LONDON, June 13, 2023 — BoomFi, a next-generation payments company, has announced an oversubscribed seed funding round of $3.8 million led by White Star Capital. The team will use the capital to transform crypto and digital currency payments for web3. SaaS, eCommerce, creators, marketplaces and traditional web 2 merchants.

Stablecoin settlements in 2022 boomed to an astounding $7.2 trillion with adoption experiencing a 47x increase since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Worldpay and Crypto.com’s survey reveals a whopping 60% of 1.5 million merchants are primed to accept crypto, yet only 4% are currently offering this option. With crypto‘s benefits of lower fees, instant settlements, and reduced fraud rates, demand for robust, user-friendly crypto payment solutions is surging.

“The way we pay for things and send/receive money in the future will involve crypto rails and bridging traditional and decentralised systems. But today it’s riddled with a mirage of complexities and challenges.” says Jack Tang, co-founder of BoomFi. “We’re streamlining payments across various blockchains and traditional payment rails into one seamless, borderless and familiar payment experience. This funding will push us full-throttle into a world where crypto payments is the norm, not the exception.”

BoomFi’s seed round drew backing from notable venture capitalists, strategic investors, and industry figures, Including White Star Capital, Passion Capital, Blockchain Founders Fund, Kraken Ventures, GSR, Aquanow, Mantle Network, founders from Moonpay, Ramp Network, Transak, Layer Zero, The Giving Block and former execs from Stripe, Revolut and Worldpay. The funds will be used for strategic partnerships, product development, and expanding the merchant base in the burgeoning web3 sector

Co-founded by serial tech entrepreneur Jack Tang and fintech product executive Michael Si, BoomFi is determined to erase the complexities traditionally associated with crypto transactions. BoomFi’s all-in-one product supports a vast array of payment models including one-time payments, recurring payments, metered billing and invoicing, and seamlessly integrates crypto and fiat systems, ensuring a superior user experience.

BoomFi offers merchants a simple and fast onboarding process, with no-code paylinks to get going in minutes, low-code integrations, and fully customisable API options. The company’s crypto checkout plugins will be available across major eCommerce, payment orchestration and billing management platforms in the coming months as Alternative Payment Methods, making crypto payments across blockchains even more accessible and compliant for businesses.

“BoomFi is set to spearhead the crypto payment revolution. Their unwavering commitment to streamlining crypto transactions in the payment sector aligns flawlessly with the prevailing trends. We are witnessing a significant shift towards the utility phase of blockchain technology and crypto, where goods and services seamlessly integrate, and BoomFi’s dedication perfectly captures this evolving landscape” said Sep Alavi, General Partner at White Star Capital.

“We are deeply impressed by the proven track record and business acumen shown by the BoomFi team. Validated by such promising early traction, it’s clear BoomFi’s full payment stack solution solves a big problem in the market.” – Tobias Bauer, Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund

BoomFi has spent the past four months in intensive product development and has secured strategic partnerships, to be announced in conjunction with its public beta launch in the coming months as it ramps up onboarding new merchants.

About BoomFi
BoomFi is a next generation crypto payment processor, enabling businesses to accept cryptocurrencies across a wide range of blockchains and currencies in a compliant and safe manner. Businesses can accept one-time payments, recurring payments, metered and invoicing available through our no-code, low-code and SDK/API options. You can settle funds in your preferred crypto wallet or bank account, seamlessly bridging flat and crypto economies.

Press Contact Information:
Contact: Jack Tang (Co-founder & CEO)
Phone: +447776000080
Email: [email protected]

Brand Kits:
Logos
Founder Photos
Product Photos

SOURCE BoomFi

QUÉBEC CITY, June 13, 2023 – Feldan Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in the development of treatments based on intracellular delivery of therapeutics, has announced the initial closing of a $16.5 million Series B investment. The funds will primarily be used to conduct clinical phases I/II for Feldan’s FLD-103, an intralesional treatment against basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and to advance its pulmonary program to the preclinical stage.

New investors Investissement Québec, Amgen Ventures (United States), GC Cell (South Korea) and FSIT2 join the renewed support of GC Holdings (South Korea) and other existing shareholders to help Feldan bring breakthrough treatments to clinical development.

