RIYADH, Saudi Arabia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 25, 2026--
stc group, a leading digital enabler, concluded its third consecutive year as a Founding and Elite Partner of the Esports World Cup (EWC), supporting the tournament as it staged its first edition outside Saudi Arabia in Paris. The largest EWC to date brought together more than 2,000 professional players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries, competing across 25 tournaments and 24 game titles for a prize pool exceeding $75 million.
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The move to Paris marked a new chapter for a tournament launched in Riyadh in 2024, reflecting growing international reach and the increasing profile of esports. stc’s continued partnership through that expansion reflects a broader commitment to the gaming ecosystem, supporting professional competition, amateur players, broadcast access, and the digital infrastructure behind esports events.
Throughout EWC 2026, stc maintained a prominent presence across the competition. The stc Arena hosted VALORANT, League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Rocket League, EA FC 26, Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, alongside the stc Player’s Lounge and stc Contenders.
The partnership also created opportunities beyond the professional circuit. Through the Warriors Cup, more than 10,000 amateur players competed in over 200 tournaments across 16 games, giving emerging talent a pathway to participate in organized competition.
stc also extended the tournament to audiences beyond the venues through a dedicated EWC channel on stc tv. Launched on July 5, the channel delivered 10 to 12 hours of daily coverage, including live matches, highlights and analysis, and recorded more than three million plays by August 23.
Strong demand followed EWC to its conclusion in Paris. Championship Sunday was moved to Accor Arena, one of the city’s largest indoor venues, providing additional capacity for fans and a high-profile finale to the tournament’s first edition outside Saudi Arabia.
The partnership has grown alongside EWC since its inaugural edition in Riyadh. In 2024, the tournament attracted more than 500 million viewers globally, while stc supported connectivity for more than 10,000 players with 99.9% network availability. A year later, EWC welcomed more than 2,000 professional players and three million on-site visitors, as stc increased its network coverage by over 20%.
stc’s contribution to gaming has also been recognized by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission, which has named the group a Platinum Gaming Operator for ten consecutive cycles.
Three years on, the partnership has evolved alongside EWC as it has grown from its Riyadh debut to an international stage. stc continues to support growth across connectivity, broadcasting and competition, helping expand how players and audiences participate in one of the world’s fastest-growing forms of entertainment.
*Source: AETOSWire
Fans hold up the stc/EWC banner during the Esports World Cup 2026 grand final at the Accor Arena in Paris (Photo: AETOSWire)
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 25, 2026--
Infravision, the company transforming how power grids are built and maintained with drone-enabled technology, today announced the appointment of veteran transmission construction leader Paul Gillespie as Director, Transmission Solutions. Gillespie will support the global deployment of drone and robotic systems across overhead transmission construction.
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At Infravision, Gillespie will lead the U.S. 765 kV transmission construction program. He will also oversee transmission solution development, customer engagement, constructability reviews, deployment planning, technology implementation, customer success, and workforce training programs supporting technology adoption for utilities and EPC contractors across global markets. As Director, Transmission Solutions, Gillespie will serve in a critical leadership role, guiding a global team of more than 150 people, with military veterans playing key roles across engineering, avionics, field operations, and project management.
“We are scaling fast, and the question now is how quickly we can put proven drone-enabled construction systems into the hands of the crews building tomorrow's power grid,” said Matt Jones, Chief Commercial Officer of Infravision. “Paul has led those teams. He's spent decades helping customers adopt new construction methods and solve some of the industry's toughest delivery challenges. That's exactly the experience our customers need as they integrate new approaches into their operations.”
“Innovation delivers its greatest value when it's grounded in practical construction experience,” said Gillespie. “What drew me to Infravision is that this system is already deployed on real projects, with real crews, delivering real results. In my role, I'll be focused on extending my market leading experience to scale how the technology fits the actual construction happening in the field.”
Gillespie brings more than 30 years of the highest levels of international experience delivering complex transmission projects from 132 kV through 765 kV. Prior to joining Infravision, he served as Construction Manager at Cormorant Utility Services (PowerTel) in Ontario, Canada, where he spent over five years leading transmission line construction and planning and executing major transmission infrastructure projects for utilities, renewable energy developers, and industrial clients.
During his tenure, Gillespie played a critical role in the successful delivery of high-profile transmission projects, renewable energy interconnections (including 500 kV, 230 kV, and 115 kV line projects), and major grid modernization initiatives. His responsibilities extended beyond construction management to include constructability reviews, execution strategy, project planning, stakeholder engagement, workforce development, and operational excellence.
Gillespie began his career as a transmission linesman and progressed through supervisory and senior construction management roles, leading multidisciplinary teams of more than 100 personnel across construction, EPC, and ECI project delivery models. His work has spanned Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and India, including support for planning, constructability, deployment strategy, customer engagement, and training for India's expanding 765 kV network, one of the largest extra-high-voltage transmission programs in the world.
In the United States, transmission construction is entering a period of unprecedented growth. To meet the demands of both large-load and public-service needs, high-capacity lines are necessary. At the highest levels of 765 kV, most of the U.S. infrastructure was built in the 1960s and 1970s. There have been no meaningful 765 kV projects completed in the United States in the last 25 years. This has created a critical resource gap in the skills, knowledge, and expertise necessary to meet this demand. As of 2026, over 9,000 miles of new U.S. 765 kV construction projects have been announced or proposed for completion over the next 10 years. Gillespie’s extensive international experience constructing 765 kV transmission lines – combined with his exceptional experience with drones and aerial robotics, as well as modern construction methods – makes him uniquely qualified to help address this critical resource gap.
Gillespie will join a distinguished executive team that has expanded significantly since the company's $91 million Series B led by GIC, which included the appointment of Frank Tybor as Chief Technology Officer – a veteran aerospace and mechanical engineer who helped design and commission SpaceX's launch and recovery infrastructure, including the autonomous Droneships and Crew Dragon recovery systems.
About Infravision
Infravision is transforming how the world builds and maintains power grids. Its proprietary drone-enabled system helps utilities, contractors, and developers expand transmission and distribution infrastructure faster, safer, and at significantly lower cost, with far less environmental and community impact. Infravision has installed more than 2,000 miles of line across four countries for utilities including Powerlink, Transgrid, and PG&E. In 2026, Infravision was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. For more information, visit infravisioninc.com.
Infravision Announces the Appointment of Paul Gillespie as Director, Transmission Solutions
