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Vladimir Kirienko appointed as the new CEO (Russia) of VK

VK COMPANY LIMITED

VK Company Limited (LSE and MICEX-RTS: MAIL, hereinafter referred to as VK or the Сompany) is pleased to announce that the board of directors of VK has unanimously approved the appointment of Vladimir Kirienko as the new Chief Executive Officer (Russia), effective immediately. Vladimir is replacing Boris Dobrodeev, who, following changes at the shareholder structure in MFT, has announced his intention to step down as the CEO of VK earlier this month. Dmitry Grishin, co-founder and Chairman of the Board of VK, commented: “The board of directors of VK is pleased to welcome Vladimir Kirienko to the team. We are confident that his experience, enthusiasm and level of energy will ensure that VK will strengthen its leadership among the Russian ecosystems. The board supports Vladimir's vision of maintaining VK in top positions in reach and engagement on the domestic Internet market, while also further advancing the company's level of technological innovation and overall user experience. Vladimir has a great track record of launching and successfully developing multiple complex projects, and we are positive he has all the right ingredients to take VK to new heights. We also thank Boris Dobrodeev for the results achieved by VK under his leadership. Boris made a significant contribution to the company’s transformation into an ecosystem under the new unifying VK brand, while also securing the company’s access to multiple new and promising segments such as food tech, ecommerce or online education. We thank him for his energy, tenacity, persistence and wish him success in his future endeavours.” Commenting on his appointment Vladimir Kirienko, CEO of VK (Russia), said: “I am excited to be joining VK as its CEO. It is an honour and a great responsibility to contribute to the development of the ecosystem that serves to make everyday life easier for millions of people by offering accessible and high-quality products and services, while also empowering businesses and entrepreneurs. The company will continue to unlock new markets and test new products as we focus on expanding our reach and user engagement. The company has a powerful platform for further growth, and realizing its full potential as a business, as an employer and a public company is a challenge I am very much looking forward to. As with any new CEO, I will undertake a review of all operations and will report to shareholders as quickly as possible. I have been very impressed with the team I have met thus far and look forward to working with them to ensure an orderly and timely transition.” Biography Vladimir has extensive expertise in direct investments in Russian companies and IT business. Since 2017, he has worked as First Vice President of Rostelecom. From 2016 till 2017 he has held the position of Senior Vice President for Business Development and Management of Rostelecom. Prior to joining Rostelecom, Vladimir was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of LLC Capital since 2011. From 2008 till 2011 he was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nizhegorodpromstroybank. Vladimir Kirienko graduated from the Higher School of Economics, where he studied corporate finance and economics. He received his Executive MBA degree from Skolkovo Moscow School of Management. For further information please contact: Investors Tatiana Volochkovich Phone: +7 495 725 6357 extension: 3434 Mobile: +7 905 594 6604 E-mail: t.volochkovich@vk.team Press - VK Sergei Luchin Mobile: +7 915 223 3571 E-mail: s.luchin@vk.team​​​​​ About VK VK develops the ecosystem helping millions of people with their day-to-day needs online. More than 90% of the Russian internet audience use the ecosystem services. The ecosystem enables people to keep in touch (using social networks OK and VKontakte, messaging apps and email service), play video games (via MY.GAMES), get and offer items and services, browse jobs and hire talent (via Youla and VK Jobs), order food and grocery delivery (via Delivery Club, Samokat and Local Kitchen), get a ride (with Citymobil and Citydrive), master new skills (at GeekBrains, Skillbox and other educational services), buy and sell at AliExpress Russia and fulfill other needs. The VK ecosystem features a number of shared elements bringing the services together. Users can sign in to different services with a single VK ID account, pay and earn cash back with the VK Pay platform, get discounts and deals with VK Combo, access their favorite services via the VK Mini Apps platform and the Marusya voice assistant can help with any task. The company offers enterprises to employ its dynamic ecosystem to digitize their business processes, providing a range of solutions from online promotion and predictive analytics to corporate social networks, cloud services and enterprise automation. Contact Details VK COMPANY LIMITED Tatiana Volochkovich +7 905 594-66-04 t.volochkovich@vk.team VK COMPANY LIMITED Sergei Luchin +7 915 223-35-71 s.luchin@vk.team

