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With Cancer Immunotherapy Market Set To Grow At Double-Digit CAGR Till 2032, This Company Plans To Ride The Wave Through Treatments For Complex Cancers

Benzinga

By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga Oncotelic Therapeutics Inc. (OTCQB: OTLC) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Its primary focus is on developing innovative drugs for the treatment of orphan oncology indications, with an emphasis on rare and underserved cancer types including pancreatic cancer, glioma and glioblastoma. Oncotelic's pipeline includes several promising drug candidates. One of their key products is OT-101, a targeted immunotherapy designed to inhibit the production of a specific protein critical for cancer evasion of host immunity. By targeting immune evasion specifically, OT-101 aims to reduce the effectiveness of traditional immunooncology (IO) drugs and improve patient survival. This drug has also been shown to be successful in helping treat immune evasion by COVID-19. Oncotelic is undertaking combination trials with IO drugs such as PD-1, PDL-1 and CTLA4, among others. Over the next 12 months, it is expected there will be reports available on these combination trials. In August, the company announced a collaboration between their joint venture partner, Sapu Bioscience, LLC (wholly owned by GMP Biotechnology Limited), and Cromos Pharma, LLC. This collaboration’s goal is to conduct a registrational trial for OT-101 in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The company is expecting to report interim analyses in the near future. This trial leverages the ability of OT-101 to counteract chemoresistance that frequently arises during the treatment of cancers with chemotherapies. In many ways, OT-101 was designed to improve existing cancer treatments, such as Keytruda. Merck & Co’s (NYSE: MRK) Keytruda – also known as pembrolizumab – is an immunotherapy used to treat various types of cancer, including lung cancer, melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer. It blocks the PD-1 pathway, allowing the immune system to detect and fight cancer cells. What makes Oncotelic an industry innovator is its embrace of AI in its workflow. By leveraging AI, the company is mining its existing database to design the optimal clinical pathway for each of its drugs. Through their dedication to incorporating cutting-edge science and engineering, Oncotelic is positioning itself at the forefront of advancing novel drugs in oncology. In addition to OT-101, Oncotelic is advancing other drug candidates, as well, including CA4P and Oxi4503. These drugs utilize different mechanisms of action to target blood vessels feeding the tumors and disrupt their growth. This diversified pipeline strategy allows Oncotelic to explore multiple approaches to cancer treatment and increase the likelihood of success in addressing different types of cancer. By leveraging AI, Oncotelic's drug candidates can overcome the limitations of conventional clinical trials, avoiding unintended confounding factors that plague traditional clinical trials. Long before a clinical trial is initiated, extensive in silico modeling would have been completed at Oncotelic, derisking every aspect of the clinical trial and optimizing it for success. Oncotelic Therapeutics is an innovative player in the cancer immunotherapy market, which is expected to reach a value of $647 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 13.8% over 2022-2032. The company has completed promising phase 2 trials in pancreatic cancer and melanoma, as well as in glioblastoma, achieving robust efficacy and safety in all three cases. With the company’s cutting-edge research and impressive track record, Oncotelic is setting the bar high for innovation in cancer treatments. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

September 27, 2023 09:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Analysts Predict Net Zero Energy Transition Will Push Most Battery Metals Into Shortage By 2030 – How Investors Can Potentially Get Exposure

