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The average enterprise uses nearly 400 SaaS applications that are not connected to each other, leading to data silos and scattered insights across the organization. In a significant move to streamline this process, UnifyApps has announced an $11 million seed funding round to build a unified integration platform that will allow enterprises to create custom applications 10x faster, build workflow automations and sync data between applications in real-time. The funding, led by Elevation Capital, along with participation from the founders and angel investors, underscores the growing demand for real-time connectivity between applications in the enterprise technology landscape.

UnifyApps was co-founded by Pavitar Singh (CEO), who served as the CTO at NYSE-listed enterprise software company Sprinklr, along with Sumeet Nandal (COO), Abhishek Kurana (CPO), Rachit Mittal (CTO), Abhinav Singi (VP Engineering), Rahul Anishetty (VP Engineering), Kavish Manubolu (VP Engineering) and Shivam Satrawal (VP Product Management). The idea for UnifyApps was born after the founders realized that enterprise companies lacked a solution for seamless app integration, leaving tremendous untapped value from cost optimizations and efficiency gains.

Pavitar Singh, CEO of UnifyApps, said, "The rapid adoption of SaaS applications has led to building silos within the organization with each team using their own set of tools which are not connected to the rest of the organization. Our vision is to change this by making integration simple and accessible, enhancing experiences for both customers and employees".

What sets UnifyApps apart is its comprehensive approach to integration, addressing four critical areas: data sync, workflow automation, no-code application development, and the creation of generative AI agents. While competitors may focus on individual areas, UnifyApps offers a holistic solution that delivers a better return on investment (ROI) and lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for customers. Currently, UnifyApps is targeting large, forward-thinking enterprises globally. The platform is designed to be ready for enterprise scale and complexity.

Looking ahead, UnifyApps plans to expand its platform to support over 5,000 applications and give organizations the flexibility to build their own custom integrations in less than a day. The company is also committed to advancing the capabilities of generative AI and building fine-tuned, purpose-built LLM-powered agents that will leverage these integrations.

"Our goal is to deliver value first products and obsess over customer satisfaction. We want enterprises to truly unlock the full potential of their technology investments. By using UnifyApps, they can unlock a lot of hidden value from their current SaaS ecosystem and propel the next level of growth.” added Pavitar Singh.

Mukul Arora, Co-managing Partner, Elevation Capital, said, “We are really excited to partner with Pavitar, who has deep experience in building a large enterprise-focused SaaS business, and was instrumental in growing Sprinklr to a multi-100mn dollar revenue company. With UnifyApps, he wants to build a future where seamless unification across applications and data can help large enterprises automate complex business processes and bring unparalleled efficiency. We believe this can be a massive opportunity and are thrilled to be a part of this journey.”

The announcement of UnifyApps' seed funding marks a significant milestone in the company's journey to redefine the SaaS unification landscape. With a strong foundation and a clear vision, UnifyApps is poised to reduce fragmented systems & bridge data silos by enabling teams to build complex applications, automate workflows and unify data across multiple applications.

About UnifyApps

Unifyapps is a cutting-edge ‘Unified Integration Platform’ powered by generative AI, revolutionizing how enterprises connect disparate applications. Founded in 2023 by Pavitar Singh, along with a team of visionary co-founders, Unifyapps operates globally with headquarters in India, Dubai, and the US. In its seed round, the company raised $11 million, with funding from Elevation Capital, co-founders, and angel investors. Unifyapps empowers enterprises to create sophisticated applications, automate business workflows, and construct robust data pipelines, catering to the needs of forward-thinking organizations worldwide. Designed for enterprise scalability and complexity, Unifyapps is at the forefront of innovation, transforming the digital landscape with its cutting-edge solutions.

About Elevation Capital

Elevation Capital is a leading venture capital firm that provides seed and early-stage capital for emerging companies in India. Having invested in India since 2002, Elevation has deployed over $2.6B of capital in 190+ companies. The firm announced its eighth pool of capital of $670 million in April 2022. Co-led by Managing Partners Ravi Adusumalli and Mukul Arora, along with Partners Mridul Arora and Mayank Khanduja, the firm has invested across Consumer Internet, SaaS, Fintech, Consumer Brands, Edtech, Healthtech and Deeptech. Elevation Capital has offices in Bengaluru and Gurgaon.

Media Contact

Bilal Mahmood

+44 7714 007257

b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com

AGC Biologics, a leading global biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), and BioConnection, a specialized contract manufacturing organization (CMO) focusing on aseptic filling of vials and syringes for clinical and commercial production, today announced a new strategic partnership. The companies are partnering to provide end-to-end biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing capabilities for drug substance and drug product using the development and manufacturing expertise of AGC Biologics and the specialized aseptic filling capabilities of BioConnection.

The new partnership offers a seamless, full-service clinical-stage development and manufacturing solution that accelerates timelines and brings life-saving therapies to market more efficiently. By combining world-class drug substance and drug product services, AGC Biologics together with BioConnection now offer one convenient “gene to vial” value chain service with a single contract and project management team for the project lifecycle. Further, developers will save time and resources by avoiding long, complex processes associated with negotiating a separate drug substance and drug product contract and be able to conveniently plan drug filling activities for as soon as their substance release is scheduled—all through this new offering.

New Solution for Companies Potentially Impacted by U.S. BIOSECURE Act

This new strategic partnership addresses the ongoing needs of the industry in the wake of the proposed U.S. BIOSECURE Act. By having a combined end-to-end solution that uses facilities in Japan, the United States and Europe, developers now have a reliable and secure supply of services for development, manufacturing (including freeze-drying) and aseptic filling for their drug product’s needs.

AGC Biologics is especially well-positioned to support the needs of developers that may be impacted by this legislation, as it is one of the largest CDMO networks in the world offering single-use bioreactor technology. Developers seeking alternatives from their current outsourcing partner benefit from access to AGC Biologics’ single-use network utilizing the most ubiquitous bioreactor types, enabling an easier transfer of platform processes and reduction in process changes associated with changing outsourcing partners.

Combined Expertise and Resources

Through this new joint offering AGC Biologics and BioConnection are providing comprehensive solutions to meet the increasing demand for high-quality biopharmaceutical manufacturing services, while also continuing to offer their services independently.

AGC Biologics offers a broad range of protein-biologics services spanning from cell line development to commercial-scale manufacturing across its global network of facilities on three continents, supporting drug substances for microbial and mammalian-based systems, plasmid DNA (pDNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA). With a proven track record of delivering innovative biopharmaceutical solutions to clients worldwide, including supporting more than a dozen commercial products since 2018, AGC Biologics is renowned for its teams with deep technical and scientific expertise at its global facilities, and a commitment to quality, reliability, meeting product timelines and collaborating with developers to meet their needs.

BioConnection specializes in aseptic filling of vials and syringes, providing clients with tailored solutions for both clinical and commercial production of either liquid or freeze-dried products. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and a highly skilled team, BioConnection is dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of product quality and safety. Clients have valued BioConnection since 2005 for this and for its unmatched customer-oriented approach.

“Now more than ever global pharmaceutical companies and developers need reliable facilities to produce and fill their drug products, and by combining our resources with BioConnection we are offering a new end-to-end solution for them under one contract with AGC Biologics,” said Patricio Massera, CEO of AGC Biologics. “We believe BioConnection has a strong acumen, and this established partnership will enhance our biopharmaceutical manufacturing offerings by offering drug product service for protein biologics, allowing us to create deeper relationships with developers to help get their products to patients in need.”

Similarly, Alexander Willemse, CEO of BioConnection, commented, “We are excited to join forces with AGC Biologics to offer integrated manufacturing solutions that address the complexities of biopharmaceutical development. Together, we are well-positioned to support our clients at every stage.”

For more information about AGC Biologics please visit www.agcbio.com. Visit www.bioconnection.eu to learn more about BioConnection.

About AGC Biologics

AGC Biologics is a leading global biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with a strong commitment to delivering the highest standard of service as we work side-by-side with our clients and partners, every step of the way. We provide world- class development and manufacture of mammalian and microbial-based therapeutic proteins, plasmid DNA (pDNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), viral vectors, and genetically engineered cells.

Our global network spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with cGMP-compliant facilities in Seattle, Washington; Boulder and Longmont, Colorado; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany; Milan, Italy; and Chiba, Japan. We currently employ more than 2,500 team members worldwide. Our commitment to continuous innovation fosters the technical creativity to solve our clients’ most complex challenges, including specialization in fast-track projects and rare diseases.

AGC Biologics is a part of AGC Inc.’s Life Science Company. The Life Science Company runs ten different facilities focused on biopharmaceuticals, advanced therapies, small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients, and agrochemicals.

To learn more, visit www.agcbio.com.

About BioConnection

BioConnection is a specialized contract manufacturing organization (CMO) focusing on aseptic filling and lyophilization of vials and syringes for clinical and commercial production. With state-of-the-art facilities, a proven successful EMA and FDA track record and a team of experienced professionals in Oss, The Netherlands, BioConnection provides tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of clients in the biopharmaceutical industry. BioConnection is specialized in fill & finish and lyophilization of small and large molecules, orphan drugs, personalized medicine and controlled substances. Its customers value BioConnection for its reliability. BioConnection is renowned for its reliability, with customers appreciating the certainty of delivery made possible by its extensive capacity. The company combines this reliability with a personalized approach to client relations.

