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DynAdmic’s semantic analytics lead contextual targeting to overtake the power of cookies

DynAdmic

As we watch the automated cookie age disappearing there isn’t a CMO who is not already planning for a “cookieless future,” with an eye for innovating what has previously been an arm’s length approach to ad placement. Whilst there remain a limited number of solutions that have a like for like replacement to the third-party cookie, we are seeing the leading media platform players innovating at speed to drive renewed power of contextual placement media. These teams, such as the global leader DynAdmic, believe that a shift away from cookies shouldn’t mean that the brands can no longer target their consumers in relevant and powerfully resonant occasions, and they are proving that the change may result in improved consumer attention. When asking CEO & founder of DynAdmic, a global leader in contextual media innovation, Stephane Bonjean, why their clients are choosing this approach to placement he offers that “our clients have seen contextual targeting yield increase attention at lower media costs as well drive greater brand impact and longer viewership and completion rates.” Contextual placement today bares very little resemblance to what we once knew. Whilst it used to simply mean placing ads adjacent to relevant content or searching for keywords, today the granular sophistication of the systems behind the contextual placements offers benefits in behavioral targeting that drill deep into the content that consumers are actively looking for. Content that is interest and mindset based. Fueled by AI and with the power to analyse billions of placements for relevance and connection every day, advertisers now have the opportunity to do far more than place their ad on a site and hope for results. “The ability to place branded content and ads exactly where consumers want to see them has a hugely effective impact on viewership and engagement and provides many of the efficiencies of personalised messaging delivery” continues Bonjean. Where this really gets interesting is when you begin to layer the sophistication of semantic recognition technology, such as that at DynAdmic, which allow videos to be placed within fine-tuned verbal and audio environments for direct relevance. DynAdmic’s intelligent systems leverage the power of semantic algorithms and analytics in media placement to allow for both nuance and scale by ensuring placement specificity across a wide global network allowing for significantly improved impact on sales, ROI and purchase intention. Many platforms have lagged in this space but DynAdmic has been a leader in this space since 2012, honing their intelligence and accuracy ever since. Their proprietary audio-recognition technology has been enabling their clients to analyse across formats by listening live to content, spoken voice and sound effects to overhaul the accuracy and response to advertising. The sophisticated approaches available can also allow marketers to specifically nominate environments which they want to include, and, importantly, the ones they want to exclude for safety reasons such as environments sharing hate speech, violence, hyper politicalism, racism, toxicity or stereotyping. It’s no surprise today that finding credible, trusted media partners is critical to all advertisers. “Our team at DynAdmic are reassuring the efficacy of the future of video placement and contextual efficiency because we believe that the path forward is not simply in first-party data, but in a refocusing on the brand and the media experience to meet the demands of the consumer where they are. This has to be in real-time and against consumer’s real interest sets” Bonjean closes. Find out more at http://us.dynadmic.com/ or directly with Lara Krumholz, Global VP Partnerships https://www.linkedin.com/in/larakrumholz?originalSubdomain=br DynAdmic curates digital video advertising inventory from the world’s leading websites by utilizing smart semantic targeting and activating brand safety and fraud security, while focusing on campaign performance metrics. They connect world-class advertisers with qualified audiences across Youtube, apps and the largest publishers reaching more than 450MM viewers globally and targeting viewers in real-time based on what they are about to watch by using their proprietary AI audio recognition technology. Their exclusive demand platform scans 20,000 pages per minute and scores every page according to brand safety, contextual relevance and qualified audience parameters. By leveraging a superior and owned code, the DynAdmic team can identify and target viewers’ real-time interest and prospective consumers from their audience catalogue in 60 languages across the world with a fraud rate of less than 1% according to Moat. DynAdmic is the only certified Google partner that connects the online with offline world with TV Sync, and has a 96% context relevance score as well as third-party verification from IAS. DynAdmic partners with the leading brands, agencies and publishers and is comprised of 130 people in 7 countries. Contact Details DynAdmic Corp. Lara Krumholz +55 11 94135-2008 lara@dynadmic.com Lara Krumholz +13477467971 Company Website http://us.dynadmic.com/

April 21, 2021 08:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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How 529 College Savings Plans Work by Jennifer Lang Financial Services

Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC

Contact Details Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC. Jennifer Lang +1 877-487-8926 mail@jenniferlangfinancialservices.com Company Website https://www.jenniferlangfinancialservices.com

April 20, 2021 10:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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COMCAST INTRODUCES THE FASTEST INTERNET SPEEDS OVER WIFI ACROSS OREGON/SW WASHINGTON

