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35-Year Printing Business SprintPrint Converts to Minuteman Press Franchise in Madison, Wisconsin

Minuteman Press International Inc

For 35 years, Phil Van Kampen and his wife Liz built their family-owned independent printing business SprintPrint into a multimillion dollar company by doing what they’ve always done for their customers. “We make printing easy,” says Phil. With the business doing well and retirement on the horizon, Phil has decided to sell the business to the Kenney family: Chrispin, Lynn, and their son CJ. Moving forward, SprintPrint will be rebranded as Minuteman Press in Madison as part of the Minuteman Press Conversion Program. The business will remain at their location at 2790 South Fish Hatchery Road. The Kenney family also owns a Minuteman Press franchise in Waunakee, which they have owned since 2013. Selling the Business As Phil approached retirement and was looking to sell the business, he wanted to make sure that there would be minimal disruption for both his clients and his employees that helped make SprintPrint a success. Phil says, “We had 12 employees, with at least half of them being with us for over 20 years. I wanted to make sure they were taken care of even after I sold the business.” Phil continues, “Originally, we were approached by another company but all they wanted was to buy our customer list. We were also contacted by a business broker and found that their commission rate was expensive. They also seemed to have no sense of urgency as if we wouldn’t be a priority, and so we decided not to go forward with them.” Eventually, Phil found the right partner to sell his business in Minuteman Press International. Phil explains, “After we decided not to use the business broker, Liz came home with a flyer from Minuteman Press that we received in the mail. I called Steve Szymanski, who is the Midwest Regional VP, and we talked for over an hour. I simply trusted him, liked what he had to say, and so we moved forward.” “The Minuteman Press Conversion Program was exactly what we needed to sell our business. There was no charge, no commission, and no broker fees. I also liked the fact that Minuteman Press would aid the new owner in running the business, and that I could retire without worrying about my customers and employees. In fact, my wife Liz is staying on to work with them because she isn’t ready to retire and loves her job. Steve Szymanski helped coordinate the sale and made it work, and it has been an easy transition for all involved.” -Phil Van Kampen, Retired Owner, SprintPrint, Madison, Wisconsin Meet the New Owners Lynn Kenney is the majority owner of the newly acquired business that is being rebranded as Minuteman Press in Madison. Lynn shares, “For the last 17 years, I’ve been working for the post office as a rural carrier. I also have a background in accounting and payroll in my early career working at Excalibur in Las Vegas.” For the Kenney family, the acquisition of SprintPrint simply made sense. Lynn explains, “My husband, Chrispin, was interested in expanding our current business while also building the business with our son CJ. We look forward to offering the same quality and experience customers have relied on in the past. In addition, we will be offering expanded products and services to existing and future customers.” “I believe good communication, accountability, education, and execution are the keys to running a successful family business. After 9 years of building our first location, we are looking forward to building another successful Minuteman Press franchise with our son CJ and creating great relationships in the Madison community.” -Lynn Kenney, New Co-Owner, Minuteman Press, Madison, Wisconsin CJ Kenney graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison in December 2021 with a degree in Communication Arts. After graduating, CJ knew that he wanted to take the next step forward with the family business. “I’ve been working with my parents at their center in Waunakee for eight years, since I was in high school. I did whatever they needed me to do. I ran deliveries, I helped with in-house apparel and production, and I loved going to BNI meetings and customer calls with my dad.” CJ continues, “I love talking to people, and I learned a lot from my dad. It always seems like he knows what to say and how to build relationships. I love this business because we can meet so many people that become friends in addition to working with them as clients. I just felt like this was the right track to take for my career and for the family business.” “With SprintPrint, we saw some tremendous expanding points for our business. Phil and Liz built a fantastic business over 35 years that will help us grow our in-house wide format printing services for the production of banners, signs, and posters. They also have a fantastic staff and clients I am excited to work with them as we begin this new chapter as Minuteman Press in Madison.” -CJ Kenney, New Co-Owner, Minuteman Press, Madison, Wisconsin History of the Business Before opening SprintPrint in 1987, Phil worked for another large printing chain based in Madison for 10 years. He says, “I decided to leave and start my own business. I knew what I wanted to do, and I decided I wanted to work for myself. We started the business and I made sure we differentiated ourselves as a quick printer focused on B2B clients rather than walk-ins.” Like many other business owners, Phil grew SprintPrint by building long-term relationships and becoming the face of the business. He also provided products that made sense and helped him stand out. Phil says, “One thing that set us apart early on is that we got into the mailing side of the business, invested in the equipment and the expertise, and became a one-stop source for in-house printing and direct mail.” After six years in business, SprintPrint moved to a 6,000 sq. ft. facility, then added onto the facility in 1997. “This is the same location at 2790 South Fish Hatchery Road that Minuteman Press is taking over, which I am very excited about because it makes for an even easier transition.” Over the past ten years, SprintPrint has continued to evolve and grow. “The biggest change over the past decade was getting into large format printing, which has been a huge benefit to our clients. During the pandemic, we experienced growth in large format, and direct mail held steady. We always try to make printing easy, and the past few years have been no different.” During the pandemic, SprintPrint continued to operate as an essential business and meet the needs of their clients. Phil says, “We have many long-term customers for 30 years or more with well-established businesses. They were able to weather the storm and continue marketing, and we were there to help them adapt and pivot as needed.” Retirement and Advice for Others Now that the sale is complete, Phil is looking forward to his well-earned retirement. “I’ve taken up woodworking as a hobby, and it is very relaxing to be able to enjoy each day.” Phil summarizes his experience with Minuteman Press and shares his advice for others who are looking to sell their printing business: “As owners of SprintPrint, my wife Liz and I had decided in the last year that, after 35 years, it was time to sell our business. It was of utmost importance that our employees were taken care of – we were looking for someone who would run the business in place and retain our staff. We originally explored selling it ourselves or working with a broker, which was not working out for various reasons. We then contacted Steve Szymanski, Regional Vice President of Minuteman Press International, to explore our options with their firm. We found their system to be very attractive as there was no cost to us to market our company for sale, and we could exit the business entirely upon sale. Minuteman Press was able to find a buyer that was the best fit for how we wanted to leave the industry. We could not be more pleased with the whole process. We would highly recommend working with them to any print shop owner looking to sell their business.” Learn more about Minuteman Press in Madison, WI by visiting their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/wi/fitchburg. For more information on how to sell your printing business through Minuteman Press International’s Conversion Program, call 1-800-645-3006 or visit https://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions. Contact Details Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

