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Telos' Decentralization Rivals that of Bitcoin and Ethereum

Telos Foundation

Telos Blockchain (ticker: TLOS), the world’s most robust and decentralized ESG compliant layer 1 platform and home to the world's fastest, highest capacity EVM (tEVM), derives credible neutrality and decentralization from at least 42 equally distinct validating nodes compared to the much smaller number of major mining pools securing Bitcoin and Ethereum. After a thorough competitive analysis comparing Telos’ decentralization to the decentralization of many of the other top Layer 1 chains, the Foundation has confirmed its assumptions. Based on validator equality and crucial factors regarding architecture and finances, the team confirmed that Telos is indeed one of the leading chains regarding credible neutrality and decentralization. As mining pools lack equality, massive node counts become irrelevant: As depicted in the pie charts above, Telos, via its governance, has maintained an equitable distribution amongst all its active validators and Bitcoin and Ethereum have not. Instead, the mining pools of both Bitcoin and Ethereum have now become centralized. The hypothesis is that over the years the well-funded pools have overtaken the little ones. Despite the substantial number of nodes, to be a credibly neutral peer-to-peer network, the network must also sustain even splits in validator power / responsibilities. Without this equality, the insulating strengths of decentralized peer-to-peer networking becomes significantly degraded. A decentralized network made up of equitable validators adds a powerful layer of insulation against multiple scenarios. For example, a multi-government coalition could potentially implement disruptive regulations or restrictions on blockchain. If only a handful of validators / mining pools need to be targeted, it becomes much easier for those governments to impose their will and degrade the insulation that a peer-to-peer network is supposed to provide. In fact, an event far smaller than this could instantly interrupt some chains from operating as they intended. However, the problem is not just limited to government interference. It is also the potential of a coalition amongst the validator majority that threatens the decentralization and stability of a chain. Despite having many nodes, it appears that for Bitcoin it would take only ~5 large mining pools to form a majority, only ~4 for Ethereum and 22 for Telos (as depicted in the pie charts above). Aside from this significant (4x to 5x) difference, it is also worth noting that the community fairly votes the Telos validators into active slots vs Bitcoin / Ethereum in which the mining pool’s principles are anonymous and can simply buy their way into a majority position. Hence, the centralization and lack of credible neutrality that has now formed. Credible neutrality cannot exist in an environment in which control and influence is exerted by small groups of well-funded people. This move towards validator centralization also leads to neutrality questions that are impossible to answer. For example, are the validator majorities' ambitions in line with what is best for the chain or themselves? To put the potential gravity of this into perspective one needs to understand that the principal/s of a majority sized mining pool can easily be a crime syndicate, and no one would know about it due to the anonymity. In fact, all the major mining pools can hypothetically be owned by crime syndicates, and no one would ever know. In contrast to this, with chain-governed validator equality and ongoing fair community voting, these credibility and neutrality questions are simply non-existing issues. In fact, all these chain degrading scenarios are exactly what the Telos architecture and governance have insulated against. As a chain’s validator network becomes unequal in size; the more it will move towards centralization, the more its neutrality will become biased and the more these chain breakdown scenarios may become a reality. Insider allocation cost blockchain’s their credible neutrality: Being that Telos was a 100% bootstrap project (95% of the coins airdropped to the community, 5% were used as equal pay to the almost 150 contributors, no insider handouts, and no ICO), the team already knew that its insider allocation was at the same level as Bitcoin’s beginnings, zero. Telos is the only L1 chain besides Bitcoin to have ever reached this stage of maturity while still maintaining zero insider allocation. All the other L1 chains are believed to be centralized and unable to become credibly neutral public infrastructure due to their insider allocation (click here to see). With this being noted, these chains will most likely never be utilized by governments as a legal tender and dApps depending on this infrastructure will never be 100% insulated by the full power of credible neutrality and decentralization. Telos Decentralization: Since its inception, the validators of the Telos Blockchain are both equally sized and regionally / globally diversified. Plus, no ungoverned wallet is known to hold more than 2% of the chain. From chain architecture to finances, decentralization and neutrality are of the highest priority for the chain. Over the last 4 years, Telos has grown into a truly utopian blockchain option for both private and public infrastructure. It is ludicrously fast, very inexpensive, extremely energy efficient, credibly neutral, non-congested, super easy to deploy on and the only chain that fully insulates the public from the front running / MEV that is plaguing Ethereum. Decentralization Highlights: Telos is the only third generation layer 1 blockchain to have never done an ICO [initial coin offering] and this non-action alone insulates the chain greatly regarding insider collusion and the SEC security law suits. Telos, at its inception, electively chose to stay a bootstrap project and rise in the same fashion as Bitcoin. All other third generation layer 1 chains (including Ethereum) have done ICOs and will more than likely be forced to file with the SEC as securities. The former and current SEC Chairman have both expressed that every ICO [initial coin offering] they have seen are indeed securities, that they have jurisdiction, and that federal securities laws apply. The validating architecture of other networks might be structured via peer-to-peer architecture, but they are not credibly decentralized due to the distribution of monetary / voting / validating power. Again, insider allocation is non-existent and as you can see above in the pie charts depicting validator decentralization, Telos Validators are proportionally equal. Telos governance has the fairest voting system in existence, called Telos Decide. It is tamper-proof and secured by the Tlos coins that investors own. A coin holder can vote on behalf of the coins they hold and rely on outcomes that do not require any further human involvement. No other Layer 1 offers this level of automated community fairness. Especially because the Telos governance documents may be dynamically amended by the votes of the coin holders in a process that is entirely controlled by on-chain smart contracts. Governments, investors, dApp creators, and end users need not forget that the fundamental features which bring the most value to blockchain are credible neutrality and decentralization. With credible neutrality and decentralization the following attributes are all significantly enhanced: Utility Redundancy Security / Trust Individual Financial Independence dApp Sovereignty Fair Voting Legal Tender The actions and inactions of Telos are driven by the belief that the public and private sectors require credibly neutral blockchain infrastructure in a third-generation capable format. Credible neutrality, ludicrously fast speeds, energy efficiency, and super low-cost transactions make Telos the perfect crypto currency for the global internet and for the people. About Telos Live since 2018, Telos Blockchain (ticker: Tlos) is a third-generation smart contract platform that offers compatibility with Solidity, Vyper and Native C++ smart contracts. Telos provides full EVM/Solidity support with fixed low-cost gas fees and no front running. Uniquely, Telos also offers a path to fee-less transactions via its robust native C++ smart contract support. Utilizing less than 0.000002 kWh per transaction, the chain can sustainably support hundreds of millions of transactions per day, produce blocks in 0.5 second intervals on a first-in-first-out basis (eliminating front running on the network) and securely validate transactions via a credibly neutral and globally decentralized block producer network. The Telos Blockchain has the throughput needed to facilitate and scale the thriving Metaverse / Web 3.0 better than any other blockchain. Its performance is unrivaled in the industry and was purpose-built to offer speed, scalability, cost-effectiveness, credible decentralization, and end-user fairness. Telos, harnesses its power by utilizing tight C++ on the frontend and a custom WASM runtime environment on the backend. About The Foundation The Telos Foundation is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization established as a promotional and funding body to advance the Telos Blockchain Network and provide support to network applications. Contact Details The Team hello@telosfoundation.io Company Website https://www.telos.net/

