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Pollen VC launches first live lending facility for app and game makers

Pollen VC

Fintech lender Pollen VC, a leading provider of credit facilities to app and game developers, has today expanded the amount developers can borrow to up to 4x their monthly revenues. Pollen VC’s data driven credit models now have a more granular view of how revenue is generated over time, enabling them to expand credit lines based on live performance metrics. Access to additional capital via a transparent revolving credit facility enables developers to supercharge their growth without relying on venture capital or revenue based loans. In contrast to the increasingly ubiquitous revenue-based lending (RBL) approach, Pollen VC provides a flexible line of credit that is based on a live picture of a developers accounts receivable (AR), plus an estimate of the residual value remaining in live user cohorts. The company had previously provided pure AR financing, but with the addition of the ability to borrow against the value of existing users combined into one simple facility, it’s now possible to borrow more via this model than through RBL, and with a much more transparent structure. App and game developers rely on finance to help them market and promote their products whilst they wait to be paid from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. With more than $120Bn being spent on apps and games globally, these businesses face cashflow squeezes on a regular basis. Martin Macmillan, CEO & Founder at Pollen VC commented: “Developer revenue isn’t just realised at the point of download, monetization occurs over their consumer’s lifetime usage of the app or game. Our ability to base our lending decisions not just on AR, but also now in a developer's existing user base is unique and will be a game changer for the industry. The amount of available credit is recalculated on a daily basis so as marketing performance improves, so the amount available to borrow will grow.” “The revenue-based lending model works well for industries such as SaaS where stable, predictable revenue streams exist. But, in mobile gaming, users can churn much faster, making the model less applicable for the app and gaming sector generally, and opening up both developers and lenders to additional risk if loans can’t be repaid. Our “AR plus residual cohort” model is our take on the revenue-based lending model, but built from the ground up for our vertical” added Martin Macmillan. At the core of Pollen VC’s vision is improving the financial literacy of developers. All too often developers rely just on equity financing to fuel their growth and don’t consider forms of alternative financing, sometimes needlessly diluting their equity instead of considering more capital efficient funding. Pollen VC has launched a range of resources for the app and game developer community to help them better understand their cash flow, financials and user acquisition metrics. The company’s CFO resources page includes a range of free to access calculators, content and templates to help the gaming and app development ecosystem improve their overall level of financial awareness and make more informed financing decisions. Looking ahead, Martin Macmillan added: “We have worked with hundreds of app and gaming developers since 2014 and the industry has changed radically since the early days. Our new lending approach provides a breath of fresh air to the industry which will enable gaming and app founders to really understand their numbers and enable faster growth and the ability to scale in a capital efficient way. We will provide developers with greater access to capital and financial knowledge to really transform the industry”. Pollen VC provides revolving credit lines to game and app developers to help them scale faster. Their finance works alongside venture capital funding as a non-dilutive complimentary funding source. Application criteria: the business must have one or more live apps on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, $20,000 - $5,000,000 in monthly revenue and 3 months or more of transaction history in its business bank account. Notes to the editor Customer example - London based mobile game studio grows revenues 35% month-on-month working with Pollen VC Comment piece - The Paradox of Revenue Based Lending Comment piece - What Supercell's $180M credit facility to Metacore signals to the wider mobile gaming ecosystem About Pollen VC Pollen VC provides flexible credit facilities to app and game developers using a data-driven lending model which is designed from the ground up for the app economy. Based in San Francisco and London, we help developers all over the world to take control of their finances and grow their business in a capital efficient way. Our team includes structured credit, capital markets and performance marketing specialists with in-depth knowledge of the mobile app and gaming market and the growth challenges faced. Pollen VC is backed by a group of leading private and institutional fintech investors, and has diverse sources of liquidity spanning private and institutional capital providers in Europe and North America. Contact Details Pollen VC Bilal Mahmoood +44 7714 007257 bilal@pollen.vc Company Website https://pollen.vc

