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The Customer Experience Market Ecosystem is Being Transformed by a High Level of Consolidation and Investment Activity, According to Dash Research

Dash Network

The customer experience (CX) market ecosystem is a broad web of solutions and technologies aimed at smoothing out a customer’s journey from start to finish and providing a personalized and engaging experience. On the technology provider side, these solutions aim to increase loyalty and satisfaction, optimize revenue, and allow for better targeting and retention. According to a new report from Dash Research, this market landscape has been developing at a rapid pace for more than a decade, however recent shifts in industry priorities and business models are now creating a period of significant change as mergers & acquisitions, investment activity, and new business formation reshape the constellation of market participants. Dash Research’s analysis indicates that COVID-19 in particular has resulted in an abrupt, but sustained move to digital, causing a large increase in the digital customer data stream and a greater focus on housing, analyzing, and interpreting this data. In addition, customers have grown to accept and even look for increased personalization during their customer journey touchpoints, allowing this deluge of data to be leveraged by companies aiming for deeper relationships and more engagement. “The CX market itself encompasses large players, such as Oracle or Adobe, as well as smaller companies carving out a niche in areas like personalization or customer feedback,” says senior analyst Sherril Hanson. “There are pure play companies included in the ecosystem, but many companies span multiple market segments both within and outside of CX.” Hanson adds that even established market participants are in the midst of significant change. For instance, contact centers have needed to pivot their technology and workflows to account for increased omnichannel usage and remote agents. And tied to these new demands is a greater focus on employee experience (EX), as support employees and others in the labor force have needed to respond to fast-changing models. Driven by these changes and other emerging trends, Dash Research anticipates that continued consolidation, repositioning, and investment will all continue to make the CX market a rapidly evolving ecosystem for at least the next few years. Dash Research’s report, “CX Market Ecosystem”, outlines six segments in the CX ecosystem: customer data & analytics, personalization & optimization, customer insights & feedback, contact center, customer relationship management (CRM), and employee experience (EX). The report provides an overview of the market in general and includes a brief discussion of industry trends in each segment. Dash Research has included profiles on 150 companies in the CX space. There is an additional list of 100 other industry participants included in the report, as well as an Excel-based summary of key facts and figures for the companies. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website. Dash Research, the market intelligence arm of Dash Network, provides in-depth research and insights on the worldwide CX market including a comprehensive assessment of technology solutions, business issues, market drivers, and end-user dynamics across industry sectors. Dash Research’s global market coverage combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a complete view of emerging business opportunities surrounding contact center technologies, customer data & analytics, customer data platforms, customer insights & feedback, customer relationship management, personalization & optimization, and employee experience. For more information, visit www.dashresearch.com or call +1.720.603.1700. Contact Details Dash Research Clint Wheelock +1 720-603-1700 press@dashnetwork.com Company Website http://www.dashnetwork.com

January 27, 2022 08:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Say Hello to Amazon Glow: Technology That Keeps Families Connected

YourUpdateTV

Families who live or spend time far from each other have long understood how technology can help keep people connected. Over the last two years, the need to stay connected has been more important than ever. Recently, Lifestyle Expert Bethany Braun-Silva teamed with Amazon on a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss tips on connecting with family, keeping kids engaged, and how the new Amazon Glow can help. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/7Saw2MonRxg Connecting with distant family is especially important for kids – there is something so special about the smile’s kids bring to our lives, especially when they are shared with extended family and relatives. From playing games and drawing to reading and solving puzzles, the fun families and loved ones have together is so important. It is so hard to replicate these experiences when not in person together, but we try our best because we know these relationships can be so impactful. While video chatting has been a great tool over the last few years, how many times have we jumped on a call with relatives, only for our child to quickly get bored and wander off? The key to staying connected is keeping everyone engaged and visible, making virtual visits feel much more like being in person together. Amazon Glow is a new device that really makes it easy and fun for kids to spend time with remote grandparents, aunts, uncles and family friends. It’s really a new way to create bonds across generations, even when distance is a barrier. During video calls on Amazon Glow, kids read stories, play games, use physical objects and can even create art using the touch-sensitive projected virtual space. At the same time, loved ones far away can engage with the same content on their tablet or smartphone using the free Glow App. Pick from thousands of children’s books to read together, draw pictures, or play early literacy games like ABC Bubbles or classics like Chess and Checkers. Activities on Glow create engaging sensory experiences with audio, video, and tactile elements similar to in-person fun. Children have access to books, games and art activities and can experience all of these in a whole new way with remote family and friends. It’s a great resource for parents looking to provide opportunities for their children to actively use their senses while simultaneously building new family memories and connections. For more information, visit Amazon.com/Glow About Bethany Braun-Silva: Bethany Braun-Silva is the former editor at Parenting.com, one of the most trusted resources for parents online! She received her Bachelor's Degree at New York University, where she studied theater arts and creative writing. She then received an M.F.A. from Pace University at the Actors Studio Drama School. She moved to Los Angeles in 2010 where she began her career in journalism. It was a particular Broadcast Journalism class at UCLA that confirmed her passion for telling stories and being of service to the community. She worked at various media companies before landing her first job as a parenting editor. It was there that she knew she could blend her love for writing with her love of being a mom—she had just welcomed her first son Eli! Since then, Bethany has worked for Understood.org, Big Apple Parent Magazine, CafeMom, RedTri, Mommy Poppins, OK! Magazine, Hollywood Life and various other parenting publications. She can often be seen interviewing celebrity parents and of course at her local playground with her two boys. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

