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Enter Africa: Versus Africa seals fundraise as it paves the way for companies to access markets with ease

Versus Africa

Africa presents a $2.1 trillion consumer spending market for businesses seeking to explore new opportunities for their products and services. Enabling businesses to enter the continent is Versus Africa, a consumer insights platform, that has today announced a $850k pre-seed capital fundraise as it scales operations to support companies in Africa and around the world as they launch their products and services across Africa. A Techstars 2019 cohort start-up, Versus Africa helps brands get closer to their consumers by obtaining key insights and helping them make better business decisions. Versus combines online and offline consumer data to give brands actionable and competitive insights for the African market. Versus counts brands such as Pizza Hut, Vodacom among others and has partnered with several global agencies including R/GA to support their campaigns. The Versus Africa platform improves the go-to market strategy and approach of businesses selling in the continent. Through their unique African language sentiment analysis, the technology captures consumer insights using online (social listening and online brand tracking) and offline data trends (conducting in-person surveys through several thousand local scouts) to help brands inform, engage and adapt their product and service strategies. They ‘listen’ (for sentiment, trends and feedback) and then ‘ask’ (for opinions, about behaviours and motivations) to offer a complete insights package for businesses. Kemdi Ebi, CEO and Co-Founder of Versus commented: “We’ve purposely built our tool to help businesses “'listen” and ''ask” the African consumer to get true engagement and actionable insights. We’re helping them make sense of the thoughts and opinions of African consumers from varying backgrounds. For those who speak in different African languages and slang, we're able to accurately identify sentiment, trends and opportunities when we “listen” online. With real-time market research and unique patented tools that translate the complexity of local languages and cultures, Versus offers actionable insights to businesses that want to make their African market entry or continuing existence a success.” The complex nature of the continent with multiple languages, varying socio-political communities and cultural nuances means it has long been difficult for companies to be successful across multiple countries. Versus Africa offers a fresh lens into the market opportunity with their unique and dynamic research approach. “We have blended technology with boots on the ground to offer the purest insights to companies using Versus Africa. For the first time, businesses near and far are able to make better decisions on their product strategy in the continent. We are particularly excited because as we scale further, we are in pole position to be the go-to homegrown solution for easy, flexible and accurate research for the plethora of new local businesses cropping up across the continent” added Kemdi Ebi. Commenting on investing in Versus Africa, the MD of Techstars London Eamonn Carey said: "For the longest time, it’s been apparent that there is huge potential in markets throughout Africa - but one of the big challenges has always been getting real, detailed, granular data about users, habits, opinions and more. The Versus Africa platform helps local, regional and global brands get real, meaningful answers to their questions - helping them launch, grow and scale more effectively across the continent. I was incredibly impressed by the team, the tech and the vision they had to use a combo of tech and people to gather an incredible dataset for their customers." Various global research businesses have reported on Africa’s macro trends and geo-political events. Before Versus, there have been few that have achieved true regional and local market insights for businesses to make informed decisions. “How many Africans own and operate research in Africa? Not many. Africa deserves a local intelligence research edge born from within. There have been international research agencies and insights tools that have tried to explore Africa but only from a distant and macro lens, now, for the first time businesses will get true local insights to help them enter key markets across the continent. I hope our launch and growth propels more like-minded tech-focussed Africans to help grow this research industry” concluded Kemdi Ebi. About Versus Africa Versus Africa helps brands get closer to their consumers by obtaining insights and helping them make better business decisions. Versus combines online and offline consumer data to give brands actionable and competitive insights for the African market. Versus has served brands such as Pizza Hut, Vodacom among others and have partnered with several global agencies including R/GA.Versus Africa, a 2019 Techstars cohort startup, was recognised by Cannes Lion Festival for Innovation and it was the first African company to showcase at Slush Tokyo 2019. Contact Details Versus Africa Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com

August 11, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cyvatar’s Craig Goodwin Named a Finalist for the Top 10 Cybersecurity Experts at the 2021 Black Unicorn Awards

