Lifestyle

Beverage: Coffee/Tea/Non-Alcoholic Beverage: Spirits/Beer/Wine Casino/Gaming Fashion Food/Cooking/Baking Health & Fitness Home Goods Hospitality Leisure Activities & Hobbies Parenting Pets Photography Seniors Travel & Tourism
News Release Digital Asset Direct

CIPIO Completes $2M in Pre-seed funding to launch Industry's First Domain Infused Data Apps Platform™ for the B2C Subscription Businesses

CIPIO.ai

CIPIO, a B2C Subscription Customer Success company, today announced the launch of the Industry's first Domain Infused Data Apps Platform™ that solves the massive business problem of retention and growth. Amidst the unprecedented disruption and digital acceleration triggered by COVID-19, this problem has multiplied by ten folds as customer behavior, decision making, and choices have changed dramatically. To accelerate its growth and product innovation, CIPIO completed its $2M pre-seed round in December 2020, led by DX.Partners and an experienced team of investors- including Linda Abraham, Managing Partner of Crimson Capital, Vineet Goel of Visa, Kathy Holmes of Arcola Investment, Ketan Karkhanis CPO of Turvo (ex-Salesforce GM & SVP), Karl Rumelhart, CPO of Gainsight, and the Dean of Big Data-Bill Schmarzo. CIPIO disrupts the B2C Subscription Customer Success category by unifying vast quantities of data from systems of records, customer behavior, and domain infused pre-built data apps. Companies get actionable predictions and recommendations that are directly integrated into engagement systems such as Hubspot to ensure maximum financial outcomes. Gartner predicts that 75% of B2C Businesses will offer Subscription services by the year 2023. "COVID-19 has hyper accelerated this transform across Fitness, OTT, Sports, Entertainment & Media just to name a few. Yet B2C Subscriber churn is 3X the churn in the B2B SaaS market, and B2C Growth rate is 50% lower than the B2B Saas Companies," says Growson Edwards, Co-Founder & CEO of CIPIO. "At CIPIO, we understand the change and disruption B2C Subscription Businesses are facing in this new Hybrid Subscription Economy and are desirous about our mission to help our customers Retain, Grow, and Acquire their subscribers exponentially." "CIPIO's domain centric approach to address the significant gap in today's CDP solution is a game changer. Data Apps are the future of the Hybrid Subscription Economy, and CIPIO's Retention, Growth, and Acquisition Data Apps are directly and rapidly impacting the customer's bottom line," said Ketan Karkhanis, Chief Product Officer at Turvo, and an investor at CIPIO. Ketan previously ran Einstein Analytics at Salesforce and has in depth experience with Customer Success in the B2B SaaS market. “As founders, we are channeling our B2B SaaS Retention & Growth knowhow into our Domain infused Data Apps Platform™ for B2C SaaS,” says Manoj Kumar Goyal, Co-Founder & CPO of CIPIO. Mr. Goyal previously led Oracle’s Customer Data Platform team, served as Marketo’s Chief Product Officer, and is obsessed with delivering ROI. “We are removing 8-12 months of the time and a myriad of domain experts, BI specialists, Data Engineers, and Data Scientists it takes to generate value out of Customer data.” continues Goyal. “Our Data Apps are powered by Domain infused AI Platform that automates all the necessary functions to generate value out of Data with efficient Human Involvement built specifically for our customer.” The company is so confident in delivering the ROI so much that they are giving away their Domain Infused Data Apps Platform™ for free until the customer sees the results of acceleration in retention, growth, and acquisition. Companies can access the Industry's first Domain Infused Data Apps free trial here. About CIPIO: CIPIO is pioneering the Industry's first domain-infused Data Apps Platformâ¢ that humanizes and automates predictions and recommendations to increase Subscriber engagement, retention, and growth for B2C Businesses. CIPIO's early adopters include Crunch Fitness, Industry's Gym, Xponential Fitness, Motor City Church, Pure Barre, Club Pilates, AKT, YogaSix, NCFit, Cyclebar, RowHouse, Stretch Lab, and Stride who have witnessed a significant return on investment in a short time. Contact Details CIPIO Chris Foudy +1 831-238-1905 chris@cipio.ai Company Website https://cipio.ai/

