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By Jane Lasky
Crowdfunding, the relatively fresh practice of funding a certain project or a new venture by raising money through contributions, has grown into a hot commodity in 2017. Unlike its beginning about 13 years ago, this creative way of raising funds is no longer just for small start-ups, atypical products and independent film making. Today, crowdfunding has shifted gears to make this ever-growing phenomenon a very viable revenue source for all types of big business, too.
Some $34.4 billion has been raised this way in 2015 alone. To wit, on Oct. 30, 2015, the SEC stepped in to start regulating crowdfunding under Title III. The rules of this plan dictate that the issuer must be deemed a private, United States-based company.
A Growing Trend
So why should the corporate hierarchy think about getting in on this growing trend? One big reason is because crowdfunding utilizes the magic of social media to get the word out. With that comes the ability to run a litmus test of sorts, because even before a product or service is made available, the powers that be can now understand the customer base.
Last year, Venture Beat ruminated on Indiegogo’s proclamation regarding its intended dive into “enterprise crowdfunding.” Journalist Harrison Weber stated in January 2016, “The concept isn’t totally new. Enterprises will use much of the same stuff as the rest of Indiegogo’s users. It’s more like a welcome sign for the Fortune 500, complete with an Indiegogo consulting service.”
Venture Beat talked to Indiegogo CEO Slavin Rubin about the new development. He stated that there has been a lot of Fortune 1000 interest because, in part, the crowdfunding concept is “very similar to the projection of social networking. Slowly people were learning this is a good way to share. This is a good way to share with your customers.”
That said, through the support offered by crowdfunding, management will be able to see early on what type of consumer is enthusiastic about a product or service, and also what can be improved on before anything concrete is ever introduced into the marketplace. Talk about a keen focus group where feedback is key.
In a 2015 report from David M. Freedman and Matthew R. Nutting entitled “A Brief History of Crowdfunding Including Rewards, Donation, Debt, and Equity Platforms in the USA,” the two authors refer to successes with crowdfunding campaigns. One, a product called the Coolest Cooler, was seeking a $50,000 funding goal. The actual results? Some 62,000 backers hit up Kickstarter with $13,285,000.
Freedman and Nutting claim that, “companies like GE Appliances are already capitalizing on this trend. GE launched FirstBuild, a global co-creation community and micro-factory that looks for insights on how to improve the way major home appliances are created, designed and manufactured.”
And so, with this new innovation being embraced by larger, more established companies more than ever before, it looks like crowdfunding is here to stay—and in a bigger and certainly more wide-reaching way.


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Notwithstanding a high of around 85 per cent of households in Odisha experiencing at least one power-cut a day, which is the second highest in the country after Bihar, the consumers, nevertheless, pay more than their counterparts elsewhere.
Though Odisha is included among champions of power reforms, say power privatisation, in the country, the poor in the State shell out more as compared to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Even, poor consumers in Delhi and Gujarat pay far lesser amounts than their Odisha counterparts.
Plug Out Points
As per the data available with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), when on consumption up to 100 units per month, a consumer in Odisha pays Rs 374, a counterpart in Andhra Pradesh pays only Rs 208 per month. The amount a consumer in Chhattisgarh pays is Rs 367.20. Data shows in the neighbourhood, only West Bengal and Jharkhand have a very higher power tariff than Odisha.
Even in the national capital territory Delhi, a consumer has to pay only Rs 336 per month for consuming electricity up to 100 units. In Gujarat, a consumer in rural areas pay Rs 325.19 per month for consuming up to 100 units, and an urban consumer pays Rs 393.88.
Significantly, Goa, among the major states, has the cheapest power tariff structure in India. For consuming up to 100 units in a month, h/she has to pay a mere Rs 180.
As per data with OERC (Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission), average electricity consumption per household in rural Odisha stood at around 85-90 units in rural areas and around 200-220 units in urban areas.
The rate chart in Chhattisgarh for a consumer consuming up to 400 units per has been Rs 494.10 and, in Andhra Pradesh, the rate is Rs 491.63. The power rate in Odisha for consuming up to 400 units per month is Rs 496.60.
In Delhi, it's only Rs 406.88. In Gujarat, rural consumers for consuming up to 400 units will pay only Rs 432.69, whereas an urban consumer will pay Rs 504.46.
Poor Power Play
Even after shelling more for electricity, the quality of power supply has been among the poorest lot in the country. A Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) study outlines the fuse points in power supply in Odisha.
- When it comes to households experiencing at least one power-cut daily, Odisha is only second to Bihar (among big states) in the country. A whopping 85 per cent of households complain about multiple daily power cuts across the State.
- A high of 40 per cent of households in the State has been faced with at least one power quality (voltage problem) issue.
- In comparison, while in Andhra Pradesh, around 55 per cent of households reported at least one power cut daily, the number in Chhattisgarh is high at around 84 per cent.
- The startling fact is less than 5 per cent of households in Delhi and around 5-15 per cent of households in Gujarat complain about at least one power cut daily.
- Kerala charges a higher (Rs 37 - 386/- per month) rate than Odisha, but multiple power cuts are reported by a mere around 10 per cent of households. Only 20-30 per cent of households complain about supply quality.
The above comparative analysis of power tariff and quality of supply shows that Odisha finishes poorer than states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Gujarat. Except in Delhi, the power distribution in all the above-mentioned states is managed by public utilities.

domain: news


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Square Inc. will increase investment in its go-to-market hardware offerings and sales and marketing following the sale of one of its business segments.
In conjunction with its second-quarter earnings release, Square announced that it will sell its food delivery platform Caviar to DoorDash Inc. for $410 million. On a call to discuss earnings, Square President, Chairman and CEO Jack Dorsey called DoorDash "an obvious choice" because of Square's preexisting partnership with the company.
Square intends to strengthen both the seller ecosystem and its Cash App, but those opportunities require "more focus and more investment," Dorsey said.
"Our focus right now is going to be on hardware, sales and marketing," Dorsey said, adding that Square would balance that with enhancing the developer's platform and Square's application programming interface.
In selling the Caviar business, Square will focus on serving restaurants and food sellers through that platform approach. By using the API, Square succeeds as DoorDash succeeds, Dorsey said.
Caviar represented the second-largest component of Square's subscription and services revenue stream, according to CFO Amrita Ahuja. Square reported $251 million in subscription and services revenue in the second quarter.
Cash App, excluding bitcoin, accounted for $135 million of that revenue stream, which Ahuja said was the No. 1 driver. Capital represents the third-largest component of the subscription and services revenue.
From a margin perspective, Ahuja said Caviar had lower gross margin profile than the remainder of Square's revenue streams related to subscription and services.
"There are ongoing costs associated with Caviar, including fees for couriers and the revenue share with restaurants that have made it the largest component of subscription and services-based cost," she added.
The company provided third-quarter EPS guidance lower than the consensus estimate. Wolfe Research analyst Darrin Peller said in a note following the earnings release that Square's guidance was likely conservative.
Square will update its guidance after the sale of Caviar to DoorDash. The deal is expected to close in 2019.
Shares in the financial technology company are down more than 6% in aftermarket trading hours.