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today announced the selection of a member of its senior executive team as a finalist for outstanding achievement at this year’s Cyber Defense Magazine Black Unicorn awards, announced during the 2021 Black Hat USA conference. Craig Goodwin, Cyvatar co-founder and chief product and strategy officer, was selected as a finalist for the Top 10 Cybersecurity Experts; he competed against the industry’s leading cybersecurity experts for this prestigious award. “We’re pleased to name Craig Goodwin as a finalist for the Top 10 Cybersecurity Experts among the elite group of information security professionals at the third annual Black Unicorn awards,” said judges Robert R. Ackerman Jr., David DeWalt, Dr. Peter Stephenson, and Gary Miliefsky. “This year’s competition was fierce, and he should be proud of his achievement.” Craig was selected from security practitioners around the world that vied for top honors. He is a battle-tested CISO who has built a successful career delivering transformative IT and security programs by combining holistic security, IT, and business leadership expertise to produce extraordinary results. Craig’s innovation brings the membership economy to cybersecurity with Cyvatar’s CSaaS platform, which is rapidly becoming the de facto operating system for today’s security programs. “At a time when so many companies struggle to find top security resources, we’re blessed to have an exceptional talent like Craig leading company strategy,” said Corey White, Cyvatar co-founder and chief executive. “Because we offer cybersecurity as a service, people are the lifeblood of our organization. The work Craig and his team have done to bring the award-winning Cyvatar platform to customers enables us to deliver fast, affordable, fully managed security programs to any size business at prices that don’t break the bank. His achievement means no customer has to go without the very best cybersecurity available today.” Only Cyvatar offers subscription-based CSaaS designed to provide outcomes, continuous remediation, ongoing solution maintenance, and the ability for all of its customers to execute their security strategies at speed and scale. Find out how CSaaS can work for your business at cyvatar.ai. About Cyber Defense Awards This is Cyber Defense Magazine’s 9th year of honoring cybersecurity innovators, in this case the Black Unicorn Awards for 2021 on our Cyber Defense Awards platform. In this competition, judges for these prestigious awards includes cybersecurity industry veterans, trailblazers and market makers Gary Miliefsky of CDMG, Dr. Peter Stephenson of CDMG, Robert R. Ackerman Jr. of Allegis Cyber and David DeWalt of NightDragon with much appreciation to emeritus judge Robert Herjavec of Herjavec Group. To see the complete list of finalists for the Black Unicorn Awards for 2021 please visit https://cyberdefenseawards.com/black-unicorn-awards-finalists-2021/ About Cyvatar Cyvatar is committed to making cybersecurity effortless for everyone. As the industry’s first subscription-based, cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) company, it’s our mission to transform the way the security industry builds, sells, and supports cyber solutions. We empower our members to achieve successful outcomes by providing expert advisors, proven technologies, and a strategic process roadmap to guarantee results that map to their business drivers. Our approach is rooted in proprietary ICARM (installation, configuration, assessment, remediation, maintenance) methodology that delivers smarter, measurable security solutions for superior compliance and cyber-attack protection faster and more efficiently, all at a fixed monthly price. And because we’re a subscription, members can cancel anytime. Cyvatar is headquartered in Irvine, California with locations around the world. Begin your journey to security confidence at https://cyvatar.ai/ and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details Cyvatar KC Higgins +1 303-434-8163 kc@cyvatar.ai Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

August 11, 2021 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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ZIPPZ CBD Taps Renowned Medical Advisors, Dr June Chin, and Dr Jessica Knox

