FEMA GRAS status for Sweegen’s sweet protein brazzein technology

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., May 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global sweetness and flavor innovator, Sweegen has announced that its highly sought-after sweet protein Ultratia™ brazzein technology received the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status from the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA).

“Our customers and the industry have eagerly anticipated our brazzein FEMA GRAS status, and now we are excited to offer it as the star sweet protein in our Sweetensify Flavors Collection,” said Luca Giannone, SVP of Sales. “We’re pleased to demonstrate our Ultratia brazzein in the newly launched Sweetensify Flavors Collection at the IFT First trade show in Chicago July 17-19, 2023.”

Brands are encouraged to visit Sweegen’s food and beverage application team at IFT First, the Sweegen booth, located at the South Building — S1619 — IFT, for a sensory experience and learn how it can easily fit into their food and beverage products.

Sweegen is the first to attain FEMA GRAS status and to produce brazzein commercially globally. The designation is important because it allows manufacturers to use Sweegen’s Sweetensify Flavors confidently, including the novel sweet protein brazzein in their product formulations.

Brazzein’s unique characteristics make it special, and its commercialization and scaling have been challenging until now. Brazzein is a rare sweet protein that originates from the fruit of the West African climbing plant, oubli. To produce brazzein sustainably, Sweegen uses a proprietary precision fermentation process, which creates clean high-purity ingredients.

“This important milestone in food and beverage creation symbolizes Sweegen delivering on its promise to brands for opening doors to scalable state-of-the-art technology for creating better-for-everyone food and beverages,” said Hadi Omrani, VP of technical and regulatory affairs. “The FEMA GRAS status is a testament to the safety of brazzein as a flavor modifier that our customers can trust to explore new and exciting taste-modulating solutions.”

Sweetensify Flavors for taste modulation improves and modulates a variety of taste attributes, which can help brands push the boundaries of healthier product innovation. Brazzein’s exceptional formulation qualities inspired Sweegen to launch Sweentisify Flavors in April 2023. It is the newest flavor tool starring its novel sweet protein Ultratia brazzein, which also features thaumatin II and other unique proteins.

“Sweegen’s product development teams have discovered remarkable synergies between Sweetensify Flavors and our Signature Stevia systems,” said Casey McCormick, VP of global innovation.

Sweet proteins like brazzein have an affinity for different taste receptors on the tongue, especially the receptor known as T1R3, which is associated with both umami and sweetness perception. Leveraging this unique attribute, Sweetensify Flavors will enable product developers to maintain the quality of characteristic flavors and sweetness while reducing the amount of sugar they use in products.

“Sweegen’s Ultratia brazzein has received great feedback from our customers during the initial formulations phase and tastings,” said Casey McCormick, VP of global innovation. “Now, the timing of the FEMA GRAS status perfectly coincides with the launch of Sweegen’s Sweetensify Flavors, which offers the best sensory experience in better-for-everyone products.”

Sweegen recently attained FEMA GRAS status for thaumatin II, a sweet protein complementary to brazzein. With the addition of brazzein, Sweegen continues to expand its portfolio of safe and effective taste modulating flavors that can help food and beverage manufacturers meet the demand for healthier and delicious products to align with consumers’ holistic approaches to wellness.

About Sweegen

Sweegen provides sweet-taste solutions for food and beverage manufacturers around the world.
We are on a mission to reduce sugar and artificial sweeteners in the global diet. Partnering with customers, we create delicious zero-sugar products that consumers love. With the best modern sweeteners in our portfolio, such as Bestevia® Rebs B, D, E, I, M, and N, and sweet proteins brazzein and thaumatin, along with our deep knowledge of flavor modulators and texturants, Sweegen delivers market-leading solutions that customers want, and consumers prefer. Well. Into the Future.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1996. Sweegen’s actual results may differ from the estimates, assumptions, and other illustrative material contained herein, and consequently, a reader should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, illustrative information regarding Sweegen’s bottom-up assumed market potential, assumed hit rate, and the resulting revenue based on these model inputs. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results.

Industry, Market, and Other Data
In this press release, we rely on and refer to information and statistics regarding market participants in the sectors in which Sweegen competes and other data. We obtained this information and statistics from our own internal estimates and third-party sources, including reports by market research firms and company filings. We do not expressly refer to these sources. All of this information involves a number of assumptions and limitations, and the sources of such information cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information. The industry in which Sweegen operates is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of important factors, any of which could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by Sweegen or third parties.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, among other statements, statements regarding the future prospects for Reb M stevia leaf sweetener, brazzein, and thaumatin. These statements are based on current expectations, but are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond Sweegen’s control.

Relevant risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements and therefore should be carefully considered. Sweegen assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events or developments.

Attachments

Ana Arakelian, Head of Public Relations and Communications
Sweegen
+1.949.709.0583
ana.arakelian@sweegen.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8831913

Ai-Media Unveils AI-driven LEXI 3.0: The Future of Live Automatic Captioning

LEXI 3.0

Introducing the latest release LEXI, the world’s most advanced automatic captioning solution. With cutting edge features and unmatched accuracy, LEXI revolutionizes automatic captioning to deliver results that rival human captions at a fraction of the cost.

