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Agriculture is the backbone of every economy. Irrespective of a country’s development, agriculture is necessary because it provides food to its citizens. However, farmers in the agriculture sector face multiple problems while growing crops. Despite various efforts from the government, some of these problems continue to persist. One solution towards making agriculture easier for farmers, especially for small-time farmers, is agritech.
Today’s article discusses the meaning and importance of agritech, along with the agritech landscape in India.
What is agritech?
Agritech is a combination of two words – Agriculture and Technology. As the term suggests, it is a concept that involves the use of technology in agriculture. The objective of using technology is to improve the productivity and efficiency of agriculture to increase yield while making the process convenient for farmers.
The importance of agritech for the growth of agriculture
The use of technology in agriculture helps farmers overcome various problems concerning climate change, resources and the productivity of their crops. Agritech also helps in sustainable farming by preserving the health of the soil and increasing the quality of crops. Besides, agritech contributes immensely towards increasing the efficiency of farmers.
Following are some ways through which technology helps agriculture:
- By reusing crop remains to improve the efficiency of soil, instead of burning or throwing them, hence contributing to sustainability.
- By developing mechanisms that help farmers reduce labour but increase the production of their crops.
- Easy and quicker means of production can increase supplies and lower the costs of products, making them more affordable to all sections of society.
- By playing a significant role in intimating farmers about weather forecasts so that they are prepared well in advance to handle climate change.
- By using techniques like precision farming to resolve water shortages, control the use of artificial fertilisers, and optimise the entire agriculture process, in general.
Agritech industry in India
The agriculture industry contributes close to 18% to the country’s GDP and employs over 40% of the country’s population. The agriculture market of $435 billion as of 2022 is expected to reach over $580 billion by 2028. A significant force for this growth is technology in agriculture.
While the potential of the agritech industry in India is valued at $24 billion, the market penetration is less than 1.5%, indicating that the space is largely unexplored. The country has witnessed over 1300 agritech start-ups coming up over the last six years, but there is immense opportunity and space for many more.
Opportunities for agritech start-ups
Technology-based companies interested in penetrating into the agritech market can involve themselves in multiple capacities. Following are some kinds of agritech start-ups in India:
- Downstream agtechs: Helps in connecting farmers with businesses or end consumers.
- End-to-end ecosystem: Helps in multiple areas throughout the agriculture process to improve inputs and outputs.
- Digital solutions and precision agtech: Helps farmers by observing the process thoroughly and advising them with solutions to tackle issues.
- Midstream agtech: Helps farmers in the supply chain by providing solutions on logistics, warehousing, etc.
- Agribiotech: Helps farmers with biotech solutions to improve sustainability in agriculture.
- Farm-to-fork: Helps farmers connect directly with end consumers.
- Agriculture automation: Helps farmers with tools and machines to automate or mechanise agricultural processes.
- Agriculture fintech: Helps farmers with finances.
Agritech companies in India
Some well-known agritech companies in India are as follows:
Established in 2015, Ninjacart is headquartered in Bengaluru. The firm works in the farm-to-fork segment and aims to deliver fresh goods from farmers to consumers. Besides this, they also provide affordable finances and advisory solutions to farmers regarding market trends, deals on raw materials, etc.
Working in the end-to-end ecosystem segment, Agrostar works on a mission to help farmers win. The firm provides technology-based solutions to farmers to improve their yield, reduce their costs, increase their market reach, and also set fair prices for their products. Besides, the firm also provides farmers with a channel to sell their products in the local and global markets.
Cropin primarily operates in the digital solution and precision agtech space. The firm uses trillions of data sets to come up with solutions to solve problems around supply chain efficiency, finance, yield quality, market volatility, crop loss management, etc. It also has various applications that help farmers digitise the process wherever possible.
This is another start-up operating in the end-to-end ecosystem segment. DeHaat aims to use AI-based solutions to resolve various problems of farmers, mainly in production and supply chain. They also provide advisory and financing solutions to farmers. The firm is active in 12 states and has a network of over 1.8 million farmers.
Established in 2016, Crofarm is another start-up working in the farm-to-fork space. The company aims to bring farmers and consumers together, to provide consumers with fresh farm produce at fair and affordable prices. The company also operates in the supply-chain space and aims to use technology to reduce the wastage of fresh products due to delays in logistics.
- Intello Labs Pvt Ltd
Intello Labs is an agritech start-up in the midstream agtech sector, aiming to use AI in the supply chain to reduce the problem of food wastage. The company works towards digitising the entire supply chain process in agriculture, including checking the quality, monitoring the shelf life, sorting the products, packing them, etc. By automating these steps, Intello has been able to reduce manual effort by 25% and rejections due to damage by 40%.
- Kheti Gaadi
Kheti Gaadi is a one-of-a-kind agritech start-up working in the agriculture automation segment. The objective of this firm is to provide a platform to connect buyers and sellers to trade tractors and other tools required for mechanising agriculture.
The importance of agriculture for an economy is paramount since it is essential for the survival of citizens. The growing need for food has now caused undue pressure on agriculture, which is why, using technology to improve efficiency is crucial.
The agritech space is slowly gaining popularity but is still not tapped to its full potential. However, the use of AI and other cutting-edge technology by existing start-ups to enhance the quality of agriculture is indeed a powerful force in driving this industry to new heights.
Also read: Here’s everything you need to know about Nova Agritech Limited’s IPO


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By Krunal Shah, Co-founder, and Consultant, of The Proxperts
In the bustling landscape of India’s economic development, the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector stands as a powerful engine driving growth and innovation.
Among the diverse array of enterprises within this sector, manufacturing companies hold a pivotal role in shaping the country’s economic destiny. These unassuming businesses, often tucked away in industrial clusters, wield immense potential to fuel India’s journey toward becoming a global economic powerhouse.
The Backbone of Employment
Manufacturing companies in the MSME sector serve as a crucial source of employment generation. With a labor-intensive approach, these enterprises can absorb the burgeoning workforce of the nation, especially skilled and semi-skilled workers.
In fact, as per the data from the aforementioned fourth round (January-March 2022) of the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES), a part of the All India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey (AQEES), manufacturing remains the largest institutional employer in the country, providing jobs for approximately 38.5% of the workers.
The survey estimated that during this period, around 3.18 crore workers were employed in about 5.31 lakh establishments, reflecting an increase of about four lakh workers compared with the preceding QES conducted for the last three months of 2021.
This scenario underscores the vital role that the manufacturing sector, particularly within the MSME framework, plays in addressing the pressing need for gainful employment in India.
By fostering a conducive environment for these manufacturing MSMEs, the government can effectively address the issue of unemployment while enhancing the livelihoods of millions.
Value Addition and Export Boost
A robust manufacturing sector plays a pivotal role in enhancing the nation’s GDP through significant value addition to raw materials. When it comes to manufacturing within the MSME sector, these enterprises excel in creating products that carry a higher value than the mere sum of their parts.
This phenomenon not only provides a substantial boost to the domestic economy but also paves the way for expanded exports. By leveraging India’s manufacturing capabilities, the nation can carve out a formidable presence in the global trade landscape.
To achieve this, nurturing and supporting MSMEs in the manufacturing sector is paramount, as it holds the potential to curtail the trade deficit while fortifying India’s position within the intricate global value chain.
Looking closely at the contribution of manufacturing companies to exports, the growth trajectory has been remarkable. Traditionally, India’s manufacturing exports experienced a steady growth rate ranging between 5% and 10% in the years preceding the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the landscape shifted drastically in recent times, witnessing an exceptional surge over the past two years. This surge is reflected in a noteworthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15%. As of the fiscal year 2022 (FY22), India has achieved a commendable milestone by recording manufacturing exports amounting to a substantial $418 billion.
This accomplishment underlines the potency of India’s manufacturing prowess and its potential impact on the global trade arena.
Innovation and Technology Upliftment
Manufacturing companies in the MSME sector are not merely producers; they are also incubators of innovation. These enterprises often work in constrained environments, leading them to devise creative solutions to operational challenges.
A concerted focus on such businesses can catalyze the development of indigenous technologies and processes. Furthermore, through collaboration with research institutions and academia, these enterprises can act as conduits for the transfer of cutting-edge technologies.
By nurturing innovation within the MSME manufacturing realm, India can propel itself to the forefront of technological advancements.
With reference to the case of China, in accordance with a report published by the World Economic Forum, the nation introduced the “Made in China 2025” initiative as a domestic strategy aimed at the transformation and advancement of its manufacturing sectors.
This initiative is centered around the promotion of original innovations, the integration of the “Internet plus” concept, and the advancement of technologically-driven manufacturing practices encompassing areas such as 3D printing, digitalized design and manufacturing, as well as automated robotic systems. It is noteworthy that numerous countries source spare components from China due to its robust manufacturing capabilities.
Similarly, India’s MSMEs can innovate to reduce import dependency and establish technological self-sufficiency, thus fostering economic growth and competitiveness.
India’s Make in India Initiative:
India is actively pursuing its Make in India initiative to fortify the manufacturing sector. The annual growth rate of the manufacturing sector, standing at 11.8% as per the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for 2021-22, underscores its commitment. The government aspires to elevate India into a global manufacturing hub. The Indices of Industrial Production for Manufacturing sectors for May 2023 stand at 142.3.
In line with this vision, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has launched several schemes to promote manufacturing, foster domestic and foreign investments, and enhance ease of doing business. The Make in India initiative, launched in 2014, aims to attract investments, encourage innovation, build world-class infrastructure, and position India as a hub for manufacturing and innovation. It complements the country’s goal of becoming ‘aatmanirbhar’ (self-reliant) across sectors.
Initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) and the Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order 2017 highlight the government’s commitment to supporting local manufacturing. These steps aim to boost local industries, reduce compliance burdens, and enhance competitiveness.
As India progresses with its Make in India initiative, it reinforces its determination to nurture a self-sustaining manufacturing sector, fostering economic growth and technological advancement.
Regional Development and Inclusive Growth
The growth of manufacturing companies in the MSME sector has the potential to drive regional development and ensure inclusive growth. These enterprises are frequently established in rural and semi-urban areas, where economic opportunities are limited.
By nurturing such businesses, these regions can experience an economic upliftment that has a cascading effect on various aspects of development, including education, healthcare, and infrastructure. This approach not only reduces regional disparities but also aligns with the vision of a balanced and equitable nation.
In Tier-2 cities, this trend towards manufacturing growth is even more pronounced. Recent reports indicate a significant propensity for hiring in the manufacturing sector, particularly at the junior levels.
In fact, approximately 78.81% of hiring in Tier-2 cities’ manufacturing sector was at the junior level, with 17.8% at the middle level, and 3.39% at the senior level. This distribution of hiring highlights the growing importance of manufacturing hubs in Tier-2 cities.
Furthermore, many of these Tier-2 cities also boast a strong presence of engineering and management institutes. This advantageous combination of manufacturing growth and educational institutions creates a win-win situation.
Not only can the demand for employment in the manufacturing sector be met locally, but it also reduces the need for migration to Tier-1 cities in search of job opportunities.
This shift towards decentralization not only benefits these cities but also contributes to a more balanced distribution of economic activity across the nation.
Challenges and the Way Forward
While the potential of manufacturing companies in the MSME sector is undeniable, there are challenges that must be addressed to harness this potential effectively. Limited access to finance, lack of skilled labor, outdated technology, and cumbersome regulations often hinder the growth of these enterprises.
To overcome these barriers, a multi-faceted approach is required. Simplified regulatory frameworks, targeted financial support, skill development initiatives, and technology upgradation schemes can collectively create an enabling environment for the growth of manufacturing MSMEs.
To sum it up
The spotlight on manufacturing companies within the MSME sector is not a mere economic choice; it’s a strategic imperative for India’s growth story. By nurturing these enterprises, the nation can secure its employment landscape, boost exports, drive innovation, ensure equitable growth, and elevate its status on the global stage.
The journey ahead involves collaborative efforts between the government, industry stakeholders, financial institutions, and society at large. The growth of manufacturing MSMEs is not just a must; it’s a collective responsibility toward shaping a brighter and more prosperous India.
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text: Celebrity Kylie Jenner's Latest Red Carpet Look Was Both Backless and Sideless Double the sexy. By Alicia Brunker Alicia Brunker Instagram Alicia Brunker is a freelance writer who covers celebrity, royal, and fashion news for InStyle.com. She joined InStyle's digital team in 2017, and previously contributed to ELLE, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, and WWD. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on November 13, 2022 @ 01:15PM Pin Share Tweet Email Last night, Kylie Jenner might've played a supporting role to sister Kim Kardashian, who was honored with the Giving Tree Award at the Baby2Baby Gala, but the beauty mogul's ultra-sexy dress was the main event — on the red carpet, at least. Getty Taking the backless trend a step further, Kylie wore a custom Loewe gown that was also missing fabric on the sides. The black pleated dress was made even sexier courtesy of a sheer skirt with a thigh-high slit that revealed black strappy sandals underneath, a halter neck that tied into an oversized bow in the back, and straps draping down her bare arms. Floral-shaped diamond earrings, a cocktail ring on her index finger, and a slicked-back bun provided the finishing touches to her glamorous look. Getty Makeup-wise, the Kylie Cosmetics founder paired her signature pout with a swipe of lipgloss, a flick of eyeliner, and a generous swirl of dark blush. Kylie Jenner Paired the Most Summery Top with This Ultimate Winter Essential Kylie also highlighted the backless design on Instagram, captioning a slideshow of behind-the-scenes snaps from the event: "now let’s hear it for the back of the dress !!!" Commenters happily obliged, offering some commotion for the low-back moment. "Umm excuse meee?! 😍," wrote model Lori Harvey, while Kylie's assistant Maguire Amundsen added an "oh yes MAAM" alongside several fire emojis.


