Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ‘Change the planet, change everything’

    Source: European Investment Bank

    A more recent European Investment Bank deal is the €200 million loan in 2023 to the logistics company CTP to cover its buildings’ rooftops with solar panels.

    This firm has 11 million square metres of rooftops in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and the Netherlands. CTP hopes to create as much as 400 MWp of capacity by the end of 2026. MWp stands for “megawatt peak,” a measure of the output of power from sunshine. CTP estimates it could generate up to 10% of its profits from solar panels, if the company sells the electricity created from installations on the roofs of all its factories and fulfilment centres.

    “Solar panels on rooftops do not use farmland,” says David González García, a lead engineer at the European Investment Bank. “This project creates a new use on top of something that’s already useful.”

    For sheer size, it’s hard to beat the deal the European Investment Bank approved in 2023 with Solaria, the Spanish solar company. It’s €1.7 billion, to build more than 100 solar power plants in Spain, Italy and Portugal. The plants will be built over the next few years and produce an estimated 9.29 terawatt hours a year.

    And even though Solaria’s parks won’t sit on rooftops like those of CTP, they won’t eat up all the land that could otherwise be used for farming. Solaria and other installation companies are developing parks that use unobtrusive cabling and mounting systems that sit higher off the ground to let livestock graze safely. This is important for countries like Italy, which has a lot of sun but whose state laws protect arable land.

    “We have to evolve our types of solar installations and our locations to keep growing,” says Lopez, the Solaria general manager. “We have been very successful in Spain and Portugal, but we need to find ways to go to new places. We think Europe is the place to be because it has big goals for green power.”

    Hemetsberger of SolarPower Europe encourages developers to promote “agri-solar” farming. Using 1% of arable land for solar parks in Europe would generate 900 gigawatts of electricity, while allowing farmers to use the same land, she says. The solar parks also can protect crops by shielding them from the harsh sun, reduce water evaporation, and give farmers an extra income.



    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Raising the profile of Europe as a cultural tourism destination – E-001979/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001979/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Gabriela Firea (S&D)

    The Commission is working with the Council of Europe on joint programmes based on shared cultural, economic, social and environmental objectives, with a view to developing Europe. One of these is the Cultural routes programme, which supports Europe’s cultural tourism strategy and raises awareness of a host of local and regional traditions, customs and sites that large tourism companies tend to overlook when promoting Europe as a tourist destination.

    • 1.The European Union wants to enhance the profile of Europe as a tourist destination and the Council of Europe wants to improve the visibility of the cultural routes which it has already certified or are in the process of being certified, in response to a proposal from the Member States. What is the Commission’s strategy for improving this partnership?
    • 2.How does it plan to raise awareness among the public, both inside Europe and out, of all these routes, and of Europe’s cultural heritage and centuries-old traditions as a whole, which are at risk of being lost?

    Submitted: 8.10.2024

    Last updated: 15 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI: Rising Dragon Acquisition Corp. Announces Closing of $57.5 Million Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANXI, CHINA, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rising Dragon Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: RDAC) (the “Company”) announced today that it closed its initial public offering of 5,750,000 units at $10.00 per unit, including the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 750,000 units to cover over-allotments. Each unit consists of one ordinary share and one right. Each right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one ordinary share upon the consummation of an initial business combination.

    The units are listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”) and began trading under the ticker symbol “RDACU” on October 11, 2024. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the ordinary shares and rights are expected to be listed on NASDAQ under the symbols “RDAC” and “RDACR,” respectively.

    Lucid Capital Markets acted as sole book running manager in the offering. Loeb & Loeb LLP is serving as legal counsel to the Company. Blank Rome LLP is serving as legal counsel to Lucid Capital Markets. Maples & Calder (Hong Kong) LLP is serving as Cayman Islands legal counsel to the Company.

    A registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-280026), relating to these securities was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and became effective on October 10, 2024. A final prospectus relating to the offering was filed with the SEC and is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement. Electronic copies of the prospectus relating to this offering may be obtained from Lucid Capital Markets, 570 Lexington Avenue, 40th Floor, New York, NY 10022.

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

    About Rising Dragon Acquisition Corp.

    Rising Dragon Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company newly incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. The Company’s efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

    Contact:

    Wenyi Shen
    woody.shen@hywincapital.cn
    Rising Dragon Acquisition Corp.
    No. 604, Yixing Road, Wanbolin District, Taiyuan City,
    Shanxi Province, People’s Republic of China

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Ring Energy to Participate in Water Tower Research Fireside Chat on October 16

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ring Energy, Inc. (NYSE American: REI) (“Ring” or the “Company”) today announced its participation in a fireside chat with Water Tower Research (“WTR”) on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 10:00 AM Central Time.

    As part of WTR’s ongoing Fireside Chat Series, Jeff Robertson, Managing Director at WTR, will lead an in-depth conversation with Paul McKinney, Ring’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Included in the discussion will be a variety of important topics including capital allocation optionality provided by organic development opportunities, the results to date of the Company’s 2024 drilling program, the current state and expected mergers and acquisitions landscape, and Ring‘s outlook for continued debt reduction.

    Investors and other interested parties can access the event by registering in advance at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_r6h1Z4mgQpSbWLOqigwQKQ. The presentation will also be available through Ring’s web site, http://www.ringenergy.com on the “Overview” page under the “Investors” tab.

    About Ring Energy, Inc.
    Ring Energy, Inc. is an oil and gas exploration, development, and production company with current operations focused on the development of its Permian Basin assets. For additional information, please visit http://www.ringenergy.com.

    SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

    This release contains 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. Forward-looking statements involve a wide variety of risks and uncertainties, and include, without limitations, statements with respect to the Company’s strategy and prospects. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which are disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the SEC, including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, and its other filings with the SEC. Readers and investors are cautioned that the Company’s actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

    Contact Information

    Al Petrie Advisors

    Al Petrie, Senior Partner

    Phone: 281-975-2146

    Email: apetrie@ringenergy.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Gabelli Funds and Columbia Business School to Host 6th Annual Healthcare Symposium

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GREENWICH, Conn., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gabelli Funds, LLC will host the 6th Annual Healthcare Symposium with Columbia Business School at the Paley Center on Friday, November 15th, 2024. This half-day symposium will bring together leading healthcare executives and physicians to discuss current and future trends in the industry. Topics include the future of robotic surgery, data interoperability, and new treatments for atrial fibrillation.

    Agenda

    8:15am Breakfast
       
    8:45 Opening Remarks
       
    9:00 Panel 1: Unlocking the Potential of Surgical Robotics
      Jeff Jonas, Gretchen Jackson, Mike Marinaro, Martin Martino
       
    10:00 Break
       
    10:10 Panel 2: Interoperability, Digital Transformation and Enhancing Patient Care
      Daniel Barasa, Michael Bouton, Sara Dillon, Nick Frenzer, Josh Weiner
       
    11:10 Break
       
    11:20 Panel 3: Advances in Atrial Fibrillation Technology and Treatment
      Carri Chan, Joe Fitzgerald, Bob Hopkins, Ashley McEvoy, Elaine Wan
       
    12:20 Closing Remarks
       

    Paley Center, New York City, New York
    Friday, November 15th, 2024

    Registration Link: CLICK HERE

    For general inquiries contact:
    Miles McQuillen, AVP Private Wealth Management, MMcQuillen@gabelli.com, 914-921-5112

    Gabelli Funds, LLC is a registered investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is a wholly owned subsidiary of GAMCO Investors, Inc.

    Contact: Jeff Jonas
    Portfolio Manager
    (914) 921-5072

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: River Valley Community Bancorp Announces 3rd Quarter Results (Unaudited)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    YUBA CITY, Calif., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — River Valley Community Bancorp (OTC markets: RVCB) with its wholly owned subsidiary, River Valley Community Bank (collectively referred to as the “Bank”), today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. The full earnings release can be found on the Bank’s Investor Relations website at Investor Relations – River Valley Community Bank.

    The Bank remains highly rated with BauerFinancial, and Depositaccounts.com and serves its customer base through its offices located at:

    • 1629 Colusa Avenue, Yuba City, CA
    • 580 Brunswick Rd, Grass Valley, CA
    • 905 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA
    • 904 B Street, Marysville, CA
    • 401 Ryland Street, Ste. 205, Reno, NV (Loan Production Office)
    • 1508 Eureka Rd., Ste. 100, Roseville, CA (Loan Production Office)

    The Bank offers a full suite of competitive products, services, and banking technology. For more information please visit our website at http://www.myrvcb.com or contact John M. Jelavich at (530) 821-2469.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: LanzaTech Announces Date for Third-Quarter 2024 Earnings Release and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LanzaTech Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNZA) (“LanzaTech” or the “Company”), the carbon recycling company transforming waste carbon into sustainable fuels, chemicals, materials, and protein, today announced that it will issue its third-quarter 2024 financial results before financial markets in the United States open on Friday, November 8, 2024. A conference call will be held that same day at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to review the Company’s financial results, discuss recent events, and conduct a question-and-answer session.

    The conference call may be accessed via a live webcast on a listen-only basis through the Events and Presentations section of LanzaTech’s Investor Relations website. An archive of the webcast will be available for twelve months.

    To attend the live conference call via telephone, domestic callers can access by dialing 1-800-274-8461 and international callers can access by dialing 1-203-518-9814, and using the conference identification code: LANZA.

    A replay of the conference call will be available shortly after the call ends and can be accessed by domestic callers by dialing 1-844-512-2921 and by international callers by dialing 1-412-317-6671, and entering the access identification code: 11157335. The replay will be available until 11:59 pm Eastern Time November 22, 2024.

