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Rotunda Capital Partners Named in Inc.’s List of Founder-Friendly Investors for Second Consecutive Year

Rotunda Capital Partners LLC

Rotunda Capital Partners (“Rotunda”), an operationally-focused private equity firm, was named in Inc. magazine’s third annual Founder-Friendly Investors list. Rotunda concentrates on working with distribution, industrial services and logistics companies. The 2021 list honors the private equity and venture capital firms with the best track record of success backing entrepreneurs. These firms are recognized as partners that entrepreneurs can trust and collaborate with while receiving the financial support they need to help accelerate growth. All have a successful track record of remaining actively involved in the businesses after their investment. To compile the list, Inc. went straight to the source: entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity. Founders filled out a questionnaire about their experiences partnering with private equity firms and shared data on how their portfolio companies have grown during these partnerships. “Supporting an entrepreneur’s vision and driving growth is more than just a financial investment. It’s about building a relationship and supporting the founders beyond that initial year. These private equity firms treat the founders like partners,” said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. media. Rotunda works closely with management teams and families to help grow and expand their businesses organically and through acquisitions, while preserving the company’s culture established by its founder. “We are proud to have been named to Inc.’s Founder-Friendly Investors list for a second consecutive year," said John Fruehwirth, managing partner of Rotunda. “We have always prioritized working with great people and are fortunate to have partnered with terrific founders, families, and management teams within our industries of focus.” Rotunda has made three platform investments and completed seven add-on acquisitions across its portfolio so far in 2021. Each business was founder or family-owned at the time of Rotunda’s investment. One notable partnership was formed in June, with American Equipment Holdings. At the time, Adam Zimmerman, CEO, commented: “This is an incredible opportunity for American Equipment. From our first meeting, it was clear that Rotunda shared similar views as to the foundation we have created and what our company could achieve. Through this partnership, our culture and high-touch customer experience that we are known for won’t change, but we gain the expertise and capital to grow in a market with significant opportunity.” About Rotunda Capital Partners Rotunda Capital Partners is a private equity firm that invests equity capital in established, lower middle market companies. Rotunda partners with management to build data-driven growth platforms within its targeted sectors, including value-added distribution, asset light logistics and industrial/business services. Founded in 2009, the firm has a long history of helping management teams achieve their goals for growth. The Rotunda team actively provides guidance and draws on deep industry and financial relationships to contribute to the successful execution of Rotunda’s companies’ strategic plans. The firm has offices in Bethesda, MD and Evanston, IL. For more information, visit www.rotundacapital.com. About Inc. The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community they need to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. About Inc.'s List of Founder-Friendly Investors Inc. Magazine's Founder-Friendly Investors is a published list of U.S. founder-friendly private equity firms. Rotunda has paid a fee to be considered for this recognition. Private equity firms that have exited U.S.-based, founder-led, public or private, portfolio companies within the past five years were eligible to apply. This recognition is based on the analysis of and information gathered by Inc. Magazine using its own criteria and methodologies. As part of the vetting process, Inc. Magazine interviewed one or more portfolio company representatives about their experience partnering with Rotunda. For investments to qualify, portfolio company founders must have remained actively involved in their business for at least one year post-investment. The complete list of private equity firms considered for this award is not known to Rotunda. The award reflects information about a sample of portfolio companies and may not be representative of every portfolio company's experience with Rotunda. There is no guarantee that similar awards will be obtained by Rotunda in the future. Portfolio companies should make their own determinations about the prospects of partnering with Rotunda. Contact Details Rotunda Capital Partners Jill Lafferty +1 847-280-1295 jill@rotundacapital.com Company Website https://www.rotundacapital.com

October 05, 2021 07:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Bethesda Partners with In America Flags to Remember COVID-19 Victims

Minuteman Press International Inc

In America: Remember is a public art exhibition being held at the National Mall that displays 660,000 white flags to honor the people in America who have been lost due to COVID-19. Minuteman Press in Bethesda, Maryland, is a partner for the exhibition, providing printed message cards from people all over the country who are paying tribute to loved ones through the In America website. “We are glad to be able to do our part to help this art exhibition,” says Leslie Klein, owner, Minuteman Press, Bethesda. “Every day, we receive all of the messages that were submitted through the In America website and we print them 8 up on 11 x 17 sheets to create 4.25 x 5.5 cards. Every night, I drop off the finished cards to one of the volunteers, and then they are transcribed onto the flags by another group of volunteers.” Leslie adds, “This is a total team effort and we are proud to be partners in such an important and moving exhibition. Our hearts go out to those who have been lost and their families.” The In America: Remember exhibition was designed by artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg. The exhibition is open for public participation now through October 3 rd, 2021. Hours are Weekdays from 10 AM – Sunset and Weekends from 9 AM – Sunset. For more information, visit https://www.inamericaflags.org. Minuteman Press in Bethesda is located at 8210 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. For more information, call 301-656-1188 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/md/bethesda Learn more about Minuteman Press products and services at https://minuteman.com Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