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John Lewis opens in Cardiff today and is being hailed as the saviour of the city centre by a toadying BBC and lickspittle politicians. (I suspect they've just cut and paste this news story from some John Lewis press release. It's hardly critical reportage.)
When IKEA opened we had a similar excitement. "Oooh, a new shop, we must go and wonder round like petit bourgois drones. Ooh, we can now buy stuff that other people in other parts of the country can buy and be as well-dressed/chic/styling as them." Or desperately unoriginal. It's the same thing.
Nobody has talked about whether the city can cope with an increase in shoppers (it can't) or what effect this will have on being able to park anywhere near the centre (good luck with that) or even the economic effects on smaller non-chain shops that actually have a soul (sod them, they're not multi-million pound companies).
Until those considerations start getting mentioned in the sycophantic press, excuse me for not getting excited about an overpriced pseudoposh unnecessary department store opening. I'm not a wannabe yuppie or social climber so I don't think I'll find much in there that interests me. Just a hunch.


text: Apple, Amazon and Google all have playable cloud-music lockers, so it would hardly be a surprise if Microsoft were to follow. The company already has Xbox Music, of course, which has been confirmed to be getting scan-and-match features sometime in 2013. Now tech blog Liveside says it has uncovered evidence that Microsoft will also be launching a music player for its more general SkyDrive cloud service. Its post also has images showing what appears to be a (REALLY ugly) tests for some kind of music player from Microsoft’s internal tests. It’s all very interesting, but also slightly puzzling: with Xbox Music free in its basic tier, why would Microsoft want to encourage people to store music in their SkyDrive accounts to play?


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OverActive Media's partnership with multiverse platform Zilliqa is a key deal for its Q1 2022 bottom line.OverActive Media
Esports, media and entertainment company OverActive Media (OAM) continues to push toward profitability in the first quarter of 2022, as its revenue increases at a higher rate than its operating costs. The TSXV- and OTCQB-listed Canadian company reported its financial results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2022, on Monday, revealing that revenue growth was driven by its European and North American esports teams Mad Lions, Toronto Ultras and Toronto Defiant; and new sponsorships.
During the first quarter of 2022, OAM generated revenue of $1.64 million, an increase of 62% compared to $1.01 million in the first quarter of 2021. The company attributed the increase primarily to higher sponsorship revenue, as it signed a strategic partnership with premium Canadian outerwear brand Nobis in February and a multiyear partnership with multiverse platform Zilliqa in March. OAM diversified its revenue streams with 57% of total revenue coming from four major customers (each contributing more than 10% of OAM’s consolidated revenue), while a year ago the company only had one major customer that contributed 20% of total revenue.
OAM categorizes its revenue into two segments. The first is team operations, which captures revenue and expenses from league share payouts and tournament prize winnings. The other is business operations, which captures revenue and expenses surrounding partnerships, team merchandise sales, live event sales and costs relating to corporate and executive office operations. Due to the items accounted for in the team operations segment, it underlies a seasonality pattern and is expected to contribute the most during the third and fourth quarters, when OAM receives revenue from associated leagues. In Q1, OAM’s business operations revenue — including sponsorship revenue — grew to $1.33 million, compared to $950,000 in the same period of last year. Its team operations generated $303,360 in revenue, almost quintupling compared to the segment’s Q1 2021 $61,610 in revenue.
While revenue increased significantly, increasing costs offset this, though at a lower rate. OAM’s operating costs increased from $3.44 million in Q1 2021 to $4.75 million as the company invests in its expansion efforts. The biggest cost center was the spending on roster and team payroll for Mad Lions, Toronto Defiant and Toronto Ultra at $1.6 million, closely followed by OAM’s corporate payroll cost center, that increased year-over-year from $850,000 to $1.43 million. Team operations added another $516,260 to operating costs.
On the bottom line, OAM ended the first quarter on a net loss of $3.62 million, compared to $2.95 million in the same period of 2021. On top of that, OAM had a comprehensive loss from foreign currency translation, as the related transactions are still open. Consequently, the comprehensive loss for the period was $4.36 million, a slight increase over last year’s comprehensive loss for the same period of $4.11 million. Due to several financing activities during the period, OAM increased its cash and cash-equivalents assets position to $20.55 million (Q1 2021: $3 million).
Additionally, OAM shared a couple of events that happened after the period ending in its earnings report. In April, OAM received confirmation from two league offices agreeing to defer certain (a financial phrasing for a group of payments with a specific character that determines whether a payment is deferred or to be made in time) of its remaining entry fee payments by 12 months. Furthermore, OAM ceased operations of its Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team and entered the competing Valorant esports ecosystem with the signing of a European player roster.