Benzinga

By Rachael Green, Benzinga Shares of Sprott Energy Transition Material ETF (NASDAQ: SETM) could be positioned for growth as the quest for new supplies of key battery metals like lithium and nickel intensifies. Sprott Asset Management launched the ETF at the beginning of the year as a way to give investors pure-play access to critical minerals that will be key to the global clean energy transition currently underway. Battery Metals Are Quickly Approaching Extreme Shortages According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), lithium demand has tripled since 2017, and it’s forecast to increase tenfold from 2022 to 2040 in order to meet the battery and electricity storage needs of countries aiming to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The soaring demand for lithium is almost entirely tied to the net zero transition. The mineral is a key component of EV batteries and clean energy storage platforms. About 56% of the demand for lithium in 2022 came from EV batteries exclusively. That’s only expected to get higher in the decades ahead as the typical battery contains about 8 kilograms (17.5 pounds) of lithium and about 2 billion electric vehicles (EVs) will need to be on the road by 2050 in order to meet the net zero emissions target. Meanwhile, while EV batteries and storage only represent about 11% of the current demand for nickel, the IEA estimates that it’ll account for over half of total nickel demand by 2040. A similar trajectory is forecast for cobalt and other minerals that are used to make various kinds of EV batteries and other storage units. To meet that demand, McKinsey & Company estimates that over 380 new mines would need to be added on top of the approximately 500 mines currently operating today. The Sprott Energy Transition Materials ETF (SETM) Gives Investors Broad Upstream Exposure to Critical Minerals SETM tracks the Nasdaq Sprott Energy Transition Materials TM Index, which is composed of over 100 global companies directly involved in energy transition materials including copper, lithium, nickel, uranium, cobalt, graphite, manganese, rare earths and silver. Currently, the index is heavily weighted toward lithium-, uranium-, and copper-related stocks, with each group accounting for about a quarter of the portfolio’s weight. With an even mix of large, medium and small-cap stocks all over the world, this gives investors broad exposure to the companies poised to benefit most from the net zero transition. It’s also concentrated on upstream companies – including producers, developers, explorers, refiners, recyclers and other companies involved in providing raw materials to EV makers, power plants and other downstream companies that will need those critical materials. With a supply shortage looming, upstream exposure might not only give investors a way to capture returns from surging battery metal prices but also to limit exposure to downstream companies that might not be able to keep up with competitors as costs increase. While the need for clean energy is clear and policymakers are enacting increasingly stricter emissions standards, it still remains to be seen which companies will come out on top and exactly what the clean energy mix will look like in the future. But what is fairly certain is that these critical minerals will be key to building the infrastructure to store and distribute that clean energy. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

September 27, 2023 09:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

New Advertising Partnerships Will Help Sekur Reach Wider Business Audience As It Rolls Out More Enterprise Cybersecurity and Privacy Solutions

