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HyperSphere Partners with Planet Theta to Create the Most Secure Dating Metaverse

Planet Theta

Today, HyperSphere, the industry leader in next-gen data protection, partners with Live CGI, an Emmy-winning leader in gaming and live streaming, and Planet Theta to help ensure that everyone that wants love can find it. Planet Theta’s revolutionary VR dating app enables singles worldwide to safely connect and date from the comfort of their own home, utilizing Meta VR headsets. Everyone’s information is valuable and needs to be adequately protected. The risk of data breaches and identity theft is continuously climbing with no end in sight. This is why Planet Theta is partnering with HyperSphere to create the most secure dating app ever to exist. HyperSphere's ground-breaking technology blocks access from outside parties and creates a new level of quantum-immune protection. People’s most essential memories include the beginning of a relationship: the first time you made eye contact, your first date, your first kiss. Live CGI’s incredible “Minting Moments” technology will allow Planet Theta users to save those iconic moments easily and securely. Chris Crew, CEO of Planet Theta, comments: "the importance of saving and protecting your most cherished memories and information is the bedrock of today’s partnership between Planet Theta, HyperSphere, and Live CGI.” “We are incredibly honored to partner with Planet Theta to protect their users' personally identifiable information in the Metaverse. Cyber threats are devastating. By implementing HyperSphere’s patented data protection technology, Planet Theta demonstrates the strongest commitment possible to provide a safe and secure environment for its users,” said James DeCesare, CEO of HyperSphere Technologies. “We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with both HyperSphere and Planet Theta. The personal commitment both teams have to safety, security, and positive experiences is what everyone should come to expect. By adding Live CGI’s patented live video minting solution, we feel there is a natural fit to our teams’ offerings,” said Marc Rowley, CEO of Live CGI. About HyperSphere HyperSphere is a next-generation data protection company that enables users to securely store, protect, and revive sensitive data on demand. Their patented shadowing technology permits any data — structured or unstructured from personally identifiable data to proprietary user data to media files — to be intentionally deleted so there is nothing a bad actor can take or for the user to lose. Welcome to QIDP ® or quantum immune data protection offering a safe digital life for all. About Live CGI Live CGI is an Emmy Award-winning team made up of developers and creators who specialize in gaming and livestreaming. Live CGI has launched StreamMyScreen™ with MintMyStream™, a new MaaS™ (Metaverse as a Service™) streaming product for creators with cutting-edge features. StreamMyScreen™ is the market's easiest and most affordable subscription livestreaming consumer product and is the backbone of the Minting Moments feature integrated into Planet Theta. About Planet Theta Planet Theta believes that everyone has a Right to Love. Regardless of where you are from, who you are, or who you love, we think you have a Right to Love who you want. Planet Theta believes that traditional dating apps are failing to deliver and is providing a better alternative that is bot-free, uses reliable identity verification, and a truly safe dating system. Contact Details Aurora Townsend aurora@fireflaregames.com

October 06, 2022 08:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

OLB Group (NASDAQ: OLB) and Cuentas (NASDAQ: CUEN) Team Up to Bring Fintech Solutions to Over 32,000 Bodegas Across the United States

