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‘Zoom’ed out! Manchester ‘Silicon City’ Innovators Revolutionize Education & Learning with Virtual Science & Tech Campus

CREDERSI

Two of Manchester’s leading tech educators and innovators have announced ground-breaking plans to revolutionise the way in which further education and learning is taught with a virtual science and tech campus using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Tech & Science educators Credersi and 3D tech innovators PixelMax are two of Manchester’s ‘Silicon City’ tech disruptors who are at the forefront of redefining a world in which students and those in adult education shape their learning of the future in a virtual campus world, complete with shops, cinemas, art galleries, wellbeing rooms, food and coffee shops by using immersive VR and AR technologies. Dubbed ‘Silicon City’, Manchester is now the fastest growing tech hub in the UK and across Europe and is widely seen as the UK’s version of California’s “Silicon Valley’ for its phenomenal growth of tech companies. Former Code Nation/Rethink Group CEO, Andy Lord, tech angel and CEO of The Strategy & Architecture Group, Darren Coomer, the co-founders of Credersi, and PixelMax co-founders Shay O’Carroll, Rob Hilton and Andy Sands, teamed up to see how they could revolutionise the world of learning and education together. After seeing how the pandemic had impacted university students and those in further education courses, who have been struggling to keep up with remote learning on platforms such as Zoom and Teams, they decided to create the immersive virtual world of the Credersi Science & Tech Campus. Credersi is at the forefront of incubating, training and developing the digital pioneers, codebreakers, vaccine developers, bio scientists, biological and cyber defenders, software engineers and data scientists of the future. Darren CoomerCEO of the S&A Group is an industry leading CIO and tech innovator who has built and designed a number of disruptive digital products across financial services, pharma, education, retail and telco. With tech and digital in his DNA, Darren has led a number of the UK’s biggest digital transformation programmes. “As a previous ‘buyer’ of 100’s of traditionally schooled tech talent, I’m fully aware of the limitations of entry level staff as well as the high costs of buying experienced consultants. So, we set about developing initiatives that could combine excellent education with real world experience in complex subjects such as coding and science. That’s when we met PixelMax. It quickly became clear that the solution lay in converging the things we already knew best – teaching and technology, but particularly Virtual Reality. The opportunity to transform and revolutionise the training and education sector by bringing together some of the smartest industry disruptors with the Credersi and PixelMax teams, fused within an immersive mixed reality platform using VR and AR was irresistible for me.” Both companies are creating an exciting and immersive 3D virtual world in which delegates, lecturers and course tutors can take their learning courses to another level. Delegates will be able to enter the virtual campus world, which fuses both augmented reality and virtual reality, to learn their chosen subjects and study. PixelMax has also authored several award-winning academic papers including; J Barrow, C Forker, A Sands, D O’Hare, W Hurst, ‘Augmented Reality For Enhancing Life Science Education. A paper presented at VISUAL 2019 – The fourth international conference on applications and systems of visual paradigms, Rome, Italy. It also authored - W Hurst, K Latham, D O’Hare, A Sands, RJ Gandy, ‘A Case Study On The Development Of A Virtual Reality Proton Beam Unit, in: Interactive Digital Media 2018, 11 December 2018 – 12 December 2018, Liverpool. The Credersi Science & Tech Campus is an immersive experience with its own real estate. Delegates enter the concourse and will be able to delve into different learning pods relevant to their courses. Various boulevards line the tech estate, which engage with the delegates at all levels providing breakout rooms, shops, cinemas, art galleries, oceanic aquariums, as well as virtual banks and even wellbeing counsellors. The careers boulevard will have exhibitor totems, where tech, pharmaceutical and bio science companies can have a presence on the campus real estate. Delegates can drop in to learn more about career opportunities at each company. The campus will also have its own careers fairs, where companies can come to recruit delegates. Other areas of the campus will include a ‘shopping’ boulevard and a ‘wellbeing’ boulevard. The lecture boulevard will have rooms that allow delegates to wander in and listen to visiting academics and tech entrepreneurs giving masterclasses. Bio scientists will be able to carry out and conduct live experiments in AR and VR laboratories, while coders and cyber security students can simulate real-time ethical hacking and defence exercises on real-life infrastructures. Andy Lord CEO of Credersi explains: “We all know that the Zoom and Teams platforms played a vital role at the start of the pandemic in education and learning, but as time has progressed, delegates, lecturers and tutors have all suffered in some form or another of Zoom and Teams ‘burnout’. “What we are creating with the Credersi Science & Tech Campus is something truly unique, which is immersive, engaging and interconnecting. We are creating a virtual world using the latest technology in virtual and augmented reality. It means that we educate and inspire the next generation of tech and science pioneers in a world they relate to. We want to ensure