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Minuteman Press Franchise in Lutz, FL Focuses on Relationships and High-Demand Products to Spark Record Monthly Sales During COVID-19 Pandemic

Minuteman Press International Inc

Ed Casagrande and his family moved to the US from Brazil in 2017 to pursue the American Dream of owning a business. He has not let the COVID-19 pandemic slow him down and Ed shares his insights on growing his Minuteman Press franchise in Lutz, FL. For four years, Minuteman Press franchise owner Ed Casagrande has been building relationships and helping local businesses with their printing and marketing needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Minuteman Press in Lutz, FL was designated as an essential business. Ed and his team have continued to reach out to their clients and community with one simple yet powerful message: “We are all in this together.” The results of Ed’s genuine outreach efforts are a satisfied client base and increased sales. He says, “We are posting record monthly sales in March 2021, and I am thankful for that. Our sales for the month are more than the annual revenue of the previous owner of the business in 2016. To do this during the pandemic makes me even more excited for the future as we continue to work hard on behalf of our community and our customers.” Supporting Local Businesses Ed elaborates, “Since the beginning, we have focused on developing strong relationships with many businesses and organizations within our local community. The pandemic has, in many ways, brought us closer together with our customers. There has been an overwhelming sense that we are all in this together, and by helping to support each other through the struggle, we have been able to keep growing.” Just by reaching out to local businesses, Ed has found a renewed sense of camaraderie with his fellow business owners. “The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. If there has been one thing that has been highlighted during this difficult time, it would be the resilience of the community. Many of our customers print with us on a regular basis, and we have gotten the opportunity to know them and their businesses. When they come into our shop, they share their stories of struggle and success, and we are there to support them through all of it.” He adds, “We know the challenges of trying to grow a business even without the added stress of a worldwide pandemic, and we want to offer solutions that can help businesses take that growth to another level. With that in mind, we take the approach of thinking like the general consumer, and finding print solutions that will help reach the desired audience.” Print Is Essential The best businesses are the ones who quickly identify the needs of their clients and do everything they can to meet those demands. That is exactly what Minuteman Press has done over the past year. Ed recalls, “Early on during the pandemic, we identified the businesses that most needed our services and made the effort to help with their printing needs. The food industry saw a massive increase in demand so we targeted that market – printing labels for food distributors, to-go menus for restaurants, and yard signs and banners promoting social distancing. The need for marketing materials promoting social distancing applied to other industries as well, and we were able to meet those needs with signs, banners, window clings, and floor stickers.” Another challenge for local businesses came in the form of adapting their marketing methods. With trade shows and other events cancelled or postponed, businesses turned to Minuteman Press for help in adapting and diversifying their marketing strategies. Ed explains, “We focused our efforts on areas of the business with the widest margin of return. We had to get creative in finding ways to best serve the needs of our customers, many of whom have also had to completely transform their approach to marketing in a world without trade shows and other traditional marketing methods. This has allowed us the opportunity to continue to grow, despite the challenges facing our local economy. At the core of this growth is the relationships we have built with our customers. The importance of developing strong relationships with local businesses and taking care to provide a quality customer experience with every interaction cannot be stressed enough. It is the key to our success.” By strengthening those relationships, Ed is now poised to help his clients with the anticipated local economic recovery. “We have already begun to see an increase in sales which indicates that the local economy is starting to fire back up. We have taken great care to listen to the needs of our customers and provide options for them that will best help them recover from the pandemic. We have also begun the process of restructuring our team to identify and capitalize on the strengths of each individual team member. We are investing in new equipment so that we can increase our production and profit margins, offer better and faster print solutions to our customers, and stay competitive in the marketplace.” He continues, “We are