News Hub | News Direct

All Industries


Article thumbnail News Release

Bitget Adds $PENG to Its Platform, Bringing Creativity to Solana's DeFi Landscape

Bitget

Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is thrilled to announce the listing of $PENG, the latest addition to the Solana blockchain. $PENG, characterized by its small yet mighty penguin with a hint of Pepe the Frog, injects a fresh wave of creativity into Solana's DeFi ecosystem. As the newest meme token on the block, $PENG is set to invigorate the frosty Solana chain and foster liquidity. $PENG embodies creativity and innovation, drawing inspiration from popular culture icons to create a unique presence in the DeFi world. With its playful penguin mascot and nods to internet culture, $PENG aims to bring warmth and excitement to the Solana blockchain community. As the freshest meme token on Solana, $PENG is poised to spice things up in the DeFi landscape. With its vibrant community and commitment to fostering liquidity, $PENG invites users to join in its journey of exploration and innovation. "We are thrilled to welcome $PENG to the Bitget platform," said Gracy Chen, Managing Director of Bitget. "As a leading exchange, we are dedicated to offering our users access to the most innovative and exciting projects in the crypto space. $PENG's creativity and enthusiasm align perfectly with our mission to empower users and drive growth in the DeFi ecosystem." Bitget has consistently expanded its market share in both spot and derivatives trading among centralized exchanges. With a focus on providing users with opportunities to invest in popular and valuable projects, Bitget's spot market has seen significant growth. In 2023 alone, the platform added over 350 new listings, further diversifying investment options for users. Meanwhile, Bitget Wallet supports over 100 mainnets and 250,000+ tokens. Its on-chain trading function Bitget Swap enables cross-chain trading between nearly 30 mainnets. About Bitget Established in 2018, Bitget is the world's leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 25 million users in 100+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more. Bitget inspires individuals to embrace crypto through collaborations with credible partners, including legendary Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi and official eSports events organizer PGL. For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet Contact Details Rachel Cheung media@bitget.com Company Website https://www.bitget.com/

March 12, 2024 09:42 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Nibiru Chain Debuts Public Mainnet Along with Four Major Exchange Listings

Nibiru

Nibiru Chain, a developer and user-centric Layer 1 platform, has officially launched its public mainnet. Nibiru Chain stands out by offering a secure and efficient environment for building highly-performant decentralized applications. It is distinguished by its robust smart contract ecosystem offering superior throughput and unparalleled security, making it the go-to platform for builders in gaming, real-world assets (RWAs), NFTs, DeFi, and more. At launch, Nibiru Chain offers a wide range of functionalities to its community and prospective builders. Users can engage in staking with NIBI validators and participate in decentralized governance. Nibiru Chain will also introduce competitive Web3 gaming through Chess3, allowing players to learn the game of chess, compete in tournaments sponsored by communities, streamers, or brands, and earn rewards. Additionally, Nibiru Chain supports the minting and trading of NFTs on Dropspace, secure “.nibi” namespaces through Nibiru ID, and real estate opportunities through Coded Estate. Nibiru Chain encourages innovation by rewarding developers with a portion of transaction fees from their smart contracts, offering built-in value accrual. In addition to providing developers with tools to build applications, Nibiru Chain introduces its Super Chain, which includes perpetuals, spot, swap, and stablecoin functionalities. These features offer greater opportunities for dApps to expand and integrate with DeFi. The Super Chain initiative aims to deliver a seamless retail trading and investment experience and is designed to serve users across more than 40 blockchains. Nibiru’s Strategic Vision for 2024 Nibiru Chain’s key initiatives include rolling out its genesis NFT collection and expansion into the APAC region with an initial focus on Korea, China, India, Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand. Central to Nibiru Chain’s mission is the launch of parallel optimistic execution, which enables the simultaneous processing of multiple independent transactions. Launching Nibiru Chain marks a significant stride toward increasing blockchain scalability by bridging gaps across the blockchain landscape. Nibiru is engineered to dismantle hurdles that have isolated applications and users within their ecosystems and offer an intuitive, straightforward entry point into a more thoroughly connected Web3 for users and developers alike. Additionally, Nibiru Chain is set to announce details on its upgrade enabling full Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility, ensuring further interoperability with Ethereum-based dApps. This integration will lower the barrier to entry for Ethereum developers and facilitate a smoother transition to Nibiru Chain’s more efficient and cost-effective Layer 1 solution, making crypto more accessible and user-friendly for the general public. About Nibiru Nibiru Chain is a breakthrough L1 blockchain and smart contract ecosystem sporting superior throughput and unparalleled security. Nibiru aims to be the most developer-friendly and user-friendly smart contract ecosystem, leading the charge toward mainstream Web3 adoption by innovating at each layer of the stack: dApp development, infra, consensus, a comprehensive dev toolkit, and value accrual. Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Telegram | Discord Contact Details Nibiru Nibiru Team Media@nibiru.org