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The safety of some chemicals used by the electronics industry should be reviewed, members of the European Parliament's Environment Committee said on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the European Commission announced its Digital Agenda, a five-year plan that will set the pace for telecommunications in Europe. The plan includes measures to boost legal music downloads, speed up broadband adoption and set up a rapid re...
European IT and telecom ministers called for the introduction of open standards and interoperability in government procurement of IT on Monday, sparking applause from the industry.
The European Commission will launch a public consultation on the issue of network neutrality this quarter, Neelie Kroes, commissioner for the digital agenda, said Tuesday.
Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) has lost three times more share than usual in some European countries since the company issued a ballot that lets users choose an alternate browser, according to a Web measurement company.
Should teenagers who illegally download music, films and the like in their bedrooms be treated like criminal gangs counterfeiting everything from life-saving drugs to Gucci handbags?
The European Parliament demanded Wednesday that the European Commission open up secret negotiations about an anticounterfeiting trade agreement (ACTA) to the public.
Microsoft's promise to allow Windows users to choose which Internet browser they use has been accepted by the European Commission, ending its antitrust investigation of the company's position in the browser market.
Viviane Reding, the European Commissioner who for the past five years has championed consumer rights in the telecommunications and IT arenas, has been picked to take charge of a re-write of the European Union's 15-year-old data protection laws due to...
The European Commission has accused manufacturers of cathode-ray tubes of running cartels in the markets for computer monitors and TVs, the regulator said Thursday.
Fifty-nine U.S. senators have asked European antitrust regulators to speed up their investigation into Oracle's planned acquisition of Sun Microsystems, due to Sun's "deteriorating financial condition."
Cloud computing users face problems including loss of control over data, difficulties proving compliance, and additional legal risks as data moves from one legal jurisdiction to another, according to a assessement of cloud computing risks from the Eu...
Oracle and Sun Microsystems have been granted an extra week to defend their planned US$7 billion merger in front of European regulators, the European Commission said Friday.
The European Union published findings of an 18-month investigation Tuesday finding that 301 Web sites that sold mobile phone ringtones, wallpapers and other services had "serious breaches of EU consumer law," according to a statement.
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If you consume quite a lot of tea, we have some potentially bad news for you.
Tea, alongside fizzy drinks, fruit juices and beer can increase your risk of kidney disease, a study has found.
It seems that fizzy drinks and sugary fruit juices are the main culprit, with researchers claiming that people who drink them regularly face a whopping 61% higher risk.
But findings from the study also discovered that beer and tea are also linked to greater odds of kidney disease.
Scientists explained that the sugar present in the drinks can result in weight gain, high blood pressure and insulin resistance over time. This in turn can put stress on the kidney and "accelerate" the loss of the organ's function, according to experts.
The study, carried out by The Johns Hopkins University in America , examined data on drink consumption among 3,003 men and women.
The participants were on average 54 years old and didn't have kidney disease prior to the research.
But after following their drink consumption for roughly eight years, it was revealed that 185 of participants developed kidney disease.
Sweet drinks were mainly to blame, but researchers accounted that smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and lack of exercise were all contributing factors too.
The team's findings were published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, where they described them as "surprising".
They also noted that it may be possible that participants wrote down they drank "water" on their questionnaires, when in fact it was still a flavoured drink with high sugar content.
"There are a number of different types of water which have a 'health halo', which are advertised as being healthy but have not been proven to have health benefits," the team said.
Dr Rebholz told Reuters: "It is widely recognized that sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda and sweetened fruit drinks, should be avoided in order to reduce one's risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease."
"These findings add to the body of literature on the adverse health effects of sugar-sweetened beverages and support recommendations to avoid their consumption."


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A time of extreme change in retailing means that some trends will develop and some won’t. The difficulty in this retail revolution is finding out what will stick for future generations and what will not be part of that future. But one thing is definately going to be a key component and of course I am talking about online engagement.
Now before you say “Yeah, Yeah – I’ve heard all that before”, let me explain why I think that things have recently changed. I know there are still retailers who say the big boys are spending far too much money on this omnichannel marketing (provide the customer with a seamless shopping experience whether the customer is shopping online from a desktop or mobile device, by telephone or in a bricks and mortar store.) And the doubters point out that online retail sales still only represent 10% of total retail sales.
But we can’t tell that to the Amazon’s, Walmarts, and Macy’s of this world. Amazon are continuing their immense rollout of online retailing and of course are coming to Australia. Walmart are investing heavily in direct to consumer sales, particularly in food, and have just reported a 60% increase in online sales.
Macys have just appointed a new President who was previously a Senior Vice-President with Ebay. His appointment has been described as "arguably one of the most interesting outside additions to the entire department store space, let alone Macy's, over the past decade.''
How far are these big players reacting to consumers and how far are they setting the ground rules for future retail activity? Henry Ford and Steve Jobs famously ignored what their customers asked for and gave them something better. The big boys of retailing are quite possibly doing the same.
And for those QVM Market Traders who have not yet stepped online, maybe the email sent to every trader by the QVM Marketing Department this week about how to establish a Google Business Listing, is a good first step. Check your inbox. It is worth a read and may be "arguably one of the most important steps for traders over the past decade."
Have Your Say – click here.


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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) –- Philadelphia police are searching for a suspect they say stabbed a female store owner during a robbery Thursday morning.
The incident occurred at about 10:45 a.m. at the Good and Plenty mini-mart at Snyder Avenue and South 12th Street in South Philadelphia.
According to investigators, the suspect entered the store and demanded money. During the robbery, police say the suspect stabbed the owner of the store in her neck.
The suspect then ran out of the store and was last seen on 12th Street.
The unidentified victim was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital where she is listed in stable condition.
Investigators say the suspect stolen an undetermined amount of cash.
So far, no arrests have been made.
The incident remains under investigation.


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While many Internet sellers have seen their traffic slow this holiday seasondue to deep retail discounts that drove consumers back intobrick-and-mortar stores, Internet heavyweight Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO) said Wednesday that its sales volume surged morethan 86 percent during the post-Thanksgiving buying period over last year’slevels.
The Sunnyvale, California-based company said the figure for its shoppingchannel outpaced Forrester Research’s original holiday growth estimates of 10 percent by more than eight-fold.
The sales spike helped propel Yahoo! into the number two spot in Nielsen//NetRatings rankings of the top online retailers for the peak buying period between November 23rd and December 24th.
In all, Yahoo! estimated that its users spent US$10.3 billion online in thefourth quarter of 2001, with the most popular product categories rangingfrom video game consoles and digital cameras to toys and apparel.
“The holiday season is a critical period for Yahoo! Shopping, and we areproud to announce that our Yahoo! Shopping business has maintained extremelystrong growth momentum,” said Yahoo! shopping vice president and generalmanager Rob Solomon.
“Our commitment to enhancing our consumer and merchantofferings is one of the driving factors behind our ability to successfullycapture increasingly more market share.”
Seeking to build on this momentum, Yahoo! also announced that it islaunching a post-holiday sales center that will be promoted in its shoppingand auctions channels.
Some Internet marketers are taking a cue from real-world retailers, which are slashing prices to bargain-basement levels in an effort to prop up saggingearnings figures.
Yahoo! said that companies such as Eddie Bauer, Eluxury.com, Godiva, Old Navy, and SonyStyle will be offering exclusive online specials, as well as winter clearance sales of 50 to 70 percent off their merchandise.
Too Little, Too Late?
The dose of good news from Yahoo! helped stoke investor optimism in earlytrading, which saw the company’s shares climb $1.50 to $18.17.
Other gainers on Wednesday morning included Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN), which has repeatedly promised investors that it will finally post a pro-forma quarterly profit, and online auction giant eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY).
Despite the uptick in retail stocks, some Internet analysts have hintedthat online holiday sales may not grow at all this year. Last week,Forrester Research cut its estimate forspending during the holiday season to $8 billion, which would represent asignificant drop from the $10 billion it said consumers spent during the2000 season.
Forrester had originally forecast an $11 billion holiday season, which would haverepresented a modest 10 percent increase.
However, industry analysts said a surge in late-season online traffic holdsthe possibility that 2001 sales expectations may be exceeded.
Last week, Jupiter said the majority of online shopping activity seemed to be occurring closer to Christmas asconsumers held out to try to get better deals on their purchases. Jupiter isstill predicting sales of $11.9 billion for this holiday season.


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LAST UPDATED : Aug 29, 2019, 10:15 PM IST
- Stop pigging out and save the planet, Chinese told ahead of Lunar New Year
As Chinese people celebrate the new Year of the Pig this week, environmental campaigners are urging them to eat less pork and help save the planet. China consumes more meat than any other country and accounts for half the world's consumption of pork, which is used in everything from dumplings and stir-fries to hotpots.
- Virat Kohli calls for relocation of Jaipur elephant
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli Thursday penned a letter on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, calling on Rajasthan's forest and environment minister to relocate an elephant, known as 'Number 44', to a rehabilitation facility.


