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We are excited to welcome the third cohort to our Core City: Cleveland Impact Program! As the name implies, the 12-week business assistance program is designed to drive economic impact in the city of Cleveland by helping individuals overcome obstacles to entrepreneurship through hands-on advising and industry-specific mentoring. The free program accepted five aspiring entrepreneurs
While interacting daily with children in the school system, Angela Flowers became painfully aware of the insufficient and inconsistent mental health care available to students. With experience as a licensed social worker and therapist, Angela knew she had the knowledge and skills needed to tackle this problem. In 2007, Angela co-founded Making A Difference Consulting,
According to a recent report from Cisco, about 40 percent of today’s leading companies will be displaced from their market position by digital disruption in the next few years. In the words of entrepreneur and author Grant Cardone, “To get to the next level of whatever you are doing, you must think and act in
Vibrant cities require a diverse mix of businesses to thrive and to grow, including small, high-growth tech and mid-market companies.
From an entrepreneurial perspective, 2016 was an incredible year for women— particularly for those with businesses located in economically distressed areas of Northeast Ohio, including JumpStart’s four female Core City Cleveland program graduates. While Cleveland’s female entrepreneurs spent the better part of the year capitalizing on new opportunities, breaking boundaries, and raising the bar, diverse
Last month, LinkedIn released the results of a survey of its members, gathering the opinions of more than 600 startup investors and founders on the current state of diversity in the venture capital industry. The results — though unsurprising to many of us — were quite sobering. In an industry where 98 percent of senior
Minority-owned businesses and businesses located in distressed communities, are well positioned to revitalize their local economies. A recent study from the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City suggests that with the right resources, these businesses can play a major role in transforming their communities by significantly lowering unemployment rates. That’s a big part of the
Our economic future must now be about doing significantly more work with high-potential firms and combining intellectual and financial resources at a significantly more ambitious scale. This blog post is part of the series “Closing the Racial Gaps: Together We Can”, which highlights efforts across the United States that show promise for closing racial opportunity
Silicon Valley bros are seriously misguided. On Wednesday, venture capitalist John Greathouse published a piece in The Wall Street Journal titled, “Why Women in Tech Might Consider Just Using Their Initials Online.” In a nutshell, he argues that the world of VC is so gender-biased that the best way for women to access opportunity is
This summer, the National Venture Capital Association released their first comprehensive report on diversity and inclusion in the venture capital space. Titled simply, “Building a More Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystem,” the report is both a celebration of how far the industry has come, and a clarion call that there is much more work to be done.
Did you know that women are the fastest growing segment of entrepreneurs? According to the 2016 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, commissioned by American Express, the number of women-owned firms increased by 45 percent between 2007 and 2016, compared to 9 percent among all businesses. The data on the growth of firms started/owned by women
Since I’ve started working in the entrepreneurship space, women founders have slowly but surely started breaking into the tech space. While it’s not nearly equivalent to the number of men, the number of women who are co-founding or founding companies has nearly doubled from 9.5 percent of startups in 2009 to 18 percent in 2014.


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LinkedIn had launched a test of its new Stories feature last
year. The company recently announced that it is transforming the feature’s
format into a “reimagined video experience” that caters to the needs of
LinkedIn users in a better way. The current Stories feature is expected to be
removed at the end of September.
LinkedIn also exclusively sent a notification to Page Admins
to let them know of its decision to suspend Stories, precisely on the 30th
“Starting September 30, Page admins will no longer be able to upload Stories to LinkedIn, and members will not be able to view them,” LinkedIn wrote in the message. It also recommended admins to halt any creative development for Stories. The company also apologized in advance for the inconvenience.
LinkedIn also shared some of the things that it learned from
its experiment with Stories. According to LinkedIn, users prefer their Stories to
live on beyond the 24 hour window, and be available on their profile. They also
want more creative tools to make their video clips more engaging.
Based on this feedback, LinkedIn prepares to develop its
upcoming video project to replace Stories.
Stories have not worked as a popular feature on LinkedIn’s
platform, and the company has tried hard to boost the feature’s engagement. It even
offered Stories ads to further expand the feature.
Nevertheless, the experiment allowed LinkedIn to identify potential areas of improvement in the feature, and work on them to create a better experience for its users.

domain: news


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Virtualware a reference of innovation and entrepeneurship at the Ibero-American Congress of Engineering and Technology
Madrid, April 25, 2023. – Virtualware, one of the leading European companies in the virtual reality industry, participates in the Ibero-American Congress of Engineering and Technology (CIBITEC 2023) as an example of innovation and entrepreneurship.
CIBITEC is holding its fifth edition from 24 to 25 April at the ETS de Ingenieros Industriales of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), with a clear focus on the main technological axes on which the industry and economic development of the future will be based. It will also address other topics of interest, such as the defense industry, cybersecurity, innovation, entrepreneurship, or the transformation process toward a digital and sustainable industry.
With the participation of more than 80 high-level speakers, José Bayón, CEO of ENISA will be in charge of moderating a space dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship with the participation of Gema García González (Repsol), Caterina Coll (PERSEO Biotechnology), Telmo Pérez Luances (Acciona) and Unai Extremo (Virtualware). A panel that will take place on Tuesday 25 April at 10.10 am, an opportunity to learn how technology presents innovative business models in small, medium, and large companies.
Register for free: https://cibitec.com/inscripcion/
Virtualware’s flagship product VIROO, the world’s pioneering VR as a Service (VRaaS) platform, makes Virtual Reality accessible to companies and institutions of all sizes and sectors.
VIROO is an all-in-one digital solution that enables the development and deployment of multi-user Virtual Reality applications remotely and is already used by more than 40 companies and institutions worldwide including GE Hitachi, Ontario Power Generation, Gestamp, ADIF, the Spanish Ministry of Defense, El Retoño Technological University, and EAN University.
VIROO aims to become the standard for the development of industrial and educational Virtual Reality applications worldwide.


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Capstone Games' new subscription service runs $20 per year for a membership. It offers consumers 20% off everything on their website, which includes items that are already discounted. Members will also be entitled to priority shipping, where members' orders will take precedence over other shipments. Additionally, members will receive a newsletter with product announcements, including information about restocks and members-only offers.
This new service could potentially cause an issue for retailers already carrying Capstone's games. With hot games like Ark Nova (see "'Ark Nova'") and new releases like Terra Nova (see "'Terra Nova'") already at 20% off via this service, FLGS sales of Capstone's games might be impacted as the membership discount may make these games less expensive to purchase off of their website (once a member makes up their yearly membership fee in discounted purchases).


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In his message, he also shares some great news! We're currently developing an iPhone mobile application for Post the Love that will allow Chan and any of us with an iPhone to post to the site while on the go.
We're all so excited about the app! We just started the development project this week, and hope to launch the new application early next year. I'll keep you all posted on the progress, so stay tuned PTL'ers!


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Japan and Canada will begin negotiations in the near future on striking a bilateral antitrust cooperation agreement, the Fair Trade Commission and the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
The envisaged pact is to follow similar accords with the United States, concluded in October 1999, and the European Union, tentatively reached earlier this month, the government agencies said.
The agreements are intended to strengthen cooperation among the fair trade watchdogs of member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to crack down on increasing cross-border anticompetitive activities.
Upon adopting recommendations for cooperation to prevent hard-core cartels, OECD members, including the U.S., the EU and Canada, are proceeding with similar bilateral accords, the Japanese agencies said.
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.


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Westcon-Comstor is expanding its distribution agreement with Zscaler, a leader in cloud security.
As announced in August of this year, the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ is featured on Westcon-Comstor’s EMEA go-to-market initiative, Westcon Next Generation Solutions (NGS). This latest expansion of the agreement, however, brings Westcon’s offering of Zscaler’s Zero Trust offering to new markets throughout Europe, namely Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden with future expansion into APAC also planned.
Westcon NGS provides the channel with the solutions to enable a secure path to digital transformation, and help partners unlock recurring revenue in a cloud-first world. The relationship will see Westcon NGS boost the capabilities within its Zero Trust Access pillar.
Recognised in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Secure Web Gateways, as a 10th consecutive year leader - and the sole leader in the 2020 Magic Quadrant, Zscaler is redefining the networking and security market. It provides enterprise and corporate customers a best-in-class, next generation cybersecurity offering built especially for the distributed cloud world.
Unlike complex and disjointed on-premise security products designed for yesterday’s network, Zscaler’s proxy-based architecture, built on an industry-leading SASE framework delivers a high quality user experience, superior security and data protection. It reduces the attack surface by directly connecting users to applications, via a Zero Trust approach.
“We’re at a point now where the SMB community is actively looking to double down on cybersecurity in the modern distributed cloud environment. High profile attacks have been regularly hitting the news and the pandemic has, for a variety of reasons, increased the attack surface of SMBs resulting in a greater impetus to get cybersecurity right,” said Arun Dharmalingam, Vice President EMEA and APJ Alliances at Zscaler. “As we look to expand our offering across the rest of Europe and into APAC, Westcon-Comstor became the obvious partner for us. The early success of this relationship combined with Westcon-Comstor’s wide regional reach, marketing and sales support are just some of the many ways that Westcon-Comstor set itself apart from other channel partners.”
“The Zero Trust Security Market is projected to grow from USD 19.6 billion in 2020 to USD 51.6 billion by 2026, according to Markets & Markets”, said Daniel Hurel, Vice President, Westcon EMEA – Cyber Security & Next Generation Solutions. “Zscaler, as the recognised market leader in this space, is a crucial part of our portfolio. The early results of our relationship have been extremely encouraging and we’re proud to be expanding our remit to bring these services to more European markets. We’re confident Zscaler will continue to play a key role in helping our partners to significantly reduce the attack surface of their customers, with a true Zero Trust approach.”
Commenting on the plans for APAC expansion Patrick Aronson, Executive Vice President, Westcon-Comstor Asia Pacific said, “Zscaler has established itself as a market leader in the cloud security space with its true Zero Trust approach. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange is the right product at the right time for many of our customers. Particularly in the current climate, where cybersecurity is considered mission critical.”
“The reception and demand for Zscaler’s offering in Europe has been phenomenal, hence the expansion to further markets. We’re looking forward to further expansion plans bringing Zscaler’s products to APAC where we see a definite need and appetite for strong cloud security.”
Westcon NGS encompasses four solutions pillars: Zero Trust access, IoT/OT security, next generation SOC and secure cloud/DevOps. Focusing on solutions rather than specific vendor technologies, the company helps partners identify the solutions best suited to them, their customers and their long-term strategies, from its comprehensive portfolio.


