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SheaMoisture Welcomes Back Its Popular Four Day Pop-Up Experience Celebrating Beauty & The Influence of Canada’s Black & Afro Caribbean Community in Lead-Up to Toronto Caribbean Carnival

SheaMoisture Canada

After a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, award-winning personal care brand, SheaMoisture gears up to re-introduce the second edition of its successful pop-up activation the SheaMoisture ‘Be Your Beautiful’ Pop-up; celebrating the beauty, culture, talent, and influence of Canada’s well accomplished and inspiring Black Community. The SheaMoisture ‘Be Your Beautiful’ Pop-up will run from Friday, July 29th to Monday, August 1st, 2022, leading up to North America’s largest Caribbean cultural festival, Toronto Caribbean Carnival with 100% free entry and experiences for the entire family. SheaMoisture’s ‘Be Your Beautiful’ Pop-up will take over Stackt Market in Downtown Toronto where it will become a prime destination for the celebration of Canada’s diverse and talented Black and Afro-Caribbean community. The four-day experience will feature community talent including musicians, artists, community leaders and philanthropists, media personalities, speakers and influencers and local community vendors and entrepreneurs. Complimentary hairstyling services will also be available throughout the four days using SheaMoisture’s renowned and iconic haircare formulas and innovations. Hairstyling services will be provided by black owned and operated salon and barber businesses, namely: Jou Jou Hair Studio, The Curl Lounge, Crown & Glory Natural Hair Studio, Hair By Glenna, Fademaster Barbershop and Big House Barber Studios. Gracing the SheaMoisture ‘Be Your Beautiful’ Pop-up will also be the official winners of the 2022 SheaMoisture Dream Fund: Carnival Spice, Alize Publishing, Halifax Charcuterie, Mane Experience and Koily Kurls. The Dream Fund is the second edition of SheaMoisture’s grant program which offered financial support to the Canadian Black community which has been disproportionately affected globally. The Dream Fund aimed to provide financial grants to black-owned businesses who demonstrated how their services and offerings support their community; how they have positively adapted their business models in recent times and how the funds will support their staff and elevate their future business goals. “SheaMoisture was built on the core belief that commerce is the route to social and economic empowerment. Every purchase of SheaMoisture helps us invest in programs that support the black community everywhere in the world. Here in Canada, we have focused our efforts on supporting black-owned businesses, ensuring they have the tools and resources they need to succeed in these challenging times. We are delighted to have the opportunity to share our Dream Fund winners’ inspiring stories and celebrate the talent, resilience, and success of Canada’s Black community” says Unilever Marketing Manager, Dennis Chua. The SheaMoisture ‘Be Your Beautiful’ Pop-up will feature musical performances by 6-time Juno award nominated Reggae singer Ammoye Evans, DJ sets by Luxelife Sound Co-Owner DJ Lissa Monet, ﷟ DJ Killa Kels, and Luxelife Sound talent DJ Fly Lady Di, a motivational talk by Jam Gamble, art showcases by local black artists, on-site exclusive talent interviews with Toronto based Not With The Hype: The Podcast, a reggae fitness class by Club EnHERgy and an exclusive Shea Shop where consumers can buy their favourite SheaMoisture items in a flash sale and have access to exclusive products and launches not yet released in Canada. For more information on the SheaMoisture ‘Be Your Beautiful’ Pop-up and programming details, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sheamoisture-presents-be-your-beautiful-tickets-372110501527 About SheaMoisture: SheaMoisture, committed to serving those who have been underserved in beauty, is the enduring and beautiful legacy of Sofi Tucker. Widowed with five children at 19, Grandma Sofi supported her family by selling handcrafted shea butter soaps and other creations in the village market in Sierra Leone. Sofi became known as a healer who shared the power of shea and African black soap with families throughout the countryside. She handed down her recipes to grandson Richelieu Dennis, who founded SheaMoisture and incorporated her wisdom into the brand's hair and skin care innovations. SheaMoisture products continue to be made in culturally authentic ways to preserve their efficacy, benefits and rich history. Collections are formulated with natural ingredients, and shea butter is ethically-sourced from 15 women's co-ops in Northern Ghana as part of parent company Sundial Brands' purpose-driven Community Commerce business model. Sundial and SheaMoisture were built on the core belief that only commerce can bring true economic independence to communities and empower women to break the cycles of poverty. The company directly reinvests in the communities it serves by creating economic opportunities for women and other minority entrepreneurs in its ecosystem. Contact Details For further information, event details and interview/media requests, please contact: Daniel Pillai, Vice President, Langton PR Inc. daniel@langtonpr.com