    About LanzaTech
    LanzaTech Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNZA) is the carbon recycling company transforming waste carbon into sustainable fuels, chemicals, materials, and protein. Using its biorecycling technology, LanzaTech captures carbon generated by energy-intensive industries at the source, preventing it from being emitted into the air. LanzaTech then gives that captured carbon a new life as a clean replacement for virgin fossil carbon in everything from household cleaners and clothing fibers to packaging and fuels. By partnering with companies across the global supply chain like ArcelorMittal, Zara, H&M Move, Coty, On, and LanzaJet, LanzaTech is paving the way for a circular carbon economy. For more information about LanzaTech, visit https://lanzatech.com.

    Contacts

    Investor Relations
    Kate Walsh
    VP, Investor Relations & Tax
    Investor.Relations@lanzatech.com

    Media
    Kit McDonnell
    Director of Communications
    press@lanzatech.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Brookfield Corporation to Host Third Quarter 2024 Results Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BROOKFIELD, NEWS, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brookfield Corporation (TSX: BN, NYSE: BN) will host its third quarter 2024 conference call and webcast on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

    Results will be released that morning before 7:00 a.m. (ET) and will be available on our website at https://bn.brookfield.com/news-events/press-releases.

    Participants can join by conference call or webcast:

    Conference Call

    Webcast

    About Brookfield Corporation

    Brookfield Corporation is a leading global investment firm focused on building long-term wealth for institutions and individuals around the world. We have three core businesses: Alternative Asset Management, Wealth Solutions, and our Operating Businesses which are in renewable power, infrastructure, business and industrial services, and real estate.

    We have a track record of delivering 15%+ annualized returns to shareholders for over 30 years, supported by our unrivaled investment and operational experience. Our conservatively managed balance sheet, extensive operational experience, and global sourcing networks allow us to consistently access unique opportunities. At the center of our success is the Brookfield Ecosystem, which is based on the fundamental principle that each group within Brookfield benefits from being part of the broader organization. Brookfield Corporation is publicly traded in New York and Toronto (NYSE: BN, TSX: BN).

    For more information, please visit our website at http://www.bn.brookfield.com or contact:

    Media
    Kerrie McHugh
    Tel: (212) 618-3469
    Email: kerrie.mchugh@brookfield.com
               Investor Relations
    Linda Northwood
    Tel: (416) 359-8647
    Email: linda.northwood@brookfield.com
         

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: APA Corporation Announces Retirement of General Counsel Anthony Lannie and Promotion of David J. Bernal to Vice President Legal

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — APA Corporation (Nasdaq: APA) announces the retirement of executive vice president and general counsel Anthony Lannie, effective Oct. 9, 2024. David J. Bernal has been promoted to vice president Legal and acting general counsel.

    Mr. Bernal joined APA in 2008 and has handled commercial litigation and counseled executives and senior management. During his time at APA, Mr. Bernal has supported numerous initiatives across the company, both domestic and international, and provided mentorship for the legal team. Previously, after appointment by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate, Mr. Bernal served as a Texas state district judge, presiding over hundreds of jury and bench trials, evidentiary hearings and other motions involving various types of civil litigation. From 1995 to 2003, Mr. Bernal was a legal associate at both Baker Botts and King & Spalding. 

    “I look forward to David’s leadership and counsel as he takes the helm of the corporate legal function, and I want to personally thank Anthony for his 21 years of dedicated service as General Counsel and commitment to APA as he moves into retirement,” said John J. Christmann, IV, CEO of APA Corporation.

    About APA

    APA Corporation owns consolidated subsidiaries that explore for and produce oil and natural gas in the United States, Egypt and the United Kingdom and that explore for oil and natural gas offshore Suriname and elsewhere. APA posts announcements, operational updates, investor information and press releases on its website, http://www.apacorp.com.

    Contacts

    Investor: (281) 302-2286 Gary Clark
    Media: (713) 296-7276 Alexandra Franceschi

    Website: http://www.apacorp.com

    APA-G

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Tertia Freas appointed to First Hawaiian, Inc. and First Hawaiian Bank Boards of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HONOLULU, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Hawaiian, Inc. (NASDAQ: FHB), announced today the appointment of Tertia Freas to serve on its Board of Directors and the Board of Directors of First Hawaiian Bank. Freas also was appointed to the Board of Directors’ Audit Committee. All appointments are effective October 15, 2024.

    “We are pleased to welcome Tertia Freas and thank her for agreeing to serve on our Board,” said Bob Harrison, First Hawaiian, Inc. Chairman, President and CEO. “Her deep expertise in accounting and finance and her commitment to community service make her an outstanding addition to our leadership team. I look forward to collaborating with her as we continue to move First Hawaiian Bank forward.”

    Tertia Freas is the executive director of The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, a private foundation that provides grants to nonprofit organizations in Hawaii for education, healthcare, children, youth and family, sustainability, housing and arts, culture and innovation. She has 35 years of experience in public accounting, working for Deloitte & Touche LLP. During her career at Deloitte, she served as an audit partner for more than 20 years, Honolulu office recruiter, national trainer, and was the leader for the Honolulu office Women’s Initiative program.

    In 2005, Freas was inducted to the University of Hawaii, Shidler College of Business Alumni Hall of Honor. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Hawaii Society of CPAs. She currently serves on the Board of Directors and as the Chair of the Finance Committee for First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu.

    About First Hawaiian
    First Hawaiian, Inc. (NASDAQ:FHB) is a bank holding company headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Its principal subsidiary, First Hawaiian Bank, founded in 1858 under the name Bishop & Company, is Hawaii’s oldest and largest financial institution with branch locations throughout Hawaii, Guam and Saipan. The company offers a comprehensive suite of banking services to consumer and commercial customers including deposit products, loans, wealth management, insurance, trust, retirement planning, credit card and merchant processing services. Customers may also access their accounts through ATMs, online and mobile banking channels. For more information about First Hawaiian, Inc., visit http://www.FHB.com.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Kevin Haseyama
    (808) 525-6268
    khaseyama@fhb.com

    Media Contact:
    Lindsay Chambers
    (808) 525-6254
    lchambers@fhb.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d8bb39bc-332e-4aa3-a2ca-b21cbaef55cc

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Mercury Systems to Report First Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Results on November 5, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANDOVER, Mass., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mercury Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, http://www.mrcy.com), a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, will release its first quarter fiscal year 2025 financial results after the market close on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

    Management will host a conference call and simultaneous webcast at 5:00 p.m. ET on the same day to discuss Mercury’s quarterly financial results, business highlights, and outlook. In addition, Company representatives may answer questions concerning business and financial developments and trends, the Company’s view on earnings forecasts, and other business and financial matters affecting the Company, the responses to which may contain information that has not been previously disclosed.

    To attend the conference call or webcast, participants should register online at ir.mrcy.com/events-presentations. Participants are requested to register a day in advance or at a minimum 15 minutes before the start of the call. A replay of the webcast will be available two hours after the call and archived on the same web page for six months.

    Mercury Systems – Innovation that matters®
    Mercury Systems is a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, making advanced technologies profoundly more accessible for today’s most challenging aerospace and defense missions. The Mercury Processing Platform allows customers to tap into innovative capabilities from silicon to system scale, turning data into decisions on timelines that matter. Mercury’s products and solutions are deployed in more than 300 programs and across 35 countries, enabling a broad range of applications in mission computing, sensor processing, command and control, and communications. Mercury is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and has 23 locations worldwide. To learn more, visit mrcy.com. (Nasdaq: MRCY)

    CONTACT
    David E. Farnsworth
    Chief Financial Officer
    David.Farnsworth@mrcy.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Silvaco Announces Preliminary Unaudited Revenue for Q3 and Updates Full Year 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO) (“Silvaco” or the “Company”), a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation, today announced preliminary unaudited revenue results for the third quarter 2024 and updated its outlook for the full year 2024. The Company will report its full third quarter 2024 earnings results and hold a conference call with an earnings presentation on November 12, 2024.

    “Similar to trends observed across the semiconductor industry, we saw a decline in orders from Asia during Q3 primarily driven by economic challenges and the ongoing strain in U.S.-China trade relations. Accordingly, we are adjusting our expectations for the remainder of the year,” said Babak Taheri, Silvaco’s Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Taheri continued, “We remain confident in our long-term strategy and continue to believe we will be able to achieve double-digit long-term revenue growth driven by our proprietary platform and solutions, examples of which are described in our recent press release of September 24, 2024, alongside our ability to effectively capitalize on strategic acquisition opportunities.”

    Preliminarily, the Company expects total unaudited revenues for the third quarter 2024 to be approximately $11.0 million, not including a large order of approximately $5.0 million, which was expected in the third quarter of 2024, but was received in the first week of the fourth quarter of 2024. This order is included in our full-year guidance for bookings below and is expected to contribute to the Company’s fourth quarter of 2024 revenue. Preliminary results are unaudited, subject to completion of the Company’s financial reporting process, based on information known by management as of the date of this press release, and do not represent a comprehensive statement of our financial results for the third quarter 2024.