Benzinga

By Rachael Green, Benzinga This month, Sekur Private Data Ltd. (OTCQX: SWISF) (CSE: SKUR) (FRA: GDT0) signed an advertising partnership and distribution agreement with VYRE Network, a global news-based streaming channel and website with over 1 million viewers worldwide. “The VBNGtv partnership is part of… strategy to launch our SMB and Enterprise solutions in the USA to the 30 million+ small businesses in the USA,” said Sekur CEO Alain Ghiai in a statement on the new agreement. The cybersecurity and internet privacy provider offers a suite of secure and private communication services aimed at eliminating the kind of data mining concerns and vulnerabilities that many of the existing solutions in this space have. Advertising Partnership Agreement With VYRE Will Help Sekur Reach Larger Global Enterprise And Investor Audiences The VYRE network deal will place Sekur commercials and banner ads throughout the streaming news website in exchange for a revenue share of all Sekur signups, primarily targeting its enterprise and investor audiences. The deal is part of Sekur’s plans for a global rollout of its enterprise communication services, including the SekurMessenger app, SekurMail and SekurVPN along with new products slated to launch in the coming months. In Morocco, for example, Sekur is partnering with the IT services consulting company Digital Smart Solution Sarl (DSS) to distribute SekurMessenger to some of the nation’s leading companies in the telecommunications and banking industries. “According to market research, approximately 90% of African businesses are operating without cybersecurity protocols in place, making them vulnerable to cyber threats, such as hacking, phishing, and malware attacks,” said Ghiai. “The economic consequences of digital insecurity are already substantial.” SekurMessenger can help provide a stronger line of defense against data breaches and other cybersecurity threats. The app is available on all Android and iOS devices and offers end-to-end encryption along with a number of other advanced security features like VirtualVaults and Helix Tech for storing data on encrypted Swiss-hosted servers and a customizable self-destruct timer that automatically deletes messages after a certain time frame or trigger. So nothing is stored unless users want to store it and when data is stored, the app defaults to a highly secure encrypted storage option. SekurMessenger is also one of the only apps that doesn’t ask for a phone number when signing up. Instead, users get a Sekur username and number that can be used to contact them through the app without disclosing any personal information. Thanks to the recent launch of the proprietary “chat-by-invite” feature, Sekur users can enjoy that same level of security and privacy even when chatting with people who don’t have the app. After receiving an invite via text or email, the non-Sekur recipient simply clicks on the link to go to a secure messaging channel where they can chat with the Sekur user who invited them. There’s no need for the non-Sekur user to download the app or give out personal information to register. This makes it an ideal option for keeping internal conversations within a company private and secure and also offers a way to keep sensitive data safe when communicating with customers. Unlike other messenger apps which either don’t offer advanced encryption or require all participants to download the app in order for the conversation to be fully encrypted, SekurMessenger can maintain maximum privacy and security even when the recipient isn’t a Sekur user. “The entire communication only happens in our Swiss encrypted server environment as opposed to sending encryption keys back and forth over the internet,” explained Ghiai in an interview. So, a conversation with non-Sekur users doesn’t expose the messages to non-encrypted environments. Meanwhile, SekurMail offers similar security and privacy for email communications, while using SekurVPN can add an additional layer of security to protect businesses from hacking and malware attacks. Looking ahead, the company has plans to add innovative products like SekurVoice, which is slated for this Q1 2024, and, according to Ghiai, will let users make “encrypted calls to anyone in the world without having to dial their phone number.” The Sekur CEO also mentioned plans for a video conferencing product as well as a portfolio of other enterprise communication solutions. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

September 27, 2023 09:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Roberts & Ryan Inc., America's first Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVO) broker-dealer, is pleased to welcome Major General Austin “Sparky” Renforth (Ret.) as their latest Senior Advisor.

Roberts & Ryan, Inc.

Major General Austin Renforth (Ret.) joins Roberts & Ryan as a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Over the course of his 40-year military career Maj. Gen. Renforth has held a variety of leadership and command positions. Maj. Gen. Renforth enlisted in the United States Navy in 1982. After two years in the Navy, he received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, graduating with a BS degree in Mathematics and receiving a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Maj. Gen. Renforth has had the privilege of command at every level. He served as a Rifle Platoon, Heavy Machinegun Platoon, and Dragon Platoon Commander at 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, participating in Operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM. He also served as a Platoon Commander at 2nd Light Armored Infantry Battalion and deployed as a Detachment Commander with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines in support of Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. Maj. Gen. Renforth commanded rifle companies at 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines and 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines. At the battalion level, he commanded the Maritime Special Purpose Force while deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. Later, he commanded 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and deployed twice in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. He later assumed command of 7th Marine Regiment and deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Afterwards, he was Commanding General of Training Command, and then Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and Eastern Recruiting Region. He again deployed to Iraq as the Commanding General of Task Force Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Maj. Gen. Renforth’s staff assignments include tours as Protocol Officer, US Central Command; Operations Officer 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines; Faculty Advisor, Amphibious Warfare School; Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines and deployed to Okinawa, Japan; Operations Officer, 5th Marines; Operations Officer, Regimental Combat Team 1 and deployed in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in Fallujah; Branch Chief, Special Plans Branch, J-5, US Northern Command; and Chief of Staff, 1st Marine Division. Additionally, Maj. Gen. Renforth served as the Chief of Staff NORAD and USNORTHCOM in Colorado Springs. Most recently Maj. Gen. Renforth was the Commanding General of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center and the Marine Corps Air Ground Training Command. Maj. Gen. Renforth is a graduate of The Basic School, the Infantry Officer Course, Amphibious Warfare School, Armed Forces Staff College, NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy, and the High Command and Staff Course in the United Kingdom. Maj. Gen Renforth was a member of the Marine Corps Rugby Team, has worked as the Head Coach for the Naval Academy Sprint Football Team, and as an assistant coach for the Navy Division 1 Men’s Rugby Team. About Roberts and Ryan, Inc. Roberts & Ryan, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned (SDVO) broker-dealer with execution capabilities in capital markets, equities, and fixed-income trading. The firm was founded in 1987 by a United States Marine Corps Vietnam combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient. With over $1.8 million in committed donations since 2018, Roberts & Ryan is active in donating to charitable foundations that make significant positive impacts in the lives of Veterans and their families, primarily focusing on general wellness, mental health, and career transition. Contact Details Michael C. Del Priore +1 646-859-4061 mdelpriore@roberts-ryan.com Company Website https://www.roberts-ryan.com