July 21, 2022 03:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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William Tillman’s ToT Partners retained to advise first-to-market IP for dating apps

ToT Partners

ToT Partners, a holding company operated by Wall Street veteran William Tillman, today announced it has become the exclusive sell-side advisor to The Code as the company pursues a strategic business combination that would leverage its powerful technology at scale. The Code is a dating application that uses facial recognition, biometrics, and artificial intelligence to curate and suggest potential matches. The company owns intellectual property related to the use of anthropology, evolutionary biology, and neurophysiology to drive matchmaking. Charles Sankowich, a serial entrepreneur and former commodities trader, serves as founder and CEO, while Stacy Schnieder, an attorney, legal analyst, and former adtech COO, is co-founder. “The Code is first-to-market with patented technology that uses facial recognition and artificial intelligence to calculate and predict physical attraction. This powerful, innovative technology can, as either a product or a feature, further improve the user experience on the apps that millions of people use every day to spark new connections,” said Tillman. According to a forecast from Grand View Research, the size of the app-based dating market is expected to experience a compound annual growth rate of 5.5% from 2022 to 2030, with the fastest-growing market over that period of time expected to be the Asia-Pacific region. Grand View pointed to high rates of divorce and separation among people in their 20s and 30s, the effects of the ongoing Covid 19 recovery, and overall population growth as supporting evidence for its forecast. About ToT Partners ToT Partners was founded by William Nicholas Tillman in 2022. The name of the conglomerate embodies what the founder takes pride in: Being a polymath and illuminating ambiguity through business and philanthropy ventures. Contact Details William Tillman William.tillman@totpartners.com

July 20, 2022 05:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Taking the Guesswork Out of Back to School Shopping:

YourUpdateTV

Believe it or not, back to school season is just around the corner. According to a recent survey conducted by Shipt, the same-day delivery company, nearly 50% of teachers as well as over one-third of parents and caregivers (37%) plan to begin their back to school shopping this month (July). Recently, Chief Business Officer Rina Hurst participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss everything students, parents and teachers need to know before school is in session. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/PmN6Dm7gqiY Known for their personalized shopping experience, Shipt recently polled parents, caregivers, teachers and college students to uncover the top must-have school supplies for back to school shopping. Rooted in insights from the survey as well as proprietary data, Shipt created the Ultimate School Shopping Checklist, a shoppable list of school essentials to guide consumers what to buy, and how to save, this retail season. According to Shipt's Ultimate Shopping Guide, here are the top insights to know: · Write This One Down: While pens and pencils might seem like an obvious choice to be at the top of your list, more than half of parents say these are also the items that their kids run out of the quickest during the school year, so take advantage of back to school sales to stock up now. · No Back-to-Back Backpacks: More than 80% of parents plan to buy their kid a new backpack ahead of the school year – and what’s more, they happen to be a great way to incentivize your kids to get excited about back to school shopping because they can pick out a new backpack that fits their style so start by picking out a new backpack so shopping is fun for everyone! · Classroom SOS: For those looking to lend a helping hand, the top two items that teachers run out of the fastest in their classroom are pencils and dry erase markers. · Keepin’ It Cool: Whether you’re hosting, studying or late night-snacking, don’t forget to add a mini fridge to your dorm room must-haves this school year. Almost half of college students (44%) report that they plan to purchase a mini fridge this year. Along with a Shipt membership, this is a great way to ensure your college kids are eating healthy all semester long. To find out more information on Shipt and to download the Shipt app, visit www.shipt.com and follow Shipt on social on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. For visuals and media assets, download our press kit here. About Rina Hurst Rina Hurst is the Chief Business Officer at Shipt, leading the company’s Business Development, Partner Success and Digital Site Experience teams. In this role, Rina helps spark connections by delivering an easy-to-shop digital site, launching new and innovative partnerships, and building creative strategies alongside retailers and CPGs to continually meet their unique needs for success. Rina received her MBA from Georgetown University and her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech. About Shipt Shipt brings the store to your door. Through a community of Shipt Shoppers and a convenient app, Shipt provides personal shopping and delivery and is available to 80% of households in more than 5,000 U.S. cities. Shipt Shoppers go above and beyond, communicating in real time about preferences and substitutions. A curated marketplace of retailers, Shipt offers access to a variety of stores and product categories including fresh foods, household essentials, wellness products, office and pet supplies. Shipt is an independently operated, wholly owned subsidiary of Target Corp. Founded and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Shipt also maintains an office in San Francisco. For more information, visit Shipt's Newsroom. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