June 10, 2021 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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ForwardPMX Becomes A Fashion Avenger, Joining the Dynamic Movement to Accelerate the Fashion Industry’s Role in Achieving the UN’s Global Goals

ForwardPMX

Global data and technology driven marketing services company, ForwardPMX, has signed onto the Fashion Avengers campaign, a newly launched global initiative which highlights the critical role the fashion sector has in driving progress towards the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals ( The Global Goals ). As the only agency partner and official Fashion Avenger, ForwardPMX joins a group of global industry leaders and top brands, creators, influencers and media, including Burberry, Rankin, Marie Claire, Pour Les Femmes and PANGAIA. The campaign is also supported by the British Fashion Council (BFC) and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CDFA). On becoming a Fashion Avenger, ForwardPMX Global CEO, James Townsend, said, “Sustainability started as a moral choice, but it is now equally a business imperative. As Fashion Avengers, we will help to inspire a new agenda and facilitate a more strategic conversation with brands about how to ingrain sustainability and social impact within their organizations.” The Fashion Avengers campaign was established by Project Everyone, a nonprofit creative communications agency that is focused on raising awareness, inspiring action and facilitating a cross-industry network to accelerate progress for the Global Goals. The Goals were agreed upon in 2015 by 195 countries, and represent the collective ambitious plan to eradicate poverty, fight inequality and address the climate change crisis by 2030. As a sector, Fashion uniquely intersects with all 17 of the UN’s Goals, which spurred the creation of the Fashion Avengers to serve as a crucial forum and measurable framework for global industry stakeholders to collaborate and drive progress together. Townsend added, “We intend to further invest and lead in this space as we continue to grow our company, while strengthening relationships with likeminded clients who share our values and commitment to social impact and sustainability.” Gail Gallie, Co-Founder of Project Everyone, said, “As we work to positively transform the industry, we’re surrounding ourselves with new partners to help us push for a greater uptake of the Goals. We are thrilled to have ForwardPMX onboard, as they, like the diverse group of leaders joining us as partners, understand why fashion must change and how the Goals can help the sector get there.” In addition to signing on as an official Fashion Avenger, ForwardPMX is supporting Project Everyone with global digital media expertise and other pro bono communications work surrounding the launch of the campaign and beyond. The agency has also selected its own Goals out of the 17 to design its social good frameworks across EMEA, North America, MENA and APAC. “Social impact and sustainability have been deeply embedded within our agency’s culture, our proposition and our way of working over the last decade. As a Fashion Avenger, we’re not only strongly positioned to guide our fashion clients, but we’re also creating a platform to further encourage our global staff base to increase their own self-efficacy and to live a more ethical and sustainable lifestyle,” said Hanna Kubbutat-Byrne, Head of Social Impact and co-lead of ForwardPMX’s social impact arm, TransformFP. The Fashion Avengers campaign has launched at the Forest for Change at the Somerset House in London. Help spread the word beginning June 10 th using #FashionAvengers. And see the Industry launch and Fashion Avengers panel streaming live at the Goals House. About ForwardPMX: ForwardPMX is a global data and technology driven marketing services company, designed to help brands find the change that delivers meaningful growth to their businesses. With over 20 offices worldwide and 1,000 of the industry's most distinguished talent, ForwardPMX brings a unified global vision, with local depth and expertise across a comprehensive set of data, technology, consultancy and performance solutions that reach people all over the world. By pairing people with data-led process and powerful technology capabilities, ForwardPMX is uniquely positioned to deliver scale and accelerate problem solving. ForwardPMX is a proud member of The Stagwell Group. About Project Everyone: Devised by Richard Curtis, Project Everyone is a nonprofit creative communications agency focused on raising awareness, inspiring action and driving accountability for the United Nations’ Global Goals: an ambitious plan to eradicate poverty, fight inequality, and tackle the climate crisis. Project Everyone’s motto is ‘in order to make things happen, you have to make things’ - and so they create advocacy campaigns, content, programmes and events, telling stories that help multiple sectors engage with the Goals. Through a global network of campaigning organisations, philanthropists, private sector partners, governments, UN agencies, public figures, and activists, Project Everyone looks to accelerate progress towards a better future for both people and planet. About the UN Global Goals: In 2015, the 193 Member States of the United Nations agreed to 17 Global Goals (officially known as the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs), to be achieved by 2030. Recognizing that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and threats to biodiversity, the Goals call on all countries to promote prosperity and social well-being whilst taking ambitious steps to protect the planet. However it is now up to all of us - governments, businesses, civil society and the general public alike - to work together to build a better, fairer future where no one is left behind. With less than 10 years to go, we have more work than ever to do. About Forest for Change From 1 - 27 June 2021, the courtyard of Somerset House will be transformed into a forest, as part of London Design Biennale. Forest for Change – The Global Goals Pavilion, invites visitors to discover the 17 UN Global Goals. The Forest is created from 400 juvenile trees, individually selected for their differing canopy shapes, heights and form. Species have been selected with the aim of ensuring future resilience to the changing London environment, and the trees will be donated to and replanted in London boroughs after they have graced the Somerset House courtyard, creating a living durable legacy. At the heart of the Forest, seventeen mirrored pillars will bring the Goals to life as the world’s To Do List for people and planet. As part of this experience, visitors will be invited to record a short message expressing the change they wish to see in the world. This will be instantly added to a participatory music installation composed by Robert M Thomas, and will become part of ‘Voices for Change’, a Google Arts & Culture Lab collaboration bringing together the voices and passions of people from across the world in an interactive online experience for the Goals. A powerful collective message for change, Forest for Change was designed by leading international artist and designer, and Artistic Director of the Biennale, Es Devlin, in collaboration with Landscape Designer Philip Jaffa and Urban Greening Specialists Scotscape and presented in partnership with Project Everyone. Contact Details ForwardPMX Sara Pollack, VP of Marketing +1 917-438-4923 sara.pollack@fowardpmx.com ForwardPMX Dammi Afolabi, Marketing & Communications Manager +447958069108 dammi.afolabi@forwardpmx.com Company Website https://www.forwardpmx.com/