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The first wave of products covers categories, including publishing, toys, collectibles and apparel. Merchandise will begin to roll out this December from partners such as:
will release Pop! collectibles for video game series characters Sonic, Tails and Silver;
Dark Horse Comics
plans to debut a full-color hardcover historical retrospective encyclopedia called "Sonic Encyclo-Speed-Ia" that explores nearly every video game in the franchise;
is offering additional collections of action figures and plush toys for the series;
is developing an official jewelry collection with a hip-hop influence;
will unveil a comic book mini-series in both English and Spanish;
plans to launch collectible enamel pins; and
will release Peach Ring flavored energy drink and 30th-anniversary collectors' box.
Alex Gomez, director of ‘Sonic’ pillar licensing, SEGA, tells
that the latest partnerships continue the brand’s long-standing success in licensing. Gomez reports that licensing has always been central to “Sonic” because merchandise provides a venue for fans to connect with the character in a novel way.
"Since the inception of the franchise in 1991, when people first saw the Blue Blur rushing across their CRT Televisions, they fell in love with the character," says Gomez. "Licensed products give them a way to take that experience from the screen into toys, comics, collectibles, apparel, [and more] – which expands the reach of the brand into the real world."
The new collaborations
"The franchise has consistently carried the themes of attitude, action, adventure, and freedom in a way that is fun and aspirational for all audiences," adds Gomez. "This rock-solid foundation has allowed 'Sonic' to connect to millions of fans, from kids, parents and families, to young adults and those who grew up with the brand in the '90s. 'Sonic the Hedgehog' has brought people together for three decades to celebrate and be part of a true pop culture phenomenon."
The diversification of the franchise over the years includes a movie released earlier this year.
grossed more than $300 million in worldwide ticket sales since debuting in February. The success of the film added to the strong licensing portfolio for the character and SEGA more broadly. Gomez reports that the licensing portfolio for "Sonic" has found success by finding partners that know the brand and bring their unique take to the franchise.
Finding surprising and effective partnerships requires taking a very strategic and targeted approach," continues Gomez. "Impactful partnerships, like the ones announced for the 30th anniversary, require a licensee that has a passion for the brand and a deep understanding for what will resonate with the Sonic audience while remaining experts in the products that they create. When both parties come to the table with their own personal story of what Sonic means to them, we capture that feeling and work together to figure out how to best translate that into a product. That's when the magic happens."
"Sonic's" 30th anniversary will come a year after SEGA celebrated its 60th anniversary. To mark the 60-years of the brand,
covered the brand in its
. SEGA was also just named a
for 2020 based on its success with "Sonic" and its other brands.
SEGA Publishing Europe will be an exhibitor at this year's
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Regulation-conscious firms must be informed on the latest tech in customer onboarding. Are Actionable DX platforms the best new solution?
Useful information, helpful guides and PrinSIX news
A Leeds fintech startup has been chosen by one of the “leading” payment platforms used by the gaming and gambling sector, to support its client...
PrinSIX Technologies, the recently launched Leeds based technology platform has been shortlisted as The Best Open Banking Initiative, sponsored by...
Here at PrinSIX, we aim to revolutionise and simplify the way that the financially vulnerable access financial and utility services.
The UK is a nation in debt Horror stories about payday lenders and tv programmes about high court enforcement litter the national media. Indeed,...
Business intelligence calls for decision-driving data. How do you create an information system that keeps up with changing objectives?
The FCA has published a speech on consumer credit focusing on consumer outcomes and needs, particularly for those in a vulnerable position.
Is KYC enough to assure regulatory compliance? Here is why most lenders and service providers are failing to fully manage compliance risk.
PrinSIX has announced the integration of digital signatures with DocuSign, streamlining customer applications processing and onboarding.
For financial services vulnerable customers are a key concern. PrinSIX software can improve onboarding to support the financially vulnerable
The slow-pace of change by financial lenders from binary online customer applications workflows to iterative digital onboarding decisioning
In this Credit Summit video interview, PrinSIX CEO, Julian Graham-Rack, discusses why digital customer onboarding must change.
Learn how focusing on achieving marginal gains in the customer onboarding process has the potential to transform the lending industry.
PrinSIX will be attending Credit Summit 2021, running from the 14th-16th of June. Book your tickets now to attend the virtual event.
The FCA’s Principle 6 - 'A firm must pay due regard to the interests of its customers and treat them fairly.' Compliance or culture?The lenders’...
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom May 13, 2021 - Open Banking News from PrinSIX Technologies—A UK Fintech start-up rethinking lending through the...
A revealing report found that over 55% of Building Societies now recognise the opportunity presented by Open Banking.
Today’s arrival of the Breathing space should be celebrated.
Welcom Digital has selected the PrinSIX digital onboarding platform to deliver an end-to-end solution for compliant digital lending journeys.


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(CBS DETROIT) - The state of Michigan is distributing $87 million in marijuana tax revenue to 269 different municipalities, and the city of Detroit will receive $2 million.
These payments are made available through the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act.
According to a release from the Michigan Department of Treasury, 99 cities, 30 villages, 69 townships and 71 counties will receive payments from the regulation fund over the next few days.
Each eligible municipality will get more than $59,000 for every licensed retail store and micro business.
"This week, many Michigan municipalities and counties will begin seeing their share of adult-use marijuana payments appear in their banking accounts," State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said. "Through a partnership, the dollars received from the adult-use marijuana taxes and fees are distributed to our participating communities. These dollars may be spent how our local units deem fit to their needs."
In the 2023 fiscal year, more than $290 million was available for distribution from the fund.
In addition to this $87 million that is getting distributed, the School Aid Fund for K-12 education in Michigan is getting $101.6 million, and the Michigan Transportation Fund is getting $101.6 million.
"The tax funding for municipalities and counties that comes from the marijuana excise tax is a very important benefit of the legal cannabis industry in Michigan," said Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) Executive Director Brian Hanna. "The CRA is committed to doing our part in supporting our licensees so that they can continue to grow the local economy throughout the state with good-paying jobs and increased revenues for local government budgets."
The state put together a breakdown of how much funding each municipality received.


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Tech startups are taking aim at phone vendors who are struggling as voters increasingly switch to cellphone-only households.
Longtime phone vendors are pining their hopes to the AAPC’s legal challenge to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which prevents them from robocalling cellphones. But in the meantime, a new generation of tech companies are pitching their services as the alternative to traditional phone consultants.
“If the pitch is phones are dead, well, not yet,” said Marty Stone, a partner at Stones’ Phones. “But are phone consultants in the buggy business and seeing cars come in? Yes.”
Sangeeth Peruri, a co-founder of California-based VoterCircle, said his company can provide an alternative to phone banking.
“The simple pitch we give is that 30 minutes on the platform is the equivalent of 10 hours of phone banking,” he said. “That seems to resonate.”
The company’s service works like this: a campaign uploads a data file. A volunteer doing outreach logs into the platform. “We have some algorithms that go through and figure out who all their friends are who happen to be voters in the district. And then we say, ‘here is your list we want you to canvass,” Peruri explained. “We then provide tools for them to do that efficiently through text or email or any other means that they want to do it.”
He added: “We’re trying to provide a social-relationship overlay that enhances what existing vendors and consultants do. It may over time reduce phone banking, but that’s kind of happening on its own because people aren’t picking up their landlines and you don’t have as good cellphone lists.”
VoterCircle currently boasts California Democrat Ro Khanna’s congressional campaign as a client, but has mainly focused on local races.
“We’re starting at the local level, and over time if we’re successful, we’ll have further reach,” said Peruri.
Jessica Hyejin Lee’s HandStack is another tech startup that could bite into phone vendors’ bottom lines. Her company, which is backed by the Silicon Valley venture capital seed fund 500 Startups, offers campaigns persuasion, fundraising and organizing over text message.
Field organizations can initiate a text conversation with a voter’s cellphone without an opt in, Lee recently told C&E. “You can have your organizers text people instead of phone banking,” she explained. The company gets around the federal auto-dial restriction by having each text originate from a different number.
Facing increased competition, phone vendors have also sought to innovate. For instance, Stones’ Phones and Chism Strategies last cycle debuted a service known as catch and release or “leave your voice.” It works like this: A live or automated call is made to a voter. The operator gets the respondent to explain why he or she think it’s important to vote.
The response is recorded and then played back to the voter in a call closer to Election Day. Stone said it caused a 4 percent increase in turnout from unreliable voters when it was used by New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall (D) during his 2014 reelection.
More recently, Stone’s company set up telecaucuses for Iowa voters unable to be present at the Democratic precinct caucuses on Feb. 1.
“Phones are constrained, but the majority of people 45 or 50-plus who have a landline phone is still pretty high — and I call those people voters,” said Stone. “My mother’s 78. She doesn’t text. She’s not going to respond to a text. If you call her, she’ll respond.”


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So far there are fewer people aiming to open pot stores in Clark County than the maximum number allowed, but that could change before the window closes on Dec. 19.
The state Liquor Control Board last week released a list of 929 applications to produce, process and sell marijuana that it has received since Nov. 18, when the application window opened.
Clark County is approved for 15 retail marijuana licenses, which will be determined by a lottery if the board ends up with more applicants than are allotted. There are no caps on the number of grower or processor licenses.
Through Nov. 26 the board received 158 retail store applications, including 10 from Clark County. It will license up to 334 pot shops total statewide.
The most applications so far — 444 of them statewide — were for growers, with 20 of those in Clark County. And there have been 327 applications to process marijuana, with 14 in Clark County, including some filed by people who also applied for grower’s licenses.
There are no other application windows planned after the Dec. 19 deadline, and board officials said they were unsure if there ever will be another one.
But it’s a brave new industry, and some people who are thinking about applying are carefully watching as the start of the application process plays out.
Mike Carpenter, a 64-year-old Vancouver resident, said he’s still thinking about applying for a sales license, but monetary concerns are giving him pause.
Licenses, when approved, will cost about $1,000. It costs a bit more than $250 to apply for each license, and that fee is not refundable. Plus there are many other costs associated with opening a business.
“Right now I’m just more finding out that I might not be able to do it anyway,” Carpenter said. “Beyond the $250, it’s $2,500 a month to lease the site I’m looking at, and I won’t be able to open until at least May or June, probably later if the city government blocks it. It’s a lot of money and a lot of obstacles to jump through — and you can lose your tail.”
Carpenter has kept in touch with others looking into sites. While some have applied, others are rethinking the idea and looking for middle-man sorts of opportunities such as creating marijuana cruises, festivals or investment opportunities, he said.
“I think we’ll see a lot of associated little businesses that may open up alongside this,” Carpenter said. “That may be a better way. I don’t want to have my investors lose their shirts because there’s too much uncertainty.”
Marty, who asked that her last name not be used because she’s worried about the stigma of the industry, said she’s still planning to apply for a grower’s license in Vancouver.
The board has said it will keep the names of the applicants confidential — and just release the site information — until the licenses are approved, but after approval the names become public, which is the law.
“I haven’t started my application yet,” Marty said last week. “But I just haven’t had time. I’m going to start it this weekend.”
After hearing the numbers of applicants so far, she said she thinks maybe half of them will survive as the young market opens and works out its kinks. But that hasn’t deterred her, she said.
“I’m a little scared on the taxation of the industry,” Marty said. “But other than that I think I can do it — it’s pretty straightforward.”
For more information on the rules or the process, visit the board’s website at http://www.liq.wa.gov.


