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News Direct, an Alternative Wire Service, Selects Texture Capital’s Online Marketplace for Digital Security Offering

Texture Capital

Texture Capital Inc., a leading digital asset securities broker-dealer, today announced that News Direct, an advanced news and content distribution service designed to meet the demands of modern media outreach, has selected Texture’s online marketplace for their digital security offering. Texture Capital will support capital raising News Direct digital securities, which can also become eligible for trading on Texture's marketplace in the future providing News Direct investors with secondary market liquidity opportunities not typically available to investors in private securities. News Direct aims to redefine the staid, decades-old newswire industry with access to an expansive global network of media agencies, news outlets, and trade press—via an automated, secure, and collaborative workflow that eliminates the costly, time-consuming, and outdated editorial layer of traditional providers, all with no word count or geographic-based pricing parameters. The company is dedicated to providing a best-in-class distribution platform to support the communications needs of a diverse customer base, including PR, investor relations, corporate communications professionals, and content marketers, to help manage, execute, and measure their communications programs. Unique functionality supports the dissemination of expanded multimedia formats such as infographics, video, and images as independent, standalone assets, and the organization places an emphasis on secure access and robust analytics. “News Direct’s comprehensive and API-driven, cloud-based platform is the model for services organizations today,” said Richard Johnson, CEO of Texture Capital. “Having used the platform ourselves, we believe the team has struck a chord with the market and appreciate their focuses on security, workflow, analytics, and overall ease of use. We are proud to welcome News Direct to our platform, and are excited to continue working with them throughout 2022 and beyond.” “Having spent more than 32 years at one of the industry's leading providers, including the last seven as president, I started News Direct because I knew the category was dominated by incumbents that had grown change-averse and overly protective of a historically lucrative, but increasingly outdated, business and service model," said Gregg Castano, Founder and CEO of News Direct. “We’re delivering a novel, reimagined, and simplified workflow to meet the needs of 21st century professionals across communications, PR, investor relations, content marketing, and other segments. As we continue to invest in expanding our team and breaking new ground technologically, working with a partner like Texture Capital—whose entrepreneurial philosophy reflects our own—is an exciting milestone for News Direct.” To learn more about how News Direct plans to shake up the legacy newswire industry, please register here for our informational webinar. About Texture Capital Texture Capital, the institutional marketplace for private capital, is a technology-driven marketplace for institutions and issuers to more efficiently and directly participate in the private markets, improving liquidity, transparency, and access. We leverage blockchain technology and smart contracts to streamline the current market structure for private placements; supporting the primary issuance and secondary trading of digital securities through a regulated broker- dealer and a registered ATS. Please visit https://texture.capital for more information and to stay informed of future updates. About News Direct News Direct is an advanced news and content distribution service designed to meet the demands of modern media outreach. News Direct delivers a completely reimagined distribution workflow, revitalized measurement, and high quality service for highly dynamic, efficient, and flexible distribution. News Direct was founded by Gregg Castano, longtime president of Business Wire. With an insider’s understanding of media outreach, and expertise in strategic planning and management, Gregg leveraged his unique perspective and insight to create a brand new, purpose-built platform for news distribution—News Direct. Investment disclaimer: An investment in News Direct is speculative, involves a high degree of risk and that investors must be prepared to bear the economic risk of their investment for an indefinite period of time and be able to withstand a total loss of their investment. Blockchain is a new technology and unproven in financial markets. There is no guarantee that tokenization will enable any secondary market liquidity in the future and your investment may remain illiquid. Potential investors are strongly advised to consult their legal, tax and financial advisors before investing. Contact Details Karen Morgan +1 917-921-8685 kmorgan@texture.capital Company Website https://www.texture.capital

February 15, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

The Botanist Debuts First-Ever Tv Commercial, “The Spirit of Community,” at Super Bowl LVI In Support of Local Restaurants and Bars Nationwide

