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News Release Digital Asset Direct

Travel Technology Association Files Comments with DoT Supporting Transparency & Consumer Protections

Travel Tech

The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech), the voice of the travel technology industry and consistent advocate for public policy that supports a competitive and transparent marketplace, filed comments today in response to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on “ Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees ” (DOT-OST-2022-0109). “Travel Tech has long supported the U.S. Department of Transportation’s efforts to ensure consumers have access to critical ancillary fee information. We did so in 2014 and are doing so again in 2023,” stated Laura Chadwick, President & CEO of the Travel Technology Association. “For too long, consumers have lacked the consistent ability to know the true cost of different flight options.” In its comments, Travel Tech addresses how ancillary fee information should be provided to ticket agents. In its proposed rule, the DOT seeks to omit global distribution systems from receiving mandatory ancillary fee data from airlines. “Travel Tech strongly recommends that ancillary fee data be shared with all channels that distribute fare and schedule information,” Chadwick continued. “It is the most simple and direct way to solve the issue of ancillary fee transparency for consumers.” Travel Tech also filed a petition today requesting a hearing on DOT’s proposed requirement to display the critical ancillary fee information on the first page of online search results. Travel Tech addresses this matter in its comments. “Our members are the leading innovators in creating consumer-friendly online travel information sites. We are deeply concerned about the DOT’s first-page search results requirements included in the proposed regulation. These rules, if adopted as written, will clutter and confuse the online air travel shopping experience for consumers. This is especially true for travel comparison sites that display multiple airlines’ schedules and fares,” said Chadwick. “In our comments and hearing petition, we argue that the Department should not displace ticket agents’ well-established expertise with a government-regulated website design mandate. Ticket agents should have the flexibility to design appropriate displays of ancillary fees and develop innovative new methods for consumers as well,” Chadwick continued. ### About Travel Tech The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) is the voice of the travel technology industry, advocating for public policy that promotes transparency and competition in the marketplace to encourage innovation and preserve consumer choice. Travel Tech represents the leading innovators in travel technology, including global distribution systems, online travel agencies and metasearch companies, travel management companies, and short-term rental platforms. To schedule an interview with a Travel Tech spokesperson, contact Dan Rene of kglobal at 202-329-8357 or daniel.rene@kglobal.com. Contact Details Travel Technology Association Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 daniel.rene@kglobal.com Company Website https://www.traveltech.org.

January 24, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Twinco Capital raises $12 million led by Quona Capital to expand its next-gen supply chain finance platform