January 26, 2022 05:01 PM Eastern Standard Time

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First United States Open Registry to be Launched in Washington, DC

COPE

A landmark Revitalization Plan for US Maritime Trade, Commerce and Strategic Competition to support and assist in resolving America’s supply chain crisis, ensure maritime sovereignty and security, and revitalize maritime commerce will be launched at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on February 1, 2022, at 1:30PM with remarks by Ambassador John D. Negroponte, the first U.S. Director of National Intelligence and former Deputy Secretary of State; the Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Honorable Albert Bryan, Jr.; and President Eric R. Dawicki of the Northeast Maritime Institute. Highlights of the Plan include the formation of the first U.S. open registry, and other maritime initiatives designed to make the United States more competitive and propel it into a stronger leadership position as a maritime nation. Governor Bryan and President Dawicki will participate in the signing of a historic agreement between the U.S. Virgin Islands and Northeast Maritime Institute which features the collaboration on the development of the first open U.S. registry. Following initial remarks outlining the Revitalization Plan, there will be a panel discussion moderated by Jeremy Greenwood, a Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Strobe Talbott Center on Security, Strategy, and Technology. Panel participants include Stephen Flynn, PhD, Founding Director of the Center for Global Resilience at Northeastern University, leading Homeland Security advisor under the Bush and Obama administrations, and global expert on supply chain resilience; Admiral James Watson, Northeast Maritime Institute Trustee and former Director of Prevention Policy for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship at the United States Coast Guard and the first Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the US Department of Interior; Captain Anuj Chopra, Co-Founder & CEO of FNI ESGPlus; Carleen Lyden Walker, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association, and Captain John Konrad, Founder and CEO of gCaptain. Additional commentary will be provided by Nishan Degnarain, former Chairman of the World Economic Forum – Global Agenda Council on Oceans; Jonathan Kempe, Verifai Australia; and Dr. Sal Mercogliano, PhD, Campbell University. Remarks from all are expected to cover topics such as decarbonization of shipping, capital investment in new technologies, supply chain security, transparency in shipping, economic growth opportunities, the status of the U.S. maritime industry, U.S. national security interests, and more. The event will outline how implementation of the Revitalization Plan for US Maritime Trade, Commerce and Strategic Competition will provide economic stability and environmental protection, as well as revitalize the position of the United States as a major competitor in international maritime trade and commerce while enhancing national security, both domestically and internationally. A Revitalization Plan for US Maritime Trade, Commerce and Strategic Competition was developed by a team of Distinguished Fellows at the Northeast Maritime Institute – Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE) and advised by an array of leading thinkers in the maritime industry. Key elements of the plan include: Formation of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ open international ship registry—the first, and only, international U.S. open ship registry. Development of a short sea transshipment hub in the Caribbean to alleviate supply chain congestion by moving a portion of east coast distribution from land to sea and increasing the number of ports importing ever-increasing quantities of goods from overseas. Build public/private/international partnerships to address strategic maritime issues, increase transparency and enforce legal and ethical standards. Establish and implement a green shipping strategy, including decarbonization of the U.S.-flagged fleet. Establishing a Maritime Venture Capital Fund to finance commercially advanced technologies that solve maritime and ocean industry problems with a focus on environmental vulnerabilities. Modernization of the maritime workforce by deploying state of the art education and training tools in the US and abroad. Additional information can be found at COPE Advanced registration to attend this event will be required for access to the live stream. About Northeast Maritime Institute Northeast Maritime Institute (also called NMI) is a private, coeducational, maritime college offering an Associate in Applied Science in Nautical Science degree. Established in 1981, Northeast Maritime Institute is the only private maritime college in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college was originally established to provide an alternative to traditional education and training, with an emphasis on preparing mariners for employment. Graduates receive an Associate degree and are eligible to receive a United States Coast Guard Masters license upon graduation. The college operates a training ship, the M/V Navigator, as well as the brigantine tall ship S/V Fritha. About COPE The Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE) is hosted by the Northeast Maritime Institute – College of Maritime Science: Created to tackle some of the ocean’s “wicked problems.” A culmination of years of extensive research and conversations with leading experts in the maritime and ocean related fields, COPE is a facilitator for cogent maritime and ocean policy and economic development project initiatives linking academic, corporate, non-governmental, and governmental partners to create impactful solutions. Contact Details COPE Carleen Walker +1 203-260-0480

