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Velocity Global raises $400M in Series B growth round

Velocity Global

Eldridge and Norwest Venture Partners lead funding round Achieves multi-billion dollar valuation, a 7x increase in one year Investment boosts the company’s Global Work Platform™ that enables businesses and talent to work with anyone, anywhere, anyhow Velocity Global, the leading provider of global talent solutions, announced today that it raised $400 million in its Series B funding round, increasing the company’s valuation seven-fold since the same time last year. This second round of funding is led by Eldridge and Norwest Venture Partners which join Series A investor FFL Partners on Velocity Global’s board to lend their deep expertise in the areas of technology, future of work and global scale. The company retains majority ownership and founder Ben Wright continues as CEO and chair of the board of directors. “This is a pivotal moment for our company in the midst of a paradigm shift for employers and talent,” said Wright. “Access to work is no longer limited by borders or the star you are born under as the adoption of global talent accelerates. In March, we tripled the number of new supported talent on our platform compared to the same time last year, and the momentum continues to build. Eldridge and Norwest Venture Partners join FFL Partners to invest in people’s lives and the future of business. Massive kudos to our team for this achievement on our way to even greater heights.” Profitable since its founding in 2014, Velocity Global more than doubled its client roster over the past year, tripled the number of new supported talent on its platform, and will reach an annual net revenue run rate of $200 million by midyear as it continues to scale rapidly. “Velocity Global’s proven technology platform is positioned to transform the future of work, offering businesses a frictionless solution for building and expanding their teams,” said Todd Boehly, co-founder and CEO of Eldridge. “We are proud to partner with Ben and his team as demand continues to grow for best-in-class workforce solutions that support organizations looking to scale across the globe.” Parker Barrile, partner at Norwest Venture Partners, joins the Velocity Global board as a director. Barrile is the former vice president of product at LinkedIn who oversaw 20-fold growth as the company went public. “Velocity Global has a rare mix of scale, growth, and profitability that attracted us to be part of the next phase,” said Barrile. “The company is led by a strong leadership team with an ambitious roadmap, and we look forward to partnering with them as they accelerate the future of work.” The company’s Global Work Platform™ seamlessly connects employers and talent worldwide through proprietary cloud-based talent management technology, personalized expertise, and unmatched global scale. The platform offers a full suite of talent solutions, including global Employer of Record (EoR) and Contractor Management, to help thousands of companies compliantly onboard, manage, and pay full-time and part-time talent, contractors, and freelancers in more than 185 countries and all 50 United States. Velocity Global serves more than 1,200 clients and over 7,000 supported employees worldwide. The Velocity Global team is more than 700 employees strong in 47 countries across six continents with plans to more than double the number of employees by the end of the year. In 2021, the company successfully completed acquisitions of iWorkGlobal and Shield GEO that added capabilities to its Global Work Platform. Velocity Global will use the funds to continue enhancing the customer experience for both businesses and talent. The company will make further strategic investments in technology, sales and marketing, as well as potential future acquisitions to execute on its vision to provide a frictionless solution for businesses and talent to work with anyone, anywhere, anyhow. FT Partners served as exclusive strategic and financial advisor to Velocity Global on this transaction. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work for anyone, anywhere, anyhow. Its Global Work Platform™ simplifies the employer and talent experience through its proprietary cloud-based talent management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. The platform offers a full suite of talent solutions, including global Employer of Record and Contractor Management, to help companies onboard, manage, and pay talent in more than 185 countries and all 50 United States. Thousands of brands rely on Velocity Global to build international teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. Velocity Global was named a "Leader" in Global Employer of Record Services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information, visit velocityglobal.com. About Eldridge Eldridge invests in businesses across the Insurance, Asset Management, Technology, Mobility, Sports & Gaming, Media & Music, Real Estate, and Consumer landscapes. The firm seeks to build and grow businesses led by proven management teams that have demonstrated leadership and experience to scale an enterprise. Eldridge is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, with additional offices in Beverly Hills, New York, and London. To learn more about Eldridge, please visit www.eldridge.com. About Norwest Venture Partners Norwest is a leading venture and growth equity investment firm managing more than $12.5 billion in capital. Since its inception, Norwest has invested in more than 650 companies and currently partners with more than 200 companies in its venture and growth equity portfolio. The firm invests in early- to late-stage businesses across a wide range of sectors with a focus on consumer, enterprise and healthcare. The Norwest team offers a deep network of connections, operating experience, and a wide range of impactful services to help CEOs and founders scale their businesses. Norwest has offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco, with subsidiaries in India and Israel. For more information, please visit www.nvp.com. Follow Norwest on Twitter @NorwestVP. Contact Details Corporate Communications Anja Koltes +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Eldridge Nadia Damouni +1 212-518-8012 ndamouni@prosek.com Norwest Venture Partners Kate Dishaw +1 650-321-8000 kdishaw@nvp.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