    In addition, based on current business trends and conditions, the Company is updating its expectations regarding the full year 2024, as follows:

      Previous Full Year 2024 Guidance Updated Full Year 2024 Guidance
    Gross bookings $67 million to $71 million $64 million to $67 million
    Revenue $63 million to $66 million $60 million to $63 million
    year-over-year growth 16% to 22% 10% to 16%
    Non-GAAP gross margin 85% to 89% 85% to 87%
    Non-GAAP operating income $8.0 million to $11.0 million $5.0 million to $8.0 million
         

    This updated guidance represents Silvaco’s current estimates of its operations and financial results as of October 15, 2024. The financial information above represents forward-looking financial information and in some instances forward-looking, non-GAAP financial information, including estimates of non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income. GAAP gross margin is the most comparable GAAP measure to non-GAAP gross margin, and GAAP operating income is the most comparable GAAP measure to non-GAAP operating income. Non-GAAP operating income differs from GAAP operating income in that it excludes items such as certain transaction-related costs, IPO preparation costs, estimated acquisition-related litigation claims and costs, stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, impairment charges and executive severance costs. Silvaco is unable to predict with reasonable certainty the ultimate outcome of these exclusions without unreasonable effort. Therefore, Silvaco has not provided guidance for GAAP gross margin or GAAP operating income or a reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP gross margin or non-GAAP operating income guidance to GAAP gross margin or GAAP operating income, respectively. However, it is important to note that these excluded items could be material to our results computed in accordance with GAAP in future periods.

    Q3 2024 Conference Call Details

    A press release highlighting the Company’s results along with supplemental financial results will be available at https://investors.silvaco.com/ along with an earnings presentation to accompany management’s prepared remarks on the day of the conference call, after market close. An archived replay of the conference call will be available on this website for a limited time after the call. Participants who want to join the call and ask a question may register for the call here to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN.

    Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2024
    Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time
    Webcast: Here (live and replay)

    About Silvaco

    Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for semiconductor and photonics processes, devices, and systems development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high performance compute, foundries, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements based on Silvaco’s current expectations. The words “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “project”, “will”, and similar phrases as they relate to Silvaco are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views and assumptions of Silvaco and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.

    These forward-looking statements include but are not limited to, statements regarding our future operating results, financial position, and guidance, our business strategy and plans, our objectives for future operations, our development or delivery of new or enhanced products, and anticipated results of those products for our customers, our competitive positioning, projected costs, technological capabilities, and plans, and macroeconomic trends.

    A variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation, the following: (a) market conditions; (b) anticipated trends, challenges and growth in our business and the markets in which we operate; (c) our ability to appropriately respond to changing technologies on a timely and cost-effective basis; (d) the size and growth potential of the markets for our software solutions, and our ability to serve those markets; (e) our expectations regarding competition in our existing and new markets; (f) the level of demand in our customers’ end markets; (g) regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; (h) changes in trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs; (i) proposed new software solutions, services or developments; (j) our ability to attract and retain key management personnel; (k) our customer relationships and our ability to retain and expand our customer relationships; (l) our ability to diversify our customer base and develop relationships in new markets; (m) the strategies, prospects, plans, expectations, and objectives of management for future operations; (n) public health crises, pandemics, and epidemics and their effects on our business and our customers’ businesses; (o) the impact of the current conflicts between Ukraine and Russia and Israel and its adversaries including Hamas and Hezbollah and the ongoing trade disputes among the United States and China on our business, financial condition or prospects, including extreme volatility in the global capital markets making debt or equity financing more difficult to obtain, more costly or more dilutive, delays and disruptions of the global supply chains and the business activities of our suppliers, distributors, customers and other business partners; (p) changes in general economic or business conditions or economic or demographic trends in the United States and foreign countries including changes in interest rates and inflation; (q) our ability to raise additional capital; (r) our ability to accurately forecast demand for our software solutions; (s) our expectations regarding the outcome of any ongoing litigation; (t) our expectations regarding the period during which we qualify as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act and as a smaller reporting company under the Exchange Act; (u) our expectations regarding our ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce intellectual property protection for our technology; (v) our status as a controlled company; and (w) our use of the net proceeds from our initial public offering.

    It is not possible for us to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. Accordingly, you should not rely on any of the forward-looking statements. Additional information relating to the uncertainty affecting the Silvaco’s business is contained in Silvaco’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents are available on the SEC Filings section of the Investor Relations section of Silvaco’s website at http://investors.silvaco.com/. These forward-looking statements represent Silvaco’s expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and Silvaco disclaims any obligations to update or alter these forward-looking statements in the future, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    We use certain non-GAAP financial measures to supplement the performance measures in our consolidated financial statements which are presented in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures include non-GAAP gross margin, and non-GAAP operating income (loss). We use these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision-making and as a means to assist us in evaluating period-to-period comparisons.

    We define non-GAAP gross margin as our GAAP gross margin adjusted to exclude certain costs, including stock-based compensation and amortization of acquired intangible assets. We define non-GAAP operating income (loss) as our GAAP operating income (loss) adjusted to exclude certain costs, including certain transaction-related costs, IPO preparation costs, estimated acquisition-related litigation claims and costs, stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, impairment charges, and executive severance costs. We monitor non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income (loss) as non-GAAP financial measures to supplement the financial information we present in accordance with GAAP to provide investors with additional information regarding our financial results.

    Certain of the items excluded from our non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income (loss) are non-cash in nature or are not indicative of our core operating performance and render comparisons with prior periods and our competitors less meaningful. We adjust GAAP gross margin and GAAP operating income (loss) for these items to arrive at non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income (loss) because these amounts can vary substantially from company to company within our industry depending upon accounting methods and book values of assets, capital structure and the method by which the assets were acquired. By excluding certain items that may not be indicative of our recurring core operating results, we believe that non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating income (loss) provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance.

    We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors and others because they allow for additional information with respect to financial measures used by management in its financial and operational decision-making and they may be used by our institutional investors and the analyst community to help them analyze our financial performance and the health of our business. However, there are a number of limitations related to the use of non-GAAP financial measures, and these non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or in isolation from, our financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP. Other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate these non-GAAP financial measures differently or not at all, which reduces their usefulness as comparative measures.

    Investor Contact:
    Greg McNiff
    investors@silvaco.com

    Media Contact:
    Tyler Weiland
    press@silvaco.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: PubMatic to Announce Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results on November 12, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NO-HEADQUARTERS/REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PubMatic, Inc. (Nasdaq: PUBM), an independent technology company delivering digital advertising’s supply chain of the future, today announced that it will release its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 after market close on November 12, 2024. On that day, PubMatic will host a webcast at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss the company’s financial results.

    Webcast Details

    • What: PubMatic’s Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Webcast
    • When: Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time)
    • Webcast: A live and archived webcast can be accessed from the News & Events section of PubMatic’s Investor Relations website: https://investors.pubmatic.com

    About PubMatic
    PubMatic is an independent technology company maximizing customer value by delivering digital advertising’s supply chain of the future. PubMatic’s sell-side platform empowers the world’s leading digital content creators across the open internet to control access to their inventory and increase monetization by enabling marketers to drive return on investment and reach addressable audiences across ad formats and devices. Since 2006, PubMatic’s infrastructure-driven approach has allowed for the efficient processing and utilization of data in real time. By delivering scalable and flexible programmatic innovation, PubMatic improves outcomes for its customers while championing a vibrant and transparent digital advertising supply chain.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Stack Capital Group Inc. Announces Best Efforts Financing

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

    TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stack Capital Group Inc., (the “Company”) (TSX:STCK) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Raymond James Ltd., Canaccord Genuity Corp., RBC Capital Markets, and TD Securities Inc., as co-lead agents and joint bookrunners, on behalf of a syndicate of Agents, in connection with a “best efforts” private placement (the “Offering”) of up to 1,318,181 units (the “Units”) of the Company for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $14.5 million, priced at $11.00 per Unit (the “Issue Price”).

    Each Unit will be comprised of one common share (a “Common Share”) and one half of one common share purchase warrant of the Company (each common share purchase warrant, a “Warrant”). Each Warrant shall be exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company (a “Warrant Share”) for a period of 36 months following the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) at an exercise price of $11.00 per Warrant Share, subject to adjustment in certain events.

    In addition, the Company will grant the Agents an option (the “Agents Option”) to arrange for the purchase of up to such number of additional Units as is equal to 15% of the Units offered under the base Offering, being up to an additional 197,727 Units, at the Issue Price. The Agents Option shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time for a period ending 48 hours prior to the Closing Date (as defined below).

    The net proceeds of the offering will be used for general corporate purposes and investments in accordance with the Company’s investment principles.

    The Offering is expected to close on or before October 30, 2024 (the “Closing Date”) and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”).

    The Offering will be made by way of private placement to certain accredited investors in each of the provinces and territories of Canada. In addition, the Agents will offer the Units for sale by way of private placement exemptions (i) in the United States and (ii) in those jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States that are agreed to by the Company and Raymond James; provided it is understood that the Company will not be required to register or make any filings (other than reports on sales of securities in the United States and Canada) in such jurisdictions.

    The securities to be issued under the Offering will have a hold period of four months and one day from the Closing Date.

    At the closing of the Offering, the Company will pay to the Agents a cash fee equal to 5.0% of all gross proceeds raised in connection with the Offering.

    No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. This news release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities of the Company in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction or for the account or for the benefit of U.S. Persons (as defined under applicable securities laws) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration is available.

    About Stack Capital Group Inc.

    The Company is an investment holding company and its business objective is to invest in equity, debt and/or other securities of growth-to-late-stage private businesses. Through the Company, shareholders have the opportunity to gain exposure to the diversified private investment portfolio; participate in the private market; and have liquidity due to the listing of the Common Shares on the TSX. At the same time, the public structure also allows the Company to focus its efforts on maximizing long-term performance through a portfolio of high growth businesses, which are not widely available to most Canadian investors. SC Partners Ltd. has taken the initiative in creating the Company and acts as the Company’s administrator and is responsible to source and advise with respect to all investments for the Company.

