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ClickHouse infrastructure provider ChistaDATA raises US$3m as it builds Open Source function

ChistaDATA

ChistaDATA, which aims to build the fastest and the most scalable managed ClickHouse implementations in the world, has raised USD 3 million in a pre-Series A round of funding from Sequoia Capital India. The startup plans to use the funds raised to develop a fully-open source ClickHouse server among other orchestration tools that address automation and DevOps for enterprise-grade ColumnStore solutions. It will also focus on developing ChistaDATA Cloud - a completely autonomous and self-healing cloud-native ClickHouse offering that can be provisioned and paid for by data volume and without requiring customers to think about servers and DevOps. The funds raised will also be used to strengthen the team with research, engineering, marketing, and brand hires. Data powers the modern economy and every enterprise today is making data-driven decisions, based on sophisticated business intelligence to create value for stakeholders across the ecosystem. This has led to a huge demand for cloud data warehouses (CDW) that are typically closed-source and have a high total cost of ownership (TCO). Adding to this, the ever-growing analytics bills predicated on usage-based pricing, complete vendor lock-in (given the sheer volume of critical business data stored and analyzed on these platforms), and compromised platform configurability, which is entirely dependent on the vendor’s product strategy, have emerged as pain points. Notably, the data analytics market is expected to create a value chain of USD 300 billion in the consumer facing internet economy by 2025. The current ecosystem is dominated by the cloud giants and/or closed source solutions, and customers are clamoring for an open-source solution (that preserves their optionality and freedom) that is autonomous and self-managed. Enter ChistaDATA, which is committed to building free and open source enterprise-class ClickHouse for both on-premise and cloud. The startup was founded in 2021 by serial entrepreneur Shiv Iyer who is one of the world’s foremost database experts with over 22 years of experience in open source database systems (both transaction processing systems and ColumnStores) with core expertise in performance, scalability and database reliability engineering. Shiv has worked with some of the largest internet companies like Twitter, Pinterest, Garmin, PayPal, managing approximately 100 PB (consolidated database infrastrastructure size) of data. His passion for database systems performance engineering has driven him to build an open source database systems company for planet-scale internet businesses. ChistaDATA is building the world’s first fully-autonomous ClickHouse server on cloud for data analytics ecosystem with automatic provisioning, scaling, tuning, security, fault tolerance and failover, backup, patching, and more. Interestingly, the ChistaDATA team has forked the original ClickHouse codebase developed by Yandex, a Russian search giant, and re-written it to a great extent, creating their own version called ‘ChistaDATA server for ClickHouse,’ which delivers higher and better performance benchmarks at a lower cost of operation. This implementation, which is entirely compatible with the classic ClickHouse, is ~4X faster through implementation of high performance LSM stores. The 100% open source ClickHouse distribution from ChistaDATA is owned by ChistaDATA Foundation (a not-for-profit committed to building enterprise-class open source ClickHouse and other orchestration tools) and thus, ChistaDATA’s customers will always have access to the open source ChistaDATA ClickHouse server, retaining customers on the back of superior service and ROI, and not on vendor lock-in. "Building a fully open source deep-tech ColumnStore business around ClickHouse for both on-premises and cloud platforms involves long-term commitment to community contributors and other stakeholders of the ecosystem like customers, partners, etc. This also means the core team of ChistaDATA and investors should understand the culture of this business, value creation and impact our platforms make in data-powered economies. When I decided to start ChistaDATA Corporation, my first phone call was to Anandamoy from Sequoia Capital India, he quickly helped us structure the formation of the company. The firm is also a hands-on investor committed to supporting on both, strategic and tactical needs." Shiv Iyer, Founder and Principal of ChistaDATA Inc. “When Shiv told us of his intention to create a managed service around ClickHouse, it represented the confluence of a massive technology trend with a special founder. We’re excited to work with Shiv to build what we believe is a compelling 100% OSS company to emerge from our part of the world.” Anandamoy Roychowdhary, Principal, Sequoia India Some of the world’s largest companies like Orange Telecommunications, Applied Materials, DHL, Netflix, National Geographic, BBC etc. depend on ChistaDATA ClickHouse Support and Managed Services for building optimal, scalable and highly reliable Database Infrastructure Operations for web-scale analytics platforms. As businesses start to scale more dramatically than in the past, managed services are an increasingly popular option for them. managed services provide very strong up-time SLA’s (service level agreements). These are fulfilled by the MSP’s performance and troubleshooting team. ChistaData aims to build the best and most reliable Clickhouse in the cloud with the highest up-time guarantees in 2022 so that its customers will have automatic, adaptive, and relevant diagnostic data collection for any application and automated problem detection, troubleshooting and improvement recommendations. About ChistaDATA ChistaDATA is a full-stack ClickHouse infrastructure operations consulting, support and managed Services provider with core expertise in performance, scalability and data SRE. Headquartered in the US, California, the team is also based in Canada, UK, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Australia, Singapore and India to deliver 24/7 enterprise-class consultative support and managed services. ChistaDATA users include the largest and planetscale internet properties like PayPal, Garmin, Honda cars IoT project, Viacom, National Geographic, Nike, Morgan Stanley, American Express Travel, VISA, Netflix, PRADA, Blue Dart, Carlsberg, Sony, Unilever among others. 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 48 years of tribal knowledge and lessons learned working with companies like Airbnb, Alibaba, Apple, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn and Stripe early on. From the beginning, non-profits have been the backbone of our LP base, which means founders' accomplishments make a meaningful difference. The majority of our profits are returned to great causes, like the Ford Foundation, Mayo Clinic and MIT. For more information on Sequoia's work in India and SE Asia, visit sequoiacap.com/india Contact Details ChistaDATA Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://chistadata.com/