May 18, 2022 07:01 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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viBe Theater Experience Walks the Talk and Promotes from Within

viBe Theater Experience

Contact Details Cheryl Overton +1 917-373-3514 cheryl@cheryloverton.com Company Website https://www.vibetheater.org

May 18, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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News Release

LegitWritingServices Launched a Website to Review Essay Writing Services

LegitWritingServices.com

LegitWritingServices.com is a company that allows students to read and contribute their own reviews about the academic writing / proofreading companies. By visiting LegitWritingServices.com, you can share your experiences to help other students make better choices and encourage companies to up their game. There’s more choice than ever when it comes to finding a service to proofread, write or edit your content. With the rising number of companies, it’s getting harder and harder to choose a legitimate one. LegitWritingServices.com is an independent review company that provides rankings and reviews of the market’s most popular writing, editing and proofreading services available online. Whether you’re looking for a professional proofreader to polish your dissertation, an expert to help you write a copy for your website or someone to copy-edit a lengthy research paper, you’ve come to the right place. The team behind LegitWritingServices.com professionally reviews and evaluates different services that write, edit and proofread essays, research papers, theses, dissertations and other types of academic assignments and written content in general. The company aims to help students around the world to make a better choice by providing the most recent information about popular services on the market and combating fake reviews. “The essay writing industry is suffering from biased reviews written by reputation management companies and businesses themselves. What these companies do is completely unethical, as they mislead and deceive potential customers by creating fake reviews. I think that every customer has the right to expect reviews of products and services to be authentic and credible. That’s why we’re here to help people avoid negative experiences and do the hard and extensive research so that they don’t have to.” says Adam Simon, founder of LegitWritingServices.com. The company bases its recommendations on real testing results. The team behind LegitWritingServices.com tests and analyzes key elements that make an essay writing service reliable. Among other things, they evaluate the price (value for money), ease of use, delivery time and quality of customer service of every company they review. Contact Details Adam Simon contact@legitwritingservices.com

May 17, 2022 02:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time

viBe Theater Experience Names New Co-Executive Directors Beryl Briane Ford and Michelan Le’Monier