Benzinga

The average American consumer might not think much of their access to financial services. But for consumers that are underbanked or unbanked, the very high costs of relying on alternative financial solutions, such as payday loans, check cashing services, money orders, and pawnshop loans can be astronomical and create a vicious cycle of financial pain that many will likely never escape from. According to a report conducted by the U.S. Federal Reserve, an eye-opening 22% of American adults were found to be underbanked or unbanked. This means 63 million Americans either have no bank accounts whatsoever, or may have some sort of account with a banking institution, yet are still heavily reliant on alternative financial services. While the report found evidence of underbanked and unbanked consumers across all income levels, the overwhelming majority of these consumers were in the lower income bracket. These consumers were also identified as having less education or being racial or ethnic minorities, according to the Fed report. However, there is some good news for unbanked and underbanked consumers. The rise of financial technology, or fintech, has vastly expanded digital financial services that can help bridge the gap and allow these consumers to ditch payday loans and other predatory financial products. According to Allied Market Research, the global fintech market was valued at $110.57 billion in 2020 and is forecast to reach $698.48 billion by 2030. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.3% between now and 2030. The OLB Group (NASDAQ: OLB) and Cuentas (NASDAQ: CUEN) are two fintech companies that just recently announced a strategic partnership to help expand quality fintech services to the underbanked and unbanked communities. Breaking Down the Strengths & Key Assets of OLB Group and Cuentas That Will Be Leveraged in Their Partnership Utilizing their respective strengths and focuses within the vast world of fintech, OLB and Cuentas serve as a solid complement to each other’s business plans. OLB’s omnichannel payment processing platform, combined with Cuentas’s expertise in digital financial services and established relationships with major financial firms, provides a unique opportunity to help millions of American consumers gain access to fintech solutions that may not be readily available to them otherwise. OLB Group: OLB is an integrated financial technology and payment processing service provider that primarily serves small-to-mid-sized merchants in the United States. The fintech company’s Omnisoft platform provides cloud-based commerce solutions, which can be used for transactions that occur online, in-store, or on a mobile device. OLB’s Omnisoft platform is an established solution that maintains over 10,500 active merchants across all 50 states. In 2021, those merchants completed over 28.5 million transactions with a total gross value of around $1.36 billion. Outside of its Omnisoft platform, OLB's Evance subsidiary ( https://evanceprocessing.com/ ) will play a major role in the partnership with Cuentas. Evance is a payment processing solution that allows merchants to accept payments from tablet-based point-of-sale systems, mobile payments from services like Apple Pay, and more. In total, OLB maintains a robust portfolio of subsidiaries that cover payment gateway solutions, equity crowdfunding, short-term loans, cryptocurrency payment solutions, and more. Cuentas: Cuentas provides digital finance and e-commerce solutions primarily to the underbanked and unbanked Hispanic, Latino, and immigrant populations. The company’s offerings include prepaid debit cards, ACH & mobile deposits, cash remittance services, peer-to-peer money transfers, and more. The Cuentas General Purpose Reloadable (GPR) card features a digital wallet integration, as well as discounts and rewards for making purchases at major brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers. Furthermore, Cuentas is an official partner with VanillaDirect Load, which allows Cuentas customers to reload their GPR cards at a network of over 50,000 retailers across the U.S., such as Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, 7-Eleven, and more. Using the Cuentas App, consumers can obtain access to discounted Western Union (NYSE: WU) money transfer services, discounted gift cards to retailers & gaming subscriptions (Xbox, PlayStation, etc.), reward points from purchases and international long-distance calls, and more. In June 2022, Cuentas completed the acquisition of a 19.99% stake in Cuentas SDI, LLC, the owner of SDI Black011 assets. SDI is a leading provider in the prepaid portal and digital financial services space, which maintains a robust nationwide retail distribution network of over 32,000 bodegas and convenience stores across the United States. In 2021, SDI produced revenues exceeding $8.2 million from its vast retailer network. OLB & Cuentas: The Partnership Structure On August 22, 2022, OLB and Cuentas officially entered into a software licensing and transaction sharing agreement, where both fintech companies will establish a merchant services relationship to reach bodegas and convenience stores throughout the United States. Under the agreement, OLB will sell or rent their point-of-sale devices to merchants within Cuentas’s SDI network of 32,000 bodegas. Cuentas will look to incorporate and leverage its reloadable debit card solution on OLB’s POS platform. Cuentas will be tasked with marketing the OLB-branded products platform as a white-label app for payment processing and debit cards. OLB will look to develop Cuentas’s mobile application and associated products as an Application Programming Interface (API). This means Cuentas will have access to databases and services to allow its app users to register, obtain approval and complete the onboarding process to gain access to the Cuentas GPR, mobile app, and mobile wallet. "We're thrilled to finally say that Cuentas has achieved, under contract, the ability to diversify