in the process of expanding to a new larger location which will allow us to grow even more. We have also implemented a marketing outreach project to touch base with customers who haven’t been printing as much since the pandemic started, in an effort to see if we can be of any help to them. This effort has translated into an increase of sales and is helping us get back on track to our pre-pandemic rate of growth.” “For years, the printing industry has been the backbone of marketing for organizations across the world. As technology has advanced and as the world has moved online, the ways that businesses and organizations have been able to reach out and market to their customers has evolved. But the foundation of marketing has always been in print media. In many ways, the pandemic brought things back-to-the-basics for many of our customers. We have seen many of our customers go back to the tried-and-true methods of marketing, including postcard printing for direct mail and EDDM mailing campaigns, flyer/brochure printing, and yard and car sign/banner printing. From what we have seen, the market trends indicate that the printing industry will continue to thrive and we are looking forward to continuing our growth as the economy recovers from the pandemic.” -Ed Casagrande, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, Lutz, FL From Being Laid Off in Brazil to US Business Ownership in Lutz, FL One of the reasons Ed has been able to adapt and grow his business during this unprecedented time is because of his ability to adapt and refocus. In fact, he has pivoted before. “I was born in Brazil and my professional background is in Engineering. Before moving to the US, I was involved in a large organization and was responsible for the entire South American region, with a team of 3,000 employees under my supervision. In 2015, the economy in Brazil went through a dramatic downturn, and I was laid off. My wife and I made the decision to move to the United States with our two children, and we began looking to purchase a business.” Ed continues, “At first, we looked at many options – from gas stations to dry cleaners and everything in between. I found an opportunity to purchase an existing franchise of Minuteman Press, and although I had no previous experience in the printing industry, I was drawn to the Business-to-Business concept that Minuteman Press offered. I am passionate about business and through my experience, I have a deep understanding of the inner workings of growing a business. Minuteman Press allowed me to turn that passion into an opportunity to help other businesses grow through various marketing concepts that we are able to help them achieve, which in turn has helped me grow my own business as well.” Ed credits the ongoing support of Minuteman Press both before and during the pandemic for helping him build his business. He says, “Minuteman Press International has always been a huge support to us, and they took great care to help provide the support we needed during the pandemic. We are so appreciative of the efforts they have made to ensure that the safety of our employees and customers is a top priority, and for providing us with the resources necessary to remain successful despite the challenges facing us.” “Ed Casagrande has done a tremendous job putting in the work to build his Minuteman Press franchise in Lutz. I am proud of the way he has reached out to others, promoted his relevant products and services, and provided an uplifting message as well as a positive customer experience for his clients at this critical time. I look forward to supporting Ed as he continues to build his business.” -Larry Trimble, Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President, Florida Rewards & Advice for Others As a business owner, Ed sees many rewards to being his own boss. He says, “The biggest benefit to owning my own business is that there is virtually no limit to the amount of success that I can achieve, except if I limit myself. When I worked for someone else, there was always a limit to the compensation I received or to the growth that I was able to experience, regardless of the effort I put into it. Owning my own business removes that glass ceiling and allows me to pursue limitless success.” When asked what advice he would give to other local business owners right now, Ed answers, “The best advice that I can give other local businesses is that networking and customer care is vital to the success of a business. A large part of the effort that I have made since becoming a franchise owner of Minuteman Press is through networking with other small business owners in the local community. Through these efforts, I have developed some incredible working relationships with members of the community and I have learned so much along the way.” Ed concludes, “We have all heard it said that there is strength in numbers. The pandemic has demonstrated this to be true, because we have all relied on each other to get through it.” For more information on Ed Casagrande’s Minuteman Press franchise in Lutz, FL, visit https://www.lutz-fl.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

