TECH BULLETIN

Monday, June 22, 2026

Tech Market Context: Macro Drivers

Key macro instruments that drive tech market movements: yields, dollar, risk appetite

Market Commentary

Today's Interesting Company News

Check Point to Embed OpenAI Frontier Cyber Capabilities Into Check Point Security Products

(NASDAQ:CHKP) Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. announced the use of OpenAI's frontier cyber capabilities into its customer-facing defenses. The company is among a select group of security vendors cleared to bring OpenAI's defensive AI into enterprise tools through the OpenAI Daybreak Cyber Partner Program. Check Point protects more than 100,000 organizations worldwide and is structured around four strategic pillars: Hybrid Mesh Network Security, Workspace Security, Exposure Management, and AI Security. The rollout of these AI capabilities is deliberately gradual, beginning with carefully controlled defensive uses. The company projects future growth, the expansion of Check Point's industry leadership, the enhancement of shareholder value, and the delivery of an industry-leading cyber security platform to customers worldwide. Check Point and OpenAI are working together to help define the standards for using trusted access frontier AI responsibly in security. The unified architecture simplifies protection across hybrid networks, multi-cloud environments, digital workspaces, and AI systems.

Rockwell Automation Launches FactoryTalk Orchestration Software at Automate

(NYSE: ROK) Rockwell Automation, Inc. announced the launch of FactoryTalk® Orchestration™ software, a new solution designed to coordinate material flow and production processes from end-to-end. The company will showcase the solution live at the Automate trade show from June 22–25 in Chicago, Ill. At Rockwell's Twinsburg, Ohio facility, FactoryTalk Orchestration software enabled autonomous operations across key production processes, improving drop-off zone space utilization by 70% and reducing overall material handling space requirements by 50%. Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to customers in more than 100 countries as of fiscal year end 2025. The solution is built on the FactoryTalk® Optix™ platform and standardizes connectivity across the portfolio, including OTTO autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), with additional ecosystem integrations planned. The solution is now expanding to additional Rockwell manufacturing facilities worldwide.

Nextlink Internet Expands Agreement With Aviat Networks to Power BEAD-Funded Rural Broadband Buildout

(NASDAQ: AVNW) Aviat Networks, Inc. announced that Nextlink Internet has expanded its existing agreement with Aviat Networks for its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program-funded buildout. Nextlink will deploy Aviat's BABA-Compliant Microwave, E-Band and Multi-Band Solutions to connect thousands of unserved locations across the Central United States. Nextlink has secured over $180 million in BEAD funding and previously received $429.2 million in Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) awards from the FCC. Nextlink has invested over $1 billion to close the digital divide across 12 states and operates over 2,600 active towers. The company serves more than 100,000 subscribers and holds the third-largest portfolio of CBRS Priority Access Licenses in the United States. Aviat Networks has sold more than one million systems into 170 countries worldwide. The company projects that the expanded deployment will deliver the connectivity customers have been waiting for.

Syntec Optics (Nasdaq: OPTX) Secures Over $4M in New BioMed Orders Across Diversified Life Sciences Platforms

(NASDAQ: OPTX) Syntec Optics announced it received nearly $4 million in U.S. life sciences purchase orders. The company previously announced $4.6 million in orders for laser blood analysis optics used in nearly every leading clinic and hospital. Syntec Optics operates a state-of-the-art facility in Rochester, NY, and has been operating for over two decades. The company is one of the largest custom and diverse end-market optics and photonics manufacturers in the United States. Syntec Optics continues to add new product lines, including recent Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite optics for communications, AI data-center power, and reconnaissance, multi-spectral optics for deep tech, as well as display and sensing for Artificial Intelligence-driven AR/VR systems. According to SPIE, the monetary value of all light-enabled products and related services accounts for over 15% of worldwide economic output, nearly $16 trillion of the total $106 trillion value of all finished goods and services produced worldwide in 2023. The company is delivering on pace to complete these 2026 orders for long-life-cycle products.

WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc. Researches Synergic Quantum Generative Network Architecture

(NASDAQ:WIMI) WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc. announced its research into the Synergic Quantum Generative Network (SQGEN), a new parallel quantum learning framework and algorithm optimizations aimed at achieving a dual breakthrough in the performance and practicality of quantum generative machine learning. The SQGEN architecture completes technological innovation across four aspects: operating framework, algorithm optimization, function design, and communication mechanism. SQGEN establishes a brand-new parallel quantum learning framework that enables the generator and discriminator to run synchronously and interact in real time within a quantum computing environment. The model leverages the superposition and entanglement characteristics of qubits to process multiple sets of data samples in parallel and simultaneously complete the data generation and authenticity discrimination processes. SQGEN innovatively introduces the Nelder-Mead optimization algorithm, overturning the traditional gradient-based optimization mode and greatly improving the adaptability and operational stability of the quantum circuits. The team at WiMi has carried out special optimization on the model cost function by relaxing the reversibility constraints and raising the lower bound of cost function computation, effectively reducing the number of function evaluations within a single training cycle. The company projects that SQGEN technology is expected to be widely applied in multiple industry fields, driving technological innovation and industrial upgrading in the intersection of quantum computing and artificial intelligence.

Cheche Group Launches "ABAO Agent," an AI-Powered Intelligent Underwriting Solution

(NASDAQ: CCG) Cheche Group Inc., China's leading auto insurance technology platform, announced the official launch of "ABAO Agent," an AI-powered intelligent underwriting agent. ABAO Agent is now commercially deployed in auto insurance renewal scenarios at scale, delivering end-to-end intelligent automation across underwriting and policy renewal. The agent operates 24/7 and independently executes the complete renewal workflow, including customer outreach, needs identification, policy follow-up, and conversion. Cheche Group Inc. is headquartered in Beijing, China, and has a nationwide network of around 108 branches licensed to distribute insurance policies across 25 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China. The company was established in 2014 and offers a full suite of services and products for digital insurance transactions and insurance SaaS solutions in China. The company projects continued integration of AI across the full insurance lifecycle, from underwriting and pricing to claims, with the goal of driving structural cost reductions for carrier partners.

Rocket One Launches Swarm Stage AI™ to Counter Autonomous Drone Swarms

(NASDAQ:RKTO) Rocket One Inc. launched Swarm Stage AI™, an autonomous swarm simulation and defense platform designed to help military, government, and security organizations prepare for the threat of coordinated drone swarms. Swarm Stage AI is built on swarm-coordination assets and intellectual property that Rocket One acquired from SkyStage, whose software has flown thousands of aircraft in synchronized operations. The Company recently secured exclusive rights to nanomagnetic and spintronic computing technologies for energy-efficient AI acceleration and radiation-tolerant operation. Rocket One's technology strategy now centers on nanomagnetic AI computing, radiation-tolerant space computing, and autonomous swarm defense systems. The Company holds exclusive rights to a nanomagnetic matrix multiplier architecture intended as a hardware accelerator for machine learning and AI workloads, and related magnetic memory technology. Rocket One is also positioned to pursue opportunities in nano-launch systems and nanosatellite deployment. The Company's biotechnology pipeline, including HT-001, HT-KIT, HT-ALZ, and its GDNF-based metabolic program, will continue to be advanced under a wholly owned subsidiary.