April 20, 2022 10:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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38-Year Printing Business Avante Print Center Converts to International Minute Press Franchise in Mesa, Arizona

Minuteman Press International Inc

For nearly 38 years, Carl Denti and his family operated their independent print shop Avante Print Center. In Feb. 2022, Carl sold the business to new owners Devin and John Weiss through Minuteman Press International’s conversion program, which connects sellers with qualified buyers. Carl says, “It was time for me to join my wife Patricia in retirement and I think the transition to International Minute Press has gone very well. I needed to like the people who bought the business and Devin and John are great. My daughter Renee has stayed on working in the business and we also have employees with 25 years of tenure, so it was important for us to be comfortable with everything.” Devin and John have rebranded as International Minute Press in Mesa, AZ, and are operating out of the same location at 218 West Hampton Avenue, Unit 13 that was home to Avante Print Center. Devin says, “We believe owning a business gives us a real sense of pride. By purchasing this established business, we strive to honor our clients, our community, and our staff with continued personalized service and outstanding support.” History of the Business On March 27 th, 1984, Carl Denti and his wife Patricia opened Avante Print Center in Mesa. Carl shares, “I had owned a previous business in Kansas City that I sold. We moved to Arizona and at that time I decided to invest in another business. I told my accountant I didn’t want anything in credit collections (which I did for 15 years) and I didn’t want to own a food-related business. One of the things he came up with was printing.” He adds, “Patricia was very influential in having us go into the printing industry as well. She previously had worked for Hallmark in Kansas City doing calligraphy, and she wanted something we could do together. In our first full year in business together, we made a 39.8% profit.” While printing proved to be a viable business for Carl and Patricia, he also appreciated the freedom it afforded him to pursue other passions. Carl says, “From 1992 – 2021, I also served as the pastor of a church in Arizona, which I never really considered to be work plus it didn’t really pay the bills. Printing was an easy business to market and sell, and I felt it had easier customer acquisition than other industries.” Over the years, Avante Print Center became a second-generation family business. Carl explains, “Patricia and I worked together in the business until she retired a few years ago, and my daughter Renee also worked with us and is still working in the business today even after it was sold.” Growing the Business For the 37-plus years he was in business, Carl operated on four key principles. He says, “No matter what business you own, for me the principles never change. We built Avante Print Center following these principles: Customer service was the apex. We decided that no one would out-service us. When we said we were going to do something, we did it. My goal was to get at least 98% (if not 100%) of all jobs out on time and done right. My definition of quality is that the job has to be accepted by the customer, that they will be happy with it and order it again, and that they will tell someone about the work that we did and refer our business. You have to be able to go after the market and you have to sell. One of the problems people run into when starting a business is that their goal is to simply unlock their doors. Instead, your goal needs to be to make a profit, which takes a lot more than turning the key and turning on lights. Know your numbers and live by your numbers. It’s as simple as that.” Selling the Business While Carl was thinking of retiring at some point, he actually wasn’t actively pursuing a sale of his printing business. He explains, “I did not have the business listed for sale but I’ve known Jack Panzer (Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President) for approximately eight years. When I received a letter and flyer in the mail that Jack could help sell my business, I thought that was very smart of Minuteman Press International do reach out. Jack was very laid back whenever we spoke, and he was always open and honest along with being knowledgeable about the industry.” At the beginning of 2021, the timing was right. Carl shares, “In January 2021, Jack approached me with a qualified buyer that he thought could be a fit for my shop. I told him what it would cost if someone wants to buy our business. I also consulted with my daughter Renee, who decided she didn’t want to take over the business. We started the sales process in March 2021 and it was finished by Feb. 2022.” As for the transition to the new owners, Carl says, “I think the transition has gone very well. I needed to like the people who bought the business and Devin and John Weiss are great. Renee has stayed on working in the business and we also have employees with 25 years of tenure, so it was important for us to be comfortable with everything.” “Jack Panzer is a terrific guy from top to bottom. He’s very transparent and open as is the team at Minuteman Press International. I don’t think there’s a better way to sell your business and here’s why: 1. You’re not paying any commission; 2. You’re working with a well-established 45-year company in Minuteman Press International; and 3. Your buyer is going to have a much better chance of succeeding with the support they are getting. If they succeed, then your employees will be taken care of… and that really means a lot to us.” -Carl Denti, Retiring Owner, Avante Print Center (now International Minute Press, Mesa, AZ Meet the New Owners Devin and John Weiss are no strangers to owning a business. Devin says, “ John and I have owned several diverse businesses but most recently I owned a dance studio for 25 years. When John and I met approximately 10 years ago, we started a business together shortly after, that we continue to operate.” When the opportunity came to buy an established business while also receiving additional support, Devin says, “Honestly, it was a no brainer. We had planned to open an International Minute Press in the area in 2020, just before the pandemic hit. A year and a half later, our Regional VP Jack Panzer, reached out with this opportunity to buy Avante Print Center and convert it to International Minute Press. It was such a great opportunity that we couldn’t pass it up!” When asked why they chose franchising, Devin answers, “We have looked at other businesses and franchises, and were completely impressed with Minuteman Press International by comparison. The amount of hands-on guidance and support are second-to-none. In the past, we have always done businesses independently, and having the support of this franchise in particular was a great draw.” “Jack Panzer and his team were with us every step of the way; they made the sale as easy as it could be. Since buying the business, the support has been great. From the training to the in-store training with the local field staff, it has superseded our expectations in every way. Their patience and knowledge gave us the confidence we needed to enter a new industry for us.” -Devin Weiss, Owner, International Minute Press, Mesa, AZ (formerly Avante Print Center) Entering the Printing Industry Now that Devin and John are operating their business, they are excited to hit the ground running and continue the legacy that Carl and family started. Devin says, “We believe owning a business gives you a sense of pride. By purchasing an established business, we strive to honor our clients, our community, and our staff with continued outstanding service and support.” As a full-service printing and marketing services provider, Devin and John are excited to help other local businesses and organizations with virtually everything they need to operate and promote themselves. Devin says, “Wide format printing is especially exciting right now. There is such a wide variety of custom printed products that we can provide to our clients – we haven’t found anything we can’t do yet in-house or with the help of our franchisor and vendors.” As she reflects on owning a business vs. having a job, one word comes to mind for Devin: “Freedom!” She elaborates, While you have to put in many hours as the owner of a business, they are on your own schedule and with your own priorities. You decide what your life entails every day, and we wouldn’t trade that for the world! We love to travel and the freedom makes that possible.” Advice for Others Devin shares this advice for others who are looking to buy a business right now: “Do your due diligence. A positive attitude is a must. Survey other business owners about their experiences, both good and bad. There is a lot of preparation that goes into buying a business, and having a successful franchise to guide you is a great option. Ultimately, no matter how prepared you are, it is a learning experience!” International Minute Press is located at 218 West Hampton Avenue, Unit 13; Mesa, AZ 85210. For more information, call 480-969-4888 or visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/az/mesa21. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press International franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. To find out how to sell your printing business through Minuteman Press International, visit https://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

