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Volatus Aerospace Forecasts Revenues of $38 million in 2022, a 138% Growth from 2021, with an expected gross margin of 31%

Volatus Aerospace Corp.

Volatus Aerospace Corp. (TSXV:VOL) ("Volatus" or the "Company") is pleased to pre-announce its unaudited Pro-forma revenue for FY2021 of approximately $16.5 million of sales and expects to release its audited 2021 financial statements in April of 2022. Additionally, Volatus is providing revenue guidance of $38 million for FY2022 with a blended gross margin of 31%. The forecast includes twelve months of all operating subsidiaries and ten months of MVT Geo-Solutions, an acquisition scheduled to close on or around February 28th, 2022. All amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. The Company will host a webcast on February 28, 2022, at 3 pm EST to discuss recent operational highlights and forward-looking guidance in connection with 2022 forecast revenues. “Volatus is recognized as a leader in the drone industry. Our ability to scale has allowed the Company to accelerate growth, consolidate earnings, and access greater revenue-generating opportunities,” said Glen Lynch, President and CEO of Volatus. “We have a mature aerospace team with a demonstrated ability to execute and a growing opportunity fuelled by the rapid adoption of drones across industry, government, and defense sectors.” "Volatus grew revenues from less than $1 million in 2020 to more than $16 million in 2021. At the same time, we completed a reverse take-over and were approved for listing on the TSX Venture by year-end," said Abhinav Singhvi, Chief Financial Officer. "Volatus is built on the foundation of scaling businesses on a sustainable basis – we are blitzscaling, but responsibly, with our eyes on the bottom line. While the global drone industry is a US$58.4 billion market, growing at a CAGR of 16.4% ( as per the Markets and Markets 2021 report ); we intend to capture as much market as possible through our growth strategy." Business Highlights for 2022 Emerging, growth segments of the business include public safety, defense, unmanned commercial cargo and military re-supply, forestry, and autonomous solutions with integrated remote flight operations software Scaling existing customers with national service offerings Leveraging the Company's premier Canadian position in the services and equipment sales into growth in the US and Latin American markets Commencement of assembly and testing of long-range, high endurance drones at the Lake Simcoe facility in Ontario Business Outlook and Webcast Details Glen Lynch, President and CEO of Volatus, Abhinav Singhvi, Chief Financial Officer, and Rob Walker, Chief Operating Officer, will host a conference call and webcast on February 28, 2022, at 3 pm EST to discuss details of the company's performance and certain forward-looking information. The session may be accessed here. The webcast will be available for replay on March 1, 2022. About Volatus Aerospace: Volatus Aerospace Corp. is a leading provider of integrated drone solutions throughout Canada, the United States, and Latin America. Operating a vast pilot network, Volatus serves commercial and defense markets with imaging and inspection, security and surveillance, equipment sales and support, training, and design, manufacturing, and R&D. Through its subsidiary Volatus Aviation, Volatus carries on the business of aircraft management, charter sales, and cargo services using piloted, remotely piloted, and autonomous aircraft. This news release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Corporation with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” (or other variations of the foregoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information includes information regarding (i) the business plans and expectations of the Corporation; and (ii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to the Corporation, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking information reflects the Corporation’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to it and on assumptions it believes to be not unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. In some instances, material factors or assumptions are discussed in this news release in connection with statements containing forward-looking information. Such material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Corporation; meeting the continued listing requirements of the TSXV; and anticipated and unanticipated costs and other factors referenced in this news release and the Circular, including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Circular under the caption “Risk Factors”. Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and, other than as required by law, the Corporation disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Source: Volatus Aerospace Corp. TSXV: VOL Contact Details Volatus Aerospace Corp. Rob Walker +1 514-447-7986 rob.walker@volatusaerospace.com Company Website https://volatusaerospace.com

February 16, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Cooper Standard Updates Purpose, Mission and Values for Evolving Market

Cooper Standard Holdings Inc.

