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American Kratom Association (AKA) will host a special press conference to address the recent FDA warning letters targeting 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products. The event will feature the AKA’s official response, expert commentary on public safety implications, and details of the industry's commitment to consumer protection. Dr. Chris McCurdy of the University of Florida, an internationally recognized expert on kratom, will be attending and available to the media.

The AKA has issued a national consumer alert on the action.

Following the press conference, media are invited to attend a highly anticipated live debate and policy presentation titled: "The 7-OH Fault Line: Can the Industry Find Common Ground?"

This critical session will feature representatives from the American Kratom Association and the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust (HART)—an organization that supports 7-OH product access—engaging in a robust discussion on science, safety, and regulatory futures.

Visit here to register or submit a question beforehand.

Press Conference Details

• Date: Friday, July 25, 2025
• Time: 10:00 a.m. PT
• Location: Chairman Room – 2nd Floor, Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel (3400 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89169)

"The 7-OH Fault Line" Debate Details

• Date: Friday, July 25, 2025
• Time: 3:00 p.m. PT
• Location: Room 221, Las Vegas Convention Center (3150 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Why It Matters

This is a pivotal moment for the kratom industry and public health regulation. As federal action intensifies, the future of kratom—and the distinction between mitragynine and 7-OH products—is on the line. Media will have direct access to the facts, major players, and contrasting perspectives shaping this critical debate.

Who Should Attend

Local and national press, health reporters, regulatory affairs journalists, and industry media outlets covering FDA policy, herbal supplements, consumer safety, and alternative health products. 

About American Kratom Association (AKA)

American Kratom Association (AKA) is a consumer-based, nonprofit organization, focused on furthering the latest science as guidance for kratom public policy. AKA works to give a voice to millions of Americans by fighting to protect their rights to access safe and natural kratom. For more information, visit americankratom.org and learn more at kratomanswers.org.

Media Contact

Mac Haddow
press@americankratom.org

Taylor Farms, North America’s premier provider of ready-to-enjoy salads and healthy fresh foods, proudly announces the awarding of over $650,000 in scholarships through its enhanced annual scholarship program. Taylor Farms awards students in three distinct categories: the Extraordinary Scholarship, the Innovative Scholarship, and the Employee Scholarship.

A total of 38 new scholarships have been awarded for 2025:

• The Extraordinary Scholarship supports students pursuing degrees at four-year universities. This year, 26 exceptional students were honored in this category.
• The Innovative Scholarship is designed to encourage academic and career development at junior colleges and trade schools, with 9 promising students recognized this year.
• The Employee Scholarship now provides direct support to 3 dedicated Taylor Farms team members who are advancing their own education and development goals.

Since launching the program in 2008, Taylor Farms has awarded $4.7 million in scholarships to 319 students, all children of full-time Taylor Farms employees. The company remains deeply committed to education and believes in empowering its community through opportunity and learning.

“We are honored to continue to support our team members and their families in their educational journeys,” said Bruce Taylor, chairman and CEO of Taylor Farms. “By investing in education and the academic aspirations of our communities, we are building the foundation for continuous opportunity. Congratulations to this year’s winners.”

Taylor Farms partners with the Community Foundation for Monterey County to administer the application and award process. Scholarship recipients receive an upfront financial award and are eligible for annual renewals for the duration of their undergraduate or graduate studies. In addition to the 2025 new recipients, 81 renewal scholarships were granted to students who originally received their awards between 2022 and 2024.

“Every year we have an incredible group of applicants, and this year was no exception with close to 100 submissions received. The dedication and pursuit of higher education is apparent in the essays and personal statements we reviewed. Our committee spent hours combing through every application and feel that this year’s recipients are incredibly exceptional with bright futures ahead of them. We are honored to share in this academic milestone and look forward to hearing their stories in the future,” added Retail Scholarship Committee Chair, Charis Neves.

About Taylor Farms

Taylor Farms is the leading North American producer of salads and healthy fresh foods with production facilities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Taylor Farms is grounded in a commitment to quality, assured supply, innovation, sustainability, and food safety. Taylor Farms is family owned and based in "The Salad Bowl of the World," Salinas, California. For  more information, delicious recipes, and more, visit www.taylorfarms.com and follow Taylor Farms on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Media Contact

Taylor Farms
hello@taylorfarms.com

Flowable, a premier enterprise digital transformation platform, has unveiled its Summer 2025 update, introducing a sophisticated agent model and a new agent engine that elevates agentic AI to a primary role alongside BPMN and CMMN automation engines. This update, released on July 22, 2025, is a game-changer in integrating AI into business workflows for enhanced efficiency, coordination, and scalability.

AI Agents as Core Components of Flowable

The summer 2025 release makes agentic AI a central element of the Flowable platform. Businesses can now create, orchestrate, and manage AI agents using the same powerful tools they rely on for BPMN and CMMN workflows, providing a unified environment for advanced enterprise process automation.

This new release offers enterprises the opportunity to scale AI adoption and integration, unlocking new levels of productivity and business process optimization.

Key Features of Flowable’s New AI Agents

The update includes a range of new features designed to optimize business processes and enhance automation:

• Flexible Agent Creation: Users can create AI agents of varying complexity, to work with simple tasks or complex workflows, directly within the Flowable platform.
• External AI Integration: Flowable integrates with external AI services, such as AWS Bedrock, Azure Foundry, and Salesforce Agentforce, enabling businesses to extend their automation capabilities.
• Multi-Agent Collaboration: The platform supports complex workflows with multiple AI agents working together across internally configured and external systems for efficient automation.
• AI-Powered Case Management: The new “AI button” in Flowable’s case automation links cases to AI models, enabling real-time summaries, question answering, actionable suggestions, and autonomous customer communication and task completion.

AI Agent Autonomy: Adaptive Decision-Making

Flowable’s new AI agents offer dynamic autonomy, meaning they can adapt their level of decision-making based on the nature of the task at hand. In unpredictable, organic scenarios, agents provide AI-powered assistance. For more structured, well-defined processes, they revert to deterministic solutions, ensuring businesses can handle both structured workflows and complex, evolving situations effectively.

Document and Data Processing with AI

A key feature of this update is the Document Agent Type, which automates the processing of unstructured documents. This agent classifies documents, such as invoices, passports, and contracts, extracting relevant information and significantly reducing manual data entry, thereby improving efficiency and reducing errors in document-heavy workflows.

AI-Driven Contextual Assistance

The Orchestrator Agent Type provides businesses with an intelligent assistant to manage cases and workflows. It offers capabilities such as:

• Summarizing case details and providing task overviews.
• Triggering actions based on user interactions or document uploads, such as initiating an "invoice intent analysis" after an invoice is uploaded.
• Suggesting or automating steps in workflows based on case events, like starting a "customer escalation" if a customer expresses frustration.

These features enhance case management by improving both responsiveness and decision-making.

A Suite of AI Agents for Every Business Need

The Flowable 2025.1 release introduces four powerful types of AI agents, each designed to address specific business needs:

• Utility Agent: Automates tasks like data enrichment, sentiment analysis, and classification.
• Document Agent: Extracts and processes data from unstructured documents such as invoices, contracts, and other records.
• Knowledge Agent: Provides contextual answers by tapping into internal knowledge bases, FAQs, or documentation.
• Orchestrator Agent: Coordinates and manages other agents or tasks based on dynamic inputs, rules, or goals.

Empowering Enterprises with Intelligent Automation

Flowable’s latest release enables enterprises to seamlessly integrate agentic AI into their workflows, unlocking new levels of automation and intelligence. By leveraging agentic AI, organizations can enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and drive digital transformation. 

With this next generation of AI-powered automation, businesses are poised to lead the future of intelligent business processes.

About Flowable

Flowable is a leader in digital transformation, offering a unified platform for business process management (BPM), business process automation (BPA), case management, and AI-powered automation. Flowable helps organizations streamline operations, improve decision-making, and drive innovation at scale, supporting businesses in their digital transformation journey. Learn more at www.flowable.com or contact us at marketing@flowable.com.