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: Machine Zone, a mobile game studio whose CEO previously said all video games will eventually be free-to-play
, has been valued at more than $3 billion according to a media report.
The Wall Street Journal's tech blog Digits says that
according to "people familiar with the negotiations," Machine Zone is currently in talks to raise advanced funding for its upcoming mobile titles.
And the company is said to be projecting revenue of $600 million this year, thanks to virtual currency sales in its Game of War
franchise. Game of War: Fire Age
is regularly featured in the App Store top grossing charts.


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Ian King (Bloomberg) -- Intel Corp. said a server chip built with its best production technique will be available in large volumes in the first quarter, an attempt to convince customers that its manufacturing operations are recovering from long delays.
The third generation of Xeon Scalable processors, codenamed Ice Lake, is undergoing a “volume ramp” on Intel’s 10-nanometer production, the company said Monday.
Advances in semiconductor manufacturing are measured in nanometers, or billionths of a meter, with smaller and smaller transistors crammed onto silicon wafers with each new iteration. This is a key way chipmakers create faster, more efficient and cheaper products.
Intel’s 10-nanometer production is more than three years late, giving rivals including Advanced Micro Devices Inc. a chance to grab market share. Intel is considering outsourcing some production.
“Today marks a significant milestone for Intel as we continue to accelerate the delivery of our 10 nanometer products and maintain an urgent focus on execution to deliver a predictable cadence of leadership products,” said Navin Shenoy, executive vice president and general manager Intel’s Data Platforms Group.
Intel’s data center business is its most profitable unit. Xeon chips are the heart of giant server farms run by cloud providers such as Amazon.com Inc. and Google. They’re the biggest buyers of these semiconductors, which can cost as much as a small car. However, these customers have begun designing their own data center chips and often have Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. make the components. TSMC is ahead of Intel in production technology.
Intel executives have promised more regular updates to its Xeon roadmap with products that offer leading performance. New models will have improved security, more computing cores and be better suited to dealing with artificial intelligence workloads, Intel said on Monday.
Separately, the world’s largest chipmaker unveiled four new processors for devices ranging from education-targeted laptops to gaming PCs.


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Chinese smartphone maker, TopWise Communication has today launched their entry-level smartphone dubbed as Comio X1 Note in India. the highlight feature of the device is its features such as a 6-Inch 18:9 Display, dual rear camera setup and facial recognition technology.
Commenting on the launch, Sanjay Kalirona, CEO & Director, COMIO Smartphone, stated, “We are excited to announce the launch of COMIO X1 Note as it marks our expansion into a pan-India brand. The response we have received from our consumers, retailers and distributors has been tremendous, encouraging us to deliver a product such as COMIO X1 Note, which is one of the best offerings from the brand in the sub-10,000 price segment. The COMIO X1 Note provides an integrated solution comprising of advanced camera quality, better speed, security features, stylish design and value-added services all-in-one, ensuring an enhanced user experience,”
Comio X1 Note specifications
The Comio X1 Note comes with mirror finish and sports a rear facing fingerprint sensor. the device is priced at Rs. 9999 and will be available via Flipkart, Amazon India, Snapdeal, ShopClues, Paytm and via offline channels across the country. the device comes with 100 days extended warranty, One-time free screen replacement and 30-day replacement warranty.


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Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro (2018), an affordable Android smartphone from the Korean smartphone giant, has been launched. The smartphone has leaked multiple times in the past month with its leaked renders giving a closer look at the device. Also Read - Samsung Galaxy A22 5G India launch nearing as support page goes liveAlso Read - Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go powered by Intel Jasper Lake Celeron processor revealed
The smartphone has been silently launched in Vietnam and the official listing confirms the specifications that leaked last month. The Galaxy J2 Pro (2018) features a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with a qHD resolution of 960 x 540 pixels. The smartphone is powered by a quad-core SoC clocked at 1.4GHz and is aided by 1.5GB RAM and 16GB onboard storage. Also Read - Samsung Odyssey G3, Odyssey G5, Odyssey G7 gaming monitors launched: Details here
The Galaxy J2 Pro for 2018 also supports expandable storage up to 256GB via SD card slot. It features an 8-megapixel main camera with flash and support for 1080p video recording. It gets a 5-megapixel selfie camera at the front. The Galaxy J2 Pro (2018) supports dual-SIM card slots and comes with connectivity options including WiFi, Bluetooth but lacks NFC or fingerprint sensor. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat and is supported by a 2,600mAh battery. The phone relies on microUSB port for charging.
Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro (2018) measures 143.8 x 72.3 x 8.4mm in dimension and weighs around 153 grams. The smartphone comes in black, blue or gold color options and will be available in Vietnam for VND3,290,000 (around Rs 9,250).
For Samsung, the Galaxy J series is the major contributor when it comes to volume and remains one of the most widely sold smartphone series in the offline retail segment. With the growth of Chinese smartphone makers in the Asian markets, Samsung will be hoping that the J2 Pro helps it stay competitive in the market.
Samsung has been facing strong competition from Xiaomi in the Indian smartphone market, especially in the budget segment. The company will likely bring J2 Pro to India to compete with budget offerings from the likes of Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo and Lenovo.


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E-commerce trends have already grown rapidly last year with the outbreak of COVID-19, as consumers have bought more online than in traditional stores. As more brands go online, competition will continue to grow, and eCommerce trends will grow.
E-commerce Trends 2021 – What can we expect?
In the e-commerce sector, it is extremely important to keep up with future developments and trends. Get ready now for the exciting future of e-commerce by implementing emerging eCommerce trends for 2021.
Augmented reality and virtual reality as trends in e-commerce 2021
Augmented reality is a trend that will intensify in e-commerce in 2021. 51% of consumers say they want to use AR technology to evaluate products.
Using augmented reality, consumers can virtually test the selected product in their daily lives before buying it. Online stores that offer furniture often use AR. This way, customers can virtually test a desk or armchair in the living room before buying it.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence
Machine learning and artificial intelligence already have a significant impact on many areas of activity. The algorithms used to allow a computer-controlled system to some extent to adapt its analyzes and behavior accordingly, based on the analysis of data from a database or sensors. Simply, thanks to machine learning, online stores, for example, will be able to offer potential shoppers a better user experience based on available data and their shopping behavior.
Fixed retail and e-commerce: the omnichannel advantage
With the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce sales have exploded this year. However, stationary retail sales are still much higher than in e-commerce.
Effective e-commerce sites are undoubtedly the basis of online trading. But that’s not all. As more and more users access online stores on the move, online trading must undergo a profound change. Here are some numbers:
5G: the network of the future
5G is also expected to be increasingly available worldwide in 2021. The new technology will open up many opportunities for the e-commerce sector. Due to the higher download speed, video content and augmented reality can be offered on an unprecedented scale. Markets could become real shopping malls where online shoppers can look around to find the products they want. 5G in mobile commerce – a 2021 e-commerce trend that you should not miss!
Nowadays people spend a few hours on the internet every day. Much of this time they use social networks, which is why the subject of “social trade” is becoming increasingly important. More and more sales are taking place on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Choosing the right social networking platform for you naturally depends on your product range.
Despite the rapid growth of social commerce, you should not ignore online markets: more than half of online sales are now made in the most important markets in the industry, such as Alibaba and Amazon. Online markets will continue to attract consumers with their extensive offerings and affordable prices and will offset fears of projected economic pressures for 2021.


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Do not light these fireworks: Important July 4th recall
HOUSTON – Before you light your fireworks loot Independence Day, make sure you didn't buy any Black Cat Cone Fountain Fireworks.
Winco Fireworks International of Lone Jack, Mo., is recalling about 14,000 of them. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, when they're ignited, the devices can burst and spread sparks and pyrotechnic materials outward instead of upward as intended, posing fire and burn hazards to bystanders.
The firm has received three reports of the devices spraying outward. No injuries have been reported. The fireworks, manufactured in China, were sold at fireworks retailers nationwide from March 2016, through June 2016, for about $9.
If you have some, you should immediately return the recalled fountains to the retailer where you purchased them for a refund or exchange.
Copyright 2016 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.