To better leverage its culture, capabilities and resources for future growth and to further align with the interests of all its stakeholders in rapidly evolving global markets, Cooper Standard (NYSE: CPS) has re-defined its formal Purpose, Mission and Values statements. “Since 2013, Cooper Standard has clearly defined its Purpose, Mission and Values to provide clarity and inspiration for all stakeholders,” said Jeffrey Edwards, chairman and CEO, Cooper Standard. “To ensure these statements remain aligned with our culture and the needs of our key stakeholders, we thoughtfully re-examine them every few years. In 2021, through a series of workshops, the Cooper Standard Global Leadership Team assessed our culture and, with the help of employee feedback, updated the Company’s Purpose, Mission and Values statements to provide guidance and alignment for our team worldwide.” According to Cooper Standard, its new statement of Purpose – “Creating Sustainable Solutions Together” – consists of four important words: Creating: The Company is developing game-changing advancements in materials science and product innovations; Sustainable: Cooper Standard delivers continued business viability and reduction of its environmental footprint; Solutions: Cooper Standard delivers high-quality products and services to its stakeholders; and Together: The Company partners with all its stakeholders to create a better tomorrow. The Company’s updated Mission statement is “Be the First Choice of the Stakeholders We Serve.” According to Edwards, this reflects Cooper Standard’s Mission to be the first choice of each of its stakeholder groups – customers, employees, investors, suppliers and the communities in which it operates – by living its Core Values and demonstrating its capabilities to meet or exceed expectations. Cooper Standard’s Values are the foundation of its culture. These non-negotiable beliefs are modeled in all business interactions. The Company’s six updated Value statements include: Safety First: Ensuring a physically and psychologically safe workplace, with a focus on environmentally responsible materials, products and procedures; Collaboration Drives Success: Building partnerships, interacting with transparency and aligning resources to meet shared objectives; Integrity Always: Consistently acting in an honest, ethical and responsible manner; Diversity Makes Us Stronger: Creating a global workforce that reflects a broad range of human differences; leveraging the uniqueness of every team member; and nurturing an inclusive culture where each employee feels they belong and are valued; Commitment to Excellence: Holding ourselves and each other to high standards and always striving to do better through courage, creativity, perseverance and discipline; and Respect for All: Sustaining an encouraging, caring and supportive environment by listening with an open mind, speaking thoughtfully and treating others with dignity. “Together, our updated Purpose, Mission and Values statements reflect our unique culture and Cooper Standard’s ability to serve its stakeholders in the new, evolving future,” said Edwards. “It is this culture that will help us navigate industry challenges and emerge even stronger, together.” For more information about Cooper Standard’s Purpose, Mission and Values, and the culture they cultivate, please visit: http://www.cooperstandard.com/company/about-us/our-purpose. About Cooper Standard Cooper Standard, headquartered in Northville, Mich., with locations in 21 countries, is a leading global supplier of sealing and fluid handling systems and components. Utilizing our materials science and manufacturing expertise, we create innovative and sustainable engineered solutions for diverse transportation and industrial markets. Cooper Standard's approximately 23,000 employees are at the heart of our success, continuously improving our business and surrounding communities. Learn more at www.cooperstandard.com or follow us on Twitter @CooperStandard. ### CPS_G Contact Details Chris Andrews +1 248-596-6217 candrews@cooperstandard.com Company Website http://www.cooperstandard.com/

February 16, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Avi Kumar Converts Independent Print Shop to Minuteman Press Franchise in Longmont, CO

Minuteman Press International Inc

A vi Kumar has been part of the Minuteman Press franchise family since May 2016 as the owner of Minuteman Press in Greeley, CO. In February 2021, Avi had the opportunity to buy Ron’s Printing Center located in Longmont, CO, which was in business for 40 years. Avi converted Ron’s Printing Center into his second Minuteman Press location in February 2021 and is now celebrating one year in business at the new center. Minuteman Press in Longmont is located at 420 Main Street, Longmont, CO 80501. Avi says, “Our Regional Vice President Jack Panzer told us about this established business for sale in Longmont, which is 40 minutes from us. The main advantage was to extend profitability and expand our business in Northern Colorado.” He continues, “Another advantage was that we did not have to spend a lot of extra effort in marketing this as a new business because Ron’s Printing Center had been established for a long time. The employees were all very hands-on and diligent and we were able to retain them all. Within the second month, we added mailings, promotional products, and apparel to their product lines. In fact, we just wrapped up a 30K mailer for a local non-profit organization and secured a large apparel order as well.” Prior to franchising in 2016, Avi worked in retail as a convenience store manager of several locations. “I used to manage some stores in Illinois for a big outfit out of Wisconsin. I finally got tired of answering to my boss and decided I wanted to own my own business. I moved on to better pastures and we decided as a family that Colorado was our calling.” Avi is thankful for being able to work with Minuteman Press and Jack Panzer over the past five-plus years in Greeley and on the conversion in Longmont in 2021. He says, “Working with Jack is amazing as he is very thorough and helpful. Since I started my business in Greeley in 2016, he has been a huge resource for us and very supportive. As we continue to build in Longmont, we are also expanding in Greeley to a new 5,000 sq. ft. facility – remodeling is under way as we speak. We started small and grew the business, and now we are building on that success at the right, consistent pace.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Longmont, CO, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/co/longmont. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. To learn how to sell your printing business through the Minuteman Press Conversion Program, visit https://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

