Pure Barre President Sarah Luna Selected as President of Parent Company Xponential Fitness

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Xponential Fitness – the largest curator of premium boutique fitness brands including Pure…

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Xponential Fitness – the largest curator of premium boutique fitness brands including Pure Barre, Club Pilates, CycleBar, YogaSix, StretchLab, Row House, AKT and STRIDE – announced today it has appointed Sarah Luna, current President of Pure Barre, to a new executive role as President of Xponential Fitness. In this new position, Luna will drive efficiencies across all eight brands and Xponential departments, lead projects and partnerships for the parent company, and manage efforts with the executive team to achieve their aggressive growth plans. Stepping into Luna’s role as President of Pure Barre will be Regan Stokes, the brand’s current Senior Vice President of Operations.

At just 34 years old, Luna will be one of the youngest women to serve as the top executive of a global fitness company. Throughout her career, she has gained experience in nearly every corner of the health and fitness industry, starting out as a professional dancer and Pilates instructor then moving into business ownership as a Jazzercise Franchisee. Luna pursued her MBA at Chapman University to better understand the business side of the fitness world and soon after, was hired at Equinox to run their Pilates department in Los Angeles and Orange County clubs. While teaching a Pilates class, she met Anthony Geisler, the founder and CEO of Xponential Fitness. 

Geisler brought Luna on board in 2015 as National Sales Director and eventually SVP of Operations for Club Pilates, where she opened hundreds of studios and developed and led the sales process that all Xponential brands use to this day. Upon Xponential’s acquisition of Pure Barre in 2018, Luna was promoted to President of that brand, where she excelled in leading a nationwide studio refresh and conversion to ClubReady’s operating system. She also unified and streamlined studio operations for increased performance across all locations, which now total over 570 around the world.

«We could not be more pleased to welcome Sarah Luna to the Xponential Fitness executive team,» said Geisler. «Over the past five years, she has worked tirelessly to make sure Club Pilates and Pure Barre excel in the boutique fitness space. The 1100+ successful studios that exist today between both of those brands is a byproduct of her excellent leadership skills and savvy strategy. She will be an invaluable asset in driving all of our brands to the same level of success over the next decade.»

«It is an honor to take on this new role of President at Xponential Fitness. Above all else, I want our franchisees to succeed and represent the best of the best in the boutique fitness industry,» said Luna. «Despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic, our owners have exemplified creativity and resilience over the past year, and I’m excited to work more closely with them and bring out even more of these positive qualities as we tackle new, loftier goals and initiatives across all our brands in 2021.»

Founded in 2017, Xponential Fitness has quickly become the largest curator of boutique fitness brands around the world with close to 1700 studios. Despite the pandemic, the company experienced a successful year of growth in 2020, opening new locations in Saudi Arabia, Australia and South Korea with more studios in development in Spain, Germany, Singapore and the Dominican Republic. Xponential also debuted online workouts across all of its brands last year through its proprietary streaming platform called GO, bringing premium classes directly to consumers’ homes as a complement to the world-class studio experiences the brands provide.

ABOUT XPONENTIAL FITNESS:
Founded in 2017 by Anthony Geisler, Xponential Fitness has built and curated a diversified platform of eight disruptive boutique fitness brands spanning across fitness and wellness verticals – including Pilates, indoor cycling, stretch, rowing, dance, running and yoga. Currently, Xponential Fitness’s portfolio of brands includes Club Pilates, the nation’s largest Pilates brand; CycleBar, the nation’s largest indoor cycling brand; StretchLab, a concept offering one-on-one assisted stretching services and group stretch services; Row House, a high-energy, low-impact indoor rowing workout; AKT, a dance-based cardio workout combining toning, interval and circuit training developed by Celebrity Trainer Anna Kaiser; YogaSix, a modern boutique yoga brand; Pure Barre, a total body workout that uses the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements; and most recently, STRIDE, a treadmill-based cardio and strength training concept. Visit www.xponential.com to learn more.