March 12, 2024 09:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

HTX "Trade to Earn" Event Guide: Trade BTC to Get High $HTX Rewards for Free

HTX

On March 11, the cryptocurrency exchange HTX launched an open beta test for its brand-new "Trade to Earn" event, available to all users. This event, shaped by voice from the HTX DAO community, aims to deliver a fresh trading experience and generous $HTX rewards to users. Following the conclusion of the beta period, HTX will soon kick off the official event with an even more substantial prize pool daily. At the same time, the platform's all fee income generated from the BTC/USDT trading pair during the event will be fully used for $HTX buyback to support the stable $HTX appreciation. What is Trade to Earn? The Trade to Earn event is a benefit for all trading users. After successful registration for this event, participants can earn $HTX as rewards by trading designated cryptocurrencies. Additionally, all daily trading fees generated will be fully utilized for $HTX buybacks to support stable appreciation. 100% of $HTX acquired through buybacks will be entirely burned! This event enhances the platform's liquidity through reduced trading costs and improved trading efficiency, offering users better trading experience. Meanwhile, the supply of $HTX will be decreased through the event to enhance its stability and value, which will help attract more investors and users to participate in ecosystem development. Most importantly, this burning method also grants more earning opportunities for HTX DAO users. Through participation in liquidity mining and staking, users can receive more rewards in tokens, thereby achieving wealth appreciation. A Complete Guide to Participation 1. Eligibility ● The event is open to all HTX users, including market makers and API traders. ● Users must have a Rocket count of ≥6,000 and successfully register on the event page. 2. Event Schedule ● Open Beta Test Period: 12:00:00 (UTC) on March 11, 2024 to 11:59:59 (UTC) on March 14, 2024. ● The Trade to Earn event is on a daily basis. A day is defined from 12:00 (UTC) on Day T to 11:59 (UTC) on Day T+1. ● Event rewards will be calculated and updated starting on Day T+2 at 04:00 (UTC). Eligible users can claim their rewards of $HTX after the time. There are no lock-up restrictions for $HTX earned from the event, withdrawable at any time. 3. Event Rules ● Applicable Spot Trading Pair: BTC/USDT ● Reward Calculation: $HTX reward amount = Actual fee generated in USDT * Reward ratio by the order type / $HTX price at 12:00 (UTC) on Day T ● A participant will not receive rewards if either the daily reward limit for the participant or the daily prize pool limit is reached. Estimated Rewards ● The daily prize pool is a fixed value in USDT, specifically 2,000 USDT during the open beta test period. The event will calculate the $HTX amount in each pool based on the $HTX price at the start of the day. For instance, if the $HTX price is 0.000002 USDT at 12:00 (UTC) on Day T when the event starts, and the prize pool of the day is 2,000 USDT, then the total $HTX amount for the day would be 1,000,000,000. ● The $HTX amount in the daily prize pool is calculated based on the actual fees generated, order types, and reward ratios. For example, assume the $HTX token price is 0.000002 USDT at the start of the Trade to Earn event at 12:00 (UTC) on Day T, and a participant generates 100 USDT in fees from BTC/USDT trading pair between 12:00 (UTC) on Day T and 11:59 (UTC) on Day T+1, all as Taker orders. Meanwhile, the fees are generated before the depletion of the prize pool on Day T, and the participant's reward limit is not reached. Then the participant's daily reward of $HTX would be: 100 * 102% / 0.000002 = 51,000,000. "Trade to Earn" serves as an innovative model for cryptocurrency trading and empowerment, provides users with broader opportunities to engage in trading and earn profits. As it evolves and refines, this event, with its distinctive mechanism, will draw more engagement, fostering long-term prosperity and stability within the cryptocurrency market. About HTX Founded in 2013, HTX has evolved over a decade from a simple cryptocurrency exchange to a comprehensive blockchain business ecosystem. This expansion covers a wide range of services including digital asset trading, financial derivatives, wallets, research, investments, incubation, and more. As a world-leading portal to Web 3.0, HTX is committed to a growth strategy focused on global expansion, ecological prosperity, wealth effect, and safety and compliance. This approach enables us to offer comprehensive, safe, and reliable services and value to virtual currency enthusiasts around the world, reinforcing our position as a global gateway to Web3. Contact Details Michael Wang glo-media@htx-inc.com Company Website https://www.htx.com/

March 12, 2024 09:17 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

West Red Lake Gold (WRLG.V) hits 5.5 Meters @ 25.12 g/t as U.S. Federal Debt Goes up $1 Trillion Every 100 Days

West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd.

