As part of its continued commitment to advancing dialogue around research communication and equitable knowledge dissemination, Editage will host a live fireside chat titled “From Access to Impact: Rethinking Open Access for a Global Research Community” on October 23, 2025, at 8:30 PM IST. The session will feature Colleen Campbell (Strategic Advisor & Coordinator), a leading advocate in the open access movement, in candid conversation with Chirag Jay Patel (Head of Sales & Business Development – Americas, Cactus Communications). They will explore how open access is shaping global research practices, and how libraries, consortia, and institutions are driving transformative changes in publishing and open access models.

In the lead-up to the event, Editage will also release two special episodes of its Insights Xchange podcast series hosted by Nikesh Gosalia (Chief Partnership Officer, Global Publishers & Societies at Cactus Communications). The first features Colleen Campbell, discussing libraries’ transition from subscription-based access to supporting open publishing, and the fundamental role that equity, transparency, and author rights play in this shift. The second episode will have Mandy Hill (Managing Director of Academic Publishing at Cambridge University Press), as the special guest, sharing insights into the evolving role of university presses and why equity must be weaved into every step of the open access journey.

Throughout Open Access Week, Editage will also publish a series of articles and interviews featuring key opinion leaders from the scholarly publishing space, including Duncan Nicholas (Development Editor, Reproductive Biomedicine Online), Iva Grabaric Andonovski (Vice President, EASE), Rachel Martin (Global Director of Sustainability, Elsevier), and Roohi Ghosh and Chris Leonard from CACTUS. We explore their perspectives on how open access continues to evolve across the academic publishing ecosystem.

Open Access Week offers an important platform for publishers, journals, researchers, funders, and institutions to engage in critical conversations that shape the future of scholarly communication. As the open access movement continues to gain momentum, and open access practices and policies increasingly influence how research is shared and consumed, understanding these shifts is necessary for keeping up with the evolving publishing landscape and ensuring that the benefits of research reach the widest possible audience.

To be part of Editage’s Open Access Week event, please visit: https://www.editage.com/insights/international-open-access-week

The post Editage joins the global conversation for International Open Access Week 2025 appeared first on CACTUS.

In recognition of his visionary leadership and contributions to AI innovation, Nishchay Shah, Group CTO and EVP, Products and AI at Cactus Communications, has been named one of the ET Edge Top 50 AI Power Players 2025. Nishchay has been focused on shaping CACTUS’ AI strategy, leading the development of breakthrough solutions such as Paperpal that are redefining the future of scholarly communication.

Commenting on the recognition, Nishchay Shah said, “Being recognized among the ET Edge Top 50 AI Power Players is an honor. At CACTUS, we are committed to leveraging AI and human expertise to empower researchers and accelerate the impact of science globally. This recognition reflects the enthusiasm of our teams in pushing the boundaries of innovation and developing AI products and solutions that transform the research ecosystem.”

The felicitation ceremony took place on September 30, 2025, in Mumbai, collocated with the Second Edition of the ET Edge AI Summit & Awards 2025, gathering leading innovators and decision-makers from the AI and technology sectors.

CACTUS’ suite of AI-powered tools includes:

• Paperpal: an AI academic writing and research assistance platform;
• R Discovery: an AI-led literature search and research syenthesis platform;
• Mind the Graph: an AI-powered scientific design tool; and
• Global Journal Database: a state of the art journal finder and submission support platform.

In addition, CACTUS has built AI solutions playground for developers and product innovators to build and scale enterprise solutions across academia and life sciences, reinforcing its position as a leader in AI innovation for research and scholarly communication.

The post Cactus Communications’ AI leadership spotlighted as Nishchay Shah recognized as ET Edge Top 50 AI Power Player appeared first on CACTUS.

As part of the summit, CACTUS’ CEO, Akhilesh Ayer, will join the panel “Enabling Innovation: Infrastructure, Capital & Collaborative Ecosystems” which will bring together leaders from academia and industry to explore strategies for accelerating India’s R&D landscape through stronger infrastructure, greater innovation, and the development of a world-class research ecosystem.

Commenting on the participation, Akhilesh Ayer, CEO, Cactus Communications, said, “India has immense opportunities to strengthen its innovation ecosystem through robust infrastructure, sustained funding, and collaborative networks that connect academia, industry, and government. The integration of AI with human expertise can act as a powerful driver for global leadership. The FICCI Bharat R&D Summit provides a vital platform to shape these discussions and to work with other industry leaders towards advancing India’s position as a global hub for research and innovation.”

