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Democracy Think Tank, Section 1, Announces Release of Founder, Peter Biro’s, “Conscience-Shocking” First Music video of his Dramatic Rock Ballad, “Just History Now”

Section 1

Peter Biro, the founder of Section 1, a democracy think tank, has announced the release of a music video to accompany a powerful conscience-raising rock ballad, “Just History Now”. Biro hopes to attract the attention of politicians, educators, journalists and the civil society sectors to the song’s urgent and compelling message for the world of today. Biro calls it “a love letter to humanity in a dark age. A lament for the human condition. An irrefutable case for pessimism. An eternal reason for hope.” “This is us! This is about who we are”, says Biro. “Humanity is not divided into the good ones and the bad ones. We are each possessed of benign and evil inclinations. We seem condemned to both revisit and repeat our past atrocities, even as we atone and take stock of our own immortality. Every politician should watch. Every activist will want to share. Every high school should set aside 6 minutes and 22 seconds at its morning assembly for this.” Lawyer, writer, educator, think-tank founder, democracy activist, Chair Emeritus of the Jane Goodall Institute Global, and songwriter, Peter L. Biro, pays tribute to his late father and Holocaust survivor, George Biro, while calling us all “to look honestly at the hard truths about the nature of human nature!” “What have we done since Bergen Belsen? What have we learned from Birkenau? Where are the desaparecidos? It’s all just history now”. Beautifully conceived, performed and recorded in 2000, but never released, Biro decided that, tragically, the song was even more relevant and timely today than when he wrote it over two decades ago. JUST HISTORY NOW, and other songs by Peter, can be streamed at http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1601499105?ls=1&app=itunes http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1601499105 https://open.spotify.com/artist/5D9wk6ZDyqCDKtm12gJXlo?4, and most online music stores. About Peter Biro: http://www.section1.ca/the-team/ and at https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-l-biro-2438919/ Watch it. Share it. Broadcast it. Discuss it. Review it. And reach out to Peter at peter.biro@section1.ca with feedback and interview requests. www.section1.ca Contact Details Peter Biro peter.biro@section1.ca

January 12, 2022 11:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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American Equipment Holdings Expands Footprint to the Eastern United States via Acquisition of Eastern Crane