January 27, 2022 09:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

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SuperOps.ai Raises $14m funding round as it boosts the Managed Service Providers industry

SuperOps.ai

SuperOps.ai, a unified Professional Services Automation ( PSA ) and Remote Monitoring and Management ( RMM ) platform, announces $14 million raised in new funding, enabling the company to disrupt the stagnant Managed Service Providers (MSP) market and take on legacy vendors with its newly launched AI-powered PSA-RMM platform. In beta since May 2021, SuperOps.ai now reveals the launch of its full-service platform, having already worked with over 30 clients to build a platform that meets the needs of MSPs. The Series A fund raise was led by Addition and Tanglin Venture Partners, with participation from existing investors, Matrix Partners India and Elevation Capital, as well as angel investors, Giovanni Sanguily (CEO of Honey CRM), Sidharth Malik (CEO of CleverTap), Noel Wax and Lisa Woods (CEO and COO of Groundswell Group), and Abhi Kumar (Partner at M12 Ventures). As the MSP industry has seen little innovation over the last few decades, customers have been forced to work with clunky, outdated, and slow software. SuperOps.ai has entered the market to change the status quo, providing a unified PSA-RMM platform that is incredibly fast, powerful, intuitive and sleek – a stark contrast to the alternative – primarily on-premise software, known to be disjointed, slow and outdated. According to Arvind Parthiban, SuperOps.ai Co-founder and CEO, “The MSP space is in desperate need of innovation and modern software to replace the existing legacy solutions. Customers have been stuck with bloated and extremely outdated on-premise tools. SuperOps.ai is here to modernize the industry and provide users with smart, AI-powered, cloud-based software that is more efficient and effective. With our AI-powered PSA-RMM platform, clients can now focus on the core business and leave the old hurdles behind.” Multiple surveys and studies have shown that MSPs face several challenges, such as increasing complexity in the tech demands of clients, difficulty in finding capable talent, customer acquisition issues, and struggles of managing multiple tools and platforms. MSPs currently use PSA and RMM tools that were not built to work together and require additional tools and plugins for requirements like IT Documentation or Project Management. SuperOps.ai is a unified PSA-RMM platform, so everything is seamless. All the tools an MSP needs, including IT Documentation or Project Management, is available within the platform. Most importantly, SuperOps.ai is built entirely on the cloud, so MSPs can deploy their services through a tool built with today’s technology and capabilities. In addition, SuperOps.ai boasts a number of features, automations, workflows, and runbooks in ticketing that enable an MSP to proactively deal with their client’s IT issues and be on top of operations. SuperOps.ai has launched Intelligent Alerting to further improve MSP productivity, cutting through the noise and highlighting the alert that is most critical to ensuring happy clients. SuperOps.ai has built their platform by identifying the numerous downfalls of legacy technology. In doing so, they have revealed enormous opportunities for growth and innovation to be realized. The global managed services market is projected to grow from $243.33 billion in 2021 to $557.10 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 12.6% in the forecast period of 2021-28. The MSP industry is estimated to have over 150,000 players—a majority of them SMB businesses employing just a handful of technicians. SuperOps.ai’s investors have also recognized this opportunity and applaud the company’s pioneering efforts in challenging the status quo. “We’re excited to support SuperOps.ai as they bring about a much-needed change in the MSP space, a field that has not yet benefited from the pace of technological innovation seen across most other industries. SuperOps.ai’s vision of bringing AI and automation to MSPs is being driven by an impressive and solutions-focused team, and we look forward to partnering with them as they lead the digital transformation of the MSP market,” said Lee Fixel of Addition. In