“Feldan is excited to welcome a new group of investors to our existing syndicate as we are reaching an important milestone in our development,” said Francois-Thomas Michaud, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Feldan. “We are very proud that despite the challenges that arose from the COVID pandemic and the current economic environment, a Québec-based company has been able to create a promising clinical-stage therapeutic and is now positioned to accelerate its development towards clinical trials. This highlights the great talent and resilience of our team, in addition to further establishing the potential of our technology.”

Since having engineered a revolutionary peptide-based intracellular delivery technology, Feldan is determinedly working towards the development of treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. Feldan’s proprietary technology has been proven highly effective at delivering different types of molecules to various organs, allowing them to reach untapped intracellular therapeutic targets. The company has made notable breakthroughs in the delivery of Antisense Oligonucleotides (ASOs) to skin basal cells and lung epithelial cells.

Feldan’s focus is on the completion of clinical phases I/II of intralesional FLD-103 to treat basal cell carcinomas (BCC). BCC, the most common skin cancer and most frequent form of all cancers, affects 3.6 million people in the US and Canada each year and results in the development of tumors mainly in sun-exposed skin areas such as the face, neck and scalp. Patients affected by BCC mostly rely on surgery for removal of tumors, an effective yet disfiguring and invasive procedure leaving patients to deal with scarring and long recovery time. With FLD-103, Feldan aims to improve patients’ quality of life by offering them a nonsurgical, effective and minimally invasive therapeutic option.  

Feldan will also be working on advancing its pulmonary delivery program towards preclinical development and further leveraging its intracellular delivery technology to offer life-changing therapeutics to patients.

“The life sciences are a strategic industry for Québec’s economy, and Feldan is a promising company in this sector. Investissement Québec’s support illustrates the critical role we play in bolstering local biopharmaceutical companies and bridging gaps in the financing chain. We are proud to support Feldan as their first product enters clinical trials and they continue to develop their technology.” Guy LeBlanc, President and CEO of Investissement Québec.

“We are delighted that Amgen is investing in this leading Quebec-based biotech company,” stated Ugur Gunaydin, General Manager of Amgen Canada. “As one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, Amgen is fundamentally value based and deeply rooted in science and innovation to transform new ideas and discoveries into medicines for patients with serious illnesses. Feldan’s novel and unique drug delivery technology is an example of the important innovation coming from Quebec’s Life Sciences sector. We are very excited to see this technology’s potential expanding in the development of next generation therapies for patients everywhere with unmet medical needs.” 

ABOUT FELDAN THERAPEUTICS

Feldan, located in Québec City, Canada, is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of treatments based on the intracellular delivery of therapeutics. Feldan has designed the Feldan Shuttle, a proprietary, peptide-based technology that enables safe and efficient delivery of various compounds inside cells. This technology unlocks the development of a new generation of therapies by giving access to intracellular targets beyond the reach of existing drugs. Feldan’s pipeline focuses on diseases affecting skin and lungs.

ABOUT INVESTISSEMENT QUÉBEC

Investissement Québec’s mission is to play an active role in Québec’s economic development by stimulating business innovation, entrepreneurship and business acquisitions, as well as growth in investment and exports. Operating in all of the province’s administrative regions, the corporation supports the creation and growth of businesses of all sizes with investments and customized financial solutions. It also assists businesses by providing consulting services and other support measures, including technological assistance available from Investissement Québec – CRIQ. In addition, through Investissement Québec International, the corporation prospects for talent and foreign investment, and assists Québec businesses with export activities.

SOURCE Feldan Therapeutics

Inaugural structured capital fund will deploy flexible debt and equity

RADNOR, Pa., June 13, 2023 — Hidden River Strategic Capital, a Philadelphia-based investment firm, announced that its inaugural fund, Hidden River Strategic Capital I, LP (“Hidden River” or the “Fund”), has closed on $245 million of committed capital, significantly above its initial target.

Founding Partners Steve Gord, Todd Morrissey and Kevin Condon are lower middle market veterans who were most recently founders and leaders at two well-regarded private equity firms.  Hidden River was formed to focus exclusively on flexible junior capital for small business owner-operators, an area underserved by the well-worn investment approaches of growth equity, buyout, and mezzanine/credit funds.

“Private lower middle market businesses tend to face a funding void between the often rigid investment approaches of traditional credit funds and the overly dilutive, controlling approaches of growth equity and buyout funds.” said Founding Partner, Steve Gord. “We started Hidden River to address this gap in the market with our structured capital offering – flexible, hybrid debt and equity.”