YourUpdateTV

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin introduces its first-ever television commercial, “The Spirit of Community,” debuting at the Super Bowl, to drive awareness for local bars and restaurants who continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), the campaign urges all Americans to take action to help the IRC in its efforts to refill the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and promote positive change for the industry. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/ud_lZY0ZiMA The Botanist hails from Bruichladdich Distillery on the Scottish Isle of Islay, one of the few distilleries in the world to be B Corp certified. The distillery believes in using business as a force for good, putting people and purpose in line with profit. The Botanist’s ongoing partnership with the IRC is rooted in its people-centric values, a demonstration of how its community extends far beyond Islay and into the bar and restaurant industry in the U.S. The goal of “The Spirit of Community” campaign is to raise awareness of the critical support still needed for the 500,000 independent restaurants and bars that remain at risk of closure – 90,000 of which initially closed during the first year of the pandemic. Through the campaign, The Botanist and the IRC are mobilizing Americans to show support for the bar and restaurant community in this continued time of hardship. “Local bars and restaurants across the U.S. have been supporting The Botanist since our first distillation on Islay over a decade ago,” said Ian McLernon, President and CEO at Rémy Cointreau Americas. “Thus it was natural for The Botanist, a brand that is an integral part of the community on the island of Islay, to leverage our first-ever TV commercial to help support the community of hospitality staff working at local bars and restaurants across the U.S. during their time of need. Now more than ever, we must do what we can to save the establishments we know and love. Our hope is that our campaign’s debut at the Super Bowl helps amplify the vital message of our partners at the Independent Restaurant Coalition.” The Botanist is proud to bring its community-focused spirit to life through its first-ever commercial debuting on the biggest night in television. The 30-second spot will urge Americans to take action and support their favorite local bars and restaurants. Created by documentary film production company Blacksmith & Jones, the commercial features real-life bar and restaurant staff, amplifying the continued need for support and encouraging viewers to get involved. “Local bars and restaurants are the fabric of our communities across the country. These beloved establishments are still facing potentially insurmountable hardships,” said Tom Colicchio, Founding Member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. “Our industry is on life support right now, and the only way to avoid massive closures is for swift action to be taken by our elected officials. We are grateful to The Botanist for recognizing the spirit of our community and using their platform to help raise awareness of our industry’s struggles during a monumental event like the Super Bowl.” “Hospitality is at the heart of every independent restaurant and bar,” explained Erika Polmar, Executive Director of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. “While you will surely be welcomed with a warm smile as you’re seated in your favorite corner booth, beneath the surface restaurant owners continue to struggle with nearly two years of losses and little financial assistance. Hundreds of thousands of restaurants are at risk of closing permanently, threatening widespread job loss, a massive supply chain disruption, the loss of community gathering spots, and the destruction of family-owned businesses. It’s partners like The Botanist who are helping us fight to keep those businesses and dreams alive.” The Botanist’s “The Spirit of Community” creative will air in 18 TV markets nationwide and digitally across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The Botanist chose to run the ad in some of the America’s most influential food and drink cities, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago, and Miami. The campaign teaser is live now on YouTube. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVG15dSOCjY. To learn more about how to get involved to support your favorite local bars and restaurants visit saverestaurants.com. About Karen Grill: Karen Grill is The Botanist Islay Dry Gin Brand Ambassador. A beverage industry professional in Los Angeles for 12 years, Karen is originally from New Jersey, where she began her career in hospitality at 15. Karen has spent time behind some of Los Angeles' most notable bars and has competed in several bartending competitions throughout her bartending career, earning herself numerous national and global bartending titles. Named Zagat's '30 Under 30' Culinary Game Changer in 2016, Karen is committed to the education and support of the national bartending community in every capacity. About The Botanist: Founded in 2011, The Botanist Islay Dry Gin is distilled and hand-crafted at Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay, a remote island off the west coast of Scotland. It is the first and only Islay Dry Gin – a rare expression of the heart and soul of this wild Scottish isle. Hailing from one of the only B Corp certified distilleries in the world, The Botanist believes in using business as a force for good, putting people and planet in line with profit. The craft liquid is distilled with a unique combination of 22 wild Islay botanicals which are hand-foraged locally and sustainably on the island by The Botanist's professional forager, James Donaldson. The Islay botanicals are slow simmer distilled with pure Islay spring water in a unique Lomond Still, affectionately nicknamed Ugly Betty, by Head Distiller Adam Hannett. The result is a smooth yet complex gin that speaks of Islay. www.thebotanist.com | Instagram @TheBotanistGin_US |Twitter @TheBotanist_US About the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC): The Independent Restaurant Coalition was formed by chefs and independent restaurant owners across the country who have built a grassroots movement to secure vital protections for the nation’s 500,000 independent restaurants and the more than 11 million restaurant workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. About Blacksmith & Jones: Production company Blacksmith & Jones is a motion picture concern focused on story driven filmmaking. Founded by Trevor Jones and Greg Swartz, the company recently produced the documentary feature film The Water of Life. About Rémy Cointreau: All around the world, there are clients seeking exceptional experiences; clients for whom a wide range of terroirs means a variety of flavors. Their exacting standards are proportional to our expertise – the finely-honed skills that we pass down from generation to generation. The time these clients devote to drinking our products is a tribute to all those who have worked to develop them. It is for these men and women that Rémy Cointreau, a family-owned French Group, protects its terroirs, cultivates exceptional multi-centenary spirits and undertakes to preserve their eternal modernity. The Group's portfolio includes 13 unique brands: Rémy Martin and Louis XIII cognacs, Cointreau liqueur, Champagne Telmont, METAXA Greek spirit, Mount Gay rum, St-Rémy brandy, The Botanist gin, and our collection of single-malt whiskies (Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore from Islay, Westland from Seattle and Domaine des Hautes Glaces from the French Alps). Rémy Cointreau has a single ambition: becoming the world leader in exceptional spirits. To this end, it relies on the commitment and creativity of its 1,900 employees and on its distribution subsidiaries established in the Group's strategic markets. Rémy Cointreau is listed on Euronext Paris. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 11, 2022 06:26 PM Eastern Standard Time

