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West Red Lake Gold (WRLG.V) CEO Shane Williams on Building a Team

West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd.

January 23, 2024 – TheNewswire – Global Stocks News – In a January 18, 2024 message to West Red Lake Gold Mines (TSXV:WRLG) (OTC:WRLGF) shareholders, CEO Shane Williams explained his team building strategy. The unedited contents of that message are printed below. “As the CEO of West Red Lake Gold (WRLG), my first task was to assemble a management team to bring this asset back into production. A typical deck of a Canadian mining company features a galaxy of mature executives in their 50s and 60s. The last wave of successful precious metal companies was run by baby boomers. Major and mid-tier mining companies have log jams of younger talent begging to be unleashed. We set out to assemble a young, energetic, highly skilled team. To achieve this goal, we did not rely on LinkedIn, or mining recruitment agencies. One of the advantages of working with Frank Giustra’s group is that it has connections with a lot of resource companies. People were recommended to us through word of mouth. Let’s be clear: youth + confidence + ambition ≠ expertise. Many young professionals desperately want to be leaders. They are impatient. They show up to meetings and talk like leaders, but they get quickly found out. A career in the mining industry is not a game of Snakes & Ladders. You can’t bypass any of the squares. To function effectively as a manager for an underground mining company, you need to have spent a lot of time underground. We looked for young managers who have worked in the trenches, done the hard yards. There is no shortcut to leadership. I’m privileged to be the CEO of WRLG, but it took me 25 years to get here. I wouldn’t have been ready 20 years ago, or 10. Experience and talent are obligatory, but an equally important quality is attitude. That’s in you or it isn’t. The desire to succeed, to improve, to learn from your mistakes and to keep going. No amount of technical skill can adequately compensate for a negative attitude. Our motivated young team accomplished a lot in 2023. The Rowan drill program exceeded expectations. Early drill results at Madsen also featured high-grade intercepts. Institutional investors took notice. In a challenging gold market w e raised CDN $46.7 million to fund our operations. During that 12 months, the WRLG share price increased about 90%. In the near future, you will hear from some of our young management team, including Maurice Mostert - V.P. of Technical Services; Will Robinson V.P. of Exploration; Jill Christmann - Chief Geologist, Derek Teevan - VP of Community Affairs, and Harpreet Dhaliwal, our new CFO. Knowing more about them, and the vital roles they play, will give you a deeper understanding of the West Red Lake Gold project. After that, you will hear from our Executive Chairman, Tom Meredith and our Co-founder and major shareholder, Frank Giustra. Next week in Part 2 of our messages to shareholders, you will hear from Maurice Mostert, our V.P. of Technical Services. Shane Williams Chief Executive Officer of WRLG” Click here to learn more about West Red Lake Gold Mines. guy.bennett@globalstocksnews.com Full Disclaimer

January 23, 2024 09:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Ecolomondo Starts Ramp-Up at its Hawkesbury TDP Facility