December 13, 2021 08:32 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Spotlight Sports Group and Diario AS Enter Into Joint Venture

Spotlight Sports Group

Spotlight Sports Group (SSG), a world-leading technology, content and media company specializing in sports betting and fantasy sports, announced today a joint venture with Diario AS (AS.com), the #3 sports publisher globally. The partnership will unleash new, high-growth revenue streams by combining Spotlight Sports Group's sports betting expertise and user engagement technology with AS.com’s millions of unique monthly visitors. The joint venture brings together elements of the two businesses to create a team of specialists to oversee the management of the website. AS.com’s selection to partner with Spotlight Sports Group and its state-of-the-art affiliate technology platform reflects the size of opportunity the partnership presents for the publishing giant. “We are thrilled to have created this true partnership with AS.com. They are a progressive company with an engaged audience and alongside our specialist sports betting content, this innovative platform will keep fans fully informed to make educated bets using Spotlight Sports Group’s data-driven affiliate technology,” said Harry von Behr, Managing Director (Sport) & co-US CEO of Spotlight Sports Group. “This partnership positions Spotlight Sports Group as a leading provider of sports betting affiliate and engagement technology across the global publishing sector.” Spotlight Sports Group will deliver: Native Spanish language betting content Responsive website using Spotlight Sports Group’s bespoke affiliate technology Proprietary data sets AI-based automated content generation Smart content modules, bet builders and free-to-play games Specialist services across technical SEO, social media and real-time CRM Revenue optimization management Gonzalo Teubal Rodriguez of AS.com commented “This partnership is a win-win for AS.com. It will deliver a world-class purpose-built platform for millions of sports fans built on the foundations of Spotlight Sports Group’s affiliate technology and empowering our users by giving them access to quality content and intuitive betting information and tools.” Rodriguez added, “It’s a chance to build a long term partnership with a like-minded global publisher while creating a sustainable revenue model to complement our core publishing business.” Spotlight Sports Group announced its intention to work with the world’s largest media companies by recently expanding its global proposition. This new-look offering includes a suite of products designed to showcase its specialist expertise in turnkey affiliate solutions for global publishers. AS.com’s Spanish-language content and sports betting affiliate platform is now live and available for sports fans in Spain. For more information on Spotlight Sports Group please visit: https://www.spotlightsportsgroup.com/en_us/ ABOUT SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP Spotlight Sports Group (owned by Exponent Private Equity) is a world-leading technology, content and media business specializing in sports betting and fantasy sports. Evolved from the Racing Post Group, Spotlight Sports Group engages millions of people directly through Racing Post, Pickswise, Fantasy Alarm, Free Super Tips and myracing. The company also has decades of experience in powering growth and conversion for the world’s biggest sportsbooks and media companies, delivering best-in-class technology and expert scalable content experiences in more than 70 languages. ABOUT DIARIO AS (AS.com) AS.com serves millions of users each month to its platform by using three language editions in Spanish, English and Arabic. The site primarily focuses on news, stats and commentary on soccer leagues throughout the world. In addition, it also features Spanish-language coverage of the major sports leagues in America, including the NFL, MLB and the NBA. Contact Details Hot Paper Lantern Michael Adorno +1 212-931-6143 madorno@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://www.spotlightsportsgroup.com/en_us/

December 13, 2021 08:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Centre for Neuro Skills Introduces Telerehabilitation: Instant Access to Therapies, Staff and CNS Physicians