that each delegate can be immersed into their surroundings and engage with their syllabus learning with VR and AR. At the same time, we want to provide a platform where if they want to break out and visit the virtual art gallery, they can see who the latest visiting art exhibition is from. They can take time out from a masterclass to go shopping or watch a film without leaving the campus – or order food and have it delivered to their location. They can even visit a wellbeing or counselling pod, where they can interact one-on-one with counsellors to maintain their wellbeing and mental health. “By creating our own real estate within the campus, big pharmaceutical companies and technology firms can exhibit their companies and recruit the very brightest minds and talent coming out of our incubator programs. We become much more than just a tech training provider, but a science and tech campus that has everything to offer delegates and future employers. There is no reason why you couldn’t have companies like Astrazeneca, PWC and British Aerospace alongside Government organisations such as the Home Office and GCHQ, as well as retailers like Boohoo and ASOS, and Deliveroo or an Amazon online shop. PixelMax was founded in 2018 and created by co-founders Shay O’Carroll, Andy Sands and Rob Hilton. Their specialism lies in creating virtual 3D worlds, where they have delivered ground-breaking initiatives and won numerous awards. They have worked with some of the world’s biggest businesses to deliver innovative solutions that solve a variety of business problems and challenges. PixelMax made significant inroads in the manufacturing, medical and educational arenas in the early days, delivering digital twins and data visualisation techniques that allowed complex issues to be quickly understood and solved. Over the last 18 months their 3D world technology has evolved to offer world first virtual events and more recently to create ‘always on’ 3D environments which businesses are now starting to use as their virtual office to complement their hybrid working model. The PixelMax technology harmonises the virtual world and the physical world to deliver an enhanced or more immersive reality for the user. Partnering with Credersi to create the science and tech campus is a great example of what can be achieved. The technology allows businesses to create and host their own virtual worlds for training, product or process simulation, education and, more recently, virtual events and virtual showrooms. The use cases and options for this technology however are endless. The range of features that can be offered in a 3D world are vast. Essentially anything is possible. From live and pre-recorded content, real-time networking such as live chat and calls, interactivity like surveys, competitions and games, as well as live social media feeds – to name a few – all whilst navigating through a 3D immersive environment. PixelMax were able to pivot their 3D immersive technology during the pandemic when the business events and conference industry virtually collapsed. It was able to offer a virtual 3D world to host business events and conferences. Most recently, PixelMax successfully delivered the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final where they created a once-in-a-lifetime moment for the lucky fans who entered the 3D world, allowing them to chat with the players and take part in ‘keepy-uppy’ competition on the pitch. They have also delivered major education-tech conferences with streamed contributions by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Merseyside Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. PixelMax co-founder and tech disruptor Shay O’Carroll commented: “The 3D worlds we create and the solutions we offer our clients are vast. The pandemic has changed the way businesses operate and it has become clear that virtual worlds add a huge amount of value. The PixelMax technology allows our customers to deliver something truly unique. “Our mission has always been to create a place where people can effectively communicate and collaborate in real time. PixelMax is a platform that incorporates all communication channels in one place, we are looking to bring back spontaneity, human-to-human connections and a sense of community in a digital world. Everyday businesses are using way too many platforms to communicate; these off-the-shelf platforms haven’t been built specifically for the users. It's really hard to maintain a positive culture, informal chat has gone, spontaneity is dead, so people are losing their ‘human’ connections and becoming untethered from a sense of community. “The platform is only as good as the content it is built around and Credersi are working to embrace the opportunity to do things better, they are set to be trailblazers in the immersive learning space. Our cultures and visions are aligned, the ideas are flowing and we are so excited to be the platform Credersi are using to amplify their digital world. To say we are excited about this collaboration is an understatement. Watch this space…” The pandemic forced university students and those in adult education all over the UK to adapt to a whole new world of Zoom and Teams as a visual way to continue their education, learn and communicate with their tutors and fellow students remotely. But with this technological advancement, has also come ‘Zoom fatigue’ which has seen many students, lecturers and tutors in the education sectors burn out. The monotony of Zoom has also led to a huge increase in mental health issues, anxiety and ‘cabin-fever. The Credersi Science & Tech Campus will launch in October Contact Details Credersi Gerard Franklin +44 7791 039636 gerard@i5media.co.uk