viBe Theater Experience

viBe Theater Experience’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Beryl Briane Ford and Michelan Le’Monier as the organization’s new Executive Co-Directors. The organization has been under their interim leadership in this capacity since November 2021, and viBe’s Board unanimously approved their permanent appointments in March 2022. Ford and Le’Monier are well suited to lead viBe in its next chapter, having lived, institutional experience and demonstrated success in growing the organization’s operations, budget and programming. They are poised to shape, manage and inspire viBe's advancement as collaborators and in partnership with its talented staff and deeply committed Board of Directors and Junior Board. “I’m very ecstatic to be co-leading this organization with Beryl Briane! Ever since my participation in the viBeApprentices program in 2017, I knew that I wanted to contribute something to this community of artists and being in this position really brings my experiences as a participant and as a staff member full circle. As Co-Executive Director, my vision is for abundance to be a lifestyle, not a privilege for Black girls, young women, and femmes through art and wellness. viBe has grown immensely over the past few years and it’s my goal to continue to guide that growth with the support of our Board and Staff."- Michelan Le’Monier “I firmly believe that investing in the leadership of Black girls, young women, and gender expansive youth is one of many critical pathways to liberation. I am eager to build and sustain these pathways in my new role as Co-Executive Director. I came to viBe in October 2020 from The Museum of Modern Art with a desire to support viBe’s larger mission of creating safer spaces for youth to make art that’s deeply rooted in their lived experiences. It’s an honor to be amplifying their work alongside Michelan, viBe’s Staff & Board. I am thrilled to be co-leading an organization that’s responsible for nurturing the artistic & professional praxis of emerging artists, administrators, and educators. I look forward to continuing this legacy.”- Beryl Briane This shared leadership model is a living manifestation of viBe’s ethos of investing in and activating leadership opportunities for young people. So much of viBe’s work uniquely positions the organization in the larger nonprofit sector, cultivating pathways for program participants to become arts practitioners in the field, and leaders in their own right. In fact, the co-executive leadership model is not new to viBe – the organization was co-founded and led by Dana Edell and Chandra Thomas when they were both under the age of 25. Ford and Le’Monier look forward to continuing the organization’s nearly 20 year commitment to centering the voices of young Black women. Both Ford and LeMonier have tenured histories as leaders within viBe Theater Experience, having been trained and mentored by former Executive Director, Toya Lillard, as Development Associate and Operations Director respectively. “As Board Chair, I couldn’t be more proud of viBe’s growth and impact — and our new co-leaders are proof positive that our way WORKS! Inclusive and dynamic programming, an unwavering purpose, implicit trust in Black women, centering lived experiences and cultivating leaders from within is what we practice and preach.” Cheryl Overton Ford and LeMonier are committed to continuing viBe’s impact within the theater community both locally in NYC and nationally, bringing greater visibility and supporting more young people who seek to share their artistic genius with the world around them. They’re committed to deepening the organization’s advocacy work in its core areas of focus: racial equity, gender & healing justice, youth and women’s empowerment, and financial equity. Together, they will strive to ensure that viBe’s at the forefront of these issues through key partnerships with individuals, community and impact-oriented organizations, and mission-aligned corporations. With a clear vision for the present and a larger vision for viBe’s future, their appointment will preserve viBe’s historical impact while also leading the organization into a new era of growth. Their appointment demonstrates a deep commitment to centering Black women’s leadership in the arts. As an organization, viBe is dedicated to building pathways for the professional and artistic advancement of Black women. This appointment not only exemplifies this investment, it‘s also a clarion call to the larger community to consider and build up the systems and structures that will ensure the success and advancement of Black women in the arts. viBe Theater Experience produces original theater, music and media written and performed by NYC teens, young women and nonbinary youth of color about their lived experiences. For more information, visit www.vibetheater.org For downloadable high-resolution images, visit vibetheater.org/press-room Contact Details viBe Theater Experience Cheryl Overton, Board Chair +1 917-373-3514 cheryl@cheryloverton.com viBe Theater Experience viBe Marketing & Communications Team us@vibetheater.org Company Website https://www.vibetheater.org

May 17, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Steve Weber Reflects on 30 Years in Business As Minuteman Press Franchise Owner in Norwich, CT