speaking to these realities, Tarun Davda, Managing Director at Matrix India, remarked, “Arvind and Jayakumar are experts on the MSP market and over the last few months, the SuperOps.ai team has built a category redefining product with exciting customer feedback. We're delighted to be doubling down on our investment in SuperOps.ai as they transform how MSPs operate and welcome Addition and Tanglin to the partnership.” Akarsh Shrivastava, Principal at Elevation Capital, said, “PSA and RMM software form the backbone of MSP operations. Current products used by IT MSPs were created years, if not decades, back. SuperOps.ai has reimagined these products for MSPs, which not only make it extremely easy and seamless for MSPs but also equips them to handle challenges that come with tailwinds like cloud migration and remote work. We have always been fascinated by Arvind and Jay’s understanding of the space and the team they have built. Super excited to double down on our partnership.” The unwavering trends of cloud-first environments, as well as the increased demands and nuances of remote workforce realities, further demonstrate the need for modern technologies that support distributed organizations. SuperOps.ai is now capable and ready to be the innovative force that adapts the industry—improving the effectiveness and efficiency of MSPs and IT delivery service providers globally. About SuperOps.ai SuperOps.ai is a PSA-RMM platform powered by AI and intelligent automation, built for modern MSPs. The company was founded in 2020 by serial entrepreneur Arvind Parthiban and Jayakumar Karumbasalam, who have a combined experience of over 35 years in the IT industry. CEO, Arvind, created the leading marketing automation software—Zarget, which was acquired by Freshworks. Jayakumar, the CTO and CPO, has worked with Zoho, Optus, and Freshworks, where he was heading and building data platforms. Now, both have entered the MSP space to transform the industry, introducing the modern alternative - SuperOps.ai - pioneering a bright future in the market. About Matrix Partners India Matrix Partners India is an investment firm with approximately $1 billion under management. Founded in 2006, the firm invests in companies targeting the Indian consumer and enterprise market at the seed, early, and early growth stages. Matrix India has invested in several market-leading companies such as Ola (mobility), Dailyhunt (mobile local language platform), Razorpay (payments), OfBusiness (B2B Commerce, fintech), Five Star Business Finance (SME lending), Ola Electric (electric vehicles), DealShare (social commerce platform), Stanza Living (tech-enabled student housing platform), OneCard (mobile-first credit card), Country Delight (D2C dairy & fresh foods brand), GoKwik (e-commerce enablement platform), Captain Fresh (seafood marketplace), Bijnis (B2B platform for factories), MoEngage (intelligent marketing cloud platform), Mswipe (mobile POS), Zupee (leading skill-based gaming app) Rockelane (B2B SaaS startup) and Itilite (corporate travel SaaS platform) among others. Matrix India has advisory offices in Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai. Matrix Partners has a global network of funds investing in the US, China, and India, with approximately $5 billion under management. Further information is available at www.matrixpartners.in. To know more about our investment philosophy & ideologies, check out the #MatrixMoments podcast series. About Elevation Capital Elevation Capital is a leading venture capital firm which provides seed and early stage capital for emerging companies in India. Elevation Capital has been investing in India since 2002 and is currently investing out of its seventh pool of capital. The firm is led by Co-Managing Partners Ravi Adusumalli and Mukul Arora, along with three Managing Directors Mridul Arora, Deepak Gaur and Mayank Khanduja. The firm has invested in over 150 companies across Consumer Internet, SaaS, Fintech, D2C, Edtech, Healthtech and Web3/Crypto, and has offices in Bengaluru, Gurgaon and Salt Lake City. Contact Details SuperOps.ai Radhika P Nair pr@superops.ai Company Website https://superops.ai/

January 27, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Selects OnePlace Collaboration & Content Suite for Matter-Centric Document Management