text: Leading Producers of Beer, Wine, and Spirits Launch Digital Guiding Principles Posted on 13 October 2014 - Media Standards for digital marketing mark milestone of Commitments to Reduce Harmful Drinking: New York, NY –September 30, 2014 – Thirteen of the world’s leading producers of beer, wine, and spirits launched today the Digital Guiding Principles (DGPs), the first-ever set of global guidelines for beverage alcohol producers’ online marketing and social media use. The DGPs require the content of any online marketing to meet the same high standards that apply to traditional marketing activities. The launch event, hosted by the International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP; www.icap.org), was attended by leaders in the fields of advertising self-regulation, alcohol policy, regulators, and representatives of signatory companies. The DGPs have been developed as part of the Beer, Wine and Spirits Producers’ Commitments to Reduce Harmful Drinking (www.producerscommitments.org), in close collaboration with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA;www.wfanet.org). They build on an extensive analysis of existing alcohol marketing self-regulation codes and aim to standardize them across companies, across markets, and across digital platforms to provide guidance for all digital marketing content produced by signatory companies moving forward. “The DGPs, and the broader Commitments, represent the rigorous steps that beverage alcohol producers are taking to help reduce harmful drinking,” said Marcus Grant, ICAP President. “This complex challenge requires the dedication and coordination of all stakeholders, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration between producers, marketing and advertising leaders, social media platforms, and regulators.” Highlights of the DGPs include: Clear guidance for social media: The signatory companies call on social media providers to implement and strengthen age confirmation mechanisms, but the DGPs also include conditions for producers to consider even in the absence of these mechanisms, so that stringent standards may be applied to social media content across all platforms in a way that can evolve with the rapid pace of technology. Transparency: The DGPs will be independently monitored and results will be shared publicly, including with relevant government agencies around the world. Forward Advice Notice (FAN): Whenever alcohol beverage companies’ controlled digital platforms have the functionality to allow content sharing, alcohol beverage companies should include a Forward Advice Notice (FAN) on the platform, clearly stating that the content should not be forwarded to anyone under LPA in the country of viewing. The goal is to raise awareness and remind readers and viewers that we must restrict underage access to alcohol advertising, in addition to restricting access to beverage alcohol itself. “As companies work to promote responsible consumption of their products, the DGPs’ goal is to ensure that they take every step possible to minimize the risk of content reaching underage audiences,” said Stephan Loerke, Director General, WFA. “The adoption of these ambitious new standards demonstrates how seriously alcohol producers are taking their responsibilities when it comes to the promotion of their products.” The Digital Guiding Principles are relevant to all branded alcohol beverage digital marketing communications (paid and unpaid), including but not limited to advertising and marketing communications on websites such as social network sites and blogs, as well as mobile communications and applications. The Commitments represent the largest ever industry-wide initiative to address harmful drinking. The producers signed the Commitments in October 2012, when they agreed to undertake a series of actions over five years (beginning in 2013) with the goal of strengthening and expanding existing efforts to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The five commitments address: Reducing underage drinking Strengthening and expanding marketing codes of practice Providing consumer information and responsible product innovation Reducing drinking and driving Enlisting the support of retailers to reduce harmful drinking The 13 signatories of the Commitments are: – Anheuser-Busch InBev – Heineken – Bacardi Limited – Japanese Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association – Beam Inc. – Molson Coors – Brewers Association of Japan – Pernod Ricard – Brown-Forman Corporation – SABMiller – Carlsberg – UB Group – Diageo The full Digital Guiding Principles are available online here: https://joom.ag/0vqb. The International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP; www.icap.org) is a not-for-profit organization supported by major international producers of beverage alcohol. Established in 1995, ICAP’s mission is to promote understanding of the role of alcohol in society and to help reduce harmful drinking worldwide. ICAP’s efforts to foster dialogue and partnerships in the alcohol policy field are shaped by its commitment to pragmatic and feasible solutions to reducing harm that can be tailored to local and cultural considerations and needs. ICAP has been recognized by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) as a non-governmental organization in Special Consultative Status.


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The co-founder of crypto exchange Gemini, Tyler Winklevoss, addressed the money printing spree in the US. Check out the tweet that he dropped.
A US digital currency won’t make bitcoin obsolete anymore than the US dollar makes gold obsolete. If anything, the US dollar and Jerome Powell’s endless printing of it makes bitcoin all the more necessary. 🤦♂ https://t.co/YlRnrYVN85
— Tyler Winklevoss (@tyler) July 14, 2021
Forbes’ piece begins by saying that during testimony on Wednesday afternoon before the U.S. Financial Services Committee, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell made clear that while the central bank is continuing to study the feasibility of a digital dollar, it will not be forced into launching one.
It won’t “succumb to outside pressure from other countries that are jumping out ahead,” as Forbes puts it.
More than that, he also noted that when the US launches a sovereign digital currency, it could make cryptos such as bitcoin or stablecoins such as Tether unnecessary.
US dollar vs crypto/stablecoins
“One of the arguments that are offered in favor of a digital currency in particular you wouldn’t need stablecoins you wouldn’t need cryptocurrencies if you had a digital US currency,” said Powell.
We suggest that you check out the complete article in order to learn more available details.
Here’s what someone commented on Twitter: “Yeah…they don’t understand having a digital currency doing the same as real currency does nothing Rolling on the floor laughing Becoming “digital” just makes it intangible, is all. If you increase the supply, you still have same problem as now. How will these ppl ever understand?”
Someone else hopped in the comments and said: “A US digital currency is a total waste of time. Crypto has no boundaries and is safe and easy to transfer whether you are in a different country, on sea, land, or even space. Why buck the system with another US currency that will make purchases anywhere else difficult?”
Check out the complete thread in order to see more opinions that people shared.


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The iPod Mini, a 3.6-ounce portable music player, is based around a tiny 4GB hard drive. The diminutive music machine, which costs $249, began shipping in February in the United States.
Since that date, Apple has received more orders than it had planned for, said Greg Joswiak, vice president of hardware product marketing at Apple. The number of orders--which included more than 100,000 preorders, according to Apple--was high enough to outstrip the availability of the 4GB drive from its manufacturer.
Apple was forced to concentrate on filling orders from the U.S. market and to wait for greater availability of the drive in order to enter the international market, he said.
"We expected it to be a hit, but (demand) is turning out to be stronger than expected," Joswiak said. "U.S. demand is going to consume all the supply we had planned through June."
The 4GB hard drive at the center of the iPod Mini came out in January, around the same time Apple announced the device. Its manufacturer, reported to be Hitachi, is still ramping up, so the supply of the drives has been limited, Joswiak explained.
Right now, "The (iPod Mini) demand is consuming just about all the 4GB 1-inch drives being made," he said.
Once the manufacturer increases the number of drives it produces, Apple will be able to expand the sales of the iPod Mini. Apple plans to begin that process in July. The company has yet to announce which countries the player will be offered in.
The iPod Mini's 4GB capacity allows it to store up to 1,000 songs, Apple has said. It also comes in five colors--silver, gold, pink, blue and green--and works with Apple's iTunes online music store.
Apple also continues to market its original iPod in 15GB, 20GB and 40GB capacities at prices ranging from $299 for the 15GB model to $499 for the 40GB model.
The release of the iPod Mini, as well Apple's partnership with Hewlett-Packard to sell an HP-branded version of the iPod, should help fuel Apple's momentum in the portable music player market. Right now, the company is king of the hill in that market, analysts say.
During February, the iPod player was the top portable music player at retail in the U.S. iPod unit sales--including about two weeks worth of iPod Mini unit sales--captured about 33 percent of unit sales in the category at retail in the United States, according to NPD Techworld. It had 25 percent of that market in January and 20 percent in December, the firm said.
But while its dominance at retail helps iPod's in the wider market for portable music players, "I wouldn't say they own it," said Steve Baker, analyst with NPD. Baker said that the RCA Lyra, and Digital Networks North America's Rio are two of Apple's main competitors at retail.
"There are a lot of products out there that are doing well...and there's a lot of ways you can compete with Apple, including on price," Baker said. Right now, for example, Apple is "not addressing the $99 or $149, more limited use (music player) market," he said.