July 22, 2021 07:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Objectway Releases Joint Research with Compeer “Setting the Digital Agenda for the Next Normal” in Wealth Management

Objectway

Objectway, a Global Top 100 fintech leader in the Digital Wealth and Asset Management software, today published the research paper “ Setting the Digital Agenda for the Next Normal ” in UK Wealth Management, commissioned in association with the premier provider of business performance benchmarking, Compeer. The findings are based upon a series of face-to-face interviews conducted with a variety of UK Wealth Management firms, including Private Banks, Investment Managers, Full Service Wealth Managers and execution-only Stockbrokers. The research investigated the main themes that will be setting the Wealth Managers’ digital agenda, and consequently how their IT spending will be gaining momentum from digital change achieved during the pandemic. Digital Transformation When questioned about the relevance of digital services in achieving their business objectives, wealth managers indicated the acquisition of new customers as the most important. Indeed, firms see the digital offering as a method to differentiate themselves in the market. Closely after this, there is the provision of existing services in a more cost-efficient and scalable way. Digital is recognised as a means to improve the client experience, whilst reporting and onboarding are currently the key areas of focus which cause frustration for both staff and clients. During the pandemic, digital tools have demonstrated their value. In 2020, total IT costs have risen by 15.1%, almost double the previous year (7.8%), as firms raced to upgrade their digital capabilities. Now firms are looking at how to add more value across the front office and client lifecycle, capitalising on the appetite for digital from both staff and clients. Client Experience The major concern firms highlighted is the challenge of building the same level of relationship and trust with clients digitally that can be achieved in person. Despite this concern, data shows that annual client inflows for wealth managers were up to £123bn in 2020, from £112bn in 2019. Despite the recent increase in demand for face to face meetings from clients due to the progressive loosening of social distancing measures, firms are expecting to continue delivering and enriching their digital wealth services, finding the right balance between traditional and digital services based on each client’s preferences. Drawing value from client’s data to drive decision making and build a hyper-personalised service is expected to be the further step of an effective digital strategy. There is no doubt over the potential of Artificial Intelligence to do so. ESG & Sustainable Finance The main drivers for firms’ ESG strategies relate to keeping up with the upcoming regulatory requirements, generating alpha, responding to client demand and the opportunity to attract new clients and to increase assets under management. Predictably, all wealth managers see ESG as a commercial opportunity. Nevertheless, interviews revealed that one of the major hurdles in their ESG strategy is how to demonstrate their ESG culture to clients. Firms are currently at various stages of readiness with respect to ESG policy in place, the vast majority of them being in the process of creating one. A successful ESG proposition will build on trust and transparency with clients. Wealth managers will have to demonstrate their ESG values align with those of their clients by making it simple to interpret ESG data and understand the impact on their investments. To find out more, download the full research paper. Building on more than 30 years of business expertise, Objectway is a fast-growing international player in the Wealth and Asset Management space empowering clients to embrace their future challenges while providing great performance today. The company is a future-proof technology provider with a well-established track record in the financial services industry. The group is a Global Top 100 fintech provider (IDC ranking), whose clients include 200+ leading Wealth Managers, Banks, Asset Managers, Fund Managers, Insurers and Outsourcing providers in more than 15 countries. Objectway operates from offices in Italy, UK, Ireland and Belgium serving clients in 4 continents, and supporting approximately 100,000 investment professionals to manage more than £1 trillion in assets. Contact Details Objectway Chiara Giudici +39 393 822 9579 chiara.giudici@objectway.com Company Website https://www.objectway.com

July 22, 2021 06:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

COMCAST EXPANDING SERVICE TERRITORY, BRINGING FULL SUITE OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO HUBBARD AND WOODBURN