June 10, 2021 04:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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World’s largest product discovery platform RangeMe opens UK retailers to over 750,000 products

RangeMe

The world’s largest product discovery and sourcing platform RangeMe has launched in the UK today. Buyers at British retailers will now be able to source over 750,000 products and connect with more than 200,000 suppliers to fill their shopping aisles and online stores with curated products meeting consumer demand. Buyers at high street chain LloydsPharmacy are currently partnering with RangeMe. RangeMe first launched in 2013 and is used today by over 12,000 retailers in the U.S., including Walmart, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, and Albertsons. It has quickly established itself as the industry leader for retail product discovery and sourcing by becoming the world’s largest source of brands and products purchased by buyers in the US. RangeMe helps retailers and their buying teams scale product sourcing efforts with streamlined submissions, simplified discovery tools, and the industry standard digital sell sheet. RangeMe enables buyers to filter searches to find brands meeting exact sourcing needs, enables seamless connectivity and collaboration with suppliers and provides curated collections to help identify and understand category trends and emerging brands. “Consumers are looking for a variety of products from all over the world and sourcing them online. The British public is no different, yet high street retailers have struggled to offer these products in store or online principally because they don’t have sight of all that’s available in the market. RangeMe will change this for retailers bringing more choice to shopping aisles and a significant revenue opportunity,” said Nicky Jackson, CEO of RangeMe. “We will pick up the heavy lifting for buyers and present the global product market opportunity in one screen”. LloydsPharmacy which caters to the medical, lifestyle and well-being needs of millions of people in the UK is an early adopter of the RangeMe platform. “We pride ourselves on offering the widest range of products that meet the highest standards for consumers. RangeMe is already helping us to identify a wider spread of products for our customers. Equally importantly, we will quickly scale our buying operations through the platform and reduce the time to get more products on our shelves” added John Acland, Head of Category Management and eCommerce at McKesson UK, parent company to LloydsPharmacy. RangeMe also invites British suppliers to join the platform for a front-row audience of the biggest high street retailers. It is a single place to represent their brand and products to a network of thousands of retail buyers. RangeMe helps suppliers grow their retail relationships with a platform that gives them the tools and insights to manage their products, market their brand, and build awareness. RangeMe is the global online platform where retailers and suppliers can discover, connect, and grow their business. Suppliers can showcase their range, bring new products to market, increase brand visibility, and grow sales, while buyers use RangeMe to discover new products, search trends, and communicate directly with brands. “Our mission has always been to empower retailers and suppliers to be productive and successful. The world has become a smaller place but it remains distant for forging strong cross border buyer and seller relationships. RangeMe will bridge this gap for buyers and sellers around the world and ensure extraordinary products hit store shelves, faster than ever before” added Nicky Jackson. About RangeMe RangeMe, an ECRM company, is the leading online platform that streamlines new product discovery between suppliers and retailers. The platform empowers retail buyers to efficiently discover innovative and emerging products, while streamlining the inbound product submission process. For product suppliers, RangeMe enables them to grow their retail relationships with a platform that gives them the tools to manage their products, market their brand, and build awareness. Now integrated into the ECRM product offering, RangeMe adds increased breadth and depth to the industry's most complete sourcing solution for top retailers and product suppliers. Contact Details RangeMe Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.rangeme.com/