Media Contact: David Robertson, Fishman Public Relations, drobertson@fishmanpr.com or 847-945-1300

 

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SOURCE Xponential Fitness

SinglePoint Enters Into Letter of Intent to Acquire EnergyWyze, LLC to Streamline, Optimize, and Maximize Solar Industry Lead Generation

PHOENIX, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — SinglePoint Inc. (OTC: SING) («SinglePoint» or the «Company»), a company focused on providing renewable energy solutions, announced today it has entered into a letter of intent (the «LOI») with EnergyWyze, LLC, a premiere digital and direct marketing firm focused on customer centric lead generation in the solar energy industry. Under the terms of the LOI, SinglePoint will acquire the assets and business relationships, including an extensive database of validated…

PHOENIX, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — SinglePoint Inc. (OTC: SING) («SinglePoint» or the «Company»), a company focused on providing renewable energy solutions, announced today it has entered into a letter of intent (the «LOI») with EnergyWyze, LLC, a premiere digital and direct marketing firm focused on customer centric lead generation in the solar energy industry. Under the terms of the LOI, SinglePoint will acquire the assets and business relationships, including an extensive database of validated leads, of EnergyWyze to form a premier solar lead generation engine. Additionally, three principals of EnergyWyze with extensive experience from lead generation to closed sales will join SinglePoint as employees to bolster the Company’s marketing team. EnergyWyze currently operates its leading consumer site at www.energywyze.com and its solar business site at www.solarcxm.com.

EnergyWyze is an emerging industry leader providing qualified preset appointments to the nation’s leading solar installation companies. Customer acquisition can account for a significant percentage of the spend in solar contractors cost of doing business. SinglePoint aims to reduce those costs and increase the conversion rate of new customers through creating a premium customer experience the solar industry is lacking at this point in time. SinglePoint believes that EnergyWyze’s customer-centric focus will bring to market a value-add service for homeowners and solar installation contractors.

«We believe this agreement represents a catalytic moment for SinglePoint and will play an integral piece in our overall business strategy as we work to maximize our online presence and lead generation capabilities. EnergyWyze adds tremendous value and brings with it an extensive database of potential customers who have actively requested solar installation to their home,» commented Wil Ralston, President of SinglePoint. «We believe this acquisition, together with our other subsidiaries, will help us to further unlock value and strengthen the launching pad of SinglePoint to our next phase of growth. We are committed to adding companies to our portfolio that will mutually benefit one another to create a network effect and drive economies of scale. The acquisition of EnergyWyze is a critical component as the company that acquires the customers ultimately controls the growth.»

Brent Duskin, CEO of EnergyWyze commented, «Over the course of the EnergyWyze founder’s marketing careers, we’ve excelled at building predictable, large volume, high-quality lead generation machines for some of the largest and most demanding marketing and sales organizations in the country. Our combined experiences have created strict disciplines for the development of compelling and disruptive value propositions with a focus on lowered cost-per-leads and lower cost-per-sales.»

«Times have changed and so have we. EnergyWyze is a singularly focused residential solar marketing group that will deliver exclusive residential solar appointments, not just leads, to the ever-emerging residential solar category. We will use the latest and most advanced customer experiential management (CXM) software to deliver qualified set appointments to solar installers and sales teams who could never realistically keep up with the latest marketing technologies required to win this game. We are excited to join with SinglePoint who will become our exclusive partner of choice within this very exciting category,» added Mr. Duskin.

It is estimated that less than 4% of the residential solar addressable market in the domestic U.S. market currently has a solar system installed. In the past few years, the cost of residential rooftop solar has dramatically decreased giving homeowners who wish to be sustainable and to decrease their reliance on the existing domestic energy infrastructure an economic benefit that makes sense. EnergyWyze is currently creating thousands of leads per month through its robust platform. Over the course of their careers, the EnergyWyze principals, now joining SinglePoint, have been responsible for generating 25,000 to 35,000 unique leads per week with 100% of attendance confirmation. This experience will drive the model moving forward to set qualified appointments with high show rates as opposed to handing over contact information for a solar installer to reach out and set their own appointments.