Comcast Oregon / SW Washington

Comcast Oregon/SW Washington has embarked on a $15 million project to bring its full suite of broadband products and services, both residential and business, to the communities of Hubbard and Woodburn, Oregon. Those communities will have access to Xfinity Internet, delivering speeds of 50 megabits per second (Mbps) up to 1.2 gigabits per second (Gbps) for residential customers and up to 10 Gbps for business customers. David Tashjian, Regional Senior Vice President of Comcast Oregon/SW Washington describes the expansion as strategic. “We are actively working to fill in some of the holes in our service area map, particularly in some of the more rural areas of the mid-Willamette Valley,” explains Tashjian, “And we’re eyeing expansions into additional communities adjacent to our footprint.” Tashjian says connecting people to the power of broadband technology can be life changing, and vows that Comcast will continue to invest in the region. “Over the past three years, we have spent more than $510 million in Oregon/SW Washington to maintain and upgrade our network, help local charities, and keep children connected during school closures.” Construction has already begun with fiber backbone to these communities now in place. Hubbard will be the first area to receive service, with customers likely able to come online in September. Service to Woodburn will be accomplished in phases and is expected to begin in December of this year with completion forecast for the end of 2022. Hubbard Mayor Charles Rostocil is bullish on Comcast bringing more choices to the residents of his community. “Internet connectivity is not a utility, thank goodness, so our residents get the opportunity for competition. Competition drives innovation which will incentivize companies like Comcast to constantly seek ways to improve the technology and service they offer to their customers.” Mayor Rostocil says the City of Hubbard has fewer retail businesses than Woodburn, for example, but it does have a strong industrial base, and Comcast Business offers the services they’re looking for. “What I hear from our industrial folks is that they want steady, reliable internet connections.” Woodburn Mayor Eric Swenson says internet access has become an essential service. “The critical role of the internet in our homes and the need for robust, reliable connectivity for distance-learning has been highlighted by the pandemic. People are always clamoring for choices and Comcast will offer the citizens of Woodburn an exciting new option.” “That is great news!” was the immediate response from John Zobrist, Executive Director of the Woodburn Area Chamber of Commerce, upon hearing the news that Comcast will be providing service there. “That’s fantastic. It will give our local businesses a new option.” Zobrist says the community is actively growing. “We have 120 acres of industrial land available for development right now due to the recent expansion of the urban growth boundary. In addition, there are over 750 new homes being built and over 2,000 units of multi-family apartments and condos approved or underway. The expansion of industrial space and housing will drive additional business growth, as well.” Along with its products and services, Comcast will bring its Community Impact programs to Woodburn and Hubbard through its decade-old Internet Essentials program. Mayor Swenson sees that as a benefit to his residents, calling Comcast’s commitment to supporting the needs of the community “impressive.” “We have hard-working, but still economically challenged families here in Woodburn, and programs aimed at helping low-income families who’ve struggled to afford internet access are very welcome.” Earlier this year, Comcast announced a $1 billion commitment over ten years in continued support of digital equity, including its Lift Zones initiative, which aims to establish WiFi-connected safe spaces in 1,000+ community centers nationwide for students and adults by the end of 2021. Comcast Oregon/SW Washington has more than 1,400 employees who serve more than one million residential and business customers throughout the state. Comcast is Oregon/SW Washington’s provider of Xfinity video, high-speed Internet, smart home and phone services. Comcast operates Xfinity retail stores throughout Oregon/SW Washington, which feature a welcoming and modern retail environment that highlights the complete line of Xfinity home and Comcast Business technology offerings, including Xfinity Mobile, Xfinity X1, Xfinity Home and Xfinity Internet. To learn more about Comcast in Oregon/SW Washington, visit: https://oregon.comcast.com. About ComcastComcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Amy Keiter +1 503-407-9109 amy_keiter@comcast.com Company Website https://corporate.comcast.com/

July 20, 2021 09:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Foresight: Eye-Net Launches Pilot Project With Multinational Japanese Company

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd.

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq and TASE: FRSX), an innovator in automotive vision systems, announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Eye-Net Mobile Ltd., initiated a pilot project with the IT subsidiary of a multi-billion dollar multinational Japanese company to test its Eye-Net™ Protect cellular-based vehicle-to-everything (V2X) accident prevention solution. The pilot project will evaluate Eye-Net’s solution for possible integration as an application layer into the car-to-everything (C2X) platform of the Japanese company to create potentially safer driving environments. This additional pilot project expands Eye-Net’s activity in the automotive-related market, potentially enabling the Japanese company to extend its communication capabilities to include more vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, in addition to drivers. “Eye-Net continues its efforts and activities to establish its position in the automotive market, offering a software-based accident prevention solution that can be used either as a standalone product or as an application layer on top of existing platforms. We believe that starting a fourth pilot project in Japan indicates a vote of confidence from the Japanese market and demonstrates a real need for a readily available solution that provides real-time pre-collision alerts and has the potential to save lives. We believe that the current pilot project will open up new collaboration opportunities for Eye-Net in the cellular-V2X market,” said Dror Elbaz, COO & Deputy CEO of Eye-Net Mobile. For more information about Eye-Net Mobile, please visit www.eyenet-mobile.com, or follow the Company’s LinkedIn page, Eye-Net Mobile; Twitter, @EyeNetMobile1; and Instagram channel, Eyenetmobile1, the contents of which are not incorporated into this press release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, Foresight is using forward-looking statements in this press release when it discusses that the pilot project will be used to evaluate Eye-Net’s solution for possible integration as an application layer to the C2X platform of the Japanese company, the belief that a fourth pilot project in Japan indicates a vote of confidence from the Japanese market and demonstrates a real need for a readily available solution that provides real-time pre-collision alerts and has the potential to save lives, and that the current pilot project will open up new collaboration opportunities for Eye-Net in the cellular-V2X market. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on Foresight’s current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance or achievements of Foresight could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Foresight's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 30, 2021, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, Foresight undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. Foresight is not responsible for the contents of third party websites. About Foresight Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq and TASE: FRSX) is a technology company developing smart multi-spectral vision software solutions and cellular-based applications. Through the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries, Foresight Automotive Ltd. and Eye-Net Mobile Ltd., Foresight develops both “in-line-of-sight” vision systems and “beyond-line-of-sight” accident-prevention solutions. Foresight’s vision solutions include modules of automatic calibration, sensor fusion and dense 3D point cloud that can be applied to diverse markets such as automotive, defense, autonomous vehicles and heavy industrial equipment. Eye-Net Mobile’s cellular-based solution suite provides real-time pre-collision alerts to enhance road safety and situational awareness for all road users in the urban mobility environment by incorporating cutting-edge AI technology and advanced analytics. For more information about Foresight and its wholly owned subsidiary, Foresight Automotive, visit www.foresightauto.com, follow @ForesightAuto1 on Twitter, or join Foresight Automotive on LinkedIn. Contact Details Investor Relations Contact Miri Segal-Scharia, CEO, MS-IR LLC +1 917-607-8654 msegal@ms-ir.com Company Website https://www.foresightauto.com/