June 09, 2021 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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SCIENTISTS WORLDWIDE PLEDGE THEIR TRUST IN SCIENCE IN CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF LIGHT

International Day of Light Steering Committee

The UNESCO International Day of Light on May 16 th celebrated the worldwide campaign promoting the importance of science and the scientific process for society and sustainable development. The Trust Science pledge saw supporters of science worldwide join together to affirm their appreciation for science. Notable signatories include Nobel and Breakthrough laureates, UNESCO prizewinners, CEOs, representatives from scientific societies and academies, individual scientists and students from nearly 100 countries. “After a year in which we have seen science lead the global response to the coronavirus pandemic, we thought it was essential to highlight the importance of trusting its methods in guiding decisions,” said Steering Committee Chair John Dudley. “The pledge focuses particularly on science’s role in improving quality of life, a sentiment that clearly resonates around the world.” The International Day of Light recognizes the value of light science and technology and its role in providing clean energy, clean water, high-speed connectivity and medical treatments. The day was celebrated with events and hands-on activities in more than 55 countries. The International Day of Light also highlighted the achievements of a number of Champions of Science, individuals from all fields whose work is changing the world. “As a scientist, seeing this kind of support for the scientific process is inspiring,” said Neysha Lobo-Ploch, FBH Berlin, UVphotonics NT GmbH, Germany and LightDay 2021 champion. “I’m honored to have my work acknowledged in this way.” After its initial launch with the International Day of Light, the #TrustScience campaign will continue throughout 2021, and scientists worldwide will be organising targeted actions throughout the year. Dudley explains, “A central aim of this initiative has been to remind members of the scientific community that we share a responsibility to ensure that the public has confidence in science and its outcomes. It is up to us to explain how science works and why it can be trusted.” The Trust Science campaign is organized by the IEEE Photonics Society, SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, and The Optical Society (OSA), together with the International Day of Light Steering Committee. To sign the pledge and to learn more, please go to https://www.trust-science.org Contacts For questions about how you can engage with the campaign, please contact: info@trust-science.org For media inquiries, please contact: pr@trust-science.org Social media: please share using #TrustScience and #LightDay2021 Social media links: Facebook; Instagram; Twitter About the International Day of Light The International Day of Light (LightDay)is a worldwide initiative that provides an annual focal point for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications and energy. The International Day of Light is administered from the International Basic Science Programme (IBSP) of UNESCO by a Steering Committee that includes representatives from a broad range of international partners: the American Institute of Physics (AIP), the American Physical Society (APS), Bosca, the China International Optoelectronic Exhibition (CIOE), Chinese Optical Society (COS), the European Centres for Outreach in Photonics (ECOP), the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC), the European Physical Society (EPS), the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), the IEEE Photonics Society (IPS), the International Commission on Illumination (CIE), lightsources.org - the international network of accelerator based light sources, Light: Science and Applications, The Optical Society (OSA), Tampere University, SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics, SESAME, Signify, Tampere University, Thorlabs, Transitions, the Université de Franche-Comté and Velux. For information about the International Day of Light, please visit www.lightday.org Contacts for IDL: John Dudley and Joseph Niemela Bethany Downer 2021 Steering Committee Chairs 2021 Communications Coordinator Email: contact@lightday.org Email: contact@lightday.org Media Contact for Trust Science: pr@trust-science.org About IEEE Photonics Society The IEEE Photonics Society is the professional home for a global network of scientists, engineers and allied professionals who advance laser, optoelectronics, and photonics technology. As a technical society representing the IEEE, it is a vital part of the world’s largest technical professional organization of more than 400,000 members dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, educational activities, and humanitarian initiatives, the IEEE Photonics Society provides its members in more than 160 countries the opportunity to grow professionally and stay on the forefront of transformational breakthroughs in photonics. PhotonicsSociety.org About SPIE SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, was founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. Serving more than 255,000 constituents from 183 countries, the not-for-profit society advances emerging technologies through interdisciplinary information exchange, continuing education, publications, patent precedent, and career and professional growth. SPIE annually organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums, exhibitions, and education programs in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific. In 2020, SPIE provided more than $5 million in support of education and outreach programs. www.spie.org About The Optical Society Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and business leaders in light science and technology. The society serves over 432,000 customers and 22,000 members from more than 100 countries who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the field. OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts through world-renowned publications. For more information, visit osa.org. Contact Details pr@trust-science.org +1 703-907-0010 pr@trust-science.org Company Website https://www.trust-science.org