February 22, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Verdant Robotics Delivers First Multi-Action Autonomous Farm Robot for Specialty Crops

Verdant Robotics

To meet farmers’ demands for more sustainable and profitable growing practices, Verdant Robotics announced the expansion of its robot-as-a-service (RaaS) model to ensure access for more specialty crop farmers today. Founded in late 2018 by a leading roboticist, a software engineer, and a California farmer, Verdant has raised $21.5 million to develop the industry’s first multi-action, autonomous farm-robot capable of millimeter-accurate spraying, laser weeding, and AI-based digital crop modeling. Together with farming partners, Verdant uses these tools to deliver better outcomes: larger produce, greater yields and significant savings. Verdant has already contracted to service approximately 40% of the U.S. carrot market exclusively for the next five years and is currently scaling to meet the needs of the U.S. multi-billion-dollar fruit and vegetable industry. “Farmers told us not to give them more data, but to figure out what to do with the mountains of data they already have, or better yet just go do it,” said Gabe Sibley, PhD., co-founder and CEO, who brings more than 20 years of experience in geo-spatial computation and AI. “They want a complete solution that takes action in real-time and keeps farmers in control – all while improving profitability and automating dangerous, back-breaking field work.” Sustainability, Profitability Driving Interest in Farm Robotics Investment into farm robotics as an enhancement to labor, profitability, and sustainability has been building for years. Agricultural robotic startups brought in $491 million in investment during the first half of 2021, a 40 percent increase over the same period in 2020, according to AgFunder, but to-date, actual on-farm robotics has mostly been on a trial basis. Following successful large-scale roll-out over the past 18 months, Verdant logged thousands of hours in 2021 and is already proven on multiple crops. “Today, Verdant machines are in the field all-day, every-day helping farmers achieve superhuman efficacy,” said Sibley. Combining multiple technologies, the company’s 6-row and 12-row commercial implements can treat up to 4.2 acres per hour, achieving a higher weed-removal rate per acre than other technology or human ability, and reducing chemical usage by up to 95 percent. Simultaneously, its autonomous software system collects data and uses machine learning capabilities to optimize yield and growing outcomes, ultimately unlocking new revenues to help farmers reach profitability and sustainability goals. “ Verdant Robotics ’ ability to digitize the farm enables precision technology at a level never before possible for specialty crops, removing the choice between environmental stewardship and profitability,” said Cannon Michae l, a sixth-generation California farmer and CEO of Bowles Farming Company. “With the unique combination of automation and insight, farmers can collectively manage precious resources – like water – while maintaining or improving yields.” RaaS Delivers AI, Robotics and Science to Farms of All Sizes, Faster Verdant’s computational robotic and autonomous software systems combine decades of advancements in scientific fields – including computer vision, artificial intelligence, robotics, GPS-denied navigation, chemistry, and soil and plant sciences – to achieve the next generation of crop production. “Verdant’s platform stands apart due to its integrated software and hardware that is applicable across a variety of high value crops,” said Steve Jurvetson, co-founder of Future Ventures and early investor into Verdant Robotics. “Drawing on expertise from Google X, NASA and several autonomous vehicle companies, the team has quickly delivered solid technology that ensures a growth path capable of addressing the global $8 trillion food and agriculture market and positions them well to meet the needs of farmers in adjacent markets and geographies.” “Together with their customers, Verdant is driving a shift in agriculture akin to the transformation we’ve seen in aerospace and automotive when computation is brought to bear,” Jurvetson added. Verdant leveraged investments from leading agriculture investors, including AgFunder, Autotech Ventures, Cavallo Ventures, DCVC Bio, and Future Ventures, among others. Building upon these investments, the company is expanding its platform with