ClickIPO Rebrands Itself as Click Capital Markets




ClickIPO Rebrands Itself as Click Capital Markets

Click Capital Markets is empowering broker dealers globally with access to a broader range of New Issue products

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz,, April 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ClickIPO (“Click” or the “Company”), a leading fintech platform that provides turnkey access to Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) for Broker-Dealers, today announced its expanding its investment products and rebranding to Click Capital Markets.

“We are very excited about rebranding to Click Capital Markets as it demonstrates our extensive transformation into a more diversified capital markets provider to include our traditional IPO business, as well as Unit Investment Trusts (UITs), Closed End Funds (CEFs), Alternative Investments, and Structured Products. This rebranding is also meant to reflect the confidence in our business, our capabilities and our growing team,” said Scott Coyle, President and Founder of Click. “Over the past 5 years we have steadily grown our underwriter and issuer relationships, expanded the number of broker-dealers globally that are connected to our platform via API, giving their retail customers easy access to U.S. capital markets products. We have participated in over 400 different product offerings in the last few years, made significant technology investments to improve our global platform, and established several new capital markets relationships that enable us to expand our product offerings.”

The Company selected Click Capital Markets as its new primary brand name to reflect the broader capabilities it has and includes a new fresh, modern and business-friendly look that supports the Company’s commitment to making the latest New Issue capital markets products available on a global scale, democratizing access for both issuers and investors.

Mr. Coyle continued, “with these new online broker-dealer relationships, we expect our distribution capabilities to exceed 25 million global retail investors by the end of this year. This is an amazing time for Click, our partners, and the U.S. capital markets!”

The Company’s corporate name and broker-dealer subsidiary, Click IPO Securities, will remain the same and will be doing business as Click Capital Markets. The Company launched its rebranded website that includes additional content and information about its new issue product line, which can be found at: click.markets.

About ClickIPO Securities and Click IPO Holdings (d/b/a Click Capital Markets)

Click Capital Markets (by way of Click IPO Securities, LLC), offers an API designed to give U.S. and foreign brokerage firms and financial advisors, access to a wide variety of U.S. registered New Issue capital markets products including IPOs, Secondary Offerings, UITs, and CEFs, with structured products, corporate debt and alternative assets to be added in the near future. Click has agreements with over 55 leading underwriters serving new issuers in the capital markets. Visit https://click.markets to learn more.

ClickIPO Securities, LLC is a broker dealer registered with the SEC, and is a member of FINRA and SIPC. ClickIPO Holdings, LLC is the parent company of Click IPO Securities, LLC, and owns the patented and proprietary technology application known as ClickIPO™. ClickIPO Holdings has granted Click IPO Securities, LLC an exclusive and perpetual license to use the application and authorization to relicense it for use by other registered broker dealers, including the retail investor’s broker dealer of record. Access to Click Capital Markets new issue products may not be available in some jurisdictions.

Media Contact:
Marcus Freeland – marcus@click.markets

New Issuer Contact
Chris Kern – issuer@click.markets

A graphic accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/57c916b6-d61e-472f-a95e-dda11a7ab11f

The Founders Arena Unveils Startups Participating in Second Annual WealthTech Accelerator




The Founders Arena Unveils Startups Participating in Second Annual WealthTech Accelerator

New cohort features companies innovating in areas including AI, Data Analytics, Automation, Estate Planning, and Embedded Finance
Accelerator program aims to foster digital solutions for wealth management industry

ARLINGTON, Texas, April 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator, in collaboration with First Rate, Inc., SEI®, Republic Capital Group, the City of Arlington and the Arlington Economic Development Corporation, are announcing the selection of the next cohort of companies that will be joining its second global accelerator program beginning today.

Building on the success of its inaugural program, this year’s lineup includes Bento Engine, Caribou Wealth, Responsive AI, Testimonial IQ, Trustate and Upswot, marking another milestone in the accelerator’s mission to advance wealth management through technology.

Echoing the accelerator’s unique position, Pamela Cytron, President of The Founders Arena, states, “Our second cohort represents the forefront of WealthTech innovation, with solutions that promise to reshape the industry’s future. As society approaches the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in history, the wealth management industry must evolve to meet the digital-first preferences of newer generations. These startups are at the helm of this transformation.”

