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Homeowners Gained $60,200 In Equity On Average This Year — Blend’s New Digitized Home Equity Lending Software Will Make Accessing That Easier Than Ever

Blend Labs Inc.

Home equity in the United States hit record levels this year, exceeding $29 trillion in the second quarter, according to the Federal Reserve. That represents a gain of nearly 28% in equity year over year, with the average homeowner gaining about $60,200 in equity. But sky-high inflation and a clunky, outdated lending process have made using that equity difficult for many homeowners. These opposing forces are creating increased demand for financial products — especially home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) — that allow homeowners enjoying near-unprecedented home equity gains to tap into that new equity while banks struggle with an outdated, largely paper-based application process to approve new HELOC and home equity loan requests. That’s why companies like Blend Labs Inc. (NYSE: BLND) are working to digitize the home equity lending space. The cloud-based software platform turns a slow, 30-plus step process from application to funding into a quick process that can be completed in about three steps. HELOC Demand Is Surging, But Banks Are Still Relying On Outdated Paper-Based Applications HELOC volume surged almost 50% in the first half of the year, as the revolving line of credit with a variable rate and, usually, no origination fee is more attractive than a cash-out refinance for borrowers who locked in historically low rates on their original mortgage in the last few years. Homeowners are looking to leverage this spike in home equity to consolidate high-interest debts into lower-interest home equity lines of credit, make home renovations that could increase equity even further or use as a down payment on a second property to build up a real estate portfolio. That increase in HELOC volume is likely also thanks to the introduction of digital or tech-based solutions to the mortgage space that make it easier for customers to shop around for financial products, compare rates and offers and complete the application process. Traditionally, home equity lending has been slow to modernize, relying on a paper-based process with an average of 30 or more steps between application and funding that can take over 45 days to close. A lot of this is because of the clunky manual process on the bank’s side that leaves the customer waiting while a banker reviews the application, verifies assets and income, pulls credit, requests documents and so on. To meet the increasing demand, banks with the help of fintechs are finally taking this opportunity to update and digitize that process so homeowners can tap into their equity faster and more easily. Figure Technologies Inc. (NYSE: FACA.U), for example, is using blockchain technology to record and exchange data about a loan, automating much of the manual process that used to be needed. Meanwhile, Button Finance is using artificial intelligence to speed up the decision-making and funding process for home equity loans. Blend Instant Home Equity Brings Much-Needed Digitization to Home Equity Lending Blend Instant Home Equity is the latest from a company determined to bring digitization and tech-based solutions to the real estate and mortgage industries. The new product incorporates some of Blend’s existing software, like its Blend Income Verification and remote online notarization platform, to create a faster and more cost-effective alternative to home equity lending. The automated end-to-end product integrates identity and income verification, property appraisal, title, decisioning and notarization to cut the time and costs associated with processing a home equity loan application. For bankers, this makes it possible to generate a personalized offer for homeowners, approve it instantly and close it in a matter of days rather than weeks. For consumers, this means they can now easily access their home equity for things like debt consolidation and more. Unlike other fintechs in the home equity lending space, Blend uses modular architecture that makes it easy to develop new banking products that all integrate into one platform. This allows banks to digitize more of their services without relying on multiple pieces of software that may not integrate with each other. Banks incorporating the new Blend Instant Home Equity product can easily add its mortgage and other lending software. That ecosystem approach seems to be working, too, as Blend reports that 71% of its current customer base uses two or more Blend products. As competition in home equity lending heats up, banks are going to need digitization tools like these to handle larger volumes of applications while avoiding the long wait times that could drive customers to competing lenders. Powering the Future of Banking Blend is the infrastructure powering the future of banking. Financial providers—from the largest banks, fintechs, and credit unions to community and independent mortgage banks—use Blend’s platform to transform banking experiences for their customers. Blend powers billions of dollars in financial transactions every day. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. This article contains 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. These statements generally relate to future events, future performance or expectations and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this article may include, but are not limited to, our expectations regarding our product roadmap, future products/features, the timing of new product/feature introductions, market size and growth opportunities, macroeconomics and industry conditions, capital expenditures, plans for future operations, competitive position, technological capabilities and strategic relationships. The forward-looking statements contained in this article are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from the outcomes predicted. Further information on these risks and uncertainties are set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements in this article are based on information available to Blend and assumptions and beliefs as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, Blend does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise. Contact Details Investor Relations IR@blend.com Company Website https://blend.com/

October 12, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Who Might Benefit from Staggering Gaming Growth Projections?