March 12, 2024 – TheNewswire – Global Stocks News – In a press release dated March 4, 2024, West Red Lake Gold Mines (TSXV:WRLG) (OTC:WRLGF) drill results from the high-grade South Austin Zone, which currently contains an  Indicated mineral resource of 474,600 ounces,   grading 8.7 grams per tonne gold, with an additional  Inferred resource of 31,800 oz grading 8.7 g/t Au. “We hit some high-grade intercepts, with visible gold showings,” Will Robinson VP of Exploration told Guy Bennett, CEO of Global Stocks News. “When the team saw that, we added additional holes to that station to flush those areas out, up dip and down.” “We planned this program so that we could be nimble, stay fluid,” continued Robinson. “We’re not just drilling a station, moving off it, and waiting for the results.  We’re focused on maximising exploration dollars and building high confidence ounces, in preparation for our plan to restart the Madsen Mine.” The company’s flagship asset - The Madsen Gold Mine – is debt free, fully permitted, with a brand-new 800+ tonne per day mill, a tailings and water treatment facility. [ 1 ] Click Image To View Full Size   The Madsen Mine deposit presently hosts an NI 43-101 Indicated resource of 1.65 million ounces of gold grading 7.4 g/t gold and an Inferred resource of 0.37 Moz of gold grading 6.3 g/t gold. [2.] [3.] This asset was once valued at over a billion dollars, about 8X the current market cap of WRLG. There is smart money heavily invested in the current project - Frank Guistra (11.8%); Sprott Resource (23.4%). March 4, 2024 Drill Highlights: Hole MM24D-12-4640-012  Intersected  5.5m @ 25.12 g/t Au, from 24.0m to 29.5m, Including  1.0m @ 134.90 g/t Au, from 25.0m to 26.0m.  Hole MM24D-12-4640-008  Intersected  3.0m @ 12.58 g/t Au, from 45.0m to 48.0m, Including  1m @ 37.40 g/t Au, from 45.0m to 46.0m; And  2.0m @ 39.46 g/t Au, from 64.0m to 66.0m, Including  1.0m @ 76.18 g/t Au, from 64.0m to 65.0m.  Hole MM24D-12-4640-018  Intersected  4.0m @ 18.60 g/t Au, from 41.0m to 45.0m, Including  1.0m @ 55.69 g/t Au, from 43.0m to 44.0m.  Hole MM24D-12-4640-003  Intersected  11.0m @ 6.75 g/t Au, from 47.0m to 58.0m, Including  1.0m @ 17.01 g/t Au, from 47.0m to 48.0m, Also including  1.0m @ 10.52 g/t  Au, from 51.0m to 52.0m; Also Including  0.5m @ 18.68 g/t Au, from 54.0m to 54.5m, Also including  0.5m @ 14.37 g/t Au, from 56.5m to 57.0m.  Hole MM24D-12-4640-021  Intersected  6.45m @ 10.43 g/t Au, from 36.0m to 42.45m, Including  0.75m @ 49.68 g/t Au, from 39.25m to 40.0m.  Hole MM24D-12-4640-019  Intersected  3.0m @ 7.75 g/t Au, from 35.0m to 38.0m, Including  1.0m @ 17.73 g/t Au, from 35.0m to 36.0m.  Click Image To View Full Size   “The team has been making great progress de-risking the Madsen deposit with definition drilling as we continue to build up an inventory of high-grade and high-confidence ounces that will prove invaluable during the initial ramping up of mine production,” stated WRLG President & CEO Shane Willams in the March 4, 2024 press release. “The Mine Operations team is working in tandem with geology to ensure the underground drills get to the highest priority areas of the deposit,” continued Williams. “The excellent results highlighted in this release are indicative of the upside that still exists at Madsen even within the current life-of-mine resource inventory.” Click Image To View Full Size   The strategy for the Madsen Mine Restart is: 1.   De-risk Resources (in-fill and expansion drilling, UG development; 2. Restart Planning (engineering, mill expansion assessment, optimisation; 3. Restart Execution (assembling team, community relations, focus on operability and profitability). “The previous operator was under-capitalised,” Willams told Bennett. “Debt repayment obligations forced the company into a quick-to-cash-flow mine model that was ultimately expensive and inefficient”. The profitability of a potential future mine at Madsen will be impacted by the price of gold.  Gold is currently at an all time high of USD $2,186.  Gold is up 5% in the last week, and 18% in the last 12 months.  