Intapp

Intapp (NASDAQ: INTA), a leading provider of cloud-based software for the global professional and financial services industries, today announced that South African corporate law firm, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) has selected the OnePlace Collaboration & Content suite to deliver a collaborative, matter-centric document management solution, built on the firm’s Microsoft 365 platform investment. CDH, an award-winning firm with offices in South Africa and Kenya, will use Intapp solutions in tandem with Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, and Office to efficiently connect its most important assets: people, processes, and data. Intapp collaboration and content solutions simplify collaboration, enhance compliance, automate governance, and help professional services firms deliver better client outcomes. As a part of this suite, CDH will use the following components: Intapp Workspaces to extend Microsoft Teams with matter-centric collaboration, 360-degree insights, and automatic lifecycle management Intapp Documents to deploy matter-centric document management capabilities, automatically filing emails and attachments to Microsoft SharePoint “We wanted to remove the constraints experienced by a traditional document management system, as it was time to progress from our legacy on-premises document management system to a cloud-based solution that bridges the gap between the standard Microsoft applications our lawyers use daily and the advanced document management experience they expect,” said Ralph Hopkins, Head of Information Technology at CDH. “CDH continuously seeks advancing technologies in an effort to efficiently serve the evolving needs of our clients. By moving to Intapp solutions, we anticipate internal benefits like, increased productivity and enhanced knowledge management across all spheres of the firm.” “We’re thrilled that Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr is looking at its cloud and data strategies holistically and chose the OnePlace Collaboration & Content suite to enhance collaboration, document management, and knowledge management across the firm,” said Alan McMillen, General Manager, Collaboration and Content Solutions, Intapp. “After implementation, they’ll be able to effectively manage all content within their Microsoft 365 platform and allow for future innovation like leveraging Microsoft’s advanced data governance capabilities and newer technologies like Viva.” CDH will work with Cloud Essentials, a Microsoft Gold Partner with extensive experience delivering solutions to large clients, including law firms, banks, insurance companies, and government agencies, to oversee the transition to the Intapp suite. Cloud Essentials’ specialists will help build a modern vision for content management at the firm, including compliance advisory to ensure implementation is built on secure and compliant foundations across the Microsoft ecosystem. “The team at Cloud Essentials brings its experience and passion to the process of wireframing and migration design, guiding detailed decision making and reducing risk at every step,” said Hopkins. “Following the migration, the ongoing partnership will ensure we get maximum value from the new solution, and realize the cost savings from decommissioning the legacy on-premises server estate.” About Intapp Intapp makes the connected firm possible. We provide cloud software solutions that address the unique operating challenges and regulatory requirements of the global professional and financial services industry. Our solutions help more than 1,950 of the world’s premier private capital, investment banking, legal, accounting, and consulting firms connect their most important assets: people, processes, and data. As part of a connected firm, professionals gain easy access to the information they need to win more business, increase investment returns, streamline deal and engagement execution, and strengthen risk management and compliance. For more information, visit intapp.com and connect with us on Twitter ( @intapp ) and LinkedIn. Intapp and OnePlace are registered trademarks of Integration Appliance, Inc., or its subsidiaries. Various trademarks held by their respective owners. About Cloud Essentials As vibrant content management specialists, Cloud Essentials help their clients to maximize value from Microsoft. They have a wealth of experience in complex migrations and drive innovation whilst ensuring the approach to security and compliance is robust. As such they’re able to deliver a full ‘end to end’ partnership for the transition to Intapp, and ongoing success with the platform. For more information visit cloudessentials.com and connect with us via Twitter (@cloud_essential) and LinkedIn. About Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) CDH is a full-service corporate law firm, with offices throughout South Africa, Nairobi in Kenya, and an extensive reach across Africa. Consisting of more than 350 lawyers and a track record spanning over 168 years, the award-winning law firm is able to provide experienced legal support and an authentic knowledge-based and cost-effective legal service for clients. CDH focuses on a number of key sectors which are active and thriving in Africa, including (but not limited to); mergers & acquisitions, competition law, corporate & commercial law, commercial real estate, energy & power, oil & gas, finance & banking, healthcare & pharmaceuticals, and technology, media & communications. For more information visit cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com, or connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Contact Details Intapp Ali Robinson +1 612-232-0062 ali.robinson@intapp.com Company Website http://www.intapp.com

January 27, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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The Customer Experience Market Ecosystem is Being Transformed by a High Level of Consolidation and Investment Activity, According to Dash Research

