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Velocity Global welcomes LPGA Tour Stars Lexi Thompson and Albane Valenzuela as brand ambassadors

Velocity Global

Velocity Globa l, the leading provider of global talent solutions, welcomed 11-time LPGA Tour champion, Lexi Thompson, and former Stanford collegiate standout and rising LPGA star, Albane Valenzuela, as global golf brand ambassadors. Both 2021 Olympians will display the Velocity Global logo on their hats throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Thompson and Valenzuela join six-time PGA TOUR champion and 2021 DP World Tour BMW PGA champion, Billy Horschel, and four-time Advocates Pro Golf Association (APGA) Tour champion, Kevin Hall, as global brand ambassadors for Velocity Global. “Studies are backed by stories from our clients and employees on how important ‘work anywhere’ is to women, and it was time for us to welcome two of the best professionals in the world of golf to help us tell that story,” said Rob Wellner, Velocity Global chief revenue officer. “Lexi and Albane carry our message to a global audience that embraces the opportunity to work for anyone, anywhere. We can’t wait to support both of them as they compete around the world.” Thompson is one of the biggest stars on the LPGA Tour and across all of sports, and has been a top performer since she turned pro in 2010 at the age of 15. She owns 14 worldwide professional victories, including one major championship, and she is currently ranked 12th on the Rolex Rankings. She has represented the U.S.A. five times at the Solheim Cup and twice as an Olympian in Rio and Tokyo. She turned her passion for fitness and self-care into businesses as an entrepreneur with her LEXI Skin and LEXI Fitness brands. “I’m blessed to apply my talents all over the world, and that’s what Velocity Global makes possible for other professions,” said Thompson. “They help people work for anyone, anywhere around the world. And as an entrepreneur, I love their passion for helping businesses grow. Velocity Global is a perfect fit and I’m proud to represent them.” Valenzuela is truly a global citizen of the game as she was born in New York, moved to Mexico at a young age, and later grew up in Switzerland. Her father is from Mexico and her mother is from France, which led to her fluencies in English, French, Spanish, and German. She had a historic collegiate career at Stanford University where she competed in 11 major championships as an amateur, was the 2019 Pac-12 Golfer of the Year, and was a two-time runner-up in the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Albane turned pro in 2020 and represented Switzerland in the last two Olympic games. She uses her platform on the LPGA Tour to support her other passion, Alexis for Autism, a foundation established with and named after her brother that raises funds for associations, foundations, and medical research for autism. “I grew up in a family that knows what it means to be global citizens, and I found a partner in Velocity Global that aligns with that world view,” said Valenzuela. “Golf is truly a global sport. To achieve success, you must perform against anyone, anywhere. That’s exactly what Velocity Global enables for businesses and talent.” Thompson and Valenzuela begin their 2022 seasons at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio on January 27. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience to employ any talent anywhere with just a click through its proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. As the largest global Employer of Record (also known as International PEO) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, more than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. The company offers additional services including Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com For Lexi Thompson Brett Falkoff, VP, Golf, GSE Worldwide bfalkoff@gseworldwide.com For Albane Valenzuela Jon Heaton, VP, Excel Sports Management jheaton@excelsm.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

January 11, 2022 07:01 AM Mountain Standard Time

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Elsevier launches Complete Anatomy female model, the most advanced full female anatomy model available in the world

