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Fintech NayaPay secures $13m as it rolls out digital payments revolution in Pakistan

Stockwood Strategy

NayaPay, a Pakistan-based fintech platform, has raised $13 million in one of the largest seed rounds in South Asia. Bringing together a diverse mix of leading global institutional and angel investors, the round was led by Zayn Capital, global fund manager MSA Novo and early-stage VC Graph Ventures from Silicon Valley. Singapore-based Saison Capital, Waleed Saigol’s Maple Leaf Capital and Warren Hogarth, CEO Empower Finance, also participated in the round, alongside a major investment from the sponsors of the Lakson Group – a Pakistani conglomerate with interests in media, telecom, industrials, financial services as well as controlling stake in Colgate-Palmolive Pakistan and McDonalds Pakistan. NayaPay is the first fintech of its kind in Pakistan having recently secured the first E-Money Institution license from the central bank, State Bank of Pakistan. It is on a mission to make financial services simpler and accessible to millions of Pakistani users. NayaPay aims to be at the forefront in the digitization of Pakistan with its two-sided platform for the underbanked. Pakistan presents a significant market opportunity for NayaPay, where over 50 million adults are unbanked and only 33% of women have a bank account. With 70% of the population under 35 years old, there is a significant mobile-first generation. Almost $4tn payments are made each year but only 1% of these are made digitally currently. On the merchant side, the majority of SMBs in Pakistan are unregistered, have traditionally dealt primarily in cash, and have very limited access to business banking. The fintech has launched its chat-led super app targeted primarily at students and freelancers; and is building a SaaS based platform called NayaPay Arc offering universal payment acceptance and financial management tools for SMBs. NayaPay’s platform strategy will harness the network effects between consumers and merchants, as seen in platforms such as Square Cash/Square, WeChat Pay, AliPay and Venmo in their native markets.. NayaPay CEO and Founder Danish A. Lakhani commented: “NayaPay is empowering young Pakistani adults starting their financial journey, from students stepping into adulthood to freelancers and entrepreneurs taking an active role in managing their finances. In many senses, it’s a coming-of-age moment for many and our goal is to continue to innovate and build functionality to become a part of their daily lives, for the rest of their lives.” Danish A. Lakhani added “Micro, small and medium businesses make up 90% of the merchant-base in Pakistan and yet they are underserved when it comes to access to basic financial services. NayaPay Arc will provide universal payments acceptance and a range of business financial management tools to empower entrepreneurs and small business owners. The tools are intended to give business owners the visibility of their cash flows, pay suppliers and grow sales. Our goal is to enable them to focus on growth while we take care of the rest. By helping small businesses harness the power of technology, we believe we can transform the Pakistani economy.” Faisal Aftab, Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Zayn Capital Frontier, said: “We are very bullish on fintech in Pakistan. While just beginning to emerge, Pakistani fintechs have the advantage of learning from peers and placing better informed strategic bets. We were impressed by the completeness of the vision of the founding team at NayaPay, and their differentiated platform-based strategy-- first focused on servicing the needs of underbanked consumers and SMBs with specific use cases and building out from there. With a proven ability to execute on the ground, the founder has an impressive track record of building and scaling businesses in Pakistan, including the country’s largest fiber broadband service (StormFiber).” Omar Siddiqui, General Partner at Graph Ventures, added, “We are excited to partner with Danish and the NayaPay team as they scale their leading digital payments platform for consumers and merchants in Pakistan. We have been early-stage investors in 300+ companies over the past decade in the United States, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, and we are excited to see the mobile and fintech technology trends that have empowered consumers in these markets also emerge in Pakistan. NayaPay already offers the most robust solution for consumers to access next-generation financial conveniences in Pakistan, and we look forward to working with the team as they roll out new products and grow their consumer base." Danish A. Lakhani concluded: “Customer trust is a key pillar of any platform’s success. At NayaPay, we are consumed by our obsession to simplify the lives of both consumers and merchants with our app and NayaPay Arc while supporting our customers with robust and scalable technology and fanatic customer service. We are also partnering with leading banks to provide additional value and convenience to our mutual customers, eventually leading to a full digital banking experience.” About NayaPay NayaPay, the first E-Money Institution in Pakistan, is a fintech platform empowering underserved consumers and SMBs with better access to financial services. NayaPay has been in a private beta, building a community of early supporters for its consumer proposition -- a chat-led super app accompanied by free Visa Virtual and physical cards. Any Pakistani citizen can open a NayaPay wallet on their smartphone in minutes and use the app to make everyday payments, send and receive money, split bills and much more. For merchants, NayaPay offers access to universal payments acceptance and powerful financial management tools with an easy-to-open business account and Visa card. NayaPay is authorised and regulated by the State Bank of Pakistan as an Electronic Money Institution. For more information please visit: www.nayapay.com About Graph Ventures Graph Ventures is an early-stage investment firm based in Silicon Valley with an operator-centric team and model. Established by leading technology entrepreneurs and executives in 2011, Graph has since backed 300+ start-ups around the world that have cumulatively created $10B+ in value, including BetterUp, Dapper Labs. Loft, PicsArt, Porch, and TrueLayer. Contact Details NayaPay Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.nayapay.com/

