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Retention Cloud Leader CleverTap Acquires Leanplum

CleverTap

CleverTap, the world’s No.1 retention cloud, today announced it has signed definitive agreements to fully acquire San Francisco based Leanplum, a leading multi-channel customer engagement platform, for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition will make CleverTap a truly global company with development centers and customer-facing and success teams across North America, Europe, Latin America, India, South East Asia and the Middle East. Combining the product stack of the two organizations, this acquisition will enhance CleverTap’s capabilities and take its total customer base to over 1200 customers in more than 100 countries around the world. The deal is expected to close in Q2 of 2022. Together CleverTap and Leanplum will work with digital brands to help increase their users’ engagement, retention and lifetime value by making every user experience hyper-personalized, relevant and contextual at scale in real time. As more businesses become digital-first, brands need to serve their users with delightful moments where they are, when they want and on their preferred channel. CleverTap and Leanplum will now bring real-time hyper-personalization, A/B testing and increased scalability to its omnichannel engagement, analytics and segmentation product lines. As a result, growth and marketing teams globally will now be able to utilize the only end-to-end user engagement and retention cloud platform, enabling them to break down user communication silos and increase the overall lifetime value of each user. “We are seeing a seismic shift in the marketing technology landscape,” says Sunil Thomas, CleverTap Co-founder and Executive Chairman. “Users today demand to be treated as individuals, and this has forced brands to change how they engage with them. CleverTap and Leanplum have both purposely built for a mobile-centric omnichannel world.” The acquisition, he says, combines platforms and teams to deliver the best behavior analytics, segmentation, and engagement tools that will enable digital brands to build valuable, long-term relationships with their users. “Our combined strength will be a game-changing force for user engagement, retention and monetization, creating tremendous value for our customers. I am very excited to welcome Leanplum to the CleverTap family.” “When we started Leanplum, our vision was to meet customers' real-time needs at the cutting edge of technology,” says Momchil Kyurkchiev, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Leanplum. “We have succeeded in that, but as the market has matured, to fully meet the increasing demands put on brands today, we needed to bring in the best analytics, segmentation, and engagement tools, to help our customers build valuable, long-term relationships with their customers. This is why joining forces with CleverTap makes the most sense, and I am excited about the combined capabilities we will now bring to Leanplum customers worldwide.” “I am looking forward to the journey with Leanplum. This coming together with Leanplum marks a monumental moment across the marketing technology landscape,” says Sidharth Malik, CleverTap Chief Executive Officer. “This bridges the gap created by multiple martech tools and customer data platforms and will meet the growing needs of user-obsessed digital brands in a much more efficient way. Our ‘better together’ vision is about integrating our cumulative strengths around people, process and technology to cement our position as the global leader in the user engagement and retention space. Joining forces allows us to bring advanced product and technology capabilities as brands strive to do live segmentation, anticipate user intentions and actions, automate and deploy real-time campaigns for the highest possible conversions, all from one single dashboard.” About CleverTap CleverTap is the modern, integrated retention cloud that empowers digital consumer brands to increase customer retention and lifetime value. For brands that understand and value user retention, CleverTap drives context and individualization with the help of a unified and deep data layer, AI/ML powered insights and automation. Customers around the world representing over 10,000 apps, including Vodafone Idea, SonyLIV, Daimler, Gojek, Carousell, and Premier League, trust CleverTap to achieve their retention and engagement goals, growing their long term revenue. Backed by leading venture capital firms including Sequoia India, Tiger Global Management, and Accel, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices in Mumbai, Singapore, and Dubai. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap’s belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could amount in the actual result being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements in this press release or any related damages. Contact Details Sony Shetty sony@clevertap.com Company Website https://clevertap.com/

May 19, 2022 08:17 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Report Identifies Key Opportunities to Improve Current Carbon Efficiency Measures