There is growing sentiment that the U.S. accumulated debt is going to sink the value of the U.S. dollar. “Who thinks this is sustainable?” asked WRLG co-founder and shareholder Frank Giustra on X. “The U.S. national debt is rising by $1 trillion about every 100 days.” https://twitter.com/Frank_Giustra/status/1763653676969967759 A long chain of zeros can be difficult to mentally process. Approximately 100 million U.S. citizens pay income tax to the federal government. Currently, each of those tax payers is burdened with an additional $100 debt per day (about $35,000 per year.) There is no model, no projection, no blue-sky story that explains how this money can ever be re-paid. If you’ve tried living off your credit cards, you know how this story ends. Because the debt is based on fiat currency (paper money), it is easy to manipulate supply, by printing more money. No act of Congress can magically make a tonne of gold appear on the lawn of the White House. In this inflationary environment, investing in hard assets like gold can be an effective strategy to protect and grow wealth. One of the key drivers of the bullish gold price momentum is “de-dollarization” by Central governments. “The World Gold Council reported that central banks bought 1,037 tons of gold in 2023 (worth $80 billion) just below the all-time record from 2022,” stated Business Insider. “ China's gold-buying spree has been going strong for 16 consecutive months.  The People's Bank of China added roughly 390,000 troy ounces of the key metal in February, according to government data cited by Bloomberg on Thursday. In total, China's central bank holds 72.58 million troy ounces of gold, or roughly 2,257 tons.” “We have been focusing drill programs to test gold values in the Austin, North Austin, and South Austin Zones at Madsen,” Jill Christmann Chief Geologist at told Bennett. “On November 21, 2023 initial drilling at the North Austin Zone returned intercepts of 27.15 g/t gold over 10.28 meters and 22.31 g/t gold over 8.5 meters. On December 5, 2023, we reported intercepts at the South Austin zone of 47.44 g/t gold over 3.2 meters and 21.64 g/t gold over 7 meters and 296.83 g/t gold over 1 meter. On February 7, 2024 we reported 9.15 g/t gold over 3.3 meters and 10.66 g/t gold over 2.6 meters at North Austin Zone. Click Image To View Full Size   Much of the opportunity for growth within the North and South Austin extensions is an unmined area, away from historic workings.  “The purpose of this drilling was definition within South Austin to continue building an  inventory of high-confidence ounces  for eventual restart of the Madsen mill,” stated WRLG in the March 4, 2024 press release. “Notably,  visible gold  was observed in holes MM24D-12-4640-008 and -012.” “Based on these observations, additional holes were added to the drill station to further define these high-grade zones up and down plunge.” References: SRK Consulting. (2021). Independent NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the PureGold Mine, Canada (West Red Lake Gold Mines, Ed.) [Review of Independent NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the PureGold Mine, Canada.   Mineral resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of 3.38 g/t Au and a gold price of US1,800/oz. Please refer to the technical report entitled “Independent NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the PureGold Mine, Canada”, prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. and dated June 16, 2023. A full copy of the SRK report is available on the Company’s website and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca   Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Please refer to the technical report entitled “Independent NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the PureGold Mine, Canada”, prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. and dated June 16, 2023. The Madsen Resource Estimate has an effective date of December 31, 2021 and excludes depletion of mining activity during the period from January 1, 2022 to the mine closure on October 24, 2022 as it has been deemed immaterial and not relevant for the purpose of the updated report. A full copy of the SRK report is available on the Company’s website and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca   Contact: guy.bennett@globalstocksnews.com Full Disclaimer

