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Digital Addiction is Affecting Adolescent Brain Development, Mental Health Experts Warn

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Is your child addicted to social media? New research shows that social media could be reprogramming children’s brains—and psychologists warn parents that they need to pay closer attention. “Once a habit like constantly checking social media is formed, it’s difficult for adolescents to self-regulate, so parents may need to step in,” said Dr. Michele Nealon, Psy.D., President of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. The new research focuses on overuse of screen time by adolescents in a three-year neurological study by the University of North Carolina. Results published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, show significant changes in the brains of 12 and 13-year-olds who reported habitually checking Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. An earlier neurobiological study reported in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One, showed another troubling effect: compulsive adolescent tweeters had widespread and significant decreases of functional connectivity in their brain’s cortico-striatal circuits. According to these studies, social media may alter neurodevelopment, significantly changing the ways in which the adolescent brain responds to its environment. Dr. Nealon said that since the brain undergoes significant structural and functional reorganization during adolescence, habitual checking of social media may further increase the already enhanced activity in the amygdala and insula, creating hyperactive neural responses to the anticipation of more “likes” and social media feedback. “The result is an ever-increasing need for digital social rewards and a reduction of ability to resist urges to check for feedback on social media platforms,” she explained. “This never-ending loop could interfere with school, athletics, friendships and other real world social interactions that are important for normal psychosocial development.” To counter addiction to digital media, Dr. Nealon has recommendations for parents: Limit screen time to under three hours a day, depending on your child’s age and activity level. Set parental controls on social media sites and monitor the content your child is viewing. Facilitate play dates and extracurricular activities to help develop other social skills About The Chicago School of Professional Psychology: Integrating theory with hands-on experience, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology provides education rooted in a commitment to innovation, service, and community for thousands of diverse students across the United States and globally. Founded in 1979, the nonprofit, regionally accredited university now features campuses in iconic locations across the country (Chicago, Southern California, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Dallas) and online. To spark positive change in the world where it matters most, The Chicago School has continued to expand its educational offerings beyond the field of psychology to offer more than 30 degrees and certificates in the professional fields of health services, education, counseling, business, and more. Through its engaged professional model of education, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and an extensive network of domestic and international professional partnerships, The Chicago School’s students receive real-world training opportunities that reflect their future careers. The Chicago School is proud to be a part of TCS Education System, a nonprofit, integrated system of colleges and universities that works collaboratively to advance student success and community impact. To learn more, visit www.thechicagoschool.edu. Contact Details Vivien Hao +1 323-893-4743 vhao@thechicagoschool.edu

January 31, 2023 11:11 AM Pacific Standard Time

Kontrolmatik hosts a groundbreaking ceremony for its first lithium-ion battery production facility in the U.S

Kontrolmatik Technologies

On Feb. 2, 2023, Pomega Energy Storage Technologies, a subsidiary of Kontrolmatik Technologies, will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its first U.S. lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in South Carolina. As construction of its lithium-ion battery factory in Ankara nears completion, Kontrolmatik Technologies announced in December its plan to build a 500,000-square-foot facility in Colleton County that is expected to begin production in mid-2024, create about 575 new jobs and have an initial production capacity of 3 gigawatt-hours (GWh). The company plans to later increase capacity to 6 GWh and has secured land to expand operations. The company will invest $300 million in upfront capital expenditures in the new facility. Pomega will manufacture lithium iron phosphate cells designed exclusively for North American grid-scale energy storage applications. In addition to manufacturing the battery cells at the South Carolina plant, Pomega will also manufacture and assemble turnkey battery energy storage systems (BESS), including modules, cabinets and final containerized energy storage solutions. When production begins at the company's South Carolina plant, Pomega will be one of the first and only U.S. manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries dedicated exclusively to the domestic utility-scale energy storage market, as opposed to the electric vehicle market where the vast majority of new investments are currently focused. This will place Pomega at the forefront of the energy storage revolution, allowing it not only to vertically integrate its own supply chain for BESS, but also to supply other domestic BESS integrators with these crucial lithium-ion batteries. To this end, the company has already begun signing offtake agreements for its future capacity. JLL, a leading professional services firm specializing in real estate and investment management, led the nationwide site selection process. The JLL team analyzed more than 200 sites to identify locations that could be suitable for the plant. Pomega is proud of the strong relationships it has already established with South Carolina state officials, who have offered a generous package of various employment-related tax credits and exemptions. As for the expected production tax credits (PTC) expected to be collected as per IRA, the calculation is based on an annual PTC of $35/KWh for battery cells and $45/KWh for modules. Taking into account the company's projected product mix for a total of 3 GWh of PTC for 2024-2029, phasing out at 25% per year between 2030-2032, the total estimated amount is $916 million. During the groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 2, Pomega will present details of the work currently underway with local partners to shape the contours of the project and reveal how the plant will engage South Carolina's entire ecosystem of expertise. The Governor of South Carolina, the Honorable Henry McMaster, is the guest of honor at the ceremony. Governor McMaster has previously highlighted the importance of the clean energy revolution to South Carolina's growth and prosperity, and Pomega plant exemplifies such an opportunity. Governor McMaster will be joined by Sami Aslanhan, Chairman of Kontrolmatik. Leaders from local and state government and South Carolina's energy sector will also attend the ceremony. Speakers at the event include the Governor, Bahadir Yetki, U.S. CEO of Kontrolmatik Technologies and Pomega Energy Storage, leaders from the South Carolina Department of Commerce, local energy partners and local government officials. About Kontrolmatik Technologies Since 2008, Kontrolmatik Technologies has been providing end-to-end digital solutions in the areas of energy generation and transmission, energy storage and Internet of Things (IoT), developing innovative and green technologies for a sustainable and carbon-neutral planet. Kontrolmatik's core business is brand-independent energy system integration and automation. To date, more than 300 projects have been implemented in over 30 countries in collaboration with supranational financial institutions (World Bank, IFC, EBRD, etc.). Kontrolmatik is listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (approx. $1.5 billion market capitalization). Contact Details Kontrolmatik Technologies Natalija Kostrikova +90 536 599 05 77 natalija.kostrikova@kontrolmatik.com Company Website https://kontrolmatik.com/en/

