ITA Airways Firms Up Order for 28 Airbus Aircraft

Improved environmental performance, state-of-the-art aircraft technology, up to 25% less fuel consumption and CO2 emissions – @Airbus #A220 #A320neo #A330neo

ITA Airways, Italy’s new national carrier, has firmed up an order with Airbus for 28 aircraft

ITA Airways, Italy’s new national carrier, has firmed up an order with Airbus for 28 aircraft, including seven A220s, 11 A320neos and 10 A330neos, the latest version of the most popular A330 widebody airliner.

ROME, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ITA Airways, Italy’s new national carrier, has firmed up an order with Airbus for 28 aircraft, including seven A220s, 11 A320neos and 10 A330neos, the latest version of the most popular A330 widebody airliner. The order confirms the Memorandum of Understanding announced on 30th September 2021. In addition, the airline will pursue its plans to lease A350s to complement its fleet modernisation.

This agreement lays the foundations for a future development of the national industrial fabric and the civil aeronautics sector.

“Today the strategic partnership with Airbus takes an important step forward with the finalisation of the order we announced last September. In addition to this agreement, possibilities for further collaboration have emerged, in particular regarding technological developments in the aviation sector and digitalisation, where Airbus is the market leader. All this is part of the actions to achieve our environmental sustainability objectives,” said Alfredo Altavilla, Executive President of ITA Airways.

“We are very proud to partner with ITA Airways in building its long-term future with the most efficient, latest technology Airbus aircraft. This agreement supports ITA Airways business objectives to develop its network in Europe and internationally in the most sustainable way,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International.

Alfredo Altavilla, Executive President of ITA Airways and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International

Alfredo Altavilla, Executive President of ITA Airways and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. ITA Airways, Italy’s new national carrier, has firmed up an order with Airbus for 28 aircraft, including seven A220s, 11 A320neos and 10 A330neos, the latest version of the most popular A330 widebody airliner.

These new Airbus aircraft will expand the initial ITA Airways fleet with a new generation aircraft with better environmental performance, equipped with latest technologies and state-of-the-art cabins to guarantee maximum operational efficiencies for the airline and the best comfort to travelers.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation geared turbofan engines. With a range of up to 3,450 nm (6,390 km), the A220 gives airlines added operational flexibility. The A220 delivers up to 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, and 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards. In addition, the aircraft noise footprint is reduced by 50% compared to previous generation aircraft – making the A220 a good neighbour around airports.

The A320neo Family is the most successful aircraft family ever and displays 99,7% operational reliability rate. The A320neo provides operators with 20% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions – the A320neo Family incorporates the latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklet wing tip devices. The Airbus A320neo Family offers unmatched comfort in all classes and Airbus’ 18-inch wide seats in economy as standard.

The Airbus A330neo is a true new-generation aircraft, building on features popular for the A330 Family and developed for the latest technology A350. Equipped with a compelling Airspace cabin, the A330neo offers a unique passenger experience with the latest-generation in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity. Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, and featuring a new wing with increased span and A350-inspired winglets, the A330neo also provides an unprecedented level of efficiency – with 25% lower fuel-burn per seat than previous-generation competitors. Thanks to its tailored mid-sized capacity and its excellent range versatility, the A330neo is considered the ideal aircraft to support operators in their post-COVID-19 recovery.

For more information:
LaPresse SpA Communication and Press Office Director
Barbara Sanicola barbara.sanicola@lapresse.it
+39 02 26305578 M +39 333 3905243

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ca5cd79f-8230-4a7a-a845-d348631366e7

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6bcfbace-bd5c-461d-b163-e75d517889da

The photos are also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.

Sophi.io Wins at WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards Worldwide 2021

Sophi Dynamic Paywall wins global award for Best Paid Media Strategy

TORONTO, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sophi.io, The Globe and Mail’s artificial intelligence-based automation, optimization and prediction engine, won WAN-IFRA’s 2021 Digital Media Awards Worldwide award in the Best Paid Media Strategy category for Sophi Dynamic Paywall, its real-time, personalized paywall engine that analyses both content characteristics and user behaviour to determine when to ask a reader for money or an email address, and when to leave them alone.

The judges unanimously selected Sophi Dynamic Paywall as the winner, with one judge commenting: “What Globe and Mail did is state of the art and what I appreciate most is that they permanently tested against the old paywall so those results are really, really sustainable.”

The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)’s Digital Media Awards Worldwide is the news media industry’s global digital media competition. The worldwide winners are selected from the winners of the regional Digital Media Awards in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and South Asia, which together provide news publishers with regular showcases for best-practice innovation in digital publishing worldwide. The awards recognize and celebrate the best of digital media.

“Sophi Dynamic Paywall has been crucial to driving reader revenue at The Globe and Mail,” said Phillip Crawley, Publisher and CEO of The Globe and Mail. “I look forward to sharing more stories about how Sophi’s other customers are seeing great results with our AI-powered technology.”

Sophi is an artificial-intelligence system that helps publishers identify their most valuable content and leverage it to achieve key business goals. The Sophi suite of tools also consists of Sophi Site Automation which autonomously curates content across all of a publisher’s digital properties and Sophi Content Paywall which uses complex natural language processing models to analyze every piece of content and select articles to put in front of or behind a hard paywall, maximizing the value of both the subscription revenue opportunity and the advertising revenue for publishers.

Publishers on five continents now use Sophi’s AI and ML technology to power paywall decisions, website automation and print automation.

About Sophi.io 

Sophi.io (https://www.sophi.io) was developed by The Globe and Mail to help content publishers make important strategic and tactical decisions. It is a suite of AI-powered tools that includes Sophi Site Automation and Sophi for Paywalls. Sophi is designed to improve the metrics that matter most to your business, such as subscriber retention and acquisition, engagement, recency, frequency and volume. Sophi also powers automated laydown of print and ePaper publishing.