March 12, 2024 09:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

BYND Cannasoft Enterprises Inc. Announces Pricing of $7.0 Million Underwritten Public Offering

BYND Cannasoft Enterprises

ASHKELON, Israel and VANCOUVER, British Columbia – TheNewswire – March 12, 2024 - BYND Cannasoft Enterprises Inc. (Nasdaq:BCAN) (CSE:BYND) (“BYND Cannasoft” or the “Company”) an Israeli-based integrated software and cannabis company, today announced the pricing of a firm commitment underwritten public offering with gross proceeds to the Company expected to be approximately $7.0 million, before deducting underwriting fees and other estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The offering consists of 116,666,667 Units, each consisting of one (1) Common Share or Pre-Funded Warrant to purchase one Common Share, one (1) Series A Warrants to purchase one (1) Common Share per warrant, and two (2) Series B Warrants to purchase, each to purchase one (1) Common Share. The public offering price per Unit is $0.06 (or $0.0599 for each Unit with a Pre-Funded Warrant, which is equal to the public offering price per Unit with a Common Share to be sold in the offering minus an exercise price of $0.0001 per Pre-Funded Warrant). The Pre-Funded Warrants will be immediately exercisable and may be exercised at any time until exercised in full. The initial exercise price of each Series A Warrant is $0.09 per common share or pursuant to an alternative cashless exercise option. The Series A Warrants are exercisable immediately and expire 30 months after the initial issuance date. The initial exercise price of each Series B Warrant is $0.102 per common share. The Series B Warrants are exercisable immediately and expire 60 months after the initial issuance date. In addition, the Company has granted Aegis Capital Corp. ("Aegis") a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the total number of Common Shares and/or Pre-Funded Warrants and/or Series A Warrants and/or Series B Warrants sold in the offering, solely to cover over-allotments, if any. Aggregate gross proceeds to the Company are expected to be approximately $7.0 million. The transaction is expected to close on or about March 14, 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes and working capital. Aegis Capital Corp. is acting as the sole book-running manager for the offering. Louis A. Brilleman, Esq. is acting as U.S counsel to the Company and Owen Bird Law Corporation is acting as Canadian counsel to the Company. Kaufman & Canoles, P.C. is acting as U.S. counsel to Aegis Capital Corp. A registration statement on Form F-1 (No. 333-277464) previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 28, 2024, as amended, was declared effective by the SEC on March 11, 2024. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. A final prospectus describing the terms of the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC's website at  www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus may be obtained, when available, by contacting Aegis Capital Corp., Attention: Syndicate Department, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, 27th floor, New York, NY 10105, by email at syndicate@aegiscap.com, or by telephone at +1 (212) 813-1010. Before investing in this offering, interested parties should read in their entirety the prospectus, which provides more information about the Company and such offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About BYND Cannasoft Enterprises Inc. BYND Cannasoft Enterprises is an Israeli-based integrated software and cannabis company. BYND Cannasoft owns and markets "Benefit CRM," a proprietary customer relationship management (CRM) software product enabling small and medium‐sized businesses to optimize their day‐to‐day business activities such as sales management, personnel management, marketing, call center activities, and asset management. Building on our 20 years of experience in CRM software, BYND Cannasoft is developing an innovative new CRM platform to serve the needs of the medical cannabis industry by making it a more organized, accessible, and price-transparent market. The Cannabis CRM System will include a Job Management (BENEFIT) and a module system (CANNASOFT) for managing farms and greenhouses with varied crops.  BYND Cannasoft owns the patent-pending intellectual property for the EZ-G device. This therapeutic device uses proprietary software to regulate the flow of low concentrations of CBD oil, hemp seed oil, and other natural oils into the soft tissues of the female reproductive system to potentially treat a wide variety of women's health issues. The EZ-G device includes technological advancements as a sex toy with a more realistic experience and the prototype utilizes sensors to determine what enhances the users' pleasure. The user can control the device through a Bluetooth app installed on a smartphone or other portable device. The data will be transmitted and received from the device to and from the secure cloud using artificial intelligence (AI). The data is combined with other antonymic user preferences to improve its operation by increasing sexual satisfaction. Commercialization of the EZ-G device is subject to receipt of regulatory approvals. For Further Information please refer to information available on the Company’s website: www.cannasoft-crm.com, the CSE’s website:  www.thecse.com/en/listings/life-sciences/bynd-cannasoft-enterprises-inc  and on SEDAR+: www.sedarplus.ca. Gabi Kabazo Chief Financial Officer Tel: (604) 833-6820 e‐mail:  ir@cannasoft-crm.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. When used in this press release, the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward‐looking statements. Those forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's expectations for the growth of the Company's operations and revenue. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual circumstances, events or results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual events or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company’s actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including future financial performance, unanticipated regulatory requests and delays, final patents approval, and those factors discussed in filings made by the company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including (without limitation) in the company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2022 and annual information form dated March 31, 2023, which are available under the company's profile at www.sedar.com, and in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year then ended that was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2023. Should one or more of these factors occur, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward‐looking statements, except as required by law. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. Shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward‐looking statements.