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If you have tried a virtual or augmented reality program, the chances are it has been a videogame. From the burgeoning console VR market to the breakaway hit that was Pokémon Go, many people might think of the developing technology as a novelty which could soon become a major entertainment source, but entertainment nonetheless.
However, at VR World in London this week, everyone from space scientists and football clubs to drug designers and motion capture experts were out to show how much more the technology can do. Our reporter Joseph Flaig visited to find out what we can expect to start seeing – as well as hearing and maybe even feeling – in five years’ time.
- Medicines designed in VR. Scientists could use VR programs to design and test drug molecules in 3D, flipping and testing them alongside models of molecules inside human cells, said Jonas Bostrom, a drug designer from pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. Despite admitting the technology is “not good enough yet,” he told Professional Engineering that it could start being used in three or four years. Programs will offer unique new perspectives for scientists and bring them closer to their finished work, he said, adding that they will mainly be updating existing drugs for cancer and diabetes.
- Virtual changing rooms at home. In five years’ time, awkwardly waddling to the changing rooms with an armful of clothes only to find that none of them fit could be a thing of the past. Robin Coles from HSO said retailers could embrace the technology, allowing customers to “try on” clothes in their own homes using VR headsets or seeing the clothes on a 3D-scanned personal avatar. The clothes could either then be delivered or held in a store, he said.
- Companies feeding customers information directly to AR headsets. Simon Kendrew from new energy company Engie said AR programs on future headsets or glasses with in-built displays could help engage customers with their energy use, offering up-to-date information on their usage and how it could be adapted in line with conditions such as weather and power demand. It could become “part of their experience within their home,” he said, “giving them the right information at the right time in an easy-to-digest and seamless fashion. I think that will open up a lot of possibilities, probably not in the next couple of years, but certainly as we start to look, three, four or five years and beyond.”
- Feeling as well as seeing. More haptic feedback – recreating the sense of touch through vibrations or other movement – is needed in the mainly sight-and-sound based programs, said technologist Alby Miller from Transport Systems Catapult. Speaking at the Five Years From Now: The Enterprise of the Future panel talk, he said many aspects need to be combined for a program to become truly immersive.
- Virtually-designed cars hitting the roads. Cars sketched in 3D applications could roll out of the showrooms in a lot less than five years, said Jon Horsley, programme director at the Digital Engineering & Test Centre. He claimed the technology could “take 60 % out of the time of the design process”, and said a virtually-designed car could be built in one year and be approved in two.


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What Tech Companies Will Go Public in 2022?
When a company announces its intention to ‘go public’ it is a big deal. An IPO, or initial public offering, is when a privately owned company lists its shares on a stock exchange, so that they can be purchased by the general public.
There are several stock exchanges around the world, but NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) and LSE (London Stock Exchange) are three of the biggest in the western world.
IPO’s have become trendy over recent years and whereas financial institutions, insurance companies and retailers used to rule the exchanges; more recently, tech and ecommerce companies have dominated the new offerings to the general public.
Why Do Companies Go Public?
There are many reasons why companies go public. Some of the reasons for pursuing an IPO are:
- Raising Capital - Selling shares to the public will enable you to raise the capital necessary to fund further growth, research and development and to wipe away the debts accumulated in the scale up phase of the business. -
- Publicity - It stands to reason that going public generates a huge amount of publicity. An IPO will increase your brand visibility and open up a huge PR opportunity.
- Gravitas - If you are struggling to attract talent to your workforce, or you are struggling to get competitive lending terms from financial institutions, the gravitas of being a publicly traded company could give you a leg up.
What To Look For Before Investing In Stocks?
Tony Martins, Founder of Profitable Venture, has shared his input on what to look for before investing, he says, “You should have a clear idea of where the money will be used as companies go public and seek funding from investors. Knowing where your money goes should be a priority for you, as it will affect the performance of your investment. Companies that reinvest the monies raised in their operations will have a stronger motivation to expand. Companies that invest in growth efforts are more likely to have a longer-term vision and give a more secure investment.”
With Sue Hirst, Director of CFO On-Call adding “The pros of investing in an IPO are the potential for higher returns over time. The average return on IPOs is about 1% more than an equally risky stock. Another pro to investing in IPOs has the opportunity to buy shares while they are not so expensive. There are also no commissions for investing in IPOs, other than the fees for brokers that are typically charged by the various exchanges where you invest. The cons of investing in IPOs are that you have less control over your stock away from other companies' decisions and the risk of buying shares when other investors are not interested in them, leading to lower prices.”
Who Do We Tip To IPO Over The Next 12 Months?
We’ve been a part of the tech, software and app development industry for many years; and through our research we’ve collated a list of 10 incredible companies who we believe will successfully IPO over the next 12 months. And as we have been saying for year; the future is Tech. 2022 is going to be the year of FinTech and Software, so keep an eye out for these top picks.
Founded by brothers John and Patrick Collison, Stripe started out in a small Dublin office, and has grown to take over the payment processing industry. At just 12 years old with the founders now in their early 30’s, Stripe has grown to more than 4,000 employees across the globe, taking over $7.5bn per year in revenue. They’ve long been tipped to go public, and we think that 2022 could just be their year.
Everyone has heard of Tesla, arguably the first and most dominant force in the Electric Vehicle market; but don’t ignore Rivian who have gradually been gaining ground on their better known competitor. RJ Scaringe’s company is tipped to IPO to a market cap valuation of nearly $30bn; which is outstanding considering the first cars rolled out of the manufacturing plant just 2 short years ago.
Tipped to go public in 2022 (if not before) and with EV being the forerunner in a climate change revolution, Rivian are set to do well.
You will be hard pressed to shop online without hitting a store that offers FinTech powerhouse Klarna’s payment solutions. The concept of ‘buy now pay later’ isn’t new, credit and credit cards have been in existence for decades; but merging that into the transaction process on an e-commerce store is a true innovation. More than 300,000 merchants and more than 100 million active customers, Klarna are expecting to IPO in the coming months with a $45.6bn market cap.
Discord, previously known as Hammer and Chisel is the brainchild of Jason Citron, the entrepreneur who founded and sold OpenFeint at 26 years old for $104m; and Jason has his sights set a lot higher this time around with Discord forecasted to IPO at a market cap of $15bn early next year. The VOIP, IM and Video Conferencing Software benefitted hugely from the COVID Pandemic as businesses propelled their efforts to go online; and for Discord, that trend hasn’t slowed. Watch out for Discord!
Another FinTech company coming out of San Francisco is Chime. Chris Britt, and his team have amassed $5.8bn assets since incorporating 8 years ago. This fee-free mobile banking technology has already been through many fund raises, but going public is definitely the businesses next step. Forecasting a market cap of just under $15bn is a steal for investors when they go public in the next few months.
Yet another FinTech company. Trustly is a Swedish outfit headed up by CEO Oscar Berglund and founded by Carl Wilson and Joel Jakobsson. Trustly is an open banking payment method that allows customers to shop and pay direct from their bank accounts. The market cap is set to amass $11bn and our research suggests that they’re tipped to go public early in 2022.
Yes, we know, we know, more FinTech (2022 will be the year of FinTech - mark our words) Sorry not sorry! Not to be confused with the painstaking Brexit, Brex is a SanFran native that offers business credit cards and cash management to fellow technology companies. Co-founders Henrique Dubugras and Pedro Franceschi have history, having founded Pagar.me before selling it to Stone. Don’t underestimate Brex as they take on traditional financial institutions.
We’ve really been tracking AirTable, they bring out our inner tech geek. Founded in 2012, this tech company’s core product is a low-code platform for building collaborative apps. Their first fundraise was way back in 2015, when they secured $3m from a series round fronted by Freestyle Capital; and they’re now worth nearly $6bn albeit with only $85m in revenue. On their first trading day we believe they will either fly or plummet like a stone, either way, they are certainly one to watch in 2022 as they strive to go public.
We’ve said 2022 is going to be the year of Tech, and it is, but with the pressure on us all finding more sustainable routes to live, we couldn’t ignore AllBirds. Sustainability is front and centre of everything that they do, founder Tim Brown has built up a $100m+ business in just 5 years, all from the comfort of our favourite place, Shopify! A dream client for us, yes (Tim if you are reading this please reach out), but more importantly an incredibly environmentally friendly business. Current market cap is estimated to be around $2.2bn, and when this goes public in early 2022, we’ll be watching closely.
10) Recharge Payments
We have the inside scoop on Recharge so trust us when we tell you that these guys are going places (*our inside scoop is limited to the power of our partner status with them). Having raised $277m in May of this year to give them the tools to scale up faster, and develop bigger than before. Oisin O’Connor heads up this tech company, which is enabling ecommerce businesses across the globe to offer subscription revenue streams, has already built the company to an estimated $2.1bn, and we suspect it’ll be a lot more come their IPO day in the future.
Where We Come In?
Blend Commerce partner with some of the biggest, best and most innovative forward thinking tech / software companies in the world; including Klaviyo, who have not yet gone public; and while we can’t give you financial advice, if you’re an ecommerce business, we can give you advice on your tech stack and help you grow, so that one day you’ll be planning for your own IPO.


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With an electronically-limited top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h), the Tesla Model S is one of the fastest electric cars on sale today. However, it could use some extra km/h on Germany’s unrestricted sections of Autobahn and this is why Tesla will offer German Model S owners custom tuning for high-speed driving.
The announcement was made by Tesla CEO Elon Musk at the company’s service center in Munich, Germany, this week. The exec said Tesla will offer customers free custom high-speed tuning to make driving above the 130 km/h (81 mph) recommended speed more refined and enjoyable.
“I was just driving the Model S on the Autobahn, on one of the unrestricted sections. It was a lot of fun. But for Buyers of the Model S, we’ll offer a free, optional high-speed tuning,” Musk said.
“If you’re someone who likes to ride at the top speed on the Autobahn then we will tune the car. We’ll do a custom tune of the car to make it feel really great at top speed,” he added. Musk also said that he will send his top engineers from California to Germany to make sure Model S cars there were perfectly tuned for Autobahn driving.
Although Musk didn’t state it explicitly, the Model S with the high-speed tuning is expected to have an increased top speed and not just feel better at speeds of over 130 km/h. The CEO also announced a massive rollout of Supercharger stations across Germany, promising that more than half of the country’s population would be within range of a Supercharger. By the end of 2014, Tesla wants to have the whole country covered.
By Dan Mihalascu
Story References: Transport Evolved


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Let this be a cautionary tale: Don’t date materialistic bitches!
38-year-old Tao Hsiao was out Christmas shopping at the Golden Eagle International Shopping Center in Xuzhou, China this week when he finally lost it over his girlfriend’s amount of Christmas shoe shopping (for herself of course), and leaped 7 stories to his death inside the mall. How awful! According to Gawker:
“He told her she already had enough shoes, more shoes that she could wear in a lifetime and it was pointless buying any more,” an eyewitness was quoted as saying. “She started shouting at him accusing him of being a skinflint and of spoiling Christmas, it was a really heated argument.”
Okay — ladies in China really need to tone it with their shopping. Just last month another chick lost her shit at her hubby at the Guangzhou Auto Show, and it ’twas not cute!
“This is a tragic incident, but this time of year can be very stressful for many people,” the spokesman said.
…annnd the spokesman for the mall threw a “BUT” in the statement. Keepin’ it classay.