ZIPPZ

ZIPPZ, the first-of-its-kind personalized natural CBD wellness company, has announced the addition of two renowned cannabis medical advisors to the brand: Dr. June Chin and Dr. Jessica Knox, both cannabinoid and preventive medicine physicians. As cannabis becomes more widely consumed with 22.2 million users each month, the U.S. legal market is anticipated to hit $43 billion by 2025. Cue in the rapidly growing market of cannabis-based products with minimal physician involvement, and you have a nation of consumers seeking quality medicinal remedies. Disrupting the sleep and stress market, ZIPPZ provides an alternative to OTC and Rx therapies with innovative CBD and plant-based solutions. Using the natural pharmacology-based approach from their practices, Dr. Chin, and Dr. Knox will apply their knowledge to help ZIPPZ elevate cannabis as a holistic medical alternative. “ZIPPZ understands that sleep disruption and increased levels of stress and anxiousness are driven by dramatically different things for different people,” says ZIPPZ CEO, Scott Eagle.”The solution requires a unique and personalized product catered to each individual’s health needs, not a generic one-size-fits-all approach. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Chin and Dr. Knox to help guide our custom solutions and advance our mission as an integrative medical approach.” “As a chronic pain survivor, I have been an advocate for the application of medical cannabis throughout my career”, stated Dr. Chin. “More integrative and holistic approaches to patient care is exactly what we need. I’m honored to work with the ZIPPZ team to advance this important vision while creating affordable and personalized CBD therapies for those who seek relief from stress and pain.” As part of ZIPPZ’s unique approach, the brand leverages each customer’s robust online assessment for a sophisticated understanding of their unique condition, severity, age, gender, and lifestyle. ZIPPZ then personalizes formula recommendations for each individual, offering a “trial sampling” program, in which users finalize the perfect ZIPPZ formula to meet their needs. Dr. Knox stated, “I am particularly drawn to the ZIPPZ personalized consumer assessment, as health needs should be treated for individual requirements. ​​I look forward to applying my experience in refining the cannabinoid system and medical applications to advise ZIPPZ on their vision that each customer receives a unique remedy for their health and wellness needs.” By integrating network pharmacology principles, ZIPPZ has maximized the effectiveness of 35 proven botanicals, including CBD, to formulate products to meet each consumer’s unique needs. ZIPPZ offers hundreds of potential formula combinations, paving the way in providing credible and natural wellness therapies that work. ### ABOUT ZIPPZ: ZIPPZ is a direct-to-consumer, California-based CBD wellness company offering personalized, scientifically-formulated CBD solutions targeting sleep, stress, and anxiousness. Founded by a team of physicians, clinicians, scientists, and technologists, ZIPPZ dismisses the one-size-fits-all approach to CBD therapies. After consumers complete a quick and thorough 3-minute assessment, ZIPPZ uses data science to help match them with personalized solutions. Rooted in nature and activated by science, ZIPPZ combines CBD with 35 carefully selected botanicals to deliver therapies customized to each individual’s needs. A leader in the revolution of personalized CBD therapies, ZIPPZ offers over 250 combinations of products that provide fast and effective relief. ABOUT DR JUNE CHIN: Dr June Chin is an integrative cannabinoid medicine physician, having received her Medical Degree from Touro University and her BS- Nutrition & Food Science, Biochemistry from Cornell University. She is a Board Member of American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine, Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine (ACHEM), Co-founder & Medical Director at Medical Cannabis Mentor, ​Chief Medical Advisor at CannabisMD.com & Miraculo, and Chief Medical Advisor at Artemis CBD Shop. Dr Chin is also a chronic pain survivor. As a result of her experience, Dr. Chin decided to dedicate her medical career to finding effective, integrative and holistic approaches to patient care. Dr. Chin is also a frequent keynote speaker on the science and medicine of cannabis and has spoken at hospitals, conferences, and events all over the world. ABOUT DR JESSICA KNOX: Dr. Jessica Knox is a board-certified preventive medicine physician, having earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University before going on to earn her medical and business degrees from Tufts University. After completing her residency in preventive medicine, Dr. Knox began her study of the endocannabinoid system and cannabis medicine. She has spoken on numerous medical cannabis panels, presented at cannabis conferences nationwide, and appeared on nationally televised programs and global webcasts to discuss the burgeoning fields of Endocannabinology™ and Cannabinoid Medicine. Dr. Knox is a co-founder and CEO of the American Cannabinoid Clinics, and cofounder of Pivital Edu. She is also a co-founder and executive board member of the Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine ( ACHEM ). --- To learn more, visit: zippz.com. Instagram: @zippzwellness Twitter: @zippzwellness Facebook: @zippzwellness *Statistics included from ‘CDC’, Marijuana Fast Facts and Fact Sheets and ‘Intrado Global Newswire’, Cannabis Capital Raises Triple to USD $6 Billion in First Half of 2021 Contact Details Jive PR + Digital Lynsey Gray +1 250-505-6434 lgray@jiveprdigital.com Company Website https://zippz.com/

August 10, 2021 07:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Osmo’s Back To School Sale Starts Now: From August 8 to 14, Save 25% Off Select Kits, Games, Bundles and More