Rotunda Capital Partners LLC

American Equipment Holdings (“American Equipment”), a Rotunda Capital Partners portfolio company, has acquired Eastern Crane and Hoist (“Eastern Crane”), one of the Southeast’s premier providers of overhead crane systems and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) field services. The acquisition of Eastern Crane is the fourth acquisition completed by American Equipment since partnering with Rotunda in May of 2021. Based in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, Eastern Crane will expand American Equipment’s geographic footprint to the Southeast, enabling both companies to extend their MRO field services and production reach to better serve their existing national and regional customers. American Equipment’s best-in-class quoting, engineering, new equipment and parts resources will also strengthen Eastern Crane’s value-proposition and solution capabilities for its longstanding blue-chip customer base. Collectively, American Equipment and Eastern Crane will pursue additional complementary acquisitions throughout the eastern and southern U.S. Eastern Crane is led by Mark Souza, Walt Cannon and Scott Walsh who will continue in their existing roles post-transaction. “We are thrilled to partner with Mark, Walt, Scott and the Eastern Crane team,” said American Equipment CEO Adam Zimmerman. “We are truly impressed with their company and customer-first culture they built over decades of hard work. The acquisition of Eastern Crane is the next cornerstone in our growth strategy of expanding our footprint through complementary acquisitions to deliver unprecedented value to overhead crane users across the country.” “I have been extremely impressed with American Equipment’s vision for the industry and our shared core values centered around providing exceptional experiences for our customers and employees,” said Mark Souza, president of Eastern Crane. “The entire Eastern Crane team looks forward to collaborating with American Equipment to build the premier overhead crane and hoist solutions provider in the U.S.” About American Equipment Holdings American Equipment Holdings is home to a collection of leading overhead crane and hoist distributors and field service providers, including American Equipment, Allied Crane, Eastern Crane, Pacific Crane & Hoist and Washington Crane & Hoist. The consolidated entity is one of the largest independently owned overhead crane and hoist solutions providers in the country, serving over 4,000 customers across 20 strategic locations throughout Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Together, American Equipment Holdings provides comprehensive solutions for everything related to customers’ overhead crane and hoist needs, including OSHA mandated inspections, preventative maintenance and repair field services, parts, engineering, ISO certified fabrication, new and replacement equipment, automated systems, system modernizations and training. American Equipment Holdings represents the industry’s leading manufacturers such as Detroit Hoist, Columbus McKinnon, ACCO, R&M, Demag, Gorbel, Spanco, IMS, Harrington, Conductix, Magnetek & PE, among others, and customers rely on its service, design, engineering, fabrication, and installation capabilities to meet their unique application needs. American Equipment Holdings serves local, regional and national customers across a variety of end markets, including light & heavy industrial, automotive, mining, public utilities, military, aerospace & defense and energy, among others. For more, visit www.amquipinc.com. American Equipment is aggressively seeking to acquire other overhead crane and material handling equipment and service solution providers and is interested in acquisition opportunities presented by business owners, management, or M&A intermediaries. Please contact Harrison Furse, Vice President of Business Development at Rotunda, regarding acquisition opportunities. About Eastern Crane and Hoist Founded in 1979, Eastern Crane and Hoist is the Southeast’s leading provider of comprehensive overhead crane solutions, including OSHA mandated inspections, preventative maintenance and repair field services, parts, engineering, new and replacement equipment, and system modernizations. Eastern Crane is based in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. www.easterncrane.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 Rotunda Capital Partners Jill Lafferty +1 847-280-1295 jill@rotundacapital.com Company Website https://www.rotundacapital.com