Centre for Neuro Skills

Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS), a premier provider of treatment for traumatic and acquired brain injury, has introduced telerehabilitation services to offer patients greater flexibility in their therapy program. CNS’ telerehabilitation services offer enhancements beyond its previously offered telehealth program. Since the beginning of 2020, CNS has delivered more than 125,000 hours of telehealth care to patients. Using the RingCentral Video® platform, powered by Zoom, patients receive full rehabilitation at home, virtually access therapies, clinicians and their treatment team from their CNS clinic. “CNS cares about rehabilitation success both in-clinic and at home, and telerehabilitation therapies focus on building life skills that lead to independence,” said Chris Persel, Regional Director of Clinical Services and Director of Behavior Programming at Centre for Neuro Skills. “Now, in their own environment, patients can work with their therapy team using the telerehabilitation toolkit as a desktop box of essentials to help build memory, cognition, reasoning, dexterity, education and other personal management details.” Therapy in real-time: All treatment modules are provided and vital living skills are taught; in-clinic therapies are replicated in the patient’s home setting and staff can suggest adaptive aids by viewing the home environment; return-to-work scenarios that can be modeled and practiced at home; therapists teach safety skills that patients can practice in real time. Telerehabilitation kit: CNS sends a boxed kit of learning aids to telerehabilitation and some hybrid patients. Included is a user’s guide for navigating RingCentral Video, learning tools, notebooks, a calculator, pens, a water bottle and a desktop whiteboard. Hybrid rehabilitation: Patients can opt for both in-clinic and virtual treatment. Telemedicine: Patients, therapists and families can consult online with physicians. In a recent national survey by the Brain Injury Association of America, telehealth was found to be a highly effective therapy platform. According to the survey of more than 400 providers, 94% of therapists reported that their patients’ recovery progressed using telehealth. About Centre for Neuro Skills Centre for Neuro Skills is an experienced and respected world leader in providing intensive rehabilitation and medical programs for those recovering from all types of brain injury. CNS covers a full spectrum of advanced care from residential and assisted living to outpatient/day treatment. Founded by Dr. Mark Ashley in 1980, CNS has seven locations in California and Texas. For more information about Centre for Neuro Skills, visit: www.neuroskills.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube. Media, please note: Visual assets, including photos, are available. To request an interview with CNS leadership, clinical staff or patients, please contact Robin Carr at (415) 971-3991 or CNS@landispr.com. Contact Details Landis Communications Inc. Robin Carr +1 415-971-3991 cns@landispr.com Company Website https://www.neuroskills.com/

December 10, 2021 06:17 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Plans Unveiled for $750 Million Redevelopment of Iconic Metrocenter Mall Property in Phoenix