Osmo

STEAM brand Osmo ’s Back to School sale starts now. From Aug. 8 to 14, Osmo offers 25% off select kits, games, bundles and more. View Back to School deals at PlayOsmo.com, Target.com, and Amazon.com. Save 25% on these items at PlayOsmo.com: Kits: Little Genius Starter Kit + Early Math Adventure, Genius Starter Kit + Family Game Night, Genius Starter Kit, Coding Starter Kit and Creative Starter Kit Games: Math Wizard Bundle, Math Wizard and the Magical Workshop, Math Wizard and the Secrets of the Dragons, Monster Other items: Coding Family Bundle, Math Wizard Kit (features all 4 Math Wizard titles + base included), Essential Math Bundle, Early Literacy Bundle, Super Studio Artist Bundle, Pretend Play Bundle, Explorer Starter Kit, Super Osmonaut Starter Kit, Preschool Starter Kit, Elementary School Starter Kit, Ultimate Expansion Bundle Save 25% on these kits and games at Target and Target.com: Little Genius Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Genius Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Creative Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Coding Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Math Wizard and the Secrets of the Dragons (base excluded) Math Wizard and the Magical Workshop (base excluded) Save 25% on these Osmo kits, games, and bundles at Amazon.com: Genius Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Genius Starter Kit for Fire Tablet (base included) Genius Starter Kit + Family Game Night for iPad (base included) Genius Starter Kit + Family Game Night for Fire (base included) Little Genius Starter Kit for Fire Tablet (base included) Little Genius Starter Kit + Early Math Adventure for iPad (base included) Little Genius Starter Kit + Early Math Adventure for Fire (base included) Creative Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Coding Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Coding Starter Kit for Fire Tablet (base included) Math Wizard and the Secrets of the Dragons for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Math Wizard and the Magical Workshop for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Coding Family Bundle for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Pizza Co. for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Detective Agency for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Math Wizard and The Enchanted World Games for iPad Bundle (base included) Math Wizard and the Enchanted World Games for Fire Tablet Bundle (base included) Math Wizard and The Amazing Airships for iPad Bundle (base included) Math Wizard and The Amazing Airships for Fire Tablet Bundle (base included) Little Genius Sticks & Rings for iPad or Fire Tablet (base required) Little Genius Costume Pieces for iPad or Fire Tablet (base required) About Osmo Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand with more than 2.5 million learners worldwide. 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. Contact Details Carolyn Kamii PR Carolyn Kamii carolynkpr@gmail.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

August 08, 2021 06:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Advisors Mortgage Group Welcomes Anthony Marone to the Family

Advisors Mortgage Group

Family. Customers. Community. We take care of our Family, who help us take care of our Customers, which allows us to give back to our Community...this is the mission statement of Advisors Mortgage Group, LLC headquartered in Ocean Twp, NJ. This statement falls perfectly in line with its newest branch manager, Anthony Marone’s slogan, which is “Your friend in the Mortgage Business”. Advisors announced the opening of its new branch located at 200 Craig Road in Manalapan, NJ with Marone at the helm. “I joined Advisors because I was looking to partner with a local lender that services my immediate area in New Jersey and because of its commitment to helping loan officers succeed,” said Marone. “Advisors Mortgage Group utilizes the latest technology and strong social media outreach to promote and cultivate lasting client relationships.” By offering the most competitive rates and the lowest possible fees, Marone strives to offer a seamless loan process. He believes that clear and concise communication throughout the loan process is key to a customer’s positive experience. Marone has won multiple awards in the industry. He was most recently featured in the March 2020 Forbes Magazine and the March 2021 issue of Fortune Magazine as a Top 100 Market Leader in America for Mortgage Bankers. As a certified Mortgage Planning Specialist (CMPS), Certified Military Housing Specialist (CMHS) and Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP), Marone has extensive knowledge and skills that set him apart from the rest of the industry. He’s considered an expert with originating the Police and Fire Mortgage for New Jersey’s Police Officers and Firefighters. Marone also takes great pride in giving back to his community and is an active member of New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association Local A#163. “We are excited to have Anthony join the Advisors Family,” commented Sean Clark, Vice President at Advisors Mortgage Group, LLC. “His dedication is evident through the hundreds of 5 Star reviews that he has received over the past few years. I am sure he will propel our company to new heights with his unwavering service to his clients, which results in repeat customers.” If you are looking to apply for a loan or refinance an existing loan, please contact Anthony at 732-289-5600, amarone@advisorsmortgage.com.or visit www.teammarone.com (NMLS: 1190158). About Advisors Mortgage Group With big dreams and even more determination, Advisors Mortgage Group, LLC was founded in October 1999 by a single loan officer in a 400 square foot office in Shrewsbury, New Jersey. In the years since its formation, Advisors has grown to serve not only the greater New Jersey area, but also a vast portion of the United States. With branch offices up and down the East Coast and its corporate office in Ocean Township, NJ, Advisors Mortgage has established itself as a pillar of excellence in the mortgage industry. Our immense experience is our greatest asset and is the foundation of the success of the company and every Advisors branch and loan officer. In 2005, Advisors Mortgage Group was designated by the Federal Housing Authority as a Full Eagle FHA Underwriter. As a Full Eagle, Advisors has been able to expand its loan volume by approving loans which a majority of the competition could not dream of. We have built a platform for a seamless and stress-free mortgage process for all of our customers, and we have that same mission throughout all of our offices. We understand that success cannot be attained without teamwork and communication, two of our most important strengths. If you are looking to apply for a new loan, refinance an existing loan, simply have questions or require any assistance during the loan process please do not hesitate to call our Corporate Headquarters at 800-778-9044. About Advisors Mortgage Group Advisors Mortgage Group is a multi-state mortgage banker with more than thirty branch locations across the country. Focusing on residential lending, Advisors prides itself on maintaining a local and personal feel to help each and every customer feel the comfort and protection that their home financing needs are in the right hands. Advisors has been on the Best Places to Work in NJ list for the past eight years, making sure that all employees feel like Family, while also maintaining the customer service standards that the company was built on. The mission statement at Advisors is that we take care of our family, who help us take care of our Customers, which allows us to give back to our Community. NMLS 33041 Contact Details Advisors Mortgage Group Sean Clark +1 800-778-9044 Advisors@AdvisorsMortgage.com Company Website https://advisorsmortgage.com/