Oregon / SW Washington

Comcast announced today that, starting April 22, it will introduce the fastest speed over WiFi available in Oregon/SW Washington. Customers will be able to take advantage of advanced WiFi technology that is capable of delivering speeds faster than one Gigabit per second (Gbps) to support the ever-increasing number of connected devices in their homes. The upgrade to the Xfinity Gigabit service is part of a national rollout that began this year. Additionally, Performance Starter customers in Oregon/SW Washington will see their download speed increase from 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 50 Mbps. The upgrades will be made at no additional cost to customers who will benefit from the new speeds. “We recognize that Comcast plays an important role in helping our customers stay connected, so we are constantly advancing our Internet product with new innovations,” said David Tashjian, Regional Vice President, Comcast Oregon/SW Washington. “Our state-of-the-art gateways with WiFi 6 technology, wall-to-wall WiFi coverage, personalized tools and controls and advanced cybersecurity, are all helping to make our customers’ connectivity experience better than it has ever been.” Comcast is also one of the first U.S. Internet Service Providers to offer a WiFi 6 Certified gateway with the latest version of its xFi Advanced Gateway, which is capable of delivering multi-Gigabit speeds via ethernet and laid the groundwork for Gigabit speeds over WiFi. Customers on the new upgraded Xfinity Gigabit tier will require an xFi Advanced Gateway, or one of the WiFi 6 capable devices approved to work with the Xfinity network to receive the faster speeds. Comcast will reach out to Gigabit Internet customers who need to upgrade their equipment for no additional cost if they don’t have a capable device in their home. Performance Starter customers will not require new equipment to take advantage of this speed increase. Increased internet speeds support faster connections and more capacity to support the growing number of smart home devices that are being added to home WiFi networks today and in the future. According to The Xfinity Cyber Health Report, some customers have dozens of devices in their homes. In fact, Xfinity xFi users have on average 12 devices per home and added two devices over the past year, while high-end users have as many as 33 devices and added five since last year. Comcast’s Xfinity Gigabit Internet service is delivered using Comcast’s existing network architecture and the connections that are already in most customers’ homes. In Oregon/SW Washington, the company offers Gigabit Pro, a 2Gbps fiber-based synchronous broadband service that is twice as fast as anything else available in the residential market. Since 2017 alone, Comcast has devoted more than $12 billion to strengthening and expanding its network – including building more than 33,000 new route miles of fiber. Every 2.5 years the company adds as much capacity to the network as it added in all the previous years combined. Comcast’s residential broadband service is powered by xFi – a simple, digital dashboard for Xfinity customers to control their home WiFi network. In addition to parental control features like pausing WiFi and screen time scheduling, xFi provides content filters that ensure younger children can only access age-appropriate content. xFi also comes with xFi Advanced Security, which protects all the devices connected to a customers’ home network from malware and other security threats. xFi can be accessed via the Xfinity mobile app (iOS and Android), or on the TV, on X1 and Flex, with the Xfinity Voice Remote. The feature is available at no extra cost to Xfinity Internet customers who lease a compatible xFi gateway. ABOUT COMCAST CORPORATION: Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Amy Keiter +1 503-605-6350 amy_keiter@comcast.com

April 20, 2021 07:03 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Comcast Increases Its Fastest Internet Speeds Over WiFi Across Kansas City Service Area