Twinco Capital

Twinco Capital, the first global supply chain finance solution that covers the production cycle from purchase order to final invoice payment, announced today it has closed a $12 million equity and debt round. The investment was led by Quona Capital, and included participation from Working Capital Innovation Fund, as well as existing investors Mundi Ventures and Finch Capital. Zubi Capital provided the venture debt portion. The funds will be used to accelerate the company’s expansion within the major sourcing countries and strengthen its technology and data capabilities, in particular in relation to ESG. Twinco Capital is on a mission to reduce the world’s estimated $1.7 trillion trade finance gap, which disproportionately affects small and medium-sized companies in emerging countries and hinders their ability to access business opportunities and grow. Through its solution, the company engages with large corporations—mostly in the retail and apparel sectors—and offers funding to their suppliers worldwide, advancing up to 60% of the purchase order value upfront and paying the remainder upon delivery. The process is designed to be a fully transparent, no-hassle experience that provides the suppliers with funding for its purchase orders within 48 hours. The Amsterdam and Madrid-based fintech was founded in 2019 by Sandra Nolasco (CEO), an experienced banker and specialist in trade finance with an international career spanning over 20 years in major European commercial banks, and Carmen Marín (COO), who has over 16 years of management experience in both equity investing and project finance at Banco Santander. Since its inception, Twinco has grown rapidly, and today has programs in place which serve engaged European and LatAm retailers who buy more than $10 billion per year of manufactured products, mostly from SMEs in emerging markets. With Twinco, SMEs all over the world can access affordable liquidity, when they most need it—when they receive an order and need to start production. On the back of its financing programs, Twinco continuously collects data that stems from the intersection of commercial, financial and ESG performance of the thousands of manufacturers involved in these supply chains. As a result, Twinco is well positioned to provide its customers not only with funding but also with the benefit of unique business intelligence that can enable SMEs to produce products competitively and responsibly. “Twinco is focused on a significant pain point in the massive and underpenetrated market that is supply chain finance,” said Monica Brand Engel, co-founder and Managing Partner at Quona. “At Quona, we’ve been incredibly impressed by the strength of this founding team and its business model, and we’re excited to be part of their journey to provide much-needed and affordable supply chain finance to help responsibly fuel the economic gains of emerging market suppliers.” The key to Twinco’s success is its unique risk model, which complements the traditional view on financial risk with commercial performance and ESG data. In other words, it uses machine learning to evaluate the quality and strength of the commercial relationships between buyers and their suppliers. “Suppliers that value human capital and treat their workers well are better businesses, presenting a lower risk to their banks and lenders. We’re thrilled to invest in Twinco because they will assess ‘ESG’ risk and incorporate it into their investment decision-making — we think this will open up new areas of impact and commercial success for them" said Paarul Dudeja, Managing Director at Working Capital Innovation Fund. The technology enabled user experience was designed to accommodate the complexities of ever-changing trade transactions. Purchase orders can be canceled, replaced or changed, and the Twinco financing flow accompanies these changes without a glitch. “If we are to have competitive and socially responsible supply chains on a global scale, suppliers need access to affordable financing from the very beginning of production, starting with the purchase order,” said Twinco Capital CEO Sandra Nolasco. “Extraordinary events, such as those experienced these past years, have revealed the fragility of supply chains, which are historically unable to adapt to the complexity of global production networks. At Twinco, we propose a radical change in how to use finance as a tool to proactively transform global supply chains, to foster the participation of SMEs, improve efficiency and ensure responsible sourcing practices.” “Twinco’s ambitious mission can only be achieved by bringing together all the relevant parties: Buyers, Suppliers and Investors,” said Twinco Capital COO Carmen Marin. “In this way, Twinco is a catalyst for change. With our new funding, we will be extending our geographic scope and data capabilities. We are also very excited to launch the very first sustainable-native supply chain finance program—the Twinco ESG Tilt, where business intelligence is directly linked to beneficial purchasing and funding conditions.” The company is growing fast. It has onboarded more than 100 suppliers, located in 12 different countries including Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, South Korea, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Spain. Since its launch in December 2019, the company has been growing by multiples of 5, supporting trade through the pandemic and funding millions of purchase orders. About Twinco Capital Twinco Capital, cofounded by Sandra Nolasco (CEO) and Carmen Marín (COO), is one of the few European high-growth fintechs led by women.Twinco engages with large corporate partners to reduce financing costs and improve supply chain reliability by offering their suppliers access to affordable funding. Through its data analytics-powered platform, Twinco is able to provide suppliers across the globe with competitive liquidity from purchase order to final invoice. Twinco’s unique model benefits both suppliers and buyers, contributing to the construction of competitive and socially responsible supply chains. Learn more: www.twincocapital.com About Quona Quona Capital is a venture firm focused on fintech that can expand access for underserved customers and small businesses in emerging markets including Latin America, Africa and the Middle East (MENA), and India and Southeast Asia. Quona’s global partners are experienced investors and operators in both emerging and developed markets, and invest in entrepreneurs whose companies have the potential to provide outstanding financial returns and promote breakthrough innovation in financial inclusion for both consumers and SMEs. More at quona.com About Working Capital Innovation Fund Working Capital Innovation Fund is an early-stage equity venture fund that invests in scalable innovations to meet the growing demand for more transparent and ethical supply chains – addressing the urgent need to protect vulnerable workers and source responsibly. It was initially incubated by The Omidyar Group, a diverse collection of independent organizations and initiatives. For more information, visit: https://workingcapitalfund.com/ Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.twincocapital.com/