Video

Telos Spark Hackathon - Next Level Innovation on the Fastest EVM Can Win You 100,000 Crypto Coins(Tlos)!

Telos Foundation

The Telos Spark Hackathon centers itself on the tEVM, a Web3.0 next level Ethereum Virtual Machine that is ready to generate instant blocks at the most affordable rates. Register today and prepare to deploy your Solidity contracts on the most robust and affordable EVM to date. GameFi, DeFi, NFTs, FilmFi, literally AnyFi, bring it forward. Deploy your contracts and watch them race at speeds and rates never experienced before. Here is video proof of just how fast and inexpensive the tEVM actually is: Telos vs Fantom Telos vs BInance Smart Chain vs Avalanche vs Ethereum *Not paid for -Thank you, Sean Davis! Telos Spark began on February 7th (lasting for a minimum of 4 weeks) and is scheduled to end on March 6th. Spark Hackathon winners will be announced on March 14th, 2022. This being our initial Telos Spark Hackathon, we will not be narrowing this specific competition down into different themes. Although we have a wishlist of sorts, we unanimously decided to leave the competition open so that the innovations pave the path. Developers can Register Here. Telos Foundation is encouraging Solidity developers to bring their best tools and dApps to the tEVM and potentially win a game changing prize which could even possibly evolve into a grant (Telos has it’s Ignite Grant program running in sync to its Spark Hackathon ). Telos has worked diligently to develop the tEVM from the ground up (non-Ethereum Fork) to remedy all of the pitfalls associated with all other EVMs. We have made the tEVM ludicrously fast, implemented fixed nano-sized gas fees, made sure dApps can scale without congestion and have insulated all end users from Front Running / Mev. “This is an incredible opportunity for Ethereum developers to gain a first mover advantage on the fastest, most scalable EVM in the World and win significant prize money. The Telos EVM ecosystem is set to explode in the coming months in a similar fashion to Avalanche, Fantom and Polygon, only bigger with reduced scalability concerns - who wouldn't want to be a part of that?” Justin Giudici, Acting CEO at Telos Foundation. We’re open to feedback from the Ethereum community and would love for you to participate in helping to build towards a better user experience on Telos. You could build EVM Tools to improve the UI or Backend such as: Charts and Statistics Snapshots Airdrops Display, Collection for NFT ́s You could build dApps or Forks applications like: DeFi and DEX innovation (Pancake or similar) Staking and Lending contracts or tools (Maker, Aave, Compound or similar) Innovative NFT Minting contracts (utility, liquidity, timelock...) Ethereum Name Service Fork (yourname.tlos) MultiSig tools or vaults (Gnosis or similar) Play 2 Earn fork / concept Or just bring your cool idea! In partnership with one of our favorite dApps within the Telos ecosystem, Taikai, and our recently launched Mentor support team, we are eager to make the deployment of your Solidity contracts as seamless as possible. Taikai itself is a dApp which specializes in creating streamlined and highly organized hackathons for both the developers and the platforms, and alongside them, hosting Telos Spark will be a breeze. Our mentors are all seasoned and eager to help make the simple deployment process painless. Prizes 1st place: 100,000 TLOS tokens to be sent to a wallet provided by the winning team. 2nd place: 50,000 TLOS tokens to be sent to a wallet provided by the 2nd place team. 3rd – 5th place: 10,000 TLOS tokens to be sent to a wallet provided by each team ranked in 3rd - 5th place. *Think of the odds. Register now. Telos EVM The Telos EVM (tEVM) is a non-Ethereum Fork EVM that is built from the ground up. It is the most robust EVM to date and by many multiples. It is extremely efficient, compiles Solidity and Vyper in a Wasm runtime environment and has been meticulously audited. The tEVM also insulates all DeFi and NFT trades from any Front Running / MEV due to its first in first out mempool protocol, governance, and ludicrous speed. Highlights Energy efficient (currently less than.000002 kWh per transaction and moving towards below zero numbers via offsets) Fastest EVM (instant transactions - half second blocktimes) Super scalable (sustainably capable of hundreds of millions of transactions per day) Truly decentralized (in both its technical architecture and its financial structure - No ICO) Most affordable with the most stable gas fees (stable because gas fees are fixed, while said gas fees are independent and do not move linearly with TLOS coin price) Next level governance (the only layer 1 to make its governance available to any dApp or chain. It can be downloaded in the App Store - Telos Decide) ESG focused - Environmental (striving for carbon neutral), Social (Truly Decentralized - a sanctuary platform), Governance (the only platform to extend the use of its truly democratic governance platform to its entire ecosystem and beyond - Telos Decide) About Telos Telos is a 3rd generation smart contract platform that offers compatibility with Solidity, Vyper and Native C++ smart contracts, providing full EVM/Solidity support as well as a fee-less native smart contract layer upon which the EVM is built. Telos performance is unrivaled in the industry and was purpose-built to offer speed, scalability, cost-effectiveness, decentralization and end-user fairness. The network can sustainably support hundreds of millions of transactions per day, produces blocks in 0.5 second intervals on a first-in-first-out basis (eliminating frontrunning on the network), offers a fee-less native and low per transaction cost EVM (<$0.10), and a fully decentralized block producer network. About The Foundation The Telos Foundation is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization established as a promotional and funding body to advance the Telos Blockchain Network and provide support to network applications. Contact Details Telos Foundation The Team hello@telosfoundation.io Company Website https://www.telos.net/