BSMC

The Blue Sky Maritime Coalition (BSMC) has released a new report today titled “A Perspective on IMO Efficiency Measures: Opportunities for Improvement" which highlights key opportunities to improve current international efficiency measures. “This report is a great example of industry collaborating to find opportunities for improvement and spurring further discussion among key stakeholders. As a member-led organization focused on decarbonizing the maritime industry, BSMC brings together diverse perspectives with the goal of getting to net-zero emissions by 2050, and this report offers another step in that direction,” said David Cummins, BSMC President and CEO. Developed by the Finance, Commercial and Chartering Workstream, the report offers insights on how decisions made by charterers can affect vessel operations, ultimately impacting the efficiency rating of ship owners. The report concludes that more work will be needed to fine tune the existing calculation method and benchmarking. Maritime stakeholders welcome the opportunity to improve vessel operational performance through robust reporting regimes, necessary to consistently measure emissions. To address the issues raised, the report recommends mutual responsibility and obligation by both the charterer and ship owner to reduce emissions. To accomplish this, both parties must have transparent negotiations and data sharing under a new era of chartering contracts where environmental key performance indicators (KPIs) become instrumental to vessel selection criteria and commercial utilization. To read more, download a copy of the report by clicking here. F or more information contact communications@bluesky-maritime.org. Blue Sky Maritime Coalition (the Coalition) a non-profit corporation, is a strategic alliance formed to accelerate the transition of waterborne transportation in Canada and the United States toward net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Coalition brings together industry, community, government, academic leadership and other stakeholders across the waterborne transportation value chain to action projects that remove barriers to accelerating development, encourage innovation, and promote policies in support of zero emissions. Learn more at www.bluesky-maritime.org. Contact Details Morgan Marketing & Communications Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-260-0480 c.walker@morganmarketcomm.com

May 18, 2022 08:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Plus One Robotics to Present Parcel Sortation Robot Workflow at Automate Conference 2022

Plus One Robotics

Plus One Robotics, the leading 3D and AI-powered software maker for logistics robotics, will showcase live demonstrations of their revolutionary PickOne technology, which features Yonder, the company’s award-winning remote supervision product, at the Automate Show June 6 – June 9, 2022. Plus One Robotics CEO and founder Erik Nieves will also host a session in the “How to Automate” track on Wednesday, June 8 titled Workforce Development in the Face of Accelerated Automation. Visitors to the Plus One Robotics booth will be able to see a full-scale, in-booth demonstration of warehouse automation with robot-to-AMR picking using the company’s PickOne software alongside Tompkins’ tSort technology. In addition, attendees will also be provided an opportunity to act as a ‘Crew Chief’ and remotely control and command a robot in San Antonio to pick and place using their depalletizing system for random mixed pallets. “Robotics is an ever-changing industry. That’s why I'm excited to bring this powerful combination of vision-equipped robot arms together with AMRs from Tompkins. Our solutions are designed for businesses that need to increase their overall picks per day, thereby achieving higher fulfilment volumes and lower operations costs,” commented Erik Nieves, Plus One Robotics’ CEO and founder. In addition to the live in-booth demonstrations, Nieves will be leading his session on Workforce Development in the Face of Accelerated Automation on Wednesday, June 8 from 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. as part of the Automate track. Visit Plus One Robotics at booth #4745 from June 6 – June 9, 2022 to learn more about the company’s robot technology that is scaling automation in warehouses. For more information on Plus One’s vision software and robotic automation solutions, please visit www.plusonerobotics.com. About Plus One Robotics, Inc. Plus One Robotics was founded in 2016, with a mission to bring leading-edge 3D and AI vision to industrial robots, enabling hand-eye coordination for material handling in the warehouse. Founded by computer vision and robotics industry veterans, Plus One's novel approach to human/robot collaboration and supervised autonomy ensures fast, accurate, and scalable solutions, with one person able to manage many robots simultaneously. Plus One's customers include logistics and ecommerce leaders in the Fortune 100; the company is headquartered in San Antonio with offices in Boulder and The Netherlands. Visit www.plusonerobotics.com for more information, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Contact Details Jennifer Podkasik +1 630-347-9338 jen@arrowheadcommunications.com Company Website https://plusonerobotics.com/

May 18, 2022 06:31 PM Central Daylight Time

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The Ultimate Online Retail Sourcing Show

White Label World Expo

The White Label World Expo Las Vegas is the world’s leading show for online retailers where you and 15,000 professionals alike can source the newest products, services and technologies emerging in the ecommerce sector! Taking place on the 25th & 26th of May 2022 at the LVCC Las Vegas, we have curated the perfect event for white label manufacturers and business owners who are looking to beat competitors in this dynamic market! And it’s all for FREE! At White Label World Expo Las Vegas, you can discover 600 cutting-edge suppliers, 400 inspirational seminars, unmissable masterclasses and much more! Immerse yourself in the ultimate hub for professional success and be exposed to unlimited networking opportunities with thousands of like-minded entrepreneurs and experts. Our event is a leading educational platform specifically created to assist you with the strategies and connections to execute them into a profitable action! At our show you will hear from industry-leading figures and their educational topics such as learning how to capitalize on Amazon selling and discovering important business strategies, so that you can walk away with newfound confidence that will benefit your business! You can will also gain access to invaluable learning and resourcing opportunities. A FREE ticket to White Label World Expo Las Vegas will also grant you access to our 2 other leading events in retail: Smart Retail Tech, Retail Supply Chain & Logistics and CBD & Hemp Wholesale World - we have everything you need under one roof! So what are you waiting for? Register for your FREE ticket now and we will see you there! https://bit.ly/3LETKsx Contact Details Laren Fernandez +1 702-410-6746 laren.fernandez@fortem-international.com