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We're seeing more and more unnamed sources speak out against SFX and the questionable handling of the companies that they acquire, and TechCrunch got their hands on some terrifying news this weekend about this behemoth. Beatport was acquired by SFX earlier this year, and ended the fourth quarter by firing the engineering staff that created and maintained this platform right before the holidays.
Though this move included severance packages, the timing is more than a bit disheartening. But for anyone that's been paying any attention, it shouldn't have been unexpected. We quietly watched as the stock price for SFX dropped immediately as it became public, which indicated that the offering was priced too high. It has been reported that Beatport had two consecutive years of losses in the millions. We've sent shots at Beatport for their lack of knowledge about the music that they're selling, and certainly shrug at their charts. And as SFX has spent nearly a billion dollars on acquisitions without posting a single profit, the only thing we can do is wait to see how their business model unfolds.
All of this news is on the heels of a quote from a keynote speech given at Sydney's Electronic Music Conference. We shook our heads in disbelief as Beatport CEO Matthew Adell shrugged at DJs playing pre-recorded sets. The quote from InTheMix is frightening: "I actually don’t care what happens before the speaker. As a fan I only care what comes out of the speaker.” As we're taking a stance against ghost production and paid manipulation of the market, seeing suits shrug off industry standards (like DJs actually being able to DJ) is a major red flag. And as these industry leaders represent our art in some capacity, we can't help but be worried about EDM's future.
Beatport is a 10-year-old service that has its fair share of issues, including its high price point (Beatport charges music fans roughly 50% more than iTunes does for downloads, and distributors 20% more for placement), and the inability to download records that you've paid for more than once. Independent producers and small labels have seen their profits on this platform drop significantly in the past few years, and we're seeing more musicians simply giving their records out for free in an effort to retain fans.
We saw Addell address these problems and field tons of additional questions on Reddit a little over a month ago, and that AMA was more than interesting. He confirmed his knowledge of the $4000 package called "Amplify" that offers campaigns to give labels and artists additional exposure and marketing. To say that taking money to market content on a platform you own is pay-to-play and an ethical nightmare is an understatement, but he addressed the question and owned it. He also stated that "EDM is in my mind a genre trend, but Electronic Dance Music is not."
What we can say is that Addell is a DJ that got his start working in record stores and running house labels out of Chicago, and that he has a background working for MusicNow and Napster before landing at Beatport. The service that Beatport provides definitely holds value. He has a tough job in turning this ship around, and the removal of a large chunk of Beatport staff has to be a blow to the moral of the company. We're crossing our fingers that SFX isn't doing damage to the companies that they're acquiring, and hoping for the best as they move forward to attempt to represent our culture.


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Hsinchu City is planning to launch Taiwan’s first test program for driverless logistics vehicles, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday at an event to announce a collaboration among the ministry, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI, 工研院) and HCT Logistics Co (新竹物流).
The test program is to use 5-tonne trucks and travel 1.9km in some of the busiest traffic in Hsinchu City, the ministry said.
Driverless vehicle technology developed in other countries is not suitable for the circumstances and lane divisions found on local roads, such as the numbers of scooters and their allocations at stop lights, ITRI president Edwin Liu (劉文雄) said, adding that ITRI is filling the need for local development of the technology.
Photo: Hung Mei-hsiu, Taipei Times
“ITRI’s self-driving technology is specially designed for the traffic conditions of Taiwan and Asia. We have already overcome the challenges of mixed car and scooter traffic and the long rainy season,” Liu said.
This particular project is the first driverless pilot program to utilize vehicles for warehouse logistics, and the first to explore the burgeoning logistics market.
“HCT moves more than 450,000 parcels in the Greater Hsinchu area every month,” company president Pablo Lee (李正義) said yesterday. “After we successfully introduce self-driving technology, our first goal is to reduce traffic at our logistic center by 20 percent.”
The company also expects that the development of the program would help solve driver shortage problems and reduce driver workload, Lee said.
The ministry said that all self-driving vehicles are still in the testing phase, with full commercialization “still in the future.”
The testing of self-driving vehicles on public roads among regular traffic was made possible when the Unmanned Vehicles Technologies Innovative Experimentation Act (無人載具科技創新實驗條例) was passed in 2018. Before that, there was no legal framework to test driverless vehicles in open traffic.
Although there are vehicles in Taiwan with some degree of self-driving capability, drivers are only allowed to deploy the technology for assistance.
CLIENTS’ RIGHTS: Banking Bureau Deputy Director-General Lin Chih-chi said the buyer and Citibank Taiwan would need to disclose changes to branch operations DBS Bank Taiwan (星展台灣), the local unit of Singapore-based DBS Group Holdings Ltd, has reportedly won a bid to acquire Citibank Taiwan Ltd’s (花旗台灣) consumer banking business, but the two companies declined to confirm the report yesterday. Citibank Taiwan’s consumer banking business is to be sold for about NT$60 billion (US$2.17 billion) to DBS Taiwan, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News reported on Sunday. DBS Taiwan and its parent company are expediting the negotiations with the seller’s US-based parent company, while other local bidders, including Fubon Financial Holding Co (富邦金控) and Cathay Financial Holding Co (國泰金控), have dropped their bids, the report said. Citibank
Intel Corp yesterday said it has placed its first order with ASML Holding NV to purchase the semiconductor industry’s first TWINSCAN EXE: 5200 system, as the US chip giant aims to compete with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in advancing to 2-nanometer process technology. The Dutch semiconductor equipment maker’s TWINSCAN EXE:5200 system is an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) high-volume production system with a high numerical aperture (NA) that can produce 220 wafers per hour, more than the 150 wafers that its previous generation TWINSCAN EXE:5000 system can handle. ASML aims to launch the new system in 2024. ASML president and chief
MediaTek Inc (聯發科), the world’s biggest 5G chip supplier, saw its ranking rise by one notch to No. 7 last year among world semiconductor vendors, as it benefited from the rapid 5G smartphone uptake in China after Huawei Technologies Co (華為) was forced to exit the market, Gartner Inc said in a report yesterday. MediaTek’s revenue soared 58.8 percent to US$17.45 billion last year from US$10.99 billion in 2020, outpacing the global semiconductor industry’s growth of 25 percent, according to Gartner’s tally. That gave MediaTek a 3 percent market share. The Hsinchu-based chip company ranked No. 8 in 2020, behind Texas Instruments
Siltronic AG cast doubt on a planned US$5.3 billion takeover by GlobalWafers Co (環球晶圓), saying the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action’s feedback so far was opaque and offered no clear resolution on how to win approval for the deal. During recent discussions, the companies did not receive any information as to whether and under which conditions a clearance for the takeover might be issued, the German company said in a regulatory filing on Friday following a news report on remedies the companies have offered. In the ministry’s view “in this case, a mitigation agreement is apparently not suitable


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Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
US tighten salt restrictions
Article Type: Food Facts From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 38, Issue 3.
The Food and Drug Administration could tighten up salt restrictions in food products in the USA following a debate. Its first public hearing is being held to determine whether salt levels should be lowered in processed foods. Dr Stephen Havas, vice president for science and public health at the American Medical Association, commented that consumers should not tolerate so many deaths from food. "Clearly, salt should be considered generally recognised as dangerous, not safe", he told Reuters. He added: "Americans don't consume large amounts of salt because they request it, but often do so unknowingly because manufacturers and restaurants put it in".
Recent research from the Consensus Action on Salt and Health tested four big fast food restaurants in the UK and recorded the salt levels in a family meal from the venue. It was discovered that a particular meal combination from Pizza Hut contained four times the daily-recommended limit of salt for a six-year-old.


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Cryptocurrencies and their underlying technology are still a hard concept to grasp for many investors. As a result, many investors choose to stay away until a time when the market will be less technical and more user-friendly. Therefore, reports of imToken simplifying wallet use are encouraging.
According to Proactive Investors, the partnership between imToken and Minds + Machines Group Limited (MMX) was a long time coming. The partnership will allow imToken to fully integrate the offering of .luxe domain names.
imToken simplifying wallet use with the help of ‘.luxe’ domain name
As per Crunchbase, imToken is an Ethereum wallet provider that enables multi-chain asset management. Established in 2016, the firm operates out of Hangzhou in China. Further, the firm provides a secure and private transfer of assets alongside browsing of decentralised applications (dApps). imToken is the world’s largest Ethereum wallet.
As Proactive Investors reports, new and existing users of imToken will be able to use the new domain as a key. Basically, the .luxe domain will act as an identifier which will enable users to access their Ethereum wallets. Particularly, the domain name will create a simple website link which replaces traditional 42 character wallet addresses. Therefore, imToken simplifying wallet use will depend on the website link.
As a result, the new keys will be easy to store since users can even commit them to memory. This will make the process of blockchain transactions less complicated. According to a press release, users will be able to acquire the .luxe web names from various domain registrars globally.
With the domain name, users will easily connect to various Ethereum wallets including My Ether Wallet, imToken, and Mist. Further, the release explains that the rollout will be gradual. By early November, the .luxe domain will be available for general public.
According to Ben He, CEO/Founder of imToken, the partnership is an effort towards trust and transparency. Further, he believes that the groundbreaking work by MMX will further facilitate mainstreaming of cryptocurrency and blockchain.
“The fact that the .luxe domain can also work on the World Wide Web is ground-breaking, allowing the world of blockchain to become seamlessly knitted into everyday usage on the Web,” says He.