its products under Cuentas.com which serves the current Mobile App, available in Android and IOS. Cuentas.net will serve the mobile payments segment. Cuentas Mobile will serve the mobility customers that will be able to enable their cell phone services under the Cuentas family of products to become their financial services provider," stated Arik Maimon, Cuentas Co-Founder and Interim CEO. OLB and Cuentas have agreed on a 50/50 profit-sharing split on all net revenues generated from its partnership. On the OLB side, net revenues will be generated from the sale or rental of POS devices to Cuentas SDI merchants, services, and products from Cuentas’s white label platform, GPR reload fees, and more. Cuentas’s shared net revenues will come from reload purchases made through the OLB POS devices across its SDI network, retail digital products sold through an OLB POS device, mobile activities, and more. The partnership is believed to be potentially lucrative for both companies. OLB estimates the partnership will generate an annual revenue run-rate between $8 million and $10 million once the joint services officially launch sometime in December 2022 and into Q1 2023. Ronny Yakov, CEO of OLB Group, said, "We at OLB Group see the opportunity to expand our merchant services base in a market that we currently don't have a footprint in, and also provide existing products and services to those bodegas and convenience stores as an additional stream for revenues besides the 10,500 merchants that we currently service.” OLB Already Having a Record-Revenue Producing Year Thus Far Into 2022 OLB has seen tremendous growth in topline and bottom-line financial results through the first six months of 2022. Through the end of June 2022, OLB generated total revenues of $17,158,849 with an EBITDA of $602,643 and an adjusted EBITDA (adjusted for stock compensation) of $745,169. Compared to the results for the same period in 2021, total revenues surged 239.11% y/y, EBITDA jumped 145.17% y/y and adjusted EBITDA results showed year-over-year growth of 163.11%. Here is the full breakdown of OLB’s financial results for both six-month periods: Aside from topline and bottom-line results, OLB has no corporate debt, holds a cash position of $3.6 million, and reports strong insider ownership of 32%, as of the end of Q2 2022. In addition, 98% of OLB's revenue is generated from its profitable e-commerce businesses, which management estimates will continue to grow over the coming quarters. The first half of 2022 financial results gives OLB an annualized revenue run rate of $36 million, compared to only $9.6 million ARR for 2021. That represents a massive growth of 275% in ARR for 2022 compared to 2021. In the end, OLB management estimates total revenue from 2022 to come in a range between $36 million and $38 million. Considering the expected annual revenue run rate enhancement of $8 million-$10 million from the Cuentas partnership, coupled with the company’s expectation of $35 Million in revenue in 2022 (vs. 2021 revenue of $16.71 million), OLB's year-over-year revenue comparisons could be significant—attracting more investor interest. Overall, the OLB and Cuentas partnership is a major opportunity for both companies. The vast bodega footprint across the United States represents a prime opportunity for the partnership to upgrade these local merchants into formidable financial centers for unbanked and underbanked consumers. Furthermore, the current framework being developed by OLB and Cuentas is highly scalable and can be deployed into other markets to serve unbanked and underbanked communities around the world. Spotlight Growth is compensated, either directly or via a third party, to provide investor relations services for its clients. Spotlight Growth creates exposure for companies through a customized marketing strategy, including design of promotional material, the drafting and editing of press releases and media placement.All information on featured companies is provided by the companies profiled, or is available from public sources. Spotlight Growth and its employees are not a Registered Investment Advisor, Broker Dealer or a member of any association for other research providers in any jurisdiction whatsoever and we are not qualified to give financial advice. The information contained herein is based on external sources that Spotlight Growth believes to be reliable, but its accuracy is not guaranteed. Spotlight Growth may create reports and content that has been compensated by a company or third-parties, or for purposes of self-marketing. Spotlight Growth was compensated three thousand dollars cash by OLB for the creation and dissemination of this content by the company.This material does not represent a solicitation to buy or sell any securities. Certain statements contained herein constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company’s plans and objectives, projections, expectations and intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company’s industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by management.The above communication, the attachments and external Internet links provided are intended for informational purposes only and are not to be interpreted by the recipient as a solicitation to participate in securities offerings. Investments referenced may not be suitable for all investors and may not be permissible in certain jurisdictions. Spotlight Growth and its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees may have bought or sold or may buy or sell shares in the companies discussed herein, which may be acquired prior, during or after the publication of these marketing materials. Spotlight Growth, its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees may sell the stock of said companies at any time and may profit in the event those shares rise in value. For more information on our disclosures, please visit: https://spotlightgrowth.com/disclosures/ This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

