Entertainment

Animation Dance E-Sports Entertainment/Celebrity Film Music Radio Restaurants Sports Television Theater Video Virtual Reality
News Release Digital Asset Direct

MY.GAMES Q2 Results Build Solid Performance with 18% YoY Revenue Growth for the First Half of 2021

MY.GAMES

MY.GAMES revenue in the first half of 2021 increased by 18% compared to the previous year and amounted to 22.1 billion rubles ($297m). EBITDA for the first half of the year increased by 42% and amounted to 4.1 billion rubles ($55m). Global gaming brand MY.GAMES (part of Mail.ru Group) today announced its results for Q2 2021 - with revenue increasing by 1% and surpassing Q2 2020 in absolute revenues. This is all despite no new internal game launches and no significant studio acquisitions year-to-date, as well as IDFA related changes and the base effect. MY.GAMES received 74% of their games revenue in Q2 2021 outside Russia and CIS with the key markets being the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom. The company currently has more than 20 titles in the pipeline and the investment division - MCVG - also continues to develop the international and domestic business. War Robots, Warface, Hustle Castle, Rush Royale and Grand Hotel Mania were the main revenue contributors in the second quarter of 2021. The mobile segment accounted for 77% of the total revenue of MY.GAMES. The company enjoyed consolidated success in Q2 - with updates to existing games performing well and hit mobile titles Rush Royale, Hustle Castle and War Robots, launching on PC Allods Team has announced the game Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread, a two-dimensional platformer with elements of metroidvania. The game will be available in early access from September this year. Release dates on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, XboxSeries X|S will be announced soon. The mobile game Rush Royale reached the mark of 9 million downloads, although it was released only in December last year, and monthly revenue in June approached 400 million rubles (5.4m USD), which set the project to one of the most successful launches in MY.GAMES history. The Warface franchise reached 117.4 million players worldwide on all platforms during the second quarter of 2021, and still remains among the top three in terms of revenue among MY.GAMES projects. On consoles, Warface has received a cross-play feature that unites more than 24 million PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch players on shared servers. The game has also been released on the Epic Games Store, which expands the games’ reach further. As part of MY.GAMES ongoing investment in Cloud development June saw a strategic investment in Playkey as well as release of the MY.GAMES Cloud BETA for Mac OS in the Russian domestic market - the platform currently boasts more than 300 games and over 100k monthly active users (MAU). Vasily Maguryan, CEO at MY.GAMES commented: "In the second quarter of 2021, we managed to demonstrate growth against the background of a significant decline in the overall dynamics of the global games market. This was achieved by MY.GAMES strategic approach to portfolio diversification and our focus on organic product growth. The company's revenue grew by 18% in the first half of 2021, despite the effect of the high base of the previous year. In addition, we continue to successfully increase business efficiency — the second quarter of 2021 was the best in terms of marginality (24%) since the beginning of 2020." Overall Highlights for Q2: MY.GAMES Q2 EBITDA stood at RUB 2.7bn ($36.4m), delivering 13% YoY growth, with a margin of 24%, with the division on track to deliver a small margin improvement in 2021 and double-digit organic growth. The games War Robots, Warface franchise, Hustle Castle, Rush Royale and Grand Hotel Mania were the largest revenue contributors for the quarter. Share of revenue coming from markets outside Russia & CIS stood at 74%, with the US, Germany and the UK having the largest share in international revenue. Average MAU stood at 21.4mn in Q2 with a 4.7% share of paying monthly users, roughly unchanged versus the level seen in Q2 2020, during the peak of lockdowns and therefore player engagement. Highlights for the US Market are: Mobile advertising revenue up 117% y/y w mobile MAU up 2% y/y. PC revenue up 34% y/y w paying users share up 64% y/y. CB new users up 193% y/y w MAU up 173% y/y and revenue up 347% y/y. Grand Hotel Mania regs up 57% y/y w MAU up 291% y/y and