Media Contact

Violet Diamanti-Race 
violet.diamanti@flowable.com
+41 31 329 09 00

Trips, the leading pioneer in IP tokenization, announced today that it has acquired Mentaport, the leading provider of cutting edge IP watermarking and agentic AI tracking. Together, the two companies will unite under a new name, KINETK, serving IP holders across the entire spectrum of media, from individual creators to global IP enterprises. As part of the transaction, Mariale Montenegro, CEO and co-founder of Mentaport, will be joining KINETK as CTO and co-founder.

KINETK brings together two first movers in IP infrastructure, establishing the next generation of IP rights and fixing the current content data model. Today, IP is everywhere, driving consumption behaviors across the global digital economy. KINETK embraces a bigger, more interconnected vision: a future where every piece of content carries its own signature, where IP holders have full transparency into their reach, their rights, and their value wherever their content goes and is consumed.

“From the very beginning, our mission has been to reshape the way creative work is protected, tracked, and valued in the digital world,” said Michael Finkelstein, CEO and co-founder of KINETK. “We’ve always believed that IP holders deserve cutting edge infrastructure to not only defend their work, but also amplify their impact. Today, we’re taking a bold step forward in that journey. I am beyond thrilled to partner with Mariale and her entire team in bringing this to life.”

“KINETK captures the core of what we started at Mentaport; a dynamic network powered by invisible watermarking, real-time tracking, and creator-first intelligence,” said Mariale Montenegro, CTO and co-founder of KINETK. “Every post. Every platform. Every time that content moves, KINETK moves with it. I couldn’t be happier to partner with Michael and his team in seeing the initial Mentaport vision come to life.”

About KINETK

KINETK is a first of its kind platform providing anyone with the unprecedented ability to safeguard, track, and control where their content goes, and how it is used. The next generation of IP holders require a robust and transparent system to manage their IP in real-time, across platforms, and without friction. Through the combination of proprietary invisible watermarking, agentic AI detection and tracking, and on-chain registration, KINETK is providing the infrastructure that will underpin the future data models of the digital landscape. Real IP. Real protection. Real speed.

For more information, visit www.kinetk.ai.

Media Contact

Karsen Daily
karsen@kinetk.ai

The murder of Daniel Langlois in December 2023 immediately gained international press and put a spotlight on the tiny island nation of Dominica, but the microscope that followed has also brought to light a lot more — state corruption, police interference and a concern that the nation has no judicial integrity. At the heart of the case is U.S. citizen, Jonathan Lehrer, that has been held in jail, without trial or the ability to speak to media, since December 2023.

Initially, the lead investigator, ACP Jeffrey James, went on TV multiple times to assure the citizens of Dominica that the police and his investitive prowess led to the arrest of Jonathan Lehrer with ample evidence to easily close the case. As we now hit 18 months since those televised press conferences, why do we find Jonathan Lehrer still in jail and no trial date yet set? The easy answer is that the entire case has fell apart and the system has highlighted that ACP Jeffrey James has lied to the courts at almost every stage of the investigation to date (as stated by Justice Colin Williams in his official bail ruling, Sec 92-103).

Outline of concerning activity from official court proceedings:

• ACP Jeffrey James told the courts in February 2024, “and from my own investigations and personal knowledge that there is a strong Prima Facie case against the applicant including and not limited to direct eye witness evidence, circumstantial evidence, and scientific evidence.” This statement was used to keep Lehrer from gaining bail. In official hearing, Justice Williams determined every point of this statement to be a direct lie, meaning that the prosecution has no eyewitnesses or scientific evidence of any kind.
• In multiple hearings, ACP James and the prosecution called for a delay of the bail hearing because they were waiting for ballistic reports on a bullet found at the scene. ACP James stated they were still waiting on the report as early as April 2024, then again in July 2024 and September 2024. Finally in September 2024, Justice Williams was able to determine that ACP James and the prosecution had received multiple ballistic reports, with the second one being received in July 2024. All of the existing reports showed negative results to Lehrer and his legally registered firearm, helping to show Lehrer’s innocence. All this again highlighted the propensity of ACP James and the prosecution to lie directly under oath in order to delay a bail ruling and continue attempts to potentially edit, alter or change the results of the report.
• ACP James, under oath, declared that Lehrer had a Glock firearm with a 15-round capacity magazine. When Lehrer was arrested, ACP James noted that the 15-round magazine was missing five rounds, which matched the number of found bullets at the scene. When the firearm was brought to the courts, it was easily shown to be a 10-round magazine, not a 15-round and that ACP James had fabricated the connection to the five bullets found at the scene.
• In November 2024, Lehrer was finally granted bail due to lack of evidence and was close to be released. Three days later, ACP James and the prosecution filed an application to revoke bail based on “new investigative evidence” that showed Lehrer would be an immediate flight risk. When pressed by Justice Williams, ACP James was unable to present any factual evidence to support his new claims and Lehrer’s bail was upheld.
• In January 2025, just days away from being released on bail, ACP James filed a new charge of firearms trafficking against Lehrer based on a single firearm magazine found during the initial December 2023 search of Lehrer’s residence. According to international law and the Dominican constitution, a single magazine cannot be cause for a firearms trafficking conviction, so the state and prosecution is once again using corrupt tactics to unjustly interfere with the judicial process and Lehrer is paying the price.

The unfolding case of Jonathan Lehrer has moved far beyond questions of guilt or innocence — it now stands as a damning indictment of Dominica’s justice system. From knowingly false statements under oath by lead investigator ACP Jeffrey James to deliberate withholding and misrepresentation of evidence, the record of court proceedings paints a disturbing picture of systemic misconduct. Despite repeated rulings by Justice Williams exposing these deceptions, Lehrer remains imprisoned without trial, raising urgent concerns not only about prosecutorial abuse, but about the very legitimacy of the judicial process in Dominica. As international scrutiny intensifies, the Lehrer case may well become a defining test of whether Dominica is prepared to uphold the rule of law — or continue down a path of institutional corruption and authoritarian control.

Jonathan Lehrer is represented by Pilgrim & Associates.

About KCT Chambers

KCT Chambers is a law chambers located in Bridgetown, Barbados. It was established out of a desire to help individuals and entities capitalize on opportunities, enforce rights, resolve existing challenges and preempt future ones. We believe in practical and legally grounded solutions and are guided by the core principles of accessibility, integrity and diligence. In order to achieve these objectives we apply a progressive, responsive and client-centred approach which is built upon detailed analysis of legal rights and obligations and the provision of clear, timely and consistent advice. For more information, visit kctchambers.com.

About Andrew O. G. Pilgrim Q.C.

Mr. Pilgrim is the founder of Pilgrim & Associates, the largest law chambers in Barbados to have a focus on criminal litigation. With over 25 years in practice, he is renowned throughout Barbados and the English-speaking Caribbean for his passionate and inspired representation of his clients. He has leveraged his wealth of knowledge and exceptional oratorical and analytical skills in a plethora of cases which have led to landmark decisions of the Court of Appeal of Barbados and the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Media Contact

Nicolia Wiles
nwiles@prime-techpr.com

Hurun Research Institute recently released the Global Unicorn Index 2025, a ranking of the world’s unicorns, defined as startups founded in the 2000s, worth at least $1 billion in U.S. dollars and not yet listed on a public exchange. The cut-off date was January 1, 2025, with significant changes in valuation updated up to the date of release. Hurun Research has been tracking unicorns since 2017. This is the seventh year of the Global Unicorn Index.

This report includes the Most Successful Unicorn Investors in the World 2025, a ranking of the investment houses that have invested in the most unicorns.

Hurun Research found 1,523 unicorns in the world, based in 52 countries and 307 cities. 359 unicorns saw their valuations rise, of which 203 were new faces. 143 saw their valuations drop, of which 52 were ‘demoted’ as their valuation no longer met at least $1 billion. 64 were ‘promoted’ out of the list, of which 34 went IPO and 30 were acquired. 1,073 saw no change to their valuations. Their total value was $5.6 trillion.

