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American Paper Plate Coalition Petitions for Relief from Unfairly Traded Imports from China, Thailand, and Vietnam

American Paper Plate Coalition

The American Paper Plate Coalition (“APPC”), representing the majority of American paper plate production, today petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) to investigate unfairly priced and subsidized paper plate imports from China, Thailand, and Vietnam. The antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions detail unfair trade practices to sell paper plates at less than fair value and allege dumping margins up to 279%, as well as numerous subsidies. The petitions detail the injury suffered by the U.S. industry and its workers, and request relief in the form of special duties on all associated imports to offset unfair pricing and unfair subsidies. “Imports from these countries have used dumped prices and subsidies to continue to grow in the U.S. market at the expense of American producers and workers,” said Bill Biggins, President and Co-owner of APPC member Aspen Products, Inc. “Over the past three years, unfairly priced and subsidized imports have harmed American producers and taken jobs away from hard-working Americans.” The cases filed today cover all types of plates produced from any type of paper, regardless of color, decoration, shape and size. “American producers can compete with anyone in the world, as long as we’re all playing by the same rules,” said Robert Epstein, President and CEO of APPC member AJM Packaging Corporation. “Fortunately, our country’s trade laws are set up to support fair trade. On behalf of our employees, customers, and colleagues, we look forward to seeing those laws enforced and those who violate our laws held accountable.” The next steps in these investigations will be the initiation of Commerce antidumping and countervailing duty investigations by February 14, 2024, and a preliminary ITC determination by March 11, 2024. About the American Paper Plate Coalition The American Paper Plate Coalition, representing the leading U.S. producers of paper plates, is comprised of AJM Packaging Corporation of Bloomfield Hills, MI; Aspen Products, Inc. of Kansas City, MO; Dart Container Corporation of Mason, MI; Hoffmaster Group, Inc. of Oshkosh, WI; Huhtamaki, Inc., of De Soto, KS; and Unique Industries, Inc. of Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit https://www.ajmpack.com/, https://www.aspenpro.com/, https://www.dartcontainer.com/, https://www.hoffmaster.com/, https://www.huhtamaki.com/en-us/north-america/, and https://www.favors.com/ The American Paper Plate Coalition is represented by Adam H. Gordon of The Bristol Group PLLC, a Washington, DC international trade law firm committed to defending American industry, agriculture, and manufacturing jobs. Contact Details EAH Strategies Elizabeth Posthumus +1 202-445-9858 elizabeth@eahstrategiesllc.com