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Apple is expected to sell 28 million iPads in 2011
Monday 13 September 2010
Global sales of the iPad are forecast to hit 28 million next year, with analysts also predicting Apple's device will be "the in-demand gadget" for shoppers this Christmas. J Um Maynard, an analyst with UBS, said the momentum the iPad had generated since its launch in April showed no signs of slowing, adding that his estimate of 28 million sales in 2011 "could still be conservative".
He predicted further revenue growth for Apple following the recent releases of updates to its iPhone and iPod devices.
"The company should have some of the most highly sought after products in the holiday quarter," Mr Maynard said. "Despite tough economic conditions, consumers remain willing to pay for innovation."
Dan Cryan, a senior analyst at Screen Digest, agreed: "It has all the signs of being an iPad Christmas this year. The device is going gangbusters and it doesn't show any signs of slowing." So far, Apple has sold 3.27 million iPads.
"Tablets in one form or another have been around for a while. But in its first quarter, the iPad has almost done more business than all the others put together for the past three years," Mr Cryan added.
In the run up to the launch of the iPad, questions were raised over whether consumers would embrace such a device. The sales figures have already dispelled such fears. Mr Cryan said customers liked the iPad because "it is an incredibly physically beautiful attractive device, very intuitive and easy to use. And, of course, the Apple marketing magic has helped the sales".
Mr Maynard added that iPad sales did not seem to have hit Apple Mac revenues, although added that the device "is adversely impacting the PC industry, specifically notebook PCs". His research note said that those who buy iPads were likely to delay buying or upgrading their existing PCs.
The success of the iPad has prompted a rush to market of rivals developing similar devices. Recently Samsung launched its Galaxy tablet, while BlackBerry has also confirmed it is looking into a similar device. "While competition within the tablet segment is likely to heat up in the coming quarters, we believe viable threats will be limited for some time," Mr Maynard said. According to figures compiled by Generator Research, iPad sales could be worth $17bn (£11bn) by 2014.
Apple also released the next generation of its smartphone in June. Sales of the iPhone 4 are "robust" Mr Maynard said, raising his forecasts to 52 million sales next year, up from his previous estimation of 47.2 million. "Demand will remain strong through the year, due in part to aggressive international launches, as Apple continues to ramp up production of the device."
The new line up of iPods "should bode well for sales during the holiday quarter as Apple has added some compelling features to the line," he said. This includes a multi-touch Nano and an iPod touch with cameras in the front and back which can make video calls. UBS predicts a slight quarter-on-quarter rise to 9.5 million units sold in the three months to September.
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Amrapali “Ami” Gan, OnlyFans’ CEO, commented in a statement to Reuters that the online subscription platform known for adult content will enable creators to make nonfungible token, or NFT, profile pictures.
“Our mission is to empower creators to own their full potential. This feature is the first step in exploring the role that NFTs can play on our platform.”
OnlyFans will only support NFTs minted on the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain and that an Ethereum icon next to the NFT profile picture would signal authenticity, as claimed by Reuters.
According to the company, OnlyFans introduced the feature in December when Gan, the newly-appointed CEO, took over. Upon assuming the role, Gan said in a statement that the platform shows its commitment to safety “by blending state of the art technology with creative capital.”
OnlyFans jumps into NFT profile pictures https://t.co/BmBtMY3hZh pic.twitter.com/EhqjaXVBYr
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022
Related: YouTube CEO hints that NFTs could be added to creator platform
UK-based OnlyFans follows Twitter in introducing NFT profile pictures to its platform. Reddit has also reportedly been testing out NFT profile pictures, while YouTube has stated that NFTs offer “a compelling prospect for creators and their audiences.”


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Airbnb released its first quarter results for 2023 on Monday, and the company reported record revenue and booking highs.
In Q1, Airbnb revenue grew by 20% to $1.8 billion, with a net income of $117 million — making it the company’s “highest first quarter ever,” the release said.
Additionally, the company’s Nights and Experiences feature (where users can sign up for activities hosted by locals) set a new record high with an increase of 19% from the year before and over 120 million bookings.
Airbnb said had a 36% increase in cross-border bookings, with a significant increase in Asia Pacific regions which had a 40% year-over-year increase in bookings.
According to a survey by the U.S. Travel Association, about one in four Americans (23%) plan to travel for leisure in 2023, with half (about 52%) going somewhere in the next six months. Expedia, which owns Vrbo and Hotels.com, also saw record-breaking Q1 revenue, up 18% from a year ago.
However, during the earnings call on the same day as the record-high revenue results, Airbnb CFO David Stephenson cautioned about the upcoming months.
“Q2 is turning out to be a little bit tougher comp given omicron last year, but we’re seeing overall stable demand for the back half,” Stephenson said on the call.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Airbnb stock dropped nearly 14% — the steepest fall since December 2020, per Bloomberg data.
Last week, Airbnb announced over 50 new features, including the introduction of Airbnb Rooms, which offers additional details regarding privacy in the home (whether or not a bathroom is shared, if the room has a lock).
This story originally appeared on Entrepreneur


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An online geographic tracker from Cornell shows there were dozens of strikes that didn't make it into national headlines or government data.
In the 1980s, some companies paid new workers less than current workers. Now, employers are trying that system during a labor shortage.
The union representing nurses and other health care staff say thousands more Kaiser employees could vote this week to authorize a strike.
In addition to cereal maker Kellogg's, there have also been strikes and union efforts at Amazon and within Hollywood.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg opted not to moderate a comment from Trump that Twitter flagged for glorifying violence.
Employees are asking consumers to refrain from buying these companies' products or services.
The Trump administration wants to make organizing more difficult.


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Electric cars India may be the first country to fully implement electric cars. India may be a country to fully implement electric cars. Today, with the hot development of the electric vehicle industry, it is also reported that many countries will not produce and sell pure fuel vehicles in the future, including India, which claims to sell only electric cars by 2030 and completely stop the sale of vehicles powered by petroleum fuels. In the future, India may be the first country to fully implement electric vehicles. Why do you say so? Let's have a look
India is no stranger to this problem. India is actually the third largest crude oil importer in the world, second only to the United States and China. It imports as much crude oil every day as Italy, Spain and Britain
therefore, it was really surprising and shocking when the Indian energy minister (informally) announced that India would strive to become the first country to fully implement electric vehicles. India not only spends billions of dollars on crude oil import every day, but also is accompanied by the fuel crisis with the largest and most complete variety dependence, which has led to some of the most serious air pollution. If India can drive cars with its own electricity, things will get better
India must face some challenges to implement electric vehicles, but the promotion of senior government officials seems to indicate that they need to overcome these challenges urgently. Ashok jhunjhunwala, chief adviser of the new and renewable energy sector of the Indian government, recently made such remarks
he said: "electric vehicles will become the future of domestic transportation. They have significantly higher energy efficiency and are more reliable than gasoline/diesel vehicles."
however, the challenge facing the Indian leadership is that it cannot provide cash to subsidize consumers. At this point, the government does not seem to have a clear alternative solution. Ashok jhunjhunwala insists that this is an important opportunity that the country should not miss. According to the Hindu, "Ashok jhunjhunwala also pointed out that with the decline in battery prices, electric vehicles will be the most sought after in the next five to six years, and warned that if India waits until the 5.2 purchased parts must have documents sufficient to confirm their quality and quality or pass the factory inspection before they can be used, it will eventually import electric vehicles instead of crude oil."
support for low-cost leasing (cars or batteries) and subsidies for the electric vehicle industry have been mentioned many times, but there seems to be no mention of the large amount of taxes on gas/diesel engines, which can only verify power value vehicles when they enter the test mode, and the subsidies provided to electric vehicle buyers - China has made good achievements in this regard
according to previous reports, Tesla may enter the Indian market and set up factories there. Even Indian industrial giant Tata Group is inviting Silicon Valley start-ups to enter India. The author has a suggestion for Tata: cooperate with Tesla to establish a national supercharging network! Tata can back up data: test data can be saved in any hard disk partition. Provide low-cost electric vehicles equipped with overcharging interface, so that electric vehicles come to ordinary people. This will certainly enable the country with the world's second largest population to popularize electric vehicles faster
if India holds a leading position in electric vehicles, it will be a big step towards becoming a world power. I hope India can find an effective and convenient path for the policy of electric vehicles


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The Startup Games are coming to Sydney
The UK’s Department for International Trade, through its Global Entrepreneur Programme, is looking for the best and brightest Australian and New Zealand startup companies to participate in the Startup Games. Pitch to top investors, receive valuable mentoring and advice, and be in the running for a trip to the UK
Using a bespoke Startup Games app, participants will pitch for virtual seed capital and the company with the most virtual investment at the end of the event will be declared the winner.
The winner will receive a return business-class flight to the UK, where they will dive head-first into the local startup ecosystem, meet key industry players and receive specialist advice and support on entering the UK market.
Early-stage Australian and New Zealand companies and startups are encouraged to apply by submitting a video pitch and summarised business plan.
Register here. Applications close Friday 3 February 2017. Good luck!


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At the announcement ofApple News +, many shouted with genius: the integration of various American media into the service, with 3D infographics and designs specific to each magazine and newspaper was more than promising, and pushed everyone to read these so-called media. Especially since the price, $ 9.99, was a real call from the foot on the part of Apple, who said he wanted to promote the life and prosperity of the written press. Yes, but… According to an article by Business Insider, the media is not so happy with Apple News +, because they would earn far less money than they had been promised.
Most of the editors interviewed were even rather surprised at the shortfall and the low income earned. One of the media indicates in particular to earn only one twentieth of what Apple had promised him. Others claim to earn as much as with Texture, a service bought by Apple and very similar to Apple News +. Fairly low earnings, due to its low reputation.
These criticisms are added to those of many users, who consider the application unclear, the lack of certain articles despite the media’s membership of Apple News +, etc. etc. If Apple undoubtedly works on all these questions, this does not prevent the apple brand will have to pamper its media partners to convince them to stay: after all, it is they who make the salt of Apple.