Contact  

Jamie Rubenovitch 
Head of Marketing, Sophi 
The Globe and Mail 
416-585-3355  
jrubenovitch@globeandmail.com

Institutional Investor Publishes 2021 Global Fixed-Income Research Rankings

J.P. Morgan achieves first place in the leaders’ table as this year’s top global research provider for fixed income

NEW YORK, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In 2021 Institutional Investor’s Global Fixed-Income Research survey, 6,025 bond and credit specialists from 1,622 asset managers provided their feedback to determine the top fixed-income research providers for developed and emerging markets across North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Emerging EMEA. Voters cast over 126,000 firm and analyst votes in total, compared to 109,000 votes last year.

This was the third year that Institutional Investor Research ran the fixed-income survey as a single Global ballot, rather than regionally. As global economic growth strengthens in 2021, opportunities to invest in fixed-income securities have increased while investors have also been seeking protection from inflation concerns. The market is indicating that there is a reasonable expectation that inflation is going to remain elevated – considering the inflation breakeven rates – signalling a potential rise in interest rates next year.

Results Highlights

Global results

J.P. Morgan claims first place in the Research Team leaders table for the second year in a row, claiming 105 published positions in the leaders’ tables, with BofA Securities in a close second place, achieving 102 published positions. Morgan Stanley climbed up the table to third place from fourth place year, while Barclays and Citi claimed fourth and fifth places respectively. Stifel jumped up three ranks from 2020 to sixth place, followed by Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs. Other noticeable movers and shakers on the leaders table include Credit Agricole Corporate Investment Bank (up two positions from 2020) and BMO Capital Markets (up one position).

Newcomers to the leader’s tables include Credit Suisse, Commerzbank and Jefferies.

Regional results

BofA Securities clinched first place in Asia ex-Japan, Japan, Emerging EMEA and Latin America and coming in a close second place in Europe and the U.S.

Asia ex-Japan: Morgan Stanley claims second place, followed by Citi and J.P. Morgan in joint third place. Citi climbs a rank from 2020.

Japan: Citi, J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley come in joint second place.

Europe: J.P. Morgan achieves first place this year, with BofA second and Barclays moving up a rank from 2020 to third place. Morgan Stanley jumped two places to join Deutsche Bank in fourth place. Newcomers to the leaders table include Commerzbank, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs.

Emerging EMEA: J.P. Morgan comes in second place with Citi and Morgan Stanley in joint third. Morgan Stanley was up a position over the year.

Latin America: Citi joins BofA Securities in first place and J.P. Morgan drops to third place. Jefferies join the leaders’ table.

USA: The top three places reflect the same as last year, with J.P. Morgan in first place, BofA Securities in second and Barclays in third. Morgan Stanley has moved up a rank into fourth place while the largest mover and shaker is Stifel, who has leaped up three places on the leaders’ board to fifth place. Citi follows in sixth place. BMO Capital Markets and Nomura have also moved up the leader board by one and two places respectively, while Credit Suisse joins the leader board this year.

The results can be found here: https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/research/11461/Global-Fixed-Income-Research-Team.

Esther Weisz, Director of II Research, says “It has been a challenging year around the world and investors are looking for excellent fixed-income strategy and fundamental research globally across a variety of products. According to feedback from asset management voters, the sell-side has certainly delivered, and the quality and output of research remains high. The post covid environment has changed workflows which has allowed greater efficiency, improved productivity and innovative thinking.”

Notes on the selection approach

Participants first rated their top firms in regional sectors on a scale from 1-5, and then separately rated individual analysts or economists/strategists at those firms to create two distinct results for each sector. A numerical score was produced by weighting each vote based on the respondent’s fixed-income AUM for the region voted in and the ratings awarded.

Using those scores, ranks were then determined. Firms/analysts were designated runners‐up when their scores came within 35% of the third-place scores.

In the Investment-Grade and High-Yield categories only those analysts who publish independent research pursuant to Regulation AC or as defined by the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority are eligible to be recognized. No such restriction applies in Economics and Strategy sectors.

The individuals surveyed are kept confidential to ensure continuing cooperation. Voters must meet eligibility requirements, and winners must achieve a minimum vote count.

Investment professionals from the buy-side were invited to vote during a four-week period; increasingly votes are submitted centrally from investment management firms to reflect their formal internal research evaluation processes. This has reduced the disruption to the industry and increased the accuracy of the final results.

For more information, contact Esther Weisz, II Research Director of Sales, on +1 212 224 3307 or eweisz@iiresearch.com. To share your position on your website content, advertisements, communications and marketing collateral, please contact marketing@iiresearch.com.

Media contact

Sally Savery, Director of Marketing, Institutional Investor Research. sally.savery@iiresearch.com

About Institutional Investor

For over 50 years Institutional Investor has consistently distinguished itself among the world’s foremost media companies with ground-breaking journalism and incisive writing that provides essential intelligence for a global audience. In addition, Institutional Investor offers highly respected proprietary benchmark research and rankings. Institutional Investor Research (II Research) provides independent sell-side and corporate performance research and rankings and aims to be the first-choice and independent validation source of qualitative market intelligence for all three sides of the investment community. II Research has a global presence, spanning Developed Europe, Emerging EMEA, Asia-Pacific, North America and Latin America.

Follow Institutional Investor Research here https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/11222447

4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals Selects AGC Biologics to Manufacture Procizumab

AGC Biologics to produce Procizumab for early and late clinical phases at company’s Chiba and Copenhagen facilities

Seattle, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AGC Biologics, a leading global Biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), today announced a new partnership with 4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals GmbH (“4TEEN4”) to manufacture and commercialize Procizumab. The first-in-class monoclonal antibody Procizumab offers a new approach for the treatment of life-threatening diseases related to acute circulatory failure.