revenue up 688% y/y. Left to Survive MAU up 7% y/y and revenue up 21% y/y. ARPPU up 12% y/y. Storyngton Hall sales up 18% q/q. Tacticool new users up 91% y/y w MAU up 64% y/y and revenue up 69% y/y. %PU up 15% y/y. Zero City new users up 26% y/y w MAU up 40% y/y and revenue up 39% y/y. Highlights for the mobile portfolio are: The top-5 revenue generating titles in Q2 remained War Robots, Hustle Castle, Rush Royale, Grand Hotel Mania and Left to Survive. War Robots (2014, Pixonic studio) shooter reached 197mn users in June, with average monthly revenue of ~RUB 800mn ($10.8m) in Q2 and significant positive EBITDA contribution. The RPG, Hustle Castle (2017, Nord Studio), reached 70mn downloads, with RUB 400mn ($5.4m) in monthly revenue in Q2. Other highlights from Nord Studio included Zero City (~19mn downloads, RUB 150mn ($2m) in monthly revenue) and American Dad! Apocalypse Soon, which performed well, with 9mn cumulative downloads as of the end of Q2. The Grand Hotel Mania (2020, Deus Craft) - a time management game reached 12mn installs, with ~RUB 300mn ($4m) in monthly revenue in Q2. Left to Survive (2018, Whalekit) shooter reached 38mn downloads and exceeded RUB 200mn ($2.7m) in monthly revenue in Q2, with >20% YoY growth along with almost 2x EBITDA improvement. Whalekit’s other title, Warface: Global Operations (2020), reached 18mn downloads. The Rush Royale (2020, IT Territory studio) a tower defense game reached 9mn downloads since its launch in December with monthly revenue exceeding RUB 400mn ($5.4m) in June, which makes it one of the most successful launches in MY.GAMES history. Tacticool (2019, Panzerdog) top-down pvp mobile shooter game reached ~20mn downloads and achieved a new monthly revenue record of RUB 150mn+ ($2m) in April with >50% YoY revenue growth. Highlights for the PC and Console portfolio are: The Warface (2013, PC/console/mobile) first-person shooter franchise reached 117.4mn players worldwide across all platforms and remains a top-3 revenue generator for MY.GAMES. Warface cross-play became available on console, connecting over 24mn of its players across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch to the same server. Warface was also added to Epic Games Store, broadening distribution of this key franchise title. Allods Team has announced a new title – Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread, which is 2D action-adventure platformer with metroidvania elements. It's coming to Steam later this year. Launch dates on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S will be announced soon. Lost Ark (PC, licensed from Smilegate) MMORPG released an update on Russia language servers and also announced an update with a 19th new class Demon Hunter on Russian language servers. Tactical action MMO Conqueror's Blade (2019, PC, licensed from Booming Games) reached 3.4mn in users and showed >50% YoY revenue growth in Q2 after another game update rolled out in March. Free-to-play MMO Skyforge (2017, PC, Allods Team) reached 13mn in registered users. In Q2 MY.GAMES continued to port its own mobile titles to PC on MY.GAMES Store as part of internal cross-selling and cross-integration, with Rush Royale, War Robots and Hustle Castle released in Q2. Highlights for Strategic Investments are: As part of its Cloud development efforts, in June MY.GAMES completed consolidation of Playkey, while also releasing the beta of MY.GAMES Cloud on Mac OS, with 300+ games and 100k MAU. MY.GAMES Store launched MY.GAMES Boost - a crowdfunding service based on the internal Boosty.to service, allowing content creators to receive donations for their work. Follow us on: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter MY.GAMES is an international gaming brand (part of Mail.ru Group) and a leading online entertainment company. MY.GAMES comprises 11 regional offices in Russia, Europe and the US, over 1,800 staff, and 13 development studios. MY.GAMES creates titles for the PC, consoles, and mobile devices. The company operates over 80 projects, with more than 150 titles in its portfolio including War Robots, Hustle Castle, Left to Survive, Skyforge, and Allods Online. MY.GAMES portfolio includes renowned titles like Warface, ArcheAge, Perfect World, Revelation Online, Conqueror's Blade, Lost Ark, and more. Contact Details Renaissance PR Stefano Petrullo +44 7828 692315 stefano@renaissancepr.biz Renaissance PR Emily Britt +44 7530 081191 emily@renaissancepr.biz Renaissance PR Vincent Gallopin +1 323-898-9891 vincent@renaissancepr.biz