January 31, 2023 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Asure Software (NASDAQ: ASUR) and H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) Partner to Streamline Tax Preparation for Small Businesses, Analysts Raise Price Target on ASUR

Benzinga

By Spotlight Growth Each year, millions of Americans file their taxes, a process that can be both time-consuming and complicated. The tax code is complex, and the burden of understanding and completing tax forms accurately falls on the individual taxpayer. One way small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can help compete with larger companies for top talent is through leveraging human capital management (HCM) technologies to help offer their employees the ability to streamline their filing process. Asure Software (NASDAQ: ASUR), a global provider of cloud-based Human Capital Management (HCM) software solutions, just recently took big steps to help employees of SMBs to streamline their tax prep and filing headaches after announcing an integration with H&R Block (NYSE: HRB). Asure and H&R Block Integration Aims to Help SMBs Streamline Tax Season In January 2023, Asure Software announced it has entered into collaboration with H&R Block, in which Asure’s tax platform will be integrated with the tax prep company’s systems. The integration will specifically allow employees to electronically access their W-2 forms directly from Asure into the H&R Block tax software. This eliminates the need for manually entering tax information, which not only saves time and productivity but also helps prevent potential errors. Aside from saving time and money, the integration is seen as a meaningful development in giving SMBs the ability to compete against larger competitors for top talent. By integrating with a household-name brand like H&R Block, SMBs can demonstrate to their employees that their time and convenience is valued. "We are excited to partner with H&R Block to provide employees of our customers with a seamless and efficient way to prepare their taxes. This integration is a great example of how technology can make life easier for employees and allows small businesses to offer services previously only available at large companies," stated Pat Goepel, Chairman, and CEO of Asure. H&R Block is among the largest tax preparation companies across the United States. As of December 2022, H&R Block maintained a footprint of 8,940 locations across 4,080 cities in 51 U.S. states and territories. In 2021, the tax prep company prepared over 21.6 million tax returns. ASUR: 4 Analysts Reiterate “Buy” and Update Price Targets in January 2023 Unlike the overall stock market in 2022, Asure had a very successful year. As once-tried-and-true blue chip technology stocks saw performance collapse, Asure posted a positive 8.5% gain during the calendar year 2022. The stock's performance was backed by very strong and meaningful fundamental developments made by the company. As a result of the continued underlying growth in its HCM solutions and SMBs looking to streamline operations and cut costs during an economically unstable period, analysts covering the stock have recently taken the opportunity to reiterate their bullish view of the company. In January 2023 alone, Asure has already received several analyst reiterations on its stock: Jeff Van Rhee of Craig-Hallum was the first to reiterate his bullish stance on the HCM provider. Mr. Van Rhee reiterated his “buy” rating for Asure and increased his price target to $14 from $10. Joshua Reilly of Needham reiterated his “buy” rating on Asure in mid-January and set a twelve-month price target of $14. Eric Martinuzzi of Lake Street is the latest analyst covering Asure to reiterate a “buy” rating and increase their price target to $12 from $11. Equity research analysts covering the HCM industry for Cowen reiterated an “outperform” rating and raised their price target to $13 from $8. “We anticipate a clean beat supported by healthy demand, stable US SMB employment trends, increasing retention & attach rates, and ASUR's more consistent & strengthened execution on various strategic initiatives,” stated the Cowen analysts. Raymond James Highlights Asure’s Outperformance in HCM Report The notable investment bank, Raymond James (NYSE: RJF), highlighted Asure’s 2022 outperformance in its end-of-year report for the HCM industry. The bank highlighted Asure as the top-performing software & internet subsector of the HCM industry over the last month, last three months, and the last twelve months. In fact, the report shows that Asure greatly outperformed during all three surveyed periods in 2022 compared to its competitors. Over the last month, Raymond James list Asure Software’s stock performance at 19%. The