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Multi-Factor Authentication – Benefits, Risks, And How You Can Get The Most From It To Ensure Your Organization's Data Is Secure

BIO-key International, Inc.

By Gita Karunakaran, Benzinga Cyberattacks are on the rise everywhere today, with organizations and individual account passwords routinely targeted by hackers – especially where accounts are vulnerable due to a lack of additional layers of protection beyond the traditional password itself to help keep them secure. According to Microsoft's Digital Defense Report 2022, the volume of password-based attacks has risen to an estimated 921 attacks every second – representing a 74% increase in just one year. This is why companies in the cybersecurity space like BIO-key International Inc. ( NASDAQ: BKYI) that provide Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions to enterprises look to Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) as a mandatory minimum standard when designing solutions to prevent unauthorized access to company systems. The increasing widespread awareness of cybersecurity risks has propelled many companies to embark on their IAM journey by implementing a strategy that includes a variety of authentication methods that meet necessary requirements in security, usability, and flexibility. What Is Multi-factor Authentication? Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) is a core component of a strong IAM strategy. It’s an authentication method that requires the user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to an online system or account, which helps decrease the likelihood of a successful cyber attack. The main benefit of MFA is that it would enhance an organization's security by requiring users to identify themselves using more than just a username and password. Passwords continue to be the weakest link in the chain and remain vulnerable to brute force attacks or theft by third parties. Having an MFA solution is therefore able to reduce the probability of hackers gaining access to company systems and accounts. MFA may be based on a combination of two of three different types of authentication factors, including: Things you know, such as a password or PIN; Things you have in your possession, such as a token or smartphone; Things you are, such as biometrics like fingerprints, palm, face, or voice recognition. The options chosen by each organization may depend on their risk appetites and budgets – but what is certain is that the cybersecurity and MFA market is poised for appreciable growth. The global MFA market was valued at US $10.3 billion in 2020. The market is estimated to expand at an impressive CAGR of 16.08% from 2021 to 2031 and is expected to exceed $51.37 billion by the end of 2031. Some of the key players in the Multi-factor Authentication market include Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO), Duo Security Inc. (private), Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), ForgeRock Inc. (NYSE: FORG) and Entrust Inc. (TYO: 7191) MFA Is Great, But What About MFA Fatigue? As MFA continues to gain prominence across the business landscape, it is seemingly becoming increasingly vulnerable to exploitation by cybercriminals. While there is no doubting the merits of MFA over mere password protection, MFA needs to be managed properly in order to avoid a phenomenon known as“MFA fatigue”. Even though having an MFA in place is a step in the right direction to stronger security, the process can become tiring and tedious on account of the multiple additional PINs, codes, and push notifications, instead of only a username and password that users needed to recall previously. This could result in MFA fatigue among users. Cybercriminals who manage to hack into passwords are able to generate repeated push notifications in what is known as a brute force attack. While some users will be diligent all the time, MFA fatigue can result in some users inadvertently approving a push notification and granting full access to the hacker. BIO-key May Have A Highly Secure And Nearly Fail-Safe Solution According to BIO-key, although most organizations have begun to implement a variety of MFA methods as part of their IAM strategy, the best outcomes can only be achieved by deploying a cohesive solution across the entire organization. Deploying disparate solutions would make the proposition unnecessarily expensive and difficult for IT teams to manage. BIO-key boasts flexible Identity and Access Management solutions that are integrated with their unique biometric authentication option – Identity-Bound Biometrics – making it easy for organizations to secure access using fingerprint, palm, and facial scanning. BIO-key’s single, unified IAM platform, PortalGuard, provides security solutions for a wide range of use cases and business initiatives, with Multi-factor Authentication, Single Sign-on, and Self-service Password Reset abilities. MFA with PortalGuard could be the most efficient and secure solution, says BIO-key – allowing organizations to consolidate and aggregate existing methods under a single, unified IAM platform, with the ability to add more powerful authentication methods like Identity-Bound Biometrics to further strengthen their cybersecurity as necessary. To learn more about BIO-key’s MFA solutions, visit the company webpage. This article originally appeared on Benzinga here. BIO-key is revolutionizing authentication and cybersecurity with biometric-centric, multi-factor identity and access management (IAM) software managing millions of users. Its cloud-based PortalGuard IAM solution provides cost-effective, easy to deploy, convenient and secure access to devices, information, applications, and high-value transactions. BIO-key's patented software and hardware solutions, with industry-leading Identity-Bound Biometric (IBB) capabilities, enable large-scale Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) solutions, as well as customized on premises solutions. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Catalyst IR- William Jones, David Collins +1 212-924-9800 BKYI@catalyst-ir.com Company Website https://www.bio-key.com/

February 10, 2023 08:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

Nextech AR Solutions lands major contract with top 10 US e-commerce retailer

Nextech AR Solutions Corp.