January 25, 2022 07:51 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Akeneo Scales Leadership Team to Accelerate Global Growth

Akeneo

Akeneo, a global leader in Product Experience Management (PXM) solutions, today announced making several key executive appointments to support its rapid expansion in the global marketplace. Following Akeneo’s recognition as one of Built In's Best Places to Work and as an Innovatech Award Winner, the hires leave the company poised to expand, drive innovation, and unlock customer success. The executive appointments include industry veterans Dagbert Sansen as General Manager for the Americas; Johan Benoualid as General Manager for EMEA and APAC; Lisa Manske as Vice President of Business Operations; and Antoine Barbier as Vice President of Product. Collectively, the new appointees bring decades of industry expertise, and position Akeneo to bring its game-changing PXM offerings to new markets in 2022. A global ecommerce leader with a 10-year record of growing companies from start-up to exit, Dagbert Sansen joins Akeneo from Rokt, the ecommerce advertising leader, where he served as SVP of Business Development. Sansen previously held top leadership roles with major U.S. software and services companies including digital experience management leader Sitecore, martech innovator STYLELABS, and open-source business software vendor Odoo. Known for his success in forging partnerships to bring complex software solutions to top global businesses such as Diageo, P&G, The Coca Cola Company, Unilever and Columbia Sportswear, Sansen has built and managed agile teams operating across Europe, North America, and APAC. In his new role as General Manager for the Americas, based in Akeneo’s U.S. headquarters in Boston, he will spearhead Akeneo’s expansion throughout the Americas with a specific growth focus on the U.S. In the rest of the world, Akeneo’s explosive growth will be overseen by General Manager Johan Benoualid, who steps into the new role following a successful four-year tenure as Akeneo’s VP of EMEA and APAC Sales. A veteran software sales manager who previously served as Managing Director for Southern Europe at Hootsuite, and as Regional Manager for Adobe, Benoualid is a powerful champion for Akeneo’s PXM offering, and has used his expertise to help hundreds of leading global enterprises to leverage the power of product data to grow their businesses and optimize sales, marketing, and customer experiences. Other key additions to the Akeneo global leadership team include Lisa Manske, who joins the company as VP of Business Operations after working as Director of Strategy and Operations for ServiceNow, the cloud computing and digital workflow management leader. Manske formerly served as Head of SMB Sales for EMEA for Facebook, and spent four year as part of the Business Operations team at LinkedIn. Educated in New York, and with experience working in France, Ireland, and the United States, she brings deep experience identifying and capitalizing on growth opportunities in new global markets. Antoine Barbier also joins as VP of Product, bringing deep technological and business operations expertise gained working for top tech companies in Silicon Valley, the United Kingdom, and France. A SaaS product specialist with 18+ years of experience working in the global digital media and advertising industry, Barbier comes to Akeneo from Ogury, where he served as SVP of Product. He previously served as Director of Product Management at Adobe, where he led digital video, display, native, and social products for Adobe Advertising Cloud, and held senior product and business development positions at TubeMogul, Rhythm, and End2End Mobile. “At Akeneo, we know we’re only as good as the people we hire — and that’s why we’re so delighted to welcome Dagbert, Johan, Lisa, and Antoine to the executive leadership team,” said Frederic de Gombert, Akeneo CEO. “All of these supremely talented leaders bring deep experience in the world of ecommerce, along with the entrepreneurialism, dynamism, and genuinely global mindset needed to scale Akeneo and bring our innovative experience-driven product to new markets. We have ambitious plans for 2022, and our new executive team gives us the expertise and strategic vision required to build out our product and expand into new markets all around the world.” About Akeneo Akeneo is a global leader in Product Experience Management (PXM) solutions that help merchants and brands deliver a compelling customer experience across all sales channels, including eCommerce, mobile, print, and retail points of sale. Akeneo's open-source enterprise PIM, and product data intelligence solutions, dramatically improve product data quality and accuracy while simplifying and accelerating product catalog management. Leading global brands, including Fossil, Staples, Tarkett, and Grundfos, trust Akeneo's solutions to scale and customize their omnichannel and cross-border commerce initiatives. Using Akeneo, brands and retailers can improve customer experience, increase sales, reduce time to market, go global, and boost team productivity. For more information, visit https://www.akeneo.com/ Contact Details Ran Xu +1 213-309-2373 ran@rosebudpr.io Company Website https://www.akeneo.com

