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VinFast delivers first VF 9 vehicles to customers in Vietnam

Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 27 March 2023 - VinFast celebrated the delivery of the first 27 VF 9 all-electric SUVs to its customers at an event in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The delivery events took place approximately 1 year after introducing the VF 9 model to the public, which is a testament to VinFast’s expertise and speed in developing and delivering vehicles. The first batch of VF 9s, produced and delivered to customers in Vietnam, has a 6-seat configuration. The 6-seat design is equipped with two captain's seats in the second row, combined with a large armrest to bring a luxurious and spacious feel to the ample business class cabin. The VinFast VF 9 brings a classy, comfortable and technologically-advanced experience to all passengers. The all-electric VF 9 SUV offers a panoramic glass roof (Plus version), integrated massage function with heated and ventilated front seats, (Plus version), a 15.6-inch central infotainment screen, an 8-inch infotainment screen for the second row (Plus version), windshield HUD, auto-dimming outside rearview mirrors (Plus version) and many other premium options. The VF 9 is also equipped with level 2 ADAS and Smart Services. The electric motor has a maximum power of up to 300kW (402 hp), maximum torque of 620Nm providing a powerful and exhilarating performance. The 92kWh battery pack has a range of up to 438km for the Eco version and 423km for the Plus version on a full charge (WLTP target). Following the initial delivery events, VinFast will continuously to deliver to other individual customers nationwide in accord with their reservation order. Customers can also choose to receive their vehicles at a VinFast showroom or at their home. In addition to the 6-seat configuration, the VinFast VF 9 also has a 7-seat option, which is expected to be delivered to customers in the near future. VinFast will continue to offer EV test drive opportunities at VinFast showrooms nationwide to allow customers the opportunity to experience the VF 8 and VF 9 all-electric vehicles. Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup, CEO of VinFast Holdings shared: "Today's VF 9 delivery event is the beginning of VinFast’s series of events that will be consistently held on a global basis. We expect to export the VF 8 standard edition models to the U.S. and Canadian markets in April 2023 and expect to soon deliver the VF 5 Plus model to customers in the Vietnamese market. Following that, we expect to export the VF 9 and open reservation for the VF 6 and VF 7 in the coming months. I am confident that VinFast's high-quality electric vehicles will meet the needs of our customers, bringing a high-level of satisfaction to customers around the world." Along with a high-quality passenger vehicle lineup, VinFast has also developed an infrastructure of 150,000 charging ports for electric vehicles and e-scooters; a system of 89 showrooms; as well as dealers and service centers across 63 provinces and cities in Vietnam. With three core values (1) High-quality product, (2) Good price, (3) Excellent services, VinFast is the only automotive company in Vietnam providing a “non-stop” service, along with dedicated customer care options such as Mobile Service, Mobile Charging and 24/7 roadside assistance. About VinFast VinFast - a member of Vingroup – envisioned to drive the movement of global smart electric vehicle revolution. Established in 2017, VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam.Strongly committed to the mission for a sustainable future for everyone, VinFast constantly innovates to bring high-quality products, advanced smart services, seamless customer experiences, and pricing strategy to inspire global customers to jointly create a future of smart mobility and a sustainable planet. Learn more at: https://vinfastauto.us. VinFast Safe Harbor Disclosure This news release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions and include VinFast’s expectations. Forward-looking statements typically can be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” and similar terms. While these forward-looking statements represent VinFast’s current judgment on what the future holds, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated above include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, hazards customary in the automotive industry, competition in certain markets, the volatility of battery prices, failure of customers to perform under contracts, changes in government regulation of markets and of environmental emissions, and our ability to achieve the expected benefits and timing of our electric vehicle projects. VinFast undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors that could cause VinFast’s actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements included in this news release should be considered in connection with information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect VinFast’s future results. Contact Details VinFast Media Contact v.chidqd1@vingroup.net Company Website https://vinfastauto.us

March 27, 2023 04:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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VinFast will deliver the first VF 9 batch on March 27, 2023

Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 23 March 2023 - VinFast announced it will officially deliver the first batch of full-size VF 9 SUVs to customers on March 27, 2023. The delivery ceremony will be held simultaneously in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City, and deliveries will be continued at all VinFast stores across Vietnam in the following days. Belonging to the E segment, VF 9 is the largest SUV in VinFast’s current electric vehicle lineup with overall dimensions (LxWxH) of 5,118 x 2,254 x 1,696 (mm). Its wheelbase of up to 3,150 mm and refined structure allow ample interior space, optimal for full-size 7-seater or 6-seater configurations (Captain Seat options). The VinFast VF 9 also has two trims, the Eco and Plus. The first VF 9 batch, produced for the Vietnamese market, is equipped with electric motors that boast a maximum power of 300kW (402 hp), maximum torque of 620Nm, and usable battery capacity of 92kWh enabling a target estimate of range per full charge of 438km for the Eco and 423km for the Plus (WLTP). VinFast VF 9’s fastest charging time, from 10% to 70%, is 26 minutes. As VinFast’s most premium EV model, the VF 9 comes with high-class amenities such as two front seat rows integrated with massage, ventilation, and heating features (Plus trim), a 15.6-inch infotainment screen, an 8-inch rear screen on the center console for the second seat row (Plus trim), windshield heads up display (HUD), panoramic glassroof (Plus trim), outside rearview mirror with auto-dimming (Plus), 11 airbags, and more. The VF 9 is also integrated with a wide range of advanced technologies, including the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and Smart Services. In addition, the regular firmware over-the-air (FOTA) updates will also continuously enhance vehicle functionality and performance to provide customers with more enjoyable experiences. The first delivery ceremonies will be held simultaneously on March 27, 2023, in the Northern – Central – Southern regions of Vietnam at different VinFast stores, including VinFast Ocean Park (Hanoi), VinFast Ngo Quyen (Da Nang), and VinFast Landmark 81 (Ho Chi Minh City). The VF 9 delivery will be continued at other VinFast stores and dealers’ showrooms or through a home-delivery service across Vietnam according to the order of the reservations in the following days. Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup and CEO of VinFast Holdings, said: “Following VF e34 and VF 8, the VF 9 delivery, as planned and committed to customers, has affirmed VinFast’s capabilities in applying technologies and optimizing vehicle development and production process. I believe that, along with VinFast’s attractive initial ownership cost and outstanding after-sale services, the VF 9 will win the hearts of those who have put trust in VinFast through their reservations and waiting for more than a year. ” Following the Vietnamese market, VinFast expects to roll out the export plan of the first VF 9 batch to international markets in the upcoming time. In addition, VinFast is in preparation for its VF 5 Plus delivery in April 2023, according to its initial plan. About VinFast VinFast - a member of Vingroup – envisioned to drive the movement of global smart electric vehicle revolution. Established in 2017, VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam.Strongly committed to the mission for a sustainable future for everyone, VinFast constantly innovates to bring high-quality products, advanced smart services, seamless customer experiences, and pricing strategy to inspire global customers to jointly create a future of smart mobility and a sustainable planet. Learn more at: https://vinfastauto.com/ Contact Details Media Contact v.chidqd1@vingroup.net

March 23, 2023 11:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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CleverTap Gaming Unveiled at GDC 2023