February 11, 2022 10:20 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video

Carlos Musquez Joins Catalyst Marketing Agency

Catalyst Marketing Agency

Catalyst, a Denver-based creative marketing agency, adds creative leader, Carlos Musquez, to the agency team. As executive creative director, Musquez will lead the agency’s creative culture and drive the creative direction for Catalyst’s clients, including Microsoft, Adobe, and World Kinect. “This pivotal new role for Catalyst will catapult our position as a true creative agency that is driven by strategy and known for delighting our clients,” said Catalyst CEO, Gem Swartz. “Catalyst is experiencing an exciting creative metamorphosis that brings us into 2022 with a renewed focus on exceeding our clients’ expectations with fresh, bold thinking.” Musquez joins Catalyst from ELA Advertising, a Los Angeles-based creative ad agency, after a long history at Omnicom agencies. He has created work for brands including Starbucks, TikTok, Paramount, Nestle, Logitech, Disney, eBay, Sony, Netflix, and Coca-Cola. “I’m not joining the Catalyst team to work at ‘another agency,’” said Musquez. “I am joining a team that is building a transformative creative agency. The vision of the agency’s partners, Gem Swartz and Robin Emiliani, is to build a creative agency that jolts the creativity of our clients, our industry peers, and future friends. That is inspiring. I want to be part of the journey and infuse my global brand experience and passion for delivering breakthrough creative to the team and our clients.” Musquez has been globally recognized by the Addy’s, Creativity, Effie’s, New York Festivals, Communication Arts, Art Directors Club, Clios, and Cannes. When he’s not creating, Musquez is spending time with his family, cooking, or indulging in his passion for cars and auto racing. About Catalyst Catalyst is a creative marketing agency devoted to helping you reach your most audacious marketing goals. We exist to jolt your creativity—giving you the strategy and unexpected creative direction your business needs to capture your customers' attention. Learn more at catalystmarketing.io. Contact Details Catalyst Marketing Agency Robin Emiliani +1 303-842-1189 robin@catalystmarketing.io Company Website https://catalystmarketing.io/