January 24, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Bluberi Gaming Enters Social Casino Space with New Partner Ruby Seven Studios

Bluberi Gaming

Bluberi or (the “Company”) today announced a new partnership with Ruby Seven Studios to provide its top-performing, land-based content to the leading online, social casino provider. Ruby Seven Studios is an award-winning social casino gaming company based in Nevada and Kochi, India. As an industry leader in the social casino space, Ruby Seven Studios’s mission is to bring casino game content to land-based and online casinos with engaging free-to-play casino gaming apps and websites. Micheal Carpenter, Founder and CEO of Ruby Seven Studios said, “We are excited to bring the great games from Bluberi into our game collection and offer in our free-to-play casino apps for our casino partners. We look forward to seeing these games launch this year.” Ruby Sevens partnerships include a wide variety of casinos in California, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and many other states across the US. Brett Vela, Senior Manager of Product Management at Bluberi said, “This partnership with Ruby Sevens will not only strengthen our relationship with many of our land-based partners, but will allow us to put our top performing land-based titles, like Devil’s Lock, in the hands of so many new players.” Bluberi Gaming has redefined the game development process by applying extensive market research, innovative game design, and a new school attitude to create industry leading performers such as Treasure Hunter and Devil's Lock. This rise in popularity and renewed interest in Bluberi Gaming has opened the door for the expansion of Bluberi’s gaming distribution channels, leading to the new partnership with Ruby Seven Studios. "Ruby Seven is an industry leader in the online Social Casino space and Bluberi is very excited to begin its entry into this market with the talented people from Ruby Seven,” said Hugues Lebrecque, Director of Strategic Alliances at Bluberi. “With this partnership, our successful land-based library will be made available to social casino apps, overlapping new and existing, brick & mortar Bluberi customers." Look for Bluberi games, like Devil’s Lock, to be hitting your favorite Ruby Seven Studios social casino later this year. About Bluberi Backed by more than 25 years of industry experience, Bluberi is an established and reliable company with an expansive vision to deliver the highest quality casino gaming experience to players in Class II and Class III markets across the globe. We strive to provide industry-leading customer service by being the easiest company to do business with and are proud to be an agile supplier; able to respond to customer feedback quickly as we grow to become a best-in-class gaming partner. To learn more, visit bluberi.com. About Ruby Seven Studios Ruby Seven Studios is a top-ranking social casino gaming company based in Nevada and Kochi, India. Our mission is to bridge the gap between land-based casinos, online casinos and social casino gaming apps through strategic partnerships with land-based casinos, which currently include Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Delaware North Gaming, Affinity Interactive, Fantasy Springs, Chumash Casino Resort, Lake of the Torches Casino, and Choctaw Casinos & Resorts. With more than 150 employees worldwide, Ruby Seven Studios has created more than 20 titles for the Apple, GooglePlay, Amazon Kindle, Facebook, and web platforms. To learn more about Ruby Seven Studios, please visit www.rubyseven.com. Contact Details Bluberi Gaming Dan Taylor, Brand Marketing Manager +1 619-944-0510 dan.taylor@bluberi.com Company Website https://bluberi.com/