runners-up, Docebo, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCBO) and Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) (OTC: XROLF), returned 3.8% and 0.8%, respectively. During the prior three-month period, Asure’s 63.3% performance was nearly double of the second best performing company, New Work SE's 34.6%, and Oracle Corporation's (NYSE: ORCL) 33.8% returns. The last twelve months have not been kind to the stock market overall. The HR tech and HCM sector was not completely immune from the overall economic slowdown. Despite these headwinds, Asure Software's 19.3% return is not only the best, but it is also the only company in the software & internet subsector to post a positive gain. HealthStream (NASDAQ: HSTM) was the next best-performing stock with a return of -5.8% and Oracle took third with a -6.3% return. Despite Asure’s outperformance, Raymond James continues to see strong potential in the company in 2023. The investment bank estimates the HCM software provider’s estimated total enterprise value-to-revenue (TEV/Revenue) for 2023 to reach a multiple of 2.2x. The total enterprise value-to-EBITDA (TEV/EBITDA) estimates for 2023 come in at a multiple of 15.2x. These valuation estimates become only more impressive when compared to the software & internet subsector's average metrics. For 2023, Raymond James estimates the subsector will see a TEV/Revenue multiple of 5.0x and a TEV/EBITDA multiple of 17.7x. This data suggests that Raymond James may believe Asure Software is still undervalued compared to its competitors, despite its impressive rally in 2022. Overall, Asure is off to a hot start in 2023 after announcing a tax prep integration with H&R Block. Asure continues to strengthen its HCM solutions through key partnerships with brands like Equifax (NYSE: EFX), PrisimHR, Jackson Lewis Law Firm, and now H&R Block. Analysts continue to see a strong outlook for the company, as strong partnerships, meaningful growth, and an ideal economic backdrop all work in Asure’s favor. The Post “ Asure Software (NASDAQ: ASUR) and H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) Partner to Streamline Tax Preparation for Small Businesses, Analysts Raise Price Target on ASUR,” First Appeared on Spotlight Growth. Disclaimer: Spotlight Growth is compensated, either directly or via a third party, to provide investor relations services for its clients. Spotlight Growth creates exposure for companies through a customized marketing strategy, including design of promotional material, the drafting and editing of press releases and media placement. All information on featured companies is provided by the companies profiled, or is available from public sources. Spotlight Growth and its employees are not a Registered Investment Advisor, Broker Dealer or a member of any association for other research providers in any jurisdiction whatsoever and we are not qualified to give financial advice. The information contained herein is based on external sources that Spotlight Growth believes to be reliable, but its accuracy is not guaranteed. Spotlight Growth may create reports and content that has been compensated by a company or third-parties, or for purposes of self-marketing. Spotlight Growth was compensated five thousand dollars cash by Asure Software for the creation and dissemination of this content by the company. This material does not represent a solicitation to buy or sell any securities. Certain statements contained herein constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company's plans and objectives, projections, expectations and intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. The above communication, the attachments and external Internet links provided are intended for informational purposes only and are not to be interpreted by the recipient as a solicitation to participate in securities offerings. Investments referenced may not be suitable for all investors and may not be permissible in certain jurisdictions. Spotlight Growth and its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees may have bought or sold or may buy or sell shares in the companies discussed herein, which may be acquired prior, during or after the publication of these marketing materials. Spotlight Growth, its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees may sell the stock of said companies at any time and may profit in the event those shares rise in value. For more information on our disclosures, please visit: https://spotlightgrowth.com/disclosures/ Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

January 31, 2023 10:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

Entering Its 25th Year, Gary Kompothecras and 1-800-ASK-GARY Remain Focused on Helping Victims and Making a Difference