Elsevier

The innovative 3D solution marks a major milestone in education equality with the representation of the full female anatomy in the study of the human body The launch is coming at a time when females are more likely to be misdiagnosed for health conditions compared to male counterparts Elsevier, a global leader in research publishing and information analytics, is pleased to announce the launch of the most advanced 3D full female model ever available, as part of the latest addition to its 3D platform, Complete Anatomy. This marks the first time that a female model has been built with this level of detail in its entirety, to represent the female — versus replacing specific areas of the male anatomy with female features. The solution allows educators to visualize, edit and teach anatomy entirely from the female perspective for the first time, all in stunningly realistic 3D detail. Complete Anatomy is a revolutionary cloud-based medical education platform from 3D4 Medical by Elsevier and is the No. 1 top-selling medical category app on iPad in the U.S., with over 20 million downloads globally. The launch signifies a major milestone in equal representation by preparing medical, nursing and allied health students with the most complete understanding of the female anatomy. Historically, the full female anatomy has been underrepresented in the study of the human body. Now, educators can choose the sex with which they’d like to teach their full curriculum, in addition to having the option of switching between male and female anatomies to teach comparative differences in sex-specific regions of the body. The Complete Anatomy female model provides educators with a more comprehensive teaching approach that allows them to switch seamlessly between teaching both female and male anatomy. Elizabeth Munn, Managing Director, Global Medical Education, Elsevier, said: “As an advocate for content that is diverse and inclusive, we are thrilled to offer this groundbreaking full female model to allow educators to teach anatomy in an equal and comprehensive way. Complete Anatomy is continuing Elsevier’s rich heritage of innovation in education by delivering on our vision of providing transformative medical education solutions. We are proud to take this step forward in addressing gender bias and believe Complete Anatomy’s female model will have a tremendous impact on the educational experience of medical students worldwide as well as on the outcomes of patients they treat in the future.” Informed by four years of expert research and development, anthropological data from specialist texts, academic papers and customer feedback, the addition of the female model to Complete Anatomy’s 3D platform provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the female form in more detail than before. Complete Anatomy’s female model will benefit all courses that teach anatomy and is an essential virtual tool for learners studying outside the lab who need a deeper understanding of both male and female anatomies. The Complete Anatomy female model includes: The full skeletal system — A complete female skeletal system includes a wide array of unique features, rarely seen in anatomical texts. Sexual differences have been applied to areas such as the pelvis and skull. Long bones have been proportioned, and bone angles accurately reflect the uniquely female architectural skeletal base. Accurate portrayal of muscles — To create an accurate representation of the female anatomy, the overall volume of muscle mass for each muscle has been reduced by roughly 30%, in line with research findings from the broadest demographic of females as compared to males. Visually detailed female-specific regions — The female-specific regions have been created in detail that is equivalent to the male counterpart. Breast tissue can be hemisected or quartered to reveal the underlying tissues with a more accurate distribution and representative state of the mammary glands, now shown as nonlactating, unlike most anatomical resources. The reproductive organs from the internal and external genitalia have been remodeled to accurately show their continued relationship. Comparative functionality — Users can switch between models for comparative study on any part of the male and female forms, compare sexual differences and reveal the origin and distribution of nerves. Users can learn continuity from a “Gray’s Anatomy”-inspired atlas and dissection course, take quizzes and watch videos to test their skills. Lead subject matter expert on the update Yasmin Carter, PhD, Assistant Professor of Translational Anatomy at the UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA said: “One of the inherent dangers in using only the male body as ‘anatomical normal’ and the female body as a variation, is perpetuating sexist attitudes. This unconscious bias will be carried by learners into their future interactions with the body, including potentially with patients. Complete Anatomy is creating a platform of representation that is diverse, balanced, and most importantly, accurate. By giving educators the option to choose the female body as the basis for their students’ education, Elsevier is helping evolve equitable teaching practices by normalizing the female body. Complete Anatomy’s female model will support me in training the next generation of medical professionals to be more appropriate and inclusive.” Elsevier has been working continuously to enhance its global portfolio of medical education solutions, digital learning tools and analytics for medical and nursing students to prepare them for successful careers in health professions. Recently, Elsevier announced the acquisition of Osmosis, a visual learning platform for medical students and professionals, which followed other acquisitions in nursing and health education, including Shadow Health, a developer of virtual nursing simulations, and the 2019 acquisition of 3D4 Medical, the creator of the Complete Anatomy app. In addition, Elsevier launched ClinicalKey Student, an interactive medical education platform equipped with learning tools to support both students and faculty. --- About Complete Anatomy Complete Anatomy from 3D4 Medical by Elsevier is the world's most advanced 3D anatomy platform. The revolutionary cloud-based education platform allows users to investigate the minute detail of the human anatomy in incredible 3D. Complete Anatomy is transforming medical learning and practice across the world, leading the way in the production of groundbreaking 3D medical technology. Featuring over 2.5 million registered customers and over 20 million downloads globally, Complete Anatomy is used daily in over 350 top universities around the world as well as with global clinical organizations. Complete Anatomy’s award-winning software has been featured on stage at Apple and Microsoft events, was honored as the Winner of the Apple Design Awards in 2016, and is the No. 1 top-selling medical category app on iPad in the U.S. 3D4 Medical has been developing medical and anatomical products since 2009 and was acquired by Elsevier in 2019. 3D4 Medical by Elsevier has continued to provide industry-leading innovations that have allowed new ways for students, educators and those in the medical community to learn and understand the human anatomy. To learn more about Complete Anatomy’s female model and the experience it provides users, please visit the 3D4 website. About Elsevier As a global leader in information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making for customers across the global research and health ecosystems. In everything we publish, we uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity. We bring that same rigor to our information analytics solutions for researchers, health professionals, institutions and funders. Elsevier employs 8,100 people worldwide. We have supported the work of our research and health partners for more than 140 years. Growing from our roots in publishing, we offer knowledge and valuable analytics that help our users make breakthroughs and drive societal progress. Digital solutions such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath support strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and health education. Researchers and healthcare professionals rely on our 2,500+ digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell; our 40,000 eBook titles; and our iconic reference works, such as Gray's Anatomy. With the Elsevier Foundation and our external Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board, we work in partnership with diverse stakeholders to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research and healthcare in developing countries and around the world. Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.elsevier.com Media contact Teresa Mueller, Vice President, Global Health Markets Elsevier Communications t.mueller@elsevier.com Contact Details Elsevier Communications Teresa Mueller, Vice President, Global Health Markets +31 6 20987384 t.mueller@elsevier.com Company Website https://www.elsevier.com/