Ecolomondo Corporation

Montreal, QC – TheNewswire -- January 23, 2024 -- Ecolomondo Corporation (TSXV:ECM) (OTCQB:ECLMF) (the “ Company ” or “ Ecolomondo ”), a cleantech company that designs, builds, operates and commercializes Thermal Decomposition turnkey plants using its proprietary Thermal Decomposition Process (“ TDP ”) recycling technology, announces the start of ramp-up of operations at its Hawkesbury TDP turnkey facility. Click Image To View Full Size Click Image To View Full Size The Hawkesbury TDP facility initially started testing its reactors in January 2023 with an initial payload of 1,600 lbs and payloads were gradually increased to reach the optimal goal of 15,000 lbs per production cycle for both reactors in June 2023. Since then, the Company continued to make extensive improvements and capital expenditures, all leading to greater efficiency of the plant. During this time, the Company focused on improving output of the tire shredding line, reactor evacuation, reactor loading and recovered carbon black post-processing systems, with the goal of achieving the coveted output. The most important upgrades and capital expenditures have now been completed and are being implemented. The Company announces that the plant has begun its ramp-up phase. Starting January 16, the plant produced daily batches alternating each of two reactors. The Company expects to increase its ramp-up to 2 batches per day by the second week of February, and gradually ramping up to four batches per day by May 2024. As ramp-up gains momentum, the Company expects the Hawkesbury TDP facility to gradually improve cash flow and to become cash flow neutral (before debt servicing), at 2 batches per day. The Company believes that the Hawkesbury plant has now achieved the threshold to process large quantities of end-of-life tires efficiently, and produce large quantities of sustainable recovered products: oil, gas, steel and recovered carbon black. The Company believes that its recovered end-products will be widely accepted by industry, in particular since its products have been ISCC certified. During 2023, the Company had revenues of C$155,850, mostly from tipping fees and the sale of end-products produced at the Hawkesbury facility, namely recovered carbon black, oil and steel. Most customers that purchased Ecolomondo’s end-products have expressed satisfaction while many have or are ready to place repeat orders. The Company believes that once fully ramped-up and commercially operational, the Hawkesbury plant will be a testimonial to an efficient and commercial TDP turnkey facility that the Company believes will bring more viability to TDP technology and help ramp-up the Company’s global expansion agenda. WEBINAR. The Company will have a webinar on February 8. Click Image To View Full Size You can register with the following link: https://globalonemedia.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_26U3-TtdTlO36b2QKUVJGg#/registration About Ecolomondo Corporation Ecolomondo Corporation is a Canadian cleantech company that prides itself after its proprietary Thermal Decomposition technology TDP which is headquartered in Québec, Canada. It has a 25-year history and during this time has been focused on its development of its technology and the deployment of TDP turnkey facilities. TDP recovers high value re-usable commodities from scrap tire waste, notably rCB, oil, syngas, fiber and steel. Ecolomondo expects to be a leading player in the cleantech space and be an active contributor to the global circular economy. Ecolomondo trades in Canada on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol (TSXV:ECM) and in the United States under the symbol (OTCQB:ECLMF). To learn more, visit www.ecolomondo.com About the Hawkesbury Plant – A 2-Reactor TDP Facility The Hawkesbury facility building is 46,200 sq.ft and has an impressive indoor clearance of 28 feet. It is state-of-the-art and houses 4 main production departments, tire shredding, thermal decomposition, recycled carbon black refining and oil fractionation. Once fully operational, this facility is expected to process 1.3M of scrap tires per year and produce 8.7M lbs of recovered carbon black, 34,608 barrels of oil, 2.9M lbs of steel, and 2.6M lbs of process gas. About the Shamrock Project – A 6-Reactor TDP Facility Processing capabilities for the Shamrock facility is projected at 5.5M per year of end-of-life tires, yielding approximately 35.1M lbs of recovered carbon black, 128,100 barrels of oil, 11.9M lbs of steel, and 10.6M lbs of syngas; roughly three times the size of the Company’s Hawkesbury (Ontario) plant output. Facility construction is expected to begin by the third quarter of 202 4 with completion expected by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025. Projected cost to build is approximately US $93 million. Our Mission, Vision & Strategy Ecolomondo’s mission is to be a contributing participant in a dynamic Circular Economy and to increase shareholder value by producing and supplying large quantities of recovered resources to be re-used in the manufacture of new products. Ecolomondo’s vision is to be a leading producer and reseller of recovered resources by building and operating TDP facilities, strategically located in industrialized countries, close to feedstock, labor and offtake clients. Our strategy is to become a major global builder and operator of TDP turnkey facilities, for now specializing in the processing of ELTs. Our intent is to expand aggressively in North America and Europe. Our experience and modular technology should help us get there faster and better. We plan to keep performing ongoing research and development to ensure that Ecolomondo remains technologically advanced. ISCC Certification A confirmation of the Company’s successful process lies in the recent International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (“ISCC”) for its Hawkesbury TDP facility, another step forward that should help improve demand for TDP. ISCC is a Global Sustainability Certification System and offers chain-of-custody certification systems to ensure traceability and feedstock identity, which can add commercial value to the Company’s end-products as they remain traceable in the supply chain. ISO Certification The Company has obtained ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 & ISO 45001:2018 certification of its Integrated Management System (IMS), which acknowledges Ecolomondo’s commitment for quality, environmental impact and health and safety at work. Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) On the social aspect the Company plans to measure global health and safety, injury rate and gender diversity, and finally in the corporate governance aspect, the Company is measuring ethics and anticorruption, ESG reporting and board independence. About TDP The TDP process is technically proven and more advanced than most other pyrolysis technologies. Over the years, our Technological teams were able to overcome all uncertainties that plagued most competitors especially in the s e areas: pre-filtration, reactor cooling, reactor rotation, water recycling, processing of rCB, (hydrocarbon removal), mass monitoring, heat curve development, humidity and water removal, safety testing, system automation, emissions control and monitoring. TDP is Environmentally Friendly – CO 2 Reduction By producing rCB, TDP reduces GHG emissions by 90% versus the production o f virgin carbon black. The production of rCB at the Hawkesbury and Shamrock facilities are expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 22,400 and 67,200 tons per year, respectively. Please follow Ecolomondo on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Twitter: https://twitter.com/EcolomondoECM Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EcolomondoECM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecolomondo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecolomondoecm/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Ecolomondo Ecolomondo Corporation Contact Eliot Sorella Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ecolomondo Tel: (450) 587-5999 esorella@ecolomondocorp.com www.ecolomondo.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Although Ecolomondo believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, Ecolomondo disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