ESE Entertainment Inc

ValueTheMarkets News Commentary - With the gaming market projected to expand from $178bn to $267bn between 2021 and 2025, well-positioned service providers to this industry could reap the benefits. This article discusses the issue with reference to Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL), NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and ESE Entertainment (TSXV: ESE) (OTCQX: ENTEF). ESE Entertainment (TSXV: ESE) (OTCQX: ENTEF) is an entertainment and technology company focused on gaming and esports. In particular, the business is concerned with player acquisition services and the creation and distribution of digital content. In short, the company are experts in programmatic marketing for the videogames industry. With its targeted programmatic campaigns, the business is clocking up more than 7.3 billion impressions and sourcing 500,000 new players each month using its sophisticated technology. These figures have helped attract the attention of some of the biggest names in the industry and seen ESE Entertainment source legions of players for their games. For example, projects for Roblox and Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming helped bring in 3.6 million and 2 million new players respectively. On the back of these successes, ESE Entertainment has just announced a US$5m contract to deliver its technology and user acquisition services to a major European video game developer and publisher who is a new customer for the business. The company’s CEO, Conrad Wasiela, commented: “This is yet another example of us executing and securing new long-term multimillion dollar contracts for our gaming technology. “We are keenly focused on increasing sales and improving margins, and we believe landing larger technology contracts is the key to achieving these goals. We are excited to continue updating current and future shareholders with new developments at ESE.” It’s the latest update following a slew of positive news from ESE Entertainment, with its recent record-breaking third quarter financial earnings showing 276% revenue growth to CA$15.9m. Gross profit soared too, climbing by 595% to CA$3.1m after the business signed 25 new deals so far this year. The business will be hoping that its customer acquisition expertise and technology will make it a key partner for major developers in the coming years. Apple Inc ( NASDAQ: AAPL ) designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories. The company also offers payment, digital content, cloud and advertising services. The business’ customers are primarily in consumer, small & mid-sized business, education, enterprise and government markets worldwide. A key way in which Apple Inc is poised to enjoy the gaming boom is through its App Store. The platform is already a major money-spinner for the tech giant and it reportedly features more than one million games alongside other applications. The company has confirmed that it is hiking prices on the App Store platform though, noting that a “slower economy” has impacted revenues. Additionally, the platform is becoming more ad-heavy as Apple Inc looks for more ways to increase revenue. While the company has a tight grasp on consumers through the popularity of its iPhones, it seems like these changes to its mobile gaming platform could hurt its popularity among both gamers and developers. Additionally, while Apple Inc’s iPhone is still enormously popular, the business appears to have had some issues with sales of its new model. Late September saw Bloomberg report that the company was shelving plans to hike production of the iPhone 14 after initially overestimating demand. The business will be hoping that this is merely a blip and not an indicator that its products are losing their appeal. Nvidia ( NASDAQ: NVDA ) designs, develops and markets three-dimensional graphics processors and related software. The company offers products that provide interactive 3D graphics to the mainstream personal computer market. The primary way in which this business enjoys exposure to the videogames industry is through its graphics cards, which are present in many gamers’ computers. These include top-of-the-line chips that utilize advance technology like artificial intelligence but can set users back over $1,500 apiece. In addition to its work on the hardware side of things, Nvidia works with videogame developers through offerings like Omniverse, the company’s real-time design collaboration and simulation platform. The idea behind Nvidia’s software is that it can help artists and designers enjoy more seamless collaboration within the development process as gaming industry progress leads projects to become increasingly complex and challenging. But the omniverse platform is just one of many software applications developed by Nvidia for use by game developers. The company’s expansive suite of game development tools include applications for simulation, asset processing, lighting and 3D creation platforms. The business will be hoping that continued growth in gaming industry revenues will bleed through to both its hardware and software development offerings. Jeff Bezos’ Amazon ( NASDAQ: AMZN ) is an online retailer that offers a wide range of products, including books, music, computers, electronics and numerous other products. The business offers personalized shopping services, Web-based credit card payment and direct shipping to customers. The company also operates a cloud platform offering services globally. While Amazon is perhaps best known for its ecommerce and video streaming service offerings, the company also offers services for videogame development. These come through Amazon Web Services (AWS), the business’ cloud computing platform. The company has boasted that its AWS for Games solution will help developers build, run, and grow their games through dedicated solutions for cloud game development, game servers, game security and more besides. The dedicated gaming offering, which Amazon announced the launch of in March 2022, could be very successful as the company claimed in its most recent earnings that AWS is already the most broadly adopted set of cloud infrastructure services. While the business now has tools on offer for other game developers, the business has also tried its hand at creating games itself. Increasingly ambitious titles from the Amazon Games subsidiary have included New World and Lost Ark. 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October 11, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