July 29, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

ASM GLOBAL ENTERS STRATEGIC ALLIANCE WITH HONEYWELL TO CREATE SMARTER AND SAFER VENUES

ASM Global

ASM Global announced a strategic alliance with Honeywell to help create smarter, safer and more sustainable venue operations and more enjoyable audience experiences across ASM’s international portfolio. ASM Global will work with Honeywell to establish new standards related to indoor air quality, safety and regulatory compliance for its VenueShield LIVE proprietary program for venue reopenings and operations. Honeywell will consult with ASM on guidelines related to deploying healthy buildings technology including indoor air quality, safety and security, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Honeywell will also create a custom, real-time Healthy Buildings dashboard for the VenueShield LIVE program to help ASM’s facilities staff quickly identify and correct critical building controls issues. The agreement runs through 2027. Additionally, Honeywell will work with the ASM Global venue network to deploy a variety of technologies that support smarter, safer and more sustainable venues to improve the overall guest experience, including solutions to enhance overall building operations; mobile computing and data capture technologies to expedite ticketing, concessions and retail experiences; and more environmentally preferable products to help the venues’ efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. ASM Global President and CEO Ron Bension said, “Aligning with Honeywell and its state-of-the-art technology will help ASM elevate even further what are already the world’s finest audience experiences at our venues.” “As vaccine programs progress around the world, the desire for normalcy continues to increase. Live events such as concerts, sports and conventions contribute greatly to the vigor and excitement of daily life,” said Jeff Kimbell, Honeywell senior vice president and chief commercial officer. “We look forward to working with the ASM Global team to not only help audiences feel more confident about coming to live events but also in supporting venue modernization and digitization by providing greater automation and insight into the portfolio performance and a more seamless audience experience.” VenueShield LIVE is deployed at more than 325 ASM Global facilities around the world, already providing high levels of cleanliness and safety, while inspiring consumer confidence, all in coordination with leading medical professionals, industry experts and public health officials. “Producing premier entertainment events takes skillful coordination, and the building itself is a critical part of the equation. Our experience in building technologies, services and operations can provide additional value to the VenueShield LIVE offering,” said Doug Wright, president and CEO, Honeywell Building Technologies. “We are excited to work with the ASM Global team to support a safer return to live events and help its diverse network of venues drive critical outcomes to enhance audience experience, improve operations, and meet energy efficiency or safety goals.” Honeywell’s Healthy Buildings solutions integrate air quality, safety and security technologies along with advanced analytics to improve indoor air quality while meeting energy efficiency goals to create a more productive and better occupant experience. ASM Global’s properties produce a vast array of events ranging from professional sports to family entertainment to conventions and premier concerts. More than 200 million people pass through its venue doors annually. The alliance with Honeywell was brokered by AEG Global Partnerships. About Honeywell Honeywell (honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services, control technologies for buildings and industry, and performance materials globally. Its technologies help aircrafts, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains and workers become more connected to make our world smarter and safer. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit honeywell.com/newsroom. About ASM Global ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. The company was formed by the combination of AEG Facilities and SMG, global leaders in venue and event strategy and management. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents with a portfolio of more than 300 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, conventions and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. From Aberdeen to Anchorage and Sydney to Stockholm, its venues fuel live entertainment worldwide. Contact Details breakwhitelight (for ASM Global) James Yeager +1 818-264-6812 jim@breakwhitelight.com Honeywell Megan McGovern +1 404-470-6339 Megan.mcgovern@honeywell.com Company Website http://asmglobal.com

July 26, 2021 07:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Image

MOVE Network Showcases Partnerships with UCOLLEX at Ani-Com HK 2021

MOVE Network

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 26 July 2021 - MOVE Network, the NFT aggregator, kick-started its collaboration with UCOLLEX at the 22nd Annual ACGHK Expo 23-26 July 2021. ACGHK (Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong) is one of the largest annual summer events held in Hong Kong. ACGHK is an expo that showcases a wide selection of animations, comics, games, e-sports, toys, figures, and collectibles. The MOVE Network x UCOLLEX booth held pride of place at the front of the ACG2021 event stage. During the event, MOVE Network and UCOLLEX announced their strategic partnership. MOVE Network x UCOLLEX intend to launch a NFT Blind Box Series called, “CREATORS COLLIDE”. This collection will be available on Opensea. The MOVE Network is growing from strength to strength. In the run up to the ACGHK Expo, the MOVE Network community increased tremendously. The strategic partnership between MOVE Network and UCOLLEX is yet another celebration for the MOVE Network community. The collaboration reinforces MOVE Network’s position as a leading NFT aggregator. About MOVE Network MOVE Network is a leading NFT aggregator covering a wide spectrum of NFT products. MOVE Network allows enterprises and start-ups to capture value by using blockchain technologies to trade, stake, create, and auction NFTs. Users can utilize the MOVE Network to own and trade NFT IPs in entertainment, music, artwork, and esports. Learn more about MOVE Network Website: http://www.MOVEnetwork.io/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MOVEMOVEnetwork Medium: https://medium.com/move-network Instagram: @movenetwork_official About UCOLLEX UCOLLEX is an innovative collectibles platform merging the physical collectibles market with digital asset creation offering a novel immersive collectable experience. UCOLLEX convergences the global toy market with merchandising sales and NFTs. UCOLLEX has also created a community-first platform the enables the sale and secure trading of digital (physical) IP assets. Contact Details MOVE Network Daniel Bokun, President & Co-Founder of MOVE Network marketing@MOVEnetwork.io Company Website http://www.MOVEnetwork.io/