Each company in the cohort brings a distinctive approach to wealth management challenges:

• Bento Engine: Bento Engine is focused on the intersection of technology and impactful wealth management advice. Bento combines a powerful Advice Engine, a Proprietary Content Library and timing expertise to make Financial Advisors more impactful and more efficient. Bento Engine is based in Westport, Connecticut.
• Caribou Wealth: Caribou is a non-commissioned healthcare planning company that works exclusively with financial advisors and their clients to plan for current and future healthcare costs, creating holistic and accurate financial plans. Caribou Wealth is based in San Francisco, California.
• Responsive AI: Responsive is a hybrid wealth advisor solution for banks and private managers. Responsive specializes in building software that enhance advisors’ productivity and engagement. Their behavioral data analysis enables advisors to identify and act on client opportunities and risks. Responsive AI is based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
• Testimonial IQ: Testimonial IQ is a fully compliant marketing validation platform tailored for financial advisors, enabling them to generate client testimonials, enhance their digital presence, and effectively accelerate growth. The platform streamlines the process, from gathering reviews to sharing them publicly on sites like Google Reviews, with built-in disclosures and compliance oversight. Testimonial IQ is based in Denver, Colorado.
• Trustate: Trustate is the world’s first estate operations platform that automates the tedious tasks associated with trust funding and estate/trust administrations. Trustate’s solution saves professionals countless hours of non-billable time, enabling them to focus on what matters most—their clients. Trustate is based in Tampa, Florida.
• upSWOT: upSWOT is a white-label embedded finance and business management platform designed to uncover key data driven insights for relationship managers. The data insights platform allows small and mid-size businesses to connect their accounting, ERP, payroll, eCommerce, marketing, CRM, and other apps to get accurate cash flow forecasts, credit score boost, and business valuation tools, and actionable insights for advisors to enhance their digital wealth offerings to their clients. UpSWOT is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Beginning today in Arlington, Texas, the 12-week accelerator program is designed to propel early- to growth-stage WealthTech founders in scaling their revenue and go-to-market efforts. Participating startups benefit from mentorship, strategic partnerships, and direct engagement with leading financial institutions through highly curated in-person and virtual “VIP Days”.

“The global wealth management landscape is ripe for innovation, and The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator has demonstrated an ability to identify and grow the next generation of companies that can transform WealthTech,” said Sneha Shah, Head of New Business Ventures at SEI. “We’re excited to build brave futures^SM and continue building meaningful connections between financial institutions and the program’s startups.”

The 12-week program will take place in the heart of Arlington, Texas, a hub for technological innovation. With funding from the Arlington Economic Development Corporation, The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator runs a variety of year-round community programming including student hackathons, networking events, technical assistance workshops and more in partnership with local schools and organizations including Tarrant County Community College and The University of Texas at Arlington.

“The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator has brought tremendous innovation and economic vitality to Arlington. As we welcome and celebrate the new cohort of companies, we continue to embrace the spirit of entrepreneurship and technological advancement that defines our city,” said Marty Wieder, executive director of the Arlington Economic Development Corporation.

“We are excited to partner once again with The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator as we welcome this second cohort of impressive startups,” said Trina Stone, Co-Founder, First Rate, Inc. “These companies have already proven they can add value to the wealth management sector, and through the accelerator, they will also be able to have a positive impact on the local ecosystem here in Arlington.”

As part of the program, The Founders Arena is inviting wealth managers, banks, investors, and other strategic partners across the financial services ecosystem to engage with the second cohort through a series of interactive workshops and presentations designed to accelerate research and development efforts in the WealthTech space. Interested companies can sign up here.

“Republic Capital Group is excited to join as an official partner of The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator. We pride ourselves on staying ahead of the curve by bringing the very best WealthTech solutions to our clients in the wealth management industry, and our participation in the accelerator will help us do just that,” said John Langston, CEO, Republic Capital Group.

About The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator
The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator (TFA), based in Arlington, TX, is an accelerator program dedicated to supporting the next generation of WealthTech startups globally. In partnership with the City of Arlington, First Rate Inc., SEI® and Republic Capital Group, TFA provides a comprehensive ecosystem of resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. By fostering collaboration between startups, financial institutions, and the local community, TFA aims to drive innovation in wealth management and contribute to Arlington’s growing reputation as a hub for financial technology. TFA’s program includes mentorship sessions, technical workshops, and community engagement activities, all designed to accelerate startup growth and promote innovation within the WealthTech sector. Through its unique blend of startup support and community involvement, The Founders Arena is paving the way for transformative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the wealth management industry.

CONTACT: Contact:
info@thefoundersarena.com

MarginEdge Named by Forbes as One of America’s Best Startup Employers in 2024




MarginEdge Named by Forbes as One of America’s Best Startup Employers in 2024

The leading restaurant management platform organically selected by Forbes out of 3000 eligible companies as one of the 500 best privately-owned startup employers in 2024

ARLINGTON, Va., April 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MarginEdge, the leading restaurant management and bill payment platform, today announced it has been recognized by Forbes on the America’s Best Startup Employers 2024 list. MarginEdge finished among the top 500 finalists and 3000 eligible companies.