CleverTap

CleverTap, the all-in-one customer engagement platform, today at Game Developers Conference 2023 unveiled CleverTap Gaming – soon to go live in the summer of 2023. Through full player management, the latest offering will help boost revenue from LiveOps, Lifecycle Marketing, and Remote Configuration by 3x with personalization across the entire player journey. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™, CleverTap's proprietary data engine, which is built for real time triggering & segmentation with high performance, low latency, and massive economies of scale. CleverTap Gaming brings holistic and sophisticated multi-channel campaigns inside and outside the in-game experience. With a simplified UI, it reduces the dependence on technical teams and increases operational efficiency. By leveraging CleverTap’s proprietary TesseractDB™, it offers rich granularity with unlimited data points and no restrictions on lookback period. Previously, the lack of these features could have been a limiting factor for game studios trying to maximize retention and lifetime value, but CleverTap Gaming unlocks these use cases enabling game studios to scale their personalization efforts to new heights. Also, given its versatility, CleverTap Gaming offers a vast array of benefits within various functions in typical game studios: LiveOps: With over 2000 unique player attributes (10x more than the industry average), LiveOps Managers can improve the relevance of their offers with much more granular insights into user behavior and preferences. Marketing: Consumers have vastly different preferences and a single journey does not fit each and every one of them. As such, conditional logic, advanced branching, and unified composition flow across all channels can help marketers plan campaigns with contingencies in mind. The advanced segmentation feature can also help marketers create better-targeted campaigns from the outset. Development: The ability to integrate with existing backend solutions lowers the barrier to transition for gaming studios with other solutions. Native Unity SDK means the platform can enhance developer productivity and shorten release cycles considerably. “Modern gaming is evolving. They are no longer static endpoints – and with features like LiveOps and Remote Configuration, developers are empowered to make changes in real-time without the constraints of approvals and a relaunch.” said Lawrence Hsieh, Principal Product Manager at MobilityWare. “CleverTap Gaming gives us an all-in-one cost-effective solution that ensures consistency and efficiency while not only developing but also promoting an update.” “With over 2.6 billion mobile game players globally, it is only a matter of time before the growth trajectory flattens out and retention becomes a bigger area of focus. We hope that CleverTap Gaming can accompany those studios looking to stay ahead of the curve by maximizing their pre-existing user base via personalized and relevant messaging,” said Sunil Thomas, Co-founder and Executive Chairman at CleverTap. “When we acquired Leanplum last year, we looked to strengthen our footprint within various verticals and geographies. CleverTap Gaming is another step in this direction, and we are confident that it will further accelerate our growth journey.” About CleverTap Gaming, powered by Leanplum CleverTap Gaming is powered by Leanplum and helps gaming studios achieve engagement and revenue goals by providing the tools and expertise to deliver more personalized player experiences at scale. Learn more about what CleverTap can do for your brand at clevertap.com. For a platform demo, visit clevertap.com/live-product-demo/ About CleverTap CleverTap is the all-in-one customer engagement platform that helps brands personalize and optimize all consumer touch points to improve user engagement, retention, and lifetime value. It's the only solution built to address the needs of retention and growth teams, with audience analytics, deep-segmentation, multi-channel engagement, product recommendations, and automation in one unified product. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™ – the world’s first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering both speed and economies of scale. CleverTap is trusted by 2000 customers, including Electronic Arts, TiltingPoint, Gamebasics, Big Fish, MobilityWare, TED, English Premier League, TD Bank, Carousell, AirAsia, Papa Johns, and Tesco. Backed by leading investors such as Sequoia India, Tiger Global, Accel, and CDPQ the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with presence in San Francisco, New York, São Paulo, Bogota, London, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, and Jakarta. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap's belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction. Contact Details Sony Shetty sony@clevertap.com Company Website https://clevertap.com/

March 23, 2023 04:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Traveling on a Budget in 2023

YourUpdateTV

While prices for flights, hotels and rental cars are all up across the board, demand for travel isn’t slowing. A recent survey from pay over time provider, Affirm, revealed that despite record-high costs, the average person plans to take three trips this year and spend over $3,000 on travel. Furthermore, 3 in 4 of Millennial and Gen-Z respondents plan to take up to 6 trips this year, with over half planning to spend up to $5,000 on travel. Traveling on a budget can help ensure that people are spending responsibly while also providing ways to make their money go further. Affirm SVP and Financial Health Expert, Katrina Holt, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour, offering her top tips for financially-conscious travelers in 2023: Don’t forget to set a budget. The recent Affirm survey found that nearly 1 in 5 plan to travel this year without setting a budget beforehand, which can easily lead to overspending. When creating a budget, be sure to consider expenses across accommodation, meals, transportation and shopping. Use a transparent, flexible pay over time option like Affirm to spread out your costs and stick to your budget. By selecting Affirm at checkout, approved travelers can split travel costs into biweekly or monthly payments. Travelers will see the total cost of their purchase and will never pay more than they agree to upfront Affirm does not charge late or hidden fees. Watch out for gimmicks that come with travel credit cards. Early sign up bonuses might be enticing, but can easily lead to overspending as you try to hit the minimum. 0% APR credit card promotions can come with deferred interest and surprise you with balloon payments down the line. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/2ZCQtGXL7y8 Affirm is helping travelers by offering a smarter way to pay at some of the largest travel merchants in the US and Canada, including American Airlines, Expedia, Hotels.com, KAYAK, Vrbo, Priceline, and more. For more information, visit Affirm.com About Katrina Holt Katrina Holt is the SVP, Operations and Financial Health Expert at Affirm. Affirm is a new kind of payment network — one based on trust, transparency and putting people first. As a technology and financial services executive, Katrina brings more than 27 years of financial services, operations, and risk management leadership. Prior to Affirm, she was the Chief Compliance Officer at GE Capital Bank and WebBank, respectively. Earlier in her career, Katrina served as the Audit Director for GE Capital, as well as a commissioned bank examiner with the FDIC. She holds an Executive MBA from the University of Utah and a BS in Accounting from Weber State University. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