April 19, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Agora Data Named as NIADA National Corporate Partner

Agora

Agora Data, whose suite of resources empowers independent auto dealers and finance companies to finance more non-prime customers, continues as a National Corporate Partner by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA). Agora is committed to leveling the playing field for non-prime auto loan originators, a market that has long been underserved and underbanked. The company plans to offer NIADA's 20,000 independent dealers the same advantages typically reserved for big franchise operations. For example, Agora made history with the first-ever crowdsourced subprime securitizations in the auto industry. They were completed in December 2020 and May 2021, and more securitizations are underway. Agora also recently unveiled the first-ever reducing interest rate line of credit. These new offerings pave the way to an unlimited borrowing capacity, the lowest interest rates, and the highest advances without requiring personal guarantees. The company combines its innovative financial solutions with a groundbreaking technology platform that calculates the book value of non-prime auto loans. Dealers and finance companies can now determine the value of their portfolios using Agora's patent pending predictive modeling. With this information, dealers can track the performance of their portfolios and optimize the capital they need to fuel growth by using a line of credit or by opportunistically selling a portion of their loans. "A single objective drives Agora - to remove the barriers dealers and finance companies face when attempting to access needed capital." said Steve Burke, CEO of Agora Data, Inc. "As a former Buy Here Pay Here dealer, I know firsthand how tough this industry can be for even the brightest entrepreneurs. It is amazing how auto loan originators can grow when the odds are stacked against them, so imagine what they can accomplish if these obstacles are removed." NIADA has been supporting independent dealers for 75 years, so it is the perfect fit for a strategic industry partner, says Burke. "NIADA built its reputation on connecting dealers with the most effective solutions providers in our industry. Agora is honored to continue being counted among those trailblazers." Agora Data will be attending and exhibiting at the upcoming NIADA Convention & Expo being held June 20-23, 2022, at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. The company plans to announce and demonstrate many innovative advancements, all designed to fuel growth for dealers and finance companies. About Agora Data, Inc: Agora Data's platform delivers a suite of tools to empower independent auto dealers and finance companies to finance non-prime customers. Agora's family of auto finance products provides a wide range of critical funding paths so originators can obtain the cash they need to fuel growth, compete, and build wealth. Powered by patent pending technology, originators now have access to robust data analytics and planning resources to help optimize the performance of their portfolios. Agora Data made history by closing the first-ever crowdsourced subprime auto securitization in 2020 and followed that up with its second transaction in early 2021. For more information, visit agoradata.com or contact us at 877-592-4672. Contact Details Shelly Vandeven +1 682-282-4130 media@agoradata.com Company Website https://agoradata.com/

April 18, 2022 09:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Industrial Defender Unveils New Standalone OT Vulnerability Management Solution, Immunity by ID™