September 28, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Atlys Survey Finds New and Emerging Travel Patterns Amongst Americans Showing Increases in Travel Expenses; Non-Vaccinated Travelers on the Rise

Atlys

Eighteen months after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, countries have reopened borders to travelers. A recent survey conducted by Atlys found new and emerging travel trends, with travel becoming more expensive and uncertain than ever. The survey analyzed data from more than 3,500 travelers who used Atlys to travel abroad to understand these new travel patterns amongst Americans. Travel expenditure increased by a whopping $330 per trip due to COVID-19-related entry requirements, and so has the uncertainty, with 41% of travelers actively involved in travel communities related to their journeys. Additionally, 58% of American travelers were unvaccinated, with the most common destinations being Mexico (37%), Greece (19%), Dominican Republic (12%), Bahamas (11%), and Aruba (13%), and Costa Rica (8%). Major Survey Results Other significant results from the Atlys survey conducted over the summer include: 58% of Americans that traveled abroad this summer were not vaccinated. As countries reopened their borders, non-vaccinated travelers returned to the same travel patterns as before COVID-19. Old travelers are on the rise with a quarter being 50+. Amongst other demographic shifts, 47% of millennials refused to travel because of high costs, while 25% were scared to travel with unvaccinated children. Florida is the hub for unvaccinated travelers: 20% of unvaccinated American travelers live in Florida. The top 4 U.S. states by active COVID-19 cases also led the pack for most outbound travel amongst unvaccinated Americans. Florida accounted for most outbound unvaccinated tourists, followed by Texas, New York, and California. Traveling is inefficient: Each traveler spends more than 5 hours determining entry requirements and filling out paperwork. In addition, 23% of travelers saying they contacted either their airline, hotel,” or travel platform to understand the entry requirements with airlines call waiting times running into hours. The New Normal The current process is highly confusing for travelers. Mohak Nahta, CEO and founder of Atlys, said, “This survey highlights the inefficient processes set in place by governments. While it’s understandable that requirements exist to keep COVID-19 at bay, countries must streamline the process. As countries look to revamp tourism, they underestimate the impact of fast, efficient systems and clear, easy-to-understand processes have.” Countries have introduced a range of requirements to enter, making it more expensive to travel than ever. On average, the extra cost adds up to $330 per traveler and constitutes COVID-19 visas, travel insurance, and COVID-19 tests. In addition, 79% of travelers expressed frustration at the lack of disclosure by hotels & airlines on the added costs of traveling, only to discover them much later when the cancellation was not an option. A COVID-19 visa, also known as a health visa, is a new visa that travelers need to get. While they’re electronic, the approval is not instant. Authorities review each application; they can only be submitted a few days before the trip and are not free. “I wanted to travel to the United Kingdom, but I need to get a test within three days and then once I reach on the second and eighth days, and in between too? I am confused. I just decided not to go," said Sid, a 26-year-old Software Engineer based out of New York City. Many other travelers echo this sentiment, and the survey brings to light the importance of building systems to guide and educate travelers in the post-Covid world. About The Survey Atlys conducted the survey based on data from 3500 Atlys users between May 15, 2021, and September 5, 2021, for U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The Atlys app makes it fast & easy for travelers to get their visas. Contact Details Atlys Media Relations +1 650-550-1417 pr@atlys.com Company Website https://www.atlys.com/

September 28, 2021 08:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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D8.co to Launch 1-Hour Delivery for Delta-8 THC Products

D8 Holdings, Inc.

D8.co the market leader in hemp-derived Delta-8 THC —today announced it is launching 1-hour delivery for consumer orders throughout the United States. D8.co will deliver their award winning Delta-8 carts, Delta-8 disposables, and Delta-8 gummies to any customer within 1-hour in a 25-mile radius of any professional NFL team. Outside that radius customers will receive next day packages at the latest. “The largest problem we have is fulfillment and delivery,” said Chris Duffield, CEO of D8.co. “Anyone shipping consumer goods knows that all the carriers are a current nightmare. We have shipped thousands of packages priority and the majority show up two or three days late, with far too many getting lost or stolen. If a customer places an order after cutoff on Friday, they have to wait an additional three days. Customers want our products, and they want them immediately.” The first six states D8.co will integrate into their program are Texas, Georgia, Florida, Minnesota, Ohio, and North Carolina. The company will expand into the rest of the U.S immediately, with full integration expected to take approximately 45 days. “We have more than 50 major fulfillment centers locked in that are centrally managed from our cloud technology. Once an order is placed, our customers will receive an email and text where they can track our drivers all the way to delivery,” said Hugh McPherson, EVP of D8.co. D8.co expects to immediately double online sales with the new integration. “We are extremely excited to launch 1-hour delivery,” said Duffield. “We just became the largest cannabis company in the United States, which makes us a prime acquisition target. I’m very proud of our core team and all the hard work everyone has put in to make D8 the number one brand in the market.” About D8.co D8.co is based in Colorado and Miami with satellite offices in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The company is an assembly of the top hemp and cannabis minds in the country. With backgrounds in extraction, chemistry, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and legal, the D8 team came together organically around this elusive, but extremely powerful molecule to create a new category of products. More info at www.d8.co. Contact Details D8.co Chris Duffield +1 424-333-2112 chris@d8.co Company Website https://d8.co/