February 24, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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OPPO Launches Find X5 Series – Revolutionising Videography with 4K Ultra Night Video Powered by MariSilicon X Imaging NPU

OPPO

The most advanced camera system powered by MariSilicon X and two IMX766 flagship sensors; true billion-colour 120Hz display; a flagship SoC platform with superior 5G performance; industry leading 80W SUPERVOOC Flash Charging; the iconic Hasselblad Natural Colour Calibration. SHENZHEN, CHINA - Media OutReach - 24 February 2022 - OPPO today introduced its cutting-edge flagship Find X5 Series, raising the bar on smartphone imaging and premium design. Bursting with industry-leading highlights, Find X5 Series boasts a futuristic aesthetic that achieves clean, modern sophistication and world-first imaging experiences. These include a dedicated imaging Neural Processing Unit, which overcomes smartphone video capture’s greatest challenge – nighttime recording. This is matched with an incomparable dual flagship IMX766 camera system, unrivalled performance and ultra-fast 5G connectivity, and incredible SUPERVOOC Flash Charging technology. “Find X5 Series elevates the Find X series to a whole new level of beauty – both aesthetic and in terms of capabilities, redrawing the boundaries of the mobile experience across design, imaging, battery technology and performance. It builds on the core DNA that made the Find X3 Series a hit with consumers and critics alike,” said William Liu, President of Global Marketing at OPPO. 4K Ultra Night Video and Captivating Photography Night video presents a major challenge for smartphones, so countless beautiful moments remain either uncaptured or saved in low quality. That’s why OPPO has designed a dedicated imaging NPU, MariSilicon X, to unveil the details at night. Based on a 6nm process crafted for top-tier imaging performance, the MariSilicon X not only packs the most powerful AI computing power available today, it also runs an advanced AI noise reduction (AINR) algorithm designed by the OPPO Research Institute. This means it can detect and reduce noise in each frame, pixel by pixel, while preserving finer detail, skin tone, colour accuracy. The result is a four times improvement in perceived night video resolution, less grain and superior colour reproduction, making 4K Ultra Night Video possible for the first time on an Android smartphone, with each frame as clean as a still photo. Of course, OPPO’s MariSilicon X is just one key element of Find X5 Pro’s advanced imaging system. The wide and ultra-wide angle cameras both feature Sony’s advanced 50MP IMX766 flagship sensors, with a sensor size of 1/1.56”, 2um large pixel size after binning. The wide angle camera also features a first-of-its-kind Five-axis OIS system, which when combined with proprietary algorithms, improves with every use to counter hand shake, reduce noise and sharpen scenes. The result? Even better shots and more stable videos than ever. With superior 4K Ultra Night Video capturing across wide and ultra wide cameras, the Find X5 Series boasts the best wide and ultra-wide imaging quality across both stills and videos in the industry. Working closely with Sony to customise an IMX709 sensor for Find X5 Pro’s front camera, OPPO has integrated MariSilicon X to ensure selfies look better than ever, with more texture and more accurate colour reproduction - even in challenging light conditions. And when more friends jump in the frame, the selfie camera automatically switches from an 80- to a 90-degree wide-angle, making sure nobody’s left out. OPPO Find X5 Pro also features Hasselblad Natural Colour Calibration in Pro Mode and a range of creative Master filters, bringing iconic natural colour, professional colour profile and style to mobile photography. Futuristic Design with Premium Look and Feel Find X5 Pro embodies a futuristic design to express a sense of calm and timeless beauty that cannot be matched. The ultra-hard, true ceramic back of Find X5 Pro is available in Ceramic White and Glaze Black to reflect its clean, modern sophistication at its finest. This seamless ceramic back panel is two times stronger than any conventional glass panel, and double as effective for heat dissipation. And of course Find X5 Pro is splash, water, and dust resistant with a IP68 rating. Find X5 Pro’s display is just as impressive, featuring a 6.7-inch ultra-clear curved AMOLED screen that continues the gentle curves and flowing lines from the smooth, pristine back, all the way around to the front. With a WQHD+ resolution, and 100% P3 colour gamut coverage, Find X5 Pro’s 10-bit screen displays more than 1 billion colours, creating smooth tonal and colour gradations, displaying the full depth and range of even the most subtle shifts in colour. Find X5 Pro also boosts display performance with the first multi-brightness colour calibration of its kind, creating colours that are consistent, whether you’re looking at the screen under dim artificial light or under a bright summer sky. Excessive amounts of specific types of light can impact sleep and result in eye strain, so OPPO has introduced 8192-level screen dimming to the Find X5 Pro, to match pupil adjustment speeds across different lighting conditions. The result is a more comfortable viewing experience, and amongst the most advanced eye care available on a smartphone. Most Powerful OPPO Flagship to Date Powered by the latest-generation, multicore Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, Find X5 Pro is supercharged to handle even the most demanding games and applications. Based on a compact, 4nm manufacturing process, Qualcomm’s integrated 2022 flagship GPU offers 30% higher performance, and 25% more power efficiency than the previous generation, in addition to enhanced AI capabilities. Despite its class-leading power, OPPO has doubled down on efforts to boost battery life on Find X5 Pro and level-up power management. The large, 5000mAh dual-cell battery reflects a capacity increase of more than 11 per cent over Find X3 Pro. Find X5 Pro also introduces Battery Health Engine, which helps maintain optimal battery life over a longer period of time – up to 1600 charging cycles, roughly two times the industry standard lifespan. With the support of enhanced 80W SUPERVOOC Flash-charging technology, Find X5 Pro can be charged from close to empty to 50 per cent in just 12 minutes, and with 50W AIRVOOC, it powers up to 100 per cent wirelessly in just 47 minutes. ColorOS 12.1: Intelligent and Secure OPPO’s human-centric interface, ColorOS 12.1 is its most beautiful, intuitive and personal experience ever. Combining with Google’s Android 12 operating system, it delivers incredible experiences and class-leading privacy features, while maintaining full access to the Google Play Store and its 3 million+ apps. For ColorOS 12.1, time has been spent refining the aesthetics, from iconography to patterns, elevated with light and shadow to create a more real, three-dimensional feel. Maintaining the privacy and security of your data – whether personal or for business is also a top priority and a key focus for ColorOS. With version 12.1, users can easily make the most of their new Find X5 Pro. And when multitasking on your phone alone isn’t enough to get things done, a new Multi-Screen Connect feature enables seamless working across a Windows PC and phone. Maintaining the privacy and security of your data – whether personal or for business – has always been a top priority and a key focus for ColorOS. These efforts have been recognized by third party organisations including ISO, ePrivacy, and TrustArc and in November 2021, the Find X3 Pro was the first Chinese smartphone to receive MDfPP common criteria certification. Prices and availability The OPPO Find X5 Pro will be available from March 14 priced at €1299. The OPPO Find X5 will be available from March 14 priced at €999. OPPO Enco X2 will be available from mid-April at €199. Pre-orders of OPPO Find X5 Series start from February 24. * Prices and availability may vary among different markets. About OPPO OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone Smiley Face in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find X and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO provides its users with the ColorOS and internet services including OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO has footprints in more than 50 countries and regions with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world. Contact Details OPPO Media Contact press@oppo.com