plans to commercialize a precision multi-action machine for orchards by 2023 – delivering another first for the specialty crop industry. Over the next several years, Verdant Robotics aims to deliver complete robotics solutions globally to help improve the quality, profitability and stewardship of important food crops and thereby feed growing populations more sustainably and nutritiously. About Verdant Robotics: Together with growers, we are building sustainable, high-fidelity farming: spatially, temporally, and physically working the farm at a precision, accuracy, frequency and scale never before possible. At Verdant we believe environmentally conscientious robotic farming is the future of agriculture. Our goal is to transform how food is grown while improving the lives of farmers, workers and rural communities. By digitizing the farm at sub-millimeter scale, indexing it, and taking actions that unlock new value, we are providing our customers with superhuman farming tools. To learn more, visit www.VerdantRobotics.com. Contact Details AgTech PR for Verdant Robotics Jennifer Goldston +1 816-260-0040 jennifer@agtechpr.com Company Website https://www.verdantrobotics.com

February 22, 2022 08:30 AM Central Standard Time

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VIEW LABS RECOGNIZED BY GLOBEST. AS A TOP INFLUENCER IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE TECHNOLOGY

View Labs

View Labs — a provider of cutting-edge video and digital solutions that bring businesses and brands to life with interactive video, metaverse experiences, virtual touring and more—has been recognized by GlobeSt., a leading commercial real estate (CRE) publication, on its 2022 list of CRE Tech Influencers. View Labs was selected for revolutionizing the use of digital solutions in the CRE business by shaping the real, mixed reality and digital worlds through its interactive 360° video content capabilities, as well as its mixed reality platform, Augmented Virtual Reality (AVR). “We are honored that View Labs has been named an ‘Influencer in CRE Tech’ by GlobeSt.,” stated View Labs CEO Bryan Colin. “Since View Labs was founded, we’ve worked alongside some of the biggest brands in the real estate industry and across several other sectors, reimagining how technology is utilized, and we’ve continuously evolved to meet and anticipate the needs of our industry partners. We’re proud to be recognized amongst this list of innovators, and believe only the best is yet to come as the real estate industry continues to be disrupted by enhanced digital experiences.” Founded in 2016, View Labs has continued to evolve and push the boundaries of what 360° technology can do by creating interactive, user-friendly digital solutions. Its proprietary stack of virtual solutions helps businesses create interactive 360° video, metaverse experiences, virtual touring, AVR and more, while utilizing data analytics to track viewer and customer behavior and engagement. Through its proprietary AVR algorithm, View Labs can create virtual environments at higher quality and faster speeds than alternative technologies, allowing users to see a space as it would appear in the real world, with virtual and interactive elements. Currently, View Labs is the only company that can create all-encompassing digital worlds that blur what is real and imaginary, developing hyper-realistic, interactive experiences. View Labs’ suite of products currently serves various industries and is engaged with leaders across real estate, construction, entertainment, retail, hospitality, technology, and enterprise services sectors. For more information on View Labs or to request a demo, please see www.viewlabs.com. View Labs has revolutionized the 360° video sector with a suite of video and digital solutions that allow businesses to shape the real, mixed reality and digital worlds. Driven by a team of inventors, engineers and designers, we continue to find new ways to evolve our technology to better serve the needs of modern businesses. We offer a stack of highly adaptable, user-friendly technologies to closely replicate in-person experiences in the most realistic way possible. Current customers include industry leaders in real estate, construction, entertainment, retail, hospitality, technology and enterprise services. For more information on View Labs, please see www.viewlabs.com. Contact Details Marino Kristen Myers +1 212-402-3504 kmyers@marinopr.com Company Website https://www.viewlabs.com/