Nextech AR Solutions CEO Evan Gappelberg joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share news the company has signed another contract with a top-tier company. Gappelberg told Proactive the contract with the top 10 US e-commerce retailer is for over 10,000+ 3D models in 2023, with significant expansion possibilities in 3Q/4Q of 2023. Contact Details Proactive Investors Canada +1 604-688-8158 na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

February 10, 2023 08:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

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HAN-GINS Cloud Technology ETF details latest trends

HANetf

Anthony Ginsberg from the HAN-GINS Cloud Technology ETF joins Natalie Stoberman in the Proactive studio to discuss how the cloud technology industry has been riding a growth trend. HAN-GINS Cloud Technology Equal Weight UCITS ETF is a UCITS compliant exchange traded fund domiciled in Ireland. The fund tracks the Solactive Cloud Technology Equal Weight Index and seeks to provide equal-weighted access to companies with significant exposure to cloud computing technology. This will include companies from three sub themes, infrastructure as a service, platform as a service and software as a service. Contact Details Proactive Investors +1 347-449-0879 na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

February 10, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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OPPO Heralds A New Benchmark For Flip Phones With Release Of Find N2 Flip Worldwide on February 15 2023

OPPO

Find N2 Flip global availability, colours and pricing to be announced February 15 Join the global YouTube launch event and #SeeMoreInASnap Foldables flipped with a revolutionary cover screen, long-lasting and fast-charging battery LONDON, UK - Media OutReach - 10 February 2023 - OPPO, the world’s leading smart device brand, will announce a new benchmark for flip phones on February 15, with full details of the Find N2 Flip revealed at its global launch event in London, UK. “Our research into foldable smartphones began in early 2018, and in 2021 we surprised and delighted our customers with the launch of our first foldable phone, the Find N, which offered an almost invisible crease and OPPO’s advanced Flexion Hinge. With the Find N2 Flip we take foldables from the fringes to the forefront in a compact, sleek, awesome way, and we’re now ready to share this new benchmark with the world.” Pete Lau, SVP and Chief Product Officer at OPPO. OPPO has created the benchmark for future flip phones with Find N2 Flip, made possible by its uncompromising New Generation Flexion Hinge, which is thinner, smaller and stronger than its predecessor in the original Find N. Despite its compact size, Find N2 Flip packs a palm and pocket-friendly, feature-rich punch upgrading the flip phone experience in all areas. Get the clearest preview of your selfies with its vertical cover screen, which is the largest on any flip phone, and look forward to playful flourishes and powerful tools and widgets, so you can do more without opening your Flip. OPPO has also included the largest battery of any flip phone at launch and introduces SUPERVOOC flash charging to the category, making it the fastest charging flip phone on the market. Fitting a world of advanced technology into a compact package, Find N2 Flip also brings a flagship camera system with Hasselblad highlights, optimized MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ chipset, and TÜV Rhineland-certified durability together for superior smartphone experiences. To learn more about OPPO Find N2 Flip, #SeeMoreInASnap at the global launch on Wednesday, February 15 at 14:30 GMT. About OPPO OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find X and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO also provides its users with ColorOS operating system and internet services such as OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO has footprints in more than 60 countries and regions, with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world. Contact Details OPPO Media Contact press@oppo.com

February 10, 2023 05:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Who Called Me From This Phone Number? 10 Best Ways to Find Out!