SYDNEY, Australia, May 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ai-Media, the global leader in professional captioning solutions, is proud to announce the launch of LEXI 3.0, the new and improved version of its flagship live automatic captioning solution. With cutting-edge enhancements and new features, LEXI 3.0 is the world’s most accurate and advanced automatic captioning solution, delivering results that rival human captions at a fraction of the cost.

Independent audits confirm that LEXI 3.0 consistently delivers results with 35% fewer recognition, formatting, and punctuation errors than the previous version.

Critically, LEXI 3.0 introduces new automated features, including speaker identification and AI-powered caption placement to avoid on-screen interference. Average quality results have increased significantly from 98.2% to 98.7% NER with this release.

LEXI 3.0 is an affordable on-demand solution perfect for live captioning a wide range of content types – from linear TV broadcast, OTT, Live Sports, and live streams, to meetings, events, lectures, and more.

Ai-Media’s Co-Founder and CEO, Tony Abrahams, said:

“20 years in the making, we’ve finally cracked the holy grail of making live automatic captioning a reality. LEXI 3.0 is a game-changer. We’re seeing accelerating adoption of automatic captioning driven by a significant increase in quality, reduction in latency, and release of new AI features that previously required manual intervention, such as speaker changes and placement of captions to not obscure important visuals.

“LEXI 3.0 is available immediately for existing Ai-Media customers at no additional cost and is delivered with any iCap Encoder (hardware, Alta, and Falcon) connected to Ai-Media’s iCap Cloud Network.”

To learn more about LEXI 3.0, click here.

About Ai-Media

Founded in Australia in 2003, technology company Ai-Media is a global leader in the provision of high-quality live and recorded captioning, transcription, and translation solutions. The company helps the world’s leading broadcasters, enterprises, and government agencies ensure high accuracy, secure and cost-effective captioning via its AI-powered LEXI automatic captioning solution and end-to-end range of captioning hardware. Globally, Ai-Media technology delivers 7 million minutes of live and recorded media content, online events, and web streams every month. Ai-Media (ASX: AIM) commenced trading on the ASX on 15 September 2020. For more information on Ai-Media please visit Ai-Media.tv.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0907bea0-b62d-4701-9a16-a712c101c4fe

Media Contact:
Fiona Habben
Senior Marketing Manager – Global
+61 411 727 592
fiona.habben@ai-media.tv

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8831119

Registration for GMAT™ Focus Edition to Open in August 2023

Free prep materials available two months prior to propel candidates to success on their business school journey

RESTON, Va., May 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Graduate Management Admission Council™ (GMAC), a global association representing leading business schools, today announced that registration for the GMAT™ Focus Edition, an updated version of the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam, will open on August 29, 2023 for testing in the fourth quarter this year. In addition, official GMAT Focus prep materials will be available on mba.com on June 6, 2023, with a free study planner of only six weeks to help test takers stick to a schedule, inform prep activities, and track progress, as well as a free GMAT Focus Official Starter Kit that comes with a sampler of 70 real GMAT questions and two full-length practice exams to help candidates establish performance baseline.

Earlier this year, GMAC introduced GMAT Focus Edition after extensive research efforts involving hundreds of school professionals and an in-depth concept testing with thousands of students globally. The GMAT, the most widely used business school admissions exam in the past seven decades, was redesigned with improved test taking experience and flexible new features to better support candidates of graduate business education. Schools will benefit from it as an improved element in their holistic admissions process.

“We want to encourage people with a broad set of qualifications, undergraduate backgrounds and lived experiences to understand the richness of their choice and take that leap forward on their business school journey,” said Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC. “It is our belief that GMAT Focus Edition will allow candidates to optimize their preparation for graduate business education while helping schools attract a global pool of qualified and diverse applicants.”

“This is an important evolution of the test,” said Bruce DelMonico, Assistant Dean for Admissions at Yale School of Management and a board member of GMAC. “In terms of the relevance and usefulness of the test, this is definitely a positive step that will be beneficial both to business schools and to candidates.”

More efficient, more flexible, and more insightful, in an all-new testing experience

The GMAT Focus Edition will feature three 45-minute sections: Quantitative Reasoning, which examines problem solving skills; Verbal Reasoning, which evaluates critical reasoning and reading comprehension but no longer incorporates sentence correction; and the newly developed Data Insights section, which measures candidates’ data literacy skills and ability to analyze and interpret data and apply it to real-world business scenarios. With these changes and the removal of the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), it is nearly one hour shorter than the current version of the GMAT and therefore requires less content to prepare. Besides new features that allow test takers to bookmark as many questions as they want, review questions within the remaining section time and change up to three answers per section, and to complete the three sections in any order, the enhanced Official Score Report now offers detailed performance insights that helps them assess strengths and identify focus areas at no additional cost.

“I think the redesign of the GMAT exam is testament to GMAC’s commitment to continuous improvement. Changes to the exam address the growing importance of certain competencies and the future of work – for example with the addition of Data Insight,” said Arnold Longboy, Executive Director, Recruitment & Admissions at London Business School.