Dash Network

The customer experience (CX) market ecosystem is a broad web of solutions and technologies aimed at smoothing out a customer’s journey from start to finish and providing a personalized and engaging experience. On the technology provider side, these solutions aim to increase loyalty and satisfaction, optimize revenue, and allow for better targeting and retention. According to a new report from Dash Research, this market landscape has been developing at a rapid pace for more than a decade, however recent shifts in industry priorities and business models are now creating a period of significant change as mergers & acquisitions, investment activity, and new business formation reshape the constellation of market participants. Dash Research’s analysis indicates that COVID-19 in particular has resulted in an abrupt, but sustained move to digital, causing a large increase in the digital customer data stream and a greater focus on housing, analyzing, and interpreting this data. In addition, customers have grown to accept and even look for increased personalization during their customer journey touchpoints, allowing this deluge of data to be leveraged by companies aiming for deeper relationships and more engagement. “The CX market itself encompasses large players, such as Oracle or Adobe, as well as smaller companies carving out a niche in areas like personalization or customer feedback,” says senior analyst Sherril Hanson. “There are pure play companies included in the ecosystem, but many companies span multiple market segments both within and outside of CX.” Hanson adds that even established market participants are in the midst of significant change. For instance, contact centers have needed to pivot their technology and workflows to account for increased omnichannel usage and remote agents. And tied to these new demands is a greater focus on employee experience (EX), as support employees and others in the labor force have needed to respond to fast-changing models. Driven by these changes and other emerging trends, Dash Research anticipates that continued consolidation, repositioning, and investment will all continue to make the CX market a rapidly evolving ecosystem for at least the next few years. Dash Research’s report, “CX Market Ecosystem”, outlines six segments in the CX ecosystem: customer data & analytics, personalization & optimization, customer insights & feedback, contact center, customer relationship management (CRM), and employee experience (EX). The report provides an overview of the market in general and includes a brief discussion of industry trends in each segment. Dash Research has included profiles on 150 companies in the CX space. There is an additional list of 100 other industry participants included in the report, as well as an Excel-based summary of key facts and figures for the companies. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website. Dash Research, the market intelligence arm of Dash Network, provides in-depth research and insights on the worldwide CX market including a comprehensive assessment of technology solutions, business issues, market drivers, and end-user dynamics across industry sectors. Dash Research’s global market coverage combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a complete view of emerging business opportunities surrounding contact center technologies, customer data & analytics, customer data platforms, customer insights & feedback, customer relationship management, personalization & optimization, and employee experience. For more information, visit www.dashresearch.com or call +1.720.603.1700. Contact Details Dash Research Clint Wheelock +1 720-603-1700 press@dashnetwork.com Company Website http://www.dashnetwork.com

January 27, 2022 08:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

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First United States Open Registry to be Launched in Washington, DC

