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A Million Dollars Will ‘Level Up’ Thousands of Houston Area Residents Out of Digital Divide

Comcast Houston

If you’ve ever played a popular 80’s video game, then you know about the disadvantages your character has right out of the gate. You can’t jump as high or as far, and it’s easier to lose the level and have to start all over again. But in the first few seconds, there’s usually always a chance to ‘level up’ your character. Instantly, you can jump higher and farther, run faster and if you encounter an enemy, you still have another chance at winning the level. There are thousands of Houston area residents who — from a digital perspective — aren’t ‘leveled up” and therefore struggle to participate in the digital economy. Some Houstonians still don’t know how to surf the web, write emails or create a resume. Others don’t even have a reliable and fast internet connection in their homes. The digital divide is still big. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau’s American Communities Survey, one in ten households, or 687,086 households, in the greater Houston area do not have an internet subscription or do not have a computer. They want to ‘level up’, and they are about to get it. Comcast, the Houston area’s largest internet service provider, is giving more than one million dollars this year to local organizations that help students, adults and people with disabilities ‘level up’ their computer, career development and tech education skills. The million-dollar investment will also support ongoing efforts to build awareness about low-cost or no-cost connectivity programs like Internet Essentials and the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). “These investments are a part of Comcast’s ongoing efforts to make a real difference in southeast Texas by giving families an opportunity to thrive in this digital age,” Ralph Martinez, Comcast Houston’s Regional Senior Vice President, said. “The Internet is where life happens. It allows students to expand their educational aspirations and it empowers parents to explore better job openings so they can ultimately deliver a better quality of life for their families.” So far, Comcast has given grants to eight Houston area organizations. More announcements will be made later this year. United Way | Funding will be used to provide tech experts (Digital Navigators) to help people in need of digital skills training. BakerRipley | Funding will support computer skills, software, email and internet safety training for low-income adults in the Houston area. Comp-U-Dopt | Funding will support students participating in Early Adopters, STEAM Team and Learn2Earn, which brings technology education to area youth. Comp-U-Dopt will also use the funding to provide tech experts (Digital Navigators) to help people in need of digital skills training. Easter Seals of Greater Houston | Funding will support the development of a curriculum for people with disabilities to help them successfully learn to use digital technology to gain and maintain employment. The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston | Funding will help high school students gain technical and leadership skills through the Workforce Readiness Program. AAMA | Funding will be used to purchase technology and equipment to support students through the training program at the Work and Learn Center, with an emphasis on digital literacy and design. Dress for Success | Funding will be used to provide Houston-area women with the resources needed to obtain long-term employment through access to job readiness training, digital skills workshops, computers and mobile labs. AVANCE-Houston | Funding will support adult literacy program and continue to build pathways to economic mobility for families in the community. “We are passionate about doing our part to help close the digital divide and committed to helping establish a more equitable foundation for learning, working and succeeding,” Martinez said. Comcast remains steadfast in its efforts to connect people to moments that matter, to connect families to opportunities in Southeast Texas. For more than a decade, the company has offered Internet Essentials to help low-income Americans access reliable, high-speed internet. Comcast is now a proud champion of the federal government’s new Affordable Connectivity Program. ACP gives qualifying households up to $30 towards their monthly internet bill. With ACP, Comcast’s Internet Essentials internet service is free. As more Houston area residents get the ‘level up’ they need, just like in their gameplay, they will have more chances to keep advancing—better jobs, better education, innovation, opportunities and yes, more fun and better gaming. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on connectivity, aggregation and streaming with 57 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 Houston Steve Campion +1 832-920-2001 Steve_Campion@comcast.com Company Website https://houston.comcast.com/

August 02, 2022 08:40 AM Central Daylight Time

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Rahama Wright, Chief Executive Officer of Yeleen Enterprises, has been appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa for her fourth term