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will collaborate to transfer and optimize the manufacturing process for Procizumab. AGC Biologics will manufacture the clinical trial materials at its site in Chiba and transfer to its Copenhagen facility for all late phase activities including commercialization, to support early and late clinical phases and launch readiness of 4TEEN4’s monoclonal antibody.

“We look forward to partnering with 4TEEN4 and working together to develop and manufacture this revolutionary treatment, and help it reach the critical clinical trial phase,” said Patricio Massera, Chief Executive Officer at AGC Biologics. “Our Chiba and Copenhagen sites have the proven experience and expertise to help 4TEEN4 in its journey towards the clinical and market supply of this new innovative therapy.”

4TEEN4 is a preclinical-stage biotech company dedicated to helping critically ill patients suffering from loss of heart function and circulatory shock. Its flagship biologic, Procizumab, is a humanized monoclonal antibody able to inhibit the activity of its target, Dipeptidyl Peptidase 3 (DPP3), stabilize cardiovascular function and potentially increase survival chances e.g., in cardiogenic and septic shock.

“AGC is a high-quality partner with global manufacturing expertise and extensive commercial supply experience, and we are pleased to start a long-standing relationship as we continue to progress in our clinical development,” said Andreas Bergmann, founder and CEO of 4TEEN4. “Preclinical studies of Procizumab in models of cardiovascular failure showed instant efficacy, demonstrating this treatment’s tremendous potential.”

The teams of scientists at AGC Biologics’ Chiba and Copenhagen facilities have more than 20 years’ experience developing and delivering a wide range of mammalian and microbial programs, including several commercially approved products. AGC Biologics also recently announced expansion plans for its facility in Copenhagen that will double the production capacity at the site and meet increasing market demand.

About 4TEEN4 
4TEEN4 is dedicated to improving critically ill patient lives who suffer from hemodynamic instability, end-organ hypoperfusion and multiple organ failure with our first-in-class humanized monoclonal antibody “Procizumab” targeting human dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3). 4TEEN4 licensed its novel biomarker DPP3 for diagnostic purposes in critical care conditions. 4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals GmbH (“4TEEN4”) was established in 2013 in Hennigsdorf near Berlin, Germany, by Dr. Andreas Bergmann, CEO of 4TEEN4, as part of his Medicine4Future Initiative. For further information, please visit www.4teen4.de

About AGC Biologics
AGC Biologics is a leading global biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a strong commitment to delivering the highest standard of service as we work side-by-side with our clients and partners, every step of the way. We provide world-class development and manufacture of mammalian and microbial-based therapeutic proteins, plasmid DNA (pDNA), viral vectors, and genetically engineered cells. Our global network spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with cGMP-compliant facilities in Seattle, Washington; Boulder and Longmont, Colorado; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany; Milan, Italy; and Chiba, Japan and we currently employ more than 2,000 employees worldwide. Our commitment to continuous innovation fosters the technical creativity to solve our clients’ most complex challenges, including specialization in fast-track projects and rare diseases. AGC Biologics is the partner of choice. To learn more, visit www.agcbio.com.

AGC Biologics Contact:
Media Contact: Nick McDonald
nmcdonald@agc.com

4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals GmbH Contacts:
Investor Contact:
Dr. Karine Bourgeois
Tel: +49(0)1622145536
bourgeois@4teen4.de
Press Contact:
Leen Alsaka Amini
Tel: +49(0)1766 4322 193
amini@4teen4.de

Nick McDonald
AGC Biologics
(425) 419-3555
nmcdonald@agc.com

Virtusa Wins 2021 AWS Industry Solution NSI Partner of the Year – US

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virtusa Corporation was named the 2021 AWS Industry Solution NSI Partner of the Year – US for driving continued innovation and growth across a broad range of Amazon Web Services (AWS) focused Technology and Industry specific market offerings.

Virtusa was recognized as “Partner of the Year” based on a comprehensive set of leading industry solutions including Virtusa’s vLife Platform for Healthcare and Life Sciences, its Open Innovation Platform for Banking and Financial Services, and its iComms Platform for Telecommunications and Media. Coupled with these software-as-a-service (SaaS)-based industry platforms, Virtusa launched a variety of cross-industry technology accelerators to help increase the velocity of customer cloud migrations and modernization efforts. So far, Virtusa has added 54 solutions to AWS Marketplace over the last few years.

“Being recognized as an AWS Industry Solution NSI Partner of the Year validates our company’s continued commitment to providing our customers a balance of both specialized cloud engineering services with impactful industry expertise and solutions,” said Raymond Hennings, Executive Vice President and Head of Alliances and Strategic Deals at Virtusa. “Virtusa is well known for building applications and we will continue to work with AWS to strategically bring disruptive SaaS-based innovation and joint service offerings to the market.”

Virtusa and AWS have worked together for more than a decade. Key solution focus areas have included Database Freedom for large-scale database migrations, End User Computing (EUC) for remote desktop management, Amazon Connect for service center automation, and AWS Edge and internet-of-things (IoT)-based computing services. Both AWS and Virtusa solutions have been the catalyst for driving repeatable success together in the market.

To learn more about Virtusa’s industry solutions running on AWS visit:

Banking & Financial Services: https://www.virtusa.com/solutions/open-banking
Healthcare & Life Sciences: https://www.virtusa.com/solutions/vlife
Telecommunications & Media: https://www.virtusa.com/solutions/icomms
Desktop as a Service (EUC): https://www.virtusa.com/solutions/virtusa-desktop-as-a-service

To learn more about Virtusa’s AWS work and services visit:
https://www.virtusa.com/partners/aws

About Virtusa

Virtusa Corporation is a global provider of digital business strategy, digital engineering, and information technology (IT) services and solutions that help clients change, disrupt and unlock new value through innovative engineering. Virtusa serves Global 2000 companies in Banking, Financial Services, Insurance, Healthcare, Communications, Media, Entertainment, Travel, Manufacturing, and Technology industries.

