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Nottingham receives SEC effectiveness for its first mutual fund to ETF conversion

Nottingham

The Nottingham Company, a leading fund administrator and private label issuer to the mutual fund and ETF industry, is pleased to announce completion of the registration process for its first conversion of an open-end mutual fund to an exchange traded fund (ETF). Nottingham affiliated series trust Starboard Investment Trust completed the registration portion of the process recently, with an agreed upon conversion date of May 7 for The Adaptive Growth Opportunities Fund. The Adaptive Growth Opportunities Fund will convert all its assets to the Adaptive Growth Opportunities ETF (AGOX) on May 7th, with public trading of AGOX beginning on Monday May 10. “We are excited to be among the first mutual funds to convert to an ETF”, stated Adaptive CEO Greg Rutherford. “The wealth managers we work with to position our family of funds has been asking for the ETF structure for the past few years, and our plan it is to meet their request by converting our other Adaptive portfolios to ETFs in the coming months”. Kip Meadows, Founder and CEO of Nottingham, indicates Nottingham has had mutual fund conversions to ETFs on its radar for a few years. “We believe there will be a significant number of open-end mutual funds that want to convert to ETFs in the next few years, and we are very pleased to be the first fund administrator and private label issuer with success in this process”. Katherine Honey, President of Nottingham and affiliate ETF RIA OBP Capital added, “We did a lot of work with our outside counsel Greenberg Traurig and independent auditors BBD to make sure we understood the tax implications of a conversion. We feel like we have an excellent template to work with moving forward for more conversions.” About Adaptive Investments Adaptive Investments follows the theories and methodology of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), introduced by Harry Markowitz in the 1950s. The goal of MPT is a relatively simple, static allocation of assets could weather any market environment. To implement the MPT approach to investing, Adaptive Investments is a manager of managers investment platform that strives to deliver adaptive correlation strategies to financial advisors. Adaptive Investment’s solutions attempt to make portfolios more dynamic by systematically turning risk on or off based on market conditions. Adaptive markets its funds and now ETFs primarily to the wealth management and investment advisory community, helping advisors bring MPT to their client base. RCADP0421002 Investors should consider the investment objective, management fees, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing or sending money. The Prospectus and Summary Prospectus contains this and other information about the Fund. For a current Prospectus and/ or Summary Prospectus, call 888-721-4588, visit us at www.adaptiveinv.com or email us at info@adaptiveinv.com. Please read the Prospectus and/or Summary Prospectus carefully before you invest. Current and future holdings are subject to change and risk. An investment in the Adaptive Growth Opportunities Fund is subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of some or the entire principal amount invested. There can be no assurance that the Adaptive Growth Opportunities Fund will be successful in meeting its investment objective. Investment in the Adaptive Growth Opportunities Fund is also subject to the following risks: Common Stock Risk, Control of Portfolio Funds Risk, Equity Securities Risk, Fixed Income Risk, ETF Investing Risk, Fund Investing Risk, Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk, Foreign Securities and Emerging Markets Risk, Investment Advisor Risk, Management Risk, Large-Cap Securities Risk, Market Risk, Portfolio Turnover Risk, Quantitative Model Risk, Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Securities Risk, Cybersecurity Risk, and COVID-19 Risk. The Adaptive Growth Opportunities Fund may invest in foreign securities and emerging markets, and these investments have risks that differ significantly from those associated with domestic securities. More information on these risks can be found in the Adaptive Growth Opportunities Fund’s prospectus. An investment in the Adaptive Growth Opportunities ETF is subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of some or the entire principal amount invested. There can be no assurance that the Adaptive Growth Opportunities ETF will be successful in meeting its investment objective. Investment in the Adaptive Growth Opportunities ETF is also subject to the following risks: Common Stock Risk, Control of Portfolio Funds Risk, Equity Securities Risk, Fixed Income Risk, ETF Investing Risk, Fund Investing Risk, Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk, Foreign Securities and Emerging Markets Risk, Investment Advisor Risk, Management Risk, Large-Cap Securities Risk, Market Risk, Portfolio Turnover Risk, Quantitative Model Risk, Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Securities Risk, Cybersecurity Risk, COVID-19 Risk, Authorized Participant Risk, ETF Structure Risks, and Early Close/Trading Halt Risk. The Adaptive Growth Opportunities Fund may invest in foreign securities and emerging markets, and these investments have risks that differ significantly from those associated with domestic securities. More information on these risks can be found in the Adaptive Growth Opportunities Fund’s prospectus. The Adaptive Funds are distributed by Capital Investment Group, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, 100 E. Six Forks Road, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27609, (800) 773-3863. There is no affiliation between Adaptive Investments, the Investment Advisor to the Fund, and Capital Investment Group, Inc. Since 1988 Nottingham has offered consulting for investment fund organization, and ongoing operations support for mutual funds and ETFs including fund accounting, compliance administration, and transfer agency for those funds. Nottingham offers a full range of turnkey services, managing relationships between clients and all outside vendors and services, including lead market markets and Authorized Participants, prime brokers and custodians, outside legal counsel, independent auditors, custodians, printers, insurance companies and the fund board. Nottingham remains one of the largest privately held fund administration firms in the US operating quite efficiently from eastern North Carolina. Contact Details Lindy Fields +1 252-984-3811 lindy.fields@nottinghamco.com Company Website https://www.ncfunds.com/