Yeleen Enterprises

Rahama Wright, CEO Yeleen Enterprises has been appointed to serve a fourth term on the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA). U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, appointed 24 members to serve a two-year term. Council members are selected from small, medium, and large U.S. companies across the United States representing a diverse range of industries and economic sectors. “I have had the pleasure and honor of serving on the Advisory Council for the three previous terms and in both the Obama and the Trump Administrations,” says Wright. “I look forward to demonstrating the same level of high commitment as in previous terms and plan to proudly advance the efforts of the Advisory Council as it transitions with new members and the Biden Administration.” The PAC-DBIA was established in 2014 to provide recommendations and analysis through the Secretary of Commerce to the President, on strengthening commercial engagement between the United States and Africa. During her service on the Advisory Council, Wright drafted Advisory Council recommendations on doing business in Africa, participated in the fact-finding mission to Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, contributed to the development of the “Keys to Success” report, and reviewed and provided feedback on the Prosper Africa Roadmap. In her most recent term, Wright supported core programming for the PAC-DBIA such as the “Keys to Success” webinar series where PAC-DBIA members shared practical advice on entering African markets. She also spearheaded the PAC DBIA’s high-level event for Women’s History Month titled “Enabling Women Entrepreneurs in US-Africa Trade & Investment.” The PAC DBIA is a policy tool for advancing US trade engagement with Africa by leveraging the experience of private sector leaders to inform the Secretary of Commerce and the President. Wright will continue to contribute perspectives from running a social impact business that strengthens supply chains on behalf of African and women-led cooperatives. About Rahama Wright After serving in the Peace Corps, Rahama Wright began her entrepreneurial journey by launching Shea Yeleen, a shea butter brand with the mission to create living wage jobs for women in Northern Ghana. The products secured features in Oprah Magazine, MSNBC, CNBC, and retail distribution in select Whole Foods Markets and MGM Resorts. A leading voice on African women’s economic and business development, in 2014, Rahama was first appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa. She received her BA in International Relations from the State University of New York at Geneseo. An avid traveler, Rahama has visited and worked in 36 countries. About Yeleen Enterprises Yeleen Enterprises is a social impact company comprised of the Shea Yeleen product line, and the Yeleen Beauty Makerspace. Shea Yeleen is dedicated to empowering women in West Africa and the United States through the production, sale, and use of shea butter products. A unique blend of grassroots organizing and business development, Shea Yeleen is a company that specializes in manufacturing high-quality, pure plant-based shea butter products with a commitment to ethical sourcing. The Yeleen Beauty Makerspace is a Washington DC-based co-manufacturing space for early-stage, independent beauty entrepreneurs to launch in 2023. Contact Details Media Inquiries robin@charmedpr.com Company Website https://sheayeleen.com

August 01, 2022 01:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time

FREE BACK TO SCHOOL HAIRCUTS AT CUTZ FOR KIDS EVENTS IN JACKSONVILLE

Hibbett, Inc.

Hibbett | City Gear and Reebok host Cutz for Kids Back to School events at Hibbett & City Gear stores in Jacksonville, Florida. Hibbett is located at 6733 103 rd Street and City Gear is located at 6290 103 rd Street. The public is invited to stop by on Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 12noon to 6pm to join the festivities. Kids of all ages will be able to get free haircuts on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Jacksonville Hibbett | City Gear Cutz For Kids events are two of 19 being held across the country to get kids excited about the new school year and going back to campus in style. There will be free children’s haircuts from local barbers, music, refreshments and fun for the whole family. “With our generous partners at Reebok, we wanted to help kids go back to school in style and feel their best when they see their classmates again,” said Ben Knighten, Senior VP Operations, Hibbett, Inc. “The concept was created about four years ago by one of our Associates and has been so well received, that now the event is duplicated across multiple Hibbett and City Gear markets.” About Hibbett, Inc. Hibbett, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is a leading athletic-inspired fashion retailer with 1105 Hibbett and City Gear specialty stores, located in 35 states nationwide. Hibbett has a rich history of convenient locations, personalized customer service and access to coveted footwear, apparel and equipment from top brands like Nike, Jordan, and adidas. Consumers can browse styles, find new releases, shop looks and make purchases online or in their nearest store by visiting www.hibbett.com. Follow us @hibbettsports and @citygear on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact Details Wendy Yellin pr@hibbett.com Company Website https://www.Hibbett.com

August 01, 2022 10:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

FREE BACK TO SCHOOL HAIRCUTS AT CUTZ FOR KIDS EVENTS IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA

Hibbett, Inc.