Discover more at www.bioconnection.eu.

Media Contact

Nick McDonald, Sr. Manager Global Marketing and Communications

+1 425-419-355

nmcdonald@agcbio.com

Dennis Link, Head of Business Development

+31 412-846 036

dennis.link@bioconnection.eu

ToolsGroup, a global leader in retail and supply chain planning and optimization software, is thrilled to announce its participation at the upcoming Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo 2024 in Barcelona, Spain, June 10–12.

The event will feature a presentation by one of ToolsGroup's valued customers, Franke, an industry leader in home solutions, food service systems and coffee equipment, scheduled for June 11. During this session, Franke will provide insights from their digital supply chain transformation journey, showcasing how they optimized the performance of their complex manufacturing and distribution ecosystem using ToolsGroup's AI-powered S&OP solution, driven by its flagship tool, Service Optimizer 99+ (SO99+).

Franke wanted to enhance demand planning efficiency through a synchronized and integrated process, reduce manual workload to focus on value-added activities, and improve collaboration. From advanced forecasting and robust S&OP processes, Franke implemented ToolsGroup's AI-powered solution to support end-to-end planning, increase efficiency and enhance visibility.

"ToolsGroup's advanced tools are instrumental in supporting our S&OP process, providing integrated synchronization and full cross-functional transparency. This enables us to improve demand and supply planning, enhance collaboration, and achieve end-to-end data visibility, empowering us to run multi-scenario planning with confidence," said Alberto Nisoli, Global Head of Supply Chain Platform at Franke.

"Franke exemplifies all the keys to success for a digital supply chain transformation project," remarked ToolsGroup CMO and EVP of Growth, Kevin Young. "They set clear objectives for the initiative and began their journey by implementing SO99+ to optimize supply chain performance and deliver immediate value. The value was extended by digitalizing their S&OP processes to achieve cross functional transparency and synchronization of demand and supply across the organization. We are proud to partner with Franke and to play a part in the tremendous results they are planning to achieve."

ToolsGroup was recently recognized in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Supply Chain Planning Solutions. We believe this recognition underscores our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower businesses to optimize their supply chains effectively. A complimentary copy of the Gartner report is available here.

Interested in learning more about ToolsGroup's solutions? Schedule a meeting here and stop by kiosk #400.

About Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™

Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo conference delivers must-have insights, strategies and frameworks for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) and supply chain leaders to think big and drive real impact within their organizations. Dive into supply chain strategy and tech at the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™ 2024 conference in Barcelona, Spain. For more information visit: https://www.gartner.com/en/conferences/emea/supply-chain-spain

Gartner Disclaimer

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner and Magic Quadrant, Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo and Peer Insights are a registered trademark, of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Franke

Franke Group is a leading global supplier of products and services for residential kitchens, the foodservice and convenience store segments, as well as the professional coffee making industry. With more than 60 companies, it is represented on five continents. Its over 8,000 employees are constantly striving to develop innovative, adaptable solutions to meet business partners' and consumers' current and future needs. The products and services of the three divisions enable partners to keep pace with developments in a rapidly changing world. Franke combines cutting-edge technology, functional aesthetics and integrated services to deliver efficient, smart and sustainable solutions. It creates kitchen worlds and coffee making systems that fit flexibly into the living spaces of today and tomorrow.

About ToolsGroup

ToolsGroup’s innovative AI-powered solutions enable retailers, distributors, and manufacturers to navigate through supply chain uncertainty. Our retail and supply chain planning suites empower a new level of intelligent decision-making and unlock powerful business improvements in forecast accuracy, service levels, and inventory—delighting customers and achieving financial and sustainability KPIs. Stay in touch with ToolsGroup on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, or visit www.toolsgroup.com.

Media Contact

Meir Kahtan

917-864-0800

mkahtan@rcn.com

Green Lantern Solar, an innovative and trusted renewable energy developer, today announced the successful completion of the sale of eight 500-kilowatt (kW) net-metered solar projects in Vermont to Sea Oak Capital, LLC.

These community solar projects, located in both Green Mountain Power (GMP) and Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) territories, mark a significant step forward in advancing the state's renewable energy goals. Offtakers of the energy generated by these projects include eight family farms, three dairy farms, several retailers, hotels, resorts and restaurants, a campground and a country club.

"We are pleased to partner with Sea Oak Capital in the development and construction of these projects," said David Carpenter, VP of Development & Chief Legal Officer, Green Lantern Solar. "Over the course of 13 years and more than 135 projects, Green Lantern Solar's community solar projects have provided significant value to municipalities and the communities and offtakers they serve. The successful sale of these projects further reinforces our business model of carefully selecting optimal project locations and efficiently developing them for maximum return for the owner, the customers and the community."

The portfolio includes a diverse range of projects throughout the state:

• Londonderry: Constructed on a town-owned parcel in Londonderry, Vt. (GMP), this project was completed on an expedited schedule during the winter.
• Castleton Heights: Constructed in Castleton, Vt. (GMP), this project was also completed on an expedited schedule during the winter months.
• Pico View: Located in Pittsford, Vt. (GMP), this project overcame several challenges, including a redesign around a wastewater replacement area.
• Pittsford Furnace Brook: Also located in Pittsford, Vt. (GMP), this project faced challenges stemming from significant archaeological sensitivity in the area. To mitigate these issues, innovative redesigns and construction sequences were employed to minimize the effects.
• ORR: Located in Lemington, Vt. (VEC), this project is on the reclaimed portion of an active sand-and-gravel operation.
• Bloom: Situated in Bloomfield, Vt. (VEC), this project is also on the reclaimed portion of an active sand-and-gravel operation.
• CRB: Located in Island Pond, Vt. (VEC), this project is also situated on the reclaimed portion of an active sand-and-gravel operation and is nearing completion. Throughout development, Green Lantern Solar collaborated closely with the landowner and regulatory authorities to ensure compliance with land-use permits.
• Brighton: Situated in Brighton, Vt. (VEC), this project is permitted on an active sand-and-gravel extraction operation and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2024.

Vermont's solar power generation accounts for more than 20% of the state's electricity production. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) anticipates this growth to continue for the foreseeable future. A key driver behind this growth is net metering, which enables surplus solar energy to be returned to the grid in exchange for credits on electric bills. This mechanism fosters the uptake of renewable energy and allows both individuals and businesses to engage actively in Vermont's transition to 100% clean energy.

Green Lantern Solar sold the multi-project portfolio, comprising Notice to Proceed (NTP) and Commercial Operation Date (COD) projects, to Sea Oak Capital, LLC.

"Community solar project investments have become one of the bedrocks of our growth strategy," said Dan Poydenis, Chief Executive Officer of Sea Oak Capital. "The completion of these projects not only assists the State of Vermont in meeting its renewable energy goals but also provides substantial and long-term savings to many local small businesses. We would like to congratulate the Green Lantern Solar team for their professionalism and hard work to make these projects a success."

"As we aggressively expand Green Lantern Solar's footprint beyond Vermont and New England, we will continue to build on successes like these to leverage our deep experience and our proven development process in those new markets," Carpenter added.

About Green Lantern Solar

Green Lantern Solar is a vertically integrated regional renewable energy development company emphasizing the development of community solar projects and commercial solar solutions for municipal, education, healthcare and government entities. Green Lantern works with landowners to revitalize and re-develop low-value sites such as brownfields, landfills, quarries/pits/extraction sites and other challenging real estate. The company currently provides a full suite of services: development, financing, construction and operations, maintenance and asset management. For more information, visit www.greenlanternsolar.com on LinkedIn and @GrnLntrnSolar on X (Twitter).

Media Contact

Leah Wilkinson

+1 703-907-0010

leah@wilkinson.associates

Callan Family Office, a registered investment advisor serving ultra-high-net-worth families, family offices, foundations and endowments across the United States, today announced the launch of a new offering focused on supporting business owners considering transacting or transitioning their businesses.

The Business & Transaction Advisory Practice will be led by industry veterans Jeff Getty and Lisa Clifford. They educate owners on value optimization, exit option strategies, and value enhancement through due diligence preparation. Additionally, they work closely with the business owner's legal and tax counsel on transaction structuring to minimize all levels of taxation in alignment with the client's financial, philanthropic, legacy and estate planning goals.

"Business owners represent a large segment of the U.S. GDP and most owners' net worth," said Jack Ginter, Chief Executive Officer of Callan Family Office. "Before selling or transitioning, an owner should ensure that their business is in its strongest possible position to allow them to generate maximum value. Jeff and Lisa have spent decades strengthening companies and preparing them for sale. We are excited to bring them on to lead this practice and deliver holistic support to business owners during all phases of their business lifecycle."

Getty and Clifford join Callan Family Office from Key Private Bank, where Getty led the family wealth consulting team and founded the Business Advisory practice. During his 14-year tenure, he managed a team of 12 professionals, providing support on approximately 30 to 40 transactions per year.