April 29, 2021 11:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Velocity Global names veteran global leader Sarah Fern as Chief People Officer

Velocity Global

Velocity Global, the leading provider of global employment solutions, welcomed veteran human resources leader Sarah Fern as its new Chief People Officer. Fern leads the people strategy for Velocity Global’s growing remote-first team of 300 in 16 countries that is expected to double over the next 18 months. Fern applies two decades of experience including leading global remote teams for international brands and high-growth companies. She is responsible for employee engagement and satisfaction, as well as recruiting and career development. Based in London, Fern joins the executive team and reports directly to founder and CEO, Ben Wright. “Sarah oversees the most important asset of our company - our people - and our most important strategy - our culture,” said Wright. “She brings perspective as a previous client and now as leader of our growing team. She steers our global employee experience as we deploy our first capital infusion and integrate the iWorkGlobal team.” Velocity Global announced a $100 million growth investment from FFL Partners and its acquisition of iWorkGlobal earlier this month. The combined company creates the largest Employer of Record (EoR) in 185 countries and all 50 United States. Brands rely on Velocity Global’s expertise and global infrastructure to employ a compliant global workforce without the cost or complexity of setting up their own foreign legal entities or state registrations. As the Employer of Record, Velocity Global manages our clients’ workforce by providing in-country and in-state compliance, payroll, and benefits for the supported employees. Fern joins Velocity Global from the Talent Management software technology space. Most recently she served as Human Resources Director for Saba Software (now part of Cornerstone OnDemand) through several major acquisitions, business integrations, and transformations into a public company. Fern was a client of Velocity Global as Saba Software expanded into Mexico. “I experienced firsthand the ‘People First’ approach from Velocity Global and am privileged to lead the employee experience for this incredible group of professionals,” said Fern. “As businesses leverage global remote workforces like never before, Velocity Global leads by example and delivers an exceptional customer and supported employee experience.” In addition to EoR services, the company offers Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. Its platform combines these elements with a personalized customer experience, best-in-breed technology, and increased scale for companies to grow their remote workforce. Prior to Saba Software, Fern held roles with Honeywell and Mattel. Her biography is available on Velocity Global’s Leadership page. ABOUT VELOCITY GLOBAL Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its platform enables businesses to employ remote teams and expand internationally through global expertise, best-in-breed technology, and scale. More than 700 brands rely on its Employer of Record model and infrastructure, also called an International PEO (Professional Employer Organization), in 185 countries and all 50 United States to compliantly employ thousands of supported employees, access global talent, and grow revenue. Named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall, Velocity Global is a strategic partner to its clients through additional comprehensive services including Immigration, Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. Founded in 2014, the company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with regional headquarters in Amsterdam, Bogotá, and Singapore, with local employees in 16 countries. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 303-204-6131 johnhall@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