Minuteman Press International Inc

Located at 595 W. Main Street, Minuteman Press in Norwich, Connecticut first opened in August 1992. Owner Steve Weber shares the following insights and advice as he reflects on celebrating 30 years in business: “I guess looking at it from the outside 30 years is quite an accomplishment, especially when you realize I was 40 years old when we started. I think that this milestone means it is almost time to retire. Our success can be attributed to a number of things. For the first 25 years, my wife and partner Gail helped grow the business and keep me on track. Since she has retired, I think our continued success can be attributed to surrounding myself with the best people as well as giving excellent customer service and evolving our business to meet the times. Our equipment and services have definitely evolved. Several years ago, we became an all-digital shop. We have invested in the equipment needed to provide excellent quality with the quick turnaround time our customers expect. We also have great suppliers who can provide old school offset printing when the job calls for it. We have expanded into the ad specialty market and learned the specifics of selling clothing. We have also invested in mailing equipment. This has been an excellent complement to our printing. We never sell a large printing job without asking, ‘What are you doing with this printing?’ Often, the answer has been we are mailing it. Providing mailing has earned us many new customers. Our community is relatively rural. We do not have any trade binderies to help support our business. To that end we have invested in our own bindery. We have a collator / booklet maker, as well as a perfect binder and a small die cutting unit. To complement the mailing services, we also have a folder inserter. We do over 100,000 business cards per month so we added a slitter cutter to automate that service. The machine is relatively slow but we have nicknamed it ‘set it and forget it.’ The person in bindery can set it up and do another job while it is running. We are proof that ‘print is dead’ is not truthful. Our customers still want business cards to hand out and annual reports to distribute. We also work with many nonprofits who have learned that the best return on fundraising is by mailing the information. Email just does not work to this end. Minuteman Press International has guided us every step of the way. From our first meeting with Roy Titus to now working with Nick Titus, we always feel comfortable. We have been fortunate to have Ron Rubin as our New England Regional Vice President. His wisdom and guidance have kept me focused on the goal of success. The proprietary software we used originally developed by Minuteman Press has also evolved. The current FLEX management software has been a great help especially when training employees in our company. We have been fortunate over the years to introduce more than a few other people into the Minuteman Press system. Our son Michael and his wife Lindsey now have 3 Minuteman Press locations of their own in Enfield, CT, Springfield, MA, and Brattleboro, VT. We did a mailing a number of years ago to the printers in our area. We have been able to acquire four different independent businesses who were competitors. It creates a win/win because the owners are typically retiring and they know their clients will be left in good hands. Lastly, this is not a business for an absentee owner. You must work in your business to succeed. After 30 years, I no longer work 50 hours/week, but I am still involved. My staff now does the heavy lifting but when we are bidding a large project, I appreciate them reaching out to me to utilize my years of experience.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Norwich, CT, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/ct/norwich/ 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

May 16, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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London’s UCL Edtech Labs chooses Toronto, Canada to launch inaugural Americas accelerator with Knowledgehook