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A new Rumor confirms that iPad's will be switching to OLED Displays beginning in 2022 with LPTO Displays being a possibility for 2023
On Monday we reported that Mark Gurman posted his first tech newsletter called "Power On" talking about a wide range of topics including a longshot possibility that Apple is working on iPads with much larger displays for sometime in the future." Beyond that vague rumor on iPads, we're learning today that starting in 2022, iPads will provide OLED panels.
In December 2020 Patently Apple posted a supply chain report titled "Apple is Preparing to introduce iPads with new Ultra-Thin Hybrid-OLED Displays starting in 2022 and then full scale in 2023." So today's rumor report from Korean tech site The Elec isn't exactly new, but it does act as a second source that the iPad will be switching to OLED displays while adding an interesting possible twist.
Today The Elec reports that "Cupertino will launch its first ever OLED iPad in 2022. The tablet will sport a 10.86-inch OLED screen. Samsung Display will be the sole supplier of the OLED panels. In the following year, in 2023, Apple is planning to launch an 11-inch OLED iPad and a 12.9-inch OLED iPad.
There is a strong chance that the company will apply different OLED structures for the iPad launching next year and its successors in 2023.
The 10.86-inch OLED iPad launching next year will use rigid OLED and thin-film encapsulation (TFE). TFE is a technology usually reserved for flexible OLED. It stacks organic material and inorganic material in alternatively in layers to protect the organic material from water and oxygen. Rigid OLED usually use glass substrates and glass encapsulation.
Next year’s iPad will also use low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistor (TFT) and red, green and blue emission layers. This is the same as the OLED structure Apple uses for its iPhones.
For the iPads launching in 2023, Cupertino could use flexible OLED over rigid OLED. The Elec then goes out on a limb by predicting that Apple could also change the TFT from LTPS to low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO).
LTPO TFT offers 120Hz refresh rate. Apple is planning to apply the technology first on its upper tier models for its upcoming iPhone series launching later this year." While the leap to Apple adopting LTPO TFT for 2023 sounds reasonable, it may be the opinion of The Elec's writer and not source based. Of course such a leap would be applauded by all iPad fans should that pan out. For more, read The Elec report.


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China’s Car Sales Quicken in Sept; Exports Rise 50％
15:48 JST, October 11, 2023
BEIJING (Reuters) – Car sales in China increased 4.7 percent in September from the same month a year ago, official data showed, boosted by more people buying discounted and new models ahead of key holidays.
Passenger vehicle sales totalled 2.04 million units in Sept, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said on Wednesday. The year-on-year rate of increase was higher than the 2.2% year-on-year rise in August, the data showed.
New energy vehicle (NEV) sales were up 22.1% in September from a year earlier, making up 36.6% of total car sales, and helping several local brands set record high sales. NEV sales growth slowed from a 34.5% jump in August.
September is traditionally a bumper month for car sales in China, partly because many people go on a shopping spree ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.
CPCA Secretary General Cui Dongshu said the downturn in the property market bode well for car sales, as many people were now choosing to buy cars instead of investing in housing. However, overall consumer sentiment remained subdued amid a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy.
For the first nine months, sales in the world’s largest car market rose 2.1% to 15.41 million units.
Overseas markets remain an important growth area, although an EU probe into China-made EVs may put a damper on exports.
Exports grew 50% in September year-on-year following a 31% gain in August, the data showed. Tesla TSLA exported 30,566 China-made vehicles in September, up 57% from 19,465 in August.
Tesla, which pioneered a price war that has engulfed more than 40 brands in China, saw its market share in China’s EV segment in the third quarter shrink to 9.89%, compared with 12.98% in the second and 9.93% a year ago.
The U.S. EV giant undershot estimates for its third-quarter global deliveries, as planned factory upgrades to unveil a revamped version of the Model 3 roiled production.
EV forerunner BYD 002594.SZ sold a record 287,454 NEVs in September. EV startup Li Auto 2015.HK also set a new monthly record with 36,060 vehicles delivered last month, a surge of 212.7% year-on-year.
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Kim Kardashian wowed the media last week when she stepped out in Paris with a brand new look.
But now there are rumours her bleached platinum locks could actually be a wig, to save Kim's natural hair from lasting bleach damage.
Given that Kim kas always favoured her natural dark brown colour, we doubt she'll want to stay blonde forever, but such a large amount of bleach could leave her locks brittle and dry.
An insider close to Kim's stylists claims the new 'do is nothing more a wig – but if her new style is in fact a fake, it's a VERY good fake, thanks to Kim's Glam Squad.
"The first top quarter of her hair in the front is bleached, but the rest isn’t,” the insider told RadarOnline. “It’s bleached on the top and sides – and the rest is a wig.”
Wait… what?! We're confused as to how this could work but apparently Kim wouldn't be the first celebrity to save her natural hair by using a wig.
"It’s a trick when talent doesn’t want to ruin their whole head of hair… It’s parted perfectly and at different lengths and you always see the front of her head so it looks like it’s all normal, but it’s trickery,” said the source.
“The rest of her hair is still brown. Just watch, you’ll see her go back to brunette like it’s no problem at all complete with healthy, shiny hair," they added.
At some angles we can see how this could be true but from others, like this one, it's harder to figure out:
It does seem far-fetched, but we wouldn't put it past Mrs. Kardashian-West!