Virtusa helps clients grow their business with innovative products and services that create operational efficiency using digital labor, future-proof operational and IT platforms, and rationalization and modernization of IT applications infrastructure. This is achieved through a unique approach blending deep contextual expertise, empowered agile teams, and measurably better engineering to create holistic solutions that drive the business forward at unparalleled velocity enabled by a culture of cooperative disruption.

Virtusa is a registered trademark of Virtusa Corporation. All other company and brand names may be trademarks or service marks of their respective holders.

Contact:
Matt Berry
Conversion Marketing
matt@conversionam.com

Acuant Achieves Milestone in FedRAMP Authorization for Cloud-Delivered Identity Verification Solution to Government Agencies

The Approved Solution Provides Document Authentication, ePassport Authentication and Facial Recognition Matching with Presentation Attack Detection

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acuant, the leading global Trusted Identity Platform for fraud prevention and AML compliance, today announced it has achieved Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) Joint Authorization Board (JAB) FedRAMP Moderate Provisional-Authority To Operate (P-ATO) for its Acuant AssureID™, Ozone® and Facial Recognition System (COFRS) offerings. Acuant’s digital identity solution is now available in the FedRAMP marketplace to power more secure and user-friendly identity verification.

While the demand for federal government digital identity solutions has long existed, the high uptick in fraud during the pandemic has increased the need for modernization and security. Acuant is currently a trusted government partner providing highly accurate and easy-to-use identity verification services. The FedRAMP Moderate JAB P-ATO authorization – as vetted by the CIOs from the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the General Services Administration (GSA) – confirms that these SaaS offerings meet all security and privacy controls for government-wide use and establishes a continuous monitoring and annual assessment program of the ongoing risk posture of these offerings. The JAB P-ATO can be leveraged by any government agency, thereby driving wider adoption across government agencies.

Currently, the General Services Administration (GSA) Login.gov Program leverages COFRS for identity proofing on behalf of its federal customers in support of disaster relief, retirement system, citizen benefits program systems. Acuant is also a trusted partner of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, which vets its contractors and visitors through COFRS prior to granting physical access to the bank.

“This achievement exemplifies the level of excellence that Acuant strives for in all we do,” said Acuant President and CEO Yossi Zekri. “Working with the government sector for many years, we understand what it truly means to be security and privacy-minded. Achieving FedRAMP Authorization for cloud-based identity proofing is another validation we are leading in the market. We look forward to expanding our services with this sector to provide updated, safer and more trusted transactions.”

Acuant’s COFRS services, which support identity proofing processes that meet NIST SP800-63 requirements for Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2), leverage the most accurate and effective technology. The complete identity proofing solution integrates document authentication and identity verification software in the same API making it easy to deploy. While also offering maximum security, Acuant utilizes human supervised machine learning and biometric facial recognition match to streamline the verification process. With the expanding use of biometrics across the government, as presented in the August 2021 GAO Report on Facial Recognition Technology, the P-ATO of these services further fosters this growth.

About Acuant

Acuant’s Trusted Identity Platform empowers businesses and governments to transact with trust in our digital world. Acuant establishes trust in seconds anywhere your customers want to transact, fighting fraud and fast-tracking trusted identities. The ability to build, verify, monitor and securely share digital identities with Acuant’s inclusive technology is accessible to the entire global population. AI-powered identity verification and regulatory compliance (AML/KYC) solutions deliver unparalleled results and operational efficiency with omnichannel deployment.

Completing more than 1.5 billion transactions in over 200 countries and territories, Acuant powers trust globally for industry leaders in finance, crypto, retail, healthcare, gaming, hospitality and more.

Contact:

Kathy Berardi
Carabiner Communications
678.644.4122
kberardi@carabinercomms.com

Luxury Portfolio International Releases State of Luxury Real Estate Report 2022

SOLRE 2022 – State of Luxury Real Estate

SOLRE 2022 – State of Luxury Real Estate Report – Luxury Portfolio International

Number of Luxury Real Estate Sellers Increases Globally; Some Buyers Expressing FOMO (Strong Fear of Missing Out); Sustainability ‘Critically Important’ Among Affluent Buyers Worldwide

Latest Report Comprises Data from Top 1-5% Bracket Surveyed Across 20 Countries, Representing an Affluent Population of Almost 32 Million Households

NEW YORK, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Luxury Portfolio International® (LPI), the world’s premier network of luxury residential real estate brokerages, is pleased to share the results of its 2022 State of Luxury Real Estate Report (SOLRE). The study comprises data from individuals in the top 1% to 5% income bracket across 20 countries, and touches on a broad range of topics crucial to the global luxury residential real estate market.

Most notably, the LPI report reveals a continuation of dominating home purchasing-related trends that began during Q3 2020 and continued throughout all of 2021, showing that demand for luxury real estate remains high; price increases expected to continue; supply remains lower than demand; time-on-the-market for luxury single-family homes often continues to “last just hours”; and sustainability is ‘Critically Important’ (66 percent) when considering future home purchases.

The study also shows an increase in the number of affluent sellers of residential real estate worldwide; that among luxury homes buyers, the majority (74 percent) shared strong feelings of a personal economic confidence and still 75 percent are significantly concerned that their discretionary spending power could be tested soon.

And while 2022 is expected to continue at a fast pace, there are signs that the luxury residential real estate market will be increasingly stabilizing, a crucial step to avoid complications for a long-term, super-heated market.

With 75 percent of luxury home buyers choosing their next home with environmental sustainability headlining a broad range of findings from a study of the world’s affluent households by Luxury Portfolio International® (LPI), 2021 ends as one of the most robust luxury residential real estate markets in history.