February 22, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

TRUST & WILL RELEASES FINDINGS FROM SECOND ANNUAL ESTATE PLANNING STUDY OF 20,000 MILLENNIALS

Trust & Will

Trust & Will, the leading digital estate planning platform in the U.S., today released the findings of its second annual millennial estate planning study, providing insight from more than 20,000 millennials on end-of-life planning preferences. As the U.S. enters into another year of living in a pandemic, estate planning continues to see an uptick as Millennials overtake Baby Boomers as the largest generation caring for young children and their aging parents, entering into what is known as the ‘Sandwich Generation.’ “Millennials are building their own families while also caring for their aging parents amid a global health crisis, prompting more caregivers to plan for the future,” said Cody Barbo, Founder and CEO of Trust & Will. “Even though millennials are taking the lead on writing wills and establishing trusts to set up their families’ financial health, the majority of American adults still do not have any plan in place. We hope that by making digital estate planning as accessible as possible, more families will create a plan for their unique needs and situations.” Key findings from this year’s report, “Millennial Estate Planning Continues in a Pandemic” include: 34% report that having a child prompted them to create an estate plan 22% are part of the Sandwich Generation, caring for both their children and their parents 77% of pet owners designated a specific pet guardian within their plan 57% only want to receive end-of-life care if benefits outweigh the burdens 81% elected to donate their organs According to the study, most millennials (75%) chose to complete a will-based estate plan, enabling them to appoint guardians for minor children, along with pets, and make decisions about healthcare wishes and final arrangements. Only 19% opted for a trust, which helps those with more complex estates manage and distribute assets during their lifetime and after death. The study explored the top reasons millennials create estate plans. Consistent with last year’s results, the birth of a child continues to be the leading reason, followed by the death of a family member (11%) and buying a home (9%). The pandemic and work-from-home policies spurred many families across the nation to add a pet to their families. More than half of the millennials in the cohort have a pet, with three-fourths of pet owners designating someone to act as a pet guardian. The data shows that it’s clear that millennials are flouting certain traditional family norms. The study indicated that Millennials are steering away from tradition to create modern, personalized legacies. On average, millennials now list seven people in their estate plans. Their closest circle might not necessarily include blood relatives. Nearly one in four of those surveyed said they chose a non-family member as a guardian for their kids or pets or to act as an executor, trustee, or beneficiary. The study also revealed trends in end-of-life planning. Nearly 40% of the cohorts completed their health documents, including a HIPAA Authorization form, and the majority (57%) elected to receive care only if benefits outweigh the burdens. In terms of end-of-life preferences, nearly half of the cohort (48%) chose to have their body cremated, with only one in four choosing a conventional burial. Eight percent wanted their body to be donated to science. These numbers suggest that millennials are moving away from traditional end-of-life arrangements. The millennial generation is passionate about causes that matter to them and donating to non-profit organizations. Like last year, the top charities for bequests included St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Planned Parenthood, and Girl Scouts. This year, there was an increase in planned gifts to The Trevor Project, which provides crisis support for LGBTQ+ teens. For the full findings and to download a copy of the report, visit https://trustandwill.com/learn/millennial-estate-planning-study-2022. Methodology Trust & Will analyzed data from 22,850 individuals aged 25 to 44 in a proprietary study to explore specific insights and behaviors of the millennial generation when it comes to estate planning. Additionally, Trust & Will surveyed 323 individuals aged 25 to 44 to ask them about the process of creating their Estate Plans. Trust & Will plans to revisit this data each year to see how trends and behaviors among millennials continue to change over time. ABOUT TRUST & WILL Trust & Will is a modern approach to digital estate planning, offering legally valid documents designed and approved by estate planning attorneys to adhere to individual state guidelines. Since 2017, more than 300,000 Trust & Will members have created an online estate plan to set up their family legacy. We make estate planning simple, affordable, and accessible by providing a secure way to set up a plan online in minutes, using bank-level encryption that protects customer data and complies with the highest security standards, including SOC2. Trust & Will is the official estate planning benefit provider for AARP members and is a proud partner of several leading financial institutions, including Northwestern Mutual and Haven Life. To learn more, visit www.trustandwill.com. Contact Details Trust & Will Danielle Nuzzo +1 631-807-7772 danielle@trustandwill.com Company Website https://trustandwill.com

