News Hub | News Direct

Applied UV (NASDAQ: AUVI) Effectively Doubles Its Size Following A Merger That Could Help Shape The Industry – A Brief Look At The Company

Applied UV, Inc.

By Ernest Dela Aglanu, Benzinga A recent merger between Applied UV Inc. (NASDAQ CM: AUVI), Puro Lighting (PURO), and LED Supply Co. (LED Supply) seems to have triggered some excitement in the ultraviolet (UV) disinfection equipment industry. For industry watchers, particularly investors, who are constantly on the hunt for viable investment opportunities, the merger could be on their radar, especially as such a deal can shape the sector’s future. Address A Growing UV Disinfection Market Applied UV believes that the PURO merger further positions it to address a growing air disinfection market trend that aligns with the White House Clean Air Initiatives implemented during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative was designed to protect consumers and businesses against existing and future airborne pathogens allowing economies globally to remain open. In terms of the overwhelming opportunities the deal presents, Max Munn, CEO of Applied UV, explained in a press release that it heightened the significant synergies between Applied UV and PURO. The company's acquisition of PURO adds a powerful monitoring software platform that opens new opportunities to interconnect its portfolio of UV technology solutions. Puro already has a strong presence in various sectors, such as education, government, and healthcare. These sectors have some of the strongest growth opportunities in the category, and the company believes that specializations in these sectors complement the current sectors that Sterilumen serves — food Storage, food processing, cannabis and horticulture. “These mergers expand our addressable market significantly, and PURO’s strong, strategic relationship with Acuity and national distributors provides us with additional opportunities to advance our growth agenda and increase returns for our investors,” he said. Applied UV is eyeing being a leading player in an ever-growing UV disinfection equipment industry which also has players like Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: XENE), Halma Plc. (LON: HLMA) and Calgon Carbon Corp. Currently, there is an increase in the adoption of UV in medical care, fueling the growth of the global disinfection equipment market. The market is anticipated to reach $6.17 billion by 2030 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% from 2022 to 2030. Grand View Research observed that increased government initiatives and rising demand for UV disinfection equipment from healthcare organizations will continue to drive the sector’s growth. The technology and work of companies like Applied UV can never be overlooked, especially in medical care. Increasingly, countless industries, such as healthcare, are realizing the benefits of protecting patients and preventing infection with UV light disinfection at health facilities. For example, UVC radiation emitted by UV germicidal lamps is known to effectively breach the cells of microorganisms, making them non-viable and unable to replicate or infect patients and medical personnel at hospitals. Applied UV prides itself as a global leader that applies the power of narrow-range ultraviolet light for surface areas and catalytic bioconversion technology for air purification to destroy pathogens safely, thoroughly, and automatically. Two Subsidiaries And Segments The company’s major selling point could be its two wholly-owned subsidiaries — SteriLumen Inc. and Munn Works LLC. SteriLumen offers a portfolio of technologically advanced, energy-efficient air purifier and surface disinfectant systems: Airocide® by Sterilumen, Scientific Air™ by Sterilumen and Lumicide™ by Sterilumen. SteriLumen’s connected platform for Data Driven Disinfection™ applies the power of ultraviolet light to destroy pathogens safely, thoroughly, and automatically, addressing the challenge of healthcare-acquired infections. Airocide®’s applications include healthcare, hospitality, grocery chains, wine-making facilities, commercial real estate, schools, dental offices, post-harvest, grocery, cannabis facilities and homes. Targeted for use in facilities with high customer turnover, such as hospitals, hotels, commercial facilities, and other public spaces. The Lumicide™ platform uses UVC LEDs in several patented designs for infection control in and around high-traffic areas, including sinks and restrooms, killing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens residing on hard surfaces within devices’ proximity. The company’s second subsidiary, Munn Works, is a global company that