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Big Eyes Coin
Cryptos To Buy In 2023: Why Ethereum, Tezos, Big Eyes Coin Can Bring Back The Bullish Run
Since the advent of Bitcoin in 2009, cryptocurrency has advanced significantly, becoming a major force to reckon with in the financial sector. Investors are examining alternatives with solid foundations as the cryptocurrency market develops, looking beyond the dominant coin.
Three cryptocurrencies with a lot of recent traction are Ethereum, Tezos, and Big Eyes Coin (BIG), and they are expected to grow sporadically in 2023.
Ethereum: Banking on Growing Network To Grow Net Worth
With a present value of about $450 billion, Ethereum (ETH) is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. It also boasts one of the largest cryptocurrency networks in the world. Developers can create and distribute decentralized apps using this decentralized platform (dApps). Ethereum is extensively used in the fields of gaming, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and decentralized finance (DeFi).
Another justification for buying Ethereum is its widespread use in the DeFi industry. With over $100 billion in total value locked in DeFi protocols, the DeFi industry has experienced tremendous development in the last year. The DeFi ecosystem is supported by Ethereum, which also powers lending platforms, decentralized exchanges, and other DeFi apps.
Tezos: Big In Technology, High On Security
Tezos’ emphasis on security and formal verification is one of its primary advantages. The smart contracts on Tezos were created using the formal verification-focused Michelson computer language, which was developed with security in mind. Formal proof is a strict technique for demonstrating the accuracy of the software, which is necessary for safe and dependable smart contracts.
Tezos’ expanding use in the world of digital commodities is a further justification for investing in it. A number of well-known NFT marketplaces have been created on the Tezos blockchain, reflecting the substantial growth Tezos has experienced in the NFT market. In the world of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), Tezos is also gaining popularity. Several nations are looking into using Tezos as a platform for their CBDCs and crypto to buy in 2023.
Big Eyes Coin: CATalyst Leading The Bull Charge
Big Eyes Coin (BIG) is a new, cat-themed cryptocurrency that has taken the world of digital currency by surprise. Since its creation in the latter part of 2022, Big Eyes Has gone ahead to make a clear, unambiguous statement of intent, raising about $31 million in presale.
Big Eyes Coin belongs to the most recent iterations of meme currencies and has enormous success potential.
Big Eyes Coin is determined to protect an integral part of the planet by dedicating 5% of its earnings to ocean charities. BIG is a sophisticated token designed especially to transfer money into the DeFi ecosystem while deriving the biggest dividends from cryptocurrency.
As the presale for Big Eyes Coin draws to a close, and it prepares to launch, it is presently providing investors with a significant percentage bonus! Consider this: those who invest $1,000 in BIG now would obtain an astounding $10,000,000 Big Eyes Coin tokens, and those who did so after launch would have received $2,040,816. We strongly advise you to take advantage of this deal in order to increase your earnings through BIG. Purchase now to avoid paying more later on fewer coins!
Don’t miss this opportunity of increasing your earnings while the price is still low! Big Eyes Coin had a value of $0.0001 in presale stage 1 and is now worth $0.00049 in stage 12, a stunning 390% increase. Investors will gradually begin to receive fewer tokens for the same amount of money as the presale draws to a close. Hurry to the Big Eyes Coin website and put your money where your mouth is!
Find out more about Big Eyes Coin (BIG):
The post Cryptos To Buy In 2023: Why Ethereum, Tezos, Big Eyes Coin Can Bring Back The Bullish Run appeared first on Analytics Insight.
Big Eyes Coin
Crypto Analysis: Why Investors Are Choosing Bitcoin, Big Eyes Coin, And Zcash, Big Eyes Coin Launches “Loot Boxes”
The world of cryptocurrencies is a thrilling and dynamic space with endless potential for profits. In 2023 and beyond, Big Eyes Coin (BIG), Bitcoin (BTC), and Zcash (ZEC) are three crypto projects that stand out as smart investment choices. Big Eyes Coin’s approach to incorporating gaming features with its Loot boxes promo has made it an appealing choice for individuals who want to diversify their investments. As the market continues to evolve, staying informed and keeping a watchful eye on these cryptocurrencies could pay off in a big way. So if you’re ready to join the crypto craze and potentially earn some serious cash, these three assets are definitely worth considering.
Bitcoin (BTC): The Original Cryptocurrency that Changed the Game
Bitcoin (BTC) is the original cryptocurrency that changed the game. Created in 2009 by an anonymous person or group using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin has since become the most valuable and widely used cryptocurrency, with a market capitalization of over $1 trillion.
Bitcoin (BTC) is used as a store of value and a means of exchange, with many retailers and businesses accepting it as a form of payment. It’s also used for speculative purposes, with many investors buying and selling Bitcoin in the hopes of making a profit. The value of Bitcoin (BTC) has seen some significant fluctuations in recent years, reaching an all-time high of nearly $65,000 per BTC in 2021, before dropping to around $30,000 per BTC in early 2023.
Despite the mystery surrounding Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity, the vision for Bitcoin (BTC) is outlined in the original whitepaper. Nakamoto described Bitcoin as a “peer-to-peer electronic cash system” that would operate independently of traditional financial institutions.
Bitcoin (BTC) has attracted the attention of notable investors, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who have both expressed their support for the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down, and its impact on the financial world cannot be ignored.
Zcash (ZEC): The Ultimate Privacy Coin
Zcash (ZEC) is a unique digital currency that offers the ultimate privacy experience. The project was launched in 2016 and has gained significant attention in the cryptocurrency market due to its innovative features.
Unlike other cryptocurrencies, Zcash is designed with privacy in mind. It makes use of zero-knowledge proofs to ensure that all transactions are completely private and secure. This means that users can send and receive money without having to worry about their transactions being tracked or monitored.
In addition to its privacy technology, Zcash (ZEC) is also designed to be a fast payment network. The Sapling protocol allows transactions to be processed in just a few seconds, making it an excellent alternative to traditional payment systems.
Zcash (ZEC) has had a significant impact on the crypto market since its launch in 2016. The project has been featured in several high-profile publications and has gained the attention of investors worldwide. The team behind the project has been working hard to build partnerships and expand the network.
Big Eyes Coin (BIG): The Ultimate Crypto Cathouse for Cat Lovers and Gamers
Are you tired of the same old meme coins flooding the crypto market? Look no further than Big Eyes Coin, the new project revolutionizing NFTs and cat memes. BIG is not just any ordinary cryptocurrency, it is a community-driven platform for cat lovers and crypto enthusiasts.
With an overwhelming amount of support, Big Eyes Coin raised a staggering $28 million during its presale, and it’s just getting started. The project offers more than just cute cats and memes; it incorporates loot boxes into its presale, offering three different tiers to choose from. The Cute Box, Kitty Vault, and Super Saiyan Box offer buyers the opportunity to win a prize worth much more than what they spent.
Imagine having a chance to win a jackpot of $100k by simply opening a loot box. The thrill of winning a huge prize is what drives people to participate in lotteries every week. Similarly, the addictive fun of opening these loot boxes will have a massive impact on the community.
But it’s not just the loot boxes that make Big Eyes Coin stand out. The platform is creating a crypto cathouse, a community for cat lovers and owners interested in cryptocurrencies. This project offers a unique blend of entertainment and profitability, and it’s still in presale.
Investors who enjoy gaming, the lottery, or both, will not want to miss out on this opportunity. The potential of Big Eyes Coin becoming the next big thing in the crypto world is incredibly high. Join the Big Eyes community today and become a part of the revolution.
For More Information On Big Eyes (BIG):
Join Pre-sale: https://buy.bigeyes.space/
The post Crypto Analysis: Why Investors Are Choosing Bitcoin, Big Eyes Coin, and Zcash, Big Eyes Coin Launches “Loot Boxes” appeared first on Analytics Insight.
Big Eyes Coin
Big Eyes Coin And Quant Likely To Impress, As Bitcoin Set For Recovery
Bitcoin (BTC) suffered one of its worst declines during the last bear rally, with many holders counting losses. Existing altcoins like Quant (QNT) weren’t spared either, but crypto investors are now focused on making up for the bad times. The two crypto assets could reward holders’ patience and trust with a steady upward rally that could amount to tangible profit yield.
Big Eyes Coin (BIG) is another altcoin billed for an impressive run, as the new meme coin prepares to launch on UniSwap (UNI) and other major exchanges. With the market showing signs of improved profitability, the coming months may be great for holders of these crypto assets.
Quant (QNT): An Highly Efficient Enterprise Grade Blockchain
Quant is a top enterprise-grade network business leverage to improve efficiency by allowing them to harness the benefits of blockchain technology to the fullest. The blockchain network proffers practical solutions to common problems facing enterprises in different sectors, especially the finance and asset management niche.
The highly interoperable protocol leverages DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) to achieve its functionalities. It helps businesses reduce risk exposure levels and operations costs while ensuring increased interoperability. Quant’s functions, especially in the business sector, have made it popular amongst many enterprises, especially Fintechs.
The blockchain network is constantly upgraded to remain relevant and highly functional for users. This increases its tendency of meeting up with any new demands users could possibly have. The protocol’s base currency, Quant (QNT), is used for payment on the platform. This includes any necessary network fees either for licenses or other transactions.
The altcoin currently sells below a dollar but looks likely to move beyond that price point as the year proceeds. Quant (QNT) could recover from its about 50% price dump, to set an impressive year high soon.
Bitcoin (BTC) Recovery is Imminent
Despite the changing market dynamics, constant upgrades of other crypto projects, and new innovations, Bitcoin remains the apex crypto project. It’s no doubt that the cryptocurrency has stood the test of time, and it’s unlikely for any altcoin to topple it anytime soon. Bitcoin’s (BTC) quick recovery is a strong feature that sets it apart from most altcoins, and the digital currency looks set for another recovery after the crypto winter setback.
Currently, holders can expect gradual loss recovery, while potential new adopters are likely to enjoy great yield. Bitcoin’s pump or dump is usually associated with the general market condition. Thus, investors can expect impressive returns from almost all altcoins if Bitcoin (BTC) eventually embarks on its anticipated impressive rally.
Big Eyes Coin (BIG) Set for Possible Post-launch Surge
Big Eyes Coin (BIG) has been an impressive cat-theme meme token, and many expect it to replicate its impressive run upon launching into the market. The Ethereum-based meme coin boasts a self-sustaining ecosystem and strong community that can contribute to its success possibility.
The Big Eyes ecosystem contains a decentralized exchange (DEX) for token swaps, educational resources about DeFi to aid learning, and income-generating opportunities to propagate wealth in the community. Big Eyes will have NFTs collections and that comes with exclusive benefits for holders. Each NFT in the collection is billed to be an asset of worth and could yield value for holders in the future.
The meme project will allocate 5% of its treasury to charities involved in ocean protection. This will help protect a part of the Earth’s ecosystem. Token holders will be at the forefront of deciding which charity gets donations periodically, giving Big Eyes token (BIG) governance functions too.
With over $30 million raised on presale, it’s evident that Big Eyes Coin (BIG) has gained huge acceptance. Its adoption and prominence could translate to market success in the coming months, as analysts are optimistic about its market potential.
Big Eyes Coin (BIG):
The post Big Eyes Coin and Quant Likely to Impress, As Bitcoin Set for Recovery appeared first on Analytics Insight.
Big Eyes Coin
Big Eyes Coin Shows Great Potential On The Ever Growing Ethereum Blockchain
The cryptocurrency market has had several down in the past few months, but there’s always a glimmer of hope that crypto enthusiasts hold for the future of the landscape. Blockchain projects continue to emerge, build, and upgrade to bring the industry to a standard that can absorb mass adoption. The Ethereum network is the most valuable network with an apparent growth and continuous development path. This enables projects built on the ecosystem to also grow decently. Big Eyes Coin (BIG) is a new meme coin project on the Ethereum blockchain, and it will be reaping from the network in the coming years.
Big Eyes(BIG) is a new meme coin project that has amassed significant hype enough to make it as big as the likes of Dogecoin(DOGE) and Shiba Inu(SHIB). The project already significantly benefits from proposing a launch on the Ethereum network as the blockchain is known to host the most valuable projects and drives the highest number of active users. Big Eyes is impressive as it has raised about $30.1 million on its presale and is looking good toward launch.
Ethereum: Taking Blockchain Technology To The Next Level
Ethereum(ETH) is a prominent blockchain network for its influence on the blockchain landscape. The network has been around for almost a decade and has hugely contributed to the emergence of cutting-edge technologies and utilities in space. We have seen network power gaming, DeFi, NFTs, and several others while processing transactions worth billions of dollars.
Ethereum continues to upgrade its system and hopes to be fully scalable in a few years. The network had an upgrade called the Merge which helped the network transition from the Proof-of-Work consensus mechanism to the Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. Its first upgrade of the year, the Shanghai update, is launching soon but has a testnet promotion launched so that users can first taste the withdrawal process and network functionality.
The upgrade is slated for March, and users won’t be able to test withdrawals until the Shanghai and Capella testnets have launched. The Ethereum Shanghai upgrade is one of the year’s most anticipated events on the crypto calendar. It will allow for the gradual release of ETH staked on the Beacon Chain for up to 26 months. Many industry watchers believe that the fact that Ethereum is no longer locked up will benefit staking. Liquid staking platforms, such as Lido, are expected to profit since they provide more return yields than direct staking.
Big Eyes Gives Many Chances To Win BIG
Big Eyes is a new meme coin project on the Ethereum blockchain looking to create a new meme coin meta. The project has had a great trajectory so far and looks to be on track to being a huge meme coin project. Big Eyes is a community-governed project that aims to create wealth for its holders using the various DeFi features at its disposal. This seems viable, considering Ethereum is the biggest DeFi network, enabling the Shiba Inu(SHIB) price pump in 2021.
Big Eyes also uses cat memes rather than dog memes like most meme coins that have emerged in past years. The cat meme helps to create a unique narrative for the meme coin and some sort of rivalry with dog memes. The rivalry is good for the project’s growth, and the community also buys into the hype.
Big Eyes has done incredibly well on presale and poses an opportunity for early investors to make some money off it. Buying on presale puts you in an advantageous position to make a profit when the project finally launches. This is like buying Dogecoin or any other cryptocurrency months or years before the rest of the market caught on.
Big Eyes has now made Loot Boxes available. These Loot Boxes give people a chance to win BIG with Big Eyes. There are three Boxes available: the $99 Cute Box, buyers can win up to $5K in Big Eyes Coins. The Kitty Vault is the next level up, costing $499 and there is an opportunity to win $25K worth of BIG. Lastly, for those big spenders, the Super Saiyan Box costs $999 but buyers could see a return of $100K worth of Big Eyes Coins.
Check out Big Eyes on the links below:
The post Big Eyes Coin Shows Great Potential On The Ever Growing Ethereum Blockchain appeared first on Analytics Insight.
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Networking on Commercial Real Estate
At the start of 2021, the number of coworking spaces worldwide calculates to cross 20,000 and reach 26,000 by 2022, an astonishing increase of 42% from 2020.
Since 2010, flexible space has been annually growing at an average rate of 23%. No segment of the market has manifested more significant overall growth than the coworking industry.
Also, in Europe, the boom of coworking spaces for startups and enterprises has brought the market to a point where coworking providers are the fastest-growing group of tenants continually looking for new prime locations across their countries.
In recent years, Eastern Europe has experienced the highest level of growth by almost 150% primarily through a tremendous increase in startups. A trend that has also attracted larger companies and organizations.