March 21, 2023 02:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Meet Graze: The All-Electric, Fully Autonomous Mower That Wants to Make The Commercial Landscaping Industry More Eco-Friendly

Graze

By Rachael Green, Benzinga Interested in investing in Graze Mowing? Click here to get started! According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one hour of operating a standard gas-powered lawn mower produces the same amount of air pollutants as driving a car for 45 miles. Adding to that, the process of refilling the gas tank on a lawn mower can result in accidental spills which release those pollutants into the air via evaporation and into the groundwater via seepage. While those spills may look small, the EPA estimates that about 17 million gallons of gasoline are spilled each year as a result of refueling lawn equipment. While one household typically spends just 25 hours per year mowing their lawn, a single commercial landscaper will use lawnmowers for 406 hours per year on average. finding a way to curb the commercial use of gas-powered lawn equipment could be a key to addressing this contributor to carbon emissions. That’s what the team behind Graze Mower set out to accomplish. The tech start-up is currently raising capital via a crowdfunding campaign to scale production of its eco-friendly all-electric autonomous lawn mower. The Graze Mower Aims To Make Eco-Friendly Landscaping A Reality One of the simplest solutions to the pollution problem of gas-powered mowers is to switch to electric equipment. An all-electric mower produces zero emissions during operation and doesn’t need to be refilled with gas, eliminating the risk of gasoline spills seeping into the groundwater. No internal combustion engine also means less noise pollution. A standard gas-powered mower produces about 95 decibels of noise on average, a volume equivalent to a motorcycle. Meanwhile, the average electric mower produces 75 decibels, which is equivalent to a washing machine. Graze’s autonomous lawn mower is 100% electric and powered by rechargeable batteries. Designed with large-scale landscaping jobs in mind, Graze can professionally mow up to three acres per hour and lasts up to eight hours on a single charge. So commercial landscapers can tackle large jobs without worrying about the machine running out of power before it’s done. This makes switching to an electric mower and slashing carbon emissions and fuel costs a viable option for more landscapers. To add to its eco-friendly benefits, Graze is a mulching mower, meaning it chops the grass clippings up into small pieces and returns them to the soil as it goes so that they can serve as mulch for the lawn. Mulching recycles the nutrients locked in the clippings so that they can be reabsorbed by the lawn, allowing the lawn’s owner to rely less on environmentally-hazardous fertilizers. The simple practice is so effective, in fact, that a lawn can get up to 25% of its annual nitrogen requirements from recycled grass clippings alone. That’s about one full fertilizer application per year that can be skipped. Mulching also conserves soil moisture by preventing evaporation and releasing the moisture locked in the clippings themselves back into the soil. This can reduce the amount of irrigation needed by as much as two-thirds. That layer of clippings on the soil even reduces weed growth by blocking the sunlight weed seeds need to grow, meaning fewer toxic herbicide treatments are needed to control weeds. Plus, because Graze is fully autonomous, landscapers can slash labor costs while they’re at it. Workers can focus on the higher value tasks while Graze handles the mowing on its own, meaning jobs can get done by smaller teams or in fewer hours. Graze estimates landscapers cut labor costs by as much as 50% with one of its automated mowers. Learn more about Graze’s autonomous mower and how to invest in the crowdfunding campaign here. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. Grazie is a fully autonomous and electric commercial lawnmower. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details John Vlay invest@grazemowing.com