March 29, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Consumer lender Fintern appoints Chief Risk Officer

Stockwood Strategy

Prior to joining Fintern, Mark was a Partner at EY, where he specialised in Credit Analytics and led EY's Quantitative Advisory Services team of 200 quantitative analysts. Since joining EY in 2005, Mark has served virtually every major UK bank on the topic of credit modelling and the use of advanced analytics. At Fintern, Mark will leverage his market-leading experience to develop Fintern's next-generation credit technology and improve access to affordable credit. Mark holds a PhD in mathematics and has been a leading advocate for the use of alternative data in fairer credit decisioning. Gerald Chappell, Fintern CEO, said "I am excited about Mark's vision for Fintern, as well as his passion for using data and analytics to fix the failings of the credit score system and improve access to affordable credit. Given his career track record, he will bring world-class analytics, artificial intelligence and strategic expertise to build on the strengths of the existing management team." On his appointment, Mark London commented: "I am delighted to be joining Fintern at this important time. Fintern's mission to transform consumer credit markets, bypassing a broken credit scoring system that unfairly excludes millions of people from affordable loans, is more relevant now than ever with the economic disruption caused by Covid-19. Using Open Banking and other alternative data we can improve financial lives by bringing affordable and responsible loans to many more people." Mark added "I am excited about Fintern's commitment to interactive lending. As CRO, I will ensure we share our insights with customers, that we will help them to make decisions that are in their best interest, and that we will provide full transparency on all our lending decisions." Michelle He, Fintern COO and CFO, said "Mark will find an amazing home here at Fintern, and a deep commitment from the entire Fintern team to challenging the traditional lending approach and helping consumers recover as we emerge from Covid-19." About Fintern Fintern is a digital consumer lender on a mission to expand access to low-cost personal finance and transform financial well-being. Fintern's next-generation credit technology takes a holistic look at each applicant’s financial situation rather than making a decision solely based on a credit score. Fintern builds relationships with customers helping them to understand their repayment capacity and credit appetite. Fintern integrates its AI platform with Open Banking to smartly connect the dots in consumers' banking data enabling Fintern to obtain the most accurate view of borrowers' affordability and spending behaviour using up to the minute transaction information. Fintern was founded in 2020 with a team from McKinsey, EY, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, HSBC and XiaoMi. Fintern is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 929244, a member of Cifas (the UK's leading anti-fraud association) and registered with the UK Information Commissioner's Office in compliance with the Data Protection Regulations 2018. Contact Details Fintern Sam Power +44 7400 122813 press@fintern.ai Company Website https://fintern.ai/

March 29, 2021 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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EagleTEQ Advisors Joins as Consulting Partner for Cloud Conventions 2021

Convey Services

The Cloud Conventions 2021 virtual trade expo is teaming up with EagleTEQ Advisors, a consulting group of senior channel executives, to help direct event strategy and program design for the largest and most innovative virtual event in the telecom/cloud channel, running virtually May 12-14. In its second year, Cloud Conventions 2021 connects channel partners and professionals in the telecommunications, cloud and IT services industries to information, strategies, and insights to navigate the “New Normal” as business emerges from the pandemic. EagleTEQ joins media partner, TR Publications and event management firm MCI Group in supporting this one-of-a-kind channel expo. “There are no more highly-qualified industry strategists than the partners at EagleTEQ Advisors,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Convey Services, the platform provider for Cloud Conventions 2021. “In a time of accelerated changes that dramatically impact both channel sellers and providers, EagleTEQ’s real-world experience in addressing industry business challenges will be key in ensuring Cloud Conventions 2021 delivers the right message, at the right time, to our attendees.” “Virtual events in this industry have often missed the mark in providing attendees and sponsors with an engaging, connected and information-rich experience,” said Curt Allen, partner in EagleTEQ Advisors. “The ‘New Normal’ dictates a business environment where digital transformation and channel engagement is even more critical. Our team is excited to provide resources and guidance to strengthen the mission and ensure that every participant walks away with strategies to grow their business in a scalable and sustainable way.” Cloud Conventions 2021 is co-sponsored by TR Publications and managed by the MCI Group. MCI is committed to growing the Cloud Conventions 2021 event and returning in the spring of 2022 with a live, plus hybrid industry-focused experience. Attendance at Cloud Conventions 2021 is free to qualified industry professionals. Exhibitors and attendees can sign up at the Cloud Conventions 2021 site. The Cloud Conventions 2021 expo is hosted and managed on the industry-leading Cloud Conventions™ virtual event platform, powered by Convey Services. XXX About EagleTEQ Advisors EagleTEQ Advisors is focused on enabling technology solution providers and distributors to grow revenue, expand distribution channels, and transform market position. The EagleTEQ Advisors team has over 150 years of combined real-world experience and expertise in addressing virtually every business opportunity and challenge. With proven leadership in sales, marketing, product, channel, and go-to-market planning and execution, we help businesses with profitable revenue growth strategies supported with executable, repeatable tactics. EagleTEQ founding partners include Curt Allen, Ken Bisnoff, Steve Braverman, Mike Cromwell and Cardi Prinzi. www.eagleteq.com About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions is a Virtual Trade Show and Conference Platform from Convey Services that brings new capabilities to a marketplace looking for solutions to replace the thousands of live trade shows, annual conferences and association meetings cancelled in the wake of COVID-19. Originally launched as ConveyLive, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, attendee registration, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. 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 Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