Getty holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Science in Taxation. In addition, he is a Fellow in the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC®), Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®), Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA®), Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), and Certified Value Growth Advisor (CVGA®). He is author of the book The Descent is the Real Climb: The Unexpected Truths About Successful Business Transitions.

"Having spent two decades advising thriving business owners, we are thrilled to join a company synonymous with entrepreneurial success," Getty said. "We look forward to assisting clients of Callan Family Office on how to prepare for this life-changing event."

Clifford holds the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designation (CPWA®) and is a Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA®).

"Unlike other firms, we have an extremely narrow focus: maximize the value of our clients' businesses in preparation for a sale," Clifford said. "I'm proud of our work for hundreds of owners, helping them achieve their goals for their businesses and families. I look forward to delivering optimal value to Callan Family Office clients."

About Callan Family Office

Independently owned and operated, Callan Family Office was founded by experienced wealth professionals to provide investment management, thoughtful personalized advice, and holistic financial planning to ultra-high-net-worth families, foundations, and endowments. The firm's principals have spent their careers serving ultra-high-net-worth clients and institutions.

Callan Family Office has agreements with Callan LLC to use the Callan ® tradename in providing investment advisory services to the ultra-high-net-worth market segment and to access Callan's institutional quality research, education, and investment guidance experience. Callan Family Office and Callan LLC are independent, unaffiliated investment advisory firms separately registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Callan Family Office (CFO) is the exclusive trademark licensee of Callan LLC. Callan LLC provides products and services to CFO. Clients of CFO are not clients of Callan LLC, and the parties are not affiliated. CALLAN, CFO and the other Callan trademarks and service marks are registered and/or unregistered trademarks of Callan LLC and may not be used without its permission. INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES AND PRODUCTS PROVIDED TO CLIENTS OF CFO ARE PROVIDED SOLELY BY CFO AND NOT BY OR ON BEHALF OF CALLAN LLC. REPRESENTATIVES OF CFO ARE EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS OF CFO AND NOT EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS OF CALLAN LLC.

Media Contact

Callan Family Office

info@callanfo.com

Avenue Z, a strategic marketing and communications company announces the appointment of Jessica Dalziel as its Chief Client Officer. Dalziel brings over 15 years of experience in unlocking top-tier solutions, fostering innovative thinking, and harnessing exceptional talent across strategic accounts. With this appointment, she will oversee the full breadth of client relationships across the company.

"Our strategy revolves around nurturing the growth and success of our clients across multiple channels. To accomplish this, we're embracing a more client-centric approach than ever before," stated Jeffrey Herzog, Chairman and CEO of Avenue Z. "Jess' natural leadership talents and steadfast connections bolster and accelerate our commitment to industry-wide revolution, amplifying customer experiences along the way."

Dalziel will enhance client experience through solutions tailored to each client's unique needs and business goals, elevate service delivery standards, and fortify Avenue Z's reputation as a trusted advisor in the industry. In this role, Dalziel will report to the company's COO, Dave Johnson.

"Jess has been pivotal in shaping NightWise's strategic marketing initiatives, elevating our brand's presence, and fostering smooth, productive collaborations with her exceptional talent and friendly demeanor", said Danny Rinaldi, founder and CEO of NightWise. "Her adept management of complex projects has positioned us as frontrunners in the sleep industry, while her partnership with every team member has greatly contributed to our successes."

Dalziel shared, "Many agencies focus solely on advancing technologies such as AI or the latest trends. A successful client strategy harnesses both but never loses sight of human empathy and trust. It delves into the intricacies of each client's needs, enabling our teams to tailor solutions that resonate on a deeper level and drive impactful results. I'm thrilled to leverage my background to strengthen our client relationships and bring unparalleled value alongside the talented team at Avenue Z."

Before joining Avenue Z, Dalziel served as the VP of Strategic Accounts at Investis Digital in New York. In this role, she spearheaded business growth, innovative processes, and resources, with a keen focus on business development and nurturing client relationships. Prior to that, Dalziel held value-creation positions at Isobar, a dentsu company, where she adeptly coordinated project plans on a global scale, seamlessly integrating them across diverse stakeholders.

Dalziel earned her MBA from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, and a bachelor's degree in Advertising from Grand Valley State University.

About Avenue Z

Avenue Z is a strategic marketing and communications company breaking traditional boundaries between marketing, advertising and PR. From the Wall Street Journal to TikTok, PR to social and search, we create narratives that drive commerce, connections, and conversion, across all channels. With experts, tech and teams based in New York, Boston, Orlando, Miami and global reach, we drive influence. Visit www.avenuez.com.

Media Contact

Madeleine Worrall

+1 817-808-1521

madeleine.worrall@bevelpr.com

Adro, a New York-based technology company enabling access to checking, savings and credit for international students and workers moving to the U.S. through its university partners, announced today Stearns Bank N.A. as its official bank sponsor.

With support from Stearns Bank N.A. to build a financial on-ramp for internationals, Adro is set to launch this summer. Product highlights include:

• The ability to open an account before arrival in the U.S., no Social Security number required
• Complete product access from the day of arrival, including debit and credit cards via Apple Pay and Google Wallet
• The ability to begin building credit on Day 1, while waiting for a Social Security number to be issued, and
• Discounted international money transfers

“As one of our earliest and biggest supporters, choosing Stearns Bank N.A. as our sponsor bank was an obvious choice,” said Amarildo Gjondrekaj, CEO and co-founder at Adro. “Stearns has a long history of recognizing minority groups that are traditionally underserved and underbanked. They have been an invaluable resource in sharing their expertise in risk and compliance oversight. Their team has shown great appreciation towards what we’re building to improve the banking experience for internationals.”

“We believe in listening to what our community needs. Our customers and communities are increasingly more global and mobile, and we’re all about increasing inclusion and access. Empowerment for all is our mission, and partnering with Adro to offer the full breadth of financial services to international students and workers aligns perfectly with our priorities,” said Kelly Skalicky, President and Chief Executive Officer at Stearns Bank N.A.

Josh Hofer, Chief Risk and Information Security Officer at Stearns Bank N.A., who leads the fintech and innovation division adds, “We’re emerging as a leader in fintech partnership and innovation because of our strong risk management, compliance and regulatory expertise and our common-sense business approach, which we’re in a great position to leverage for Adro and its customers to expand and maximize Adro’s reach and impact.”

With its bank sponsor now confirmed, Adro’s focus remains on narrowing down and finalizing its key university partners ahead of the upcoming 2024–2025 academic year. For more information, visit www.joinadro.com/university.

About Adro

Adro is a technology company helping internationals unblock access to financial services so they can live like a local. Based in New York, Adro has raised a $1.5M pre-seed and is backed by investors who deeply believe in equal access and opportunity for newcomers arriving in the U.S.

Adro was selected to join the 2024 Hudson Valley Venture Hub Accelerator at SUNY New Paltz. Adro is a graduate of Westchester County’s Element 46 Tech Accelerator and a member of CELA Innovation. To learn more, visit www.joinadro.com.

About Stearns Bank N.A.

Minnesota-based Stearns Bank National Association is a $2.8 billion, independently owned financial institution with locations in Minnesota, Florida, and Arizona, and over 35,000 small business customers nationwide. Stearns Bank is consistently recognized as one of the Best Banks to Work For, most recently ranked by American Banker as the 5th best bank to work for among banks in the nation, while earning top rankings based on its strong capital and earnings as one of the nation’s highest-performing banks. The Independent Banker’s 2023 “Best of the Best” ranks Stearns Bank as the 4th best-performing bank in the U.S. among banks having more than $1 billion in assets based on banks’ 3-year average return on assets. Stearns Bank’s financial strength and success is achieved by Stearns Bank becoming one of the most prominent community impact lenders in the nation through effective public-private partnerships and innovative local initiatives with community organizations, CDFIs, and Minority Deposit Institutions across the country.

Stearns Bank specializes in nationwide affordable housing, workforce and multifamily housing, commercial construction lending, build-to-suit and CRE-repositioning lending, family office and lender financing, USDA and SBA lending, and small business and equipment financing to foster economic development and entrepreneurial growth at a local level in communities across the country. As a national leader and go-to bank for nonprofits, Stearns Bank created a customized suite of nonprofit banking solutions specially designed and tailored to empower nonprofit organizations across the country.

Driven by a passion to help others achieve their greatest ambitions, Stearns Bank’s mission is to Get the Job Done! For more information, visit StearnsBank.com.

Media Contact

Katherine Wong Too Yen

kat@joinadro.com

The Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) is encouraged by Maryland's recent enactment of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), setting the stage for safe access to kratom products for consumers. Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed the bill into law on Thursday, May 16, making Maryland the 13th state to adopt the KCPA. On April 4, 2024, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed a similar bill regulating kratom in the Bluegrass State.

The KCPA aims to safeguard consumers by implementing age restrictions, requiring some disclosures on product labels, and mandating reporting of adverse health events related to kratom usage. These measures underscore a responsible approach to regulation that prioritizes consumer safety while preserving access to kratom, a botanical with a long history of traditional use in Southeast Asia.