January 24, 2023 06:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

News Release

79% Of Americans Drink 2+ Cups Of Coffee Per Day, Survey Finds

Finance News

America runs on coffee with the average US adult consuming more than one cup per day, a number which is increasing with more people working from home. After crunching numbers sourced from Statista, the data analysts at Safe Betting Sites have found that 79 percent of coffee drinkers in the US are drinking two or more cups per day when they are at home on a weekday. Meanwhile, 62 percent of coffee drinkers are consuming a to-go coffee at least once per week with 20 percent drinking a to-go coffee every day. Drip coffee remains America’s preferred way to enjoy a cup of joe with 36 percent of respondents saying it was their favorite. More than half of US adults (51 percent) also agreed with the statement that “coffee is a pure pleasure to me”. 79% Of American Coffee Drinkers Are Consuming 2+ Cups Of Coffee Per Day Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more Americans have been working from home, and for some, that means drinking more coffee. According to a recent survey by Statista, 79 percent of American coffee drinkers are consuming at least two cups per day when at home on a weekday. Only 21 percent of respondents said that they drank just one cup of coffee or fewer when at home. The survey, which was sourced from Statista, analyzed the habits of 831 daily coffee drinkers in the US aged 18-74. By comparison, 31 percent of respondents drank 4-6 cups of coffee per day while 20 percent consumed 3 cups and 27 percent consumed 2 cups of coffee per day. 62% Of Coffee Drinkers Buy A To-Go Coffee At Least 1x Per Week Coffee lovers aren’t just drinking coffee when they are at home either. In fact, 44 percent of Americans are drinking a to-go coffee more than once per week. That compares to 21 percent that said they drank one to-go coffee per week and 38 percent that said they drank a to-go coffee less often or even never. Overall, 20 percent of coffee drinkers said that they drank at least one to-go coffee every day. Drip Coffee (36%) Is America’s Favorite Way To Drink Coffee The survey also asked Americans to rate their favorite way to brew their coffee. Good old-fashioned drip coffee remains America’s preferred way to drink coffee with 36 percent of respondents saying it was their favorite. Cappuccino (11 percent), Iced Coffee (10 percent), and Instant Coffee (nine percent) were among the next on the list of America’s favorite way to drink coffee. Drip Coffee — 36% Cappuccino — 11% Iced Coffee — 10% Instant Coffee — 9% 74% Of Americans Drink Coffee Every Day Of course, this isn’t the first time that Statista polled Americans on their coffee drinking habits. The findings confirm another Statista study from the summer. Back in June 2022, Statista asked 1,592 Americans how often they drank coffee. A whopping 73.9 percent of respondents answered “every day” compared to 17.5 percent that responded “most days”. Meanwhile, only 8.5 percent of respondents were occasional coffee drinkers who responded “sometimes”. Coffee Is 2nd-Most Popular Drink After Bottled Water Coffee is still America’s drink of choice, according to a Statista poll that surveyed over 7,500 US adults from October 2021 to September 2022. In fact, only bottled water is consumed by more Americans as their drink of choice (63 percent). Trailing coffee, soft drinks (56 percent), juice (50 percent) and tea (48 percent) were also among the most common beverages consumed by US adults. When it comes to alcohol, beer (25 percent) edged out wine (24 percent) for the most popular alcoholic beverage in the US. Here are the full results from the poll below. Bottled Water — 63% Coffee — 57% Soft Drinks — 56% Juice — 50% Tea — 48% Energy Drinks — 27% Beer — 25% Wine — 24% For full survey data, visit: https://www.safebettingsites.com/2023/01/19/79-of-americans-drink-2-cups-of-coffee-per-day-survey-finds/ Contact Details Finance News Alex Brown alex@financenews.com

January 23, 2023 05:40 PM Eastern Standard Time

Minuteman Press Franchise in Denver Acquires 31-Year Business A Great American Print Shop