NorthStar Secures Over CAD$40M With 3 Canadian Space Division to Advance Sovereign Space Domain Awareness

(NYSE: VACI) Viking Acquisition Corp. I, a Cayman Islands exempted company, announced that its proposed business combination partner, NorthStar Earth & Space, has launched augmented commercial services valued at more than CAD$40 million over 12 months with the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 3 Canadian Space Division (3 CSD). The agreement enables 3 CSD to integrate NorthStar’s space-based surveillance capabilities to enhance mission readiness and threat detection in orbit. NorthStar is headquartered in Montreal, with a European headquarters in Luxembourg, and a dedicated US operation in McLean, VA. On April 16, 2026, Viking Acquisition Corp. I entered into a Business Combination Agreement with NorthStar Earth and Space Inc. and Viking NS Amalgamation Corp., as amended on May 15, 2026. Viking intends to file a registration statement on Form F-4 with the SEC in connection with the Proposed Business Combination. The company projects that NorthStar’s partnership with 3 Canadian Space Division on their sovereign SDA capabilities will advance Canada’s satellite capacity and equip the Armed Forces with mission-ready tools. NorthStar is the first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) company to leverage space-based assets that use satellite imagery to continuously scan, detect, and monitor the behaviour of objects in near-Earth orbits.

Streamex Corp. Announces May 2026 Yield Dividend Distribution for GLDY

(NASDAQ:STEX) Streamex Corp. announced the distribution of the third yield payment for GLDY, its gold-backed, yield-bearing tokenized security, which occurred on June 18th, 2026. The distribution covers the period from May 1st through May 31st, 2026. Each GLDY token is currently earning an annualized yield of 3.5%. For the month of May, 8.94674 GLDY (8.94674 oz's of gold) was distributed, resulting in GLDY holders receiving a distribution of 0.002884 GLDY per token. GLDY's real-world yield is generated through Streamex's institutional gold leasing program, with proceeds distributed to GLDY holders in the form of additional GLDY tokens monthly. Investors can view real-time GLDY data, including NAV and reserves, at https://app.rwa.xyz/assets/GLDY and via the Chainlink Proof of Reserves Oracle at https://data.chain.link/feeds/base/base/gldy-reserves.

Quarterhill and IDOT Partner to Advance Traffic Data and Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure Across Illinois

(TSX: QTRH) (OTCQX: QTRHF) — Quarterhill Inc. has entered into a long-term partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation ("IDOT") to install and maintain traffic data collection sites across District 1, covering northeastern Illinois and including the Chicago metro area. The agreement is valued at approximately $2.5 million over an initial three‑year term with an optional annual extension for up to 10 years. Quarterhill will install new Continuous Count Sites ("CCS") and maintain existing locations to ensure traffic data remains accurate, consistent, and available for IDOT's day-to-day operations and long-term planning. In 2026 alone, the company has announced contracts with agencies in Indiana, California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Quarterhill's platforms process billions of transactions each year, perform compliance and safety inspections on millions of commercial vehicles, and enable transportation agencies worldwide to optimize thousands of lanes of traffic. The company projects that its technology will support IDOT's ability to maintain and expand its traffic monitoring infrastructure and help strengthen the data foundation behind safer, more efficient transportation planning and roadway operations across the region. This award builds on Quarterhill's growing presence in Illinois, following its previously announced work with the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (Illinois Tollway), and reflects the Company's growing portfolio of long‑term relationships with transportation agencies across North America.

Rockwell Automation Technology Supports Modernization at New Heaven Hill Distillery

(NYSE: ROK) Rockwell Automation, Inc. helped Heaven Hill launch a new distillery in Bardstown, KY, using the PlantPAx modern distributed control system (DCS) to increase efficiency and embed digital transformation from day one. The new production facility launched in 2025 brought operations back to Bardstown for the first time in decades after a fire destroyed the previous distillery where Heaven Hill had produced bourbon since 1935. Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to customers in more than 100 countries. The PlantPAx-based infrastructure positions the new distillery to use AI-driven insights and other advanced technologies. Heaven Hill is already building AI-focused roles to interpret and apply production data generated through the PlantPAx system. The facility required full plant visualization, robust cybersecurity and a foundation capable of supporting long-term digital transformation. Opus Integration, a Rockwell Automation partner, deployed the PlantPAx modern DCS to deliver a cohesive view of the entire distillery.