“After a record-breaking year in luxury real estate, we anticipate that some balance will be restored to the market,” said Mickey Alam Khan, President of LPI. “It is important to view the luxury market over a trajectory of several years, noting that half of 2020 was in paralysis due to the pandemic. The red-hot market that began in the latter part of 2020 continued into 2021 and will continue a positive trajectory into 2022. The difference will be that there will be more luxury sellers in 2022 than in 2021, and while there will be fewer actual luxury buyers, it is still a seller’s market. The pandemic madness that drove us to an over-heated market is being normalized. Demand will remain strong, and a healthy, new normal in luxury real estate will start to take hold in 2022.”

Sustainability, according to the study, is now a major differentiator in luxury homes, and buyers are willing to pay a premium to have features and amenities that better prepare them for the future. 75 percent of those surveyed noted choosing their next home with sustainability in mind, with an unprecedented 90 percent noting “yes” as to factoring sustainability in relation to a Next Chapter in Life home search. According to the study, a “Next Chapter in Life” home search pertains to those moving to be closer to family, because of their children’s education, a career move, and other mitigating factors.

People interested in sustainability as a major factor of their home purchase are 71 percent more likely to view the purchase as a legacy home that will be passed on to their heirs. Further, as interest in sustainability grows, the quality of the buyer improves for the benefit of the seller, in that this buyer wants to transact sooner and for a relatively higher budget.

FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out is the feeling of anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media. With a year at home and headlines touting the hot market, FOMO has become a significant concern for 26 percent of luxury buyers. FOMO manifests in different ways, first as a true “missed the boat” moment where prices extend beyond reach. A second concern – equally impactful – is arranging finances for major purchases.

While COVID-19 remains a significant concern, the study revealed that the market has already accounted for much of its effects. This compared to last year when the top trend in luxury real estate was finding a home that would accommodate the family that works from home.

That said, according to the study, working from home, is wearing on a substantial percentage of luxury home buyers. The Study revealed that 27 percent of luxury buyers cited working from home as a ‘significant concern.’ Remote work and the associated frustration and stress of being home continues to play a significant role in the purchase decision process.

Buyers concerned about de-stressing their work-from-home environment noted diversions such as entertainment at home, night life nearby, and relaxation-inducing amenities like a spa/hot tub, a specialty cocktail scale, and specialty rooms for media and gaming.

Additional key findings from the research include:

  • Globally, the affluent class remains highly interested in purchasing residential real estate at any price, with a 33 percent increase year-over-year. There is no doubt that 2021 will end with a backlog of buyers, setting up 2022 as another strong year for luxury real estate.
  • Over 14 million affluent households remain interested in buying a residence, of which 6.4 million are in the luxury category. An additional 1.2 million luxury homeowners have found an interest in selling in the next 3 years, up 32 percent from last year. Record valuations no doubt play a key role in this decision.
  • Working together, these factors indicate global price stabilization and market normalization is in store for 2022 and beyond. What once appeared to be a wide chasm between the number of potential buyers and sellers (10.3MM buyers and 4.0MM sellers) is moving appropriately towards equilibrium (6.4MM buyers and 5.2MM sellers).
  • The global trend for residential real estate demand will continue to grow in 2022. The percentage of individuals in the market to purchase residential real estate by the end of 2022 increased from 19 percent in 2021 to 39 percent in 2022 in Europe, and from 30 percent in 2021 to 37 percent in 2022 in Asia/Pacific. 46 percent of those surveyed from the Middle East, specifically consumers from Saudi Arabia and the UAE have the greatest interest in acquiring residential real estate, as those individuals continue to diversify their holdings. North America shows modest growth from 21 percent in 2021 to 25 percent in 2022.
  • Luxury homeowners are coming around to selling. With new construction experiencing delays due to the challenges with goods and services, there is a consistent interest in existing homes. However, owners were not necessarily in the market to sell last year, and consequently the lack of inventory has been a significant price driver in most luxury markets. Now, it seems that luxury owners are convinced that the iron is hot and their interest in selling has increased by more than double (to 28 percent from 11 percent). In fact, 71 percent of owners believe their home value will increase this year, creating a strong incentive to sell. The average luxury homeowner expects an increase of approximately 4–5 percent compared to 3–4 percent last year.
  • Psychologically it remains a seller’s market. In practice, we can expect a more balanced ratio of buyers and sellers in the years to come. As affluent consumers participate in the residential market, luxury-residence seekers are down 58 percent in 2021 (from 34 percent to 20 percent of the total affluent), while conversely, in this delicate balancing act, the number of luxury sellers is on the rise by 26 percent (up to 16 percent from 13 percent of the total affluent).
  • While the flight to suburbia has been a major COVID headline, the research reveals that city-center luxury residential real estate is alive-and-well. Over half of luxury buyers worldwide (55 percent) expect to buy their next residence in a city and 77 percent will be within commuting range. Notably, Asia-Pacific luxury buyers are significantly more likely to buy in the city center than their global counterparts.
  • Single-family home popularity surges beyond North America. The research revealed that the popularity of single-family homes is growing on a global scale, with 40 percent of Europe/Middle East buyers and 29 percent of Asia-Pacific buyers seeking the luxury of additional space and privacy. Year on year, demand for this type of housing is increasing as, collectively, shared living spaces are becoming less attractive to the luxury buyer. North America remains the top driver for demand of this type of residence.
  • A new class of entry-level luxury buyer enters the market. Across the full spectrum of affluent consumers, there is greater interest in purchasing real estate under $1 million. This signals a resurgence of upper-middle class buyers who delayed in purchasing due to the pandemic, or who are now willing and able to acquire. Consequently, this is creating an increase in the number of entry-level luxury buyers, up to 44 percent from 39 percent in the USD 1-1.9 million range. This democratic luxury-for-the-many effect is most pronounced in North America and less so in Asia Pacific and Europe/Middle East, where the wealthy class tends to skew toward relatively small groups of people with very high concentrations of wealth.

For additional information, and access to the report, click here: State of Luxury Real Estate 2022.