September 27, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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LevLane Advertising Named Finalist for Ragan's PR Daily Awards

LevLane

LevLane Advertising, a Philadelphia-based full-service advertising agency known for its expertise in strategic marketing and communications, has been named a finalist in Ragan’s PR Daily Awards for its submission: Understanding Consumer Behavior During Inflation, in the original research category. Ragan’s PR Daily Awards celebrate the successful campaigns, initiatives, people and teams in the communication, PR, marketing and employee well-being industries. LevLane worked with its client, Provident Bank (Iselin, NJ), to create an original survey that aimed to discover how consumers were adjusting their routine spending and travel habits in response to rising prices. The campaign featured the strategic use of original research to gain insights into consumer behaviors and spending habits during this time of intense inflation. By employing a comprehensive PR strategy that included open-ended survey questions, sound-bite generation, a press release, targeted pitching and social media outreach, the team achieved significant earned media coverage by top-tier and target press outlets. “We developed this survey during a time when inflation was sky high. Our main objective was to better understand consumer behaviors and sentiment related to their everyday spending, saving and travel habits at a time when inflation was at its peak,” said Liz Weir, chief marketing officer at LevLane. “The campaign earned 76 pieces of coverage across top-tier national and international media outlets. Some of our notable placements included features in “The Hill” and “The Daily Mail – US Edition,” a mention in “Fortune,” and additional coverage in various trade and local target publications.” Earned media coverage resulted in a total audience reach of 1.26 million, engaging a broad range of consumers. The press release itself achieved an overall reach of 3.6 billion, demonstrating the widespread interest surrounding the research findings. “We recognize the impact that inflation has had on consumers over the past few years and are committed to addressing the financial concerns of our customers,” said Keith Buscio, first vice president, director of public relations and communications at Provident Bank. “As bankers, it’s important for us to gain these insights to strengthen our reputation as a trusted financial advisor during challenging economic times." Along with Weir, the project team included Lauren Stralo, PR supervisor (LevLane); Lauren Hepburn, PR specialist (LevLane); Keith Buscio, first vice president, director of public relations and communications (Provident Bank); and Christina Payne, communications specialist (Provident Bank). Ragan will recognize finalists –and announce category winners – at an event on December 15 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. About LevLane LevLane Advertising is an award-winning, full-service, independent advertising agency in Philadelphia, PA that has been building brands that people love for nearly 40 years. For more information about LevLane and capabilities, please follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Contact Details LevLane Advertising lstralo@levlane.com +1 484-747-0172 lstralo@levlane.com Company Website https://www.levlane.com

September 26, 2023 10:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Franchise in Westlake, Ohio Moves to New Location, Expands Business