January 23, 2024 09:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Research Collaboration Validates MyAnIML’s AI-Powered, Facial Recognition Cattle Predictive Health Platform

MyAnIML

A collaborative study between animal agtech startup MyAnIML and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) successfully corroborated the technology's predictive ability to proactively manage devastating disease outbreaks in cattle production. MyAnIML used proprietary facial recognition and deep learning technology to accurately predict Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), or bovine pinkeye, 99.4% of the time and several days before veterinarians were able to detect symptoms, according to published study results. USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists Mike Clawson and Larry Kuehn, who have researched IBK for years at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, shared their expertise on the project. “Early detection of disease is critical to healthy herd management – giving producers the chance to separate sick animals, control spread and judiciously use antibiotics before a large outbreak occurs,” said Mike Clawson, an USDA Agricultural Research Service molecular biologist and project researcher. “The results of the MyAnIML study demonstrate how far and how impactful AI-powered technology can be toward ensuring a safe, resilient and sustainable U.S. food supply chain.” The MyAnIML and USDA study included 870 beef cattle located on three different Kansas ranches during the summers of 2021 and 2022. Bovine pinkeye is highly contagious and the most common ocular disease of cattle globally, costing U.S. producers alone an estimated $150 million annually in lost performance and treatment costs. There are no effective vaccines for IBK, forcing producers to treat infected animals with antibiotics, thereby elevating the risk of developing antibiotic-resistance bacteria strains that threaten human health. Building off this collaboration, MyAnIML and USDA are applying the technology next to predict Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD). As the single most economically impactful cattle disease, BRD costs the U.S. feedlot industry potentially more than $900 million annually, according to the American Society of Animal Science. “Building off our AI platform’s ability to distinguish between ‘healthy’ and ‘sick’ cattle two to three days before symptoms were diagnosed, the next step is expanding MyAnIML’s repertoire of diseases and health events to offer producers new tools to ensure a safe food supply,” said Shekhar Gupta, MyAnIML CEO and founder. MyAnIML’s patent-pending technology platform uses AI, facial recognition and inexpensive GoPro cameras to automatically capture and analyze subtle changes in a cow’s muzzle. Like a human fingerprint, each cattle muzzle is unique, and can be used to track specific cows. However, MyAnIML, is the first to use muzzle dermatoglyphics to not only identify cows, but as a health predictor of diseases such as BRD, IBK, foot root and uterine infections, proving that subtle changes in the bumps and ridges on a cow muzzle are a precursor of a health event. MyAnIML’s trial partners have also successfully used the technology to monitor the health status of cows going into estrus, early stages of labor and even subtle health stressors, like the need for more nutrition while nursing calves. "The muzzle is an incredible mirror into cattle health and well-being. Humans just didn’t have the ability to ‘see’ what the muzzle was telling us without the help of MyAnIML’s advanced AI and facial recognition technology,” Gupta said. Since its founding in 2021, MyAniML has: Developed a proprietary dataset of 3000 muzzle images of beef cattle, the first cattle facial and muzzle image library for health management. Partnered in trial projects with multiple Midwest cattle production facilities. Released an inexpensive Bluetooth-enabled “smart” ear tag and app that helps large-scale commercial feedlots and stockyards quickly locate potentially sick animals identified by the MyAnIML predictive platform. Signed a partnership agreement with DairyFi an India-based startup, in January. With 308 million cows, India has the largest cattle herd in the world, but suffers from lack of adequate cattle health services, greatly reducing the economic and productivity potential of India’s cattle industry. With positive results from the collaboration, large-scale trials, veterinarian feedback and ongoing product development, MyAnIML is getting ready for broad-scale commercialization. The company received angel investment funding in 2021 and is currently in the process of a seed funding investment round to expand its technology in cattle, as well as to include other livestock and companion animals. About MyAnIML MyAnIML invented and is commercializing the first-of-its-kind platform for early disease prediction in cattle using facial recognition technology focused on a cow’s muzzle. The initial discovery is the product of intense curiosity and a sense of purpose by the founder, a leading expert in generative AI and emerging uses of web-based blockchain technology. MyAnIML’s mission is to help ensure the health and well-being of cattle while ensuring an affordable and safe food supply. For more information www.myaniml.com. Contact Details AgTech PR Georgie Smith +1 360-929-0244 georgie@agtechpr.com Company Website https://www.myaniml.com