    For Media inquiries and investor relations, please contact:‍

    Brian Viveiros
    VP, Corporate Development & Investor Relations
    brian@stackcapitalgroup.com
    647.280.3307

    Forward looking and other cautionary statements

    Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities law. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “intend” and similar expressions. Forward-looking information contained or referred to in this news release includes, but may not be limited to, the details of the Offering, the completion date of the Offering, the approval of the TSX and the business of the Company.

    Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. The material assumptions supporting these forward-looking statements include, among others, that the Company will receive the necessary approval for the Offering from the TSX and will satisfy the commercial closing conditions of the Offering. Additional risk factors that may impact the Company or cause actual results and performance to differ from the forward looking statements contained herein are set forth in the Company’s Annual Information form under the heading Risk Factors (a copy of which can be obtained under the Company’s profile on http://www.sedarplus.com).

    Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 15/10/2024 Currency balance in September 2024

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    Foreign currency balance in September 202415/10/2024

    The Ministry of Finance announces that as part of the servicing of the State Treasury’s foreign debt in September 2024, the following payments were made in foreign currencies: capital – the equivalent of 52.9 million de euros (226.1 million de PLN), interest – the equivalent of 171.4 million de euros (734.1 million de PLN). The balance of foreign currency funds in budget accounts at the end of September 2024 amounted to a total of 10,389.6 million de euros (44,458.1 million de PLN).

    MILES AXIS

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 15/10/2024 Euro bond valuation

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    Bond valuation con euro15.10.2024

    On October 15, 2024, the Ministry of Finance placed 7- and 15-year benchmark bonds with a total nominal value of EUR 3.00 billion on the euro market. Investors once again confirmed their huge interest in Polish bonds denominated in euro, reporting historically high demand, which exceeded EUR 15.4 billion. 7-year bonds worth EUR 1.25 billion due October 22, 2031 were priced at 85 basis points above the average swap rate. A yield of 3.197% was obtained, with an annual coupon of 3.125%. 15-year bonds worth EUR 1.75 billion due October 22, 2039 were priced at 140 basis points above the average swap rate. The yield was 3.898%, with an annual coupon of 3.875%. The issue was carried out on the basis of the European Medium-Term Bond Issue Program (EMTN). The managers of the consortium organizing the issue were the banks: Commerzbank, ING, JP Morgan and Société Générale.

    MILES AXIS

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 15/10/2024 Estimated execution of the state budget in the period January – September 2024

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    The estimated execution of the state budget in the period January – September 2024 in relation to the Budget Act for 2024 amounted to:

    I earn

    460.2

    PLN billion,

    i.e.

    67.4

    %

    expenses

    567.5

    PLN billion,

    i.e.

    65.5

    %

    deficit

    107.3

    PLN billion,

    i.e.

    58.3

    %

     State budget revenues in the period January – September 2024 In the period January – September 2024, state budget revenues amounted to approx. PLN 460.2 billion and were higher by approx. PLN 42.2 billion (i.e. 10.1%) compared to the same period of the previous year (PLN 418.0 billion, i.e. 69.5% of the plan). Tax revenues of the state budget amounted to PLN 411.5 billion and were higher compared to the implementation in the period January – September 2023. Está bien. PLN 44.7 million (i.e. 12.2%), including: IVA tax revenues amounted to PLN 217.2 billion and were higher by approx. PLN 36.0 billion (i.e. 19.9%) compared to the implementation in the period January – September 2023, excise tax revenues amounted to PLN 65.8 billion and were higher by approx. PLN 4.2 billion (i.e. 6.8%) compared to the results in the period January – September 2023. , PIT tax revenues amounted to PLN 68.4 billion and were higher by approx. PLN 12.3 billion (i.e. 22.0%) compared to the performance in the period January – September 2023, CIT tax revenues amounted to PLN 45, PLN 2 billion and were lower by approximately PLN 9.0 billion (i.e. 16.6%) compared to the implementation in the period January – September 2023. In the period January – September 2024, the implementation of non-tax revenues amounted to PLN 47.5 billion and was lower by approximately PLN 2.2 billion (i.e. 4.3%) compared to the performance in the period January – September 2023. Income from IVA in September this year. were higher by PLN 2.7 billion, i.e. 13.3% y/y and amounted to bien. PLN 22.9 million. Execution of income from The IVA in September concerned economic transactions completed  in August. Retail sales had a positive impact on the dynamics of VAT revenues, which increased nominally by 3.2% y/y in August.CIT revenues in September this year. turned out to be significantly higher than those obtained in September 2023. This is mainly due to different deadlines for the annual CIT settlement in 2023 and 2024. In particular, September 2023 was the month in which last year’s refunds of overpaid tax were concentrated. In turn, returns in 2024 have already taken place in previous months. Additionally, due to the system of equal shares in CIT revenues for local government units throughout the year, all refunds are visible on the budget side. September 2024 was also the first month in which taxpayers affected by the flood could benefit from state aid in the form of, among others, deferment of payment deadlines for PIT and CIT advances and IVA payments. State budget expenditure in the period January – September 2024. The execution of state budget expenditure in the period January – September 2024 amounted to bien. PLN 567.5 million, i.e. 65.5% of the plan, at the same time it was higher by approximately PLN 114.8 million (i.e. 25.4%) compared to the same period in 2023 (PLN 452.7 million, i.e. 65.3% of the plan). In the period January – September 2024, the highest expenses were recorded in the following parts of the state budget: Social Insurance Institution – in the amount of PLN 124.7 billion, i.e. 69.5% of the plan, General subsidies for local government units territorial – in the amount of PLN 96.1 billion, i.e. 81.5% of the plan, National Defense – in the amount of PLN 66.2 billion, i.e. 56.2% of the plan, State Treasury debt servicing – in the amount of PLN 39.6 billion, i.e. 59 .5% of the plan, Voivodes’ budgets – in the amount of PLN 39.1 billion, i.e. 77.2% of the plan, Internal affairs – in the amount of PLN 31.4 billion, i.e. 70.1% of the plan, EU’s own funds – in the amount of PLN 23.9 PLN billion, i.e. 69.2% of the plan, Higher education and science – in the amount of PLN 22.8 billion, i.e. 72.5% of the plan. Comparing the implementation of expenditure in the period January – September 2024 with the period January – September 2023, a higher implementation was recorded in part 73 – Social Insurance Institution (more by approximately PLN 52.2 billion), which was related to the implementation of the “Family 800+” program – from January 1, 2024, the amount of the childcare benefit increased from PLN 500 to PLN 800. However, in terms of the subsidy transferred to the Social Insurance Fund for the payment of benefits guaranteed by the state, the implementation amounted to PLN 39.2 billion and was higher than the implementation after nine months of 2023 by PLN 7.8 billion, i.e. Está bien. 24.7%. In April and September, an additional annual cash benefit, the so-called thirteenth and fourteenth pensions, which last year were financed from the Solidarity Fund. Under part 82 – General subsidies for local government units, the implementation was higher by PLN 17.5 billion, due to an increase in expenditure in the educational part of the general subsidy as a result of an increase in the Day for teachers by 30%. Moreover, in 2024, for the first time, funds were transferred for the development part of the general subsidy for local government units. In part 85 – Voivodes’ budgets, the implementation was higher by approximately PLN 8.0 billion, mainly in the field of family benefits, benefits from the maintenance fund, permanent benefits and funds provided for kindergartens, as well as district headquarters of the State Fire Service and Sanitary Service, as well as funds for internships and medical specializations. More funds were also provided to ensure students have the right to free access to textbooks and educational materials. Additionally, due to the flood situation in southern Poland, a new special-purpose reserve was created in the state budget in September (supplementing the existing funds for this purpose) to prevent natural disasters and remove their effects. The first tranches of funds for the payment of targeted benefits to families or persons affected by the flood were transferred to voivodes in September. Further funds are gradually released in line with the inflow of applications. In part 29 – National defense, the implementation was higher by PLN 6.5 billion, including: in connection with the purchase of military equipment and armament and the transfer of funds to the Armed Forces Support Fund. In part 79 – Service of the State Treasury debt, more funds were transferred for expenses by PLN 1.7 billion compared to the same period of the previous year, which is the result of an increase in the level serviced debt and the distribution of its service. In part 84 – EU own funds, PLN 1.6 billion more was transferred, which was mainly due to the settlement in March this year. underpayments to the EU budget due to VAT and GNI adjustments for previous years by increasing the contribution installment for this month. More information on the implementation of the state budget.

    MILES AXIS

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Burgum signs MOU with Korean UAS association, expanding North Dakota’s collaboration opportunities

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Doug Burgum and Korea Research Association for Unmanned Vehicles (KRAUV) Chairman Choi Myungjin today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the state of North Dakota and KRAUV to establish a partnership and promote collaboration in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) research and development.  

    KRAUV is focused on the advancement of UAS technology in Korea and the continued development of the country’s UAS ecosystem. Much like the state of North Dakota, the South Korean government is a strong proponent of UAS development, investing well over $1 billion to grow the industry and establishing policies supportive of UAS research, development and commercialization. The nation has also invested millions of dollars in its own UAS military fleet to protect its borders.

    “Working together with KRAUV to advance UAS research and development will help North Dakota further cement our status as a global leader in this industry while also strengthening our relationship with the Republic of Korea, one of our state’s top trading partners and a key U.S. ally,” Burgum said. “From monitoring crops and assessing risks to energy infrastructure, to emergency response and defense capabilities, the list of UAS applications continues to grow, and we’re grateful for KRAUV’s partnership in exploring and developing those possibilities into jobs and economic growth.”