March 12, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

New Study Shows Wave of AI Upskilling Among Independent Workers

MBO Partners

In response to the growing demand for AI-skilled talent, a recent study by MBO Partners suggests that employers should turn to independent workers for essential AI expertise. The study highlights that 37% of independent workers are currently incorporating Gen AI into their daily tasks, with a significant 59% using it across various applications. Despite being relatively new, a surprising 74% of independents are already familiar with AI and are planning to enhance their AI adoption and skills. The study reveals a doubling down on AI among independents, with the share of users projected to reach 73% by 2025. According to a Dec 2023 workforce study from Amazon, hiring AI-skilled talent is a priority among 73% of employers—but three out of four who consider it a priority can’t find the AI talent they need. Artificial intelligence is already transforming the workplace—from how businesses operate to how work gets done. With substantial potential to improve operational efficiency, worker productivity, and decision-making, employers said they would be willing to pay higher wages to employees with AI skills and expertise. “As AI becomes table stakes, any enterprise that doesn’t incorporate AI effectively into the business will drastically shrink its competitive footprint,” said Miles Everson, CEO of MBO Partners. “The encouraging aspect is the expansive and burgeoning pool of skilled independents who are not just keeping pace but leading the curve in AI knowledge. On the flip side, independents who fail to position themselves favorably relative to AI will have a more challenging time securing engagements with enterprise clients.” Key findings from MBO’s Exploring New Frontiers: How Independent Workers View and Use Generative AI in 2024 and Beyond reveal: When it Comes to AI, Independents are Fearless, Proactive, and Future-Ready When it comes to embracing AI, independent workers emerge as the fearless, proactive leaders. Only 8% of independents foresee their work facing immediate replacement by AI or ChatGPT in the next five years—a significantly lower percentage compared to the 13% reported by traditional workers. Taking a forward-thinking approach, independents are proactively leveling up on AI skills to deliver increased customer value and reduce the risk of replacement. MBO’s study found that 74% of independent workers showcase familiarity with Gen AI, with 37% already integrating it into their daily tasks. Among this group, 59% leverage Gen AI across diverse applications, enabling them to delegate routine tasks and freeing up valuable time for more intricate, value-driven aspects of their work. This trend underscores the emergence of a substantial pool of experienced, on-demand AI talent within independent workers. As this cohort continues to grow, enterprises have a unique opportunity to harness deep AI-augmented skill sets. Independents use AI as a Small Business Accelerator As small business accelerators, Gen AI is proving to be a transformative tool for independent workers seeking heightened productivity and efficiency. A significant 51% of independents integrating Gen AI into their daily tasks attest to its high utility, with 26% finding it extremely useful and an additional 25% marking it as very useful. Impressively, only 15% deem Gen AI not useful. One on one interviews echo these sentiments, with independent workers consistently highlighting how Gen AI contributes to increased productivity and time savings. Across the board, these workers report substantial productivity improvements ranging from 15% to 30%, aligning seamlessly with broader studies showcasing Gen AI's positive impact on overall business efficiency. In fact, forget hiring extra hands. With the right prompt, generative AI can accomplish tasks in minutes (or seconds) that require hours (or days) for humans to accomplish. The study revealed that independents are using AI for research assistance (39%), a marketing partner (27%) or even an IT administrator (9%). All of these roles are additive rather than sublative, and workers are becoming increasingly adept at using AI as a colleague. The AI Revolution Among Independents is Just Beginning While the independent worker shift towards Gen AI is in its early stages, AI holds big promises for the independent workforce. Looking into 2024 and beyond, the time has come to determine how AI sits in relation to employees and contingent labor. More specialized Gen AI tools and vertical market applications are also quickly becoming available. Most of these Gen AI tools are either free add-ins to existing software applications (Microsoft Office co-pilots, for example), or low cost. Because of this, they are easily accessible to independent workers. This points to a doubling of Gen AI adoption, reaching 73% among independent workers within the next two years. Only 24% of independent workers currently abstain from Gen AI, and almost all current users (97%) plan to continue usage. For more insights and detailed data, visit www.mbopartners.com/state-of-independence/ai-in-the-future-of-work About MBO Partners®​ MBO Partners is a deep job platform that connects and enables independent professionals and microbusiness owners to do business safely and effectively with enterprise organizations. Its unmatched experience and industry leadership enable it to operate on the forefront of the independent economy and consistently advance the next way of working. For more information, visit​ ​mbopartners.com​ Contact Details Words For Hire Karen Swim +1 586-461-2103 karen@wordsforhirellc.com Company Website https://mbopartners.com

March 12, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Nanonets Raises $29M from Accel to create Autonomous AI Agent for back office operations