August 05, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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BEE Launches New Features to BEE Pro to Further its Mission to Democratize Content Design

BEE

BEE, a business unit of Growens and premier digital content design platform, released two new features to its BEE Pro product, a no-code email & landing page design suite currently being used by designers, email marketers, e-commerce, higher education, business owners, agencies and entrepreneurs. These updates come at a time when BEE is seeing substantial growth with its BEE Pro paid subscription, forecasting upwards of 9k paid users. The latest BEE Pro features include: Increased collaboration through “ Mentions” feature. Users can now use a mention (@mention) to alert any team member of updates collaborating on a design project. Improved processes through the new “ Notification Center. ” This update keeps the user informed on mentions, exports or publishing of active design projects. These new features further BEE’s mission to democratize content design. Users can now initiate mentions to their teammates through the comment section while working directly in BEE Pro, eliminating the need to work across multiple platforms. They are able to invite their teammates to review a design, assign tasks and collaborate on all work completed in their specific brand, helping to keep the design process aligned. The notification center helps keep everyone up to speed with changes and edits for a faster collaborative process. These updates assure a faster collaborative process. “We are excited to see these new features go live in BEE Pro. It’s a big deal for teams to be able to collaborate in real-time on any project in one place” said Mariela Towers, Head of Marketing at BEE. “The design process for some teams often involves a lot of collaborators — BEE Pro is continuing to make it easier for team members to work together. Our internal team is excited to see the expanded features. We use BEE Pro for all of our email communications and have been able to cut 3 days out of our workflow. The new features have improved our collaboration processes allowing us to work that much faster.” These updates from BEE Pro are the latest following previously announced landing page capabilities, mobile design mode and co-editing tools earlier this year. Since launching in 2016 as an email editor tool, BEE continues to invest in feature developments for BEE Pro bringing maximum value to users, including multiple integrations built specifically for email server providers. About BEE: BEE provides no-code design tools that empower everyone to quickly create content that resonates. BEE’s visual builders are used to design emails, landing pages, one-page sites and more. They deliver fantastic design flexibility and a great user experience, combining granular control on design elements with handy features like editing content directly in mobile view. BEE is building on its vision to help democratize content design, with millions of monthly users in over 20 languages and from over 150 countries. BEE’s design tools are available online at beefree.io and embedded in 600+ SaaS applications. Contact Details Angelina Kaliszak angelina@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://beefree.io/

August 05, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cloud Conventions & MCI Group Partner with Medical Professionals to Deliver Virtual/Hybrid Events