July 20, 2021 08:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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COMCAST NAMES KALYN HOVE REGIONAL SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE TWIN CITIES REGION

Comcast Twin Cities

Comcast today announced that Kalyn Hove, currently Vice President of Comcast Business in the Twin Cities Region, has been appointed to Regional Senior Vice President of the Twin Cities Region. Effective today, she replaces J.D. Keller, who now leads Comcast’s Mountain West Region. In this role, Hove is the top executive responsible for customer experience, sales, operations and financial performance for the region. Hove will report to Rich Jennings, President of Comcast’s West Division, and will oversee Comcast’s employees and operations serving customers and businesses in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas and Missouri. Kalyn has led the Comcast Business team in the Twin Cities for seven years. Her Comcast Business team is a Power Rankings leader, has achieved four consecutive years as #1 in year-over-year revenue growth for the company, and is currently #1 in Comcast’s West Division. In 2018 and 2019, Twin Cities won the Comcast Business Award as the top-performing region in the West Division. Before joining Comcast, Kalyn was Global Vice President – Collaboration at Lumen (formerly Global Crossing), where her team was a top performing business unit, and led consistent double-digit growth. Her career at Lumen spanned nearly 16 years, where she held progressive sales and sales operations leadership roles. Before Lumen, Kalyn started her career at WorldCom. “As connectivity becomes the epicenter of our connected lives and businesses, Comcast’s Twin Cities Region is leading the way by offering innovative products that connect people and businesses to what matters most, and I’m delighted to be the team’s new leader,” said Kalyn Hove, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Twin Cities. “I’m excited to continue the great work we have underway in enhancing the customer experience, delivering best-in-class products and services, and sharing the company’s commitment to investing in the communities where we work and live.” “One of Kalyn’s greatest strengths is her people-focused leadership style, providing support and feedback in a way that uplifts and drives individual and team success. In addition, with more than 30 years living in the Twin Cities area, she knows and is strongly connected to the local community,” said Jennings. Among Kalyn’s accolades are being named as one of the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal’s Women in Business honorees and one of the 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Minnesota from Minnesota Monthly. She is a graduate of South Dakota State University and has completed executive education courses at both Harvard Business School and The Wharton School. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Corporation Jill Hornbacher +1 651-425-1695 Jill_Hornbacher@comcast.com Company Website https://twincities.comcast.com/

July 20, 2021 08:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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7 in 10 Parents Say Children’s Post-Pandemic Social Skills Are at Risk, Per Osmo Study