Twin Cities

Comcast today announced that, starting April 22, it will increase speeds of the fastest Xfinity Internet tier in the company’s Kansas City service area. Customers will be able to take advantage of advanced WiFi technology capable of delivering speeds faster than one Gigabit per second (Gbps) to support the ever-increasing number of connected devices in their homes. The upgrade to Xfinity Gigabit service is part of a national rollout that began this year. Additionally, Xfinity Performance Starter customers in the Kansas City area will see their download speed increase from 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 50 Mbps. These upgrades will be made at no additional cost to customers who will benefit from the new speeds. “We recognize that Comcast plays an important role in helping our customers stay connected, so we are constantly advancing our Internet product with new innovation,” said J.D. Keller, regional senior vice president, Comcast. “Our state-of-the-art gateways with WiFi 6 technology, wall-to-wall WiFi coverage, personalized tools and controls, and advanced cybersecurity are all helping to make our customers’ connectivity experience better than ever.” Comcast is also one of the first U.S. Internet service providers to offer a WiFi 6 Certified gateway with the latest version of its xFi Advanced Gateway, which is capable of delivering multi-Gigabit speeds via ethernet and laying the groundwork for Gigabit speeds over WiFi. Customers on the new upgraded Xfinity Gigabit tier will require an xFi Advanced Gateway, or one of the WiFi 6 capable devices approved to work with the Xfinity network to receive the faster speeds. Comcast will reach out to Gigabit Internet customers who need to upgrade their equipment at no additional cost if they don’t have a capable device in their home. Performance Starter customers will not require new equipment to take advantage of this speed increase. Increased internet speeds support faster connections and more capacity to support the growing number of smart home devices that are being added to home WiFi networks today and in the future. According to The Xfinity Cyber Health Report, some customers have dozens of devices in their homes. In fact, Xfinity xFi users have on average 12 devices per home, adding two devices over the past year; meanwhile, high-end users have as many as 33 devices and with five added over the past year. Comcast’s Xfinity Gigabit Internet service is delivered using Comcast’s existing network architecture and the connections already in most customers’ homes. In its Kansas City area footprint, the company also offers Gigabit Pro, a 2Gbps fiber-based synchronous broadband service that is twice as fast as any other offering available in the residential market. Since 2017 alone, Comcast has devoted more than $15 billion to strengthening and expanding its network – including building more than 33,000 new route miles of fiber. Every 2.5 years the company adds as much capacity to the network as in all previous years combined. Comcast’s residential broadband service is powered by xFi – a simple, digital dashboard for Xfinity customers to control their home WiFi network. In addition to parental control features like pausing WiFi and screen time scheduling, xFi provides content filters that ensure younger children can only access age-appropriate content. xFi also comes with xFi Advanced Security, which protects all the devices connected to a customer's home network from malware and other security threats. xFi can be accessed via the Xfinity mobile app (iOS and Android), or on the TV, on X1 and Flex, with the Xfinity Voice Remote. The feature is available at no extra cost to Xfinity Internet customers who lease a compatible xFi gateway. ABOUT COMCAST CORPORATION Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Dave Nyberg +1 651-341-6401 Dave_Nyberg@Comcast.com Comcast Jill Hornbacher +16514251695 Jill_Hornbacher@Comcast.com

April 20, 2021 09:00 AM Central Daylight Time

Refreshing Your Home (Inside & Out)

YourUpdateTV

Over the last year, the function of our homes has completely changed. These days, the home is where we spend our time, raise our families, work, study, exercise and so much more. With spring here, now is the perfect time to make some changes to help you refresh your home and love where you live. Recently, Angi Home Care Expert, Bailey Carson, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss easy ways to refresh your home this spring. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/0oEaIjRsFmg Whether you’re finally getting around to the home office, looking to redecorate for spring, or preparing the backyard for some outdoor entertainment, Angi has you covered. Here are some tips to get you started: It has been very easy for clutter to build up over the last year, so think about what items you want to donate, discard or keep, and then come up with permanent solutions to eliminate clutter moving forward. Shelving, cabinets, or simple baskets can help create a stress-free environment. Focus on the heart of the home: your kitchen. Improve flow and make your space more efficient by putting in an island, installing shelves in your pantry or simply adding bins and dowels to organize your cabinets. You can also give it all a new feel with a fresh coat of paint, modern backsplash or new hardware like cabinet handles. With spring here, everyone is ready to start spending more time outside. If you have an existing deck or patio, think about it giving it a good power wash or re-staining to get it ready for the season. If a deck or patio is still on your wish list, now is a great time to embark on that project. Just make sure you have the tools, talent and time to do it right – otherwise, it’s best to hire a pro! For more information, download the Angi app or visit Angi.com About Bailey Carson: Bailey Carson is a Home Expert and the Head of Book Now for ANGI Inc. and its brands including Angi, HomeAdvisor powered by Angi, and Handy. In this role, she oversees all aspects of Book Now services from product and operations to sales and marketing. She transitioned from her prior role as General Manager of Everyday Services for ANGI Inc. 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

April 20, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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D8 Holdings to Accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin for Delta-8 THC Products

D8 Holdings, Inc.

D8 Holdings, Inc., the market leader in hemp-derived Delta-8 THC —today announced it will start accepting Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin as payment methods on their site. “Our customers are early adopters, many of whom are heavily involved in the crypto market,” said Chris Duffield, CEO of D8. “With $2 trillion dollars sitting in crypto assets, and $45 billion parked in Dogecoin, the ability to accept crypto currency presents a big opportunity for our company.” D8.co will integrate Bitpay into their online platform, and all transactions will be settled in Doge. With the click of a button, customers can trade Doge for delta-8 gummies, delta-8 carts and delta-8 disposables as long as they are over 21 years of age. “Anyone paying with crypto will get a free pack of Delta-8 gummies as a bonus. We are looking long-term, and don’t plan on selling a single Doge,” concluded Duffield. About D8 Holdings Inc. The D8 Holdings team based in Colorado and Miami—with satellite offices in Las Vegas and Los Angeles—is an assembly of the top hemp and cannabis minds in the country. With backgrounds in extraction, chemistry, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and legal, the D8 Holdings team came together organically around this elusive, but extremely powerful molecule to create a new category of products. More info at www.d8.co. # # # Contact Details D8 Holdings Chris Duffield +1 424-333-2112 chris@d8.co