Minuteman Press International Inc

Abel Corral, owner of Minuteman Press in Denver located at 4725 Paris Street, Suite 200, has acquired independent printing business A Great American Print Shop from retiring owner Frank Hibberd. A Great American Print Shop operated in Denver for 31 years. When Frank received a mailer from Minuteman Press, he reached out to Regional VP Jack Panzer. Jack says, “Frank wanted to retire and I told him about our unique ability to help independent print shops sell their business. I connected him with Abel, who had expressed interest growing and expanding his business through an acquisition. I am glad they were able to work out a deal, and I wish Frank all the best in retirement.” On the acquisition, Abel Corral says, “The acquisition came about on the heels of our three year anniversary; this is also our second acquisition in two years. I was looking for a way to grow my business and so I let it be known to Jack Panzer that I’d be interested in acquiring another print shop.” Abel continues, “A Great American Print Shop was strategically located within an area that I already reach and market to and so this acquisition just seemed like a good fit. I really liked that this was an established business with growth potential that I feel my team could capitalize on. The potential upside, close proximity, and perfect timing all came into play.” He adds, “The acquisition included an established client base, paper inventory, some equipment including cutters, and access to Frank during the transition. I expect this acquisition to help increase revenue by 20-25%. Also, this acquisition benefits AGAP’s customers in three key ways: First, we have received all of the previous artwork for AGAP clients to ensure a seamless transition as we serve their print, design, and mailing needs. Second, we will be able to offer promotional products and apparel to AGAP clients, which were not previously available. Third, we will be providing value-added local customer service and client support. Our Minuteman Press location is near Peoria & Interstate 70: 4725 Paris St. #200, Denver, CO 80239, inside the Pinecreek Office Center. We are also offering free delivery to AGAP customers.” Abel concludes, “I’m very grateful that my Regional VP Jack Panzer helped me by presenting this opportunity and helping me through the process. I expect this could be a game-changer for our business.” Abel Corral’s Minuteman Press franchise in Denver is located at 4725 Paris Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80239. For more information, call or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/co/denver20/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and see Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

January 23, 2023 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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OYO’s US Hotels Per Room Revenue Grows 46% Since Covid

OYO

June, July, August recorded strongest uplift in per room revenue at 64% vs same period in 2020 Coastal Oregon, Miami, Myrtle beach, Houston and San Antonio saw highest RevPar in 2022 for OYO US Global travel technology company, OYO’s US operations ended 2022 on a high with a 46% increase since Covid in revenue per available room for its hotels (RevPar). While the increase in RevPar was higher throughout 2022, when compared to the Covid lows of 2020, the strongest uplift in per room revenue, at 64%, was recorded during the peak season months of June, July, August vs the same period in 2020. This growth was consistently strong with even during the low season months of November and December showing 53% increase vs the same period in 2020. For OYO US, coastal Oregon, Miami, Myrtle beach, Houston and San Antonio emerged as the destinations with highest RevPar in 2022. Travel recovery was largely led by domestic travel in the US. According to OYO’s data Sumter, Niagara Falls, Brownsville, Columbia & Yuma emerged as top domestic destinations with the best Y-o-Y growth (vs 2021). Talking about the recovery, Gautam Swaroop, CEO OYO International said, “We are seeing a steady rise in per room revenue throughout 2022, with even shoulder season (September, October) outperforming and witnessing a 44% rise vs Covid. While many experts and industry watchers touted that the industry will bounce back to normalcy only by 2025, we are seeing consistent growth and uptick in bookings. Like most markets around the globe domestic tourism has fuelled growth in many of the popular tourist destinations like the Niagara Falls. Travel industry has truly shifted gears in 2022 and this recovery is only a precursor to a ‘sold-out’ 2023.” OYO offers hotels access to a large base of regular customers through its app and website, and also lists hotels on multiple Online Travel Agents (OTAs) to boost booking demand and, therefore, revenue. OYO’s best-in-class Artificial Intelligence-enabled pricing software automatically drives the best booking prices across all channels, based on room type, seasonality and other factors, therefore, enabling such doubling of revenues. The company also helps ensure great experience for customers, with ease of search and quick booking experience, highly competitive room prices, automated tools such as Artificial Intelligence powered chatbots to quickly resolve customer queries, loyalty programmes and easy refund, if needed. OYO recently released its annual travel index Travelopedia 2022. According to the data, Texas is the most travelled state in 2022 for OYO customers. Houston, St. Louis Missouri, Markham, Durham (North Carolina) and Oklahoma City were the most booked destinations in the USA. Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Jackson were the most booked business travel destinations in 2022. About OYO OYO is a global platform that aims to empower entrepreneurs and small businesses with hotels and homes by providing full-stack technology products and services that aim to increase revenue and ease operations; bringing easy-to-book, affordable, and trusted accommodation to customers around the world. OYO offers 40+ integrated products and solutions to patrons who operate over 168,711 hotel and home storefronts in more than 35 countries including India, Europe and Southeast Asia, as of September 30, 2022. For more information, visit www.oyorooms.com. Disclaimer: Oravel Stays Limited is proposing, subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, to make an initial public offering of its equity shares (the “Equity Shares”) and has filed the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (“DRHP”) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”). The DRHP is available on the website of SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in, websites of the Stock Exchanges, i.e., BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited at www.bseindia.com and www.nseindia.com, respectively, and is available on the websites of the Global Coordinators and Book Running Lead Managers, i.e., Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited, J.P. Morgan India Private Limited and Citigroup Global Markets India Private Limited at www.investmentbank.kotak.com, www.jpmipl.com and www.online.citibank.co.in/rhtm/citigroupglobalscreen1.htm; the websites of the Book Running Lead Managers, i.e., ICICI Securities Limited, Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) Private Limited, JM Financial Limited and Deutsche Equities India Private Limited at www.icicisecurities.com, www.nomuraholdings.com/company/group/asia/india/index.html, www.jmfl.com and www.db.com/India, respectively. Investors should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and for details relating to the same, refer to the Red Herring Prospectus which may be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the future, including the section titled “Risk Factors”. Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP filed with SEBI for making any investment decision. The Equity Shares offered in the Fresh Issue (as defined in the DRHP) and the Offer for Sale (as defined in the DRHP) have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and, may not be offered or sold within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the Equity Shares are only being offered and sold (i) within the United States only to “qualified institutional buyers” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act) in transactions exempt from, or not subject to, the registration requirements under the Securities Act, and (ii) outside the United States in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act and pursuant to the applicable laws of the jurisdictions where those offers and sales are made. There will be no public offering of the Equity Shares in the United States. Contact Details OYO Anupriya +91 97911 63065 anupriya.d@oyorooms.com Company Website https://www.oyorooms.com/