March 21, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Wingtra lands $22M funding round as their commercial drones take off to new heights

Wingtra

The business use case and appetite for drone technology is growing rapidly, a marketplace that was worth $29.8B in 2022 is growing 38.6% annually. Serving this demand, the world’s largest producer of commercial vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones Wingtra is today announcing a $22M series B funding round as they accelerate their operations globally. The funding round included DiamondStream Partners, EquityPitcher Ventures, Verve Ventures, the European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund), ACE & Company, John L. Steffens (founder of Spring Mountain Capital) and some of the most successful Swiss Entrepreneurs. Wingtra manufactures professional mapping drones, develops the software for fully autonomous flights and the WingtraPilot app operates the combined solution for reliable, fast and accurate collection and processing of aerial survey data. The drones are making it easier for surveying professionals in industries like construction and infrastructure, mining, environmental monitoring, agriculture and urban planning and land management to digitize their surrounding world. Their signature drone, the WingtraOne VTOL commercial drone has emerged as a formidable aerial data solution on the market. The VTOL design means the WingtraOne can take-off and land almost anywhere, even in confined spaces or on rough terrain enabling widespread data collection It is being used by hundreds of businesses and organizations including CEMEX, Rio Tinto, Army Corps of Engineers and Kenya Red Cross spread across 96 countries. The drones conduct over 100,000 flights annually, having mapped 18 million acres of land and sea (the equivalent of 13.6M football fields). The team successfully released their second generation drone in 2021, the WingtraOne Gen II drone which offers superior survey grade 2D and 3D maps to help users of the data make better decisions. It integrates the highest quality sensors in top-end RGB cameras to create 3D models, helping make digital twins at scale such that a single flight covering over 100 hectares can be digitized at 0.5 in/px. Compared to terrestrial surveying this is up to 30 times faster and 90% cheaper. Wingtra is delivering on the promise of the drone industry to offer effective and reliable means to achieve their needs. Wingtra is the brainchild of four young entrepreneurs Maximilian Boosfeld (CEO), Basil Weibel (VP Growth), Elias Kleimann (CFO) and Sebastian Verling (lead engineer) which was created in the Autonomous Systems Lab of ETH Zurich, one of the world's leading tech universities. Its notable graduate luminaries include Albert Einstein and Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist Hansjörg Wyss, who financed the Wyss Zurich Translational Center and is also an investor in Wingtra. Wingtra started life as a thesis paper for the university and became a startup at the Wyss Zurich accelerator to an internationally expanding scale-up business and, today, the world's largest producer of commercial VTOL drones. Wingtra employs close to 200 people, has offices in Zurich (Headquarters in Switzerland), Fort Lauderdale (US) and Zagreb (Croatia). Maximilian Boosfeld, CEO and co-founder of Wingtra commented: “Our vision at Wingtra is to create a world where drones help people make the management of large parts of our planet more sustainable and efficient. We reduced the cost of adopting drone assets and increased the data quality. This will help industry to plan better and, fundamentally, improve safety for humans and the environment. We have built the best tool for accurate data collection and have created solutions together with our partners for a variety of use cases our customers face: As an example, our solution is used in all stages of the construction life cycle: from the concept phase (feasibility & right-of-way studies), over the design phase (bidding process, detailed design & site planning), the construction phase (progress tracking to built survey all the way to maintenance, repair and operations. And the same holds true for use cases in agriculture, land management and environmental protection. We will continue to innovate and solve the problems of the future with easy to use solutions.” Wingtra has reinforced its senior leadership with 5 new industry veteran appointments as it scales the company: Marcos Bayuelo joins as VP Product from Hexagon AB where he directed product and innovation at the mining division of Hexagon AB, driving business growth from $12m to $60m in a single product portfolio Aleksandar Kostadinov joins as VP Sales and Customer Success and brings two decades of experience building international sales alliances and introducing Leica