February 10, 2022 07:00 AM Mountain Standard Time

FreshEdge Launches New Website

FreshEdge

FreshEdge, a family of produce and specialty food companies, has launched a refreshed and expanded www.freshedgefoods.com. FreshEdge partnered with DMA Solutions (Dallas, Texas), a marketing agency dedicated to exclusively serving the fresh produce industry. The website creates opportunities for connecting with FreshEdge’s operating companies and engaging in what makes their family unique. FreshEdge now operates with 1,640 employees, approximately 700,250 square feet of warehouse space, with a fleet of more than 650 trucks, delivering fresh food to customers in 22 states. Through rapid growth and consistent execution, FreshEdge has quickly amassed a reputation for adding value throughout the fresh foods industry. “FreshEdge’s new website is a splash of freshness,” said Steve Grinstead, CEO of FreshEdge. “It also symbolizes who we are – a growing family of customer-obsessed fresh food companies who care.” Greg Corsaro, President and COO of FreshEdge, added, “The revamped website reflects FreshEdge’s value proposition of providing dependable, customized solutions with cutting-edge technology for consistent, reliable delivery of fresh food with a sense of family and trust.” “We’re excited about the unique space this new website delivers for connecting FreshEdge, its family, and our industry partners,” said Daniel Corsaro, President of Indianapolis Fruit (FreshEdge retail operating company) and participant in the development of the new site. About FreshEdge FreshEdge was formed in 2019 through the combination of Get Fresh Produce (Bartlett, IL, founded in 1982) and the IF&P Foods family of companies, primarily composed of Indianapolis Fruit (founded 1947) and Piazza Produce (founded 1970). McCartney Produce (Paris, TN) joined the FreshEdge family in November 2020 followed by Valley Produce (Knoxville, TN) in June 2021, Vine Line (Grand Rapids, MI) in October 2021, and Monteverde’s (Pittsburgh, PA) in November 2021. Collectively, these leading fresh food distribution companies have several hundred years’ combined experience serving the grocery and food service industries. In addition, FreshEdge includes two Garden Cut branded fresh-cut processing facilities, a tomato re-packer, a USDA fresh kitchen (CIBUS Fresh), and two transportation companies. Today, FreshEdge is a category leader in providing both the foodservice and retail industries with fruit, vegetables, fresh grab-n-go offerings, dairy, floral and specialty products. For more, visit www.freshedgefoods.com. Contact Details FreshEdge Greg Corsaro +1 317-981-3440 gcorsaro@freshedgefoods.com Company Website https://www.freshedgefoods.com/

February 10, 2022 07:43 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Pickswise Curates the “Top 10 Super Bowl Betting Moments & Controversies” List

Pickswise

Pickswise, the fastest growing independent sports betting content provider in North America, today announced the creation of the “Pickswise Top 10 Super Bowl Betting Moments and Controversies” ahead of Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. The list takes a deep dive into some of the most notable betting events of the past 20 years, exploring everything from spectacular plays that drastically swung the balance of the game to wholly unique Super Bowl situations, including Gatorade confusion and national anthem controversies. The Top 10 Super Bowl betting moments and controversies 10. Patrick Mahomes’ victory kneel down chaos (Super Bowl LIV) 9. Philly Special - Foles & Eagles trick Pats (Super Bowl LII) 8. Controversial Gatorade bath (Super Bowl XLVI) 7. Malcolm Butler goal line interception - Patriots vs Seahawks (Super Bowl XLIX) 6. Devin Hester opening kickoff touchdown return (Super Bowl XLI) 5. Christina Aguilera and Gladys Knight National Anthem controversies (Super Bowl XLV) & (Super Bowl LIII) 4. Steelers come back to beat Cardinals (Super Bowl XLIII) 3. Kurt Warner leads the longshot Rams (Super Bowl XXXIV) 2. Underdog Giants ruin Patriots perfection (Super Bowl XLII) 1. Patriots 28-3 comeback, win in OT vs Falcons (Super Bowl LI) “The Super Bowl is the pinnacle of sports betting since almost every aspect of the event can be bet on, from the coin toss to the final score. All these moments are then amplified as an estimated 24 million Americans will bet nearly $5 billion on the game,” said Jared Smith, lead betting analyst at Pickswise. “It was important for us to develop an inclusive list showcasing how fortunes have swung on everything from the Patriots historic comeback in Super Bowl LI to Gladys Knight causing a stir by hitting some extra notes in Super Bowl LIII. Anything and everything can happen during the Super Bowl, which makes it so compelling and exciting.” In addition to the list of memorable betting moments, Smith and Pickswise host Lauren Jbara have provided key analysis to this year’s most popular Super Bowl betting markets, found on Pickswise’s Super Bowl Hub. “Our Super Bowl Hub serves as a one-stop destination for all those looking to make a more informed decision come Super Bowl Sunday,” said Jbara. “With breakdowns on everything from sides and totals to key props and betting trends, we have been able to put all a bettor needs ahead of the big game in one place.” Pickswise is owned by Spotlight Sports Group, a world-leading technology, content and media company specializing in sports betting and fantasy sports. ABOUT PICKSWISE Pickswise is a digital platform that provides free wagering research, insights and analysis from experts in every major sport. Based in New York and part of Spotlight Sports Group, Pickswise is one of the fastest-growing publishers of sports betting content in the U.S. For more information, visit Pickswise.com. ABOUT SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP Spotlight Sports Group (owned by Exponent Private Equity) is a leading technology, content and media business specializing in sports betting. Evolved from the Racing Post Group, Spotlight Sports Group engages millions of people directly through Racing Post, Pickswise, Free Super Tips, Fantasy Alarm and myracing. The company also has decades of experience in powering growth and conversion for the world’s biggest sportsbooks and media companies, delivering best-in-class technology and expert scalable content experiences in more than 70 languages. Contact Details Hot Paper Lantern Michael Adorno +1 212-931-6143 madorno@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://www.pickswise.com/