«We are used to creating large, profitable, predictable and scalable programs that pencil for everyone. We work and operate with solar companies in all 50 states in over 135 different markets,» commented Joe Hupp, CMO for EnergyWyze. Prior to Joe’s role at EnergyWyze, he served as the Director of Marketing for both SunEdison and Crius Solar where he was responsible for managing all lead generation for sales teams and running all digital marketing efforts for the residential solar departments. Most recently, he has consulted for Vivint Solar, Elite Solar Pros, and others. 

The residential solar market — which was the hardest hit by the business impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic — beat recovery expectations, growing 14% over Q2 but remained below Q1 levels.  Residential solar installations will continue to increase, and the incoming administration and Congress have an opportunity to help the solar industry reach its Solar+ Decade goals, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and tackling the climate crisis.

«Solar is the next wave of change in America’s energy infrastructure. Providing an industry-leading customer-centric platform will be fundamental to the industry as consumers look for trusted, knowledgeable companies to guide them through this shift. Together, EnergyWyze and SinglePoint will be able to meet consumer demands and scale nationally very quickly,» adds Che Oliver, COO of EnergyWyze. Che specializes in customer-centric marketing strategies to drive consumer engagement. Previously, Che took the role of CMO where revenue was flat and stalled at $10MM annually. Che helped push that company past $50MM and the company went public. Fueled by direct mail and digital ads, the company did $80MM and continued growth up to $180MM kicking out $20MM net income and driving stock prices from $2 to $36 per share.

SinglePoint, through its majority owned subsidiary, SinglePoint Direct Solar, operating as Direct Solar of America is focused on providing renewable energy solutions to consumers and small commercial businesses and growing its national footprint, which has grown to operate in 38 states in U.S. during 2020 alone. Through the execution of this model, the Company is leveraging synergistic acquisitions and partnerships to generate revenue in the solar industry by providing renewable energy solutions to consumers and small businesses. 

With its initial focus in solar energy, the Company is building a foundation for future expansion opportunities including energy storage, charge points for electric vehicles and solar as a subscription.

The Transaction is subject to customary operational, financial, and legal due diligence and the successful execution of sale and purchase agreements. The Transaction is an arm’s length transaction and pursuant to the terms of the LOI the parties intend to sign a definitive agreement (the «Definitive Agreement») in respect of the transaction in January.

About Energy Wyze, LLC

EnergyWyze generates residential solar leads with pre-set appointments for solar installers nationwide. Our enhanced lead generation and CRM model goes beyond a typical web-form lead and allows us to generate a higher intent customer for our clients, which results in low cost per sale. Learn more at www.energywyze.com and for business owners www.solarcxm.com

About SinglePoint Inc.

SinglePoint Inc. is a company focused on providing renewable energy solutions to consumers and small commercial businesses. SinglePoint is committed to building the largest network of renewable energy solutions and modernizing the traditional model. For more information, visit the Company’s website (www.singlepoint.com) and connect on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the Company, the spinoff of nonenergy related assets, qualification for a national exchange, and future expansion, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

Investor Contact:

JTC Team, LLC
Jenene Thomas
833-475-8247
SING@jtcir.com

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SOURCE SinglePoint Inc.

North Hempstead Partners with Covanta for Sustainable Waste Management

NORTH HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Covanta (NYSE: CVA), a world leader in sustainable waste and energy solutions, today announced a new agreement with the Town of North Hempstead, NY for sustainable waste disposal. Instead of landfilling approximately 140,000 tons of waste annually, the Town will now utilize the <a target="_blank"…

NORTH HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Covanta (NYSE: CVA), a world leader in sustainable waste and energy solutions, today announced a new agreement with the Town of North Hempstead, NY for sustainable waste disposal. Instead of landfilling approximately 140,000 tons of waste annually, the Town will now utilize the Covanta Hempstead Waste-to-Energy facility located in Westbury, NY. The agreement commenced January 1, 2021, for an initial five-year term with options to extend for an additional 10 years.

A fixture in the community for over three decades, Covanta Hempstead sustainably manages waste from residents of various local municipalities by combusting it at extremely high temperatures to generate steam for electricity production. This process is widely recognized for reducing greenhouse gases by eliminating methane emissions from landfills.