Hibbett | City Gear and PUMA host Cutz for Kids Back to School events at Hibbett & City Gear stores in Columbia, South Carolina. Both stores located at 4101 W. Beltline Blvd. in Edens welcome the public to stop by on Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 12 noon to 5pm to join the festivities. Kids of all ages will be able to get free haircuts on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Columbia Hibbett | City Gear Cutz For Kids events are two of 19 being held across the country to get kids excited about the new school year and going back to campus in style. There will be free children’s haircuts from local barbers, music, refreshments and fun for the whole family. “We are helping the Columbia community kick off the new school year on the right foot with our generous partners at PUMA,” said Ben Knighten, Senior VP Operations, Hibbett, Inc. “The concept was created about four years ago by one of our Associates and has been so well received, that now the event is duplicated across multiple Hibbett and City Gear markets.” About Hibbett, Inc. Hibbett, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is a leading athletic-inspired fashion retailer with 1105 Hibbett and City Gear specialty stores, located in 35 states nationwide. Hibbett has a rich history of convenient locations, personalized customer service and access to coveted footwear, apparel and equipment from top brands like Nike, Jordan, and adidas. Consumers can browse styles, find new releases, shop looks and make purchases online or in their nearest store by visiting www.hibbett.com. Follow us @hibbettsports and @citygear on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact Details Wendy Yellin pr@hibbett.com Company Website https://www.Hibbett.com

August 01, 2022 10:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Million-Dollar Owners Thomas and Denise Batliner Share Keys to Business Growth in Louisville, KY