February 15, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Sports Business Analyst Mike Bako’s Winter Olympic Analysis

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEYO-2_V6A4 Mike Bako, Daily National.com sports editor, provides insights and analysis on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and the latest on the scandal that is overshadowing the games. Failed Test Casts Shadow Over Skating, the Olympics’ Showcase Event. Russian skater’s Kamila Valieva positive test were an embarrassing failure of the systems designed to keep doping out of the Olympics. Valieva was cleared to skate even though she failed a drug test taken Dec. 25, the result only emerging last week, after her two brilliant performances in the team competition helped win gold for the Russian team. The Court of Arbitration for Sport gave her a favorable decision early Monday in part because she is a minor, known as a "protected person,'' and is subject to different rules from an adult athlete. For additional commentary by Bako please email mike@dailynational.com For more information, visit DailyNational.com Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 15, 2022 10:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

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QX Global Group Acquires Management Consulting & Advisory Services Firm Chazey Partners

QX Global Group

Together QX Global Group and Chazey Partners will provide end-to-end Business Transformation, Digital Services & Intelligent Automation, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) for Fortune 1000 companies and public sector organizations, including higher education, across the globe. QX Global Group, a Top 100 Business Process Outsourcing company, announced the acquisition of an 80% stake in Austin, Texas-based Chazey Partners, a world-class management consulting and advisory firm specializing in business and digital transformation. The Chazey Partners team brings decades of experience in implementing and operating world-class business support and shared services organizations around the globe, with expertise in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Together, QX and Chazey Partners will work to deliver innovative solutions that cover transformative consulting, digital services, and business process outsourcing, customized to meet each client’s specific needs. “At QX, we have always focused on enabling transformation of our client’s businesses using our unique 3P approach of people, process, and platform, and we are thrilled that the addition of Chazey will allow us to help organizations solve their most significant barrier to growth – digital adoption and business transformation at scale, said Frank Robinson, Group CEO of QX Global Group. “Adding Chazey furthers our vision to provide integrated, end-to-end solutions to help our customers take advantage of the latest operating models and emerging technologies. I am also delighted to officially welcome Phil Searle onto QX Global Group’s Board as Chief Transformation Officer.” Chazey brings to the QX Global Group management consulting and advisory services with a global reach. Founded in 2006, Chazey Partners has demonstrated consistent and significant growth, with global representation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ireland, Turkey, and India. Chazey’s consultants provide advice, support, and implementation expertise, covering strategy setting, business case production, program management, process optimization, technology enablement, training, and change management. “ Since founding the company, we have significantly expanded and evolved Chazey’s solutions to help numerous businesses and public sector organizations achieve operational excellence by transforming their business operations,’’ said Phil Searle, CEO and Founder of Chazey Partners. ‘’With QX, we have found a shared passion for empowering our clients to achieve world-class performance. By joining forces with QX, we will augment our near-shoring and offshoring capabilities by opening new Centers of Excellence (COEs) in India and Latin America. This is an exciting new chapter for Chazey Partners, our employees, and our customers.” The partnership of both trusted brands comes at a time when enterprises across the globe are adjusting to the post-pandemic world. In this environment, Chazey Partners is at the forefront of offering needed transformation solutions, helping enterprises optimize business operations and adopt the latest technologies for sustained growth. The QX-Chazey partnership will enable all clients to achieve a faster return on investment and add more value to their customers and employees. Barbara Hodge, Global Digital Editor at the Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON), said, “This marks an exciting and timely development in the shared services and outsourcing space. SSON has collaborated with Chazey Partners for many years, and I am pleased to see such a highly respected group in the field of business transformation push forwards in extending its services to provide enterprise customers with the more holistic solutions they need right now. Adding Chazey Partners’ transformation capabilities to QX Global Groups’ BPO services, drives an end-to-end solution that connects consulting, digital and business process outsourcing. This aligns perfectly with the move to integrated business services, digitalization – driven by intelligent automation – and data analytics, that we are seeing across the shared services landscape. It’s also consistent with service providers moving to a ‘one-stop-shop’ solution for business transformation and digital needs. I am delighted at this news and look forward to engaging with the new partnership.” For QX Global Group: Corbett Keeling, London, and J. Sloan & Co, Dallas, Texas, provided corporate finance and transaction advice for QX Global Group; BDO LLP provided Due Diligence support across all entity geographies; legal support was provided by Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. For Chazey Partners: Sett & Lucas acted as transaction advisor, and Jackson Walker LLP provided legal support. About QX Global Group QX Global Group is a leading provider of business process management services. With over 17 years of accounting and recruitment process outsourcing experience, we help our clients unlock business value by improving process efficiencies and automation in the accounting and recruitment functions to enable business transformation. We have offices in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and India. About Chazey Partners Chazey Partners is a practitioner-led, global management consulting and advisory services firm. We bring real-life, practical, hands-on experience, empowering clients to strive for world-class performance, through Business Transformation, Shared Services, and Intelligent Automation. We help businesses and public sector organizations achieve operational excellence in the provision of mission-critical business services, including Finance, Human Resources, IT, Procurement, Contact Centers, Marketing, and Facilities Management. For over sixteen years, Chazey Partners has helped clients implement successful service delivery solutions; in the US & Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. Contact Details QX Global Group Vishal Kurani +44 20 8146 0808 vishal.kurani@qxglobalgroup.com Chazey Partners Leigh Knowles +1 855-692-6229 LeighKnowles@chazeypartners.com Company Website https://qxglobalgroup.com/

