” metric used in the homebuilder and residential real estate industries.³ In this environment, we need to look at how installation, operation, maintenance, warranty and asset management shape market competitiveness.

Redefining Home Appliances as Operational Platforms

Traditionally, appliances were selected for style, cost and brand preference, with little expectation of extended value beyond their basic function. Today, appliances are part of a connected operating ecosystem that can provide data on usage patterns, energy consumption, performance and maintenance needs. In large-scale residential communities, this data can support asset value, risk management and long-term operating efficiency.

This shift is reshaping the smart home concept. What began as a way to make everyday living more intuitive is becoming part of a broader operational infrastructure. Now that ecosystem is expanding beyond convenience. Through third-party sensors and open API integrations, the connected home is developing into a broader operational infrastructure. What was once marketed primarily as a “smart home” is evolving into something more strategic. The focus is evolving from connectivity as a lifestyle convenience to connectivity as a foundation for asset performance, risk management and long-term efficiency.

From Appliance Supplier to Lifecycle Partner

At LG, we recognized early that leadership in the global B2C appliance market would offer only part of what the builder market requires. Our broad portfolio and trusted brand reputation created a strong base, but the B2B builder market demands a higher level of accountability.

We developed LG Pro Builder around that need, providing a model focused on the entire lifecycle rather than a supply-only offering. We aim to establish an end-to-end responsibility structure that spans early-stage planning, installation, post-occupancy management, service and warranty integration. LG Pro Builder was designed with this shift in mind — to move from transactional supply to partnership.

This approach is strengthening our foundation in North America, where we have partnered with top-tier builders to support residential developments, from mid-range and luxury single-family homes to multi-family properties. Rather than stepping away at delivery, we remain engaged across the lifecycle. Instead of spreading responsibility across multiple parties, a more connected approach can help address delays, rising costs and operational inefficiency over time.

ThinQ Pro: “Smart Home” Becomes “Smart Operation”

ThinQ Pro sits at the center of this shift as a B2B platform designed for builders, installers, property managers and operational teams. It unifies installation, operation, maintenance and warranty management into one system, providing real-time visibility into appliance performance across properties through dashboard-based remote monitoring.

This translates directly into measurable operational benefits:

• Reduced on-site visits through proactive issue detection
• Standardized installation and onboarding processes
• Accumulation of operational data for predictive maintenance
• Improved management efficiency through centralized oversight

The value of connectivity grows when paired with operational management efficiency and enhanced living experiences for residents. ThinQ Pro brings these elements together by connecting devices within a single ecosystem, enabling more effective management and supporting AI-driven solutions that improve everyday life for occupants.

As IoT capabilities develop further, the platform can extend to broader property management functions, from detecting water leaks to monitoring environmental conditions and improving oversight across entire buildings.

The Real Differentiator: Responsibility, Not Just Technology

Many platforms can connect devices, collect data and generate dashboards, but connectivity alone does not create accountability. When responsibility is divided between manufacturers, software providers, installers and service operators, issues can take longer to resolve and confidence can suffer.

In residential developments, long-term stability depends not only on technology, but on a clear operating foundation. By embedding lifecycle thinking into both our ThinQ Pro platform and our organizational model, we are turning operational design into accountability.

A New Role in the Global Builder Market

The builder market is evolving, and expectations of partnership are changing with it. Builders are not only constructing homes, but managing long-term assets in more complex regulatory, financial and operational environments.

We at LG are responding to this market shift by redefining our position from appliance manufacturer to lifecycle partner. Through LG Pro Builder and ThinQ Pro, we are becoming an operational platform leader, shaping the future of the builder market by sharing responsibility for the entire lifecycle of residential assets.

¹ Deloitte Center for Financial Services, 2024 Commercial Real Estate Outlook.

Deloitte Center for Financial Services, 2023 Commercial Real Estate Outlook.

² Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, Sustainable Signals: Understanding Corporates’ Sustainability Priorities and Challenges (2024).

³ Green Builder Media – Value Per Square Foot: The New Housing Metric.