Minuteman Press International Inc

Thomas and Denise Batliner have owned their Minuteman Press franchise located at 3905 Bardstown Road since November of 2005. With over 16 years in business, Thomas shares the following insights that helped he and Denise grow their business in Louisville and become members of the Minuteman Press International President’s Million-Dollar Circle. On this accomplishment, Thomas says, “Denise and I believe marketing efforts, customer service, networking, and a little luck have been vital to our success and longevity. We would like to place special emphasis on customer service. At Minuteman Press in Louisville, we focus on treating the customer as we would like to be treated. We believe anyone who walks through the door can be our next biggest customer, and hospitality may make or break the possible relationship.” He continues, “Over the past 16+ years in business, Denise and I have grown the business by developing relationships with new customer bases. More specifically, we gained these relationships through acquisitions. For example, in August of 2012, we purchased an independent printer. This acquisition almost doubled our 2011 sales in addition to our everyday marketing and networking. Then, in December of 2020, we purchased an independent promotional products company. Like our 2012 acquisition, we almost doubled the past year’s sales. Our new customers are the key to our success, and we appreciate their continued business and loyalty.” From the US Navy to Owning a Printing Business Prior to franchising with Minuteman Press, Thomas Batliner served in the US Navy. He shares, “We didn't start Minuteman Press until 2005 when I was 38 years old. Before reaching this point, I served in the United States Navy for three years where I specialized in aviation hydraulics (AMH3). This military experience reinforced the work ethic instilled in me at a young age while farming with my family and has played a vital role in driving my determination to stay in the printing industry.” Thomas continues, “Furthermore, after being honorably discharged, I was a tool and die specialist by trade before being promoted to an estimator at a plastics manufacturer, Beach, Mold, and Tool, now known as NYX. While in this role, I earned an associate degree in Business. But most importantly, I decided I wanted to drive my career and become an entrepreneur. Minuteman Press matched this goal because of the low initial investment, and the business presented the new challenge I was seeking.” “Minuteman Press International supported me from the beginning before I had any professional knowledge about the printing industry. For instance, at the initial home office training, I learned basic facts about paper stocks and more information regarding machine availability and capabilities. Lastly, our office utilizes FLEX, the workflow software developed by Minuteman Press that constantly evolves to add effective apps that drive marketing value.” – Thomas Batliner, owner, Minuteman Press, Louisville, KY Leveraging Local Business Relationships & Benefits of Printing Today When asked what it has been like to own a business in Louisville for over 16 years, Thomas shares, “We are in an urban area and serve a diverse community. There are people from many varying backgrounds, and we have learned about different cultures from around the world. Additionally, we are part of a community where nearby business owners help and look out for one another. For instance, a nearby competitor has helped us continue production during machine downtime and meet customer demand. To return this favor, we have been known to share our resources if this competitor is short-staffed. Because of this dynamic, we believe it is important to develop healthy relationships with everyone in the community, even those with competing business goals.” Thomas explains why printing remains so vital today, sharing, “We believe printing remains vital today because it secures a company’s mission. In terms of management, it also provides different avenues for documentation. To illustrate, when a business provides a digital or physical copy of an employee handbook to its staff, it can better document and communicate expectations and other important information.” He adds, “The main benefit of print is that it can be found everywhere, from the menu you use at your favorite restaurant menu to the branded t-shirt you buy at the store. Because of print's presence, companies always need it. Even during uncertain times like the pandemic, manufacturing facilities, hospitals, and a variety of other companies needed printed materials promoting safety warnings and best practices.” “Our highest demand products and services include envelopes, every door direct mail (EDDM), and wide format printing, a powerful visual medium used for larger files such as blueprints and banners. Our customers value these products and services because they can reach a larger audience. In addition to our highest demand products, key growth areas for our business are promotional products and branded apparel. For example, the customers from our acquisition of the promotional products company have driven sales and we have added a new product line that existing customers can access.” –Thomas Batliner Rewards of Owning a Business & Advice to Others As Thomas and Denise reflect on their accomplishments, there are a couple of items that really stick out. Thomas says, “The biggest personal reward for Denise and me was the ability to put both of our children through college as traditional four-year students. Lauren, our oldest, is now a critical care nurse and Erica, our youngest, is a sourcing and supply chain professional.” He adds, “Aside from this personal reward, our biggest professional reward was receiving our plaque for the Minuteman Press International President's Million Dollar circle. After 16+ years of business, it was an honor to achieve such a high sales goal and to meet others who have accomplished the same or more.” Thomas shares the following advice to today’s aspiring business owners, saying, “The advice I would give to someone looking to own a business is ‘do your homework.’ You need to choose something you can be passionate about and enjoy daily. Despite the hard work ahead of you, because there are some long days and weeks, it can be very rewarding.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Louisville, Kentucky, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/ky/louisville20/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

August 01, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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LiveArt and Huang Yuxing Announce Exclusive NFT Collection Available this Fall