COPE

A landmark Revitalization Plan for US Maritime Trade, Commerce and Strategic Competition to support and assist in resolving America’s supply chain crisis, ensure maritime sovereignty and security, and revitalize maritime commerce will be launched at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on February 1, 2022, at 1:30PM with remarks by Ambassador John D. Negroponte, the first U.S. Director of National Intelligence and former Deputy Secretary of State; the Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Honorable Albert Bryan, Jr.; and President Eric R. Dawicki of the Northeast Maritime Institute. Highlights of the Plan include the formation of the first U.S. open registry, and other maritime initiatives designed to make the United States more competitive and propel it into a stronger leadership position as a maritime nation. Governor Bryan and President Dawicki will participate in the signing of a historic agreement between the U.S. Virgin Islands and Northeast Maritime Institute which features the collaboration on the development of the first open U.S. registry. Following initial remarks outlining the Revitalization Plan, there will be a panel discussion moderated by Jeremy Greenwood, a Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Strobe Talbott Center on Security, Strategy, and Technology. Panel participants include Stephen Flynn, PhD, Founding Director of the Center for Global Resilience at Northeastern University, leading Homeland Security advisor under the Bush and Obama administrations, and global expert on supply chain resilience; Admiral James Watson, Northeast Maritime Institute Trustee and former Director of Prevention Policy for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship at the United States Coast Guard and the first Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the US Department of Interior; Captain Anuj Chopra, Co-Founder & CEO of FNI ESGPlus; Carleen Lyden Walker, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association, and Captain John Konrad, Founder and CEO of gCaptain. Additional commentary will be provided by Nishan Degnarain, former Chairman of the World Economic Forum – Global Agenda Council on Oceans; Jonathan Kempe, Verifai Australia; and Dr. Sal Mercogliano, PhD, Campbell University. Remarks from all are expected to cover topics such as decarbonization of shipping, capital investment in new technologies, supply chain security, transparency in shipping, economic growth opportunities, the status of the U.S. maritime industry, U.S. national security interests, and more. The event will outline how implementation of the Revitalization Plan for US Maritime Trade, Commerce and Strategic Competition will provide economic stability and environmental protection, as well as revitalize the position of the United States as a major competitor in international maritime trade and commerce while enhancing national security, both domestically and internationally. A Revitalization Plan for US Maritime Trade, Commerce and Strategic Competition was developed by a team of Distinguished Fellows at the Northeast Maritime Institute – Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE) and advised by an array of leading thinkers in the maritime industry. Key elements of the plan include: Formation of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ open international ship registry—the first, and only, international U.S. open ship registry. Development of a short sea transshipment hub in the Caribbean to alleviate supply chain congestion by moving a portion of east coast distribution from land to sea and increasing the number of ports importing ever-increasing quantities of goods from overseas. Build public/private/international partnerships to address strategic maritime issues, increase transparency and enforce legal and ethical standards. Establish and implement a green shipping strategy, including decarbonization of the U.S.-flagged fleet. Establishing a Maritime Venture Capital Fund to finance commercially advanced technologies that solve maritime and ocean industry problems with a focus on environmental vulnerabilities. Modernization of the maritime workforce by deploying state of the art education and training tools in the US and abroad. Additional information can be found at COPE Advanced registration to attend this event will be required for access to the live stream. About Northeast Maritime Institute Northeast Maritime Institute (also called NMI) is a private, coeducational, maritime college offering an Associate in Applied Science in Nautical Science degree. Established in 1981, Northeast Maritime Institute is the only private maritime college in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college was originally established to provide an alternative to traditional education and training, with an emphasis on preparing mariners for employment. Graduates receive an Associate degree and are eligible to receive a United States Coast Guard Masters license upon graduation. The college operates a training ship, the M/V Navigator, as well as the brigantine tall ship S/V Fritha. About COPE The Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE) is hosted by the Northeast Maritime Institute – College of Maritime Science: Created to tackle some of the ocean’s “wicked problems.” A culmination of years of extensive research and conversations with leading experts in the maritime and ocean related fields, COPE is a facilitator for cogent maritime and ocean policy and economic development project initiatives linking academic, corporate, non-governmental, and governmental partners to create impactful solutions. Contact Details COPE Carleen Walker +1 203-260-0480

January 25, 2022 07:51 PM Eastern Standard Time

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NCMA Selects New Chief Learning Officer

National Contract Management Association

The National Contract Management Association (NCMA) has named Michelle Currier Chief Learning Officer to lead education, training, and innovative practices for the association. Currier has been a member of NCMA since 1980 and was President of the Board from 2001-2002. Prior to joining NCMA, she served as Professor of Contract Management at the Defense Acquisition University (DAU). She brings a wealth of real-world experience from her 42-year career, having served with distinction as a Contracting Officer, Division Chief, Deputy Director Small Business and Director of Contracts at the Naval Research Laboratory, Military Sealift Command, Small Business Administration, Naval Sea Systems Command, and the Army Contracting Command. She is an NCMA Fellow who has received numerous awards and recognitions and has earned both the Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) and Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) designations. “We’re excited to have Michelle lead our efforts to inspire and prepare the workforce,” says Kraig Conrad, CEO of NCMA. “There is no better leader in contract management who is more aligned with our mission and as passionate about our members’ careers.” “One of the biggest challenges in the years ahead revolves around the increasing pace of change in the contract management profession,” Currier said. “Professional development must be ready with innovative programs and resources that ensure skills and knowledge are transferred to our next generation of leaders.” Michelle will officially join NCMA on February 1, 2022. The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), which was founded in 1959 and is the world’s leading association in the field of contract management. The organization, which has over 18,000 members, is dedicated to the professional growth and educational advancement of procurement and acquisition personnel worldwide. NCMA strives to serve and inform the profession and industry it represents and to offer opportunities for the open exchange of ideas in neutral forums. To find out more, please visit www.ncmahq.org. Contact Details NCMA Jennifer Knowlton +1 571-382-1127 jennifer.knowlton@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

January 25, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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The Retail Industry Customer Experience Market Will Reach $10.9 Billion in Revenue by 2026, According to Dash Research