The world’s unicorns are disrupting financial services, business management solutions and healthcare. 77% sell software and services, led by fintech, SaaS, and AI, whilst 23% have a physical product, led by semiconductors, new energy, biotech, and health tech.

Hurun Chairman and Chief Researcher Rupert Hoogewerf said:

“2025 has been the year of AI. Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, AI startups have rocketed, marking a critical inflexion point. Today, nearly a third of the world’s unicorns are AI-related, underscoring its transformational impact across industries. Big data, SaaS, and fintech remain the most common sectors for AI-themed unicorns, whilst 128 are pure-play AI companies with a combined valuation nearing $1 trillion, spanning AI assistants to machine learning platforms, and sector-specific AI applications in healthcare, security, robotics and fintech.”

"SpaceX has become the world’s most valuable unicorn, with a staggering $350 billion valuation, ahead of TikTok-owner ByteDance and OpenAI. It’s the first time a space exploration company has led the pack."

“No company encapsulates the 2020s unicorn boom quite like OpenAI. Two years ago, OpenAI was valued at just $20 billion; today, it’s $300 billion. That jump in valuation in just two years is the fastest we’ve ever seen, driven by the revolutionary potential of generative AI.”

“Some founders don’t stop at one unicorn. With xAI, Elon Musk is now the founder or co-founder of three of the world’s four most valuable unicorns, as well as Neuralink ($8 billion) and The Boring Company ($7 billion) — a testament to how one visionary entrepreneur can repeatedly create massive value in completely different industries. Five have founded three unicorns and 33 have founded two.”

“When it comes to unicorns, the world can essentially be split into three regions: the U.S., China, and the rest of the world. The U.S. accounts for half of all unicorns, China a quarter, and the remaining quarter is spread across dozens of other countries, led by India and the UK. Surprisingly, perhaps, the EU countries together have just over 112 unicorns, less than 8%, despite contributing to 20% of the world’s GDP. Each region has its strengths: American unicorns are heavy in SaaS, fintech and AI; China’s are in AI, semiconductors and renewable energy; and the rest of the world leans towards fintech and e-commerce — reflecting different regional innovation focuses.”

“The United States is in a league of its own with 758 unicorns — fully 50% of the world’s total. California alone is home to 396 companies valued at a combined $2.1 trillion. The East Coast, led by New York with 141 unicorns, Massachusetts with 44 unicorns and Florida with 15 unicorns, continues to thrive in fintech, healthcare, and enterprise software. The Midwest, while smaller in count, shows growth in states like Illinois, with 15 unicorns, and demonstrates increasing startup momentum beyond coastal hubs. States like Texas, with over 32 unicorns, Colorado and Washington are emerging as strategic tech centres, boosted by talent migration and business-friendly environments. This dispersion indicates a maturing innovation landscape where startup ecosystems are flourishing across diverse regions, not just Silicon Valley.”

About Hurun

Established in the United Kingdom in 1999, Hurun is a research and media group, promoting entrepreneurship through its lists and research. Widely regarded as an opinion leader in the world of business, Hurun generated 8 billion views on the Hurun brand in 2023, mainly in China and India, and recently expanded to the UK, U.S., Canada, and Australia.

Best known for the Hurun Rich List series, telling the stories of the world’s successful entrepreneurs in China, India, and the world, Hurun’s other key series focus on young businesses and entrepreneurs, through the Hurun Unicorns Index, two Hurun Future Unicorns indices, the Hurun Uth series, and the Hurun Pioneers series.

Hurun has grown to become the world’s largest list compiler for startups, ranking over 3,000 startups across the world through its annual Hurun Global Unicorns Index (startups with a valuation of $1 billion or more), and two Hurun Future Unicorn Indexes: Gazelles, most likely to ‘go unicorn’ within three years, and Cheetahs, most likely to ‘go unicorn’ within five years.

The Hurun Pioneering Young Startups and Entrepreneurs series focuses on startups set up within the last ten years and founders aged 45 or under. The Hurun Uth series includes the Under25s, Under30s, Under35s, and Under40s awards, representing the cream of each generation of young entrepreneurs who have founded businesses with a social impact and worth $1 million, $10 million, $50 million, and $100 million, respectively in U.S. dollars.

Other lists include the Hurun 500 series, ranking the most valuable companies in the world, China and India, the Hurun Global High Schools List, ranking the world’s best independent high schools, the Hurun Philanthropy List, ranking the biggest philanthropists and the Hurun Art List, ranking the world’s most successful artists alive today.

Hurun provides research reports co-branded with some of the world’s leading financial institutions and regional governments. Hurun hosts high-profile events across China and India, as well as London, Paris, New York, LA, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, Luxembourg, Istanbul, Dubai, and Singapore.

For further information, visit https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/7nIL0sGS9pguTnQxULrpoA or www.hurun.net.

Media Contact

Porsha Pan
+86 139 1838 7446
porsha.pan@hurun.net

Media Contact

Ke Zhang
ke.zhang@hurun.net
+86 139 6432 2777

Leading international e-scooter operators Beam Mobility and Neuron Mobility have signed a preliminary agreement as they work towards a merger that will solidify their micromobility leadership in Asia Pacific. The merger of the two Singapore-headquartered companies will bring together strong industry expertise, laying a solid foundation for profitability, scalable growth, and long-term success.

Completion of the transaction is expected within 60 days, subject to customary closing conditions.

The combined company will operate in over 100 cities and will retain both the Beam and Neuron brands, deploying each in their strongest markets. Neuron is a market leader in Australia and Canada, while Beam’s strong presence in South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Turkey, as well as their recent launch in the U.S., unlocks exciting new opportunities.

Neuron Mobility’s co-founder and CEO, Zachary Wang, will lead the combined company as chairman and global CEO. He will be supported by Beam Mobility’s CEO and co-founder, Alan Jiang, who will become the CEO of Asia. Beam’s president, and fellow co-founder, Deb Gangopadhyay, will become a strategic advisor while shaping the industry with groups like the Open Mobility Foundation. Further leadership appointments will be announced in due course. The new company will be headquartered in Singapore.

Zachary Wang, CEO of Neuron Mobility, said: "We are excited to share our plans to bring together the strengths of both companies, creating a truly global e-scooter operator with a clear path to profitability. The combined company will leverage Neuron’s leadership in Australia and Canada, along with Beam’s strong presence in South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Turkey, while also unlocking new opportunities for growth.”

Alan Jiang, CEO of Beam Mobility, said: "The deal unlocks a wealth of exciting opportunities, allowing us to leverage the best of both companies. As well as strengthening our position in Australia and New Zealand, Beam’s large vehicle fleet and expertise in permit-based and emerging markets, combined with Neuron’s strong track record in tender-based markets, will provide a solid foundation for sustainable growth and international expansion."

Deb Gangopadhyay, president of Beam Mobility, said: “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Beam over the past seven years. This merger unites two of the most innovative companies, and I’m excited to support the combined company as a strategic advisor. I’m also looking forward to shaping the future of our industry through leadership and collaboration with key organisations such as the Open Mobility Foundation.”

Existing Neuron Mobility investors, including Square Peg Capital and GSR Ventures, along with Beam Mobility’s investors, including Affirma Capital, Hana Ventures, and Peak XV Partners, will all take a stake in the new company.

Media Contact

Beam Mobility
press@ridebeam.com

Lucra, the leading social competition platform, today announced a partnership with childrenʼs and family entertainment company Playground Productions, to integrate its white-label gamification software into the iconic Backyard Sports franchise. The collaboration will introduce free-to-play digital tournaments, enabling players across the United States to compete against others in the Backyard Sports community for the chance to win exclusive rewards.

The integration taps into the hunger for nostalgic, interpersonal experiences through a modern digital lens—making it even easier for players to build community and play socially. Whether itʼs challenging old friends or new ones through interactive tournaments, the addition of Lucra reinforces Backyard Sportsʼs mission to deliver accessible, family-friendly fun that transcends generations.