Osmo

According to a new study of 2,000 U.S. parents of school aged-children (5-14 years), parents have tried a myriad ways to keep their kids active and social during the pandemic, however, 7 in 10 perceive their child’s post-pandemic social skills to be at risk, even as things return to normal. The majority of parents (71%) are also worried about potential learning loss that may have resulted by not being in school, and are pursuing a variety of means to keep up their child’s studies at home this summer. The study was commissioned by STEAM brand Osmo and conducted by OnePoll. Osmo’s study reveals that 77% of parents encouraged their child to be social and active from afar, while at home. For example, they allowed their child to: play video games or online games with others (52%); call and text friends often (49%); make neighborhood friends (45%); engage in outdoor activities like walking and bike riding (46%); attend virtual get togethers (35%); and new friends online (23%). Despite trying their hardest, two in three parents are worried that their child has gotten more socially awkward around others, and 62% do not think their kid will be able to pick up where they left off upon returning to class this fall. Specifically, parents worry that their child will have trouble in these areas: making conversation with friends (41%); meeting new people (40%); sharing (35%); staying quiet for long periods (34%); waiting their turn (31%); or remembering to say “please” and “thank you” (37%). The survey also revealed that parents value socializing, with 85% believing it is a necessary skill to use in school. Forty-four percent of respondents place academic learning and socializing on the same level of importance, and four in five (81%) think schools should implement more activities that encourage and teach social skills. “We understand how difficult the pandemic was for both kids and their parents – many of us at Osmo experienced these challenges ourselves,” says Pramod Sharma, CEO of award-winning Osmo, known for its bestselling Coding Starter Kit, Creative Starter Kit, Genius Starter Kit, and Little Genius Starter Kit. “This past year has taught all of us that learning is about so much more than academics. As a brand, Osmo is committed to applying these insights toward multi-player experiences that promote the social-emotional learning parents look for and kids need.” The study also reveals four in five parents made sure their children succeeded academically even through tough times and emphasized that school was as important as ever before. Over half of parents (52%) stuck by their child’s side when they struggled with an assignment, 47% encouraged their child to study more, 43% tried to make learning fun through games or educational activities, while 42% percent took the time to create extra homework to ensure their child understood the material they were learning during homeschooling. However, three in four parents believe their child lost a year of proper education due to COVID, and the majority (71%) are concerned that it will be difficult for their kids to catch up on learning they may have missed. With this in mind, four in five (81%) believe that certain technology or entertainment tools may be the solution to improving both their child’s social and educational skills. When asked what subject they think their kids are most likely to struggle with, parents said math (41%) followed by science (37%) and language arts (34%). Additional parental concerns about children’s re-entry to class include: not remembering their school supplies and books (42%); focusing in class (41%); or using a full keyboard not attached to a tablet (36%) again; opening their locker (32%); and doing their homework every day (32%). About Osmo Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand with more than 2.5 million learners worldwide. It is building a universe of hands-on play experiences that nourish the minds of children by unleashing the power of imagination. The company brings physical tools into the digital world through augmented reality and its proprietary reflective artificial intelligence. Osmo is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Learn more at playosmo.com. Contact Details Carolyn Kamii PR Carolyn Kamii +1 310-251-0550 carolynkpr@gmail.com Osmo Karen O'Dell karen@playosmo.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

July 20, 2021 03:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Syosset, NY Employee Todd Brown Hits 50 Years in Printing

Minuteman Press International Inc

In 1971, Todd Brown began his career in printing through a special program that gave him paid work at the school district print shop. 50 years later, Todd shares his incredible story of longevity in the industry, which includes over 40 years as an integral employee of Minuteman Press in Syosset, N.Y. The Syosset franchise is one of the original ten Minuteman Press locations. Todd says, “I started with Minuteman Press in September 1977. It was an entirely different business back then, and I was hired by Mike Jutt (Executive VP & Director of Training) as a press operator for the Syosset location. We had the original husband and wife owners and myself. I did whatever needed to be done and I already had six years of experience doing the kind of printing that we did during those early years.” Speaking on his printing background before Minuteman Press, Todd shares, “The school district print shop is where I was first hired while I was in high school. I was able to learn how to run a printing press and it’s where I cut my teeth in the industry and learned how to deal with paper and ink. After graduation, I worked for several print shops. One of my jobs was with Hills Supermarkets doing their printing. I was laid off and that’s when I replied to an ad for Minuteman Press.” Todd’s original run with Minuteman Press in Syosset lasted eight years. “I left for three or four years to learn more and take other positions. The owners reached out to me to come back and I agreed it was the best fit. I was now married, I had a house, and I agreed to come back to run the back of the shop and become Shop Manager.” “I simply know printing and I love what I do. I always took the attitude of treating the shop and customers like it was my own. You can’t work in this business and say ‘that’s not my job.’ It’ll get you and the business nowhere.” -Todd Brown Evolution of Printing Todd reflects on how the printing industry has changed over the years as well as how he has been able to keep up with the changes. “The entire industry has evolved. Digital printing is constantly changing as is technology.” He further explains how he was able to adapt to new technology over the years: “When computers became more prevalent, I made it a point to learn graphic design on my own with whatever programs were available. I’ve been a musician my entire life so I would use different programs like Adobe PageMaker, Photoshop, and Print Shop Deluxe for passion projects but also to learn more about graphics from a printing standpoint.” He adds, “As the business changed, I was able to pretty seamlessly move into that side of the business. When I created flyers for my band, I knew what I needed to do in terms of matching the design to the plates.” “The main thing about the printing side of this business that most people don’t realize is that it’s still about paper. Paper is the one thing that has remained consistent no matter what else has changed. Paper has certain characteristics and when you do a job, even digitally, you have to know the intricacies of the process. As a professional printer, you know what’s required in order to print, cut, bind, and assemble a job. If you want a button pusher, go to Staples.” -Todd Brown Team Effort & Todd’s Role Today For Minuteman Press in Syosse t, their success and longevity all comes down to a team effort. Owner Mitch Parker has been running the business since February 2008, and Todd works hand-in-hand with graphic designer Denise to make sure jobs are fit to print. Todd explains, “I am responsible for printing virtually any job that requires printing on digital machines. Denise does a fantastic job. She sets up the files, I double-check them, and then we go to print. We work together to make sure things are set up properly and I help fine-tune the printing end of everything. She has also taught me about the software and design aspects as well, which is really helpful.” One of the biggest differences between printing for clients 40 years ago vs. today is how the artwork is provided. Todd explains, “Back when I first started, you essentially made the artwork for clients. They would bring something in such as a sketch and you then created the specifications required for printing. Today, you are given the artwork and a lot of the job is educating customers on print specifications. It goes back to the fact that paper is different than a smartphone or computer screen. A little knowledge can be dangerous when you need the bigger picture to really get the job done right. So that’s where we come in.” Todd continues, “For example, we open up files from phones that are low resolution. We go back to the customer as early as we can in the process to make sure they are informed and to make sure the job goes out correctly. The quality of the finished product justifies the extra time in educating them and reaching out so it’s important to stay on top of customer-supplied artwork. It comes with experience.” “Customers have changed dramatically. The 80-year-old lady that comes in probably knows more than the younger customers about printing. It’s important to educate all of our clients with the knowledge we have so we can produce the best finished products for them. Most of the time, they do come back and say how much they appreciate our work. Once they see the high-quality work we have done for them, they are thankful.” -Todd Brown Outside of the business, Todd has taken up a new passion as his days as a musician have faded. “I am now 67-years-old so I am no longer doing as much music. Today, I am really into slot cars. I build tracks, I detail them, and I even create signage for the ‘town’ I’ve put together. I am on Facebook groups where people share their slot car photos. People have even asked me to make slot car signs for their towns after seeing my photos and the details I add. It’s a fun community.” Secrets for Success What are the key lessons that Todd has learned during his 50 years in printing? He answers, “Care, that’s the most important thing. Also, stay one step ahead of the customer and lead them in the right direction. You’re the professional, so use that experience to help them.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Syosset, visit https://www.syosset.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