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FlexiLoans.com, an MSME-focused fintech lending platform, announced that it had raised nearly USD 90 million in Series B funding from prominent investors such as Denmark-based PE firm MAJ Invest, UK-based fintech investor Fasanara Capital, and Dr Harry Banga and Yogesh Mahansaria’s family offices.
This investment round gives the company a significant runway for expansion when the government is pushing fintech, particularly for the MSME sector, according to a press release.
“The capital raised will fuel FlexiLoans’s growth ambitions as it plans to focus on technology development and more than double its MSME book via its Co-lending, BNPL and Supply Chain Finance platforms. Having built technology assets for platform lending, pricing and customer journeys, it will continue to invest in cutting edge technology to strengthen its customer journey automation, risk management & analytics capabilities,” FlexiLoans added.
This is Fasanara Capital’s first SME fintech investment in India and MAJ Invest’s 3rd this year. MAJ Invest and Fasanara Capital have invested in several well-known Fintechs and Non-Bank Financial Companies worldwide. Asia Link Advisors and Axis Capital advised the fundraising.
“We currently disburse over Rs 100 crore of loans monthly and plan to double this run rate over the next year, with our co-lending platform contributing a significant share of growth,” said cofounder, Deepak Jain.
FlexiLoans.com has previously obtained USD 20 million in seed funding and Series A funding from Sanjay Nayar and other prominent bankers. With more than 120 eco-system partners, including e-commerce giants like Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, Myntra, and others for financing sellers/vendors affiliated with these platforms, the company is now one of India’s major embedded finance firms.


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BGR posted the leaked slideshow of RIM’s 2012 roadmap, and it’s a beautiful vision to see. While the BlackBerry 10 Device, or codename London, has been delayed it’s something to look foward to. The roadmap and slideshow has some great expectations ahead. What’s in the works?
2011 is certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for RIM. We recently got a peak at their smartphone lineup for 2011, and now thanks to N4BB, we get a chance to see RIM’s BlackBerry Software Roadmap for this year. According to the leaked roadmap, RIM plans to introduce several software updates, including BIS […]


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Innovative e-gaming solutions provider, EsportsPro, announces the launch of a user-friendly platform and token to connect esports with brands in the industry
EsportsPro looks poised to challenge the status quo in the ever-growing gaming industry with the launch of the MVP platform. The user-friendly platform is designed to connect the different stakeholders in the industry, allowing players to express their gaming skills while providing an avenue for brands to connect and reach out to their target audience. In a related development, EsportsPro has announced the launch of the ESPRO Token, which is currently listed on P2P B2B.
The gaming world has evolved over the years with the emergence of several developers as well as talented gamers providing the best form of entertainment to gaming enthusiasts. Esports has undoubtedly changed the industry as it continues to grow, thanks to the increasing penetration of the internet and the development of a wide range of products from manufacturers. According to a recent report published by Grand View Research, the global esports market size was valued at over $1.1 billion in 2019 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.4% from 2020 to 2027. However, many of the available platforms do not meet the needs of gamers, brands, and investors, which is where EsportsPro is looking to make a difference with their all-inclusive e-gaming ecosystem.
The EsportsPro ecosystem offers a unique, comprehensive platform for gaming tournament organizers, gamers, and brands, with a marketplace for selling gaming services. The uniqueness of the platform positions the ESPRO Token for great potentials and an opportunity for investors to be a part of the lucrative e-gaming industry.
EsportsPro has also announced plans to launch NFT sponsored tournaments as well as donations and subscriptions as the platform grows.
Courtesy: Digital Journal


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New UK show for the food development industry announces themes for its inaugural event in April 2018
The brand new UK event for the food development industry, The Ingredients Show has announced the first wave of concepts that will be explored during the three-day event next April. The trend-led agenda of seminars, panel discussions and masterclasses will ensure visitors walk away with inspiration for the next generation of innovative and exciting products.
Curated by industry experts, the Live Theatre programme will address the big issues in food development – from health and nutrition to food function and performance.
Keeping it clean
With clean labels becoming less of a trend and more of a rule of thumb, and 73% of consumers saying they’d pay more for products with ingredients they trust, The Ingredients Show 2018 will shine a light on the future of the movement and the challenges it faces. A well-versed panel will debate a range of pertinent questions, such as whether consumers will accept flavours, sweeteners and proteins fermented from micro-organisms and are natural colours and flavours clean?
Further sessions will explore what a clean label means for consumers and take a deeper look at how the trend is evolving. With pressures on the food industry to cut sugar, salt and fat in products whilst maintaining a clean label profile, experts will examine how manufacturers can meet these, arguably contradictory, expectations of reformulating.
The power of protein
A glance at a supermarket shelf shows that high protein products are no longer reserved for athletes and body builders – the average health-conscious consumer is incorporating the macro-nutrient into their diet and expects products to be packaged in a convenient and appealing way. Ingredients specialists will drill down into how this food group has entered the mainstream and continues to develop with sessions in the Live Theatre expected to cover such topics as edible insects – an increasingly popular meal choice thanks to their similar nutritional make-up to meat and fish – lab grown meats, ancient grains and plant-based options.
Food technology of the future
Production processes and the supply chain will also feature on the jam-packed educational agenda. Visitors to The Ingredients Show will hear from the industry’s top innovators, who will explore how technological developments such as personalised nutrition and digital advances including blockchain, e-commerce and platforms for direct ingredients buying are revolutionising the supply chain and maximising efficiency.
As part of this, Natural Machines, the company behind 3D food printer Foodini, will host a daily masterclass. The session will see Michelin-star ranked chefs put together a series of dishes, which will then be printed on the trailblazing kitchen appliance live at the show.
Dan Dixon, Sales Director at The Ingredients Show, commented: “It’s a really exciting time for the UK ingredients market and this is reflected in the wealth of topics we are exploring as part of our first ever The Ingredients Show educational programme. We’re very much looking forward to announcing the speakers, panellists and thought leaders who will share their insights over the three days. Watch this space!”
The Ingredients Show takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from 16-18 April 2018. To register to attend the event, please visit: www.theingredientsshow.co.uk


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Andrae Dixon and Pagiel Rose met in Bar Harbor, where the two Jamaican American chefs cooked in restaurants for nearly a decade. When they weren’t making lobster dishes for hungry tourists, they were cooking the food of their island home — jerk chicken, curry goat, brown stew chicken, festival dumplings, many others — and dreaming about the Jamaican restaurant they’d someday open.
Now, with their business partners Anna Limeburner and Angelina Sharp, that restaurant dream has finally come true. Jamaican Vybz, a new take out restaurant, is open for lunch and dinner Mondays through Saturdays at the corner of Center and Cumberland streets in Bangor.
“We always wanted to open a restaurant, and Bangor was the only place we could really do it,” said Dixon. “We could afford it and we could be open year-round.”
The four business partners spent most of the spring cleaning and renovating the storefront at 97 Center St., now painted in lively green, yellow, red and black. In the three weeks that Jamaican Vybz has been open, Limeburner said they have already seen many repeat customers.
“The thing that’s been really surprising to me is how many people have come back each week and tried lots of different things,” said Limeburner, a Boston native. “People are really excited to try something different.”
While jerk chicken is arguably the most iconic and well-known Jamaican dish — and Dixon and Rose’s jerk chicken is prepared with their authentic, wildly flavorful house-made jerk spice rub — the restaurant offers a wide array of classic Jamaican dishes. Curry goat, cooked in a spicy curry sauce, and oxtail, a tender beef cut braised and served with rice, are both on the menu.
“We had to look around a lot to find a supplier for goat and for the oxtail,” said Dixon. “We get it from W.A. Bean. Sean Smith [W.A. Bean’s director of sales] worked hard to get that for us. So we get that locally, which is good for everybody.”
There’s also brown stew chicken, a Caribbean treat in which chicken is stewed in brown sugar, garlic and spices, and Ital stew, a vegetable and bean stew, as well as Jamaican-style fried chicken and barbecued ribs. For sides, Jamaican Vybz offers fried plantains, rice and beans made with coconut milk, festival (a cornmeal dumpling) and Jamaican-style coleslaw and potato salad. There’s a wide array of Caribbean soft drinks in the cooler, from Irish Moss, a sweet, rich peanut-based drink, to pineapple soda and ginger beer. They also offer house-made juices, including spiced carrot, cucumber-ginger-lime, and beet, carrot and peanut.
Dixon, Rose, Limeburner and Sharp hope eventually to expand their restaurant to offer sit-down dining and a bar, as well as new dishes like Jamaican patties, a pastry stuffed with spiced meat. Rose, who most recently was sous chef at the Looking Glass at the Bluenose Inn in Bar Harbor, said he thinks people are ready for different cuisines and dining options in Bangor.
“I’m really happy that people are gravitating towards the things they’ve never tried before,” said Rose. “They want something they haven’t had. And they like it, too. That’s been really great to see.”
Jamaican Vybz, located at 97 Center St. in Bangor, across the street from Bangor Floral, is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and is closed on Sundays. It is available for takeout only, either walk-in or call ahead at 973-1999. It also will do delivery in Bangor.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — These are the stocks making notable moves in the stock market on Monday:
Micron Technology Inc. MU, -1.32% : Micron shares fell for a third session. The chip maker is scheduled to report quarterly earnings later this month. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expect Micron to report fourth-quarter profit of 81 cents a share.
TripAdvisor Inc. TRIP, -2.88% : Shares of TripAdvisor retreated after three days of gains. The stock is up 16% for the year.
Darden Restaurants Inc. DRI, -0.73% : The restaurant operator reiterated that proposals by Starboard Value LP to boost shareholder value are similar to steps already implemented by the company. “After reviewing Starboard’s proposed operating plan, we believe Darden’s current initiatives, which are already delivering encouraging results, address the majority of Starboard’s suggestions,” said Darden in a statement.
Tickers to Watch
Yahoo Inc. US:YHOO : Yahoo, which owns nearly 23% of Alibaba, is expected to remain in the spotlight as the Chinese online retailer prepares for its initial public offering, expected to be one of the largest in U.S. history.
Symantec Corp. SYMC, -0.42% : Analysts at RBC Capital downgraded the technology company to a hold rating from a buy rating, according to FactSet. The price target was set at $26.
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. CTSH, -2.63% : The information technology company said it would pay $2.7 billion to acquire TriZetto Corp., which provides IT and other services to health-care companies.
Seagate Technology PLC STX, -1.02% : Analysts at Morgan Stanley raised the stock’s target price to $66 from $65 but lowered its 2015 earnings per share outlook.