February 22, 2022 07:16 AM Eastern Standard Time

Bluepeak – an Innovative Fiber Internet Provider – Has Arrived to Push the Boundaries of Possibility for Communities

Bluepeak

Bluepeak, an innovative fiber internet provider known today as Vast Broadband in its South Dakota and Minnesota markets, announced its plan today to transition to its new brand name across all its markets this summer. The rebrand was the result of months of market research, gathering employee feedback and the new journey the company embarked upon since beginning expansion to new markets. More than a name change, the new Bluepeak brand represents: The foundation of the values, work and achievements of the Vast Broadband team. The path to growth the company has charted, including ongoing expansion into markets in Wyoming, Oklahoma, North Dakota and more. The Bluepeak vision which is to be relentlessly for customers and bring cutting edge technology to places that have lacked access to it without the things that get in the way of great service, like red tape, hidden fees, and long wait times. “Bluepeak is more than a name to us. It’s who we are and speaks to the impact we aim to have in our communities,” said Rich Fish, CEO of Bluepeak. “This is a great day for our teams and customers. Bluepeak’s purpose is to push the boundaries of possibility for communities by providing big-city broadband with small-town service and future-proof fiber internet for how customers live their lives.” Existing customers may notice a seamless transition – from the Vast Broadband brand currently operating in South Dakota and western Minnesota to Bluepeak – of everything from product package offerings, bill statements and advertisements, retail location signs, employee uniforms, company vehicles and more, in the near future. The transition to the new Bluepeak brand will happen over the coming months and be complete in June of this year. The new Bluepeak brand is anchored in a simple, blue logo and gold, orange and blue color pallete. Current and new customers can also still count on Bluepeak to offer speedy broadband, safe connections and more innovation alongside its dependable neighborly service. Current customers will not experience any disruptions in their service. Bluepeak is hiring for several roles as the company grows in South Dakota, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Colorado. Current openings can be found online on the Bluepeak Careers page. About Bluepeak Bluepeak is building a faster, more reliable internet without the things that get in the way of great service—like red tape, hidden fees, and slow response times. Offering up to 5 gigabits of speed for residential customers and 10 gigabits for businesses, Bluepeak is a whole new ballgame — from internet to TV, to connecting every device in a home, to powering a business, Bluepeak not only provides the best fiber connections in the communities it serves but also meets the growing needs for how its customers live. Bluepeak (Clarity Telecom LLC) is known as Vast Broadband today in South Dakota and portions of western Minnesota until those markets rebrand as Bluepeak in the summer of 2022. Visit www.meetbluepeak.com to learn more. Contact Details Jesse Granger jesse.granger@mybluepeak.com Company Website https://mybluepeak.com

February 21, 2022 08:03 AM Mountain Standard Time

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Brush Up on Oral Health: Technology For Your Mouth Leading To Healthy, Confident Smiles