and Hexagon products to untapped markets. Alberto Toledo joins as GM in the US from Citrix where revenue lept from $4m to $25m in just three years. Corinna de Maddalena joins as VP People having led HR functions in leading tech companies over 15 years. Marco Schicker joins as COO from Hilti AG where he handled the transformation of global teams and brings insights and strengths as a 3x founder. “Every one of these leaders has the right experience to take Wingtra forward” said Maximilian Boosfeld. “They have all successfully grown several organizations to the next level. With this funding round, the right people and market leading product we are well set to accelerate the company growth.” DiamondStream Partners Dean Donovan: “We are very excited about partnering with Wingtra. The product’s simplicity of use, its high reliability engineering, and the company’s global network of value-added resellers and service providers have positioned it to expand its leadership in the $83+ Billion mapping segment of the aerial intelligence market globally. We look forward to helping the company in the United States and Latin America, which will be increasingly important geographies as Wingtra continues to expand." Wingtra's works to revolutionize the mapping workflow for surveying and mapping professionals to help them execute their work better and faster. Significant new features, camera integrations and product launches can be expected in the upcoming years. About Wingtra Headquartered in Switzerland, Wingtra is the world’s leading VTOL drone solution provider for construction, infrastructure and mining, and urban planning and land management professionals. Since its market entry in early 2017, Wingtra has partnered with the biggest equipment dealers on all continents and has been selling mapping drones globally ever since. In the summer of 2021, Wingtra released the second generation of its WingtraOne drone, the WingtraOne GEN II. The system demonstrates the leading edge of reliability, versatility, efficiency and ease-of-use. To learn more about Wingtra, visit: www.wingtra.com About DiamondStream Partners A thematic aerial mobility fund investing in the next generation aviation and aerospace technologies and services. The Fund’s partners bring strong insight into the economics of aerospace and aviation and a deep commitment to developing the industry based on their experiences as co-founders of Volaris and Eos, Seabury Consulting, British Airways, and Bain & Company’s airline practice. For more information, please visit www.diamondstream.com About EquityPitcher Ventures EquityPitcher is an early-growth Venture Capital firm that supports promising startups from the DACH region. Through close cooperation with renowned industry experts, investors and exit partners, we pave the way for entrepreneurs to attain the three decisive success factors: capital, know-how and network. For more information, please visit www.equitypitcher.com About the EIC Fund The European Innovation Council Fund from the European Commission is an agnostic Fund: it invests across all technologies and verticals, and all EU countries and countries associated to Horizon Europe. It provides the investment component of the EIC Accelerator blended finance. The EIC Fund aims to fill a critical financing gap and its main purpose is to support companies in the development and commercialisation of disruptive technologies, bridging with and crowding in market players, and further sharing risk by building a large network of capital providers and strategic partners suitable for co-investments and follow-on funding. The Fund pays particular attention to the empowerment and support of female founders as well as the ambition to reduce the innovation divide among EU countries. www.eic.ec.europa.eu About Verve Ventures Verve Ventures is a network and technology-driven venture capital firm based in Switzerland. Verve Ventures invests in startups across Europe from Seed stage onward, in software, hardware and healthcare. With a portfolio of more than 150 startups and around 20-30 new investors investments per year, Verve Ventures is one of Europe’s most active startup investors and has been listed among Europe's top 5 deeptech investors. Verve Ventures has grown to around 50 team members in Zurich, Berlin and Paris. www.verve.vc About ACE & Company ACE & Company is a leading global private equity and venture capital firm with over $1.6 billion in total assets. Since its inception, ACE Ventures has invested $400 million in more than 150 startups across various sectors and geographies. With offices in Geneva, London, New York, and Cairo, ACE & Company has a global network of partners and advisers, providing unparalleled support to portfolio companies Contact Details Wingtra Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://wingtra.com/