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Instagram is Hiding How Many Likes a Photo Gets
In the world of social media, the amount of likes you get can make or break your profile – with quality of content falling by the wayside sometimes. To combat this, Instagram is about to roll out a real-world test that will see like counts hidden on photos and videos.
To begin in the next few days, Canadian Instagram users will be unable to see likes on posts from people or pages they follow. Facebook, who own and oversee the operation of Instagram, confirmed the idea at its developer conference yesterday.
The company assured that it is not just a floating idea, but a concrete possibility that could be introduced to the entire community. During the test, users will only be able to see the total number of likes on their own posts, and not on anyone else’s.
“We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get,” Instagram’s in-app message states. “During this test, only you will be able to see the total number of likes on your posts.”
Facebook’s aim is to switch up the focus of the app, making it less about post popularity and to focus instead on quality. Like counts have become such an obsession, that some users will pay hefty amounts to garner fake likes in an attempt to boost their profiles – known as deceptive like-seeking. Worryingly, deceptive like-seekers are more prone to “potentially harmful acts to gain attention and validation” on the app.
However, one concern is that popular users may lose out as paid promotions and sponsored content often involve like counts or a screenshot of their liker list. An Instagram spokesperson told TechCrunch, “We understand that this is important for many creators, and while this test is in exploratory stages, we are thinking through ways for them to communicate value to their brand partners.”
Instagram are testing the app on Canadian users as they are a particularly “tech savvy” culture, with “over 24 million people” using Facebook apps each month.


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Cliq is and will remain a non-partisan company. We’ve worked with clients from across the political spectrum and look forward to doing so in the future.
However, this last election seems more significant than its predecessors. The results were unexpected by many, and the questions of why and how it happened are still being debated.
Whether you’re disappointed or delighted in the new administration, we all have to keep our companies going and should stop to consider how this new government might impact how we do business.
Certainly Donald Trump ran on a pro-business platform, calling for lower corporate taxes and fewer regulations. Some payment industry experts are hoping this results in more opportunities for growth and innovation.
One of candidate Trump’s campaign promises was the repeal of Dodd-Frank, which imposed regulatory restrictions on payments and financial services. That would be a tall order, but it’s possible that parts of the legislation will be stripped back, and regulatory reform will follow the tenets of the Financial CHOICE Act.
This act, sponsored by Congressman Jeb Hensarling, would allow some banks to opt out of parts of Dodd-Frank and repeal the Durbin Amendment, which limits fees charged to retailers for debit card processing. Proponents claim that these price controls harm consumers, as debit interchange funds innovative products such as reloadable prepaid cards. It may also be why the number of banks that offer free checking has dropped from 76% in 2009 to 37% in 2015.
The new administration may also take a second look at Operation Choke Point, a Department of Justice action intended to stamp out a wide range of illegal acts by shutting down access to banking and payments from those suspected of criminal activity. A good idea by any standard but one that had unintended consequences – payment processors being discouraged from serving industries guilty of nothing but often connected to criminal cases, such as gun dealers and pawnbrokers.
Cliq will keep you updated on any changes in industry regulations, and what they might mean for your business.


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Winning brand identity revealed for Birmingham Publicity Association
The new brand identity for the Birmingham Publicity Association has now been revealed.
The organisation, formerly known as the Publicity Association of Central England (PACE), invited West Midlands designers to create its new look as part of its rebrand.
Graeme Longstaff's design (pictured) was announced as the winner at today's PACE Christmas Lunch at Villa Park - the last PACE bash before the organisation takes on its new name.
His work was chosen following a public vote and a judging session headed by PACE chairman Steve Price.
Price said: "We are overwhelmed by the effort put in from all those who entered the competition and are seriously impressed with the creativity and talent demonstrated. It was a tough competition, and I know the judges found it hard choosing just one winner.
"We're delighted with our new brand identity. Graeme really managed to fulfil the brief in an imaginative and creative way which captures the spirit of the Birmingham Publicity Association."
The judging session was chaired by Steve Price and Lucy Fletcher (vice chairman). The panel consisted of:
Dean Lovett, CEO of McCann Birmingham (ex-PACE president)
Jon Harrison, managing partner of Unsuitable/One Black Bear
Paul Connop, owner of Liberty Creative (designer of the PACE identity)


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Calling All At-Home Bartenders: Thirst Boston Has a Contest For You
Are you a nine-to-fiver whose mixed drinks are the life of any party you attend? You are?
First of all, can we be friends? And secondly, here’s a chance to show Boston’s top tier mixologists what you’ve got.
Thirst Boston, a craft cocktail extravaganza and industry convention, is back for its third year May 20-23. With spirits events, professional development, and brand strategists Offsite on board, this year’s festival is upping the game with an amateur bartending competition.
Now through April 1, anyone who hasn’t worked behind a bar in the past five years is invited to submit their best Knob Creek rye recipe for the chance to serve their recipe alongside the city’s reigning cocktail masters at the opening gala.
“It’s something we’ve seen in the bartending industry 100 times: a cocktail competition. But I’ve never seen a competition aimed specifically at home bartenders,” says Maureen Hautaniemi, cofounder of Thirst Boston and an events planner with a focus on the spirits industry. “I know the whole craft cocktail culture has created all these people who are absolutely making delicious craft cocktails at home, but they just get to make them for their friends. Which is awesome, if you’re their friends. But I want to know who these people are, and I want them to make drinks in the spotlight.”
The competition is sponsored by Knob Creek, and every entry must feature Knob Creek rye—the only whiskey the cocktail can have—and it must showcase the home bartender’s personal style. What if their personal style is more suited to a gin-based drink, or rum, or mezcal?
“It’s very possible,” concedes Hautaniemi. “But whiskey is so hot right now; lots of people are mixing with whiskey, experimenting with whiskey, and just drinking whiskey in their homes. Home bartenders should certainly have a great whiskey cocktail in their back pocket.”
On Sunday, April 10, a panel of judges—likely including Hautaniemi or Offsite founder Nick Korn; a Knob Creek representative; and an elite Boston bartender—will critique the semifinalists, and the winner will roll up his or her sleeves during “the Thing” on Friday, May 20. The Thing, the black-tie optional kickoff party, has seen Boston bartending heavyweights like Ezra Star (Drink), Jackson Cannon (Eastern Standard, The Hawthorne), and Ran Duan (Sichuan Garden II) behind the bar in the past. The lineup isn’t finalized yet for this spring’s fest, but expect to be in excellent company if your cocktail is selected.
The rest of the seminars, forums, and parties are also still in the works, but Hautaniemi is excited about a few events already. Saturday morning will see New England cider producers descend on Boston for an educational class; and that night, an event called State Lines hits the town: 10 bars from around the region will pop up at bars around the city.
“It will be a little like going on a trip through New England, without leaving your hometown,” Hautaniemi says. Expect to see bartenders from the Portland Hunt & Alpine Club, El Rancho Grande in Providence, Highland Brass Co. in Waterbury, Conn., and more.
The Blender Bender takes over Whiskey Saigon on Sunday, but the recurring event isn’t limited to tiki-style blended drinks this year. And for the first time, Thirst Boston is extending into Monday. That day’s happenings will be trade-focused, Hautaniemi says.
The whole weekend maintains a strong focus on New England, but cocktail enthusiasts and professional bartenders from across the country will be in town to see how Boston does craft cocktails.
And if you have a sizzling Sazerac or a dazzling Diamondback to share, you can represent Boston, too. For full details on the home bartender competition and to submit your recipe, visit thirstboston.com/homebartender.
Thirst Boston, Friday, May 20-Monday, May 23, various locations, $105-$295, thirstboston.com.


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Collecting sports memorabilia has been an American hobby for nearly a century. Fans look for memorabilia such as jerseys, teams, cards, or other items that have direct connections to famous players or historical games. Since many items are now being sold online, it can be more difficult than ever to trust that a seller or product is genuine.
The multicultural wealth of Mexicans gathered in artistic expressions that spring from the heart to celebrate the national holidays of Mexico, in Louisburg North Carolina. On Saturday, September 16, the celebration of Mexico's national holidays was held for the second time in the community of Louisburg, North Carolina. A totally community event organized by Alicia De Dios Fernandez and Ranita Garcia, community leaders dedicated for more than 8 years to different missions of supporting communities, including artistic and cultural promotion.