«Covanta is thrilled to partner with the Town of North Hempstead to sustainably manage its waste,» said Rick Sandner, Covanta vice president and general manager. «The switch to a local Waste-to-Energy option is a huge win for the environment and will significantly reduce North Hempstead’s carbon footprint. Waste-to-Energy plays a vital role in the transition to a zero-carbon economy.»

Prior to the agreement with Covanta, the Town of North Hempstead utilized off-island landfills for the disposal of its residents’ municipal solid waste, hauling waste as far as 300 miles away. By switching to a local option, the town will eliminate 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide from vehicle emissions annually while simultaneously reducing truck traffic on Long Island’s busy highways. In addition, switching to Waste-to-Energy from landfill will eliminate approximately 140,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent that otherwise would have been generated.

«By partnering with Covanta and utilizing Waste-to-Energy as our primary means of waste disposal, the Town of North Hempstead is taking a meaningful step in making our community more sustainable,» said Supervisor Judi Bosworth. «Utilizing existing disposal infrastructure on Long Island makes good environmental and economic sense while minimizing the impact from the waste we generate.»

Covanta operates four Waste-to-Energy facilities on Long Island. The facilities in Westbury, West Babylon, East Northport and Ronkonkoma collectively process 1.8 million tons of waste, generate electricity to power 100,000 homes and recycle more than 55,000 tons of metal every year. 

About Covanta

Covanta is a world leader in providing sustainable waste and energy solutions. Annually, Covanta’s modern Waste-to-Energy facilities safely convert approximately 21 million tons of waste from municipalities and businesses into clean, renewable electricity to power one million homes and recycle over 500,000 tons of metal. Through a vast network of treatment and recycling facilities, Covanta also provides comprehensive industrial material management services to companies seeking solutions to some of today’s most complex environmental challenges. For more information, visit www.covanta.com.

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SOURCE Covanta Holding Corporation

Ballard Announces Order for Modules to Power Scotland’s First Fuel Cell-Powered Train

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP) (TSX: BLDP) today announced a purchase order from Arcola Energy («Arcola»; www.arcolaenergy.com), a U.K.-based leader in hydrogen and fuel cell integration specializing in zero-emission solutions for heavy-duty vehicles and transport applications, for Ballard…

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP) (TSX: BLDP) today announced a purchase order from Arcola Energy («Arcola»; www.arcolaenergy.com), a U.K.-based leader in hydrogen and fuel cell integration specializing in zero-emission solutions for heavy-duty vehicles and transport applications, for Ballard FCmoveTM-HD fuel cell modules to power a passenger train planned for demonstration during COP26, to be hosted by Glasgow City in November 2021. This project will contribute to Scotland’s goal for net zero emissions by 2035. 

Scottish Enterprise, Transport Scotland and the Hydrogen Accelerator, based at the University of St. Andrews, have appointed Arcola and a consortium of industry leaders in hydrogen fuel cell integration, rail engineering and functional safety to deliver Scotland’s first hydrogen-powered train. The consortium will convert a Class 314 car passenger train, made available by ScotRail, into a deployment-ready and certified platform for hydrogen-powered train development. The Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway will provide engineering facilities and support for testing and public demonstrations.

Dr. Ben Todd, CEO of Arcola Energy said, «Hydrogen traction power offers a safe, reliable and zero-carbon alternative for Scotland’s rail network. The hydrogen train project is an excellent opportunity for industry leaders in hydrogen, rail engineering and safety to collaborate with Scottish and other technology providers to develop a deployment ready solution.»

Rob Campbell, Ballard Chief Commercial Officer noted, «Ballard is delighted to work with Arcola and other consortium members on the development of Scotland’s first fuel cell-powered train. This project is an example of the growing global interest in fuel cells for the Medium- and Heavy-Duty Motive market, including rail applications, where heavy payload, long range and rapid refueling are key customer requirements.»

About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems’ (NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP) vision is to deliver fuel cell power for a sustainable planet. Ballard zero-emission PEM fuel cells are enabling electrification of mobility, including buses, commercial trucks, trains, marine vessels, passenger cars and forklift trucks. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements concerning anticipated market adoption of fuel cell products. These forward-looking statements reflect Ballard’s current expectations as contemplated under section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any such forward-looking statements are based on Ballard’s assumptions relating to its financial forecasts and expectations regarding its product development efforts, manufacturing capacity, and market demand.