Industrial Defender

Industrial Defender, the leader in operational technology (OT) security, today announced the launch of Immunity by ID™, a new cloud-based offering that helps industrial security teams turn their OT asset inventory information into a risk-based vulnerability management program. The product is offered as a standalone solution or as an add-on within the Industrial Defender platform. Using current OT hardware and software inventory information from an asset visibility tool, CMDB or spreadsheet, this vendor-agnostic solution generates a prioritized list of vulnerabilities based on asset criticality and risk level, along with applicable patching data, to help keep critical infrastructure secure in the face of global cybersecurity threats. Immunity by ID is up and running in a matter of days, allowing users to begin their vulnerability management program immediately, and simple, transparent pricing lets them easily scale a subscription as they mature. “With the looming threat of a global cyber war, critical infrastructure organizations of all sizes are looking for straightforward solutions that rapidly deliver actionable intelligence to help them protect their essential systems,” said Peter Lund, CTO at Industrial Defender. “We created this tool to help companies better utilize the asset information they already have that may be nothing more than a data dump right now. Unlike other OT vulnerability management offerings on the market, ours is powered by an anonymized cloud, so as soon as a vulnerability is published, you'll know whether a device is at risk without waiting for the next software update.” Industrial Defender will be offering a free 14-day trial of Immunity by ID to qualified users at North American and European critical infrastructure companies through the end of May to support their efforts to shore up cybersecurity defenses. For more information, visit https://www.industrialdefender.com/immunity-by-industrial-defender/. About Industrial Defender Since 2006, Industrial Defender has been solving the challenge of safely collecting, monitoring, and managing OT asset data at scale, while providing cross-functional teams with a unified view of security. Their specialized solution is tailored to complex industrial control system environments by engineers with decades of hands-on OT experience. Easy integrations into the broader security and enterprise ecosystem empower IT teams with the same visibility, access, and situational awareness that they’re accustomed to on corporate networks. Learn more at www.industrialdefender.com. Contact Details Erin Anderson +1 617-675-4206 eanderson@industrialdefender.com Company Website https://www.industrialdefender.com

April 14, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Raw materials platform Zaraye raises $2.1m in Tiger Global’s first pre-seed investment in Pakistan