September 23, 2021 12:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time

CORRECTING and REPLACING NEXT TRUCKING Appoints New Product and Technology Executives to Drive Platform Growth

Next Trucking

This release issued on September 22, 2021 is being replaced with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions. The updated release reads: NEXT TRUCKING Appoints New Product and Technology Executives to Drive Platform Growth Drayage Tech Leader Welcomes New CTO and CPO to Build Out the Next Generation of Technologies to Disrupt the Logistics Industry NEXT Trucking, a FreightTech pioneer that connects shippers and carriers through a digital marketplac e, today announced the addition of Vipul Shah as Chief Product Officer and Bo Tao as Chief Technology Officer. These strategic hires bring deep technical expertise in automation, machine learning and analytics to drive efficiency in the supply chain. Tao and Shah will drive improvements within the comprehensive NEXT Trucking platform, to enhance carrier and shipper experience across the spectrum of activities required to move a container, from delivery order processing and load matching to shipper billing and driver payout. “There is a lot of friction and lack of predictability in the supply chain today, diminishing earnings for drivers and wreaking havoc in shipper working capital,” said Lidia Yan, CEO, NEXT. “We believe strongly that technology has a key role to play in reducing this waste and creating economic opportunity. Vipul and Bo have the technical skills and expertise, including experience in scaling large platforms, to fuel NEXT’s growth.” A twenty year FinTech veteran, Shah previously led development of global payments platforms at PayPal and Google. “I've always been drawn to visionary efforts to create economic opportunity with technology,” said Shah. “NEXT's mission to empower drivers and shippers, and to reduce friction in freight, really resonated. A platform isn’t just great code, it's relationships and collaboration with key players in the ecosystem. I’m humbled to continue the great work of our founders Lidia and Elton, bringing together shippers, carriers, terminals, ports and other technology innovators on the NEXT platform.” Tao led engineering for Google’s image and food search and brings over twenty years of engineering, product development and management expertise to NEXT. “Matching shippers and carriers through a marketplace can greatly improve the efficiency of transportation, similar to what we have witnessed in consumer industries,” said Tao. “NEXT is a leading provider of such products and services with a proven market fit and a long runway ahead of it. I am extremely excited to join this market disruptor to improve the efficiency and economics of drayage, and to reduce the burden that drivers and shippers face today.” For more information, please visit www.nexttrucking.com. About NEXT Trucking NEXT Trucking, a FreightTech pioneer and drayage leader, offers premium shipping experiences to many of the world’s best-known companies. NEXT’s platform connects shippers with freight capacity across drayage, transload, and OTR. Headquartered in El Segundo, CA, NEXT is venture-backed by leaders such as Brookfield Ventures, GLP, Sequoia Capital and Mucker Capital. For more information, visit www.nexttrucking.com. About NEXT Trucking NEXT Trucking, a FreightTech pioneer and drayage leader, offers premium shipping experiences to many of the world’s best-known companies. NEXT’s platform connects shippers with freight capacity across drayage, transload, and OTR. Headquartered in El Segundo, CA, NEXT is venture-backed by leaders such as Brookfield Ventures, GLP, and Sequoia Capital. For more information, visit www.nexttrucking.com. Contact Details Sofia Spieler +1 347-870-9402 nexttrucking@trustrelations.agency Company Website https://www.nexttrucking.com/

September 22, 2021 04:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time

MarketFinance in pole position as it raises £280m and is approved for Recovery Loan Scheme lending