April 29, 2021 07:02 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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Sixty-Nine BIPOC-Owned Small Businesses In Washington To Receive Free Computer Equipment and Internet Services or Advertising from Comcast RISE

Comcast Washington

Comcast today announced it will award technology, and, or marketing resources to 69 Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses statewide as a part of the company’s latest round of grants from its Comcast RISE program. These recipients are part of roughly 2,500 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been selected as awardees since the program’s inception in November, including approximately 100 in Washington state. According to a National Bureau of Economic Research study, the number of Black business owners plummeted last year from 1.1 million to 640,000 in four months — a 41% loss. Other communities of color also experienced deep losses, including immigrant (a 36 percent drop), Latinx (32 percent), and Asian (26 percent) business owners. Comcast RISE was formed in 2020 to give BIPOC-owned small businesses the tools needed to not just survive, but thrive. The program provides grants to Black and BIPOC-owned small businesses nationwide, which includes Hispanic and Asian American-owned businesses, among others. Comcast also announced a goal to support 13,000 small businesses by 2022 through the program with a TV campaign, production of a TV commercial or consulting services from Effectv; or computer equipment, internet, voice or cybersecurity from Comcast Business; or a monetary grant. “Our small businesses are incredibly resilient, and have adapted to constant change over the past year. Seattle is a technology hub, however, we quickly realized that some small businesses—many of which are owned by Black, Indigenous and other people of color—did not have the same level of technological infrastructure that other businesses had when it was time to quickly pivot to an online based business model” said Pamela Banks, Interim Director of the Seattle Office of Economic Development, and Director of Recovery and Equitable Investments. “Comcast has been a critical partner for OED, as we have worked together to respond to the digital divide that is impacting our small businesses owned by people of color, immigrants, and refugees. These grants will be a game changer, as we move forward in a world so heavily reliant on technology and marketing capabilities.” Through Comcast RISE, the company creates sustainable impact and meaningful support for communities that have been hit hardest by the global pandemic and the BIPOC-owned small businesses that shape them. More BIPOC-owned small businesses throughout Washington are encourage d to apply now and take advantage of this opportunity Eligible businesses can apply directly online at www.comcastrise.com/apply/. Eligible businesses can apply for the following: Marketing Services: The following services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, and its creative agency, Mnemonic, are designed to help recipients with their marketing and media campaigns, including: Media: A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period. Creative Production: Turnkey 30-second TV commercial production, plus a media strategy consultation and a 90-day linear TV media campaign. Consulting: Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research and creative teams to gain insights on how to drive business. Technology Makeovers: The state-of-the-art equipment and technology upgrade from Comcast Business includes computer equipment as well as internet, voice and cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for tech makeover services.) Monetary Grants: The Comcast RISE Investment Fund will provide $5 million in grants to 500 BIPOC-owned small businesses in five cities: Philadelphia/Chester, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit. Comcast plans to expand that monetary support to other cities across the country over the next year. “Congratulations to all of the grant recipients across our state today. Comcast Business is dedicated to lifting up businesses and providing a human touch that offers them the support they need, and we are truly proud to be able to support these owners through Comcast RISE,” said Robert Brenner, VP of Comcast Business in Washington. “We have now been able to offer 100 grants to businesses across our state since we launched this program in November, and we’ve seen firsthand how marketing and technology resources can have a true impact on owners and help them bounce forward into 2021.” Quotes from Comcast RISE Winners Across the Puget Sound Region “It was a pleasant surprise to be chosen as one of the first Comcast RISE winners in Washington! Comcast gave Your Money Matters Mentoring technology and equipment that will be a tremendous help for our organization. Being a nonprofit mentorship program for youth this support helped us tremendously as we have had to go digital to continue to provide our financial training programs. The work we do in the community is about empowering youth, particularly young people from communities of color, by helping them understand how to set themselves up for a better financial future. Change can’t come for our underserved youth and for minority-owned businesses without people and organizations in our community coming together to support one another. It is great to see a big public company like Comcast helping in this effort, and we are grateful for their support.” – Clinton Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Your Money Matter Mentoring in Auburn “When COVID-19 hit, I found myself starting over. I made the tough decision to close a consulting business I had led for 20 years. But challenges like this bring new beginnings, and I set out to create a new business over the last year that combines my Latinx roots and my passion for creating something that our community loves. I'm honored to share Komadre Kombucha with friends and neighbors in Tacoma. It has been a fantastic journey, and community partnerships and support from organizations like Comcast have helped turn this dream into a reality. We are excited to open our doors this year, and I know that the technology resources from Comcast will help us serve the community con sabor (with flavor).” – Julie Davidson, Owner-Operator of Komadre Kombucha in Tacoma “As a Black-owned business, we are honored to be selected by Comcast to receive this award. We plan to use this award to continue providing world-class service at our client-focused firm.” –KD Hall, the CEO and Principal Consultant at KD Hall Communications in Federal Way. “COVID continues to make it difficult for our staff to meet with each other and clients in-person, so technology is essential to help us get work our done and keep everyone collaborating from afar. “We greatly value our clients and the technology makeover from the Comcast Rise program will help us be able to communicate with them and each other better than ever. And that’s good for business.” – Janelle Bailey, owner of Washington Injury Law in Seattle. "Blessings is so grateful to be a recipient of the Comcast Business Grant! This grant provided exactly what Blessings needed and just in the nick of time!" – Delphia Brewton, Blessings From My Heart to your Table in Tukwila Comcast RISE also invests in ongoing mentorship and resources to help businesses succeed over the long-term. The program has partnered with Ureeka, an online platform for entrepreneurs, to provide grant recipients with business coaching to help build skills in company foundation, growing customers and financial stability. All Comcast RISE recipients will also have a specialized online networking community within Ureeka with access to educational resources, sources of capital, and vetted experts such as U.S. Black Chambers, National Asian Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Walker’s Legacy and Operation Hope. A key part of Comcast RISE is ensuring business sustainability. As such, Comcast has already invested more than $2 million in more than 20 community-based organizations and diverse chambers of commerce to provide additional support to BIPOC-owned small businesses. About Comcast Business About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866- 429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. About Effectv Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps local, regional and national advertisers use the best of digital with the power of TV to grow their business. It provides multi-screen marketing solutions to make advertising campaigns more effective and easier to execute. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in 66 markets with nearly 30 million households with video service. For more information, visit www.effectv.com. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Nick McDonald +1 425-977-5565 Nick_McDonald@Comcast.com Comcast Andy Colley +14252485438 Andy_Colley@Comcast.com