The application-free Forbes America’s Best Startup Employers 2024, in partnership with market research firm Stastia, reviewed 3000 privately-owned companies that are headquartered in the United States, employ more than 50 people, and were founded between 2014 and 2021. The companies were evaluated based on three primary criteria: company reputation, employee satisfaction and growth. After assessing millions of data points to determine company scores, the 500 startups with the highest scores made the final ranking of the America’s Best Startup Employers 2024 list.

“We’re absolutely honored and humbled to be included on Forbes’ America’s Best Startup Employers 2024 list,” said Bo Davis, CEO of MarginEdge. “It’s an immense honor and a living testament to both our incredible team and our culture of collaboration and innovation. We’ve always believed that people come first, whether it’s our own crew or the folks we serve. This recognition fuels our fire to continue investing in our people and making a real difference.”

As a team founded by operators with over 45 restaurants between them prior to MarginEdge and a sales team with collectively 400+ years of restaurant experience, MarginEdge’s mission is to bring operators the same energy, attention to detail and passion they bring to their guests. The company’s culture is deeply rooted in service because the founders and much of the team came from hospitality roles. MarginEdge designs their software with a deep understanding for the complexity of running a restaurant and the goal of making it easier for operators by taking time-consuming back office tasks off their plate and empowering them with real-time data to make decisions in the moment.

Recent best workplace achievements for MarginEdge include Glassdoor’s Best Place to Work in 2024, Inc. Best Workplaces, The Washington Post Top Workplace and Washington Business Journal Best Places to Work. Other recognitions include 2023 Inc. Power Partner Awards, 2022 and 2023 Inc. 5000, Washington Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Companies 2023, and The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies in 2023 by the Financial Times.

About MarginEdge
MarginEdge’s mission is to create a world where restaurant operators can focus on the business they love. By using best-in-class technology to eliminate unproductive paperwork and streamline the flow of operational data, MarginEdge is reimagining the back office and freeing restaurants to spend more time on their culinary offerings and guest experiences. The platform offers market-leading invoice processing, inventory management, recipe analysis, budgeting, performance tracking and supplier bill payment capabilities. Founded by industry veterans, MarginEdge serves a diverse group of operators from single units and small chains to large franchise and hospitality groups, providing a high impact product that resonates across the hospitality industry. For more information visit marginedge.com.

Media Contact:
Cara Harbor
Firecracker PR
(888) 317-4687
cara@firecrackerpr.com

Sircles Crowdfunding Campaign to Close on April 19, 2024, After Raising $1.5 Million




Sircles Crowdfunding Campaign to Close on April 19, 2024, After Raising $1.5 Million

The campaign, hosted on Wefunder, has garnered significant attention and support, raising $1.5 million from enthusiastic backers.

Sacramento, CA, April 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Sircles, the social recommendations app designed to revolutionize the way its users discover and share local businesses, is on the cusp of concluding its highly successful crowdfunding campaign on April 19, 2024. The campaign, hosted on Wefunder, has garnered significant attention and support, raising $1.5 million from enthusiastic backers.

Highlights of Sircles’ Crowdfunding Journey:

• Rapid Succession Funding: Sircles has raised over $5.5 million from multiple rounds of equity crowdfunding by nearly 5,000 investors. This latest campaign marks their third consecutive crowdfunding effort, demonstrating unwavering investor confidence in the platform.
• User Engagement: Sircles boasts a 300% increase in new users in 30 days and an impressive day 2 retention rate of over 60%, indicating that users find value in the platform and continue to engage with it beyond their initial experience. 

Influential Catalysts in Sircles’ Growth:

• RAD Radio’s Role: RAD Radio has served as a significant catalyst in Sircles’ initial growth, amplifying its reach and message to a broader audience, thereby contributing to its early success.
• Celebrity Partnerships: Sircles’ founder, John Worthington and COO, Danny Hinkle, have successfully secured partnerships with notable celebrities including Dale Moss and Jackson Michie, bolstering the platform’s credibility and visibility.
• Backing by the Maeson Group: The support and backing of the Maeson Group, based out of New York, have been instrumental in providing validation and substantial support to Sircles’ mission and vision, further enhancing its trajectory.

The Problem Sircles Solves:
Traditional online review platforms, such as Yelp, have faced criticism for their biased algorithms, negativity, and unfair treatment of small businesses. Sircles takes a different approach by promoting positivity and trust. Here’s how it works:

• Recommendations from Friends: Sircles allows users to store their favorite businesses like a digital rolodex. When you recommend a business, it’s publicly displayed for your friends and followers to see. No more negative reviews—just love and positive vibes! 
• A Safe Space: Unlike other platforms, Sircles intentionally excludes negativity, creating a safe environment for users to explore recommendations, share experiences, and connect with their circle of friends.