January 11, 2022 07:43 AM Eastern Standard Time

Kenny Clark Grows Minuteman Press Printing Franchise in McKinney, Texas

Minuteman Press International Inc

Minuteman Press in McKinney, Texas is located at 1502 W. University Drive, Suite 111. Owner Kenny Clark has owned the local printing franchise since August 2014. Operating as an essential business over the past two years, Kenny has consistently grown his sales and helped other local businesses meet their ever-changing needs for custom design, print, and marketing services. Kenny says, “We have worked hard to serve our customers with anything they have needed over the past two years and that hard work has paid off. I was born and raised in Texas, and one thing I did was remain open. I went to work every single day because I wanted to be there to answer the phone when other businesses weren’t. If you could hear the relief in their voices when I answered the phone, you would understand just how huge that personal touch and human connection was at that time.” “I was fortunate enough to remain open as an essential business, and by being there for new and existing clients at a time where they needed me most, that really was a big key to growing our business. Today, I am stronger than I was before the pandemic, and our client base is stronger as well.” -Kenny Clark, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, McKinney, Texas. With eight years of business under his belt including two years of operating under unprecedented circumstances, Kenny is able to share his insights and keys to growth for Minuteman Press in McKinney. He says, “We have many products that are in high demand, and the key to our success is that we sell ourselves through our actions. We offer speed and service, and a job done right, no matter what our clients need.” He continues, “We offer custom graphic design services with fast turnaround, which then leads to fast production of banners, signs, blueprints, business cards and stationery, and anything our clients need or want to grow their business through increased brand awareness and visibility. Direct mail has also been a growth point for us.” Why direct mail? Kenny explains, “I find printing to be one of the absolute core essentials of any marketing strategy. More than ever, we see that there are thousands of emails that get lost in the shuffle and deleted. When you have something in your hand that you can physically hold and touch, you are more likely to take a closer look at it. Emails can get swallowed up by spam filters and deleted with one click, while direct mail has that unique ability to capture someone’s attention because it’s right in their hands.” “Right now, one of my biggest clients is doing direct mail campaigns with us more than any other types of products and services. They have found that direct mail really works for them, and that Minuteman Press is the perfect local partner to help them design, print, and deliver their messages to best reach their target audience.” -Kenny Clark When it comes to marketing his business, Kenny takes a multi-faceted approach. “I tell my team all the time, we don’t just get out there and market for the sake of marketing. I like to say, ‘We quote it to win it.’ We have really focused on marketing ourselves on speed and service, and direct conversations with our clients. We are not the cheapest printer in McKinney, Texas, but if you want and need the job done right, I am your guy.” Kenny has also taken advantage of the proprietary Minuteman Press FLEX software as well as the Internet marketing resources available to him. “We used the FLEX software all of the time when quoting jobs for clients, and it’s a valuable tool to make sure we are managing pricing and production correctly. Specifically, I have been using the CSSP function that helps me see how to properly price orders for quotes based on current pricing trends. A year and a half ago, I really started bolstering our Internet marketing, and that has really paid off as well in generating new business.” “The support from Minuteman Press International has been exactly what it was promised to be. My Regional Vice President Pete Scaglione and the local field team are there for me. When I call them, they will jump through hoops to help me out. If I email the IT team at World Headquarters with a question about the FLEX software or anything else I need, I always receive quick replies that contain precise, detailed answers. We all have the same mindset, and we are all in this together.” -Kenny Clark Prior to franchising with Minuteman Press, Kenny saw his job in the electronics industry take him traveling around the world. “I had a working background in electronics, manufacturing of circuit boards, and business development. Flying everywhere was getting really old really fast and I wanted to be there for my kids. Minuteman Press helped me do that.” When asked about additional reasons Kenny chose to buy Minuteman Press in McKinney, Kenny answers, “At the end of the day, the cost to buy a Minuteman Press franchise was reasonable and cost less than most other franchises. The majority of franchises have the philosophy of ‘the more you make, the more we take.’ Essentially, you are punished for having a successful franchise, but that is not the case with Minuteman Press International. Their royalty cap was the deciding factor for me in joining Minuteman. I am allowed to keep more of my well-earned money and invest it back into the business as I see fit.” Kenny continues, “The other thing that other people don’t realize is the benefit of having low turnover due to the fact that we hire skilled workers. I looked into the fast food industry, and there just seemed to be too much turnover due to the nature of the work as well as other headaches that would carry over into weekends such as staffing as well as food supply.” He adds, “Not having to worry about the business on weekends and having that freedom is huge. You can’t put a price on that.” For those who are researching businesses including Minuteman Press, Kenny’s advice is this: “Ask yourself if you see yourself running the business you are buying Also, are you willing to do the work? The biggest mistake people make is that they open the business and hope that clients will just walk through your doors and automatically come to you. If you don’t get out and market, if you aren’t hustling, you are not going to make it. You have to want it and follow the business model, get out there and go get it. All of your marketing efforts will come back to you and pay off. I can attest to that.” For more information about Minuteman Press in McKinney, Texas, visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/tx/mckinney. 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

January 10, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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First corporate customer in the U.S. reserves 100 VinFast electric vehicles at CES 2022

