KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia, Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 3rd International Business Events Forum – BE in SABAH 2026 officially opened today, convening a diverse international community of policymakers, industry leaders and practitioners as a regional Asia Pacific platform advancing collaboration, capability development and long-term industry relevance across East ASEAN and beyond.
Held at Sabah International Convention Centre, the forum brings together more than 900 delegates, including government representatives, convention and visitors bureaux, global industry associations, professional conference and exhibition organisers, consulting firms, academia, venue operators and private sector stakeholders from across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania.
Anchored by the theme "Global Collaboration Through Business Events," BE in SABAH 2026 positions Business Events as structured platforms that enable economic diplomacy, trade engagement, investment dialogue, professional capability-building and cross-border collaboration in an increasingly selective global environment.
The forum was officially opened by Yang Berhormat Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister of Sabah, representing Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Bin Haji Noor, Chief Minister of Sabah.
In his address, YB Datuk Joniston Bangkuai emphasised that Business Events today function as a practical interface between policy and practice, global expertise and local capability. He noted that meaningful international engagement increasingly takes place where readiness, reliability and professional standards are consistently demonstrated.
He further highlighted that Sabah recognises Business Events as part of its broader economic and development approach — supporting regional cooperation, facilitating investment dialogue and creating opportunities for participation across industries, including small and medium enterprises, professionals and emerging talent within East ASEAN and the wider Asia Pacific region.
In her welcoming remarks, Datuk Dr Hajah Rosmawati Haji Lasuki, J.P, the Organising Chairperson of BE in SABAH 2026 highlighted the forum's evolution from an initial local initiative into a returning regional platform shaped by continuity, learning and trust.
This year's programme features 33 speakers from 18 countries and territories, representing a broad cross-section of the global Business Events ecosystem, including international associations, convention bureaux, destination organisations, consulting and advisory firms, media and market intelligence organisations, as well as venue and hospitality operators.
Many of the speakers are active contributors to major international platforms such as IMEX, AIME, ICCA Congress and The Meetings Show, bringing current global insight and market experience into a regional Asia Pacific context.
Across two days, BE in SABAH 2026 will explore strategic issues shaping the Business Events industry, including:
- Business Events as enablers of trade, investment and market confidence
- Regional and cross-border collaboration in Asia Pacific
- Leadership, governance and industry resilience
- Artificial intelligence, innovation and data-led strategies
- Talent development, professional standards and future readiness
The opening keynote was delivered by Dr Senthil Gopinath, Chief Executive Officer of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), who shared global perspectives on industry performance, emerging risks and the importance of collaboration and standards in sustaining long-term growth.
Beyond dialogue, BE in SABAH 2026 incorporates structured pathways for collaboration, including the exchange of memoranda of understanding involving the Sabah International Convention Centre and international as well as local partners. These collaborations focus on knowledge exchange, capacity-building and destination development, and are intended to progress through continued engagement beyond the forum.
Jointly organised by the Sabah International Convention Centre and Malaysian Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (MACEOS) Sabah Chapter, BE in SABAH 2026 is supported by national and regional partners committed to advancing professional standards and long-term industry development across the Asia Pacific Business Events ecosystem.
The official opening of BE in SABAH 2026 marks the start of two days of focused exchange, reinforcing the forum's role as a regional working platform — one that supports meaningful collaboration, practical outcomes and sustained relevance for the industry.
ABOUT SICC
Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) is owned by Innoprise Corporation Sdn Bhd of Yayasan Sabah Group – a state sanctioned organization in Sabah, Malaysia. SICC is the largest waterfront purpose-built convention, exhibition and entertainment facility in East Malaysia with a total function space of 153,197sqm. The gross built-up of the complex is 60,514sqm on a 6-hectare site. The multi-functional complex with its well-designed floor plan and extensive pre-function areas are well suited for a wide range of public and private events. For more information, please visit siccsabah.com or follow us on social media – LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About MACEOS Sabah Chapter
The Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) Sabah Chapter represents the collective voice of Business Events organisers and suppliers in Sabah. It brings together industry practitioners across organising, venue services, logistics and event support to advance professional standards and strengthen collaboration within the Business Events ecosystem.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
BE in SABAH 2026 Officially Opens as a Regional Asia-Pacific Platform for Global Business Event Collaboration
At Anker Day 2026, Anker Innovations marks its 15th anniversary by unveiling THUS™ - ANKER's first neural-net Compute-in-Memory AI audio chip - and a new generation of products across soundcore and eufy.
NEW YORK and Bellevue, Wash., May 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Anker Innovations is hosting Anker Day 2026: Where Ultimate Meets Possible, its annual brand event to showcase the newest product launches and technology break-throughs across its portfolio. Where Ultimate Meets Possible will bring together media, retail buyers and key influencers for an exclusive look at what's next in consumer electronics, spanning premium audio, home energy and the smart home appliances.
Where Ultimate Meets Possible will be held at STORIED in New York City, an invite-only experience featuring keynote presentations, hands-on product demonstrations and a deep dive into the company's latest innovations.
Anker Day 2026 debuted innovations across three brands: soundcore's Liberty 5 Pro and Pro Max — the first earbuds powered by Anker's new THUS™ AI chip — alongside VibeOS AI platform and Nebula SpaceFlow; Anker SOLIX's S2000, the world's longest-lasting 2kWh home backup power station; and eufy's EdgeAgent™, a local AI home security agent, plus new baby care products.