manufactures the highest quality mirrors and case goods. From statement pieces that have the impact of original art to meticulous high-volume production for guest rooms or multi-family projects, the company works closely with designers to achieve the perfect balance of aesthetics and economics. The company has the following reportable segments that are driving growth: Disinfection segment: The design, manufacture, assembly and distribution of disinfecting systems for use in healthcare, hospitality, food, wine, and commercial municipal and residential markets. The disinfection segment addresses heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) in public, government, municipal, retail spaces and buildings. Hospitality segment: The manufacture of fine mirrors and furniture specifically for the hospitality industry. Applied UV’s merger with LED Supply is key here. LED Supply is a strong player in the commercial lighting space, and the company hopes to bring expertise in design and specification for the multifamily space. It complements the hospitality category and will lead to synergistic revenue opportunities for Munn Works and LED Supply. SG&A Translating Into Cost Reductions? Apart from the broader addressable market and cross-selling opportunities, including increasing revenues, the merger could present synergies that might ultimately translate into cost reductions. A cursory look at Applied UV’s financial results for Q3 2022 showed that Selling, General, and Administrative (SG&A costs for the three months ended September 30, 2022, increased to $3.5 million compared to $2.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021. This increase of approximately $822,000 was driven primarily by the expansion of the disinfection segment with the acquisition of KES and SciAir; the expansion of the hospitality segment with the addition of the VisionMark acquisition; and corporate segment expenses due to increased consulting, legal, accounting and infrastructure costs related to the initial integration of the operations of the company’s strategic acquisitions. SG&A costs decreased by $526,000 from last quarter, and the company anticipates efficiency gains this year as it fully integrates its acquisitions and leverages synergies where practical. With a larger team that will collaborate on sales and marketing strategies, new product development, and engineering now at its disposal, Applied UV could eye new acquisitions that could lead to revenue growth for investors and value for customers. For investors looking to invest in medical technology companies or stocks, Applied UV’s growth potential could be very attractive. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. Applied UV is focused on the development and acquisition of technology that addresses infection control in the healthcare, hospitality, commercial and municipal markets. The Company has two wholly owned subsidiaries - SteriLumen, Inc. (“SteriLumen”) and Munn Works, LLC (“Munn Works”). SteriLumen’s Airocide® air purification devices are research-backed, clinically proven, and developed for NASA with assistance from the University of Wisconsin. Airocide® is listed as an FDA Class II Medical device, utilizes a proprietary photo-catalytic (PCO) bioconversion technology that draws air into a reaction chamber that converts damaging molds, microorganisms, dangerous airborne pathogens, destructive VOCs, allergens, odors, and biological gasses into harmless water vapor and green carbon dioxide without producing ozone or other harmful byproducts. Airocide® applications include healthcare, hospitality, grocery chains, wine-making facilities, commercial real estate, schools, dental offices, post-harvest, grocery, cannabis facilities, and homes. SteriLumen’s connected platform for Data-Driven Disinfection™ applies the power of ultraviolet light (UVC) to destroy pathogens safely, thoroughly, and automatically, addressing the challenge of healthcare-acquired infections ("HAIs"). Targeted for use in facilities that have high customer turnover such as hospitals, hotels, commercial facilities, and other public spaces, the Company’s Lumicide™ platform uses UVC LEDs in several patented designs for infection control in and around high-traffic areas, including sinks and restrooms, killing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens residing on hard surfaces within devices’ proximity. The Company’s patented in-drain disinfection device, Lumicide Drain, is the only product on the market that addresses this critical pathogen-intensive location. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Brett Maas- Hayden IR brett@haydenir.com Company Website https://www.applieduvinc.com/