October 06, 2022 10:17 AM Eastern Daylight Time

My Code Appoints Adtech Veteran Veronica Gilton as Chief Technology Officer

My Code

My Code, the largest multicultural digital media company in the United States which enables publishers, storytellers, brands and agencies to connect with diverse audiences, today announced the appointment of Veronica Gilton as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Gilton brings over 25 years of adtech and media experience that she’ll use to lead My Code’s integrated tech solutions to ensure brands, partners and publishers have the resources they need to be successful. In her new role, Gilton is responsible for overseeing the development and dissemination of My Code’s proprietary technology, including the utilization of My Code’s Intelligence Center, to collect and share media insights about multicultural consumer audiences. As the company prepares to end the year strong, Gilton will be driving new intellectual property, building technology to scale business development and elevating service for My Code’s publishers and clients. This will help power marketing capabilities for brands that rely on evolving strategies to accurately anticipate and act on consumer attitudes and behaviors. Gilton has been creating and managing high-traffic digital properties since she launched Original.com during the Internet boom, having won the Internet agency of record contract for CBS Television Network. As owner of a web development and consulting firm, Gilton led notable entertainment projects for Steve Martin, IFC Films, Criterion Collection and more. Recently, Gilton held several executive adtech roles including CTO of Evolve Media where she managed a tech team of 40+ members, exhibiting leadership qualities that she’s practiced throughout her career as a trainer and mentor to top talent. Throughout her career, Gilton has worked closely with stakeholders and business leaders on developing adtech solutions from inception to delivery at scale. “Veronica is the best person to serve as our first CTO due to her combination of entrepreneurial and executive adtech experience. We’re eager to help her grow as a critical team member and trendsetter in multicultural marketing,” said Parker Morse, Chief Executive Officer of My Code. “Since inception, My Code has built a tech-forward approach to engaging with multicultural audiences, and we look forward to having Veronica onboard to take this to the next level." Having managed teams of engineers, designers and product managers of various specializations, Gilton has a track record of elevating team members to encourage high performance at a sustainable pace. She has also demonstrated a strong commitment to diversity in technology by confronting bias, combatting stereotypes and building inclusive teams. Gilton’s motivation to build equitable teams stems from accomplishments she’s made as a female leader in technology against the limited number of women in similar roles, as demonstrated by her journey from building out tech solutions in the early 90s to a renowned CTO for leading media brands. “As a leader, my number one priority is to make sure our teams have the resources they need to be successful. That can take many forms from having the right training and tools to providing mentorship and support,” said Gilton. “My Code is in a unique position to enhance how brands connect with audiences of growing diversity and I’m looking forward to further driving innovation for the company while continuing its focus on helping brands use our tools to build authentic connections.” Gilton’s onboarding to My Code’s executive team comes at a time of accelerated growth for the company, which is increasing its size and offerings. After finalizing a series of publisher deals with premier multicultural media platforms, including its acquisition of Impremedia and exclusive publisher partnership Mochi Magazine, the company is set to close more strategic partnerships that will be aided by robust technology, research and development capabilities. To learn more about My Code, please visit www.mycodemedia.com. About My Code My Code is a digital media company that enables brands, agencies, publishers, and storytellers to decode and connect with multifaceted and diverse audiences. My Code was formed following the expansion of H Code, a 2x Inc. 5000-ranked company founded in 2015, into additional demographics beyond Hispanic consumers. With a diverse team of marketers, sellers, researchers, and storytellers specializing in an ever-growing selection of Cultural and Affinity Codes, My Code helps companies of all sizes reach millions of Hispanic, Black, AAPI, multicultural female and LGBTQ+ consumers with unmatched authenticity. My Code combines proprietary insights from its Intelligence Center, first-party targetable datasets, and custom creative to deliver unparalleled multimedia content that effectively reaches diverse audiences across the digital landscape. Having evolved from its Hispanic-centric origins, My Code is now a robust, minority-dominant organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of the diverse communities and audiences it represents. Its purpose-driven media marketplace allows advertisers to easily invest in minority-owned and led publishers, creators, and producers. My Code recently acquired the leading Hispanic news company Impremedia, making it the owner of the most widely read and respected Spanish-language daily newspapers and digital media outlets in the U.S. Today, My Code’s employee base is 85% multicultural, 70% Hispanic/Latinx, and 50% female across its offices in the U.S. and Latin America. Contact Details North 6th Agency for My Code +1 212-334-9753 mycode@n6a.com Company Website https://mycodemedia.com/

October 06, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Fullintel Shortlisted For Five 2022 AMEC Awards

Fullintel, LLC

Fullintel, a leading media monitoring services company that specializes in human curation combined with powerful predictive intelligence, is pleased to announce it has been shortlisted for five 2022 AMEC Awards: Best use of social media measurement (2) Best crisis communications measurement and reporting Best use of measurement for a single event or campaign Best use of integrated communication measurement and research “As media becomes more fragmented and difficult to track, awards programs like AMEC’s are even more significant because they showcase how industry leaders like Fullintel are able to cut through the noise and find the content that matters,” said Fullintel President Andrew Koeck. “Our award-winning media analysis builds on this, providing our clients with strategic advice and customizing our reporting to address their specific objectives, resulting in actionable insights to drive their PR strategy to improve business results.” In the last two years, Fullintel has won four AMEC Awards including Gold for Best Multi-Market Reporting for their client at HelloFresh. The news comes on the heels of Angela Dwyer, a former senior vice-president at NYC-based PR agency Lippe Taylor and senior project manager at PRIME Research (now Cision), joining Fullintel as Head of Insights to further accelerate its media analysis program. As a member of the IPR Measurement Commission, Angela contributes to the development and promotion of standards and best practices for research, measurement, and analytics with a recognized global group of professionals in the industry. Her best-in-class measurement experience with solid research approaches will continue to elevate Fullintel’s work to help clients measure impact and make smarter business decisions – leading to better, award-quality results for clients. The 20th annual AMEC Awards is a global awards program for communications measurement held by the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC). The program highlights exceptional work while highlighting the vital importance of measurement, research, and analytics. Fullintel works with the world’s largest brands to offer daily executive news briefs, real-time media monitoring, and award-winning media analysis covering all traditional and social media platforms. Our real-time media monitoring service monitors every media source available, and Fullintel Hub's PredictiveAI™ engine will alert your team up to 48 hours in advance of trending stories that will become viral. You can view the full 2022 AMEC Awards shortlist here. About Fullintel: Fullintel offers a unique combination of talent, tools and technology for PR professionals looking for media monitoring and PR analysis services. We’re not just an app with canned reports - we tailor custom experiences for each client. Our reports feature easy-to-understand analysis that our clients leverage for continuous improvement, and are delivered with the accuracy, speed, relevancy and intuition that only trained industry analysts could provide. Contact Details Fullintel Samuel Chen +1 339-970-8005 schen@fullintel.com Company Website https://fullintel.com/

October 06, 2022 08:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Biometric Authentication Could Be The Perfect Solution To Tackle Cyber Attacks On Educational Institutions

BIO-key International, Inc.