    Myungjin highlighted the strategic importance of this collaboration, stating, “North Dakota is recognized for its world-class UAS infrastructure, particularly in testing capabilities. Through this partnership, we are confident that Korean companies will build a strong foothold in the international market, beginning with North Dakota. Today’s agreement will stimulate greater investment between Korea and North Dakota, supporting sustainable growth and serving as a crucial step towards creating a vibrant global unmanned vehicle ecosystem. KRAUV remains committed to fostering the growth and progress of the global unmanned vehicle industry.” 

    The signing ceremony in Seoul was attended by Burgum, Myungjin, Commerce Commissioner Josh Teigen and North Dakota Trade Office Executive Director Drew Combs, among others. 

    North Dakota is a UAS leader in the United States. The Northern Plains UAS Test Site in Grand Forks constitutes the hub of the state’s UAS ecosystem. A designated FAA partner, the Test Site boasts the nation’s first Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) system in Vantis. Additionally, the University of North Dakota’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences offers the first UAS degree program in the nation, and Grand Sky Business Park is the first of its kind, offering commercial UAS business and aviation services adjacent to the Grand Forks Air Force Base.   

    The MOU signing was part of a weeklong trade and investment mission to the Republic of Korea for Burgum and fellow members of the North Dakota delegation from the North Dakota Department of Commerce, North Dakota Trade Office, Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota, and North Dakota companies representing agriculture, energy, manufacturing, aerospace and technology.  

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Issues Consumer Alert Reminding California Workers of Their Rights

    Source: US State of California

    No-poach, non-compete, and others anti-competitive agreements that restrict employee mobility are generally unlawful in California 

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a consumer alert with information and resources for workers about unlawful restraints on employee mobility, including no-poach agreements, non-compete agreements, and Training Reimbursement Agreement Provisions (TRAPS). These agreements, along with other provisions in employment contracts that limit workers’ ability to move to competitors, can stifle job mobility and suppress wages and advancement, often in violation of California law.

    “Employees deserve the freedom to seek better opportunities and better wages by finding new employment within their industry. Agreements that restrict employee mobility such as non-compete agreements, no-poach agreements, and TRAPs undermine this freedom,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I urge all Californians to be aware of the unlawful nature of anticompetitive contracts and their potential impacts on career advancement and wage growth. If you believe you are being affected by this type of agreement, report it to my office at oag.ca.gov/report.”

    Non-Competes

    Understanding Non-Compete Agreements

    Non-compete agreements are between an employer and an employee and generally found within an employment contract. These agreements typically prevent employees from working for competitors or starting their own businesses within a certain time frame or geographic area, with limited statutory exceptions. These agreements can significantly impact workers by:

    • Limiting Employment Opportunities: By restricting the types of jobs or companies workers can join, non-compete agreements can hinder workers’ ability to find new employment within their field or industry.
    • Suppressing Wages and Career Growth: Workers may face stagnated wages and limited career progression due to reduced competition and fewer job offers.
    • Deterring Job Mobility: The fear of legal repercussions or financial penalties may prevent workers from seeking better opportunities or moving to a different company.

    Non-compete provisions in employment contracts have generally been void in California for decades. As of January 1, 2024, it is also illegal under California law for an employer to enter into or attempt to enforce such void agreements (see below).

    Recognizing Non-Compete Agreements

    Signs that you may be affected include:

    • Explicit Contractual Clauses: Review your employment contract carefully for any clauses that outline restrictions on working for competitors, starting a similar business, or otherwise limiting your future employment options.
    • Restrictions on Future Employment: If your employer has specifically mentioned or enforced restrictions on your ability to work for certain types of businesses or within particular geographic areas after leaving or you are asked to sign an agreement that limits your future employment options. 

    No Poach Agreements

    Understanding No-Poach Agreements

    No-poach agreements are arrangements made between companies to refrain from hiring each other’s employees. Such agreements can violate California law. These agreements can negatively impact workers by: 

    • Limiting job opportunities and career growth.
    • Restricting wage increases and competitive job offers.
    • Creating a stagnant labor market where workers are less likely to find better employment conditions.

    Such agreements can be illegal under California antitrust laws, which are designed to ensure fair competition and protect workers’ rights.

    Recognizing No-Poach Agreements

    While these agreements might not always be overtly stated, signs that you may be affected include:

    • Being discouraged from applying for jobs at competing companies.
    • Statements from a prospective employer that they cannot hire from your current employer.
    • Policies at your current employer that restrict hiring from certain competitors.

    Training Reimbursement Agreement Provisions (TRAPs)

    Understanding Employer-Driven Debt Products 

    TRAPs are agreements between an employer and employee where an employer provides necessary training to a worker, but requires the worker to reimburse the employer for training costs if the worker leaves their job before a certain date, sometimes even if the worker is fired or laid off. Similar employer-driven debt provisions require departing workers to reimburse the cost of employer-supplied equipment or supplies. These types of arrangements are often unlawful. Like non-competes and no-poach agreements, employer-driven debt products like TRAPs can:

    • Limit job opportunities and career growth. 
    • Restrict wage increases and competitive job offers.
    • Create a stagnant labor market where workers are less likely to find better employment conditions.

    Last year, Attorney General Bonta issued a legal alert to remind all employers of the state-law restrictions on employer-driven debt.

    Recognizing TRAPs

    Explicit Contractual Clauses: Review your employment contract carefully for any clauses that detail an obligation to pay your employer for required training, equipment, supplies or the like if you leave employment before a particular timeframe or under certain conditions.   

    New California Laws

    California’s Senate Bill 699: Non-Compete Agreements Are Illegal 

    Effective January 1, 2024, Senate Bill (SB) 699 makes it generally illegal for employers to enter into noncompete agreements with California employees. This applies to agreements signed both within and outside California. Employers who enter into or attempt to enforce void agreements will be committing a civil violation.

    The new law extends its protection to workers even where the contract was signed or the employment was maintained outside of California. If a former employer tries to enforce a noncompete agreement in California, SB 699 can be used to challenge such enforcement.

    Additionally, employees can now seek damages, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorneys’ fees if their employers try to enforce unlawful non-compete agreements. 

    California’s Assembly Bill 1076: Existing Non-Compete Agreements Are Void

    Assembly Bill (AB) 1076 codifies that any existing noncompete agreements in employment are void, unless they satisfy an explicit statutory exception.

    Employers were required to notify current and certain former employees, whose contracts include unenforceable noncompete clauses, that these agreements are void, by February 14, 2024. Failure to have done so constitutes an act of unfair competition.

    Resources for Workers 

    If you believe you are being affected by an unlawful restriction upon your job mobility, you can take the following steps:

    1. Report to Authorities: File a complaint with the California Department of Justice at oag.ca.gov/report. 
    2. Seek Legal Advice: To find a free or low-cost legal aid office near where you live, visit LawHelpCA.org. If you do not qualify for legal aid, you may also obtain a referral to a certified lawyer referral service by contacting the California State Bar.

    Attorney General Bonta is dedicated to upholding workers’ rights and combating unfair labor practices. In 2024, Attorney General Bonta took action by defending wages and overtime owed in the West Coast Drywall Lawsuit; he also secured a settlement with Amalfi Stone & Masonry Company, Inc., resolving allegations of unfair competition and payroll tax, and labor violations. In 2023, Attorney General Bonta took action to protect workers by launching a historic investigation into gender discrimination in the National Football League, joining 17 attorneys general in supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed rule limiting non-compete agreements, launching a legal fight for in-home-healthcare workers, and fighting for the rights of transportation workers and immigrant children.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Mitchell County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Mitchell County

    Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Mitchell County

    RALEIGH, N.C. –  A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is opening Wednesday, Oct. 16 in Bakersville (Mitchell County) to assist North Carolina survivors who experienced loss from Helene. 

    The Mitchell County DRC is located at:  

    Mitchell County Senior Center

    152 Ledger School Road

    Bakersville, NC 28705

    Open: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday through Sunday

    A DRC is a one-stop shop where survivors can meet face-to-face with FEMA representatives, apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to local assistance in their area, apply with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans and much more.  

    FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or other uninsured, disaster-related needs, such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral, or dental expenses. 

    Centers are already open in Asheville, Boone, Lenoir, Marion, and Sylva with additional centers scheduled to open in the coming days. To find those center locations go to fema.gov/drcor text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology.   

    Homeowners and renters in 27 North Carolina counties and tribal members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can visit any open center, including locations in other states. No appointment is needed.  

    It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for FEMA assistance. The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via the FEMA app. You may also call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. 

    For the latest information about North Carolina recovery, visit Hurricane Helene | NC DPS or fema.gov/disaster/4827. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

    barbara.murien…

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Biographical Notes – Shereen Miller

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Ms. Shereen Miller is a human rights lawyer by training, with more than 20 years of experience in various executive roles with the Government of Canada.

    Prior to her appointment as Commissioner of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Ms. Miller served as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Service Innovation at Shared Services Canada.

    From 2019 to 2023, she was Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Next Generation Human Resources and Pay at Shared Services Canada. From 2017 to 2019, Ms. Miller was Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada’s Deputy Chair of Refugee Protection; and, from 2013 to 2017, was Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Market Place Services.

    Ms. Miller has extensive expertise shaping strategic policy, conceptualizing, guiding and directing key programs, working with financial institutions and overseeing operations in both service delivery and regulatory bodies. She led the creation of the Build in Canada Innovation Program and the Innovative Solutions Canada Program.