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Samsung’s 6-second video spot ranks #1 on YouTube’s first bumper ad leaderboard
This is the first time YouTube has released a list ranking six-second bumper ads.
For the first time ever, YouTube has released a leaderboard ranking the top 20 most popular six-second bumper ads for the year.
At the top of the list was a spot for Samsung’s Galaxy 8. Other US brands to make the list included Duracell, Sleep Number Mattress Company, Nike and IHOP.
“We’ve found YouTube to be a great platform for experimenting with different formats and content,” says IHOP’s executive director of marketing, Darrin Kellaris, in a YouTube announcement covering the new leaderboard. “By leveraging some of Google’s latest tools and metrics, we’re able to quickly gain valuable insights on what’s working and adjust our approach as needed.”
According to YouTube’s announcement, the bumper ad rankings are a special edition of its ad leaderboard series. The rankings are based on both YouTube’s internal global data from April to July 2017 and a global Ipsos Creative Rating Survey. YouTube says the rankings were determined by an algorithm that factored in organic views, click-throughs and user creative ratings.
In a case study conducted with Duracell, the brand’s VP of marketing, Ramon Velutini, told YouTube that the goal of their bumper ad was to tell a story in a meaningful way.
“We had to account for how people consume media — in shorter bursts and often on mobile. Using six-second ads to complement our longer hero ads solved for that,” said Velutini.
YouTube’s Top 10 Six-Second Bumper Ads for 2017
2. Mom’s Touch
3. Géramont Sommer
4. Good Knight Activ+
6. Coca Cola Korea
9. Club Social
We’ve listed the top 10 bumper ads here, but you can see all 20 at YouTube Ads leaderboard — Bumper Ads Edition.
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.
New on MarTech


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A free local sharing app has prevented the equivalent of 312,000 meals from going to waste in just over a year – with 15,000 set to be saved and shared over Christmas week
Featured on: breakingnews.ie
Olio’s Food Waste Heroes have collected 131 tonnes of edible food in total from Tesco Ireland stores – or an average 6,000 meals a week – to redistribute for free throughout the country, since the app first partnered with the supermarket in November 2021.
An army of 1,800 volunteers have signed up to become Food Waste Heroes, with hundreds visiting Tesco Ireland supermarkets daily to collect unsold food that is still fit for consumption – and list it for free on the app so that others in the community can collect and consume it.
On Christmas Eve, Food Waste Heroes will collect surplus food from 30 Tesco stores, including Dolphin’s Barn in Dublin, Mullingar in Co Westmeath and Tuam, Co Galway.
“As we enter a time where food waste is often at its highest, it is great to see such an active community of people joining together to fight waste, while helping out their neighbours,” said Tessa Clarke, co-founder and CEO of Olio.
“Our great partnership with Tesco Ireland has resulted in a massive 656,000 items of food being diverted from going to waste in just over a year.
“Food waste accounts for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions and is the single largest emitting sector.
“If we are to fix the climate crisis, preventing food waste should be a priority.”
Fruit and veg (37%) accounted for the most shared items, followed by dairy and eggs (32%) and bakery (24%).
Olio user, Sarah Karam, 33, signed up as a Food Waste Hero in June, collecting from two Tesco Ireland stores in Waterford. She has so far given away 526 items, saving the equivalent of over 1,260 meals and 396k litres of water.
“It took a couple of weeks to get established but I have people who regularly collect from me now and any food I post on Olio is gone within an hour,” she said.
“Fruit, veg and ready-made meals are always the first to go.
“I’ve made some great friends through the app – including other food waste heroes in Waterford.
‘We help each other out and are all determined to reduce the environmental impact of food waste. Food waste in my own home is now less than 1%.”
After Dublin, Cork, Louth, Limerick and Waterford were the most active counties using Olio to share food with the app’s 72,000 Irish subscribers.
More than 1,800 people in Ireland have signed up to be Food Waste Heroes since November last year, with 534 collections made each week across the country.
“Tesco Ireland has been donating surplus food through our partnership with FoodCloud since 2014. Last year we made the decision to partner with Olio to help us expand our surplus food donations programme,” said Rosemary Garth, Communications Director, Tesco Ireland.
“This step was another major milestone towards helping us achieve our ambition to ensure that no good food goes to waste.
“Thanks to Olio and their team of flexible volunteers, in 2022 we can increase our Christmas food rescue efforts, making sure as much food as possible ends up feeding people in the communities that surround our stores.
“Based on donations over the last year, we estimate that 2,400 meals will be rescued by Olio food waste heroes this Christmas Eve alone.”
The Olio app can be downloaded from Google Play and Apple app stores. The desktop version is also accessible via olioex.com.


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Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia’s third survey of Pacific exporters shows digital adoption is fuelling Pacific export growth, and, while access to finance remains a barrier to business growth, confidence is high.
Our research surveyed more than 200 businesses across agriculture (including forestry, farming and fisheries), tourism, manufacturing, services and resources (including fuel and energy, minerals, gems and pearls) across 16 Pacific island countries.
The report, which we developed with the support of ACA Research and the Australian Government, fills the lack of private sector data from the region, providing a snapshot of export dynamics in the Pacific and insight into changes and trends in Pacific exports.
Data shows the proportion of enterprises who started exporting in the past three years has grown ten percentage points in four years, reaching 41 per cent. The number of businesses reporting an increase in export orders over the past year has slightly declined (49 per cent down from 56 per cent in 2016) but export confidence remains high, with more than two out of three businesses expecting growth over the next year. In line with this confidence, most exporters expect to increase employee numbers during the next 12 months.
Fuelling this growth are online channels, which are used by 79 per cent of exporters – including social media (67 per cent) and their own (52 per cent) or third-party (20 per cent) websites or apps – to generate revenue.
Women are better represented in export businesses compared to previous surveys. While proprietors and executives are mostly male, there is a gradual increase in the proportion of females across all roles. Thirty-two per cent of company heads are female (compared to 27 per cent in 2014), as are 41 per cent of executives (up from 37 per cent in 2016). At the employee level, 49 per cent of the workforce is made of women (up from 43 per cent in 2014).
Australia and New Zealand are the key export markets for Pacific island exporters, with 92 per cent of exporters regarding them as main destinations. However, intra-regional trade is growing too: more than two in three businesses are now trading within the region.
Access to finance remains one of the biggest challenges faced by the majority of exporters in the region. 59 per cent find it difficult to obtain finance for their exporting activities. Other constraints include high energy prices and transport costs, challenging logistics and shipping routes, capacity constraints and labour issues.
There is no doubt more competitive transport costs and improved shipping routes remain key for exporters. Exporters, particularly new exporters, also seek assistance across a wide range of areas, including support with business development, marketing, technology and attracting offshore investment.
It is interesting to see most exporters indicate they would consider some level of foreign investment to grow and overcome financing barriers. This indicates the market is primed for investment; however, the challenging export environment means traditional investment tools are inaccessible to many Pacific island businesses.
Impact investments – investments that look to make a financial return as well as deliver measurable social and environmental improvements – are well suited to the Pacific region. These investments have the potential to drive sustainable economic growth and value chains in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, manufacturing, renewable energy, eco-tourism and microfinance.
The Pacific offers opportunities for investors to help break new ground and contribute to impact investing on a much larger level than previously available in other investment markets. While philanthropy and grants have historically been a significant part of capital flow in the Pacific, opportunities for investing with a social impact are largely untapped. The Pacific is fertile ground for innovative ideas.


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28 September 2016
Mash-up of Scrabble, Dominion and trash fiction includes local and AI play
Literary deckbuilder Paperback has taken to the digital world.
Tim Fowers’ combination of word-building games such as Bananagrams and Scrabble, card game deckbuilders such as Dominion, and kitschy novels allows players to draw new letter cards and lay down their word creations to score points, with abilities and ‘Novel’ cards racking up game-winning fame points.
The game proved popular upon its physical release back in 2014, and is now on its fifth print run.
The digital edition for iPhone and iPad costs £2.99 here in the UK, and includes support for up to four human players or three AI rivals, with online multiplayer planned for the future.
An Android version is due for release in two weeks’ time, according to a tweet from Fowers.


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Framingham, Mass. — Improved customer service and strong execution helped Staples drive double-digit sales and profit gains for its fiscal fourth quarter and full year.
For the three months ended Jan. 29, net income rose 19 percent to $251 million on company-wide sales of $4.1 billion, a gain of 13 percent. Revenue at North American stores grew 8 percent, and same-store sales increased 4 percent over the year-ago period.
For the full year, net income grew 28 percent on a pro forma basis to $708 million, and net sales spiked 11 percent to $14.4 billion, while comparable store sales in North America edged up 4 percent.
President/CEO Ron Sargent said the strong results were attributable to improved customer service and inventory turns (up 40 basis points to 5.6 times); a 30-percent hike in retail unit earnings; and a 25 percent gain in global e-commerce sales, to $3 billion last year.
Looking ahead, Sargent reported that “We’re starting off 2005 on rock solid footing. Trends are strong. Our team’s execution has never been better, and we are driving improvements in all areas of our business.”


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Chef Daniel Rose is taking over the Hoxton Hotel’s ground floor food and beverage menus this summer, which includes a restaurant, lobby lounge and coffee stand. The Illinois-born French chef is best known for his Michelin-starred restaurant Le Coucou in New York City, which serves upscale traditional French cuisine. The future concept of Rose in Los Angeles Basque Coffee brings French-style Basque cuisine to the city centre; the restaurant promises to be less fussy than Le Coucou both in terms of food and atmosphere. The menu will emphasize wood-fired cooking, seasonal ingredients and local seafood.
The arrival of Café Basque was orchestrated by Boka Restaurant Group, who runs Girl & the Goat in Chicago and LA with chef Stephanie Izard. Earlier this year, the group opened the Peruvian concept Cabra d’Izard on the roof of the Hoxton. Rose currently resides in Paris where he oversees two restaurants (La Bourse and La Vie, Chez La Vieille) which he opened before bringing Le Coucou to the United States in 2016. The chef is expected to open a French brasserie in Chicago later this year with Boka Restaurant Group.
Actress Molly Shannon loves Craig’s, Canter’s and more
In an interview with Los Angeles Magazine, funny lady Molly Shannon powers many Los Angeles restaurants. Her favorites include Farmshop in Brentwood for breakfast, Sanamluang Cafe in Hollywood for Thai food, Craig’s in West Hollywood for birthday parties and many more. Read the interview here.
Bestia and Bavel alum run Los Alamos restaurant
Cameron Ingle was recently named executive chief of Pico at the Los Alamos General Store – a restaurant, bar and wine retail space located at 458 Bell Street in Los Alamos. Before moving to the Santa Ynez Valley, Ingle spent time in the kitchens of Bestia and Bavel in Los Angeles, and recently participated in the chef-in-residence program at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York. Ingle’s new menu sources most of the ingredients within a 60-mile radius of the restaurant. Discover the dinner menu here.
Soupless ramen special at Jinya Ramen Bar
Bar Jinya Ramen (Studio City, Burbank, Santa Monica, Downtown) are introducing no-broth ramen in time for summer. Each bowl of spicy maze-men includes thick noodles simmered in bonito aioli and topped with pork chashu, kimchi, a seasoned egg, onions and seaweed.
Pitmaster pop-ups at Moo’s Craft Barbecue
Moo’s Craft Barbecue’s celebrates its first anniversary in Lincoln Heights by hosting guest pitmasters throughout June. To find Flat tip barbecue Sunday, June 5; Heritage BBQ Saturday, June 12; Zef BBQ Saturday, June 18; and Priedity Saturday, June 25.