April 27, 2021 06:03 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Make Mother’s Day Personal with Shutterfly

YourUpdateTV

After a year like no other, no one deserves to be celebrated quite like mom. Whether for a new mom, grand-mom, pet mom or plant mom, the best way to celebrate the mom in your life is to give something unique and personalized. In fact, a recent survey conducted by Shutterfly revealed that when talking to consumers about personalized gifts more than 85% believe that giving a personalized gift is more meaningful and almost one-third do so to connect with others. A personalized gift is a great way to share all of the moments- both big and small that were missed with family or friends this past year. Jim Hilt, President of Shutterfly Inc. conducted a nationwide media tour in conjunction with YourUpdate Tv to share his recommendations for the best ways to honor and celebrate mom (or any special person) this Mother’s Day. Here are some of the favorites perfect for any mom: Photo Tiles: (From $14.99) Transform your most memorable photos or best “mom quotes” into works of art with lightweight, portable photo tiles. The high-quality metal tiles are hung with a double-sided adhesive, which means no tools, nails or hooks required. Customized Blanket: (From $34.99) Wrap your mom or someone special in cozy fleece. Personalize with your favorite photos, names, or quote for a one- of-a-kind blanket and share a “hug” even if you’re still physically apart this year. Breakfast plates: ($ 9.99) Serve mom breakfast in bed on a plate that’s uniquely to her. Just add your favorite photos or words to add personalization to these ready-made designs. Photo Books: (From $9.99) Remember all the moments of the last year that are hard to forget with a personalized photo book. Available in a multitude of styles and sizes, this is a perfect gift for moms who haven’t seen their loved ones in quarantine. Drinkware: (From $8.50) From coffee to wine, mom can sip from the cup of her choice and indulge in that all-too-important “me time.” Personalized Jewelry: (From $41.99) Custom jewelry designed by you is a unique gift for anyone on your list. From bar necklaces to charm bracelets and key rings, these one-of-a-kind pieces of customized jewelry will be treasured forever. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