ABOUT LUXURY PORTFOLIO INTERNATIONAL® (LPI)
Luxury Portfolio International (luxuryportfolio.com) is the leading network of the world’s premier luxury real estate brokerages and their top agents, offering unparalleled marketing and intelligence services across the globe. It is the luxury arm of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® the global network of top independent real estate firms, with 550 companies and 150,000 sales associates in 70 countries. Last year, network members participated in over 1.3 million global transactions. LPI attracts a global audience of visitors from over 200 countries/territories every month and markets more than 50,000 luxury homes annually. Well Connected.™

Source: Luxury Portfolio International®

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cc7a46a4-e6fd-43f9-91e6-834f31b75e8e

A PDF is available at http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/3c08ae81-d703-4faf-8ea2-dc5c9c70ed7e

Contact: pr@luxuryportfolio.com

Global Polo Entertainment Signs Historic Agreement With ESPN

Global Polo Entertainment grants ESPN the domestic rights to distribute seven major polo tournament finals, including the 2022 GAUNTLET OF POLO® series, the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship, the National Intercollegiate Championships for both men and women, and the 2022 FIP World Polo Championship.

Featured Image for USPA Global Licensing Inc.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Polo Entertainment, the entertainment and media subsidiary of USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL), has announced a landmark deal with ESPN. USPAGL manages U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the governing body for the sport of polo in the U.S. This multi-faceted agreement will bring the finals of the top seven U.S. and World Championship polo events in 2022 to ESPN. All games will be distributed on ESPN2, ESPNU or streamed live on ESPN3.

Beginning in 2022, ESPN will distribute the 2022 GAUNTLET OF POLO®, the number-one-rated U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship and the 2022 FIP World Polo Championship on ESPN3 and ESPN2, all for the very first time. The semi-finals and finals of the 100th Men’s and Women’s National Intercollegiate Championship will air for the first time on ESPNU. This agreement also includes the 30-minute, made-for-television series World of Polo, presented by U.S. Polo Assn., and which will be available on ESPN’s VOD platform.

“The goal of this symbiotic and historic deal with ESPN and ESPNU is to reach more sports fans in the U.S. and attract new audiences by delivering more polo sport and lifestyle content in new ways,” said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing, which manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. “We look forward to broadening access to the amazing sport of polo with some of the most exciting polo tournaments in the world now being broadcast by ESPN, the nation’s leader in sports content.”

The broadcast schedule for the 2022 season will be announced prior to the start of the GAUNTLET OF POLO® tournament series, beginning with the C.V. Whitney Cup® final on Sunday, February 27, followed by the USPA Gold Cup® and culminating with the U.S. Open Polo Championship®, recognized as the most prestigious polo tournament in North America.

For the most up-to-date information and breaking news, sign up for the Global Polo TV newsletter at globalpolo.com and follow @globalpolo on Instagram.

About U.S. Polo Assn.

U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the nonprofit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States and one of the oldest sports governing bodies, having been founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through some 1,200 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores, department stores, sporting goods channels, independent retailers and e-commerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women and children, as well as accessories, footwear, travel and home goods in 194 countries worldwide. Ranked the fifth largest sports licensor in License Global magazine’s 2020 list of “Top 150 Global Licensors,” U.S. Polo Assn. is named alongside such iconic sports brands as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Visit uspoloassnglobal.com or @uspoloassn. For other polo content, visit Globalpolo.com.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

###

Shannon Stilson – Assistant Vice President of Marketing, USPA Global Licensing
Phone +1.561.227.6994 ─ Email: sstilson@uspagl.com

Brent Colborne – ESPN

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Skey Network Launches $1m USD Skey Challenge for Startups to Create the Smart City Solutions of the Future

World’s largest crypto-based competition for startups

SK Logo

WARSAW, Poland, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skey Network, the world’s first connector combining the Internet of Things (IoT) devices with blockchain technology, has today launched the world’s largest crypto-based competition for startups, individuals and companies, the Skey Network Challenge, designed to hyper-charge adoption of blockchain of things (BoT) products and technology.

In line with the launch of its own proprietary blockchain, Skey Network will be offering a total prize fund of $1m USD in Skey tokens to be split between 10 winners. The prize fund is divided into a series of grants, awarded at different stages of the competition with 10 top prize winners and a special prize awarded by the CEO for the best overall project. Winners will also retain all rights of ownership to products manufactured as part of the competition. The jury is composed of leading names in the global IoT, smart city and blockchain worlds.

The competition will be a catalyst for innovative ideas, concepts and prototypes, built on the Skey blockchain, which will underpin the smart cities of the future and is intended to incentivise developers and support more innovation in creating smart city solutions on the blockchain. Entrants can submit a ready-made product, service or app or a concept that they want to bring to life. Applications are open from 12:00 CET 1 December 2021 to 23.59 CET 7 January 2022 at challenge.skey.network. Overall winners will be announced in May 2022.

The categories are:

  • Smart City
  • Sharing Economy
  • ORACLE
  • Security
  • DeFi
  • NFT

Skey Network combines Oracle, BoT and DeFi technologies to create a unique access key called Smart NFT. These provide blockchain-managed access to physical assets such as cars, apartment buildings or sharing economy assets such as smart bikes. Competitors are invited to look at any aspect of future smart cities and design a product to enable this.

Szymon Fiedorowicz, CEO and co-founder of Skey Network, said: “The decision to create our blockchain was really about utility and our vision of creating a universal standard of communication for all IoT and BoT devices to enable the smart cities of the future. The Skey Challenge is a way to encourage innovation in this arena and to reward the biggest and best ideas from around the world. This is part of our commitment to underpinning future use cases for smart cities and we can’t wait to see what our competitors can create.”

For more full terms and conditions and to register interest go to https://challenge.skey.network/

Ends://

For press inquiries please contact fiona.chow@goadi.co.uk

Prizes:

1st place – 150,000.00 USDT paid in Skey tokens;

2nd place – 100,000.00 USDT paid in Skey tokens;

8 x runners up – 75,000.00 USDT paid in Skey tokens for each project;

CEO’s Special Award – 50,000.00 USDT paid in Skey tokens.