January 25, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

The Retail Industry Customer Experience Market Will Reach $10.9 Billion in Revenue by 2026, According to Dash Research

Dash Network

The COVID-19 pandemic and its related recovery trajectory have impacted a wide range of industries, but perhaps none as visible as retail and e-tail. Disruptions to both customer-facing processes (shopping, purchasing, and returns), as well as operational processes (distribution, shipping, and employee/customer safety procedures) forced retailers to deploy new procedures and tools to ensure customers’ needs were met, or accelerate existing plans to place more attention on a customer’s total experience with the retailer. According to a recent report from Dash Research, the global market for retail industry customer experience (CX) and customer engagement (CE) software and services continues to experience robust growth amidst the pandemic recovery. The market intelligence firm forecasts that the global retail CX/CE market will reach $10.9 billion by 2026, up from $5.9 billion in 2019, reflecting a 2019-2026 compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1%. North America, with its large concentration of software vendors and huge base of large, multinational retailers, will lead the forecast, generating $6.3 billion in 2026 revenue, up from $2.5 billion in 2019. North America’s leadership position is also due to the relatively less restrictive privacy and data sharing laws that are currently in place in the region, compared with Europe, and the willingness of North American customers to trade access to data for both perceived and real shopping benefits. “While CX improvements are largely driven by organizational change management, software is increasingly being used to support these initiatives by managing and making available the plethora of customer data that is captured and aggregated from a variety of sources,” says principal analyst Keith Kirkpatrick. “Whether taking a platform approach or using disparate applications, the goal is to enable a 360-degree view of the customer’s interactions with the retailer, while simultaneously removing the friction points and barriers that can interfere with promptly and intelligently responding to sales queries, service requests, or complaints.” Kirkpatrick adds that the key market drivers spurring the growth of CX software and services in the retail industry include the following: The operational and behavioral shifts that were the results of the rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent reopening process Increasing customer expectations for consistent and seamless omnichannel experiences The growing use of CX to improve sales channel effectiveness An increasing use of zero-party and first-party data to support omnichannel experiences Dash Research’s report, “CX in the Retail Industry”, looks at the current and future market issues, market drivers and barriers, and case studies within the retail CX/CE industry. Market forecasts include segmentations by geography, functional area, product offering, and visibility to the customer. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the changes in the retail segment that were driven by a staggered reopening, are also discussed. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website. Dash Research, the market intelligence arm of Dash Network, provides in-depth research and insights on the worldwide CX market including a comprehensive assessment of technology solutions, business issues, market drivers, and end-user dynamics across industry sectors. Dash Research’s global market coverage combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a complete view of emerging business opportunities surrounding contact center technologies, customer data & analytics, customer data platforms, customer insights & feedback, customer relationship management, personalization & optimization, and employee experience. For more information, visit www.dashresearch.com or call +1.720.603.1700. Contact Details Dash Research Clint Wheelock +1 720-603-1700 press@dashnetwork.com Company Website http://www.dashnetwork.com