These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause Ballard’s actual results to be materially different, including general economic and regulatory changes, detrimental reliance on third parties, successfully achieving our business plans and achieving and sustaining profitability. For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors that could affect Ballard’s future performance, please refer to Ballard’s most recent Annual Information Form. Readers should not place undue reliance on Ballard’s forward-looking statements and Ballard assumes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, other than as required under applicable legislation.

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SOURCE Ballard Power Systems Inc.

2021 Begins With A Sweet Win For A Pittsburgh Man Who Won The $125,000 Grand Prize In BetRivers.com And PlaySugarHouse.com Pro Football Pick’em In Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Rush Street Interactive, Inc. («RSI») (NYSE: RSI), today announced that a 37-year-old salesman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, won the grand prize in the BetRivers.com and <a target="_blank"…

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Rush Street Interactive, Inc. («RSI») (NYSE: RSI), today announced that a 37-year-old salesman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, won the grand prize in the BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com Pro Football Pick’em.  Jason Schwartz won the guaranteed top prize of $125,000, in the overall prize pool of $500,000, for picking the most winners at the end of the season in the state’s second annual online Vegas-Style Pro Football Pick ‘em contest.

Schwartz said he couldn’t believe he actually won the contest and was in shock when he got the call that the grand prize was his.

«I never imagined this,» the 37-year-old said. «Not even in my wildest dreams. I didn’t sleep for two days.»

Schwartz started off the season by picking teams through instinct, but when he realized he might actually have a shot at winning, he spent a lot of time researching the teams and looking up different player statistics and betting lines. He plans to use the money to pay off some debts and possibly take a vacation this summer.

He attributes the win to his late grandmother, who was an avid sports bettor. Schwartz said he used to call her every Sunday to give her betting advice during the football games. This was his first NFL season without her. «I like to think she played a part in this,» Schwartz said. «It’s a bittersweet win.»

Each week of the NFL season, players picked the winners of Sunday and Monday pro football games and whoever picked the most winners at the end of the season collected the guaranteed $125,000 prize. Overall, the top 500 pick’em winners were paid out cash winnings at the season’s end, in addition to the top weekly score on each site earning $2,500 each week. The entrant with the most incorrect picks also received a $2,500 payout.  In all, $500,000 was paid to entrants.

Following the success of the first pick’em contest last NFL season, Rush Street Interactive, the digital sports wagering and gaming supplier of Pennsylvania’s first two online gaming sites, was excited to once again offer NFL fans a rewarding way to show off their pro football knowledge. 

«This was certainly an unusual NFL season, and this was a great way for sports betting fans to stay involved and get in on the game action,» said Mattias Stetz, C.O.O. of Rush Street Interactive, which operates BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com.  «After seeing its popularity last season, we were excited to offer this Pick ‘em contest again. We love when our players win huge cash prizes.»

About RSI
Founded in 2012 by gaming industry veterans, RSI is a market leader in online casino and sports betting in the U.S. The Company launched its first online gaming casino site, PlaySugarHouse.com in New Jersey, in September 2016 and was the first gaming company to launch a regulated online gaming site in Pennsylvania.  With its BetRivers.com sites, Rush Street Interactive was also the first to launch regulated online gaming in the states of Indiana, Colorado and, most recently, Illinois. Rush Street Interactive was named the 2020 Global Gaming Awards Digital Operator of the Year, and the 2020 EGR North America Awards Casino Operator of the Year and Customer Service Operator of the Year. RSI has been an early mover in Latin America and was the first U.S.-based gaming operator to launch a legal and regulated online casino and sportsbook, RushBet.co, in the country of Colombia. For more information, visit www.rushstreetinteractive.com.

 

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SOURCE Rush Street Interactive

Electric VTOL Aircraft Developments Advancing Despite Pandemic

FAIRFAX, Va., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Vertical Flight Society (VFS), the world’s leading non-profit organization working to advance vertical flight, reports today that the growth of world’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developments have continued apace despite the global pandemic.