January 25, 2024 01:05 PM Eastern Standard Time

The best generative AI solutions of 2024

AIport

January 25, 2024 — Ever since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in the fall of 2022, generative AI (GenAI) solutions have continued to disrupt industries with their surprising and never-before-seen features. Many of the generative AI solutions we hear about today are based on large language models (LLM), which allow them to successfully communicate with end users. Every such model has to be pre-trained on vast amounts of data and then fine-tuned using a variety of different methods. As we’re approaching the end of January, let’s look at the list of the most noteworthy of these models and explore the generative AI solutions they power. Compiled by the AIport newsletter team, this list is by no means exhaustive, but it is a review of what we believe are the LLM-based generative AI solutions and tools that are likely to make headlines this year. GPT (OpenAI and Microsoft) Expectedly, the first LLM on our list with some of the highest expectations this year is at the core of ChatGPT from OpenAI. GPT wasn’t the first LLM out there (there had been others like BERT ), but it was certainly the first one that resulted in a market-ready GenAI product. The original GPT model (Generative Pretrained Transformers) had 170 billion parameters, while the latest version, GPT-4, boasts over 1.75 trillion. The model’s applications are far and wide, being the basis not only for ChatGPT, but also Microsoft’s Bing Chat, which is now part of the Copilot infrastructure. While ChatGPT remains arguably the most impressive text-producing GenAI tool, Bing Chat (unlike ChatGPT) has internet access, making it ideal for web browsing. In addition, the same core GPT model is being utilized by other entities — from Panasonic Connect in Japan, OCBC Bank’s ChatGPT in Singapore, and KPMG’s KaiChat in Germany to the UK government’s upcoming GOV.UK chat. Notably, GPT is also a vital part of OpenAI’s DALL-E suite — a solution that generates images based on descriptions from text. PaLM and Gemini (Google) The next one on our list is Google’s PaLM (Pathways Language Model). The model, boasting 540 billion parameters, was first successfully tested in the spring of 2022. A year later, PaLM 2 was announced and subsequently integrated into Bard — Google’s GenAI chatbot — becoming available to test users around the world. Bard is considered among the finest solutions for productivity, having internet access like Bing Chat, but being less about navigating the web and more about answering burning questions. Bard was seriously bolstered at the end of last year with Google’s highly anticipated launch of the multimodal LLM, Gemini, which had been trained on images and audio/video files, not just text. The jury is still out on how far this update will take Bard, but the expectations are very high indeed. LLaMA (Meta, Microsoft, and Hugging Face) LLaMA (Large Language Model Meta AI) from Meta was released in February last year. However, the 65-billion-parameter model was leaked online as a downloadable torrent only a week later. While the model did not lead to any ChatGPT-like products at Meta, another AI company — Hugging Face — picked it up and released Hugging Chat. Offering internet access, this GenAI solution has been praised as “the first open source alternative to ChatGPT” with a snarky sense of humor. Not to be outdone, Meta partnered with Microsoft to produce LLaMA 2 in July of last year. Following that, the company announced a beta release of Meta AI at the end of September — a GenAI chatbot, currently available in the US, that can “provide real-time information and generate photorealistic images” from text prompts. This solution is expected to reach Meta users across the rest of the globe later in the year. Claude (Anthropic) Our next LLM is made by Anthropic, and it’s named Claude. Founded in 2021, the company along with its language model may be a less familiar name to most non-geeks. But this is likely to change in 2024. That’s the case not only because the latest version of the namesake GenAI chatbot released last year can now process long PDF files of up to 75,000 words, taking moments to summarize entire books. But also because this has already caught the attention of both Google and Amazon who are keen to invest $2 and $4 billion respectively. While Claude doesn’t offer internet access, its processing power, namely input character memory, outpowers every competitor by a wide margin, including ChatGPT. And the company is said to be working on yet more handy features as we speak. HyperCLOVA X (Naver) HyperCLOVA X is both the LLM and the namesake GenAI chatbot released by the South Korean search engine giant, Naver, last August. Boasting over 200 billion parameters, the LLM is being used mainly for AI-assisted web browsing, much like Bing Chat. While HyperCLOVA X doesn’t speak English, the chatbot’s proficiency in Korean is impressive, having learned 6,500 more Korean words than ChatGPT. In addition to answering user queries, HyperCLOVA X has been designed to offer AI assistance to businesses across numerous sectors — from finance to gaming. Naver is also presently working to make HyperCLOVA X multimodal, following in the footsteps of Google’s Gemini, so another big international headline is likely on the way. Pangu (Huawei) Last spring, Huawei, one of the global tech leaders, unveiled Pangu — an LLM with 1.085 trillion parameters in over 40 natural and programming languages. This LLM now powers the Chinese company’s GenAI assistant called Celia, which resides within Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4 operating system. Supposedly, Celia has already outperformed both Siri and Google Assistant as a phone-based virtual assistant in terms of prompt execution accuracy, such as finding specific photos and documents stored on a device. And as more Huawei smartphones are being churned out, Celia is expected to reach more global users this year with further refinements to the Pangu model. In addition, Pangu is available through Huawei Cloud for commercial use. According to a statement from the company’s leadership, the newest Pangu 3.0 utilizes hierarchical architecture, allowing it to be quickly fine-tuned for a wide range of downstream applications (including Huawei’s autonomous vehicle solutions ), which we’ll surely see more of in 2024. MiLM-6B (Xiaomi) Next up is another Chinese company, Xiaomi — one of the largest phone manufacturers in the world. The company made an entry into the LLM race last summer with its MiLM-6B, a lightweight model created for mobile devices. Boasting 6.4 billion parameters, MiLM-6B has reportedly outperformed rivals in its category and achieved notable scores from evaluation platforms like C-Eval and CMMLU. Xiaomi’s leadership has been vocal for some time about integrating LLMs into its smartphones. It appears that the company’s virtual assistant, Xiao AI, has now finally become a fully fledged GenAI chatbot, generating over 11 words per second. By this metric, despite operating locally on the phone, Xiao AI has matched the performance of some LLMs running on cloud computing services. It’ll be interesting to see whether Xiao AI gets assimilated into the company’s other products, as the rumors suggest, including the recently announced Xiaomi SU7, an autonomous-enabled electric sedan. YandexGPT (Yandex) The final entry on our list is an LLM named YandexGPT from the Russian search engine Yandex. The namesake GenAI solution with 100 billion parameters was beta-released in May last year. The more recent release of YandexGPT2 has demonstrated a 65% improvement in response quality, with a 1.5-fold increase in training data. Interestingly, this GenAI solution was tested and scored enough points to enter a Russian university. YandexGPT was also integrated into Yandex’s flagship virtual assistant named Alice, as well as the company’s smart speakers. Furthermore, the LLM has allowed the company’s e-shoppers to view summarized customer reviews in one place. With YandexGPT at the core, the company now also offers visual GenAI solutions, YandexART and Shedevrum, that can generate images from text, much like Open AI’s DALL-E. Currently, the LLM is also being merged with Yandex Search to offer the end user something similar to Bing Chat and HyperCLOVA X. It’s likely that we’ll see a new announcement pertaining to this development later in the year. New kids on the block Apart from the above entries on our list, several brand new LLMs along with their GenAI solutions are expected to arrive any day from other big players. Among them are Samsung from South Korea, Tencent from China, as well as Amazon and Apple. In fact, Apple already has an internal AI chatbot for employees, but its much-talked-about AppleGPT based on the company’s LLM, Ajax, is said to be around the corner. Amazon began to offer a service for building AI chatbots called Lex a while ago, but more notably, the company recently announced its upcoming GenAI solution tailored for commercial use. Japan doesn’t intend to be left behind either — at least three major LLM initiatives are currently being played out. Among them is a joint project between Fujitsu, RIKEN, Tokyo Tech, and Tohoku University who are developing a series of LLMs using one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, Fugaku. In addition, both NTT and SoftBank are reportedly in the final stages of developing their “homegrown” LLMs. While much remains unclear and covered in mist (or is it gray goo 😉), one thing is certain — 2024 is going to be the most AI-intense year we have seen yet! If you enjoyed this listicle, visit AIport for more exclusive insights into the latest tech trends, with a focus on the global ML landscape. All trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Contact Details NettResults PR Nick Leighton +1 949-478-5880 nick.leighton@nettresultsllc.com Company Website https://aiport.substack.com/