“The Backyard Sports are beloved games that truly shaped how many of us first connected over sports and everyday fun,ˮ said Dylan Robbins, CEO of Lucra. “Weʼre excited to partner with them to bring social competition to their fans in a new, digital-native way. This collaboration shows just how adaptable our platform is for partners looking to deepen engagement, reward loyal users, and build authentic communities through play.ˮ

For Backyard Sports, the partnership represents an investment in modern, behavior-driven customer engagement. By leveraging Lucraʼs technology, the franchise can reward players for participating in fun, social experiences that drive loyalty and ongoing connection with the brand.

“Lucraʼs technology aligns perfectly with our vision for Backyard Sportsʼ future in combining nostalgia with modern features that keep our fans coming back, and we look forward to continuing to deliver on our singular focus: our fans,ˮ said Lindsay Barnett, CEO of Playground Productions.

Through this partnership, Lucra continues its expansion into digital gaming and entertainment, demonstrating the flexibility of its technology to support a wide variety of applications and industries. By meeting gamers where they are, Lucra is rapidly growing its addressable market and broadening its brand appeal among digital-first audiences.

With launch planned in the coming months, both companies aim to deliver a best-in-class social competition layer that reminds everyone of the joy of competition and makes every game more meaningful and rewarding for players.

About Lucra

Lucra provides white-label gamification software that helps brands drive visitation, build customer loyalty, and unlock new revenue. Our technology encourages your users to engage in social tournaments, group play, and peer-to-peer challenges directly within your existing experience. We handle all payments, compliance, and risk management, allowing you to quickly implement our solution to drive more traffic, increase user engagement, and generate new revenue. Lucra powers gamification for top entertainment, hospitality, and consumer brands, including Dave & Buster's, Five Iron Golf, Puttshack, TouchTunes, Hollywood.com, and more. For more information, visit www.lucrasports.com.

About Playground Productions

Playground Productions is a children's and family company focused on making best-in-class film, television, digital media, and video games. By leveraging the top technology, talent, and character IP, Playground creates content that celebrates the joy of play for kids and kids at heart. Playground is best known for reviving the iconic Backyard Sports franchise and remastering classic titles like Backyard Baseball ‘97 and Backyard Baseball ‘01. Learn more at www.playground-productions.com.

Media Contact

Michael Madding
michael@lucrasports.com

The 17th Global Chinese Awards ceremony, titled "You Bring Charm to the World," sponsored by Guojiao 1573, concluded successfully tonight at the Phoenix Satellite TV headquarters in Beijing. The winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Special Tribute Award, and other major accolades shared their inspiring stories, celebrating Chinese excellence and honor.

Xu Wei, Chairman and CEO of Phoenix Satellite TV, said in his speech that the Global Chinese Awards has consistently documented the real journeys of Chinese people from a global perspective, exploring the cultural essence of the Chinese spirit and conveying the warmth and power of Chinese culture. He noted that this year's awardees embody unwavering self-motivation and a strong sense of unity among Chinese communities worldwide, showcasing the unique charm of Chinese culture.

Turing Award laureate Yao Qizhi, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Dean of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences and the Institute of Artificial Intelligence at Tsinghua University, received the Global Chinese Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented by Xu Wei. In his remarks, Yao Qizhi stated, "I've been engaged in scientific research for over 50 years, and it's a fascinating and meaningful endeavor. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute even a small part to this great cause." He also expressed special thanks to his wife, Chu Feng, who was present at the ceremony, for her many years of support and companionship.

Renowned writer and producer Bai Xianyong, best known for the youth-edition Kunqu "The Peony Pavilion," was honored with the Global Chinese Awards Special Tribute Award. He entrusted Xiang Yong, a professor at the Peking University School of Arts and Dean of the Institute for Cultural Industries, to accept the award on his behalf. In a video message, Bai Xianyong said, "I call myself the 'captain of the Kunqu Opera volunteers,' but in reality, there is a large group of friends behind me who are passionate about preserving Chinese culture. They have been incredibly supportive and deeply involved. I accept this honor on behalf of the entire 'The Peony Pavilion' team."

Chen Qingquan, the first Hong Kong-based academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and distinguished chair professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, received a Global Chinese Award. The award was presented by He Xi, Chairman of China Power International Development Limited. Chen Qingquan said, "Future electric vehicles will become humanity's 'third space,' significantly improving our quality of life and well-being. Our work on electric vehicles is not only to benefit the Chinese people but also the entire world, for this generation and those to come.

Actor and singer Fei Xiang was presented with a Global Chinese Award by Chen Jianhui, Vice President of China News Service. In his acceptance speech, Fei Xiang shared, "I love the theme of the awards, 'You Bring Charm to the World,' because the value of every individual is connected to the world. Everyone contributes to making the world a better place." He concluded by expressing gratitude to the audiences who have supported and encouraged him over the years.

Xu Jingkun, a global sailor and the first Chinese person to complete the Vendée Globe solo non-stop round-the-world race, was presented with a Global Chinese Award by Tang Dongliang, Executive Vice General Manager of Luzhou Laojiao Co., Ltd. Xu Jingkun shared highlights of his journey with a few key numbers: 27,616 nautical miles sailed over 99 days and climbing the 29-meter mast three times in a single day. He became the 100th person to finish the race, often called the "Mount Everest of sailing." Reflecting on his achievement, he said, "Chinese navigation has never been absent from history, and new routes are never found by waiting."

The team of young builders of the Chinese Space Station received a Global Chinese Award. Yang Liwei, Deputy Chief Designer of the China Manned Space Program and national space hero, presented the award to eight representatives. Yang Liwei said, "The average age of the core team for the Chinese space station project is under 30. The future of China's space program belongs to the younger generation."

The Chinese national table tennis team was also honored with a Global Chinese Award, presented by Xu Zhengzhong, Chairman of Bauhinia Culture Group. The team's head coach, Li Sun, accepted the award on their behalf. Li Sun emphasized that the team's success reflects the combined efforts of multiple generations and that bringing glory to the nation has always been the shared dream and goal of Chinese table tennis players.

The "You Bring Charm to the World" Global Chinese Awards ceremony was initiated by the Phoenix Satellite TV Group in partnership with several Chinese-language media organizations at home and abroad. The event celebrates Chinese role models who have achieved outstanding success and global influence across diverse fields. Over the past decade, more than 100 exceptional Chinese individuals have been recognized at this event.

Media Contact

Cao Yuxuan
caoyuxuan@phoenixtv.com

iib East Africa has earned international recognition for its leadership in sustainable banking, securing three prestigious awards in 2025 from Euromoney, Global Finance and World Finance.

These accolades underscore iib East Africa’s unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility, ethical banking practices, and inclusive economic development in the Horn of Africa.

On July 18, 2025, Euromoney named iib East Africa Djibouti’s Best Bank for ESG in its 2025 Awards for Excellence, reinforcing the bank’s role as a catalyst for impact-driven finance in one of Africa’s fastest-growing trade corridors.

On January 20, 2025, Global Finance named iib East Africa as the Best Sustainable Bank in its 2025 Sustainable Finance Awards, recognizing the bank’s integration of ESG principles into core operations, innovative green financing frameworks, and community-led climate initiatives.

On June 23, 2025, World Finance awarded iib East Africa the title of Most Sustainable Bank in Djibouti, commending its efforts to decarbonize lending portfolios, champion SME access to sustainable finance, and fund renewable infrastructure across the region.

After receiving the award, Papa Demba Diop, CEO iib East Africa stated, "These awards reflect our enduring commitment to creating long-term value not just for our shareholders, but for our communities and the planet. Sustainability is not a siloed function at iib - it is embedded in everything we do."

Sohail Sultan, chairman of iibGroup, stated, “These recognitions affirm our conviction that sustainable finance is not just responsible - it is resilient, strategic, and essential to long-term prosperity. At iibGroup, we view ESG as a fundamental pillar of stability, growth, and legacy across our markets.”