UCL Edtech Labs

University College London’s (UCL) edtech accelerator programme called Edtech Labs has launched into the Americas today with their first cohort of startups inducted, and all set to begin the 12-week experience. In partnership with Knowledgehook, a leading fast growth Canada-based edtech, the programme will shine a spotlight on ambitious founders who see the importance of applying UCL’s robust research methods in building their products to reach tangible educational impact in a world of gamified and technology first edtechs. Innovative edtechs companies will join from across the continent, representing Canada, The United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and more in the first group. Programme Director and Founder of UCL Edtech Labs, Houtan Froushan remarked: “We’re excited to bring our programme to the Americas via Toronto which is abuzz with edtech fever. This expansion embraces the many opportunities that become available through international collaborations and cooperation with innovators and developers around the world. It is estimated over the next 30 years, we will see a further 2 billion learners, so developing businesses and designing products with the learner at the heart is fundamental if we are to fulfil our joint purpose of improving education for everybody, everywhere.” The workshops will be led by experts who have trained hundreds of founders, while the teams will experience first-hand what a successful startup culture looks like, being hosted at the Knowledgehook offices and with access to insights from their team members. Knowledgehook has become UCL Edtech Labs’ partner in the Americas, encompassing North, Central and South America. The partnership will combine the innovative approach and regional-sector knowledge of Knowledgehook to the London learning innovations programme that has grown out of University College London. Newly appointed President of the Americas of UCL EdTech Labs, Qamar Qureshi said “We are proud of the establishment, and excited with the prospects, of this prestigious partnership. Our joint aim is to make Toronto not only the hub of research-backed technology solutions, but also a growth catalyst in the Americas as well as a launch pad for international businesses. The buzz and positivity across the sector both in Toronto and across the continent is encouraging, and we’re thrilled for this inauguaral cohort of edtech entrepeneurs. This partnership is a natural progression as it is through international cooperation, bringing differing perspectives and ideas to the forefront, that we will see this exciting ecosystem grow to fulfil the potential impact education has on the world, while leaving no learner behind.” “This new joint initiative will also help build and develop the flow of edtech investments to alternative markets. Last year we saw a 3X rise in venture funding in our sector compared to pre-pandemic levels, adding 17 new edtech unicorns for a total of 38 globally. With Toronto’s ecosystem of talent in research and engineering and our access to financial markets, attracting several tech giants to the city already, it has become the ideal environment for early-stage companies. This combination of academia and Big Tech has fostered innovative global collaborations, further justifying the need for this partnership as we marry cutting-edge and equitable research-proven technology with patient capital.” The cohort of twelve startups from all over the Americas are convening in Toronto, Canada and will be hosted at the Knowledgehook offices. The 12-week programme will consist of applying the UCL Edtech Labs’ research-focused method to their products and ventures, expert and academic mentoring and a range of community events. The programme culminates in a Demo Day, where participants will pitch to investors, publishers and policy makers. CEO and Co-Founder of Knowledghook,Travis Ratnam acknowledged the importance of this new partnership: “From day one, Houtan and his team have strived to reach the same objective of enabling an evidence-led approach to product development to gain greater impact and visibility into a global scenario. “Both organisations strongly believe that only with alliances between Edtech ventures and grounded research-based academic support can we drive the global ecosystem to promote innovation in a way that meets the needs of the learner.” About UCL Edtech Labs UCL Edtech Labs is a UCL-led programme that connects the learning innovations community to the world’s best educational research and entrepreneurial practice, developing and growing the brightest learning and teaching innovators whose visions are to fundamentally reshape how people learn. Its pioneering approach aims to build and develop world-class EdTech products and services, based on what works for teachers and learners. Enabling entrepreneurs to develop and grow, creating the very best products that are tried and tested with the learner at the heart. UCL Edtech labs is supported by Santander Universities, AWS, OneValley and IDEALondon, and is in an alliance with University College London. For further information visit www.UCLedtechlabs.com About Knowledgehook Knowledgehook is a leading Canadian-based educational technology company that actively collaborates with governments around the world while also working directly with districts and schools to offer curriculum-aligned education STEM solutions in English, French, and Spanish. The company currently empowers teachers in more than 150,000 schools. In 2023, it is anticipated the solution will reach 50,000,000 students globally. Winner of Google’s Game Changer Award and named Top Disruptor by BNN, its platform analyses student understanding through engaging assessments, providing real-time personalised solutions to close learning gaps between classroom teaching and at-home learning. Designed by leading numeracy and research experts, Knowledgehook’s Instructional Guidance System is known for reinventing how online technology supports education and educators while inspiring the problem solvers of tomorrow. For further information visit: www.Knowledgehook.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter Contact Details UCL Edtech Labs Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.ucledtechlabs.com/

May 12, 2022 07:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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City Produce Joins FreshEdge