Zaraye

Karachi based business-to-business raw materials marketplace Zaraye raises $2.1mn in their pre-seed round from Tiger Global and Zayn Capital. Other investors include +92 Ventures, Alan Rutledge, Jack Rizvi, and current and former Careem employees holding key positions in their tenures. This is Tiger Global’s first pre-seed investment in Pakistan. Founded in late 2021, Zaraye helps manufacturing businesses procure raw materials and finance the working capital. It is currently serving clients across textile and construction industries, with over 300 partners and suppliers spread out in 20+ cities. Pakistan’s industrial manufacturing sector contributes to 20% of the country’s economy with a $35bn raw material market annually with raw materials contributing 60-65% of the total costs for the manufacturers. In conditions where net margins are thin, finding efficiency in costs becomes critical for these businesses to win orders and sustain against competition locally and globally. Additionally, SMEs have always found acquiring financing a huge battle for their businesses from financial institutions, and are forced to turn to informal markets with ~2.5x premiums. Ahsan Ali Khan, co-founder and CEO of Zaraye commented: “We aim to strengthen the backbone of the country’s economy by helping the entrepreneurs in finding avenues to optimize and scale. Zaraye will help our partners to compete locally and globally as they find more savings in time and money to create the best products. With the confidence of amazing investors in Zaraye, we are geared to supercharge our mission to reach millions of users”. Traditionally a manufacturer would connect with a handful of intermediaries or directly with the suppliers with a tedious process of going through multiple phone calls, and wait for them to furnish rates. This process is longer, tedious and brings very limited options for the buyers to make a decision. With Zaraye, buyers of raw materials can simply post their requirements for the required product and the relevant suppliers can furnish quotes in real time making the information for buying decisions vast and quick. At the same time, the suppliers can access consolidated demand volumes with the vast network of buyers on Zaraye’s platform. Faisal Aftab, Managing Partner & Co-Founder of Zayn Capital BitRate Fund commented: “Procurement in the manufacturing industry is a massive problem with similar models showing immense success in comparable markets. We believe in the Zaraye team and their capabilities in solving this problem in Pakistan. We’re super excited to be a part of their journey.” Zaraye is available across platforms with their iOS, android and web app. The platform helps buyers of raw materials connect with multitude of suppliers who furnish their quotes in real-time making the process faster and hassle free. Zaraye was founded by IBA class fellows Taha Iqbal Teli, Hashair Junaid Ahmedani and Ahsan Ali Khan who worked together at multiple instances throughout their academic and professional careers. Taha and Ahsan have been part of the tech ecosystem for the past 5 years with experience at giants like Careem and Swvl. Ahsan led Swvl’s Travel category for Pakistan in his last stint, while Taha led the TaaS product for Karachi before launching the Daewoo Adda, a logistics product for transportation’s leading player Daewoo. Meanwhile, Hashair after completing his post-graduate degree at the University of Bath, where studied with Taha he returned to Pakistan to join his family business in Karachi. Hashair soon found his passion in the hospitality industry introducing Czech and Levantian cuisine to Pakistan with two successful ventures while building an FMCG brand for imported coffee from Latin Amercia. Hashair Junaid Ahmedani, co-founder of Zaraye added: “Small and medium business owners have been trapped in a cycle of high competition and lack of financing options- Zaraye aims to help these businesses scale as they find the efficiencies in procurement and financing options to make better decisions for their businesses.” Taha Iqbal Teli, co-founder of Zaraye said “Our goal is to help these entrepreneurs focus on manufacturing and selling their products. Zaraye will handle the entire procurement process, all the way from getting quotes, assuring quality, delivering to their doorsteps with any after-sales assistance our partners might require. Our partners remain at the heart of all our endeavors and we believe this massive problem cannot be solved without a world class team. As we build great solutions for our customers, we are always on the lookout for great talent and I would encourage everyone who feels passionately about building solutions at scale that make lives easy and loved by customers to apply away.” Having worked together on