February 24, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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OPPO Sets to Strengthen Presence in High-end Market with New Find X5 Series

OPPO

SHENZHEN, CHINA - Media OutReach - 24 February 2022 - OPPO today launched its latest family of flagship smartphones, the Find X5 Series, marking another decisive step into the high-end market for the leading smartphone brand. The new addition to the Find X Series is the first smartphone series to be powered by OPPO’s MariSilicon X imaging NPU and other industry-leading features. With its futuristic design, seamless ceramic back panel, and premium International Warranty Service, every aspect of the Find X5 Series has been tailored to deliver the best possible user experience. “At OPPO INNO DAY 2021, we announced our brand proposition of ‘Inspiration Ahead’, defining our commitment to constantly redraw the boundaries of the smartphone experience to make life better for everyone, regardless of the challenges and uncertainties faced,” said William Liu, Vice President and President of Global Marketing at OPPO. “With the Find X5 Series, we have raised the bar for flagship smartphones in terms of style and performance, while never stopping in our exploration of new possibilities.” Rapid international growth reaches new heights Last year saw OPPO establish itself in high-end markets worldwide while delivering strong growth for its high-end devices. Through successful partnerships with leading mobile operators, growth in the $600 segment surpassed 200% in 2021, while global shipments of the OPPO Find X3 Series increased by 140% compared with the previous Find X Series. As of December 2021, OPPO has filed for over 75,000 patent applications and over 4,500 of them are related to 5G. With these strong technical foundations, OPPO delivers a portfolio of high-performing 5G products, the success of which have resulted in the brand ranking the second for two consecutive years in global 5G smartphone shipments among Android manufacturers according to the data from Canalys [1]. Global partnerships with the likes of Roland-Garros and Wimbledon have also driven awareness for the OPPO brand worldwide. According to the data from Canalys, in 2021, OPPO held on to its place as the fourth largest smartphone manufacturer worldwide, with a total market share of 11% [2]. Taking the end-to-end smartphone experience to the next level The OPPO Find X5 Series raises the bar for flagship smartphone performance across the board with OPPO’s best-ever technology, product experience, and customer service. MariSilicon X — OPPO’s recently-unveiled self-designed imaging NPU — makes its debut on the Find X5 Series. The NPU and its advanced in-house algorithms, including AINR, deliver a leap in computational photography performance. With MariSilicon X, the Find X5 Series is the first flagship smartphone series capable of capturing clear 4K Ultra Night Video that can rival what is seen by the human eye. Following its long-held mission to bring both natural and professional colors to smartphone imaging, OPPO has joined hands with Hasselblad to bring its Natural Color Calibration to the Find X5 Series, empowering users to unlock more emotive moments. Elsewhere, many of OPPO’s breakthrough innovations can be found on the Find X5 Series. OPPO’s upgraded 360° Smart Antenna 3.0 ensures stable connectivity, with greater signal strength and range than other models. The series also features enhanced Flash Charging technology for faster charging, while a multi-tier cooling system ensures smooth overall performance and efficient dissipation. Beyond the phone itself, OPPO has turned its attention to the entire customer experience. Find X5 Series owners will have access to OPPO’s premium International Warranty Service, which can be used at over 2,500 service centers in 62 countries and regions worldwide. A standout flagship, driven by OPPO’s human-centric insights Guided by OPPO’s brand mission “Technology for Mankind, Kindness for the World”, the Find X5 Series represents OPPO’spursuit of human-centric product features and designs aimed at improving the day-to-day lives of its users. The design of the Find X5 Series reflects every aspect of the user experience. Built with advanced manufacturing technology, the curved and continuous ceramic back panel is anti-fingerprint and comfortable to hold while also providing greater protection and heat dissipation. OPPO’s thoughtful consideration of its users is also manifested in ColorOS 12.1, which includes features such as the O Relax digital relaxation suite and Color Vision Enhancement for those who perceive color differently or have color vision impairments. Looking at the bigger picture, OPPO strives to be a sustainable company and remains committed in its responsibility to the protection of the planet. In May 2021, OPPO was among the first companies to join the Eco Rating Labelling Scheme established by leading mobile operators in Europe. OPPO has also adopted green product design practices into the entire life cycle of the Find X5 Series: about 45% of the packaging is made by recycled fiber, and the overall plastic used in the packaging has reduced by 95% since 2019; for plastic materials that cannot be replaced for now, OPPO choose to use the biodegradable polylactic acid material; meanwhile, OPPO’s Battery Health Engine ensures the phone’s battery is able to maintain more than 80% of its effective power after 1,600 charge cycles — which greatly extends the product durability. To inspire more people to preserve the biodiversity of the planet, OPPO also collaborates with National Geographic to capture beautiful imagery of endangered and at risk animals, and supports National Geographic Society and its wildlife conservation efforts as part of the Endangered Colours campaign for the second consecutive year. With the new Find X5 Series, OPPO is breaking new ground in technological innovation and human-centric user experience in the high-end market while sticking to its core values — a trait that OPPO will maintain as it continues to explore new possibilities in technology and products that help make life better for users worldwide. Note [1] OnePlus is included in the OPPO global shipment [2] OnePlus is included in the OPPO global market share Contact Details OPPO Media Contact press@oppo.com

February 24, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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amika Taps Assembly to Lead Integrated Media Program Aimed at Growing Its Passionate Communities of Haircare Enthusiasts