July 19, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Archbee spotlights documentation opportunity as it secures funding

Archbee

Documentation specialist Archbee today announced it has secured US$1m in funding led by Inovo Venture Partners, the venture capital fund investing in technology start-ups across central & eastern Europe. Archbee has also joined YCombinator S21 cohort. Founded in 2019 by Dragoș Bulugean, Archbee is connecting technical (i.e. developers) and non-technical (i.e. product teams) teams in companies through its knowledge spaces where teams can house vast amounts of intel about their products. This knowledge details everything from how products were created, how they work, use cases and much more. The work, commonly known as documentation in the tech industry, is often left scattered and displaced as the need to ship products faster and improve release velocity often takes precedence. However, documentation done properly has proven to help solve problems faster and support commercial goals. Archbee, created by a developer for developers, enables them to quickly, easily and safely capture intel in the production phase and beyond to help improve business efficiencies and outcomes. Archbee offers a variety of building blocks and formatting options making it quick and easy to create and manage documentation. Dragoș Bulugean, founder and CEO of Archbee commented: “Businesses are in a rush to create products, launch them faster and be the first to market. An important part of creating products is its catalogue or index - in essence the “how to” guide. It’s this, often neglected task, that Archbee is making easier to create. It’s not just a product manual but a central knowledge base and the true front of knowledge which is making an impact on commercial metrics - helping improve onboarding time for customers, reducing the number of support tickets and, importantly, making the products understood by users. We’re focussed on helping any company that builds software create collaborative spaces which are accessible to all and easy to use.” Archbee is deepening their collaboration with developer tools companies and enterprise software solutions. Their end customer is a developer who assesses tools and services through documentation and less by sales and marketing collateral to evaluate how they can engage and fully understand the solution. “Developers are increasingly being trusted with business decisions and have massive buying power. But the traditional marketing & sales tactics do not work well with developers. They dive straight into product documentation to probe for potential value of the products they’re investigating. This is why having great product documentation is becoming an effective sales tool. We’re also tackling internal documentation, which becomes a real pain when teams and products mature. Archbee is meant to be the one-stop-shop for the documentation needs of software companies.” added Dragoș Bulugean. The US$1m fundraise will advance Archbee’s commitment to continuously improve and deliver an exceptional product to customers. In less than 24 months since launch, Archbee has 100+ customers including companies backed by top VC funds like Andreessen Horowitz ( ChartHop ) and Lightspeed Venture Partners ( Epsagon ), as revenues have increased by 20% month on month. Maciej Malysz, Partner at Inovo Venture Partners commented: “Being the lead investor in Archbee’s recent round is a reflection of our confidence in the exceptional developer and founder, Dragoș, and his product. Archbee is a long-awaited platform that moves developers from working synchronously to asynchronously, allowing them to spend more time in deep-work mode and solve more challenging issues that demand full attention. It is already highly appreciated by developers, but also marketing and sales teams due to the ability to easily share the documentation with customers. We strongly believe in Dragoș, his team and their ultimate vision to build the best asynchronous communication tool that can be used by engineering teams globally and we’ll do whatever we can to help make that vision happen”. “Our mission for Archbee is to become the primary tool used by devtools companies globally. In an ever remote world, we are helping teams create synergies, improve productivity and build happier teams. It’s been an incredible 12 months and we are well set to achieve much more in the next year” concluded Dragoș Bulugean. About Archbee Founded in 2019 by Dragoș Bulugean, Archbee enables developers and product managers to create and bring product knowledge in one place. This forms the core foundation of products (how they were created, how they work, use cases and much more) but for too long this intel has been left scattered as the need to ship products faster and improve release velocity takes precedence. Archbee, created by a developer for developers, enables them to quickly, easily and safely capture this in the production phase and beyond. Contact Details Archbee Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.archbee.io/