NetReputation.com

By Adam Petrilli, Founder and CEO at NetReputation For victims of an auto accident, all of the legal and medical jargon associated with their claim or medical diagnosis can be confusing and scary. Fortunately, 1 800 Ask Gary is a free helpline available for those dealing with the aftermath of an auto accident. With a stellar reputation backing its 25 years in business, accident victims can find the answers they need from a service they can trust. The Remarkable History of 1 800 Ask Gary Gary Kompothecras opened a multi-disciplinary medical clinic back in 1996, bringing something entirely new to the process of healing for accident victims. His unique vision led him to invest in more than just the immediate trauma of an injury, bringing on board neurosurgeons, nurse practitioners, radiologists, massage therapists and a number of other medical professionals. Focusing on a broad perspective of healing led Dr. Gary to secure the latest in medical equipment. This reliance on technologically-advanced machines and diagnostics tools allowed the clinic to evaluate injuries and reveal more about a victim more efficiently than what a traditional physical exam would allow. This was a groundbreaking approach to treating accident injuries. The patients receive the highest quality of care from a medical team that relies on their combined experience and the latest tech advancements to diagnose a specific injury. This had a profound impact on the claims process, as prior to this approach, many victims were forced to settle claims on the grounds of a non-specific soft tissue injury. This model of care impacted an accident victim financially, physically and mentally. The Move from Physical Care To 1 800 Ask Gary While the Physican’s Group, LLC made significant progress in providing quality care to accident victims, Dr. Gary realized the services offered weren’t always enough. His model of care of practice became the first of its kind to earn accreditation by the gold standard of excellence in the industry-the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations- but yet his patients needed something more. Through conversation with his patients, Dr. Gary realized there was a lack of awareness concerning the health care benefits afforded through auto insurance. Dr. Gary realized that many individuals were suffering from pain and injury because these individuals wouldn’t seek help from a medical professional. For many, finances and lack of resources were the primary reasons why. To solve this problem, Dr. Gary established the accident helpline 1 800 Ask Gary. Through one phone call, accident victims could find out their rights and connect with a doctor or lawyer. The launch of this helpline has been incredibly successful, and Dr. Gary trademarked the name to ensure the consistency of the quality care and concern he started the resource with. The Growth of 1 800 Ask Gary Years ago, Dr. Gary’s vision of care and assistance only reached Florida residents. Now, more than 200,000 people across three different states have found help through the hotline. The service costs nothing, and it’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to accident victims in Minnesota, Florida and New Mexico. Callers receive information on how to behind their recovery and get connected with the professional services needed to both find healing and financial compensation for their auto accident. More recently, 1 800 Ask Gary announced an expansion of services through the launch of AskGary.com. This is simply an extension of the quality services offered over the last 25 years, and it will allow more individuals to find the answers they need concerning legal and medical support in their geographic area. The Staying Power of 1 800 Ask Gary Accident victims have come to trust Dr. Gary’s brand and approach to quality care. Even as it goes into its 25 th year, 1 800 Ask Gary remains committed to helping accident victims when they need it most. NetReputation.com is an industry-leading online reputation management solutions provider focused on helping businesses and individuals repair, improve, and maintain positive brands on the web. Headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, NetReputation.com utilizes the latest in digital processes and technology to restore online reputations and empower long-term success online. NetReputation was established by online services innovator Adam Petrilli in 2015. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Caroline Hunter Caroline@netreputation.com Company Website https://www.netreputation.com/

January 31, 2023 10:28 AM Eastern Standard Time

NowSecure Launches GovAppDB™ and Threat Assessment Service to Support Federal Mandates for Mobile Security and Privacy