“We are grateful to our limited partners for their support and belief in our approach and are excited to execute on our differentiated strategy.” Gord continued.

Hidden River will support management teams who will continue to own and operate their business, while using the Fund’s investment for growth, acquisitions, inactive shareholder recapitalizations and other strategic initiatives.

“Throughout their investment careers, our founders have consistently seen small companies struggle to find the right partner when the capital need sits somewhere between the traditional boxes of mezzanine debt and growth equity.” said Graham Bachman, Managing Director of Business Development. “We look forward to providing funding solutions to owner-operators that don’t saddle them with inflexible debt on the one hand or crowd them out as leaders of their business on the other.”

About Hidden River Strategic Capital
Hidden River Strategic Capital invests $5 million to $25 million into U.S.-based positive cash flow businesses typically generating at least $10 million of revenues. Hidden River provides flexible, customized and partnership-oriented structured capital to support these management-owned businesses through their growth needs and strategic initiatives. The Fund is licensed as a Small Business Investment Company (“SBIC”) and invests in a variety of industries with a strong preference for unique, repeatable and durable business models.

Business and Media Inquiries
Graham Bachman
Managing Director, Head of Business Development
[email protected]
T 610.291.2521

SOURCE Hidden River Strategic Capital

ATLANTA, June 13, 2023 — Successful construction entrepreneurs, Aaron and Coleen Phillips, are thrilled to announce the launch of Oakley Services, an innovative industrial services family office and investment company that aims to shape the future of their market in the South.

The Phillip’s entrepreneurial journey began 15 years ago with the establishment of their first company, AMCON Industrial, and since then they’ve launched an impressive five more industry-leading construction services companies. Now, with the introduction of Oakley Services, the group is set to firmly plant its flag as the leading services group for manufacturing organizations in the region.

“We’re thrilled to launch Oakley Services and embark on this new chapter,” said Aaron Phillips, Co-Founder and CEO of Oakley Services. “According to Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), manufacturing projects account for a large portion of nonresidential construction growth in 2023 and the Southeast continues to position itself as a hotbed. Our firms are in a unique position to support the growing demand with the quality and scale of our capabilities.”

Oakley Services sets itself apart from traditional investment groups by adopting a hands-on approach, actively engaging with its portfolio companies, and fostering long-term partnerships. “By providing financial resources, strategic guidance, and operational support, the family office aims to propel its companies to new heights of success,” stated Coleen Phillips, Co-Founder and COO.

In addition to investing in existing companies, Oakley Services is committed to nurturing and incubating new business ideas in our sector. We’ve built an industrial innovation center in Fairburn, Georgia that serves as a hub for founders, technologists, and industry experts to come together and develop cutting-edge solutions for our customers. By cultivating a dynamic partner ecosystem fueled by creativity and collaboration, we plan to help Georgia remain at the center of the nation’s modern day industrial revolution.

Britton Clark, CRO of Oakley Services, added, “We firmly believe that collaboration and partnerships are the keys to success in today’s rapidly evolving construction landscape. Oakley Services will serve as a catalyst for growth, providing not just financial support, but also strategic guidance and operational expertise. We look forward to building a strong network of like-minded partners who are passionate about transforming the industrial services space.”

Oakley Services’ launch marks a significant milestone in the Phillip’s journey. Their unwavering dedication, entrepreneurial acumen, and profound industry knowledge have laid the foundation for a venture like Oakley Services to shape the future of industrial services in the South.

ABOUT OAKLEY SERVICES 

Founded in 2023, Oakley Services is an innovative industrial services family office and investment company that aims to shape the future of the industry in the South. Its firms offer a comprehensive suite of contracting services that empower leading manufacturers and construction companies across the region. To learn more about Oakley Services or its individual firms (AMCON, LaborWorx, BoldAir, RIGUPATL, Helix, and DivvyWorx), visit oakleyservices.com.

SOURCE Oakley Services

Aiming to Disrupt The Venture Capital Landscape

SAN FRANCISCO, June 13, 2023 — How Women Lead, the network of 20,000 corporate leaders driving women’s representation in positions of power, influence, and wealth, today unveils the future of venture capital: The New Table Campaign. The campaign’s mission is simple—disrupt the venture capital landscape by inspiring women to invest in venture capital funds who invest in women founders. In 2022, only 2.1% of venture funding went to women-founded companies—a number unchanged after a decade of data tracking outsized returns by women founders and the new entrants to venture, women fund managers. The organization decided to take matters into its own hands and activate women’s wealth and influence to change the landscape. The New Table campaign goal is to bring 10,000 women into venture capital investing to close the large funding gap for companies founded by women. In celebration of the launch, How Women Lead will be ringing the bell at NASDAQ on Friday, June 16th.