February 03, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

BIO-key’s Innovative IAM Solutions Address C-Suite Top Priority – Managing Cyber Risk

BIO-key International, Inc.

By Gita Karunakaran, Benzinga In recent times, the potential threats of ransomware and data breaches have been gaining more attention among corporations around the world. Companies are constantly faced with the threat of loss of control over customer data and the adverse impact of an attack on their brand reputation. This has resulted in cybersecurity risk being elevated to discussions at the most senior levels of corporations. Despite the C-suite attention the subject has garnered in corporate boardrooms, the implementation of suitable risk-mitigating solutions in organizations has seemingly been lagging. Some of the reasons for this could be a lack of understanding of the level of cyber risk an organization is subject to and willing to accept, and thereafter the inability to decide on which cyber security solutions they would need to implement to stay ahead of potential attackers and protect critical data. Companies like BIO-key International Inc. (NASDAQ: BKYI) offer Identity and Access Management (IAM) cybersecurity solutions for enterprises and often play a key role in bridging this gap in understanding by providing their expertise to design customized solutions to suit the individual needs of organizations. Cybersecurity Risk Increasingly Ranks As A Top Corporate Risk Worldwide Potential cyber incidents and business interruption remained the two leading worldwide corporate risk concerns for the second year in a row, according to a report published by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty. The report included IBM data showing that ransomware attacks remained the top threat, and the average cost of a data breach hit a record of $4.35 million in 2022, with the cost expected to surpass $5 million this year. While ransomware has become a serious concern – with threat actors engaging in double and triple extortion against companies resulting in reputational harm – another aspect that has equally become an area of consternation is the tightening of regulations surrounding the protection of customer data. Non-compliance with privacy laws and regulations, like Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or state laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), could result in hefty privacy violation fines adding to the cost of data breaches. With all the attention that cybersecurity breaches and risks have been garnering, it is no wonder that the global cybersecurity market is booming and reportedly expected to reach $403 billion by 2027. What Can Organizations Do To Reduce Cybersecurity Risk? While cybersecurity and IAM are about ensuring that legitimate authenticated users are the ones gaining access to data and resources in an organization, risk management has always had a more strategic focus with the goal to understand the threat landscape and make informed decisions on the strategy that would work for the organization. It has been seen time and again that regardless of the sophisticated technologies being used to keep hackers out, no system is perfect or 100% risk-free. But organizations can indeed take steps to reduce the likelihood and potential impact of such threats, including educating employees, ensuring adequate housekeeping of software and hardware, and restricting staff access in accordance with job role-based needs. According to BIO-key, the method used to authenticate is a core area that organizations need to focus on when assessing risk and informing their IAM strategy. While relying on passwords to authenticate users may be an easy and inexpensive solution, it comes with the risk of weak security and easily breached networks. As a result, companies have begun adding an extra layer of security with Multi-factor Authentication (MFA), which is believed to prevent as much as 90% of cyberattacks. BIO-key says that it incorporates Multi-factor Authentication (MFA), Single Sign-on (SSO), and its one-of-a-kind biometric authentication option (Identity-Bound Biometrics) under a single, unified IAM platform, PortalGuard, to create holistic cybersecurity solutions for its customers. BIO-key has been a trusted provider of Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Identity-Bound Biometric solutions for over 25 years. The company has been playing an active part in changing mainstream Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) within IAM by offering easier and more secure ways to authenticate the identity of employees, customers, and suppliers, while managing access across devices and applications, for enterprises, educational institutions, and consumers. Its innovations are backed by years of research and expertise and its products and solutions are trusted by leading organizations across industries, including Fortune 500 companies in financial services, healthcare, education, manufacturing, communication, transportation, military and government sectors. With a burgeoning global cybersecurity market and increased cyber-risk awareness in organizations, BIO-key seems poised to thrive and grow by offering the most flexible, secure, and easy-to-use solutions to help organizations combat increasing threats. Learn more about BIO-key’s cybersecurity solutions here. This article was originally published 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 03, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

AI-Powered Congressional Transcripts From FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE) So You Never Miss Another Floor Speech

Benzinga

By Jad Malaeb, Benzinga Artificial intelligence (AI) made huge strides in 2022. The release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT exemplified AI’s evolution. The chatbot broke news headlines in November 2022 when its user count crossed 1 million in the first week of its launch. The mind-boggling user growth inspired comparisons to the growth rates of its larger corporate counterparts, and the results were outstanding. ChatGPT achieved 1 million users faster than Netflix, Facebook, Spotify and Instagram by a significant margin. It took Netflix, for example, nearly three and a half years to achieve 1 million users. The outstanding growth rates reflect ChatGPT’s incredible capabilities. The chatbot has been used to write content, conceive business plans, design new recipes, dictate code for a stock market strategy, create novels, solve math problems and provide professional advice. ChatGPT’s usefulness has prompted the rise of AI in a number of industries, including, perhaps surprisingly, politics. How AI Has Played A Role In Politics As a tech-based agency specialized in collecting data on the regulatory processes in the U.S. and abroad, FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE) has had extensive experience integrating AI into their data intelligence solutions. FiscalNote leverages AI’s computing and locating abilities to transform a bulk of unstructured data into actionable insights. FiscalNote’s clients, for example, receive a timeline of key events relating to millions of companies, and the timeline is augmented with AI-generated scores for quick assessment. FiscalNote’s AI solutions also provide industry coverage based on billions of data points extracted from over 100 million documents, and these are updated daily with millions of data points. The breadth and timeliness of this data makes FiscalNote a unique source for actionable political and financial information. The company has also provided AI solutions better suited for specific tasks. FiscalNote’s AI capabilities, for example, extend onto Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting, Earnings Call Transcripts, Market Sentiment, News Pulse and SEC filings, all of which allow clients to remain ahead of the competition. FiscalNote Leverages AI-Powered Transcription For Congressional Speeches On Nov. 29, 2022, FiscalNote announced that Fireside – its constituent relationship management (CRM) software for Federal, State and Local governments – will be upgraded with the integration of AI-powered transcripts and videos of elected officials’ floor speeches, debates and committee hearings. Fireside’s AI integration will empower communication between legislators and the general public by providing a streamlined path to important political speeches. FiscalNote’s proprietary CRM will enable direct access to these speeches, transcribing them and transporting them to the Fireside platform within an hour after the delivery of the remarks. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hw4iZUte6qM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> This is a game-changer for press secretaries, communication directors, chiefs of staff, speechwriters and district office staff who rely on fast and secure communications to stay ahead of traditional media coverage. At the same time, this service offers some of the quickest paths to the generation of reliable, swift and actionable content for press releases, newsletters and other constituent-facing communications. “Fireside has always been the essential go-to toolkit on Capitol Hill for the management of constituent communications and engagement, and with this integration of Congressional speeches and remarks, Fireside is set to deliver even more value for our customers at a time when electoral change and redistricting has made communications and transparency even more of a critical priority for lawmakers and their staff,” said Josh Resnik, President & Chief Operating Officer, FiscalNote. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