July 26, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

TIM HORTONS® U.S. IS CELEBRATING CAMP DAY ON JULY 21 - CAMPAIGN HAS RAISED OVER $168 MILLION TO SUPPORT YOUTH FROM DISADVANTAGED CIRCUMSTANCES

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons U.S. restaurant owners are inviting Americans to help them celebrate Camp Day on July 21, when 100 percent of the purchases of hot coffee and iced coffee will be donated to support Tim Hortons Foundation Camps. Guests can also purchase a $2 Camp Day motivational bracelet available in one of four vibrant colors, with 100 percent of profits from purchases being donated directly to Tims Camps. The $168 million that has been raised to-date in North America through Camp Day has helped Tim Hortons Foundation Camps support more than 300,000 youth between the ages of 12 to 16 through a multi-year, camp and current eCamp-based program. With a rigorous strength-based learning model designed specifically for the unique needs of the youth Tims Camps serve, participants are equipped with skills like leadership, resilience, and responsibility, empowering them to open doors to their future. Seven Tims Camps across North America run year-round summer and school programs, including a hands-on digital experience over the last year, investing in youth across different Tim Hortons communities. A grassroots movement started by restaurant owners, but fueled by guests It started as a grassroots fundraiser organized by Tim Hortons restaurant owners, who pledged to set aside a day when coffee sales would support youth in their communities. Then the fundraiser got the name "Camp Day”, went national in Canada, and was later introduced in the U.S. Over the years, Camp Day has grown to become one of the most important days on the Tim Hortons calendar. "Through the generosity and support of Tim Hortons guests and restaurant owners, we're so proud of the incredible impact Camp Day makes in helping our Foundation empower thousands of youth across North America," says Axel Schwan, President of Tim Hortons. "Raising over $168 million to date through Camp Day is an amazing achievement and we're so excited to welcome guests in our restaurants on July 21 to make this year's fundraiser the best yet." Supporting youth when they need us most Last summer, realizing that the youth who participate in their programs would be disproportionately affected by the isolation brought on by the pandemic, the Foundation launched Tims eCamp, an innovative camp-inspired digital experience designed to support participants virtually. Back again this year is a new and improved version of Tims eCamp, offering participants a supportive yet challenging environment and all the resources they need to participate digitally from home. "I am humbled and inspired by the young people at our Camps," says Graham Oliver, President, Tim Hortons Foundation Camps. "They've faced incredible challenges and still discover reserves of strength and resilience and hone skills that will guide them through life. I'm proud to say that for 30 years, Tims Camps have been there for them." A Camp Day campaign delivered by campers in song Tim Hortons has also launched a Camp Day awareness campaign that featured real program participants sharing how their camp experiences were less about fun and games, and more about building confidence, courage and resilience. Directly written and sung by current and former Tims Camp participants, the powerful anthem "Not Child's Play" was also released on music streaming services, with net proceeds going directly to the Foundation. Here are ways Tim Hortons guests can participate in Camp Day this year: Place an order for hot or iced coffee at a Tim Hortons restaurant, or through the Tim Hortons app for pickup or delivery on July 21 On July 21, proceeds from the purchase of a Tim Hortons Take 12 — which includes 12 small coffees along with cups, dairy and sweeteners — are also being donated to the Foundation. Guests can fill out a pre-order form for a Tim Hortons Take 12 in restaurants so their whole work team or family can support Camp Day together Purchase a Camp Day bracelet for $2 in one of four vibrant colors, with 100% of the profits from those sales ($1.67 per bracelet) going directly to Tims Camps Round up your order to the nearest dollar in restaurant, or in the Tim Hortons app, with 100% of the donation going to support the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps Make a one-time or monthly donation any time at www.timscamps.com From July 7th through July 21st, 100% of the profits ($1.67 per bracelet sold) from Camp Day bracelet sales, and 100% of “round up” or "rent-a-tent" donations go to Tim Hortons Foundation Camps. On July 21st, 100% of the purchase price (excluding taxes) of hot/iced coffee will benefit Tim Hortons Foundation Camps. For more information, go to TimsCamps.com. Financial and other information about Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation U.S. Inc.’s purpose, programs and activities, can be obtained by contacting Dave Newnham at RR#2, 264 Glen Morris Road E., St. George, ON Canada N0E 1N0 and (519) 448-1248 and timscamps.com, or for residents of the following states, as stated below. Maryland: For the cost of postage and copying, from the Secretary of State. Michigan: MICS No. MICS 46059. New York: Upon request, from the Attorney General Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation U.S. Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Virginia: From the State Office of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218. West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW. REGISTRATION IN A STATE DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION OF TIM HORTONS CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION U.S. INC. BY THE STATE. About TIM HORTONS® Tim Hortons® is one of North America's largest restaurant chains operating in the quick service segment. Founded as a single location in Canada in 1964, Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of guest tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, hot and cold specialty drinks (including lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, teas and our famous Iced Cappsâ¢), fresh baked goods, hot breakfast sandwiches, breakfast snacking items, and other food products. Tim Hortons has more than 4,800 system wide restaurants located in Canada, the United States and around the world. More information about the company is available at www.timhortons.com. Contact Details Adrianna Lauricella +1 212-230-1800 tims@abmc-us.com Company Website https://www.timhortons.com/