March 24, 2021 12:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Franchise Owners Lynne and John Regas Show Print is Essential in Frankfort, Illinois

Minuteman Press International Inc

Minuteman Press Frankfort Has Remained Open As an Essential Business During Covid-19; Owners Lynne and John Regas Share Their Insights on Adapting During the Pandemic and Helping Local Businesses “Bounce Back” CHICAGO & FRANKFORT, Ill. – As Lynne and John Regas approach five years in business, no year has been more defining for their Minuteman Press printing franchise than this one. “We both feel very fortunate that we were considered essential and were able to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only to be there for other local businesses and organizations, but to help us stay sane and keep working,” says Lynne. Print is Essential Since the beginning of the pandemic, Minuteman Press Frankfort has continued to provide high-demand products and services that have been critical in helping local businesses reach out to customers while promoting community solidarity. “Early on in the pandemic, we saw high demand for yard signs. We were able to supply local schools with graduation signs, and now those same school districts are coming back to us since it was so popular. Banners and flags have been in high demand from businesses who simply want to let customers know, ‘We’re Open.’ Restaurants have also come to us for takeout menus as they update their specials, menu items, and safe pickup and delivery options.” Lynne continues, “We are also helping a number of businesses reach out to the community via direct mail postcards and flyers. We’ve already reached out to several business categories about the power of mailing campaigns. For example, we have recently helped a local chiropractic office, a local physical therapist, and a local small gym owner increase their visibility (and therefore their customer base) by designing and mailing flyers using both direct mail and Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). These are businesses that can really benefit from letting people know they are there and following every safety protocol to make sure they can provide their services and still keep you healthy.” “This pandemic really forced a lot of local businesses to rethink their paths forward, and we are here to help them do that and provide them with the design, print, marketing, and mailing services they need to do so. We are a local business ourselves, we support local businesses, and we are all in this together.” -Lynne Regas, Minuteman Press franchise owner, Frankfort, Illinois Helping Local Businesses Bounce Back When the pandemic first hit, Lynne and John launched Bounce Back Frankfort (part of Bounce Back USA by Minuteman Press International), a free community website that provides free local listings to businesses as well as free COVID-19 awareness and prevention posters. To date, 44 local businesses have signed up to reach out to community members with special offers. “The idea is simple,” says Lynne. “Let’s support local businesses, and let’s bounce back together as a community.” Lynne continues, “ We spent those first few weeks doing what we could to focus on a path forward and to give back to other businesses. Bounce Back Frankfort is special because it provides an uplifting message as well as a free way for people to advertise at a time where they could use that extra boost. It not only lifts our spirits, it also reminds everyone that it’s so important to communicate, connect, and engage with our community, especially right now.” “Our message to other local businesses is to hang in there. It’s important to remain calm and focused on the future while we navigate through these times. Knowing that everyone is in this together has caused a renewed sense of unity in the small business community we are a part of here in Frankfort. We’ve made sure that everyone knows we are here to support them – both now and in the future.” -Lynne Regas Adapting the Business and Receiving