The changing nature of delivering education post-pandemic has boosted cyber security awareness, and addressing its flaws has become a necessity for educational institutions. Schools and colleges were already vulnerable to cyber attacks before COVID-19, and the rise in the education sector’s reliance on online learning platforms post-pandemic may have exacerbated existing problems. Today, institutions are more susceptible than ever to disruption through ransomware and phishing attacks. Higher education institutions store vast amounts of personal information about students, faculty, and staff and keep valuable research data on file, making them particularly vulnerable to cybercrime. Cyber Security Attacks On Educational Institutions At An All-Time High Academic institutions and research organizations were the top targets globally for cyber attackers in 2021. At an average of 1,605 attacks per organization per week, this was a 75% increase from 2020, according to research by Check Point Software Technologies. Microsoft Corp. ’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) security intelligence blog highlights similar statistics, with over 80% percent of nearly 10 million malware encounters in recent months targeted at the education sector. The key attack vehicles for cyber threats in the education sector reportedly include ransomware and phishing, and such attacks could prove costly for the institutions targeted. Some examples from recent years: The University of California San Francisco (UCSF) paid $1.14 million in Bitcoin in June 2020 to recover School of Medicine data that's important to the university’s academic work. Attackers demanded $2 million in Bitcoin from New York City-based Monroe College after disabling its technology systems in July 2020. The University of Utah paid nearly $500,000 to recover data following a ransomware attack. Lincoln College, a private school based in Illinois, announced this week that it will be closing permanently after 157 years following a ransomware attack. Why Attack Educational Institutions? Many colleges and universities — especially those that rely on public funding — are ill-prepared to prevent or deal with cyber-attacks because of budgetary constraints and a lack of adequate security awareness. Reports show that more than 30% of higher education breaches are a result of students falling victim to email scams, misuse of social media, or activities relating to password sharing. A Modern Yet Simple Solution May Be Found In Biometrics BIO-key International Inc. (NASDAQ: BKYI), an Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions provider, says it may have a robust solution to tackle this problem. According to the company, educational institutions could benefit from including biometric authentication options — especially for end users such as students, who would be able to avoid password fatigue or memorizing complicated passwords. Most universities the company has dealt with use multi-factor authentication involving passwords and physical tokens or one-time passwords via mobile phones to tackle the increasing threat of cyber attacks. And although strong multi-factor authentication would always be more secure than a username and password, physical tokens or mobile phones involve a higher cost and have the risk of being misplaced, lost, or shared — resulting in downtime to reinstate access and the potential for cyber attacks to still occur, according to BIO-key. The company says that biometrics is a low-cost, easy-to-use, and secure method of authentication that could enable convenient and secure access to devices, information, applications and transactions. According to BIO-key, biometric authentication methods, specifically using Identity-Bound Biometrics, are the only methods that can truly verify the identity of the individual requesting access. It does not require the user to carry additional devices and cannot be used for unauthorized delegation or sharing of credentials. BIO-key’s signature solution PortalGuard Ⓡ reportedly offers both a cloud-based and on-premises multi-factor authentication solution, which is both secure and easy to use for educational institutions, covering students, staff, and faculty populations. The company says it secures access for over 200 institutions through its PortalGuard platform and has been supporting higher education for over 20 years. The platform has flexible options for single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, adaptive authentication and self-service password reset that could save money for sparsely staffed IT departments at educational institutions. Biometric verification and authentication is still new to many colleges and universities, and it may seem daunting at first for them to grasp the overall technological impact of implementing a biometric access management solution, BIO-key said. To overcome this, the company recommends starting with a smaller-scale deployment of its Identity-Bound Biometrics, such as implementing it in research labs or research areas to safeguard highly confidential resources or where work is completed on shared workstations. This would allow educational institutions to test the approach in a more controlled environment and expand to other areas over time. To learn more about implementing an IAM solution for educational institutions check out BIO-key’s higher education e-book. To learn more about BIO-key visit www.BIO-key.com. BIO-key is revolutionizing authentication and cybersecurity with biometric-centric, multi-factor identity and access management (IAM) software managing millions of users. Its cloud-based PortalGuard IAM solution provides cost-effective, easy to deploy, convenient and secure access to devices, information, applications, and high-value transactions. BIO-key's patented software and hardware solutions, with industry-leading Identity-Bound Biometric (IBB) capabilities, enable large-scale Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) solutions, as well as customized on premises solutions. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Catalyst IR- William Jones, David Collins +1 212-924-9800 BKYI@catalyst-ir.com Company Website https://www.bio-key.com/