Dash Network

The COVID-19 pandemic and its related recovery trajectory have impacted a wide range of industries, but perhaps none as visible as retail and e-tail. Disruptions to both customer-facing processes (shopping, purchasing, and returns), as well as operational processes (distribution, shipping, and employee/customer safety procedures) forced retailers to deploy new procedures and tools to ensure customers’ needs were met, or accelerate existing plans to place more attention on a customer’s total experience with the retailer. According to a recent report from Dash Research, the global market for retail industry customer experience (CX) and customer engagement (CE) software and services continues to experience robust growth amidst the pandemic recovery. The market intelligence firm forecasts that the global retail CX/CE market will reach $10.9 billion by 2026, up from $5.9 billion in 2019, reflecting a 2019-2026 compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1%. North America, with its large concentration of software vendors and huge base of large, multinational retailers, will lead the forecast, generating $6.3 billion in 2026 revenue, up from $2.5 billion in 2019. North America’s leadership position is also due to the relatively less restrictive privacy and data sharing laws that are currently in place in the region, compared with Europe, and the willingness of North American customers to trade access to data for both perceived and real shopping benefits. “While CX improvements are largely driven by organizational change management, software is increasingly being used to support these initiatives by managing and making available the plethora of customer data that is captured and aggregated from a variety of sources,” says principal analyst Keith Kirkpatrick. “Whether taking a platform approach or using disparate applications, the goal is to enable a 360-degree view of the customer’s interactions with the retailer, while simultaneously removing the friction points and barriers that can interfere with promptly and intelligently responding to sales queries, service requests, or complaints.” Kirkpatrick adds that the key market drivers spurring the growth of CX software and services in the retail industry include the following: The operational and behavioral shifts that were the results of the rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent reopening process Increasing customer expectations for consistent and seamless omnichannel experiences The growing use of CX to improve sales channel effectiveness An increasing use of zero-party and first-party data to support omnichannel experiences Dash Research’s report, “CX in the Retail Industry”, looks at the current and future market issues, market drivers and barriers, and case studies within the retail CX/CE industry. Market forecasts include segmentations by geography, functional area, product offering, and visibility to the customer. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the changes in the retail segment that were driven by a staggered reopening, are also discussed. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website. Dash Research, the market intelligence arm of Dash Network, provides in-depth research and insights on the worldwide CX market including a comprehensive assessment of technology solutions, business issues, market drivers, and end-user dynamics across industry sectors. Dash Research’s global market coverage combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a complete view of emerging business opportunities surrounding contact center technologies, customer data & analytics, customer data platforms, customer insights & feedback, customer relationship management, personalization & optimization, and employee experience. For more information, visit www.dashresearch.com or call +1.720.603.1700. Contact Details Dash Research Clint Wheelock +1 720-603-1700 press@dashnetwork.com Company Website http://www.dashnetwork.com

January 25, 2022 06:05 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Jason Carris Buys Independent Print Shop and Converts Business to Minuteman Press Franchise in Red Bank, NJ

Minuteman Press International Inc

Jason Carris is the new owner of Minuteman Press in Red Bank, NJ, which is part of the Middletown Township. Utilizing the Minuteman Press Franchise Conversion Program, Jason purchased independent print shop All American Print & Copy Center, which was in business for 40 years, and took over the location in September 2021. Jason says, “ The biggest advantage of buying this business was having an established clientele. We did our research and made sure the owners were respected by their clients. There was also 40 years of history and track record as well.” What is it like for Jason to be a new local business owner in Red Bank? He says, “Once you make that leap, it’s a very exciting experience to own your own business. We have a vibrant community here and I see the long-term growth potential. I am looking forward to making Minuteman Press a real pillar and trusted business partner in Red Bank / Middletown Township.” Jason further explains, “I think we have a tremendous opportunity to expand our wide format printing business with banners, posters, and signage remaining in high demand for our clients. I am also looking forward to bolstering our in-house mailing and direct mail services to help other local businesses reach their target audiences.” Prior to franchising, Jason worked in medical publishing and digital marketing. He also ran a number of small consulting businesses in his career. He says, “A combination of things – including the pandemic and economic forces – made me decide to go fully into business ownership. My wife Renee has an entrepreneurial spirt as well.” He adds, “ Minuteman Press International and our Regional Vice President Jim Galasso guided us through the purchase of the business step by step. Jim made the process easier to manage and I couldn’t have done this on my own without the help from the team at Minuteman Press.” Why Minuteman Press? Jason answers, “We did a lot of research and Minuteman Press jumped out to us on a number of levels. They were on a lot of top franchise lists, they appealed to people who hadn’t owned a business, and the business seemed easy to learn. In addition to being a highly respected franchise, Minuteman Press had a reasonable cost of entry and I appreciate their cap on royalties.” He continues, “The support has been wonderful. Because there is a 40-year history of the independent print shop we purchased, we have been transitioning the business. It’s great to have the training and support especially since I had not run a business of this scope before.” When asked about the keys to making that leap and becoming a business owner, Jason shares, “I think the two biggest keys to owning a business are to really make sure you feel 100% comfortable with the business model, and to believe in your products and services. Also, it is important to be proactive but also have patience after buying the business. Think about growth potential, and understand there is a learning curve. That’s normal for everyone.” Minuteman Press in Red Bank is located at 518 Route 35, Red Bank, NJ 07701. For more information, call 732-758-6200 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/nj/red-bank. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. For more information on the Minuteman Press Franchise Conversion Program, visit https://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