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Philips expands Augmented Reality Surgical Navigation – ClarifEye – to two new international sites with successful clinical outcomes

December 1, 2021

  • Industry-first augmented reality (AR) surgical navigation solution was used to successfully treat first patients after debuting at Armed Forces Hospital, Oman and Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital, Spain
  • Philips’ fully integrated Image Guided Therapy System – Azurion – provides hospitals with unique 3D AR visualization technology and live optical feedback for more accurate spine procedures

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced that the first patients have been successfully treated using its innovative 3D Augmented Reality (AR) spine navigation solution at Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital, Spain, and the Armed Forces Hospital, Oman. For both cases the surgeons used Philips integrated Spine Suite solution that offers the company’s Azurion Hybrid Operating Room (OR) with ClarifEye, an industry-first solution that combines 2D and 3D visualisations at low X-ray dose with 3D AR navigation into one system. This enables surgeons to define and navigate along the critical pathway using this advanced real-time image guidance for precise device placement both in open and minimally invasive spine procedures*.

The first patient treated with ClarifEye at Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital involved open image guided surgery on a 12-year-old patient with severe congenital spondylolisthesis, a condition where the spine is misaligned due to a defect in one of the joints. Without treatment, it can affect quality of life and increase the risk of several chronic conditions. Using the Philips’ spine solution, pedicle screws were successfully placed at four spine levels to fuse several lumbar vertebras. “The level of success of this surgery would not have been possible to reach without ClarifEye,” said Dr. Alejandro Peiró, Orthopedic surgeon and pediatric traumatologist at Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital.

At the Armed Forces Hospital in Muscat, Oman, an adult 51-year-old patient with multi-level degenerative lumbar stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower part of the back, was successfully treated using minimally invasive techniques. “Philips’ new technology enables us to perform less invasive procedures and produce better outcomes for patients with spine conditions,” said Dr. Ahmed Al Jahwari, Head of Department Orthopedics and Spine Surgery at Hospital MoD, Oman. “Thanks to the high quality of the intraoperative cone beam CT imaging and the positioning flexibility of the ClarifEye system, we can ensure that implants are in place which lowers post-operative CT scans to check implant placements.”

Increased clinical accuracy and improved outcomes
Treatment for spine conditions can often be complex and delicate. Surgeons need to take particular care to avoid fragile neurological and vascular structures close to the spine. Such procedures have traditionally been an ‘open surgery’, where surgeons would manually manipulate the patient’s spine to position implants such as pedicle screws. As technology has advanced, there has been a shift to using minimally invasive techniques, such as small incisions in the patient’s skin, minimizing blood loss and soft tissue damage and consequently reducing postoperative pain. In both approaches, surgeons can now use the real-time imaging and 3D navigation of ClarifEye. Intra-operative image guidance increases clinical accuracy and improves outcomes, with patients subject to fewer revision surgeries compared to the previous standard of care [1,2]. Data published in Science Reports demonstrated that ClarifEye performed better in accuracy than open surgery pedicle screw placement without 3D navigation (94% vs 89,6%) [3]. In addition, data from a clinical study using ClarifEye, showed a 98% accuracy of pedicle screw placement during minimally invasive procedures [4].

Growing international adoption
ClarifEye Augmented Reality Surgical Navigation was introduced earlier this year. The sites in Spain and Oman complement the growing international ecosystem of innovation partners that have adopted this new solution such as the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel, Germany, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, the Regional Hospital of Lugano, Switzerland and the Strasbourg University Hospital in France.

“We’re excited that international access to ClarifEye is expanding, and more hospitals and patients will get to experience its benefits firsthand,” said Karim Boussebaa, General Manager Image Guided Therapy Systems at Philips. “As the latest addition to Spine Suite, ClarifEye adds a new dimension in surgical precision for patients. It is a great example of how we’re innovating procedures and helping clinicians to deliver on the Quadruple Aim of better health outcomes, improve patient experience and staff satisfaction, and lower cost of care.”

Philips is a pioneer in Hybrid OR solutions and innovating surgical navigation technology, which helps surgeons perform image-guided, open and minimally invasive spine surgery. When performing delicate tasks in spine procedures, accuracy is paramount to achieving the best outcome for patients. The integration between ClarifEye and Philips Image Guided Therapy System – Azurion – offers key benefits such as intraoperative cone-beam CT scanning with superb image quality at managed doses, 3D spine model based planning for each pedicle, live augmented reality guidance and intraoperative verification. It enables physicians to focus on the patient and procedures while improving the surgical workflow, differentiating it from more conventional surgical navigation methods.

* A common example of a spine procedure is spinal fusion, which involves permanently attaching two or more vertebrae (the bones that form the spinal column), to achieve improved stability, correct a deformity, or reduce pain.

[1] Dea N, Fisher CG, Batke J, Strelzow J, Mendelsohn D, Paquette SJ, Kwon BK, Boyd MD, Dvorak MFS, Street JT. Economic evaluation comparing intraoperative cone beam C T based navigation and conventional fluoroscopy for the placement of spinal pedicle screws: a patient level data cost effectiveness anal ysis. The Spine Journal (2016) 16: 23 31.
[2] Fichtner J, Hofmann N, Rienmüller A, Buchmann N, Gempt J, Kirschke JS, Ringel F, Meyer B, Ryang Y M. Revision Rate of Misplaced Pedicle Screws of the Thoracolumbar SpineeComparison of Three Dimensional Fluoroscopy Navigation with Freehand Placement: A Systematic Analysis and Review of the Literature. World Neurosurg . (2018) 109: e24 e32.
[3] Elmi-Terander at el, Augmented reality navigation with intraoperative 3D imaging vs fluoroscopy-assisted free-hand surgery for spine fixation surgery, a matched-control study, Nature Sci. rep. 2020 Jan 20;10(1):707.
[4] Data was presented during the EUROSPINE Annual Meeting 2021 by Dr. Scarone, Neurosurgeon from the University of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland.