«This past year saw continued growth and progress in eVTOL developments,» said Mike Hirschberg, VFS Executive Director. «Our members in…

FAIRFAX, Va., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Vertical Flight Society (VFS), the world’s leading non-profit organization working to advance vertical flight, reports today that the growth of world’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developments have continued apace despite the global pandemic.

«This past year saw continued growth and progress in eVTOL developments,» said Mike Hirschberg, VFS Executive Director. «Our members in industry, academia and government agencies around the world have been tackling the toughest challenges in vertical flight, proving out the promise of this new approach to air mobility.»

Even while the commercial aviation industry saw massive economic impacts, investment in eVTOL has continued at the rate of about $1B per year. Some $5B has been invested into eVTOL aircraft and systems development to date, with much of the funding coming from outside of the traditional aerospace industry. The eVTOL industry has grown at an exponential pace with thousands of engineers, programmers and technologists now employed by eVTOL developers worldwide.

Nearly 250 companies and innovators have been studying the promise and challenges of eVTOL, with more than 400 eVTOL aircraft concepts now catalogued by VFS. Two dozen companies are now known to be flying full-scale or large-scale multi-passenger eVTOL aircraft. Last year saw a number of first flights, as well as a significant increase in flight-testing — demonstrating electric VTOL capabilities and expanded the aircraft performance envelopes.

Annual Electric VTOL Symposium

VFS has been at the forefront of what it calls the «Electric VTOL Revolution» since 2014 when it held the world’s first meeting of the eVTOL development community. Later this month, the Society’s 8th Annual Electric VTOL Symposium — being held online Jan. 26–28 in conjunction with its 9th Biennial Autonomous VTOL Technical Meeting — continues as the world’s largest and longest-running event focusing on the incredible promise, progress and challenges of eVTOL aircraft.

As in previous years, the annual symposium will present the latest insights, trends and progress in eVTOL developments. This month’s symposium features keynote presentations by government leaders from NASA, the US Army, US Air Force and the FAA, as well as industry keynotes from Boeing, Joby Aviation and Honeywell executives. More than 50 additional VIP speakers and panelists in the symposium cover important topics regarding electric VTOL, while 25 technical papers on drones, autonomy and advanced air mobility (AAM) will be presented as part of the Autonomous VTOL Technical Meeting. Details are available at http://www.vtol.org/eVTOL2021.

When VFS launched the first meeting in 2014, the idea of electric VTOL aircraft was greeted with widespread skepticism, but growing technical progress, flight demonstrations, government validation and private investment have helped reverse public perception. It is now recognized that the vertical flight market is poised for significant expansion over the next few years as eVTOL aircraft enter service that can have higher performance than conventional helicopters for certain missions, as well as lower operating costs and lower noise.

Exponential Growth Continues in the eVTOL Industry

As of today, the Society has cataloged 407 different electric VTOL concepts from 245 companies and innovators on its authoritative World eVTOL Aircraft Directory at http://www.evtol.news. More than 150 new designs were added in 2020. When VFS launched the site in April 2017, only a dozen eVTOL programs were under development. The site now also includes 435 eVTOL news stories, including some 200 in-depth articles from the Society’s Vertiflite magazine, the leading periodical on eVTOL and rotorcraft developments.

VFS has also seen record growth in corporate members continue. As of Jan. 1, more than 135 companies are now members of VFS, a 15% growth over 2020 and a doubling over the past five years. Much of this growth in members is due to the extensive support efforts and resources that VFS provides to the eVTOL industry, including technical resources, talent acquisition, educational opportunities and networking.

«Despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, companies around the world that are seeking to succeed with eVTOL technologies turn to VFS,» said Hirschberg. «We have been leading efforts to advance electric vertical flight for the past seven years and have been working tirelessly to expand the eVTOL community.»

VFS was founded as the American Helicopter Society in 1943 by the visionaries of the early helicopter industry, who believed that technological cooperation and collaboration were essential to support this new type of aircraft. Today, history is repeating itself, with VFS playing a similar role helping to advance today’s revolutionary eVTOL aircraft.

VFS holds the largest and longest-running vertical flight technical conference in the world, which this year will be its 77th Annual Forum & Technology Display on May 11-13, 2021, which is planned for West Palm Beach, Florida: http://www.vtol.org/forum.