Cocosoft

When an unknown number calls your phone, or you see an unfamiliar missed call, what's the first thing you do? Most people tend to call back to see if it's a friend, relative, or acquaintance. However, doing so isn't always the best because there might be a scammer/hacker on the other end of the line. In such instances, it's best to consider finding out who called you from this phone number. This process involves using the unknown number to identify the caller's name, location, address, and social media profiles. Checking who just called you is essential for several reasons. First, you'll be able to react promptly after knowing if it is an emergency or opportunity. You might also discover that the person who called was a long-lost love or friend. Finally, you can identify spammers and take appropriate steps, such as blocking them. Nowadays, it's simple to know who called me because of the numerous online reverse phone lookup services. Here is our pick of the ten best ways to find out who called you. WhoCallMe.com – Quickest Way To Know Who Called And Block Threats WhoseNumber.com – Best Lookup Service with an Extensive Database to Search Phone Numbers WhatIsThisNumber.com - Find out Who Is Calling me from This Number Quickly NumLooker – The Most Dependable Phone Lookup Service CocoFinder – Find Out Who Called You with Comprehensive Search Results Spokeo – Efficient Phone Number Lookup Tool for Unknown Numbers Intelius – Highly Secure and Private Reverse Phone Lookup Service USPhoneLookup.com – Find Out Who’s Calling for Free BeenVerified.com - Best To Unmask Catfisher’s Phone Number TruthFinder – Best For Revealing Unknown Calling 1. WhoCallMe.com – Quickest Way To Know Who Called And Block Threats WhoCallMe is a top-rated phone number lookup website that enables users to quickly identify threats and block them. This website is optimized for fast searches, and once you provide the target phone number in the search box, it'll only take a few seconds to generate relevant results. Additionally, the WhoCallMe website generates detailed reports based on publicly available information. Using just the phone number, you can see who called you and their civil records, criminal records, and sex offender data, if any. Highlights: Phone Directory: Provides additional information on phone number owners and phone carriers. Who Called Me: Look up unknown numbers to know who called and their contact details. Discover the address of the person who called: Identify the home or work address of the individual who called you with a simple reverse phone lookup. Pros & Cons Pros: · Fast searches that only take a few seconds. · Authentic and reliable reports that are available 24/7. · Regularly updated servers ensure you get relevant results for your phone number queries. · Anonymous searches that protect your privacy. Cons: · Service is only available to US-based users. · You may have to pay a subscription fee to access fully detailed reports. Find Out Who Called Me Using WhoCallMe Today! 2. WhoseNumber.com – Best Lookup Service with an Extensive Database to Search Phone Numbers WhoseNumber is an excellent reverse phone lookup website that gathers information from various public, state, and federal databases. This way, you can get vast and precise background information on who called you every time you look up a phone number. When you look up this phone number on WhoseNumber, you can find out the caller's full name, age, employment history, address, and other information that is available to the public. Searching for who just called is straightforward using WhoseNumber. Just input the target phone number in the provided section and click "search" to get background information on the caller. Highlights: User-friendly Interface: The website is easy to navigate and access on both mobile and desktop devices. Vast Database: Get detailed reports on the owner of the number from reliable sources. Additional Lookup Service Available: On top of reverse phone lookup, you get to check out the phone directory service and perform an area code lookup based on phone number or city. Pros & Cons Pros: · High level of security to ensure the anonymity of searches. · Reliable customer support. · Detailed reports on the target phone number’s owner. Cons: · Some of the information shared on the website may come across as unnecessary. Check out Who Called Me from this Phone Number on WhoseNumber.com 3. WhatIsThisNumber.com - Find out Who Is Calling me from This Number Quickly WhatIsThis Number is distinct from other websites on this list because it offers a purely free 'who called me' service. With this website, you can identify any phone number, whether it is a VOIP, mobile phone, or landline. Furthermore, WhatIsThisNumber.com also uses a cutting-edge search algorithm that effectively identifies background information relevant to your search in seconds. This way you can quickly identify the name, email ID, alternative contact details, and social media profiles of the person who called you. Highlights: Free-to-use Service: You don’t have to pay a subscription fee to perform reverse phone lookups. Helpful Guides: Informative guides on correctly conducting a phone number lookup are available. Secured Searches: It uses a high level of data encryption and SSL certificate to safeguard your privacy. Pros & Cons Pros: · Detailed reports provide virtually all the background information you need on your mysterious caller. · An easy-to-use website with quick, efficient data retrieval. · Unlimited free searches Cons: · Access to service is restricted in some areas. · Background information from this website may not be 100% accurate. Lookup Your Mysterious Caller Today and See Whether You Need to Call Back 4. NumLooker – The Most Dependable Phone Lookup Service NumLooker is a reliable phone lookup service available at any time and has a regularly updated database to ensure you get authentic and the most recent search results. Within minutes, you can uncover the mysterious caller's identity, credit history, employment background, and much more. This website offers several filtering options to help you get refined search results and the information you need faster. Also, NumLooker has an easy-to-navigate website that simplifies access to their lookup services. All the information you find on NumLooker comes only from credible sources, such as public-sector institutions. Highlights: Email Lookup: See who has been sending you emails as well as their personal background information People Search: Look up people and their details based on their first and last names. Public Records Search: Check a person’s divorce, marriage, criminal, arrest, and court records. Pros & Cons Pros · You can look up phone numbers for free · Accurate and regularly updated information · Quick processing of search queries · Special filtering to improve the accuracy of results Cons · Only available in the US · Some reports may not provide all background information on the target phone number Get a detailed report on your mysterious caller using NumLooker now! 5. CocoFinder – Find Out Who Called You with Comprehensive Search Results CocoFinder has been a top and most loved people search platform for years now. It's famous for its comprehensive and dependable search results from its extensive database and reliable sources. Its phone number lookup reports include detailed information on callers' identities and background information. The website is mobile-optimized and has advanced filtering features that ease users' search process, making it more seamless and straightforward. It can generate reports in minutes and compile them into an easily comprehensible format for quicker understanding. Highlights: People finder: This feature will reveal people’s information when you search for their name. Background check: Allows retrieval of an individual’s basic information such as their contact details, identity, and social media profiles. Who called me: helps you to know who called from an unknown cell phone or telephone number. Public records search: They include a person's address, court records, education history, and more. Address lookup: It provides more details on a caller's location and information on a property. Pros & Cons Pros · Free reverse phone number search · Comprehensive and accurate reports · Instantly generated search results Cons · Free trial lookup reports are limited Check Who Called Me by CocoFinder’s Report today! 