AUTO REMARKETING NAMES DANIEL BURKE TO ITS 2022 “40 UNDER 40” LIST

Agora

Auto Remarketing named Daniel Burke, CIO / CSO of Agora Data, to its 2022 “40 Under 40” list. The accolade recognizes current and next-generation leaders of the used-car business making big differences in the industry and at their respective companies. “I’m honored to be named to the Auto Remarketing “40 Under 40” list,” said Daniel Burke, Chief Information Officer / Chief Strategy Officer, Agora Data. “This recognition acknowledges the critical tech innovation we bring to the industry and our continued success in providing highly accurate loan performance data and predictive analytics to independent auto dealers who offer their own in-house financing.” Agora Data is the nation’s leading resource for non-prime auto dealers to secure affordable capital and build their own captive finance solution. The company offers independent dealers access to capital market financing at low-cost interest rates, along with data-driven analytics. Daniel is the architect of Agora Data’s proprietary machine learning / AI advanced modeling that allows Agora Data to provide an unprecedented high degree of certainty of non-prime loan payment outcomes. To date, Agora Data has analyzed over $76B worth of non-prime auto loan data to predict (to 98% accuracy) the performance of auto loans. In December 2020, Agora Data made auto industry history by closing the first-ever crowdsourced non-prime auto securitization. This breakthrough accomplishment allows auto dealers to have direct access to ample capital with favorable terms and lower loan interest rates to help fuel their business. “We’re excited to debut our inaugural ’40 Under 40: Industry’ program, and share the stories of these outstanding honorees. These are the next-generation leaders of the used-car business, and their accomplishments are as numerous as they are impressive,” said Joe Overby, senior editor of Auto Remarketing. “Congratulations to all of our honorees – we look forward to celebrating with you at Used Car Week in November!” Auto Remarketing’s “40 Under 40” honorees will be recognized at a ceremony this fall at Used Car Week in San Diego, CA., at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. For more information on Agora Data, visit www.agoradata.com. About Agora Data, Inc. Agora Data, an automotive industry fintech, is the nation’s leading resource for independent auto dealers and finance companies. Auto loan originators can secure affordable capital to build their own non-prime captive finance solution, obtain actionable loan performance data to optimize their lending portfolios, and leverage a suite of other products to safely grow their business. Powered by patent pending technology, originators can access real-time data analytics and planning resources to help optimize the performance of their portfolios. Agora Data made history by closing the first-ever crowdsourced non-prime auto securitization in 2020 and continually brings groundbreaking products to an underserved market. For more information, visit www.agoradata.com or contact us at 1-877-592-4672. # # # Contact Details Shelly Vandeven +1 682-282-4130 media@agoradata.com Company Website https://agoradata.com/

October 11, 2022 09:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Investis Digital Releases New Digital Recruiting Guide