"We commend the leadership of Maryland and Kentucky in passing the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which offers guidelines and a basis for future regulations," said Matthew Lowe, Executive Director of the Global Kratom Coalition. "By implementing age restrictions and enhancing transparency through label disclosures, these states are taking proactive steps to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions about their kratom usage. Including provisions for reporting adverse health events demonstrates a commitment to ongoing monitoring and improvement of kratom safety protocols."

Growing List of States with Recent Kratom Legislation

The enactment of the KCPA in Maryland and Kentucky adds to a growing list of states that have signed responsible kratom regulation. Of the 13 states in which the possession, distribution, sale, or manufacture of kratom products is regulated, 10 states (Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia) also place requirements for kratom product labels. The other six states have no product labeling requirements (Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Oregon, and South Dakota).

"The Global Kratom Coalition looks forward to working with state-level legislatures who passed the KCPA to further strengthen label requirements and limits on certain active ingredients," said Lowe. "Of particular concern is an alarming and increasing number of synthetic isolate 7-hydroxymitragynine products that are being sold as kratom but are entirely different. Consumers should approach these products with extreme caution."

Safety of 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) Products Not Established

In April 2024, the Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) released a position paper addressing the proliferation of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products in the market. "GKC Position Paper: 7-hydroxymitragynine Products” delves into the complexities surrounding these synthetic products and their implications for public health and regulation. According to the GKC, the safety of 7-OH products has not been established, and what is currently known about its commercialization is not in the interest of public safety. Products that contain synthetically derived 7-OH should not be considered as kratom products.

7-OH products claim heightened potency due to elevated levels of mitragynine and other alkaloids, yet a closer examination reveals concerning disparities in composition compared to authentic kratom products, in that they contain large amounts of 7-OH that are not seen in authentic kratom products.

The GKC has found many of these products have very little or non-existent levels of kratom-derived alkaloids and disproportionately high concentrations of synthetically produced 7-OH. Such imbalances raise significant safety considerations, particularly given what is known about the pharmacological profile of 7-OH.

GKC supports legislation like California Assemblymember Matthew Haney’s Assembly Bill 2365. Assemblymember Haney’s proposed Kratom Consumer Protection Act in California limits the amount of 7-OH found in kratom products to less than 1% of total alkaloids.

About Kratom 

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves have traditionally been used for their mood-boosting and energy-enhancing properties. While kratom's regulatory status and safety have been debated, the passage of the KCPA represents a significant step toward establishing consistent standards for kratom products in the U.S.

About the Global Kratom Coalition

The Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) exists to protect and expand access to leaf-based kratom around the world. The organization represents the interests of advocates committed to positive change benefiting consumers. The organization supports education and the development of kratom science, which is central to the GKC’s mission—to empower individuals worldwide with access to safe and responsibly sourced kratom products by advancing scientific research and sensible regulation.

The GKC operates on five key values:

• Access: The belief that individuals should have a choice as to how they look after their health, informed by the latest unbiased information available.
• Education: Providing accurate, evidence-based information about kratom (including on our website), allowing consumers to make informed decisions.
• Advocacy: Serving as a united voice for kratom consumers worldwide, seeking fair and sensible regulations that prioritize consumer safety, freedom of information, and good sourcing and manufacturing practices.
• Community: Fostering a global group of enthusiasts, experts, vendors, and advocates to promote the benefits of kratom and fight for informed and responsible use.
• Responsibility: Promoting the responsible use of kratom and encouraging vendors to adhere to strict quality and safety standards so that consumers have access to products that are safe, well-manufactured, and appropriately labeled.

Please follow us at:

Website: https://globalkratomcoalition.org

Twitter: @kratomcoalition 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/globalkratomcoalition

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalkratomcoalition

Media Contact

Matthew Lowe

mlowe@globalkratomcoalition.org

Paw Pro GmbH, a leader in Pet Health, is thrilled to announce a $1.5 million partnership with Health Reasoning, a pioneer in Healthcare AI and tokenization. This strategic collaboration aims to develop and deploy an innovative Web3 platform featuring the revolutionary Treats token and redeemable NFTs.

The partnership highlights the growing synergy between Paw Pro’s vision for enhanced customer engagement and Health Reasoning’s expertise in blockchain technology. This collaboration is poised to deliver a state-of-the-art digital ecosystem that will redefine user interaction and reward mechanisms within Paw Pro’s community.

Platform Features

Treats Token: A blockchain-based utility token designed for transactions, rewards, and incentives within the Paw Pro ecosystem uniting all pet lovers. Detailed information about the Treats token will be available in an upcoming white paper.

Redeemable NFTs: Unique digital assets that users can acquire, trade, and redeem for various rewards, enhancing user engagement and loyalty.

“We are excited to partner with Health Reasoning to bring cutting-edge blockchain technology to our platform,” said Katrina Graue, CEO of Paw Pro GmbH. “This collaboration will not only enhance our service offerings but also provide our users with innovative ways to interact with and benefit from our ecosystem.”

“Health Reasoning is thrilled to join forces with Paw Pro GmbH in this transformative project,” said Damon Spiceland, CEO of Health Reasoning. “Our expertise in AI and Blockchain technology combined with Paw Pro’s vision for customer engagement will set a new standard in the industry.”

This partnership underscores Paw Pro’s commitment to leveraging advanced technologies to provide unparalleled value to its users. The development and integration of the Web3 platform will begin immediately, with the first phase of the project expected to launch this summer.

For more information about Paw Pro GmbH and Health Reasoning, please visit https://paw-pro.com/ and https://healthreasoning.com/.

About Paw Pro GmbH

Paw Pro GmbH is a leading innovative company in bacteria-based nutrition supplements for dogs, dedicated to improving the well-being of pets through advanced solutions and exceptional care. At Paw Pro, we offer natural and chemical-free pet supplements, especially created to protect pets, helping them strengthen their immune system for a long, happy life. Our patented combination of elements, sourced from the highest quality ingredients, ensures that our products are unique and highly effective. We produce our supplements at a state-of-the-art medical research center in Germany. Paw Pro’s vision is to become one of the leading pet supplement brands in the market, meeting and exceeding the standards of our clients by providing them with healthy and natural products for their pets. We aim to protect dogs, supporting their natural immune system and improving their lifestyle as a result.

About Health Reasoning

Health Reasoning is a pioneering company in healthcare, specializing in blockchain and artificial intelligence solutions that drive transformation and efficiency. Health Reasoning’s mission is to harness the power of blockchain technology to create secure, transparent, and user-centric digital ecosystems.

Media Contact

Katrina Graue

katrina.graue@paw-pro.com

Waterfall Lounge, a Guyanese-Caribbean bar and lounge in the heart of Brooklyn, is proud to announce the opening of its location at 4703 Church Avenue. The lounge is hosting its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 17, 2024 in partnership with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Exclusive swag bags will be provided to the first 50 guests upon arrival. 

Owner Nola Rodney expressed her enthusiasm for the opening, stating, "We are thrilled to open our doors to the Brooklyn community and share the flavors and vibes of the Caribbean with everyone who walks through our doors. This is a dream come true for us, and we can't wait to welcome you all with open arms."

Located at a prime spot on Church Avenue, guests can expect to indulge in delicious cuisine, refreshing drinks, and a lively atmosphere that captures the essence of the islands. This event is an exciting culmination of months of work to renovate the space as the owners prepared to open their doors to the Caribbean-American community in Brooklyn. With a focus on providing signature cocktails and mouth-watering appetizers filled with Caribbean flavors, the new location is set to become a go-to destination for locals and visitors alike. Waterfall Lounge will soon share plans to host events, introduce new menu items, and create memorable experiences for guests.

To register and to learn more about our grand opening and ribbon cutting, please click here.

For more information on Waterfall Lounge and the new location in Brooklyn, visit Waterfall Lounge at https://WaterfallLoungeBK.com.

About Waterfall Lounge

Waterfall Lounge is a Guyanese-Caribbean restaurant in the heart of Brooklyn, NY, providing a unique Caribbean-American dining experience. Discover more about our offerings and upcoming events at https://WaterfallLoungeBK.com or find us on Facebook.

Media Contact

Nola Rodney

the1waterfalllounge@gmail.com

Botanic Tonics, a leading provider of premium herbal supplements, today announced that it will voluntarily raise the age restriction for its products to 21 years and older, effective immediately. This decision underscores the company’s dedication to promoting responsible consumption and consumer education in an industry that currently lacks comprehensive regulations. 

Cameron Korehbandi, CEO of Botanic Tonics, stated, "As a company, we have always been committed to providing the highest quality products for our consumers. In the absence of industry-wide regulations, we feel compelled to take this important step to promote responsible consumption and consumer awareness."

By raising the age requirement to 21, Botanic Tonics aims to encourage a more informed and mature consumer base while reducing the potential for misuse of its products. The company believes that this proactive measure will set a new standard for the industry and inspire other companies to prioritize consumer education and responsible practices. 