April 21, 2021 12:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time

NAMEPA’s Maritime Sustainability Program Receives Global Recognition

North American Marine Environment Protection Association

Green4Sea has announced that the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) has won the 2021 Green4Sea Initiative Award for its CSR/ESG (Corporate Social Responsibility/Environment, Social and Governance) Maritime Sustainability Program. The Green4Sea award is given to an organization that has sparked, realized, or significantly contributed with a specific initiative towards greener shipping. NAMEPA is extremely proud of its contribution to the maritime industry with its CSR/ESG Program being the first known standards program of its kind developed especially for the maritime industry. Successful participants of NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG Program receive the Maritime Sustainability Passport and MSP Seal, signifying a participant has met, or exceeded benchmarks set by the program. The program encompasses the three strategies of CSR/ESG: environment, corporate governance, environment and the human element. “After reviewing the global maritime landscape, and verifying with The Governance and Accountability Institute, we have learned that NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG is the only ESG accreditation standard for maritime,” stated Carleen Lynden Walker, NAMEPA’s Co-Founder and Executive Director. “We are honored that we can provide this opportunity for the industry to be credibly recognized for its high standards on these measures which are important to the public as well as investors in shipping and the industry at large.” The first companies to qualify for NAMEPA’s Maritime Sustainability Passport were Cargill, The American Club and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). These three exemplary companies successfully completed all three phases of the program, including supplying supporting documentation for their claims. Their submissions were then evaluated by a team of independent assessors to determine whether they met the criteria of the CSR/ESG Program and were eligible to receive NAMEPA’s MSP Certificate and Seal. Cargill, The American Club and MSC successfully demonstrated to the assessors their qualifications to receive the Maritime Sustainability Passport, and have proven their dedication and continuing efforts to Save Our Seas. “The maritime industry is rapidly recognizing the importance of demonstrating its commitment to sustainability” stated NAMEPA Chairman Joe Hughes, CEO and President of the Shipowners Claims Bureau. “NAMEPA identified the need to provide the industry with a standard guideline of expectations relating to a company’s efforts in CSR/ESG. We are pleased to provide this tool for the industry to support its efforts towards sustainability.” To learn more about NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG Program, visit NAMEPA's CSR/ESG Maritime Sustainability Program - NAMEPA or email CSR-ESGProgram@nameapa.net with any relevant questions. The program is offered to NAMEPA members at no cost to qualify for the Maritime Sustainability Passport and receive the MSP seal. Non-members are welcome to apply to participate at a cost of $2000 or become NAMEPA members and have the fee waived. To protect the proprietary information of the qualifying companies, NAMEPA offers a non-disclosure agreement. The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) was officially launched in 2007. 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. For more information, go to www.namepa.net. Contact Details NAMEPA Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-255-4686 executivedirector@namepa.net Company Website https://namepa.net/

April 21, 2021 12:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Phu Quoc United Center - Vingroup’s super tourism-resort-entertainment complex officially launched

Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 21 April 2021 - On April 21st, Vingroup officially opens Phu Quoc United Center – the brand new super tourism-resort-entertainment complex of in Southeast Asia. Setting 5 national records, featuring thousands of annual grand multimedia shows, mini-shows and offering one-of-a-kind experiences, Phu Quoc United Center - Vietnam’s “Sleepless City” - is poised to become a must-go destination in the global tourism map. Covering over 1000 ha in northern Phu Quoc Island, Vingroup’s new “tourism-entertainment universe” is said to be comparable to global tourist hotspots like South Korea’s Jeju, Singapore’s Clark Quay, or Las Vegas in the US. On the occassion of its launch, Phu Quoc United Center also kick-starts a series of boisterous 24/7 events, including 7,200 grand multimedia shows and 12,000 mini-shows every year. Notably, this super tourism complex is holding 5 national records recognized by the Vietnam Record Association, namely Vietnam’s largest complex with diverse entertainment and resort forms, Vietnam’s largest bamboo construction, Vietnam’s first Teddy Bear Museum, 3D multimedia show with the most Vietnamese historical references, Vietnam’s largest floating multimedia show inspired by European culture. Vietnam’s largest bamboo construction - Bamboo Legend - was designed by world-acclaimed architect Vo Trong Nghia and built from more than 32,000 bamboo trunks. Its dome patterns reflect the communal house in Vietnamese villages - a unique, recognizable national trait. Right next to the Vietnamese national pride Bamboo Legend is the world-renowned Teddy Bear Museum. This 1500-square-meter museum is the eighth version of its kind in the world and the very first in Vietnam, housing bears of all kinds and all sizes that can thrill everyone from the very young to the young at heart. The show “The Elite of Vietnam” has been recognized as 3D multimedia show with the most Vietnamese historical references. Comprising nearly 3000 daytime mini-shows and 365 nocturnal events each year, “The Elite of Vietnam” relives Vietnamese lifestyles, tradition and history of ancient times in a citadel, conveying compelling cultural messages. State-of-the-art technology and visual effects incorporated in these shows have embellished Vietnamese culture in the modern entertainment world. “The Color of Venice” super show holds the record of Vietnam’s largest floating multimedia show inspired by European culture. With a 15-thousand-square-meter underground stage and the most advanced equipment for performance, this is one of the most satisfying multimedia shows in Vietnam, recreating an idyllic and picturesque Venice through Valse dances, lighting, music and performances on the water surface that can be found nowhere else. A fitting end to the show trilogy in Phu Quoc United Center is the world-class light water show, called “Once Show” arranged and performed by famous Quantum Creative Studios. Worth 12 million USD, “Once Show” is a breath-taking world a fairytales made from water, lighting, fire, ice, 3D mapping. These non-stop million-dollar shows and 1000 shophouses create a 85-hectare Grand World with various activities all day and night. In this place, the boundaries of time and space seem to blur as visitors embark on a journey from the ancient Vietnamese citadel to a magnificient Venice, from a bustling Shanghai to the Urban Park of contemporary arts, from the splendid Phu Quoc Night Market to a lively tropical square... This is the destination where tourists can eat, play and buy anything in the world from a series of restaurants and shopping streets teeming with domestic and international brands. Grand World’s entertainment zone, bars and clubs as well as Corona Casino also offer various unforgettable moments. An indispensable part of Phu Quoc United Center is the 12,000 rooms ranging from 5-star to mini-hotel segments, with prestigious brand names Vinpearl, VinOasis, VinHoliday, Radison Blue… Also unmissable are VinWonders Phu Quoc - Vietnam’s largest theme park, Vinpearl Safari - Asia's largest semi-wild zoo, Vinpearl Convention Center - 5-star MICE system, Vinpearl Golf - the 18-hole golf course, Vinmec International Hospital... All these are included in Phu Quoc United Center - the very first super resort-entertainment-tourism complex developed as a one stop destination in Vietnam. With exceptional services and distinctive experiences, this all-in-one tourism universe has laid a firm foundation for the night-time economy in Vietnam. Contact Details Vingroup +84 24 3974 9999 v.nammh@vingroup.net

April 21, 2021 10:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

How 529 College Savings Plans Work by Jennifer Lang Financial Services

Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC

Contact Details Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC. Jennifer Lang +1 877-487-8926 mail@jenniferlangfinancialservices.com Company Website https://www.jenniferlangfinancialservices.com

April 20, 2021 10:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Video

Refreshing Your Home (Inside & Out)

YourUpdateTV

Over the last year, the function of our homes has completely changed. These days, the home is where we spend our time, raise our families, work, study, exercise and so much more. With spring here, now is the perfect time to make some changes to help you refresh your home and love where you live. Recently, Angi Home Care Expert, Bailey Carson, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss easy ways to refresh your home this spring. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/0oEaIjRsFmg Whether you’re finally getting around to the home office, looking to redecorate for spring, or preparing the backyard for some outdoor entertainment, Angi has you covered. Here are some tips to get you started: It has been very easy for clutter to build up over the last year, so think about what items you want to donate, discard or keep, and then come up with permanent solutions to eliminate clutter moving forward. Shelving, cabinets, or simple baskets can help create a stress-free environment. Focus on the heart of the home: your kitchen. Improve flow and make your space more efficient by putting in an island, installing shelves in your pantry or simply adding bins and dowels to organize your cabinets. You can also give it all a new feel with a fresh coat of paint, modern backsplash or new hardware like cabinet handles. With spring here, everyone is ready to start spending more time outside. If you have an existing deck or patio, think about it giving it a good power wash or re-staining to get it ready for the season. If a deck or patio is still on your wish list, now is a great time to embark on that project. Just make sure you have the tools, talent and time to do it right – otherwise, it’s best to hire a pro! For more information, download the Angi app or visit Angi.com About Bailey Carson: Bailey Carson is a Home Expert and the Head of Book Now for ANGI Inc. and its brands including Angi, HomeAdvisor powered by Angi, and Handy. In this role, she oversees all aspects of Book Now services from product and operations to sales and marketing. She transitioned from her prior role as General Manager of Everyday Services for ANGI Inc. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

April 20, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Video

D8 Holdings to Accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin for Delta-8 THC Products

D8 Holdings, Inc.