Assembly

Global omnichannel agency, Assembly, has been chosen by prestige haircare brand, amika, to lead its integrated media program, with an emphasis on driving sustained awareness and building brand equity. amika has emerged as a go-to haircare brand through its ‘ all hair is welcome ’ positioning, which represents 10 unique collections of haircare for every hair type, texture, and style. amika has called on global data-driven agency, Assembly, as its partner in expanding its community of brand enthusiasts through its distinct, disruptive, and impactful messaging connected to purpose and inclusivity. “amika is a brand that has authentically lived its core values of kindness and inclusivity while doing good for the planet far before it was ‘cool’ or even an expectation from consumers,” said Kim Davis, Vice President at Assembly. “This is one of those best of both world partnerships where we get to bring the latest in media innovation to a brand that’s as committed as we are to nurturing people and the planet. We’re looking forward to developing an out-of-the-box channel strategy that maximizes brand awareness for amika.” amika was built with purpose at its heart by creatives, stylists, and product enthusiasts alike, and encourages a diverse and creative culture that’s fueled by radical thinking. In placing people and the planet at its core, the brand has maintained its mission of bringing progress to the beauty industry. “The name ‘amika’ means friend—to hair, hairstylists, the planet, our communities, and each other—and it’s truly embedded into everything we do. We want our customers to know us for not only our high-quality products, but our commitment to making a positive impact on people and the planet," said Chelsea Riggs, amika’s Brand President. “We were impressed by Assembly’s integrated approach across the funnel to help accomplish our goals and we were immediately aligned in our vision.” This year marks a strategic shift in digital media investment for amika, with an increased focus on driving awareness and new customer acquisition. Assembly will partner with amika to develop a full-funnel multi-channel strategy to achieve these goals. The team’s focus for the year includes strengthening paid social investment, a renewed focus on paid media influencer integrations, and continued momentum in search and display. Assembly and amika will also work together to introduce new high-impact channels to amika’s mix, including CTV, TikTok and localized OOH. “We’re flexible and agile, which gives us an opportunity to test and learn in new channels and platforms where we know our customers are spending their time. We have some big brand and product moments coming up this year, and we’re also excited to see how measurement helps support all of the work we’re doing in increasing the focus on brand awareness and consideration,” said Kelley Martin, amika’s Senior Vice President of Marketing. About Assembly: Assembly is made of the ingredients of the modern agency, bringing together data, talent, and technology to deliver a connected set of solutions for media + more to the best brands on the planet. We’re home to more than 1,500 of the industry’s top talent, who bring unmatched global omnichannel media expertise + data, technology, and business consulting capabilities that help brands find the change that fuels growth. Assembly is a proud member of Stagwell, the challenger network built to transform marketing. Visit www.assemblyglobal.com for more information. About amika: A friend to hair, hairstylists, to her, him, them and you. The name amika means friend in the language Esperanto & represents our belief in the power of community and the beauty of diversity. Straight out of Brooklyn, where creativity and hustle are a way of life, we’re a collective of creatives, hairstylists, chemists, and product enthusiasts. We only make products that make us proud. 10 collections for every hair type, texture and style. Visit www.loveamika.com for more information, and follow @amika on Instagram. Contact Details Assembly Sara Pollack, VP of Marketing +1 917-438-4922 sara.pollack@assemblyglobal.com Company Website https://www.assemblyglobal.com/

February 23, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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CSG Unlocks the Potential of 5G with Launch of Future-Ready, SaaS Commerce Solution, CSG Encompass

CSG

