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CE-Ventures Backs Aptadir Therapeutics in €40 Million Seed Round, One of Europe’s Largest in Biotech

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  • Aptadir raises €40 million in Italy’s largest biotech seed round and one of the largest in Europe
  • Financing will advance a novel class of RNA inhibitor-based therapeutics, including lead candidate CAP1-FMR1 for Fragile X Syndrome
  • Investment broadens CE-Ventures’ life sciences portfolio with an RNA therapeutics platform

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 29th September 2026, CE-Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Crescent Enterprises, today announced its investment in Aptadir Therapeutics in a €40 million seed round supporting the development of the preclinical biotechnology company’s novel class of RNA inhibitor-based therapeutics for genetic disorders.

CE-Ventures Backs Aptadir Therapeutics

The €40 million round, the largest biotech seed financing in Italy and one of the largest in Europe, will fund Aptadir’s next stage of growth. The capital will advance its pipeline of disease-modifying investigational RNA therapeutics towards clinical development and support additional programmes across genetic disorders and oncology.

Aptadir’s lead candidate, CAP1-FMR1, is being developed for Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic condition associated with intellectual disability, learning difficulties and developmental delays.

Dr. Giovanni Amabile, CEO and Founder, Aptadir Therapeutics, said:

“At Aptadir, we are pioneering a fundamentally new therapeutic approach aimed at reversing disease-causing epigenetic silencing and restoring the expression of genes that have been switched off. This has the potential to transform the way we treat genetic diseases that, until now, have been considered irreversible, moving beyond managing symptoms toward addressing the underlying cause of disease. We are proud to have
CE-Ventures join us on this journey and share our ambition to turn this groundbreaking science into transformative therapies for patients.”

Aptadir’s platform is based on a novel class of RNA inhibitors known as DNMTs Interacting RNAs, or DiRs. These molecules are designed to block aberrant DNA methylation at specific genes, potentially reversing abnormal gene silencing, reactivating gene expression and restoring normal biological function. Aptadir has demonstrated this effect in complex patient-derived disease models and is developing a broader pipeline of drug candidates based on the technology.

Tushar Singhvi, Deputy CEO and Head of Investments at Crescent Enterprises, said:

“CE-Ventures continues to expand its biotech portfolio by backing leading technologies with the potential to deliver therapies for areas of greatest unmet medical need. Aptadir is another compelling example of the innovative companies we support to help bring meaningful new treatment options to patients.”

The science underpinning Aptadir was developed by an international group of researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the Italian National Research Council (CNR), the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore and City of Hope National Medical Center.

Dr. Damir Illich, VP, Life Sciences at CE-Ventures, added:

“Aptadir’s technology has the potential to transform the treatment of diseases that have previously been beyond the reach of existing therapeutic approaches. This strong financing round, backed by top-tier partners and coupled with the expertise of world-leading scientists, provides the company with an exceptional foundation to advance and develop this promising technology.”

CE-Ventures’ life sciences portfolio spans drug discovery, genetic medicine, and targeted therapeutics. Aptadir adds RNA therapeutics to that mix, further diversifying the therapeutic technologies represented across the portfolio.

About CE-Ventures

CE-Ventures is the corporate venture capital platform of Crescent Enterprises, and invests in transformative businesses across industries, including consumer, deep-tech and biotech. CE-Ventures back visionary entrepreneurs by providing capital, resources, and a global network to build and scale exceptional businesses that drive long-term value.

www.crescententerprises.com/what-we-do/ce-ventures/

About Crescent Enterprises

Crescent Enterprises is a multinational company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with strategic investments across sectors. Established in 2007, the business comprises a diversified group of 69 subsidiaries, affiliates, and investments across 24 countries, and employs more than 1,500 people.

The corporate structure has four platforms: CE‑Operates, CE‑Invests, CE‑Ventures, and CE‑Creates. The platforms span various business sectors, including ports, logistics, food and beverages, healthcare, life sciences, and business aviation. They also include business verticals, such as private equity, venture capital, and business incubation.