July 20, 2021 07:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

7 in 10 Parents Say Children’s Post-Pandemic Social Skills Are at Risk, Per Osmo Study

Osmo

According to a new study of 2,000 U.S. parents of school aged-children (5-14 years), parents have tried a myriad ways to keep their kids active and social during the pandemic, however, 7 in 10 perceive their child’s post-pandemic social skills to be at risk, even as things return to normal. The majority of parents (71%) are also worried about potential learning loss that may have resulted by not being in school, and are pursuing a variety of means to keep up their child’s studies at home this summer. The study was commissioned by STEAM brand Osmo and conducted by OnePoll. Osmo’s study reveals that 77% of parents encouraged their child to be social and active from afar, while at home. For example, they allowed their child to: play video games or online games with others (52%); call and text friends often (49%); make neighborhood friends (45%); engage in outdoor activities like walking and bike riding (46%); attend virtual get togethers (35%); and new friends online (23%). Despite trying their hardest, two in three parents are worried that their child has gotten more socially awkward around others, and 62% do not think their kid will be able to pick up where they left off upon returning to class this fall. Specifically, parents worry that their child will have trouble in these areas: making conversation with friends (41%); meeting new people (40%); sharing (35%); staying quiet for long periods (34%); waiting their turn (31%); or remembering to say “please” and “thank you” (37%). The survey also revealed that parents value socializing, with 85% believing it is a necessary skill to use in school. Forty-four percent of respondents place academic learning and socializing on the same level of importance, and four in five (81%) think schools should implement more activities that encourage and teach social skills. “We understand how difficult the pandemic was for both kids and their parents – many of us at Osmo experienced these challenges ourselves,” says Pramod Sharma, CEO of award-winning Osmo, known for its bestselling Coding Starter Kit, Creative Starter Kit, Genius Starter Kit, and Little Genius Starter Kit. “This past year has taught all of us that learning is about so much more than academics. As a brand, Osmo is committed to applying these insights toward multi-player experiences that promote the social-emotional learning parents look for and kids need.” The study also reveals four in five parents made sure their children succeeded academically even through tough times and emphasized that school was as important as ever before. Over half of parents (52%) stuck by their child’s side when they struggled with an assignment, 47% encouraged their child to study more, 43% tried to make learning fun through games or educational activities, while 42% percent took the time to create extra homework to ensure their child understood the material they were learning during homeschooling. However, three in four parents believe their child lost a year of proper education due to COVID, and the majority (71%) are concerned that it will be difficult for their kids to catch up on learning they may have missed. With this in mind, four in five (81%) believe that certain technology or entertainment tools may be the solution to improving both their child’s social and educational skills. When asked what subject they think their kids are most likely to struggle with, parents said math (41%) followed by science (37%) and language arts (34%). Additional parental concerns about children’s re-entry to class include: not remembering their school supplies and books (42%); focusing in class (41%); or using a full keyboard not attached to a tablet (36%) again; opening their locker (32%); and doing their homework every day (32%). About Osmo Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand with more than 2.5 million learners worldwide. It is building a universe of hands-on play experiences that nourish the minds of children by unleashing the power of imagination. The company brings physical tools into the digital world through augmented reality and its proprietary reflective artificial intelligence. Osmo is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Learn more at playosmo.com. Contact Details Carolyn Kamii PR Carolyn Kamii +1 310-251-0550 carolynkpr@gmail.com Osmo Karen O'Dell karen@playosmo.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