March 21, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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EVs for EV-eryone: New Report Unveils the Essentials to Scale E-Mobility

Eurelectric

Soaring energy prices and supply chain disturbances have not stopped EVs in Europe. Yet, as the EV industry gets ready to reach scale, consumers must be at the centre of this EV-olution. A new Eurelectric-EY study presents the six essentials to turn EVs into an affordable, reliable, user-friendly choice for every car owner across Europe. 2022 was a bumper year for e-mobility. EV sales won around 20% of the market, up from 17% in 2021, reaching 8 million units in Europe. Driving into the mainstream, however, will depend on the ability to convince the mass-market customer to take the EV-turn. A new Eurelectric-EY study presents six essentials for electric vehicles’ mass-market uptake: critical raw materials, smart charging, grid management, clean power generation, skilled labour, and digitalisation for consumer acceptance. “Getting our transport sector off its fossil fuel addiction is critical to achieve energy independence. The key to achieve that is to make the EV ecosystem the obvious choice for the consumer” – says Kristian Ruby, Secretary General at Eurelectric. The essentials for EVs uptake According to the report, bringing down battery prices is the first step. This entails setting clear regulations and mandates to attract investments in a resilient supply chain. Enhanced battery performance, recycling, and innovation in alternative chemistries as well as faster permitting and sustainable mining to ensure access to lithium, cobalt, and nickel are now urgently needed to escape dependencies on unreliable suppliers. But the battery price tag is not the only factor to encourage consumers to make the switch. The vehicle itself is only part of the story. It must be coupled with adequate charging infrastructure, in the places and spaces where people need it. It must be enabled by a smart grid that allows the two-way flow of green energy and supported by digital technologies that make EV ownership simple, flexible and likeable. Get these essentials right, and e-mobility becomes the new normal for road transport. The lack of public charging infrastructures is the first concern for potential EV buyers. Charging stations - whether at home, in the office, or on the road - must be quickly and evenly deployed across EU countries. By 2030, Europe will need 5.4 million non-residential chargers from the 482,000 currently accessible to supply around 200TWh of energy demand for EVs. And we need that energy to be carbon-free. This raises challenges for grid balancing that must be addressed now to avoid overloads and blackouts later. An ecosystem challenge “The EV industry is at an inflection point as e-mobility pushes beyond early adopters faster than previously anticipated. But a smooth transition from here is not guaranteed. Success hinges on a multi-stakeholder response and the role of utilities in maintaining the momentum cannot be underestimated. Collaboration around the six essentials is key, as failure could result in missed net-zero targets, unresolved air quality issues, wasted investments, and an extended transition period” – says Serge Colle, EY Global Energy & Resources Industry Market Leader. Utilities will play a huge role in pushing the e-mobility industry into mass adoption, by rolling out new and upgraded networks and renewable projects. Regulators, however, must be on board with a clear enabling framework. Eurelectric calls on policymakers to: Expand, upgrade, and climate-proof distribution grids; Streamline permitting to reduce delays in installing charging infrastructure and incentivize businesses to install charging stations via tax credits and subsidies; Support flexible technologies such as smart meters, and vehicle-to-grid to enable demand-side response and raise awareness on how citizens can become active energy transitioners; Encourage investments in domestic raw material production, recyclability, and alternative battery technologies; END Note to Editors: Eurelectric represents the interests of the European electricity industry. With members in over 30 European countries, we speak for more than 3,500 companies in generation, distribution and supply. Contact Details Eurelectric Eleonora RINALDI, Press and Media Officer +32 473 40 17 29 erinaldi@eurelectric.org Company Website https://www.eurelectric.org/

March 21, 2023 05:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Murgado Automotive Group Acquires Six Motor Werks Dealerships in Illinois