The groundbreaking campaign is for women who are done waiting for a seat at the table. The New Table campaign will invite 10,000 women to pledge to invest in venture in the next 12 months. Taking a seat at the table as a venture investor is easy, the benefits for us all are extraordinary.

“Although women have more power, and wealth than ever before, there is still a huge gap in venture capital funding. Our needs as women investors aren’t being met and investments are not reflecting our values or interests,” said Julie Castro Abrams, Founder and CEO of How Women Lead and Managing Partner of How Women Invest—the only venture fund in the US that funds companies with only women founders. “I’m excited to launch The New Table campaign for every woman—from powerful CEOs to successful young entrepreneurs to women who are retired—everyone needs to know how to build and sustain wealth. We’re aiming to demystify the venture capital process. The New Table is designed to give women the tools and network they need to increase their wealth and put their expertise to work scaling companies that make a tremendous impact in the world. Venture investing has long been seen as a man’s game and it is time to change that story. This is a powerful opportunity for women to grow both power and influence professionally and personally.”

In tandem with the launch of The New Table campaign, How Women Lead is debuting its proprietary searchable index of women-led venture capitalists for women who take the pledge to join The New Table. This Values-Based Investing Tool is the first of its kind to sort and find women-led VC firms based on specific values, minimum investment amounts, investment stages, or industry sectors.

“I’m excited about bringing more women to the table so that we can create opportunities and abundance together,” said Jessica Karr, General Partner at Coyote Ventures, whose firm is included in the Values-Based Investing Tool.

How The New Table Works
Gaining a seat at The New Table starts with a pledge. Women interested in venture investing can sign-up at HowWomenLead.com/new-table and pledge to invest within 12 months.

Using the resources provided and The Values-Based Investing Tool, accredited investors can search more than 30 active women-run venture funds to find investment opportunities that align with their interests, values, investment amount, and financial and impact objectives. The New Table online tool is the first of its kind and further signifies how women harness their power to dramatically steer the investment ecosystem toward values-aligned, women-founded, and led businesses.

Please visit HowWomenLead.com/new-table for additional information and follow the movement on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

About How Women Lead:
How Women Lead connects 20,000 top executive women to activate their individual and collective power to achieve equity for women. Founded in 2011, the organization fights for change at all levels by affecting systems reform, mobilizing movements, education, research and access to opportunities like board seats and investing. How Women Lead’s philanthropic arm, How Women Give, provides grants and invaluable connections to women’s and girls’ organizations on the frontlines of today’s most critical issues. And its sister organization, How Women Invest, invites women to play big and powerfully in venture, making meaningful investments and propelling high-potential, women-led companies forward at scale. For more, visit https://howwomenlead.com/.

Media Contact: Dara Kaplan, [email protected]

SOURCE How Women Lead

VANCOUVER, BC, June 13, 2023 — GameOn (CSE: GET) (OTCQB: GMETF), a next generation fantasy sports platform partnered with the world’s biggest IPs to launch, operate, and monetize web3 games, today announces a strategic financing from industry heavyweights, Lightning Capital and Flow, the blockchain platform started by NBA Top Shot maker Dapper Labs. The funds will be used to accelerate GameOn’s PLAYN3XT platform and acquisition of major league IP partners.

The total amount raised is $1.7m from two instruments:

1. A series of convertible notes led by Lightning Capital (the “Investment”), signed on June 8, 2023. The Investment has a face value of $1.2m and simple interest at the annual rate of 10% per annum. Full terms of the Investment are detailed below.
2. A non-dilutive grant from the Flow Ecosystem Fund, signed on June 5, 2023. The grant funding is subject to certain to-be-announced major league projects and milestones.

“Earning conviction from web3 powerhouses is a nod to our team, product, and business,’ said GameOn CEO, Matt Bailey. “We continue to surround ourselves with resources, people, and organizations that foster success. We’re aggressively honing in on major league IP acquisition that will return scaled profitability, fueled by best-in-class product and execution.”