February 14, 2022 09:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

LanzaJet and Marquis Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Partner to Build an Integrated Sustainable Fuels Plant in Illinois

LanzaJet

This partnership will utilize carbon capture and sequestration, renewable energy, and other innovative practices to bring lower-cost, low carbon-intensity sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel, and other sustainable hydrocarbons to the global market and help accelerate the decarbonization of various industries, including the tough to decarbonize aviation sector. Today, LanzaJet, a sustainable aviation fuel technology provider and producer, has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Marquis Sustainable Aviation Fuel (Marquis SAF) to construct a 120 million gallons per year integrated sustainable fuels plant in the U.S. using low-carbon intensity (CI) feedstocks to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel via the LanzaJet™ Alcohol-to-Jet process. The plant will employ on-site carbon capture and sequestration and renewable energy to produce SAF, resulting in a lifecycle greenhouse gas reduction of more than 70% compared to conventional jet fuel. This first-of-a-kind fully integrated sustainable fuels production facility will be located in the Marquis Industrial Complex in Hennepin, Illinois, just two hours southwest of Chicago, on a 2,500-acre industrial site adjacent to the Illinois River. The facility is strategically positioned for global distribution via direct access to the Illinois River and proximity to vital pipelines to deliver sustainable fuels to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport. The Marquis Industrial Complex also connects with a Class I railroad and multiple interstate highways. "We strongly believe in the importance of taking action today to enable the decarbonization of industry, and our partnership with Marquis SAF is a clear example of putting this into practice. We're able to drive deeper GHG reductions in existing biofuel production, ensure a prosperous future for producers and farmers alike, and decarbonize the aviation sector by deploying low-carbon liquid fuels where they will be needed most in the future – and importantly where they will drive the largest climate and air quality benefits when also considering non-CO 2 impacts" said Jimmy Samartzis, LanzaJet CEO. "This demonstrates the opportunity for the U.S. to produce meaningful volumes of sustainable aviation fuel at scale, transitioning feedstocks from the production of traditional biofuels into sustainable aviation fuel. SAF from existing sources alone could replace more than 50% of U.S. fossil jet fuel use. The key is low carbon intensity, where existing infrastructure is paired with carbon capture and sequestration and renewable energy. Marquis is doing exactly this and makes for a great partnership with LanzaJet." Marquis recently announced a plan for the Marquis Industrial Complex to be the world's first carbon-neutral industrial complex with on-site access to carbon injection. "The partnership we now have in place with LanzaJet allows our company to advance low-carbon solutions to address the climate crisis," said Mark Marquis, CEO of Marquis SAF. "LanzaJet's ATJ technology will be fully integrated into our sustainable fuels plant with a focus on producing sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel. In addition, we are making investments in carbon capture, corn kernel fiber technology, and utilizing Marquis' proprietary ProCap system for the production of high protein feed and renewable corn oil in this new state-of-the-art facility. This will enable us to lead the decarbonization of the transportation sector in the years to come." The partnership between these two Illinois headquartered companies will allow the Marquis Industrial Complex to lead in the development of sustainable fuels. The fully integrated SAF plant significantly expands the production of sustainable fuels in the U.S and places Illinois at the center of this expansion in building sustainable infrastructure that will help reduce carbon emissions. It serves as an example of the types of commercial plants and scale that can be developed across the U.S. LanzaJet recently announced its first plant in Georgia is expected to enter commercial operations in 2023. That plant will use low-CI, sustainably certified ethanol produced from waste sources and existing energy crops. Production of sustainable fuel made from low carbon intensity corn, in partnership with Marquis, is scheduled to begin engineering in 2022. About LanzaJet, Inc. LanzaJet, Inc. is the world’s alcohol-to-jet technology leader and producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Renewable Diesel (RD) from ethanol. LanzaJet’s alcohol-to-jet technology has been in development for more than a decade through a