6. Spokeo – Efficient Phone Number Lookup Tool for Unknown Numbers Spokeo is among the largest and most used reverse phone search engines globally due to its quickly generated and accurate results on unknown callers. It provides this service through a paid subscription and its user-friendly and all-inclusive interface. The website has access to broad information databases, giving its users every available detail there’s to know about a phone number owner. It also offers a useful mobile app for android-based users, which makes the whole lookup process even more seamless and trouble-free. Highlights: Email search: This allows you to find relevant details associated with a specific email address. Reverse phone lookup: You can use this feature to find out who called me. Address search: Helps to learn more about a particular address or property. People search: This feature gives more details about an individual, including their criminal records, addresses, and social media profiles. Pros & Cons Pros · Extensive database · Easy to navigate website even for new users · Simple to cancel a subscription Cons · Requires a paid subscription to access data · Mobile app only available for Android users Visit Spokeo today to find out your caller’s identity! 7. Intelius – Highly Secure and Private Reverse Phone Lookup Service Intelius is an excellent website to check who called me anonymously. All its searches are confidential and protected with 256-bit encryption, hence you don't have to worry about the phone number owner knowing about your search. Phone reports from this platform can disclose owner details, history, phone type, location, additional contacts, and social media profiles. All this is thanks to its comprehensive databases from legit and reliable sources. Highlights: Subscribers' anonymity: Allows you to know who called from a particular number without them knowing. Background check: This feature provides complete details on people, including their contact and identity information. Public record search gives detailed information from public data sources, such as criminal records and contact details. Unlimited searches to paid subscriptions: You can run as many searches as you need with a paid subscription. Pros & Cons Pros · Speedy reverse number lookups · Provides detailed and accurate reports · The website promises guaranteed privacy and top-notch security · Unlimited background checks Cons · Users need a paid subscription to conduct unlimited searches · The service is only available to US users. Find out who’s number is calling you from Intelius now! 8. USPhoneLookup.com – Find Out Who’s Calling for Free USPhoneLookup is the best option if you're looking to find out whose mobile number is calling without incurring additional costs. It can reveal a caller's identity in minutes and other crucial details related to them in one understandable report. Anyone can easily use their platform, even new users. You simply require to enter the number you wish to look up in the search bar, click 'Search,' and your report will be generated in no time. Some of the details you can expect from this website's phone search include the caller's name, age, social media profiles, address, neighbors, education, job title, alternate phone numbers, and more. Highlights: Reverse Phone Number Lookup: Find out who called to determine whether or not to call them back. Phone Directory Lookup: Browse a complete listing of US area codes as well as the most searched phone numbers in the US. Quick Access to Reports: Get accurate information on your unknown caller within minutes thanks to US phone Lookup’s state-of-the-art search engine. Dedicated Blog: Learn more about looking up phone numbers, the do’s and dont’s and other essential information using the US Phone Lookup blog. Pros & Cons Pros · Simple to use · Safe and anonymous searches · Fast and efficient service · Comprehensive and accurate reports Cons · Search capabilities are only available to US residents/callers Get a full report on your unknown caller using USPhoneLookup today! 9. BeenVerified – All-inclusive and Highly Educative Reverse Phone Lookup Engine BeenVerified is a well-known people search engine providing extensive information searches. Besides the phone number search service, the website also offers educational articles and content on the subject, helping users learn more ways to protect themselves from scammers. Furthermore, BeenVerified services are simple and fast. It can generate reliable reports within a few minutes of running an unknown phone number lookup. Also, you can conduct other types of searches on the website, including email, address, and name search. Highlights: Users’ anonymity ensures your identity remains confidential when you run a phone number search. People search helps you look up people with their names. Secured Anonymous Searches: Look up phone numbers without worrying about data security and anonymity. Vast database: BeenVerified has billions of data points sources within their database to help you look up unknown phone numbers. Pros & Cons Pros · Fast and easy-to-use interface · Extensive reports from reliable and up-to-date sources · Guaranteed user privacy and safety · Instant search results Cons · Sometimes provides too much unnecessary information. Instantly know who is calling you with BeenVerified now! 10. TruthFinder – Best For Revealing Unknown Calling TruthFinder is connected to vast public databases that allow it to retrieve timely and efficient background details on almost anyone when you perform a phone number lookup. This website has been around for 7+ years and has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, meaning they are well versed in providing phone lookup services. This tool can generate details such as the target person's full name, history, age, education, employment history, and any other publicly available information. It can also disclose details to any publicly registered or online businesses. Unlike most search engines, TruthFinder also provides dark web scans that can uncover more background data on you, other people, and properties. Highlights: App for iOS and Android users: facilitates quick searches for users FCRA Compliant: Truth Finder complies with all the set guidelines of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. People search helps users find people’s details using their names. Reverse phone lookup provides accurate data on unknown callers Public records search: This engine offers comprehensive information from public data sources. Pros & Cons Pros · Unlimited searches on paid plans · An easily navigable website with helpful educative content · Includes updated information on reports · Mobile apps available for both iOS and Android users Cons · No trial period offered Use TruthFinder to generate a detailed report of your unknown caller in seconds! Conclusion Using a reverse phone search service is the most reliable and effective way to find out whose number is calling you. It eliminates the hassle of dealing with annoying robocalls, fraudsters, survey companies, and telemarketing calls. With a good lookup service, you can control which calls to receive and ignore without risking any consequences. You’ll know whether your caller is a potential customer, business partner, relative, or just another telemarketer looking to promote their brand. The ten reverse phone number search services mentioned above are the leading options you can consider today. However, it's best to compare them to select the one fitting your situation. For instance, some can be accessed by anyone internationally while others do not, or others can be free, and some require a paid subscription. Nonetheless, all the aforementioned tools can help you determine the identities of unknown callers, and it’s totally up to you to decide the necessary action to take. Contact Details Zoe Lee zoe.whocallme@cocosoft.io