Crescent Enterprises is a subsidiary of Crescent Group, a family-owned business shaping the MENA region’s economy for over 50 years.

www.crescententerprises.com

About Aptadir Therapeutics

Aptadir Therapeutics is a preclinical biotechnology company developing a new class of RNA therapeutics for genetic disorders and oncology. Its therapeutic focus includes underserved conditions such as Fragile X Syndrome and Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Its platform is based on DNMTs Interacting RNAs (DiRs), a novel class of RNA inhibitors designed to reactivate genes silenced through aberrant DNA methylation. Aptadir’s lead programme is focused on Fragile X Syndrome, which is caused by silencing of the FMR1 gene on the X chromosome and the resulting loss or significant reduction of FMRP, a protein essential for normal brain development and function.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Alpha Management sets a limited-time push to place students before fall lease deadlines

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  • Alpha Management Corporation is opening a focused 60-day window to match students with available units near Boston-area campuses ahead of peak leasing season.

A short window, a real deadline

Massachusetts, USA, Sep 30, 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — Every year, the Boston rental market tightens fast once fall leasing season begins. Students who wait too long often find that the best units near campus are already gone.

Alpha Management is responding with a defined 60-day action window. During this period, the company is prioritizing inquiries from students searching for housing near Boston-area universities, with faster response times and dedicated help matching renters to open units in neighborhoods including Allston, Brighton, Fenway, and Brookline.

The goal is simple: give students a clear runway to lock in housing before the market narrows.

Why the timing matters

Anwar Faisal, founder of Alpha Management, said the company built its business around understanding when students actually need help.

“Most students don’t start looking until it’s almost too late,” Faisal said. “By the time the school year is set, the good units are gone. We wanted to build a window where students get answers fast, not weeks later.”

The company has spent more than three decades working with student renters across Greater Boston. That experience shaped the decision to formalize a defined leasing push rather than treat every season the same way.

What the plan includes

The 60-day plan has three parts.

First, Alpha Management is streamlining its intake process for student inquiries, so prospective renters get a response within a short, set timeframe rather than waiting through a general queue.

Second, the company is coordinating more closely with university housing offices to flag available units earlier in the search process, before students are forced into last-minute decisions.

Third, Alpha Management is setting aside a portion of its residential portfolio specifically for students during this window, rather than opening every unit to the general rental pool at the same time.

“We know landlords who won’t rent to students at all,” Faisal said. “We built our name doing the opposite. This plan just puts a clock on it, so students know exactly when to move.”

Why it applies across neighborhoods

The push covers the full range of neighborhoods where Alpha Management operates, including Jamaica Plain, Back Bay, Somerville, Malden, Medford, Newton, West Roxbury, Cambridge, and Norwood.

Students attending schools in any of these areas often face the same problem: a compressed search window and a limited number of owners willing to rent short-term or single-year leases. Alpha Management’s portfolio spans both residential and commercial properties, giving the company more flexibility to place students where they need to be, close to campus and close to transit.

The company said it plans to track results from this cycle and consider running the same defined window again during future leasing seasons if it helps students secure housing faster.

A practical, student-friendly option

Alpha Management is careful about how it frames these units. Alpha Management describes its student rentals as practical, student-friendly housing designed to meet a growing need in the Boston area. By making housing near universities available to students who may otherwise face a difficult search, the company has taken a forward-thinking approach to the local rental market. Its willingness to actively serve the student community sets it apart from many traditional landlords and reflects a broader understanding of how important accessible, well-located housing is to the success of Boston’s universities and the students they attract. This approach has helped make student housing a central part of the company’s work and represents a distinctive model for serving an often-overlooked group of renters. Instead, it describes the units as a practical, student-friendly option for renters trying to find housing near their school without a long, drawn-out search.

That distinction matters to the company. Faisal said the goal has never been to make a broader claim about cost, only to make sure students have a real shot at housing that fits their schedule and their budget compared to what else is available nearby.

What students should do now

Alpha Management is encouraging students and families to reach out early in the 60-day window rather than waiting until move-in dates approach. The company said interested students can contact its leasing team directly to ask about current availability in their target neighborhood.

International students, a group the company has worked with for decades, are included in this outreach. Alpha Management said its team is familiar with the additional steps international renters sometimes face and works to walk through those steps directly rather than leaving students to figure it out alone. By making students a priority and creating a housing approach designed around their needs, Alpha Management is spearheading a distinctive practice in Boston that puts practical support where students need it most.