Stockwood Strategy

Fintech business lender MarketFinance has today announced a £280m debt and equity fundraise and its accreditation under the Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS). This comes after MarketFinance became one of the first fintechs to be accredited under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), having lent £250m to companies across the UK. Launched by the British Business Bank in April 2021, the Recovery Loan Scheme supports access to finance for UK businesses as they recover and grow following the pandemic. Funding from the Scheme can be used for any legitimate business purpose including managing cashflow, investment in new equipment and preparing for future growth. It is designed to appeal to businesses that can afford to take out additional finance for these purposes. MarketFinance is ready to lend immediately with its debt and equity funding. The debt financing has been provided from a large global investment firm alongside Italy’s largest bank, Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. The equity investment was led by Black River Ventures (previous investments include Marqeta, Upgrade, Coursera and Digital Ocean) with participation from existing investor, Barclays Bank PLC. Alongside this, the launch of MarketFinance Flex Loans today will aim to help nearly one million SMEs in the UK solve their short-term funding gaps up to £100,000. Viola Credit has provided MarketFinance with £20m to launch the Flex Loans product. Similar to a credit card or overdraft, businesses will have a pre-agreed limit of up to £100,000 which they can withdraw at once or in smaller amounts. Flexible repayment options enable the businesses to spread their repayments over 3 - 12 months based on their working capital needs. It is a solution to support a variety of one-off and ongoing funding requirements such as purchasing inventory, clearing outstanding invoices, upfront supplier payments, investment into sales and marketing, or expanding the team. Anil Stocker, CEO at MarketFinance, commented: “This funding and our accreditation as a Recovery Loan Scheme lender is testament to the brilliant work everyone at MarketFinance has done to serve UK businesses during a difficult period. Adapting to the increased demand from businesses looking for finance online instead of through traditional avenues also drove our profitability this year, which has continued into H2 2021”. From today, businesses can immediately apply* for an RLS loan from MarketFinance between £50k and £250k repayable over 4, 5 or 6 years. Repayments in the first six months of the term will only consist of interest charges, an additional support measure as businesses gear themselves for a full reopening of the economy. Anil Stocker aded: “Businesses have been resilient and managed to hold their nerve during one of the most difficult periods in recent history. We were there to help with the CBILS and will do the same with the RLS by offering a simple application process, quick decisions and sending funds to businesses immediately. Our fundraise puts us in pole position to do this. We played a key role during CBILS, as one of the first fintech lenders, to help get funds to businesses quickly when they found their applications were delayed and or denied by others. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with businesses and help navigate them through to the full reopening of the economy and beyond”. As a native fintech, the MarketFinance platform is designed to receive, process and manage large volumes of businesses applying for finance using the platform. From simple online application forms, enhanced credit risk models to exceptional one-to-one customer support, MarketFinance will get RLS funds to businesses in need, quickly. “We aim to quickly lend to businesses around the UK. We anticipate demand for RLS to come from companies that will need capital to scale operations ahead of the full reopening of the economy. Manufacturers, wholesalers, public services businesses and a range of others will need the funds to ramp up supplies and build pipelines as business returns to normal” added Anil Stocker. Ends *Minimum eligibility criteria for RLS business loans through MarketFinance: Limited Company or Limited Liability Partnership Trading for more than 3 years, has a turnover of more than £200,000 Company sells goods and/or services to consumers and/or other businesses About MarketFinance MarketFinance is a business finance company with offices in London and Manchester. The online platform enables businesses to access a range of flexible finance solutions - quickly and easily. This smart technology is backed by help from real people so business owners can save time and focus on growing their business. Since 2011, MarketFinance has cumulatively advanced over £2.6 billion to companies across a range of sizes and sectors, providing working capital and finance for everything from paying staff and suppliers to launching new products or services and accelerating growth. MarketFinance is backed by Barclays Bank PLC, Mouro Capital, European venture capital fund Northzone (invested in Klarna, iZettle and Trustpilot), and private equity group MCI Capital (also invested in iZettle, Azimo and Gett). About the Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) The Recovery Loan Scheme is managed by the British Business Bank on behalf of, and with the financial backing of, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. British Business Bank plc is a development bank wholly owned by HM Government. It is not authorised or regulated by the PRA or the FCA. Contact Details MarketFinance Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://marketfinance.com/

September 21, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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WIN Adopts New Corporate Name, Centerboard – The Logistics Industry's Neutral Technology Platform