Founder’s Vision:
As small business owners themselves, the Sircles team understands the challenges faced by local establishments. They aim to empower businesses while providing users with reliable recommendations from people they trust.

Join the Revolution:
Investors have just two weeks left to participate in Sircles’ crowdfunding campaign. Be part of a movement that reshapes recommendations and supports local businesses. For more information and to invest, visit Sircles on Wefunder.

About Sircles
Sacramento founders of Tech 2U, John Worthington, and Todd Fiore, banded together once again to create Sircles. Sircles is recommendations from friends and people you trust. Store your favorite restaurants, movies, nail salon, etc. Easily find and map your friend’s favorites. Get rewarded for sharing. Create your Sircle of Trust. No longer rely on reviews written by strangers, as they are often fake or false. Sircles is, and always will be, a positive, sharing community. For more information go to http://www.sircles.com or to join nearly 5000 investors on Wefunder at wefunder.com/sircles

For media inquiries, please call Shawntelle Minear, Executive Vice President of Business Affairs, Sircles (916) 905-5068.

SOURCE Sircles

Related Links

http://www.sircles.com

CONTACT: 
Shawntelle Minear
Sminear at sircles.com

Electric Sheep Robotics Wins 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award, Startup of the Year




Electric Sheep Robotics Wins 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award, Startup of the Year

Electric Sheep, creator of AI-powered robots working as autonomous agents for landscaping in outdoor environments receives inaugural startup award

SAN FRANCISCO, April 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Electric Sheep, who is creating the first large-scale outdoor maintenance company powered by artificial intelligence and robotics, announced that it has been named 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award as Start up the Year.

Electric Sheep is acquiring traditional outdoor service providers and progressively transforming operations by deploying proprietary AI software and robots. Electric Sheep’s ML models are designed to automate various physical tasks like mowing and knowledge work like fleet management.

Electric Sheep is bringing a new business model to an industry that is ripe for innovation; by acquiring these businesses first and incorporating this full data and AI deployment engine, the company is creating a fully scalable and sustainable business that is really a first in the outdoor services market. As this model scales, Electric Sheep is poised to build a real-life RL (Reinforcement Learning) factory to train AI agents for sustainable outdoor work. Electric Sheep robotics are currently deployed in hundreds of customer sites running robots daily and improving the performance of its foundational AI world models.

“We are honored to be recognized by WTWH Media’s Robotics Group with this inaugural award. I want to also acknowledge our dedicated team at Electric Sheep that are passionate about creating the most advanced robotics that can change an often overlooked industry,” said Nag Murty, co-founder and CEO of Electric Sheep. “We are doing things differently than other robotic companies by using AI and ML at a higher level for localization and high-level control. We are scaling physical agents across the country to care for our outdoor spaces.”

“The incredible work of this year’s RBR50 winners represents the cutting edge of robotics and raises the bar for the industry, said Steve Crowe, Executive Editor, Robotics, WTWH Media. We look forward to celebrating all of the innovators at the inaugural RBR50 Gala during the Robotics Summit & Expo. Congratulations to the RBR50,” said Steve Crowe, Executive Editor, Robotics, WTWH Media.

At the Robotics Summit and Expo, Electric Sheep will demo its newest robot, Verdie in the RBR Showcase. Verdie, like its other robots, is powered by Electric Sheep’s AI agent, ES1. This is ESR’s way to enable an outdoor autonomous system to operate in any outdoor setting with zero teaching. Using recent advances in GenAI, ES1  is a learned world model that enables reasoning and planning for both its RAM robot for mowing and now its Verdie robot used for edging and trimming lawns and bushes and blowing leaves.

Additionally, Nag Murty will be speaking on the panel Startup Survival Guide to Lean Times at the Robotics Summit & Expo on Thursday, May 2 at 2:30 p.m. at the Boston Convention Center. Nag will be joined by Oliver Mitchell, Partner of ff Venture Capital, Fiona O’Donnell McCarthy, Principal of True Ventures and Steve Crowe, Executive Editor of Robotics WTWH Media. This panel will share tips from experienced investors and robotics companies on what they’re looking for and attendees will learn how organizations can navigate the challenging path to commercialization.

About the RBR50 Innovation Award
For more than 10 years now, the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards have recognized the most innovative and influential organizations in the robotics industry. Electric Sheep along with all of the 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award winners will be celebrated at the Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be held on May 1-2 in Boston. Tickets for the inaugural RBR50 Gala can be purchased when registering for the Robotics Summit.