May 18, 2022 03:27 PM Pacific Daylight Time

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iTradeNetwork Introduces Machine Learning File Monitoring—A Fresh Take on a Foodservice Data Problem

iTradeNetwork

iTradeNetwork (ITN), the industry’s largest perishables network, proudly announces its new Machine Learning File Monitoring system for Spend Insights— a unique, automated way to provide foodservice operators with the most complete distributor data in the industry. Operators can now devote less time to monitoring and correcting their data, and more time to making key decisions faster and unlocking savings and growth opportunities. How it works Before making any decisions about sourcing, contracting, or rebates, operators need to be confident those choices make financial sense for their business. As a result, foodservice operators face some key questions: “Do I have the best spend data I can get?” and “Can I rely on what I have to make strategic decisions?” Given their size and scope, operators sometimes devote entire teams to answering these questions. A finance or operations team can spend hundreds of hours manually monitoring thousands of incoming files from various distribution centers in order to aggregate data from all of an operator’s units. This process can be unpredictable and error-prone. Without complete visibility into the state and accuracy of their data, operators can’t be sure they have the right information at the right time. With iTrade’s Machine Learning File Monitoring, operators can quickly identify the typical 2-3% of their missing spend —and in a fast-moving industry, the completeness of your data reaps far-reaching financial benefits for your organization. iTrade’s machine learning-based file monitoring goes beyond just determining whether or not a distributor data file has been received. It: Analyzes the number of files expected weekly from individual distribution centers Provides the expected date of file receipt from individual distribution centers Confirms distributor data files have been processed or should have been processed but have not been received Assigns a confidence level to each distribution center based on the machine learning model to give context to decision making In short, it analyzes and interprets incoming distributor data, detects anomalies based on volume and history, flags files requiring additional follow-up, and provides a scorecard for all of the distribution centers providing data to foodservice operators. “This is the first time that the industry has seen something this proactive, complete, and accurate. We are giving you full visibility into your data, so you can quickly and seamlessly identify the files and data that need your attention. We are excited to help our foodservice operator customers redirect their efforts from chasing down data to more productive and value-added activities— and our customers are excited too,” comments Wills McMahon, Director of Product Management, iTradeNetwork. Machine learning-based file monitoring for Spend Insights is available now to all foodservice operators. About iTradeNetwork iTradeNetwork, Inc. is the leading global provider of supply chain management solutions for the food and beverage industry. Built upon deep industry expertise, a rich data foundation and the industries’ most extensive trading partner network, iTradeNetwork’s collaborative solutions allow distributors, manufacturers, operators, retailers, suppliers, and wholesalers of all sizes to reduce cost, grow revenue, and strengthen trading partner relationships. Today, iTradeNetwork’s growing customer list includes thousands of global companies. For more information, visit: www.itradenetwork.com. Contact Details iTradeNetwork Media Contact +1 925-660-1100 sales@itradenetwork.com Company Website https://www.itradenetwork.com

May 18, 2022 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Velocity Global raises $400M in Series B growth round