April 23, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Embracing Diversity in Haircare

YourUpdateTV

Diversity in haircare is a lot more than just putting someone with curly hair in a campaign. It's about understanding what that hair really needs to look its best and making sure those needs are met. Recently, Matrix Artistic Director and Ulta Senior Vice President, Store & Services Operations, Nick Stenson, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a satellite media tour to discuss the importance of brands embracing diversity in haircare and some popular new trends and products. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/wHiK92Bzu1s Haircare giant Matrix is rebranding, and a major part of its overhaul is making serious moves to address the fact that the country is getting increasingly more diverse. With more and more people embracing their natural hair textures, it's crucial for haircare brands to make sure that everyone's hair-care needs are served. Enter the "Hair Diversity Matrix”. The system, created in collaboration with internal labs, hairstylists, and the brand's education community, consists of four key dimensions: level, underlying pigment, diameter, and pattern. The Hair Diversity Matrix ensures that all products and education materials are developed to address the needs of every hair type. Nick’s favorite new product? The Unbreak My Blonde Collection. Now salon clients can take home an effective survival kit, designed to strengthen, nourish, and revive lightened, bleached, colored and chemically-treated hair after they leave the salon. The new MATRIX Total Results Unbreak My Blonde three-part system leaves hair 3x stronger after lightening, highlights or any in-salon chemical service and works for all hair types and textures. The innovative, sulfate-free formulas feature citric acid, which reinforces the structural bonds that are often compromised by hair color, bleach, and texturizing chemicals. For more information, visit Matrix.com About Nick Stenson: As an international beauty expert and celebrity stylist, Nick Stenson advises a wide range of celebrity clients, film directors, theatre touring companies, network news programs and the elite of New York’s Fashion Week. He routinely flexes his fashion muscle to establish an ever-changing vogue in beauty trend innovation for both hair and skin. As the Chief Artistic Director for ULTA Beauty, Nick has the privilege of setting the course for salon and services direction through trend development, as well as for training and advising stylists at over 950 salons and stores across the country. As the Chief Artistic Director for ULTA Beauty, Nick has the privilege of setting the course for salon and services direction through trend development, as well as for training and advising stylists at over 950 salons and stores across the country. As Artistic Director and celebrity stylist for Matrix, a L'OREAL brand, Nick serves as a platform artist and spokesperson to some of the world’s best stylists at national venues such as Matrix Imagination, Destination Premiere, America’s Beauty Show and other industry trade shows. About Matrix: MATRIX, the leading professional haircare and haircolor company in the United States, is part of L’Oréal USA's Professional Products Division. Founded in 1980, MATRIX is committed to the development of the salon professional and offers a wide range of products including: COLORGRAPHICS, COLORINSIDER, SOCOLORSync, Logics, Oil Wonders, SOBOOST, SOCOLOR, Style Link, and Total Results (MATRIX professional products are available only in salons and can be guaranteed authentic when purchased from authorized retailers.) Visit Matrix.com for hairstyle and haircolor inspiration as well as MATRIX trends and tips! About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

April 23, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Your Next Beer Might Be Powered by the Sun: Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold announces it is now brewed with 100% renewable electricity from solar power