Concord Wilshire Companies

One of Phoenix’s most iconic properties is about to become the largest mall redevelopment project in Arizona history, transforming into a vibrant new addition to the city’s core. Concord Wilshire Capital (“CWC”) and TLG Investment Partners (“TLGIP”) (collectively, the “Developer”) announced today that they have contracted to acquire the iconic Metrocenter Mall located in Phoenix, Arizona, and plan to invest approximately $750 million to redevelop the Metrocenter Mall property into a residential and mixed-use community. The Developer has formed a strategic alliance with Hines, the international real estate firm, to redevelop and repurpose the Metrocenter Mall into a community-driven walkable village that will be home to a variety of residential apartments, curated boutiques, popular retail stores, restaurants, bars, a town-center park, and other commercial and entertainment venues (the “Village”). The Village will be situated on approximately 68 acres of prime land in a qualified Opportunity Zone. The plans for the Village include over 2,600 multifamily units, 100,000 square feet of essential and service retail. Total construction costs are expected to be over $750 million. The Village will be designed as a self-contained community encompassing the city’s new Light Rail Station that is currently under construction within the Village. The City of Phoenix is investing approximately $150 million to build this Light Rail Station. The Light Rail Station is scheduled to be delivered in 2024 as part of the Northwest Extension. The Light Rail Station will serve as one of the major focal points of the Village and will provide direct connectivity to Downtown Phoenix, the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, ASU, and communities to the east. “This is an enormous economic boost to the entire west side of Phoenix,” said Mayor Kate Gallego. “The connectivity provided by the light rail extension means easy access to shopping, entertainment, housing, and – perhaps most importantly – to jobs. In addition to the many construction jobs created by this redevelopment, there will be opportunities available to work in the businesses that will take root and grow in the Village. I am excited, optimistic, and thrilled that Concord Wilshire is investing in the future of Phoenix.” Residents and visitors of the Village will be able to enjoy an array of anticipated amenities, including pet-friendly parks and greenspace, an amphitheater, pedestrian and bicycle pathways, a walkable retail promenade, shops, restaurants and immersive water features. The Village will also be designed to integrate with and complement certain existing amenities and venues within the Metrocenter Mall through its partially shaded internal pathways and roads. The existing amenities and shops include a 150,000 square foot Walmart Supercenter, a public library, the Arizona Canal with its own pedestrian and bicycle pathways, the Rose Mofford Park (which provides free afternoon activities for children and teenagers), a theme-park, and a cinema. The Village will also provide approximately 4,100 parking spaces programmed in up to 7 garage decks conveniently located for use by the community, residents of the Village, visitors, and for the Light Rail Station Park-and-Ride users. “We are excited to be a part of the redevelopment of the former Metrocenter Mall into a vibrant mixed-use community with a sense of place that will enhance the public investments,” said Chris Anderson, Senior Managing Director of Hines. “Good things come to those who wait, and now, the spotlight will shine on our beloved Metrocenter once again, thanks to Phoenix's new partner in economic development, Concord Wilshire Capital. I am excited to collaborate and transform Metrocenter into a vital hub of social gatherings, cultural diversity and economic growth," said Councilwoman Ann O'Brien of Phoenix District 1, where Metrocenter is located. "I am grateful for all the hard work that went into making this exciting partnership happen." The Developer has also reached preliminary terms with the City of Phoenix, subject to City Council approval, for a public private partnership for public improvements, by and through a to-be-formed Community Facilities District (CFD), for the Village. The public improvements are planned to be funded through CFD assessment bonds and will be primarily for the construction of public parking garages. “We are proud to be working with the City of Phoenix again. The proposed redevelopment of the Metrocenter Mall property will be another substantial project to further the city’s redevelopment and revitalization plan for the North Mountain Redevelopment Area” said Nate Sirang, President of Concord Wilshire Capital. “This redevelopment of such a memorable mall and destination for area residents reflects our continued commitment to the Phoenix market. We are excited to create a first-class destination for local families, while contributing meaningfully to the community and its economy and safety.” On June 28, 2021, CWC signed a contract with Carlyle Development Group of New York, the Mall owner, to acquire the Metrocenter Mall, and the inspection period has been successfully completed. The transaction is scheduled to close in the second half of 2022. The Company has reached an agreement with Carlyle to demolish the mall ahead of closing. In 2016, Carlyle led the rezoning of the Metrocenter Mall and the surrounding parcels and obtained the City Council Approval for a Planned Unit Development (“PUD”) designation, as well as lobbying for the relocation of the Light Rail Station into the Metrocenter Mall, paving the way for a successful future mixed-use development. “We worked very hard to obtain approval for a flexible PUD that allows a high density residential and mix-use development in the metro Phoenix market. We are excited and proud that the Developer and the City of Phoenix are incorporating our vision into the redevelopment of this iconic location,” said Abdi Mahamedi, President of Carlyle Development Group. About Concord Wilshire Concord Wilshire is a nationally recognized leader in residential, resort, and mixed-use real estate development and construction with over $10 billion in total value of developed and acquired assets. Since 1992, Concord Wilshire has developed, constructed, and invested in distinguished real estate assets in major markets throughout the United States. An award winning company, Concord Wilshire has received an array of accolades for many of its developments throughout the nation in recognition of its commitment to development, marketing, architectural design, and interior design. Concord Wilshire has a successful and extensive track record that spans multiple investment cycles. ( www.concordwilshire.com ) About TLG Investment Partners TLG Investment Partners is a Fort Lauderdale based real estate investment firm headed by Leland Pillsbury and Christopher Nieberding. The company invests in multiple classes of real estate including recreation, residential and commercial properties. About Hines Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 255 cities in 27 countries. Hines oversees investment assets under management totaling approximately $83.6 billion1. In addition, Hines provides third-party property-level services to more than 367 properties totaling 138.3 million square feet. Historically, Hines developed, redeveloped or acquired approximately 1,486 properties, totaling over 492 million square feet. The firm currently has more than 171 developments underway around the world. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a foundational commitment to ESG, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. Visit www.hines.com for more information. 1Includes both the global Hines organization as well as RIA AUM as of June 30, 2021. Contact Details Tom Evans +1 602-448-5483 tevans@onadvertising.com