Started With Power
Anker was founded in 2011 and released its first product in the following year: a 4,500mAh ultra-slim power bank. It was a modest beginning, but behind it was an engineering conviction that would shape everything that followed. If technology is going to make a meaningful difference in people's lives, it has to be built to the highest possible standard.
2012 - The Beginning
Anker's first product: a 4,500mAh ultra-slim power bank - the start of a commitment to putting well-engineered, reliable power in people's hands.
2013 - PowerIQ™
Introduced PowerIQ™, enabling fast-charging compatibility across both iOS and Android - setting the standard for universal charging intelligence.
2018 - GaN from Aerospace
An early adopter of Gallium Nitride (GaN) from aerospace applications for consumer charging - delivering a 40% size reduction without sacrificing output.
2019 - World's Smallest 18W Charger
Delivered the world's smallest 18W charger at the time - proving that ultimate performance and ultra-compact form are not a trade-off.
2022 - GaNPrime™
Pioneered high-power multi-port chargers with dynamic power distribution - intelligently allocating power across multiple devices simultaneously.
2023 - 240W Wall Charger
Delivered the industry's highest-power 240W wall charger at the time - meeting the demands of the most power-hungry professional setups.
2024 - InstaCord™ & UltraDura™
In 2024, InstaCord™ became Anker's most advanced retractable‑cable technology and UltraDura™ achieved industry‑leading durability.
2025 - GaNPrime™ 2.0 • PowerIQ™ 5.0 • AnkerSense™ View • TurboBoost™
GaNPrime™ 2.0 (most advanced fast charging), PowerIQ™ 5.0 (smartest compatibility), AnkerSense™ View (intelligent display technology), and TurboBoost™ for ultra-fast power bank recharging. The pursuit never stops.
Fifteen years. Eight technology generations. Every breakthrough driven by one and only promise: seeking the ultimate innovation, not as an end in itself, but because technology built to its highest standard is how we put the possibilities people want in their lives within reach. Technology in service of people. That is what this pursuit has always meant.
Today's Milestone: Anker Thus™
For 80 years, chip design has followed the same logic established by John von Neumann in 1945: separate the processor from memory, and shuttle data between them one instruction at a time. For eight decades across mainframes, desktops, and data centers, this model worked. AI breaks that assumption. A neural network draws on millions of learned parameters all at once - and in a wearable device, moving that data between memory and processor consumes more than 90 percent of chip power, leaving almost nothing for actual computation.
THUS™ applies a different principle: embed computation directly inside NOR Flash memory cells, where the model already lives. The model parameters never have to move. The energy previously consumed by data movement is redirected entirely to computation.
The first THUS™ AI chip debuts in earbuds, delivering up to 150 times more AI computing power on the environmental noise cancellation task than Anker's previous-generation flagship earphones.
Clear Calls - the chip's first disclosed feature - runs a large neural network entirely on-device, anchored by eight MEMS microphones and two bone conduction sensors, for a significantly clear call in any environment. Additional AI-powered features including Signature Sound and Voice Control debuted at Anker Day.
"Every AI chip built until now stores the model on one side and does the computation on the other. To think, the device has to carry all those parameters across, many times per second, every single inference. THUS™ puts the computation where the model already lives. The model never has to move again."
- Steven Yang, Founder and CEO, Anker Innovations
THUS™ takes inspiration from "Thus have I heard", a Buddhist phrase that reflects direct transmission - knowledge conveyed as it was experienced, without distortion.
All performance figures are based on internal Anker lab tests. The 150× AI computing power figure applies specifically to the environmental noise cancellation task and reflects the architectural change from rule-based to neural-net AI processing. It is not a general performance claim and does not reflect a process node upgrade. The environmental noise cancellation workload referenced here runs as an on-device neural network model on the first THUS™ chip.
Anker soundcore Liberty 5 Pro: The First Product Powered by Anker Thus™
The soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max are the first two products to ship with the THUS™ chip. Their positioning is organized around three on-device intelligence layers the chip enables - understanding, adapting, and tuning - each representing a function earbuds could not credibly perform before neural-net AI became viable at this scale. Coming to the market soon.
15 Years, One Promise
From our first power bank to a proprietary AI chip in 2026 - the categories we build in keep expanding, and so does the scope of what technology can do for people's lives. Our promise has been one and only, seeking the ultimate innovation, with the conviction that technology built to its highest standard makes the possibilities people want in their lives the ones they can actually live. Fifteen years is long enough to know that trust is earned slowly. Fifteen years in. The pursuit continues.
About Anker Innovations
Anker Innovations is a global consumer technology company driven by ultimate innovation, creating products that help people power, create, connect, and live more freely. Founded in 2011, Anker Innovations serves more than 200 million consumers across 146 countries and regions. Learn more at anker.com.
DISCLAIMER
*Statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may include forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of the company. We wish to caution you that such statements are just predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties surrounding competitive and industry conditions, market acceptance for the company's products, risks of litigation, technological changes, developing industry standards and other factors related to the company's businesses. The actions referred to in this press release are not an admission or acknowledgement of any claim or allegation. The Company reserves all of its rights.
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15 Years of Seeking Ultimate Innovation: From Power Banks to Proprietary AI THUS™ Chip
15 Years of Seeking Ultimate Innovation: From Power Banks to Proprietary AI THUS™ Chip
15 Years of Seeking Ultimate Innovation: From Power Banks to Proprietary AI THUS™ Chip