For further information, please contact:

Joost Maltha
Philips Global Press Office
Tel: +31 6 10 55 8116
Email: joost.maltha@philips.com

Fabienne van der Feer
Philips Image Guided Therapy
Tel: + 31 622 698 001
E-mail: fabienne.van.der.feer@philips.com

About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being, and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum – from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2020 sales of EUR 17.3 billion and employs approximately 78,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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Capitalworks Emerging Markets Acquisition Corp Announces Pricing of $200 Million Initial Public Offering

NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Capitalworks Emerging Markets Acquisition Corp (the “Company”), a special purpose acquisition company, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 20,000,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit. The units will be listed on The Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) and will begin trading on December 1, 2021, under the ticker symbol “CMCAU”.

Each unit issued in the offering consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share. Once the securities comprising the units commence separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and redeemable warrants are expected to be respectively listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “CMCA” and “CMCAW”. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. The offering is expected to close on December 3, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

Barclays is the sole book-running manager for the offering. The Company has granted the underwriters a 45-day option from the date of the final prospectus to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any.

A registration statement relating to the securities became effective on November 30, 2021. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus, which forms a part of the registration statement. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained, when available, for free by visiting EDGAR on the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies may be obtained, when available, from Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York, 11717, by email: Barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com, or by telephone: (888) 603-5847.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Capitalworks Emerging Markets Acquisition Corp

Capitalworks Emerging Markets Acquisition Corp is a newly organized blank check company, incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). While the Company may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any industry or geographic region, it intends to focus on high-growth companies operating in select emerging markets, with the ability to replicate their business models sustainably across other emerging markets or translate their products, services or technologies to developed markets.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the initial public offering and search for a Business Combination. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Capitalworks Contact
Cody Slach, Alex Thompson
Gateway IR
(949) 574-3860
CMCA@gatewayir.com

SOURCE: Capitalworks Emerging Markets Acquisition Corp

General Fusion closing oversubscribed $130 million transitional financing round

Fueled by a new investor syndicate, Series E is supporting aggressive commercialization

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — General Fusion announced today it is closing an oversubscribed $130 million (USD) Series E funding round filled by a new syndicate of global investors. This financing, led by Temasek, significantly expands the company’s portfolio of institutional, sovereign, family office, and high net worth investors, providing the prelude to a large financing round being prepared for 2022. Combined with broad financial support from the Canadian, U.K., and U.S. governments, the General Fusion Series E round supports aggressive pursuit of several near-term initiatives and milestones in its program to commercialize Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF).

In addition to a portfolio of important individual investors, which includes Jeff Bezos, Tobias Lütke, and Kam Ghaffarian, Series E brings a new syndicate of major institutional and family office investors to General Fusion. These anchoring investors include Temasek, GIC, the Jameel Investment Management Company (JIMCO), and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), as well as broader participation from other capital market segments represented by investors such as a large U.S. state pension plan and the hedge fund firm Segra Capital.

“Segra Capital believes General Fusion is best positioned among its peer group to deliver fusion at a commercial scale in the near term,” said Adam Rodman, Founder and CIO, Segra Capital. “While Segra Capital has traditionally invested primarily in public markets, this compelling opportunity resonated with our core ESG and cleantech-focused partners, so we are excited to participate in this Series E financing and look forward to supporting the company in the future.”

“General Fusion’s drive to shape the market for clean fusion energy is just one of the many reasons why JIMCO is investing in its commercialization program,” said Fady Jameel, a member of the Jameel Family’s Investment Supervisory Board. “The global energy sector is undergoing tremendous change to secure a cleaner future for all, which JIMCO is passionate about and ready to support through investments like the one in General Fusion.”

“With our 75-year history of investing in companies positively shaping the future of the core industries, we believe General Fusion’s global, technologically-advanced solution to commercial fusion energy make them a leader in this growing industry.”

“Collectively, the expansion of General Fusion’s investor base in this Series E financing provides a strong foundation for a larger financing next year,” said Greg Twinney, CFO, General Fusion. “From our technology’s inception, we have had a laser focus on cultivating customers and creating a practical, clean energy solution that meets their needs. This approach resonates with investors looking to make an impact in the global energy transition.”

With substantial capital support from both private and government sources, General Fusion has aggressively pursued deployment of its power-plant scale Fusion Demonstration Plant located at the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) Culham Centre for Fusion Energy near London. The company has also accelerated MTF technology development activities associated with its new Vancouver headquarters and opened a new facility adjacent to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the U.S. Furthermore, General Fusion has created a Market Development Advisory Committee (MDAC) focused exclusively on fusion. The company’s MDAC is currently comprised of nine leading energy companies and clean energy users representing critical markets for fusion’s carbon-free, on-demand power.

“General Fusion’s unique global presence, with facilities in three countries, allows us to be much more ambitious in pushing toward commercialization,” said Christofer Mowry, CEO, General Fusion. “Our broad network of national laboratory and industrial partners, together with our advisory council of energy market end-users, positions General Fusion well to help the world achieve its net-zero carbon goals.”

General Fusion interacted with, and appreciated the support of, several firms during the Series E financing process, including VAHOCA, based in Singapore, and Disruptive Technology Advisers LLC.

About General Fusion
General Fusion is pursuing the fastest and most practical path to commercial fusion energy and is based in Vancouver, Canada, with locations in London, U.K., and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A. The company was established in 2002 and is funded by a global syndicate of leading energy venture capital firms, industry leaders, and technology pioneers. Learn more at www.generalfusion.com.

General Fusion Media Relations
Email: media@generalfusion.com
Phone: 1-866-904-0995

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