YourUpdateTV

Is it possible to save the planet one beer at a time? Just in time for Earth Day, Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold, the first nationally available USDA certified organic lager, is marking a major sustainability milestone by announcing that it will be the first beer within the Anheuser-Busch U.S. portfolio to be brewed with 100% renewable electricity from solar power. You are probably asking yourself, how is this even possible? Anheuser-Busch has purchased more than enough solar renewable electricity to power the brewing process of Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold in the U.S. - from the moment the organic barley reaches the brewery through the fermentation of its delicious USDA certified organic beer. By brewing Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold beer with 100% solar electricity, they are offsetting more than 2,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide. To celebrate this sustainability milestone, Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold collaborated with Latin music superstar Maluma on a new anthem song featuring the biggest star in our solar system: the sun itself. As a long-time partner of Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold with a shared passion for nature and sustainability, Maluma was inspired by the solar electricity announcement and incorporated the sounds of the sun throughout the track. The anthem is titled “Rumba (Puro Oro Anthem)” and is now available on Spotify and across all major streaming platforms. Today, as the morning sun rises, fans can head to Maluma’s YouTube channel to tune into the world premiere of the “Rumba (Puro Oro Anthem)” film. Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold and Maluma will also be giving away Limited Edition “Rumba (Puro Oro Anthem)” gold vinyl records to fans 21 and older. Follow @MichelobULTRA and @Maluma on social media for more information on how to win one. All this and more were discussed by Ricardo Marques, VP of Marketing, Michelob ULTRA, during a nationwide media tour in conjunction with YourUpdate TV. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

April 22, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Inovo catalyses global investors as it closes new fund on €54m, to scale Polish startups

Inovo

Inovo, the venture capital fund investing in technology startups across Poland and Central & Eastern European region (CEE), has today announced the final close of its second fund, Inovo II, at €54m. A range of global funds, entrepreneurs and family offices joined the European Investment Fund (EIF) as the cornerstone investor. Inovo specialises in identifying disruptive tech startups and supporting their development and growth through participation in early-stage, post-traction seed and Series A funding. Having a diverse range of LPs in the fund will enable portfolio companies to secure global funding as they scale and expand abroad. The new fund has already committed funding to several investment opportunities with leading international investors, including European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Andreessen Horowitz, Hoxton Ventures and Point Nine Capital. Notable investments include: Spacelift, Infermedica, Jutro Medical, AI Clearing, Zowie, Preply, Packhelp, Intiaro, Tidio, Allset and Eyerim. This fundraise follows the success of Inovo I which generated 3.2x return on investments from a portfolio of 15 high-growth tech startups, most of which have since been sold profitably, two have IPO’d, and three top-performing remain in the portfolio. One of the remaining investments is Booksy, the marketplace for beauty services where Inovo invested at the Seed stage. Now the company is one of the world’s top 100 marketplaces with 10 million app downloads and raised $70m in a Series C round (led by CatRock). Booksy is widely considered to become one of the first unicorn startups (those that have a valuation of $1b) from Poland. Tomasz Swieboda, Managing Partner at Inovo commented: “The tech ecosystem in the CEE region is growing at an exceptional pace. In Poland the growth rate is 70% year-on-year. In 2020, almost €500m in venture capital was deployed to 300 companies, which will almost certainly grow this year. It is our expectation that this decade will produce 10 unicorns and a few decacorns from Poland.” With the launch of its second fund, Inovo is aiming to cement its reputation as one of the leading early stage investors in Poland and the CEE region, while helping enterprising startups realize their potential, paving the way for later-stage funding from international VCs. “With 38 million people, Poland is a large market itself. Last year we've seen IPOs of two tech companies valued at over $1bn and focused on the domestic market - Allegro and InPost. Market size is both an advantage and an obstacle, resulting in Polish ecosystem being not very well connected to the West. At Inovo we strive to change that. We are perfectly placed to act as a catalyst to accommodate the new wave of ambitious local founders who want to follow in the footsteps of Booksy, Brainly and Docplanner and target global markets. Through our collaborative approach and international network we can help bridge them to larger investors ” added Tomasz Swieboda. Stefan Batory, Cofounder & CEO at Booksy commented: “The growth of the Polish startup ecosystem will accelerate after seeing success stories, proving that it’s possible to build global businesses out of the CEE region. I am certain that Booksy will serve as one such example, and then many will follow in our footsteps. However, for this to happen, startups need access to VCs like Inovo, which will provide not only capital, but also guidance and international connections for businesses to scale rapidly.” About Inovo Inovo is a venture capital fund investing in rapidly growing tech companies at Seed / Series A across Poland and the Central and Eastern Europe region (CEE). We back early-stage, post-traction startups with up to €3M of initial investment, and help them build global brands, while driving growth of the local startup ecosystem. We take great pride in being close to top founders who think big. We’re investors in: Booksy, Restaumatic, Sotrender, Infermedica, Spacelift, Tidio, AI Clearing, Zowie, Jutro Medical, Intiaro, Packhelp, Preply, Eyerim, Allset. Contact Details Inovo Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://inovo.vc/