January 25, 2022 06:05 AM Eastern Standard Time

SwingJuice Apparel swings into 2022 by Exhibiting at The PGA Show

SwingJuice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SwingJuice Apparel Swings into 2022 by Exhibiting at The PGA Show Pawtucket, RI – January 24, 2022- SwingJuice.com, a lifestyle clothing and apparel brand, will be Exhibiting at the 2022 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, FL January 25-28, Booth 3865 to Launch their New Line of Custom Performance Polos. “We are So Excited to be back at the Show and give people a true Taste of what the SwingJuice Brand and SJ Life is all about,” said Jon Mason, Founder and Creative Director at SwingJuice. “Our New Line of Performance Polos and golf inspired gear are exactly what Golf Retail has been looking for, I’m beyond thrilled to Show it off to the World.” SwingJuice has been rapidly expanding into Green Grass and Brick & Mortar Retail during the past year in addition to having their entire collection being available at swingjuice.com. SwingJuice has developed a rabid Fan Base that has long been wondering when the launch of High Quality Performance Polos would happen, the answer is here. “The Quality of our Performance wear has far exceeded our expectations and thus our Customers should absolutely Love them,” says SwingJuice CEO Steve “Dakota” Happas. “This next phase for SwingJuice will continue to bring High Quality gear, fun designs and an overall Great vibe to the Industry. Can’t wait to see what the Future holds” The PGA Merchandise Show is happening January 25-28, 2022 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando FL where SwingJuice will be exhibiting at Booth 3865. If you happen to be at the Show and would like to Book an appointment to view the Entire SwingJuice Collection please contact Wholesale Director Cindy Belden at cindy@swingjuice.com. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ABOUT SWINGJUICE: SwingJuice is a golf-inspired clothing and apparel brand that trailblazed the philosophy that molds were made to be broken and that clothing should be a conversation-starter. SwingJuice apparel allows consumers to display their passion for sports in a more fun, unique and approachable way. SwingJuice is also a community – established through the love of golf and expanded through the passion for all sports. The staff at SwingJuice are sports junkies just like the consumers they serve and they are always dreaming up new ways to bring unique personality to the products they design.For more information, please visit www.swingjuice.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the SwingJuice news on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swingjuice Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swingjuice YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/swingjuice Contact Details SwingJuice Jon Mason +1 781-710-9374 jon@swingjuice.com Company Website https://www.swingjuice.com

January 24, 2022 01:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Jason Carris Buys Independent Print Shop and Converts Business to Minuteman Press Franchise in Red Bank, NJ

Minuteman Press International Inc

Jason Carris is the new owner of Minuteman Press in Red Bank, NJ, which is part of the Middletown Township. Utilizing the Minuteman Press Franchise Conversion Program, Jason purchased independent print shop All American Print & Copy Center, which was in business for 40 years, and took over the location in September 2021. Jason says, “ The biggest advantage of buying this business was having an established clientele. We did our research and made sure the owners were respected by their clients. There was also 40 years of history and track record as well.” What is it like for Jason to be a new local business owner in Red Bank? He says, “Once you make that leap, it’s a very exciting experience to own your own business. We have a vibrant community here and I see the long-term growth potential. I am looking forward to making Minuteman Press a real pillar and trusted business partner in Red Bank / Middletown Township.” Jason further explains, “I think we have a tremendous opportunity to expand our wide format printing business with banners, posters, and signage remaining in high demand for our clients. I am also looking forward to bolstering our in-house mailing and direct mail services to help other local businesses reach their target audiences.” Prior to franchising, Jason worked in medical publishing and digital marketing. He also ran a number of small consulting businesses in his career. He says, “A combination of things – including the pandemic and economic forces – made me decide to go fully into business ownership. My wife Renee has an entrepreneurial spirt as well.” He adds, “ Minuteman Press International and our Regional Vice President Jim Galasso guided us through the purchase of the business step by step. Jim made the process easier to manage and I couldn’t have done this on my own without the help from the team at Minuteman Press.” Why Minuteman Press? Jason answers, “We did a lot of research and Minuteman Press jumped out to us on a number of levels. They were on a lot of top franchise lists, they appealed to people who hadn’t owned a business, and the business seemed easy to learn. In addition to being a highly respected franchise, Minuteman Press had a reasonable cost of entry and I appreciate their cap on royalties.” He continues, “The support has been wonderful. Because there is a 40-year history of the independent print shop we purchased, we have been transitioning the business. It’s great to have the training and support especially since I had not run a business of this scope before.” When asked about the keys to making that leap and becoming a business owner, Jason shares, “I think the two biggest keys to owning a business are to really make sure you feel 100% comfortable with the business model, and to believe in your products and services. Also, it is important to be proactive but also have patience after buying the business. Think about growth potential, and understand there is a learning curve. That’s normal for everyone.” Minuteman Press in Red Bank is located at 518 Route 35, Red Bank, NJ 07701. For more information, call 732-758-6200 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/nj/red-bank. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. For more information on the Minuteman Press Franchise Conversion Program, visit https://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