Minuteman Press International Inc

Jennet and Dan Foster are the owners of the Minuteman Press franchise in Westlake, Ohio. The family business first opened in 2004 and 19 years later, Jennet and Dan celebrated their relocation from North Olmsted to Westlake with a grand opening event on June 15, 2023. Minuteman Press in Westlake is located at 26145 Center Ridge Road, Unit A, Westlake, OH 44145. Expanding & Relocating the Business On the relocation, Jennet shares, “We acquired some new machines (Xante envelope press and Duplo cut, score, perf machine) and we were looking to expand. We first thought about expanding into the empty space next door and continuing to lease but then we decided to invest in ourselves instead and bought a commercial property. With room for the new equipment, we can offer in-house services that were previously vendor jobs, so the turnaround times on certain products is now even quicker for our clients.” Jennet continues, “Now, we have the space to expand even more. We just purchased a used booklet maker and will eventually add another color digital press. We also now have double doors, so we don't have to have pallets dropped on the sidewalk and disassemble them to bring them in. Our new facility also has more desk space for our staff. There are currently 5 people on our team and it’s been a great move! It was a little sad to leave North Olmsted but Westlake has welcomed us with open arms and we're happy to be here.” Reflecting on the grand opening, Jennet says, “The grand opening was held on June 15. We couldn't believe the number of people that attended. We had over 100 people and our giant parking lot was overflowing. It was packed inside and outside at the cornhole boards. The Chambers of Commerce that I'm involved with were fantastic in getting the word out. It was a great party that really came together nicely.” Growth & Getting Involved in the Community One key to growth has been Jennet’s community involvement. She shares, “I'm super involved with many organizations. I'm in four Chambers of Commerce including being on the board of one and different committee roles on the others. I am also a member of BNI as well as the National Association of Women Business Owners. In 2019, I did the 10,000 Small Businesses Program and that was really helpful in understanding different aspects of business. As a member of NAWBO, I do outreach to graduates of the program.” Jennet continues, “I am not just in these organizations, I am personally involved, which helps me get to know so many people. And it’s so true that people want to do business with people they know, like, and trust. We also advertise as a sponsor within these organizations and we advertise with direct mail to our customers and potential customers. You have to let people know about all of the products and services that you provide. Otherwise, how will they know that they need them?” She also credits the Minuteman Press support team for helping her business stay on track. Jennet says, “Last year, we were understaffed and had a family emergency. Both our RVP Rich DeRosa & field rep Ryan McIntyre were there for us to help out at the shop to keep things moving. It was a real lifesaver and very much appreciated. They have also helped with hiring and are also good to bounce ideas off of when you're considering new equipment, and they offer assistance when we need help with vendors. The FLEX software is great, too.” Minuteman Press Reflections As they approach 20 years in business as Minuteman Press owners, Jennet shares, “When we started Minuteman Press with my dad, Dan and I were just newlyweds. One of the things that has been wonderful for us about owning the business is that we can be there for our 3 kids. When they were younger, we were able to pop out in the middle of the day to help with a class party or read the class a story or whatever they needed. Today, they're now 13, 15, and 17. Having Minuteman Press as our business allows us to have that freedom to be there for our family.” It’s also clear that Jennet and Dan simply love what they do. She says, “What we love about this industry is helping our customers. They will come in with just an idea. We will then give a little guidance, design it, produce it, and wow them with the finished product, which they use to achieve their purposes.” She adds, “We love to watch our customers grow and succeed and we appreciate them letting us help them with that!” Minuteman Press in Westlake is located at 26145 Center Ridge Road, Unit A, Westlake, OH 44145. For more information, visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/oh/westlake/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

September 26, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Peer39 Goes Live with Compliant for Compliance Metrics