New score scale and concordance to help assess candidate competitiveness

The GMAT Focus Edition’s Total Score, ranging from 205 to 805, is based on test taker performance on all three sections of the exam, with each section, ranging from 60 to 90, weighted equally. This change has been made to ensure that test takers and schools can easily distinguish from a GMAT Focus Edition score to the currently available GMAT Exam score, which ranges from 200 to 800. To understand a test taker’s relative competitiveness, one can use the concordance tables available on mba.com that link score distributions between the two versions of the exam by percentile. With the GMAT Focus Edition’s new score scale, percentile rankings deserve the primary attention from test takers and schools when looking to understand the results.

“When comparing scores of GMAT Focus Edition to the current version of the GMAT Exam, we encourage test takers and schools to compare percentile rankings rather than comparing total scores,” stressed Manish Dharia, director of product development at GMAC. “Because the Total Score scale and the score scale distribution have both changed, comparing total scores or section scores from the current version of the exam to the GMAT Focus Edition is not appropriate, accurate, or a meaningful comparison of performance. Scores of 600 and 605 may look similar, but they represent very different performance levels on different skills.”

Additional efforts to facilitate smooth transition and swift adoption

As GMAT Focus Edition rolls out for the remainder of 2023, the current version of the GMAT exam will continue to be available to candidates until early next year to facilitate their in-progress preparation and applications for business school. Also, to that end, the GMAT Focus Edition fees will remain the same as the current GMAT exam.

“Keep in mind, all GMAT exam scores – whether they are of the current GMAT or GMAT Focus Edition – continue to be valid for 5 years,” said Ashish Bhardwaj, senior vice president and head of market development at GMAC. “With the advance announcement of the new edition, we encourage candidates to proceed with registering and taking the GMAT exam in ways that best enable their pursuit of graduate management education.”

About GMAC

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. GMAC provides world-class research, industry conferences, recruiting tools, and assessments for the graduate management education industry as well as resources, events, and services that help guide candidates through their higher education journey. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment.

More than 12 million prospective students a year trust GMAC’s websites, including mba.com, to learn about MBA and business master’s programs, connect with schools around the world, prepare and register for exams and get advice on successfully applying to MBA and business master’s programs. BusinessBecause and GMAC Tours are subsidiaries of GMAC, a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.gmac.com

Media Contact:

Teresa Hsu
Sr. Manager, Media Relations
Mobile: 202-390-4180
thsu@gmac.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8829077

Amii welcomes over 2000 of the world’s brightest minds in AI to annual Upper Bound event

Four days of events include keynotes, panels, demos and socials from world-leading AI researchers and innovative business leaders

EDMONTON, Alberta, May 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amii (Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) welcomes the world AI community to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for Upper Bound, May 23-26. All are invited to attend the multi-day event, with diverse programming catered for AI researchers, industry leaders, pop culture enthusiasts and anyone who has ever been curious about artificial intelligence.

In-person and virtual tickets start at $0. Registration and schedules are available at upperbound.ai 

A celebration of AI excellence in Alberta and beyond, Upper Bound will take over Edmonton with a full event schedule and more than 100 events taking place in the downtown core. Upper Bound is pleased to welcome our 2023 keynote speakers including:

  • Richard S. Sutton, trailblazing AI researcher and Amii Chief Scientific Advisor, considered by many as the pioneer of reinforcement learning | Ticket Access: Community Pass, Upper Bound Pass, Talent Bursary All Access and Online Pass 
  • Cam Linke, CEO, Amii | Ticket Access: Upper Bound Pass, Talent Bursary All Access and Online Pass
  • Peter Stone, Executive Director of Sony AI America | Ticket Access: Academic Symposium and Upper Bound Pass (limited)
  • Marlos Machado, Amii Fellow & Canada CIFAR AI Chair | Ticket Access: Academic Symposium 

“AI is the most important tool of our time, and it continues to dominate global conversation,” says Cam Linke, CEO of Amii. “Upper Bound puts a spotlight on Alberta’s AI leadership and legacy and is a celebration of AI that welcomes everybody to learn, network, discuss and join in on the conversation. This is an invitation for the world’s AI community to experience the best of what Amii and Canada has to offer in scientific excellence, start-up creation and industry application — so they can leave inspired by the connections they’ve made, the information learned, and their ambitious ideas realized.”

Upper Bound is an AI event for everyone and includes sessions, demos, networking events and socials open for a range of ages and familiarity with AI. Scheduled events include:

  • An Academic Symposium, showcasing leading research and organized by Amii Fellows from the University of Alberta, one of the world’s top academic institutions for AI research.
  • Panels on AI in industry, including discussions on innovative applications of AI in industry; the demand for AI talent; advancing cellular agriculture; ventures and start-ups; and more.
  • AI & Culture, high-energy and fun events for all AI enthusiasts.
  • Social and networking opportunities with daily coffee catch up, beers with peers and the hottest ticket in town, the official Upper Bound Party.

Last year more than 2,000 attendees from 38 countries attended the inaugural event. Amii awarded Talent Bursaries to over 500 recipients from around the world to cover travel and accommodation costs with over 69% of recipients self-identified as members of underrepresented groups in STEM.

This year, Amii has awarded over $500,000 in Talent Bursaries to support 700 recipients from 22 countries to Upper Bound in person. An additional 612 global Talent Bursary applicants received Online Pass access for live-streamed content and full immersion in the Upper Bound app.