January 24, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Chicago Heights Glass Sues Reflection Window & Wall for Patent Infringement of Talon Wall® System

Chicago Heights Glass

Chicago Heights Glass, Inc., a longstanding leader in commercial high-rise façade construction in the Chicago metropolitan area, and related entities recently filed a multi-count, federal patent infringement lawsuit against former employee Joel J. Phelps and Reflection Window & Wall, LLC (RWW), and others. The plaintiffs, including Chicago Heights Glass, Inc., Talon Wall Holdings, LLC, and Entekk Group Ltd., patented a revolutionary exterior aluminum and glass wall construction system for commercial buildings, known as Talon Wall®, which greatly reduces the labor, material, and installation costs for curtain wall systems on high-rise buildings. They are marketing and installing it nationwide. The Talon Wall system is stronger, less expensive, and easier to install than traditional façade systems. According to the lawsuit, Phelps and RWW have created and have installed a knock-off building façade called “Uwall or “U-8000” that incorporates the patented Talon Wall system. The lawsuit further alleges that the defendants knowingly violated the Talon Wall patents. Contracts to construct exterior façade walls for commercial medium and high-rise structures are frequently worth $5-50 million. The lawsuit seeks damages and asks the court to enjoin the defendants from using the patented Talon Wall System. According to the lawsuit, additional contracts to use the knock-off system have been proposed by the defendants for planned high-rise buildings in Chicago and elsewhere. For many years, high-rise buildings have been enclosed in aluminum and glass facades using systems developed decades ago. Chicago Heights Glass Inc. President Kurt LeVan invented the Talon Wall system, which differs significantly from traditional methods by attaching prefabricated glass and aluminum panels to the building floor slabs in a unique fashion. Installing prefabricated aluminum and glass panels this way makes them stronger, easier to fabricate, and easier to install by much smaller work crews. The Talon Wall system is therefore superior to and dramatically less expensive than traditional methods, and the Talon Wall system has become the preferred standard for many high-rise construction projects. The lawsuit alleges that former Chicago Heights employee Phelps left the company abruptly in June of 2020. According to the lawsuit, he had substantial knowledge regarding the technical details, advantages, and market opportunities for the Talon Wall system. The lawsuit also states that Phelps was obligated to return certain materials to Chicago Heights but failed to do so. The lawsuit adds that armed with the confidential information about the Talon Wall system, Phelps was promptly hired by RWW, a direct competitor. The lawsuit further alleges that: “With full awareness that the Talon Wall System was a patented and superior product to anything being offered by RWW, Phelps both individually and in his capacity as an executive officer of RWW, along with RWW, created knock-off systems.” The lawsuit also names as defendants several construction companies and building owners, including: Pepper Construction Co., Provident Group UIC Surgery Center, LLC, LendLease (US) Construction Inc., 1400 Land Holdings, LLC, and others. According to the complaint, the UI Outpatient Surgery Center located at 1009 South Wood Street in Chicago was built with the knock-off system, and a new building at 1400 South Wabash is under contract to use the patent-infringing system. LeVan devised and developed the Talon Wall System over a period of years and went through the rigorous U.S. patent process. The company will continue to vigorously defend its intellectual property against such violations, including against contractors and building owners that use it. Chicago Heights Glass, Inc. is a privately owned specialty manufacturer and subcontracting firm located in the southern Chicago suburbs that specializes in commercial construction projects. More information on the company is available at www.chicagoheightsglass.com. The lawsuit can be downloaded here and at www.LawsuitPressRelease.com. Contact Details LawsuitPressRelease.com John P. David +1 888-859-6637 john@lawsuitpressrelease.com

January 24, 2022 08:01 AM Central Standard Time

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