HIVE's Paraguay AI Infrastructure Performance Validated in Columbia University Study, Research Heads to NeurIPS

(TSX: HIVE) (NASDAQ: HIVE) HIVE Digital Technologies Ltd. announced the successful completion of its inaugural research project using HIVE GPUs for AI research purposes in Asunción, Paraguay, in collaboration with the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at Columbia University in New York. The research was submitted to The Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems ("NeurIPS"), and established a proof of concept for intercontinental AI training, where researchers in New York City ran iterative training runs on GPUs located in Asunción, Paraguay. The research found that HIVE's A40 GPUs matched the performance of newer-generation H100 GPUs in pretraining LLMs of up to 1.4B parameters after normalizing for each hardware's raw performance. HIVE has established a foundation for an HPC/AI Gigafactory in Yguazú, Paraguay, where the Company has a 100 megawatt ("MW") substation under construction, with civil works complete and commissioning expected this summer. The substation is expected to be energized in September 2026, with construction on a new Tier-III data center beginning Fall 2026 and a ready-for-service date in H2 2027. The company projects the deployment, timing, capacity, and expansion of BUZZ HPC's GPU-accelerated infrastructure in general, and the ability to replicate and scale this performance. HIVE builds and operates next-generation Tier-I and Tier-III data centers across Canada, Sweden, and Paraguay, serving both Bitcoin and high-performance computing clients.

Pixelworks and Kinepolis Partner to Bring TrueCut Motion Format to Audiences

(NASDAQ: PXLW) Pixelworks, Inc. announced a collaborative partnership with Kinepolis Group to support the expanded exhibition of TrueCut Motion-enhanced versions of newly released theatrical titles on Laser Ultra premium large format screens. Kinepolis Group NV operates 63 cinemas across Europe, including Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Poland, 35 cinemas in Canada under the Landmark Cinemas brand, and 24 in the United States under the MJR Theatres and Emagine brands. In total, Kinepolis Group currently operates 122 cinemas worldwide, with a total of 1,314 screens and more than 220,000 seats. Pixelworks has more than 20 years of delivering image processing innovation to leading providers of consumer electronics, professional displays and video streaming services. The collaboration aims to bring together Kinepolis' expansive portfolio of premium screens with TrueCut Motion to provide audiences an unmatched viewing experience exactly as the filmmakers intended and without distracting motion artifacts. The company projects that TrueCut Motion-enhanced versions will further elevate the premium experience offered to moviegoers. TrueCut Motion is described as an award-winning technology breakthrough that provides filmmakers with an extended palette of motion looks.

Wimbledon and IBM Introduce New AI-Powered Fan Experiences and Modernized Digital Platforms for the Championships 2026

(NYSE: IBM) and the All England Lawn Tennis Club announced new and enhanced digital fan features for The Championships, Wimbledon in 2026. The watsonx AI-powered capabilities are available on the Wimbledon app and wimbledon.com, which have been fully modernised and redesigned to provide a seamless and personalised experience to millions of global tennis fans during The Championships. The new Key Moments tool builds on the live Likelihood to Win feature, which continuously calculates each player's probability of victory based on a comprehensive, AI-powered analysis of current and historical statistics, expert opinion and match momentum. The enhanced Match Chat is an AI assistant that acts as an interactive companion for fans during a match, providing instant, conversational style responses sourced from an expanded set of live match data, analysis and historical performance information. Among the most significant outcomes was the extraction of Wimbledon's content archive to a new architecture, including more than 15,000 digital assets such as articles, videos, photographs, and the metadata relationships connecting them. A mapping project that could traditionally require a team of four to five IBM specialists working for months was completed by a single engineer within 4 weeks, with the targeted 15,000 assets extracted in just 47 minutes. In 2025, AELTC reports these efforts contributed to a 16% year-on-year increase in engagement across all platforms, with a 39% growth in those registered to myWIMBLEDON in the past year.

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