Investis Digital

Investis Digital, a leading global digital communications company, announced today the publication of a new guide that helps businesses use digital more intelligently to recruit talent. At a time when more than 70% of job searches begin on Google, The Guide to Successful Talent Acquisition from Investis Digital adapts best practices from digital marketing to help hiring managers target the right talent with the right message at the right time, which results in hiring loyal and successful employees. The guide draws on Investis Digital’s experience maximizing the value of digital recruitment for global businesses. Steve Kalupski, executive vice president, Client Solutions, said, “ The Guide to Successful Talent Acquisition teaches businesses how to find the right talent that aligns with a company’s values and growth goals. Businesses need a new blueprint for building a successful employer brand, and this means creating a compelling employee value proposition that permeates every aspect of their recruitment efforts online, starting with their websites and continuing throughout every stage of the candidate’s journey.” The Guide to Successful Talent Acquisition contains practical tips such as: How to develop an employee value proposition that attracts a ready-now talent pipeline. Why businesses need to create job candidate personas to target the right talent. Why businesses need a Connected Content approach to ensure their recruitment narrative is consistent with the message they share with all their stakeholders, ranging from investors to employees. How to target a company’s recruitment tactics at each stage of a job candidate’s journey through the digital world from awareness to hiring. How to turn a corporate website into a talent magnet. Key performance indicators from recruitment to retention. And much more. “Too many businesses take a scattershot approach to recruitment online, which results in an inefficient investment in talent acquisition, unacceptable costs per lead and disappointing recruitment conversion rates, ” Kalupski said. “But by borrowing proven performance marketing techniques from customer acquisition, hiring managers and recruiters can make corporate recruiting more valuable in the digital age. The Guide to Successful Talent Acquisition empowers businesses to hire more strategically.” The guide also includes case studies of successful talent acquisition. For instance, Investis Digital recently helped a logistics company improve recruitment conversions by 206% while reducing costs per lead by 74%. This and more case studies provide lessons for digital recruitment from the front lines. To read the full report, click here. Read more about Investis Digital’s work with talent acquisition here. Investis Digital is a global digital communications company. Through a proprietary approach we call Connected Content™, we unite compelling communications, intelligent digital experiences, and performance marketing to help companies build deeper connections with audiences and drive business performance. A unique blend of expertise, technology and “always on” service allow clients to trust that their digital footprint and brand reputation is secure and protected 24/7 by our dedicated team of 600 digital experts across 9 global offices. To learn more, please visit www.InvestisDigital.com. Contact Details Kristen Kalupski +1 312-933-6714 Kristen.kalupski@investisdigital.com Company Website https://www.investisdigital.com

October 11, 2022 07:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time

XPOINT UNVEILS NEW LOGO AND UPDATED WEBSITE

Xpoint Technology

Xpoint, the leading geolocation and compliance technology company specializing in North American sports betting and iGaming markets, has kicked off the first day of the 2022 Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, with the unveiling of a brand new company logo, an updated website and a revised suite of creative assets. Xpoint was first formally unveiled at G2E 2021, and now marks the start of the 2022 edition of one of the global sports betting, iGaming and gambling industry’s most important annual conferences with the launch of a range of new brand assets that will underpin Xpoint’s marketing program, helping further accelerate the company’s rapid growth in the North American market, and worldwide. “2022 has been an incredible year for our whole team, and our partners, and now we are proud to unveil our new logo, creative suite, and website, an important step as we continue to develop as a technology brand on the world stage,” commented Tom Webb, Xpoint Chief Marketing Officer. “G2E is part of our history, so there is no better place than the 2022 event to take the wraps off the work we have been doing to bring our new creative and digital assets to life. Our new logo is a dynamic parent brand for Xpoint, giving our product and marketing assets an energy that reflects our status as a world-class operator in our industry. Our new website is an ideal platform for our primary digital destination, and will feature news items and regular blogs from our team of experts, our partners and invited guests, making it a go-to destination for geolocation insights, and discussions on the wider technology world. We have also unveiled our new creative template, a uniquely Xpoint identity for all our photographic, video and graphic assets that will instantly elevate our marketing and communication activities across all platforms across which we are active. “Our new brand comes just one year after we formally unveiled Xpoint to the sports betting, iGaming and gambling industry at G2E 2021,” Webb continued. “Now, just 12 months later, we are live across North America with multiple partners using our Xpoint Verify and Xpoint Lite products as their geolocation solutions of choice. We are one of only two geolocation technology companies licensed in New Jersey, and we have grown to a team of 55 now, from just six people in 2021, and continue to add new staff members as our partner roster grows. In September, 2022 alone, we announced three major new investors, as well as increased funding from our two original backers, and four new live partners in multiple states throughout the USA, and we are just getting started. Q4 2022 promises to be even busier for our team, and we are all excited about what 2023 holds, and beyond. We exist to help our partners unlock the true potential of geolocation technology, and now we have even greater drive and determination to do so, under an exciting new marketing platform that truly befits our brand.” Xpoint’s brand new website is live now, where viewers can find out more about the company, its history and its live partners across North America. For access to Xpoint’s new logo, for editorial purposes, please contact marketing@xpoint.tech. ABOUT XPOINT Xpoint provides essential geolocation security solutions and intelligent location-based marketing insights to the global sports betting and iGaming industries. Xpoint’s innovative Verify and Lite platforms ensures partners meet their regulatory geo-compliance obligations, and deliver enhanced value through the generation of location-based data that can drive marketing programs. Recently nominated for two 2022 SBC North America Awards, Xpoint was founded in 2019 and officially unveiled in Las Vegas in 2021, and is led by the company's CEO and Co-Founder Marvin Sanderson, a global sports betting and iGaming industry leader. With North American offices in Toronto, Canada and Miami, Florida, Xpoint is changing the global geolocation market, bringing innovation to an industry that has, to date, viewed geo-compliance as a utility, not a new business opportunity. For more information, visit xpoint.live and follow LinkedIn for regular updates. Contact Details Xpoint Tom Webb +1 512-952-9369 tom.webb@xpoint.tech Company Website https://xpoint.tech/