Vingroup

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - Media OutReach - 8 January 2022 - Shortly after VinFast Global EV Day at CES 2022, Artemis DNA, a full-service, accredited, high complexity clinical diagnostic laboratory company providing proprietary Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) genetic and diagnostic testing that enables precision medicine through early disease detection in the U.S., expressed interest in VinFast EVs VF 6, VF 7, VF 8 and VF 9 by making 100 reservations thereof. Such decision by Artemis DNA shows the confidence of the first Vietnam high-class electric vehicle automaker, VinFast, in being able to satisfy U.S. consumers - the world's most demanding market. Artemis DNA applauds VinFast’s efforts to become an all-electric car manufacturer, anticipated by the end of 2022. Artemis DNA looks forward to working with VinFast and other Vingroup companies in pursuing mutual goals of fostering a greener, cleaner, healthier and sustainable future for the planet. Immediately after VinFast's debut at CES 2022 of its electric vehicles, Artemis DNA decided to reserve 100 of VinFast EV’s, which includes VF 6, VF 7, VF 8 and VF 9 at the price points that VinFast announced (for VF 8 and VF 9). With the plans to convert its entire fleet to EV's, the purchase of the EV’s represents a continued effort by Artemis DNA to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations. Artemis DNA has been aggressively pursuing a commitment to a robust environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiative which includes a number of climate-oriented goals. In a recent letter from Artemis DNA Founder and CEO, Emylee Thai, she stated that the company is dedicated to becoming a leader in environmental stewardship within the diagnostics and healthcare industry. It is anticipated that Artemis DNA will take delivery of the VinFast EV’s starting in the fourth quarter of this year in support of both of the companies’ massive global expansion plans. With the reservation placed, Artemis DNA will be VinFast's first corporate customer in the U.S. “It is with the help of innovative companies like VinFast that we are able to continue our work transforming healthcare around the world while still being a good corporate citizen. Artemis DNA is committed to maintaining our status as an exemplary leader in the diagnostics and healthcare industry.” said Ms. Emylee Thai, Founder and CEO of Artemis DNA. Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vingroup Vice Chair and VinFast Global CEO shared: "We are very pleased that VinFast's electric vehicles received numerous positive feedback from Artemis DNA and U.S. customers as soon as we launched at CES 2022 in Las Vegas, NV. This shows the trust of U.S. customers with VinFast's brand and the quality of our electric vehicles." The VinFast model VF 6 and model VF 7 were mentioned as one of the top 10 most beautiful EV models at the exhibition, according to an article in Forbes magazine. In addition, the model VF 8 and model VF 9 were described as the "Top Electric Models Worth Waiting For" at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2021, as reported by Automotive News. Opened for reservation globally, starting on January 5, 2022, in the U.S., VinFast VF 8 pricing starts at 41,000 USD in the U.S., 36,133 Euros in Europe and 961 million VND in Vietnam. Meanwhile, VinFast VF 9 pricing starts at 56,000 USD, 49,280 Euros and from 1.312 billion VND. VinFast anticipates completing its first deliveries of VinFast models VF 8 and VF 9 cars in the fourth quarter of 2022. Customers in the U.S. can make a reservation by paying $200 to receive a $3,000 e-voucher toward the potential purchase of VF 8 or a $5,000 e-voucher toward the potential purchase of a VF 9. Customers in Europe can make a reservation by paying 150 Euros to receive a 2,500 Euros voucher toward the potential purchase of VF 8 or a 4,200 Euros voucher toward the potential purchase of VF 9. Customers in Vietnam can make a reservation by paying 10 million VND to receive a 150 million VND voucher for VF 8 or 250 million VND voucher for VF 9. About Artemis DNA Artemis DNA is a full service, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified, College of American Pathologists (CAP) accredited, high-complexity clinical diagnostic laboratory company that provides proprietary Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) genetic testing and diagnostic laboratory services for a wide variety of medical specialities, including cardiology, oncology, immunology, neurology, reproductive health and pharmacogenomics. Artemis DNA’s testing enhances the delivery of “personalized medicine” by assessing a patient’s own genetic makeup and clinical characteristics which allows for informed decision making in prevention and treatment choices. Artemis DNA also provides pre- and post-testing genetic education and counseling services, as well as conducting research and development to discover and develop additional novel diagnostic services. Artemis DNA is headquartered in Irvine, California. For more information, visit https://www.artemisdna.com. About VinFast & Vingroup VinFast - a member of Vingroup – envisioned to drive the movement of global smart electric vehicle revolution. Established in 2017, VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam. Strongly committed to the mission for a sustainable future for everyone, VinFast constantly innovates to bring high-quality products, advanced smart services, seamless customer experiences, and pricing strategy for all to inspire global customers to jointly create a future of smart mobility and a sustainable planet. Learn more at: https://vinfastauto.com. Established in 1993, Vingroup is one of the leading private conglomerates in the region, with a total capitalization of $35 billion USD from three publicly traded companies (as of November 4, 2021). Vingroup currently focuses on three main areas: Technology and Industry, Services and Social Enterprise. Find out more at: https://www.vingroup.net/en. Contact Details Vingroup Media Contact v.nammh@vingroup.net Company Website https://www.vingroup.net/en