multiple projects, the three came together to solve one of the biggest problems faced by the manufacturing industry in emerging markets. Hashair’s experience while working with his family business was critical in understanding the problems faced by the businessmen and how they operate. The team amalgamates context from legacy businesses and building modern solutions at scale. Zaraye has built a strong team with experience from Swvl, PWC UK chapter, Daraz and Louis Dreyfus and their tech team is led by Asif Ali, ex-CTO Cheetay. About Zaraye Founded in late 2021, Zaraye helps manufacturing businesses procure raw materials and finance the working capital. It is currently serving clients across textile and construction industries, with over 300 partners and suppliers spread out in 20+ cities. Zaraye is available across platforms with their iOS, android and web app. The platform helps buyers of raw materials connect with multitude of suppliers who furnish their quotes in real-time making the process faster and hassle free. About Tiger Global Management Tiger Global Management is an investment firm focused on public and private companies in the global internet, software, consumer,and financial technology industries. Tiger Global has been an investor in companies such as Facebook, Stripe, Uber, Coinbase, Byju’s, Instacart, LinkedIn, Nextdoor, Postmates, Quora, Spotify and others. About Zayn Capital Zayn Capital is an investment firm providing debt and equity financing to start-ups in Pakistan with occasional opportunistic bets in the region. It was founded by Faisal Aftab and Faisal Chowdhry who both serve as managing partners of the Venture Capital firm. Zayn Capital has made 20 investments with lead investments in Nayapay, Bagallery, Krave Mart and Bookme.pk among others. Their team is made up of seasoned executives, investors, founders, and operators who partner and support startups in Pakistan. For more information, please visit https://www.zayn.capital/ Contact Details Zaraye Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website http://www.zaraye.co/

April 14, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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NAMEPA receives grant from Cargill to implement program for educating students to become Marine Environment Protectors

North American Marine Environment Protection Association

The North American Marine Environmental Protection Association (NAMEPA) has received funding from Cargill to implement an afterschool enrichment program for youth in grades 6-8 in underserved communities in the greater Miami area with a goal to educate and activate students to be “Marine Environment Protectors”. The project will help “Save Our Seas” by encouraging this generation to become responsible stewards of the marine environment through hands-on educational programs and projects. NAMEPA’s Marine Environment Protectors program increases ocean literacy among underrepresented youth, highlights workforce development in marine fields, allows for long-term scientific research, and creates a framework for similar projects to expand across North America. “Cargill believes in being strong community partners and actively supports valuable programs that protect and promote our planet,” explained Jan-Willem van den Dijssel, Cargill’s Americas Lead for Ocean Transportation. “We are partnering with NAMEPA to help foster ocean literacy amongst students of today and steer them to become ocean ambassadors of tomorrow. This program supports this goal and will drive lasting positive change.” NAMEPA Co-Founder and Executive Director Carleen Lyden Walker commented, “ NAMEPA is grateful to Cargill Cares Community Fund for providing opportunities for organizations such as NAMEPA to engage with students in local communities to be better overall stewards. Marine Environment Protectors will provide hands-on educational programming by utilizing the natural environment, scientific instrumentation, and immersive classroom instruction. This funding allows NAMEPA to continue our educational outreach toward the goal of activating communities to ‘Save Our Seas’.” CARGILL - Cargill’s 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine 157 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture. NAMEPA - The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) is a marine industry-led organization of environmental stewards preserving the marine environment by promoting sustainable marine industry best practices and educating seafarers, students and the public about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean, lake and river resources. Visit us at www.namepa.net. Contact Details NAMEPA Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-260-0480 executivedirector@namepa.net Company Website https://namepa.net/