Nanonets

Nanonets, a leading AI-based workflow automation platform, raised $29 million in a Series B funding round led by Accel. The funding round also saw participation from existing investors Elevation Capital, YCombinator and others. This takes the total funding raised till date to $42M. Over the last 2 years, Nanonets has seen extensive growth in their customer base, with over 34% of the Global Fortune 500 companies having used their AI-based workflow automation platform across Finance, Accounting, Operations and several other business use-cases. Their user base has grown 4x in the last 12 months. "The internet was going to kill paper but businesses today are producing more documents than ever, just in new forms. Email, PDF contracts, whitepapers, etc. There are millions of highly skilled professionals stuck looking for needles in haystacks and entering this data from these documents into different software. Nanonets uses cutting edge AI to automate these different processes. We are taking the most repetitive and mundane office work and automating it” said Sarthak Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of Nanonets. A majority of Nanonets’ revenue comes from automating finance processes such as Accounts Payable, Reconciliation, etc. A typical invoice takes 15 minutes to process manually, with processes such as entering an invoice into the ERP, matching against the purchase order, GL-code lookup followed by approvals; Nanonets brings this down to under a minute. Nanonets’ primary innovation is their ability to guarantee Straight Through Processing (STP), the percentage of data processed without any manual intervention. Other Generative LLMs tend to struggle with STP due to data hallucinations, hindering the large-scale adoption of Autonomous Agents for end-to-end tasks. The Turing test has evolved from humans being unable to differentiate an AI in conversation to humans being unable to differentiate an AI in performing tasks. Nanonets' Autonomous agents excel at performing tasks end-to-end. Additionally, their models, unlike other LLMs, learn instantly from new information, eliminating the need for complex training. Processing millions of documents monthly, Nanonets delivers over 90% STP rate, leading to significant productivity and cost savings. Abhinav Chaturvedi, partner at Accel, said, “We are thrilled to partner with Nanonets in their mission to revolutionize back-office operations with AI. Sarthak and his team have been dedicated to getting to the bottom of customer pain-points, and have built a powerful solution that fully automates business processes end-to-end. Nanonets stood out to us due to its comprehensive platform and its capability for Straight Through Processing (STP)- these qualities set Nanonets apart in the field of automation and have already demonstrated their positive impact to customers." About Nanonets Nanonets is a leading provider of intelligent automation solutions, revolutionizing business processes across industries. With a no-code platform and learnable decision engines, Nanonets enables organizations to make faster decisions and achieve unprecedented efficiency. Founded by Sarthak Jain and Prathamesh Juvatkar in 2017, Nanonets is headquartered in San Francisco. Learn more at https://nanonets.com About Accel Accel is a global venture capital firm that invests in people and their companies from the earliest days through all phases of private company growth. Investing in India for more than a decade, they have been the first, or among the earliest partners to many category-defining startups such as: Acko, Blackbuck, BrowserStack, Chargebee, CultFit, FalconX, Infra.Market, Moglix, Spinny, Swiggy, UrbanCompany, Zetwerk, and others. Accel helps ambitious entrepreneurs build innovative and durable businesses. More at https://www.accel.com/india-home Contact Details Nanonets Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://nanonets.com/

March 12, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Sapphire Technologies Appoints Ayman Zeitoun as Vice President of Sales

Sapphire Technologies

Sapphire Technologies, developer and manufacturer of energy recovery systems for hydrogen and natural gas industrial applications, has appointed industry veteran, Ayman Zeitoun as Vice President of Sales. Drawing upon his extensive experience in sales leadership across various industries, including Oil & Gas, LNG, and Petrochemical industries, Zeitoun will be responsible for devising and implementing comprehensive sales strategies with the goal of meeting ambitious revenue targets. Zeitoun's ability to form strong partnerships with customers and identify new market opportunities will be critical in driving Sapphire Technologies' expansion efforts in emerging and growing markets globally. His knowledge of industry trends and customer needs will also help drive product development as well as optimize go-to-market strategies. Moreover, Zeitoun's track record of successfully completing large-scale projects in industries such as LNG, power generation, and clean energy make him highly qualified to spearhead the company's expansion into its next phase of growth. “Ayman’s appointment signifies a pivotal juncture in Sapphire Technologies' journey. After successfully securing a milestone funding round last year, our company continues to advance its mission of decarbonizing the industry,” said Freddie Sarhan, CEO of Sapphire Technologies. “Ayman's exceptional knowledge and strategic leadership, coupled with his unwavering commitment to excellence, will play a crucial role in helping us achieve our mission.” "This is an exciting time for the industry, and I am honored to join Sapphire Technologies and address the diverse needs of the industrial gas and LNG sectors," Zeitoun said. "The company's commitment to innovation and sustainability resonates deeply with my ethos, and I am confident that together, we will make significant strides in driving global decarbonization efforts and shaping a sustainable future." Before joining Sapphire Technologies, Zeitoun held prominent roles at global companies, including GE Oil & Gas, CCI, Atlas Copco, and Nikkiso, where his strategic insights and leadership led to remarkable achievements. Most recently, Zeitoun was Vice President of NESP Sales and Business Development at Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases, where he successfully oversaw the closure of numerous high-profile projects worldwide. About Sapphire Technologies Sapphire Technologies is driving global decarbonization through developing and manufacturing energy recovery systems that harness the power of gas expansion to produce reliable and clean electricity. Sapphire Technologies’ systems are designed to convert energy wasted in pressure reduction processes into electric power without interrupting operations. By recovering this wasted pressure energy, Sapphire Technologies helps customers maximize efficiencies, improve productivity, reduce carbon emissions, offset electrical costs and achieve substantial financial returns. For additional information visit: https://www.sapphiretechnologies.com. Contact Details Kite Hill PR Lara Schembri Sant +1 202-262-5311 lara@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.sapphiretechnologies.com/

March 12, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

QuantaSing Group Posts Double-Digit Growth In Revenue, Registered Users In Fiscal Q2 Driven By Growing Demand For Its Senior Courses