February 03, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

ChainUp expands services with Perpetual Futures DEX system, to provide clients with a secure and stable decentralized trading platform

ChainUp

Global blockchain technology solutions provider ChainUp Group announced today that it has launched a new Decentralized Exchange (DEX), and has become the world’s first Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company to provide a complete suite of solutions for DEX system. The solution allows clients to launch their DEX quickly with ease and supports key features including perpetual futures DEX, DEX and fast token buying services. Users that trade on DEX are not required to register and deposit digital tokens with the platform. Users may trade directly through their decentralized wallets and retain full custody of digital assets through the transaction process. A DEX is uniquely positioned to face global regulatory issues and address exchange security trust, where it offers a higher level of protection for personal privacy while avoiding problems such as freezing users' accounts/assets and financial disputes. But even so, a traditional cryptocurrency exchange has irreplaceable features such as efficiency, ease of use, and convenience. With this in mind, ChainUp has created a perpetual futures DEX system that combines many of these advantages. ChainUp recognizes that users are more familiar with a traditional cryptocurrency exchange, due to ease of operation and familiarity from experience. At the same time, ChainUp also supports high leverage trading and offers low transaction fees, while utilizing its extensive resources to provide liquidity to facilitate direct futures or spot trading. Ms. Tan Bin Ru, Deputy CEO and COO of ChainUp Group, commented, "We leverage on the combined solution of a traditional and contemporary cryptocurrency exchange to help clients solve pain points such as privacy and wallet protection. ChainUp built 450 exchanges and continues to innovate our solutions to meet regulatory standards and better serve our customers” About ChainUp Group Founded in 2017, ChainUp is a leading end-to-end blockchain technology solutions provider covering infrastructure development and ecosystem support. Built on the mission to empower businesses through blockchain technology, ChainUp’s innovative and all-around compliant solutions include digital asset exchange systems, NFT trading systems, wallet solutions, liquidity solutions, and digital assets custody and management. Headquartered in Singapore and with offices around the world, the company has served more than 1,000 clients in 30 countries, reaching over 60 million end-users. For more information, please visit: www.chainup.com. Contact Details ChainUp Media Team pressrelease@chainup.com

February 03, 2023 02:34 AM Eastern Standard Time

Comcast Hosts Community Event and Makes a $50,000 Contribution to Santa Cruz Non-Profit Organizations for Storm Relief and Recovery