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Esko, the global developer of integrated hardware and software solutions for the label, packaging and wide format print industries, has launched a new whitepaper – Cloud Freedom – delivering operational efficiency, data security and flexibility for print and packaging suppliers. This latest tool follows the successful launch of the company’s Digital Maturity Model program in 2020 designed to help management teams meet the growing need to strategically address business digitization, automation and connection.
Launching the whitepaper, Jan De Roeck, Marketing Director Industry Relations & Strategy at Esko, explained that across the print and packaging industries, organizations are managing an ever-growing list of competing demands on their operations. “Whether related to cost, efficiency, quality, flexibility or consistency, the challenges faced by today’s prepress and print converters are significant. When these are combined with a lack of available skilled labor and decreasing run lengths, the need for management teams to boost the digitization, automation and connectivity of their business becomes clear.
“Not only does the cloud address these demands, but it also delivers new freedoms to businesses, both in terms of their operations and processes and also in eradicating IT challenges that might stifle their passion for prepress.”
Jan explained that recent disruptions have underlined the fact that utilizing cloud-based technology is not merely a future aspiration for businesses, but an urgent requirement to drive operational agility and resilience. “While the opportunities to drive efficiency, deliver at scale and differentiate have moved businesses across the industry to embrace digitization, the adoption of cloud-based solutions has been an ongoing theme for some time,” he said. “Now more than ever, we need to use the cloud as a catalyst to help businesses become more resilient and customer focused, as well as enable them to differentiate, build and protect.”
Cloud-based software delivers new freedom for businesses. With information no longer stored in one single location that can be susceptible to loss or corruption, it is accessible by all, regardless of location and ideal for single site operations now utilizing employee homeworking or for multi-site organizations. Freedom of data access also brings new flexibility, freeing up people to collaborate and speed up established processes. Removing the need for physical hard drives and on-site servers lowers operational and IT management costs, while cloud technology also offers scalable infrastructure and improved platform availability, ensuring optimal software performance for users.
“The benefits of cloud computing to the packaging industry are endless,” said Jan. “Today is about further helping our customers on their digital transformation journey, enabling them to improve IT management and boost operational flexibility and efficiency. But tomorrow is about data analytics – uncovering insights about their business that enables them to become rapid innovators and truly differentiated to drive business performance.”
Jan De Roeck concluded: “At Esko, we often talk about automation creating islands of success in a sea of waste, if not addressed on an organization-wide basis. For multi-site packaging suppliers, this is exactly the risk. Moving to cloud-based software and data management to support the digital transformation process overcomes this challenge and is the key to securing competitive advantage in what is today a highly competitive evolving market.”
To download your free copy of the Esko whitepaper, Cloud Freedom – delivering operational efficiency, data security and flexibility for print and packaging suppliers, please visit https://www.esko.com/en/lp/cloud-freedom/cloud-freedom
Esko, a Danaher company, is a global provider of integrated software and hardware solutions that digitize, automate and connect the go-to-market process of consumer goods. The Esko range of artwork and label management, advanced prepress, flexo platemaking and print inspection solutions connects people, processes and tools to meet the needs of global brands and their packaging suppliers. Esko customers bring consumer products to life with accuracy, quality, efficiency and speed.
Today, packaging for 9 out of 10 major brands is produced by Esko customers.
Headquartered in Gent, Belgium, Esko operates worldwide with a unique focus on packaging and labels the consumer can trust.
To find out more, please visit www.esko.com


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According to a new report on the scope of fraudulent clicks on search-related ads, the click-fraud rate among top-tier search sites like Google and Yahoo is dropping. It fell to 11.9 percent in the third quarter, compared with 12.8 percent in the previous quarter.
But at second-tier search providers, it rose to 23.2 percent from 20.3 percent. The overall industry rate inched down to 13.8 percent from 14.1 percent, according to figures released on Wednesday from Click Forensics, which operates the Click Fraud Index. The index compiles data from more than 2,500 online … Read more


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In a first for Northeast Florida, the Amelia Island Chick-fil-A in Yulee will be open 24 hours Monday through Friday the entire month of December.
People craving a late, late night chicken biscuit or festive peppermint milkshake this month can satisfy their hunger at the Chick-fil-A in Yulee.
In a first for Northeast Florida, the restaurant at 464004 State Road 200, is open 24 hours Monday through Friday all of December, the fast-food restaurant announced on social media.
Chicken biscuits and chicken minis are available from midnight until 10:30 a.m. according to the post on its public Facebook page.
RELATED | Read more Jacksonville-area dining news
But don’t expect the restaurant to be open Sundays. Chick-fil-A will close at 10 p.m. Saturdays and reopen Monday mornings.
Teresa Stepzinski: (904) 359-4075