July 19, 2022 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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SOUTH CAROLINA MOM WITH 250 PAIRS OF KICKS FEATURED IN LATEST DROP OF SMALL-TOWN SNEAKERHEAD

Hibbett, Inc.

BIRMINGHAM, AL – July 19, 2022, Hibbett, Inc., an athletic-inspired fashion retailer with more than 1,100 Hibbett and City Gear specialty stores nationwide, today announced the launch of the latest Small-Town Sneakerhead (STSH) episode. Single mother, small business owner and sneaker enthusiast, Rochelle Sullivan, takes viewers in and around her hometown of Lyman, a small mill town outside of Greenville, South Carolina and reveals her favorite spots and impressive sneaker collection. “Sneakerheads can’t be categorized as one type of person, they are unique and inspiring individuals connected by their affinity for sneaker culture,” said Sarah Sharp-Wangaard, VP Marketing, Hibbett. "With every episode this project adds new twists to the world of collecting, varied demographics, geography and multi-generational stories, sure to inspire like-minded people who are passionate about sneakers. We are grateful to the characters who are willing to talk to us and share their personal journey.” “I started collecting when I was about 12 because my brother was a high school athlete and I was drawn to all the cool sneakers the players wore at his games,” said Rochelle Sullivan. “I was then determined to save my allowance to purchase cool sneakers. I have passed the passion along to my 10-year-old son, Weston, who has been wearing all types of sneakers since day one. I love to include him in my hunt for new releases, take him back-to-school sneaker shopping locally and to sneaker conventions.” In the new episode of Small-Town Sneakerhead, Sullivan and her son lead cameras around to visit some of her favorite eateries and spots in and around Lyman. The crew stops by Red Hill Hot Dogs, Tyger River Ballpark, Greenville Falls Park and Hibbett Greenville. Sullivan says growing up in a small town like Lyman was great but its quickly growing and as it is becoming more diverse, she is looking forward to new types of experiences. Some of Sullivan’s favorite pairs in her collection include; Kobe 6 “Grinch,” Kobe 6 “Mambacita,” Sean Wotherspoon 1/97 Air Max and the Concepts, Patta and Atmos Air Max packs. “You don’t have to have a lot of pairs to be a Sneakerhead, you just have to love sneakers,” said Rochelle Sullivan. “I style my looks with sneakers first and then the outfit – if the sneakers are the statement piece then I keep the outfit neutral and vice versa.” “As Nike celebrates 50 years of excellence, it is great seeing stories of the love of sneakers being handed down from generation to generation,” said Matt Halfhill, Founder and CEO, Nice Kicks. “Whether it be in big cities or in small towns, Nike is part of many people's journeys as sneakerheads.” The new STSH episode featuring Rochelle Sullivan launches today across digital channels and social platforms including; Hibbett.com, NiceKicks.com, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. About Small-Town Sneakerhead In 2020, Hibbett launched the Small-Town Sneakerhead project to provide sneakerheads from all walks of life the platform to share their personal sneaker narrative. Produced in partnership with Nike and Nice Kicks, the series highlights the evolving sneaker scene and enthusiasts from across the country. Hibbett has featured collectors from East Buffalo, NY, Cheyenne, WY, Hampton, VA, Cape Girardeau, MO, Murphy, TX, Hopkinsville, KY, Lafayette, LA and Lyman, South Carolina with more coming soon. About Hibbett, Inc. Hibbett, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is a leading athletic-inspired fashion retailer with 1105 Hibbett and City Gear specialty stores, located in 35 states nationwide. Hibbett has a rich history of convenient locations, personalized customer service and access to coveted footwear, apparel and equipment from top brands like Nike, Jordan, and adidas. Consumers can browse styles, find new releases, shop looks and make purchases online or in their nearest store by visiting www.hibbett.com. Follow us @hibbettsports and @citygear on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact Details Wendy Yellin pr@hibbett.com Company Website https://www.Hibbett.com