Ongoing Support Minuteman Press Frankfort is locally owned and operated but being part of the Minuteman Press franchise family has really helped Lynne and John learn and grow as business owners over the past five years and throughout the pandemic. Lynne says, “We have always been grateful for the support we’ve received from Minuteman Press, but 2020 and 2021 have really showed us that we made the right decision when we joined this family. The ongoing support during the pandemic has been above and beyond what we expected. From the Bounce Back program to the daily emails of suggestions and encouragement from Nick Titus (President of Minuteman Press International), we absorbed everything and did what we needed to do to adapt and pivot. It is so helpful to know what is happening with other franchises, both local and across the country, to know that we aren’t alone and to be reminded that there will be an end to this pandemic.” Lynne explains how she has learned and grown from this experience and is better positioned for the future. “We’ve started using social media much more to communicate and promote our business. We’ve had many businesses reach out to us as they start to reopen. For example, we ran a promotion for menus and restaurants responded.” She continues, “We have learned to incorporate marketing strategies and new ways of communicating so that we can reach and interact with clients safely. Whether it’s a promotion on Instagram or targeted local marketing, we are here to engage with customers across all touch-points.” “Lynne and John Regas have done a tremendous job supporting local businesses in their community and finding new ways to pivot and connect with their clients. They’ve followed the Minuteman Press franchise system closely and have built a solid foundation for their business over the past five years. They are great people and caring business owners, and I am proud to support them.” -Steve Szymanski, Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President, Midwest Reflections on Owning the Business and Advice for Others Prior to becoming business owners, Lynne and John worked in corporate sales. “ We were both involved in purchasing roles with different corporations. John had worked for the same company for almost 30 years and was laid off. I had worked for several different companies but was really just going through the motions. After John was laid off and began seriously thinking about opening his own business and being his own boss, I was supportive – but I’d be lying if I didn’t also say I was a little apprehensive. Looking back now, we certainly made the right decision.” She adds, “It’s so surreal that we’ve been doing this for almost five years because the time has gone by so quickly. We’re no longer in that ‘rut’ we were in when working our previous jobs, and every day is truly a new adventure. We are becoming the people we wanted to be – entrepreneurs who are doing what it takes to make their business successful, no matter what comes our way. The biggest reward, definitely, is no longer feeling like we are working hard for someone else. We’re working harder than we ever have but it’s for us and our business – and that makes it all worth it!” When asked what advice she would give to others, Lynne answers, “If you’re being honest with yourself, there is a lot of risk when you open your own business. Being a part of a company like Minuteman Press that really invests in its franchise owners helps mitigate that risk and should put any potential owners’ minds at ease.” She concludes, “We have potential new owners visit our center and we share our experiences as franchisees. We tell them how impressed we’ve been with the level of support we’ve received from day one. Ultimately, Minuteman Press International has always cared about us and their support during this pandemic has clearly demonstrated just how much they truly care.” For more information on Minuteman Press Frankfort, visit https://www.frankfort-il.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