January 10, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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The Akshaya Patra Foundation US receives $50,000 from Bearbottom Clothing for Midday Meal Program

The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA

The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA (Akshaya Patra), one of the largest school lunch providers in the world, is pleased to announce that Bearbottom Clothing is pledging $50,000 to The Foundation’s flagship Mid-Day Meal program to offer hot, nutritious lunches to 2,500 children in government and government-aided schools in Bangalore. This contribution will address malnutrition among the most underserved children in India. By providing at least one nutritious meal per school day, the program seeks to increase enrollment & attendance rates, enhance energy levels, reduce attrition rates and improve socialization among castes. “I am so grateful to Bearbottom for their generosity as we kickstart our Midday Meal program - a program that reaches millions of hungry children, every day, across schools all over India.” Navin Goel, Chief Executive Officer of Akshaya Patra, stated. “Their continuing support reinforces the fact that we have a shared goal of ensuring that no child will ever have to choose between a meal and obtaining an education.” QUOTE FROM BEARBOTTOM. “Leveraging our buy-one-give-one model, our team is proud to be able to provide this donation to the amazing Mid-Day Meal program. We look forward to continuing to grow our support of this program and the positive impact it has on so many lives. We are grateful to be able to assist in the work that the team at The Akshaya Patra Foundation is doing.” - Robert Felder, Founder & CEO About Bearbottom Clothing Bearbottom Clothing aims to be the go-to online men’s apparel brand for everyday comfort. We make clothing emphasizing versatility, fit, and value while supporting the communities that help build our brand. Leveraging a buy-one-give-one model, we’ve been able to provide aid to those in need who are local to both our production facilities (India) and our HQ (Tampa Bay). These donations have included clothing, masks, and meals. Visit bearbottomclothing.com to find out more. Bearbottom Clothing Contact Robert Felder, Founder & CEO: robertfelder@bearbottomclothing.com Megan Simon, Director of Operations: megan.simon@bearbottomclothing.com About Akshaya Patra Established in 2000, Akshaya Patra is the world’s largest NGO school meal program, providing hot, nutritious school lunches to over 1.8 million children in over 19,257 schools through 57 kitchens in 12 states and two Union Territories in India. It costs only $20 to feed a child for an entire school year. Since the COVID-19 lockdown began on March 24th, Akshaya Patra has served more than 118 million meals to migrant workers and our beneficiaries and their families. Contact Details Akshaya Patra Foundation USA +1 781-438-3090 contact@apusa.org Company Website https://wwww.foodforeducation.org