FreshEdge

INDIANAPOLIS – FreshEdge, a family of produce and specialty food companies backed by Rotunda Capital Partners, acquired City Produce, a fresh food distributor headquartered in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. For many years, City Produce has been serving North Central Florida, the Florida Panhandle, and central to southern Alabama distributing fresh fruits and vegetables, including an array of fresh-cut offerings, dairy, meats, seafoods, specialty foods, and more. City Produce operates out of two facilities, one in Fort Walton Beach, and a second in Foley, Alabama. The addition expands FreshEdge’s footprint into the southern United States and provides space and logistical support to better serve its customer base as it spreads farther south. City Produce joins Piazza Produce & Specialty Foods, Indianapolis Fruit, Get Fresh Produce, McCartney Produce, Monteverde’s, Valley Produce, Vine Line, Garden Cut, CIBUS Fresh and Papania’s. FreshEdge now operates with more than 2,000 employees, approximately 808,500 square feet of warehouse space, and a fleet of more than 720 trucks. “We welcome Tommy Sundy and his amazing team to the FreshEdge family of companies,” said Steve Grinstead, CEO of FreshEdge. “We are excited for this great company to join FreshEdge as we expand farther into the Southeast.” Terms of the deal, which closed on May 10, 2022, were not disclosed. The transaction strengthens the combined business’s presence in Florida and southern Alabama. “City Produce will be a great addition to our expanding group of ‘best in class’ fresh food distribution companies,” said Greg Corsaro, president and COO of FreshEdge. “We look forward to Tommy’s continued leadership at City Produce.” “Our City Produce team is excited to join the FreshEdge family - knowing we’ll be ‘better together’,” said Tommy Sundy, president. “This is the next step in increasing our footprint, serving customers with expanded offerings and growing for our future.” FreshEdge is backed by Rotunda Capital Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm focused on investments in founder and family held companies. Rotunda seeks to provide opportunities for management teams to reach strategic, financial, and operational objectives. Rotunda entered the food business in 2017 with the acquisition of Indianapolis Fruit and Piazza Produce. FreshEdge was created in 2019 when Get Fresh Produce joined the platform. City Produce represents FreshEdge’s seventh acquisition since Rotunda’s initial investment. Together, Rotunda and FreshEdge intend to continue expanding FreshEdge by welcoming more companies into the group—all focused on high quality produce and specialty food products, along with exceptional service—to create a unique group of complementary entities. About FreshEdge FreshEdge was formed in 2019 through the combination of Get Fresh Produce (founded 1982) and the IF&P Foods family of companies, primarily composed of Indianapolis Fruit (founded 1947) and Piazza Produce (founded 1970). McCartney Produce (Paris, TN) joined the FreshEdge family in November 2020 followed by Valley Produce (Knoxville, TN) in June 2021, Vine Line (Grand Rapids, MI) in October 2021, and Monteverde's (Pittsburgh, PA) in November 2021. Collectively, these leading fresh food distribution companies have nearly 500 years of combined experience serving the grocery and food service industries. FreshEdge includes two Garden Cut branded fresh-cut processing facilities, a tomato re-packer, a USDA fresh kitchen (CIBUS Fresh), and two transportation companies. FreshEdge's fleet resource includes more than 720 trucks servicing the Midwest and beyond from 12 facilities totaling approximately 808,500 square feet of warehouse space. Today, FreshEdge is one of the largest independent fresh food distributors in the United States and a category leader in providing both the foodservice and retail industries with fruit, vegetables, proteins, fresh grab-n-go offerings, dairy, floral, and specialty products. For more information, visit www.freshedgefoods.com. About Rotunda Capital Partners Rotunda Capital Partners is an operationally oriented private equity firm focused on transforming family-founder owned companies into dynamic, data-driven platforms able to achieve and manage significant growth. Since its founding in 2009, Rotunda has partnered with management teams to build great businesses within three primary sectors: value-added distribution, asset-light logistics and industrial & business services. Rotunda strives to achieve replicable results by implementing its Rotunda Performance System to create strategic alignment, develop lean processes and create robust, data-driven infrastructures. For more information, visit www.rotundacapital.com. Contact Details FreshEdge Greg Corsaro +1 317-981-3440 gcorsaro@freshedgefoods.com Rotunda Capital Partners Jill Lafferty +1 847-280-1295 jill@rotundacapital.com Company Website https://www.freshedgefoods.com/

May 11, 2022 07:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time

VFS Partners with Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, and Timbre Games for $200,000 Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games Fund