LiveArt

LiveArt announced today an upcoming partnership with Huang Yuxing (b. 1975, Beijing) to co-create “Meta-morphic: the Genesis of Huang Yuxing,” an exclusive NFT drop by the contemporary artist. Already renowned for his dexterous paintings, Huang will expand on his physical work and enter the digital realm through this genesis collection of generative NFTs. Each NFT will evolve and unlock alongside a collector’s participation. This NFT drop is produced and published by LiveArt, which launched in early 2021 by a team of former Sotheby’s and Christie’s leaders to bridge the physical and digital art worlds. The collaboration between two leading forces in the art world will bring their collective creativity to the rapidly maturing world of digital art. "Meta-morphic is my first generative NFT project. This new medium allows a new kind of exploration of recurring motifs in my work - minerals, bubbles and rivers - and the themes of nature and of time that are hallmarks of my artistic journey," said Huang Yuxing about the collaboration. Huang Yuxing is widely recognized for paintings that reflect and preserve the process of their creation. His work’s exceptional synthesis of styles has broad appeal, with imagery that calls back to traditional Chinese landscape painting rendered in an ultra-contemporary neon palette that verges on abstraction. Huang’s works have already passed the $8-million mark at auction, most recently via the sale of his epic riverscape Seven Treasure Pines (2016–19) which sold for HK$64.8 million ($8.3 million), more than 13 times its high estimate, a record sum for a Chinese artist born after 1970. “We are thrilled to be working with Huang Yuxing on his ‘Genesis’ NFT collection,” said Marisa Kayyem, head of LiveArt NFT division. “ Yuxing’s arresting work brings together tradition and innovation, not limited by constraints or boundaries. He is an ideal partner in LiveArt’s mission to support creators in exploring blockchain as an artistic medium, bring traditional collectors into the digital space, and expose crypto collectors to breakthrough contemporary artists.” “Meta-morphic: the Genesis of Huang Yuxing” will be available this fall exclusively at LiveArt. Visit https://liveart.io/meta-morphic to receive updates about the collaboration. About LiveArt LiveArt is a premium platform that connects the art world with Web3. With unique technology built by art industry leaders, LiveArt brings creators, collaborators, and collectors into the metaverse. Artists can mint their works in the Creator Hub with powerful rights management and unbreakable resale royalties. The LiveArt White Label Suite enables galleries, museums, and brands to launch and manage their own Web3 projects and work with the LiveArt NFT Studio and our partners to curate and market drops. And the LiveArt Developer Lab empowers the most advanced coders to work with our innovative Web3 technology. LiveArt provides the ultimate bridge between the physical and digital art worlds – blending technology, innovation and deep knowledge of the art market. Our $ART token facilitates the community and governance around the LiveArt marketplace while providing insider access to the art world. Holders of the $ART token are eligible for exclusive rewards and access to digital and physical art, advance notice of drops, and membership in the LiveArt DAO. About Huang Yuxing Huang Yuxing (b. 1975, Beijing) is widely recognized among his generation for his ability to create paintings that reflect and preserve the process of their creation. Colors, brushstrokes, and traces of the artist’s hand endure on his canvases after being continuously overlaid and blended. The meticulous brushstrokes and intense colors that pervade his works are grounded in the traditional Chinese realist technique, ‘Gongbi Zhongcai’, while building upon these principles through a signature contemporary style that continues to evolve. Huang’s artistic practice is marked by exceptional depth: while his works may at first recall an Expressionist style, they are deeply rooted in a detailed construction of landscape and human form that effuses vibrant color and reflects the experience of creation. Huang’s works are marked by a sharp and clear contrast between the vitality of color and the harsh realities of life. Rivers, bubbles, treasures, sunrises, and sunsets are recurring motifs in his works that are presented with dazzling visual effect, yet embody the artist’s extensive study of individuals, nature, life, politics, and beyond. Contact Details LiveArt PR press@liveart.io Company Website https://liveart.io

July 29, 2022 01:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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The App Store Tax: How the App Store Limits Consumer Freedom

YourUpdateTV

Have you ever wondered why you cannot manage your account on many popular apps or why subscription fees are greater while purchasing through an app than through a website? One reason: the app tax. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/5JXDgYSgtzM App store gatekeepers deny users the ability to choose how and which apps you download onto your mobile devices, claiming security concerns. “It’s time to bring an end to monopolistic practices that stand in the way of an open, fair, and competitive digital marketplace. Congress has the opportunity to rein in Big Tech through the bipartisan, bicameral Open App Markets Act. This proposal would hold gatekeeper platforms accountable, increase fair competition, and benefit consumers across the nation with greater choice and innovation.” said Rick VanMeter, Executive Director for the Coalition for App Fairness. The Open App Markets Act would fix the broken mobile app marketplace by requiring mobile gatekeepers to allow third-party app stores and third-party in-app payment systems. Additionally, the legislation prohibits anti-competitive practices, such as “self-preferencing,” by banning app stores from engaging in behaviors that put their products at an advantage over independent developers and competitors. A recent survey found that 68% of voters think Big Tech has too much power and 79% support efforts by Congress to pass the Open App Markets Act and open up the mobile app ecosystem to competition. In California, polling showed that 69% of likely California voters believe Big Tech has too much power and 75% support the Open App Markets Act. Developers note that a 15-30% fee by dominant platforms, like Apple or Google, represents an enormous portion of their revenue, in many cases an untenably large one. Developers and creators want Big Tech to open their app store platforms so that any company can build software on their own terms and release it to people freely. For more information, visit appfairness.org. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