April 12, 2022 03:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise in Welshpool, Perth, Western Australia Celebrates 17 Years, Shares Growth Strategies

Minuteman Press International Inc

Rod Hambley has owned his Minuteman Press printing franchise in Welshpool since March of 2005. In May of 2021, Rod purchased 15-year independent print shop Images on Paper. Following the acquisition, Rod merged staff from both businesses and has been producing more in-house orders with the equipment that was added. The result has been doubling and even tripling monthly sales in the months following the acquisition. This includes a record sales month for his 17-year business, Rod says, “We’ve clearly had sustained business growth since the acquisition. Sales for both new and existing clients are in line with past turnover for both.” Welcome to Minuteman Press in Welshpool Prior to buying Minuteman Press in Welshpool, Rod worked in the banking industry. He shares, “I was in banking for 25 years and worked as Branch Manager for several banks. I found Minuteman Press at a franchise show and in gaining a rapport with the Regional Vice President, I saw this as a viable option I could venture to when finished at the bank.” Under Rod’s leadership and following the acquisition of Images on Paper, Minuteman Press in Welshpool has continued to grow its core business. Rod says, “Our core business is always in high demand. We offer our clients high quality printing from our wide format machine which produces posters, signage, and stickers of all shapes and sizes. Our digital machine prints booklets, flyers, business cards, and much more. We also still run an offset machine for NCR Books, envelopes, and spot colour work that are all still in demand.” “It is important for local businesses to market and promote themselves. We are able to design and produce the items they need for those purposes and they also need printing of workbooks, forms, and plenty of other items for their operations as well.” -Rod Hambley, owner, Minuteman Press, Welshpool Acquiring Images on Paper As for how the acquisition of Images on Paper came about, it was a combination of Rod being proactive in looking at local acquisition targets in his area as well as the local Minuteman Press outreach campaign initiated by Regional Vice President Glenn Coyle. Rod says, “We have had our eye on this business in the area for a number of years among others. I have done smaller acquisitions over the years that were successful as I still have some clients from those. I saw Images on Paper as a good prospect where the owner might be looking to retire, and Glenn Coyle also identified them through an acquisition campaign.” Glenn Coyle says, “I reached out to Images on Paper and set up a confidential meeting with the owner Harry and his wife Robyn. We chatted for a while and after we got to know each other and I learned about their business, we all moved forward with a plan for Rod to acquire the business if all went well so Harry and Robyn could sell the business and retire.” Glenn adds, “Once I looked over the paperwork they provided, I met with Harry and Robyn again and told them my plan to introduce their business to Rod. They were happy for me to do this. After Rod met with Harry and Robyn, things went well, and they ultimately came to an agreement on price, terms, equipment, staff, and changeover date.” Rod shares, “The benefit to the seller was to save on brokerage costs, and the benefit to me was the increased sales as well as merging staff and added equipment for in-house jobs.” Advice for Others When asked what advice he would give to others looking to own a business, Rod answers, “Be prepared to work hard and find good staff. Also, you should ensure that you have steady cash flow and enough for a rainy day or two.” Minuteman Press in Welshpool is located at U2 119 Welshpool Rd., Welshpool, WA 6106. For more information, visit their website: https://www.welshpool.minutemanpress.com.au. Learn more about Minuteman Press franchise opportunities in Australia at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com.au. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

April 11, 2022 10:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cooper Standard Names Quinn Vice President, Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer

Cooper Standard Holdings Inc.