October 06, 2022 08:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

3 Stocks to Play the Growth in Cloud-Based Services

Benzinga

The concept of cloud computing has been around for over a decade. However, the industry has rapidly evolved since its origins, which can be traced back to the 1963 DARPA initiative (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). Cloud computing, as we know it today, is a delivery medium that can provide services, such as data storage, analytics, networking, software solutions, and more, over the internet. Before the rise of the cloud, companies were held to the old hardware approach, which would require a hefty investment in new computing technologies to achieve scale and the desired outputs. Cloud computing offers a more streamlined approach, which allows customers to only pay for the services that they need, with the option to upgrade as the client’s needs change. This allows companies to lower their operating costs, streamline their infrastructure and achieve scale when it is needed. The COVID pandemic has only accelerated the growth of cloud-based solutions, as society witnessed the rise of the work-from-home phenomenon and the continued demand from consumers for e-commerce capabilities. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global cloud computing market was valued at $405.65 billion in 2021. The industry is projected to grow to $480.04 billion in 2022 and surge to a massive $1.71 trillion by the end of 2029. This represents an enticing compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.9% for the period between 2022 and 2029. With the growth of cloud computing still seemingly in the early stages, here are three companies that stand to benefit from the underlying industry growth: Asure Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASUR) Asure Software is an Austin, Texas-based company that offers cloud-based human capital management solutions across the United States. Serving small and medium-sized businesses across many different industries, Asure’s suite of services gives companies complete control of every aspect of human capital management, from payroll & taxes to HR decision making, employee attendance, and even 401(k) & benefits integrations. In August 2022, Asure made two big announcements regarding the expansion of its 401(k) and HR services. First, Asure announced an agreement to integrate its FlexTax payroll tax filing engine with PrismHR’s payroll system, which is currently used by over 80,000 organizations. This also gives PrismHR users access to Asure’s Payroll Tax Management Services. In short, the integration with PrismHR vastly expanded Asure’s payroll & tax services business. In a separate announcement, Asure announced further integration of its payroll systems to directly connect with over 80 401(k) providers. The traditional route for employers to offer and manage sponsored 401(k) plans is extremely work-intensive and has been a major hurdle for smaller businesses to offer employer-sponsored plans to their workers. Asure’s direct integration with 401(k) providers removes that barrier by streamlining retirement plan options for companies that may otherwise not have the resources to offer such benefits. As workers continue to expect greater benefits and retirement planning options, Asure’s integration gives small businesses an edge in being able to compete for top talent. Turning to fundamental analysis, Asure looks appealing in its current state. The company trades at nearly a 25% discount to its book value, as seen with a price-to-book value of 0.76. Asure Software is a serious cash flow generator, which can be determined with a price-to-free-cash-flow ratio of 11.07. Furthermore, the company has very minimal debt and continues to hold a cumulative analyst rating of “strong buy.” Snowflake, Inc. (NYSE: SNOW) Snowflake offers cloud-based data analytics solutions through its platform. The company's Data Cloud offering allows customers to consolidate their data into a single source to help streamline business decision-making. The Data Cloud allows companies to collaborate data on a local and global scale. Rather than having several different programs or applications to manage various cloud functions, Snowflake wants to help cut through the clutter to integrate all areas of the cloud into a single platform. On August 24, 2022, Snowflake released fiscal second-quarter 2023 earnings, which showed impressive growth amid the current economic uncertainty. Product revenue surged 83% y/y to $466 million and achieved non-GAAP product gross margins greater than 75%. In addition, Snowflake added 12 new Global 2000 customers during the fiscal Q2 2023 period. On a guidance basis, Snowflake's management estimates third-quarter product revenue to come in between $500 million and $505 million, which would represent a year-over-year growth range between 60% and 62%. The strong quarterly results prompted analysts covering Snowflake to increase their bullishness on the company. Needham analyst, Mike Cios, initiated coverage of Snowflake with a "buy" rating. The strong recovery in customer growth during fiscal Q2 helped alleviate any concerns from fiscal Q1 regarding the potential for a growth slowdown as the economy weakens. In the note, Mr. Cios said “data is the new oil,” which means Snowflake could be on the way to continued growth over the coming years. On a fundamental analysis basis, Snowflake is very well capitalized. The company has no debt and cash per share of $12.38, giving the data analytics company a very solid current ratio of 3.20. Unfortunately, the company does appear to be trading at a lofty premium when looking at its price-to-sales of 33.90, price-to-free-cash-flow of 170.36, and a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 405. CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWD) CrowdStrike is focused on cybersecurity cloud-based solutions. In a world that is increasingly becoming more digitally connected, the need for proper security has become a major point of emphasis. The company offers a wide range of cybersecurity services, which include Zero Trust identity protection, log management, threat intelligence, IT operations management, and more. Like traditional computing, the cloud can be vulnerable to hackers and criminals who seek to steal sensitive information. CrowdStrike's Cloud Security solutions provide continuous management and breach protection for any cloud in the industry's one and only Cloud Native Application Protection Platform. The platform is powered by holistic intelligence and end-to-end protection, which gives managers greater visibility and capability to act against digital threats. During the second quarter of the fiscal year 2023, CrowdStrike reported total revenue growth of 58% y/y to $535.2 million. The cybersecurity company reported a record net new ARR of $218 million, which represents year-over-year growth of 45%. Ending ARR grew to an impressive $2.14 billion, an increase of 59% y/y. This demonstrated not only CrowdStrike's ability to retain customers but to also continue to add new clients as well. The company added 1,700 new customers during the quarter. Looking at the fundamentals, CrowdStrike trades at a considerable premium to several metrics, despite being down over 18% so far in 2022. The company's cash position is stable, but CrowdStrike does have a long-term debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, which weighs on its current ratio of 1.80. The company does trade at a 69x multiple when looking at the price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. Price-to-sales is lofty at 21.40 and forward price-to-earnings comes in at a steep 89.49. However, the company is a growth stock and thus relies more on revenue growth than it does on some of the more value-focused metrics. Bottom line, as long as CrowdStrike can continue its dominant growth, investors will likely continue to maintain a long-term bullish stance on the company. The post “ 3 Stocks to Play the Growth in Cloud-Based Services ” first appeared on Spotlight Growth. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Spotlight Growth is compensated, either directly or via a third party, to provide investor relations services for its clients. 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Investments referenced may not be suitable for all investors and may not be permissible in certain jurisdictions. Spotlight Growth and its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees may have bought or sold or may buy or sell shares in the companies discussed herein, which may be acquired prior, during or after the publication of these marketing materials. Spotlight Growth, its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees may sell the stock of said companies at any time and may profit in the event those shares rise in value. For more information on our disclosures, please visit: https://spotlightgrowth.com/disclosures/ Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