To read more, visit the website here.

About Alpha Management

Alpha Management Corporation is a family-owned real estate company based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded by Anwar Faisal, the company owns, develops, and manages residential and commercial properties across Greater Boston, including Allston, Brighton, Jamaica Plain, Fenway, Back Bay, Brookline, Somerville, Malden, Medford, Newton, Boston, West Roxbury, Cambridge, and Norwood. For more than three decades, Alpha Management has worked with domestic and international students to help them find housing near area universities.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Richard and Jillian Corbett Explore the Human Side of an Increasingly Automated Workplace

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  • The Phoenix-based professionals discuss why AI, automation, and better business systems still depend on clear communication and understanding the people who use them.

PHOENIX, Ariz., Sep 30, 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — As artificial intelligence and automation become more common in everyday business operations, Richard and Jillian Corbett believe an important part of the conversation can sometimes get overlooked: the people expected to use the technology.

The Phoenix-based couple sees the issue from two different professional perspectives. Richard works in business technology, with experience in software implementation, workflow improvement, process development, and technology support. Jillian works in marketing and event coordination, managing campaigns, vendors, schedules, communication, and event planning.

Together, their experiences have led them to a similar conclusion. Better technology does not automatically create better communication, stronger processes, or better experiences.

“Sometimes the best technology decision is not adding another tool,” Richard said. “It is figuring out why the process became complicated in the first place.”

Technology Should Solve a Defined Problem

Richard has been interested in computers and technology since high school. After studying Business Administration with a concentration in Information Systems at Colorado State University, he began building a career around the connection between technology and business operations.

His current work has increased his interest in AI and automation, particularly their potential to reduce repetitive work and simplify everyday processes.

However, Richard believes organizations should first understand the problem they are trying to solve.

A process might require employees to enter the same information multiple times, move between several systems, or complete steps that no longer serve a clear purpose. Adding automation without examining those issues can simply make an inefficient process move faster.

“You have to look at what people are actually doing, not only what the process says they are supposed to be doing,” Richard said. “If employees have created workarounds or keep getting stuck at the same point, that usually tells you something.”

For Richard, employee feedback is therefore an important part of technology decisions. People completing a task every day can often spot problems that are hard to see in a process map or software dashboard.

Efficiency Is Only Part of the Experience

Jillian encounters many of the same questions from a different direction.

Her work in marketing and event coordination requires managing numerous details at once. Technology can help organize schedules, coordinate vendors, track projects, manage communication, and keep campaigns moving.

Those systems are valuable, but Jillian believes the final experience still depends heavily on human judgment.

“People rarely know every system working behind an experience,” Jillian said. “They just know whether it felt organized, easy, and thoughtful.”

An event provides a simple example. Scheduling software can help organize the timeline. Shared platforms can keep vendors informed. Marketing tools can help communicate with attendees. None of those systems, however, can completely account for how someone feels when they arrive, whether instructions are clear, or how a team responds when something unexpected happens.

Those moments still require people to communicate and make decisions.

The Human Side of Automation

The same principle applies beyond events.

As workplaces introduce more automated systems, Richard and Jillian believe communication becomes more important, not less. Employees need to understand why a process is changing, what a new tool is supposed to accomplish, and how it affects their responsibilities.

Technology may also create time for work that requires more human involvement.

If automation removes a repetitive administrative task, an employee may have more time to solve customer problems, work with colleagues, think creatively, or focus on decisions that require context.

That is where Richard sees some of the most practical potential for emerging technology.

“The goal should not just be to automate as much as possible,” Richard said. “It should be to identify where technology genuinely makes the work easier or more useful.”

Jillian sees a similar balance in marketing and events. Tools can make planning more efficient, but communication, creativity, and personal attention remain central to creating an intentional experience.

Two Fields Moving Closer Together

Richard and Jillian’s careers also show how business areas that once seemed separate are becoming more connected.

Technology affects how marketing teams communicate and organize their work. Marketing and customer experience influence how technology is introduced and understood. Operations affect both.

For professionals working in either field, that creates a reason to look beyond the boundaries of a job description.