January 04, 2022 03:06 PM Eastern Standard Time

Velocity Global hires Colin McDonagh from Facebook to expand contractor management expertise

Velocity Global

Velocity Global, the leading provider of global talent solutions, today announced it welcomed Colin McDonagh as its vice president of Emerging Business. McDonagh applies more than a decade of experience innovating programs to source top contractor talent for global companies. McDonagh is a frequent expert speaker and contributor on the Future of Work and was the architect for Meta’s (formerly Facebook) highly respected Direct Source program. “We help companies work with anyone, anywhere, anyhow. Colin is an expert on all three,” said Eric Schroeder, Velocity Global chief operating officer. “Colin built a world-class contractor program at one of the largest companies on the planet and solved the complexities that stand between flexible talent and getting work done. He’ll apply that knowledge for our clients and our own triple-digit growth.” Velocity Global’s work platform combines the company’s proprietary cloud-based talent management technology, personalized expertise, and unmatched global scale to build globally distributed teams. More than 1,000 clients rely on Velocity Global’s platform in 185 countries and all 50 United States without the need to set up their own legal entities or state registrations. “There’s no such thing as a company that relies solely on internal employees. Companies like Meta can’t execute big ideas without a diverse workforce from every corner of the globe,” said McDonagh. “I chose to join Velocity Global to contribute proven methods to simplify the process to work with anyone, anywhere, anyhow and honestly change the future of work at incredible scale,” said McDonagh. McDonagh is based in Dublin, Ireland, and is building a global team to deliver products and solutions for contractors and freelancers. Those positions are posted with other Velocity Global opportunities at https://velocityglobal.com/about-us/careers/. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience to employ any talent anywhere with just a click through its proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. As the largest global Employer of Record (also known as International PEO) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, more than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. The company offers additional services including Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across five continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 johnhall@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

December 13, 2021 07:01 AM Mountain Standard Time

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"EduStartup 20+" Goes Global: Game-based EdTech Startups Report International Success during COVID-19 Pandemic

CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 10 December 2021 - In 2021, the keyword for startups around the world is education technology, or "EdTech". This new sector is full of potential. "EduStartup 20+", a collaboration between the National Development Council (NDC) and CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing, is working closely with promising Taiwanese online learning startups, such as AmazingTalker, Hahow, VoiceTube, and Snapask—but that's not all. Game-based EdTech startups are bucking the trend and delivering astounding results worldwide. Game-based EdTech startups are bucking the trend and delivering astounding results worldwide. (Source: Qbi) The EdTech startup MEandMine, which integrates the concepts of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and STEAM education, began working with the ecommerce giant Amazon in the third quarter of this year. It has completed an initial seed round of financing led by Wistron, collecting NT$60 million in investments. In the two years since it has gone public, the estimated value of the company has surpassed NT$200 million. In the future, MEandMine will continue to roll out picture books and game boxes that will help children learn through explorative experiences. The hands-on play experiences designed by MEandMine can help children learn more about themselves, discover their emotional strength, and inspire them to develop inner resilience. Another startup that specializes in STEAM educational toys is Qbi, which manufactures magnetic blocks that are proudly "MIT", made in Taiwan. Qbi has also had a stellar year: its annual revenue grew by 400%, with a total of 20,000 units sold worldwide. At the end of 2020, Qbi launched its second generation of products and generated a lot of buzz in Taiwan and Japan through its crowdfunding efforts. Qbi is not only famous in Asia; it has successfully entered the European and U.S. markets, with parents from Switzerland to the United States buying Qbi toys for their children. Qbi will continue to expand its global operations. In 2022, it plans to concentrate on marketing in Southeast Asia, so more families can learn about the exciting educational toy brand from Taiwan. Shepherd Kit, Inc. is a Taiwanese team that designs original tabletop board games; its products are even sold in the British Museum. Last year, it established a new company called Real Engine, which focuses on producing a board game development system for designers who want to create their own intellectual properties. Recently, CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing became its official distributor. It is anticipated that this EdTech startup will continue to produce innovative board games and services. The NDC has spared no effort to establish Taiwan's national startup brand, "Startup Island Taiwan". By supporting and promoting Taiwanese EdTech startups on the world stage, the NDC hopes that the international community will benefit from Taiwan's creative energy for many years to come. Contact Details CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing Roan Lin roanlin@cw.com.tw