January 24, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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News Release

Engine Capital Sends Letter to the Board of Directors of Kohl's Regarding Credible Offer to Purchase the Company at Substantial Premium

Engine Capital Management, LP

Engine Capital LP today announced that it has sent the below letter to Kohl's Corporation's (NYSE: KSS) Board of Directors. *** Dear Members of the Board: Engine Capital LP (together with its affiliates, “Engine” or “we”) is a long-term shareholder of Kohl’s Corporation (“Kohl’s” or the “Company"), with an ownership position of approximately 1% of the Company’s outstanding shares. As you know, we have previously urged you to publicly commit to conducting a full review of strategic alternatives, given the abysmal long-term performance of the Company. Over the weekend, we read with interest multiple press reports stating that a Starboard-led consortium has offered $64 per share in cash for Kohl’s. When the board of directors of a company, whose stock has underperformed for so long, receives a credible offer at a 37% premium, it has a fiduciary obligation to aggressively pursue it, while openly considering all alternatives to maximize value. It can’t simply dismiss the offer and argue that the standalone plan will produce greater long-term value for shareholders. Kohl’s has significantly underperformed the S&P 500 and its peers over most relevant time periods, including since Ms. Gass became Chief Executive Officer in May 2018 and since Peter Boneparth, Kohl’s' Chairman, became a director of the Company more than 13 years ago. Given this sustained underperformance, time value of money and execution risk, we believe that “a bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush”. Starboard has a stellar reputation, its offer is credible and we believe there are other parties interested in buying the Company. The Company’s tremendous free cash flows and significant real estate ownership (worth around $7 billion) make a transaction highly financeable. Therefore, we believe the board has all the ingredients necessary to create a competitive sale process that will maximize shareholder value. We urge the board to not delay further and pursue such a process immediately. Very truly yours, Arnaud Ajdler, Managing Partner Brad Favreau, Partner About Engine Capital Engine Capital LP is a value-oriented special situations fund that invests both actively and passively in companies undergoing change. Contact Details Engine Capital LP Arnaud Ajdler +1 212-321-0048 aajdler@enginecap.com