About Electric Sheep
Electric Sheep is creating the first large-scale outdoor maintenance company powered by artificial intelligence and robotics. It is acquiring traditional outdoor service providers and progressively transforming operations by deploying proprietary AI software and robots. Electric Sheep’s ML models are designed to automate various physical tasks like mowing and knowledge work like inventory management. Through consolidation and AI-fueled vertical integration, Electric Sheep will become a major player in the $1 Trillion Global Market for outdoor infrastructure services. The company is based in San Francisco and funded by Tiger Global and Foundation Capital. Learn more at https://sheeprobotics.ai/.

Media contact:
Gina Rezendes
Big Swing Communications
617-640-9278
gjna@big-swing.com

An image accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/438184f2-301b-4f24-9b2e-57479fee41bb

Eden’s Harvest Launches Crowdfunding for Chaga Mushroom Craft Beer 




Eden’s Harvest Launches Crowdfunding for Chaga Mushroom Craft Beer 

The first true craft beer made with a proprietary process from single-source, Alaskan Birch tree-grown, pollutant-free Chaga mushrooms is open to investors on the Title3Funds platform

San Francisco, CA, April 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eden’s Harvest, Inc. announced today the launch of its crowdfunding campaign on the Title3Funds platform, giving investors the opportunity to help lead the revolutions in both craft beer and innovative alternative beverages. 

Read the full offering at Title3Funds now and invest in Eden’s Harvest

Earlier this year, Eden’s Harvest debuted its first two functional mushroom craft beers, the world’s first alcoholic brews featuring liquid extracts of single-source, sustainably harvested chaga from boreal forest birch trees in Alaska. Their proprietary methods utilize only the purest ingredients, with the highest antioxidant properties. The beers are already being distributed in restaurants and stores in California and national distribution will expand throughout 2024. Additional alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic beers, hard seltzer beverages and other adaptogen-powered drinks are coming soon. 

With a minimum investment of $100 and the craft beer market estimated to hit $200 billion globally this year, Eden’s Harvest expects to raise over $1 million with this Regulation CF equity offering. Title3Funds is known for its thorough vetting and accountability policies and unlike Kickstarter, allows those who invest to receive an actual stake in the company. 

“Join us as we disrupt the craft beer industry with innovation and an exclusive source for the most antioxidant packed ingredient on earth,” said Joe Wallace, Founder of Eden’s Harvest. “People are beginning to expect more from their beverages, without sacrificing taste, and Eden’s Harvest delivers.” 

Eden’s Harvest’s chaga mushrooms are wild-harvested from Alaska, through exclusive relationships with the native Inuit who harvest them traditionally, so they have nutrients that cannot be found in mycelium grown on grain in a lab. Chaga mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus) have been used for centuries in traditional medicine particularly in Siberia and other parts of Asia and are known for their potential health benefits due to their rich nutrient content and bioactive compounds. 

Some of the benefits attributed to Chaga mushrooms include improved liver function, skin and cardiovascular health, along with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood sugar regulation effects. Some studies even suggest Chaga may have anti-cancer properties.* One 12 oz. Eden’s Harvest Beer has the equivalent antioxidant power of eating 6 lbs of blueberries. 

Eden’s Harvest  Brewmaster Chris Anderson started brewing in 1998 at Midnight Sun Brewing in Alaska and has won over 400 medals and ribbons in competitions around the world, including 7 gold medal winners and Best in Show at America’s Finest City Beer. 

All information including term sheets, form c, risks and disclosures, and market analysis is available here.

For business inquiries about Eden’s Harvest contact joe@edensharvest.com and grace@edensharvest.com

For media inquiries about Eden’s Harvest contact owen@thoughtgangmedia.com

About Eden’s Harvest, Inc.:
Eden’s Harvest was founded in 2022 in California to leverage the founders’ years in the beverage industry, expertise in the mushroom world, and gold-medal winning craft beer experience, to innovate new products which serve a public that expects more from what they drink. More info at edensharvest.com

*Disclaimer: 
Eden’s Harvest is not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA and these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have health concerns, consult your doctor or healthcare provider prior to using any of these products.

Attachment

• Eden’s Harvest, the first craft beer made with ingle-source, Alaskan Birch tree-grown Chaga

CONTACT: For business inquiries about Eden’s Harvest contact joe@edensharvest.com and grace@edensharvest.com 

For media inquiries about Eden’s Harvest contact owen@thoughtgangmedia.com

Landing Acquires Barsala to Fuel Momentum Across Multifamily Sector




Landing Acquires Barsala to Fuel Momentum Across Multifamily Sector

Barsala founder sells company for $30M; acquisition scales Landing’s Autopilot offering to meet demand for flexible living and drive revenue for property partners

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Landing, the company behind the first membership for flexible apartment living, announced today that it has acquired Barsala, a leading tech-enabled flexible housing operator, for $30 million. The acquisition expands access to Landing’s full-service Autopilot offering, which maximizes revenue for multifamily property partners by adding furnished, flexible living in their apartment communities. Under the new deal, Landing will add more than 1,000 units across 11 markets to its Autopilot program.