    Her extensive experience includes driving initiatives that empower businesses to grow by providing the capital and tools they need. During her time at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), she implemented game-changing endeavors such as the Venture Capital Action Plan and the Accelerated Growth Service. She has also managed regulatory functions and was responsible for the Office of Consumer Affairs while at ISED.

    In addition, Ms. Miller led the creation and launch of the Canadian Innovation Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace. Her leadership experience includes process and organizational change, digital transformation, executive team management, and strategic partnership building.

    Ms. Miller holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Arts in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School. She is a long-standing advocate for human rights, diversity, and inclusion.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government announces appointment of Commissioner of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    October 15, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

    Today, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, announced the appointment of Shereen Miller as Commissioner of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) for a five-year term, beginning on November 7, 2024.

    The FCAC Commissioner plays a leading role advocating for the rights and interests of Canadians when accessing financial products and services, as well as works to improve the financial well-being of Canadians. 

    Quotes

    “I extend my thanks to Ms. Miller for stepping up to advance Canadians’ rights and interests in their dealings with financial institutions across the country. Ms. Miller’s extensive experience in government, ensuring responsible regulatory oversight and developing relationships with businesses, will serve Canadians well as she delivers on FCAC’s mandate. I also wish to thank the outgoing interim Commissioner, Mr. Werner Liedtke, for his service over the past year.”

    – The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

    Quick facts

    • The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) was established in 2001 to protect the rights and interests of consumers of federally regulated financial products and services, and strengthen Canadians’ access to financial literacy tools.

    • As a regulator, FCAC monitors and supervises the compliance of financial institutions, external complaints bodies, and payment card network operators with consumer protection measures set out in legislation, public commitments, and codes of conduct

    • FCAC’s focus on protecting consumers complements the work of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OFSI). OFSI’s mandate is to regulate and supervise banks, insurance companies, and pension plans, by ensuring they maintain sound prudential standing, uphold robust governance and risk management practices, and meet or exceed their regulatory requirements. 

    Related products

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Media may contact:

    Katherine Cuplinskas
    Deputy Director of Communications
    Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
    Katherine.Cuplinskas@fin.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Department of Finance Canada
    mediare@fin.gc.ca
    613-369-4000

    General enquiries

    Phone: 1-833-712-2292
    TTY: 613-369-3230
    E-mail: financepublic-financepublique@fin.gc.ca

    Stay Connected

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: DDG Paugam: Aligning carbon measurement standards key to future of global trade

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Ladies and Gentlemen,

    It is an honour to be here with you today.

    Thank you to Edwin for the invitation and for our ongoing partnership.

    The topic that you have chosen today, that of aligning CO2 measurement, represent one of the most important keys to the future of globalisation and the world trading system. You may think that I am grossly exaggerating my point but I am not. Let me tell you why.

    Ladies and Gentleman, about 30% of steel products are traded internationally so you would know it first hand: globalisation and the World Trading System, as proxied by World Trade dynamics, have proved impressively resilient over recent years.

    We went through two major global macro-economic crises: the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic. With very different root causes, both had a major recessive impact on world trade and stirred some protectionist tensions. Yet trade bounced back each time and globalisation has continued its expansion. While there is a debate about the dynamic of trade in goods, which has seemed to slow down during the last decade, there is no such debate about trade in services, including of course services to industry, which has been continuously expanding, growing about 15-fold between 1990 and 2019. For the foreseeable future we anticipate a steady growth of world trade, “Steady not Stellar”, as the Chief Economist of the Allianz Group nicely sums it up, around 2.7% in 2024 and 3% in 2025.

    Yet globalisation also faces some significant pitfalls, which have a potential to rock the world trading system: geopolitical tensions, strategic industrial autonomy, and climate and sustainability policies are the names of these challenges.

    We see that geopolitical tensions, and the rise of national security concerns in international trade, represent a growing threat and a source of increased trade costs, especially for transport and logistics. Related to that, but also responding to more classical competitiveness concerns, we see that industrial policies and policies of strategic autonomy are generating other types of tensions: for instance, the discussions around supply chain resilience, overcapacity, and subsidies and trade defence that the steel sector is historically very familiar with. Please do not get me wrong here:  I am not being judgmental or discussing the political legitimacy of these trends, I am just stating facts which have an influence on trade flows. 

    The third challenge to globalisation comes from sustainability and climate policies that countries are implementing in the framework of implementation of the Paris Agreement and other environmental agreements. In the fight against climate change, some countries mobilize carbon pricing strategies, others resort to subsidies or regulations, and several of them combine a mix of all these instruments.  

    These policies are not only needed and welcome but must be intensified and accelerated. Yet, countries could do globally a better job in trying to coordinate them and minimize negative trade spill-overs to others. Some developing and LDC Members have raised concerns about the rise of unilateral environmental measures, which can exclude their exporters from value chains, and called for technology transfers to meet these increasing stringent climate measures.

    The Members of the WTO have started to recognize these challenges and several of them are calling for renewed discussions about climate-related trade policies. The key concept that some of them put forward is “interoperability”. How to make different policies interoperable so as to minimize their adverse impact on trade flows and foster the investments in decarbonization of the value chains.

    This is where the challenge on carbon emission measurement emerges as a central task.

    Because to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement, whatever the mix of instrument countries choose, they will need to measure their impact in terms of emissions reduction. And of course, this brings to the fore a very thorny issue of equivalence among the different regimes. At the WTO Secretariat we have been advocating for a Global Carbon Pricing approach. On these grounds we convened an interagency task force, along with UNCTAD, UNFCCC, OECDE, IMF and World Bank on this topic and we are coming this week with a first report which aims at reviewing the interactions between all these policies.

    Also, because even if they choose the same policy instruments, say, for instance, a carbon tax, they will need to compare the tax bases used to establish equivalence and avoid double taxation. This will involve alignment of carbon measurement standards and emissions calculation methodologies.

    Of course, the same is true for businesses themselves, which are confronted to multiple reporting and regulatory requirements. This is true especially in heavy industry sectors like steel, which are facing mounting pressures from governments, shareholders, and consumers. According to McKinsey, “global demand for low-CO2 steel is expected to grow tenfold over the next decade from approximately 15 million metric tons in 2021 to more than 200 million metric tons by 2030”. The LEADIT Green Steel Tracker is following more than 60 active green steel projects around the world.

    Here is the heart of the challenge that we face: if we can align carbon measurements, we will be able to reasonably guarantee the integrity of the world trading system; if we can’t we are entering dire straits. Not only for trade, but also for climate and sustainability.  Because a fragmentation of world trade would immediately lead to inefficiencies and losses of specialisation benefits and economies of scale which would in their turn weaken the struggle against climate change.

    As our economies become greener, and market access increasingly depends on sustainability criteria, the measurement of environmental performance will become the gateway to globalisation.

    So where do we start? One problem is that there is not really one single place where this question is being globally discussed. Another one is that businesses, not governments, are the one who finally can and must do the measurement and the investments needed for decarbonization.

    This is the reason why we, WTO Secretariat, have embarked in a dialogue with you, in businesses, as well as international standards organisations, professional associations, customers and NGOs.

    The WTO is uniquely positioned to help address these coordination and cooperation challenges. We are not a standards-setting body, but we are a forum where nations can come together to discuss how to make their policies fit for purpose and avoid trade frictions. By ensuring transparency, facilitating dialogue, and fostering cooperation on issues like carbon pricing, green subsidies, or emissions measurement standards, we can help create a global trading environment that supports decarbonization

    The WTO Secretariat dialogue with the steel sector and Worldsteel on CO2 measurement is driven by the will to demonstrate in concrete terms that global trade can be an enabler of the green transition.

    The work on “Steel Standards Principles,” which was launched at last year’s COP in Dubai, is the best example of collaboration in this direction. These principles aim to align the way emissions are measured in the steel sector. From our dialogue and the impressive work that World Steel has achieved over this year, I believe there is a path to deliver meaningful outcomes for COP29 in Baku.

    If we can get this right, it will show that steel industry decarbonization and trade can work hand in hand for a greener and more prosperous future. By working together — governments, industries, associations, and international organizations — we can ensure that trade accelerates decarbonization.

    This is absolutely pioneering work. This is absolutely central to the future of globalisation. Other sectors are watching. WTO Members are watching.  Do give them some surprises in Baku!

    Thank you for your kind attention.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales Alenia Space signs a contract with OHB to develop two radar instruments for ESA’s 10th exciting new Earth Explorer Harmony mission

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales Alenia Space signs a contract with OHB to develop two radar instruments for ESA’s 10th exciting new Earth Explorer Harmony mission

    • Leveraging its longstanding experience in radar-based Earth observation satellites, Thales Alenia Space will lead a wide European industrial consortium
    • Together with data from Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission, for which Thales Alenia Space is prime contractor, the two-satellite Harmony constellation will provide a wealth of new information about our oceans, ice, earthquakes and volcanoes – which will make significant contributions to climate research and risk monitoring.

    Milan, October 15th, 2024  – Thales Alenia Space, a Joint Venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with OHB to develop the two Earth observation Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instruments to be embarked on the two-satellite Harmony constellation – ESA’s 10th Earth Explorer mission expected to be launched aboard a Vega-C launch vehicle by 2029.

    Harmony ©ESA

    Thales Alenia Space will lead a diverse European industrial consortium to design, develop and validate the C-Band SAR instruments and will also be responsible of the C-Band digital electronic and antenna tiles to be embarked on both Harmony satellites.