partnership initially between LanzaTech and the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL). PNNL developed a unique catalytic process to upgrade ethanol to alcohol-to-jet synthetic paraffinic kerosene (ATJ-SPK) which LanzaTech took from the laboratory to pilot scale. LanzaJet is now commercially deploying the technology globally. Launched in June 2020, LanzaJet produces SAF and renewable diesel for hard to decarbonize sectors such as transportation including aviation and maritime. With its approach to the commercialization of SAF, LanzaJet creates regional jobs while enabling global decarbonization of the aviation sector. The LanzaJet process can use any source of low CI, sustainable ethanol for fuel production. Investors include LanzaTech, Inc.- the world’s carbon recycling leader and sponsor that spun out LanzaJet, Suncor Energy Inc. - Canada's leading integrated energy company, British Airways - the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, Shell – a global energy company, and Mitsui & Co., Ltd – a leading Japanese trading and investment company. Further information is available at www.lanzajet.com. About Marquis Sustainable Aviation Fuel, LLC Marquis has a long history as a family-run company spanning over 47 years and is based out of Hennepin, Illinois. Sustainability is a passion for the Marquis team, and its mission is to be the “World’s Leading Producer of Sustainable Fuels.” Marquis Industrial Complex is situated on the Mt. Simon geological formation, with the capacity to store over 100 million tons of Carbon Dioxide. Marquis also intends on investing in a renewable oil plant to produce low-carbon soybean oil for the production of renewable diesel. Marquis further plans to produce blue hydrogen and blue ammonia to aid in decarbonizing agriculture and future marine transportation. With its best-in-class logistics and global reach Marquis will lead in global decarbonization. Further information is available at www.marquisincorporated.com. Contact Details LanzaJet Daniel Cherrin +1 313-300-0932 dcherrin@northcoaststrategies.com Marquis Sustainable Aviation Fuel Allison Prestegaard +1 815-925-7300 carbon@marquisincorporated.com

February 10, 2022 08:17 AM Eastern Standard Time

FreshEdge Launches New Website

FreshEdge

FreshEdge, a family of produce and specialty food companies, has launched a refreshed and expanded www.freshedgefoods.com. FreshEdge partnered with DMA Solutions (Dallas, Texas), a marketing agency dedicated to exclusively serving the fresh produce industry. The website creates opportunities for connecting with FreshEdge’s operating companies and engaging in what makes their family unique. FreshEdge now operates with 1,640 employees, approximately 700,250 square feet of warehouse space, with a fleet of more than 650 trucks, delivering fresh food to customers in 22 states. Through rapid growth and consistent execution, FreshEdge has quickly amassed a reputation for adding value throughout the fresh foods industry. “FreshEdge’s new website is a splash of freshness,” said Steve Grinstead, CEO of FreshEdge. “It also symbolizes who we are – a growing family of customer-obsessed fresh food companies who care.” Greg Corsaro, President and COO of FreshEdge, added, “The revamped website reflects FreshEdge’s value proposition of providing dependable, customized solutions with cutting-edge technology for consistent, reliable delivery of fresh food with a sense of family and trust.” “We’re excited about the unique space this new website delivers for connecting FreshEdge, its family, and our industry partners,” said Daniel Corsaro, President of Indianapolis Fruit (FreshEdge retail operating company) and participant in the development of the new site. About FreshEdge FreshEdge was formed in 2019 through the combination of Get Fresh Produce (Bartlett, IL, founded in 1982) and the IF&P Foods family of companies, primarily composed of Indianapolis Fruit (founded 1947) and Piazza Produce (founded 1970). McCartney Produce (Paris, TN) joined the FreshEdge family in November 2020 followed by Valley Produce (Knoxville, TN) in June 2021, Vine Line (Grand Rapids, MI) in October 2021, and Monteverde’s (Pittsburgh, PA) in November 2021. Collectively, these leading fresh food distribution companies have several hundred years’ combined experience serving the grocery and food service industries. In addition, FreshEdge includes two Garden Cut branded fresh-cut processing facilities, a tomato re-packer, a USDA fresh kitchen (CIBUS Fresh), and two transportation companies. Today, FreshEdge is a category leader in providing both the foodservice and retail industries with fruit, vegetables, fresh grab-n-go offerings, dairy, floral and specialty products. For more, visit www.freshedgefoods.com. Contact Details FreshEdge Greg Corsaro +1 317-981-3440 gcorsaro@freshedgefoods.com Company Website https://www.freshedgefoods.com/