December 09, 2021 04:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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How A Camp Network Founded By Paul Newman Continues To Serve Sick Children

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/n0Seg6W1dME Over three decades ago, Paul Newman, the Hollywood icon and founder of Newman’s Own food company and Newman’s Own Foundation, envisioned a camp where kids living with serious and life-limiting medical conditions could break away from the everyday challenges of their illness to, as he said, “raise a little hell.” Today, Serious Fun Children’s Network, made up of 30 camps and programs around the world, has delivered more than 1.4 million life-changing camp experiences to kids living with more than 50 medical conditions and their families, totally free of charge. On November 30 th, live from New York City SeriousFun CEO Blake Maher and Newman’s Own Foundation President & CEO Miriam Nelson conducted a media tour discussing how Paul Newman’s vision has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of camp alumni who are living fuller lives because of their camp experiences. A key focus of the media tour was a first-of-its-kind study conducted by SeriousFun that examined the influence and lasting impact of residential camp participation With the help of the American Institutes for Research, SeriousFun set out to look at personal, social, and health-related outcomes that are influenced by SeriousFun camps, as well as the elements of the camp and camper's experiences that affect those outcomes Most notably, that SeriousFun camp experience had meaningful impacts that lasted throughout their adolescent and adult lives. Among 2,200 alumni campers aged 17-30, significant findings included: More than 80% reported that the SeriousFun camp experience had positive and lasting impacts on a variety of aspects of their life, including the willingness to try new things, appreciation for diversity, and self-identity and confidence. And, when it comes to health-related outcomes, more than 65% reported that camp influenced their health-related quality of life, medical self-advocacy and medical-related self care. For more information, visit SeriousFun.org About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

December 08, 2021 05:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Holiday Season Survival Guide

YourUpdateTV

With the holiday season well underway, it’s time to talk holiday gifting, decorating, entertaining, personalization, home styling, and more. And with in-person gatherings resuming, time spent with family and friends this holiday season is more precious than ever before. Recently, Lifestyle Expert and Star of Netflix’s Queer Eye, Bobby Berk, teamed with Shutterfly on a nationwide SMT to discuss his tips on gifting, decorating, and more. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/hjidEp0O0Zs More than two thirds of consumers are planning in-person gatherings, more holiday parties, and bigger celebrations this year and Shutterfly makes it easy to unleash your creativity after a year of being apart. According to Bobby, it’s all about giving something a bit more personal rather than something generic or store bought. It’s more meaningful and is such a great way to connect with friends and family after being apart. Shutterfly has so many good options that for people to customize. For example, if your friends love a good game night, create personalized playing cards, pencils and notebooks to really elevate game play. Not only is a personalized gift more meaningful to the recipient, it’s also easy to make whether you’re adding a photo, name, monogram, or unique saying. From custom blankets and candles to coffee mugs and wall art, Shutterfly has something for everyone. Some of Bobby’s favorite ways to add the perfect personal touches to holiday entertaining and decorating include color. Choose a color pallet of 2-3 colors and use them throughout your home. Lighting is also so important. Keep the lighting simple by using white lights and candles that are great for any space and candles can add a nice personal touch as well. Additionally, photos are a great way to decorate for the holidays. Whether that’s adding temporary photo tiles with your favorite holiday memories or decorating your tree with customized ornaments. Or finding the best photos of your party guests and using them as name tags or place cards. For more information, visit Shutterfly.com About Bobby Berk: Berk is best known as the design guru on Netflix’s Queer Eye, but his rise to fame didn’t happen overnight. After years in the creative and design field, he took the leap to start his own brand. Epitomizing hip, urban luxury, Berk’s designs reflect a stylish and youthful spirit that perfectly fits any lifestyle. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