February 09, 2023 08:48 PM Eastern Standard Time

News Release

Hapbee announces Smart Sleep integration with Oura Ring

Hapbee Technologies Inc

Hapbee CEO Yona Shtern joined Proactive's Steve Darling to share news of an upgrade that combines biometric sleep data gathered from the Oura Ring and the features of Hapbee’s Smart Sleep Pad. Shtern told Proactive the creator of the Oura Ring has granted Hapbee use of its Application Programming Interface for the development of a sleep tracking plus sleep enhancement application. This will now allow the company to provide auto-prompts based on sleep cycles and track users' sleep improvements, he added. Shtern also talked about the feedback the company is hearing from professional athletes regarding its athlete and fitness professional outreach program. Contact Details Proactive Canada +1 604-688-8158 na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

February 09, 2023 01:21 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Uber Alumni startup Hatica raises US$3.7M to boost developer productivity and well-being using engineering analytics

Hatica

Engineering analytics platform Hatica today announced US$3.7 million in seed funding led by Surge, Sequoia Capital India and Southeast Asia’s rapid scale-up program. The round included participation from existing investor Kae Capital and from engineering leaders from Google, Uber, Twitter, Okta and Notion as angel investors*. Ex-Uber engineers Naomi Chopra (CEO) and Haritabh Singh (CTO) are on a mission to boost productivity and enhance the overall experience for 30 million developers globally and address the multi-trillion dollar problem owing to inefficiencies in the software development process. The rise of distributed teams amidst remote and hybrid working environments, coupled with SaaS sprawl, has made it challenging for engineering leaders and managers today to uncover inefficiencies in the development lifecycle. Ensuring alignment of effort with business goals and protecting developer wellbeing has thus been a persistent and growing challenge. However, SaaS startup Hatica has become the respite for more than 20,000 developers and engineering leaders in solving such productivity and alignment issues. “We aim to build Hatica as the daily landing app for every engineering leader to get to the heart of what they can do to help their engineers do their best work, ” said Naomi Chopra, co-founder & CEO of Hatica. As engineering teams use dozens of developer tools and rely on manager 1-on-1s, standups, long team meetings and unscheduled catch-ups to align on project progress and discuss blockers, it is extremely challenging for engineering leaders to identify the root cause of developer toil and loss in productivity. Hatica streamlines this process as the only engineering analytics platform that provides an end-to-end view of software development workflows. It is built on the principles of modern productivity frameworks, like SPACE framework by Github and Microsoft, to deliver accurate metrics across three well-known pillars of developer productivity: velocity, alignment and wellbeing. It integrates and communicates with all the tools that developers use daily, such as Github, JIRA, CI/CD systems, along with incident management and collaboration apps. Engineering leaders benefit from data-driven management by leveraging these combined insights to uncover bottlenecks, allocate resources efficiently and preempt team burnout. Hatica’s platform has been making a significant impact on its customers’ value stream and delivery lifecycle. For example, a real estate technology company saw an increase of 55% in maker time (uninterrupted time to code) and adopted a streamlined async approach to remote engineering operations. Another technology company, a social media platform, saw a 50% reduction in cycle time (time to production) by addressing workflow bottlenecks. Naomi Chopra, co-founder and CEO of Hatica added, “ Developers are depending on more and more tools to get their work done while engineering costs are burgeoning, making the developer experience and productivity a critical problem to solve for organisations globally. With Hatica, we've embarked a mission to equip engineering leaders with crucial and actionable insights to help them build effective and happy engineering teams. We'll be utilising the fresh funds to double down on hiring and expand the Hatica team globally to fuel our next phase of growth”. *Angel investors are Akshay Kothari, Apurva Dalal, Ashutosh Agrawal, Gaurav Lahoti, Punit Soni, Peeyush Ranjan and Pratyus Patnaik. About Hatica Hatica is on a mission to equip engineering managers and leaders with the visibility and insights to help them build productive and healthy engineering teams. It equips engineering teams with software development analytics, alongside team productivity and workflow insights, to help them drive engineering productivity, alignment and well-being. Hatica was founded in 2020 by ex-Uber engineers, Naomi Chopra and Haritabh Singh. About Surge Surge is Sequoia Capital India and Southeast Asia’s rapid-scale up program. Surge combines up to USD 3 Mn of seed capital with company-building workshops, a global curriculum and support from a community of exceptional mentors and founders. The program’s goal is to supercharge early-stage startups in India and Southeast Asia and give founders an unfair advantage, right out of the gate. For more information on Surge, visit www.surgeahead.com. About Sequoia Capital India and Southeast Asia Sequoia helps daring founders build legendary companies, from idea to IPO to beyond. Sequoia Capital India and Sequoia Capital Southeast Asia actively partner with founders from a wide range of companies, across categories, including BYJUs, CRED, Druva, Five Star Finance, Freshworks, GoTo, Groww, Kopi Kenangan, Mamaearth, Pine Labs, Polygon, Razorpay, Truecaller, Zomato and more. We spur founders to push the boundaries of what's possible. In partnering with Sequoia, startups benefit with over 50 years of tribal knowledge and lessons learned working with companies like Airbnb, Alibaba, Apple, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn and Stripe early on. From the beginning universities, endowments, and other non profits have been the backbone of our investor base which means founders' accomplishments make a meaningful difference. For more information on Sequoia's work in India and Southeast Asia visit sequoiacap.com/India and sequoiacap.com/sea. Contact Details Hatica Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.hatica.io/