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Royal heir-do: Kate Middleton will wear her hair down on her wedding day
The shininess of Kate Middleton's hair as she revealed her engagement to Prince William immediately sent people rushing to their closest Boots to stock up on high-gloss shampoos.
Sales of shiny hair products rocketed by 27 per cent after the announcement as girls nationwide rushed to copy her shimmering, sleek style, according to the Sun.
They are likely to be boosted even further after her wedding on April 29 as MailOnline can exclusively reveal that Kate will be wearing her hair down on her big day.
'No stuffy up-do': Kate's hairdresser has revealed she will wear her hair down on her wedding day
Following her half-up-half-down hairstyle on Monday's official visit to Lancashire, speculation was rife that that was how she was going to wear her hair on her big day.
But Kate's hairdresser Richard Ward has confirmed otherwise, telling fellow celebrity stylist, Sinead Kelly, that Kate's hair on her wedding day will '100 per cent be down and flowy.'
Ward went on to say 'Every bride's hair on their wedding day should reflect their look throughout the year. Kate's such a natural girl, so no stuffy up-dos for her.'
The princess-in-waiting's famed chestnut locks will be styled by Mr Pryce, who works at the
Richard Ward salon in Chelsea.
It was Pryce who tended to Kate's locks for her engagement photos which were immediately beamed across the world.
Half-up, half-down: Following Monday's official visit to Lancashire, speculation was rife that that Kate was going to wear her hair in a half ponytail on her wedding day
Mr Ward himself will style Kate's mother, Carole, and sister Pippa - who will be her maid of honour.
Pryce charges £50 for styling and £88 for a cut and blow dry, but his
prices are expected to increase dramatically after the Royal Wedding.
The hair stylist, who has 15 years’ experience, will be helped by a team of ‘dressers’ on the wedding day as Miss Middleton and her party get ready at the Goring Hotel just down the road from Buckingham Palace.
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The debate on drug pricing is becoming a familiar topic in the US, and it is spreading across the world as the Dutch government hosts a forum for World Health Organisation (WHO) member states to advocate “fair pricing”.
In Europe, some German firms have chosen to not sell the drugs instead of accepting price deduction, whereas Britain introduced new budget control on expensive products last month. Meanwhile China and Japan - the two largest non-Western markets for pharmaceuticals - are also cutting costs, though the costly new drugs remain out of reach for poorer countries.
"It's great that we have these treatments but we need to find a way to make them more affordable," said Andrew Rintoul, the WHO health economist organising the drug-pricing forum.
Lack of price transparency a big concern
Even though Thomas Cueni, newly appointed director-general of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations, denied the claim that drug expenditure is breaking the system, Rintoul said the lack of price transparency is still a major concern for policy experts.
In public sectors, the officials call for greater disclosure on pharmaceutical companies’ R&D and production costs in order to ease the negotiation more effectively. Nevertheless, companies are often reluctant to justify the detailing factors behind the price hikes.
"The industry has to stand up and argue its value proposition," said Cueni, who showed his concern about the WHO meeting.
While there are some off patent generic drugs that are more affordable to help with the current situation, they may run out of supply when prices are at unsustainable low levels. Hence, some experts suggest fixing minimum prices to ensure the circulation of vital products on the market.
WHO launches new approach to use biosimilar drugs
Meanwhile, to address the issue of limited access and unaffordability of drugs in poorer countries, the WHO has announced a pilot project this year to explore the potential of using biosimilar drugs, especially for expensive biotech cancer drugs. The UN agency also announced similar approaches to find a biosimilar insulin option for patients.
From September onwards, WHO will accept applications from drugmakers who can produce generic cancer drugs, including rituximab and trastuzumab that are listed as WHO essential medicines, in order to expand worldwide distribution.
“Innovator biotherapeutic products are often too expensive for many countries, so biosimilars are a good opportunity to expand access and support countries to regulate and use these medicines,” said Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO assistant director-general.
Conflicts of interest from doctors’ perspective
While the use of biosimilars or generic drugs is taken into consideration, a recent study led by Ian Larkin, an assistant professor of strategy at the University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management, shows conflicts of interest from the perspective of doctors when ordering drugs from the pharmaceutical sales representatives.
According to the results, doctors who worked at hospitals where sales representatives were time limited or restricted were more inclined to order fewer promoted brand-name drugs and used more generic drugs instead. However, the sales representatives who were less refrained from accessing the hospitals or providing meals and gifts showed significantly varied results.
In fact, some doctors are found to be earning more by working with drug and device companies to order more brand-name drugs although they may not be potentially effective or huge medical breakthrough. While the conflicts of interest in medicine have been common, it has brought attention to how they affect drug prescriptions by physicians.
Thus, Larkin said that it is important to have a policy that governs pharmaceutical marketing yet at the same time, think it through carefully and involve the medical community to execute the policy more efficiently. MIMS
Pharma giant under fire in the UK for hiking up cancer drug prices across Europe
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Li Jiao is a partner at Buren N.V., an international law firm headquartered in the Netherlands with offices in Beijing and Shanghai.
Founded by Colin Huang in 2015, Pinduoduo has grown at lightning speed to become a front-runner in China's online retail market. With a group-buying model that is attractive to price-sensitive shoppers, Pinduoduo now has more than 600 million active customers.
Then on July 1, just five years after Pinduoduo's launch, Huang stepped down as CEO and gave away a large chunk of his Pinduoduo shares worth roughly $14 billion. His holding fell from 43% to 29% -- but he still has 81% of Pinduoduo's voting rights and remains the company's chairman. In a letter to staff, Huang said he would now focus on formulating Pinduoduo's long-term strategy and improving its corporate governance.
Investors always have concerns when the CEO and chairman are the same person, because it suggests a lack of checks and balances, so it was noteworthy that Huang said his new focus would be corporate governance. In light of this and the Luckin Coffee scandal too, important questions arise: how effective is corporate governance in China now, and how can it be improved?
The story of Luckin Coffee adds another perspective. Founded in October 2017, Luckin Coffee was listed on the U.S. Nasdaq stock index only a year and a half later. By the end of 2019, with generous bonuses for customers and coffee which was almost free, the number of Luckin Coffee stores in China had exceeded Starbucks.
However, in January 2020, it was accused of fraudulent finance and in April it admitted that at least $310 million of its sales over the previous three quarters had been made up. In June, Nasdaq notified Luckin Coffee that it would delist the stock. A huge bubble burst.
Behind the scandal, the reason why the management could falsely report the transaction figures was the lack of effective internal supervision institutions -- another corporate governance problem.
In recent decades, Chinese companies, both state-owned and private, have adopted a series of corporate governance mechanisms, driven by the government, centered on the principles of monitoring management and alignment of interests to enhance performance. However, there is still a long way to go.
CEO duality -- when the CEO also holds the position of chairman of the board -- has long been criticized. For tech startups, CEO duality leads to a unity of command, enabling more efficient decision-making, but it reduces the checks and balances in top management, which endangers the healthy development of corporate governance. CEO duality often leads to excessive managerial discretion, so CEOs do not act in the best interest of shareholders.
In a tech startup, it is typical that the key founder often remains in control of the company even after "restructuring" where he or she steps down as CEO. Like many other successful internet companies, Huang has been and will be the public face of Pinduoduo, as well as its controlling shareholder.
Meanwhile, in these companies, the close relationship between the chairman and the management, who may have been his or her long-term lieutenants, can work against good corporate governance. Luckin Coffee had this situation: its executive team was almost the original team of China Auto Rental, an online car-hire business founded by Lu Zhengyao, Luckin's chairman.
In such a situation, the will of the founder and his team can dominate while the interests of shareholders may be overlooked. Traditional company-law doctrine considers that corporations must be managed to promote, above all, shareholders' rights -- by limiting the opportunistic behavior of management.
In China, the board of supervisors and the external directors were introduced to monitor management, financial affairs and business activities on behalf of shareholders. However, in the selection process, the management normally chooses "independent" directors who share common views with the board of directors. It is not surprising, then, that in practice the board of supervisors and the independent directors are only nominal checks on management.
In a modern corporate governance structure, the management should take care of the interests of non-shareholder constituencies such as suppliers, consumers, employees and the community at large; their interests are not incompatible with long-term corporate progress.
For example, Pinduoduo has accomplished its explosive growth because of its focus on an underserved market segment. Low prices and a wide product range appeal to China's so-called "sinking market consumers," a term referring to lower-tier cities, small towns and rural areas.
While Alibaba Group Holding and JD.com emphasize capturing city-dwellers willing to pay more for better-quality products, Pinduoduo began at the other end of the spectrum, selling cheap unbranded goods, agricultural products and groceries to these long-neglected consumers and improving their consumption quality.
The interests of shareholders and stakeholders are the priority of corporate governance, and without systematic protection, the outstanding success of Chinese companies rests on a fragile foundation. It is worth waiting to see whether Pinduoduo and other companies can pay more attention to stakeholders' interests. Luckin Coffee stands as a warning.