Velocity Global

Eldridge and Norwest Venture Partners lead funding round Achieves multi-billion dollar valuation, a 7x increase in one year Investment boosts the company’s Global Work Platform™ that enables businesses and talent to work with anyone, anywhere, anyhow Velocity Global, the leading provider of global talent solutions, announced today that it raised $400 million in its Series B funding round, increasing the company’s valuation seven-fold since the same time last year. This second round of funding is led by Eldridge and Norwest Venture Partners which join Series A investor FFL Partners on Velocity Global’s board to lend their deep expertise in the areas of technology, future of work and global scale. The company retains majority ownership and founder Ben Wright continues as CEO and chair of the board of directors. “This is a pivotal moment for our company in the midst of a paradigm shift for employers and talent,” said Wright. “Access to work is no longer limited by borders or the star you are born under as the adoption of global talent accelerates. In March, we tripled the number of new supported talent on our platform compared to the same time last year, and the momentum continues to build. Eldridge and Norwest Venture Partners join FFL Partners to invest in people’s lives and the future of business. Massive kudos to our team for this achievement on our way to even greater heights.” Profitable since its founding in 2014, Velocity Global more than doubled its client roster over the past year, tripled the number of new supported talent on its platform, and will reach an annual net revenue run rate of $200 million by midyear as it continues to scale rapidly. “Velocity Global’s proven technology platform is positioned to transform the future of work, offering businesses a frictionless solution for building and expanding their teams,” said Todd Boehly, co-founder and CEO of Eldridge. “We are proud to partner with Ben and his team as demand continues to grow for best-in-class workforce solutions that support organizations looking to scale across the globe.” Parker Barrile, partner at Norwest Venture Partners, joins the Velocity Global board as a director. Barrile is the former vice president of product at LinkedIn who oversaw 20-fold growth as the company went public. “Velocity Global has a rare mix of scale, growth, and profitability that attracted us to be part of the next phase,” said Barrile. “The company is led by a strong leadership team with an ambitious roadmap, and we look forward to partnering with them as they accelerate the future of work.” The company’s Global Work Platform™ seamlessly connects employers and talent worldwide through proprietary cloud-based talent management technology, personalized expertise, and unmatched global scale. The platform offers a full suite of talent solutions, including global Employer of Record (EoR) and Contractor Management, to help thousands of companies compliantly onboard, manage, and pay full-time and part-time talent, contractors, and freelancers in more than 185 countries and all 50 United States. Velocity Global serves more than 1,200 clients and over 7,000 supported employees worldwide. The Velocity Global team is more than 700 employees strong in 47 countries across six continents with plans to more than double the number of employees by the end of the year. In 2021, the company successfully completed acquisitions of iWorkGlobal and Shield GEO that added capabilities to its Global Work Platform. Velocity Global will use the funds to continue enhancing the customer experience for both businesses and talent. The company will make further strategic investments in technology, sales and marketing, as well as potential future acquisitions to execute on its vision to provide a frictionless solution for businesses and talent to work with anyone, anywhere, anyhow. FT Partners served as exclusive strategic and financial advisor to Velocity Global on this transaction. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work for anyone, anywhere, anyhow. Its Global Work Platform™ simplifies the employer and talent experience through its proprietary cloud-based talent management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. The platform offers a full suite of talent solutions, including global Employer of Record and Contractor Management, to help companies onboard, manage, and pay talent in more than 185 countries and all 50 United States. Thousands of brands rely on Velocity Global to build international teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. Velocity Global was named a "Leader" in Global Employer of Record Services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information, visit velocityglobal.com. About Eldridge Eldridge invests in businesses across the Insurance, Asset Management, Technology, Mobility, Sports & Gaming, Media & Music, Real Estate, and Consumer landscapes. The firm seeks to build and grow businesses led by proven management teams that have demonstrated leadership and experience to scale an enterprise. Eldridge is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, with additional offices in Beverly Hills, New York, and London. To learn more about Eldridge, please visit www.eldridge.com. About Norwest Venture Partners Norwest is a leading venture and growth equity investment firm managing more than $12.5 billion in capital. Since its inception, Norwest has invested in more than 650 companies and currently partners with more than 200 companies in its venture and growth equity portfolio. The firm invests in early- to late-stage businesses across a wide range of sectors with a focus on consumer, enterprise and healthcare. The Norwest team offers a deep network of connections, operating experience, and a wide range of impactful services to help CEOs and founders scale their businesses. Norwest has offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco, with subsidiaries in India and Israel. For more information, please visit www.nvp.com. Follow Norwest on Twitter @NorwestVP. Contact Details Corporate Communications Anja Koltes +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Eldridge Nadia Damouni +1 212-518-8012 ndamouni@prosek.com Norwest Venture Partners Kate Dishaw +1 650-321-8000 kdishaw@nvp.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

May 18, 2022 07:01 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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Introducing NaRaYa and its Sub-Brands: From Humble Beginnings to One of the Most Well-Known Lifestyle Brands in Asia