Operating at the intersection of sustainable finance and responsible development, iib East Africa continues to lead the market with bold initiatives including:

• Financing solar energy systems to reduce reliance on diesel and imported electricity
• Funding climate-resilient, energy-efficient housing for underserved communities
• Delivering ESG-aligned trade finance to SMEs driving food security and sustainable commerce
• Leading inclusive community initiatives like coastal and neighbourhood cleanups, and environmental awareness and engagement for marginalized groups

As the region navigates climate and development challenges, iib East Africa is redefining the role of banking in shaping a greener, more inclusive future.

About iib East Africa

iib East Africa is headquartered in Djibouti and is part of the Intercontinental Investment Bank, a purpose-driven banking group operating across key frontier markets. With a strong commitment to sustainability, ethical finance, and regional growth, iib delivers high-impact financial solutions that empower businesses, uplift communities, and preserve environmental capital. For more information, visit www.iibanks.com/eastafrica.

About iibGroup

iibGroup is a financial holding company with operations across the GCC, South Asia, East Africa (Ethiopia–Djibouti trade corridor and surrounding regions), West Africa (based in Cape Verde and primarily serving Portuguese-speaking African countries), and the Caribbean. For more information, visit www.iibanks.com.

Media Contact

Farah Sayeed
farah.sayeed@iibanks.com
+973 1711 6633

Unlisted, a real estate technology company on a mission to unlock the full potential of every home, is changing how people search for homes. 

Unlisted is a home discovery platform designed for modern buyers and owners. Rather than restricting the options to homes that are listed for sale, Unlisted is designed to help users find homes they love that aren't for sale yet. They can easily express interest in their favorite homes directly from the platform. Unlisted then handles outreach on behalf of the buyer, proactively notifying homeowners that someone admires their home and giving owners the option to respond if they choose. 

As a result, homeowners are able to collect a lead list of interested buyers, so that homeowners always understand their options and have a head start whenever they are ready to make a move.

“Traditional real estate platforms leave out a huge part of the picture,” said Samuel Pro, CTO at Unlisted. “We believe people should be able to explore homes and express interest based on what they want, not just what happens to be available.”

The platform also gives homeowners access to insights they wouldn’t find elsewhere. Unlisted gives a clearer sense of a home’s appeal and potential opportunities. Homeowners can also update photos and information so their home reflects its true character, not just outdated records.

Unlisted helps both sides of the real estate experience feel more informed and more connected. It’s a simpler, smarter way to explore what’s possible.

To learn more or start your search, visit UnlistedHomes.com.

About Unlisted

Unlisted unlocks the potential in homes that aren’t for sale—yet. The platform empowers buyers to join a Waitlist for homes they love, even if they’re not on the market. At the same time, homeowners build a private list of interested buyers, giving them a head start if and when they decide to sell. Unlisted also gives homeowners control over how their property is presented online, with a customizable profile that highlights the home’s best features and attracts more interest. With more time, more transparency, and more connection, Unlisted offers a more human way to explore real estate—one that leads to better outcomes for everyone. For more information, visit UnlistedHomes.com.

Media Contact

Sophia Jacomet
sophia@unlistedinc.com

American Kratom Association (AKA) is issuing a national consumer alert to warn consumers, retailers, and distributors of the serious health risks posed by products that contain dangerously high levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) — a powerful, highly psychoactive compound that is not naturally present in kratom leaf in any meaningful amount. The warning letters appropriately include 7-OH + pseudoindoxyl products that are an enhanced manipulation of the naturally occurring kratom compounds.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued multiple warning letters to companies selling these adulterated and illegal products, making it unequivocally clear: 7-OH products are unsafe, misleadingly marketed, and violate federal law.

Why Consumers Should Be Concerned

• 7-OH is a full opioid receptor agonist, unlike natural kratom and other alkaloids found in it which act as partial agonists. This distinction makes 7-OH products more likely to cause respiratory depression, addiction, and overdose.
• High-dose 7-OH products are being sold under the false label of “kratom,” misleading consumers into thinking they are purchasing safe, natural kratom products.
• Scientific studies show that 7-OH is only present in kratom leaf in trace amounts—yet these products contain magnified concentrations, sometimes exceeding 100 mg per serving.
• The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and respected kratom scientists have repeatedly warned that these synthetic and semi-synthetic 7-OH products do not represent the natural kratom plant and carry a completely different safety profile.

Retailers and Manufacturers Beware

• These manipulated kratom compounds violate the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
• Risks of manufacturing, storing, or distributing 7-OH products include FDA enforcement actions including product seizures, fines, and injunctions
• Jeopardize consumer trust and public safety
• Increase exposure to high-risk product liability lawsuits for marketing products defined by the FDA as being highly dangerous
• Threaten the legal status of natural kratom products by confusing policymakers and the public with dangerous, misbranded products

The AKA applauds the FDA’s long-overdue action to protect consumers and remove these hazardous products from the marketplace. For years, AKA has advocated for commonsense regulations through state-level Kratom Consumer Protection Acts (KCPAs) that clearly prohibit dangerous alkaloid manipulation, including limits on 7-OH to no more than 2% of total alkaloid content—a threshold that corresponds with less than 1 mg per serving.

What Consumers Can Do

• Check product labels: If the product contains “7-hydroxymitragynine” or “7-OH” in concentrations greater than 1 mg per serving, do not use it.
• Ask your vendors for certificates of analysis verifying the 7-OH content.
• Avoid products marketed as having euphoric, intoxicating, or opioid-like effects.
• Report suspected 7-OH products to your local health department or directly to the FDA.

Additional Resources

• FDA warning letters on 7-OH products: www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-warning-letters-firms-marketing-products-containing-7-hydroxymitragynine
• Learn about safe kratom use and state-level KCPAs: KratomAnswers.org

The Bottom Line: If it’s not natural kratom, it’s not kratom.

• 7-OH products are dangerous, misleading, and illegal.
• The AKA urges every consumer to reject these products and calls on all vendors and retailers to stop selling them immediately.

About American Kratom Association (AKA)

American Kratom Association (AKA) is a consumer-based, nonprofit organization, focused on furthering the latest science as guidance for kratom public policy. AKA works to give a voice to millions of Americans by fighting to protect their rights to access safe and natural kratom. For more information, visit americankratom.org and learn more at kratomanswers.org.

Media Contact

Mac Haddow
press@americankratom.org

ColdTrack, the leading provider of pick-and-pack, logistics, and purpose-built software for cold and frozen eCommerce brands, today announced the industry’s first and only 100% Pack Accuracy Guarantee™. This first-of-its-kind performance guarantee is a direct result of the company investing more than $10 million in technology and automation, including the development of ColdTrack Live, the company’s proprietary order management system (OMS) and shipping management platform. ColdTrack’s pick-and-pack operations are powered by an integrated third-party technology system provided by Deposco, a world-class, tech-enabled warehouse management system (WMS).

These advancements virtually error-proofed the company’s physical warehouse services, leading to exceptional operational performance, including 99.9% pack accuracy rates, representing a 67% year-over-year reduction in order errors. 

“We are committed to providing our partners with the highest level of service and reliability,” said Josh Abramson, CFO at ColdTrack. “Making a deliberate multi-million-dollar investment in our technology, which is powered by top-tier talent recruited from across the industry, has transformed our operations to enable unprecedented accuracy. Our pack accuracy guarantee is a testament to our tech-forward approach and the commitment of our team to excellence, innovation, and client satisfaction.”

The 100% Pack Accuracy Guarantee enables ColdTrack to ensure complete accuracy for clients whose orders are picked-and-packed at ColdTrack facilities. If any errors occur, ColdTrack contractually agrees to reimburse its clients promptly for any affected packages.

After a vast search, ColdTrack selected Deposco as a WMS partner to enable the 100% Pack Accuracy Guarantee. The companies implemented a scan-based fulfillment flow that starts from the moment inventory is received: each pallet is scanned and key data is logged within its database, such as lot numbers and expiration dates, enabling the highest level of quality assurance and cost-effective First-Expiration, First-Out (FEFO) inventory management. On ColdTrack’s production room floor, order selectors are equipped with advanced wireless, Wi-Fi-enabled wrist computers that display pick lists and finger-mounted lasers that scan every item placed into each box. This order data, combined with shipment tracking numbers, provides unprecedented order-level traceability for each parcel delivered to a consumer’s home.