October 05, 2022 01:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Franchise Owner Steve Edman Celebrates 15 Years in Houston

Minuteman Press International Inc

When it comes to operating his Minuteman Press franchise in Houston over the past 15-plus years, Steve Edman keeps it simple and sticks to what has made him successful as a small business owner. He says, “Our success and longevity can be attributed to having fantastic employees, 3 full-time and 1 part-time. I also personally stay proactive with visiting and delivering excellent printed products to our customer base.” Steve adds, “We’ve grown our business by consistently providing quality print and quick turnaround. We provide all things printing such as booklets and manuals, as well as marketing and mailing services. Whatever our customers need, we can provide.” Minuteman Press in Houston/Bellaire is located at 4662 Beechnut Street; Steve describes his business community as “positive and appreciative.” He further shares, “I originally started in the beer business for the largest wholesaler in the world as a Driver Salesman. I retired after 24 years as a Regional Manager, and then decided to buy this business. Thanks to our hard work and building real relationships with our clients, here I am 15 years later and counting.” Steve also credits being part of the Minuteman Press franchise family for supporting him along the way. He says, “Minuteman Press International is very supportive. They give me the toolbox to be successful and I have the choice to pick and choose what will help me succeed in my local market. I appreciate their local and corporate support teams that are always there for me when I need them.” “I’d like to congratulate Steve Edman for his continued dedication to the Bellaire business community and his clients for over 15 years. I look forward to continuing to support Steve and his staff as he continues to build his business,” adds Erick Rios, Minuteman Press International Area Manager, Houston. Ultimately, as he reflects on the past 15-plus years, Steve is happy with his decision to change industries following his career retirement and buy a printing business. He shares, “Printing remains vital today because it puts your products, messaging, and brand directly in the customer’s hands. We love meeting our clients’ needs by providing high quality printed products that help them reach out to and engage with their target audiences.” Steve adds, “I get great satisfaction from making those deliveries and providing the finished products to my clients. I am also very gratified with being able to build my business and reap the rewards.” As for what advice he would give to other business owners, Steve keeps it simple again and offers some poignant advice: “Hit the streets, hire the right people, and always follow up with the customer so you can learn from them. That is what has always worked for me.” Steve Edman’s Minuteman Press franchise is located in the Bellaire area at 4662 Beechnut St., Houston, Texas 77096. For more information, call 713-490-9500 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/tx/bellaire/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and see Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

October 05, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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COMCAST OPENS XFINITY STORE IN BEAVERTON, OREGON