April 22, 2021 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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NAMEPA’s Maritime Sustainability Program Receives Global Recognition

North American Marine Environment Protection Association

Green4Sea has announced that the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) has won the 2021 Green4Sea Initiative Award for its CSR/ESG (Corporate Social Responsibility/Environment, Social and Governance) Maritime Sustainability Program. The Green4Sea award is given to an organization that has sparked, realized, or significantly contributed with a specific initiative towards greener shipping. NAMEPA is extremely proud of its contribution to the maritime industry with its CSR/ESG Program being the first known standards program of its kind developed especially for the maritime industry. Successful participants of NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG Program receive the Maritime Sustainability Passport and MSP Seal, signifying a participant has met, or exceeded benchmarks set by the program. The program encompasses the three strategies of CSR/ESG: environment, corporate governance, environment and the human element. “After reviewing the global maritime landscape, and verifying with The Governance and Accountability Institute, we have learned that NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG is the only ESG accreditation standard for maritime,” stated Carleen Lynden Walker, NAMEPA’s Co-Founder and Executive Director. “We are honored that we can provide this opportunity for the industry to be credibly recognized for its high standards on these measures which are important to the public as well as investors in shipping and the industry at large.” The first companies to qualify for NAMEPA’s Maritime Sustainability Passport were Cargill, The American Club and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). These three exemplary companies successfully completed all three phases of the program, including supplying supporting documentation for their claims. Their submissions were then evaluated by a team of independent assessors to determine whether they met the criteria of the CSR/ESG Program and were eligible to receive NAMEPA’s MSP Certificate and Seal. Cargill, The American Club and MSC successfully demonstrated to the assessors their qualifications to receive the Maritime Sustainability Passport, and have proven their dedication and continuing efforts to Save Our Seas. “The maritime industry is rapidly recognizing the importance of demonstrating its commitment to sustainability” stated NAMEPA Chairman Joe Hughes, CEO and President of the Shipowners Claims Bureau. “NAMEPA identified the need to provide the industry with a standard guideline of expectations relating to a company’s efforts in CSR/ESG. We are pleased to provide this tool for the industry to support its efforts towards sustainability.” To learn more about NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG Program, visit NAMEPA's CSR/ESG Maritime Sustainability Program - NAMEPA or email CSR-ESGProgram@nameapa.net with any relevant questions. The program is offered to NAMEPA members at no cost to qualify for the Maritime Sustainability Passport and receive the MSP seal. Non-members are welcome to apply to participate at a cost of $2000 or become NAMEPA members and have the fee waived. To protect the proprietary information of the qualifying companies, NAMEPA offers a non-disclosure agreement. The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) was officially launched in 2007. NAMEPA is a marine industry-led organization of environmental stewards preserving the marine environment by promoting sustainable marine industry best practices and educating seafarers, students and the public about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean, lake and river resources. For more information, go to www.namepa.net. Contact Details NAMEPA Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-255-4686 executivedirector@namepa.net Company Website https://namepa.net/

April 21, 2021 12:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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DynAdmic’s semantic analytics lead contextual targeting to overtake the power of cookies