February 09, 2023 12:54 PM Eastern Standard Time

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PTOP Announces Engagement With a Crowd Funding Portal Group, and Plans To File a Form C with the SEC for Reg CF

Peer to Peer Network

McapMediaWire -- Peer To Peer Network a.k.a MobiCard Inc. (OTC: PTOP ) (“PTOP”) - It came to PTOP’s attention that the financials slipped out of “Pink Current Status” and PTOP confirmed with the OTC Markets that the company was missing an attorney letter necessary to cover the Annual financial reports ending 9-30-22 and all subsequent quarters for that year. That attorney letter was submitted to OTC Markets on 2-8-2022 at 5:30 pm Eastern Time. OTC Markets confirmed once it is submitted PTOP should be updated to “Pink Current Status” within 3-5 business days. Assuming it has been done correctly. Regulation CF, also known as Regulation Crowdfunding or Reg CF is a section of the United States Code, in particular 17 U.S.C. § 227 (2021) dealing with equity crowdfunding. This section of the law originated with Title III of the 2012 JOBS Act which went into effect on May 16, 2016. Several U.S. platforms, called funding portals, currently facilitate Reg CF investments, including www.Trucrowd.com in which PTOP has entered into a relationship with. PTOP has paid associated fees and an escrow account has been set up for the proceeds of the endeavor. Equity crowdfunding is a mechanism that enables broad groups of investors to fund startup companies and small businesses in return for equity. “This will be a GAME CHANGER for PTOP & the value of the company overall in my opinion. As of now, we rely on a direct purchase program where we sell shares directly from the company to people who identify themselves as accredited investors at a discount-to-market, that either call into our investor relations line, or are already existing shareholders. Reg CF will allow us to raise up to $ 5 million dollars though an unlimited number of unaccredited investors. It will allow us to advertise our direct purchase program of our company shares on social media, our website, our equity funding portal partners' website, and anywhere online as long as we go through our crowdfunding partners' equity portal. Trucrowd is a funding portal that will enable their investor lists to pour money into the company as well. We can set the minimum investment much lower than the standard is now. For instance, we can allow shareholders to pay as little as $500 directly to our company to buy shares, at any price we set. This will broaden our shareholder base and bring new shareholders to the company. These shares will be of course restricted for a period of time applicable to the rules. Therefore, the new investors that put money into the company at a discounted price will not be able to sell these shares immediately into the market… But they will be able to provide the much-needed funding we require in order to complete strategic objectives like a proper launch of MOBICArd™2.0 and by definition increase the value of the company. However, we will still need to clear a few hurdles before it is completely set up.” explained Chairman & CEO Joshua Sodaitis. One requirement of Regulation CF is that the issuer cannot conduct the offering itself. The offering must only be conducted through a crowdfunding intermediary commonly referred to as a “funding portal.” Crowdfunding intermediaries must be registered with the SEC as a broker-dealer or as a funding portal and become a member of FINRA. An issuer is required to use only one intermediary to conduct an offering in reliance on Section 4(a)(6). The SEC has stated that it believes this helps foster the creation of a “crowd” and better serves the purpose of the statute. On the Form C, an issuer is required to disclose detailed information including background checks, about its officers and directors. Instead of requiring issuers to disclose the name of each 20 percent beneficial owner as of the most recent practicable date calculated based on voting power, such disclosure is required as of the most recent practicable date but no earlier than 120 days prior to the date the offering statement or report is filed. Rule 201(d) requires the issuer to disclose information about its business and anticipated business plan. Rule 201(i) requires an issuer to provide a reasonably detailed description of the purpose of the offering so that investors understand how the offering proceeds will be spent. The SEC provides several examples of the disclosure’s issuers should consider making about the uses of the offering proceeds. For example, an issuer may plan to use the proceeds of an offering to acquire assets or businesses, compensate an intermediary or its own employees, or repurchase outstanding securities of the issuer. In providing its description, an issuer should consider the appropriate level of detail to provide investors about the assets or businesses it anticipates acquiring, based on its particular facts and circumstances, so that the investors could make informed decisions. PTOP is exploring potentially acquiring some of the smaller competitors in this space, and absorbing their operations, PTOP will make any necessary