Ruchi Chauhan, Vice President & Head of Marketing (ROW), Cactus Communications, added, “CACTUS is committed to advancing India’s research ecosystem by providing researcher-focused solutions that combine cutting-edge AI with human expertise. Our participation at the FICCI Bharat R&D Summit reflects our focus on building stronger partnerships with stakeholders across academia, industry, and government to enable greater global visibility and impact of research.”

In India, CACTUS has partnered with leading academic institutions and national bodies including the IITs, IIMs, IISERs, DBT Research Labs, and DST to provide training programs as well as by offering cutting-edge AI-powered tools. Globally, CACTUS collaborates with leading publishers and institutions to provide services and solutions that combine AI-driven technology with human expertise. These initiatives reflect CACTUS’ commitment to strengthening India’s research ecosystem while advancing the country’s ambition to emerge as a global leader in science and innovation.

The post Cactus Communications collaborates with FICCI Bharat R&D Summit 2025 as an ‘Industry Partner’ appeared first on CACTUS.

The event welcomed over 85 participants, including researchers, faculty deans, and senior decision-makers representing more than 75 universities across Indonesia. Distinguished speakers included officials from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology; the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN); Universitas Diponegoro; and Universitas Airlangga.

The primary objective of the summit was to provide a platform for meaningful dialogue among leading stakeholders including researchers, academic leaders, funders, and policymakers to drive actionable insights for advancing the global presence of Indonesian research. The event also served as an important opportunity to reinforce Editage’s thought leadership in the region and unlock new avenues for strategic collaboration.

Commenting on the partnership with UNAIR and the success of the summit, Ruchi Chauhan, Vice President and Head, Marketing (RoW), Cactus Communications, said, “Our partnership with Universitas Airlangga is a testament to the value of a long-standing collaboration. As one of the first institutions to join hands with Editage in Indonesia, UNAIR has consistently contributed significantly to our regional growth and engagement. The Indonesia Research Summit was a timely and vital platform to deepen our relationships with academic stakeholders and enhance Editage’s visibility. In partnership with UNAIR, the summit reflected the commitment of the Indonesian research community to shape a more impactful and globally recognized scientific community.”

Prof. Hery Purnobasuki, M.Si., Ph.D., Chairman of LIPJPHKI, Universitas Airlangga, emphasized the value of such summits in promoting a strong research culture and raising the international profile of Indonesian scholarship. He stated, “Indonesia’s research ecosystem holds immense promise for global impact, fuelled by technological innovation and the country’s rich natural and intelligent resources. The Indonesia Research Summit was a pivotal event for our academic community to explore best practices in publishing, strengthen collaboration, and secure further international visibility of our research initiatives. We are proud to be associated with Editage as their services have been instrumental in helping our researchers meet international standards and improve the global reach of their work.”

The Indonesia Research Summit 2.1 concluded with a collective commitment to advancing the quality, reach and impact of Indonesian research. With continued collaboration between leading institutes such as Universitas Airlangga and Editage, the future of Indonesia’s academic landscape looks promising and globally connected.

The post Indonesia Research Summit 2.1: Editage and Universitas Airlangga collaborate to accelerate global research impact appeared first on CACTUS.

As part of this strategic collaboration, AWS will provide participating teams with its cutting-edge technology stack, including access to AI/ML services such as Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker, serverless compute infrastructure, and real-world cloud environments. AWS experts will also provide hands-on mentorship to budding AI/ML experts participating in the hackathon. This robust support ensures that the minimum viable products (MVPs) developed during the hackathon are not only innovative but also ready for real-world deployment.

Nishchay Shah, Group CTO and EVP, Products & AI, Cactus Communications, said, “We are excited to bring back a brand new season of our annual hackathon in the form of ‘Agentathon’. This initiative is aimed at igniting minds and transforming bold innovation into tangible solutions, in alignment with our long-term strategic goals. With AWS as our strategic partner, our teams have a technological edge to build smarter, faster, and more scalable solutions that can power the next phase of CACTUS’s growth.”

Running from July 2 to July 24, 2025, the hackathon brings together cross-functional teams from across CACTUS to explore new frontiers in AI, product development, and customer experience. Participants will ideate, build, and present revenue-aligned MVPs that are built for scale.

Agentathon exemplifies CACTUS’s commitment to building a culture of innovation, collaboration, and strategic growth, powered by AI and cloud computing. By combining the power of in-house talent, along with technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing, CACTUS continues to push boundaries and develop future-ready, revenue-generating solutions that extend beyond academia and scholarly communication.

The post Cactus Communications and Amazon Web Services collaborate for the 4th Season of Annual Innovation Hackathon appeared first on CACTUS.