January 23, 2024 08:00 AM Central Standard Time

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Abilene Christian University and Infosec Pioneer Innovation: College Credit for CompTIA Certifications

Abilene Christian University

In a ground-breaking collaboration at the intersection of industry training and academia, Abilene Christian University (ACU) and Cengage Group announce an industry-first initiative to award college course credit for certification through Infosec Institute’s boot camps from CompTIA, a globally recognized organization that offers professionals trusted credentials that validate their career experience. This innovative partnership will save students time and money when pursuing an online bachelor’s degree or certificate in the fast-growing field of cybersecurity by providing academic credit for the existing certifications in the information technology field. It also marks a significant leap forward in recognizing the value of highly-regarded industry expertise and facilitating a seamless transition from Infosec Institute’s acclaimed cybersecurity training programs to formal academic recognition. Bridging the Gap: From Industry to Academia As the need for cybersecurity training rapidly evolves, ACU Online and Infosec Institute are at the forefront of fostering a monumental shift in cybersecurity education. The core innovation in this partnership lies in the recognition of Infosec Institute’s boot camps offering CompTIA certifications, a widely respected standard in the information technology industry, as eligible for college course credit within ACU Online's cybersecurity degree and certificate programs. Key Highlights of the Partnership: Credit for Industry Certifications: Building on the success of Infosec Institute's renowned training programs, learners can now earn academic course credit at ACU for successfully completing industry certifications through Infosec’s boot camps, starting with the prestigious CompTIA certifications. This groundbreaking approach acknowledges the real-world relevance of industry certifications and provides a structured pathway for learners to advance their education toward formal academic credentials, such as university certificates and degrees. Save Time & Money: Learners with existing CompTIA certifications can save $1,185 per course, with up to five courses waived within a bachelor’s degree. Those interested in pursuing one of ACU’s cybersecurity certificate programs can save 25% on tuition. Flexible Learning Pathways: The collaboration offers a flexible and personalized approach to cybersecurity education. Learners can seamlessly integrate their Infosec training into ACU’s online bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity and two cybersecurity certificate programs, creating a comprehensive and industry-aligned learning experience. Fusion of Practical and Theoretical Knowledge: Infosec's industry-leading practical, hands-on training meets ACU's academic rigor, ensuring that graduates not only possess technical skills but also a deep understanding of cybersecurity principles. This fusion positions learners for successful careers in the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape. "This partnership with Cengage Group’s Infosec Institute represents a transformative approach to cybersecurity education,” said Stephen Johnson, chief executive officer of ACU’s Dallas campus. “By recognizing the value of CompTIA certifications for college credit, we are breaking new ground in providing a pathway for learners to bridge the gap between industry expertise and formal academic achievement. ACU is proud to lead in innovation and make quality education accessible to professionals worldwide." According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, cybersecurity professionals with a bachelor’s degree can expect to make an average annual salary of $112,000 per year. Even more impressive, this field is expected to grow 32% from 2022 to 2032, making cybersecurity one of the fastest-growing industries in the country. "At Infosec Institute, we have always believed in the power of hands-on, practical training. This collaboration with ACU Online is a testament to our shared commitment to empowering individuals in their cybersecurity journey,” said Keatron Evans, Vice President, Portfolio Product Strategy, Infosec Institute. “The ability to earn college credit for CompTIA certifications is a game-changer, offering our learners the recognition they deserve in both the industry and academic realms." ACU’s online programs are administered through its branch location in Dallas and include 15 bachelor’s degrees, 15 master’s degrees, four doctoral degrees, four undergraduate certificate programs, and 10 graduate certificate programs. Prospective students, industry professionals, and Infosec learners interested in exploring this innovative pathway to academic recognition can find more information and begin their journey by visiting onlinedegrees.acu.edu/infosec. ACU also supports military students through specialized tuition assistance programs for its online degrees. Learn more about ACU’s active-duty and veteran military tuition discounts here. About Abilene Christian University Founded in 1906, Abilene Christian University enrolls more than 5,700 students in robust online and residential undergraduate and graduate programs. Students choose from 87 baccalaureate majors that include more than 171 areas of study, 71 areas of study in master’s degree and specialist programs, and four doctoral programs. ACU’s mission is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. Abilene Christian is one of only 19 universities to be ranked in the top 50 nationally for both Undergraduate Teaching and Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects in the 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Learn more at acu.edu. About Infosec Infosec, part of Cengage Group, is a leading cybersecurity training company helping IT and security professionals advance their careers and empowering employees to be cyber-safe at work and home. Its mission is to put people at the center of cybersecurity through role-guided training that’s accessible and engaging. More than 70% of the Fortune 500 have relied on Infosec Skills to develop their security talent and teams, and more than five million learners worldwide are more cyber-resilient from Infosec IQ’s security awareness and phishing training. Follow Infosec on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Infosec’s Resources Blog for the latest news, or visit infosecinstitute.com for more information. Contact Details Story and Strategy PR Kim Brown, MA, APR +1 806-316-8879 kbrown@storyandtrategypr.com Infosec Institute Jeff Peters jeff.peters@infosecinstitute.com