Upper Bound is proudly presented by Amii. One of Canada’s three centres of AI excellence as part of the Pan-Canadian AI strategy, Amii is an Alberta-based, non-profit institute that supports world-leading research in artificial intelligence and machine learning and translates scientific advancement into industry adoption. Learn more at amii.ca.

Media Contact

Lynda Vang, Communications Specialist

E: lynda.vang@amii.ca

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8829558

Government of Alberta invests in CCS knowledge sharing hub to advance carbon capture and storage projects across Canada and around the world

Hub initiative demonstrates leadership in climate action by identifying best practices and pathways to bring CCUS projects to life

Regina, Sask. and Calgary, Alta., April 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The world’s first open-source repository of knowledge and information about the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS/CCUS) projects will be established by the International CCS Knowledge Centre (Knowledge Centre) with foundational support from the Government of Alberta.

As a key action item included in Alberta’s Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan released April 19, 2023, the Government of Alberta is providing $3 million for the creation of a national CCS knowledge sharing hub that will be an important tool for Canada to meet its ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The mandate of the CCS knowledge sharing hub will be to collect and curate best practices and lessons learned from Canadian CCS projects past, present and future – drawing on knowledge from as many projects as possible from initial planning and feasibility studies, through to construction and ongoing operations – to enhance the success of CCS projects and promote continuous learning and improvement in CCS technology. Expansion of CCS is also a crucial step for creating and maintaining vital jobs in all heavy emitting sectors provincially and nationally in such areas as cement, iron and steel, power generation, petrochemicals, fertilizer, and oil and gas.

“Bringing large-scale CCS projects to life at the speed and scale that is required to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 requires unprecedented collaboration between industry, government, academia and other partners. The most effective way of reducing risk, lowering costs and improving performance of these multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects is to share our proven expertise and apply the experience gained across heavy-emitting industries in order to build a sustainable future for all,” said James Millar, president and chief executive officer of the International CCS Knowledge Centre.

“We are very grateful to the Government of Alberta for stepping up with this critical support, allowing us to launch the CCS knowledge sharing hub and ensure lessons learned from dozens of CCS projects planned across Canada are documented and made available to anyone who can benefit from them,” Millar added. “I would be remiss in not singling out the strong leadership of Environment and Protected Areas Minister Sonya Savage in helping to ensure this initiative moves forward.”

“Carbon capture and storage is a critical part of Alberta’s path to achieving a net-zero economy. With projects such as the Quest CCS facility operated by Shell Canada, and the Alberta Carbon Trunk Line, we have led the world in developing CCUS facilities and proving the capability of this technology to drastically cut CO2 emissions from the industries that are the bedrock of our economy and are the lifeblood of our communities. We look forward to working with the Knowledge Centre to ensure that Alberta and Canada remain at the forefront and capture the enormous opportunities that are before us as the world undertakes an aggressive expansion of CCS to curb rising emissions and address climate change,” said Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Sonya Savage.

The CCS knowledge sharing hub will be developed and operated by the International CCS Knowledge Centre to assess and identify best practices and frameworks to get CCS projects to final investment decision. Key to the initiative’s long-term success will be coordination and proactive promotion of the sharing of knowledge on CCS gathered from companies large and small to ensure the timely and efficient transfer of CCS best practices across Alberta, Canada and the globe – outcomes where industry and government jointly benefit. Sharing critical information on the development of projects from study stage into operation will greatly increase the transfer of crucial learnings, leading to better outcomes and inevitably a greater level of CO2 emission reductions in Canada.

At a global level, the world can’t afford not to pursue large-scale CCS as a key tool for meeting international climate commitments. The International Energy Agency and the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have concluded a massive investment in large-scale CCS is required in order to achieve the emissions reductions needed to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 2ºC. The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Synthesis Report Summary for Policy Makers forecast that the cost of climate mitigation would increase by 138 per cent without the application of CCS technologies.

Background:

The International CCS Knowledge Centre provides independent consultation and technical advisory services on large-scale CCS projects around the world, including a number of Alberta companies pursuing CCS projects as part of their long-term sustainability plans, including:

  • Completing the feasibility study (with funding provided by Emissions Reduction Alberta) and supporting front-end engineering and design (FEED) planning for the world’s first full-scale CCS facility on a cement plant at Heidelberg Materials’ Edmonton plant.
  • Supporting early-stage engineering work on CCS projects planned by several members of the Pathways Alliance, a coalition of the six largest oil sands producers that is planning to invest more than $24 billion in CCS and other emissions reduction technologies by the end of the decade in order to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
  • Partnering with Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) to provide successful applicants of the ERA’s Carbon Capture Kickstart with up to 200 hours of support on their pre-construction design and engineering studies for carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) projects, with funding provided by ERA. The 11 successful projects represent an estimated $20 billion in capital expenditures in a wide range of industrial sectors, including power generation, cement, fertilizer, forest products and oil and gas.

About the International CCS Knowledge Centre
The International CCS Knowledge Centre is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 by BHP and SaskPower to advance large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects as a critical means of managing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving the world’s ambitious climate goals.

The Knowledge Centre provides independent, expert advisory services for CCS projects across heavy-emitting industries based on our team’s unique experience developing the world’s first fully integrated post-combustion CCS facility on a coal-fired power plant. We have a proven track record of helping our clients lower costs, reduce risk and improve the performance of CCS projects across industries and technology platforms using the latest knowledge and lessons learned from major projects across the globe.