NaRaYa

NaRaYa is a leading lifestyle brand that produces handbags, accessories, clothing and skincare to customers worldwide. The company was founded in 1989 in Bangkok, Thailand, by Mr. Vassilios and his wife, Ms. Wasna Roongsaenthong who started a business trading electrical devices and mechanical gadgets, and then later added textiles and accessories. Over time, NaRaYa's renown grew due to its outstanding craftsmanship and unique designed handbags made from various types of fabrics. NaRaYa is now a fully integrated manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of its products and sub-brands. As of 2022, NaRaYa has established four sub-brands, which include: NaRaYa Silk: Designed clothing and accessories made from silk LaLaMa: Bohemian style clothing and bags NaRaYa Tea Room: Specialty tea shop and light refreshments Darivari: Skincare products. Craftmanship, Quality and Competitive Price NaRaYa has prioritized its manufacturing process, which includes a thorough selection of the best materials for its products, in order to produce a long lasting, quality product. Because of the company's meticulous attention to detail during the production process, NaRaYa products are of excellent quality. NaRaYa has always operated with the same core values, seeking to provide only the best products while adhering to the four principles: Variety, Quality, Value and Versatility. Eco Bag The Simple Bag Travel Bag The Summer Bag Pleated Satin Bag Seamless omni-channel shopping experience both offline and online NaRaYa recognises the importance of offering a seamless shopping experience across numerous touchpoints to its customers. NaRaYa currently sells: in over 15 stores worldwide online through official website and mobile app through other shopping apps like Shopee and LINE MyShop. Supporting the local communities and pursuing a sustainable business NaRaYa’s mission is to grow under the philosophy of creating sustainable Thai products in the global market and are committed to investing in and sourcing sustainable resources to manufacture its products. NaRaYa has always supported various social causes and communities. For over 30 years, NaRaYa has given importance to the development of the well-being of the community through creating job opportunities and generating real income for locals in those communities. NaRaYa’s products are produced by skilled artisans in the provinces, and its purpose is to generate income and economic stability for people in these communities. NaRaYa also aims to present Thai products on a global stage, which creates value and strength for the sustainability of Thai people. ### About NaRaYa NaRaYa is a leading global brand with an extensive portfolio of products including handbags, accessories, clothing, and skincare that appeal to a wide range of customers. Founded in 1989, NaRaYa has grown to become one of the most well-known Thai brands, with over 15 branches worldwide. NaRaYa and its sub-brands are committed to producing high-quality products at affordable prices while also supporting a variety of social causes, local communities, and pursuing a sustainable business to reduce its impact on the environment. For more information about NaRaYa, please visit http://www.naraya.com/ Contact Details NaRaYa Sakao Praditsuwan +66 66 113 4363 sakao.pr@naraya.com Company Website https://www.naraya.com/

May 17, 2022 10:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Data Integrity Company Claravine Secures $16 Million in Series B Funding

Claravine

Claravine, a pioneer in data integrity with its platform, The Data Standards Cloud, announced a $16 million Series B funding round. The round was led by Five Elms Capital with participation from existing investors Grayhawk Capital, Next Frontier Capital, Peninsula Ventures, Kickstart Fund and Silverton Partners. This new funding will help Claravine meet its aggressive growth goal of doubling its headcount this year, accelerating product development, and investing in its integrations to automate data standards across digital experiences. Founded in 2012, Claravine empowers a proactive approach to data by activating standards across people and technology – bridging the silos that limit speed and decisions. The company has forged successful partnerships with well-known Fortune 1000 companies such as Under Armour, Ancestry and Vanguard and is currently working with a quarter of the Fortune 100. With a collaborative user interface and strategic integrations with top customer experience platforms such as Adobe and Google, The Data Standards Cloud helps global organizations define, apply and connect standards across their ecosystem for faster decisions, greater agility and increased ROI. This latest round of funding comes as Claravine continues to experience significant company growth. As first-party data becomes paramount and industry-wide demand grows for more solutions for data standardization, measurement, and personalization, Claravine is substantially expanding its integration library to be compatible with more of the major platforms powering digital advertising, including measurement solutions, creative optimization and customer data. Funding will also enable the company’s investment in talent and plans to hire key roles for teams in the disciplines of product management, engineering, sales, customer success and marketing. "CX-focused organizations are frustrated by an ever-growing trove of marketing data they can't trust or use in a timely way. There are many tools, workarounds, over-engineered spreadsheets, ETLs, etc. to manage the problem, but these only treat the symptoms,” said Verl Allen, CEO, Claravine. “We've been able to pioneer a new category by refocusing the process and developing a healthier overall organizational approach to data. Rather than being reactive and improving data quality after the fact, we help our customers proactively build in data integrity from the start using standards. We have found this approach to be most effective because, by controlling inputs, companies have the ability to adapt and react to any market change – including what the industry is experiencing with marketing measurement." “Claravine has carved out a new category that continues to redefine how top brands manage their digital experience. We have been exceptionally impressed by Verl, his team and their mission,” Stephanie Schneider, Partner at Five Elms Capital, said. “Claravine is positioned to become a dominant player in the space as it continues to scale its platform and offerings. We are proud to support the company on this exciting growth trajectory.” In addition to raising its Series B, Claravine was also recently named a “Momentum Leader” and “High Performer” in the Spring 2022 G2 Rankings. The company has ranked consecutively for the last five quarters in categories such as best relationship, support and easiest to do business in the enterprise relationship index for the data governance category. About Claravine Claravine is a pioneer in data integrity for the global enterprise. We empower a proactive approach to data by activating standards across people and technology, bridging the silos that limit speed and decisions across digital experiences. That’s why a quarter of the Fortune 100 use our platform, The Data Standards Cloud, to define, apply and connect standards across their ecosystem for faster decisions, greater agility, and increased ROI. For more information, visit www.claravine.com. About Five Elms Capital Five Elms Capital is a leading growth equity firm that invests in fast-growing B2B software businesses that users love. Five Elms provides capital and resources to help companies accelerate growth and further cement their role as industry leaders. For more information, visit www.fiveelms.com. Contact Details Michael Kocher Kite Hill PR claravine@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.claravine.com/