March 22, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with TechnoGen & TechnoGen Cybersecurity

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is excited to announce a partnership with TechnoGen, Inc., an ISO 9001:2015, ISO 20000-1:2011, ISO 27001:2013 and CMMI Level 3 Global IT Services and Consulting Company headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia and Offshore Development Center in Hyderabad, India. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. In addition, the partnership with TechnoGen and TechnoGen Cybersecurity establishes a presence for the CMMC COE in India with a future plan for a Center of Excellence- India in collaboration with the CMMC COE APAC. With over 16 years of experience providing end to end IT Services and Solutions to the Public and Private sectors, TGI provides highly skilled and certiﬁed professionals committed to helping clients solve complex problems and achieve their goals, on time and under budget. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. Mr. Lax Chepuri, CEO of TechnoGen, Inc. expressed confidence and delight in the newly formed relationship with the CMMC COE saying, “Both TechnoGen, Inc. and TechnoGen Cybersecurity and will bring enthusiastic support for the goals and standards of the CMMC COE in both the U.S. and India Defense sectors.” The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between TechnoGen and the CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and TechnoGen partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org, email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on TechnoGen, please visit https://www.technogeninc.com/ About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

March 22, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Clearbanc and Pencil partner to help ecommerce businesses grow using creative AI

Stockwood Strategy

Creative AI company Pencil has partnered with the world’s largest e-commerce investor Clearbanc to provide their customers with the latest innovation in online video advertising, Machine Generated Creative (MGC). These ads can be created in minutes and consistently double return on ad spend for brands. It is anticipated that companies using the Pencil platform will be able to unlock new audiences on Facebook and Instagram and grow revenue faster. MGC online video ads are generated by artificial intelligence (AI), while learning what resonates with audiences, in order to systematically deliver better results for brands. Using historic ad performance data, Pencil is able to understand what in the ad is resonating with customers. It can then generate new batches of ad ideas which are new and distinct, but which share winning characteristics with past winners. In this way Pencil learns what works while continuously exploring new ideas that could resonate with audiences. Pencil analysed over 100 campaigns that used MGC video ads and found the best MGC ads delivered an average return on ad spend (ROAS) 2x that of other ads the brands were running. One brand’s MGC campaign delivered 7x higher ROAS. Will Hanschell, CEO and co-founder of Pencil commented: “This partnership with Clearbanc underlines the success we’ve had with our Machine Generated Creative ads for brands around the world. These ads are helping ecommerce brands and agencies grow, and I am confident we can help them scale further.” This partnership announcement comes hot o n the heels of Pencil joining as a creative partner in Facebook Marketing Partners, a program that connects businesses to an ecosystem of specialists. More than 200 million businesses worldwide use Facebook’s apps to connect with customers and grow, and over 10 million of them run advertising campaigns each month. Pencil customer James Harding, Head of Growth at Lyka Pet Food commented: "Pencil gives us the ability to generate ads quickly and more importantly, come up with ideas we might not have otherwise. It's been a massive win for us essentially." Pencil leverages proprietary technology to generate ad video, derive insights and make predictions, as well as integrating the OpenAI API to generate ad copy. The OpenAI API provides access to GPT-3, one of the world’s most powerful language models. Pencil is among the first companies approved to use it commercially. This approval requires strict criteria in AI safety and ethics. Daniel Rodic, Head of Market Development commented: “Clearbanc was created to help Founders grow their businesses by using our non-dilutive capital to invest in predictable and repeatable expenses like marketing spend. Pencil’s technology offers a simple solution for brands in our portfolio to improve their return on ad spend and ultimately maximize the effectiveness of the capital they deploy.” Clearbanc has deployed over US$1.6b to more than 4,000 ecommerce and SaaS businesses. EndS Notes to the editor About Pencil Pencil is a Creative AI company on a mission to generate unexpected ideas that get results. Pencil generates ads that learn to perform, delivering the return on ad spend that helps brands scale their businesses. Pencil invented Machine Generated Creative (MGC), a new way of making ads that algorithmically optimises for creative novelty, brand relevance and return on advertising spend. It always starts from a human brief and it always involves total human editorial control. Pencil’s MGC platform generates ads in minutes and has been shown to generate ads that double returns for brands. Pencil was founded in 2018 with a team from Google, Facebook and Uber and is backed by Sequoia Capital India, Wavemaker Partners, Singapore Innovate and Entrepreneur First. About Clearbanc Founded in 2015 by Michele Romanow (Canada’s Shark Tank), Andrew D’Souza, Ivan Gritsiniak, Charlie Feng, and Tanay Delima, Clearbanc is changing the way companies raise money by providing fast, affordable capital to online brands and B2B SaaS companies. Clearbanc’s data-driven algorithm has invested in 4,000+ companies across 50 states and backed 8x more female-founders than traditional VC. Clearbanc customers span small businesses across the United States, Canada, and the UK to some of the fastest-growing consumer brands today, like Le Tote, Leesa Sleep, Farmgirl Flowers, and Public Goods. For more information visit Clearbanc.com Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 press@trypencil.com Company Website https://www.trypencil.com/

March 17, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Industrial Defender and aeCyberSolutions Join Forces to Elevate OT Cybersecurity Assessments for Energy and Maritime Companies