We also provide input to policy development and promote broad collaboration between stakeholders to enhance understanding of the critical role CCS plays in global decarbonization efforts and accelerate the deployment of new CCS projects around the world.

Learn more at ccsknowledge.com

Grady Semmens
International CCS Knowledge Centre
4032452667
gsemmens@ccsknowledge.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8827721

MODIFI Expands Its Footprint to Singapore to Better Serve Business Customers in Asia

MODIFI Expands Its Footprint to Singapore

MODIFI Expands Its Footprint to Singapore to Better Serve Business Customers in Asia

SINGAPORE, April 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MODIFI, a leading European fintech company specializing in cross-border payment solutions and provision of liquidity for exporters around the world, announces the opening of its new office in Singapore. The expansion is part of MODIFI’s strategy to strengthen its global presence and better serve customers in Asia.

The company’s Chief Commercial Officer, Matthias Hendrichs, will relocate from Germany to Singapore to lead the new office and oversee the company’s growth in the region. Hendrichs brings over 16 years of experience in Asia and has played an instrumental role in driving MODIFI’s global expansion to date.

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new office in Singapore, which marks an important milestone in our journey to expand our global footprint,” said Nelson Holzner, CEO of MODIFI. “With this new office, we aim to deepen our relationships with customers in Asia and provide them with the best cross-border payment solutions available.”

Singapore’s strategic location at the intersection of major shipping routes has made it a crucial port of call for ships traveling between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Moreover, with a well-developed air transport network and Changi Airport serving as a major hub for international flights, Singapore is an efficient location for businesses to transport goods and connect with global markets. Additionally, Singapore has recently surpassed Hong Kong and now ranks as the third largest financial center in the world.

MODIFI’s expansion to Singapore comes at a time when the company is experiencing rapid growth and increasing demand for its services in Asia. The company’s innovative platform offers exporters the No 1 payment method in cross-border business: With MODIFI, exporters get paid instantly while buyers can pay up to 180 days later. MODIFI’s solutions have already helped over 1,500 businesses around the world grow their business and expand into new markets.

“We are excited to be part of Singapore’s vibrant fintech ecosystem and collaborate with local partners to provide our customers with the best service,” said Hendrichs. “Our goal is to help businesses in Asia thrive by providing them with the support they need to succeed in today’s global marketplace.”

MODIFI’s new office is in Singapore’s financial district and will serve as the company’s regional headquarters for Asia.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/13e859a3-c59b-4abd-aca2-7fa61b2e475e

Contact person:

Sara Debevec, PR manager, marketing@modifi.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000806529

New World Citizenship Report 2023 shows HNWIs and mass affluent in search of freedom: CS Global Partners

London, April 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The second edition of the annual World Citizenship Report, reveals how high-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs) and the mass affluent are in search of greater freedoms – whether that means being able to enjoy better social safety and security for oneself and family, increased access to better employment prospects and business opportunities or being able to live in territories with higher social and institutional stability – the post-Covid ‘normal’ has global citizens looking beyond the confines of their own borders when thinking about their own future, and the future of their families.

With so much change happening so rapidly around us – inflation, broader macroeconomic volatility, geopolitical instability, energy uncertainty – it can be challenging to keep up with how all these disparate factors coming to bear on the prevailing attitudes toward global citizenship.

The World Citizenship Report is the world’s first-ever endeavour in investigating the value of citizenship through the lens of the global citizen. It answers how can we keep abreast of the shifting kaleidoscope of citizenship values and priorities using the World Citizenship Index, an innovative tool that takes a holistic approach to rank the world’s citizenships across multiple dimensions.

The World Citizenship Index is the product of a research-driven approach that goes beyond ordinary concepts of passport strength by placing greater emphasis on the diverse attitudes regarding key facets of citizenship. Unlike other rating tools, the World Citizenship Index ranking is designed to reflect a citizenship’s value through the lens of the newest generation of global citizens: the mass affluent population.

Biggest motivators to invest in alternative citizenship include quality of life, safety and security and financial freedom
The World Citizenship Report measures 188 countries across five motivators that are most relevant among the newest generation of global citizens – Safety and Security, Economic Opportunity, Quality of Life, Global Mobility and Financial Freedom.

This year, the Quality of Life ranked in first position of the five pillars, overtaking both Physical Safety and Financial Freedom.

Quality of Life looks at territories’ ability to provide its citizens with essential services required for a good standard of living, including higher standards of education and healthcare facilities.

Monaco, Denmark and Hong Kong took the top three spots in the Quality of Life pillar.

The United States came in at 29th position. African countries took the bottom 10 positions, with Somalia taking 185th place.

We are unfortunately living through a period where the standard of living is falling at the fastest rate in over a generation.

At the end of 2022, the UK Office for Budget Responsibility reported that UK households are set to suffer a 7.1 per cent fall in living standards over the next two years, the largest decline in six decades. And, according to the latest United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report published at the end of 2022, living conditions in 90 per cent of the world’s countries deteriorated in 2021 – something that hasn’t been seen since the height of the previous global recession caused by the financial crisis in 2007. Moreover, it marked the first consecutive year of decline in the 32-year history of the Human Development Index (HDI).
This data shows why quality of life is so highly coveted among global mass affluents, and indeed all individuals.