In addition to the age restriction, Botanic Tonics is intensifying its efforts to educate consumers about its products, ingredients, and recommended servings. The company recognizes that empowering consumers with knowledge is crucial in fostering a culture of responsible use.

Korehbandi added, “We understand that this decision may have short-term impacts on our business, but we firmly believe that it is the right thing to do. By prioritizing safe consumption above all else, we are building a stronger, more sustainable brand."

Botanic Tonics is also advocating for appropriate regulations within the industry to ensure consumer safety and responsible practices. The company remains committed to innovation, growth, and making a positive impact on the lives of its consumers while supporting necessary legislation in the industry. 

For more information about Botanic Tonics and its commitment to responsible consumption, please visit www.botanictonics.com. 

About Botanic Tonics  

Botanic Tonics is a plant-based herbal supplement company headquartered in Broken Arrow, OK. Established in 2020, it produces kava-forward tonics and capsules under its 'feel free' brand. Its two product lines, 'feel free CLASSIC' and 'feel free' are crafted with ancient functional plants to provide mood lift, energy, and focus. Botanic Tonics’ products are manufactured in an FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility, and the company actively supports consumer safety regulations through transparent labeling and educational resources. Learn more at https://botanictonics.com.

Media Contact

media@botanictonics.com

Activate, the pioneering live-action gaming venue and viral sensation on TikTok, is excited to announce the grand opening of its first Ohio location opening in Cincinnati on May 31, 2024. The unique and dynamic venue promises an opportunity for guests to immerse themselves in the nationwide gaming phenomenon. Activate Cincinnati is located at 3103 Disney St., Cincinnati, OH 45209.

Activate is transforming the gaming landscape, expanding its influence across the United States with 11 thriving locations and a momentum that shows no signs of slowing down. With a global player base exceeding 2.5 million, this exhilarating experience seamlessly merges state-of-the-art technology with thrilling challenges, offering an electrifying social escapade.

"Opening our first location in Ohio fills us with immense excitement,” says Will Gray, Director of Marketing at Activate Games. “We're eager to bring the thrill of Activate to a new market, where we can engage and entertain even more adventurers. Get ready, Cincinnati, because an unforgettable experience awaits!”

Activate Cincinnati’s new state-of-the-art gaming facility welcomes all ages and skill levels, encouraging players to explore and create their own unique gaming experience. Here’s what to expect:

• Guests can sign up in groups of two to five players
• Through progress tracking via Activate’s high-tech electronic RFID wristbands, players can rack up points, leveling up and earning prizes along the way.
• Top gaming rooms include the TikTok viral sensation Mega Grid with 500+ multi-activated rainbow-coloured tiles, blasting the beaming bullseye in a game called Strike, and feel like a modern day spy in the Laser room.
• Try Level 1 easy or take it to Level 10 extreme.
• Play as a team in cooperative mode, or challenge your friends in competitive mode games.

In addition to Cincinnati, Activate can be found in major U.S. markets such as Houston, Plano, Chicago, Atlanta, and New Jersey. Additional Activate locations are set to open in 2024 across the U.S. in markets such as Charlotte, Kansas City, Columbus, and Detroit, along with internationally in the UK and UAE. Today, Activate operates over 30 locations across Canada and the U.S.

Plan Your Visit

• Book in advance to save time and ensure a game room is available. Each game lasts 1-3 minutes. The full gaming experience lasts 75 minutes.
• Complete the safety waiver required for you to play in advance.
• Wear activewear and flat, closed-toe shoes.
• Age requirements: Children 10 and under require a paid adult with them at all times in gaming rooms. Children ages 11 to 13 must have an adult present at the facility.
• Where: 3103 Disney St, Cincinnati, OH, United States, 45209.
• When: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. | Friday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. | Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Cost: Monday through Thursday, $24.99 | Friday through Sunday, $29.99

For a sneak peek into Activate’s action-packed gaming experience, and to keep tabs on the Activate Cincinnati grand opening, visit www.playactivate.com/cincinnati.

Gift cards are now available for Activate Cincinnati, here. Use promo code CINCYPRESALE50 to receive 50% off before opening day.

Join the Inner Circle to be the first to hear about new locations, behind-the-scenes information, deals, and more. As a thank you for signing up, Activate will extend 50% off your first booking, valid until June 17, 2024.

Please find imagery assets here.

About Activate

Founded in 2019, Activate is a state-of-the-art gaming facility with locations across the United States and Canada. Each Activate location offers a variety of unique gaming rooms with over 700 levels for players to compete, earn stars, and track achievements online. Activate combines physical activity and gaming to create an immersive experience as part of a healthy lifestyle. To learn more about Activate, please visit https://playactivate.com. Follow Activate on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/activategames and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/activategames/.

Media Contact

Jalila Singerff

+1 613-614-6777

jalila@jiveprdigital.com

Babson College announced that it will host its ninth Babson Connect Worldwide (BCW) conference in the picturesque Tuscan countryside of Italy, on March 27–29, 2025. The conference will take place at Castelfalfi, an alumni-owned five-star hotel that recently reopened after multi-million-dollar renovations that turned an 800-year-old abandoned village into an exquisite vacation destination.

BCW is a renowned global event that convenes founders, executives, and emerging stars within the entrepreneurial sphere, along with Babson alumni, faculty, and students. The summit is a platform for exchanging knowledge and insights, enabling participants to excel in their entrepreneurial pursuits.

“Babson Connect Worldwide is a vital component in our global effort to support and inspire entrepreneurial leaders to impact communities everywhere,” said Babson College President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD. “Babson alumni and friends around the world make us an everywhere institution, and BCW is the premier summit for our community of entrepreneurial leaders to recommit to lifelong learning and forge new and meaningful connections.”

The summit agenda features keynote speeches and panel discussions with prominent leaders addressing the most pressing issues faced by today’s global entrepreneurial leaders. Babson’s distinguished faculty will lead executive education workshops designed to provide current insights and practical tools, equipping participants to navigate and excel in the rapidly evolving business landscape.

The conference also offers attendees an immersive experience into Tuscan culture through planned excursions and signature after-hours events. The itinerary includes visits to iconic towns such as Siena, San Gimignano, and Volterra, and cultural activities like wine tastings, truffle hunting, scenic hikes, and bike rides. Additionally, a special “Green-Tie” gala is scheduled to take place in Florence.

Set against the backdrop of a region renowned for its crucial role in the Renaissance, Tuscany is the perfect example of the transition from traditional business frameworks to modern entrepreneurial achievements. This setting highlights the enduring impact of innovation, creativity, and the human spirit and aligns with the summit's emphasis on pioneering business practices.

Since its inception in 2015, BCW has served as a catalyst for uniting Babson’s extensive network of 45,000 alumni and friends from 129 countries. Registration will open in June 2024.

Learn more about the event here.

About Babson College

Based in Wellesley, MA, Babson College specializes in providing a premier business education through a unique entrepreneurial lens to produce highly effective leaders across all industries. Babson College has been revolutionizing business education since its founding in 1919 and is credited as the creator of entrepreneurship education. With a world-class alumni network that includes some of the most impactful executives in organizations of all kinds, Babson College prepares and empowers its students to become entrepreneurial leaders who add sustainable, economic, and social value everywhere. For more information visit: http://babson.edu/

Media Contact

Kate Chaney

Manager, External Communications

kchaney@babson.edu

Today, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) issued its support of Congress’ passage of the bipartisan, bicameral Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill, which includes a provision to improve the safety and efficiency of the transportation of donor organs through the nation’s commercial aviation system. The bill now heads to the president’s desk for signature.

The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act requires the Department of Transportation (DOT), in consultation with the FAA, to convene a working group to develop best practices for transporting organs in the cabin of a commercial aircraft. The working group will include organ procurement organizations, transplant hospitals, commercial airlines, flight attendants and other federal agencies. DOT is required to convene the working group no later than 90 days after the bill is enacted. No later than one year after convening, the working group must present recommendations to the secretary of DOT.

Before the September 11 attacks, organs – primarily kidneys – were transported within a commercial flight’s main cabin under supervision of the aircrew. The attacks prompted significant changes to airport protocols, including removing transplant professionals’ ability to accompany an organ through security without an airplane ticket. As a result, organs currently travel in the cargo hold and are subject to cargo business hours, which vary between airlines and are impacted by staffing shortages. Organs arriving when a cargo office is closed sit on ice for prolonged periods, increasing the potential for an organ not to be used.

“Ensuring a donated organ gets to a patient on time and safely is absolutely critical, which is why UNOS has been working with the donation and transplant community and Congress to create a process to bring organs out of the cargo hold and back into the cabin of an airplane,” said Maureen McBride, Ph.D., CEO of UNOS. “Thank you to those working with us to advocate for change and include this provision in the FAA reauthorization package, namely Senators Ron Wyden, Maria Cantwell, Ted Cruz, and John Thune, and Reps. Bruce Westerman, Greg Stanton, Beth Van Duyne, Sam Graves, and Rick Larsen. The bill’s passage highlights the bipartisan consensus and understanding of the lifesaving importance of this issue. I appreciate the commitment to honor the gift of life and do right by patients on the waitlist, generous donors, and their families. I look forward to working with the Department of Transportation to bring organs back into the cabin of an aircraft.”