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions, an enterprise virtual/hybrid event platform and the MCI Group, a leading global event management firm are partnering to deliver virtual and hybrid event solutions for medical organizations to complement their live events. The American Thoracic Society, a nonprofit organization focused on improving care for pulmonary diseases with more than 16,000 members worldwide, launched their annual conference in April 2021 as a 100% virtual event. They selected the MCI Group as its event management partner and Cloud Conventions as its virtual event platform. This August, the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses(AORN), guided by an abundance of caution from the recent surge in COVID cases, transitioned their hybrid conference to a fully virtual event under the guidance of the MCI Group. Their new virtual event will educate and engage attendees and exhibitors using the Cloud Conventions virtual/hybrid event platform. “Audiences for conferences hosted by medical professional groups have unique requirements and a heightened awareness of the risks imposed by the pandemic,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Convey Services, parent company of Cloud Conventions. “Medical professionals not only want to stay up-to-date on scientific advances, but they also need to complete continuing medical education (CME) to maintain licensure. A virtual, on-demand option for engagement plus education ensures attendees have a safe environment to meet their educational needs, interact virtually with other attendees and engage live or on demand with suppliers and sponsors.” The American Thoracic Society’s all-virtual conference in April brought together 9,000 registered attendees for 140 clinical and scientific sessions, 71 special networking events and over 3800 presentation sessions and scientific posters. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses will offer on-demand and live sessions, a networking and innovation lounge, an exhibitor solutions center hosting in-booth sessions, product showcases along with an innovation theater. “Striking the balance between a live and virtual event environment is a strategic decision that medical professional groups must make as they consider event design today and even more in the future,” said James Kelley, Director at the MCI Group. “Our customers rely on MCI to guide them to deliver the best options that engage audiences before, during and after the event ensuring that virtual environments complement and not conflict with the on-site program.” A recent research study, “Association Trends: from Disruption to Opportunity” by Community Brands, revealed that 85% of association event professionals plan to invest more in virtual events in the next 12 months. This trend is driven by a 48% increase in members engaging more with their associations due to increased virtual options and on-demand education. The Tagoras 2020 “Virtual Conference Report” detailed that 75% of those delivering virtual events did so to reach audiences who could not otherwise attend. With the increase in COVID cases driven by variants, medical professional groups are now pressed to include virtual alternatives that are specifically geared to the industry, as they enter the busy fall conference season. Download the Case Study: “The 2021 American Thoracic Society Virtual Event” for free at: https://cloudconventions.com/page/135834/ats-customer-success-story. Show organizers and event managers can learn more about Cloud Conventions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com and the MCI Group by visiting http://www.mci-group.com/usa. About The MCI Group MCI is a global engagement and marketing agency. We design human-centric solutions that unleash the power of people to deliver innovation and growth for our clients. Our offering includes live & virtual events, strategic & digital communications, consulting & community solutions. We help brands, companies, associations, and not-for-profits solve their challenges, bringing their people together to shape their tomorrow. MCI is an independently owned company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with a global presence in 60 offices across 31 countries. www.mci-group.com MCI’s US headquarters is in the Washington, DC area with offices in New York, Baltimore, Dallas, and Chicago. www.mci-group.com/usa About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Community™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Convey Services Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

August 04, 2021 03:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Velocity Global hires tech operations leader Eric Schroeder as Chief Operating Officer

Velocity Global

Velocity Global, the leading provider of global employment solutions, added technology operations veteran Eric Schroeder as chief operating officer. Schroeder applies two decades of operations leadership to support clients, their distributed workforces, and scale Velocity Global’s worldwide team. “Eric led global safety operations for Uber, one of the world’s top tech companies that combines complex infrastructure with a simple human experience,” said Ben Wright, Velocity Global founder and CEO. “His global operations expertise aligns directly with our global work platform for an always-on connection between employers and the talent who rely on us for everything from timely, accurate payroll to customized compliant solutions in global markets.” Schroeder most recently was vice president of operations for autonomous driving company, Ghost. Prior to that, he was head of global safety operations for Uber and also held roles as General Manager for Utah and Northern California. Before Uber, he spent three years with McKinsey and Company in the U.S. and South Africa. Schroeder is also a proud Army veteran where he served in Special Forces and completed two combat deployments to Afghanistan. “My experience at Uber inspired a passion for the future of work — the balance of opportunity and owning how, when, and where you work,” said Schroeder. “I’ve long been impressed with Ben and the team at Velocity Global where I now direct that passion in a way the world has not yet experienced. The team built and maintains the backbone of global employment, enhanced by a first-class technology experience. The multifaceted platform connects employers with talent anywhere in the world.” The company’s global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience through proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, personalized expertise, and unmatched global scale. Users access a streamlined technology interface as well as partner with a dedicated experience team for individualized solutions and expertise. As the largest global Employer of Record (EoR) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, Velocity Global manages a client’s workforce and provides in-country and in-state compliance, payroll, and benefits for the supported employees. The company also offers Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. Schroeder leads the customer experience and delivery team, global payroll and benefits, and worldwide operations with employees across five continents. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience through proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, personalized expertise, and unmatched 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 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

August 04, 2021 07:02 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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SIGMA Announces new 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports Supertelephoto Lens