January 25, 2024 09:53 AM Pacific Standard Time

IMA Financial Group and Vouch Establish Strategic Partnership To Offer Specialized Insurance to Tech Enterprises at Every Growth Stage

IMA Financial

IMA Financial Group and Vouch, leaders in insurance for technology, life sciences and web3, have today announced the formation of a strategic alliance, merging IMA's brokerage expertise with Vouch's innovative coverage. The alliance disrupts the landscape for innovative tech companies underserved by legacy insurance products. Until now, Vouch has operated exclusively as a managing general agent (MGA), distinguished by its proprietary coverages and direct-to-startup distribution model. IMA is its first retail brokerage partner. To merge its expertise with Vouch’s proprietary insurance products, IMA launched IMA Next.Gen, a new program offering specialized insurance products crafted for venture-backed startups in technology, life sciences and web3. This program fills a crucial market gap, offering unique coverage enhancements and access to 10 exclusive Vouch coverages designed to meet these sectors' rapid innovation and growth needs. Through this partnership, IMA broadens its insurance solutions, providing comprehensive, tailored coverage for the specific challenges tech enterprises face. IMA clients gain exclusive access to Vouch's specialized tech industry products, with preferred pricing and custom coverage options combining standard and specialized insurance products. Mark Ware, EVP at IMA, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: "Partnering with Vouch enables us to enhance our insurance offerings significantly, ensuring our clients, from startups to IPO-ready companies, have access to the best possible solutions." Sam Hodges, Co-Founder & CEO of Vouch, also remarked on the synergy: "IMA's recognized technology practice and track record with innovation economy clients make them an ideal partner. This collaboration is focused on delivering purpose-built insurance products and experiences for tech businesses." The IMA-Vouch partnership represents a holistic approach to insurance management, catering to companies across their development spectrum. It provides startups with essential insurance products at competitive rates and evolves with them to offer a more comprehensive suite of services as companies grow. The IMA Next.Gen program allows clients to leverage Vouch's proprietary insurance and benefits, including exclusive coverage enhancements developed by IMA, as well as the Vouch technology platform. This digital brokerage tool streamlines the insurance process, offering a seamless, user-friendly experience for managing coverage. As clients grow, the program supports their expanding risk management needs, ensuring continuous, tailored insurance support. "We aim to provide founders with products and services uniquely designed for their specific risks," said Hodges. "Our partnership with IMA is a testament to our commitment to serving technology businesses at every stage of their growth." About IMA Financial Group IMA Financial Group is an independent broker defining the future of insurance through comprehensive and consultative risk and wealth management services. A majority employee-owned and managed company, its 2,300-plus associates in offices across the country are empowered by a shared mission to manage risk, protect assets and make a difference. Learn more at https://www.imacorp.com. About Vouch Vouch is a US-based provider of business insurance to thousands of high-growth companies that has raised $160 million from top-tier Silicon Valley institutions and investors, including Ribbit Capital, Redpoint Ventures, Y Combinator and Index Ventures. Since its inception in 2018, the company has empowered clients to get risk management right through niche expertise, a proprietary approach to pricing and underwriting, fast, digital-first procurement and coverages that scale as the company grows. More information on Vouch can be found at https://www.vouch.us. Vouch Insurance Services, LLC (NPN # 19039391) and Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC (NPN # 19926463) are licensed in the states in which they conduct business. Detailed license information is available at https://www.vouch.us/licenses. Contact Details IMA Financial Group Ruth Rohs +1 303-615-7513 ruth.rohs@imacorp.com Vouch Cassidy Clawson +1 831-247-3750 cassidy.clawson@vouch.us Center Reach Communications Alexandra Campbell alexandra@centerreachcommunication.com Company Website https://imacorp.com/