October 10, 2022 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

CSG’s Women Engaged in Leadership Exploration and Development Employee Resource Group Earns Cablefax Diversity List Award

CSG

DENVER, Oct. 10, 2022 – A workplace culture that values diversity and channels the power of all entices talent and drives success for the bottom line. At CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS), celebrating a diverse employee base and growth shines through the work and leadership of our employee resource groups (ERG), like Women Engaged in Leadership Exploration and Development (WE LEaD). Today, WE LEaD was honored as the ERG of the Year on the 2022 Cablefax Diversity List. “We formed WE LEaD in 2018 to promote women in leadership roles across CSG and build a community that encourages authentic leadership regardless of title or rank,” said Erica Morrison, WE LEaD executive sponsor and VP of software engineering, CSG. “We dove in before formal diversity, equity, and inclusion structures were in place, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support we’ve had to follow our passion and foster growth from within CSG. WE LEaD has been open to all CSGers since our first meeting, and it truly is by harnessing our collective power that we contribute to the success of the company.” Since its inception, WE LEaD has grown, connected, inspired, and advocated for the women of CSG through bold, vulnerable, and inclusive behaviors that continue to empower them to be better every day. Through the three focus areas: leadership, network, and Women in Tech/STEM, WE LEaD enables members to grow the critical leadership skills that can help accelerate their career trajectory and creates a safe space to learn and practice skills, explore leadership styles, and craft and consult on impactful strategies. Today, WE LEaD’s influence is visible in the increased representation of women in leadership roles across CSG and the group’s steady growth in membership base, which in the last year grew by 80%. "CSG's success is rooted in our motivation and commitment to do what's best for our people and bridge gaps within our organization to create the most inclusive culture,” said Liz Bauer, CSG CXO. "WE LEaD influenced CSG with impact from day one, and it's fantastic to see how their dedication continues to open doors for CSGers around the world to grow. They drive authentic leadership regardless of title or rank and advocate for diversity and inclusion across all levels of the company. This achievement is thanks to the hard work of volunteers, who are committed to driving real, lasting change for women at CSG. I'm so happy for the team and look forward to supporting and following them on this journey." # # # About CSG CSG is a leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions that make ordinary customer experiences extraordinary. Our cloud-first architecture and customer-obsessed mindset help companies around the world launch new digital services, expand into new markets, and create dynamic experiences that capture new customers and build brand loyalty. For 40 years, CSG’s technologies and people have helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands solve their toughest business challenges and evolve to meet the demands of today’s digital economy with future-ready solutions that drive exceptional customer experiences. With 5,000 employees in over 20 countries, CSG is the trusted technology provider for leading global brands in telecommunications, retail, financial services, and healthcare. Our solutions deliver real world outcomes to more than 900 customers in over 120 countries. To learn more, visit us at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Copyright © 2022 CSG Systems International, Inc. and/or its affiliates (“CSG”). All rights reserved. CSG® is a registered trademark of CSG Systems International, Inc. All third-party trademarks, service marks, and/or product names which are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved. Contacts: Kristine Østergaard Public Relations +44 (0)79 2047 7204 kristine.ostergaard@csgi.com John Rea Investor Relations +1 (210) 687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Contact Details Kristine Østergaard +44 7920 477204 kristine.ostergaard@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

October 10, 2022 08:30 AM Mountain Daylight Time

Why Are Companies Expected To Spend Almost $2 Trillion On Collaborative Robots By 2030? One Company Has An Answer: Teamwork

AvaWatz Inc.