SIGMA CORPORATION OF AMERICA

SIGMA Corporation of America, in conjunction with SIGMA Corporation (CEO: Kazuto Yamaki), announces the release of the SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports lens in the US market. The new high-performance supertelephoto zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless camera systems will be available for $1,499.00 through authorized US retailers in late August 2021. Capture the magic through your finder. Uncompromising optical performance throughout the zoom range Fast, high-precision AF and impressive functionality Outstanding build quality optimized for ultra-telephoto photography Supplied accessories: Case, Cover Hood (LH1034-01), Cover Lens Cap (LC-747E), Shoulder Strap, Tripod Socket (TS-121), Front Cap (LCF-95Ⅲ), Rear Cap (LCRⅡ) Available mount: L-Mount, Sony E-mount * The appearance and specifications of the product are subject to change. * This product is developed, manufactured and sold based on the specifications of E-mount which was disclosed by Sony Corporation under the license agreement with Sony Corporation. * L-Mount is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG. #SIGMA #SIGMA150600mmSports #SIGMASports #SIGMADGDN Introducing the SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports, a powerful ultra-telephoto zoom and the first ever Sports line lens for mirrorless systems. This portable and practical optic revolutionizes the way mirrorless users capture wildlife, motorsport and other fast-action subjects. The 150–600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports is SIGMA Sports line’s first ultra-telephoto zoom lens, designed from the ground up specifically for full-frame mirrorless cameras. It offers outstanding levels of performance, functionality, and build quality required for ultra-telephoto shooting in the most demanding situations. Image quality is exceptional, with ultra-high-performance glass capable of delivering ultra-sharp results even on the highest resolution cameras. The lens displays beautiful bokeh throughout its zoom range, and optical aberrations are kept well under control. It can be used with SIGMA’s 1.4× and 2× L-Mount teleconverters, with AF effective up to 1200mm. Fast and accurate autofocus owing to an AF unit equipped with a high-precision magnetic sensor, combined with an OS (Optical Stabilizer) function effective to approximately 4 stops* of image stabilization makes this a highly responsive lens that can handle even the most challenging subjects. It has a Dual Action Zoom system that includes straight and ring zoom, a dust and splash resistant structure, and customizable switches helping photographers and filmmakers adapt quickly and easily to virtually any shooting environment. Capture the long-reach images you have always wanted with an ultra-telephoto lens—that's the visual experience you will enjoy with the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports, the first ultra-telephoto lens for mirrorless systems from SIGMA Sports line. * Based on CIPA guidelines (measured in 600mm with a 35mm full-size image sensor) [Key features] 1. Uncompromising optical performance throughout the zoom range The SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports offers outstanding optical performance throughout its zoom range and at all apertures, yielding professional quality results. Based on the latest optical design technology, its lens construction of 25 elements in 15 groups includes a range of special types of high-performance glass that ensures thorough control of different types of aberrations. This helps give images the resolution and clearest detail—not only at the tele end around 600mm, which is critical for an ultra-telephoto zoom, but also throughout its entire zoom range—with no compromise. The lens was designed with image quality in the out-of-focus areas in mind as well, with attractive compression and beautiful bokeh for creating eye-catching images that can only be achieved with a long focal length. Through improvements to the optical and mechanical designs as well as extensive simulated testing, the lens has achieved high resistance to ghosting and flare. This helps ensure sharp and high-contrast images even in strong sunlight or in backlit conditions. At the wide end of 150mm, the lens has an impressive minimum focusing distance of 58 cm. On the L-Mount, the use of two dedicated teleconverters will allow you to shoot with AF up to 1200mm. With these features, this new ultra-telephoto lens is the perfect tool for tackling a broad range of shooting situations, giving you a greater freedom in your choice of composition. 