July 20, 2021 03:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Image

Ereka Vetrini’s Guide to Summertime Fun

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/4K2p1T5ok44 This is the second summer in a row that Americans must be thoughtful when planning family getaways. Whether hitting the road or planning a staycation, most head of households still have safety top of mind. However, being careful doesn’t mean family and friends cannot enjoy some fun in the sun together. As a TV host, Lifestyle Expert, and Working Mom, Ereka Vetrini has figured out a way to balance her career and family time. She has come up with four easy ways to get the party poppin’ and keep it cool as the temperatures heat up over the summer months. STICK WITH THE TRADITIONAL: According to a recent summertime survey, most parents plan on spending more time outside with their families. That’s why Ereka suggests sticking to the tried and true, like beach days, barbeques, and hanging out by the pool. That way families get to spend time together outdoors while being safe and socially distanced from strangers. Before heading out-and-about, Ereka recommends packing up a tote with a new book, games for the kids, and treats the whole family will love. There’s a tasty candy brand crafted in Italy that recently launched in the United States. Fruit-tella Soft Gummies are made with fruit puree as the first ingredient. They come in two flavors, Strawberry & Raspberry and Peach & Mango. These candies are quite flavorful and each one has a fun and playful fruit character shape that makes for the perfect summertime treat. Fruit-tella can be found at CVS stores nationwide. www.us.fruittella.com Instagram: @fruittellaus Twitter: @fruittellaus https://www.facebook.com/Fruittellaus/ GET THE PARTY POPPIN’: Americas’ streaming addiction has only increased during the pandemic and parents are looking for new ways to watch TV programs and movies with their families. Ereka suggests outdoor movie nights. She says setting up a big screen in a backyard can easily do the trick, especially if you add America’s favorite snack. The most popular moviegoers treat, popcorn, just received a major upgrade with the newest innovation in microwave popcorn from Opopop. The secret to this brand’s taste is that each kernel is individually wrapped in exceptional flavors and a perfect mix of ingredients, prior to popping. Opopop comes in six fun flavors, including reimagined classics like Fancy Butter, and uniquely created experiences with Maui Heat, Vanilla Cake Pop, Salted Umami, Cinnalicious, and Chedapeno. Opopop can be purchased at Opopop.com. www.opopop.com Instagram: @opopopco https://www.facebook.com/Opopopco/ CHILL OUT: July is National Ice Cream Month and the perfect time to cool off as we head into those long hot dog days of summer. Ereka says nothing screams summer more than ice cream cake! She suggests keeping it easy with a few pre-made ice cream cakes like the Carvel Confetti Cake and the new Cookie Dough Cake from I Love Ice Cream Cakes. Ereka recommends storing one in the freezer for family barbecues, get-togethers, and pool parties. The Carvel Confetti Cake and new Cookie Dough Cake are available online at ILoveIceCreamCakes.com along with a helpful product locator or at your local grocer and bakery’s freezer section. www.Iloveicecreamcakes.com Instagram: @ILoveIceCreamCakes https://www.facebook.com/ILoveIceCreamCakes/ GRAB GEAR & GO: Many families are road-tripping throughout the summer months and that means children can catch up on reading, summer schooling, or gaming while heading to a destination. As a conscious consumer and parent, Ereka is often concerned about protecting her family’s tech gadgets from cracked screens and other mishaps that happen on-the-go. OtterBox for Kids combines trusted protection from OtterBox with products designed with kids in mind. These easy-to-use cases come in three different colors and offer an EasyGrab case stand to help little hands carry their tablet or easily hang a tablet between head rests. Other gadgets like the OtterBox Kids EasyGrab Mobile Charging & Audio Cable Bundle are available to keep the fun going while vacationing. OtterBox products are available at Verizon and Verizon.com. www.Verizon.com Instagram: @otterbox Twitter: @otterbox https://www.facebook.com/otterbox/ 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

July 16, 2021 02:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Video

Cyvatar Wins Grand Trophy in the Annual Disruptor Awards

Cyvatar

Cyvatar won its second Grand Trophy of the year during the 2021 Disruptor Company Awards. In addition to its Grand Trophy win, the company walked away with a gold award for security services and bronze for security cloud and SaaS. The disruptor awards judges recognize disruptors as highly persistent, mostly beginning from scratch without the constraints of traditionally accepted processes or business models. Instead, they use modern technology and tools to achieve superior end results. The excellence and innovation found in Cyvatar’s cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) offering has been recognized again and again since its debut last fall. The disruptor awards mark Cyvatar’s 17th win in eight months. “Like other disruptors, we do things differently at Cyvatar,” said Cyvatar Co-Founder and Chief Product and Strategy Officer Craig Goodwin. “We’re not hindered by legacy systems or bound by outdated solutions. We confidently face the challenges of providing security solutions that are effortless for our members to use and affordable for them to purchase.” Cyvatar brings the membership economy to cybersecurity with its innovative CSaaS model and a platform that has already become the de facto operating system for today’s security programs. It transforms cybersecurity for its customers and continually meets their ever-evolving business and security requirements. The company was selected from organizations around the world that vied for top honors. Its disruptive, game-changing platform delivers fast, affordable, fully managed security programs for any size business; processes designed to provide outcomes, continuous remediation, and ongoing solution maintenance; and the ability for all of its members to execute their security strategies at speed and scale. Does your organization need award-winning cybersecurity? Find out how Cyvatar can help. About Cyvatar Cyvatar is committed to effortless cybersecurity for everyone. As the industry’s first subscription-based, cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) company, it’s our mission to transform the way the security industry builds, sells, and supports cyber solutions. We empower our members to achieve successful outcomes by providing expert advisors, proven technologies, and a strategic process roadmap to guarantee results that map to their business drivers. Our approach is rooted in proprietary ICARM (installation, configuration, assessment, remediation, maintenance) methodology that delivers smarter, measurable security solutions for superior compliance and cyber-attack protection faster and more efficiently, all at a fixed monthly price. And because we’re a subscription, members can cancel anytime. Cyvatar is a global organization with operations around the world. Begin your journey to security confidence at https://cyvatar.ai/ and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details Cyvatar KC Higgins +1 303-434-8163 kc@cyvatar.ai Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