Murgado Automotive Group

Murgado Automotive Group, a leading automotive retailer with dealer franchises in Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey, has announced the acquisition of Motor Werks Auto Group, a prestigious and respected automobile retailer based in Barrington, Illinois. The acquisition includes BMW, Cadillac, Honda, Infiniti, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz dealerships and grows Murgado Automotive Group to 24 dealership locations, selling economy to ultra-luxury brands. The sale closed on March 17, 2023. The acquisition of Motor Werks by Murgado Automotive Group is part of the company's strategic expansion plan to increase its market presence and customer base. The addition of Motor Werks to Murgado Automotive Group's dealer franchise portfolio will enable the company to offer a broader range of automotive brands and services to customers in the Chicagoland area. Murgado Automotive Group already operates Honda of Downtown Chicago, Volkswagen of Downtown Chicago, Honda Libertyville, and Acura Highland Park. “Motor Werks was the first Cadillac dealership that I ever visited as a boy with my father in 1975, so I am deeply familiar with the brand and its legacy,” said Mario Murgado, president and CEO of Murgado Automotive Group. “We are proud and excited to welcome Motor Werks to our family of dealerships and add to our presence in Greater Chicago. We look forward to working with the many long-time and experienced employees and extending the tradition and success of Motor Werks.” Founded in 1971 with one store in downtown Barrington, Motor Werks grew into a state-of-the-art campus that is recognized as one of the most successful automotive retailers in Illinois. The Motor Werks brand will be retained, and no major staffing changes were announced. Customers of Motor Werks can expect a seamless transition of ownership and continued commitment to providing an outstanding automotive retail experience. “I want to thank Paul Tamraz and Mick Austin for the opportunity to acquire their incredible stores,” said Murgado. “They built a beautiful family business and have set a high bar, but we are up to the challenge.” Murgado Automotive Group, founded in Miami, Fla. In 2001, is a family-owned and operated automotive retailer with 24 dealer franchises in Florida, Chicago, and New Jersey. The company represents leading automotive brands, including Acura, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Ferrari, GMC, Honda, Infiniti, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volkswagen. With a commitment to exceptional customer service and operational excellence, Murgado Automotive Group has been recognized as one of the top automotive retailers in the United States. More information is available at MurgadoAutomotiveGroup.com. Contact Details John P. David +1 305-724-3903 john@davidpr.com Company Website https://www.murgadoautomotivegroup.com/

March 20, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

This Tech Startup Says Its Autonomous Mower Is the Eco-Friendly Answer To The Labor Shortage In The Landscaping Industry

Graze

Interested in investing in Graze Mowing? Click here to get started! Graze Mowing, a tech startup aiming to disrupt the commercial landscaping industry, launched a crowdfunding campaign with the goal of raising $7.5 million to help the company scale production of its autonomous AI lawn mower. The patent-pending technology uses machine learning, GPS navigation, computer vision and advanced safety features to create a lawn mower that can professionally mow three acres per hour without the need for a human operator. Targeting the $176 billion commercial landscaping industry, the autonomous mower is made to help landscaping crews working on golf courses, parks, airports, and other large-scale projects automate one of the most time-consuming and costly parts of the job: lawn mowing. Mowing Is One Of The Biggest Pain Points For Professional Landscapers Mowing is one of the biggest factors eating into profit margins for professional landscaping companies. Add to that the widespread labor shortages, the high turnover rate in the landscaping industry, and the growing pressure from legislators to switch to equipment that doesn’t use fossil fuels, and razor-thin margins can end up disappearing entirely. Graze’s unique technology is meant to address all of those problems by making commercial landscaping both eco-friendly and more profitable. The fully electric mower features a rechargeable battery and a 60-inch tri-blade mow deck that can adapt to different terrains and grass types while offering precision mowing based on a pre-set mow height and cut pattern. By automating mowing, landscaping crews can focus their effort on higher-value landscaping work, getting jobs done faster without sacrificing quality. According to Mainscape, a landscaping partner of Graze, the autonomous mower has the potential to increase profit margins from just 10% to 43% by helping the company reduce labor costs. How The Graze Mower Aims To Bring Better, Safer, More Professional Automation To Robotic Mower Market The emerging robotic mower market has seen a few interesting entries, but most products are meant for smaller, residential products or require users to put up physical barriers to set the perimeter of the job site for the machine. With Graze, users set the perimeter using virtual mapping software, with no physical barriers required. Then, they set the mow height and cut pattern and let the machine get to work. Graze plans and executes its own mowing paths based on those settings. Once set, landscapers can use the same job site map and mow settings over and over again. While mowing, Graze uses smart sensors, computer vision, and other safety features to detect and avoid any obstacles ranging from debris to sidewalks to animals. Meanwhile, it uses machine learning to collect and apply data so that it can optimize for better precision and efficiency the next time it’s mowing that job site. With over $14.7 million raised so far from 9,300 investors and nearly $31 million in potential revenue from pre-orders according to Graze, the tech startup has already gained impressive traction among both investors and industry leaders in commercial landscaping. Learn more about the autonomous mower and the crowdfunding campaign here. This article originally appeared on Benzinga here. Graze is a fully autonomous and electric commercial lawnmower. Contact Details John Vlay invest@grazemowing.com

March 15, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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