Richard believes technology professionals benefit from understanding how employees actually work. Jillian believes marketing and event professionals benefit from understanding the systems supporting their projects.

Their shared perspective is straightforward: technology works best when it supports people rather than becoming another obstacle they have to manage.

As AI and automation continue to change everyday work, that distinction may become increasingly important.

About Richard and Jillian Corbett

Richard and Jillian Corbett are professionals based in Phoenix, Arizona. Richard works in business technology, with experience in software implementation, workflow improvement, process development, and technology support. He is particularly interested in artificial intelligence, automation, and practical applications of technology in business operations.

Jillian works in marketing and event coordination, with experience in marketing campaigns, vendor coordination, scheduling, communications, and event planning. She is particularly interested in combining creative ideas with the organization and attention to detail required to create effective experiences.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Reno Pro Inc on the questions worth asking before any renovation begins

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  • Reno Pro Inc says the strongest renovation projects on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton start with a short list of questions, not a signed contract.

Why the questions come first

South Carolina, USA, Sep 30, 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — Reno Pro Inc has worked on residential and commercial projects in Beaufort County since 2005. Co-founders Anthony Genovese and Chad Perrine started the company after flipping properties on the side, then brought on Eric Norman as a third partner about a year after incorporating.

That background gives the company a simple view: a renovation goes wrong long before the first wall comes down. It goes wrong when a homeowner or business owner signs on without asking enough questions up front.

Reno Pro Inc has put together the questions it believes matter most, based on what it has seen work and not work on jobs across the region.

Ask who is actually licensed and insured

The first question is basic, but it gets skipped often: is the team doing the work licensed, certified, and insured, not just the person who sold the job.

Reno Pro Inc describes itself as a licensed, certified, and insured team, and treats that as a baseline rather than a selling point. A homeowner should ask to see proof, not just hear it stated. On a coastal property, where weather and permitting add complexity, this question matters more, not less.

Ask how communication will work, before there is a problem

Reno Pro Inc’s interview notes list punctuality, communication, and cleanliness as its core operating qualities. Those are not abstract values. They show up as answers to a very practical question: how will you know what is happening on your project each week.

A homeowner should ask who their point of contact is, how often updates come, and what happens if a delay shows up. A contractor who cannot answer that clearly at the estimate stage is unlikely to answer it well mid-project.

Ask what happens when the unexpected shows up

Every renovation runs into something nobody planned for: a wall that is not what the drawings said, a permit delay, a material that is back-ordered. The question is not whether that will happen. It is how the contractor handles it when it does.

Reno Pro Inc’s own framing of setbacks is straightforward: look at what can be learned and adjusted, rather than assign blame. A homeowner asking about this before work starts gets a clear read on how a company will behave later, when it counts more.

Ask how the company measures a successful job

Reno Pro Inc has said plainly that a happy client matters more than a maximized profit on any single job. That is a useful thing for a homeowner to ask a prospective contractor directly: what does success look like to you on this project.

The answer reveals a lot. A contractor focused only on finishing fast and moving to the next job will describe success differently than one focused on the relationship continuing after the walls are painted.

Ask about the team behind the estimate

Combined experience is easy to claim and harder to back up. Reno Pro Inc points to more than 60 years of combined experience across its team in residential and commercial construction. A homeowner should ask who specifically will be on site, not just who signs the estimate.

This question also surfaces something less obvious: whether the company treats a project as one job among many, or as part of a longer relationship with the client and the community it works in.

What the questions add up to

None of these questions are complicated. That is part of the point. Reno Pro Inc’s position is that a good contractor should be able to answer all five clearly, without hesitation, before a single tool comes out of the truck.

A homeowner who asks them is not being difficult. They are doing the same due diligence any contractor worth hiring would expect and welcome.

To read more, visit the website here.

About Reno Pro Inc

Reno Pro Inc is a construction and renovation company based in Beaufort County, South Carolina, serving Hilton Head Island and Bluffton. Founded in 2005 by Anthony Genovese and Chad Perrine, with Eric Norman joining as a business partner shortly after, the company provides commercial and residential construction services backed by a licensed, certified, and insured team with more than 60 years of combined experience.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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