Follow VFS on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Vimeo and YouTube) at @VTOLsociety.

The Vertical Flight Society
2700 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 275, Fairfax, VA 22031, USA
1-703-684-6777 • fax: 1-703-739-9279
pr@vtol.orghttp://www.vtol.org

Media Contact

Valerie Sheehan, Vertical Flight Society, 703-684-6777, pr@vtol.org

 

SOURCE Vertical Flight Society

Mando Corporation presentó la nueva visión de «Libertad en Movilidad» en CES 2021

«Libertad en Movilidad» como #Libertad de Espacio, #Entrega Inteligente, #Conducción Autónoma, etc.

Conectando la movilidad con las personas a través de ‘Hiperconectividad eléctrica’ (X-by-Wire, SPM Module)

SEUL, Corea del Sur, 12 de enero de 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Mando revela su nueva visión basada en la seguridad y la libertad, la «Libertad en Movilidad», en CES 2021.

<img id="prnejpga8e5left" title="Mando…

«Libertad en Movilidad» como #Libertad de Espacio, #Entrega Inteligente, #Conducción Autónoma, etc.

Conectando la movilidad con las personas a través de ‘Hiperconectividad eléctrica’ (X-by-Wire, SPM Module)

SEUL, Corea del Sur, 12 de enero de 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Mando revela su nueva visión basada en la seguridad y la libertad, la «Libertad en Movilidad», en CES 2021.

Mando Freedom in Vehicle Architecture by SbW

Mando explica los detalles de «Libertad» que definen, especialmente en términos de libertad en movilidad como «Libertad de Espacio«, «Entrega Inteligente», etc. Además, se introducirá una futura solución automotriz, en la que un vehículo se comunique sin problemas con un conductor a través de un módulo integrado de tecnología «x-by-Wire», incluidos BbW (Brake-by-Wire) y SbW (Steer-by-Wire) de Mando conectados por la hiperconectividad eléctrica. El módulo de movilidad personal inteligente (módulo SPM) conecta a las personas con la micro-movilidad. El módulo SPM, como el primer sistema asistido por pedal sin cadena del mundo, proporciona la libertad para el diseño de la micro movilidad.

La «libertad de espacio» permite la libertad en las actividades en la cabina más allá de los límites arquitectónicos de un vehículo. En el modo de conducción totalmente autónomo, la libertad de espacio es especialmente necesaria porque un conductor tiene todo este tiempo disponible para actividades que no sean conducir. Con SbW (Steer-by-Wire) de Mando, que ha sido galardonado con el CES 2021 Innovation Award Honoree, se habilita la función de almacenamiento automático que permite guardar el volante cuando no está en uso y se saca de nuevo para su uso cuando sea necesario. Así es como SbW se da cuenta de la verdadera libertad en el espacio. Los fabricantes de automóviles ahora pueden disfrutar de la libertad de sus límites arquitectónicos del diseño de vehículos. La tecnología «by-wire» de Mando también se puede aplicar al sistema de frenos, que se llama BbW (Brake by Wire). Se compone de 4 unidades de EMB (Electro Mechanical Brake), montadas en «módulo de 4 esquinas (4 ruedas)», «E-Brake-Pedal (electronic brake pedal)», y DCU (Unidad de Control de Dominio). El freno por cable elimina ESC (Control Electrónico de Estabilidad), booster (impulso de freno), cable de estacionamiento, tubo de aceite del motor, etc., y obviamente es operado sólo por señal eléctrica pura. «E-Brake-Pedal» también tiene la función «auto stow» para guardar el pedal cuando no está en uso y sacarlo de nuevo cuando sea necesario. Definitivamente ofrece mucho más espacio libre en el espacio para las piernas de los conductores. BbW no utiliza aceite de freno, por lo que es fácil de mantener y respetuoso con el medio ambiente. Mando, como la única empresa en el mundo en desarrollar/fabricar frenos, dirección, suspensión y ADAS, ha estado acelerando el desarrollo de «In-Wheel-Motor (pieza de accionamiento en vehículo eléctrico)» y «ECM (Electric-Corner-Module)» basado en la experiencia de diseño de  ‘SbW’ y ‘BbW’.