Comcast California

As Santa Cruz County works to recover and rebuild from the recent historic rainstorms that caused massive flooding, downed trees, landslides and other devastation, Comcast yesterday hosted a free event to support the community and made a $50,000 donation to the United Way of Santa Cruz and Community Bridges of Santa Cruz. “The Santa Cruz area has suffered so much from the recent storms – the devastation has been heart wrenching to experience and witness,” said Ray Cancino, CEO, Community Bridges. “This partnership and financial support from Comcast is coming at the ideal time and will provide important, valuable resources as the community strives to get back on its feet.” “We appreciate Comcast hosting yesterday’s event. It was so nice to enable this hard-hit community to take a break, come together and support each other, while having some fun.” said Keisha Browden, CEO, United Way of Santa Cruz County. “Comcast’s financial contribution to our community will help us not only expand our recovery efforts but also help us rebuild from this catastrophic disaster.” A unique feature at the Scotts Valley community event was the Xfinity Experience trailer, which features a 12 foot by 18-foot LED screen on which the movies Sing 2 and Minions: Rise of Gru were screened. The trailer also enabled free WiFi access and power so attendees could get online and charge their devices. Attendees can enjoy free food and beverages from local restaurants and there will be raffles with a variety of door prizes and special giveaways. Throughout the series of dangerous and severe storms, Comcast provided a range of services to evacuation and community support centers in Northern and Central California. Comcast’s network and engineering technicians monitored the storms’ impacts and worked diligently to restore Xfinity and Comcast Business services that were impacted as quickly and safely as possible so customers could stay connected. Comcast also made available for free use by anyone its 147,000 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots throughout Northern and Central California. This helped residents and emergency personnel stay connected during the rainstorms. # # # 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 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 Adriana Arvizo +1 925-200-1919 Adriana_Arvizo@comcast.com

February 02, 2023 02:01 PM Pacific Standard Time

You Can Now Join The Metaverse Via TV: Meet METASMART TV By Gazer

Gazer Electronics

Introducing the first access to the metaverse through the TV screen One click—and you’re in the metaverse. Something that would’ve sounded like a science-fiction plot now becomes the reality. The company standing behind it is Gazer Electronics. Its novel development, the METASMART TV, allows easy and swift access to the metaverse. Imagine: you can now download NFTs to the TV screen and enjoy modern art in the comfort of your home. Quite a digital revolution. Being the first company to introduce the metaverse through the TV screen, Gazer provides all the necessary technologies to enhance this experience. With cloud technology and streaming possibilities, connection to the metaverse is quick, and the visuals are high-quality. A unique Multiverse Screen guarantees brightness and contrast for years of daily use. No lagging: neither when watching the content, nor when surfing in the digital world. A special Multicontrol Remote is designed to be turned into a gamepad. You can easily switch from Netflix to Decentraland. NFTs are ‘delivered’ to the screen with the help of OpenSea, an official partner of Gazer. You can buy any digital artwork of your choice via TV, putting it on the wall within seconds. The ScreenSaver feature allows adding your favorite NFTs and showcasing them in slideshow mode. Looking at art has never been that easy. As Gartner predicts, 25% of people will spend 1 hour a day in the metaverse by 2026. Gazer has an ambitious goal to make this number much bigger, introducing meta-technologies to every house. Seems like the company will succeed: the price of METASMART TV is affordable. People's needs are at the core of Gazer's digital solutions; that's why METASMART TV represents a new user-oriented generation of smart TVs, with access to the virtual worlds. All you need to do is turn on the TV, launch the app, and there you are—right in the metaverse. As easy as that. As the world shifts to digital reality, interest in the metaverse is rapidly increasing all over the world. According to the industry market report, 52% of global Internet users already join the metaverse for work; 48% use it for art and entertainment purposes. Soon, students will be able to attend university lectures through the metaverse—quite an upgrade of scholar Zoom meetings; online shopping is set to become more practical, with an introduction of virtual try-on; not to mention that you can go for digital clothing instead of physical. The metaverse is here: you can see it on your screen if it’s made by Gazer. Ready to experience it? Visit gazer.com for full details. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. Gazer is a brand that creates new-generation electronics on the principles of co-creation and human-centric approach: to make together with people and for people. Client-oriented digital solutions are meant to improve user experience with new-generation home and car appliances. Continual improvement, innovation, unrelenting attention to detail and collaboration in product development allow the company to make gadgets just as the customer wants them. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Elena Zubarewa metasmartnews@gazer.com Company Website https://gazer.com/en/