July 13, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Layered Reality & Historic Royal Palaces Announce 10 Year Partnership

Layered Reality

Award-winning, location-based entertainment company Layered Reality announces a new 10-year partnership with Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), bringing a major new immersive experience to the vaults at the iconic Tower of London. Layered Reality will work with HRP – the independent charity which cares for six of the nation’s most important historic sites, including the Tower of London - to create an all-new experience which will explore the landmark’s history in a completely new way. Layered Reality is a pioneering, world leader of digitally based immersive experiences. Its overarching aim is to disrupt the entertainment space with next-level feature-length Layered Reality experiences. The company created the multi-award-winning lucid dreaming experience SOMNAI that opened in London in 2018. It also developed Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience, which opened to wide-spread critical and audience acclaim in 2019 and won the prestigious TEA THEA Award, considered the “Oscars” of the Entertainment world for Outstanding Achievement in Connected Immersion. Key to Layered Reality’s immersive experiences is layering three exciting multimedia elements. The first is cutting-edge technology including virtual reality, holograms and binaural sound, the second is theatrical features, consisting of large-scale walk-around sets with first-class live actors and the final, immersive layer is physical sensations: temperature, scent, physical movement and touch. The result is a truly immersive experience that transports participants to another world and has led to Layered Reality being London’s highest-ranking immersive night out (TripAdvisor). Andrew McGuiness CEO of Layered Reality said, " It's incredibly exciting to be working with Historic Royal Palaces to bring the dark history of the Tower of London to life in a new, creative and disruptive way. In this multi-levelled immersive experience, we will hack into people’s senses and put them firmly in the middle of an explosive storyline, where they have an active role to play in one of the greatest stories and adventures in British history.” Tom O’Leary, Director of Public Engagement at Historic Royal Palaces said, “We’re delighted to be working with Layered Reality on this exciting project, harnessing the incredible power of digital technology to bring all the heart-racing drama of the Tower’s legendary past to life like never before. This partnership marks a real step-change in our approach to digital storytelling, and is just about the closest thing we’ve got to time-travel!” Contact Details Layered Reality Margaret Murray +44 7866 360858 margaret@notebynote.media Company Website https://www.layeredreality.com/

July 09, 2021 09:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

WellSaid Labs Announces $10M Round Led by Fuse to Build “Voices for Every Brand”