December 10, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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NDC Invigorates Ecosystem for Taiwanese EdTech Startups, Creates Engine for Future Growth

CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 3 December 2021 - In 2021, investment in education around the world doubled. According to the "2021 Taiwan Startup Ecosystem Report" published by global accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in November, the number one keyword for enterprise startups is education technology, or "edtech". More than 40% of startups surveyed responded that they were solely focused on edtech. In the era of artificial intelligence, 5G communications, and blockchains, edtech has become the hot new trend that will revolutionize education; because creating a new education system is key to nurturing tomorrow's talented minds. Ever since it spearheaded the Asia Silicon Valley Development Plan (ASVDP) and created the national startup brand "Startup Island Taiwan" in 2016, the National Development Council (NDC) has set its eye on invigorating Taiwan's startup ecosystem. Its contributions to the edtech startup scene in Taiwan include the sponsorship of the plan to "Accelerate Taiwan's Education Startups on the World Stage" for two consecutive years, headed by Taiwan's foremost parenting and education brand CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing, and investment in Taiwan's online learning startups PaGamO and Hahow. The plan to "Accelerate Taiwan's Education Startups on the World Stage" involves the selection of twenty promising Taiwanese edtech startups and providing them with the critical resources they need to succeed, as well as investment in CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing's annual branding extravaganza, the "International Conference on Education Innovation", for more than ten years. This year's "International Conference on Education Innovation" revolves around the theme of "Sustainability X Education". Over 125,000 participants attended the hybrid online and offline forum. Nearly fifty speakers, representing the business and education sectors, were invited from the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland, and Taiwan. Notable guests included Taiwan's former vice president Chen Chien-jen; Rob Riordan, co-founder of Silicon Valley's incredibly popular High Tech High; and Abner Chao, Founder and CEO of AmaizingTalker, a Taiwanese online learning startup that boasts an annual revenue of one billion Taiwan dollars and continues to double its value every year. The National Development Council will continue to be the driving force behind Taiwan's edtech startups. It will keep working with private platforms to create digital content and services, as well as propel digital education in middle schools, build smart classrooms, and provide tablet computers for schoolchildren in remote areas. It will also improve 5G communications integration through smart education, train talent in the digital era, and nurture bilingual skills. Ultimately, its aim is to introduce a greater number of rapidly growing Taiwanese startups to the world stage, so the international community can witness and benefit from Taiwan's creative energy. Contact Details Media Contact Roan Lin roanlin@cw.com.tw

December 03, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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How One Artist Merged Man and Machine