Centerboard

Leading logistics technology platform, Web Integrated Network (WIN), today announced it will be adopting a new corporate brand name, Centerboard, to best reflect its overall mission of giving shippers control over their supply chain using the growing slate of neutral, shipper-centric transportation and supply chain management technology solutions it is developing. A truly neutral solution, Centerboard empowers the shipper to utilize its own contract carrier relationships – as well as accessing any carrier/broker in the spot market. There is more than $1 billion in freight value running through the platform. The company also unveiled a range of new features for its core platform, now known as WIN, by Centerboard. Centerboard, which will continue to operate as a standalone entity from its former parent company, Odyssey Logistics & Technology Corporation, is focused on providing shippers with solutions that are easy to use, customizable and designed for integration, while being more affordable than other options. Centerboard’s proprietary technologies provide supply chain stakeholders access to real-time data, providing unprecedented transparency and efficiency and helping shippers move goods in the fastest, most cost-effective and sustainable manner. Unlike older legacy systems, the company’s product development approach leverages modern, nimble, modular architecture, enabling Centerboard to offer shippers of all sizes the advantage of continuous improvement with the latest technology. Centerboard’s philosophy and modular approach enables supply chain participants the ability to integrate and upgrade while minimizing development costs. Centerboard’s leadership team consists of Glenn Riggs, President; Lindsey Shellman, Chief Commercial Officer; and Xavier Amella, Chief Technology Officer. The company was founded in 2017 and the cost-effective, cloud-based solutions it created like WIN, by Centerboard have helped companies of all sizes save time and money, resulting in increased profits. “Dairyland Trading Co. is a satisfied customer of WIN. Last year alone the WIN software contributed to our 27 percent year over year growth,” said Jerry Haines, Owner and Manager at Dairyland Trading Co. LLC. “We are looking forward to using the expanded features of the WIN, by Centerboard offering to increase our efficiencies as we continue to meet the shifting demands of shipping our goods.” Centerboard enables shippers to transact with quality carriers as well as successfully and easily integrate with legacy and emerging technology. Along with a new vision for the industry, the rollout comes with new platform features like advanced shipment notifications which sends notifications on all order tracking messages, helping to improve costs, accuracy and flexibility. Additionally, a new spot quote carrier setup feature helps to increase efficiencies. “Working with Centerboard allows us to provide our customers with seamless, easy access to key transportation management features right within our system,” said John Walker, Logistics Product Manager at Encompass Technologies, a comprehensive cloud-based ERP for the beverage and food industry. “Centerboard’s technology architecture is designed to be flexible, modular, and agile, which allows our team to upgrade to the latest technology, saving our team and customers time and money.” “The rollout of Centerboard’s solutions, including our ability to offer both standard and custom integrations, allows us to solve key issues facing the shipping and logistics industry. For the first time, shippers are able to take command of their supply chain and to access the features they need most,” said Glenn Riggs, President of Centerboard. “Supply chain is the lifeblood of business, but it’s complex, fragmented and often difficult to find answers to inform good decision making. Centerboard changes that with simplicity, easy integration capabilities and affordability.” To learn more about Centerboard and the new solutions offered through WIN, by Centerboard, visit www.centerboard.com. About Centerboard Centerboard is a neutral, shipper-centric transportation and supply chain management platform supplying shippers with access to a wide range of affordable features needed to take control of operations. Centerboard unlocks business opportunities for shippers, carriers and supply chain stakeholders, through leveraging real-time data. Centerboard is out to make the supply chain more sustainable and efficient to ensure less waste and significant carbon reduction with every trip. Contact Details Kite Hill PR for Centerboard Kite Hill PR centerboard@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.centerboard.com/

September 20, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

The Royal Seal of Approval: Alaka’i’s hydrogen-powered advanced air mobility vehicle Skai is on a mission to decarbonize travel