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/UIgoM06hR04 How do you get that ‘fresh from the dentist’ clean feeling on the 360+ days you’re not at the dentist? You turn to a revolutionary kit that integrates advanced technology to deliver brighter, whiter smiles and cleaner, healthier teeth. The result is that consumers look and feel their best and enjoy greater confidence as they go about their day. Built by dental professionals, izzoTM was developed by fourth-generation family-owned Premier Dental, a global developer and manufacturer of dental and medical products that has been in business for 100+ years, with a presence in 76 countries. Julie Charlestein, the President and CEO of Premier Dental, conducted a nationwide media tour to discuss the launch of izzo TM, an innovative new direct to consumer initiative designed to elevate at-home oral care. While brushing your teeth regularly is certainly important, izzo TM is the first and only 4-in-1 oral care system that goes significantly beyond just the typical toothbrush to give your teeth a whole new level of clean. izzo is technology for your mouth leading to healthy, confident smiles. izzo not only helps you brush effectively, it helps you polish to remove surface stains for a brighter, whiter smile; scale to remove plaque and debris between teeth; and sanitize your brush to ensure it’s germ-free for your next use. Best of all, it gives you that ‘fresh from the dentist’ clean feeling and a healthy confidence to look and feel your best. The revolutionary izzo system is currently available online for purchase at www.izzosmile.com for $129.95. For more information or to read first-hand product reviews, please visit www.izzosmile.com. About izzo TM izzo TM is the revolutionary 4-in-1 home oral care system that helps consumers look and feel their best through healthier, whiter smiles. izzo includes a toothbrush, polishing system (polisher & enamel polishing paste), scaler and sanitizer. Made in partnership with Premier ® Dental Products Company, a 4th generation, family-run business established in 1913, izzo reflects the knowledge of over 100 years in developing professional-grade oral care products. This differentiated product introduces innovative in-home dental care directly to consumers through an easy-to-use kit and a convenient Subscribe & Save program. For more information, please visit www.izzosmile.com. About Premier Dental ® Products Company Premier Dental ® is a global privately-held business dedicated to delivering inspired solutions for daily dentistry. Dental professionals have turned to Premier for over 100 years as a leader in bringing innovative products to market that improve their daily procedures, practices and patient outcomes. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 18, 2022 01:54 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Be My Eyes Featured in U.S. Senate Committee Testimony on Overcoming Barriers to Employment for People with Disabilities

InclusionHub

Underscoring the importance of accessibility and inclusion as part of the hiring and employment process, Jenny Lay-Flurrie, chief accessibility officer at Microsoft, was recently invited to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. Titled “Lessons Learned from COVID-19: Highlighting Innovations, Maximizing Inclusive Practices and Overcoming Barriers to Employment for People with Disabilities,” the hearing also featured Dr. Lisa Schur, a professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations at Rutgers University; Francis A. Kineavy, a disability advocate; and Brian Dennis, a Disability Services Workforce Program coordinator for Iowa Workforce Development. In her address, Lay-Flurrie discussed key action areas related to disability employment, and outlined the current challenges facing people with disabilities in the job market. However, as might be expected for a Microsoft executive, some of the most insightful parts of her testimony dealt with the opportunities around accessible technology—during which she highlighted a number of current tools and features already in use at Microsoft. These included InclusionHub Founding Partner Be My Eyes, a free mobile app the company uses to support blind and low-vision customers through its dedicated Disability Answer Desk. Accessible Technology Use Cases In total, Lay-Flurrie’s testimony outlined the following seven key use cases for accessible technology: Improving Content Accessibility Making Accessibility Features Easy to Find Improving Remote Meeting Tools Expanding & Improving Legibility Options Creating & Improving Tools to Help Developers Identify & Mitigate Accessibility Issues Improving Awareness of Issues, Features & Etiquette Related to Accessibility & Disability Providing Support When & How People Need It (The Key Use Case for Be My Eyes) Lay-Flurrie also highlighted the need for addressing accessibility issues at scale, noting that individuals with disabilities are twice as likely to be unemployed as those without—a gap that persists even among college graduates. “I’m so glad to see these issues and potential solutions being highlighted in the Senate,” said Joe Weber, manager of Accessibility Solutions at Be My Eyes. “Around 70% of blind and low-vision people around the world are unemployed, which is a key challenge that we set out to solve with our app. Microsoft was one of the earliest adopters of our help desk solution, and we couldn’t be more proud to be part of their accessibility toolset.” Full video of the hearing can be found here. (Lay-Flurrie’s testimony begins at 39 minutes, while she also participates in a Q&A session beginning at the 55-minute mark.) Lay-Flurrie’s full written testimony—in which she mentions Be My Eyes—can be found on Microsoft’s blog. Contact Details Be My Eyes Todd Kuipers todd@bemyeyes.com InclusionHub Bryan Koegel bryan@inclusionhub.com Company Website https://www.bemyeyes.com/