The Safety and Security motivator assesses how people in a certain country have the ability to enjoy greater social safety and security for themselves and their families and whether they have a safety net against being trapped in a territory with civil disorder.

Iceland took first place in the Safety and Security motivator, New Zealand came a close second place and Switzerland took third place. Afghanistan scored the lowest in this pillar.

Safety and Security remains an obvious top priority for the average mass affluent global citizen. This comes as no surprise given the uncertain state of the world – one need to look no further than the war in Ukraine as a painful reminder of the relative fragility of peace. Western nations now have a growing preoccupation or sense of danger around the prospect of war, having an active war so close to home compared with conflicts in Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world.

The Financial Freedom motivator measures the ability of a country to provide a favourable and stable regulatory climate for the establishment and functioning of businesses, as well as the holding of personal and business assets.

Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore took the first three spots in this pillar.

The growing desire for citizens to conduct their own financial affairs such as wealth management and estate planning without undue surveillance and burdensome regulations appears to be a feature of the current economic climate. While 43 per cent of World Citizenship Report survey respondents placed the heaviest emphasis on the employment opportunities typically associated with economic performance, those that placed importance on investments, estate planning, and wealth planning combined for a total of 37 per cent.

These sentiments reflect the growing perception that the rising costs of living and broader economic uncertainty are being accompanied by a creeping tax burden as state expenditures continue to escalate due to rocketing debt-servicing costs brought on by a tightening monetary landscape, rapid demographic changes, and other factors.

It must also be noted that governments themselves are being stressed by this tightening fiscal landscape due to the rising costs of servicing their debt – a factor that is fuelling the trend of rising tax burdens globally.

“In the 2022 edition of the World Citizenship Report, we only surveyed high-net-worth individuals (HNWI), this year, we expanded the survey to include a wider audience in order to gain a better perspective of what people prioritise in terms of their own nationality. The expanded audience of over 1000 participants included both HNWIs and the mass affluent from across the globe. Findings from the survey showed that while the research participants came from varied backgrounds and cultures, all with different needs and pain points, they all had one common goal: freedom,” concludes Micha Emmet, CEO of CS Global Partners. 

PR CS Global Partners
CS Global Partners
+44 (0) 207 318 4343
mildred.thabane@csglobalpartners.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8826229

Crurated Announces 2023 Exclusive Events

Hosted with renowned Producers and Chefs at some of the most prestigious restaurants, Domaines, and hotels Crurated events connect wine lovers to their favorite winemakers

Crurated Winemaker Dinner Featuring Wines from Domaine Pierre Girardin May 17 in NYC
May 17: Crurated will host an unforgettable evening of fine dining and exceptional wines at Legacy Records in New York City. The team, along with the winemaker Pierre-Vincent Girardin, will be serving a variety of wines from Domaine Pierre Girardin all in Magnum size; including Meursault Les Narvaux 2021, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2021, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens Bas 2021, Vosne-Romanée 2020, Échezeaux Grand Cru 2019, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 2018, and Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2020. Participation in this exclusive event is for paying members and by invite only.
Crurated Winemaker Dinner July 11 with Pierre Vincent Girardin from Domaine Pierre Girardin
July 11: Ecologically inspired Sabina Ibiza welcomes Crurated and 16 attendees to their five-star clubhouse for a delicious lunch-time experience. Food will be served from restaurant La Paloma and guests will meet the producers and taste wines from Domaine Vincent Dancer and Domaine Pierre Girardin.
Crurated Winemaker Dinner at Asador Etxebarri October 6 2023.jpeg
October 6: Crurated will host an exclusive winemaker dinner for 12 guests at one of the most celebrated restaurants, Asador Etxebarri, located in the Basque Region, a global gastronomique center of the world. Meet the winemakers and taste a selection of wines from Pomerol’s La Conseillante and Champagne Pierre Péters. Guests will also enjoy a deliciously paired menu from Basque Chef Victor Arguinzoniz.
Crurated Event in Chamgane June 12 -14. Featuring dinner at Billecart-Salmon in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ.JPG
June 12-14: Join Crurated for a special trip for only 10 lucky guests to the Champagne region with visits to top estates. Attendees will also dine at family maisons and exclusive restaurants and meet producers that include Mathieu Roland-Billecart, CEO of Billecart-Salmon, Frédéric Rouzaud, owner of Louis Roederer, Alexandre Chartogne of Chartogne-Taillet, Raphaël Bérêche of Bérêche et Fils, Rodolphe Péters of Pierre Péters. Luxury accommodations will be provided by Residence Eisenhower.
Crurated Winemaker Dinner Featuring Wines from Domaine Vincent Dancer.jpeg
November 6-11: An exclusive group of wine lovers will have the chance to experience winemaker dinners in either Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Singapore with Vincent Dancer of Domaine Vincent Dancer.
Crurated Winemaker Dinner Nov 6 thru 11 in Asia with Vincent Dancer.jpeg
November 6-11: An exclusive group of wine lovers will have the chance to experience winemaker dinners in either Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Singapore with Vincent Dancer of Domaine Vincent Dancer.
Crurated Winemaker Dinner featuring Arnoux-Lachaux wines November 6 thru 11 in Asia
November 6-11: An exclusive group of wine lovers will have the chance to experience winemaker dinners in either Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Singapore with Charles Lachaux of Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux and Charles Lachaux
Crurated Winemaker Dinner November 6 thru 11 in Asia with Charles Lachaux
November 6-11: An exclusive group of wine lovers will have the chance to experience winemaker dinners in either Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Singapore with Charles Lachaux of Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux and Charles Lachaux