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Today, Stark launched a private beta for its Stark for Mac app, which streamlines accessibility compliance to make products more inclusive while allowing everyone involved in a project to easily collaborate. Companies can upload their design files into Stark’s tool, which then identifies accessibility issues and suggests changes.
Stark started in 2017 when Cat Noone and her team realized that there wasn’t an easy solution for designers to make sure their creations were accessible and inclusive. Now, more than 500,000 people have used Stark’s integrated plug-ins for apps like Adobe XD, Figma, Sketch and Google Chrome, which offer checks and suggestions to make sure that visual materials meet accessibility standards for visually impaired people.
“We started with the plugins, and they’re still a great way of creating awareness by surfacing issues that are happening in your product,” Noone told TechCrunch. “But they don’t solve accessibility issues for you in a way that scales, or in a way that ensures everyone is involved in the product.”
But Noone says that the Stark for Mac app will “supercharge accessibility” by making it even easier to address sweeping problems across swaths of design files. For example, if an app like Twitter were to change its font (which it recently did, sparking conversation about the need for customization in accessible design), the designers would have to arduously change the typeface on hundreds of different screens within the app. But Stark makes that process much faster.
“What Stark does is, for any instance that the issue occurs, it allows you to take that suggested change, open up the design file, make the change, and go ahead and sync it,” Noone said. “So at that point, you have not just this one individual screen, but you have your entire design system, every screen where this instance shows up rectified. That’s massive, because it takes your design development time and completely squashes it, and our goal is to decrease your time to compliance, all the while educating you about why this was rectified.”
Noone has been saying since last year, when Stark raised $1.5 million in seed funding, that the product can be the Grammarly of accessible design, functioning on both a consumer and enterprise level. Though the company isn’t yet profitable, some of Stark’s existing customers include Microsoft, Pfizer, Instagram and ESPN. Plus, Stark hosts a Slack community for people interested in accessible design, as well as a public library of accessibility resources that Noone says is the largest on the internet. Stark has a limited free plan that allows users to try out the product and join its Slack, but access to its existing suite of tools costs $60 per year. Teams can request a quote for a custom plan, which adds access to unified billing and multi-team management.
Accessibility is crucial for tech companies, because if their products aren’t usable by people with certain disabilities, then they’re missing out on a massive customer base. But, if being inclusive isn’t a good enough motivator (sigh), then money is.
“Especially in recent events, the pandemic pushed so many businesses to increase their digital presence. We reached a point where tech companies that don’t make their products accessible to all possible users are excluded from the market, and they miss out on this windfall,” Noone said. But Stark makes it easier to retrofit years of old design files to be compliant with accessibility standards. “The Stark for Mac app ensures that you no longer need to employ these 10 or 20 consultants, because the individuals that are building the product are educated, and the tools sit with them.”
For now, the private beta version of the Stark for Mac app will work with Sketch, but Noone says the app will quickly roll out compatibility with other popular design tools like Figma and Adobe XD. Then, it will allow users to assign tasks to others within the app by integrating with project management tools. People who want to try the private beta can contact Stark for access on its website. The beta will be free, but once it launches publicly, Stark will announce a pricing plan.
“We’ve had the luxury of building this alongside a very vocal community,” Noone said. “Granted, we’re rolling out into private beta, but it’s still very much beneficial for engineers and designers.”
Stark’s team is 17 strong, with people working remotely across eight different countries.
“We have a team from all around the world, with so many languages, so many skin colors, so many orientations — just the way we view ourselves and the way we navigate the world is inclusion in itself, which I think is pretty magical,” Noone said. She wants Stark to be able to adapt to emerging technologies like VR and AR, while also addressing that accessibility looks different across cultures — what makes a typeface legible in English, for example, may not necessarily hold true for writing in Arabic or Thai. “We are a reflection of the product we built, and I think that makes it ridiculously easy to put our money where our mouth is, because it’s something we as a collective live every day.”


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Italian luxury goods group Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia (Emenia Zegna) sold its women’s ready-to-wear brand Agnona, which specializes in knitwear, but still holds a 30% minority stake in the brand, and the brand’s ownership has not separated from the Zegna family.
The group said in a press release issued in early August: “This transaction represents the A new path for the future development of the brand, guaranteeing the continuity of its operations, as Agnona will remain in the family.” Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia sold 70% of Agnona shares to Roberto Aimone and Stefano Aimone, the group explained, without providing More transaction details. Roberto Aimone and Stefano Aimone are the husband and sons of Laura Zegna, a third generation member of the Zegna family.
In 1910, Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia, an Italian manufacturer of luxury men’s clothing, accessories and high-end fabrics, was founded in Trivero by the family founder of the same name, Ermenegildo Zegna. In the 1960s, brothers Aldo Zegna and Angelo Zegna, members of the Zegna family, decided to expand the company’s business from fabric manufacturing to men’s clothing production, thus leading the group’s rise. Laura Zegna is the daughter of Aldo Zegna and the sister of current president Paolo Zegna.
Laura Zegna’s husband Roberto Aimone has been at the helm of the Agnona brand for some time, while her son Stefano Aimone has worked as a designer for a series of different luxury brands, including the group’s previous Young line brand Z Zegna. In 2015, the two founded Aimone, a high-end leather-based menswear brand. Father and son will serve as Agnona’s new executive president and creative director, respectively.
Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia explained that the brand’s current CEO Alessandra Carra “will continue to support Aimone family until Stefano was able to take on the role of CEO.” Alessandra Carra has led the brand for 6 years. She comes to Agnona from Italian designer brand Emilio Pucci, where she also served as CEO of Polo Ralph Lauren in Italy and other licensing countries, as well as global vice president of marketing, sales and distribution at Valentino, and in Previously held positions at Levi Strauss Group and Trussardi.
The British-American designer Simon Holloway, who has succeeded Stefano Pilati as Agnona’s creative director in 2015, will leave the company to focus on “new career challenges.” Simon Holloway has previously worked at Jimmy Choo, Narciso Rodriguez, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors and Richard Tyler.
The Agnona brand was founded in 1953 and has been holding fashion shows in Milan since September 2018. Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia acquired Agnona in 1999 but never really succeeded in reviving the brand. Simon Holloway showed the brand’s menswear for the first time in February this year, which was quite unexpected because Agnona stopped making menswear 20 years ago.
Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia also acquired American designer brand Thom Browne in 2018. In the same year, it also acquired a controlling stake in leather fabric company Pelle Tessuta and Indian luxury menswear brand Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur. a minority stake, and a controlling stake in high-end fabric manufacturer Bonotto SpA. </p


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No, Samsung is not changing its branding as far as we know. But you have to appreciate the stellar, if unsolicited work that visual designer Aziz Firat did to creating a unifying brand for the tech giant, apparently just for kicks.
Firat said he was inspired by 22-year-old Andrew Kim, who got a lot of attention and accolades after revealing his a clever rebranding project for Microsoft(Opens in a new window), also an attempt to unify the company's diverse line of hardware and software products under a single logo and feel. Kim also got a gig at Microsoft out of that project.
Firat posted the results of his similar treatment of Samsung(Opens in a new window) earlier this week. As he's quick to note, his efforts don't "reflect Samsung's views or plans," but we wouldn't be surprised if a few designers and marketers at the company aren't taking notes.
The freelance designer began with some critiques of Samsung's current logo design, which he described as plastic and boring. There's also the problem that Samsung uses different logos for different products, with some of its flagship devices like smartphones not getting the company's main, white-text-in-a-blue-oval logo. And there are clashing font issues and ... well, Firat could go on and on.
"Samsung needs a recognizable icon which will bring all products together," Firat wrote. He calls that logo simply "S".
Firat's "S" for Samsung is made of three connected parallelogramsevoking the image of three smartphones all fused together.
Speaking of which, the designer Firat suggested that the logo could go right below the camera on the rear of one's Samsung smartphone, as he feels that the notion of brand names on the front of a device is one that "should be banned."
He would also give each product category its own color (but a relatively identical retail box design), which would unify Samsung's diverse product lineup under a common theme while providing an easy visual indicator for those looking for specific products.
The verdict? Firat is receiving a good deal of praise on Twitter and elsewhere for his efforts, with The Next Web's Nick Summers(Opens in a new window) even declaring, "This is how Samsung should rebrand itself."
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Residents of the Ocean State got an end of the year treat with the launch of recreational cannabis taking place on December 1st. Five medical marijuana business were issued a hybrid cannabis license from the Department of Business Regulation shortly before Thanksgiving. With the hybrid license these companies can now sell both medical and recreational marijuana. From start to finish Rhode Island was able to launch their recreational cannabis sales in less than 7 months. The first sale took place at Mother Earth Wellness in Pawtucket shortly after 5am.
In an interview with WPRI Matt Santacroce, the head of Rhode Island’s Department of Business Regulation confirmed that the state has also taken steps to ensure that medical marijuana patients will not be negatively impacted by the launch of recreational sales. Stores are expected to ensure patients have adequate parking, receive prioritized entry into the building and retail queue, access to private consultation areas, as well as a healthy level of inventory and full variety of products offered to patients.
The five recreational dispensaries open as of December 1st are:
Aura of Rhode Island, 1136 Lonsdale Ave in Central Falls
Mother Earth Wellness, 125 Esten Ave in Pawtucket
Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center, 1637 W Main Road in Portsmouth
Thomas C. Slater Center, 1 Corliss Street in Providence