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Professional blogger and fitness enthusiast Casie Stewart gets her workout on at the Toronto-based Motion Room.
Globe and Mail Update: Published Tuesday, Apr. 19, 2011 6:00AM
“Most people are clueless when they go to the gym and left on their own,” says James Cappellano, co-owner of The Motion Room.
The Toronto-based fitness club, which opened its doors December 2010, offers results-driven experience where workouts – whether conducted alone, with a trainer or in a group – are scheduled, and performance is measured against goals set by members.


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Paytoo announced during the Money 20/20 event held in Las Vegas from October 25th to October 28th 2015, a strategic partnership with Payonyx, that will deliver significant benefits to users worldwide.
This agreement will offer consumers a unique card to manage multi-currency in real time, when loading, and not at the merchant or payment stage.
At PAYTOO, we are focused on bringing new innovative and convenient services to our users. This new service will provide an easier and cost-effective way to pay for purchases in different countries not only to our users but to worldwide consumers while they are travelling," said Michel Poignant, CEO of PAYTOO Corp.
World travellers will have the ability to choose from three different payment options: Use the money in the wallet in local currency and therefore save on conversion fees, convert the money in their wallet and get the best exchange rate, or use their credit or debit card at a domestic level.
This solution will provide robust security and competitive rates for the users.
"Payonyx is very excited to be working with PAYTOO to create this unique payment product for travellers" said Daryn Griggs, CEO of Payonyx. Adding, "the integration of the Payonyx multi-currency platform and the PAYTOO Wallet platform will provide cardholders a much more cost effective and convenient service."


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PepsiCo to restructure food and beverage sectors
PURCHASE, N.Y. PepsiCo said Monday it was going to restructure its operations units, specifically targeting its food and beverage sectors.
The old structure had two divisions: PepsiCo North America and PepsiCo International, which ran their own food and beverage operations. This time around, however, Pepsi said it was going to combine its operational units (making three separate and distinct ones), but divide its food and beverage segments.
“Given PepsiCo’s robust growth in recent years, we are approaching a size which we can better manage as three units instead of two,’’ PepsiCo chief executive Indra Nooyi said in a statement.
The snack food business will include Frito-Lay North America, Quaker and its fast-growing Sabritas and Gamesa brands in Mexico. The beverages unit includes Pepsi-Cola North American, Gatorade, Tropicana and all Latin American beverage businesses. PepsiCo said John Compton, currently chief executive of the North America group, would be the new head of the Americas food division, while Massimo d’Amore, executive vice president of the commercial division of PepsiCo International, will be the chief executive of the new Americas beverage unit.
Mexico and all Central and South American businesses, previously part of the PepsiCo International, will be part of the newly formed PepsiCo Americas Foods and PepsiCo Americas Beverages.
The overhauled international division will also create two executive officers.
The company, which has headquarters in Purchase, N.Y., said its Americas foods division would account for about 45 percent of its revenue while its Americas beverages unit will make up 30 percent. Its international division will account for the remaining 25 percent. PepsiCo International chief executive officer Mike White keeps his current position and takes on new responsibilities. PepsiCo International includes all of PepsiCo’s UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa units.
The company said it would complete the reorganization at of the start of its fiscal 2008 year.
With these changes comes another shift for the company. Dawn Hudson, chief executive officer and president of Pepsi-Cola North America, is leaving the company. She has worked at PepsiCo for 11 years. A spokeswoman declined to give more details.
Coors Light to again sponsor ING New York City Marathon
GOLDEN, Colo. Coors Brewing Company, Manhattan Beer Distributors and New York Road Runners on Wednesday announced today that Coors Light will be the official beer of the ING New York City Marathon 2007 for the third consecutive year.
Coors Light will sponsor parties throughout the New York City metro area and also will provide product to all hospitality events leading up to the race. Once again, Coors Light has developed unique ING New York City Marathon graphics for its cans and packaging, available in participating retail locations throughout the metro area.
Manhattan Beer Distributors, the largest Coors distributor in the United States, will make it possible for runners and spectators to enjoy refreshing Coors Light on Marathon Sunday, providing Coors products to more than 21,000 licensed retailers in metropolitan New York on marathon day.
Nestle outlines “extreme nutrition” build-up plan
LAUSANNE, Switzerland Nestle on Tuesday laid out its plan to become the world’s largest provider of “extreme nutrition,” building up its high-tech health foods, with recent takeovers of Gerber baby foods and Novartis Medical Nutrition helping catapult the company into the No. 2 food spot for babies, hospitals and “pro-active health seekers.”
The world’s largest food company now is providing healthy nutrition products for patients leaving the operating room, cancer patients and is addressing the rising incidence of diabetes and obesity. Nestle also is targeting consumers seeking healthy foods that prevent other maladies or can enhance athletic performance.
“We deal with consumers at the extreme: extremely old, extremely young, extremely frail, or extremely fit,” said Richard Laube, head of Nestle Nutrition.
But integrating the recent takeovers into the group has its challenges that will keep the division busy if it aims to reach its profitability goal in two to three years, according to Laube. Changing formulas in medical foods, such as probiotics or protein levels for example, is more complicated than changed recipes for Nestle’s name-brand foods.
The Nutrition division aims to lift its operating profit margin to 20 percent in the medium term from the 16.9 percent reported at end 2006. “We’ll probably have two or three years in the 16 to 17 (percent) range as we integrate our acquisitions,” Laube said. “We’re on a nice glide path to 20 percent.”


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This time last year Meta seemed almost unstoppable. It had a $120 billion advertising business, a shiny new name, and had never meta data privacy fine it couldn’t absorb. Now the social media behemoth is not even in the top 20 most valuable companies in the US. Since changing its name to Meta, the business has lost 70 percent of its value, thanks to a combination of digital advertising slowdown, stagnating Facebook use and multi-billion-dollar investment in loss-making metaverse technology. And while metaverse avatars do not yet possess legs, they do have the ability to point fingers. So what, or who, is responsible for Facebook’s worst financial chapter?
The most obvious culprit is CEO Mark Zuckerberg, whose decision to pour nearly $15 billion into developing the VR metaverse environment has spooked investors – not least because 91 percent of its worlds are basically uninhabited, according to internal documents seen by the Wall Street Journal. Even Meta employees have criticised the usability of the platform, the corporate strategy and Zuckerberg’s leadership, with one anonymous developer declaring: “The metaverse will be our slow death.”
Reports also reveal that Zuckerberg has had to encourage metaverse use among his own staff, many of whom did not own the requisite VR headsets, which cost around $1,500 each. “The cost of metaverse products make it inaccessible to many consumers who have been priced out, especially during the current cost-of-living crisis,” comments Ed East, CEO and founder of advertising agency Billion Dollar Boy.
At best the metaverse is simply not ready yet, and those investments are expected to pay off further down the line; last year Bloomberg Intelligence forecast the metaverse revenue opportunity to approach $800 billion by 2024. But looming recession has cast a shadow over Zuckerberg’s gamble on technology that for now is practically non-existent.
“I would make the argument that there is no metaverse today, just plenty of precursors,” says Tom Mainelli, Group Vice President, Device & Consumer Research at research firm IDC. “Meta’s work in both VR and AR technologies position it to be a major player when the metaverse comes into being. But that could be a decade from now, and it’s not likely to look exactly the way Zuckerberg has envisioned it.”
The strategic gearshift coincided with the departure of Sheryl Sandberg, the COO largely credited with transforming Facebook into the advertising giant we know and fear today. As the public face of the company she became something of a lightning rod for the businesses’ various PR disasters, most notably the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Her public appearances decreased as Zuckerberg took on a more public-facing role, and by June Sandberg was out the door.
“There’s no doubt that Meta needed a change of direction with Facebook experiencing reputational issues and social media platforms facing increased scrutiny over the way they store and use consumer data,” notes Billion Dollar Boy’s East. “But, much like the metaverse, her replacement at the head of the table by an exec team with a very different skillset represents a shift in direction that maybe went too far too fast.”
With Sandberg out of the picture, it fell to investors to warn Zuckerberg about the speed and scale of his switching tracks. Last month Meta shareholder Altimeter Capital issued what East calls “a thinly veiled stab at its metaverse project”, urging the CEO to cut personnel and limit metaverse investment to $5 billion per year. Zuckerberg capitulated and laid off 13 percent of staff, then touted WhatsApp and Messenger as key growth drivers, downplaying the metaverse for the first time.
Again, the extent to which the new venture is to blame for the layoffs is up for debate. East calls the redundancies “an unfortunate consequence of Meta’s over-ambitious metaverse project,” while IDC’s Mainelli argues, “the fact that the cuts seem to be across the organisation seems to suggest that the metaverse investment isn’t a root cause for the action.”
The identity crisis
And Meta is not the only tech giant forced to cut its workforce. In August, Snap laid off 20 percent of employees when its revenues were blighted by Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy, which limits the amount of data that tech companies can gather on iPhone users. The changes have hit all the social media companies’ ad revenues to varying degrees, but where rivals are investing in privacy-centric workarounds, Meta has found its resources allocated elsewhere. “Meta’s obsession with virtual reality has meant it has taken its eye off the ball, and its competitors are stealing a march,” says East.
In actual reality, no one is safe from the effects of economic downturn on digital ad revenues – even fresh-faced juggernaut TikTok has slashed $2 billion from its annual sales target. Combined with $10 billion losses expected as a result of ATT, and another $9.4 billion at metaverse division Reality Labs, 2022 represents a perfect storm for the company formerly known as Facebook.
“Meta, like all companies, is operating in a challenging macro environment,” remarks Mainelli. “I’m not sure it is possible to say how much of the stock price decline is directly related to the metaverse spending. But I do think that shareholders are dramatically more sceptical about the metaverse than Mark Zuckerberg is and they are making that feeling known.”
Zuckerberg’s next steps will determine whether he is more interested in saving Facebook, or simply saving face.