Compliant

Compliant, a data compliance technology company, has partnered with Peer39, the leading global provider of pre-bid contextual suitability and quality solutions for modern marketers, to introduce and offer its customers a data compliance metric for programmatic media campaigns. For the first time ever, advertisers, agencies and publishers will have a scalable solution for measuring data compliance in digital media campaigns and eliminating risk within their marketing efforts – while simultaneously signaling to regulators and consumers their commitment to acting lawfully. “It’s unthinkable in today’s environment that any marketer would spend money on media that puts their brand at risk. This is no different than when the industry asked itself why would we pay for ads that no one sees. No brand should be asked to buy media that is non-compliant.” said Jamie Barnard, CEO, Compliant. “By joining Peer39's marketplace, we are expediting the ways in which brands can use data compliance metrics across the programmatic ecosystem.” Through Peer39’s Contextual Data Marketplace, Compliant’s automated solution provides ad buyers with a Campaign Compliance Index (CCI) which measures the level of data compliance within a brand’s media campaign. The CCI score provides metrics that regulators are focused on such as consent, data leakage, and number of unauthorized tags and data resellers. With this new level of transparency in the publisher inventory, brands can protect themselves from activating media dollars with non-compliant publishers. “Our industry is at another important tipping point. Just like the uprising around brand safety or viewability or most recently made for advertising, data compliance will be as transformative and likely much more consequential from both a consumer trust and enforcement perspective,” said Mario Diez, CEO, Peer39. "With Compliant now enabled through Peer39’s Data Marketplace, brands can see the compliance of their media, and take action, avoiding high risk inventory and rewarding trusted environments." Data Compliance Research Pinpoints the Industry Need The lack of transparency in the digital supply chain means that unlawful and unethical data practices go unseen, potentially exposing companies to irreparable harm. A study conducted by Compliant, which will be released tomorrow at the World Federation of Advertisers' Digital Governance Exchange in New York, looks at over one billion impressions measured across more than 1,000 programmatic media campaigns. The results found that: Two out of three digital U.S. publishers (67 percent) do not offer consent choices for consumers Nearly all (91 percent) of U.S. publishers with a Consent Management Platform are currently passing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to third parties before consent 82 percent of U.S. publishers have elevated data leakage risk through excessive vendors, piggybacking or tags With consumers increasingly concerned about brands tracking their online behavior, and intensifying FTC enforcement, data compliance is quickly becoming a new brand standard in digital media. With this new offering, brands and agencies can now adopt data compliance as a primary input to their responsible media frameworks and media quality initiatives. About Compliant Compliant is pioneering a new standard for data compliance in the digital marketing industry. The compliance technology company offers risk management solutions to brands, agencies and publishers. Amidst ever-evolving privacy regulations and consumer expectations, Compliant provides the digital ad industry the tools it needs to be compliant. The company’s suite of data compliance solutions measure systematic privacy and compliance risks across owned-and-operated media and paid media, allowing companies to benchmark risk by market, category and brand. This industry-leading scoring system has been used in thousands of compliance audits across the world's leading advertiser and publisher sites. Compliant boasts a strong senior leadership team with unmatched expertise across privacy, digital governance and compliance technology, including Elliot Bell (former Facebook), Magid Souhami (former P&G), and Jamie Barnard (former Unilever). For more information and to view Compliant’s Annual Publisher Audits, visit www.compliant.global. About Peer39 Peer39 is an independent data company that provides the largest data set available in the digital advertising ecosystem. Every day, the industry’s leading brands, agencies, and publishers trust Peer39’s AI-powered semantic analysis engine to provide a holistic understanding of page content, meaning, and sentiment. We do this by analyzing the relationship between words on a page, the content of a video, or in an app, ensuring appropriate classification. As people’s time and attention become more fragmented, Peer39 believes that to succeed, you need as much contextual understanding of your audience as possible. We believe that it’s as much about the digital environment as it is about the physical environment. Only then can you deliver the right ad to the right user in the right context. Contact Details Kite Hill PR for Compliant +1 724-787-1565 compliant@kitehillpr.com