"In perishable fulfillment, order accuracy is the difference between a delighted customer and a costly, brand-damaging experience,” said Josh Lett, Senior Vice President of Professional Services at Deposco. “ColdTrack's investment in our WMS platform demonstrates their exceptional commitment to their customers' success. This investment delivers immediate value through error-proofed operations, white-glove expertise and support, and long-term dividends in customer satisfaction and retention — so brands can focus on growth rather than fulfillment worries at a time when operating expenses run high and consumer loyalty is never a given."

The company’s proprietary ColdTrack Live OMS software fills a void in the market with novel functionality previously unavailable to perishable shippers. One such feature is a weather-based coolant optimization algorithm that automatically adjusts coolant types and quantities based on the destination temperature of each parcel. ColdTrack Live also provides incredible benefits to ColdTrack’s warehouse team members by pushing all order logic upstream, resulting in the release of clean orders to the warehouse floor through Deposco’s WMS. This further reduces the likelihood of errors typically caused by manual adjustments on pick-and-pack assembly lines. 

“The combination of ColdTrack Live OMS and Deposco WMS has been phenomenal from a productivity and performance management standpoint,” said Margaret Szczykutowicz, VP of Fulfillment Operations at ColdTrack. “The level of precision data provided from Deposco allowed us to implement an incentive program to reward our top order selectors, boosting order accuracy rates by 40%.”

In addition to the vast order accuracy improvements, the company has also realized a 128% increase in order packing velocity, shipping deadline adherence of 99.9%, and inventory management accuracy of 99.8%.

The implementation of ColdTrack’s 100% Pack Accuracy Guarantee reinforces its position as an industry leader in cold chain logistics. By ensuring accurate and timely order fulfillment, ColdTrack empowers its clients to focus on their core business activities while maintaining customer trust and loyalty.

For a press kit, visit here.

About ColdTrack

ColdTrack is a leader in cold chain logistics and software, providing direct-to-consumer and direct-to-business brands with reliable and accurate fulfillment services for perishable products. ColdTrack guarantees 100% pick-and-pack performance from its facilities in New Jersey, Indiana, and California and provides discounted shipping rates with one-day ground shipping to 80% of the U.S. population. Our proprietary ColdTrack Live order management system (OMS) gives customers access to cartonization and coolant quantity logic, automatic claims handling, and real-time tools to monitor shipping exceptions and carrier on-time delivery performance. For more information, visit www.coldtrack.com.

About Deposco

Deposco’s supply chain software maps out your success, accelerates execution, and navigates your growth journey, driving unparalleled efficiency and cost savings. Our AI-powered platform delivers actionable insights across the entire supply chain — from planning to execution — adapting like a GPS to keep you on the optimal path. With the industry’s most extensive collection of pre-built integrations for rapid implementation, we help over 4,000 of the world’s fastest-growing retailers, 3PLs, DTC businesses, and brands navigate over 165 million consumer orders globally. Learn more at www.deposco.com.

Media Contact

Dwain Schenck, PRLab
+1 203-223-5230
dwain@prlab.co

Media Contact

Todd Craig, CMO at Deposco
tcraig@deposco.com

The Stop Gas Station Heroin coalition is sounding the alarm after reviewing a new animal study commissioned by CBD American Shaman, a Missouri-based company that sells “7” products in stores across the country.

The study, which tested the effects of increasing doses of two lab-made substances — “7” (7-hydroxymitragynine) and “Pseudo” (mitragynine pseudoindoxyl) — was funded to support the company’s bid for FDA drug approval. But the research methods and results raise serious red flags for consumers of Gas Station Heroin.

First, a clear conflict of interest occurred in conducting this study: CBD American Shaman has been illegally selling 7 products as dietary supplements since 2022, and the research was released by Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust (HART), a group with a financial stake in 7 and Pseudo products.

Second, the study suggests these drugs may be far more dangerous than their labels imply: CBD American Shaman tells consumers that 7.5 milligrams, or half a tablet, is a safe serving. But based on the study’s own data, that amount may be more than 25 times higher than what would be considered safe for human consumption.

Using standard FDA methods to translate the effects seen in dogs to humans, Stop Gas Station Heroin estimates that just 0.3 milligrams could cross the threshold for risk. Yet many consumers of these products are unknowingly ingesting significantly greater amounts. Moreover, the study points to clear risks of addiction and dependency with misuse.

“These are not natural products. They are chemically altered, unapproved pharmaceutical drugs being marketed as herbal remedies,” said Matthew Lowe, Executive Director of Stop Gas Station Heroin. “You can’t just slap a ‘dietary supplement’ label on a drug and skip the safety trials.”

CBD American Shaman and other purveyors of Gas Station Heroin have marketed 7 and Pseudo products as supplements formulated to cure, treat, and mitigate disease — namely, chronic pain and opioid use disorder — even though the products have never been approved by the FDA for any medical use.

If companies like CBD American Shaman want to sell these substances legally, they must demonstrate the drugs’ safety and effectiveness through a rigorous series of clinical trials and submit the results to the FDA as part of the New Drug Approval process. Until then, Stop Gas Station Heroin is calling for the immediate removal of these synthetic street drugs from store shelves.

About Stop Gas Station Heroin

Stop Gas Station Heroin is a national coalition that aims to educate consumers about harmful synthetic drugs and advocate for smart regulation that distinguishes between legitimate, natural botanicals and dangerous, synthetic drugs, combined with enforcement of current federal laws around unapproved drugs. To learn more, navigate to stopgasstationheroin.com.

Media Contact

Colby Wilson
info@stopgasstationheroin.com

Brighthive, a leader in data infrastructure and artificial intelligence solutions, today proudly announced it has earned ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification, the world’s first international standard for AI management systems. This milestone demonstrates Brighthive’s deep commitment to responsible AI development and deployment, reinforcing trust with customers, regulators, and partners.

Published in December 2023, ISO/IEC 42001:2023 outlines rigorous requirements for establishing, implementing, and continuously improving an Artificial Intelligence Management System (AIMS). It provides a trusted framework addressing ethical use, transparency, bias mitigation, accountability, and lifecycle governance of AI systems.

“Achieving ISO 42001 certification isn’t just a badge — it’s proof we are using AI deliberately, ethically, and safely,” said Suzanne El‑Moursi, co-founder and CEO of Brighthive. “Our customers rely on us not only to harness insights but to do so responsibly. This certification reassures them that every Brighthive platform deployment is governed under the most exacting international standards.”

Key highlights of Brighthive's ISO 42001 certification:

• Comprehensive AI governance: Policies, controls, and management processes that enforce explainability, bias detection, and accountability throughout the AI lifecycle
• Structured risk management: Formal risk assessments, AI impact evaluations, and continuous monitoring embedded into standard operating procedures
• Lifecycle oversight: Governance spanning data ingestion, model development, deployment, monitoring, and retirement — in line with PDCA (Plan‑Do‑Check‑Act) principles
• Third‑party assurance: Independent auditing confirming sustainable and compliant AI practices across the organization

Brighthive joins a growing group of forward‑looking organizations earning ISO 42001 certification — including industry titans such as Microsoft — demonstrating a collective movement toward robust AI governance.

What this means for Brighthive customers:

• Regulatory alignment: Supports compliance with emerging regulations such as the EU AI Act
• Trust & transparency: Enhances confidence among stakeholders with audit-ready practices and ethical use of AI
• Market differentiation: Demonstrates leadership in enterprise AI governance, setting BrightHive apart in a crowded field

About ISO/IEC 42001:2023

ISO/IEC 42001:2023 is an international standard issued jointly by ISO and IEC. It defines the requirements for an AI Management System (AIMS), enabling organizations of all sizes to manage AI ethically and responsibly across industries — including critical sectors like finance, healthcare, and government.