April 20, 2021 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

KIOSK Recognized by CSG for Outstanding Partner Support of Digital Transformation Efforts

CSG

CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today recognized KIOSK Information Systems (KIOSK) with its 2020 Outstanding Partner Performance of the Year Award. KIOSK is being recognized for its agility and ability to shift its operations to successfully support CSG to drive digital transformation efforts for its customers during a period of high demand and universal pandemic challenges. “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award and recognition,” said Eric Nebola, vice president of sales, KIOSK Information Systems. “Since 2007, we have evolved our strategic partnership with CSG and continue to enhance our collective capabilities through technical innovation and focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience.” The 2020 CSG Outstanding Partner Performance of the Year Award recognizes a partner, that together with CSG, advances technology innovation and delivers outstanding customer service while driving business growth and transformation. The partnership between KIOSK and CSG helps operators make payments easier for their customers by providing an end-to-end solution that digitally transforms their business models. The solution drives operational efficiency and personalization during the self-service experience, differentiating the customer experience by providing secure, scalable payment services, including: • Payments: Enables operators to accept traditional and emerging payments methods, including cash, contactless payments, credit, debit, EMV, EFT entry, and more. • Enhanced Customer Experience: By increasing accessibility and minimizing wait times, CSG Payment Kiosks drive a better user experience while supporting in-store employees to focus on making sales. • Improved Efficiency: CSG Payment Kiosks saves hundreds of thousands of manual labor hours annually, allowing operators to leverage digital services that improve operational efficiencies and enhance productivity. “CSG is delighted to award KIOSK for its commitment to innovation and exceptional customer focus in support of the digital transformation efforts we drive on behalf of our customers,” said Ken Kennedy, chief operating officer and president of CSG’s Revenue Management and Digital Monetization solutions unit. “We look forward to growing our relationship with KIOSK to jointly evolve and extend the reach of our automated payments capabilities.” Through its partnership with KIOSK, CSG has installed more than 2000 payment kiosks, responsible for processing over seven million annual transactions that have generated $1.4 billion in annual payments. About CSG For more than 35 years, CSG has simplified the complexity of business, delivering innovative customer engagement solutions that help companies acquire, monetize, engage and retain customers. Operating across more than 120 countries worldwide, CSG manages billions of critical customer interactions annually, and its award-winning suite of software and services allow companies across dozens of industries to tackle their biggest business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing marketplace. CSG is the trusted provider for driving digital innovation for hundreds of leading global brands, including Airtel Africa, América Móvil, AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH, Formula 1, Hutchison 3 Indonesia, Inmarsat, Mastercard, Maximus, Mediacom, Microsoft, Mobily, MTN, New Leaf Service Contracts, State of California, TalkTalk and Telstra. To learn more, visit our website at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Copyright © 2021 CSG Systems International, Inc. and/or its affiliates (“CSG”). All rights reserved. CSG® is a registered trademark of CSG Systems International, Inc. All third-party trademarks, service marks, and/or product names which are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved. Contact Details CSG Tammy Hovey +1 917-520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com CSG Kristine Østergaard +447920477204 kristine.ostergaard@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

April 20, 2021 06:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with CICER ONE TECHNOLOGIES

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is excited to announce a partnership with Cicer One Technologies, an innovative company with a suite of communications and data management and protection tools that are specifically designed to end 3rd party exposure of sensitive information, to protect CUI, intellectual property and sensitive financial, customer, and employee data. Decentralized Autonomous Edge Computing by Cicer One Technologies Inc provides turn-key compliance solutions for CMMC, NIST 800-171, ITAR and Federal or State level privacy requirements. Zero-trust, jurisdictionally controlled management of users, documents, and chat communications enables non-technical business owners the confidence and ease-of-use required to achieve compliance in a cost-effective manner. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Cicer One Technologies and the CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and Cicer One Technologies ( https://ciceronetech.com ) partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. “We are excited to embark on this journey with Cicer”, said John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “The foundation of CMMC starts with visibility into devices in the network and the risks they bring. This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience for the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. Cicer One Technologies adds to the growing list of recognized technology providers contributing to the growth and advancement of the CMMC compliance knowledge base, product refinement, and education collateral. Together we share the responsibility to accurately disseminate knowledge and education thereby building cyber resiliency across the DIB supply chain. “This new partnership further enables important and critical discussions regarding cybersecurity and the protection of the DIB supply chain. We are excited to contribute in the development and education of policy, products, and services throughout the adoption of the CMMC protocol supporting contractors across the country,” said Robert Embleton, CEO. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC Center of Excellence, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org, email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on Cicer One Technologies, please visit https://ciceronetech.com/ email info@ciceronetech.com or call 512-582-7009 About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