NowSecure

NowSecure, the recognized experts in mobile security and privacy, today announced the NowSecure GovApp solution suite to help federal agencies ensure the mobile apps they use are compliant with upcoming federal mandates. Available exclusively to United States governmental agencies and authorized contractors, the NowSecure GovApp solution suite delivers proactive risk reports, threat assessments and mitigation recommendations to make the federal compliance process easy, efficient and cost effective, so agencies can meet their mandates on time. With over 15 years working with the public sector and employed experts with more than 30 years accumulated experience in federal and security clearance, NowSecure is uniquely positioned to help federal agencies meet compliance requirements of the upcoming federal mandates. Four major U.S. mandates have upcoming deadlines in 2023 for federal agencies and their suppliers to ensure the mobile apps they use are compliant with the principles outlined including: CISA BOD 23-01 - Requires all federal agencies to track vulnerabilities in the iOS and Android mobile apps they use. OMB M-22-18 - Mandates that all federal agencies must self-attest mobile app SBOMs and ensure secure developer practices for all of their software supply chain, including mobile apps. DoD CMMC 2.0 - Provides a framework that includes cyber protection standards to protect the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) from damage by advanced persistent threats (APTs) including mobile apps. DoD SP NIST 800-171 - Provides proof of controls for secure data management & privacy including mobile apps. Every U.S. federal agency uses commercial mobile apps from the Apple App Store™ and Google Play™ and now must track the vulnerabilities and SBOMs for all those mobile apps in key scenarios, including: Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) that connect to a government network and include connected Bring Your Own Apps (BYOA). Commercial mobile apps that access, collect and transmit government data. Federal contractors developing or providing mobile apps to government agencies. Developers of commercial mobile apps sold to government agencies. U.S. agencies need to ensure they meet all these mandates and deadlines or otherwise risk non-compliance with federal regulations, leaving their agencies, employees and citizens at risk of a mobile app breach with potential national security ramifications. “Software supply chain risk poses one of the biggest threats to national security today,” said NowSecure CEO Alan Snyder. “As deadlines approach for these mandates, it is imperative that federal agencies have a complete understanding of what the mobile apps they use are doing to ensure that they are fully compliant. Given the volume of mobile apps and the rate of change, manual testing is not remotely feasible due to time and cost limitations. The NowSecure GovApp solution suite offers an easy, on-demand and cost-effective solution that agencies need to comply with the various regulations about to take effect.” NowSecure GovApp DB™ is an on-demand database of commercial mobile app risk reports and SBOMs for the most popular mobile apps utilized by the federal government. The NowSecure GovApp DB™ is built on an automated analysis engine and provides continuously updated reports that include mobile app metadata, vulnerability and privacy data, risk scores and compliance information plus SBOMs updated for each new mobile app release. Rather than manually testing every mobile app and each new mobile app release, security and compliance teams using NowSecure GovAppDB™ can automatically receive updated analysis every time the mobile app changes. These reports enumerate vulnerabilities such as unencrypted credentials UID/PWD, unencrypted data transmission, improperly stored sensitive data, trackable GEO location, insecure third-party libraries, insecure authentication and biometrics, disabled native mobile OS security APIs, weak cryptography and data transmission to nations of interest. With NowSecure GovApp Threat Assessment Service, agencies can additionally receive expert threat analysis and consultation of the top mobile apps they specifically use across their work streams. The annual professional service pairs a federal agency with a NowSecure expert to inventory the top mobile apps deployed across all employee-connected and agency-owned devices and analyze them for mobile app supply chain risk and federal mandate compliance. Agencies will then receive comprehensive threat assessment documentation outlining the risk and compliance posture across their mobile portfolio with actionable recommendations to help meet vulnerability reporting requirements and supply chain management requirements, protecting mobile users and improving national security. The NowSecure GovApp solution suite joins the industry’s only full suite of mobile app security solutions from NowSecure including NowSecure Platform for automated security testing, NowSecure Workstation kit for pen tester productivity, NowSecure Supply Chain Risk Management, NowSecure expert Mobile Pen Testing as a Service (PTaaS), and NowSecure Academy training courseware for dev and security teams. Built on a foundation of standards and automation, NowSecure empowers organizations to deliver the most secure mobile apps faster and continuously monitor their mobile app supply chains for risk at a lower cost. Dozens of federal agencies from the Department of Defense to the Department of Justice to the intelligence community entrust NowSecure to assess the security and privacy of mobile apps, train developers about secure coding, pinpoint risks in the mobile app supply chain and achieve NIAP compliance. To learn more about how the NowSecure GovApp solution suite can ensure federal agencies are mandate compliant, sign up for a demo here. For a deeper dive, join us on February 16 at 11 a.m. EST for the Carahsoft Mobile Mandates: NowSecure GovApp Threat Assessment Service Webinar. Aligned with this launch, NowSecure CEO Alan Snyder will participate in a panel at the 2023 Carahsoft National Cyber Innovation Forum in partnership with Microsoft and Forescout, where he will discuss securing software development and the software supply chain. About NowSecure: As the recognized experts in mobile security and privacy, NowSecure protects the global mobile app economy and safeguards the data of millions of mobile app users. Built on a foundation of standards, NowSecure empowers the world’s most demanding private and public sector organizations with security automation to release and monetize 30% faster, reduce testing and delivery costs by 30% and reduce appsec risk by 40%. Only NowSecure offers a full solution suite of continuous security testing for DevSecOps, mobile app supply-chain monitoring, expert mobile pen testing as a Service (PTaaS) and training courseware. NowSecure actively contributes and supports the mobile security open-source community, standards and certification including OWASP MASVS, ADA MASA, NIAP and is recognized by IDC, Gartner, Deloitte Fast 500, and TAG Cyber. Contact Details Hannah LaCorte +1 202-240-7611 press@nowsecure.com Company Website https://www.nowsecure.com/

January 31, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Profit.co announces $11M funding as it continues to help enterprises drive successful business outcomes through it’s OKR based execution platform