About Brighthive

Brighthive is an AI-powered enterprise data management and analysis platform, powering everyone across an enterprise with a full data management workflow. Powered by seven specialized data agents that work together seamlessly to manage all critical data management tasks — from ingestion, governance, querying and visualization — Brighthive equips every team inside the enterprise with a complete platform that mimics the technical capabilities of human data teams, empowering everyone in the enterprise to be self-servicing to visualize data insights faster and help companies transform work to be data informed work. To learn more, visit www.brighthive.ai.

Media Contact

Hello Brighthive
hello@brighthive.io

As demand grows in the travel industry for solutions that fill unsold inventory without discounts, NaviStone—trusted by top travel brands to drive bookings—is doubling down on this space with the addition of Lisa Ertmann as director of travel industry partnerships.

NaviStone helps marketers identify high-intent travelers and reach them at the exact moment they’re considering a trip. With real-time intent signals, precision audience modeling, and a white-glove strategic approach, brands are empowered to act faster, fill more inventory, and convert more guests while others are still reacting.

Ertmann brings more than 20 years of experience in the travel industry, with a background that spans both the travel advisor and supplier sides. She spent the last decade at Norwegian Cruise Line in a series of marketing and business development roles, building strong relationships and programs that delivered real value.

“What drew me to NaviStone was the company’s data-driven, transparent approach to marketing and the way it partners so closely with brands,” said Ertmann. “It’s not just a platform. It’s a partner in solving real problems with speed, strategy, and incremental results.”

In her new role, Ertmann will work closely with travel and hospitality brands and trade partners to convert intent into bookings, increase repeat visits, and optimize revenue. That might mean filling unsold inventory without relying on last-minute discounts, or targeting specific audiences who are browsing but not yet booking. Whatever the need, her focus will be helping brands turn consumer behavior into business growth faster.

“Lisa’s passion for travel, her deep industry knowledge, and her commitment to strong relationships make her the ideal leader to grow our presence in the travel space,” said Larry Kavanagh, CEO of NaviStone. “More importantly, she understands the urgent challenges travel marketers face today, like how to move inventory without margin erosion, and how NaviStone’s intent-first solutions can help solve them.”

As travel demand continues to grow, the challenge is no longer just getting seen. It’s getting remembered. Ertmann sees major opportunity in embracing both digital and physical channels, including one that’s experiencing a resurgence: direct mail.

“A well-crafted direct mail piece can really stand out while inboxes overflow and digital ads lose their impact,” she said. “It’s tangible, personal, and especially effective for connecting with travelers looking for their next adventure. With our ability today to model behavior and reach consumers in near real time, direct mail has reemerged as a powerful, strategic channel to drive bookings.”

At the core of NaviStone’s advantage is its ability to act as a true navigator that can help brands make sense of their data, define the right audience, and execute with speed. “I’ve worked with a lot of marketing platforms,” Ertmann said. “NaviStone gets it right because they use data to build stronger relationships and solve real problems, like unsold inventory, with precision and agility.”

With consumer expectations at an all-time high, NaviStone remains committed to helping travel and hospitality brands stay ahead. That means delivering solutions that are not just personalized, but purpose-built to elevate the guest experience. Not just fast, but effective at reaching the right guest with the right message and filling inventory. Ertmann’s hire reinforces the company’s commitment to delivering strategic, high-impact marketing solutions that drive results in an increasingly competitive market.

About NaviStone

NaviStone is a martech platform that unlocks and activates audiences brands are missing out on today. By combining website behavior with modeling, NaviStone enables marketers to deliver highly personalized media and messaging at the exact moment a consumer is considering a purchase. This approach increases return on marketing spend up to 70%.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, NaviStone is trusted by leading brands across travel, retail, home services, and more. The company has been recognized as a Best Employer in Ohio, a Best Places to Work in Cincinnati, and a TechOhio Startup Culture Award winner.

For more information, visit www.navistone.com.

Media Contact

Nikki Shenk
nshenk@navistone.com

Kratom Consumer Advisory Council (KCAC) today released a comprehensive white paper challenging recent claims that products containing isolated 7-hydroxymitragynine (also known as “7”) are safe for widespread, uncontrolled consumer use. The white paper, "Have '7' Products with 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) Been Proven to Be Safe?" directly refutes assertions made in a July 7 press release by the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust (HART), which KCAC says misrepresented findings from a report HART itself commissioned from healthcare consulting firm Marwood Group.

KCAC Chair Dr. C. Michael White, Pharm.D., FCP, FCCP, FASHP, and Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Connecticut, issued a stark warning:

“It is dangerously misleading to suggest that 7 products are safe for public sale without medical oversight. Marwood Group’s own report, despite being commissioned by HART, clearly concludes that synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine is a potent opioid agonist with high abuse potential, rapid tolerance development, and physical dependence in animal models. HART’s attempt to erase key parts of the report after publication, including these risk statements, is an alarming act of public deception that endangers consumers.”

The KCAC white paper cites the following key concerns from the Marwood Group report that HART initially published and then quietly removed:

• Synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine is over 10 times more potent than morphine and acts on the same opioid receptors known to cause euphoria, addiction, and respiratory depression.
• Repeated use leads to rapid tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal symptoms, none of which are seen with the kratom leaf’s main alkaloid, mitragynine.
• No clinical trials exist demonstrating the safety or efficacy of synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine products for any medical condition.
• Marwood’s disclaimer clearly states that synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine should not be used to self-treat or self-diagnose, directly contradicting HART’s public promotion of these products.

The KCAC paper refutes Marwood Group’s assertion that 7-hydroxymitragynine has a lower risk of respiratory depression. They used a surrogate marker called beta-arrestin recruitment to say the risk was lower without looking at actual animal studies where breathing was assessed and shown to be depressed, just like with morphine. It also provides a balanced perspective on anecdotal experiences with 7 products where consumers report widespread recreational use for euphoria and suffering from severe addiction.  

“We’ve seen this playbook before, downplaying the risks of potent opioids while encouraging unregulated use. The opioid crisis of the 2000s began with similar false assurances,” said Dr. White. “We must not repeat history with synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine. These products must be evaluated through rigorous clinical trials and carefully controlled, not sold like candy at gas stations.”

The white paper also highlights KCAC’s support for the FDA’s July 15 warning letters against firms illegally marketing synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine products and making unsubstantiated medical claims.

KCAC calls on regulators, lawmakers, and the media to take a clear-eyed view of the risks posed by synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine products and urges a halt to the sale of these potent synthetic derivatives outside of clinical or research settings.

The full white paper, “Have ‘7’ Products with 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) Been Proven to Be Safe?” is available here.

About Kratom Consumer Advisory Council (KCAC)

Kratom Consumer Advisory Council (KCAC) is an independent board made up of a clinician-scientist and consumers that uses the strongest available evidence to produce position statements that promote evidence-based policy. The KCAC is supported by the Global Kratom Coalition which advocates for regulations that protect consumers and curbs the sale of adulterated or synthetic products falsely marketed as kratom. For more information, visit globalkratomcoalition.org/kcac.

Media Contact

Dr. C. Michael White
cwhite1@wm.com

The Stop Gas Station Heroin coalition today commended the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for issuing warning letters to companies marketing "7" — a dangerous semi-synthetic alkaloid often disguised as a natural dietary supplement.

This action marks a critical step toward curbing the spread of "Gas Station Heroin" — a term used to describe a range of often imported lab-made substances that include tianeptine, nitrous oxide, semi-synthetic and synthetic alkaloid products, and intoxicating hemp products.  

7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) is only naturally present in trace amounts in dried kratom leaves. Bad actors synthetically mass produce high-concentration, ultra-potent 7-OH isolates in tablets, capsules, powders, and gummies. These chemically manipulated products are misleadingly marketed as natural dietary supplements or food. In reality, they act like prescription opioids and not botanicals, posing serious health risks such as respiratory depression, addiction, and overdose. 