July 19, 2022 10:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Female-Led Wellness & Beauty Brand Unveils Bold, New Brand Look and Inspiring Tagline

Reserveage

Reserveage, French-inspired beauty supplement and skincare brand, has relaunched today with an eye-catching, bold, new brand look. The goal is to better reflect their mission to provide women of all ages and backgrounds with science-backed, proven products that support radiant health, well-being, and natural beauty—inside and out. With self-care as a starting point, Reserveage is redefining their approach to beauty with a holistic mindset, a purpose-filled vision, and product innovation driven by the evolving needs of women through every age and stage of their life. “Last year, we took a step back to focus on awareness studies and macro trends happening within the health and beauty space,” says Yamit Sadok, Senior Director of Marketing. “Our major takeaways were that we must meet women where they are and continue to make a fundamental shift from anti-aging to pro-aging and from an industry-driven aspirational beauty ideal to a personal ideal where women define beauty for themselves.” As part of this new direction, Reserveage charged a renowned female photographer and notable female artist to create new packaging that represents a more inclusive, broader definition of beauty, as well as the idea that beauty, wellness, and self-care are inextricably linked. Rising to the challenge, they combined a vibrant color palette with real floral photography to capture the spirit and essence of a bold, modern woman—her individuality, growth, and multi-faceted beauty. This female-driven campaign was created by women for women, which is reflected in the elevated packaging design, as well as the overarching message that beauty itself—and the products that help a woman achieve it—begin from within. In addition to the new packaging, the brand will launch a new digital and influencer campaign, website, and tagline to ensure its core consumer feels represented, understood, supported, and inspired. “We truly are a company that believes beauty doesn’t have a time limit and that what makes a woman unique is also what makes her beautiful,” says Sadok. “Our new brand look and tagline ‘Believe in your beauty. We do.’ embodies this belief and inspires women to believe it too.” The new campaign has started to rollout across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, as well as print ads, broadcast media advertisements, and in-store takeovers at select retailers this year. Consumers can now see the new packaging available for purchase on Reserveage’s website, Amazon, Whole Foods, Vitamin Shoppe, Natural Grocers, CVS Pharmacy, Vitacost, IHerb, and soon at key retailers including King Soopers, Ingles, Raley’s, Publix Green wise locations and more. For more information visit Reserveage.com/new look or follow-on Instagram @reserveagenutrition. About Reserveage: Founded and run by woman, Reserveage is a leading wellness and beauty brand. Their name combines the words “reserve” and “age” to highlight one of their flagship supplement ingredients, resveratrol, a compound found in red wine that helps women to stay healthier for longer. They are category pioneers in the supplement space with three number one selling brands, including resveratrol, collagen, and keratin. With the addition of a new skincare line featuring a proprietary microencapsulated copper peptide technology that promotes the appearance of collagen-rich skin, they have established a complete self-care system that supports beauty, health, and well-being from the inside-out and outside in. Reserveage brings every product to market with science-backed results— ensuring high-quality, proven products that help women of all ages to look and feel radiantly healthy, inside, and out. Reserveage is available at some of the world’s top retailers, such as Amazon, Vitamin Shoppe, CVS Pharmacy, Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, King Soopers, Vitacost, Iherb, natural stores nationwide and more. For more information, please visit Reserveage’s website and @reserveagenutrition on Instagram. Contact Details Powers PR Alex Wollman +1 914-588-0313 alex@powers-pr.com Company Website https://www.reserveage.com/