Profit.co

The bridge between a business strategy and successful execution is something that all businesses are focussed on. Yet 60% stumble on this path (according to Gartner) because of gaps in their ability to execute. To support businesses on their journey, Profit.co which is laser focussed on Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) metrics is announcing a $11M funding round to grow their team and product around the world. The funding round was led by Elevation Capital. Founded by Bastin Gerald in 2018, Profit.co is a platform that enables OKR planning, review, and execution because it’s people that drive strategies to ensure businesses steer a stable course on their successful execution. OKRs is a goal setting framework pioneered by Intel and used by organizations to define, measure, and track outcomes. Profit.co’s OKRs help teams bridge the gap between strategy and execution. Today, companies manage their strategy delivery and execution on spreadsheets, presentation slides or at stretch by way of a project management software but these means remain disconnected with what’s happening in the engine of the business. As a business grows this approach lacks the flexibility and integration with their wider enterprise stack like Slack, Jira, Salesforce, Hubspot, Oracle and true alignment mechanisms that streamline strategic execution. Bastin Gerald is an industry veteran with a wide spanning experience of working in startups to enterprise businesses like Oracle. Bastin Gerald, founder and CEO of Profit.co said “Business leaders struggle to see and action cross-functional dependencies between key results, thus making leaders more reactive and restricting the success rate of the company’s priority initiatives. Profit.co seamlessly integrates individual employee success with business strategy to ensure that OKR setting is a reliable and value additive exercise for organizations.” ”The biggest concern for businesses that use suboptimal solutions to navigate the growth journey is that they don’t have an eyeline into the levers of their success, the people working on projects. OKR use is widespread and we are helping business owners capture the true essence of what is working and what needs supercharging. Our insights are not just dynamic but showcase how they trend over time and in real time”. Akarsh Shrivastava, Principal, Elevation Capital said “OKR as a philosophy has been appreciated across the globe and has seen strong tailwinds. The challenge though always has been with execution, with a lot of programs failing because they are not implemented well or for the want of a good product. Bastin and team with their deep experience in the space, have created an offering to bridge this gap. Profit’s deep product, coupled with the implementation muscle have forged several stories of strong impact on their customers across US, India and EMEA. What further excited us was the type of Customer NPS, scale and growth they have been able to achieve with very limited capital. We are super excited to partner with Bastin and team.” Profit.co provides the functionality that traditional, ad hoc solutions lack for a business to execute its strategy. It does so by not just focusing on OKR creation, but also on tracking their success and by providing real time visibility to leaders to reorient and redirect their teams as needed. Profit.co provides an enterprise-class SaaS application for companies to define,manage and execute their goals. Companies and teams can define their goals as OKRs and manage their collaborative execution through the full life cycle of OKRs. Quarterly goals (OKRs) can be broken down to daily “Tasks'' and managed through our “Task management” application. Profit.co also provides “Employee Development” and “Employee Engagement” modules to facilitate the people processes in achievement of goals. The company has seen strong traction in recent times, having grown 9X+ in ARR over the past 2 years. It currently has thousands of customers across 25 countries, spanning sectors such as Financial Services, Telecom, Manufacturing, Consumer, Retail, Services, Not-for-Profits, technology and government organizations. Their clients include 70 Fortune 500 companies and feature marquee names such as Deckers Brands, Sandvik, Deriv, Open Government (Singapore) and Phoenix Rescue Mission among others. About Profit.co Founded in 2018,Profit.co, HQ in Fremont, California, USA, is an enterprise OKR platform, integrated with Task Management. With its easy-to-use UI, Profit.co enables businesses to practice OKRs at every level of the organization.Profit.co has been recently recognized by Capterra (from Gartner) with a rare 100/100 score for Customer Support. About Elevation Capital Elevation Capital is a leading venture capital firm which provides seed and early stage capital for emerging companies in India. Elevation Capital has been investing in India since 2002 deploying almost $2 billion of capital in over 150 companies. The firm announced its eighth pool of capital of $670 million in April 2022. The firm is led by Co-Managing Partners Ravi Adusumalli and Mukul Arora, along with three Managing Directors Mridul Arora, Deepak Gaur and Mayank Khanduja. The firm has invested in over 150 companies across Consumer Internet, SaaS, Fintech, Consumer Brands, Edtech, Healthtech and Web3/Crypto, and has offices in Bengaluru, Gurgaon and Salt Lake City. Contact Details Profit.co Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.profit.co/

January 31, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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MIAX® Is Making Volatility Trading More Accessible To Retail Investors With Its Volatility Products: SPIKES Options, Futures, And ETFs