Vancouver Film School

Announcement Highlights: The fund features three full-tuition scholarships for VFS’s Game Design program and one full-tuition scholarship for VFS’s 3D Animation & Visual Effects program. The total fund is valued at over US$200,000. Scholarship winners will be selected by Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, and Timbre Games. Winners will also receive monthly mentorship from VFS instructors and design professionals from either Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, or Timbre Games, as well as a four to six-month paid design contract at their respective game studio upon graduation. Submission process is currently open and closes on June 8, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. (Vancouver, BC) May 9, 2022 - Vancouver Film School (VFS), in partnership with Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, and Timbre Games Studio is pleased to present the 2022 Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games, including mentorship and a paid internship. The scholarship fund, valued at over US$200,000, is open to applicants 18 years of age and older who identify as First Nations (status or non-status), Inuit, or Métis, and who are looking to enter the game industry as developers. The deadline to apply is June 8, and winners will be announced on National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21. The Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games is a collaborative initiative between VFS and Vancouver-based game studios Blackbird Interactive ( Homeworld 3, Hardspace: Shipbreaker ), East Side Games ( The Office: Somehow We Manage, RuPaul’s Drag Race Superstar, Trailer Park Boys: Greasy Money ), and Timbre Games Studio (part of The Sumo Group). Three full-tuition scholarships for VFS’s Game Design program and one full-tuition scholarship for the 3D Animation & Visual Effects program will be awarded and may be applied to either the October 24, 2022, or January 3, 2023 intakes. Winners will be selected directly by top-tier AAA studios Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, and Timbre Games, the latter of which will also select the winner who will enrol in the 3D Animation & Visual Effects program. Additionally, all winners will receive private mentorship by design professionals from Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games or Timbre Games, as well as by their instructors at VFS. Upon graduation, these winners will also receive a paid four to six-month work contract at their respective studio. Finally, each of the winners will be provided with a laptop for use during the program and to keep. The winner chosen by Blackbird Interactive will also receive a $5,000 housing stipend while studying at VFS. "Blackbird Interactive (BBI) is honoured to be collaborating with local gaming studios and VFS on the Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games. We are working to create impactful opportunities that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students can explore, fulfilling their creative technology aspirations in meaningful ways. An education from VFS helps open the door to careers in film, games, 3D animation, and VR/AR design, among other fields. We believe that actions speak louder than words and that young people are the future. There is a lot more that needs to be done, but this is a small and important step for just one of our many local industries.” -Rob Cunningham – CEO & Co-Founder, Blackbird Interactive "Communities thrive on diversity. Whether we’re talking about games, entertainment, or film, we need to ensure we’re including voices and perspectives representative of the community around us. The Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games through Vancouver Film School can do just that. As a member of the Métis community, it is an honour to be able to support a program taking a step in the right direction towards a more inclusive creative landscape. While there's much work to be done, this is a good start." -Josh Nilson – Co-Founder, Studio Head and General Manager, East Side Games “At Timbre Games, our mission is driven by the idea that ‘culture drives creative’. The opportunity to support and collaborate with VFS, Blackbird Interactive and East Side Games on the Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games is a small first step to removing systemic barriers in entering the game industry for the Métis, Inuit, and First Nations people. All of us at Timbre are thrilled to be a small part of creating space in the games industry for these communities. I believe these students will play a significant role in the world of interactive entertainment in the years to come and we are grateful to have the opportunity to support their careers along the way. There is more hard work to be done in this space and Timbre is committed to listening and learning as we embark on our own journey.” -Joe Nickolls – President and Co-Founder, Timbre Games “It is a pleasure for VFS to be joining forces with three outstanding Vancouver studios to offer the 2022 Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games. This scholarship aims to foster more diversity and more inclusion in the game industry with the aim to have more Indigenous developers actively designing the next generation of games. At VFS, we are proud of the many Indigenous graduates from our programs who now have successful careers both in Vancouver and globally, and this scholarship is Vancouver Film School’s privilege and opportunity to play a role in emerging Indigenous developers building their creative careers.” -Christopher Mitchell – Head of Game Design and Programming for Games, Web & Mobile, VFS Vancouver Film School is committed to fostering and growing Indigenous representation in the video game industry. Indigenous artists, performers, and storytellers are a foundational thread in the fabric of the Canadian narrative, continuing to grow stronger as key voices within our country’s multidimensional creative landscape. For more information about the 2022 Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games, or to apply, visit https://vfs.edu/scholarships/indigenous-scholarship-2022. About Vancouver Film School In 1987, Vancouver Film School introduced the world’s first true immersion film program. Today, VFS is Canada’s premier post-secondary entertainment arts institution, offering an immersive curriculum in film, animation, design, and beyond. VFS is known for providing high-quality education in accelerated time frames and offers 15 industry-integrated programs in which students graduate in 12 months as an in-demand, industry-ready creative professional. VFS alumni are consistently credited on the highest grossing films, television shows, and games worldwide, in a global industry set to generate US$2.1 trillion in revenue in 2022. VFS Media Contact: Evan Biswanger Creative Director & Head of Marketing Vancouver Film School Follow VFS on Social Media: www.VFS.edu YouTube: www.youtube.com/VancouverFilmSchool Facebook: www.facebook.com/vancouverfilmschool Twitter: www.twitter.com/VFS Instagram: www.instagram.com/vancouverfilmschool Contact Details ebiswanger@vfs.com ebiswanger@vfs.com Company Website https://vfs.edu/