January 23, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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IN8bio’s Phase 1 Clinical Trial Of INB-100 Offers Hope To Leukemia Patients With Promising Data

Benzinga

By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga IN8bio (NASDAQ: INAB) is a biotechnology company that specializes in developing novel therapies based on gamma-delta T cells. Its innovative technology focuses on harnessing the potential of these cells to effectively target and eliminate cancer cells in both solid and hematological tumors. IN8bio's pipeline consists of a range of preclinical and clinical investigational therapies that aim to address various types of cancer with large unmet needs. Leukemia, with a specific focus on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and potentially Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), is an area of interest for IN8bio. The AML market is projected to to grow from $3.5 billion in 2022 to $6.1 billion in 2028 – representing a CAGR of 10%, while the MDS market which was worth $ 3.3 billion in 2022 is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 9.3% over 2023-2030. IN8bio's INB-100 is an allogeneic-derived, gamma-delta T-cell product candidate aimed at addressing the unmet need in these areas. The latest clinical data from the INB-100 trial presented in December 2023 at the 65th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting shows that patients who received this treatment experienced a significant increase and persistence of allogeneic gamma-delta T cells in the first year following treatment. Previously published data demonstrate that leukemia patients with high levels of gamma-delta T cells have better survival outcomes. Compared with patients who underwent haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) without INB-100 therapy, those who received INB-100 at Dose Level (DL) 2 had gamma-delta T cell levels that were, on average, 49 times higher at 60 days. Additionally, the levels were 8 times higher than those achieved at DL 1, showing a dose-response relationship. At 365 days, the levels were 2.7 times higher than those in DL 1, which is considered beneficial for survival outcomes. “With more patients and a longer observation period, we are excited to report that 100% of evaluable dosed patients continue to remain in morphological complete remission, with six patients remaining alive and relapse-free beyond one year,” shared Trishna Goswami, MD, Chief Medical Officer at IN8bio. “Leukemic relapse is the leading cause of death in patients undergoing HSCT and prevention of relapse remains a high unmet need. In this trial, the first three patients were high-risk or relapsed AML patients with complex cytogenetics. We are happy to report two of the patients remain alive and relapse-free for over three years, and the third is now past two years. Furthermore, INB-100 has demonstrated for the first time, the in-vivo expansion and persistence of an allogeneic, or donor-derived, cellular therapy at 365 days with blood levels of gamma-delta T cells surpassing levels previously observed to be associated with greater survival.” Other positive observations include increases in CD4+, CD8+ T cells, NK cells and B cells, indicating a favorable response and stable immune system reconstruction after the transplant. Cytokine data also showed increased pro-inflammatory cytokines in the blood shortly after gamma-delta T cell infusion, demonstrating overall immune activation. Updated safety data through November 3, 2023, includes three more patients. 60% of the treated patients experienced low-grade acute graft versus host disease (GvHD), but all cases responded well to steroid treatment. Three patients experienced chronic GvHD and no dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Across DL 1 and DL 2, all patients in the study remained alive and in complete remission, with two patients now remaining progression-free for more than three years. While there are other companies, such as Adicet Bio (NASDAQ: ACET) and Century Therapeutics (NASDAQ: IPSC), that are also studying gamma-delta T cells, IN8bio's DeltEx platform and clinical results set the company apart from competitors in the field of cancer therapy. The company seems to have a focused vision for the path forward, and it recently announced that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with healthcare-focused institutional investors to raise up to $46.9 million at increasing valuations. The deal includes initial gross proceeds of $14.4 million and extends the company’s runway into 2025. IN8bio’s expertise, proprietary techniques and scalable manufacturing process potentially position it as a leader in harnessing the potential of gamma-delta T cells for the development of innovative and effective cancer treatments, and the company may be one to watch for those interested in this growing market. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