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KANSAS CITY — Product developers, both large and small, are pushing the envelope on flavor development. It is no longer enough to develop a product variety with point of differentiation based on cost or quality. Today, it takes imagination to stand out in certain food categories.
Take the market for meat snacks, for example. There may be no other foodstuff as basic as dried meat, whether it is marketed in a strip, stick, shred or chunk form. The category is dominated by a few major companies principally marketing mild, medium, spicy and teriyaki varieties. But today, the market is changing as smaller companies are adding unique formats and flavors in an effort to develop a niche in the category.
The confluence of the snack and protein trends has made meat snacks more popular, and companies are emerging focused on broadening the category through the development of unique attributes and flavors. Several companies stood out in the category during the Winter Fancy Food Show, held Jan. 11-13 in San Francisco.
Most notable among the meat companies was Lone Mountain Wagyu, Los Angeles, which introduced a beef jerky and several sausage varieties sourced from 100% Wagyu beef. The raw material is sourced from cattle that are predisposed to intense marbling, and the beef is known for its rich flavor and texture.
“The high level of marbling from the Wagyu creates a velvety mouthfeel not common with sausage or jerky,” said Nellie Abel, a marketing specialist with the company. “Full blood Wagyu is an emerging trend in the U.S., and we’re excited to launch these products into retail markets, bringing what has traditionally been a very limited product to food-savvy consumers across the country.”
The product has a premium positioning, as a 3.5-oz package has a suggested retail price of $13.75.
While Lone Mountain uses its raw material as a source of flavor and texture to stand out in the market, Uncle Andy’s Jerky, Fort Collins, Colo., relies on such creative flavors as spicy coffee and maple bourbon.
“When I looked at the market I saw a lot of the same,” said Andrew Hanenberg, owner, during the Winter Fancy Food Show. “The flavors I’ve developed are flavors I know I would like.”
The company currently sells four varieties of beef jerky, including tangy barbecue and maple bourbon in addition to the coffee and lemon mint items. A 2-oz package has a suggested retail price of $6.99.
Savory flavors were a focus throughout the Winter Fancy Food Show and a part of many trends identified by a panel of experts commissioned by the Specialty Foods Association to walk the show floor and identify what may be trending in food and beverage. Several cheese items, for example, like Yancey’s Fancy grilled bacon cheeseburger flavored artisan cheese, the Sonoma Creamery’s Mr. Cheese O’s, Silva Regal Spanish Food’s Manchego-style Cheese flavored olive oil, and Angie’s Boomchickapop’s caramel and cheddar mix popcorn all caught the attention of the panelists.
“Consumers are craving food with taste appeal, a sense of adventure, and a decided healthy glow,” said Denise Purcell, editor, Specialty Food Media, and one of the panelists. “These new products at the show play right into that appetite.”
Tracking savory 2.0
Sensient Flavors, Hoffman Estates, Ill., said that “savory 2.0,” which involves the blurring between product categories, is trending.
“As consumers take inventory of their pantries, savory updates on traditionally sweet applications are proving to be viable alternatives as long-term staples,” the company said.
Whether it is sugar replaced with salt or repurposing more familiar flavors, the company predicted the trend will include what it calls the everything bagel spice blend, which includes such ingredients as poppy seed, kosher salt, sweet onion sugar, sesame seed, garlic onion and fennel, as well as salted Satsuma, which features a sweet and savory balance of salt with Satsuma, a Japanese orange varietal.
“The 2015 Trends to Taste program centers around one consistent theme: ethnic exploration through flavors,” said Teresa Olah, marketing director for Sensient Flavors. “Consumers are seeking adventure in their food and see their choices as an expression of themselves. They are enjoying the ability to sample other cultures through food.”
Savory ethnic flavors were also the focal point of Fuchs North America’s Ethnic Inspirations II collection of flavors, which include 10 new seasonings and rubs. The new flavor line keys off of Fuchs’ original Ethnic Inspirations, which was launched in early 2014. The new offerings build on the popularity of those products, according to the company. Among the new flavors are such items as Babi Panggang seasoning, Bahia-Brazilian Churrascaria rub, Cambodian spice blend, Copacabana black bean seasoning, Korma spice blend, Laotian Larb seasoning, Moroccan Harissa rub, North African Adobo seasoning, Nuoc Cham seasoning, and a Panaji pork rub.
“These new profiles can be used on meats, in fully prepared meats, or in conjunction with what food manufacturers are doing to supply and support food service chain operations,” said Ken Wuestenfeld, vice-president of sales for Fuchs. “They can even serve as inspiration for surprising and unexpected new snack offerings. We expect them to be popular options for product design specialists, or anyone else responsible for developing food items that really capture the attention of consumers.”
Howard Cantor, Fuchs North America’s corporate research chef, said the new line builds on traditional elements of national cuisines — but they are unique new creations.
“Consider our Latin American items in the collection,” he said. “Our Bahia-Brazilian Churrascaria rub is a spicy, herbaceous concoction that really brings out the flavor of the meat. Now that diners have become familiar with the churrascaria restaurants that have opened in this country, they crave those same tastes in prepared food items they can eat at home — not to mention in their own grilling.
“We’re also very excited about our new Copacabana black bean seasoning. It’s oniony, garlicky — and full of the fragrant herbs of the Caribbean. This seasoning really dresses up black beans in a surprisingly new and unconventional way.”
Indian and South Asian cuisine continues to grow in popularity in America, and Fuchs tapped into the trend with two new items.
“Our Korma Spice blend and Panaji Pork rub capture the heady combination of flavors for which this region of the world is so famous,” Mr. Cantor said.
It is clear that as North American consumers become more aware of cuisines from around the world such flavor combinations will continue to emerge. It also stands to reason that the flavors that garner the most attention will extend their reach into a variety of applications.


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A credit card is deemed to be a financially helpful tool but only if used responsibly. Otherwise, it would bury you in enormous debt.
These stats reveal beyond shocking conditions of credit card debt in The United States of America.
According to the recent survey by GOBankingRates, 30% of Americans own credit card debt between $1,001 and $5,000, other 15% have $5,001 or more in credit card debt, and about 6% are in credit card debt of $10,000.
To make the most out of a credit card, you should look out for the best offers that can help to keep the balance under control.
Credit Card are said to cover essential expenses for Americans
Credit cards have many advantages starting with building credit, sorting out big expenses and earning rewards.
Another survey conducted by Inside 1031 found that 49% of Americans depend on credit cards to cover essential living expenses. Most of the people in this percentage come from younger generations.
Furthermore, nearly half of Americans admit to relying on a credit card to cover a $2,000 emergency.
Adding to this fact is that thirty-seven per cent don’t have more than $1,000 for emergency savings. Thirteen per cent don’t even have an emergency saving.
Thus, with the advances of a credit card comes responsibilities also, the full balance should be paid on time. If not, one will have to pay interest charges and fees
The Pandemic has resulted in more credit card debt in America
Covid has resulted in a major economic setback for the world. Unemployment surged with the worldwide lockdown.
Seemingly, the pandemic affected the stats of debt in America also.
According to the survey, nearly half of all Americans have taken up more credit card debt from March 2020 onwards
Additionally, individuals carrying credit card balances from month to month can report having more debt in the pandemic. Moreover, credit card debt would likely be more than twice now in pandemic for some people.


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Rashay’s co-founder hands out free rapid antigen tests in Sydney
The initiative comes as Aussies increasingly search for the single-use items.
Rashay’s co-founder Rami Ykmour has handed out up to a thousand free rapid antigen tests in Sydney amid a reported shortage.
As seen in his official TikTok account, Ykmour put on personal protective equipment last January 4 to hand out tests to cars.
“Staff aren‘t showing up to work, businesses are suffering. If it means giving out rapid tests to help people get back to life. I will do this all day,” he said in one of his posts about the rapid antigen test giveaway. “I support parents that need to support their family and earn an income.”


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On 12 April 2016, ZUZU (a line of cosmetics marketed by China’s CBB Company) held a “Meet the Stars” event at Shangri-La Hotel in Sanya (Hainan Island) to introduce Ji Chang Wook as its newest ambassador, in addition to recognising the Company’s outstanding dealers.
CBB operates on a business model seemingly similar to that of multi-level marketing, whereby they recruit salespeople to sell ZUZU cosmetics through social media platforms such as Weibo. CBB reportedly started in 2014 and has as many as 200,000 dealers under them. ZUZU is the first product to be launched by this company.
At the event, Ji Chang Wook greeted the audience in Mandarin and Korean and expressed his well wishes for ZUZU. He also had close interaction with the dealers present at the event, and took a group photo with everyone.
In addition to Ji Chang Wook, other Chinese celebrities such as Chinese actors Lu Yong and Yin Xiao Tian, Hong Kong actor Max Mok, and Hong Kong veteran actress Angie Chiu were also in attendance at the grand event. To put some perspective into the scale of the event, the show commenced with the brand’s founder, Chu Rui Xue, arriving at the venue in a helicopter; together with Ji Chang Wook, she also presented 60 luxury cars as prizes to dealers with outstanding yearly sales of ZUZU products at the award ceremony.
Ji Chang Wook had appeared in a short video teaser previously announcing his attendance at the event:
And here are some pictures of him at the event:
Credit: 三亚摄影师杨仔 weibo, People.cn; oeeee.com
love love love that suit on him!