January 25, 2024 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Longing for a tropical getaway? Travel This Winter and Spring to America’s Caribbean Paradise, The United States Virgin Islands

YourUpdateTV

If you are longing for a tropical getaway, the U.S. Virgin Islands is home to some of the world's most stunning beaches and luxurious resorts. Recently, the U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism, Joseph Boschulte conducted a satellite media tour to share tips on how to best experience the U.S. Virgin Islands. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/K3EZnYGhDX4 About 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands comprise a United States territory located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The three main islands are St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, where the capital of Charlotte Amalie is located. Perfect for leisure or business travel, the U.S. Virgin Islands features breathtaking, world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture, and a burgeoning restaurant industry. No passports are required from U.S. citizens traveling from the U.S. mainland or Puerto Rico. U.S. Virgin Islands Marks Impressive Year-End Achievements and Sets Ambitious Goals For 2024 The U.S. Virgin Islands celebrated the end of 2023 with remarkable achievements and a vision for an even brighter future in 2024. Under the leadership of Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of the Department of Tourism, the territory has made significant strides in several key areas. In a year-over-year comparison, the U.S. Virgin Islands has continued to see robust revenue from the shared economy industry, reaching an impressive $343.4 million in 2023, a slight reduction from the record-setting figure of $360.53 million in the previous year. The hotel occupancy rate stands at a commendable 61.8% Hotel bookings within the territory also outpace the regional average daily rate (ADR) with a rate of $463.23, compared to $318.81 regionally. Additionally, the territory’s Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) continues to soar above regional standards. The U.S. Virgin Islands played a prominent role in the Caribbean's double-digit growth in tourism, with international arrivals projected to witness a remarkable 39% increase above 2019 levels in the fourth quarter of 2023. Also, extended stay visitors have seen a significant 25% rise. While 2022 presented some challenges due to cross-industry constraints, including pilot and airplane shortages, the end-of-2023 projections for 2024 remain positive. Seat capacity has increased from the continental U.S. to 23% in St. Croix and 21% in St. Thomas, largely due to the strategy of maintaining strong relations with major carriers. The Department of Tourism has expanded its strategic marketing efforts leading the way for the region into sports marketing garnering partnerships with renowned sports teams and entities, including the Boston Red Sox, New York Jets, Chicago Cubs, and Klutch Sports Group. Additionally, in the sports space the department has established ambassadorships with athletes who have familial ties to the territory including WNBA standout Aliyah Boston, Brooklyn Nets player Nic Claxton, Professional Golfer Alex Swain, and collegiate basketball standout Mervin James at Rider University. Looking ahead to 2024, the U.S. Virgin Islands will continue to strengthen its presence in the sports and entertainment arenas, as well as continue to build out cultural correlation with the Caribbean diaspora. The past year also marked successful elevation of the territory’s three Carnival celebrations featuring more revelers on each island and expansion of the Village Nights that spotlighted local talent including Pressure, Adam O, Star Martin and Karnage, international and Caribbean performers Davido, Machel Montano, Kes, Shenseea Koffee, Dexta Daps, Alison Hinds, Patrice Roberts and more. Carnival’s success has opened the territory to opportunities for cultural exchanges with other islands in the region and African countries. For the coming year, the U.S. Virgin Islands will increase concentrate on: · Airlift: Engage in ongoing conversations with airline executives to increase airlift from the U.S. mainland for winter 2024-25. Restoration of international negotiations with airlines in Denmark, Italy, and Canada is a priority. Our focus is on adding flights to St. Croix from the United States, Canada, and Europe. · Cruise: The partnership with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) will help us to increase cruise calls, create new experiences, collaborate with the local private sector, and generate employment opportunities. Cruise passenger projections indicate a 13% rise for 2024, with nearly 200,000 new passengers expected. · Marine: Strengthen partnerships with marine stakeholders, expand marine experiences, and attract businesses to set up headquarters in the USVI. Collaboration with the Economic Development Authority (EDA) on marine initiatives and working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security to support increased marine development are key goals. We are excited to launch the Virgin Islands Boating Expo (VIBE) in 2024. · Film: The USVI aims to attract film production with its stunning landscapes and unique locations. For more information about the U.S. Virgin Islands and its offerings, please visit https://www.visitusvi.com/. BIO: JOSEPH BOSCHULTE Joseph Boschulte is the Commissioner for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Commissioner Boschulte brings over 30 years of experience in business, finance, and government to the tourism department. The Commissioner has held high-level positions in transportation, utilities, telecommunications, finance, government development and investment banking with a proven track record of improving organizational performance and growth. Boschulte formerly served as President and CEO of The West Indian Company Limited (WICO), Chief Financial Officer of both the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, the Government of the Virgin Islands Employees’ Retirement System, and chaired the VI Public Services Commission. Additionally, Boschulte serves as the former Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), Executive Director for UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance with Wachovia Securities in Atlanta, and Vice President of Banc of America Securities in Charlotte and New York City. Currently, Boschulte serves as the Chairman for the Board of Directors of The West Indian Company Limited (WICO) and sits on the board for the Virgin Islands Port Authority. He is also a member of the US Travel Association. Commissioner Boschulte earned his MBA from Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. A family man first, Commissioner Boschulte is a husband to his wife Aisha, and proud parents of children Jaeden and Janae. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