July 19, 2022 09:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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FRX Innovations to Benefit from Proposed Regulatory Changes in Washington State

FRX Innovations Inc

FRX Innovations (TSXV:FRXI) (“FRX,” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it is stepping up its communication and education program to help customers, OEMs, and retailers, meet the upcoming Washington State Department of Ecology (“WSDE”) regulatory changes that will impact consumer electronics supply chains and materials design for companies active in the state, and therefore across the United States. WSDE issued its end of Stage 3 Draft Regulatory Determination Report to the State legislature to permanently ban the use of brominated flame retardants in all plastic casings across a wide range of electronics and home appliances used indoors. This development comes as part of a broader Safer Products for Washington initiative, a pioneering set of laws that are aimed at replacing toxic chemicals in a range of applications with potential exposure for consumers. Specifically, this action will affect high-touch electronic equipment such as televisions, smart speakers, computer monitors, and home appliances and will drive the conversion to more sustainable alternatives such as FRX’s line of Nofia Flame Retardant Polymeric Additives. Chief Executive Officer, Marc Lebel commented, “FRX has been anticipating the flame retardant industry’s inevitable shift away from toxic chemicals. Together with a number of global partners, we have thoughtfully developed a family of commercial materials choices that deliver market leading flame retardancy with environmental safety that the industry and consumers demand and deserve. We are witnessing an unprecedented number of opportunities with an increasing number of resin producers and compounders keen to develop cost effective alternatives, promptly ahead of this major change. We commend the State of Washington for this important step in its program to eliminate known toxic chemicals from consumer products and see this as an inflection point for flame retardants, as part of a global shift away from harmful chemicals.” Lebel continued, “The proposed rule changes establishes the State of Washington as a leader in the US affecting the flame retardant industry, since OEMs and national retailers seek products that are approved in all states across the country. This follows in the footsteps of similar regulatory changes in the European Union and New York State.” “The proposed rules intend to ban brominated flame retardants as a class of materials from these uses. This would be the most aggressive legislation to date affecting the flame retardant industry. These changes, and likely others yet to be announced, are leading to an expansion of FRX’s customer base. We are thrilled that we invested early in additional capacity in our state-of-the-art manufacturing plant and are ready for the coming windfall in demand.” FRX has been built on over US$120MM of investment and is in commercial production at its fully permitted facility in Antwerp, Belgium from where FRX is currently supplying its Nofia Flame Retardant product line to a growing number of multi-national OEMs around the world. For more information, please visit www.frx-innovations.com. About FRX Innovations FRX Innovations is a global manufacturing company, producing a family of environmentally sustainable flame-retardant products that serve several large markets spanning electronics, automotive, electric vehicles (EV) and medical devices. FRX is led by a team of highly experienced business and technical professionals and is positioned to be a leader in the rapidly growing flame retardant plastics and additives market.Nofia® is a registered trademark of FRX. Nofia® products are manufactured at its manufacturing facility on the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, one of the world's largest chemical producing clusters. Nofia Polyphosphonates are produced using sustainable green chemistry principles such as a solvent-free production process, no waste by-products, and near 100% atom efficiency. FRX's portfolio includes an extensive patent estate. FRX has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the EPA's Environmental Merit Award, the Belgium Business Award for the Environment, and the Flanders Investment of the Year Award. FRX has also been recognized six times on the Global Cleantech 100 list. CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain acts, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information in this press release may include, without limitation, statements with respect to the safety and/or efficacy of Nofia® flame retardants, the positioning of the Company within the industry, the expected shift in consumer demand benefitting the Company, and additional proposed rule changes in other jurisdictions. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Contact Details FRX Innovations Mike Goode +1 978-244-9500 mgoode@frx-innovations.com Investor Relations Graham Farrell +1 416-842-9003 ir@frx-innovations.com Media Contact Joseph Grande +1 413-684-2463 joe@joegrandecommunications.com

July 19, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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FREE BACK TO SCHOOL HAIRCUTS AT CUTZ FOR KIDS EVENTS IN HUNTSVILLE

Hibbett, Inc.