February 18, 2022 09:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

Appier closes out FY21 with revenue increase of 41% at 12.7 billion JPY

Appier

Highlights and achievements of fiscal year 2021: Achieved 12.7 billion JPY in annual revenue with a 41% year-over-year (YoY) growth rate in 2021, surpassing previous guidance of 12.3 million JPY - marks the consistent growth acceleration for the second consecutive year Annual gross profit up 51% YoY. With an expanded gross margin, Appier’s gross profit growth acceleration outpaces revenue Annual EBITDA profit reached 42 million JPY and marked the first year of full year positive EBITDA margin in Appier’s history. Annual EBITDA margin increased 13 percentage points YoY Strong momentum in new market expansion via the U.S. with more than 50% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) growth in the last 3 quarters Highlights of fiscal year 2022 guidance: Appier forecasts a 38% increase in YoY revenue growth to 17.5 billion JPY and gross profit is expected to surpass revenue at 45% YoY A full-year positive EBITDA profit to 575 million JPY with 1259% YoY growth rate Growth across regions and product lines are drivers of strong financial performance. Highlight and Achievements of Q4 FY21: Revenue increased by 40% YoY and hit a historical high to 3.9 billion JPY. EBITDA margin achieved 3% with historical high EBITDA profit of 129 million JPY. Achieved 32% YoY growth in customer numbers and a historical low churn rate of 0.73% Closing out the year with a bang TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 18 February 2022 - Appier Group Inc (TSE: 4180), henceforth referred to as Appier, today announced its fiscal and fourth quarter earnings results for the year ended 31 December 2021. Appier closed out the fiscal year of 2021 with an annual revenue increase of 41% YoY at 12.7 billion JPY - a consecutive second year of growth rate acceleration. An increase in the adoption of Appier’s solutions and growth in all regions are main drivers of this consistent growth. Annual gross profit has grown 51% YoY and annual EBITDA turned positive for the first time in Appier’s history. Appier is growing alongside its customers. A strong uplift of the Net Revenue Retention (NRR) at 123.8% for the year places Appier in a strong position entering 2022. The rate of net new customers reached 32% YoY in 2021 and Appier is now serving close to 1,100 [1] customers across the Asia Pacific and U.S.. Customers in the e-commerce (48%) sector continued to show strong demand as they aim to strengthen their ability to connect with consumers in a digital-led environment. Appier’s 2022 guidance comes with a forecasted annual revenue growth rate of 38% YoY and revenue at 17.5 billion JPY. The overall outlook for 2022 is optimistic with annual gross profit expected to surpass revenue at 45% YoY, as well as an expectation of a full-year positive EBITDA profit of 575 million JPY with 1259% YoY growth rate. Appier’s increasing growth across the regions and product lines are key drivers of this guidance for 2022. Highlight and Achievements of Q4 FY21 Appier's revenue grew at a rate of 40% YoY and recorded a historical high 3.9 billion JPY. EBITDA margin rose 3% to 129 million JPY, a historical high EBITDA profit. NRR maintained at a strong 123.8%, contributed by the growth from existing customers and the lowest customer churn rate of 0.73% in the company’s history. “To close out the fiscal year with such achievements is something we are all incredibly proud of. Our tremendous growth signals that the industry is responding well to AI technology that is first-party-data centric, and helping our customers grow has fueled ours,” said Dr. Chih-Han Yu, Appier’s CEO and co-founder. “Our ethos on innovation and customer-centricity has allowed us to iterate our solutions at lightning speed to adapt to moving market conditions. Customers are pivoting to solutions like ours that can help unify and enrich first-party data for their marketing and business needs. Demand for such innovation will only continue to grow,” Dr Yu continued. “As our world becomes increasingly digital and consent-based, the demand for AI-powered technology and analytics will only continue to rise and we see Appier as a key leader in supporting our customers with their AI-powered digital transformation,” he concluded. Adoption of AI and trend of first party data on the rise This quarter’s strong performance reflects the growth of the industry and the demand for AI-powered solutions that are first-party-data centric among our customers. Appier’s commitment to innovation and customer-centricity where we continue to adapt fast to industry trends, and iterate our solutions to offer the latest innovation to our customers is one of the drivers for the financial performance. Our relationships with customers continue to evolve as does the impact of our services on their business. Our momentum is also adapting to the ever-changing customer and business needs, and the growth of first-party-data centric consumer experiences. Cross-product synergistic solutions that add value to customers drive growth Now that BotBonnie, Appier’s omnichannel marketing platform acquired in May 2021 is integrating with AIQUA, their AI Personalisation Cloud, where customers will enjoy the benefit of unifying the first-party data across web apps and instant messaging to provide end-to-end personalised marketing and customer service while delivering interconnected personalised experiences to their customers and driving engagement at scale. AIXON, Appier’s customer data science platform and AIXPERT, Appier’s automated app advertising assistant, helps customers optimise their advertising campaigns with a 24-hour AI-powered operation. These cross-product synergies are a result of Appier’s ethos towards innovation. By continuously iterating and creating synergies across their solutions, they are able to add even more value to customers; help them make informed business decisions, overcome business challenges and ultimately achieve business growth. [1] Net new customers increased by 261 to 1,088 in 2021 at 32% YoY which maintains a high organic incremental increase of customers. About Appier Appier (TSE: 4180) is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that uses artificial intelligence to power business decision-making. Founded in 2012 with a vision of democratizing AI, Appier now has 17 offices across APAC, Europe and U.S., and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Visit www.appier.com for more company information and visit ir.appier.com/en/ for more IR information. Contact Details Appier Media Contact pr@appier.com