The digital future is here and 5G is reinventing the way digital services are created, delivered and consumed. Imagination and a trusted communications service provider (CSP) are all that stand in the way of the next era of digitally immersive experiences. To catapult the industry into this next age of digital innovation, CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today launched Encompass. A SaaS, open, integrated and modular solution, CSG Encompass crushes the complexity of multi-sided, B2B2X ecosystems to enable dynamic, agile and scalable collaboration across a multitude of partners. With Encompass at the heart of an interconnected ecosystem of enterprises, consumers and partners, CSPs can differentiate themselves with a future-ready solution that unlocks the limitless possibility of 5G-enabled offerings that excite customers and deliver seamless commerce. “5G operators need rapid ROI for their networks but have been hampered by the uncertainty of how to deliver value-added services and monetize their vision at the same time,” said Ken Kennedy, COO and president of revenue management and digital monetization, CSG. “CSG Encompass is the answer to this dilemma. Encompass provides the modular, yet holistic, solution CSPs need to innovate and co-create with partners. For onboarding, offer creation, quoting of services, order management, fulfillment, charging and settlements, CSG Encompass makes delivering a 5G B2B2X marketplace easier. Our cloud-based, open architecture offers the configurability and scalability necessary to create the dynamic, game-changing, digital ecosystems CSPs have been waiting for.” “Businesses and consumers alike want to interact and transact digitally with convenience and ease, which means not having to do the hard work of bundling components from multiple suppliers themselves,” John Abraham, principal analyst, Analysys Mason. “B2B2X ecosystems, which bring together digital services from a consortium of partners, are the foundation for delivering these seamless experiences. To be successful, they require an open, integrated solution that can manage the intricate, interconnected commerce cycles that are needed by today’s 5G service providers to fully engage with a more diverse range of partners. CSG’s broad portfolio, exposure to a large number of CSP customers and expertise in delivering large scale transformation projects positions the company well to help CSPs resolve the complexities of B2B2X marketplaces and enable new engagement and monetization opportunities.” Core capabilities of CSG Encompass include: Management of the connected B2B2X commerce cycle across CSPs, their partners and their customers including unified catalog, configurable pricing and quoting, order orchestration, charging and settlements A richly functioned, comprehensive, integrated solution that builds on CSGs expertise in delivering complex, differentiated business models and ecosystems for IoT and B2B2X A modular, open standards-based, decoupled solution that is network vendor and service agnostic, and can be deployed in the cloud and as a managed service Leading companies need technologies that can deliver future-ready digital offerings and winning experiences that will drive better business outcomes, quicker time to value and lower risk. CSG Encompass is the solution for CSPs looking to amplify the value of their 5G investments and reinvent the way they do business. For more information visit, https://info.csgi.com/portfolio-csg-encompass. # # # About CSG CSG is a leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions that make ordinary customer experiences extraordinary. Our cloud-first architecture and customer-obsessed mindset help companies around the world launch new digital services, expand into new markets, and create dynamic experiences that capture new customers and build brand loyalty. For nearly 40 years, CSG’s technologies and people have helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands solve their toughest business challenges and evolve to meet the demands of today’s digital economy with future-ready solutions that drive exceptional customer experiences. With 5,000 employees in over 20 countries, CSG is the trusted technology provider for leading global brands in telecommunications, retail, financial services, and healthcare. Our solutions deliver real world outcomes to more than 900 customers in over 120 countries. To learn more, visit us at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Copyright © 2022 CSG Systems International, Inc. and/or its affiliates (“CSG”). All rights reserved. CSG® is a registered trademark of CSG Systems International, Inc. All third-party trademarks, service marks, and/or product names which are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved. Contacts: Tammy Hovey Global Public Relations +1 (917) 520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com John Rea Investor Relations +1 (210) 687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Contact Details CSG Tammy Hovey +1 917-520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