July 19, 2021 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Amazon and Microsoft Veterans Join Forces with the Allen Institute for A.I. to Launch MajorBoost

MajorBoost

Three tech and healthcare veterans collaborating at the Allen Institute for AI (AI2) today launched MajorBoost. The AI-based communication and decision support company is set to significantly improve efficiency in the healthcare system by reimagining how doctor’s offices and insurance companies communicate with each other. “Instead of spending more time on patient conversations and conducting health care follow-ups, medical providers are spending endless hours on the phone navigating the maze of health insurance call centers,” said Lekshmi Venu, co-founder and CEO of MajorBoost. “MajorBoost empowers providers to get their questions answered quickly, resolve insurance issues faster, and ultimately grow their patient service and human connection.” It’s estimated that medical providers lose $35B annually due to antiquated processes and inefficiencies in the insurance system, simply because they’re trying to confirm patient eligibility, claim status, and other administrative tasks. By serving the more than 2M medical billers, front desk staff and call center staff in the healthcare industry, MajorBoost has the potential to change lives and the nature of work. “The pain is real, and the younger generations aren’t going to put up with the current system,” said Ben Hesketh, co-founder and CTO of MajorBoost. “Our AI-enabled phone automation delivers productivity, intelligence and decision support to healthcare teams, getting them off the phone and back to helping patients.” With general availability imminent, MajorBoost is already working with private practices that report seeing immediate results including a boost in same-day issue resolution rates and more patient conversations by using the AI-based tool. Healthcare providers can register for access to MajorBoost at www.majorboost.com. About MajorBoost MajorBoost is founded by technologists who personally live with the challenges of health insurance reimbursement, and were leaders at major tech companies and health plans. Backed by the Allen Institute for AI, MajorBoost builds cutting edge AI to improve the lives of patients, healthcare workers, and call center agents. About the MajorBoost Founders As CEO of MajorBoost, Lekshmi Venu is building on her experiences at both Amazon and the healthcare industry. Prior to co-founding MajorBoost, Lekshmi led a global data science and AI team at Amazon. After earning her MBA at Harvard Business School, Lekshmi held leadership roles at Express Scripts (Cigna) and a mid-size long-term care distributor. Ben Hesketh, CTO of MajorBoost, is a tech innovator and entrepreneur. Ben created first generation products in IoT, AR/VR and NLP and amassed over fifteen patents to date with Microsoft. He began his software career in video game development soon after graduating from Cambridge with dual degrees. MajorBoost is Ben’s third co-founded startup. Andrew Palmer, VP of Engineering, is a technologist and professional weightlifter with a passion for improving the lives of patients and healthcare providers. After graduating with an Engineering degree from University of Dayton, Andrew developed health insurance software and later joined Microsoft as a software developer. Andrew was a developer at Moz and Rover, and most recently founded and led engineering for a social network with over 500K users. About the Allen Institute for AI (AI2) AI2 was founded in 2014 with the singular focus of conducting high-impact research and engineering in the field of artificial intelligence, all for the common good. AI2 is the creation of Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder, and is led by Dr. Oren Etzioni, a leading researcher in the field of AI. AI2 employs more than 200 top researchers and engineers from across the globe. To date, AI2 has spun out over 10+ companies via its commercialization arm, the AI2 Incubator. Learn more at allenai.org and ai2incubator.com. Contact Details Owen Media Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://www.majorboost.com/

July 15, 2021 07:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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