January 08, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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In a World Where Everything is Connected, Insurance is Catching Up

Roadzen

Artificial intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data have been used across every industry to make the world more personal. Businesses have activated systems that make it possible to cater to consumer preference. Great minds have accelerated progress by building on ever-evolving algorithms and systems that learn as fast (or faster) than humans. The world of insurance has been one colored by the “necessary evils” of long waits, policies for “everyone”, and demographic-reliant underwriting processes. Innovators in this space are contending for an upgrade, and new technology is helping them achieve it. At the Intersection of Mobility and Insurance Less than six years ago, robotics and AI specialist Rohan Malhotra was on the scene after a friend got in a bad car accident in New Delhi. The driver was taken to the hospital and Malhotra stood by to sort out the logistics of getting the car towed and coordinating with insurance. In a series of phone calls that spanned several hours standing on busy roads to get things sorted out. It hit him: it takes two minutes to get an Uber, but four and a half hours to get a car off the road and an insurance file claimed? In a digital-first world, with plenty of capable technology at our fingertips, this is absurd. Malhotra, an alumnus of Carnegie Mellon, let this epiphany spark an effort that would grow into Roadzen. The company has since become a transformative force in the world of AI, using it to transform insurance for mobility and reimagine how to help drivers get safer and be insured, faster and cheaper. Cars Aren’t Just Cars Anymore Here is a useful analogy: phones used to be devices used to make calls. Now, they are sophisticated hardware equipped with sensors, software and apps we use to manage our lives and connect to the world around us. Similarly, cars have steadily shifted from being mechanical machines we drive to being equipped with sensors and software collecting real-time information to transform in-vehicle experiences such as mapping, payments, entertainment, commerce and insurance. There are three key ways that companies like Roadzen are using what cars are and how they operate to uplevel insurance operations: 1. Dynamic and Personalized Underwriting Underwriting is antiquated: any insurance expert agrees. A lot of factors go into underwriting a vehicle for an insurance policy. Some insurance companies have started to weigh according to personal factors, such as how well someone drives or lifestyle considerations. However, most underwriting still relies on a flawed, generic, static data-based approach. For instance, if someone is under 25 years old and a college student, they will automatically pay more for insurance. Now, however, data goes way deeper than demographics. Underwriters can view and interpret aggregates of data down to the individual level that account for driving conditions, car type, driver behavior and more. This makes policies far more fair, but new technology can go even further, activating measures that prevent issues. Using telematics, automatic alerts can go off if a driver is exhibiting risky behavior, is in an accident-prone area, appears to be drowsy or is otherwise in danger. This could not only ensure that good rates reward good drivers, but that there are categorically fewer accidents on the road. 2. Insurance Embedded Into Transactions A point of focus for insurtech in the last 20 years has been distribution. Selling policies online has been touted as novel, but has ceased to be anything newsworthy. What is newsworthy is new means of distribution that can be embedded into any transaction using APIs. For example, when someone buys a new car online, it can come with insurance loaded; when a family takes a trip, they can automatically add on insurance. Agents can use this new technology in which a distribution engine capably handles online channels for ease of purchase and streamlined operations. 3. Proactive Claims Processes Filing insurance claims is something no policyholder ever wants to have to do, but it’s at this moment that insurance has value. The claims process has been a loathsome one, but innovative technology is changing that narrative. This is one scenario in which video, AI and ML have been particularly effective, activating new methods for reporting claims. Using telematics, automated systems can immediately recognize when an accident has occurred. Instead of a reactive process, a proactive series of events is launched. Individuals can immediately take photos or videos of their damaged vehicle and assess it using AI, getting a real time estimate for the cost of repairs. In many cases, this shrinks the process from days or weeks to minutes. Advanced Innovation and the Future The future of insurance is decidedly on a new trajectory. TESLA has grown its insurance division, one that CEO Elon Musk estimates will account for a significant portion of revenue moving forward. Roadzen, similar to Tesla, is building the end-to-end infrastructure for underwriting, distribution and claims, effectively changing the way people benefit from automobile insurance. A few components require flexibility in any system, though. One example is that not every region will allow underwriting based on behavior; it has to be related to asset value of the car. Here, technology can still be used to scan a vehicle, assess any points of damage that diminish value, and provide comps against orange or blue book value that inform policy quotes. Another dynamic is usage based insurance, which has blossomed during COVID-19 because not as many people use their cars. When a car is sitting still, should users have to pay full price for insurance? Usage-based insurance says no, and using software or hardware telematics, new rates may be offered. The most advanced approach to vehicle coverage now is behavior-based insurance. This accounts for every factor: users, asset value and individual driver behavior. Data follows a connected path from the car itself or from devices in a car to pinpoint the nature of the driver and accurately calculate their risk and rates. A deciding variable for adoption will be which tech companies can make the broadest connections, and own the most steps in the process. Roadzen currently leads that race, with a dynamic platform that can process insurance from quote to claim, maximal vertical integrations, and partnerships with over 50 leading insurers and carmakers around the world. The Best Kind of Insurance We live in a data rich world. The best kind of insurance is the ability to be proactive, preventing accidents on the road and using all data points to build better policies for the end user. If accidents do happen, drivers should be instantaneously empowered to take photographic or videographic evidence and get the claims process in motion. From giant fleets to individual drivers, new tech in mobility insurance is lending fresh vision to what is possible, and every person on the road stands to benefit. Contact Details Roadzen pr@authoritytech.io