Transportation is a cornerstone of the UNOS Action Agenda, a series of recommendations to strengthen the U.S. donation and transplant system. To further reduce the risk of delaying or damaging organs in transport, UNOS also recommends the next contracts for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) should require the use of physical trackers for unaccompanied donor organs recovered for transplant, and the establishment of a centralized organ tracking system.

“Donations and transplants are going up across the country, and so are the number of organs traveling every hour of every day,” said McBride. “This community owes it to patients and donor families to ensure that organs travel as safely and efficiently as possible. Every viable organ ultimately not transplanted represents a profound loss.”

The provision included in the FAA reauthorization bill is the result of ongoing advocacy by UNOS and other members of the nation’s organ donation and transplant community. Since 2022, UNOS has engaged with FAA leadership, the Transportation Security Administration and the House and Senate to pursue this reform.

Actions to move organs back to the airplane cabin and out of cargo are widely endorsed by the donation and transplant community, including the American Association of Kidney Patients, American Foundation for Donation & Transplantation, American Kidney Fund, American Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, American Society of Nephrology, American Society of Transplantation, American Society of Transplant Surgeons, Association of Organ Procurement Organizations, Donate Life America, Donate Life Virginia, Kidney Care Partners, Kidney Transplant Collaborative, National Kidney Foundation, Nationwide Organ Recovery Transport Alliance, North American Transplant Coordinators Organization, Organ Donation Advocacy Group, Renal Physicians Association, Transplant Recipients International Organization, Transplant Families, Transplant Unwrapped, and Waitlist Zero.

About UNOS

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the mission-driven non-profit serving as the nation’s transplant system under contract with the federal government. We lead the network of transplant hospitals, organ procurement organizations, and thousands of volunteers who are dedicated to honoring the gifts of life entrusted to us and to making lifesaving transplants possible for patients in need. Working together, we leverage data and advances in science and technology to continuously strengthen the system, increase the number of organs recovered and the number of transplants performed, and ensure patients across the nation have equitable access to transplant.

Media Contact

Anne Paschke

804-782-4730

anne.paschke@unos.org

PathAI, a global leader in AI-powered pathology, today announced the launch of Pathology Universal Transformer (PLUTO), a pathology-centric foundation model, to further differentiate their portfolio of products geared towards biopharma and pathology laboratory customers.

In machine learning, a foundation model (1) (FM) is a model trained using self-supervised learning on a large scale of unlabeled data to mathematically capture salient information from inputs to the model. Once trained, the FM can be adapted to enable specific tasks in new contexts, especially including previously unforeseen contexts and tasks.

The process of adapting a high-quality FM yields better downstream pathology tools, with lower development time and cost, than building bespoke tools from scratch. For example, a pathology FM may be adapted variously to perform cell and nucleus segmentation at microscopic scale on immunohistochemistry (IHC) slides, or to perform histological subtyping at macro-scale for H&E slides. Developing high-quality FMs is particularly important and complex in pathology where there are many different kinds of tasks at different scales of the whole slide image (WSI) data including cell, tissue, and (whole) slide levels.

PathAI’s PLUTO was developed to enable this wide diversity of pathology tasks, and was trained using hundreds of millions of unlabeled image patches from about 160,000 WSIs across 30+ disease areas, numerous indications, stains, scanner types and magnification, and over 50 sources of data. To learn high-quality representations of the unlabeled training data, PathAI researchers designed a pathology-focused self-supervised training process using multi-scale, flexible deep vision transformer architectures with novel training objectives. Researchers then evaluated the quality of the resulting FM by adapting it to a wide diversity of pathology-specific tasks, and found that PathAI’s FM outperforms current state-of-the-art models on (whole) slide, cellular and subcellular tasks. Additionally, PathAI’s FM enables building AI-powered pathology tools at multiple scales and resolutions, and is significantly more compact than previously published models, driving massive reductions in training and inference costs, and enabling highly scalable data generation and product development.

PLUTO and its adaptations are set to power PathAI’s best-in-class suite of AI products (2) for diagnostic pathology labs and biopharma use. PLUTO will be adapted to develop the next generation of PathAI’s best-in-class products. PLUTO’s embeddings will enable prediction of underlying molecular alterations driving cancer and disease phenotypes–including those previously hidden to AI–as well as the discovery of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

“PLUTO is meticulously designed to fuel research efforts for better diagnostic and prognostic tools across multiple disease areas. This technology will enable users to compress their pathology workflows using an exceptionally diverse, multi-resolution foundation model at significantly greater speed and a much broader scale than before,” said Harsha Pokalla, Head of Machine Learning at PathAI. “Our aim is to deploy this single, robust model to address a diverse range of applications and use cases within pathology and to continue developing new high performance AI tools that serve our mission to improve patient outcomes.”

Footnotes:

(1) Foundation Models are for research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

(2) PathAI’s AI products are for research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About PathAI

PathAI is the leading precision pathology company providing software and AI-enabled solutions to all pathologist stakeholders including laboratories, research institutions, and the biopharma industry. Rigorously trained and validated with data from more than 15 million annotations, its AI-powered models can be leveraged to optimize the analysis of pathology samples to improve efficiency and accuracy of pathology interpretation, as well as to better gauge therapeutic efficacy and accelerate drug development for complex diseases. For more information, please visit www.pathai.com.

Media Contact

Maggie Naples

+1 401-490-9700

pathai@svmpr.com

Talent shortage and skills development are among the top two priorities businesses are struggling to get to grips with today, according to Gartner. Helping them take control of the situation, startup Anthropos has raised $2.7M to create a new way for companies to help employees evolve their skill sets in accordance with business needs while improving retention.

With offices in the US and Switzerland, Anthropos’ pre-seed round is led by Switzerland-based Founderful with additional participation from Eden Ventures, Exor Ventures, Zanichelli Venture, Alessandro Rivetti and several angel investors across the EU and US.

“People want to see a clear path to grow in their organization and learn the exact skills they need to succeed there. At the same time, you can’t run your business without modern skills and a solution to constantly understand what your people can and cannot do. It’s a problem that is intensifying across all industries and it will get even more important as people need to adopt AI and make it part of their daily job,” said Stefano Bellasio, CEO of Anthropos.

Anthropos was founded by Stefano Bellasio and Giacomo Marinangeli after building Cloud Academy Inc, a cloud training platform they started in 2013. The duo scaled the business to over $25M in ARR with Fortune 500 customers like Microsoft, Warner Media, and Deloitte, and, in the process, realized the majority of their enterprise customers were struggling with the same interrelated problems: employee retention and skills development. After exiting the business to the UK's largest tech training provider, Stefano and Giacomo decided to focus on a completely different space with Anthropos, a solution that wants to help corporates with their constant challenges to retain and build their skills.

Anthropos helps companies centralize all their skills, employee experiences and training libraries in a modern, employee-focused platform. With Anthropos, companies can map out dedicated paths for every role inside the organization. As a result, employees can upskill themselves in accordance with the roles they want to advance in, and companies can constantly assess what skills are relevant for each role and verify which employees have those skills. This is a significant improvement from the status quo of long, convoluted employee questionnaires to ascertain skill abilities. Central to evidencing its approach, Anthropos is able to verify soft and technical skills at different stages of the employee lifecycle, from hiring to training and progression.

As part of the platform, Anthropos has built its own skills taxonomy, which currently covers over 60,000 skills and 18,000 job roles. The company has also created a new technology, called AI Job Simulations, to screen candidates at scale by placing them into immersive real-life scenarios with virtual customers, stakeholders, and colleagues where they can solve missions that demonstrate their soft and hard skills. Early customers at Anthropos have decided to customize their AI Job Simulations to screen candidates at scale and to prepare them for new roles, letting them make mistakes talking to (virtual) customers and other teams and learning from them in a safe environment.

The founders describe Anthropos as the easiest way to build a school for each organization where people can learn and evolve with the business at different stages of the employee lifecycle. As part of this, Anthropos is also designed to act as a network. Employees can see the skills their colleagues have, learn how they acquired them, and ultimately pinpoint potential mentors to help them grow.

The team launched Anthropos earlier this year and their initial customer base, concentrated in the tech and tech consulting space, is already leveraging Anthropos to stay competitive and retain top talent. Current customers are using Anthropos to rapidly verify the skills of employees that were migrating to new roles, to easily identify the right people with the right skills for certain projects, and to screen candidates at scale by putting them in real scenarios related to their roles using the company’s AI Job Simulations.

“It’s a great opportunity for companies. We have seen it first hand, modern generations consider growth and a clear path to learning new skills as the most important aspect of their jobs. It’s more important than your salary or bonuses. If you can’t provide this, you will see employees joining and leaving within months.” said CEO Stefano Bellasio.

Antonia Albert, Principal at Founderful added: "We believe that every employee wants to grow and evolve, and that lack of career development and advancement is one of the key drivers of employee turnover. Using AI to democratize career paths and skills development is such a great mission. We are convinced that Stefano and Giacomo, after having successfully scaled and sold their previous tech company, are the right founders to give both companies and employees the transparency needed to enable clear career paths and professional as well as personal growth.