    “This contract confirms Thales Alenia Space’s longstanding and recognized experience in manufacturing Earth observation satellites based on radar technology,” said Giampiero Di Paolo, Senior Vice President Observation, Exploration, and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space. “The development of the two radar instruments will allow Thales Alenia Space to make a significant technological and architectural step forward improving the competitiveness of SAR products both in the institutional and commercial Earth observation markets”.

    Thales Alenia Space has played a key role as industry during the Harmony preparatory phase, supporting ESA in the definition of a high-performing solution capable of fully meeting the mission scientific objectives, developing in parallel all the relevant SAR enabling technologies.

    About the 10th Earth Explorer Harmony mission

    Earth Explorer missions form the science and research element of ESA’s Earth Observation FutureEO Programme. By returning critical data to understand the planet and predict what lies in store, the Earth Explorers are fundamental to advance science and, subsequently, to restore environmental balance for a sustainable future. Each of these extraordinary missions carries innovative space technology, demonstrating how new techniques can return an astonishing wealth of scientific findings about our planet.

    Together with Sentinel-1, Harmony promises to provide a wealth of unique data on ocean–ice–atmosphere interactions at unprecedented resolution for more insight into upper-ocean heat exchanges, drivers of extreme weather and the long-term impacts of climate change.

    The mission will also shed new light on deformation and flow dynamics at the rapidly changing edges of ice sheets for a better understanding of sea-level rise. In addition, Harmony will measure small shifts in the shape of the land caused by earthquakes and volcanic activity, thereby contributing to risk monitoring.

    The Harmony mission consists of two bistatic passive Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) receive-only satellites, enhanced by a Thermal Infrared (TIR) optical payload, flying in a loose formation with Sentinel-1. Using Sentinel-1 as an illuminator of opportunity and augmenting its observations with a multi-static configuration for direct measurements of surface velocities will make a highly innovative contribution to Earth Observation capabilities.

    ABOUT THALES ALENIA SPACE

    Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of approximately €2.2 billion in 2023. Thales Alenia Space has around 8,600 employees in 9 countries, with 16 sites in Europe and a plant in the US.

    http://www.thalesaleniaspace.com

    THALES ALENIA SPACE – PRESS CONTACTS

    Tarik Lahlou
    Tel: +33 (0)6 87 95 89 56
    tarik.lahlou@thalesaleniaspace.com

    Catherine des Arcis
    Tel: +33 (0)6 78 64 63 97
    catherine.des-arcis@thalesaleniaspace.com

    Cinzia Marcanio

    Tel.: +39 (0)6 415 126 85
    cinzia.marcanio@thalesaleniaspace.com

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Verizon Business State of Small Business Survey finds a surge in SMBs using AI

    Source: Verizon

    Headline: Verizon Business State of Small Business Survey finds a surge in SMBs using AI

    What you need to know:

    • AI usage has more than doubled compared to 2023, with almost 2 in 5 reporting their business currently uses AI
    • SMBs are increasingly investing in tech, with decision-makers noting it helps address challenges, save costs and boost revenue
    • More SMBs are tapping social media platforms, with 84% of respondents using Facebook for promotion and customer engagement
    • From October 14-20, Verizon Business is offering small businesses a free “tech check” to assess their current solutions and help identify what they need to succeed

    NEW YORK – Verizon Business today announced the findings of its fifth annual State of Small Business Survey, conducted by Morning Consult. Despite soaring concerns about their business’ financial security and personal job security, the survey found that small to midsize businesses (SMBs) across the country are investing in technology more now than the past three years, both foundational and emerging. The survey data is based on responses from 621 SMBs.

    Key findings:

    • AI awareness is driving AI adoption. In the past year, the number of SMBs using AI has doubled (39% of SMBs are using AI in 2024 compared to 14% in 2023), in large part due to the growing familiarity with and accessibility of AI and its business applications. A rise in AI awareness among SMBs has a dual impact: decision-makers are more likely to perceive benefits, but it can also heighten security concerns.
    • SMBs are investing in tech more than they have in the past three years. As more SMBs conduct more business online (38% added online/digital operations in the past year), technology investments among SMBs have grown to support that digitalization. Upgrades to internet connection have formed a big portion of those investments, with 66% of respondents upgrading their internet bandwidth.
    • Despite economic anxiety, SMBs remain optimistic. The majority of SMBs (83%) are worried about rising inflation and its impact on their business, and about four out of five are worried about the U.S. economy in general. Additionally, concerns about their business’ financial security (62%) and their personal job security (54%) have grown over 10% in the past year. Yet even with broader economic anxiety, SMBs remain optimistic about their near-term prospects. About half of respondents expect their personal (50%) and their business (51%) financial security to improve in the coming months. Additionally, the majority of SMBs (59%) believe their business will be in a better economic position next year.
    • Brick-and-mortar makes a comeback for holiday retail. Despite concerns about the holiday season, namely the perceived need to price goods and services to keep up with inflation, most SMBs have a positive association with the holidays. Small business owners see increased demand during Small Business Saturday (59%) and throughout the holiday season (73%). Additionally, more than half of retailers (52%) are preparing for an in-store-first holiday season, representing a 13-point jump from last year.
    • Social media is redefining the digitalization of SMBs. Increasingly, SMBs are cultivating their online presence to entice shoppers. A large portion of this shift is taking place on social media platforms. Eighty-four percent (84%) of decision-makers use Facebook to promote products and connect with customers. While Facebook is the leading platform, SMBs are diversifying their approach to social media by leveraging the following platforms for promotion and customer engagement: Instagram (67%), LinkedIn (64%), YouTube (64%), TikTok (57%), and X/formerly Twitter (54%). Nearly four in ten (39%) respondents have social media storefronts.

    “Small business owners are getting the hang of AI, discovering how it can automate time-consuming tasks and enabling them to focus more on their core business operations,” said Aparna Khurjekar, Chief Revenue Officer, Business Markets and SaaS, Verizon Business. “Despite economic and financial concerns, they’re still investing in faster internet, AI tools and social commerce because they understand how these technologies are crucial for their success. That is where Verizon Business plays a large role, as we are invested in the SMB community and are the partner of choice as they navigate the ever-changing business and consumer landscape.”

    Click here to view the complete survey findings on our website.

    Verizon Small Business Days (October 14-20)

    Small Business Days are returning from October 14-20, offering nationwide support to business customers with technology tips, tools and offers for their mobile communications, connectivity and security needs. During this time, Verizon Business will provide special in-store deals on the latest technology solutions to help SMBs thrive. The promotions for Small Business Days will include:

    • Special Savings: Switch and get a free 5G phone on Verizon Business, no trade-in required. Plus get up to $300 off when you bring your number.
    • Personalized Consultations: One-on-one sessions with Verizon Business specialists for a complimentary tech check that looks at critical areas of business and provides business owners with advice on tailored solutions for specific business needs.

    A full list of special Small Business Days offers and resources for small business owners can be found here.

    Verizon Small Business Digital Ready

    Verizon has a goal to support one million small businesses by 2030 with free digital skills training to help them succeed. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a free online platform tailored for small business owners. The Digital Ready website includes over 50 courses BY small business owners FOR small business owners, such as AI, marketing, financial planning, and social media management – and some courses are offered in Spanish. The platform also offers coaching and access to incentives, such as grants. Over 360,000 small businesses across the US are using Small Business Digital Ready to help their businesses thrive.

    Click here for more information on Verizon’s Small Business solutions.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Kenya’s Menengai geothermal project to power half a million homes with clean energy

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    In the heart of the Rift Valley, near Nakuru, northwest of Nairobi, work on the 105-megawatt Menengai geothermal project is advancing rapidly. The project, which consists of three modular power plants, each with a capacity of 35 megawatts, is set to provide clean, affordable, and sustainable energy to half a million Kenyan households by 2025.

    The first plant, built by Nairobi-based Sosian Energy, is already operational. The second, currently under construction by Globeleq, one of Africa’s top independent power producers, is expected to come on stream by the end of 2025. Once the third plant Is added, the Menengai geothermal facility will boast a total installed capacity of 105 megawatts, generating 1,000 gigawatt hours of electricity annually. Beneficiaries of the power will include 70,000 in rural areas, as well as 300,000 small businesses and industries.

    Geothermal power harnesses heat from the earth’s crust to convert groundwater into steam, which then drives turbines to generate electricity. The project, which taps into Kenya’s vast geothermal reserves, will help reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate change.

    African Development Bank Group spearheading collaborative support

    The Menengai project is backed by a $198.4 million investment from international partners, including the African Development Bank Group, which provided $120 million in financing through its concessional lending window. The Bank Group also mobilized additional funding from partners such as the Strategic Climate Fund, the Eastern and Southern African Trade & Development Bank, and the Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation.

    Kenya’s state-owned Geothermal Development Company is responsible for exploring and developing geothermal steam resources. Globeleq will develop and operate one of the plants at the Menengai fields. “Globeleq will begin receiving steam as soon as construction is completed,” explains Geothermal Development Company engineer Stephen Onyango.

    The electricity generated by the Menengai power plants will be fed into the national grid via the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company and distributed to consumers by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company.

    Gobeleq Managing Director Edouard Wenseleers is optimistic about the project’s future. “We are right at the heart of the Menengai Caldera. Once completed, the project will provide reliable and affordable baseload power to Kenya’s national grid,” he said.

    The Menengai geothermal project aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030 development plan and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.95 million tonnes of CO2 annually. It’s also part of Kenya’s broader commitment to renewable energy, with geothermal sources already accounting for 45 percent of the national energy supply.