February 18, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Velocity Global integrates Contractor Payments to its Global Work Platform

Velocity Global

Increased demand for a simple hiring solution as number of independent workers wanting to work from anywhere is on the rise Velocity Global makes hiring and managing independent contractors easy with consolidated invoicing, automated, seamless payments, and locally compliant contracts Manage all talent in one place, including contractors and employees Velocity Global, the leading provider of global talent solutions, today announced the integration of its Contractor Payments solution into its Global Work Platform ™ as the latest solution for businesses and talent to work with anyone, anywhere, anyhow. “Contractor management and payments are traditionally a cluttered time suck for both businesses and talent, but now the Velocity Global platform removes this friction,” said Eric Schroeder, Velocity Global chief operating officer. “In today’s virtual workplace, companies want to engage the best talent in any country, which adds more complexity. Our platform simplifies the process from onboarding to payments for contractors around the world. This now creates one single location for managers and talent to connect, contractors and employees alike, freeing them to focus on the task at hand - delivering results.” Businesses are increasingly turning to independent workers, a rising classification of knowledge workers. The number of full-time, part-time and occasional independent workers in the U.S. increased by 34% over just two years to 51.1 million in 2021, according to the State of Independence in America survey, and spending by businesses on contingent talent rose by 23%. “We are in a new era of work in which talent takes more control over their time, location, and how they choose to engage with their employers,” said Schroeder. “With this shift in talent comes a shift in investment from businesses to meet talent where it is. The world of work is changing quickly and we offer all of the tools for businesses and talent to engage with each other in a single, accessible platform.” Currently, most contractors face archaic onboarding processes and payment confusion, while companies face the administrative complexity of managing a distributed workforce. Velocity Global’s new Contractor Payments solution provides locally compliant contracts, consolidated invoicing, automated and seamless payments, and mobile access to solve these issues for both sides. Velocity Global’s Contractor Payments solution is now available in the company's Global Work Platform. Learn more at https://velocityglobal.com/platform/contractor-payments/ About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work for anyone, anywhere, anyhow. Its Global Work Platform™ simplifies the employer and talent experience through its proprietary cloud-based talent management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. With talent solutions in more than 185 countries and all 50 United States, the platform combines global Employer of Record and Contractor Management to onboard, manage, and pay talent worldwide. More than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

February 17, 2022 07:01 AM Mountain Standard Time

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