January 24, 2022 07:02 AM Eastern Standard Time

Shekel Technology Drives its First US Autonomous Store

SHEKEL

SHEKEL (ASX: SBW), the Israeli-based leader in artificial intelligence-based (AI) electronic weighing systems, will see its groundbreaking product identification technology implemented in the world’s first fully first autonomous store opening shortly in Fayetteville, Georgia. Nourish + Bloom, a new retail chain which aims to offer healthy food to communities across the United States, will feature Shekel’s smart solutions for accurate and real-time identification of shelf products in its flagship store due to open on January 21. Developed for the global retail and healthcare services sectors, the technology enables the rapid implementation of autonomous shopping at reasonable costs, while completely maintaining the buyers’ privacy. Shekel’s technology will combine with Hitachi’s consumer tracking technology in the Nourish + Bloom chain. Customers will use a mobile app, developed by UST, make their purchases from product-aware shelves, and have payment channeled directly to their payment systems, completely eliminating waiting in line at checkouts. The store also includes a bistro offering a wide range of healthy fresh food to order, where the customer can sit in a café to eat on the spot or have delivered. In addition to the autonomous shopping experience, customers can have their purchases delivered to their homes by dedicated robots. The N+B chain, which has a social and environmental agenda, promotes a unique concept that it says redefines the "traditional corner store in the neighborhood" by focusing on the personal connection of the neighborhood retailer while introducing sustainability and autonomous checkout technology. The highest priority is given to local brands to reduce the carbon footprint. In addition, fresh food products and the importance of care and health are high on the chain's priorities while adhering to the highest standards. The new store is the first expression of its kind worldwide, resulting from the unique collaboration of three advanced technology companies, Hitachi, SHEKEL, and UST who have partnered to create an innovative and advanced system for the retail world: SHEKEL's product identification technology enables accurate and real-time product recognition technology; Hitachi's 3D LiDAR technology, enables monitoring customers and linking products to their personal shopping cart without compromising the customer privacy; while UST developed the in-store management systems and the store app. UST also manages the project, integrates between all three and makes the application accessible to the store customer. Jamie and Jilea Hemmings, founders of Nourish + Bloom Market, are excited to redefine what the future of grocery shopping looks like: “Through our partnerships with UST, and Shekel for autonomous and smart shelf technologies, we will be able to increase access to healthier food options as we continue to expand around the United States." Rami Bahar, Chief Business Development Manager of SHEKEL stated: “We are proud to partner with a new retail chain that promotes and operates on the values of innovation, sustainability and community. SHEKEL is at the forefront of retail tech with an outstanding combination of patented IoT sensors and artificial intelligence-based algorithms, resulting in the best product recognition technology available today. Our groundbreaking technology enables a scalable implementation of autonomous shopping, at reasonable costs, without operational limitations while completely maintaining the privacy of the shoppers. The partnership with Hitachi and UST, each a leader in its field, enables us to offer a holistic and complete product, with an attractive return on investment model that allows, for the first time, a profitable rollout of autonomous store networks." How it works To buy in the autonomous store, the customer downloads an app and enters the means of payment only once. When the buyer arrives at the store, a barcode is used for identification. Selected products are placed in the shopping cart, and at that moment the smart shelving system identifies the purchase, knows how to refund returned products and informs the retailer of what was taken, anything that may be missing, and what was not returned to its place. On the successful transaction, the buyer exits the store, and the receipt is sent to the app. Following the launch of the flagship store in Fayetteville, GA the chain intends to develop a network of franchise branches across the US with the same concept over the next few years. SHEKEL and the other partners will be contracted as providers of the autonomous store platform. About Shekel – Doing Magic with Gravity SHEKEL has been at the forefront of the digital weighing industry for the past four decades. Thanks to a unique combination of innovative technology, sophisticated software, artificial intelligence models and advanced algorithms, SHEKEL's weighing systems have proven their ability to provide weighing solutions with maximum precision, as well as gaining recognition of their products and indicative solutions for a wide range of industries, from retail and medical to science and security. SHEKEL strives to help its partners reach their goals and serve their customers in the best way, and to improve the lives of millions all over the world. Leveraging many years of experience and countless success stories, our aspiration to preserve SHEKEL’s status as a leader in the digital weighing industry is embodied and defined in our basic principle: the customer is at the center of everything that we do. That magic solution that blends many years of thought leadership, combined with a mindset of entrepreneurship and innovation, is what motivates our team to continue to develop differentiating technologies, and in this is the source of SHEKEL'S appeal. The protected combination of SHEKEL patents, which combine weighing technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies has led to the development of our "product-conscious technology". SHEKEL is committed to continue to innovate and expand into global markets. Our website: www.shekelonline.com About N&B Nourish + Bloom Market is the first autonomous grocery store with robotic delivery in the United States and the first African American owned autonomous grocery store in the world. Nourish + Bloom is on a mission to make eating healthy and convenient. We believe that everyone deserves to eat healthy. Nourish + Bloom offers locally sourced craft items, such as produce, meats, baked goods, dairy and prepared meals, alongside everyday convenience items with no checkout. The benefit of autonomous shopping, vending, and robotic delivery means you have 24/7/365 access to real food and environmentally friendly products anytime. All products provided at Nourish and Bloom Markets are made with the highest quality ingredients that are minimally processed. www.nourishandbloommarket.com / About UST Born digital, UST have always believed in the power of technology to engineer a better future/ UST helps the world’s best companies succeed through transformation. Using a nimble, creative approach UST works together from start to finish to realize their customers’ vision for tomorrow. With the right talent and tools, UST crafts disruptive solutions, and provide the resources and expertise clients need to bring them to life. About Hitachi Vantara Hitachi Vantara, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., guides our customers from what's now to what's next by solving their digital challenges. Working alongside each customer, we apply our unmatched industrial and digital capabilities to their data and applications to benefit both business and society. More than 80 percent of Fortune 100 companies trust Hitachi Vantara to help them develop new revenue streams, unlock competitive advantages, lower costs, enhance customer experiences, and deliver social and environmental value. Visit us at www.hitachivantara.com. Contact Details SHEKEL Ifat Yoffe +972 54-345-6250 ifat@shekelonline.com Company Website https://shekelonline.com/

January 20, 2022 10:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

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