September 26, 2023 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

VPN Trust Initiative: VPN Trust Seal Accreditation Program Launch

VPN Trust Initiative

The Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition) launched the VPN Trust Initiative (VTI) in 2020 to establish a baseline for how virtual private network (VPN) providers should operate. The goal is to help avoid oversights, misunderstandings, or vague legislation that could invite abuses of power and short-sighted legislation of helpful technology. As a result of collaborative efforts, the VTI Principles serve as a comprehensive set of best practices for VPN providers that bolster consumer confidence and provider accountability, promoting wider VPN adoption and access to the technology’s benefits. Today VTI is announcing the launch of the VPN Trust Seal accreditation program, which provides a clear public indicator that a participating VPN provider follows established best practices for delivering service in the following five areas: Security: VPNs will use the necessary security measures, including strong encryption and authentication protocols, to appropriately address the risks. Advertising Practices: Given the complexity and different use cases for VPNs, claims must not mislead. Privacy: VPNs should keep as little data as they deem necessary to provide the service and only produce data to law enforcement when legally required. Disclosure and Transparency: To foster trust, member companies must take steps toward informing users and the public about their actions and procedures. Social Responsibility: VPN providers will promote VPN technology to support access to the global Internet and freedom of expression. Principles guiding VPN Trust Seal accreditation are informed by input from businesses, legislators, free speech advocates, and other outside experts to protect the privacy and security of VPN users; offer practical policy guidelines for VPN providers; and ensure policymakers, regulators, and the wider market have access to clear criteria for evaluating these technologies. The inaugural group of VPN providers that have earned accreditation includes Certida, FastVPN, IvacyVPN, NordVPN, PureVPN, Surfshark, Texas.net, IPVanish, StrongVPN, eVenture Ltd, and ExpressVPN. “Now when VPN customers try to determine which providers align with their ethics, they can look for the VPN Trust Seal and gain some assurances about the commitments behind the products they are looking to purchase,” said Christian Dawson, Co-Founder & Executive Director, i2Coalition. For more detailed information on each of these principles and how to get the VPN Trust Seal, please visit the VTI website. About i2Coalition’s VPN Trust Initiative i2Coalition’s VPN Trust Initiative (VTI) is an industry-led consortium that promotes consumer safety and privacy online by increasing understanding of VPNs and strengthening business practices in an industry that already protects millions of Internet users. The VTI leverages first-hand knowledge to advocate, create, vet, and validate guidelines that strengthen trust and transparency and mitigate risk for users. To learn more about the VTI, please visit vpntrust.net. About the i2Coalition The Internet Infrastructure Coalition (“i2Coalition”) ensures that those who build the infrastructure of the Internet have a voice in public policy. We are a leading voice for web hosting companies, data centers, domain registrars and registries, cloud infrastructure providers, managed services providers, and related tech. We protect innovation and the continued growth of the Internet’s infrastructure which is essential to the global economy. Our coalition launched at a significant time in our industry’s history. The genesis of the organization began in 2011 when many of the i2Coalition founding and charter members joined forces during the successful effort to prevent SOPA and PIPA from becoming United States law. After mobilizing to ensure the Internet’s free flow of information and commerce, we realized the ongoing need for an industry voice, founding formally in 2012. To learn more about the i2Coalition and explore membership, please visit i2Coalition.com. Contact Details Aaron Alberico +1 202-744-0786 aalberico@raynoravenue.com Company Website https://vpntrust.net/

September 26, 2023 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

After $6.4 Million IPO, Inspire Veterinary Partners Shifts Into Next Phase Of Acquisition-Driven Growth Strategy