Industrial Defender

Industrial Defender, an operational technology (OT) security pioneer and aeCyberSolutions, a recognized leader in industrial control system (ICS) cybersecurity services, announced today that they will team up to offer complete cyber risk assessments for critical infrastructure organizations. Combining OT network and device analysis from Industrial Defender’s Automation Systems Manager ® with aeCyberSolutions’ aeCyberPHA ® ICS risk assessment methodology delivers the most technically comprehensive, risk-based OT cybersecurity assessment available for energy, maritime and other critical industries. “The winning combination of aeCyberSolutions’ impressive engineering expertise and our powerful OT network and device data platform will equip stakeholders in the energy and maritime industries with the most thorough evaluations available to understand how to best secure their control and safety systems,” said Jim Crowley, CEO of Industrial Defender. The partnership agreement provides aeSolutions with a license to use Industrial Defender’s powerful tools to aid aeSolutions experts in the analysis of control system data to discover ICS assets and vulnerabilities. The use of this technology improves efficiency as well as the quality of the information available to the risk assessment team and the client. “An accurate OT cybersecurity risk assessment requires a proven methodology, knowledgeable subject matter experts and accurate information about the system(s) under consideration”, says John Cusimano, VP Industrial Cybersecurity of aeCyberSolutions. “Incorporating Industrial Defender’s tools with our methodologies and experience will provide clients with the most realistic and defendable representation of OT cyber risk available”. To learn more about the partnership, contact aeCyberSolutions at www.aeCyberSolutions.com or Industrial Defender at www.industrialdefender.com. 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. About aeCyberSolutions™ aeCyberSolutions, the Industrial Cybersecurity division of aeSolutions, exclusively provides industrial cybersecurity services including risk assessments, program development, implementation, support, and training to clients in oil and gas, chemicals, maritime, water, industrial gases, and other process industries. A leader in the intersection of cybersecurity and process safety, aeCyberSolutions helps clients identify and address cybersecurity risks in a manner that is consistent with the engineering methods already in place for process safety risk management.  They do so by leveraging existing information and practices while presenting a single, consistent expression of risk to senior management. The aeCyberSolutions team is exclusively staffed with personnel who have strong industrial automation backgrounds and general IT and IT security backgrounds and credentials.  This combination of IT and Operational Technology (OT) expertise is essential for working in the field of industrial cybersecurity. aeCyberSolutions is based in Greenville, SC. For more information, visit www.aeCyberSolutions.com or follow @aesolns. Contact Details Industrial Defender Erin Anderson +1 617-675-4206 eanderson@industrialdefender.com For aeCyberSolutions Kari Walker (617)-675-4206 Kari@redironpr.com Company Website https://www.industrialdefender.com