February 02, 2023 01:30 PM Eastern Standard Time

Video Image

Power Digital Acquires Digital Marketing Agency Sproutward

Power Digital

Power Digital, the leading tech-enabled growth marketing firm—today announces the acquisition of the marketing agency Sproutward, headquartered in Boston and Columbus. It is the fifth acquisition since 2019, bringing in 30 new team members to grow the organization's headcount to 580 strategic, consultative marketers, creatives, data scientists and technologists. The leadership team at Sproutward has a wealth of experience working in marketing organizations. Prior to founding Sproutward, Kevin Biondi served as VP of Digital Marketing at Staples, while Anabela Perozek was the CMO of Shoes.com and the Head of Marketing for Staples.com. Third partner, Scott Zakrajsek, previously led digital analytics and optimization departments at adidas, Reebok and Shoes.com. “Sproutward’s growth mindset and culture are incredibly well-aligned with our core values,” said Grayson Lafrenz, CEO of Power Digital. “Having worked on the brand-side, the leadership team deeply understands the mindset, challenges and needs of today’s sharp business and marketing leaders.” Sproutward is a marketing consultancy that focuses on clients who are in the midst of a digital transformation, blending creativity with robust analytics. Their work is backed by a proprietary platform integrating data across systems to create a single customer-facing view of revenue, marketing spend and business. Sproutward’s platform will be integrated into Power Digital’s technology, nova, to realize a data science offering designed to guide marketing investments for revenue growth. “Being data-driven and technology-enabled is in the DNA of both of our companies. By joining forces, we will expand offerings to better serve our brand clients across the board,” said Kevin Biondi, Co-Founder at Sproutward. Through this acquisition, Sproutward’s advertiser clients will gain access to a range of new marketing services offered by Power Digital, including TikTok, creative, content, influencer, performance PR and more. Power Digital continues to grow rapidly and was recently ranked in Inc. 5000’s list for companies winning in a challenging and unpredictable global landscape––seeing 95% team retention and a 91% client retention rate. Power Digital was also named one of Adweek’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2022, as well Ad Age Best Places to Work in 2023. Potomac Business Capital acted as financial advisor to Sproutward in the acquisition. About Power Digital: Power Digital is a tech-enabled growth firm––at the intersection of marketing, consulting & data intelligence––igniting revenue and brand recognition for leading and emerging companies around the world. At the heart is proprietary technology, nova, which analyzes businesses through first-party data, simplifying investment planning for marketing and diligence in M&A––putting marketers in a strategic seat at the table––and providing value in unparalleled ways. Managing billions in media, Power Digital’s dynamic team––of consultative marketers, creatives, analysts and technologists––challenges traditional ways of planning and measurement through meticulous testing and data science across each milestone of the customer journey. Discover more at PowerDigital.com. Contact Details N6A Kevin Pryor +1 347-781-3074 powerdigital@n6a.com Company Website https://powerdigitalmarketing.com/

February 02, 2023 10:29 AM Eastern Standard Time

Akeneo’s Product Information Management Solution Now Available on SAP® Store

Akeneo

Akeneo, the global leader in product experience management (PXM) and product information management, announced that its Akeneo Product Information Management (PIM) solution is now available on SAP® Store, the online marketplace for SAP and partner offerings. Akeneo PIM, which helps improve product content contextualization and simplifies catalog management serving multiple channels and geographies through a flexible and intuitive platform, is built on the SAP Business Technology Platform and integrates with SAP Commerce Cloud to deliver compelling customer experiences that help drive conversion and reduce returns. “Our partnership with SAP and Akeneo PIM’s integration with SAP Commerce Cloud helps enable more businesses to upgrade how they manage product information and provides composable solutions to today’s market challenges in order to deliver streamlined omnichannel experiences,” said Mark Holenstein, Chief Operating Officer of Akeneo. “Integrating with SAP Commerce Cloud helps give our clients an even deeper layer of confidence in our product information management solutions, especially as they take a modular approach to commerce technology.” Akeneo PIM is purpose-built for ease of use while providing powerful technology to automate and govern the enrichment of product catalogs on SAP Commerce Cloud. With this integration, brands and retailers can deliver product experiences that increase sales. Akeneo PIM can help organizations: Sell better with compelling and consistent product experiences Sell faster with efficient processes backed by powerful technology Activate products anywhere with Akeneo PIM designed for omnichannel Automate manual tasks and manage digital assets Improve brand image through product experiences Govern organization-wide data and foster collaboration across product content teams SAP Store, found at store.sap.com, delivers a simplified and connected digital customer experience for finding, trying, buying and renewing more than 2,200 solutions from SAP and its partners. There, customers can find the SAP solutions and SAP-validated solutions they need to grow their business. Additionally, SAP will plant a tree for every purchase made through the SAP store. Akeneo is also a partner in the SAP PartnerEdge® program, which provides the enablement tools, benefits and support to facilitate building high-quality, disruptive applications focused on specific business needs – quickly and cost-effectively. About Akeneo Akeneo brings a complete and composable SaaS-based solution for managing, orchestrating, activating, and optimizing the entire product record in order to drive compelling and consistent product experiences across all owned and unowned channels and routes-to-market. With its open platform, leading PIM for product data and asset management, and ecosystem connectivity with Akeneo App Store, Akeneo Product Cloud empowers commerce businesses to deliver world-class product experiences that unlock growth. Leading global brands, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, including Thrasio, Staples Canada, boohoo, and Air Liquide trust Akeneo to scale and customize their omnichannel commerce initiatives. Using Akeneo Product Cloud, brands and retailers can activate product experiences in any channel, therefore driving improved customer experiences, increased sales, reduced time to market, accelerated expansion, and increased team productivity. © 2022 Akeneo. All rights reserved. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Contact Details Akeneo North 6th Agency for Akeneo akeneo@n6a.com Company Website https://www.akeneo.com