January 07, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Selling a Printing Business Explainer Video for Print Shop Owners

Minuteman Press International Inc

Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

December 27, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Centerboard Announces New Model for Supply Chain Management with Industry-First API Offering

Centerboard

Centerboard, the neutral, shipper-centric transportation management provider, announced today the availability of Centerboard Microservices, API solutions enabling seamless technology integration for shippers and technology providers. Presenting a ground-breaking approach to supply chain access, the cloud-based, a-la-carte offerings give users a fully customizable experience. Reflecting its mission to give shippers complete control over their supply chain, Centerboard’s API offering allows software providers to embed supply chain access into their clients’ existing systems, regardless of the transportation management system (TMS) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform. “We’ve spent years working closely with shippers and leading technology providers – not only listening to their needs but building an IT roadmap that directly addresses those needs. The biggest pain point we’ve seen is the lack of neutrality and flexibility regarding technology solutions,” said Lindsey Shellman, Chief Commercial Officer at Centerboard. “The APIs through Centerboard Microservices is a solution that no one else in the industry is offering. We are thrilled to address the complexity of supply chain and let users access shipping functionality from within their existing applications. For the first time, users will have affordable access to technology that provides true visibility and control of their supply chain operations, while eliminating the need to juggle multiple tech stacks.” BluePallet, the first end-to-end commerce platform for the chemical industry, is currently leveraging Centerboard Microservices to increase efficiencies for their users. “Our partnership with Centerboard strengthens the TMS functionality within the existing framework of our marketplace, helping our users spend less time managing multiple supply chain services outside of our platform,” said Pat Salomé, Chief Product Officer at BluePallet. “We are looking forward to our continued partnership with Centerboard to support our network of manufacturers and distributors.” Since rebranding in September, Centerboard has experienced substantial growth with an expanded roster of customers in chemical distribution, and food and beverage industries, including Dien, a leader in North American specialty chemical and ingredient distribution; JSI Store Fixtures, a branded display supplier to major supermarkets, convenience and specialty store chains; and S.L. Fusco, Inc. a Los Angeles based industrial supply distributor. Centerboard has also launched a range of new features, including advanced shipment notifications and enhanced carrier tracking messages. In addition to platform developments, Centerboard continues to invest in its team growth and plans to open a new state-of-the-art office facility this month. To learn more about Centerboard and schedule a demo please visit www.centerboard.com. About Centerboard Centerboard is a neutral, shipper-centric transportation and supply chain management provider supplying shippers with access to a wide range of affordable features needed to take control of operations. Centerboard unlocks business opportunities for shippers, carriers, and supply chain stakeholders, through leveraging real-time data. Contact Details Kite Hill PR for Centerboard Kite Hill PR centerboard@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.centerboard.com/