Benzinga

By Rachael Green, Benzinga With persistent inflation and the aggressive interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve, the stock market in 2022 experienced its most volatile year since 2009. The S&P 500 has been on a shaky decline since January 2022, and despite a few short-lived rebounds, it was down 19.4% at the end of 2022. Intraday volatility — the percentage change in share price from market open to market close — averaged 1.84% in 2022, compared to its 40-year average of 1.3%. Since volatility is often negatively correlated with equities — when equity prices decline, volatility increases — using a volatility index to hedge portfolios with profitable trades based on volatility assumptions is becoming an increasingly popular way for investors to make lemonade out of lemons and turn market swings into profitable trades. To make this kind of volatility trading strategy accessible to more investors, MIAX, a technology-driven leader that builds and operates regulated exchanges, is developing a portfolio of trading products based on the SPIKES® Volatility Index (SPIKE). What the SPIKES Index does differently and why that matters MIAX collaborated with T3 Index to create products based on the SPIKES Index. The SPIKES Index is intended to provide an improved measure of equity market volatility and act as an alternative to the Chicago Board Options Exchange’s Volatility Index (VIX). The SPIKES Volatility Index tracks SPY options to measure the expected 30-day volatility in the SPDR S&P 500 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), the most actively traded ETF in the world. By tracking SPY options rather than the SPX options, with the latter used by VIX, and by pulling pricing data from all 16 U.S. options exchanges rather than just the Chicago Board Options Exchange (Cboe), SPIKES seeks more accurate, real-time pricing data to use as a basis for its volatility measure. Its proprietary price-dragging technique for capturing live options prices also aims to offer more precise and stable index movements by using the pricing data from actual trades rather than approximating prices based on the midpoint of the bid-ask spread of the options. These methodology features and the fact that it updates every 100 milliseconds rather than every 15 seconds are among the key reasons MIAX built its ecosystem of volatility trading products around the SPIKES Index. SPIKES Options and Futures While investors cannot invest directly in the SPIKES Index, MIAX offers a portfolio of products based on the index that traders can use to trade their volatility assumptions. The SPIKES options and futures offered by MIAX, turn volatility into a tradeable asset class. Trading in penny increments since October 1, 2022, SPIKES Options and Futures are designed to be more cost-efficient by offering the potential for reduced trading costs, tighter bid/ask spreads, and improved execution prices. Investors feeling anxious about current market conditions can use SPIKES Options (SPIKE) for downside protection by buying call options that could increase in value in the event of a market decline. In futures trading, investors can hedge their positions with SPIKES Futures (SPK): when taking a long position in S&P futures, they can buy long SPIKES Futures to hedge against potential losses since the volatility index is negatively correlated with the market. Investors, however, are not limited to hedging strategies. SPIKES Futures can also be used to trade term structure. Term structure refers to the relationship between implied volatility and time to expiration in futures contracts. If futures prices are trending up, an upward-sloping term structure suggests that volatility is currently lower than it’s anticipated to be in the future. If futures prices are trending down, a downward-sloping term structure suggests volatility is currently higher than it’s anticipated to be in the future. For traders, then, a basic term structure strategy is to buy futures during downward slopes (when expected future volatility is lower) and sell (or short) them during upward slopes (when expected future volatility is higher). SPIKES Volatility ETFs The latest addition to the SPIKES ecosystem, Convexity Shares 1x SPIKES Futures ETF (SPKX) and Convexity Shares Daily 1.5x SPIKES Futures ETF (SPKY), launched on August 16, 2022. Intended as an alternative way for traders to hedge or capitalize on volatility, the SPKX and SPKY seek to match the performance of the SPIKE Front 2 Futures Index, which tracks the returns from a daily rolling long position in the SPIKES Futures contracts traded on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGEX™). This article originally published on Benzinga here. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. The information contained in this document is the proprietary information of Miami International Holdings, Inc. (MIH), however its accuracy and completeness is not expressly nor implicitly guaranteed. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The information in this document is provided for information purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for financial or legal advice. The information herein is presented as is and without representations or warranties of any kind. MIH shall not be liable for loss or damage, direct, indirect or consequential, arising from any use of this information. Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Prior to buying or selling an option, a person must receive a copy of Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Copies are available from your broker, by calling 1-888-OPTIONS or from The Options Clearing Corporation at www.theocc.com. No statement within this document should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell a security or futures contract or to provide investment advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

January 31, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

BEBUZEE, INC. (OTC: ENGA) Readies for Imminent Beta Test Launch of Proprietary mobile “SuperApp” & Complimentary Website

Engage Mobility, Inc.