December 08, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Nice Healthcare Partners with Capsule to Improve Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs

Nice Healthcare

Nice Healthcare, the clinic that comes to you, today announced that it has partnered with leading digital pharmacy Capsule - bringing effortless, free same-day medication delivery to Nice patients in the Twin Cities, Minnesota; Phoenix, Arizona; and Denver, Colorado. Beginning today, all Nice patients in those three markets can choose Capsule to easily manage and receive over 550 Nice formulary medications for zero cost, including free same-day delivery. Nice has integrated with Capsule’s proprietary APIs, enabling clinicians to provide the option to use Capsule via the Nice app, and will leverage Capsule when they prescribe medications. Nice Healthcare is reimagining the delivery of primary health care by combining innovation with the personal touch that has been lost in modern medicine. With Nice, a full-service clinic comes to you. The partnership with Capsule amplifies this benefit with medications delivered same-day to the home or office. Capsule benefits include effortless management and ordering of all 550+ common medications on Nice’s formulary - same-day, for zero cost. Patients will also receive free, same-day delivery for non-Nice formulary medications, OTC medications, and other common medical supplies. “The partnership with Capsule brings Nice’s patients a better pharmacy experience and same-day delivery for all their medication needs,” said Genevieve Swenson, FNP, Cofounder and COO for Nice Healthcare. “Nice was founded on the belief that healthcare should be simple, convenient and affordable for everyone - including those individuals and families who are socially and economically disadvantaged. This partnership further underscores our commitment to make a convenient healthcare option even better for patients and small business employers alike.” “We are excited to bring Capsule’s beloved consumer experience to Nice’s patients and help make it easier than ever before to get, manage, and stay on their medications,” said Eric Kinariwala, Founder and CEO of Capsule. “Our partnership is made possible by harnessing both Capsule and Nice’s proprietary technology platforms in a way unique to the healthcare system. This is healthcare – as it should be.” Key benefits of the Capsule partnership include: Free-same day hand delivery of acute and chronic medications to the patient’s door Patients can manage all of their medications from their phone, tablet, or computer Text, chat, or call expert pharmacists anytime To learn more about Nice Healthcare, visit www.nice.healthcare. About Nice Healthcare Nice Healthcare is redesigning comprehensive healthcare for small and medium-sized businesses by utilizing a mix of technology and in-home care. As an employee benefit, they offer employees and their households in-home and virtual primary care, virtual mental health therapy, and virtual physical therapy services. Their clinicians can also offer patients x-rays, 35 labs and blood draws and a formulary with over 550 medications with no out-of-pocket costs. Since launching in Minnesota in 2017, Nice has expanded its integrated care services to 12 states. About Capsule Capsule is rebuilding the pharmacy industry from the inside out with an emotionally resonant experience and technology that enables customized outcomes for doctors, hospitals, insurers, and manufacturers. Capsule has designed every aspect of the pharmacy experience to give consumers and partners the peace of mind of having their health looked after. Capsule is available in more than a dozen cities across the United States, with expansion plans to have the ability to reach 100 million Americans by year's end. For more information, please visit capsule.com Contact Details Nice Healthcare Karen Swim +1 586-461-2103 pr@nice.healthcare Company Website https://www.nice.healthcare