D8 Holdings, Inc., the market leader in hemp-derived Delta-8 THC —today announced it will start accepting Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin as payment methods on their site. “Our customers are early adopters, many of whom are heavily involved in the crypto market,” said Chris Duffield, CEO of D8. “With $2 trillion dollars sitting in crypto assets, and $45 billion parked in Dogecoin, the ability to accept crypto currency presents a big opportunity for our company.” D8.co will integrate Bitpay into their online platform, and all transactions will be settled in Doge. With the click of a button, customers can trade Doge for delta-8 gummies, delta-8 carts and delta-8 disposables as long as they are over 21 years of age. “Anyone paying with crypto will get a free pack of Delta-8 gummies as a bonus. We are looking long-term, and don’t plan on selling a single Doge,” concluded Duffield. About D8 Holdings Inc. The D8 Holdings team based in Colorado and Miami—with satellite offices in Las Vegas and Los Angeles—is an assembly of the top hemp and cannabis minds in the country. With backgrounds in extraction, chemistry, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and legal, the D8 Holdings team came together organically around this elusive, but extremely powerful molecule to create a new category of products. More info at www.d8.co. # # # Contact Details D8 Holdings Chris Duffield +1 424-333-2112 chris@d8.co

April 20, 2021 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Paper Culture Partners with Trees for the Future to Help Fight Poverty and Climate Change

Paper Culture

Paper Culture, the pioneers of modern, sustainable wedding invitations, holiday cards, personalized gifts and wall décor has partnered with Trees for the Future to plant fruit-bearing trees and forest gardens in Tabora, Tanzania where almost 70% of the population is living under the poverty line with a major factor being the climate crisis. The world loses trees at a rate of 50 soccer fields per minute due to mono-cropping, land-use change and poor farming practices. As food systems destroy ecosystems it leaves vulnerable communities such as Tabora trapped in a cycle of hunger and poverty. Through Trees for the Future’s Forest Garden Program, Paper Culture has planted fruit-bearing trees and vegetable crops in a region where many farmers have abandoned their land due to a loss of soil fertility and tree cover. “When I look two years back to compare the lives of my family before this program, I see the biggest difference,” says Hamis Ramadhani a 54-year-old farmer. “Through the Forest Garden approach, I have been able to meet my family’s nutritional requirements. On top of that, I am earning income by selling surplus products from my Forest Garden.” “My hope is that Hamis’ story demonstrates the impact of every purchase. When any of us purchase products, why wouldn’t we ask not only what those products can do for us, but also what impact those products have on others,” says Christopher Wu, CEO and Co-Founder of Paper Culture. “Paper Culture is proud to support families like the Ramadhani’s as part of our broader battle against Climate Change.” PROJECT IMPACT: Food Security has increased from 2% to 15% in 1-year High Dietary Diversity has increased from 4% to 11% in 1-year Over 200 Farmers Supported 316,681 Trees Planted 320 Acres Restored 46, 284MT CO2 Sequestered over 20-years About Paper Culture: Paper Culture’s mission is to inspire people through contemporary design and sustainability. For more than a decade Paper Culture has offered modern, customizable, eco-friendly holiday cards, wedding invitations, and stationery printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Paper Culture plants a tree for every order, operates as net carbon neutral as Certified Green Business and has been recognized by the EPA as a Climate Leader. Paper Culture has planted over 1 million trees in its fight against Climate Change. About Trees for The Future Trees for the Future is working to end hunger and poverty for smallholder farmers through revitalizing degraded lands. Learn more about Trees for the Future and see their latest data in their 30th Anniversary Special Edition 2020 Impact Report. Contact Details Pape PR for Paper Culture katharine pape +1 917-515-6165 kathy@papepr.com Company Website https://www.paperculture.com/

April 20, 2021 08:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time

CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with CICER ONE TECHNOLOGIES

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 Cicer One Technologies, an innovative company with a suite of communications and data management and protection tools that are specifically designed to end 3rd party exposure of sensitive information, to protect CUI, intellectual property and sensitive financial, customer, and employee data. Decentralized Autonomous Edge Computing by Cicer One Technologies Inc provides turn-key compliance solutions for CMMC, NIST 800-171, ITAR and Federal or State level privacy requirements. Zero-trust, jurisdictionally controlled management of users, documents, and chat communications enables non-technical business owners the confidence and ease-of-use required to achieve compliance in a cost-effective manner. 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. The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Cicer One Technologies 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 Cicer One Technologies ( https://ciceronetech.com ) 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. “We are excited to embark on this journey with Cicer”, said John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “The foundation of CMMC starts with visibility into devices in the network and the risks they bring. This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience for the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. Cicer One Technologies adds to the growing list of recognized technology providers contributing to the growth and advancement of the CMMC compliance knowledge base, product refinement, and education collateral. Together we share the responsibility to accurately disseminate knowledge and education thereby building cyber resiliency across the DIB supply chain. “This new partnership further enables important and critical discussions regarding cybersecurity and the protection of the DIB supply chain. We are excited to contribute in the development and education of policy, products, and services throughout the adoption of the CMMC protocol supporting contractors across the country,” said Robert Embleton, CEO. 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 Center of Excellence, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org, email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on Cicer One Technologies, please visit https://ciceronetech.com/ email info@ciceronetech.com or call 512-582-7009 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