Alaka’i Technologies

20 SEPTEMBER 2021 – Alaka’i Technologies, developer of the world’s first hydrogen-powered air mobility vehicle, today announces it is being featured in the official History of Parliament Trust ‘300 Years of Leadership and Innovation’ commemorative publication, which will be launched at Westminster Abbey on Wednesday, 22 September 2021. Alaka’i was nominated and selected by the Board of Trustees, including members from both Houses of Parliament and distinguished academics. The award recognizes Alaka’i’s commitment to decarbonizing travel with its groundbreaking Skai eVTOL vehicle (electric vertical take-off and landing) that is setting a new standard for zero-emission air travel. Offering a sleek design and premium passenger experience, a radically simple fault-tolerant system with redundant levels of safety and reliability, an airframe-parachute, and hydrogen as its fuel source, Skai is poised to be the safest, cleanest and most versatile air mobility solution in the world. A key part of Skai’s innovation – and the reason the company was selected for this honor – is the use of clean, zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells for its power source. The majority of emerging electric air mobility vehicles rely on lithium-ion batteries. Besides their associated environmental impact, batteries are heavier and have far less energy density than hydrogen fuel cells resulting in short vehicle flight-time and range. Skai’s fuel cells have a significantly longer lifecycle and enable the vehicle to cruise at speeds of 100mph (160km/h) with a range of around 400 miles (645km) depending on the payload. The fundamental Skai advantage is the use of hydrogen, making it a zero-carbon, zero-pollutant solution that emits only heat and water. The result is simple, safe, reliable and clean air travel. While Skai can operate from traditional hydrogen sources, it is also the killer app for the fast-evolving green hydrogen. Green hydrogen is made from electrolyzing water using hydroelectric, wind, solar, tidal or other forms of renewable energy. As more and more green hydrogen sources come online, Skai is the first eVTOL capable of having a zero-carbon chain from hydrogen generation to flight. “The design realizes our core vision of transforming transportation and providing safe, affordable travel for all,” said Brian Morrison, inventor, co-founder and director of Alaka’i Technologies. “Skai offers practical, real-world solutions to everything from relieving traffic congestion to delivering cargo or supplies during natural disasters and transporting patients to hospitals. Our goal is the democratization of flight, to make flight as natural a part of the human experience as riding or taking a taxi.” Skai was co-designed by Designworks, the design innovation studio of the BMW Group, to leverage its creative expertise to help shape a world-class vehicle focused on the customer experience. “It is an honor to be part of this recognition and celebration of innovation,” said Holger Hampf, president of Designworks. “Our mission is to continuously revolutionize mobility systems including improved means of protecting the environment and the world we live in.” The History of Parliament Trust – one of the most respected and authoritative research projects in British history – produced its commemorative publication in partnership with leading publisher St James’s House. Written by an editorial team of distinguished academics and award-winning authors, this beautifully designed, fully illustrated, 600+ page hardback publication is being launched to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the appointment of Britain’s first prime minister, Robert Walpole, in 1721, and in the year of Her Majesty The Queen’s 95th birthday. For more information about Skai, visit www.skai.co. About Alaka'i Alaka’i Technologies – the name comes from the Hawaiian language, meaning to be the source or leader – is an emerging air mobility design and manufacturing company, headquartered in Stow MA. Founded by Brian Morrison in 2007, Alaka'i Technologies assembled a distinguished team with decades of aerospace development, production, management and airspace integration experience (NASA, Raytheon, Beech Aircraft, McDonnell Douglas, Hughes, DayJet, SATSAir, Metro Aviation, Delta Airlines) and FAA certification experience. Working together since the 1990 on industry-defining projects such as the NASA AGATE and SATS Programs, they also built and flew the world first-ever Fly-By-Light aircraft. Today, the Alaka'i team has over 35 US and numerous foreign patents stretching back to 2013, and is engineering proprietary, progressive air mobility solutions to offer point-to-any point transportation solutions that are clean, simple, safe, and accessible for everyone. Ultimately, transforming transportation through hydrogen-powered mobility. About Designworks Designworks, a BMW Group Company is both the innovation studio for the BMW Group and a global creative consultancy. The teams in the studios in Los Angeles, Munich and Shanghai work at the intersection of design, technology and innovation to unlock brand potentials and foster business growth for companies worldwide. Designworks leverages the power of BMW Group culture of innovation and cutting-edge design to advance the goals of its many external clients, including John Deere, Brunswick, Siemens, Corsair, Boeing and Singapore Airlines, whilst bringing outside perspectives and impulses to the BMW Group. www.bmwgroupdesignworks.com Contact Details Racepoint Global Tara Kadioglu +1 617-624-3239 Alakai@racepointglobal.com MUSTARD PR Dan Walsh +44 7827 816971 dan@mustardpr.com Company Website https://alakai.com/

September 20, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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LIVERPOOL JOHN LENNON AIRPORT GETS ‘STATE OF THE ART’ COVID PCR TESTING LABORATORY

Test Assurance Group (TAG), Salutaris People, Source BioScience and Liverpool John Lennon Airport