January 25, 2024 11:44 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video

Premier Design-Build Construction Firm Kingham Dalton Wilson (KDW) Announces Executive Leadership Changes

Kingham Dalton Wilson, Ltd.

Kingham Dalton Wilson, Ltd. ( KDW ), a renowned leader in the construction industry specializing in design-build industrial and commercial construction, has announced it will expand its executive leadership team to support a growing range of projects. The design-build firm will add two longtime team members to its C-suite. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Jay Kingham, who joined KDW in 2006, will serve as President, a role formerly held by Keith Dalton, who will remain Chief Executive Officer. Eighteen-year veteran Rolf Scheffler has been named to the new role of Chief Operating Officer. Previously, Kingham was KDW Principal and Construction Manager, while Scheffler served as Director of Special Projects. “Clients rely on us as a single-source solution that excels in every stage of a commercial development,” said Scheffler. “As COO, I will work to optimize efficiency in processes, implement risk management practices and champion quality control initiatives to meet our 2024 operational excellence goals.” Former Project Manager Michael Mann replaces Scheffler as Director of Special Projects, and KDW’s Preconstruction Manager Mark Camilli has become Director of Preconstruction. With over 128 years of combined experience and a track record of more than 2,000 successful projects, KDW has an established reputation for providing the highest-quality construction services with a dedicated team of professionals who prioritize customer satisfaction and deliver projects within scope, within budget and on time. In 2023, the company launched nearly 40 projects, including Sovereign Flavors’ Kyle, Texas, headquarters, Balcones Resources’ San Antonio-based material recovery facility, Elin Energy’s Waller County, Texas, solar panel manufacturing facility and Newton Nursery’s Spring, Texas, nursery. The momentum continues into 2024, with additional projects slated for completion throughout the year. "As KDW expands in and beyond Texas, we need additional leaders to serve our growing client portfolio and employee base,” said Dalton. “The new structure recognizes and supports our employees’ dedication and professional development and provides a strong foundation for our future.” Kingham Dalton Wilson, Ltd. ( KDW ) is a full-service design-build firm specializing in customized industrial and commercial construction. With a team of more than 100 in-house designers, architects and multidisciplinary building professionals, the company is a single-source, one-contract solution for global and domestic companies, designing and building facilities that meet complex client specifications, often in niche industries such as cold storage, clean technology, food manufacturing and oil and gas. With headquarters in Houston and an office in Austin, KDW has completed more than 2,000 projects across Texas since its founding in 2004. For more information, visit www.kdw.com. Contact Details Jessica Poulalier jessica@centerreachcommunication.com Company Website https://www.kdwltd.com/

January 25, 2024 09:00 AM Central Standard Time

With 2023 In The Bag, How Arianne Phosphate Is Positioning Itself For Growth As LFP Demand Is Expected To Take Off