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The Receiver for the 347 microfinance institutions as well as the 23 savings and loans firms and finance houses has so far paid GHS700 million to the customers whose funds were locked up following the collapse of the institutions.
A press release from the Receiver said the commencement of the processes to make final payments to the depositors continues.
The Receiver added that the full and final payments are ongoing in line with the government’s commitment to protect depositors’ funds and to shore up public confidence in the financial system.
“At the commencement of the resolution process, the government provided the Receiver with funds to offset the growing economic hardship that vulnerable depositors were likely to face”, it emphasised.
As of Friday, 28 February 2020, a total of 13,675 customers had been paid their locked-up deposits.
Out of this, 490 of the customers are companies, 581 are social organisations, 174 are financial institutions and 48 are financial securities entities.
12,382 are individual or retail clients.
According to the Receiver, payments will continue till all the customers receive alerts to access their deposits.


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Final Fantasy VIII Remastered – Official Release Date Trailer
The classic Final Fantasy title, Final Fantasy VIII‘s Remastered Edition has a release date: September 3rd, 2019 is the big day. It comes to PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Steam.
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Guelph police say one of their own members proved officers are never really off-duty after he made a shoplifting arrest on Saturday.
According to police, the constable was grocery shopping near Paisley and Imperial roads just before noon when he spotted a man placing items into plastic shopping bags.
As the officer was paying for his groceries, he told the staff about a possible theft in progress.
“While leaving the store, the officer saw the male also leaving the store with all his groceries in plastic bags and asked to see his receipt,” police said in a news release.
The man was then arrested by the off-duty officer, who then found a bottle of alcohol allegedly stolen earlier from another business, police said.
“The male admitted he planned to sell the stolen items for drug money,” police said.
A 55-year-old man has been charged with two counts of theft and two counts of possessing stolen property.
He will make a court appearance in May.


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e all know COVID-19 has been battering businesses since the outbreak began but we are now seeing the devastating decline of bigger companies. It was only a matter of time until larger companies starting feeling the sting of a global economic crash and unfortunately the reaper is knocking on the door of the largest mall in America.
Malls are cultural
Malls are a staple of the suburban lifestyle. It’s where teens who can’t drink go on dates after school, it’s where the elderly casually stroll when waiting for their prescriptions to be filled, it’s where little kids with squeaky shoes stomp around with their parents and stroller in tow.
Malls are a rather significant part of cities that have them. They provide jobs, access to goods, a place to meet. Without these malls, where will people now gather?
Bloomberg reports the Mall of America has missed its last two monthly payments on its $1.4 billion commercial mortgage-backed security. Something tells me their projected opening for July 1st won’t be coming true.
Even before the outbreak starts killing off businesses, malls were in rough shape. Online shopping has taken out malls at the knees offering more convenience and more selection than any mall can, even the largest one.
Bad news for Edmonton
This news will also hit home for Edmonton and the West Edmonton Mall, which is also owned by the same company. Edmonton locals will surely be reacting to the potential loss of such a well known cultural icon. As the largest of its kind in Canada, the closure of the West Edmonton Mall will be a sad thing to see happen.
If both of the largest malls on the continent go under, thousands of people will be affected. With news like this it seems we are headed directly for the dystopia we’ve seen portrayed in movies where people are living in vacant, overgrown malls. All we need now is the zombies.


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OnePlus confirms that OnePlus 6T will launch with in-screen fingerprint scanner
With the OnePlus 3T, the company started launching two flagships every year. We saw the same thing when the OnePlus 5T launched. At the same price of the OnePlus 5, the 5T featured an 18:9 display & better cameras. Until now, there was no official word from the company on the rumored OnePlus 6T but today, OnePlus officially confirmed that it is indeed going to launch 6T this year and unlike last two years, this isn’t going to feature just a few upgrades like slightly better cameras or a better screen.
This device will feature something that we are yet to see on any phone from companies like Apple, Samsung, LG or Google. The in-screen fingerprint reader can be seen on almost every mid-range or flagship phone from Oppo or Vivo. OnePlus is going to follow the same as the company has now confirmed in an exclusive interview with CNET that the OnePlus 6T will launch with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. OnePlus is calling it ‘Screen Unlock’ and talking about this feature, the company said –
We unlock our phones multiple times a day, and Screen Unlock reduces the number of steps to complete the action. By adding this feature as an addition to other display unlocking options such as Face Unlock, users will have options to unlock the display in a way that is most efficient for them.
The screenshot above is from the OnePlus 6T’s lock screen and as we can see in the screenshot, the launch might take place on October 17. Apart from the in-screen fingerprint scanner, the phone is also coming with a waterdrop notch and probably better cameras.


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ACTA is without oversite, private members club will entrench obsolete business models. http://bit.ly/9klPDR
Supposedly about Anti-Counterfitting measures it would force signatory countries to enact even more draconian law including shutting people off the internet on an accusation – no proof required. Â This must be stopped.
No trade negotiation should ever be conducted in secrecy. Now that the full text has leaked the ramifications are even more horrific than thought, and it proves that the US Trade Office has been lying – outright lies – about what it contains.


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Melbourne cyber security IoT provider HackHunter today launches its locally engineered and manufactured device to detect and locate the source of unauthorised and potentially malicious WiFi systems.
HackHunter has just won the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) 2020 Award for Cyber Security Start Up of the year for product innovation around cyber security.
HackHunter CEO, Tracie Thompson said: “HackHunter’s innovative technology shows organisations exactly what WiFi is operating in their network environment in real-time, and quickly finds the WiFi source with precision so it can be immediately removed if unauthorised.”
WiFi has been used increasingly during the Covid-19 pandemic by companies to share data with staff and customers, but it can easily hijacked by setting up a fake WiFi network.
In a trial with an ASX 50 listed company, the Pursuit WiFi tracker (main picture and below) found one Wifi device hidden under an office floor and another device hidden in a bag that was remotely switched off in proximity to the tracker.
HackHunter has also completed a trial in the US with a large defence company allowing them to detect and display a WiFi source – a mobile phone hotspot, in a desk drawer on another floor.
The device is designed, developed and manufactured in-house in Australia, using advanced 3D printing and product design principles.
The Pursuit weighs less than 250g, lasts over 10 hours per charge and is designed for single-handed use.
In addition, the HackHunter Insight analytics platform provides a real-time dashboard, that analyses data logs and generates automated reports, including how WiFi in the environment has changed over time.
Backed by the AustCyber Projects Fund, HackHunter has developed the Pursuit WiFi tracker from prototype to market-ready in eight months.
The AustCyber Projects Fund is a $15 million, three-year initiative designed to help the Australian cyber security industry grow both locally and globally.
AustCyber CEO, Michelle Price said: “Demand for cyber security products and services has dramatically increased in 2020, caused by the accelerated digitisation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is a significant economic opportunity for Australia’s cyber security industry. Investing in sovereign companies like HackHunter and their innovative technologies helps to improve our nation’s overall global competitiveness, as well as its cyber security.”
Subscribe to our free @AuManufacturing newsletter here.


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Charlotte Henry and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to look back at the previous decade of Apple news and notable events.
- Daily Observations Archive
- The 10 Biggest Apple Stories of The Last Decade
- The Rumors are Over: Apple Intros iPad Tablet [Updated]
- Tim Cook’s Gay Coming Out is a Big Deal for Equal Rights
- Apple Moves into Wearable Tech with Introduction of Apple Watch [Update]
- Apple Co-founder Steve Jobs Passes Away at 56 [Updated]
- TMO Daily Observations Twitter feed


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Last January, the giant e-commerce company Amazon took a step further in the implementation of its plan of expanding its services as an ocean freight forwarder, in an effort to cut down on costs of third-party providers and improve efficiency on its delivery operations.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon has acted as a logistics provider for at least 150 containers of goods imported from China.
Once the news was known, a debate took place in the logistics sector about if these new moves from the e-commerce company would affect and even boost the disappearance of traditional freight forwarders, but the opinions are divided.
Wesley Chan, managing director at start-venture capital firm Felicis Ventures, said at a logistics conference in Long Beach that few shippers would want to hand over the sort of product data they would need to if employing Amazon as their freight forwarder.
This is the same opinion of Ryan Petersen, chief executive officer of Flexport -a San Francisco-based freight forwarder- who commented that Amazon’s new services would be more attractive for Chinese sellers than to American sellers because the latter were unlikely to expose key data like wholesale pricing and supplier names to a rival.
On the other hand, there are some technology enthusiastic who think that online platforms can replace manual processes. Graham Parker, Kontainers’ co-founder and chief strategist, said to The Loadstar that the artificial intelligence of Kontainer’s system was capable of dealing with all kinds of exceptions, like weather issues “even before a traditional freight forwarder would even know there was a problem,” even if certain issues would still require a human element.
Other companies in the shipping sector such as Maersk Line and CMA CGM have joined the digital trend and signed cooperation deals with Chinese e-commerce platform Alibaba to provide online booking services for Chinese exporters.
“The initial launch …allows existing Alibaba OneTouch (registered) users to lock in the price of required cargo spaces on selected routes by pre-paying a deposit amount,” said a Maersk spokeswoman.
Amazon has also created an in-house air transportation network through lease agreements with Atlas Air and Air Transport Services Group. A fleet of 40 Amazon cargo airplanes will carry some of its international and express packages. The company is also testing the use of drones for last-mile deliveries of merchandise. According to CityGroup these solutions would save Amazon
What do you think? Are online platforms replacing freight forwarders in the future?