Industries spend billions of dollars each year to ensure worker and customer safety. Yet some of those billions of dollars could be saved by using teams of collaborating robots (cobots) to perform work that endangers human workers. Cobot teams can work in otherwise dangerous operating environments and can perform the tedious tasks necessary to ensure customer safety in commercial spaces, airports, railways and mass transit systems. Consider the task of removing harmful debris from an airport runway. Fragments of metal and other materials can fall onto the runway from airplanes, service vehicles, luggage carts and even small fragments can do catastrophic damage. Keeping runways clear is a life-and-death responsibility, and right now it is all done by human workers who walk or drive along the runway to find and remove debris. This is the kind of tedious and dangerous job that could be done by robots, but no single type of robot is exactly right for the job. Flying drone robots are good at detecting debris, but they cannot pick up the debris and remove it; ground robots can pick it up, but they cannot move as fast or see as far as the drones can. If they combine their strengths, a team of air and ground robots together can perform this task with minimal human involvement. Decision-intelligence tech firm AvaWatz is working to make this idea real. The company builds teams of robots with different skills, like traveling off-road or manipulating a specialized tool – the team can combine those skills and use them all together. AvaWatz wants to use robots to reduce risks for humans who have to perform complex tasks in harsh environments and is pioneering the use of collaborative robots or cobots. Cobot teams can solve hard problems for public and private sector customers, including the military and Homeland Security, flightline operations, search and rescue, emergency response, construction, transportation, agriculture, utilities and infrastructure among others – in fact, it is difficult to name a sector that could not benefit in some way from teams of robot workers. The U.S. Air Force, Army, and the Department of Homeland Security have each recognized the need and are funding AvaWatz R&D to advance and grow the technology. The company is focused on driving risk even lower for humans. Giving back to the community is a high priority for AvaWatz — which is why they donate a portion of their revenue to assist with debris pick-up on coastlines. The Size Of The Opportunity The need for cobots is out there, according to AvaWatz. It is predicted that the market for collaborative robots will grow to $1.99 Trillion by 2030. AvaWatz’s initial targets are smart airports, ground transit assets, and surveillance, but the opportunity is not limited to those areas. Such technology can also address the needs of markets where the risk is not only limited to simple human error but also malicious intent. AvaWatz – which has already performed prototype work with the U.S. Air Force – plans initially to work with regional and private airports in the U.S. in addition to the Air Force as it scales to address larger markets. There is also potential to work in fields such as infrastructure repair, railroad inspection and the protection of endangered wildlife species. AvaWatz is reportedly also working on partnerships with drone and ground robot manufacturers such as Skydio and Boston Dynamics. AvaWatz offers an investment opportunity to meet the growing demand for Collaborative Robots – whose market size is predicted to reach almost $2 trillion by 2030 with a CAGR of 12.3% from 2021-2030. Discover what AvaWatz investment opportunity means for you, by clicking the offer link: https://www.startengine.com/avawatz AvaWatz is a decision-intelligence company charting a new frontier in “Cobots” - collaborative air and ground robots. Leveraging AI and advanced knowledge network technologies, our cooperative robotic services are programmed to carry out tasks too dangerous, difficult, or time-consuming for humans. Our initial services target airfields, ground transit, and surveillance missions across private, government, and defense sectors, with a working prototype piloted by the U.S. Air Force. Visit https://www.startengine.com/avawatz to learn more. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. Benzinga may receive monetary compensation from the issuer, or its agency, for publicizing the offering of the issuer’s securities. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. This is a paid ad. Please see 17(b) disclosure linked in the campaign page for more information. Contact Details Rajini Anachi rajini@avawatz.com Company Website https://avawatz.com

October 10, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NEWS DIRECT AND ITS BUSINESS WIRE ALUMNI PAY TRIBUTE TO NEWSWIRE PIONEER, BUSINESS WIRE FOUNDER LORRY I. LOKEY