Comcast Oregon / SW Washington

Comcast is hosting a Grand Opening celebration on Friday, October 7th for its new Xfinity store in Beaverton, Oregon. The 2,480 square foot store is located at 2597 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Suite 105, Beaverton. The ribbon-cutting will take place at 2:00 p.m. with the festivities running until 4:00 p.m. The public is welcome to enjoy beverages, snacks, and giveaways. This opening marks the 19 th Xfinity store in the Oregon/SW Washington region aimed at meeting customer growth. With a welcoming and interactive environment that highlights Comcast’s entertainment and technology offerings, customers will be able to buy cell phones, pay bills, return equipment, and demo the company’s latest residential and business product offerings. Xfinity store employees will happily demonstrate the X1 entertainment platform, show how to use xFi tools to manage home internet functions (like shutting it down at dinnertime or bedtime, or ensuring the security of your network), as well as educate customers on the free mobile apps available so you can take your saved TV programs and movies on the go with you wherever you are. Jacob Mitchell, Comcast Oregon/SW Washington’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing is excited about opening the new store. “We are beyond thrilled with our new store in Cedar Hills Crossing.” He went on to say, “Xfinity has such a compelling story to tell with our unbeatable internet, as well as the fastest mobile with the lowest prices. A new, exciting physical location for our customers to come in and hear about our products is the right investment to make.” The new store will employ eight people, and will offer customer-friendly hours, open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sundays. ABOUT COMCAST CORPORATION:Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Amy Keiter +1 503-310-3879 amy_keiter@comcast.com Company Website https://corporate.comcast.com/

October 05, 2022 06:20 AM Pacific Daylight Time

The Channel Company Announces Acquisition of Technology Marketing Agency Lauchlan

The Channel Company

The Channel Company, global provider of news, insights, strategy, events, and marketing services for the technology industry, announces the acquisition of Lauchlan, a U.S. based global marketing agency dedicated to the technology industry. This strategic acquisition will continue to expand marketing agency services capabilities, scale creative and digital services globally and accelerate time to market for clients. Lauchlan’s marketing agency services include comprehensive marketing support, campaign creation, program execution, customized leads management and in-depth reporting to maximize IT channel marketing investment, creating a complimentary fit to continue scaling The Channel Company’s marketing services delivery capability worldwide. “The acquisition of Lauchlan, in addition to global services organization bChannels and Incisive Media’s Technology Group brands earlier this year, is another step towards our vision of becoming the leading global provider of innovative marketing services for the technology industry. We continue to invest in high-value areas that will scale and expand our capabilities to drive greater outcomes for our clients anywhere they are in the world,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. The organizations share synergies with their go-to-market strategies, technology industry expertise and agency delivery models as well as a common culture of driving client outcomes, strategic company growth and continued career development opportunities for employees. The combined strengths of the two organizations will provide immediate revenue and client expansion opportunities. Clients of Lauchlan will benefit from the extensive platform of additional marketing, events, communities, consulting, and data services that The Channel Company offers while clients of The Channel Company will have access to a broader range of marketing services to accelerate their business outcomes and investment return. The collective delivery model will continue to scale globally to deliver solutions across The Channel Company’s platform in all major regions. “Joining forces with the most respected technology channel marketing and services provider in our industry represents tremendous opportunities for our technology clients, partners, and employees. Lauchlan agency’s deep, creative development and execution capabilities paired with the depth and breadth of services available through The Channel Company allows us to provide the industry with a truly unprecedented suite of solutions for direct, and channel partner marketing on a global scale,” said Kathleen Lauchlan, CEO of Lauchlan agency. Lauchlan’s M&A advisor was Supporting Strategies and legal advisor was Bernstein Shur. The Channel Company received legal advice from Jones Day and due diligence advice from Alvarez & Marsal. About The Channel Company Headquartered in Westborough, MA, The Channel Company has been servicing the technology channel community for over 40 years. From CRN, the #1 source of technology news, insights, and analysis for the IT channel, to industry-leading events that connect clients to customers, to powerful research, consulting and engaging education to accelerate growth, to transformative marketing services to maximize investment, The Channel Company provides a full suite of outcome-driven services focused on addressing the channel’s unique needs worldwide. The Channel Company is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. www.thechannelco.com About EagleTree Capital EagleTree Capital is a leading New York-based middle-market private equity firm that has completed over 35 private equity investments and more than 75 add-on transactions over the past 20+ years. EagleTree primarily invests in North America in the following sectors: media and business services, consumer, and water and specialty industrial. For more information, visit www.eagletree.com or find EagleTree on LinkedIn. About Lauchlan Founded in 2009, Lauchlan is a US-based, full-service agency dedicated to helping global technology marketers and their channel partners execute strategic, multi-touch, omni-channel marketing activities aimed at accelerating pipeline opportunities. Lauchlan's services provide comprehensive technology-focused marketing support, campaign creation, turnkey program execution, lead generation campaigns, live and online events, digital go-to-market strategies and in-depth ROI reporting. The agency’s dedicated team of marketing professionals is singularly focused on delivering optimal performance metrics while maximizing marketing development funds. www.lauchlanx.com Contact Details The Channel Company Corporate Communications +1 508-531-9172 corporatecommunications@thechannelcompany.com Company Website https://www.thechannelcompany.com

October 04, 2022 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time