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Retirement home builder McCarthy & Stone stages a comeback
McCarthy & Stone, Britain’s biggest builder of retirement homes, with 70 per cent of the market, says it has delivered its strongest financial performance since the credit crisis when the company nearly collapsed under its debts and ended up in the hands of its bankers.
The company reported a 12 per cent growth in turnover to £258million in the year to the end of August.
Profits fell from £5.4 million to just £700,000, but this was due to a one-off payment to former chief executive Howard Phillips, who left earlier this year, plus write-downs to the value of its head office in Bournemouth and costs relating to loans.
McCarthy & Stone was taken private in 2006 in a £1.1billion deal led by Sir Tom Hunter and the Reuben brothers, but it was weighed down by the £700 million debt used to finance the acquisition and Lloyds, which had taken over its banker HBOS, was left with 25 per cent of the company while the equity holders were wiped out.
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Total exports hit 16,400 tonnes, with a drop in value to £22.3m.
Exports to China were down 17% (-575t) in the same month, while trade with Denmark was also notably lower, down 40% (-1,200t) to total 1,800t.
On a more positive note, AHDB Pork said exports to some countries had shown positive changes in trade.
Deliveries to the high-value US market increased 82% in July to total 950t. Meanwhile, shipments to Sweden also recorded strong growth, totalling 800t, a 146% (+477t) increase on the year.
In contrast to the fresh/frozen pork trade, data from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reported that offal exports rose by 11% in July compared with the year earlier, totalling 7,000t.
China, the largest market for UK offal exports, commanded a 48% share. Its increased shipments during July were up 32% to total 3,340t. Chinese tariffs on US pig meat products, along with the strengthening of the US dollar against the Yuan in recent months, is likely to have reduced the competitiveness of US products in Chinese markets, said AHDB Pork. Overall, the value of offal to China totalled £3m, a 48% rise compared with July 2017.
During July this year, HMRC reported imports of fresh/frozen pork to be up by 5% (+1,800t) on the year, totalling 38,800t.
Shipments from Germany and Spain both increased significantly, by 47% (+3,000t) and 27% (+800t) respectively. Shipments from Denmark, the largest exporter of pork into the UK, decreased by 10% (-1,300t) during the month to total 12,000t.
Average import prices fell by 13% on year earlier levels in the month to £1.83/kg; this resulted in the value of imports falling by 8% to total £71m.


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The theft of as many as 5 million passport numbers from the Marriott hotel chain last year continues to worry consumers concerned that criminals were using their information for fraud or even travel.
Unlike credit card data or personal Social Security numbers, there are few mechanisms in place to alert consumers that their passport numbers have been stolen and possibly used for fraud.
According to research from cybersecurity intelligence company Flashpoint, passport data sells in three formats on the darkweb, digital scans, templates for creating a finished passport and actual physical passports. These range in price from $5-$65 for scans, $29-$89 for templates and up to $5,000 for the finished product.
Modern entry procedures in most countries can catch forgeries and lower-priced "fake" passports have a limited use for other types of identity theft.
But some countries don't scan passport barcodes or microchips, and that's where even a low-cost phony passport can help a criminal gain entry, according to Brian Stack, vice president of engineering and darkweb surveillance at Experian.
Getting a professionally forged passport on the darkweb can routinely cost around $1,000 to $2,000, and that includes not just a victim's stolen or leaked passport information, but other items that make the passport workable in many countries.
Lower-cost versions that can pass an "eyeball test" at less-sophisticated ports can cost hundreds of dollars on the darkweb, according to Stack. These lowbrow versions can also be used for other types of identity theft, like entry at a sporting event, business, government office or school.
On the high-end, darkweb researchers have seen much more sophisticated passport forgeries that can cost criminals upward of $3,000, with additional charges for special features, like diplomatic ties, according to Charles Henderson, head of IBM's cybersecurity group X-Force Red, which conducts research on darkweb forums.
"Criminals need, at the country they are leaving or entering, at a bare minimum passport number, name, date of issue, date of expiry, and sometimes the scan bar at the bottom of the passport," Henderson said. This information is much more prevalent in breaches of passport information that involve full scans of the passport than in other breaches, like Marriott's, that have mostly just involved passport numbers and other manually entered data.
At modern ports of entry, scanners also look for other inconsistencies and can quickly flag them, including incorrect typeface or mismatched traveler information, Henderson said.
Finding out if someone is using a forged or fraudulent passport in your name is harder, however. People may be accustomed to alerts when their credit card is stolen, but "it's not like you have an audit trail of places you travel, all your comings and goings, and there isn't a way necessarily to quickly alert you to this type of fraud," he said.
The State Department has previously stated that breaches of passport information don't often translate into a forged passport, telling Fast Company that new passports have lots of security features to defend against counterfeiting and emphasizing that people can't travel on a passport number alone.
Getting a new passport can help consumers who suspect they are victims of passport identity theft, but they will also have to foot the cost of the updated document, according to the State Department.


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Latest members of the Chamber of Commerce...
Grundon Waste Management Limited
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY WILL ONLY GROW IN IMPORTANCE
Written by Claire Thayers
False claims by VW, unethical banks, politicians lies…. so how does that relate to Corporate Social Responsibility - the new buzzwords in the world of business. Claire Thayers explains the meaning behind the words
The days of businesses being driven simply by the bottom line have gone, as we have all seen by the recent news, major brands misleading consumers, tax avoidance - businesses simply thinking about money, and not being ethical.
The world is a smaller place now, with social media – good news travels fast, but bad news travels even faster, and brands can be here today and gone tomorrow as people stop supporting brands that they can no longer trust.
Big businesses have been aware of social responsibility, but SME’s have been slow to see the benefits, but with the Public Services (Social Values) Act 2012, the tide is turning, and increasingly companies will have to have a CSR (corporate social responsibility) policy in place, in order to tender for work!
But this is not a box ticking exercise – CSR should be built in and not a bolt on, everyone has to believe in the values and the beliefs of the people in the business, and of the brand, and driven by everyone.
The upside is that by investing a little time, the rewards are tremendous! Taking time to support local schools, volunteering in the community, free advice to charities, not only improves staff morale, builds teams but the PR and social media opportunities are amazing, and when driven by the community far more powerful and cost effective than any advert – which can cost thousands!
One law firm in London has found that supporting disadvantaged students and sponsoring them through university has resulted in 22 loyal, dedicated, hardworking lawyers who are committed to their firm, and passionate that the businesses is successful so that others may benefit as they have. May sound expensive but with the firm worked out the cost of head hunters, it has saved the partners a fortune, and are proud to have a sustainable business model as they continue to bring in apprentices, who are more loyal as a result
Win… win for all!
CSR is here to stay – with the challenging times ahead of us, especially with the recent lies associated with the EU referendum, possible recession, climate change, sustainability is key, so it is time for us all to pull together, to support each other – the ethical businesses will survive, but those with lesser values, are high risk!
Technology has changed our world and transparency is key – but if it wins you business why wouldn’t you embrace this new way of working?
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.org or ring 07870632093


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Now that we've made it through the worst of winter, the world is starting to look beautiful again — and that's no truer than at Starbucks, where a gorgeous new drink has made an appearance. Customers have been sharing photos of the new Strawberry Honey Blossom Creme Frappuccino, a cup of frothy, creamy, pink deliciousness.
The cherry-blossom-inspired drink first popped up on February 27 and is now in Starbucks's Thailand and Hong Kong stores. The whipped cream on top of the strawberry smoothie cream drink is honey flavored, and there's also a layer of it on the bottom, Bustle reports. But the most unique part might be on top of the whipped cream, where there are bits of freeze-dried strawberries and pink rice cracker puffs. There are also "puddings" with a similar concept, according to the Starbucks Hong Kong Facebook page.
Visually, it's an undeniably beautiful drink, with pink and white swirls in the cup and pink and red speckles on top. No word yet as to when it spreads to the rest of the world, but let's hope we can get out hands on it by the time spring is over.