Looking ahead, Anthropos plans to provide companies and employees access to thousands of skill paths and AI Simulations for roles and skills across multiple departments that every organization can customize. The company is also planning to publish its first batch of AI Job Simulations in the coming months. “Giacomo and I envision Anthropos becoming the solution for companies to manage and develop all their competencies. In a world that will be redesigned by AI in every role, we believe it’s a great opportunity to help everyone transform their careers,” added CEO Stefano Bellasio.

About Anthropos

Anthropos reimagines the connection between people and companies as both adapt to a new way of working. People are more ambitious than ever but they are not ok staying in roles and companies that don’t invest in their growth, with values they don’t share.Similarly for companies: skills are changing so rapidly that looking for the right people is the biggest investment in the budget while retaining the existing talent is always a trial and error process. Our thesis is that both parties could use a different solution to solve this problem.For more information please visit https://anthropos.work/

About Founderful

Founderful is Switzerland’s leading pre-seed fund, backing founder teams building tech companies with the potential to become global market leaders. Founderful has a track record of supporting exceptional founders in creating breakthrough companies and has the passionate conviction that the Swiss startup ecosystem is just starting to write its best success stories: www.founderful.com

Media Contact

Bilal Mahmood

+44 7714 007257

b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com

The Investments & Wealth Institute (“the Institute”), the leading membership organization and credentialing body for financial advisors and wealth management professionals, has unveiled a robust selection of new offerings on its Academy LMS platform (“the Academy”) and enhanced a popular certificate program. These updates underscore the Institute’s ongoing commitment to monitor and address the evolving investment and planning needs advisors have with respect to optimizing their clients’ financial lives. By providing timely, relevant, and world-class educational content, the Institute continually delivers applicable tools and strategies advisors can leverage to add value for the clients they serve.

NEW OFFERINGS

Best of Experience 2024 Bundle – Capitalizing on the extensive, high-quality programming that drives the Institute’s annual Experience conference, the Academy has digitally transformed the in-person event into a comprehensive online bundle eligible for up to 10 CE credits, including 4 tax & regulations credits, for CIMA®, CPWA®, and RMA® certifications (also eligible for 10 CFP® CE credits).

The select conference sessions featuring leading practitioners and thought leaders in the industry include:

• “Critical Tax Planning Update: Looking Ahead to Uncertain Times” (Steve Siegel, JD, LLM)
• “Estate Tax Planning Ahead of the Sunset: Key Things to Remember” (Sara Dorosti, JD)
• “Bitcoin, Your Portfolio, and the Future of Finance” (Matt Hougan)
• “Strategic Tax Deferral Techniques for Real Property Sales” (Marty Verdick, CPA)
• “Wealth Continuity: Navigating Generational Transitions with Purposeful Planning” (Leslie Geller, JD, LLM)
• “Crafting Wealth in the Digital Era: What You Need to Know About Custom Indexing” (Noel Pacarro Brown, CIMA®, CPWA®, Liz Michaels, Emily Gray)
• “The Most Aggressive Fed in History” (Danielle DiMartino Booth)
• “Beyond Numbers: The Human Side of Financial Planning and Cognitive Decline” (Annalee Kruger
• “Tax Strategies for Business Owners and Advising Clients on the Choice of Business Entity” (Steve Parrish, JD, AEP, ChFC, RICP, CLU)
• “Exploring Opportunities in Private Credit” (Earl Hunt, Corey Silva, CIMA®, CIMC®)

Global Financial Planning Essentials – This new certificate program focuses on international and cross-border planning and is an in-depth, 15-hour program broken down into three models, which are:

• Module 1 – “Introduction to Cross-Border Planning”
• Module 2 – “Tax and Immigration Planning”
• Module 3 – “Investments, Retirement, and Other Planning Considerations”

The course curriculum, developed through a strategic partnership with the Global Financial Planning Institute, outlines how ongoing uncertainty in various political, regulatory, and economic environments has led many affluent clients and their families around the world to consider ‘diversification’ not only in terms of their investments — but also in where they live and conduct business so that they may protect their lifestyles and preserve wealth for future generations. It is eligible for 15 hours of CE credit, including 5 hours of tax & regulations CE, for CIMA®, CPWA®, and RMA® certifications (also eligible for 15 CFP® CE credits).

Advice and Planning – This new, concise yet comprehensive microcourse is tailored for advisors and financial professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of advice and planning, which is rooted in two fundamental tenets:

• The financial planning process is most effective in a trust-based, advisor-client relationship.
• The financial planning process is both sequential and recursive.

This course covers the four-step financial planning process and touches upon the concept of advice engagement — highlighting strategies for fostering more meaningful client conversations and delivering advice in a more effective manner. Through a blend of theoretical frameworks, practical insights, and interactive exercises, this course is designed to help advisors navigate the complexities of financial planning with confidence, integrity, and a client-centric focus. It is eligible for 1 hour of CE credit for CIMA®, CPWA®, and RMA® certifications (also eligible for 1 CFP® CE credit).

ENHANCED OFFERING

Private Markets for Advisors – This certificate program provides advisors with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities to enhance portfolio-return potential through private market exposure, and it is designed for professionals who wish to learn valuable best practices to implement alternative strategies into their practice. It breaks down the various strategies and provides guidance on the role of private market investments in diversified portfolios.

This program was originally developed as a 12-hour certificate course but has just been enhanced to include an additional 3 hours of new content that incorporates insights and best practices from a Q4 2023 research study, Adapting to Growing Private Markets: A Playbook for Practice Success, conducted by Cerulli, in collaboration with Invesco and the Institute.

The research highlights the potential benefits for financial advisors in offering private markets investments. Despite recognition of the importance of diversification and growing demand for private market exposure, many advisors allocate only a small portion of client portfolios to alternative investments due to challenges such as lack of liquidity, client education needs, and product complexity. The study suggests a need for enhanced education and support, particularly focusing on communication, coordination, and resources for advisors to better understand and articulate the benefits of private markets to their clients. The research draws insights from a comprehensive survey of 200+ advisors, primarily those holding certifications from the Institute, and provides guidance for practice success in navigating the complexities of alternative investments.

The certificate course is eligible for 15 hours of CE credit for CIMA®, CPWA®, and RMA® certifications (also eligible for 15 CFP® CE credits).

To learn more about the Academy offerings, log in or create an account on the homepage of the Institute’s website (by accessing ‘My Dashboard’ in the upper right corner).

About the Investments & Wealth Institute

Founded in 1985, the Investments & Wealth Institute is the premier professional association, education provider, and standards body for financial advisors. Through its award-winning events, publications, courses, and acclaimed certifications—Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®), and Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA®) certifications—the Institute delivers Ivy league-quality, highly-practical education to more than 30,000 practitioners annually in over 40 countries. Members of the Institute include the industry's most successful investment consultants, advanced financial planners, and private wealth managers who embrace excellence and ethics in applying a broad set of knowledge and skills in their daily work with clients. Learn more at www.investmentsandwealth.org.

Media Contact

Joseph Bish

+1 303-850-3076

jbish@i-w.org

Allison Edmondson

+1 303-850-3207

aedmondson@i-w.org

Battery Mineral Resources Corp. (TSXV: BMR) (OTCQB: BTRMF) (“Battery” or “BMR” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the resumption of mill operations and first production of copper concentrates at its Punitaqui project in Chile.

Martin Kostuik, Battery’s CEO stated, "The commencement of copper concentrate production at Punitaqui marks a significant milestone for BMR and in establishing Chile's next copper mine. Having efficiently applied capital, it has paved the way for near term copper production at Punitaqui and positioning the company favorably to generate meaningful cash flow. With the commencement of copper concentrates production, a proficient operational team, and a promising outlook for robust copper markets, we aim to enhance shareholder value further. We eagerly anticipate sharing our progress and results as 2024 progresses."

Operational Highlights 2024

The Company has initiated copper concentrate production after the successful commissioning of the recently refurbished and upgraded mineral processing facility at Punitaqui. Mining activities to establish access to the mineralized zones in both Cinabrio and San Andres continue to ramp up with stockpiling of fresh mill feed. Cinabrio is the original mine that supplied feed for the first 10 years of prior operations, primarily by Glencore plc.

During the ramp up period of the mines, the Company is looking to boost the revenue stream by processing mill feed from external sources. Supply to the mill over the coming months will be a combination of fresh material from the Punitaqui mines and feed from outside sources including material from private mines in the area, and copper smelter slags.

Anglo-American Agreement

The source of slags supply is made possible by the Anglo-American PLC (“Anglo”) agreement announced on February 13th, 2024. Anglo has agreed to purchase all the copper concentrate to be produced from 240,000 tonnes of Anglo-supplied copper smelter slags.

Milestones

The timeline from first fresh mine feed through the mill to reaching planned capacity is expected to require approximately nine months, reaching a run rate of ~90,000 tonnes per month. BMR expects that the Punitaqui full annual copper production rate will be in the range of 19 million to 23 million pounds of copper in concentrate with an operating margin of $35 million to $50 million at current copper prices.