News Direct

News Direct mourns the passing of Lorry I. Lokey, an industry icon who transformed how organizations worldwide communicate with the media and investment community, and who used his substantial wealth to fund education and medical research initiatives. Lokey died October 1 at the age of 95, almost 61 years to the day he founded what became the world's second-largest newswire service, Business Wire. A classic American success story, Lokey started Business Wire in a 9x12 office in San Francisco in October 1961 with only seven clients. He sold the company to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in 2006 for a reported $500 million. A signatory to The Giving Pledge, Lokey consistently ranked among the world's most prolific philanthropists. He donated in excess of $700 million to charitable causes, with a strong focus on schools and universities, as well as nanotechnology and stem cell research. In many ways, News Direct is a direct descendent of Business Wire, having been built by several significant former BW longtime executives, including former president, and now News Direct CEO and founder, Gregg Castano. “I worked under Lorry for more than 21 years, and there is no question that I drew inspiration for News Direct from the innovative, fearless and groundbreaking approach he took in building Business Wire from a distant also-ran among newswires to the equal of industry pioneer and powerhouse, PR Newswire,” noted Castano. “Here at News Direct, we view ourselves as picking up that mantle to once again revolutionize the industry using the most current technology, as Lorry did, which seemed to have become much less of a priority in the years following his departure from the company,” Castano continued. “It really shines a light on how truly visionary he was, and how he boldly embraced, rather than resisted, change, which is something I greatly respect, admire and strive to emulate at News Direct.” About News Direct News Direct provides news and content distribution for PR, IR, Corporate Communications and Marketing professionals. Our automated platform delivers a completely-reimagined, intuitive workflow, industry-leading security, transparent, flat-rate pricing and actionable analytics. Further, News Direct has deployed an array of innovation including advanced automation, isolation cloud technology and custom software for the most dynamic, efficient and flexible platform available today. To learn more visit newsdirect.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. Contact Details Neil Hershberg +1 516-375-6819 neil.hershberg@newsdirect.com Company Website http://www.newsdirect.com

October 10, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Employee Experience Technology Adoption Is Being Driven by Pandemic Recovery and Workforce Instability, According to Dash Research

Dash Network

The massive shifts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have been deeply felt across all industries and at every department level within business-to-consumer (B2B) and business-to-business (B2B) companies. The effect on the global workforce has been profound, with companies around the world struggling to hire and retain employees. According to a new report from Dash Research, an evolution that many say was already in progress before the pandemic, has accelerated with a balance of power starting to migrate toward employees. Dash Research analysis indicates that these market dynamics are leading companies to invest in a broad range of technologies and solutions to not only decrease day-to-day friction in an employee journey, but also to attempt to meet the expanded desires of a changing population. The line between traditional human resources (HR) technology and employee experience (EX) technologies has blurred over the past few years and has given rise to larger companies that provide human capital management (HCM) or workforce engagement technologies to add modules more focused on engagement, community building, recognition, or performance management. These dynamics have also enabled smaller companies to gain leverage in the market with more specific offerings focused on just one part of the EX ecosystem. Dash Research forecasts that the global market for EX platforms, applications, and services will increase from $5.9 billion in 2021 to more than $14.6 billion in 2026. The market intelligence firm anticipates that EX platforms will represent 53% of total revenue within the forecast period, followed by services (24%) and applications (23%). “Companies are becoming more human-centered,” says senior analyst Sherril Hanson, “and HR departments are shifting focus from operations and productivity toward experience, health, and wellbeing. In many cases, the fundamental relationship between employer and employee has changed.” Hanson adds that the key market drivers spurring the purchase of EX software and services include: The Great Resignation and the need for better retention strategies The employee experience/customer experience link Shifting employee wants and needs Move to hybrid and remote work, leading to increased need for communication and connection Growing need for optimal digital employee experience and great supporting technologies However, she points out that many barriers remain for organizations when attempting to deploy EX solutions, many of which are internal and operational. Dash Research has identified four key challenges that are tempering the growth of EX: Outdated and challenging technology stacks Lack of internal ownership Struggles with analysis and action Inability to build an EX-supportive culture Dash Research’s report, “Employee Experience”, focuses on the software platforms, applications, and services that are offered to help companies achieve excellent EX. These solutions are an important part of providing a positive employee experience. If implemented thoughtfully and with sustained commitment, the solutions can promote deeper employee engagement, less employee churn, in-house automations and efficiencies, and improved customer experience. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website. Dash Research, the market intelligence arm of Dash Network, provides in-depth research and insights on the worldwide CX market including a comprehensive assessment of technology solutions, business issues, market drivers, and end-user dynamics across industry sectors. Dash Research’s global market coverage combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a complete view of emerging business opportunities surrounding contact center technologies, customer data & analytics, customer data platforms, customer insights & feedback, customer relationship management, personalization & optimization, and employee experience. For more information, visit www.dashresearch.com or call +1.720.603.1700. Contact Details Clint Wheelock +1 720-603-1700 press@dashnetwork.com Company Website http://www.dashnetwork.com

October 10, 2022 05:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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