2026-06-11T11:31:00

(BPT) – Cybercriminals are keeping pace with the latest technology. By harnessing AI, they are developing increasingly sophisticated techniques to commit their crimes, posing a growing threat to businesses, institutions and individuals worldwide. In a 2026 World Economic Forum survey of business executives, academics, civil society and public-sector cybersecurity leaders, 77% reported an increase in cyber-enabled fraud, with 73% saying they or someone in their network had been impacted.

The threat hit close to home earlier this year when the hacking group ShinyHunters executed a major multi-wave breach on Instructure’s Canvas Learning Management System, compromising the data of up to 275 million users across nearly 9,000 institutions worldwide, including DeVry University. The attack is a reminder of just how fast the threat landscape is evolving.

AI is accelerating that evolution. Ransomware cyberattacks are predicted to occur every two seconds by 2031. And the financial toll is staggering: the global cost of cybercrime is expected to reach $13.82 trillion per year by 2028.

To fight the ongoing war against cybercrime, many more highly skilled cybersecurity experts are needed throughout the business sector, government agencies, in healthcare and educational institutions. Although approximately 1.34 million cybersecurity professionals are currently working in the U.S., the demand is very high — with over 514,000 job openings nationally in the field, according to CyberSeek.

Despite this rising demand for cybersecurity professionals, early-career talent is often shut out due to their lack of experience, making the shortage worse.

“The cyber workforce gap is real, and AI is changing what entry-level jobs look like,” said Dr. Jingdi “Rebecca” Zeng, senior professor and curriculum chair, DeVry University. “That means part of the learning that used to happen on the job now needs to happen earlier, in the classroom.”

Addressing the cybersecurity skills gap

To prepare the next generation of cyber leaders, DeVry University’s Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is tackling the challenge head-on. By partnering with industry leaders, the university has designed a curriculum that aims to help close the skills gap by equipping early-career professionals with the knowledge and experiences they need to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving cyber landscape.

DeVry’s robust cybersecurity programs are built on skills-based, hands-on learning models and real-world exposure that provide students with opportunities not just to learn about cybersecurity, but to actually practice it.

“Our programs are designed around a clear learning pathway with strong focus on practical cyber skills and emerging technologies, including AI,” said Zeng. “Three of our programs are NSA CAE designated for meeting a structured set of cyber education criteria established by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).”

To enhance students’ hands-on experience in the field, DeVry launched its cutting-edge cyber range platform, which offers realistic, immersive simulations that mimic real-world cyber threats. It provides students the opportunity to practice and master analytics, investigation, repulsion, remediation and other cybersecurity techniques to better prepare them for careers in this much-needed field.

DeVry students can also participate in the Future Cyber Defenders Scholars Program, which offers resources and support to help students pursuing cybersecurity programs and technology careers. The program includes opportunities to join DeVry’s National Chapter of Computing Technology Industry Association (COMPTIA) and their National Cyber League competition team.

Competition with a purpose

This year, DeVry’s team earned the No. 12 power rank in the National Cyber League (NCL). The biannual event, powered by Cyber Skyline, is one of the country’s premier cybersecurity competitions. Students test their skills through real-world challenges including digital forensics, penetration testing, cryptography, vulnerability auditing and ransomware recovery.

DeVry students delivered strong results this season, competing against more than 7,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide, with student Matthew McCloskey ranking no. 12 individually.

“Cybersecurity is interesting because it’s not just one narrow area of IT. It touches every domain, and the National Cyber League competition exposed me to the full range in practical ways,” said McCloskey. “DeVry pushed me in ways I didn’t expect, because they gave me more hands-on exposure than I was anticipating. These experiences helped me move beyond just reading about the tools and actually using them in context.”

The strong performance of DeVry students in the NCL competition highlights the school’s commitment to effective, hands-on learning in cybersecurity skills that will have application in the real world.

“Results like these show that our cyber programs are keeping pace with the needs of the field. Beyond the classroom, our curriculum team organizes co-curricular activities that introduce students to additional, inspiring content that complements and expands on what they learn in class,” added Zeng. “DeVry’s NCL performance is a powerful indicator that these efforts are working. Our students are building the skills and confidence needed to enter today’s cyber workforce.”

Learn more about the opportunities to expand your skills and knowledge in the growing field of cybersecurity by visiting DeVry University’s Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.