May 17, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Steve Weber Reflects on 30 Years in Business As Minuteman Press Franchise Owner in Norwich, CT

Minuteman Press International Inc

Located at 595 W. Main Street, Minuteman Press in Norwich, Connecticut first opened in August 1992. Owner Steve Weber shares the following insights and advice as he reflects on celebrating 30 years in business: “I guess looking at it from the outside 30 years is quite an accomplishment, especially when you realize I was 40 years old when we started. I think that this milestone means it is almost time to retire. Our success can be attributed to a number of things. For the first 25 years, my wife and partner Gail helped grow the business and keep me on track. Since she has retired, I think our continued success can be attributed to surrounding myself with the best people as well as giving excellent customer service and evolving our business to meet the times. Our equipment and services have definitely evolved. Several years ago, we became an all-digital shop. We have invested in the equipment needed to provide excellent quality with the quick turnaround time our customers expect. We also have great suppliers who can provide old school offset printing when the job calls for it. We have expanded into the ad specialty market and learned the specifics of selling clothing. We have also invested in mailing equipment. This has been an excellent complement to our printing. We never sell a large printing job without asking, ‘What are you doing with this printing?’ Often, the answer has been we are mailing it. Providing mailing has earned us many new customers. Our community is relatively rural. We do not have any trade binderies to help support our business. To that end we have invested in our own bindery. We have a collator / booklet maker, as well as a perfect binder and a small die cutting unit. To complement the mailing services, we also have a folder inserter. We do over 100,000 business cards per month so we added a slitter cutter to automate that service. The machine is relatively slow but we have nicknamed it ‘set it and forget it.’ The person in bindery can set it up and do another job while it is running. We are proof that ‘print is dead’ is not truthful. Our customers still want business cards to hand out and annual reports to distribute. We also work with many nonprofits who have learned that the best return on fundraising is by mailing the information. Email just does not work to this end. Minuteman Press International has guided us every step of the way. From our first meeting with Roy Titus to now working with Nick Titus, we always feel comfortable. We have been fortunate to have Ron Rubin as our New England Regional Vice President. His wisdom and guidance have kept me focused on the goal of success. The proprietary software we used originally developed by Minuteman Press has also evolved. The current FLEX management software has been a great help especially when training employees in our company. We have been fortunate over the years to introduce more than a few other people into the Minuteman Press system. Our son Michael and his wife Lindsey now have 3 Minuteman Press locations of their own in Enfield, CT, Springfield, MA, and Brattleboro, VT. We did a mailing a number of years ago to the printers in our area. We have been able to acquire four different independent businesses who were competitors. It creates a win/win because the owners are typically retiring and they know their clients will be left in good hands. Lastly, this is not a business for an absentee owner. You must work in your business to succeed. After 30 years, I no longer work 50 hours/week, but I am still involved. My staff now does the heavy lifting but when we are bidding a large project, I appreciate them reaching out to me to utilize my years of experience.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Norwich, CT, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/ct/norwich/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

May 16, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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