February 23, 2022 06:35 AM Mountain Standard Time

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Foresight’s Technology to Replace Use of LiDAR by a Leading Israeli Defense Integrator for the Israeli Defense Forces

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd.

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq and TASE: FRSX) (“Foresight” or the “Company”), an innovator in automotive vision systems, announced today that it will customize products and solutions for a leading Israeli defense integrator. Foresight will develop a customized 3D perception solution to meet the requirements of the integrator’s end-customer, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), and expects to recognize revenue from the project of approximately $250,000 during the first half of 2022. The products and solutions customization project follows extensive testing of QuadSight ® prototype systems by the Israeli defense integrator, over a period of two years, as well as numerous successful demonstrations performed by the integrator to the IDF. Following the successful process, the integrator plans to replace the use of LiDAR in its solutions with Foresight’s vision technology. Foresight’s ability to make technological modifications to its system according to customer requirements allows the Company to provide tailor-made solutions that may be suitable for different markets, including the defense industry. As part of Foresight’s business model, it offers licenses for its proprietary 3D perception software, in addition to support and maintenance services. “We believe that Foresight’s passive thermal stereo capabilities are vital to the defense industry. Our unique technology succeeded in outperforming other leading technologies, such as LiDAR, and was therefore chosen as a replacement in defense-focused solutions. By moving to the next stage of evaluation by the IDF, Foresight is supporting its business strategy of working in parallel with vehicle manufacturers, key players in the defense industry and heavy and agricultural equipment manufacturers. Innovative technologies tend to be quickly adopted by the defense market, generating short-term revenue. We believe that our customized vision-based solution could provide valuable data and results to potential customers from various market segments, including the defense industry, allowing us to expand our presence in these markets,” said Foresight’s CEO Haim Siboni. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, Foresight is using forward-looking statements in this press release when it discusses the amount of revenue expected to be derived as well as the timing of the recognition of such revenue, that the integrator plans to replace the use of LiDAR in its solutions with its vision technology, the belief that its passive thermal stereo capabilities are vital to the defense industry, its business strategy and its belief that it will be able to rapidly expand its presence in the defense market. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on Foresight’s current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance or achievements of Foresight could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Foresight's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 30, 2021, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, Foresight undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. Foresight is not responsible for the contents of third party websites. About Foresight Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq and TASE: FRSX) is a technology company developing smart multi-spectral vision software solutions and cellular-based applications. Through the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries, Foresight Automotive Ltd. and Eye-Net Mobile Ltd., Foresight develops both “in-line-of-sight” vision systems and “beyond-line-of-sight” accident-prevention solutions. Foresight’s vision solutions include modules of automatic calibration, sensor fusion and dense 3D point cloud that can be applied to diverse markets such as automotive, defense, autonomous vehicles and heavy industrial equipment. Eye-Net Mobile’s cellular-based solution suite provides real-time pre-collision alerts to enhance road safety and situational awareness for all road users in the urban mobility environment by incorporating cutting-edge AI technology and advanced analytics. For more information about Foresight and its wholly owned subsidiary, Foresight Automotive, visit www.foresightauto.com, follow @ForesightAuto1 on Twitter, or join Foresight Automotive on LinkedIn. Contact Details Investor Relations Contact: Miri Segal-Scharia, CEO, MS-IR LLC +1 917-607-8654 msegal@ms-ir.com Company Website https://www.foresightauto.com/