disclosures at the proper time. If the proceeds will be used to compensate existing employees or to hire new employees, the issuer should consider disclosing whether the proceeds will be used for salaries or bonuses and how many employees it plans to hire, as applicable. If the issuer will repurchase outstanding issuer securities, it should consider disclosing its plans, terms, and purpose for repurchasing the securities. PTOP recognizes that any form of a stock buyback plan could stabilize the price and potentially establish a floor. At this time, however, that is not in the plans but can be revisited after a restructuring. An issuer also should consider disclosing how long the proceeds will satisfy the operational needs of the business. If it does not have definitive plans for the proceeds but instead has identified a range of possible uses, then it should identify and describe each probable use and the factors it may consider in allocating proceeds among the potential uses. Additional Disclosure Requirements on Form C include; the identity of the Intermediary, Compensation Paid to the Intermediary, Legends, Current Number of Employees, Risk Factors, Indebtedness, Prior Exempt Offerings, Related-Party Transactions, Financial Disclosures, Financial Condition Discussion, an issuer must disclose on its website the location where investors will be able to find its annual report and more. It is a LENGTHY legal disclosure process. PTOP has chosen to conduct a PCAOB AUDIT of its 2022 & 2021 financial statements to comply with the requirements needed for Form C, Reg CF. No matter what, the issuer must disclose any material information. “It’s a lot of work. The crowdfunding company TruCrowd told me that it has taken some companies an entire year to get everything done. I worked diligently to get everything except the PCAOB audit completed. We also need our Edgarization codes, which we are trying to locate from previous management, otherwise I will have to pay for new ones. I am proud to say that I am one of the fastest they have ever seen to get stuff completed. PTOP has already paid to have the escrow account set up. I signed multiple agreements and worked diligently with multiple parties to get the entire form C ready. We are 99% completed and need to pay our securities attorney to review Form C that I have completed. We need to also pay for the audit, and maybe new Edgar codes. I am trying to move lighting fast, but as I stated in my Annual Shareholders Letter these things cost money. PTOP will need to rely on shareholders to get these specific action items paid for. Once I have the funding to complete the Form C we can submit it to the SEC & I can continue to work hard delivering on the strategic objectives I have laid out in the Annual Shareholder Letter,” exclaimed CEO Joshua Sodaitis. PTOP believes that with $1 million set aside for the MOBICARD™2.0 marketing budget, we could afford a $1 per customer acquisition cost. Meaning that we should be able to catapult MOBICARD™2.0 to a million users even before we fulfill the crowdfunding limits. “This is an exciting time to be a shareholder of PTOP, we are getting ready to make a huge impact on the market. There has probably never been a better time to become a shareholder. Granted there are a few challenges that lay ahead but imagine investing in Uber right before their apps dropped, and they were aligning funding for the launch of their app. I believe we have the same potential if not greater. We don’t have to scale by hiring more drivers or having the headache of car inventory, or service providers. As our company grows, we can scale it simply by increasing our server space. Our costs are really all on the front end, and once we kick MOBICARD™2.0 off with a BANG, not even the sky is the limit. I am confident that we will get the support of the shareholders to complete the payments for these KEY strategic objectives so that I can knock off the entire 10-point action item list I described in my Annual Letter To Shareholders, there are never any guarantee but I believe it’s a lot more probable than not. I think 2023 is PTOP’s year to break out in a major way,” concluded CEO Mr. Sodaitis. PTOP’s CEO plans to answer a bunch of shareholder questions on the PTOP message boards on Thursday evening so I encourage anyone with any comments questions, or concerns to reach out on the message boards at www.ptopnetwork.com Like us @MobiCard on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @freemobicard. PTOP a new phase is coming soon! Contact Info: Joshua Sodaitis, Chairman & CEO MobiCard, Inc. 45 Prospect Street Cambridge, MA 02139 Investor Relations Phone#: 1-617-481-1971 Email: info@freemobicard.com Investor Website: www.ptopnetwork.com Safe Harbor Statement: This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company invokes the protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategies, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in our filings at www.sec.gov. The company is no longer a fully reporting SEC filing company. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact Details Joshua Sodaitis +1 617-481-1971 info@freemobicard.com Company Website http://www.ptopnetwork.com/