LONDON, April 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Crurated, the London-based membership wine community designed to connect connoisseurs with world-class producers, today announced the 2023 schedule of events. Hosted at some of the most prestigious restaurants, Domaines, and hotels in the world, Crurated events connect members with their favorite winemakers. Event attendees also have the chance to taste tailored menus from world-renowned chefs in luxurious environments. To learn more or register visit https://crurated.com/events/.

“Our events are intimate affairs bringing together world renowned producers and the people who love their wines,” said Alfonso de Gaetano, Founder of Crurated. “Our team carefully crafts experiences that are unlike anything people have previously experienced. From one-on-one chats with winemakers to stays at some of the best locations on the planet and food from award winning chefs, these events are not to be missed.”

  • May 17: Crurated will host an unforgettable evening of fine dining and exceptional wines at Legacy Records in New York City. The team, along with the winemaker Pierre-Vincent Girardin, will be serving a variety of wines from Domaine Pierre Girardin all in Magnum size; including Meursault Les Narvaux 2021, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2021, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens Bas 2021, Vosne-Romanée 2020, Échezeaux Grand Cru 2019, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 2018, and Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2020. Participation in this exclusive event is for paying members and by invite only.
  • June 12-14: Join Crurated for a special trip for only 10 lucky guests to the Champagne region with visits to top estates. Attendees will also dine at family maisons and exclusive restaurants and meet producers that include Mathieu Roland-Billecart, CEO of Billecart-Salmon, Frédéric Rouzaud, owner of Louis Roederer, Alexandre Chartogne of Chartogne-Taillet, Raphaël Bérêche of Bérêche et Fils, Rodolphe Péters of Pierre Péters. Luxury accommodations will be provided by Residence Eisenhower.
  • July 11: Ecologically inspired Sabina Ibiza welcomes Crurated and 16 attendees to their five-star clubhouse for a delicious lunch-time experience. Food will be served from restaurant La Paloma and guests will meet the producers and taste wines from Domaine Vincent Dancer and Domaine Pierre Girardin.
  • October 6: Crurated will host an exclusive winemaker dinner for 12 guests at one of the most celebrated restaurants, Asador Etxebarri, located in the Basque Region, a global gastronomique center of the world. Meet the winemakers and taste a selection of wines from Pomerol’s La Conseillante and Champagne Pierre Péters. Guests will also enjoy a deliciously paired menu from Basque Chef Victor Arguinzoniz.
  • November 6-11: An exclusive group of wine lovers will have the chance to experience winemaker dinners in either Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Singapore with Vincent Dancer of Domaine Vincent Dancer and Charles Lachaux of Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux and Charles Lachaux. More details about these exclusive events will be available in the coming weeks.

Watch the Crurated social media channels and register at Crurated.com to become a member and stay up to date.

About Crurated
Launched in 2021 with an emphasis on France and Italy, Crurated is a membership-based wine community designed to connect connoisseurs with world-class producers. A team of specialists provides personalized services and authentic experiences, while Crurated’s seamless logistics service guarantees quality and provenance thanks to secure wine cellar storage and innovative blockchain technology. To become a member visit crurated.com.

PR Contact
Michael Volpatt
Michael@larkinvolpatt.com
415.994.8864

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GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8826169

WHR Global Releases “Ask the Expert” 2023 Destination Services Benchmark Report

MILWAUKEE, April 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WHR Global (WHR), a leader in the global employee relocation industry, announced the release of its international 2023 Destination Services Benchmark Report called “Ask the Expert.” WHR surveyed 32 companies from its trusted destination services provider network, covering 56 countries worldwide. WHR believes its Benchmark report will help current and future clients compare their global mobility programs to other companies’ destination service offerings for relocating employees and assignees. As companies continue to compete for talent, relocation benefits must be competitive.

Destination services help relocating employees get settled in their new location and can include the following: Area Orientation; Local Registration; Tenancy Management, Lease Check Out and Property Management; Home Search; Mortgage Counseling; Temporary Housing; Spousal and Partner Career Assistance; Help with Immigration (Visa and Immigration Regulations); School Search for Children; Moving Pets; Language and Cultural Training; and Other Settling-In Services.

WHR’s Benchmark data includes the following for 56 countries:

  • The average number of days companies offer destination services and days recommended, by country (by entry-level, mid-level and executive-level employees; and by varying family sizes).
  • The most common leasing arrangement for expats, by country.
  • Destination services presenting the most difficulty, by country.
  • Departure services offered for employees leaving a location, by country.
  • Ease or difficulty getting security deposits back and timeline, by country.
  • Additional recommended destination services, by country.