February 23, 2022 08:10 AM Eastern Standard Time

Aquarius Spectrum Announces AQSense-Edge: A New Cat-M/NB-IoT Acoustic Leak Detection Sensor Combined with New AI & UI Improvements

Aquarius Spectrum

Aquarius Spectrum, a leading provider of acoustic water leak detection solutions in municipal water distribution networks, has announced the launch of its new AQSense-Edge series of Cat-M/NB-IoT correlating sensors. AQSense-Edge represents the next generation in the company’s AQSense Fixed Sensors, a product range designed for continuous pipe monitoring. For over 12 years, Aquarius Spectrum has spearheaded development of innovative systems for the water industry, enabling water utilities to proactively monitor their water distribution network and pinpoint background leaks at an early stage before they surface. Consequently, Aquarius’ worldwide customers report significant reductions in NRW (Non-Revenue Water) and savings in their operational and maintenance costs. The new AQSense-Edge sensor is being heralded by the company as a true a game changer in the water leak detection market, thanks to its compact dimensions, ultra-long 10-year battery life, and superior accuracy powered by an improved correlating algorithm. The AQSense-Edge series supports all water supply pipe materials and diameters, distribution and transmission, and boasts the additional advantage of offering extensive coverage with fewer sensors – typically up to 3 sensors per 1 km of piping. Aquarius Spectrum’s new Cat-M/NB-IoT series includes 3 types of products suitable for different types of installations: AQSense-Edge (AG ) - an accelerometer designed for aboveground installation on fire hydrants and other access points on metal and AC pipes up to 24”; AQSense-Edge (BG) - an accelerometer designed for belowground installation on fire hydrants or on valves inside a pit on metal or AC pipes up to 24”; and AQSense-Edge (Hyd) - a hydrophone sensor designed for PVC, PE and transmission (trunk main) lines, and installation on air release valves. Aquarius Spectrum’s innovative acoustic leak detection technology, protected by 21 patents, is distinguished by its combination of automatic correlation between each pair of sensors, and its sophisticated analysis engine that verifies the existence of the leak and pinpoints its exact location. Thanks to its latest AI and UI improvements, the system is now able to locate and present multiple leaks occurring between each pair of sensors and can provide operators with an estimation of their size and intensity. One of the largest water utilities in the US has already purchased and successfully implemented 150 AQSense-Edge units in a major city. 11 leaks were located and remedied in the first month of operation. In another US-based project, where the customer recently upgraded to the new AQSense-Edge sensors, more than 20 leaks were found and fixed, of which several leaks were simultaneously detected on the same section of pipe by only two sensors. According to Naama Zeldis, CEO of Aquarius Spectrum: “Aquarius is extremely proud to be at the forefront of technological innovation in the water industry for over 12 years, and today we are excited to be cooperating with leading water utilities in all five continents, driving forward our vision of digital water transformation. We bring superior solutions that address all types of water infrastructure. With a deployment of more than 10,000 acoustic sensors, we can declare with confidence that our solutions provide the most efficient and accurate results. We are delighted with the continued trust placed in us by our existing and new customers, both in the company and its cutting-edge line of acoustic water leak detection products, and we will continue to develop innovative solutions that provides customers with excellent ROI and customer experience." About Aquarius Spectrum Aquarius Spectrum is a leading provider of advanced leak detection and pipe condition assessment solutions based on fixed and mobile acoustic sensors combined with AI and big data analytics algorithms. Using our multi-patented technology, water utilities around the world significantly reduce their Non-Revenue Water, and lower maintenance and operational (M&O) costs through continuous proactive monitoring of their water distribution network, early detection and pinpointing of background leaks, and accurate analysis of their infrastructure. Contact Details Aquarius Spectrum Ltd. Sigalit Tamary +972 74-713-6644 info@aqs-systems.com Company Website https://aqs-systems.com/

February 23, 2022 07:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Innovecture Celebrates its 3rd Patent in Payments Space

Innovecture

Innovecture LLC, a Global Technology and Management consultancy company announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a patent, for an invention titled ‘ Communicating payments ’. The ' Communicating payments ’ patent introduces new method of transacting with a point-of-sale device during an in-person payment transaction. This invention avoids sending payment information to the point-of-sale device thus removing the security concern of the payment information theft. The ‘ reverse authorization ’ algorithm replaces the traditional bi-directional communication between Point of Sale and payment gateway with an IoT based communication. This algorithm completes the transaction even if the point of sale is offline which is beneficial specifically to the unattended systems such as kiosks or vending machines. Innovecture has built a mobile commerce platform ‘ SimPayX ’ based on this patent and a beta version is launched in Salt Lake City where many restaurants are participating in the pilot launch. Shreyas Kamat, Patent Inventor and Innovecture CEO commented, “We are particularly excited about the grant of this patent. This patent, which is our 3rd patent in the payments space, is a result of our continued focus on innovation for delivering best value to our customers. The future of payments should be to provide a simple, convenient and secure payment experience to the consumers and this patent provides a revolutionary foundation to provide that experience.” With offices in US, Europe, and APAC, Innovecture provides consulting, technology research services and products to its customers. Innovecture has an impressive track record to be a major contributor in Digital and Agile Transformation projects for several Fortune 500 clients and is privileged to receive multiple recognitions as a MWCN Utah 100 and Inc. 5000 fastest growing company. For more information, please visit the Innovecture website and LinkedIn. Contact Details Innovecture Jamie Irwin +1 801-495-7050 sales@innovect.com Company Website https://www.innovect.com/