DynAdmic

As we watch the automated cookie age disappearing there isn’t a CMO who is not already planning for a “cookieless future,” with an eye for innovating what has previously been an arm’s length approach to ad placement. Whilst there remain a limited number of solutions that have a like for like replacement to the third-party cookie, we are seeing the leading media platform players innovating at speed to drive renewed power of contextual placement media. These teams, such as the global leader DynAdmic, believe that a shift away from cookies shouldn’t mean that the brands can no longer target their consumers in relevant and powerfully resonant occasions, and they are proving that the change may result in improved consumer attention. When asking CEO & founder of DynAdmic, a global leader in contextual media innovation, Stephane Bonjean, why their clients are choosing this approach to placement he offers that “our clients have seen contextual targeting yield increase attention at lower media costs as well drive greater brand impact and longer viewership and completion rates.” Contextual placement today bares very little resemblance to what we once knew. Whilst it used to simply mean placing ads adjacent to relevant content or searching for keywords, today the granular sophistication of the systems behind the contextual placements offers benefits in behavioral targeting that drill deep into the content that consumers are actively looking for. Content that is interest and mindset based. Fueled by AI and with the power to analyse billions of placements for relevance and connection every day, advertisers now have the opportunity to do far more than place their ad on a site and hope for results. “The ability to place branded content and ads exactly where consumers want to see them has a hugely effective impact on viewership and engagement and provides many of the efficiencies of personalised messaging delivery” continues Bonjean. Where this really gets interesting is when you begin to layer the sophistication of semantic recognition technology, such as that at DynAdmic, which allow videos to be placed within fine-tuned verbal and audio environments for direct relevance. DynAdmic’s intelligent systems leverage the power of semantic algorithms and analytics in media placement to allow for both nuance and scale by ensuring placement specificity across a wide global network allowing for significantly improved impact on sales, ROI and purchase intention. Many platforms have lagged in this space but DynAdmic has been a leader in this space since 2012, honing their intelligence and accuracy ever since. Their proprietary audio-recognition technology has been enabling their clients to analyse across formats by listening live to content, spoken voice and sound effects to overhaul the accuracy and response to advertising. The sophisticated approaches available can also allow marketers to specifically nominate environments which they want to include, and, importantly, the ones they want to exclude for safety reasons such as environments sharing hate speech, violence, hyper politicalism, racism, toxicity or stereotyping. It’s no surprise today that finding credible, trusted media partners is critical to all advertisers. “Our team at DynAdmic are reassuring the efficacy of the future of video placement and contextual efficiency because we believe that the path forward is not simply in first-party data, but in a refocusing on the brand and the media experience to meet the demands of the consumer where they are. This has to be in real-time and against consumer’s real interest sets” Bonjean closes. Find out more at http://us.dynadmic.com/ or directly with Lara Krumholz, Global VP Partnerships https://www.linkedin.com/in/larakrumholz?originalSubdomain=br DynAdmic curates digital video advertising inventory from the world’s leading websites by utilizing smart semantic targeting and activating brand safety and fraud security, while focusing on campaign performance metrics. They connect world-class advertisers with qualified audiences across Youtube, apps and the largest publishers reaching more than 450MM viewers globally and targeting viewers in real-time based on what they are about to watch by using their proprietary AI audio recognition technology. Their exclusive demand platform scans 20,000 pages per minute and scores every page according to brand safety, contextual relevance and qualified audience parameters. By leveraging a superior and owned code, the DynAdmic team can identify and target viewers’ real-time interest and prospective consumers from their audience catalogue in 60 languages across the world with a fraud rate of less than 1% according to Moat. DynAdmic is the only certified Google partner that connects the online with offline world with TV Sync, and has a 96% context relevance score as well as third-party verification from IAS. DynAdmic partners with the leading brands, agencies and publishers and is comprised of 130 people in 7 countries. Contact Details DynAdmic Corp. Lara Krumholz +55 11 94135-2008 lara@dynadmic.com Lara Krumholz +13477467971 Company Website http://us.dynadmic.com/

April 21, 2021 08:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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DynAdmic’s semantic analytics lead contextual targeting to overtake the power of cookies