April 20, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

XA Network expands and appoints senior advisory board, as Southeast Asia digital economy races ahead

XA Network

The XA Network [the X denotes any tech firm with $1b+ valuation and the A refers to Alumni], the leading member-based investment network of executives from prominent tech firms in Southeast Asia, has today appointed an advisory board. The appointments signal the organisation's growth and reach, as the Southeast Asian digital economy proves resilient and is racing ahead at full velocity. John Wood (ex-Microsoft, Room To Read), Steve Chen (co-founder of YouTube), Maya Hari (Twitter) and David Thevenon (Balderton Capital, ex-Google) have been appointed to advisory board positions. They will work directly with the members as the organisation scales and will champion the new purpose - to be an organisation that fosters inclusive innovation for the benefit of start-ups across Southeast Asia. On his appointment, John Wood, advisory board member at XA Network commented: “I’m delighted to join this esteemed board to support and drive the ambitious community of investors. The XA Network brilliantly embodies Metcalfe's law – e.g., the value of a network rises exponentially as the number of users grows. I believe this generation of technology leaders, by working together to support the start-up ecosystem in Southeast Asia, will have an immense impact on the region. We are all very committed to the power of smart capital, intense mentoring and fuelling inclusive innovation. This approach resonates with me on many levels and I look forward to helping XA Network scale to the next level”. The XA Network is made up of 100 tech leaders from companies including Alibaba, Gojek, Grab, Google, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube amongst others. These investors offer an unmatched array of skills and counsel to their portfolio companies from engineering advice, product management, to marketing and partnership building experience. As a collective, this is embodied in their purpose to foster inclusive innovation beyond simply investing in start-ups. The XA Network exists to empower the tech community in Southeast Asia with its inclusive innovation approach. The Southeast Asia digital economy is forging new ground every year* and 2020 was no different, despite COVID-19. Over 70% of the region is now online, accounting for 400 million people (of a total population of 580 million). Digital adoption of consumer-service businesses increased as more people spent time online during lockdowns. HealthTech and EdTech based companies are earmarked to take-off in the coming years. Overall, the digital economy added USD $100 billion to the region and is poised to grow to over USD $300 billion by 2025. The XA Network portfolio businesses are making a positive impact across the region such as Indonesian startups, Sampingan who enable access to the gig economy and Bukukas who enable small businesses to digitize their operations. Meanwhile, Singapore-based mentor platform Tigerhall is connecting the world’s most successful people with young professionals. Nellie Wartoft, CEO at Tigerhall commented: "We raised $2m in 2020, it was a huge milestone for the company but we had a lot to do. The XA Network members are some of the absolute most supportive investors I've ever had on my cap table. They're never afraid of rolling up their sleeves and doing real work either, which is rare to find amongst investors. They feel much more like an extended team than just financial investors to me, and have been key to Tigerhall's success." The appointments come at an exciting time for XA Network as they achieved their first exit. Lomotif, Singapore’s video-sharing service, was acquired by a syndicate for US$125 million. The deal is said to be one of the biggest exits by a tech startup in Singapore in recent years. XA Network highlights (last 12 months) Membership base increased from 50 to 100 people in March 2021 XA Network portfolio includes 30 start-ups in a range of sectors including mobility, healthtech, foodtech, edtech, adtech, fintech, social commerce, proptech Portfolio companies have also gone on to raise $82m in follow-on capital Notes to the editor * e-Conomy SEA 2020 Report About the XA Network The XA Network [the X denotes any tech firm with $1b+ valuation and the A refers to Alumni] is an investment network comprising senior executives from prominent tech companies including Alibaba, Gojek, Grab, Google, Amazon, Netflix and Twitter amongst others. Its mission is to invest and empower early-stage companies across Southeast Asia through their inclusive innovation approach, by exposing these businesses to the wide array of skills in the network. Since 2018, they have made 30 investments and expanded their member base to 100 people. XA Network has invested in a wide variety of promising companies including Bukukas, Tigerhall, Sampingan, Neuron, and Infradigital as well as the Vertex Southeast Asia and India fund. Contact Details XA Network Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 press@xanetwork.co Company Website https://xanetwork.co/

April 19, 2021 08:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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