January 23, 2023 06:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

The Aircraft Company Giving You Wings

LIFT Aircraft

By David Willey, Benzinga 11,000 on the waitlist. The crown Prince of Dubai vowing he will be the first in his emirate. Upcoming locations across the globe. LIFT Aircraft is spreading its wings and bringing a new era to travel with its human-capable drone aircraft. Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes recently got to fly LIFT’s single-seat semi-autonomous personal aircraft, HEXA, and he’ll soon be joined by 4,000 people with prepaid reservations as LIFT takes its electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTL) vehicles on tour. LIFT Aircraft is an Austin-based company looking to make something previously reserved for the privileged mega-wealthy - private flight - accessible to everyone. Its goal is to make the safest ultralight aircraft, and now it is making numerous partnerships as it looks to take its exciting product out into the public. Joining State-of-the-Art Safety And Sky-High Applications Safety is a fundamental priority for LIFT, whose board includes former Chief of Aviation Safety at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Dr. Charles Justiz. The aircraft have multiple, state-of-the-art safety features including a triply redundant autopilot computer, 18 independent rotors (it can fly with the loss of up to 6), as well as a whole-aircraft ballistic parachute effective at altitudes as low as 40 feet. 7 floats also give HEXA amphibious landing capability and can deploy an emergency landing cushion. These ultralight aircraft can be flown without an expensive pilot license or certification under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 103. LIFT provides ground school and virtual reality (VR) flight simulator training that easily teaches how to fly these intuitive drones. This allows the company to offer recreational flights out of its vertiport locations. LIFT’s exciting plans for HEXA - with its numerous applications - are galvanizing others. LIFT has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with an international vertiport operator, with the option of creating 10 vertiports and supplying 100 HEXA globally. It is creating what it believes will be the largest global vertiport network. Alongside this private sector MOU, the company can tout a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with the United States Air Force, with the potential for a military acquisition program for LIFT. It has also been selected for an Air Force Strategic Financing (STRATFI) contract that, if awarded, matches dollar-for-dollar funding of up to $30 million for Research and Development (R&D) purposes. HEXA’s cabin and floats can also be swapped with a payload, meaning it has first response applications with the military, search and rescue, disaster response and more. This broad scale of uses - from public to private sector, and from recreation to first response - means LIFT Aircraft is optimistic that with HEXA, the sky's the limit. After a highly successful Reg CF fundraise, LIFT has now launched a Reg A+ stock offering. Other companies developing eVLT or similar products have gone public with strong market caps of up to $2.5 billion. These include Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY), EHang Holdings (NASDAQ: EH), and Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR). Interested in the opportunity to invest? Click here. Learn more about LIFT Aircraft by visiting its website. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. Austin, Texas-based LIFT Aircraft is leading the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) revolution. LIFT is working with the US Air Force and first response organizations to utilize their aircraft for defense and public service while also launching the world’s first flight training and pay-per-flight operation centers business, based on an entirely new type of personal, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. HEXA, LIFT Aircraft’s multi-rotor, amphibious, ultralight vehicle democratizes the experience of piloting an aircraft, making the joy and utility of personal, vertical flight accessible to all. Find out more at www.liftaircraft.com Contact Details Kenny Miller, CFO Kenny@LIFTAircraft.com