Lightning Capital is a trusted Digital Asset Investment Firm combining deep web3 knowledge and experience with a 3+ year audited track record. They offer Investors diverse risk/reward exposure across three distinct funds. Lightning Venture Fund focuses on early stage investments with the largest total addressable market in projects, protocols, and picks-and-shovels businesses that are providers of hardware, software, and services to the digital asset and web3 ecosystem. Lightning Capital targets 10-20 investments per fund and provides invaluable operational expertise to portfolio companies.

“GameOn’s cutting-edge technology and proven ability to scale major brand partnerships is an exceptional investment opportunity,” said Lightning Capital General Partner, Jock Percy. “Matt and team are world class, and we’re excited to help drive and operationally support their major league strategy as a long term partner.”

The Flow Ecosystem Fund is the largest joint commitment made towards any blockchain ecosystem. Flow is the blockchain platform started by Dapper Labs, the company behind NBA Top Shot. Dapper Labs’ current studio partners include the NBA, NBPA, WNBA, WNBPA, LaLiga, Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, Genies, and UFC. Notable investors in Dapper Labs include Andreessen Horowitz, Coatue, Union Square Ventures, Venrock, BOND, GIC, Google Ventures (GV), Samsung, and the founders of Dreamworks, Reddit, Coinbase, Zynga, and AngelList, among others.

“We’re blown away by GameOn’s next generation fantasy sports platform,” said SVP Flow Ecosystem Partnerships, Mickey Maher. “There is a track record of IPs having huge success on Flow, like NBA Top Shot from Dapper Labs. We can’t wait to share that knowledge, experience, and network, and be a key strategic partner to GameOn’s long term success.”

GameOn is hosting an investor webinar on July 6 to discuss the funding, financial filings, and what’s next for the company. Please email [email protected] to be added to the event invite.

Terms of the Investment
The convertible note forming the Investment is offered on a non-brokered private placement basis. Simple interest will accrue at a rate of ten percent (10%) per annum. Unless earlier converted into common shares (“Shares”), the principal and accrued interest of the Investment will be due and payable by GameOn to the holders of the Investment (the “Holders”) on the date that is twenty-four (24) months from the date of the issuance of the Investment (the “Maturity Date”); prior to the Maturity Date with the acceptance of the Holders (provided GameOn pays the Holder all of the interest that would have been due had the Holders held the Investment until the Maturity Date), or upon demand by the Holders. The Investment plus any accrued but unpaid interest thereon will be convertible into Shares of GameOn at a price of $0.10 per Share. The securities issued will be subject to a 4-month one day hold period from the date of issue of the convertible notes forming the Investment, or the Shares. The completion of the private placement remains subject to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the CSE. Proceeds of the offering will be used for general working capital purposes.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors:
Matt Bailey, Director & Chief Executive Officer
GameOn Entertainment Technologies Inc.
[email protected]

About GameOn
GameOn (CSE: GET) (OTCQB: GMETF) partners with the world’s biggest sports, media, and entertainment IPs to launch brand-building, money-making web3 games (with intuitive web2-friendly rails). We turn fans into superfans – engaging, retaining, and monetizing audiences. With a diverse team of web3, gaming, and sports veterans with experience at Take-Two Interactive, Twitch, EA, Dapper Labs, and the Brooklyn Nets, our platform is proven and executed at scale with millions of users, gameplays, and revenue. GameOn has launched products for NBCUniversal, Bravo, Karate Combat, Times Internet, the WNBA, DICK’S Sporting Goods, and Gaming Society. Learn more about our PLAYN3XT platform.

Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words “believes,” “may,” “plans,” “will,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “projects” and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this news release are forward looking statements. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company, execution of business strategy, future performance and future growth, business prospects, synergies and opportunities of the Company and its related subsidiaries, and other factors beyond the Company’s control.

Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date such statements are made, including, but not limited to the Company being able to capitalize on the acquired assets, the ability of acquired assets to maintain its value as presently contemplated, the synergies of the acquired assets with the Company’s operations, and such other assumptions presented in the Company’s disclosure record. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and GameOn disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE GameOn Entertainment Technologies Inc.