July 28, 2022 05:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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DealCart enables affordable ecommerce for 220m Pakistanis as it secures $4.5m funding round

DealCart

With record levels of inflation around the world and households looking for savings on purchases. Social commerce platform DealCart has launched to provide them with access to affordable products in a gamified and interactive manner. In doing so, the startup is today announcing a $4.5 million pre-seed funding. DealCart unlocks value by enabling communities to 'buy together and save together' with a focus on providing national visibility to locally manufactured brands. It’s one the largest investments in the MENAP region for early-stage startups and comes just three months into their operational set up. The round was led by Shorooq Partners with participation from Fatima Gobi Ventures, Vibe Capital, 500 Global, i2i Ventures, Julian Shapiro, Rally Cap Ventures, Alex Lazarow and several strategic angel investors. DealCart founders Haider Raza and Ammar Naveed are addressing the unmet needs of the ecommerce marketplace in Pakistan by bringing value to underserved customers. Despite the burgeoning growth of smartphone and internet penetration, e-commerce usage remains low among the middle and lower middle-income segments that constitute the majority of the country's 220 million people (and primarily serving higher income segments). As such, the current e-commerce landscape in the country is skewed towards large ticket electronics, fashion and the convenience value proposition provided by quick commerce. With DealCart, the idea is to unlock value for the majority of the country that values affordability above all else. By allowing users to buy in groups and sharing deals on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, DealCart will empower customers and give them the ability to place larger orders versus buying alone. This will unlock lower prices and provide an engaging new way to shop. Founders Ammar Naveed and Haider Raza understood the need for their product through their previous experience in the tech startup ecosystem in Pakistan where they scaled and focussed on profitability. Ammar was a senior director at ride hailing app Careem overseeing the operations across the Middle East & Pakistan while Haider launched and scaled mobility startup Swvl in Pakistan in addition to building a tourism startup previously as a co-founder. They have a shared passion for social commerce and a drive to make an impact in the region at scale. Haider Raza, co-founder of DealCart, commented: “Pakistan has recently seen a surge in social media users, a phenomenon that generally precedes these users transacting online for their daily needs. DealCart seeks to use this opportunity to introduce their group buying platform with the aim to enable more people to get access to their favorite brands at extremely affordable prices. With our target market spending upwards of 50% of their household income on groceries and essentials, DealCart provides the already inflation burdened Pakistani consumer much needed relief”. Ammar Naveed, co-founder of DealCart, commented “Our focus from day one has been the long-term commercial sustainability of the venture; we want to create a business which has solid foundations and is aligned with the new reality of the global financial markets. We plan to do this by having a super lean cost structure, while expanding and growing the business primarily through our technology”. Omer Zabit, Principal at Shorooq Partners commented: “We are humbled to be partnering with DealCart and to be taking part in the take-off of this incredible journey. The founders' customer-centric approach and strong commitment to growth, make us certain they are the right partner to back in Pakistan's first group buying app. Given our deep expertise in consumer tech, we have no doubt that this will be a unique success story and are very excited to see what the future holds for DealCart”. DealCart is going after a $60 billion total addressable market and wants to build an institution that the regional start-up ecosystem can be proud of. It will deploy the funding to invest in further developing its engineering and technology capabilities that will build an intuitive product. The clear priority is to inspire the best talent to join this journey. Fatima Gobi Venture’s General Partner Ali Mukhtar commented, “Given the broader macro environment and the rising cost of living seen across the world, there is greater demand for solutions like DealCart that are enabling access to affordable daily necessities. We have high conviction in the team and model as it fits perfectly within FGV’s investment strategy which is to fund high-growth tech companies that have the ability to generate scalable impact. We look forward to supporting Haider, Ammar and their team and we’re excited to be part of their journey.” About DealCart DealCart is reinventing e-commerce in Pakistan. They are on a mission to provide first-time internet users with access to affordable products in a gamified and interactive manner. They unlock value by enabling communities to 'buy together and save together' with a focus on providing national visibility to locally manufactured brands. For more information please visit https://dealcart.io or follow via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube Contact Details DealCart Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://dealcart.io