February 09, 2023 10:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Highly Incentivized Scramble For Commercial and Residential Solar As Some Energy Bills Expected To Skyrocket 50% - 200%

SinglePoint Inc.

By Michael O'Connor, Benzinga Of the total new electricity-generating capacity added in the United States last year, 46% was solar power. Even as supply-chain disruptions led to increased costs for solar panels, 2021 broke records with more than 500,000 solar installation projects completed in a single year for the first time – ever. Now with the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. solar market could experience even more of a boom — the Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) recently issued a press release around a report on September 8, saying that “the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will help the U.S. solar market grow 40% over baseline projections through 2027, equal to 62 gigawatts (GW) of additional solar capacity, according to new forecasts in the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q3 2022 report”. President Joe Biden referenced some of these points in the recent State of the Union address, showing continued dedication to the topic that some companies in the industry noted is a good sign of government follow-through. “The Inflation Reduction Act has given the solar industry the most long-term certainty it has ever had,” said Michelle Davis, principal analyst at Wood Mackenzie and lead author of the report. “Ten years of investment tax credits stand in stark contrast to the one-, two-, or five-year extensions the industry has experienced in the last decade. It’s not an overstatement to say that the IRA will lead to a new era for the U.S. solar industry.” The Biden Administration aims to transition the nation's grid to at least 40% solar by 2035. For this ambitious goal to become a reality, solar energy providers have many panels to install. And large companies in the space, such as First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) and Enphase (NASDAQ: ENPH), will benefit significantly from smaller companies that sell and install the projects to the property owners. Occurring at the same time, there are reports of massive price increases for energy that could be digging into businesses' bottom line nationwide and encouraging a significant uptick in commercial solar spending and installation. Wil Ralston, CEO of emerging solar player SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING), said, “Many of our clients and partners are experiencing unprecedented increases in their electricity bills. As a part of our sales process, we evaluate potential customers’ energy purchasing needs, and we have seen utility bill increases ranging from 50% to 200% on commercial utility prices. Our company aims to help offset and reduce those expenses through direct energy purchases agreements and renewable energy solutions such as solar and energy storage.” While Europe has garnered many headlines for enormous spikes in energy costs primarily due to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the U.S. and the rest of the world may be just a little behind. Many businesses that are already being incentivized by the Inflation Reduction Act are most likely experiencing an additional effect of rising electricity costs — the upshot of which could be a unique and crucial time for solar installers and service providers. Ralston added, “Between generous tax credits and rapidly rising energy costs, there never has been a time in the past that the economic decision to go solar has been more obvious to many potential customers. And with SinglePoint’s vertically integrated structure, we feel we are well-positioned to capitalize on the expected surge in solar energy going forward.” SinglePoint is a company working to make the solar industry more customer-friendly. The rapidly growing renewable energy solutions company has been developing a diversified portfolio of services, including the acquisition of The Boston Solar Company, LLC, a leading solar installer based in Massachusetts. The company reported Q3 Revenue of $6,589,227 vs. Q3 2021 of $273,877 — SinglePoint’s strategy has been to build a nationwide network of solar panel installers to help transform the complicated landscape of the solar industry into one that’s easier to navigate for both residential and commercial customers. SinglePoint, with a market capitalization of only $5.37 million, may be worth watching for a positive revolution in the market to reflect this revenue growth. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. About SinglePoint Inc (OTCQB: SING) SinglePoint Inc.(www.singlepoint.com) is a renewable energy and sustainable lifestyle company focused on providing environmentally friendly energy efficiencies and healthy living solutions. SinglePoint is initially focused on building the largest network of renewable energy solutions and modernizing the traditional solar and energy storage model. The Company is also actively exploring future growth opportunities in air purification, electric vehicle charging, solar as a subscription service, and additional energy efficiencies and appliances that enhance sustainability and a healthier life. For more information, visit the Company's website (www.singlepoint.com) and connect on social media for the latest updates. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Tra-Digital IR +1 212-389-9782 Investors@SinglePoint.com Company Website http://www.tradigitalir.com

February 09, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time