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Our Member of Parliament, Pierre Poilievre, has sponsored a petition asking the Liberal government to release its full analysis of how much the carbon tax is going to cost Canadians. You can read and sign the petition on the Parliament of Canada electronic petition site.
In October 2016, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that in 2018 the federal government will impose a carbon tax of $10/tonne which will increase every year to $50/tonne by 2022. This will increase the cost of almost everything Canadians use including home heating fuel, gasoline and food. It will increase the cost of doing business in Canada including farming, manufacturing, retail and restaurants – and these costs will get passed along to you, the consumer.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has estimated that the carbon tax will cost the average family (2.5 persons/family) more than $2,500 per year.
Taxes like the carbon tax are sometimes called “economic instruments.” They are intended to change the behaviour of consumers. The theory is if it costs more you will use less. But this only goes so far. If what is being taxed is something you really need, your only choice is to pay more.
All Canadians, irrespective of their income, are being stuck with a bigger bill for things they really need. How much? The Liberals are saying we don’t need to know … just pay the bill.
Conservatives believe in transparency. The Mulroney government replaced the hidden Manufacturers Sales Tax with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) so that Canadians would know what they were paying.
Conservatives believe in lower taxes. The Harper government reduced the GST from 7% to 5% leaving more than 500 million dollars in the pockets of Canadians.
Conservatives believe in protecting our children’s future. When the Conservatives left office, the budget was balanced. The federal tax burden was lower than when the Conservatives came to power in 2006. But it is not just about government taxes and spending.
Conservatives believe in environmental policies that will actually improve things for future generations. When prices are already sky high, consumers have already cut back what they use as far as they can.
The environmental benefit of a national carbon tax won’t be measurable from a climate change perspective. It might make some people feel like they are doing something to address what many people believe is a serious global environmental issue. But it won’t change the outcome. It is like throwing money out your window. You will have less but you won’t have anything in return.
Canadians need to know how much a carbon tax is going to cost.


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Gold up in futures trade on global cuesPTI | May 9, 2013, 12.34 PM IST
At the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold for delivery in June rose by Rs 75, or 0.28 per cent, to Rs 27,168 per 10 gm in business turnover of 2,794 lots.
Similarly, the yellow metal for delivery in August traded higher by Rs 66, or 0.24 per cent, to Rs 27,448 per 10 gm in 265 lots.
Analysts said a firming trend in the global markets on signs of rising demand in China and India, mainly led to rise in gold prices at futures trade.
Meanwhile, gold rose 1.50 per cent to USD 1,474.40 an ounce in New York in yesterday's trade.


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Audi Launches Q3-S 2WD At Rs 24.99 Lakh, Booking open
Audi has launched its most affordable offering for the Indian market, the Audi Q3-S at Rs 24.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The new 2 wheel drive (2WD) Audi Q3-S is a trimmed down version of the popular Q3 SUV. The Q3 currently operates in a segment which has the BMW X1, Mercedes’ A-Class, B-Class, Volvo V40, Mini Countryman and the upcoming GLA.
This will be the base variant of Audi Q3 with a 6-speed manual transmission. Its de-tuned 2.0 TDI motor produces 142PS power as opposed to the 180PS, which the standard Q3 makes with the Quattro system.
Audi has started the online booking for the new Audi Q3-S and offering Off-road Style Package for the first 10 online bookings.


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Apple’s stock falls 1.78% after launch of (*15*) 15
Apple Occasion 2023 LIVE Updates: Olivia Rodrigo’s new music video was filmed on (*15*) 15 Professional
Quickly after the Wonderlust occasion ended, Apple introduced that the 20-year-old singer’s new music video for “get him again!” was filmed solely on the (*15*) 15 Professional, to advertise the gadget’s new capabilities for the digicam and video taking pictures.
Apple did one thing related in 2019 when it collaborated with Selena Gomez. The singer’s two newest singles on the time “Lose you to like me” and “Take a look at her now” had been shot on (*15*) 11 Professional. Final yr, director Vishal Bhardwaj additionally partnered with Apple for his brief movie “Fursat” which was shot on (*15*) 14 Professional.


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New Legislation For Apple And Pear Board
Legislation to enable the Apple and Pear industry to reposition itself to respond better to the challenges of the international marketplace was introduced in Parliament this afternoon.
The Apple and Pear Industry Restructuring Bill will enable a set of proposals agreed to between Government and the industry, Food and Fibre Minister John Luxton and Finance Minister Sir William Birch announced today.
The proposals will:
* corporatise the commercial assets of the
board into a company with shares held directly by growers;
allow shares to be tradable among growers only; retain
regulatory controls on exporting of apples and pears;
* establish a separate regulatory body to monitor the company's compliance with special rules on the new company relating to non discrimination, non diversification, information disclosure, arms length rules and other shareholder protections; and separate decisions about licensing from the new company;
* deregulate on-shore activities by moving the point of acquisition to "free alongside ship";
* separate the board's on-shore assets into a separate subsidiary to be operated at arm's length from the new company.
"The Bill will clearly define ownership of the industry with growers and enable them to exercise normal shareholder rights and disciplines.
"The legislation follows that introduced last week for the dairy industry. This package is very different because of the distinct nature of each industry as well as the different stages of their evolution.
"The dairy industry already has clearly defined ownership while the Apple and Pear Marketing Board does not. This Bill remedies that.
"The Apple and Pear industry has responded to Government invitations to consider changing the legislation which covers the Apple and Pear Marketing Board as a means of improving grower incomes. The Bill introduced today is the result of intensive discussions between Government and industry leaders over recent months.
The Board has advised the Government that, following consultation with growers, the overwhelming majority of growers support the proposals.
"The Bill will spend about five weeks in front of a Parliamentary Select Committee to let growers and any other parties make submissions. The Bill will be reported back in early September for enactment this year." "This is an exciting opportunity to make a transition to a new era based on commercial disciplines, innovation and increased wealth for apple growers and the New Zealand economy," the Ministers concluded.


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The first of four virtual segments is ‘Changes in Retail’ on Thursday, January 28.
The distinguished lineup of guest panelists include Marc Brush, principal in the consulting firm Bend LLC and former editor of Nutrition Business Journal.
As the former editor of NBJ, Brush is an expert in the dynamics and history of sports nutrition. Brush will use his background to put the current retail landscape in context and forecast where the category is headed, based on larger trends that are affecting supplements and nutrition.
Currently, Brush provides counsel and market insights for a wide range of brands in nutrition. “From startups to large CPG, from sports to immunity, from e-commerce to personalization, it's all on my client list,” explained Brush.
Like pretty much everyone else, Brush admits he has packages showing up on his doorstep daily. “It's a broad-based shift toward e-commerce to stay out of stores, and the pandemic has stretched on long enough to make these habitual. I expect we'll never go back to shopping as it was. If you know what you want, buy it online. If you want to browse and discover, go to a store.”
Brush will use his skill set and experience as a consumer to take a deep dive into this shift to e-commerce.
“The impact of gym closures during COVID plus the decline of the big box retailers plus market dynamics as the sports category shifts younger, less male, more holistic — all of that fuels online sales and boy, I'm hearing that it's super competitive now,” commented Brush.
With so many businesses' success hanging in the balance, Brush will also lay out strategies to win online.
“Social media has diminishing returns, but it's the only game in town. Smart brands are figuring this out in real time, working their own website base alongside Amazon, adding stickiness with special discounts and promos for their fans. Special SKUs and flavors, beta testing new products,” said Brush. “E-commerce is a young channel with changeable dynamics, but you've got to dive in and try these things now. It takes commitment, because there are so few known answers with lasting value.”
The panel also includes Mike Archbold, CEO at the Council for Inclusive Capitalism and former CEO of GNC, Joshua Schall of J. Schall Consulting, and Steve Hanson, founder and CEO of Nutrasocial.
During the panel segment, attendees will have a chance to ask any burning questions they may have to these prominent voices in the industry.
Additional segments of the retail event will include a fireside chat with moderator Danielle Masterson and Joshua Schall on how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated e-commerce adoption and shifted consumer behavior, as well as a short presentation by Steve Hanson on the retail landscape from a business development, branding and marketing standpoint.
This event is the first of a four-part series, which will take place on a weekly or biweekly basis through February. Other events will take a deep dive into Recovery, the Microbiome as well as Whitespaces in Sports Nutrition, including the female athlete and e-sports opportunities.


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- Who We Serve
Recently the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a new rule restricting the use of arbitration clauses in contracts for all sorts of financial products such as credit cards, payday loans, auto loans and more. Why are arbitration clauses so important? They are typically used to prevent aggreived consumers from banding together in class action lawsuits by requiring them to deal with financial institutions 1:1 in form of an arbitrator. According to a Bloomberg article, its working:
CFPB found that hundreds of millions of contracts include arbitration provisions and that companies have used the clauses to keep fights out of court almost two-thirds of the time. Very few consumers even consider bringing individual actions against financial-service providers in court or in arbitration, the study showed.
As the Bloomberg article also points out, industry groups are already putting up a fight, so who knows what will actually happen with this rule.
None of this should really be news - the law has always leaned mostly in the direction of transparency and fairness when it comes to contracts. But with electronic terms and conditions LITERALLY EVERYWHERE these days, more and more mainstream attention is focusing on these concepts. Saavy businesses (and their legal counsel) need to weigh the risk v. reward of being transparent and fair with their contracts in light of this evolving environment. Which is the worse outcome:
In the past, the decision would rest solely on a businsesses propensity for legal risk. A factor to consider now in the age of omnipresent digital media is the public backlash that can occur when a business is accused of shady contracting processes.
We typically advise our customers to err on the side of transparency (when implementing our platform). Anything else is an uphill battle that eventually they are likely to lose. Frictionless contracting doesn't need to employ shady tactics...its just needs to be strategic.