February 02, 2023 09:34 AM Eastern Standard Time

How Yoshitsu Co (NASDAQ: TKLF) Drove Growth Amid A Turbulent Beauty Market – 2022 In Review

Benzinga

By David Willey, Benzinga It has been a year of milestones for the Japanese beauty company Yoshitsu Co Ltd (NASDAQ: TKLF). Yoshitsu is a retailer and wholesaler of beauty and health products that saw a year of growth despite difficulties in the market. The beauty industry is growing, worth over $90 billion in China and $131 billion in Europe. Meanwhile, North America continues as its largest market at $364.8 billion. Traditional stores, especially pharmacies, still represent the largest segment of beauty and health product sales, though there is an increasing shift towards e-commerce that was partially motivated by the lockdowns of the past few years. Companies in the beauty and health space have looked to seek new solutions in 2022 to meet the changing market needs. One company that struggled was New York personal care icon Revlon (OTCMKTS: REVRQ). The company had a tough year, first filing for bankruptcy before being suspended and delisted by the New York Stock Exchange in October, 2022. Parisian personal care company L’Oreal SA (OTCPK: LRLCY) started a research and development (R&D) collaboration with Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) subsidiary Verily to better understand skin health and aging processes. American company Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ: ULTA) saw a net increase of income of 17% in the first half of 2022, and also launched its Beauty& campaign to revolutionize the beauty industry and change perspectives on how to understand beauty and health wellbeing. Tokyo-based Yoshitsu Co. saw its product portfolio of cosmetics, skincare, fragrances, and cosmetic applicators expand to sauces, condiments, and various food products. Despite market challenges resulting from strict Japanese and Chinese lockdowns, Yoshitsu expanded in the past year, opened more physical locations, and saw record company growth. A Series of Successes? Opened Brick-and-mortar Locations. While some companies permanently closed their brick-and-mortar stores, Yoshitsu has been expanding. In November 2022 it opened a warehouse in London, UK, to respond to strong European demand for its products. It also added an additional store in Hong Kong, with significant interest coming from China, which reportedly made up 75% of Yoshitsu's revenue in 2021. Tourist Locations. COVID was tough for companies as Japan was closed to tourists for two years following the pandemic. But when Japan opened up its borders, Yoshitsu was there. It opened various pickup locations, offering duty-free cosmetics to entice tourists, with sites at its Urawa and KoshigayaRyutsudanchi stores in Saitama, as well as in Nagano. Wholesale Success. The company has also handled market challenges by capitalizing on its robust network of 200+ wholesale partners. 95% of its revenue came from online stores, franchised stores and wholesale operations in 2021. Credit Agreement. In November the company entered into a revolving credit facility agreement with a syndicate of national banks. The agreement - for JPY 8.15 billion (about $55.82 million) - expands the opportunity to reinvest in the company and to fulfill a balanced capital allocation. Food Products. Successes made possible by steps like the credit agreement include Yoshitsu’s addition of sauces, dressings, and condiments products to its portfolio, entering a market worth over $21 billion. It diversified this plan by later adding a host of food products, including frozen and refrigerated items, processed food, and confectionery. Record Growth. Perhaps unsurprisingly after a strong year, Yoshitsu saw record revenue growth. Reflecting on the successes, Principal Executive Officer of Yoshitsu Mei Kanayama said: “Although the global economy has been filled with uncertainties, we are satisfied with the accomplishments achieved in our key strategic initiatives, including the completion of our initial public offering in January 2022 and the expansion of our market coverage with new stores and wholesale customers.” To learn more about Yoshitsu, visit its website. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

February 02, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time