December 16, 2021 09:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Instant Grocery Startup VOLY raises one of the largest seed rounds in Australia at $18m

VOLY

Australia's first instant online grocery supermarket, VOLY, has raised AU$18M in one of the nation’s largest ever seed rounds led by Sequoia Capital India, with increased backing from Global Founders Capital (GFC) and Australian-based Artesian Capital. This funding round will enable VOLY to continue to scale, expand the team, rapidly increase operations across key urban centres and start the national rollout. Following its launch in July 2021, VOLY has been preparing to take on the rapid food delivery market by delivering groceries to customers at incredible speed. It aims to make ordering groceries as easy and engaging as browsing Instagram and get them to you faster than you could do a trip to the supermarket yourself. Employing its own riders, delivery centre and store staff, VOLY does away with the need for customers to spend time in physical retail environments by giving people the power to order and receive their groceries in minutes. With a delivery promise of 15 minutes or less; VOLY is set to disrupt the +$122bn local grocery industry. Mark Heath, Co-CEO and Co-founder of VOLY, said: “VOLY is here to completely change the way people shop for groceries by giving Australians back their most precious resource, time. Our model, from a fully employed delivery and dispatch team to the way we use electric bikes to deliver, is designed around the way people live. We firmly believe that our customers have a better experience when our riders and other staff are part of the company, working with us.” VOLY retails most key household products available at any major supermarket - from fresh produce to baby formula and cleaning products - everything you could possibly need, available online seven days a week from 8am-10pm. The winning recipe is instant and free delivery, together with the best quality fresh produce; all sold at retail prices. “We’re doing away with the need to do a weekly grocery shop by providing convenience alongside reliability in a market that offers some of the slowest delivery times in the world. By owning our own supply chain, VOLY delivers at blazing fast speed without compromising on price, quality or availability. We source directly from suppliers, store in our own micro-fulfilment centres and deliver using fully employed and mostly full-time staff. VOLY is the supermarket of the future that is built around our customers, not the other way around,” said Thibault Henry, Co-CEO and Co-Founder. The seed funding announcement sets a new record for a food delivery company in Australia with support from Sequoia Capital India, a renowned venture capital firm. The interest in VOLY follows a new wave of investment in Aussie startups seen as world-class tech companies with potential to scale globally. "Australia's grocery market, which sees $90B in annual spends, is a large and profitable space that continues to be dominated by offline retail. The Sequoia Capital India team was impressed by the strong consumer love for VOLY, their compelling value proposition, and an impressive team of repeat founders that has blitzscaled businesses in Australia before. With on-demand models traditionally scaling very successfully in the country, the decision to lead their seed round and help them scale their business across Australia was an easy one to make," said Abheek Anand, Managing Director, Sequoia India. VOLY was co-founded by Mark Heath and Thibault Henry, who are also co-CEOs of the company and have experience working with on-demand technology brands across the food supply and logistics industries. Mark Heath helped launch Uber in Australia after a career at Goldman Sachs and Thibault Henry built, scaled and sold Balto which was a B2B last-mile business with clients such as HelloFresh, Marley Spoon and YouFoodz. VOLY’s management team includes Chief Technology Officer, Anthony Rey, Head of Procurement Lyana Labrode and Head of Marketing, Josh Peacock. VOLY has been an early hit with customers flocking to the app, spiking a rise of new users and incredibly strong week-on-week growth in sales. While currently available in Sydney across 42 suburbs - VOLY has plans to rapidly expand its offering from January 2022 to reach millions more Australians around the country in the coming months and year ahead. The VOLY application is available on both iOS and Android and at https://www.getvoly.com/ Ends Additional media images can be found here. About VOLY VOLY is an online supermarket and delivery service committed to disrupting the Australian grocery market by offering instant grocery delivery to millions of Australians through its mobile app. Setting new standards in the delivery industry, VOLY employs its own people and riders across micro fulfillment centres around Australia, offering household items to its customers in less than 15 minutes of placing an order. The move to employ riders full-time together with a strategy of vertical integration sets VOLY apart from the ‘gig economy’ and enables it to offer speed and quality without compromising on price. For more visit: https://www.getvoly.com/ About Sequoia Capital India Sequoia helps daring founders build legendary companies, from idea to IPO and beyond. Sequoia India operates in Southeast Asia and India where we actively partner with founders from a wide range of companies, across categories, including BYJUs, Carousell, Druva, Gojek, OYO Rooms, Tokopedia, Truecaller, Zilingo, Zomato and more. We spur founders to push the boundaries of what’s possible. In partnering with Sequoia, startups benefit from over 49 years of tribal knowledge and lessons learned working with companies like Airbnb, Alibaba, Apple, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn and Stripe early on. From the beginning, universities, endowments and other non-profits have been the backbone of our investor base, which means founders’ accomplishments make a meaningful difference. For more information on Sequoia’s work in India and SE Asia, visit sequoiacap.com/india Contact Details VOLY Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.getvoly.com/