January 20, 2023 08:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

Longing for Pristine Beaches and Turquoise Waters?

YourUpdateTV

Recently, the Commissioner for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, Joseph Boschult conducted a satellite media tour to share tips on how to best experience the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you are longing for pristine beaches and turquoise waters, the U.S Virgin Islands offers some of the best beaches and resorts found anywhere in the world. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/V2al2NCSyZQ New year, new outlook, new travel plans! About 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands comprise a United States territory located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The three islands are St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas. Major U.S airlines offer direct daily flights from the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico to the islands. The islands are perfect for leisure or business travel, the U.S. Virgin Islands features breathtaking, world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture, and a burgeoning restaurant industry. No passports are required from U.S. citizens traveling from the U.S. mainland or Puerto Rico. Resilience in Tourism During Covid and the Great Comeback With three to four ships visiting per day, the USVI is one of the largest cruising destinations in the Caribbean. Before the pandemic, cruising injected over $300 million into the local economy and accounted for about 70% of the tourism business. Unlike other islands in the Caribbean, the airports in the USVI never closed. In addition, implemented an online travel screening portal and worked closely with all of their local partners, including restaurants, hotels, excursion companies, and other tourism-related businesses. The USVI is gearing up for a very successful 2023. USVI had the highest increase of visitors in the Caribbean from 2019 vs 2022. Best Places to Travel to in 2023 The editors of Conde Nast Traveler put the USVI at the top of its Best Places to Go in 2023 citing the islands’ new hotels, resort openings, the national park, and Carnival festivals. The editors at Travel + Leisure ranked USVI as one of its 50 best 2023 destinations in its “For Beach Vibes” section. Yahoo! Life listed the USVI as one of the top ten tropical islands to get to in under three hours from the U.S. Readers of Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine voted USVI as the Best Caribbean Cruise Destination for 2023. Frommer's also gave the island territory top billing in its annual Best Places to Go in 2023 list. New Brand Campaign: Naturally in Rhythm, what that Means for the USVI The campaign is designed to supports the hotel recovery and to inspire visitors to fall naturally in rhythm with the diverse culture, natural wonders, and beautiful hotels and resorts of St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John. The new campaign also reminds visitors that they can come again to escape the stresses of city lifestyles and to invite newcomers to imagine tasting our unique cuisine, laying on our powdery beaches, swimming in our pristine waters, and exploring our historic cobblestone streets and protected national parks. It speaks to travelers seeking an authentic Caribbean experience comprising food, heritage, culture, and nature without having to leave U.S. soil. Among other aspects of the campaign is the revamped USVI tourism website, which contains a more comprehensive trip- planning section that highlights restaurants, shops, services,and other businesses that cater to tourists in the destination. In addition to dynamic content, the site uses new imagery that keeps it authentic and enthralling at the same time. Food- Sharing and Culture Local signature USVI dishes include Johnny Cakes, deep-fried bread made from cornmeal; pate, a ground beef, chicken, or salted cod wrapped in dough and deep-fried; peas and rice, kidney beans with brown rice; or fungi, the Caribbean version of polenta. Locally made fish soup is served for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. Another popular dish is callaloo soup, which is made with daheen plant leaves, okra, local herbs, and sometimes meats or seafood. Wash it all down with a local Cruzan Rum signature cocktail. The USVI is rich with historic and cultural influences include Danish, French, Spanish and African - Danish the most prevalent. Carnivals are celebrated in the USVI in December/January on St. Croix, June/July on St. John, and April/May on St. Thomas. For more information visit: visitusvi.com BIO: JOSEPH BOSCHULTE Joseph Boschulte is the Commissioner for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Commissioner Boschulte brings over 30 years of experience in business, finance, and government to the tourism department. The Commissioner has held high-level positions in transportation, utilities, telecommunications, finance, government development and investment banking with a proven track record of improving organizational performance and growth. Boschulte formerly served as President and CEO of The West Indian Company Limited (WICO), Chief Financial Officer of both the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, the Government of the Virgin Islands Employees’ Retirement System, and chaired the VI Public Services Commission. Additionally, Boschulte serves as the former Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), Executive Director for UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance with Wachovia Securities in Atlanta, and Vice President of Banc of America Securities in Charlotte and New York City. Currently, Boschulte serves as the Chairman for the Board of Directors of The West Indian Company Limited (WICO) and sits on the board for the Virgin Islands Port Authority. He is also a member of the US Travel Association. Commissioner Boschulte earned his MBA from Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. A family man first, Commissioner Boschulte is a husband to his wife Aisha, and proud parents of children Jaeden and Janae. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