The FDA’s warning letters underscore what scientists and public health experts have long known: Gas Station Heroin products are not supplements. They are unapproved, mislabeled street drugs designed to mimic the effects of opioids and other narcotics.

As the FDA notes, Gas Station Heroin products are often aggressively advertised online and in retail locations with deceptive claims about their safety and effectiveness, particularly to individuals seeking to get high or prescription alternatives for pain relief, anxiety, or opioid withdrawal.

Stop Gas Station Heroin applauds the FDA for using its enforcement authority to hold these illicit companies accountable and to protect American consumers from the growing threat posed by synthetic drugs.

About Stop Gas Station Heroin

Stop Gas Station Heroin is a national coalition that aims to educate consumers about harmful synthetic drugs and advocate for smart regulation that distinguishes between legitimate, natural botanicals and dangerous, synthetic drugs, combined with enforcement of current federal laws around unapproved drugs. To learn more, navigate to stopgasstationheroin.com.

Media Contact

Colby Wilson
info@stopgasstationheroin.com

The Stop Gas Station Heroin coalition today commended the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations for unanimously approving the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

This Senate funding bill and its House counterpart, approved in committee last month, show bipartisan support for closing the unregulated, intoxicating hemp loophole — correcting a legal gray area created by the 2018 Farm Bill and slowing the spread of Gas Station Heroin in American communities.

"Gas Station Heroin" refers to a range of foreign lab-made synthetic substances that include tianeptine, nitrous oxide, semi-synthetic and synthetic alkaloid products, and intoxicating hemp products such as Delta-8, Delta-9, Delta-10, and HHC. At issue here is this latter category of intoxicating hemp and its legal definition.

According to the 2018 Farm Bill, the federal government classifies hemp as cannabis and its derivatives with no more than 0.3% Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on a dry weight basis. Delta-9-THC is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, responsible for the euphoric high associated with marijuana use. 

Critically, the Senate funding bill would decrease the delta-9-THC limit for hemp-derived products to zero. The government’s current definition of hemp permits the manufacture and distribution of products containing non-delta-9 intoxicating cannabinoids — including delta-8, delta-10, and HHC — as long as their delta-9 content remains below the statutory threshold.

The narrow standards of the 2018 Farm Bill have resulted in a regulatory loophole exploited by manufacturers and retailers of intoxicating, hemp-derived products sold in convenience stores, gas stations, and smoke shops across the country.  

These chemically altered, highly concentrated products are concocted with imported extracts from overseas labs and rake in significant revenue for the international Gas Station Heroin syndicate, a multi-billion-dollar enterprise exploiting legal loopholes to drive addiction and profit while endangering Americans.

The Senate funding bill restores the original intent of the 2018 Farm Bill, which was never meant to create a loophole for synthetic THC, while protecting legitimate hemp farmers from rogue actors flooding the market with lab-made Gas Station Heroin.

Moreover, the bill would mark the most consequential federal intervention in cannabinoid policy in years, preempting and superseding a growing patchwork of state laws by establishing a uniform federal prohibition on synthetically manipulated and intoxicating hemp derivatives.

This important legislation underscores that natural botanicals are not the same as harmful synthetic substances. Although whole plant products have been used safely for centuries, bad actors are now isolating basic compounds from plants and chemically altering them in labs to create hyper-potent drugs that are poisoning consumers.

Stop Gas Station Heroin applauds Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee John Hoeven, and Senator Mitch McConnell for their leadership in combating the Gas Station Heroin crisis by seeking to close the hemp loophole.

About Stop Gas Station Heroin

Stop Gas Station Heroin is a national coalition that aims to educate consumers about harmful synthetic drugs and advocate for smart regulation that distinguishes between legitimate, natural botanicals and dangerous, synthetic drugs, combined with enforcement of current federal laws around unapproved drugs. To learn more, navigate to stopgasstationheroin.com.

Media Contact

Colby Wilson
info@stopgasstationheroin.com

EIOTCLUB, a Seattle-based leader in IoT connectivity, announces the launch of its advanced eSIM designed to deliver instant online activation, multi-network access, and borderless coverage for enterprise and individual users.

This new global eSIM solution eliminates the hassle of physical SIM cards by enabling users to activate their plan within minutes and connect in over 200 countries and regions.

With flexible prepaid plans ranging from 30 to 360 days, EIOTCLUB’s eSIM starts at just $5. It’s a great fit for both short-term travelers and long-term users who need flexible, reliable data — from vacations to remote work.

EIOTCLUB’s eSIM connects to the best local network automatically in every country it covers—no roaming fees. You can keep your original number to receive texts and verification codes as usual, while the eSIM adds reliable local data wherever you go. It’s a simple way to stay connected during international travel without changing how you use your phone.

EIOTCLUB’s travel eSIM offers a seamless solution for staying connected while abroad—perfect for business travelers, tourists, students, and remote workers alike. With support for 4G and 5G networks, it delivers strong performance in areas with reliable cellular coverage, making it a great fit for most urban, suburban, and well-covered rural regions.

What sets EIOTCLUB apart is its focus on simplicity and control. From the moment you purchase your eSIM online, setup is effortless—just scan a QR code to activate, with no shipping delays or physical SIM cards to worry about. This hassle-free “Scan-to-Start” experience means you can be up and running in minutes, no matter where you are.

Managing your plan is just as straightforward. EIOTCLUB’s intuitive mobile app puts everything at your fingertips—track data usage, top up your balance, or update billing preferences with just a few taps. This level of ease empowers users to stay in control of their connectivity, even while on the move.

Behind this user-friendly experience is a flexible, transparent Pay-as-You-Go model that helps eliminate unexpected roaming fees. Whether you're checking into a hotel in Tokyo or working from a café in Lisbon, you know exactly what you're paying for—nothing more.

EIOTCLUB is also built for long-term convenience. With partnerships across more than 100 leading IoT hardware manufacturers, its connectivity solutions are increasingly integrated directly into smart devices, providing reliable service without the need for constant manual setup.

It’s no surprise, then, that over 2.58 million users worldwide trust EIOTCLUB to keep them connected across borders. The combination of affordability, broad compatibility, and automatic network switching creates a reliable, stress-free experience wherever life takes them.

The new global eSIM is available now. Users can explore plan options, check device compatibility, and activate their prepaid eSIM instantly through the company’s official website.

To take advantage of eSIM technology, devices like smartphones or tablets must be equipped with a built-in eSIM chip module (eUICC). However, many older models—such as those running Android 9 or earlier—lack this capability. To bridge this gap and extend eSIM benefits to a broader range of users, EIOTCLUB developed a Physical eSIM Card that includes an integrated eUICC chip. When inserted into a compatible device, it functions just like a native eSIM, allowing users to download and manage eSIM profiles without needing hardware upgrades.

This innovative solution not only makes global connectivity more accessible for individual users but also offers significant advantages for businesses managing large-scale IoT deployments. With compatibility across 95% of global hardware, including industrial routers, GPS trackers, and remote monitoring equipment, the Physical eSIM Card enables seamless plug-and-play integration. Industries such as security monitoring, smart vehicles, wearables, drones, and robotics benefit from reduced setup costs, minimal downtime, and reliable connectivity—helping them stay focused on performance without worrying about infrastructure limitations.

For more information on how to stay connected with a reliable eSIM solution, visit EIOTCLUB's website and follow EIOTCLUB on Facebook, Instagram (@eiotclubofficial), YouTube, and TikTok (@eiotclub).

Join the growing community that counts on EIOTCLUB to make IoT and global connectivity simpler than ever before.

About EIOTCLUB

EIOTCLUB is a Seattle-based leading mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) specializing in IoT connectivity solutions that serve more than 2.5 million users worldwide. From industrial-grade SIMs and eSIM solutions to rugged devices and satellite support, EIOTCLUB partners with top hardware manufacturers to make the IoT easier, more reliable, and ready for the future. For more information, visit www.eiotclub.com.

Media Contact

Casso Cheung
business@eiotclub.com