Arianne Phosphate

By Meg Flippin, Benzinga The lithium-ion battery market seems to be heating up, thrusting phosphate into the spotlight as companies turn to LFPs to power the cars and homes of the future. One company that could potentially benefit from the trend is Arianne Phosphate Inc. (OTCMKTS: DRRSF), the Quebec owner of the world’s largest greenfield phosphate rock project. Arianne reports that it had a very strong year. The company shares that it has hit multiple milestones in 2023 that position it to handle what is expected to be an influx of demand driven by electric vehicles and battery storage systems. EV Battery Production Shifts Focus For years, North American EV makers relied on lithium-ion batteries made of lithium, cobalt and nickel to power a greener tomorrow. But cobalt and nickel are scarce and expensive. Companies looking for an alternative have turned to LFPs. These batteries are highly stable, longer lasting and more resistant to heat degradation. They also require less lithium. “The demand coming with LFPs is really going to be a big game changer,” particularly for purified phosphoric acid, said Brian Ostroff, President of Arianne in a recent interview. “This isn't 2%, 6% or 8% growth over the next few years, it is 100% growth. New supply is going to have to be built out.” Arianne’s Projects Ready For Influx Of Demand That’s good news for Arianne Phosphate since its Lac à Paul project in Quebec consists of several mineralized zones that will produce high-quality phosphate concentrate with little or no contaminants. To accelerate the development of the project, the company sold royalties covering 25 claims in the James Bay area to Lithium Royalty Corp. for $2.35 million. Arianne’s decision to shore up capital in a non-dilutive fashion during 2023 seems like a strategic move to position it better for the future. In March, after going through the arduous and costly process to qualify its material for use in LFPs, it received the detailed report on tests confirming the use of the company’s high-purity phosphate concentrate in the production of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries. With that seal of approval, it will be able to sell its mine to companies and inventors. “The industry is starting to recognize the importance of sourcing all critical minerals required in the production of batteries, not just lithium,” Ostroff said at the time. “I believe it is just a matter of time before we see a rush into phosphate similar to what we have seen in other critical materials.” Ostroff thinks the company is in a good position because its Lac à Paul project is fully permitted, shovel-ready and in a jurisdiction that stands to benefit greatly from various government initiatives to secure critical materials from a safe, secure region. “The world will certainly require more phosphate, Arianne is first-up to be able to provide for this growth,” he said. Preparing For Growth To prepare, Arianne Phosphate has been streamlining the business and building name recognition. Early in 2023, Arianne announced the appointment of veteran mining players to its board and executive team including Marco Gagnon as Chairman. Gagnon is a professional geologist with 30 years of management experience within the Canadian mining industry in a wide range of commodities from project exploration to mine production. Arianne also named Dr. Raef Sully to the board. Sully most recently served as Executive Vice President of Nutrien Ltd. and was CEO of their Phosphate and Nitrogen divisions. The company has also been selling its story to investors, companies and politicians, taking part in several forums, trade events and investor conferences including the Canadian Critical Minerals Opportunities Forum in New York, The Trade Mission and a Lytham Partners hosted battery materials panel at their recent investor conference. Fertilizer Too And it's not just the EV market that’s poised for growth. The company’s high-purity phosphate concentrate is expected to see demand from companies producing fertilizer that is greener, as well. This past fall Arianne and its joint research project with the CEGEP of Riviere-de-Loup’s Environmental and Biotechnology Group received a three-year grant of $727, 500 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada new breed of fertilizers. Today, most fertilizers (MAP & DAP) are produced by taking mined phosphate concentrate and combining it with sulphuric acid and other ingredients. The work being done by GREB would alter the traditional process of making fertilizer, removing the requirement of acid, and allow for the use of organic wastes that otherwise often wind up in landfills. From EVs to fertilizer, demand for phosphate is on the cusp of booming. During the past year, Arianne Phosphate has made moves it’s betting will position it for strong growth in the New Year. ARIANNE PHOSPHATE INC. ( www.arianne-inc.com ) owns the Lac Ã Paul phosphate deposit in Quebec, Canada. Fully permitted and shovel ready, the asset is among the worldâs largest greenfield deposits, capable of producing an environmentally friendly phosphate concentrate. Due to the nature of its high-purity, low-contaminant product, Arianneâs phosphate can be used to produce fertilizer as well as meeting the technical requirements of specialty applications such as the lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery. The Lac Ã Paul deposit is rare due to its geographic location and geological structure. Arianne Phosphate is listed on both the TSX-V: DAN and the OTCQX: DRRSF. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. This information contains forward looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralisation and reserves, exploration results and future plans and objectives of Arianne Phosphate Inc, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Arianne Phosphate Incâs (âArianne Phosphateâ or the âCompanyâ) expectations are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Arianne Phosphate Incâs documents filed from time-to-time with the TSX Venture and other regulatory authorities. Contact Details Brian Ostroff, President brian.ostroff@arianne-inc.com Company Website https://www.arianne-inc.com

January 25, 2024 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

Bitcoin ETFs Mark A Transformative Moment – ESE Entertainment Is Making Gaming More Crypto-Friendly Through New Partnership With Metapro