April 20, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

XA Network expands and appoints senior advisory board, as Southeast Asia digital economy races ahead

XA Network

The XA Network [the X denotes any tech firm with $1b+ valuation and the A refers to Alumni], the leading member-based investment network of executives from prominent tech firms in Southeast Asia, has today appointed an advisory board. The appointments signal the organisation's growth and reach, as the Southeast Asian digital economy proves resilient and is racing ahead at full velocity. John Wood (ex-Microsoft, Room To Read), Steve Chen (co-founder of YouTube), Maya Hari (Twitter) and David Thevenon (Balderton Capital, ex-Google) have been appointed to advisory board positions. They will work directly with the members as the organisation scales and will champion the new purpose - to be an organisation that fosters inclusive innovation for the benefit of start-ups across Southeast Asia. On his appointment, John Wood, advisory board member at XA Network commented: “I’m delighted to join this esteemed board to support and drive the ambitious community of investors. The XA Network brilliantly embodies Metcalfe's law – e.g., the value of a network rises exponentially as the number of users grows. I believe this generation of technology leaders, by working together to support the start-up ecosystem in Southeast Asia, will have an immense impact on the region. We are all very committed to the power of smart capital, intense mentoring and fuelling inclusive innovation. This approach resonates with me on many levels and I look forward to helping XA Network scale to the next level”. The XA Network is made up of 100 tech leaders from companies including Alibaba, Gojek, Grab, Google, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube amongst others. These investors offer an unmatched array of skills and counsel to their portfolio companies from engineering advice, product management, to marketing and partnership building experience. As a collective, this is embodied in their purpose to foster inclusive innovation beyond simply investing in start-ups. The XA Network exists to empower the tech community in Southeast Asia with its inclusive innovation approach. The Southeast Asia digital economy is forging new ground every year* and 2020 was no different, despite COVID-19. Over 70% of the region is now online, accounting for 400 million people (of a total population of 580 million). Digital adoption of consumer-service businesses increased as more people spent time online during lockdowns. HealthTech and EdTech based companies are earmarked to take-off in the coming years. Overall, the digital economy added USD $100 billion to the region and is poised to grow to over USD $300 billion by 2025. The XA Network portfolio businesses are making a positive impact across the region such as Indonesian startups, Sampingan who enable access to the gig economy and Bukukas who enable small businesses to digitize their operations. Meanwhile, Singapore-based mentor platform Tigerhall is connecting the world’s most successful people with young professionals. Nellie Wartoft, CEO at Tigerhall commented: "We raised $2m in 2020, it was a huge milestone for the company but we had a lot to do. The XA Network members are some of the absolute most supportive investors I've ever had on my cap table. They're never afraid of rolling up their sleeves and doing real work either, which is rare to find amongst investors. They feel much more like an extended team than just financial investors to me, and have been key to Tigerhall's success." The appointments come at an exciting time for XA Network as they achieved their first exit. Lomotif, Singapore’s video-sharing service, was acquired by a syndicate for US$125 million. The deal is said to be one of the biggest exits by a tech startup in Singapore in recent years. XA Network highlights (last 12 months) Membership base increased from 50 to 100 people in March 2021 XA Network portfolio includes 30 start-ups in a range of sectors including mobility, healthtech, foodtech, edtech, adtech, fintech, social commerce, proptech Portfolio companies have also gone on to raise $82m in follow-on capital Notes to the editor * e-Conomy SEA 2020 Report About the XA Network The XA Network [the X denotes any tech firm with $1b+ valuation and the A refers to Alumni] is an investment network comprising senior executives from prominent tech companies including Alibaba, Gojek, Grab, Google, Amazon, Netflix and Twitter amongst others. Its mission is to invest and empower early-stage companies across Southeast Asia through their inclusive innovation approach, by exposing these businesses to the wide array of skills in the network. Since 2018, they have made 30 investments and expanded their member base to 100 people. XA Network has invested in a wide variety of promising companies including Bukukas, Tigerhall, Sampingan, Neuron, and Infradigital as well as the Vertex Southeast Asia and India fund. Contact Details XA Network Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 press@xanetwork.co Company Website https://xanetwork.co/

April 19, 2021 08:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

1 ... 385 386 387 388 389 ... 416