January 23, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

70.4 Million Americans Participate In The Gig Economy; Here’s How PayQuicker Is Making Payments Easier For These Workers

Benzinga

By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga The gig economy seems to be here to stay. In the U.S. alone, there are more than 70.4 million freelancers, and that number has been growing for the past few years. By 2028, it is projected that there will be upwards of 90 million gig workers who will constitute close to 50% of the domestic population. Internationally, as well, the gig economy is also growing. One of the major draws of freelance work is the flexibility and freedom it enables and promotes. The rise of freelance and project or gig-based work has allowed individuals to tailor their schedules and income to their lifestyles and preferences. The increase in this type of work is driving evolution in various areas, including how employers are paying their contractors. At the core of the gig economy, workers value freedom, flexibility and more intentional use of their earnings. A survey revealed that 46% of gig workers take on gig work to increase their income, but it goes beyond mere financial gain. They strive to be intentional with their money. As a result, many companies – both gig and non-gig – are being compelled to change their traditional payroll processes. When searching for gig work, 51% of gig workers prioritize compensation and payment-related factors, such as the frequency of pay, payment methods and payment security. This emphasis on the way they are paid highlights the increasing importance of adaptable payment solutions in the evolving gig economy. Before the gig economy took off, the ‘original gig’ was what is today known as the direct selling industry; this is where PayQuicker’s origin story began. Today, they have become a global financial technology company that caters to businesses of all sizes across various industries. With its award-winning solutions, PayQuicker caters to over 300 clients, enabling businesses of any size to provide immediate global payouts in local currencies through secure bank accounts, prepaid debit cards, virtual cards and mobile wallets. Companies can utilize the Payouts OS platform to streamline payouts to over 200 countries and territories, supporting more than 100 currencies – which is especially useful to freelancers who may work with international companies. PayQuicker facilitates millions of payments and billions of dollars annually, consistently empowering companies to foster growth by equipping them with superior payment options and enhancing the purchasing power of their gig workforce. Recently, PayQuicker unveiled its Deals and Offers program for all U.S. account holders, introducing a range of new partners. This initiative allows PayQuicker's account holders to access exclusive deals on retail, travel, dining and more. Moreover, the Deals and Offers portal also provides access to health insurance and financial wellness services, which is particularly beneficial for independent workers who are underbanked or unbanked and traditionally lack such opportunities. Speaking on being selected as a finalist in their category in the Benzinga Fintech Awards 2023, Paul Beldham, CEO of PayQuicker, shared, “It is an honor to be recognized as a finalist in the category of ‘Best Payments Solution’. We’re constantly striving to bring the best payout experiences to our clients and their global workforces, which serves as an advantage at a time when attracting and retaining gig workers is becoming increasingly competitive. The way in which people work is changing, and so too is the way they expect to be paid. This recognition is a testament to our continued commitment to understanding payees’ needs and innovating best-in-class payment solutions.” As the gig economy continues to grow and evolve, financial institutions will need to cater to the unique needs of these workers. Companies like PayQuicker will be instrumental in facilitating the continued success of the gig economy. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

January 23, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Ex-Nvidia exec launches RagaAI with $4.7m funding to automatically test and fix AI