“By activating otherwise vacant units using a combination of technology and marketing, Barsala has built a profitable model and strong reputation, cultivating deep partnerships with class A multifamily property owners,” said Bill Smith, Founder and CEO of Landing. “This acquisition allows us to bring the benefits of our Autopilot platform and heightened demand from our qualified members to a growing number of property owners across the country, while opening doors to more fully-furnished apartment homes in new markets for our members.”

Since its inception in 2016, Barsala has partnered with multifamily developers across the country to convert thousands of vacant, zero-income producing units into fully-furnished rentals. Its flexible lease-up options typically begin generating cash flow within 30 days for partners. Now, as part of Landing, its partners unlock virtually instant demand through Landing’s nationwide community of members seeking quality, furnished apartments. Property owners also gain access to Landing’s corporate housing demand and can minimize vacancy gaps with Standby bookings.

“Bill is a true visionary and an extraordinary entrepreneur. I am thrilled to join forces with him and the rest of the Landing team, and share their vision for a more flexible future,” said Michael Monu, Founder and CEO of Barsala. “Landing is at the forefront of bringing flexible living to the masses, and this acquisition amplifies the opportunity to offset vacancies and maximize revenue for both new and existing property partners.”

Barsala Founder and CEO, Michael Monu, will join Landing as President of the Barsala division, and Co-Founder and CTO, Michael Copley, will join as VP of Technology Operations.

For more information on Landing and its Autopilot offering for property partners, visit https://www.hellolanding.com/p/propertypartner/.

About Landing
Landing is changing the way people live. It offers its members an industry-first all-inclusive, flexible living experience via a subscription. Members have access to a selection of carefully curated furnished apartments and a host of amenities. Landing apartments are currently available in more than 375 cities across the United States and growing. The company was founded in 2019 by Bill Smith. For more information, visit www.hellolanding.com.

About Barsala
Barsala partners with multifamily developers to provide innovative, tech-enabled vacancy solutions that drive revenue with greater flexibility during lease-up. Barsala was founded in Seattle in 2016 and has operated 4,000+ units across 25 markets since its inception. Multifamily developers partnering with Barsala convert vacant, zero-income producing units into fully-furnished rental options for corporate housing needs. As a result, Barsala partners see a significant boost in income and a faster activation of the apartment community. For more information about Barsala, please visit www.barsala.com.

Media Contact
LaunchSquad for Landing
landing@launchsquad.com

The number of Latino-owned businesses is growing 10x faster than White-owned businesses, as reported by the Stanford Graduate School of Business




The number of Latino-owned businesses is growing 10x faster than White-owned businesses, as reported by the Stanford Graduate School of Business

PALO ALTO, CA, March 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, the Latino Business Action Network (LBAN), in collaboration with the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), released the 9th annual State of Latino Entrepreneurship (SOLE) research report highlighting the latest trends in Latino entrepreneurship across the U.S. The findings will be presented today at the 2024 State of Latino Entrepreneurship (SOLE) Summit.

The research provides valuable insights into the contribution and opportunity Latinos represent to the U.S. economy, as well as shedding light on the continuous challenges faced by Latino business owners. This year’s report aims to understand better the diversity and intricacies of Latino entrepreneurship, focusing on three different sub-groups: women business owners, tech-centric firms, and immigrant-owned companies.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

THE LATINO OPPORTUNITY FOR THE U.S. ECONOMY
The research shows that Latino-owned businesses are a dynamic and growing portion of the U.S.; with more than 5 million firms driving $800 billion in revenue, they represent a huge opportunity for the U.S. In fact, the number of Latino-owned businesses is growing 10x faster than white-owned businesses. Between 2007 and 2022, the United States experienced a 57% growth in Latino-owned businesses, substantially surpassing the 5% increase in white-owned businesses during the same period. Latinos continue to have higher growth rates than those owned by white entrepreneurs. As shown in the graph, the 3-year (2020-2023) median compound annual growth rate was 8.7% for Latino-owned businesses versus just 5.6% for white-owned businesses.