2. Fast, high-precision AF and impressive functionality The 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports comes with the pro-level functionality that defines the SIGMA Sports line lens, which is designed for capturing fast-action subjects. With an AF actuator controlled by a stepping motor, the lens combines fast and quiet autofocus with excellent tracking of moving objects. Furthermore, a high-precision magnetic sensor enables highly accurate positioning for fast and high-precision AF. This is particularly impressive on an ultra-telephoto lens where the focus lens has to move a significant distance. The OS function delivers effective image stabilization that offers an advantage of approximately 4 stops*, which is ideal for hand-held shooting at slower shutter speeds. It is possible to change the OS settings using the OS switch and Custom Mode switch to best suit the shooting situation. The lens has a Focus Limiter switch offering three-zone AF modification, which helps to speed up AF performance, and on the L-Mount it is possible to set a custom focusing limit via the SIGMA USB DOCK. The lens also has three AFL buttons to which you can assign various functions on the camera side depending on the model of camera used. This ensures that key settings are able to be customized to suit your shooting style and be accessed easily so that you can adapt quickly to changing conditions. With the fast and high-precision AF, 4 stops* image stabilization, and a wide range of customizable functionality that comes with the SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports, the creative possibilities are limitless. * Based on CIPA guidelines (measured in 600mm with a 35mm full-size image sensor) 3. Outstanding build quality optimized for ultra-telephoto photography The 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports combines the build quality that upholds the SIGMA Sports line standards with excellent operability, taking into account different shooting environments and modes of operation expected with an ultra-telephoto lens. A dust and splash resistant structure that stops water drops or dust from getting into the lens, combined with a water and oil repellent coating applied to the front element, gives you a peace of mind even in a harsh shooting environment. The lens features a Dual Action Zoom, which supports both straight zoom and ring zoom, allowing you to change the angle of view in a quick and intuitive way. In addition, there is also a newly incorporated Zoom Torque switch, with which you can change the resistance of the zoom ring and lock it at the wide end, ensuring ease of zoom operation as well as elimination of zoom creep. On the lens body there is a magnesium tripod socket attachable to an Arca Swiss type clamp. The foot is removable and may be replaced with an optional lens foot (replaceable lens foot type) or mounted on a monopod. The lens body uses parts made of aluminum and TSC (Thermally Stable Composite), where they are most suitable. TSC is a type of polycarbonate with a thermal expansion rate similar to that of aluminum, ensuring the lens behaves consistently at different temperatures. By taking advantage of its design intended exclusively for mirrorless camera systems, the lens is both robust—an attribute essential for the Sports line of lensesーand compact and lightweight. Compared to the SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports, which is also a Sports line lens but designed for SLR cameras, the new lens is lighter by 760g and shorter by 26.6mm*. * The 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports for L-Mount, compared to the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports for SIGMA SA-mount. [Additional features] Lens construction: 25 elements in 15 groups, with 4 FLD and 2 SLD elements OS (Optical Stabilizer) function Inner focus system Compatible with high-speed autofocus Stepping motor Compatible with lens aberration correction * Function available on supported cameras only. Available corrections may vary depending on the camera model. Support DMF and AF+MF Super Multi-Layer Coating Water and oil repellent coating (front element) Focus Mode switch Focus Limiter switch OS switch Custom Mode switch AFL button (3 buttons) Zoom Torque switch Tripod Socket (Replaceable lens foot type) TS-121 fixed Cover Hood (LH1034-01) Dust and splash resistant structure Compatible with SIGMA TELE CONVERTER TC-1411 / TC-2011 (sold separately / for L-Mount only) Compatible with SIGMA USB DOCK UD-11 (sold separately / for L-Mount only) Compatible with SIGMA TRIPOD SOCKET TS-81 (Replaceable lens foot type / sold separately) Designed to minimize flare and ghosting Every single lens undergoes SIGMA’s proprietary MTF measuring system 9-blade rounded diaphragm High-precision, durable brass bayonet mount “Made in Japan” craftsmanship To learn more about SIGMA’s craftsmanship, please visit SIGMA website at https://www.sigma-global.com/en/about/craftsmanship/ [Key specifications] The figures below are for L-Mount. Lens construction: 15 groups, 25 elements (4 FLD and 2 SLD)| Angle of view: 16.4° (W) - 4.1° (T)|Number of diaphragm blades: 9 (rounded diaphragm)| Minimum aperture: F22-29|Minimum focusing distance: 58 (W) – 280 (T) cm / 22.8 (W) – 110.2 (T) in.|Maximum magnification ratio: 1:2.9 (At a focusing distance of 180mm)|Filter size: φ95mm|Dimensions (Maximum Diameter x Length): φ109.4mm×263.6mm / φ4.3in.×10.4in.|Weight: 2,100g / 74.1oz (Tripod socket included) [Barcode] L-Mount: 0085126 747695 Sony E-mount: 0085126 747657 [Accessories: Supplied] [Accessories: Optional] [Contact] For further information, please contact your local authorized SIGMA Service Station listed at the link below: https://www.sigma-global.com/en/world-network/ [Information] SIGMA Corporation | https://www.sigma-global.com/en/ Product information | https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/s021_150_600_5_63/ Contact Details Jack Howard 631-585-1144 x1015 SIGMA.PR@sigmaphoto.com Company Website https://www.sigma-global.com/en/

August 04, 2021 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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