Hibbett | City Gear and New Balance host Cutz for Kids Back to School event at Hibbett & City Gear stores in Huntsville. Both stores located at 2250 Sparkman Drive, NW in Huntsville, welcome the public to stop by on Saturday, July 23rd between 12 noon and 4 pm to join the festivities. Kids of all ages will be able to get free haircuts on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Huntsville Hibbett | City Gear Cutz For Kids event are two of 19 being held across the country kicking off the new school year and helping kids head back in style. There will be free children’s haircuts from local barbers, music, refreshments and fun for the whole family. “We put together this fun event with our generous partners at New Balance to support the neighborhood kids and motivate them to go back to school,” said Ben Knighten, Senior VP Operations, Hibbett, Inc. “The concept was created about four years ago by one of our Associates and has been so well received, that now the event is duplicated across multiple Hibbett and City Gear markets.” About Hibbett, Inc. Hibbett, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is a leading athletic-inspired fashion retailer with 1105 Hibbett and City Gear specialty stores, located in 35 states nationwide. Hibbett has a rich history of convenient locations, personalized customer service and access to coveted footwear, apparel and equipment from top brands like Nike, Jordan, and adidas. Consumers can browse styles, find new releases, shop looks and make purchases online or in their nearest store by visiting www.hibbett.com. Follow us @hibbettsports and @citygear on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact Details Wendy Yellin pr@hibbett.com Company Website https://www.Hibbett.com

July 18, 2022 10:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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AUW Offers Hundreds of Scholarships for Afghan Women; Donates Essential Medicines for Kabul Hospitals

Asian University for Women

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - Media OutReach - 18 July 2022 - Asian University for Women (AUW), based in Chittagong, Bangladesh, offered hundreds of new scholarships for Afghan women who are eligible and qualified for admission to AUW's undergraduate or graduate programs. During a four-day visit to Kabul, Kamal Ahmad, Founder of the Asian University for Women, met with Mr. Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, Acting Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan and former head of the Taliban's political office in Doha, Qatar, and made the offer. He also handed over a gift of essential medicines for Kabul hospitals that was requested by the Afghan authorities. Deputy Foreign Minister Stanikzai welcomed the AUW initiative and committed his support for the proposal. Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister H.E. Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai presenting a gift of a plate of Lapis Lazuli to Kamal Ahmad for AUW as a token of his government's appreciation of AUW's support for Afghan women's education. Separately, Kamal Ahmad also held discussions with the Acting Minister of Higher Education; the Minister of Education; the Chancellor of Kabul University; and other senior government officials. He also called on the Ambassador of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) based in Kabul. In addition to the scholarships, AUW has proposed to initiate a pilot online secondary school education program through which Afghan students studying at the AUW Graduate School of Education would run online classes following the Afghan national curriculum. A new MOU is being prepared in this regard to be entered into between AUW and the Afghan Ministry of Education. This pilot project would provide an opportunity for AUW Afghan Masters students to gain teaching experience while also enabling young girls to continue their education at home while the Afghan government determines its approach to girls' and women's education. The Afghan Acting Minister of Education invited AUW to make a formal proposal in this regard and noted that his Ministry will be soon initiating a Directorate of Online Education. It may be noted that AUW has been deeply engaged in education of Afghan girls and women from its inception. Currently, about 170 Afghan women attend AUW on full scholarship. About Asian University for Women (AUW): Founded in 2008 and located in Chittagong, Bangladesh, AUW is the first of its kind: a regional institution dedicated to women’s education and leadership development through liberal arts and sciences education. It is international in outlook but rooted in the contexts and aspirations of the people of Asia. Chartered by the Parliament of Bangladesh, AUW exists solely to support a rising network of women leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers from across the region. It seeks out women who show significant academic achievement and potential, demonstrate courage and a sense of outrage at injustice, and are empathic to the woes of other people. 1160 students from 17 countries currently attend AUW: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Timor Leste, Vietnam, and Yemen. More than 85% of AUW students are on full or near-full scholarships funded by supporters from around the world. The University has graduated over a thousand students to date. A majority of AUW graduates secure employment in the private and public sectors in their home countries while about 25% go on to pursue graduate studies at other institutions of higher learning including Oxford, Cambridge, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Columbia, Duke, Brandeis and Tufts, among others. To learn more about Asian University for Women, please visit https://asian-university.org. Contact Details Asian University for Women (AUW) Tapu Chowdhury +880 1926-673054 tapu.barua@auw.edu.bd