RagaAI

RagaAI, a pioneering AI-focused startup, has successfully closed a $4.7m seed funding round. The round was led by pi Ventures with participation from global investors including Anorak Ventures, TenOneTen Ventures, Arka Ventures, Mana Ventures, and Exfinity Venture Partners. The sprawl of large language models (LLMs), computer vision and natural language processing (NLP) have created a new generation of applications that are reshaping industries and transforming how we engage with the world today. Ensuring the performance, safety and reliability of AI has become a key focus. Helping companies stay on top of this, RagaAI has launched from stealth with an automated and comprehensive AI testing platform. RagaAI is establishing a robust framework for safe and reliable AI. RagaAI’s breakthrough Foundation Models called RagaAI DNA for testing uses automation to detect AI issues, diagnose and fix them instantly. The platform already offers over 300 different tests to help users triage the issue down to its root cause. It is able to identify issues as varied as data drift, edge case detection, poor data labelling quality, bias in the data, lack of model robustness or adversarial attacks. RagaAI is a true multimodal platform which supports LLMs, images/videos, 3D, audio, NLP and structured data and reduces 90% of the risks while accelerating AI development by more than 3x. RagaAI is working with a range of AI-first companies and identified two common challenges they faced which RagaAI is addressing Firstly, they face a skill set constraint owing to the sparse availability of specialized AI engineers. As such AI Testing automation becomes a necessity to optimize the AI development process. Secondly, safety and security concerns loom large. AI testing will mitigate vulnerabilities and ensure the reliability and trustworthiness of AI systems. RagaAI was founded in January 2022 by tech veteran Gaurav Agarwal who spent the early part of his career at Texas Instruments before moving to mobility business Ola and computing giant NVIDIA. He and the founding team have over 50 years of collective AI expertise who want to unlock the potential of AI by bridging the gap between technological capabilities and business outcomes through AI testing. RagaAI advisors include AI leads at Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and NVIDIA. Gaurav Agarwal, CEO and founder of RagaAI commented: “At Ola & NVIDIA, I saw the significant consequences of AI failures due to lack of comprehensive testing. Our Foundation Models “RagaAI DNA” is already solving this problem across large fortune 500 companies. RagaAI is designed to detect AI issues, diagnose them and fix them seamlessly. Our vision is to liberate AI from the constraints of human interventions, and foster continuous improvement. In the era where AI dominates, our mission at RagaAI is to tackle the paramount challenge of ensuring the quality and consistency of AI applications. Focused on providing innovative testing solutions, we aim to unlock the full potential of the AI revolution, paving the way for a future where AI thrives with trust, reliability and excellence. Guided by our core values, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of automated AI issue detection, automated root cause analysis and fixing the issues, staying at the forefront of cutting-edge methods.” The platform has already added value to various sectors with multiple use cases. An ecommerce client implementing a chatbot fine-tuned an open-source language model on their product catalog for customer support. RagaAI was instrumental in identifying and rectifying hallucinations, reducing errors in responses. Meanwhile, for an Automotive customer facing challenges in detecting vehicles in low-light scenarios, RagaAI leveraged generative AI to simulate diverse lighting conditions, significantly enhancing model accuracy and potentially preventing accidents. Research indicates that AI is poised to be a $2 trillion market by 2030. RagaAI believes that 25% of this spend will be targeted towards ensuring AI is safe and reliable and its proposition is well placed to service the demand in the time to come. RagaAI's funding round will primarily be used to advance research and development, with a focus on improving AI testing tools. Additionally, the company plans to expand its team and raise awareness in the AI community while forming strategic partnerships. This investment positions RagaAI for significant growth in AI innovation. Manish Singhal, Founding Partner, pi Ventures, commented: “"In the rapidly expanding AI landscape, the importance of reliable and unbiased systems is crucial, with AI testing emerging as the linchpin for ensuring the safety, reliability, and ethicality of complex models. Driven by their patent pending Drift detection technology, RagaAI, an AI testing platform, is well-suited to solve these massive problems for the AI deployments globally. At pi Ventures, we believe in backing founders who can create disruptive solutions for global impact. In our view, Gaurav and his stellar team at Raga are fulfilling that goal in a big way. We are pleased to be associated with them. " RagaAI has a key focus on Enterprise and data privacy is at its core. It is the only AI & MLOPS product to have all of the SOC2 Type2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR & CCPA certifications. Additionally, RagaAI technology is deployed on customer private clouds or their on-prem infra. Designed for data scientists and ML engineers, RagaAI is offered through a fully featured UI and an easy to use python interface. About RagaAI As AI eats the world, the biggest problem facing the AI revolution is ensuring quality and consistency of AI applications. Raga AI is taking on this problem and solving it with its testing platform which promises to realize the full potential of the AI revolution. For more information please visit: https://www.raga.ai/ About pi Ventures pi Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund pioneering AI and deep tech investments. The fund backs disruptive tech ventures solving global problems thus creating 10x differentiated businesses. The VC fund portfolio includes world leading technology companies like Wysa, Pixis, Locus, Agnikul and Niramai among others. Contact Details RagaAI Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://raga.ai/

January 23, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Logitix Launches Ticketing Integration with Tessitura – Confirms Partnerships with Tessitura Organizations Across Multiple Arts Sectors

