PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ikano Centres, part of Ikano Retail and the developer of IKEA-anchored shopping centres, announces the upcoming launch of two dedicated dining hubs – IPC Gourmet Hall in IPC Shopping Centre and Toppen Foodland in Toppen Shopping Centre both scheduled to open in December 2026.
Food is deeply rooted in Malaysian culture and everyday life. The introduction of these two concepts reflects Ikano Centres' continued focus to enhance and invest in the dining experience within its centres, creating dynamic social spaces where communities can connect and enjoy meaningful everyday moments.
IPC Gourmet Hall: A Refined Yet Welcoming Dining Space
The new IPC Gourmet Hall is designed as a refined yet welcoming dining destination bringing together a thoughtfully curated mix of flavours and cuisines. The space encourages shoppers to pause, enjoy moments of quiet indulgence and connect over good food in an environment where everyday dining feels just right.
Scheduled to commence construction in April 2026, the IPC Gourmet Hall will feature a total Gross Leasable Area of 43,000 sq. ft. and will house 39 outlets. The design incorporates indoor greenery and plants, complemented by earthy and calming colour themes to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. The contemporary architecture combines sleek lines and neutral tones within an open plan layout that enhances accessibility and a feeling of spaciousness.
To support both communal interaction and private moments, the IPC Gourmet Hall will feature diverse seating arrangements – from social tables to quiet nooks – alongside central island-style food counters that encourage engagement between patrons and tenants.
Toppen Foodland: A Vibrant Social Hub
Down south, Toppen Shopping Centre will introduce Toppen Foodland, a dining destination centred on the tagline 'New eats, new vibes.' Designed as a vibrant social hub, the concept brings together a diverse mix of cuisines and quick dining options for the Johor community.
Building on the addition of Jaya Grocer last August, the Ground Floor of Toppen Shopping Centre will continue its transformation with the new dining space, further expanding the centre's dining and lifestyle offerings.
Construction is set to begin in March 2026. Toppen Foodland will span 35,000 sq. ft. with 32 outlets including a mix of inline restaurants and Grab & Go kiosks that cater to different dining occasions and feature modern industrial-inspired interiors.
This addition further strengthens Toppen's position as a key lifestyle destination for the many people in Johor.
Integrated Retail Ecosystem Anchored by IKEA
Leveraging IKEA as a key anchor creates a fully integrated shopping environment that drives significant cross shopping and customer flow across the destinations. This helps to enhance footfall and the overall attractiveness of both the shopping centres, along with their diverse mix of retail brands.
Adrian Mirea, Managing Director of Ikano Centres, shared: "At Ikano Centres, we are dedicated to creating a better everyday life for the many people. The introduction of IPC Gourmet Hall and Toppen Foodland reflects our commitment to creating more than just a retail space; we are building vibrant destinations that inspire and connect."
As part of the Ikano Group, Ikano Centres remains committed to developing destinations that evolve with the changing lifestyles of today's communities. Through these developments, Ikano Centres aims to strengthen customer engagement while creating long-term value for its retail partners across the region.
For more information or leasing enquiries, please contact leasing@ikano.asia.
About Ikano Centres
Our portfolio of shopping centres are the hearts and hubs of our communities, creating a better everyday life for the 100 million visitors who visit us every year. Together with our IKEA stores, we create meeting places for friends and families to have a safe and fun day out. We also develop land and invest in residential, office and other types of real estate to create vibrant destinations where people can live, work and play. With strong ambitions to grow our portfolio, we currently operate five meeting places in Malaysia and Thailand including IPC and MyTOWN in Kuala Lumpur, Toppen in Johor Bahru, the first phase of a shopping centre in Batu Kawan, Penang, and Megabangna in Bangkok. We are part of Ikano Retail, the only IKEA franchisee in the world owned by the Kamprad family that founded IKEA. To learn more, visit our Ikano Centres WEBSITE or LINKEDIN page.