WellSaid

WellSaid Labs, the artificial intelligence text-to-speech technology company, announced a $10 million Series A round led by FUSE, with participation from previous investor Voyager, as well as Qualcomm Ventures LLC, and GoodFriends. The Series A was oversubscribed with interest from VCs given the record year-over-year growth in revenue and incredible customer demand. WellSaid Labs plans to use these funds to drive further AI and product innovation, scale go-to-market functions, and grow the team. With a mission to offer businesses and brands the highest quality Text-to-Speech (TTS) service imaginable, WellSaid Labs empowers content creators and product teams to create engaging voice content for infinite use-cases in streaming services, radio, programmatic advertising, digital marketing, and corporate training content. WellSaid Labs has rearchitected TTS to resolve business’ toughest content development problems and deliver an easy way for content creators — big or small — to develop all their desired content in one consistent voice that represents their brand. WellSaid Labs’ Voice Avatar library provides access to multiple read styles and tones anyone can use for their productions. In addition, brands can create their own AI Voice Avatars to spec — capturing the likeness, style, and uniqueness of the voice needed to tell their stories in exactly the right way. “Plain and simple, WellSaid is the future of content creation for voice," said Cameron Borumand, General Partner at FUSE. "This is why thousands of customers love using the product daily with off-the-charts bottom-up adoption. Matt and Michael have assembled a world-class team and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of the WellSaid journey.” Creating natural-sounding speech from text is considered a “ grand challenge ” in the field of AI and has been a research goal for decades. Over the last three years, WellSaid Labs has consistently researched and developed tremendous breakthroughs in the quality, speed and reliability of neural text-to-speech systems. In June 2020, WellSaid Labs' TTS became the first to achieve human parity for naturalness on short audio clips across multiple voices. "We’ve added AI Voice to the toolkit of thousands of content creators and their teams," said Matt Hocking, CEO of WellSaid Labs. "Our human-parity AI voice can be produced faster than real-time, and updated on-demand. Opening up new and exciting opportunities to 'add voice' where never before perceived possible. AI voice easily ensures every production can be created and updated efficiently at scale." “Content creators or product experience designers were previously faced with difficult tradeoffs between quality and scalability when using TTS tools or human voiceover. WellSaid’s incredible voices, which are accessible through a studio application or a scalable API, removes the need to choose whether you want natural, lifelike speech or infinitely scalable and easily editable voice content. WellSaid provides both and delivers it however your team would like to consume it,” said James Newell, Partner at Voyager Capital. “Creative teams have found it to be extremely useful when they need to produce multiple pieces of high-quality content in a consistent voice in hours instead of weeks.” “Recent developments in TTS technology using generative AI have enabled synthetic voices to sound very human-like, finding exciting new applications for voice including e-learning, advertising and news readers," said Carlos Kokron, Vice President at Qualcomm Technologies Inc. and Managing Director at Qualcomm Ventures Americas. “WellSaid Labs provides an industry leading product that generates highly accurate human-like voices. We look forward to working with WellSaid Labs to help fuel the creator economy with human-parity AI voices across mobile and IoT.” "WellSaid's team has applied deep technical expertise to build a platform that enables easy creation and editing of incredibly life-like audio," said Dave Gilboa of Good Friends and co-CEO of Warby Parker. "We see meaningful growth potential in the use of high-quality audio in giving brands the ability to communicate with customers and creators the ability to engage with audiences." WellSaid Studio eliminates the complexities traditional text-to-speech technologies present to creatives — making the production, updating, and publishing of voiceovers extremely simple and cost effective. Product developers access WellSaid Labs’ core AI engine via real time APIs to power up digital experiences with a reliable and scalable voice infrastructure. About FUSE FUSE is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in Pacific Northwest-based companies that are reinventing the modern economy with software. FUSE is committed to supporting the next generation of B2B technology entrepreneurs building category-defining businesses of lasting value. General Partners Kellan Carter, Cameron Borumand and Brendan Wales are joined by Venture Partner and Seattle Seahawks captain Bobby Wagner, as well as Senior Operating Partners John Connors and Satbir Khanuja. Their strategic LP base includes current and former executives at the Pacific Northwest’s top companies, including Microsoft, Amazon, Nike, Starbucks, Costco, T-Mobile, Boeing, Avalara, DocuSign, Smartsheet and many more. For more information about FUSE, please visit fuse.vc. About Voyager Capital Since 1997, Voyager Capital has focused on first-round venture investments to help entrepreneurs in the Pacific Northwest create winning businesses. Built on the team's extensive experience with startups and its exceptional network across the industry, the firm's entrepreneur-centric approach accelerates the pace at which companies can build, execute, pivot and scale. Voyager has $520M under management investing in B2B software, cloud infrastructure, and applications driven by AI and machine learning. With offices in Seattle, Wash., Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, BC, Voyager provides its portfolio the unwavering support and stage-appropriate connections needed to disrupt markets and create sustainable competitive advantage. About Qualcomm Ventures Qualcomm Ventures, acting through Qualcomm Ventures LLC or its affiliated entities, has been making strategic investments in technology companies that have the potential to dramatically transform our world since 2000. As a global investor, we look to help entrepreneurs build revolutionary businesses that reshape the world around us. For more information please visit: www.qualcommventures.com. About GoodFriends Good Friends is a venture capital firm that was started in 2019 by the founders of Warby Parker, Harry's, and Allbirds. Good Friends invests in early stage businesses with a consumer lens. About WellSaid Labs WellSaid Labs is the leading AI text-to-speech technology company and first synthetic media service to achieve human-parity in voice. Creators, product developers, and brands alike power up their stories and digital experiences with a wide variety of voice styles, accents and languages — at scale. For more information go to www.wellsaidlabs.com Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://wellsaidlabs.com/

July 07, 2021 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

1 ... 108 109 110 111 112 ... 127