Latinos are not only starting businesses faster and experiencing higher revenue growth rates but they are also creating more jobs with better benefits. Between 2007 and 2022, the annual payroll of Latino-owned businesses more than doubled (123% increase), consistently showing higher growth rates compared to white-owned businesses. When considering how Latinos are creating businesses, growing them, and creating more jobs, it’s evident that Latinos have a positive impact on the economy.

However, besides these great numbers, Latinos continue to face challenges due to systemic biases that limit their growth. If Latino entrepreneurs receive fair access to capital and contracts, it will unlock trillions of dollars of additional economic growth for the U.S. economy, benefiting us all. That is why LBAN places such a big focus on ecosystem building; at the heart of their mission is creating the ecosystem that Latinos and everyone else deserve. The State of Latino Entrepreneurship Summit is a testament to their commitment, with more than 1,000 in-person attendees ranging from business owners, policymakers, capital providers, elected officials, students, and other ecosystem builders coming together to network and collaborate, fostering meaningful connections within the community.

REPORT SEGMENTATION
The report dives deeper into Latina-owned businesses and tech-centric businesses.  It’s important to highlight that Latinas are starting new businesses and growing revenues more rapidly than their male counterparts. When looking at tech-centric companies, Latinos are over-indexing in the tech sector, which leads to faster adoption of AI technologies. To learn more, visit www.lban.us

With industry leaders such as José E. Feliciano, Managing Partner & Co-Founder of Clearlake Capital Group & Stanford Trustee, and Julián Castro, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the SOLE Summit promises to be an insightful and engaging event full with impactful discussions and strategic insights. The event will have different panel discussions on topics ranging from AI, access to capital, redefining the VC landscape for Latino startups, investing in immigrant entrepreneurship, and mergers & acquisitions.

“At LBAN, we are fortunate that some of the largest financial institutions and corporations are actively engaging in unlocking this Latino opportunity with us, and we welcome all others,” said Arturo Cazares, CEO of the Latino Business Action Network. “The SOLE Summit at Stanford serves as a pivotal gathering, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including other ecosystem builders, academics, and government representatives, to share ideas and create collaborations that will grow economic opportunities for our country.”

LBAN, the driver of the SOLE Summit, is supported by Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Surdna Foundation, Dell Technologies, Latino Community Foundation, Prosperity Now, Immigrants Rising, and many others.

About the Latino Business Action Network (LBAN):
LBAN is a dynamic Silicon Valley-based nonprofit with a big mission to strengthen the U.S. economy by empowering Latino Entrepreneurship across the country through entrepreneurship research, education, and a network of resources. For more information on LBAN, please visit www.lban.us 

For media inquiries, please contact:
Marian Garcia Cruz
LBAN Marketing Manager 
marian@lban.us 
(408) 384-9389

Attachment

• CAGR Among Employer Businesses

CONTACT: Marian Garcia Cruz
Latino Business Action Network (LBAN)
4083849389
marian@lban.us

New AI research helps VCs vet ideas 10x faster




New AI research helps VCs vet ideas 10x faster

SAN FRANCISCO, March 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Vela Research in collaboration with researchers from the University of Oxford have published a new decision-making framework powered by artificial intelligence. Vela Research is the research arm of Vela Partners, the world’s first AI-native and product-led venture capitalist (VC) firm. The research paper entitled Decision GPT: A Framework to Make Critical Decisions is designed to transform how VCs make investment decisions.

Conventional investment methodologies such as solely relying on a venture capitalist’s reasoning can cause resources to flow to the wrong ideas and teams, increasing investment risk and slowing down the pace of innovation. Decision GPT scans a startup founder’s background and their business idea on the internet and uses LLMs to produce an extensive report to help a VC determine whether to invest in the business. This helps millions of companies to be analyzed by an investor at human-level reasoning and efficiently scales decision making.

“We have been pursuing artificial general intelligence for venture capital since 2016. This is an outcome of many years of relentless research of 80+ Vela Research and University of Oxford researchers that have open-sourced and published more than 20+ models and papers,” said Fuat Alican, a general partner at Vela Partners.

The core of Decision GPT is to generate pros and cons for any critical decision. The use-case explored in the research paper is the evaluation of startups based on startup founders and their ideas. The AI-powered framework identifies the characteristics of successful founders and ventures, analyzing these traits to assess a startup’s potential for success, and evaluate founder-idea fit, an assessment of whether a specific founder can successfully launch a specific business idea.

“I was surprised how effective LLMs could be at identifying successful founder characteristics,” said Sichao Xiong from the University of Oxford. Pantelis Papageorgiou, another researcher from the same institution added: “When weighing characteristics of a successful founder, our research determined that a founder’s perseverance mattered more than which university they attended or where they previously worked.”