February 23, 2022 07:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Simplifying Social Media for Small Business Owners: Tips on How Local Businesses Can Stand Out in 2022

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/mQc2Uxrk-EU Small business owners have already had to get creative in so many ways in the past few years. According to a survey from Adobe, 74% of small business owners are facing creative burnout. One way to reset and refresh their business is by improving their social media presence. For a small business owner who may already be feeling stretched creatively, social media can seem daunting or time intensive. Natalie Zfat partnered with Adobe Creative Cloud Express on a media campaign to provide small business owners with helpful tips to better reach customers and get their business back on its feet. No matter their budget or confidence level for graphic design, here are some of the tips she shared to easily create standout graphics, photos, and videos in no time: Inspiration can strike at the oddest times. Creative Cloud Express allows you to create quick, easy content on the fly – with thousands of high-quality templates to customize your Instagram Stories, video cover slides, timeline carousels and more. Carousels outperform single-image Instagram posts. According to research by SocialInsider, the average engagement rate increases by 2% when using all 10 carousel slides, and carousels with a mix of video and images see the highest engagement rate per post at 2.33%. Filling the carousel with gorgeous content is easy when you use Creative Cloud Express, which lets you easily search through Adobe Stock images and leverage more than 20,000 fonts. Did you know that social media posts with video have 48% more views? Creative Cloud Express makes it super easy to edit and customize videos (even if video editing isn't your forté). It's no secret that social media users scroll quickly, and it can be tricky to stand out. 82% of small business owners know that a creative design will drive business, but 45% cite that they don’t have either the time, tools or skills to bring their ideas to life. One way to “stop the scroll” is with compelling animation and imagery. Creative Cloud Express lets you incorporate animated elements easily and create beautiful, thumb-stopping imagery that will catch your audience's eye. Something as simple as a colorful, animated shape layered behind text - or a funny GIF or sticker - will help your message stand out and allow you to inject more of your personality. And the best part: You don’t have to be a designer to get it done. Use “Quick Actions” powered by Adobe Sensei to remove backgrounds from photos, trim and merge videos, convert videos to GIF, and more. Integrate your brand's aesthetic across multiple platforms for a cohesive experience. Creative Cloud Express allows you to build your brand by uploading logos, colors and more. This makes it easy to seamlessly adapt your brand creative for social media, email marketing, website and more. The Shared Libraries feature in particular makes it easy for anyone and everyone on your team to work from a cohesive bank of templates to achieve that brand consistency. The Instagram algorithm is ever-changing, but we know that content that inspires shares and saves does particularly well, especially when that content is in video form. 74% of small business owners acknowledge that they are facing major hindrances to their creativity right now. To maximize engagement, aim for content that is beautiful, funny or educational. Infographics and video tutorials (“How To’s”) are a great way to do this - and Creative Cloud Express offers stunning, customizable graphs, charts and other great visuals that lend themselves to shareable content. Think of your social media profile as your storefront. 55% of small business owners say their online presence is more critical to their success than a physical store. Is your bio fully fleshed out? Is it clear what you're offering your audience? Creative Cloud Express allows you to create beautiful, robust profiles, with thousands of high quality templates for banner images, profile photos, Instagram Highlight covers and more – all customizable with your brand colors and typography. Don't have a brand book (yet)? Dip into Creative Cloud Express’ Stock and Fonts database for thousands of unique, stunning imagery and font styles for marketing materials like logos, flyers, banners, and more. To learn more about Creative Cloud Express and its different graphic design features go to: adobe.com/express About Natalie Zfat: According to Mark Cuban, “Natalie Zfat doesn’t mess around.” Natalie Zfat is a social media expert, speaker and host who has partnered with some of the most iconic brands in the world, including Samsung, Facebook, CNBC and LinkedIn. Curating original social media content, strategy and campaigns, Natalie gains millions of impressions for the brands she advocates for. When she’s not with her clients, Natalie loves sharing her social media thought leadership in her Forbes column, on television and at conferences and universities, including the New York Times, CBS, Carnegie Mellon, NYU Stern School of Business, SXSW and CES. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 22, 2022 04:34 PM Eastern Standard Time

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