Leading venture capital firms Blume Ventures, Veda VC, Java Capital, 100xEntreprenuers, T2D3 Capital, Arka Venture Labs, Mplier Capital Ventures, and other prominent investors contribute to the funding round

WILMINGTON, Del., June 12, 2023 — ZapScale, the trailblazer in delivering the easiest Customer Success Platform, is thrilled to announce that it has successfully raised $2.5 million in seed funding from leading venture capital firms, including Blume Ventures, Veda VC, Java Capital, 100xEntreprenuers, T2D3 Capital, Arka Venture Labs, and other prominent investors.

“We are immensely grateful for the trust and confidence shown by our investors,” said Manasij Ganguli, 2^nd time Founder and CEO of ZapScale. “This funding marks a significant milestone for ZapScale, and we are excited to leverage these resources to build the easiest customer success platform in the world. Our mission is to empower businesses with cutting-edge technology and actionable insights, allowing them to effortlessly scale their operations and achieve outstanding customer success outcomes.”

Blume Ventures, a second-time investor in Manasij, expressed their enthusiasm for the partnership. Ashish, Partner at Blume Ventures, commented, “We are delighted to continue supporting Manasij and ZapScale on their journey. We have witnessed Manasij’s exceptional entrepreneurial acumen in his previous startup, and we are confident in his ability to drive innovation and deliver groundbreaking solutions. We are excited about the potential of ZapScale’s Customer Success Platform to transform the way businesses engage with their customers.”

ZapScale’s customer success platform is tailored specifically for small and medium-sized SaaS businesses, addressing a significant gap in the industry’s offerings for this segment. Leveraging AI technology and data from multiple customer touchpoints, ZapScale provides actionable insights, predictive analytics, and ready-made playbooks to proactively address customer needs, reduce churn, and identify upsell opportunities.

The investment will fuel the rapid development of ZapScale’s Customer Success Platform, with a focus on enhancing its AI-driven capabilities and expanding its presence in the US market.

About ZapScale

ZapScale is a Customer Success Platform designed for B2B SaaS companies, focussed on small and medium-sized enterprises. The platform equips customer success teams with the tools they need to effectively monitor and manage their customers. With over 40 pre-built KPIs, 50 out-of-the-box playbooks, and integrations across multiple sources, ZapScale provides evidence-based, conjecture-free, and accurate customer health scores.

Media Contact:
Nikita Kalra
Head of Marketing,
ZapScale
+ (91) 9873799244 
[email protected]com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2097823/ZS_Logo.jpg

SOURCE ZapScale

NEW YORK, June 12, 2023 — The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is proud to announce its latest investment through the NKF’s Innovation Fund in Klinrisk, an artificial intelligence-based medical device company. Klinrisk is dedicated to transforming the early identification and management of high-risk chronic kidney disease (CKD) through accurate clinical risk prediction and decision support.

The NKF’s Innovation Fund, established to drive advancements in kidney health, has a track record of supporting innovative solutions that improve health equity and outcomes for kidney disease patients. Recent investments include partnerships with Relavo and MediGo to enhance health equity through the development of cutting-edge technology.

Klinrisk, an important addition to the NKF’s Innovation Fund portfolio, has developed highly accurate, lab-based prediction models that identify high-risk CKD early. These models enable healthcare professionals to intervene at the earliest stages of the disease, preventing a lifetime of dialysis and transforming patient outcomes.

“My own journey as a kidney transplant recipient has shown me the urgent need for early identification and intervention in chronic kidney disease,” said Kevin Longino, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation. “Klinrisk’s innovative use of artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize CKD care and improve the lives of millions of patients. By investing in Klinrisk through our Innovation Fund, we are furthering our mission to advance kidney health and ensure equitable access to life-changing innovations.”

The collaboration between the NKF and Klinrisk underscores their shared commitment to advancing kidney health and improving health equity. By investing in Klinrisk’s groundbreaking technologies, the NKF’s Innovation Fund aims to accelerate the adoption of risk-based care models and ensure that effective interventions are deployed at the earliest possible stage, particularly among underserved populations.

“My vision has always been focused on bringing risk-based care to patients with chronic kidney disease,” said Navdeep Tangri, co-founder of Klinrisk. “We now have an abundance of effective therapeutics that can slow CKD progression and prevent cardiovascular events, yet they are not reaching the majority of patients until very late in the journey. Effective care for high-risk CKD starts early, and Klinrisk is committed to changing the way CKD is recognized and treated, and to eliminate kidney failure for most patients and families. Our goals are completely aligned with the NKF, making this partnership a natural fit.”