December 16, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Yinan Li, Ex-CTO of Baidu and Former Founder of NIU Technologies Started to Build Electric Vehicles, Brand Name Unveiled as NIUTRON

NIUTRON

BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach - 15 December 2021 - Yinan Li, the Ex-CTO of Baidu and Former Founder of NIU Technologies, enters into the electric automotive industry. As a technology industry heavyweight, Li’s NIUTRON is expected to be one of the most valuable electric automotive startups after NIO, Xpeng and Li Auto. After a long influential career in high-tech industry and venture capital, Li founded NIU Technologies in 2014, created one of the most innovative and stylish electric two wheelers. NIU was later listed on Nasdaq in late 2018. After he departed from NIU technologies, Li started the automotive venture in 2018, namely NIUTRON. The Company has since grown to a team of 1,000 R&D personnel, and has received investments from world-leading investors such as IDG and COATUE, in its US$500 million series A fundraising. NIUTRON has achieved several milestones since its founding, including its unique Gemini Platform and a strong product pipeline with many future models. NIUTRON NV, the Company’s first model, is a mid-large sized premium SUV, with “Urban Exploring” as its design concept, encompassing both BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and EREV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle) options to meet the needs of different driving scenarios. NIUTRON NV will be launched and open for pre-order in China in the first half of 2022, and the delivery will start in September of the same year. NIUTRON has already been building a modern manufacturing base of 770,000 square meters, with an annual production capacity of 180,000 units. The manufacturing base will be ready for operation in March 2022. Contact Details Ever Bloom (HK) Communications Consultants Group Limited Ms. Shine Li / Ms. Orianna Ou hkproject.list@everbloom.com.cn

December 15, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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