Cooper Standard (NYSE: CPS) today announced the appointment of Shannon B. Quinn to vice president, chief commercial and strategy officer. In her new role, Quinn will be responsible for the global commercial group and corporate strategy, and will report to Patrick Clark, senior vice president and managing director – global automotive. Based at the Company's world headquarters in Northville, Quinn will also join Cooper Standard’s Global Leadership Team. “With more than 25 years of experience spanning a wide range of functions and product areas, Shannon is a great fit for her new role as chief commercial and strategy officer and member of our Global Leadership Team,” said Clark. “She is a creative, proactive and an enthusiastic leader with an established record of improving performance. We are pleased to welcome Shannon to Cooper Standard and I am confident that she will be a key contributor in the continued growth and progress of the Company.” Prior to joining Cooper Standard, Quinn served as president, consumer original equipment (OE) North America for Bridgestone Corp. from 2017 to 2022. In this role, she was responsible for leading business development, commercial negotiations, program management, strategy and the overall profit and loss for the business unit. She also led the new initiative to expand Bridgestone’s overall business with new OE’s and new mobility players. Previously, she held titles of increasing responsibility at Adient and its predecessor Johnson Controls, serving as vice president, Ford business unit, where she was responsible for leading all new business pursuit opportunities and generation of revenue plans supporting overall business projections. She joined the global automotive supplier as managing director for the Ford business unit in 2011. From 2000 to 2011, Quinn held several strategic commercial positions with Visteon Corp. She began her career as a product engineer at Ford Motor Co. in 1991. Quinn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana and a Master of Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. She has also completed multiple exclusive executive leadership development programs. She has served as an OESA (Original Equipment Supplier Association) director and an Automotive Hall of Fame board director. Quinn currently serves as a board director for Vista Maria and the Board Development Committee. About Cooper Standard Cooper Standard, headquartered in Northville, Mich., with locations in 21 countries, is a leading global supplier of sealing and fluid handling systems and components. Utilizing our materials science and manufacturing expertise, we create innovative and sustainable engineered solutions for diverse transportation and industrial markets. Cooper Standard's approximately 23,000 employees are at the heart of our success, continuously improving our business and surrounding communities. Learn more at www.cooperstandard.com or follow us on Twitter @CooperStandard. # # # CPS_G Contact Details Chris Andrews +1 248-596-6217 candrews@cooperstandard.com Company Website http://www.cooperstandard.com/

April 11, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Volatus Aerospace Provides Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Drones to Support Ukraine

Volatus Aerospace Corp.

Volatus Aerospace Corp. (TSXV:VOL, OTCQB:VLTTF) ("Volatus" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has begun delivery of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (“ISR”) drones to a consortium of organizations that are focused upon the three critical areas of support to Ukraine: medical supplies, non-lethal military equipment, and assistance to displaced persons. In addition to the ISR unmanned aircraft, Volatus is providing anti-drone systems and training. Under the terms of various supply agreements, Volatus has made initial shipments to humanitarian organizations like Mriya Aid, and Second Front Ukraine Foundation - a registered Canadian not-for-profit corporation working with trusted partners across North America and in Ukraine to deliver goods necessary to protect the lives of Ukrainians in the face of Russian aggression. To meet the growing need for this equipment, Volatus is prepared to fulfill continuing requirements for its products. Volatus CEO, Glen Lynch, commented: "We are honoured and proud to support Second Front, Mriya Aid, and others. This technology provides accurate real-time intelligence while reducing risk to the people who have chosen to serve, and, as recent videos have highlighted, civilians who are at significant risk." Source: Volatus Aerospace Corp. TSXV: VOL About Volatus Aerospace: Volatus Aerospace Corp. is a leading provider of integrated drone solutions throughout Canada, the United States, Latin America and most recently in Europe. Operating a vast pilot network, Volatus serves commercial and defense markets with imaging and inspection, security and surveillance, equipment sales and support, training, and design, manufacturing, and R&D. Through its subsidiary Volatus Aviation, Volatus carries on the business of aircraft management, charter sales, and cargo services using piloted, remotely piloted, and autonomous aircraft. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Corporation with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” (or other variations of the foregoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information includes information regarding (i) the business plans and expectations of the Corporation; and (ii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to the Corporation, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking information reflects the Corporation’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to it and on assumptions it believes to be not unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. In some instances, material factors or assumptions are discussed in this news release in connection with statements containing forward-looking information. Such material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Corporation; meeting the continued listing requirements of the TSXV; and anticipated and unanticipated costs and other factors referenced in this news release and the Circular, including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Circular under the caption “Risk Factors”. Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and, other than as required by law, the Corporation disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Source: Volatus Aerospace Corp. TSXV: VOL Contact Details Volatus Aerospace Rob Walker +1 514-447-7986 rob.walker@volatusaerospace.com Company Website https://volatusaerospace.com

April 11, 2022 07:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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