June 08, 2021 09:58 AM Eastern Daylight Time

June is National Candy Month – Unwrap the Sweetness This Summer

YourUpdateTV

Whether you’re heading to the beach, the pool, out for a hike, or just to your backyard – chocolate and candy can add some sweetness to your summer. Recently, Lauren Boland and Carly Schildhaus, spokespeople for the National Confectioners Association, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the top summer candy types and provide fun ways to celebrate National Candy Month. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/zmhC2qP6y7M A recent survey from the National Confectioners Association revealed that: 94% of Americans who say they’ll go camping this summer will bring chocolate and candy along. 93% of Americans who say they’ll go on a road trip this summer will bring chocolate and candy along. 89% of Americans who say they’ll go to the beach this summer will bring chocolate and candy along. 81% of consumers agree that it is completely fine to treat yourself with chocolate or candy occasionally and 77% of consumers feel physical health and emotional well-being are connected. Top 3 Most Popular Summer Candies 1. Chocolate 2. Gummies 3. Hard Candy Top 3 Most Popular Summer Candy Flavors 1. Strawberry 2. Watermelon 3. Cherry For more information, visit NationalCandyMonth.com About the National Confectioners Association (NCA): The National Confectioners Association is the trade organization that advances, protects and promotes the unique role of chocolate, candy, gum and mints in a happy, balanced lifestyle and the companies that make these special treats. Through advocacy and regulatory guidance, communications, industry insights and retail and supply chain engagement, NCA helps foster an environment that enables candy makers to thrive. Confections are produced in all 50 states, creating jobs for approximately 54,000 workers in more than 1,300 manufacturing facilities across the country. Learn more at AlwaysATreat.com or follow NCA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 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

June 07, 2021 05:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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The Summer Travel Rebound is Here: How Airbnb Is Making Travel Easier