Benzinga

By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga After a tough year for the cryptocurrency market, after much anticipation the U.S. securities regulator approved the first U.S.-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to track Bitcoin. This is a big move in the direction of institutionalizing cryptocurrencies as an asset class, one that can offer investors exposure to Bitcoin without directly holding it. One analyst shared that these ETFs could draw $50-$100 billion in 2024 alone. Companies in the space are seeing this as a major win for cryptocurrency, including ESE Entertainment (OTCQX: ENTEF) (TSXV: ESE), a leading global technology company that operates primarily in the gaming and esports industry. In the gaming industry, ESE provides crucial technology solutions to video game developers, publishers and brands, and the company is actively involved in fan engagement services globally. It also operates its own e-commerce channels. Significantly for the company, earlier this year ESE announced a strategic partnership with Metapro, a blockchain company, which marks a significant step for ESE in expanding its technology services to blockchain and cryptocurrency companies. Metapro has recently unveiled its all-in-one cryptocurrency wallet, designed to cater to the needs of gamers, developers and creators who wish to manage their cryptocurrencies across multiple blockchains. This mobile application acts as a non-custodial wallet, enabling users to store and transact with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and more, as well as tokens and metaverse assets. Michał Bartczak, CEO of Metapro, shared, "2023 was a landmark year, and our work with ESE was pivotal in reaching these milestones. As we step into 2024, the cryptocurrency market has been growing fast and our focus is on developing and deploying new technologies. ESE has become a strategic partner with Metapro and we are excited to work together to enter new markets and execute on existing contracts and business globally." Excitement surrounds ESE and Metapro as they look forward to capitalizing on this momentum. The newly formed partners plan to introduce innovative gaming activations to attract users and expand their presence into new regions, particularly Saudi Arabia and UAE, which are rapidly emerging markets in the gaming industry. Approximately 60% of the region’s population considers themselves gaming enthusiasts, which is much higher than the global average of 40%. This expansion aligns perfectly with ESE's vision of growing its business and bringing diverse audiences together from all corners of the globe. Konrad Wasiela, CEO of ESE shared his thoughts on the partnership, commenting, "We have been working diligently with Metapro over the last 12 months, and the timing is now right to execute on our expanded business partnership. 2024 has seen strong growth in the crypto market, specifically in the prices of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and now with large institutions launching ETFs like BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust ($IBIT), which signals a large opportunity for our business. This strategic expansion is anticipated to enable us to serve an even broader array of clients, offering them innovative gaming experiences. ESE is committed to keeping the market informed about new developments in our partnership, underscoring our dedication to continual growth and innovation." In the wake of the recent nod to Bitcoin ETFs from the SEC, this agreement marks an important step for ESE as it continues to strategically navigate its business operations and partnerships in the gaming industry to drive continued growth. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

January 25, 2024 09:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

Taki DAO Partners with Flowdesk to Supercharge TAKI Liquidity

Taki

Taki DAO has announced a partnership with Flowdesk to provide market making services for the TAKI token. The native asset of the Taki Games Network powers rewards for a suite of popular mobile games. As a result of the arrangement with Taki DAO, Flowdesk has begun providing liquidity for the TAKI token. Taki Games has been on a mission to grow TAKI liquidity following its merger with Unite and acquisition of several gaming studios. This goal has been aided by a partnership with QuickSwap to deliver deep liquidity on Polygon Network. Taki DAO’s partnership with Flowdesk will help to further expand liquidity and increase access to TAKI and the mobile gaming ecosystem it supports. Taki DAO’s partnership with Flowdesk attests to the advances Taki Games is making in mainstreaming Web3 gaming. As one of the industry’s leading market makers, Flowdesk provides liquidity and trading services for institutions, exchanges, blockchain projects, and web3 organizations. The company represents a new generation of service providers in crypto capital markets. Its ethos aligns with that of Taki, which characterizes a new generation of Web3 gamers. Liquidity is integral to Taki’s token design which uses a buy-and-burn mechanism as part of its tokenomic design “Takinomics.” Ensuring that there is sufficient liquidity for players to access the TAKI token on multiple blockchain networks is critical in maximizing the core functionality of Takinomics. Web3 developers have proven there is organic demand for gaming experiences that incorporate blockchain-based features such as native tokens and P2P marketplaces. With hundreds of millions of individuals now holding and using crypto assets, the addressable market for Web3 games has also increased. However, many GameFi projects have struggled to retain market value due to poorly aligned token incentives. Taki DAO and Taki Games are solving this problem by focusing on bringing revenue as well as people on-chain, aided by a unique tokenomic model in Takinomics. Flowdesk clients can tap into low-latency trading infrastructure and leverage algorithmic and human traders to manage liquidity on centralized and decentralized exchanges. Projects can use their own capital and retain ownership of the liquidity. This helps to improve trust and provide greater control and transparency. "Taki Games is on a mission to bring gaming's 3B users and $200B in revenues on chain, which means that liquidity is crucial to absorbing increasing sizes of TAKI purchases to power our rewards system. We're excited to see Flowdesk partner with the TAKI DAO to help make this system more seamless for our users, and to serve as a model for the rest of the gaming industry" said Taki Games CEO, Weiwei Geng. Rising demand for the TAKI token in recent weeks has been driven by more users seeking exposure to the Taki Games ecosystem. In December, TAKI trading volumes reached record highs before surging to over $13M at the start of January. With Flowdesk onboard, Taki DAO will be able to drive greater liquidity for the TAKI token while helping Web3 gaming fulfill its true potential. About Taki TAKI DAO and Taki Games are on a mission to bring players and revenue on-chain by aligning incentives between gamers. As the leading gaming network for mobile, Taki Games enables loyal players to earn an ownership stake in the growth of the network and share the rewards. Founded by a team with over 15 years of history as pioneers in the gaming industry, Taki Games delivers free-to-play games that reward users with TAKI tokens. Learn more: https://www.takigames.net Contact Details MarketAcross Dan Edelstein PR@marketacross.com Company Website https://www.takigames.net/