December 08, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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WhatsApp customer engagement tool WATI.io raises $10m

WATI

WATI.io (WhatsApp Team Inbox), a comprehensive WhatsApp customer engagement tool for small businesses, has raised $8.3Mn in Series A led by Sequoia Capital India with participation from Surge, Base Partners and several prominent angels including Gokul Rajaram, a member of the DoorDash executive team and and board member at Coinbase and Pinterest. WATI.io has over 3,000 customers across 54 countries including India, Indonesia and Brazil. Over the last 6 months, WATI’s customer base has seen a 4x growth, revenue has grown 5x and 100 million messages have been processed. They are now a 41 member team across seven countries. With this fundraise, they have raised a total of $10M in the last six months. The funds raised will be used to bolster technology and product development by expanding product integrations. It will also be used to double the team size and improve their presence in Latin America. Messaging is the most pervasive way humans connect today. COVID-19 has shifted our lives online. Customers expect brands to serve them on channels they are most comfortable with. So, when customers are able to reach out to brands on platforms like WhatsApp that they are already familiar with, it builds a higher level of trust for the brand. While many solutions for enterprises to achieve this shift exist, tens of millions of SMBs globally are left underserved. To meet customer expectations, SMBs resort to using WhatsApp on their personal phones. This leads to bottlenecks with relevance of the support and the inability to scale. WATI.io, launched by Ken Yeung and Bianca Ho in late 2020, addresses this gap. Built on WhatsApp’s API, it helps small businesses personalize conversations with customers at scale. WATI.io helps ​​customer support, marketing and sales teams engage with customers using a single WhatsApp number. Since brands are able to get a holistic view of customer conversations across teams, they are also able to provide a better user experience. WATI.io solely focuses on building tailored experiences on WhatsApp enabling them to quickly iterate on new features on the platform as well. “WATI’s mission is to help businesses do more with less. Our one-click integration with the most commonly used tools like Shopify, WooCommerce, etc. enables businesses to provide holistic customer experience at scale. We look to use this funding to attract world class talent to help us build this.” Ken Yeung, CEO Businesses love WATI.io because it helps improve customer satisfaction without additional workforce and in turn helps improve revenue. This is possible with automation through WATI’s low-code workflow builder without being dependent on developers. Through WATI’s API, SMBs can send programmatic personalised notifications from their system. Especially in the case of ecommerce businesses, WATI’s one-click integrations with tools like Shopify, reduces abandoned cart rate and helps increase revenues. Marketers also rely heavily on sending targeted notifications to drive sales. High growth startups are able to derive value with WATI’s suite of tools which empower them to collaborate and move fast. In addition to thousands of SMBs, WATI’s clients include Dukaan, Oppo, VU TV, Gojek, Grab, Aerostreet. “WATI is on a mission to help hundreds of millions of SMBs across the world communicate more effectively with their customers on one of the most ubiquitous messaging platforms - WhatsApp. They’ve achieved terrific growth rates this past year while breaking even, but what is more exciting is the expansive set of product possibilities in front of the company as they capitalise on the market opportunity. Sequoia Capital India is excited to deepen the partnership with Ken and Bianca in the next stage of their journey of building WATI.” Abheek Anand, MD, Sequoia India About WATI Founded in 2020 in Hong Kong, WATI.io helps companies have personalised conversations with customers at scale. Built on WhatsApp’s Business API, it is an easy-to-use customer engagement software that focuses on automation and one-click integrations to help businesses do more with less. WATI.io has been an official partner of WhatsApp since 2019, and was part of Surge 05, Sequoia India’s rapid scale up program for early stage startups. Contact Details WATI Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.wati.io/