YourUpdateTV

As pandemic restrictions gradually lift, travel is looking different. A recent report by Airbnb indicates this travel rebound is not a temporary reaction to these many months of restrictions and isolation. Recently, Communications Leads for North America at Airbnb, Liz DeBold Fusco, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a satellite media tour to discuss major shifts in how people are traveling and how Airbnb is meeting travelers’ new needs. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/aR4n93mrwzk “We believe this will be the biggest travel rebound in a century,” said Brian Chesky, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbnb. According to Airbnb’s recent Report on Travel & Living, the lines between traveling, living and working are blurring in three key ways: first, people are more flexible over when they can travel, especially as remote working upends traditional seasonality. Second, they are traveling to much more diverse destinations, including small towns and rural areas. And third, they are staying longer in places, if they can work anywhere. Airbnb has introduced more than 100 upgrades across every aspect of their service to meet the coming demand and the fundamental shift in travel. It is one of the biggest top-to-bottom upgrades of the Airbnb service in years. Users will have a better guest experience built around Flexibility. The new Flexible Matching feature will show guests listings that lie outside a specified search, so that they don’t miss out on homes just outside their price range or missing an amenity. These new product upgrades also cater to Hosts. Airbnb is launching a brand new, simplified onboarding process where users can become hosts in just 10 easy steps. Aspiring hosts can even sign up for an “Intro to Hosting” online class or directly message an experienced Host with onboarding questions. Airbnb also redesigned the Welcome to Hosting page for new Hosts to make it easier for new and existing Hosts to manage their listings. If you are looking to share your space this summer and want to learn how to become an Airbnb host yourself, check out Airbnb.com/host About Liz DeBold Fusco: Liz DeBold Fusco is a Communications Leads for North America for Airbnb. Prior to that, she was a Vice President at SKDKnickerbocker, a national public affairs firm, where she provided strategic communications guidance to organizations ranging from the NAACP and Demos to The Rockefeller Foundation and AT&T. Liz has also worked for Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City and New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray as well as the New York State Attorney General. 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

June 07, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Haystack Analytics attracts investment, powering tech teams globally and addresses developer burnout

Stockwood Strategy

Engineering insights tool Haystack Analytics, backed by Y Combinator, today announced it has secured a US$1.2m funding round which included participation from Founders Club, Y Combinator, Soma Capital, Entrepreneur First and investors Dan Siroker and Blaine Vess. Founded in 2020 by Julian Colina and Kan Yilmaz, Haystack helps build elite developer teams by providing engineering metrics and alerts proven to drive performance. Haystack improves developer productivity and software quality. Through their integration with GitHub, Haystack is able to provide live data insights that illustrate the entire delivery process from commit to deploy, being able to highlight bottlenecks like code review and team productivity. Using this feedback loop, Haystack users have increased production deployments by 58% and achieved 70% faster cycle times on average. In less than 12 months since launch, Haystack is being used by more than 7,000 developers at tech teams in GoDaddy, Microsoft, The Economist, Indiegogo and Truebill among others as revenues have increased by an average of 36% month on month. Julian Colina, CEO and co-founder of Haystack Analytics commented: “Tech teams and engineers around the world are key assets to any company and shipping software is the heartbeat and competitive advantage they seek. The efforts of developers are at the heart of processes, products and, effectively, the bottom line. Until now, it was difficult for CTOs and engineering managers to objectively know what their roadblocks are or have insights into resourcing levels. Haystack gives visibility by providing metrics and alerts to make sure nothing continues to be stuck. We are helping developers to ship faster and improve their satisfaction”. Research 1 has shown that elite performing engineering organisations are twice as likely to achieve their organisational goals and achieve a 50% higher growth rate over 3 years. It isn't just business objectives that do better, employees of elite performers are almost twice as likely to recommend their team as a great place to work. “Companies with strong technology teams are outperforming those which don't. Technology teams which follow DevOps best practice are less likely to see developers being burnt out, whilst allowing new product ideas to be experimented faster and shipping business value more reliably” added Julian Colina. The funding advances Haystack’s commitment to building intuitive one-click dashboards and alerts using GitHub data. Haystack plans to expand its offering to a greater range of data sources whilst providing an ever greater variety of user-friendly alerts and insights. As companies move to hybrid office/home working environments, Haystack provides insights that teams need to experiment with their workflows to prevent developer burnout whilst shipping faster. “Our mission is to bring the competitive advantage data-driven engineering teams like Google have to everyone. We help teams track their delivery process and optimization opportunities instead of relying solely on gut feelings - resulting in 70% faster delivery on average. It’s been an incredible 12 months and we are well set to achieve much more in the next year” concluded Julian Colina. Ends 1 DevOps Research and Assessment, State of DevOps report About Haystack Analytics Haystack was founded in 2020 by Julian Colin and Kan Yilmaz for tech teams to learn more about roadblocks to their work, improve productivity and importantly identify burnout issues with developers. Haystack helps build elite developer teams by providing engineering metrics and alerts proven to drive performance, improve developer productivity and software quality. Through their integration with GitHub, Haystack is able to provide live data insights that illustrate the entire delivery process from commit to deploy, being able to highlight bottlenecks like code review and team productivity. Using this feedback loop, Haystack users have increased production deployments by 58% and achieved 70% faster cycle times on average. Contact Details Haystack Analytics Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 bilal@usehaystack.io Company Website https://www.usehaystack.io/