January 25, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

KUKE selects Wiserfunding to digitise risk assessments and foster global business growth

KUKE

KUKE, Poland’s Export Credit Agency and a leading supplier of trade-facilitating solutions, has selected Wiserfunding, a frontrunner in business credit risk intelligence to digitise risk assessments and foster global business growth. This strategic collaboration aims to increase the efficiency of KUKE’s lending operations by providing real-time credit risk insights on buyers and sellers worldwide. Wiserfunding's state-of-the-art credit risk intelligence tools will integrate with KUKE’s existing services, offering a more comprehensive and accurate risk profile of foreign customers and business partners of Polish producers and exporters. KUKE’s vision KUKE's primary mission is to empower companies to engage confidently in global trade, fostering sustainable economic growth and job creation. "Our vision is to be a linchpin in enabling safe and secure trade and investments," says Katarzyna Kowalska, Deputy CEO and CRO of KUKE. "In an era of decreasing predictability in the economic environment and rapid changes in business conditions globally, our services are not just optional; they're critical." The challenge of multi-regional risk assessment One of the most significant challenges KUKE faces is the risk assessment of businesses operating across various geographies. Each region comes with its unique economic landscape, legal regulations, and business cultures. "Traditionally, assessing the creditworthiness and reliability of international businesses has been a time-consuming and resource-intensive task," stresses Grzegorz Kwieciński, Head of Risk Department at KUKE. The need for digitisation Given new challenges ahead of Poland’s economy and the growing needs of local businesses, KUKE recognises the necessity to amplify the digitisation of its operations to ensure agility, competition edge and customer satisfaction. "In today's fast-paced business environment, relying on manual processes and fragmented data is a roadblock to growth," ads Grzegorz Kwieciński. "That's where our partnership with Wiserfunding becomes invaluable". As international trade continues to become more complex due to geopolitical shifts and market volatility, the partnership between KUKE and Wiserfunding offers Polish businesses a modern solution to an age-old problem. This collaboration aims not just to minimise risks but also to create new opportunities for growth and expansion. The Wiserfunding solution Wiserfunding offers an advanced suite of credit risk intelligence tools, tailor-made to tackle the complex challenges of global business. "We're excited to provide our risk intelligence and insights to KUKE’s internal platform," says Gabriele Sabato, CEO and Co-Founder of Wiserfunding. "Through our joint efforts, we aim to substantially streamline and enhance the evaluation process for international businesses, marking a significant improvement in operational efficiency and accuracy in risk management". Quotes from CEOs Katarzyna Kowalska: "Our partnership with Wiserfunding is yet another important step in digitising KUKE which brings us to top league of trade insurers after introducing in late 2023 up-to-date electronic platform for customers. Risk assessment in international markets has always been a complex task. This partnership enables us to offer an advanced, data-driven solution to Polish exporters, helping them make more informed decisions. It also can impact KUKE’s efficacy which enables us to stay competitive both locally and internationally as well as achieve satisfactory financial results.” Gabriele Sabato: "KUKE is one of the top European ECAs and has an exceptional track record of supporting businesses in their global endeavours. We are honoured to be able to support their mission with our powerful technology and unique expertise. Thanks to our solution, KUKE will be able to increase the speed and the availability of their support to Polish exporters by analysing all their buyers in few seconds and monitoring them frequently. Full automation of the digital lending process and early-warning system is a key success factor in today’s digital economy." About KUKE Export Credit Agency KUKE, short for Korporacja Ubezpieczeń Kredytów Eksportowych, is Poland's Export Credit Agency (ECA). Founded in 1991, KUKE has been at the forefront of supporting Polish businesses in their global aspirations, safeguarding them from various types of financial risks associated with international trade. The agency has a robust track record of assisting both small and large enterprises in securing trade deals and investments across borders. KUKE’s mission is to facilitate safe trade transactions and investments and to support the international expansion of Polish enterprises by providing a comprehensive suite of financing solutions. It aims to be a catalyst for economic growth in Poland through the internationalisation of its businesses. About Wiserfunding Founded in 2016 by Prof Edward Altman and Dr Gabriele Sabato, Wiserfunding is a London-based fintech company with a focus on leveraging advanced analytics to assess the credit risk of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Created by experienced academics and professionals in the finance sector, the company was established to address the existing gaps in the SME credit risk intelligence. Wiserfunding strives to become the go-to platform for credit risk intelligence, bridging the gap between SMEs and financial institutions and enabling healthier, more sustainable business relationships. Contact Details Wiserfunding Emma Ankarberg emma.ankarberg@wiserfunding.com

January 25, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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