February 10, 2022 07:43 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Truck It In raises the largest seed round in MENAP trucking space

Truck It In

Homegrown logistics tech startup Truck It In has closed a $13 million seed round jointly led by venture capital firms Global Founders Capital and Fatima Gobi Ventures. The seed round is the largest of its kind in the MENAP (Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan) region, blowing out previous highs seen in 2021, which was already a banner year for Pakistani startups. The latest seed round brings the total raised capital to $17.5 million, which will support Truck It In’s mission to transform Pakistan’s road freight industry. The round also saw participation from Wamda, Picus Capital, Millville, Graph Ventures, Zayn Capital, i2i Ventures, ADB Ventures, Cianna Capital, Reflect Ventures, and K3 Ventures. Pakistan is one of the largest road freight markets in the Middle East and North Africa, representing a $25 billion annual opportunity, 10% of national GDP. Truck It In aims to be the nexus of road freight in the country by simplifying business for Pakistan’s three million SME businesses and SME truckers (80% of the supply market), who operate in an increasingly complex and deeply fragmented industry. Muhammad Sarmad Farooq, CEO of Truck It In, said, “This seed round comes at an opportune time, as the funds will be deployed to expand our business, driving hiring across all functions, focusing on engineers to help double down on product development and increase our digital penetration in the market. SMEs are reliant on mental notes and telephone calls to run their businesses. Truck It In is leading efforts to bring efficiencies here by building a platform to ensure that SMEs have the right tools and services to thrive today. We are looking to transform the experiences of shippers and truckers, heralding them into the digital future. We are on an exciting journey creating value and solving deep-rooted challenges. In the past year, our revenue has grown 37x, we have expanded into 100+ trade lanes, and added 200 talents, as Truck It In continues to create impact every day. The impact generated allows truckers to lead better economic lives while serving the country.” Truck It In is another key investment by Global Founders Capital that partners with fast-growing companies with huge potential to transform their industries. Tito Costa, the partner at Global Founders Capital, said, “The team at Truck It In is transforming the logistics industry in Pakistan at an unprecedented pace. We are honored to back them again to expand their coverage further and bring their solution to shippers and truckers across the country. ” Fatima Gobi Ventures (FGV), a VC focused on backing promising early-stage Pakistani ventures, is also excited to play a role in developing such an impactful company. Ali Mukhtar, General Partner of FGV, said, “The pandemic has accelerated digital adoption among larger players, widening the gaps of the haves and have-nots in the logistics world. We believe Truck It In is key to closing this gap by making it easy for SME truckers to streamline operations and compete on a more level playing field while keeping costs competitive and serving as a vital lifeline for Pakistan’s thriving economy. With Sarmad and his team at the wheel, Pakistan’s SMEs are in pole position for a strong, sustainable, digital future.” Alejandro Montealegre from Millville Opportunities Master Fund said, “We are excited to back Truck It In’s high caliber team who are providing tremendous value to a critical sector of Pakistan’s economy." Kalsoom Lakhani, Co-Founder & GP at i2i Ventures, said, “Pakistan’s trucking industry presents an enormous opportunity for innovation & disruption, and we have a deep conviction in the Truck it In team, who are tackling this head-on. We are impressed by their execution and honored to support them on their journey as their investors.” Faisal Aftab, Co-Founder Zayn Capital, said, “The Truck It In team has exhibited exceptional scaling ability by rapidly capturing significant market share in this fragmented industry. The team has the tenacity to solve problems unique to Pakistan, creating efficiency for customers and suppliers.” About Truck It In Truck It In is Pakistan’s fastest-growing road freight tech platform servicing clients across Pakistan. The company started operations in 2020 and aims to unlock more than $1 billion for Pakistani businesses through its trucking platform. https://www.truckitin.com/ About Global Founders Capital Founders drive incredible opportunities in the world, and we are their greatest advocates. That’s because our team has built multi-billion dollar technology businesses from scratch and has thrived through all the twists and turns of entrepreneurship along with it. Over the past two decades, we have backed over five hundred entrepreneurs worldwide. Facebook, LinkedIn, Zalando, Lazada, Traveloka, Trivago, Jumia, Away Travel, HelloFresh, Eventbrite, Funding Circle, Slack, Revolut, Canva, Delivery Hero and HomeAway represent a few of our global successes. Global Founders Capital manages over $1.2 billion of committed capital and invests out of eleven offices worldwide. https://www.globalfounders.vc About Fatima Gobi Ventures By bringing together one of the largest conglomerates in Pakistan, Fatima Group and one of the most active multi-national venture capital firms in Asia, Gobi Partners, Fatima Gobi Ventures is fusing local expertise with regional VC know-how. We invest intelligently, using data collated from the flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystems of Northeast and Southeast Asia to identify companies locally that have the edge and drive to go beyond Pakistan’s borders. Simultaneously, we accelerate the growth of founders by benchmarking their businesses and linking them to the developed markets in Asia. For more information, please visit https://fatimagobi.vc/ About Wamda Wamda accelerates entrepreneurship ecosystems throughout the Mena region by joining Wamda’s multi-stage, sector-agnostic investment vehicle, focused on partnering with high growth technology or technology-enabled startups, as well as the leading knowledge platform offering integrated programmes including thought leadership and research, community development, Wamda’s fellowship programme Wamda X, as well as corporate and government advisory services to the various stakeholders of the Mena startup ecosystem. Contact Details Truck It In Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.truckitin.com/