June 07, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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NORTH SIXTH GROUP ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN NEWS DIRECT CORP.

North Sixth Group

North Sixth Group, a family office operating company with a vision to invest in Passion, Purpose and Progress, today announced a strategic investment in News Direct, the future of news distribution. Founded by former Business Wire President, Gregg Castano, News Direct is the first SaaS-based content and news distribution platform purpose-built for modern media outreach. News Direct was created to address the $1.5 billion dollar opportunity in the newswire technology sector. While traditional wire services have become antiquated and lack the efficiency, control, security and transparency that comms professionals today require, News Direct has addressed each of these through its game-changing offering. News Direct provides a suite of industry-first, proprietary solutions, including a self-guided platform for optimal efficiency and control; standalone multimedia distribution capabilities; a collaborative content studio with task automation, AI-assisted editing and secure sharing; meaningful measurement; and unparalleled security protocols. Castano previously led Business Wire as President and was part of the leadership team that took the company through its historic acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway in 2006. “We are thrilled to welcome North Sixth Group as an investment partner in News Direct,” said Gregg Castano, CEO of News Direct. “Through its holdings, North Sixth Group has a unique understanding of the media and content landscape. This investment is further validation of our vision and the market opportunity that exists within the news distribution category.” North Sixth Group is a family office operating company with wholly owned and minority interests in a variety of investments across multiple sectors all sharing a common vision of Passion, Purpose and Progress. Among the holdings in North Sixth Group’s portfolio of companies are businesses across media, marketing, technology, sports and entertainment. “The news distribution landscape is changing drastically, and News Direct is uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology, content and analytics,” said Matt Rizzetta, Chairman of North Sixth Group. “I have had the privilege of getting to know Gregg and the leadership team at News Direct, and it is clear that they have the combination of products, people and market knowledge to change the future of news distribution as we know it.” ABOUT NEWS DIRECT: News Direct provides news and content distribution for PR, IR, Corporate Communications and Marketing professionals. Our platform delivers a completely reimagined, intuitive workflow, industry-leading security, transparent, flat-rate pricing and actionable analytics. Further, News Direct has deployed an array of innovations including advanced automation, isolation cloud technology and custom software for the most dynamic, efficient and flexible platform available today. To learn more visit newsdirect.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. ABOUT NORTH SIXTH GROUP: North Sixth Group LLC is a family office operating company. The company has wholly owned and minority interests in a variety of investments across multiple sectors all sharing a common vision of Passion, Purpose and Progress. Included in the North Sixth Group family of companies are leading public relations firm N6A; modern marketing and content house Studios; professional European football club SS Campobasso; and other holdings across media, marketing, technology, sports and entertainment, and emerging markets. Additionally, North Sixth Group dedicates financial, networking and human capital resources to community-based and philanthropic initiatives geared toward Passion, Purpose and Progress. Contact Details North 6th Agency Carrie Booze +1 619-450-3743 cbooze@n6a.com Company Website https://northsixthgroup.com/