July 28, 2022 11:12 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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ShopAgain’s Latest Release Provides Respite to E-commerce Advertisers in a Privacy-First World

ShopAgain

ShopAgain, a Shopify app by a North Carolina-based startup, has released an easy to use, single product that can help ecommerce sellers get the best insights on their online store visitors, create audiences seamlessly, personalize user experience and run email, SMS, and Direct mail campaigns in an automated way. Due to the latest AI technology from ShopAgain, Shopify stores are able to somewhat counter the challenges faced due to the recent advertising restrictions brought about by the ad tech giants in tandem with regulators across the globe. “ We are focused on building omnichannel marketing products for eCommerce companies to help them make the most of their existing user base. Our first product is for Shopify, and we will soon have products for other ecommerce platforms as well,” says Maruti Agarwal, Founder and CEO of ShopAgain. What makes apps like ShopAgain extremely vital in 2022 are the recent changes in digital advertising processes and scope. All these years, marketers with a fair media budget had it reasonably easy. The ad tech platforms did the heavy lifting of collecting and classifying online user data. Marketers could simply order the audience that they precisely needed. However, in recent years we have witnessed a whole lot of changes. In 2018, the EU passed the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), showing how it's done to the rest of the world. The CCPA (California Customer Privacy Act) was passed shortly after. As a result, the tech companies that control most of the world's advertising today had to actively take measures to protect user privacy. Be it Apple's iOS update that allows users to opt out of data sharing or Google's decision to remove third-party cookies from Chrome by 2023, all point in the same direction: A privacy-first future! " Marketers will have to think differently. The recent changes make it all the more important to focus on the data you own as a company. It can be either the zero-party data that customers willingly share with you, such as gender, and personal preferences, or first-party data that you can collect through their interactions with your brand. We have customers who have successfully grown revenue up to 24% using cross-selling and up-selling opportunities identified via ShopAgain without spending an extra penny on acquisition. It helps pull up the overall brand ROI substantially,” adds Agarwal, who comes with years of experience in handling AI and data science products and teams. Agarwal's views find support in recent publications by marketing tech majors such as HubSpot, whose advice is to focus more on retention than acquisition for better ROI. Products like ShopAgain are helping eCommerce store-owners make the most of the customer and user data to sharpen their marketing toolkit. Features like easy creation of audience segments, personalized communication via all available channels (direct mail, email marketing, SMS, pop-up forms, etc.), AI-enabled insights, and profound analytics are helping storeowners, upsell, cross-sell and also close on prospects. ShopAgain, has been funded by Softeq, a venture capital company based in Houston, Texas. As per, Joel Carter, CMO of Softeq & a veteran marketer, “ In the early days of database marketing, zero-party was one of the only options for marketers. After the rise of third-party lists, the paradigm shifted from static analog form to real-time digital which exposed numerous privacy issues. Now access is retreating. Building a relationship with customers in which they will freely volunteer valuable data is mission critical. We believe that ShopAgain will help ecommerce firms achieve just that! ” Along with Maruti Agarwal, ShopAgain is co-founded by Roshan Singh, who is the CTO of the company. Agarwal and Singh were colleagues at Meltwater, an industry-leading media monitoring and social analytics platform. Contact Details ShopAgain Maruti Agarwal +1 919-758-6084 maruti@shopagain.io Company Website https://www.shopagain.io/

July 28, 2022 07:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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