February 08, 2022 08:31 AM Eastern Standard Time

Kivvit Announces Addition of Top-Level Talent

Kivvit

Kivvit today announced a transformative expansion with 10 new hires – including a cohort of four new Managing Directors – marking the largest expansion of Kivvit’s senior leadership team since the firm’s founding twenty years ago. Joining Kivvit’s senior leadership as Managing Directors are Arielle Goren, Aaron Mays, Terri Sanders, and Jalisa Washington-Price. “Kivvit is singularly focused on attracting great professionals who can thrive in our unique operating structure, which focuses equally on sectors, industries and geographies, supported with a suite of internal service teams. This work culture creates a platform for our team to do our best work and constantly grow professionally,” said Kivvit founder and CEO Eric Sedler. Other recent additions to the Kivvit team include: Katie Coleman, Principal (Chicago) Iris Dew, Brand Strategy Senior Associate (Chicago) Alex Hanns, Principal (Chicago) Mashal Hashem, Associate (New York) Christine Lee, Senior Associate (New York) MJ Sheckles, Talent Manager (DC) These latest hires cap a year of expansion for Kivvit that included record revenue growth, the launch of a new talent team and brand strategy team, and a doubling in size of the firm’s digital and insights teams. MANAGING DIRECTOR PROFILES: Arielle Goren Arielle specializes in messaging, strategic counsel, executive and crisis communications. Before Kivvit, Arielle founded and lead Juno Strategies, a boutique communications consultancy where she developed and executed social impact campaigns on behalf of start-up and non-profit clients. In that capacity, she helped launch San Francisco and Oakland’s COVID-19 emergency relief funds, mobilized a coalition in support of expanded healthcare access for gig workers, and highlighted technological innovations being used to preserve the stories of Holocaust survivors. Arielle also previously honed her business, tech, executive and crisis communications skills as one of Uber’s early hires to its Policy & Communications team. Arielle began her career as an aide to Senator Chuck Schumer and has held senior positions as a speechwriter and communications advisor in New York State and Los Angeles City government, as well as on Hillary Clinton’s historic 2016 presidential campaign. Aaron Mays Aaron Mays is an award-winning PR professional and media relations strategist based in Chicago. Before Kivvit, Aaron led his own communications firm, where he worked with clients in the US and the UK. He has devised numerous earned media campaigns over the course of his career, securing placements in local and national outlets, as well as across the globe in Mexico, Canada, the UK, sub-Saharan Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. Prior to that, he served in communications roles at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, The Axis Agency, and Rise Interactive. Terri Sanders Terri is an award-winning marketing, branding, and communications expert with more than 20 years of experience. She works across industries in brand development and positioning, marketing strategy, consumer research, audience development, and crisis communications. Prior to joining Kivvit, Terri served as the chief marketing and communications officer for HIMSS, where she was responsible for global management of its brands as well as marketing, communications, design, and UI/UX. Before that, she worked in communications and branding at The Chartis Group, and previously Terri served as director of corporate brand and strategy at AIM Specialty Health. In 2019, she received the Power 50 - Women Transforming their Industries award. Jalisa Washington-Price Jalisa is a decorated campaign strategist. Jalisa most recently worked at iHeartMedia as VP, Political & Advocacy. Jalisa also worked on the Joe Biden presidential campaign, serving as Senior Political Advisor to vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. In 2021 Jalisa was the Director of the Office of the Vice President-elect for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Jalisa has also held senior leadership positions at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, worked on a number of congressional and statewide campaigns and worked on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. In 2020 Jalisa was named 40 under 40 in Government and Politics by Fortune. She has made appearances on MSNBC and CNN. About Kivvit Kivvit is one of the largest and fastest-growing independent strategic communications and public affairs firms in the United States, with over 130 professionals across six offices in Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. Kivvit has earned over 60 awards and recognitions in the past 5 years, including Public Affairs of the Year (Reed Awards), Digital Agency of the Year (PRovoke SABRE North America), Most Innovative Agency (Bulldog Stars of PR Awards), and a Best Agency to Work For (PRovoke). Kivvit also leads O'Dwyer's national rankings of independent communications firms across multiple categories, including #1 for Non Profits, #2 for Energy, #3 for Corporate Social Responsibility, #3 for Real Estate, and #4 for Education. Contact Details Kivvit Zach Silber +1 212-929-0669 zsilber@kivvit.com Company Website https://www.kivvit.com/