Logitix

Logitix, the leader in expanding new marketplaces for arts, sports, and entertainment venues to sell more tickets, today announced that the integration with their partner, Tessitura Network, is complete. Since initiating their partnership in January 2023, Logitix has facilitated hundreds of thousands of dollars of sales for Tessitura-powered performing arts centers, symphony orchestras, theaters, and dance companies. The innovative partnership between Tessitura and Logitix has transformed how performing arts organizations handle ticket sales. This integration equips them with advanced tools for optimizing ticket distribution, maximizing revenue, and reducing speculators. Ticket sales via the Logitix-enabled marketplaces have led to new audiences for the arts organizations. Through Logitix’s Open Distribution integration, Tessitura venues can now effortlessly distribute their tickets electronically across multiple marketplaces without compromising the availability of tickets on their primary sales platform. This seamless integration, accessible directly from their main user interface, empowers venues to tap into broader markets and distribution networks, ultimately boosting ticket sales. This system enables venues to gather valuable data on ticket buyers and pricing while the marketplaces conveniently handle ticket fulfillment. “When I joined Logitix as an advisor, this is exactly the type of partnership I envisioned to help performing arts organizations improve their ticketing strategies,” said Jack Rubin, Co-Founder and 20-year CEO of Tessitura, who joined Logitix as Strategic Advisor in 2022. “This is just the beginning. Tessitura has an impressive network of performing arts organizations that will benefit from Logitix technology. Rubin added, “Strategies like dynamic pricing don’t always mean higher ticket prices for the consumer. Logitix will help match supply and demand, and sell at the optimum date-driven price, whether lower or higher. Or, the client can specify a price or price range. Consumers benefit, and the organizations seamlessly sell tickets in more places. With the challenges that arts organizations face, this is a no-risk approach to drive more sales.” Registrants to the INTIX ticketing conference in Las Vegas on January 29 - February 1, 2024, can attend a Logitix-moderated session on New Distribution, New Revenue, New Audiences, and New Tools. Lisa Middleton, VP of Marketing and Communications for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, is one of the presenters, along with leaders from Opry Entertainment Group and LA Galaxy. Segerstrom Center is a longstanding member of the Tessitura community and a partner of Logitix. Logitix is a leader in multichannel ticket distribution, data, and pricing. The company’s proprietary software, distribution tools, and analytics open new sales channels for theaters, performing arts centers, and other users of Tessitura’s unified CRM and transaction system. Channels include well-known ticket exchanges that attract millions of customers each year. Additionally, real-time data insights automate dynamic pricing decisions to address changing ticket demand and meet customers where they are. Tessitura community members interested in exploring Logitix’s solutions can email info@logitix.com. About Tessitura Tessitura is a nonprofit technology company dedicated to helping arts and culture organizations thrive. CRM lies at the heart of our mission and our technology platform so organizations can take a holistic approach to building customer engagement. Ticketing works hand-in-hand with fundraising, membership, marketing, education and front of house. Intuitive tools turn data into action. And features like fully integrated payment processing, contactless scanning and seamless digital solutions mean our community is poised to rebuild a successful, sustainable future. We work with over 750 organizations in 10 countries. For more information, visit www.tessituranetwork.com. About Logitix Logitix is the preeminent monetization engine and ticketing platform for the live event industry, combining optimized pricing, distribution, and inventory management with real-time insights to help sellers and buyers respond to a rapidly changing market environment. The Logitix vision is to automate the entire ticket life cycle and provide data-driven insights to serve the diverse needs of its clients. The company is backed by ZMC and is privately held. For more information about Logitix, visit Logitix.com or find them on LinkedIn. Contact Details Eric Nemeth nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://logitix.com/

January 23, 2024 08:42 AM Eastern Standard Time

Green Lantern Solar Appoints Dave Carpenter as Vice President of Development to Accelerate Solar Project Portfolio Growth

Green Lantern Solar

Green Lantern Solar, a leading renewable energy development and finance company focusing on commercial solar and energy storage systems, has appointed Dave Carpenter as the new Vice President of Development. Carpenter, currently the General Counsel at Green Lantern Solar, has been a pivotal figure within the organization’s Development Team since 2014. His extensive experience and commitment to the company’s mission make him the ideal candidate to lead the team into a new era. In his new role, Carpenter will focus on supporting and managing Green Lantern Solar’s team of developers as they continue to build a robust project pipeline across the U.S. This appointment is aligned with Green Lantern Solar's strategic growth plans, as it expands its reach and expertise beyond its current footprint. Carpenter will also retain his position as Chief Legal Officer, overseeing the increased involvement of outside counsel. “We are delighted to announce Dave’s expanded role as Vice President of Development," said Scott Buckley, CEO of Green Lantern Solar. “Dave exemplifies unwavering loyalty to our company and a profound commitment to driving the energy transition. His extensive tenure with Green Lantern Solar, alongside his wealth of experience, make him a natural fit for this position. His exceptional leadership and genuine passion for the industry will be instrumental in guiding our team towards continued success and expansion.” Green Lantern Solar’s recent achievements, including the 2023 Community Solar “Project of the Year” Award from Solar Builder, the successful completion of 125 projects throughout the Northeast and the strong relationships cultivated within the industry, underscore the organization’s success. About Green Lantern Solar Green Lantern Solar is a vertically integrated regional renewable energy development company with a particular emphasis on turn-key commercial solar solutions for municipal, education, healthcare and government entities. Green Lantern Solar works with landowners to revitalize and re-develop low-value sites such as brownfields, landfills, quarries/pits/extraction sites and other challenging real estate. The company provides a full suite of services: development, financing, construction and operations, maintenance and asset management. To find out more, visit Green Lantern Solar and connect on LinkedIn, or follow @GrnLntrnSolar on X (Twitter). Contact Details Wilkinson + Associates Leah Wilkinson +1 703-907-0010 leah@wilkinson.associates Company Website https://www.greenlanternsolar.com/

January 23, 2024 08:37 AM Eastern Standard Time

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