March 17, 2021 09:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time

IQAX Powers GSBN’s Blockchain Platform

Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 17 March 2021 - IQAX Limited, a leading-edge information technology company providing intelligent digital solutions for global shipping and trade, today announced it has been officially commissioned by the Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) to develop, enhance and operate the world-class blockchain platform. The platform will enable real-time data sharing among authorized parties using blockchain technology for more transparent end-to-end supply chain visibility. As a trusted partner IQAX will enable GSBN and its future members to develop standards and functionalities to seamlessly connect stakeholders in the global shipping and trading ecosystem while ensuring data integrity, security and service excellence are maintained. Over the past year, the global health crisis catalyzed the need for business data and transparency in the supply chain as many businesses worked remotely, minimized contact points, and responded to the rapid changes in consumer demand. Many of those in the transportation and logistics sector faced mounting pressure on operations due to various challenges from labor availability, restrictive health protocols, to shifting trade patterns. In this environment, the need for a blockchain platform to facilitate tight, multiple-domain cooperation amongst every party in the global supply chain has become more important than ever before. IQAX strives to create a harmonized global trade environment for the stakeholders in the multiple-domain ecosystem through its application development effort, products and services. Building solutions based on digital technologies including blockchain, IOT and AI, IQAX is connecting parties across multiple domains and creating intelligent solutions which help businesses embrace digitalization, information sharing and analysis, and respond faster to supply chain disruptions. IQAX inherits the initial development of the blockchain platform from its business affiliate, CargoSmart Limited. Evolving and expanding upon its blockchain focus, IQAX will enable decentralized collaboration and governance to optimize cross-domain synergies and facilitate multiple-domain connectivity for the broader shipping ecosystem. Bertrand Chen, Chief Executive Officer, Global Shipping Business Network, said “We are pleased to have IQAX as the platform provider for GSBN. We share the same vision of enabling and accelerating the digital transformation of the shipping industry. Through the platform built by IQAX, we will be able to bring all stakeholders together in a secure, neutral, trusted and equitable way, from logistics service providers to financial institutions. We aim to increase the speed of logistics and the ease of conducting trade globally, ultimately benefitting all parties involved. We are here to simplify trade for all.” Moving forward, IQAX will help GSBN drive digitalization mandates that best meet the needs of the global trade ecosystem. IQAX plans to build on its vision to digitalize to create a harmonized global trade environment, as well as offering technologically advanced applications for shippers and logistics service providers to address current challenges through smart solutions which enable contactless interactions, tracking of physical cargo and alerts with recovery recommendations. Sign up for updates about solutions to increase visibility for the global trade ecosystem at www.iqax.com, and follow IQAX on LinkedIn and Twitter. About IQAX IQAX is a global information technology company that provides intelligent and digital transformation solutions using blockchain for enterprises in the logistics ecosystem. Backed by its strong heritage in container shipping, IQAX strives to foster a harmonized and connected global trade environment. As an industry leader, IQAX connects with shippers, freight forwarders, carriers, terminals, and financial institutions, and empowers them with digitized solutions to meet emerging business challenges throughout the supply chain. About GSBN Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) is a data exchange platform established on a not-for-profit basis. Its shareholders are comprised of major global Carriers and Terminal Operators. Its mission is to enable and to accelerate the digital transformation of the global shipping industry by providing an end to end, secure, digital collaboration platform to share verified logistics and cargo data to benefit all stakeholders involved in global trade. Here to simplify trade for all. For more information please visit www.gsbn.trade Contact Details burson cohn & wolfe Kelvin Yeung +852 3996 9731 Kelvin.yeung@bcw-global.com Company Website https://www.media-outreach.com/

March 17, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with DRAGOS

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years is excited to announce a partnership with Dragos, Inc., the global leader in cybersecurity for industrial controls systems (ICS)/operational technology (OT) environments. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. Far too often, the cybersecurity protection and resilience discussion fails to include any true focus on industrial control systems or operational technology. Dragos has a deep bench of expert ICS/OT cybersecurity practitioners committed to helping its customers detect, prevent, investigate and respond to attacks from threat actors. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. “Dragos believes the adoption of the CMMC model for ICS / OT cybersecurity is a critical step in our mission to safeguard civilization,” said Steve Applegate, Chief Information Security Officer, Dragos, Inc. “We are excited to join the CMMC COE Global Cyber Policy & Governance Working Group and lend our expertise to this vital initiative.” The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Dragos and the CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC-based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Work across industry, government, and academia to build on CMMC requirements to include and focus on attention to security and resilience of industrial control systems and operational technology. The CMMC-COE and Dragos partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 About Dragos, Inc Dragos has a global mission: to safeguard civilization from those trying to disrupt the industrial infrastructure we depend on every day. The practitioners who founded Dragos were drawn to this mission through decades of government and private sector experience. Dragos codifies the knowledge of our cybersecurity experts into an integrated software platform that provides customers critical visibility into ICS and OT networks so that threats are identified and can be addressed before they become significant events. Our solutions protect organizations across a range of industries, including electric and water utilities, energy, and manufacturing, and are optimized for emerging applications like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT). Dragos is privately held and headquartered in the Washington, DC area with regional presence around the world, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the Middle East. For more information on Dragos, please visit https://www.dragos.com/ About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

March 15, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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