Benzinga

By Rachael Green, Benzinga With more Americans owning pets and those pet owners increasingly prioritizing the health and well-being of those new pets, the market is ripe for veterinary hospitals everywhere. So the closing of Inspire Veterinary Partners Inc.’s (NASDAQ: IVP) Initial Public Offering (IPO) last month, marking the introduction of the first publicly traded vet services company is a great opportunity for investors who want to gain exposure to that $61 billion vet services market. Inspire generated $6.4 million in gross proceeds from the IPO which will fund its ongoing growth strategy as it works on finalizing a series of new acquisition deals. The owner and operator of a growing network of acquired veterinary hospitals has set a goal of 10 new acquisitions per year over the next five years, giving investors plenty to look forward to with this new entry on the NASDAQ. Vet Hospitals Are Poised For Growth As Pet Owners Take Greater Interest In Pet Health And Wellbeing Unlike other pandemic-era booms that went bust soon after quarantines lifted, the pet boom began decades before COVID and shows every sign of being here to stay. Today, 62% of Americans own at least one pet (about half of those pet owners have two or more). As pet ownership increases, so does the amount owners spend on their pets. Even as inflation strains household budgets, nearly half of pet owners say they haven’t made cuts to their monthly spending on their pets. Inspire Is A Vet Hospital Consolidator With A Flexible, Long-Term Approach To Acquisitions Inspire’s approach to consolidation is unique. Rather than an exit-driven strategy, the vet hospital owner structures acquisitions with the goal of owning that hospital for the long term and helping it improve its operations, costs and revenue along the way. Adding a personal touch, the company’s CEO personally visits each potential acquisition to interact with the staff and address any concerns. Additionally, Inspire allows each hospital to maintain its unique practice methods and identity, thereby appealing to sellers who are wary of the centralized models of larger competitors. This differentiates the vet hospital owner from most players in the game. “The overwhelming majority of organizations that buy and open veterinary clinics in the United States are owned by private equity investors and managers,” said Inspire President and CEO in a recent blog post. “Funds are put in, a company is grown, and down the line those investors sell the company to new investors, take profit as a result and then look for another company or industry in which to invest.” In most cases, Carr says that process is happening in the span of about two to five years. Not only is that not enough time to understand the business, it also incentivizes those investors to focus on short-term growth strategies that may or may not make sense for the long-term potential of that hospital. Instead, Inspire looks for hospitals and clinics that it can own for the long haul, not just opportunities to flip in two or three years for a quick profit. Then, it works closely with each one of those acquisitions to help it achieve sustainable long-term growth—an investment of time, talent, and resources that benefits everyone involved. For shareholders, that approach has the potential to generate more sustainable long-term growth as the hospitals already under the Inspire umbrella continue to grow their revenue while later acquisitions help Inspire expand that revenue base. It also puts Inspire in a unique position to create additional revenue opportunities by expanding existing hospitals, adding on new services, and building a network for case referrals by connecting nearby hospitals and clinics in Inspire’s expanding network. For the stakeholders in the hospitals themselves, that acquisition approach alleviates the stress of dealing with new owners who have no intention of sticking around for more than a couple of years and may have little interest in the long-term health of the business. It also gives them access to training and consultation from an experienced team of medical and operational coaches with a deep well of vetted experience. This approach can help improve margins as Inspire consolidates purchasing relationships and provides on-the-ground consulting and training to improve overall operations and identify the best growth strategy for each location. In its current phase of growth, Inspire is focused on buying existing businesses that are already profitable. As soon as the deal is closed, a growth strategy tailored to that location is implemented. To date, it successfully applied this approach to 13 locations across nine states for a combined annual revenue run-rate estimated at approximately $19 million for 2023. With multiple acquisition agreements in progress that would add significant future revenue, Inspire expects to see an improvement to its bottom-line performance as well. Looking ahead, the company plans to acquire 10 locations per year over the next several years using a tried and tested assessment process and a team with functional expertise. This approach is intended to help the company to efficiently scale its acquisition strategy without sacrificing the flexibility needed to bring in locations across any state or demographic market while providing the tailored support each location needs to grow. As with the past couple of years, Inspire will continue to focus on general practice veterinary hospitals that already have a track record of profitability while diversifying into new clinic types in the years to come. As each new acquisition allows the company to further scale and bring more of its operations in-house, it plans to expand into emergency care clinics and earlier-stage practices as well. Acknowledging the vast market opportunity, Inspire Veterinary Partners notes that less than 30% of the over 28,000 veterinary hospitals in the U.S. have been consolidated, signaling a large upside potential for further acquisitions. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

September 26, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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