While the Cinabrio and San Andres mines are reaching full production, the Company will continue processing mill feed from outside sources and advancing toward its newly discovered Cinabrio Norte zone, to commence production of mill feed from that zone in H2 2025.

As part of the ongoing operational readiness during 2024, BMR is executing underground infill and extensional drilling at San Andreas and Cinabrio. The drilling program is designed to further define areas that could be included in near-term mine sequencing and for grade control purposes. The company looks forward to reporting the results of this drilling during the course of the year.

Closing of Convertible Debenture Offering

BMR is also pleased to announce that it has closed its US$400,000 (approximately C$549,360) private placement (the “Private Placement”) of senior unsecured convertible debentures (the “Debentures”), which was previously announced on March 11, 2024.

As previously announced, the Debentures will mature on September 30th, 2026 (the “Maturity Date”) and will bear interest at 10% per annum, compounding annually on September 30th of each year, not in advance. Interest accrued from the date of issuance up to and including March 30th, 2025, will be paid by way of issuance of common shares of the Company. Interest accrued following March 30th, 2025, will be, at the option of the holder, paid either in cash or by way of issuance of common shares of the Company. The issuance of common shares as payment of interest will be at the then current market price of the Company’s common shares at the date the interest becomes payable and will be subject to the prior acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities laws.

The holder of a Debenture may, at their option, at any time preceding the Maturity Date, convert all, but not less than all, of the principal amount of such Debenture into common shares of the Company at the conversion price of US$0.22 per share (approximately C$0.30 per share).

All Debentures issued in the Private Placement and in connection with the debt consolidation are subject to a four month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws and under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Debenture issuances are subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

MI 61-101 Matters

Weston Energy II LLC, a subscriber for Debentures in the Private Placement, is a “related party” to BMR pursuant to pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101“). Prior to giving effect to the transactions disclosed in this news release, Weston Energy II LLC and its affiliates owned or controlled (directly or indirectly) 107,578,740 BMR Common Shares on an undiluted basis (representing approximately 59.4% of the outstanding BMR Common Shares on an undiluted basis).

Weston Energy II LLC’s participation in the Private Placement constitutes a “related party transaction” for the purposes of MI 61-101. The transaction is exempt from the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the transaction does not exceed 25% of BMR’s market capitalization and BMR is not listed on a specified market (pursuant to the exemptions set forth in Section 5.5(a) and 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, respectively) and is further exempt from the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 by virtue of Section 5.7(1)(a) and 5.7(1)(b) of MI 61-101 which provides that a related party transaction is exempt from the minority shareholder approval requirements if the fair market value of the transaction is not more than 25% of the issuer’s market capitalization or is not more than $2,500,000, respectively.

Additional Disclosure Regarding the Fiera Credit Agreement

BMR is also providing additional information in connection with the C$8M credit agreement with Fiera Enhanced Private Debt Fund. ESI Energy Services Inc., a subsidiary of BMR and the borrower under the credit agreement, paid a commitment fee of C$120,000 in connection with the signing of the credit agreement.

Exchange Rates

All USD amounts for which CAD equivalent amounts are given in this news release were calculated at CAD/USD exchange rate of 1.3734, the exchange rate published by the Bank of Canada on May 8th, 2024.

About Battery Mineral Resources Corp.

Battery Mineral Resources has re-started and is currently ramping up mine and mill operations at the Punitaqui Mining Complex, a historic copper-gold-silver producer, in the Coquimbo region of Chile. The mission of the Company is to provide shareholders with an opportunity to realize growth in value via generation of positive cashflow at Punitaqui and to use this momentum as a platform to build a mid-tier copper producing company. BMR strives to be a company providing shareholders accretive exposure to the global mega-trend of electrification while being focused on growth through cash-flow, exploration, and acquisitions in favourable mining jurisdictions. Battery Mineral’s mission is the discovery, acquisition, and development of battery metals (primarily copper and also cobalt, lithium and graphite), in North America, South America and South Korea and to become a premier and responsible supplier of battery minerals to the electrification marketplace. BMR is the largest mineral claim holder in the historic Gowganda Cobalt-Silver Camp in Ontario, Canada, and continues to pursue a focused program to build on the +1-million-pound high-grade cobalt resource at McAra. In addition, Battery Mineral owns 100% of ESI Energy Services, Inc. (including ESI’s wholly owned USA operating subsidiary, Ozzie’s, Inc.), a profitable mainline pipeline and renewable energy equipment rental and sales company with operations in Alberta, Canada and Arizona, USA. Battery Mineral Resources is based in Canada and its shares are listed on the Toronto Venture Exchange under the symbol “BMR” and on the OTCQB under the symbol “BTRMF”. Further information about BMR and its projects can be found on www.bmrcorp.com.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release includes certain “forward-looking statements” under applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections of the Company on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, risks related to share price and market conditions, the inherent risks involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties, the ability of the Company to meet its anticipated development schedule, government regulation and fluctuating metal prices. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Battery undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. For further information regarding the risks please refer to the risk factors discussed in Battery’s most recent Management Discussion and Analysis filed on SEDAR+.

Media Contact

Martin Kostuik, CEO of Battery Mineral Resources Corp.

+1 604-229-3830

info@bmrcorp.com

Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (“the Trust”) has filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. As previously announced, the Trust will host a live conference call to discuss its recently filed financial and operating results.

Additional information, including the Trust’s Monthly and Quarterly Reports, as well as other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) can be accessed via the Trust’s website at www.ctltrust.net.

Conference Call Details

• Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
• Time: 11:00 am CDT | 12:00 pm EDT
• Dial-in: U.S. & Canada Toll Free: (877) 841-2983 or International (215) 268-9893
• Webcast: www.ctltrust.net via the Investor Relations Section or click here to access
• Replay (available for 30 days):
  • U.S. & Canada Toll Free: (877) 660-6853 / International: (201) 612-7415
  • Conference ID#: 13746668

Telephone replays will be made available approximately 3 hours after the conference end time. Participants will be required to state their name and company upon accessing the replay.

About Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust

Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (the “Trust”) was established to acquire 160 retail properties and 6 warehouse distribution centers (the “Properties”) from J.C. Penney as part of its Chapter 11 plan of reorganization. The Trust’s operations consist solely of owning, leasing and selling the Properties. The Trust’s objective is to sell the Properties to third-party purchasers as promptly as practicable. The Trustee of the trust is GLAS Trust Company LLC. The Trust is externally managed by an affiliate of Hilco Real Estate LLC. The Trust is intended to be treated, for tax purposes, as a liquidating trust within the meaning of United States Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-4(d). For more information, please visit https://www.ctltrust.net.

Forward Looking Statement

This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements”. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “our vision,” “plan,” “potential,” “preliminary,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” or “would” or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology and include, but are not limited to, the Trust’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events and stock price performance. The Trust has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While the Trust believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond its control. These factors, including those discussed in the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), may cause its actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to the Trust’s filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. The Trust cautions you that the list of important factors included in the Trust’s SEC filings may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release may not in fact occur. The Trust undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

Media Contact

Jessica Cummins, Investor Relations

+1 847-313-4755

jcummins@hilcoglobal.com

Park Slope Cleaning, a M/WBE and WBE-certified company specializing in commercial cleaning and janitorial services for establishments in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, today announced that The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has certified them to participate in their Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) program. This certification allows Park Slope Cleaning to provide services to The Port Authority's transportation infrastructure, including airports, bus terminals, and transit centers.

Port Authority NJ NJ is a joint venture between the states of New York and New Jersey, established in 1921 through an interstate compact authorized by the United States Congress. The Port Authority oversees much of the regional transportation infrastructure, including bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the geographical jurisdiction of the Port of New York and New Jersey.

This certification is a significant milestone for Park Slope Cleaning as it opens up new opportunities to work with Port Authority NY NJ and contribute to the maintenance of their facilities. By being recognized as a Women-owned Business Enterprise, Park Slope Cleaning can showcase their commitment to diversity and excellence in the commercial cleaning industry.

The impact of this announcement is twofold, both validating Park Slope Cleaning's expertise and professionalism in the field and also highlighting the company's dedication to serving a wide range of clients in the New York City area. As a M/WBE-certified company, Park Slope Cleaning stands out as a reliable and inclusive service provider for businesses in need of top-notch cleaning solutions.

Looking ahead, Park Slope Cleaning plans to expand their reach within the commercial cleaning market and continue upholding the highest standards of service quality and customer satisfaction. By leveraging their M/WBE certification, they aim to attract more clients and establish themselves as a trusted provider in the industry.

For more information about The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, visit https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/index.html. To learn more about Park Slope Cleaning and their services, visit https://www.parkslopecleaning.com.

About Park Slope Cleaning

Park Slope Cleaning is a leading M/WBE and WBE-certified commercial cleaning company based in New York City. Renowned for its commitment to excellence and client satisfaction, Park Slope Cleaning provides a comprehensive range of cleaning services tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses in Miami and the New York City area.

Media Contact

Diana Ciechorska

info@parkslopecleaning.com