QuantaSing

By Meg Flippin, Benzinga QuantaSing Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: QSG), the Chinese online learning service provider, posted double-digit revenue growth in Q2 of fiscal year 2024, buoyed by growing demand for the company’s courses aimed at seniors. For the three months ended December 31, 2023, QuantaSing reported revenue of RMB 980.5 million ($138.1 million), up 24.7% year-over-year. Net income in the quarter was RMB 107.6 million ($15.2 million). That compares to a net loss of RMB 41.4 million in the year-ago fiscal second quarter. The growth seen in the quarterly results was driven by a 44.6% increase in total registered users to 112.4 million from 77.8 million as of December 31, 2022. Paying learners increased 24.2% year-over-year to about 0.4 million. Looking out to the full fiscal year 2024, QuantaSing expects revenue to come in between RMB 900 million to RMB 930 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 11.5% to 15.2%. Capitalizing On The Aging China Population QuantaSing is one of the largest providers of online education for adults in China, focusing on both the learning and personal interest markets. Using cutting-edge technology including livestreaming and artificial intelligence, QuantaSing provides seniors with easy-to-understand, affordable and accessible online courses. It’s capitalizing on the aging population in China, which is growing at such rates the World Bank designated it a “super-aged society.” As of 2023 China had more than 297 million residents aged 60+, accounting for 21.1% of the total population. This group has money to spend and is on a quest to pursue hobbies and continuing education opportunities. It’s one of the reasons why the “silver economy” is valued at around RMB 7 trillion ($982 billion), and is forecast to surge to RMB30 trillion ($4.2 trillion) by 2035, according to China National Radio. “The evolving needs and desires of middle-aged and elderly people in China represent a significant opportunity for us,” Peng Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of QuantaSing, said on a conference call to discuss second-quarter results with investors and analysts. “Last quarter, we saw a solid 24.7% increase in revenue, proving that our strategy to expand our course offerings is paying off. We are seizing the opportunity presented by growing demand for courses made for senior learners.” Livestreaming E-commerce And AI To boost its offering, QuantaSing has poured resources into several initiatives including integrating senior learning with livestreaming e-commerce and leveraging artificial intelligence to meet the strong demand it is seeing. Its livestreaming business, which it launched in June 2023, is initially focused on Chinese liquor. In its fiscal first quarter, QuantaSing’s live e-commerce business generated RMB 41.9 million in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV ). With a specialized team creating apps and AI tools, the company is looking for global opportunities and is adding staff to the team toward that end. QuantaSing plans to open AI offices in Hong Kong and Singapore shortly and is developing its own AI tools. QuantaSing isn’t the only learning platform company going after seniors in China. But it's trying to become the app older adults go to for all their learning. The idea is to become synonymous with senior learning in China similar to what Duolingo Inc. (NYSE: DUOL) did for learning a new language, Khan Academy has done for virtually educating students and Udemy Inc. (NASDAQ: UDMY) has done for business learning. That goal is being aided by the government in China, which recently introduced measures to strengthen the silver economy, such as urging enterprises to enhance their offerings for older adults including revamping apps and websites and creating standards for senior-friendly mobile devices. That will benefit QuantaSing as it should enhance the learning experience for its users from a hardware perspective, Li said during the earnings call. Streamlining Operations In addition to churning out new courses and offerings for seniors, the company is also overhauling how it recruits and retains new learners with an eye toward cutting costs. For instance, it recently upgraded its integrated business management process and now conducts pilot testing before rolling out new classes. It also now enables tutors to more easily manage tasks like one-click class reminders. Those efforts are paying off. The company said course completion rates and overall repurchases have increased. The repurchase rate for its standing mediation course, as one example, has increased to 32.8% in December 2023 from 18.4% in September. The goal is to streamline the operation system across all its courses. “As living standards improve, middle-aged and elderly people seek more than just health or longevity. They want experiences that will provide cultural and intellectual enrichment. Our diverse range of online courses includes many which are tailored to the interests of these demographics,” said QuantaSing’s CEO. “Our platform is dedicated to lifelong learning, and we have always emphasized user engagement and satisfaction. This means we are well equipped to fulfill user desire for intellectual stimulation and personal growth.” Featured photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash. QuantaSing is a leading online service provider in China dedicated to improving people’s quality of life and well-being by providing lifelong personal learning and development opportunities. The Company is the largest service provider in China’s online adult learning market and China’s adult personal interest learning market in terms of revenue, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan based on data from 2022. By leveraging its proprietary tools and technology, QuantaSing offers easy-to-understand, affordable, and accessible online courses to adult learners, empowering users to pursue personal development. Leveraging its extensive experience in individual online learning services and its robust technology infrastructure, the Company has expanded its services to corporate clients, and diversified its operations into its e-commerce business and its AI and technology business. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Leah Guo ir@quantasing.com Company Website https://ir.quantasing.com/

March 12, 2024 08:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
1 ... 350351352353354 ... 3753