May 10, 2022 03:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Dartmouth Innovation & Technology Festival Celebrates Completion of Dartmouth’s West End District Focused on Solving the World’s “Wicked Problems”

Dartmouth

With $500 Million in capital and programming investments, expanded district combines Dartmouth’s liberal arts focus with entrepreneurial spirit, technological and scientific expertise to create future leaders; Festival program will include a range of speakers and topics focused on creating a sustainable, equitable future Former Dartmouth president, John Sloan Dickey, famously implored students to apply their education for the benefit of humankind—because “there is nothing wrong with the world that better human beings cannot fix.” That’s the spirit behind the recently completed West End District at Dartmouth, which will be celebrated at the Dartmouth Innovation & Technology Festival, May 12-14, 2022. The festival will gather leading alumni, global technology experts, public policy leaders, faculty, and students for provocative discussions about innovation, collaboration, and the art of the possible. Dartmouth President Philip J. Hanlon said of the West End District, “Solving society’s greatest challenges requires that students, faculty, and staff have the necessary cutting-edge infrastructure to do their best work." Dartmouth’s West End began with the idea that organizing scholarship by research areas, rather than by departments, works better to break down the silos that have kept scientists, business leaders, and innovators looking at complex problems only from within their own disciplines. Interdisciplinary, inter-school, and intergenerational collaboration will prepare future leaders to tackle the world’s most wicked issues. The West End District includes the Tuck School of Business, Thayer School of Engineering, and two new state-of-the-art buildings, the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society and the Class of 1982 Engineering and Computer Science Center, which houses the Department of Computer Science, Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Digital Applied Learning and Innovation Lab. Key Points The West End District changes the way teaching and learning happens. It allows faculty and students to think systemically and holistically about society’s challenges—and is where big ideas become bold realities at the intersections of science, technology, business, and the liberal arts. The West End was a top priority of Dartmouth’s The Call to Lead campaign and is the largest building project in Dartmouth’s 253-year history. The Dartmouth Innovation & Technology Festival will feature a range of events, including: The presentation of the first annual McGuire Family Prize for Societal Impact, awarded to Jason McLellan, a structural biologist whose groundbreaking coronavirus research conducted at the Geisel School of Medicine laid the foundation for COVID-19 vaccines that have saved countless lives. Keynote and panel conversations about a range of topics, including sustainability, whether crypto currency can deliver long-term value, women’s health, artificial intelligence, transportation, and increasing diversity in STEM. Interactive experiences in makerspaces led by faculty and Dartmouth students. About Dartmouth Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is a member of the Ivy League and consistently ranks among the world’s greatest academic institutions. Dartmouth has forged a singular identity for combining its deep commitment to outstanding undergraduate liberal arts and graduate education with distinguished research and scholarship in the Arts and Sciences and its four leading graduate schools—the Geisel School of Medicine, the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business. Contact Details Racepoint Global Madison Everts dartmouth@racepointglobal.com

May 10, 2022 01:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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