With the support of the NKF’s Innovation Fund, Klinrisk will further enhance its predictive models and expand their implementation across healthcare systems. The ultimate goal is to enable timely interventions that prevent the progression of CKD, reduce the burden of kidney failure, and improve the quality of life for millions of patients, regardless of their socio-economic background.

Launched in 2021, the NKF Innovation Fund works to accelerate funding, development, and commercialization of therapies that kidney patients need and deserve. The fund invests in early to mid-stage companies that are developing innovative, patient-centric kidney therapies. The long-term goals of the NKF Innovation Fund are to prevent kidney disease, eliminate the transplant waitlist, and provide better, safer treatments for dialysis patients so they can live fuller and more productive lives. For more information about the NKF Innovation Fund visit kidney.org/innovationfund.

To learn more about kidney disease and how to maintain optimal kidney health visit www.kidney.org/.

About Kidney Disease
In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it. About 1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Asian, or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are almost four times more likely than White Americans to have kidney failure. Hispanics are 1.3 times more likely than non-Hispanics to have kidney failure.

About National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the U.S. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.

Facebook.com
www.kidney.org
twitter.com/nkf

SOURCE The National Kidney Foundation

2023’s first cycle of grants issued as part of $20MM philanthropic commitment following transformative merger with Columbia Bank

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., June 12, 2023 — In its first community grants cycle of 2023, the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization of Umpqua Bank, under the parent company Columbia Banking System, Inc. (Nasdaq: COLB), has awarded 78 grants to local nonprofits across its footprint totaling $417,000.

Umpqua’s community grants this cycle support nonprofit organizations across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho and Nevada, and are part of the Bank’s overall foundation and corporate giving program that has invested $17.4 million in communities since the foundation was formed in 2014. 

“Each of the nonprofits selected displays an exemplary service mindset and a deep commitment to improving economic prosperity for under-resourced individuals, families and small businesses,” says Randy Choy, vice president of philanthropy programs and managing director of the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation. “We’re honored to partner with them by investing in their critical work, and we look forward to supporting many more organizations in 2023 through our giving and volunteerism programs.”

This is the first of three grant cycles in 2023, and the first cycle following the close of the merger between Umpqua Bank and Columbia Bank in March of this year. Following the completion of the merger, Umpqua Bank and parent company Columbia Banking System disbursed $20 million to the charitable foundation to sustain the foundation’s historic charitable giving levels and activate millions more each year.

“The Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation is central to how we will continue to show up in support of each and every community we serve,” says Umpqua Bank Chief Marketing Officer David Moore Devine. “We issued this initial $20 million disbursement to the foundation at the outset of our future together to strengthen our commitment and ensure we will continue investing in our communities with greater impact and scale in the years ahead.”

This cycle’s recipient organizations were selected from among hundreds of applicants, with a demonstrated commitment to improving economic prosperity for under-resourced individuals, families, and small businesses in at least one of the following areas: college, career and technical readiness; financial competency; housing stability and homeownership; entrepreneurship and business expansion; small business support and financial guidance; family engagement and resiliency; vibrant and equitable neighborhoods; and technical and digital connectivity.

Learn more, including application deadlines and guidelines for our next community grant cycles, at www.umpquabank.com/our-impact/partnerships/

The following recipients received grants between $5,000-10,000: 

About Umpqua Bank
Umpqua Bank is a subsidiary of Columbia Banking System Inc., and a premier regional bank in the Western U.S., operating in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Colorado. With over $50 billion of assets, Umpqua combines the resources, sophistication and expertise of a national bank with a commitment to deliver personalized service at scale. The bank consistently ranks as one of America’s Best Banks (ranked by Forbes) and supports consumers and businesses through a full suite of services, including retail and commercial banking; Small Business Administration lending; institutional and corporate banking; equipment leasing; and wealth management. The company is headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and trades under the ticker symbol COLB on the Nasdaq. Learn more at https://www.umpquabank.com.

About the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation
The Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization of Umpqua Bank, recognizes the importance of building healthier, more resilient, better connected and inclusive communities throughout the eight-state footprint. It works to strengthen the communities Umpqua Bank serves by investing in organizations and initiatives that expand access to education and create economic opportunity for individuals, families and small businesses. The foundation was formed in 2014 to demonstrate Umpqua’s deep commitment to the communities it serves and has distributed more than $17 million across the bank’s footprint.

SOURCE Umpqua Bank