February 04, 2022 03:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Osmo From BYJU’s Names Kar-Han Tan, Ph.D., Head of Computer Vision and Machine Learning

Osmo

Award-winning STEAM brand, Osmo from BYJU’S, announces Kar-Han Tan’s appointment as Head of Computer Vision and Machine Learning, effective immediately. With three decades leading teams in robotics and AI research and development, Tan will further the development of a world-class computer vision and AI platform that aids in the creation of new products, games, and devices incorporating gains made in deep learning technology. In addition, he will lead a growing global team to research, develop, and optimize new algorithms for computer vision and AI-enabled features such as object detection, object recognition, hand tracking, pattern matching, and hand-drawing analysis, among others, all in an effort to create the best learning tools and outcomes.. “We were impressed by Kar-Han’s extensive experience leading R&D teams in robotics, AI, and deep learning,” says Mark Solomon, Senior Vice President of Products and Platform at BYJU’S. “His background will help Osmo expand the usage of computer vision technology across BYJU’S various products and platforms, further meeting the needs of learners of all ages everywhere.” Tan, who was born and educated in Singapore, most recently founded Helpful Robotics LLC, which designed and built an AI-enabled autonomous assistive robot from the ground up, and fostered a collaboration between scientists and engineers located in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the University of California San Francisco, and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “It’s an important moment for Osmo to capitalize on the explosive breakthroughs in computer vision technology driven by advances in deep learning in recent years,” says Tan, a father of two school-aged children who is passionate about kids’ at-home learning utilizing game-based play. “When combined with advances in neural engines and discoveries of new algorithms for devices, it offers a realm of new capabilities for all devices. Osmo is part of a new ‘space age,’ transforming what was previously imagined as sci-fi fantasy into a concrete reality within the realm of gamified learning and tools.” Between 2017 and 2019, Tan was Head of Product Research and Development at Singapore Telecommunications in Singapore, where he built and led an end-to-end research and development organization and led a number of engineering teams. He helped form the Singtel Cognitive and Artificial Intelligence Lab for Enterprise (SCALE) including a collaboration between Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), which focused on resolving various challenges faced by cities in keeping their infrastructure facilities in top working condition, through the use of smart sensors embedded with AI. Tan was also involved in product launches for a cloud-based open robotic fleet management platform, an AI-powered IoT platform, a smart camera system using Edge intelligence, and an immersive 3D physical security management system. Prior to this, Tan was Vice President of Engineering at NovuMind in Silicon Valley, where he formed and led the software and deep learning algorithms team, in addition to leading the development of a proprietary system for deep learning-based, real-time, unconstrained face recognition system that was installed in an office building in China, to monitor times of entries and exits. Before NovuMind, he was Principal Engineer at Hewlett Packard Personal Systems and later promoted to Head of Advanced Development. He served as technical lead for the computer vision software team for Sprout by HP, the first consumer product to integrate a 3D camera and incorporate 3D scanning capability. Tan’s research and development career also includes working for HP Labs, Epson, and Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab. Tan earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science specializing in computer vision technology from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a M.S. in Computer Science specializing in robotics from UCLA, and a B.Sc. in Computer Science from National University of Singapore. Tan holds over 60 patents, and his research has been published and cited in numerous academic and trade journals. About Osmo From BYJU’S Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand, wholly owned by BYJU’S, the leading global edtech company. Osmo and Osmo Education products are used in over 2.5 million homes and 50,000 classrooms, respectively. Osmo builds a universe of hands-on, curriculum-based learning experiences that nourish the minds of children by unleashing the power of imagination. The brand brings physical tools into the digital world through augmented reality and its proprietary reflective artificial intelligence. Learn more at PlayOsmo.com and Osmo Education. About BYJU’S Launched in 2011, BYJU’S is the world’s leading education technology company for students Pre K-12 and is beloved by 100 million students around the world. By making learning contextual and visual, not just theoretical, BYJU’S is paving the way for new-age, geography-agnostic learning tools that sit at the cross-section of mobile, interactive content and personalized learning methodologies. To learn more, go to: byjus.com/us. Contact Details Osmo Lisa Fujioka lisa@tangibleplay.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