January 19, 2023 03:20 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Oliver Inc. Acquires Tap Packaging + Design

Oliver Inc.

Oliver Inc. (“Oliver”) is pleased to announce that it has acquired Tap Packaging + Design. Tap Packaging is a leading manufacturer of custom folding cartons, serving customers in food and beverage, beauty, confection, health and wellness, and consumer goods markets. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Tap Packaging will continue delivering design-forward packaging solutions from its current location. This partnership will enable Oliver to expand its product offerings and strengthen its position as the nation’s largest independent specialty packaging supplier. “We are thrilled to welcome the Tap team to the Oliver family,” said Dan Rodenbush, President/CEO of Oliver Inc. "Their diverse range of capabilities will allow us to expand our product offerings and enhance our overall service for our customers.” “Oliver and Tap Packaging share similar core values, and both companies have a passion for providing an exceptional customer experience,” added David Chilcote, Chairman of Tap Packaging. “Partnering with Oliver increases our capacity, provides redundancy, and allows us to better leverage our combined scale to offer enhanced solutions for our customers.” Oliver has made significant investments in modern equipment, facilities, and people since 2016. The Tap Packaging transaction will represent Oliver’s fifth strategic acquisition and aligns with the company’s vision to build a leading provider of innovative, specialty packaging solutions. The transaction closed on January 18, 2023. To learn more about Oliver, please visit www.oliverinc.com. About Oliver Oliver Inc. is a leading provider of highly customized, quick-turnaround, specialty packaging solutions. Known for its white-glove approach to customer service, the company provides a turnkey platform from design to fulfillment, simplifying complex requirements with consistent on-time, on-budget, ultra-high-quality products and services. About Tap Packaging + Design Since 1906, Tap Packaging + Design has been committed to enhancing their customers’ image by providing high-quality packaging and presentation products. The company’s success can be attributed to the creative craftsmanship of their dedicated workforce, and their sincere desire to partner with their customers and suppliers. Contact Details Oliver Inc. Doug Doroh +1 631-234-1400 ddoroh@oliverinc.com Company Website https://www.oliverinc.com/

January 19, 2023 09:20 AM Eastern Standard Time

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