December 08, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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HowToBet.com Are Running Red Hot Making Their Picks in the HowToBet Podcast

HowToBet.com

We are now entering the final stretch of the 2021 National Football League season, but for the hosts of the How to Bet podcast, it has been playoff mode for a few weeks. Why? Because they are red hot making their picks in the various sections of the podcast, which continues to grow with each new edition. Daryl Fein and Sean “The Genius” Miller are now veterans of the game, heading into their 15th week on the show. The newest editions, which drop on Wednesday, December 8, cover Week 14 of the NFL season. The longer podcast, with the accompanying shorter shows, such as the Parlay Power Plays of the Week, Top 5 Bets of the Week, and NFL Betting Lines- Odds and Line Comparison, as well as the NCAA Football and over under segment, have all proven to be big hits for much of the season. Along with the podcasts, Miller also posts stories on the How to Bet website for the Thursday Night Football Bets, the Sunday Night Football Bets, the Monday Night Football Bets, and an overview of the whole week’s upcoming NFL Betting Lines, including all the opening lines and the current spreads, so bettors can have up to date lines all the way up until kickoff. With the playoffs now in sight, for both NCAA football and the NFL, the crew hopes to pick it up a notch, for all the bettors watching, and reading, around the world. “We had to battle for a few weeks there, right there around the middle of the season, when there were upsets every time I checked the scores,” Miller said. “It was a little bit crazy. But Daryl and I have been pretty hot over the last few weeks. I know personally my picks have been winning money, and that is the name of the game here for bettors. “There are 14 NFL games each week, and in the coming weeks we will start getting 16 games again. We try to focus on the games that we think will make the bettors the most money. It is hard to say the easiest games to pick, because there are no easy games. This season has been very tough to figure out: teams are up and down, and there have been so many unpredictable results. But what I, and I know Daryl, try to do is find a bet that might be more predictable. “There are some hot teams right now, and if you have been riding the Dolphins, Chiefs, or Washington, you could be sitting pretty right now. Then, of course, you can also find a lot of prop bets to play. If you can hit a +300 or +400 bet or two, you are already ahead for the week.” One of the things that has been most challenging to the duo is the chaos of the 2021 NFL season: entering Week 14, only six (and you could make an argument really only four) of the 32 teams are out of the playoff race with just four weeks to go. There are still two divisions (AFC North and AFC West) with all four teams at.500 or better, and the AFC has 12 teams at.500 or greater, and another, the Miami Dolphins, just one game under, which is a record for this late in a season. Of course, this is the first 17-game campaign ever, so we might see some more mayhem in the coming month. “I just think this season has been so interesting to watch, and of course to try to handicap and bet,” Miller said. “There are six games this week between teams that are between 5-7 and 8-6. Those teams are obviously not the elite of the season, but if you just look at what the Kansas City Chiefs have done of late, Washington, or Miami, if you can get hot right now and get into the playoffs, you will think you have a chance. “Just remember, last year, Tampa Bay was an afterthought as a Wild Card, and then won three games in a row to play the Super Bowl at home. Could one of the teams sitting there, down the standings, do the same in February?” One thing is for sure, though, through all of this chaos: the How to Bet crew is going to be pushing forward for the next month, getting ready for the NFL playoffs, and of course the BCS Playoffs at the end of December. About HowToBet.com HowToBet.com offers one of the world’s most comprehensive betting guides that can be accessed via a user-friendly web app. Its mission is to help make online betting safe, fun and as easy as performing a search on the web. There are already more than 400+ how-to guides freely available, all written by seasoned betting professionals. More guides are being added on a weekly basis in a continued effort to educate anyone interested in what is now a $199 billion betting industry. For more details, visit: https://www.howtobet.com/about-us/. Contact Details HowToBet.com Cristian Campan +45 50 30 42 66 cristian.campan@raketech.com Company Website https://www.howtobet.com

December 08, 2021 07:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

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