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Ikano Centres Elevates Retail Experience with New Dining Hubs in Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru
AUSTIN, Texas, March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Saronic Technologies today announced it has closed $1.75 billion in Series D funding to advance its mission of ensuring maritime superiority for the U.S. and its allies by delivering autonomous platforms at scale across defense and commercial sectors. The round was led by Kleiner Perkins and values the company at $9.25 billion.
Saronic welcomes Advent International, Bessemer Venture Partners, DFJ Growth, BAM Elevate, and other new partners and recognizes the continued commitment of its existing investors, including 8VC, Caffeinated Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Elad Gil, and Franklin Templeton.
At a pivotal moment for global security and economic competition, Saronic is delivering net new shipbuilding capacity made possible by its autonomy-first design approach coupled with modern manufacturing infrastructure. The ability to produce advanced, highly capable autonomous ships at scale is critical to preserving the industrial strength required to project power, protect trade, and sustain long-term resilience at sea.
"Over the past decades, the U.S. has experienced a steady erosion of its ability to build ships and manufacture critical maritime infrastructure," said Dino Mavrookas, Co-Founder and CEO of Saronic. "We are confronting this challenge with a fundamentally new model of American shipbuilding, one that integrates first-principles engineering, advanced manufacturing, and software-defined production to deliver autonomous vessels with unprecedented speed, precision, and scale. The new capital will accelerate Saronic's ability to bring that model to life, generate entirely new classes of autonomous ships and maritime capabilities, and scale U.S. shipbuilding capacity on a timeline not seen since World War II."
Building Strength Through Industrial Capacity
An important component to Saronic's efforts is the development of Port Alpha — its next generation shipyard — alongside the rapid expansion of its existing production facilities in Louisiana and Texas. This capital will allow Saronic to accelerate the growth and maturation of its shipbuilding enterprise, one that is defined by innovation, scalability, and strategic impact.
"Maritime dominance isn't just about technology — it requires the production capacity to field it at scale," said Ilya Fushman, Kleiner Perkins Partner. "Those two things rarely come together. What makes Saronic special is that they're building both: autonomous ships designed from day one to push the boundaries of what's possible, and the manufacturing infrastructure to produce them consistently. That's what turns a technical breakthrough into an enduring platform advantage. It is an honor to support a company at the forefront of autonomous systems and advanced manufacturing, driven by mission and purpose."
Delivering Technological Advantage in the Maritime Domain
This new capital will also support the continued advancement, expansion, and scaled production of Saronic's portfolio of autonomous surface vessels and AI-driven maritime capabilities. In response to growing demand from U.S. and allied customers for platforms with greater range, endurance, and payload capacity, Saronic will rapidly scale its family of vessels—from the 24-foot Corsair to the 180-foot Marauder and beyond.
The company will also use the capital to explore solutions that address the full spectrum of challenges in the maritime domain, including those at the intersection of surface and subsurface.
Continuing the Momentum
This news builds on Saronic's successes and momentum from 2025, during which time it scaled from the leader in advanced autonomous maritime systems to an international maritime force. The company raised a $600M Series C at a $4B valuation, generated significant growth with the US government including a $392M production contract with the US Navy, and unveiled its inaugural 180-ft autonomous ship, Marauder, with the first hull completed in less than six months, and less than eight months after acquiring the facility to build it.
Recognizing the urgency of the moment, Saronic acquired its Louisiana shipyard and committed $300M to its 300,000 sq. ft. expansion, which will create 1,500 new high-quality jobs across the region. Further, Saronic expanded its Austin headquarters to more than 500,000 sq. ft., opened new hubs in San Diego and Washington, D.C., and launched operations in the UK and Australia. With headcount surpassing 1,300 and partnerships that are driving business across commercial and defense sectors, as well as rapid technological advancement Saronic is on track to revitalize American shipbuilding in the era of autonomy.
CONTACT: press@saronic.com
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Saronic Closes $1.75B Series D at $9.25B Valuation to Accelerate a New Era of Maritime Autonomy