TEST ASSURANCE GROUP (TAG) AND SALUTARIS PEOPLE PARTNERS WITH SOURCE BIOSCIENCE TO PROVIDE 3 HOUR RAPID PCR TESTING SERVICES FOR JOHN LENNON AIRPORT AIRLINE PASSENGERS ON SITE LAB WILL ERADICATE ‘UNCLEARS’ & ‘LOST TEST’ RESULTS Leading British healthcare and testing company Salutaris People - which operates the rapid PCR testing services for airline passengers at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, in partnership with Test Assurance Group Ltd (TAG(Official Covid-19 testing partner to Liverpool John Lennon Airport)- has today unveiled a brand new COVID testing laboratory at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The state-of-the-art facility is in partnership with Source BioScience - a leading international provider of laboratory services to clients in the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare, clinical, life science research and biopharma industries - and Salutaris People in partnership with Test Assurance Group Ltd (TAG) are providing COVID and PCR testing at Liverpool John Lennon airport. The new laboratory has been designed to perform 500 tests per day but can easily be increased in scale to facilitate 1000 tests and beyond if required. Source BioScience are Accredited to ISO 15189: 2012 standards and is also a DHSC listed provider of COVID-19 testing. The service provided by TAG, Salutaris People,and Source BioScience enables airline passengers at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and those flying from other UK airports with a Rapid Fit to Fly testing service with a turnaround time of 3 hours, alongside a Standard 24 hour Fit to Fly testing service. Samples are also collected on site at Liverpool and processed at Source BioScience’s main laboratory in Nottingham enabling Day 2, Day 8, Test to Release and a diagnostic PCR COVID testing service for customers. Cliff Kirby Board Director of Test Assurance Group said: "We are incredibly proud to be working in partnership with Liverpool John Lennon Airport to support their testing needs. As a business located in the Liverpool City Region it is very important to TAG to ensure the service offered is best in class. Throughout the course of 2021 we have put the passenger first whenever there has been a change in legislation or entry requirements for travel has changed. In line with this it is brilliant for all concerned that Source BioScience have dedicated a facility to support the vision laid out between TAG and Liverpool John Lennon Airport. As we all start to accept and learn to live with COVID-19 we hope that our approach will make a real difference to those passengers who choose to fly from Liverpool John Lennon Airport." Ben Paglia MD of Akea Life, the clinical testing partner to Salutaris People said; “We are pleased to be working in partnership with Source BioScience to provide brand new state of the art facilities on site at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and to offer our customers the best-in-class when it comes to rapid PCR testing services. For airline passengers using Liverpool John Lennon airport, or any other UK airport for that matter, they can book a test with confidence, knowing their COVID test will be administered by trained healthcare staff and then processed on site within our laboratory, with results back in 3 hours or 24 hours depending on the service chosen. We offer a seamless and simple user journey experience for the customer, making this part of the travel process as simple and painless as possible from a trusted healthcare provider. More importantly with our lab facilities on site this eradicates test results going missing in the postal system and the huge amount of ‘Unclear’ test results that have originated from self-administered test kits provided by major airlines and travel operators as part of their testing regimes. This has caused a huge amount of disruption with passengers paying twice for testing kits and a huge amount of disruption to air travel and holiday plans. ‘Unclears’ and ‘lost test results’ continue to pose a major issue to airline passengers.” Salutaris People are committed to providing the best possible testing services to its customers from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to make the testing experience seamless, simple and easy to use. It has made a substantial investment into the onsite laboratory facilities at Liverpool John Lennon airport as European and International air travel strives to return to full flight schedules. Commenting on the new facilities at Liverpool John Lennon airport, Commercial Director Lucy O’Shaughnessy, said; “We are delighted to be the first airport in the UK to have such a unique facility and service. Liverpool John Lennon Airport can now provide our valued airline passengers with a state-of-the-art COVID testing facility on site here at the airport as we start to resume our flight schedules and have more passengers flying again. The airport continually strives to offer the best possible service for our customers at all times. Working in partnership with Test Assurance Group (TAG) / Salutaris People and Source BioScience enables us to offer a convenient and efficient PCR testing service operated by trusted healthcare providers.” Liverpool John Lennon Airport is one of the few airports in the UK to have such a dedicated facility. It is operated by four laboratory staff including a shift supervisor and has 8 PCR analysers on site, a Bio Molecular Systems liquid handler and a thermal cycler to offer a rapid real-time qualitative PCR method for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Nick Bills Healthcare Director for Source BioScience said; “Source BioScience have worked together with EMS Mobile Healthcare to design and build a state-of-the-art mobile COVID testing laboratory for Salutaris People at Liverpool Airport. This laboratory will allow Salutaris People to offer the best-in-class testing services to airline passengers flying from Liverpool John Lennon airport. Source BioScience is a leading international provider of laboratory services to clients in the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare, clinical, life science research and biopharma industries and our focus is on improving patient diagnosis, management and care.” Both Test Assurance Group and Salutaris People are DHSC listed COVID-19 test providers. Salutaris People also offer a testing suite at Wilmslow which is minutes from Manchester Airport. The TAG / Salutaris partnership nables them to offer their service to all passengers flying from either Liverpool John Lennon Airport or Manchester Airport, as well as airline passengers who live in Liverpool, North Wales, Manchester and Cheshire who may be flying from other UK airports to their holiday destinations. For more information on Salutaris People and to book a test, visit: www.salutarispeople.com For more information on Test Assurance Group and book a test visit: www.testassurancegroup.com/bookatest For more information on Salutaris airport testing, visit: www.salutarispeople.com/airport-testing/ For more information on Source BioScience please contact https://www.sourcebioscience.com ENDS For further information on Salutaris People, Akea Life, Test Assurance Group and Source BioScience Please contact Gerard Franklin - Head Of PR & Communications M: 07791 039636 e: gerard@i5media.co.uk NOTES TO EDITORS TEST ASSURANCE GROUP (TAG) TAG was formed at the end of Q1 2020 to address the inevitable need to provide end to end testing solutions supporting the national effort to help navigate a route through the COVid-19 pandemic. TAG take the view that the post pandemic World will be quite different to that of early 2020. To that end TAG take a very different approach and make best use of process and technology to build and deliver end to end testing solutions that deliver efficiencies to the market and enable an easier transition to a post COVID-19 market. The Core team at TAG bring with them over 200 years of business experience across all sectors from medical, legal, group ownership, and technology. However, TAG are very much a business that believe in partnership and work closely with the team at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Salutaris People. Outside of the partnership with Liverpool John Lennon Airport TAG are working with a range of community partners to bring forward Covid-19 testing solutions to the market to support a much wider community footprint. www.testassurancegroup.com SALUTARIS PEOPLE Salutaris People was formed in 2020 by healthcare entrepreneurs and disruptors Ross Tomkins CEO (Therapy Direct, Normedica) and Ben Paglia CEO (Akea Life) who wanted to combine their innovative healthcare businesses to develop a trusted healthcare brand. Its purpose was to fight the Coronavirus pandemic and become a trusted provider of Covid related medical services. Ross Tompkins and Ben Paglia decided to combine their expertise from three well established medical businesses with 30 years of healthcare experience to form the Salutaris subsidiary. The company provides a range of medical services including, PCR Covid 19 testing for businesses, private individuals and outbound airline passengers. It also supplies rapid antigen and rapid antibody testing for UK businesses and remote telemedicine services for business and the general public. Salutaris People is also one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers of high-grade PPE, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to private businesses, primary care trusts, the public sector and Governments. It draws upon on the extensive background and expertise in medical services and healthcare derived from these companies www.salutarispeople.com AKEA LIFE – Clinical Testing Partner To Salutaris People AKEA LIFE is a CQC registered 5-star private GP medical business, providing the UK’s first fully private concierge medical service of private doctors, health care professionals and nurses. The practice also retains a Covid 19 Consultant Virologist to advise on all Covid 19 related matters. Its clients have ranged from football clubs such as Liverpool Football club, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, IAC Automotive, Lift Financial and Bentley Manchester. It has also provided private Covid 19 testing for several TV and film companies including a number of Hollywood actors filming on location in the UK https://akealife.co.uk AKEA LIFE - Consultant Virologist - Dr Brendan Payne Dr Brendan Payne is an honorary consultant physician in infectious diseases at the Royal Victoria Infirmary - Newcastle Upon Tyne. Dr Brendan Payne holds CCTs in both infectious diseases and virology and works jointly across both departments at the Newcastle Hospitals. He has particular interests in viral infections, especially in immunocompromised hosts, and is also the medical lead for the regional Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) service. Dr Payne is an honorary clinical senior lecturer at Newcastle University, where he is a Principal Investigator in the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research. His main research interests are focussed on HIV and ageing. He is also involved in clinical and diagnostic research studies for the Newcastle Hospitals. These include clinical trials in HIV, and more recently COVID-19. He is senior tutor for medical students intercalating into the MRes programme. Special interests • Complex HIV (particularly neurological, metabolic complications, and anti-retroviral resistance) • Infection in the non-HIV immunocompromised patient • Viral infectious diseases • Diagnostics of viral infections • Chronic fatigue syndrome • Clinical research SOURCE BIOSCIENCE Source BioScience is a leading international provider of laboratory services to clients in the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare, clinical, life science research and biopharma industries and our focus is on improving patient diagnosis, management and care. Source BioScience are Accredited to ISO 15189: 2012 standards and also one a DHSC listed provider of COVID-19 testing. Professor William L. Irving, Professor and Honorary Consultant in Virology is part of the Source BioScience Scientific Advisory Board, see full profile here https://www.sourcebioscience.com/scientific-advisory-board/professor-william-l-irving/ Proud winners of the Medilink Midlands Business Awards 2021 ‘Delivery Innovation In To Health and Care’ Source BioScience services include: Healthcare Diagnostics – histopathology and clinical diagnostic services for the NHS and private healthcare providers across the UK and Ireland. Genomics – Sanger and Next Generation sequencing services for pharmaceutical and biotech industries, academia, CRO and other research groups in the UK, Europe and the US Stability Storage – controlled environmental storage and shelf life testing services and stability storage equipment for pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, contract manufacturers and analytical testing companies in the UK, Europe and the US Infectious Disease Testing – since May 2020, COVID-19 Antigen RT-PCR testing services to the NHS, private healthcare providers and private industry. More details can be found here: www.sourcebioscience.com MEDIA NOTICE Ben Paglia MD Akea Life & Cliff Kirby Test Assurance Group are available for media interviews B Roll footage shot at Liverpool John Lennon Airport Interviews and footage of the laboratory Source BioScience laboratory images interior /exterior and company logos Are all available to download here from WE TRANSFER https://we.tl/t-8gYR96awZA Contact Details Gerard Franklin +44 7791 039636 gerard@i5media.co.uk Company Website https://testassurancegroup.com/

September 15, 2021 03:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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