According to WHR Strategic Initiatives Manager, Sean Thrun, “Benchmarking destination services helps answer key questions that are critical to employee engagement and retention: Am I offering my employees enough support? Should we provide departure services, or are employees capable of handling on their own? What should my employees be aware of when they move to this country? If your employees are highly specialized and difficult to replace, this Benchmark will guide the service level you provide, and help your employees relocate eyes wide open.”

Findings from the comprehensive Benchmark include:

  • In Germany, a security deposit can take up to 11 months to be returned because the tenant must wait until the end of the year for utility company calculations.
  • In the Philippines, a destination service provider recommended at least two days support for entry-level employees (with family sizes of one) and five days of support for executive-level employees (with family sizes of three).

See more data and download the complete 2023 Destination Services Benchmark Report “Ask the Expert” here.

About WHR Global
WHR Global (WHR) is a private, client-driven global relocation management company distinguished by its best-in-class service delivery and cutting-edge, proprietary technology. WHR has offices in Milwaukee, Wis., Basel, Switzerland, and Singapore. With its 100% client retention rate for the past decade, WHR continues to position itself as the trusted leader in global employee relocation. WHR lives by its vision and passion for Advancing Lives Forward® and Making the Complex Simple. To learn more about WHR, visit http://www.whrg.com, or follow on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Media Contact: Mindy Stroiman, Corporate Writer
Mindy.Stroiman@whrg.com
262.523.7510

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8812389

UBTECH Smart Elderly Care Solution honored as the winner of the 2023 Edison Awards™

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, USA, April 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, April 20, 2023– UBTECH, a leading global AI and robotics company, was honored the Bronze award of the 2023 Edison Awards™’ MedTech category for the distinguished innovation of its Smart Elderly Care Solution.

Known as the “Oscars of tech,” the Edison Awards™ is one of the oldest and most prestigious technology awards. It honors the most impactful brands and business leaders worldwide, with past winners including Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, General Motors, and Genentech, recognizing their excellence in service development, marketing, design, and innovation.

All nominations were reviewed by the Edison Awards Steering Committee with the final ballot determined by an independent judging panel. The panel is comprised of more than 3,000 senior business executives and academics from the fields of product development, design, engineering, science, marketing and education, as well as past winners.

UBTECH’s Smart Elderly Care Solution offers an enriched portfolio of intelligent robots to enhance the quality of life for seniors. In addition to using cutting-edge robotics technologies, the solution also leverages advanced artificial intelligence. And through UBTECH’s Smart Healthcare Cloud Platform, the Smart Elderly Care Solution creates a network that enables seamless integration of a variety of devices. This interconnect between hardware, network and people supports the seven key scenarios of smart elderly care: operational management, safety and security, health management, daily care, rehabilitation, mental and physical activities, and nutrition and diet.

“This is the industry’s comprehensive solution that combines advanced robotics and AI technology to assist seniors and their caregivers in nursing homes. Rather than providing services using isolated, individual products, we focus on addressing system-level challenges. By extensively applying AI technology, we vastly improved product performance to bring a richer, more optimized experience to the elderly and caregivers,” Henry Tan, Co-Chief Technology Officer of UBTECH and General Manager of UBTECH Healthcare, says, “It is an honor to have our Smart Elderly Care Solution be recognized by the Edison Awards™.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, starting in 2030, all baby boomers will be 65 and older. And by 2034, older adults will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. This forecast generates demand for efficient, comprehensive assistive care solutions.

Designed for accessibility, UBTECH’s Smart Elderly Care Solution portfolio accepts a multitude of inputs. Its smart sensors, working in parallel with its data platform, transform care from passive to proactive in assisting with daily tasks. And with rich interactive features, the solution can support seniors’ physical and mental well-being.

Moving into the smart care era, UBTECH provides people with an intelligent, independent, and convenient solution to raise the standard for the elderly care industry. Within the past year, UBTECH has released five service robots: Wassi, an intelligent walking assistance robot; VerCari, a containerized delivery robot; PathFynder, a smart wheelchair; AuCari, an open delivery robot; and Welli, a companion robot.

Due to its utility and innovation, UBTECH’s Smart Elderly Care Solution is garnering international interest. The PathFynder smart wheelchair is now exploring market in North America. In addition, UBTECH has worked with companies and partners to deliver and implement the solution in different facilities and scenarios. These successes are encouraging UBTECH to continue its mission to refine its technologies, pushing the industry forward to promote a higher quality of care.

As UBTECH expands its business globally, it expects to generate higher value and provide higher-quality services for seniors worldwide. By continuing to develop robotics and AI, the company aims to address the long-term challenge for society and create a new industry to boost the global economy.

About UBTECH

UBTECH, established in March 2012, is a leading AI and robotics company specializing in service robotics research, manufacturing, and marketing. Throughout the ongoing journey, from establishing an R&D center in North America focusing on the healthcare sector in 2019 focusing on applying solutions in various elderly-care scenarios, to releasing its global strategy for smart elderly-care in 2022, UBTECH has been a pioneer and leader in smart service robotic solutions. UBTECH is committed to the vision of transforming the healthcare industry and the sustainable development of the elderly-care economy with innovative technologies, together with industry partners.

Press contact

Jade Su

Senior PR Manager

Jade.su@ubtrobot.com

Attachments

Cindy Li
UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD
cindy.li@ecoinst.ca

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8824058