June 07, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Global investors back fintech KTrade - the ‘Robinhood’ of Pakistan

Stockwood Strategy

Leading Pakistani fintech stock trading app KTrade today announced it has raised $4.5m in a funding round from a range of global investors and institutions led by Hong Kong-based TTB Partners, and HOF Capital from New York. German fintech investor Christian Angermayer, the Managing Partner of German bank Berenberg David Mortlock, and leading Pakistani business families also participated in the round. KTrade is the fintech retail trading app created by KASB Securities, the leading stock brokerage in Pakistan. KTrade provides easy access to financial markets for retail investors much like its global peers such as XP in Brazil, Zerodha and Groww in India, Tiger in China, Flatex in Germany and Robinhood in the US. Since launching in 2019, KTrade has over 200,000 users and aims to reach 10 million Pakistani’s at home and abroad by 2023 to invest in stocks, bonds, commodities and mutual funds through its mobile platform. The Karachi Stock Exchange Index (KSE100) has rallied by 19% per annum over the past 20 years despite regular market cycles. The volumes have increased by 7x over the last 18 months driven by regulatory reforms and increase in retail investor participation. Retail investors now account for over 65% of overall trading volume compared to around 45% 24 months ago. KTrade aims to provide users quick and easy accessibility to this investment opportunity. Ali Farid led the creation of KTrade. He was previously the CFO of UK listed fintech company SafeCharge (acquired by Nuvei) and a Partner at Autonomous Research (acquired by Alliance Bernstein) in London. Ali is a Rhodes Scholar and has been a top ranked Technology Analyst in Europe since 2013. Ali Farid, Co-founder of KTrade commented: “People in Pakistan have traditionally turned to gold or real estate when they consider investment options. However, as the regulatory approach, authority and credibility of the Karachi Stock Exchange has grown, more people are getting comfortable with stock market investing. This is an exciting trend but accessibility to these markets remains a hurdle for millions. KTrade will enable this mobile-first population to participate in the investment opportunity. By connecting these people to companies we can drive capital trapped in unproductive assets into the formal economy which would eventually drive a virtuous cycle of economic growth and higher investments”. Pakistan is emerging on the radar of global investors as the next Indonesia. A large, young and growing middle class and high smartphone penetration have created ideal conditions for technology led disruption. KASB’s aim is to provide retail savers access to financial education, information and financial products and to help them make better financial decisions. “Most people in Pakistan lack access to formal financial products and their savings in real estate or gold offer inferior returns, are inefficient and have high transactional costs. We aim to democratise access to the capital markets and enable them to make stock market investments. The strong demand for KTrade shows that the market is ready for this transformation. Other regional and emerging markets have seen similar evolution led by successful fintech companies” added Ali Farid. “Pakistan and South Asia have some of the most exciting market dynamics and demographics globally, and KTrade is well positioned to take advantage of the democratisation of finance in the region” said Jonathan Bond, Managing Partner TTB Partners who were lead investors in the funding round. “We are delighted to be investing in the latest round of funding for KASB, and to support Ali and his first-class team on their continued journey. We have been extremely impressed by what KASB has built over the past few years, both from a tech perspective and from the educational overlay to investing, which the company has embraced. In particular, we believe that in KTrade, the company has a stellar solution to expanding stock market participation across Pakistan” added Jonathan Bond. About KASB Securities KASB is the leading stock brokerage in Pakistan. It is a member of the Pakistan Stock Exchange and Pakistan Mercantile Exchange and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. KASB’s mission is to democratise investments by giving people in Pakistan easy access to financial information, education and products. It operates KASB Varsity, an online MOOC, and KTrade, the leading stock trading application in Pakistan. KASB’s goal is to channel capital to financial markets by broadening the breadth of the capital markets. Further information visit: https://kasb.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and through YouTube. Contact Details Stockwood Strategy Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://kasb.com/ktrade/

June 07, 2021 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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