    “The beauty of geothermal energy is that it is abundant in Kenya,” says Mr Wenseleers. “This abundant, clean resource is supporting the economic and social development of one of East Africa’s leading economies.”

    The project also brings significant social benefits. Caroline Mpaima, Head of Environment, Social and Governance at Globeleq, shared that the project employs 175 people from the local community. “The power plant not only generates electricity but also creates jobs and develops local skills,” she stated, noting that many local workers are learning skills like welding, which can provide them with new career opportunities.

    Additionally, the food consumed by the workforce comes directly from local farms, helping to boost the local economy. “We are providing jobs, boosting the local economy and creating business opportunities for local inhabitants,” Mpaima added.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI: Enterprise Bancorp, Inc. Announces Quarterly Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOWELL, Mass., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enterprise Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) (NASDAQ:EBTC)

    On October 15, 2024, the Board of Directors of Enterprise Bancorp, Inc. declared a quarterly dividend of $0.24 per share to be paid on December 2, 2024, to shareholders of record as of November 11, 2024.

    Enterprise Bancorp, Inc. is a Massachusetts corporation that conducts substantially all its operations through Enterprise Bank and Trust Company, commonly referred to as Enterprise Bank. Enterprise Bank is principally engaged in the business of attracting deposits from the general public and investing in commercial loans and investment securities. Through Enterprise Bank and its subsidiaries, the Company offers a range of commercial, residential and consumer loan products, deposit products and cash management services, electronic and digital banking options, as well as wealth management, and trust services. The Company’s headquarters and Enterprise Bank’s main office are located at 222 Merrimack Street in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Company’s primary market area is the Northern Middlesex, Northern Essex, and Northern Worcester counties of Massachusetts and the Southern Hillsborough and Southern Rockingham counties in New Hampshire. Enterprise Bank has 27 full-service branches located in the Massachusetts communities of Acton, Andover, Billerica (2), Chelmsford (2), Dracut, Fitchburg, Lawrence, Leominster, Lexington, Lowell (2), Methuen, North Andover, Tewksbury (2), Tyngsborough and Westford and in the New Hampshire communities of Derry, Hudson, Londonderry, Nashua (2), Pelham, Salem and Windham.

    Contact Info: Joseph R. Lussier, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (978) 656-5578

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Runway Growth Finance Corp. Announces Date for Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Runway Growth Finance Corp. (Nasdaq: RWAY) (“Runway Growth”), a leading provider of flexible capital solutions to late- and growth-stage companies seeking an alternative to raising equity, today announced that it will release its third quarter 2024 financial results after market close on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. Runway Growth will discuss its financial results on a conference call that day at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET).

    To participate in the conference call or webcast, participants should register online at the Runway Growth Investor Relations website. Participants are requested to register a day in advance or at a minimum 15 minutes before the start of the call. The earnings call can also be accessed through the following links:

    A replay of the webcast will be available two hours after the call and archived on the same web page for 90 days.

    About Runway Growth Finance Corp.
    Runway Growth is a growing specialty finance company focused on providing flexible capital solutions to late- and growth-stage companies seeking an alternative to raising equity. Runway Growth is a closed-end investment fund that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Runway Growth is externally managed by Runway Growth Capital LLC, an established registered investment advisor that was formed in 2015 and led by industry veteran David Spreng. For more information, please visit http://www.runwaygrowth.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Statements included herein may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance, condition or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in Runway Growth’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Runway Growth undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

    IR Contacts:
    Taylor Donahue, Prosek Partners, tdonahue@prosek.com
    Thomas B. Raterman, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, tr@runwaygrowth.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Former UGA Athletes C.J. Byrd and Nick Cassini Are 2024 Winners of the Arch Award Presented by The Piedmont Bank, Recognizing Stellar Business Careers After College 

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA and ATHENS, Ga., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the fourth consecutive year, the University of Georgia Athletic Association and The Piedmont Bank are congratulating former athletes who’ve pivoted from the field of play to become leaders in the world of business. Joining a host of male and female athletes selected before them are former football player C.J. Byrd and golfer Nick Cassini.

    “We seldom hear from our college sports heroes after they’ve left the game and entered the all-important next phase of their lives and careers,” said Monty Watson, Chairman and CEO, The Piedmont Bank. “While we revel in their athletic success, it’s important to elevate what comes next after the education and the lessons learned competing. This award is a way of honoring college athletes who’ve successfully navigated what comes next in life, providing examples for those to follow.”

    Arch Award recipients for 2024 were recognized on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium on October 12th against Mississippi State. The sponsorship program creating the Arch Award presented by The Piedmont was recently extended another four years.

    Earning an undergraduate degree followed by a master’s degree in business, C.J. Byrd started all games as a junior and senior, and played in every game during his time on campus. Today he is a Senior Principal Lead at the Chick-fil-a Corporate Support Center in Atlanta – helping new owners and operators opening restaurants. His journey with the restaurant began in 2014 through a temporary role in their Leadership Development Program with his responsibilities progressing and evolving to where he is today. Prior to Chick-fil-a, he worked with the UGAA, Metro Atlanta Chamber and Texas A&M Athletics.

    A 2001 SEC Player of the Year, two-time All-American, three-time All-SEC honoree and former Nationwide PGA tour member, Nick Cassini is a partner at the firm that bears his name, Cassini Holdings Inc. Previously he held leadership positions at Ansley Developer Services, IMI Worldwide Properties, Porto Montenegro and IMI Resort Holdings. This year, Cassini co-founded The Rose, a private golf club with fellow golfers Bubba Watson, Brendon Todd and Chris Kirk. He and his wife, Beth, also joined the Magill Society this year.

    “In 2024, it’s more important than ever for student athletes to understand the importance of sound business decisions, often starting now while they are still in school,” said Josh Brooks, J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics at the University of Georgia. “The Arch Award provides concrete examples of UGA athletes who’ve been in their shoes and are applying their lessons learned on and off the field of play to become savvy business leaders. Nick and C.J. are continuing that rich tradition.”

    To learn more about previous winners of the Arch Award Presented by The Piedmont Bank and their success on and off the field, please visit here.

    About The Piedmont Bank

    Piedmont Bancorp, Inc. is a $2 Billion asset bank holding company headquartered in Peachtree Corners, GA. Through its subsidiary, The Piedmont Bank, the company operates 16 branches in the Atlanta area and North Georgia dedicated to exceptional service and innovative products for both businesses and personal banking. For more information, visit http://www.piedmont.bank.

    Media Contact:

    Frank Lazaro
    404.202.1806
    frank.lazaro@piedmont.bank

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/71135f77-9219-48cc-a861-a87c98687748

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Agba Completes Merger With Triller

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NY / LOS ANGELES, CA, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AGBA Group Holding Limited (Nasdaq: AGBA) (“AGBA”) today announced the completion of its previously announced merger (the “Merger”) with Triller Corp. (“Triller”).

    In connection with the Merger, AGBA has changed its name to Triller Group Inc. (the “Company”). The combined company’s common stock and warrants are expected to begin trading under the tickers “ILLR” and “ILLRW,” respectively, on Nasdaq Capital Market on October 16, 2024.

    “This merger is terrific news for both the users and the content creators on our app.  Whether they are fans of BKFC, or they watch sports and entertainment events around the world on TrillerTV, or are using our brand and creator tools to find their audience, they now have in Triller an innovative, exciting partner.” said Bob Diamond, Chairman of the combined company and Founder and CEO of Atlas Merchant Capital LLC.

    Leadership

    The Company will make a statement on future leadership, strategy and objectives on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. 

    Domestication to Delaware

    Concurrent with the closing of the Merger, AGBA changed its jurisdiction of incorporation from the British Virgin Islands to the State of Delaware, and changed its corporate name to “Triller Group Inc.”

    Financial Terms

    Following the completion of the Merger, former AGBA shareholders and former Triller stockholders own 30% and 70% of the combined company’s outstanding common stock, respectively.

    The latest press release is available on the company’s website, please visit: http://www.agba.com/ir.

    About AGBA
    Established in 1993, AGBA Group Holding Limited is a leading, multi-channel business platform that incorporates cutting edge machine-learning and offers a broad set of financial services and healthcare products to consumers through a tech-led ecosystem, enabling clients to unlock the choices that best suit their needs. Trusted by over 400,000 individual and corporate customers, the Group is organized into four market-leading businesses: Platform Business, Distribution Business, Healthcare Business, and Fintech Business.

    For more information, please visit http://www.agba.com.

    About Triller Corp.
    Triller Corp. is a next generation, AI-powered, social media and live-streaming event platform for creators. Pairing music culture with sports, fashion, entertainment, and influencers through a 360-degree view of content and technology, Triller Corp. uses proprietary AI technology to push and track content virally to affiliated and non-affiliated sites and networks, enabling them to reach millions of additional users. Triller Corp. additionally owns Triller Sports, Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC); Amplify.ai, a leading machine-learning, AI platform; and TrillerTV, a premier global PPV, AVOD, and SVOD streaming service.

    For more information, visit http://www.triller.co.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company’s goals and strategies; the Company’s future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against us following the consummation of the business combination; expectations regarding our strategies and future financial performance, including its future business plans or objectives, prospective performance and opportunities and competitors, revenues, products, pricing, operating expenses, market trends, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and our ability to invest in growth initiatives and pursue acquisition opportunities; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in Hong Kong and the international markets the Company plans to serve and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the SEC, the length and severity of the recent coronavirus outbreak, including its impacts across our business and operations. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at http://www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward–looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

    Investor & Media Relations:

    Bethany Lai
    ir@agba.com

    Anthony Silverman
    ads@apellaadvisors.com

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