February 04, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR END OF PRE-DEPARTURE COVID-19 TESTING FOR INBOUND VACCINATED TRAVELERS

Travel Tech

The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech), the voice of the travel technology industry, called for eliminating the testing requirement for US-bound vaccinated travelers based on data and science. On January 19, 2022, The World Health Organization recommended the following to state parties: “Lift or ease international traffic bans as they do not provide added value and continue to contribute to the economic and social stress experienced by States Parties. The failure of travel restrictions introduced after the detection and reporting of Omicron variant to limit international spread of Omicron demonstrates the ineffectiveness of such measures over time.” Steve Shur, President of Travel Tech, issued the following statement suggesting rebuilding the global travel and tourism sector by taking a risk-based, data-driven, long-term approach to the endemic: “Travel Tech’s members who maintain the transparent and competitive marketplace for travel, urge the US Government to act on behalf of travel consumers globally, who desperately want to get back to seeing family and friends, business travel and exploring the wonders of the world. With the recently announced WHO recommendations, Travel Tech fully supports revising US international travel restrictions that are aligned with prevailing data driven methodologies while calculating potential risks. Travel Tech urges the US government to eliminate the 24-hour pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated inbound passengers. Governments around the globe continue implementing and revising a wide variety of vaccination, testing, and quarantine requirements. These measures failed to prevent the spread of Covid. Restrictions slowed the recovery of our collective economies and the travel and tourism industry overall. Reconsideration of these policies is overdue. The UK, Italy, Denmark, and others are leading by relaxing travel restrictions. The US can’t afford to wait any longer.” ### About Travel Tech The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) is the voice of the travel technology industry, advocating for public policy that promotes transparency and competition in the marketplace to encourage innovation and preserve consumer choice. Travel Tech represents the leading innovators in travel technology, including global distribution systems, online travel agencies and metasearch companies, travel management companies, and short-term rental platforms. To schedule an interview with a Travel Tech spokesperson, contact Dan Rene of kglobal at 202-329-8357 or daniel.rene@kglobal.com. Please visit https://www.traveltech.org. Contact Details kglobal Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 daniel.rene@kglobal.com Company Website https://www.traveltech.org.

February 02, 2022 06:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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