Yigit Ihlamur, another general partner at Vela Partners, noted: “40% of Vela Partners investments have been sourced by Vela’s proprietary AI up to this point. We’re excited to fund the next unicorn with this new innovation.”

For more information on Decision GPT and its applications, please contact val@brighthousecomms.com.

About Vela Partners

Vela Partners is a San Francisco-based, product-led and AI-native VC firm, building an AI-only portfolio. It was founded by ex-Googlers and serial entrepreneurs in 2016. Vela AI Suite is automating the work of VCs such as sourcing, evaluation, decision-making, relationships and market intelligence.

CONTACT: For media inquiries:

Valerie Fernandes, President
Brighthouse Communications
www.brighthousecomms.com
val@brighthousecomms.com
416-562-6968

Australian Fintech Stables Launches International Remittances Between Australia and The Philippines




Australian Fintech Stables Launches International Remittances Between Australia and The Philippines

SYDNEY, Australia, March 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Australian digital wallet provider and payment startup Stables has today announced the launch of international remittances for its thousands of users (focusing on the AU-PH Corridor). From today, Stables users in over 130 countries can send Australian Dollars or Philippine Pesos to over 140 million people across Australia and the Philippines, all powered by stablecoins.

As the largest importer of remittances within Southeast Asia, the Philippines has inflows in excess of $40 billion per year (with $5.76 billion from Australia alone). In recent years, the Philippines has increasingly adopted digital forms of payment due to 44% of the population aged 15 and over in the Philippines estimated to be unbanked, leading to increased acceptance of digital wallets and e-wallets like Gcash in the region. 

With the market capitalisation of stablecoins hitting new highs in March 2024, totalling over $140 billion, there is strong momentum this year for the cohort-leading venture. Stables and its Founders have an unwavering belief in stablecoins to offer users speed, low-cost settlement, security and reliability for its users.

On the recent announcement, Stables Co-Founder and CEO Erez Rachamim said, “This is the first time in Australian history that a company has embedded stablecoins in remittance rails with both domestic jurisdictions covered to deliver a payload with no middlemen, intra-day with sub 1% fees, we cannot wait to bring feature parity to the Philippines by May 2024.”

“Our vision at Stables has always been to simplify the usage of stablecoins and drive their widespread adoption globally to improve access to basic financial services in emerging markets where a significant portion of the population is underbanked,” Rachamim continued.

“Initially, Stables set out to reimagine how stablecoins could power everyday payments, and today, we’ve turned that into a reality. Our users can now send Philippines Pesos or Australian Dollars from their stablecoin balance directly into any local bank account or eWallet, without the need for the other party to have a Stables wallet or know that the funds started as a digital asset on the blockchain,” added Erez Rachamim, CEO of Stables. “Stablecoin remittances are a lifeline for many who need to send money to their loved ones, as they provide faster, cheaper and more transparent transactions than traditional methods. Stablecoins are challenging the status quo of remittance services. We believe they will shape the future of cross-border payments, and the little guys will keep more money in their pockets.”

Stables has forged strong relationships and partnerships with major global payment players like Mastercard in 2023, announcing the launch of the Stables Mastercard™ virtual prepaid card in Australia. This groundbreaking solution allowed users to seamlessly and securely spend their stablecoin balance anywhere Mastercard cards are accepted, in-store or online.

Leveraging Circle Internet Financial (Circle)’s USDC, the Stables virtual card empowers customers to utilize their stablecoins in the physical world, meeting the growing demand for real-world spending among digital asset holders.

Founded in February 2021, Stables is on a mission to empower people to access the global financial system through transparent and fair stablecoin products. Stablecoin remittances offer cheaper alternatives but still face challenges to adoption. Stables hopes to bridge that gap as it aggressively moves into new international markets in 2024.

For more information or to sign up, visit https://stables.money

About Stables:
With a community of over 35,000 globally, Stables allows users to send, buy, and spend with their stablecoins – all on one balance. Founded in February 2021 and backed by leading VCs, Stables has assembled a stellar team focusing on bringing real-world use cases to digital assets. Powered by Mastercard, Australian users can pay with their USDC via Apple Pay and Google Pay in-store and online.

Stables is the brainchild of experienced fintech leaders Erez Rachamim, Bernardo Bilotta, Daniel Li, David Nichols, and Tony Tao. Stables employs 23 full-time staff, operating out of Sydney & Melbourne.

Key investors in Stables include global venture capital funds Rocket Internet, Fintech Collective and DACM, as well as high-profile angel investors, including Alvin Singh and Bosco Tan (co-founders at Pocketbook) and Larry Diamond (co-founder at Zip Co).

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c14bbb0d-0ab5-424b-bdf6-f444e9c5917b

CONTACT: Contact: marketing@stables.money