McapMediaWire -- The executive management team of Bebuzee, Inc. (OTC: ENGA ) announced today that the corporation’s Cayman Islands-based development team has entered into the final stages of preparation for a beta launch of its revolutionary “SuperApp” and complimentary website. Bebuzee’s proprietary SuperApp and mirror marketplace website. The Company recently said that it is poised to enter the revenue rich multi-billion super app market with its launch of the first super app focusing on western countries… now the website of the super app is about to be launched as the migration of the App and website to new servers is completed. Bebuzee’s App may be the first super app produced in and aimed at users in the West. “This is a critical milestone in the history of Bebuzee as we aim to offer a truly unique and unrivaled offering in the mobile application ecosystem,” stated Bebuzee founder and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Onyero. “Our core development team has worked tirelessly to reach this important beta testing stage and I have complete faith in our team’s abilities to bring us to the next stage - a full public launch of the SuperApp and marketplace website,” he continued. Founded in 2012, Bebuzee was conceived with the core mission of developing new composable applications and architecture strategies to power new digital business opportunities across a wide swath of disparate industries and adjacent markets. Bebuzee management anticipates that the beta launch will occur in the next few weeks. Mr. Onyero noted. The beta launch will initially be focused on the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, with preliminary plans to expand to Africa, Asia, Australia and South America as the beta phase progresses and circumstances warrant. Bebuzee, Inc. (OTC: ENGA) Based in Miami, Florida with offices in George Town, Cayman Islands, Bebuzee. offers a unique, proprietary video-sharing platform and streaming service that allows our members to watch a wide variety of content such as movies, series, documentaries and talk shows on any internet-connected device. Bebuzee’s technology scans the world’s news, features and information flow to give its dedicated readers the best of the Internet in one place. A one-stop platform for breaking news, interesting and important blogs, videos, and photos. Bebuzee offers an addictive resource for those millions of people without time to scavenge the Internet and other sources for news and information. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, about Bebuzee, Inc. and the company’s industry that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding the proposed terms of the shares, the completion, timing, and size of the proposed offering of the shares, and the anticipated use of the net proceeds from the proposed offering of the shares are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “going to,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” or “would” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions. Snap cautions you that the foregoing may not include all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release. You should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Bebuzee has based the forward-looking statements contained in this press release primarily on its current expectations and projections about future events and trends, including its financial outlook and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, that it believes may affect the company’s business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties related to: Bebuzee’s financial performance; the lack of historical profitability; the ability to generate and sustain positive cash flow; the ability to attract and retain users, publishers, and advertisers; competition and new market entrants; managing Bebuzee’s international expansion and growth and future expenses; compliance with new laws, regulations, and executive actions; the ability to maintain, protect, and enhance Bebuzee’s intellectual property; the ability to succeed in existing and new market segments; the ability to attract and retain qualified and key personnel; the ability to repay outstanding debt; future acquisitions, divestitures or investments; and the potential adverse impact of climate change, natural disasters, and health epidemics, as well as risks, uncertainties. In addition, any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on assumptions that Bebuzee believes to be reasonable as of this date. Bebuzee undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. Contact Bebuzee, Inc. 801 Brickell Avenue 8th Floor Miami, FL 33131 www.Bebuzee.com press@bebuzee.com Contact Details Bebuzee, Inc. Joseph Onyero. press@bebuzee.com Company Website http://www.bebuzee.com/

January 31, 2023 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

XCPCNL Business Services Marks 40% gain on announcing it will add ChatGPT creator OpenAI to it’s SaaS platform CSEP

XCPCNL Business Services Corporation

McapMediaWire -- XCPCNL Business Services Corporation (OTC: XCPL ), a venture development business that leverages knowledge, skill, and experience in the consumer products industry rose more than 45% Monday morning(and initially jumped up as 69%) following an announcement that it will add ChatGPT creator OpenAI to it’s SaaS platform CSEP. The company also traded over 161 million shares and had $133,000 in volume. The company will boost the role of artificial intelligence in generating customer insights and customer service rep dialogue to better engage consumers at client call centers. Centiment - SENTIMENT VISUALIZATION TOOL ( Tech example - Please view from a computer, you will see the arrows to scroll at the bottom, then scroll up and down) Customer Service Call Centers struggle with scheduling and a disinterested and high turnover workforce, adequate technologies give them a fighting chance, CSEP overlayed with OpenAI sloves an age old problem, but increasing sentiment and providing a positive experience to customers, we are on the cutting edge and look forward to launching this exciting revenue driven nationwide”, said CEO Tim Matthews. XCPCNL Business Services Corporation (OTC Pink: XCPL) encourages shareholders to visit their corporate Twitter account at https://twitter.com/RealXCPCNL. Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer: This press release may include, and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may have, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements regarding possible business combinations and the financing thereof and related matters, as well as all other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions, as they relate to our management team or us, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company's management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company's filing with the Over-the-Counter Market ("OTC"). All subsequent written or forward-looking oral statements attributable to persons or us acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. About XCPCNL Charlotte, NC-based XCPCNL Business Services is a venture development business that leverages its knowledge, skills, and experience in the consumer products industry. Our primary mission is to provide marketing, technology, and other business services to fast-growing consumer product companies and big-box retailers. XCPCNL is a minority-owned and controlled firm. To learn more about our businesses, services, and opportunities, please contact: info@xcpcnl.com. To learn more about XPCNL, visit www.xcpcnl.com. For Inquiries: Email: ir@xcpcnl.com Contact Details Tim Matthews ir@xcpcnl.com Company Website http://www.xcpcnl.com/

January 31, 2023 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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