The Kirby Foundation

Nestled in Loveland, Colorado, is artist Paul Kirby’s studio. Inside that studio stands a 10-foot by 10-foot AI-powered robot named Dulcinea, capable of producing masterful paintings with exquisite brushwork in the manner of the Renaissance virtuosos. Kirby created Dulcinea, named after a character in Don Quixote, as his partner, muse and medium — a delicate dance between man and machine. Unlike other efforts to recreate art with artificial intelligence, Kirby didn’t design Dulcinea to think like a human being. He designed her to paint like a human being, relying on both his artistic skills and his coding prowess in a process he calls “ fusioneering, ” the pursuit of a single vision while combining multiple passions or interests. “My mission was to combine my expertise and passion for technology, science and invention, with my love of art and aesthetics,” said Kirby. Now Dulcinea has a different mission. In hopes to inspire others, Kirby produced a film documenting Dulcinea’s creation and his 40-year journey to embody fusioneering. Entitled “ Brushstroke,” the short documentary film chronicles the pain and passion that fueled him, his work, and Dulcinea’s creation. In his story, we realize that art and science can become one, that our disparate strengths can all work together and that a steadfast commitment to our dreams will make them a reality —no matter how unconventional. "While I remain passionate about creating in collaboration with Dulcinea," he says, "my focus for the work has changed. She stands as a role model now, the manifestation that anyone can carve out a unique path for themselves by cultivating and combining their strengths and passions.” The film has been included in both the Vail Film Festival and the Portland Film Festival, with more appearances scheduled for early 2022. Viewers can also watch “Brushstroke” by visiting Kirby’s website: www.thefusioneer.com. The Kirby Foundation Guided by the belief that all of us can fuse our interests, skills and passions into a unique vision of innovation and purpose, The Kirby Foundation inspires others through the example of its founder Paul Kirby. He was the first "fusioneer," combining his interest in science, technology, and art to create Dulcinea, a 10-foot by 10-foot, AI-powered, painting robot. Unlike efforts to recreate art with artificial intelligence, Dulcinea — using paints, brushes and canvas — creates singular masterpieces based on Kirby’s vision, artistry and coding skills. Today the foundation’s vision is to encourage and empower all to become "fusioneers" and pursue their dreams. Learn more about Kirby's vision and the work of the foundation at www.thefusioneer.com. Contact Details Center Reach Communications Tracy Henderson +1 720-989-3530 tracy@centerreachcommunication.com Company Website https://thefusioneer.com/

December 02, 2021 09:13 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Actor and Comedian Kevin Hart Is Osmo’s Chief Kindness Officer for the Holidays

Osmo

Award-winning STEAM brand Osmo announces that actor and comedian Kevin Hart is Osmo’s Chief Kindness Officer for the holidays. As Chief Kindness Officer, Hart brings joy to children and parents across the country, bringing them smiles, holiday cheer, in addition to a very big surprise. Hart, using all his “heart,” recently delivered holiday cheer to three household heroes via an unexpected video call, telling them they won a complete collection of STEAM starter kits and games by Osmo, in addition to a tablet. The three lucky parents, who entered into Osmo’s holiday giveaway in November but had not received any notification of final result, were incredibly surprised and overwhelmed by the actor’s call telling them “ you won!” As a father of four including two toddlers, Hart loves to see his children engaged in STEAM technology, which helps them learn core subjects, while they play. About Osmo Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand whose products are used in over 50,000 classrooms and 2.5 million homes. It is building a universe of hands-on play experiences that nourish the minds of children by unleashing the power of imagination. The company brings physical tools into the digital world through augmented reality and its proprietary reflective artificial intelligence. Osmo is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and is part of BYJU’S, a global leader in online learning. Learn more at PlayOsmo.com. For information about its educational division, Osmo for Schools, visit schools.playosmo.com. Contact Details Carolyn Kamii Carolyn Kamii PR +1 310-251-0550 carolynkpr@gmail.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

November 29, 2021 09:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

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100 Houstonians in Harris and Ft. Bend Counties Awarded a Total of $1 Million Through Comcast RISE, National Initiative to Support Small Business Owners