February 03, 2022 05:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

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Customer Experience Equally Important as Price for Today’s Modern Consumer

imimobile

Good customer service is a key driver of repeat business, according to 75% of respondents 61% are willing to pay more for a better experience and 55% would change brands to receive better customer service Different generations have varying levels of comfort for different service needs, such as 19% of both Gen Z and young millennials would use social media to ask questions about a product/service compared to 4% of Baby Boomers, and 71% of Gen Z respondents would use a digital channel to manage orders, reservations and appointments compared to only 32% of Baby Boomers 47% of respondents say they believe good customer service is more important now than it was 12 months ago, pointing to integrated paths of communication in the physical and digital worlds being critical.To learn more about the findings, download the full report here. Customer experience (CX) has become as pivotal as price when it comes to purchasing decisions, demonstrating its importance to business success and a conversation that must break into the boardroom, according to research published today by global cloud communications software and solutions provider, imi mobile, part of Webex. The findings indicated a growing challenge for brands to balance and deliver three customer experience elements across all customer touchpoints – resolution, customer rapport and relevance, which imi mobile has designated the “CX Trilemma” and points to CX as a major business imperative. The inaugural “ 2022 CX Trilemma Report,” surveyed 2,000-plus U.S. and U.K consumers about qualities for good customer experience and presents findings that uncover shifting consumer preferences. Specifically, the report reveals preferences for how and when respondents want to engage and communicate with their favorite brands and businesses. Some key highlights: “Customers expect brands to meet them through their preferred channel, at their desired time with the information they require, and businesses who aren’t scaling to deliver against this increasing customer expectation will fade away,” said Jay Patel, VP & GM, Webex CPaaS. “The good news is that world-class CX can now be delivered by cloud-based technology. There are easy-to-use, multi-channel cloud communication platforms that enable businesses to orchestrate and automate their customer interactions on one, central platform, enabling the ability to resolve issues quickly, build rapport with customers and drive relevant experiences. Improving customer experience is the key business priority for 2022 that can directly impact the bottom line.” The CX Trilemma Report reveals that organizations truly committed to solving the CX challenge must support multiple channels and navigate new technology and innovation to not only meet but exceed customer expectations, especially for the Gen Z and millennials who are increasingly using more digital channels. For organizations serving multiple demographics or offering a diverse set of services, one channel simply can’t give every customer a satisfying journey. Resolution: Resolving customer problems, queries, and complaints, while being proactive with updates on products and services remain a cornerstone of a great customer experience. Respondents identified simplicity (79%), consistency (78%), speed (76%) and convenience (73%) as fundamental to resolution. Furthermore, 75% of respondents said quick resolutions influence repeat transactions. Rapport: Those surveyed called out brands for displaying a lack of empathy, transparency, and honesty as well as an inability to understand frustrations as reasons for a poor customer experience and dissuades them from using a brand or business altogether. Of this, 64% cited repeating information to different teams and having to proactively chase agents as leading factors for poor customer experience, which can also lead to negative word-of-mouth, reviews, and a tarnished reputation. Relevance: In a post-pandemic era, relevance is becoming an increasingly important part of the customer experience mix – communicating with customers on the channels they want to use, meeting them where they are and at the most convenient time (67%) while also delivering relevant, personalized communications are key for successful customer engagement (60%). What’s more, the findings unveil that every generation, industry, and region have varying preferences in regard to channels, when to be contacted and personalization of communications. “Finding the right communications mix for your customers requires a deep, nuanced understanding of them and your processes, and they are very different to those of just two years ago. To reach them in the right way, businesses need communications that work best for everyone, and this requires technical capabilities and expertise to orchestrate end-to-end customer journeys across multiple channels.” stated Patel. While you can support multiple communications channels manually, technologies such as Enterprise CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) make it easier to manage multiple channels, comply with regulations, and deliver a consistent, connected customer experience. About imimobile imimobile, part of Webex, provides cloud communications software and services that manage business-critical customer interactions at scale. We believe that customer experience is the key competitive advantage for consumer businesses. So, we’re creating a world where enterprises can stay constantly connected to their customers. A world where every touchpoint, on every channel, is an opportunity to deliver rich, engaging, intuitive experiences. Our API and low-code Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) offering enables large enterprises to automate, orchestrate and monitor their customer interactions all on one platform. This helps businesses to lower costs, reduce complexity and accelerate IT roadmaps. Our innovative platform and applications are being used at scale today by blue-chip global enterprises and leading public-sector organizations to deliver smarter customer interactions, such as AA, Best Buy, BT, Capitec Bank, Centrica, EE, IHG, Mercedes, Orange, O2, Vodafone and Walgreens. The business was acquired by Cisco Systems in February 2021 and has global offices across the UK, USA, Canada, India, and South Africa. www.imimobile.com. Contact Details Kite Hill PR Michael Kocher +1 704-960-2295 michael@kitehillpr.com

February 01, 2022 12:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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