July 18, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Asia’s only diagnostic-first sexual health wellness startup Kindly secures funding round

Kindly

Health tech startup Kindly has set out to support men and women across asia dealing with sexual lifestyle disorders and fertility issues with a diagnostic-first approach. As they seek to grow and expand, Kindly has today announced a $3.25M seed round from investors around the world including Y Combinator, DG Daiwa, Olive Tree, Soma, Goodwater, and Gaingels. Founded in 2020 (previously known as Janani.life), Kindly is a holistic sexual performance and a lifestyle brand focussed on the sexual & reproductive health space. They are addressing the gap in the market of lifestyle disorders, sexual performance, and hormonal wellness – a $8b market opportunity - with their support and product range. The YCombinator (W22 cohort) backed start-up, Kindly is Asia’s only diagnostics-first lifestyle brand offering a full-stack sexual wellness solution, including at-home diagnostics, convenient expert consultations, and doctor-backed supplements. Kindly is the only brand in India to offer at-home-semen tests that are not only focused on fertility issues but also on lifestyle disorders, which are extremely common among men and women today. Kindly is addressing a marketplace of 130 million users in India alone who will benefit from Kindly’s full stack approach by early diagnosis of lifestyle disorder, expert doctor consultations and research backed supplements to overcome and manage lifestyle disorders such as sexual dysfunctions, low vitality, PCOS and menstrual pain. Nilay Mehrotra, Founder & CEO of Kindly, commented: “We’ve attracted investors from around the world and this bodes well for our expansion into markets beyond India. The whole team is passionate about empowering people to explore their sexual wellness safely and confidently and this shows in our community engagement and growth numbers. We’re breaking new ground with an all-inclusive approach to lifestyle and sexual disorders, something which hasn’t been done before. The funding round wil elevate us from from a disruptor brand to a market leader in the lifestyle and sexual wellness market. With fresh product lines, a tech-enabled platform for easy access to our services, and our intention for global expansion, we are poised to enter the next phase of our growth.” Kindly’s offerings are categorised into KindlyHis and KindlyHers to address the needs of both genders. KindlyHis is predominantly leading the conversation about sexual performance and sperm health whereas KindlyHers focuses on women’s holistic wellness offering products and services for sexual, menstrual, and hormonal wellness. Both men and women face sexual wellness concerns but due to lack of awareness and social stigma associated with these problems they refrain from seeking help. Erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and loss of libido are one of the major concerns for men. According to research, Prevalence of female sexual dysfunction increased with age, from 22% in women aged <20 years to 75.7% in women aged 40-50 years. Most women suffer from painful sex, vaginusmus, vaginal dryness and loss of libido but in most cases it is ignored due lack of knowledge. Kindly will use the capital to accelerate its growth and expansion across India and international markets. “As a growth-stage investor focused on bio health led businesses, we are excited to partner with Kindly. The wellness market has changed dramatically over the last year, and we believe the demand for at home diagnostics will only continue to grow. Kindly's diagnostics first based model is well positioned for success, and we believe it has the potential to grow” added Takeshi Kanamori, Managing Director, DG Daiwa ventures. About Kindly Kindly is a holistic sexual performance and a lifestyle brand for all, offering discreet, non-judgmental, convenient, end-to-end full-stack solutions. Launched in May 2022 by Nilay Malhotra and Raj Garg, the Bengaluru-based start-up provides an end-to-end, research-backed solution for sperm health & sexual performance for men, PCOS, irregular periods & period pain for women, and low libido for women. Kindly has two verticals: Kindly His and Kindly Hers. Kindly His is predominantly leading the conversation about sexual performance and sperm health whereas Kindly Hers focuses on women’s holistic wellness offering products and services for sexual, menstrual, and hormonal wellness. For more information, please visit: https://www.kindlyhealth.com/ Contact Details Kindly Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.kindlyhealth.com/

July 14, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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