Comcast Houston

Comcast today announced the 100 recipients of the Comcast Rise Investment Fund grants. Each small business will receive a one-time $10,000 grant from the fund. More than 100 businesses in the area will also receive technology and marketing resources. The recipients are among nearly 6,700 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been selected through the Comcast RISE program, which provides marketing, technology, and capital support to small business owners. “We are proud of all of our small businesses, the impact they have in Fort Bend County is invaluable. Many of our business owners, particularly our minority owned businesses, have faced unprecedented challenges over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and require a wide range of support to help their businesses survive,” stated Fort Bend County Judge KP George. “The Comcast Rise Investment Fund Grant provides these business owners with the critical financial lifeline and the resources needed so they can sustain and grow their businesses.” Through Comcast RISE, the company also announced it is on track to support 13,000 small businesses by the end of the year with marketing or technology support such as a TV campaign, production of a TV commercial or consulting services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or computer equipment, internet, voice or cybersecurity services from Comcast Business. “Since we launched Comcast RISE a year ago, we have assisted more than 200 small businesses throughout the Houston area with either marketing, technology, or monetary grants. This round of Comcast RISE grants will provide even more small business owners of color with the resources and tools they need to thrive,” said Ralph Martinez, senior vice president for Comcast’s Houston region. “We look forward to empowering their success.” To further build on the program’s success and provide support to even more small businesses, Comcast also announced today a major expansion to eligibility, enabling all women-owned small businesses nationwide to apply. This expansion recognizes and seeks to help address the persistent inequities women continue to face in accessing the resources and funding that are critical to success. Comcast RISE and the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, initially launched as a response to help small businesses owners of color hardest hit by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to focus on uplifting small businesses, ensuring they continue to prosper in an ever-shifting post-pandemic economy. “As we continue to rebuild and emerge from the effects of the pandemic, small businesses will continue to be the backbone of our economy – and we must take every opportunity to help them thrive,” said Dave Watson, President and CEO, Comcast Cable. “Looking forward, this expansion will enable Comcast RISE to further empower and strengthen even more small businesses that are the heart of our local communities across the country.” In the year since its inception, Comcast RISE has awarded more than $11 million in grants and $50 million in in-kind support for marketing and technology services, impacting more than 6,700 entrepreneurs of color in 432 cities across 34 states. By the end of 2022, 13,000 businesses across the country are expected to benefit from the Comcast RISE initiative, either through the grant program or from the resources provided through Effectv and Comcast Business. In addition to the financial and business support services provided, a key part of the program is ensuring the long-term sustainability of businesses. To help address this, Comcast invests in and partners with organizations such as Ureeka to provide ongoing mentorship and resources to help small businesses succeed over the long-term. Comcast RISE, which stands for Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment, is part of Project UP, Comcast’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help provide underrepresented small business owners with access to the digital tools and funding they need to thrive. Over the next 10 years, Comcast has committed $1 billion to programs and partnerships that will reach an estimated 50 million people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. The program will continue to be open to racially and ethnically diverse small business owners and the expanded Comcast RISE eligibility to all women-owned businesses will be effective on January 16, 2022. More information and the applications to apply for either the grant program or marketing and technology services are available at www.ComcastRISE.com. To help drive outreach and awareness about Comcast RISE and provide additional support, training and mentorship, Comcast has also awarded $50,000 in grants to local community partners – Houston Hispanic Chamber, Houston Black Chamber, Empresarios Latinos Foundation, Houston LGBT Chamber, Asian Chamber of Commerce, Greater Houston Women’s Foundation and East End Chamber of Commerce. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. About Effectv Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps local, regional and national advertisers use the best of digital with the power of TV to grow their business. It provides multi-screen marketing solutions to make advertising campaigns more effective and easier to execute. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in 66 markets with nearly 35 million owned and represented subscribers. For more information, visit www.effectv.com. Contact Details Comcast Foti Kallergis +1 832-986-0196 Foti_Kallergis@comcast.com Comcast Misha McClure +1 832-547-6783 Misha_McClure@cable.comcast.com Company Website https://houston.comcast.com/

November 23, 2021 09:31 AM Central Standard Time