El «SPM Module (Smart Personal Mobility Module)» introducido por Mando es un sistema de accionamiento eléctrico asistido por pedal sin cadena. Los fabricantes de micro movilidad son los clientes objetivo. SPM Module permite los nuevos conceptos de 2, 3 o 4 ruedas y también proporciona varios estilos de vida en número de escenas en nuestra vida diaria. SPM Module, con tecnología de vanguardia como IA, IoT, Cloud, etc., está dirigido primero al mercado de entrega, y está previsto comenzar a abrirse camino en el mercado europeo este año.

La tecnología de conducción autónoma de Mando tiene su prioridad en la seguridad de los conductores. Mando, que desarrolla / fabrica desde el sensor de detección (cámara, radar, etc.) hasta el controlador principal (DCU: unidad de control de dominio) y el software de control, introduce la tecnología de control de seguridad dual (redundante) basada en la «DCU de alto rendimiento» en este CES. Este dispositivo de seguridad dual también se aplica al componente de freno y dirección (sistema de conducción).

Mando planea acercarse al cliente global en este CES. Tomando CES 2021 como un comienzo, Mando está mostrando su firme voluntad de desafiar el futuro sin ninguna limitación como proveedor de soluciones integradas de movilidad de vanguardia.

Los clips de vídeo que transmiten los mensajes de Mando CES 2021 estarán disponibles en el canal de YouTube de Mando a partir del 12 de enero (hora coreana).

Canal de YouTube de Mando : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHf4pvD_dSJ_W1T2p0dj38w

Foto – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1417753/Mando_Freedom_in_Vehicle_Architecture_by_SbW.jpg

 

Koben and Instant ON announce strategic partnership

Koben Systems Inc. and Instant ON, LLC (IO) are pleased to announce they have entered into a strategic partnership, combining Koben’s industry leading energy hub smart panel – GENIUS with IO’s world class strategy-led IO-HUB platform aligning between the smart grid requirements and the consumers’ desire for full visibility and control of energy and gas.

Ontario and California, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Koben Systems Inc. and Instant ON, LLC are pleased to announce they have entered into a strategic partnership,…

Koben Systems Inc. and Instant ON, LLC (IO) are pleased to announce they have entered into a strategic partnership, combining Koben’s industry leading energy hub smart panel – GENIUS with IO’s world class strategy-led IO-HUB platform aligning between the smart grid requirements and the consumers’ desire for full visibility and control of energy and gas.

Ontario and California, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Koben Systems Inc. and Instant ON, LLC are pleased to announce they have entered into a strategic partnership, combining Koben’s industry leading energy hub smart panel – GENIUS with IO’s world class strategy-led IO-HUB platform aligning between the smart grid requirements and the consumers’ desire for full visibility and control of energy and gas.

With technology playing an increasingly critical role in every aspect of business and our personal lives, companies recognize that they need to accelerate the development of microgrid solutions to ensure they remain on the resilient and sustainable vanguard. The Koben-Instant On partnership brings together deep skills in business and technology strategy, product ideation, technology development and deployment to help support our world through successful transformation of our aged energy grid.

«The Koben-Instant On partnership is a powerful combination. Koben understands of complex digital product interactions, its deep engineering expertise, and agile, collaborative approach is uniquely complimentary to how the Instant On team works. We believe this generates industry leading technology products and platforms for a broader audience,» said Vic Burconak, Koben’s CEO & President. «GENIUS is the word’s most advanced energy hub smart panel that brings together smart meter, intelligent circuit panel and essential loads panel all in one. In working with IO to develop Instant ON’s IO HUB to do what the GENIUS panel does with the added feature of monitoring and controlling gas (or hydrogen), we know this is the only advanced microgrid controller available today for the residential home of its kind.»

«Partnering with Koben to create the IO Hub brings a level of confidence to address the big issue of interoperability; to ensure that solar, batteries, EV chargers and fuel cells can work seamlessly together in a nanogrid/microgrid to protect the home from blackouts,» said AJ Perkins, Instant ON President. «We take our advanced solar microgrids and add the ability to integrate natural gas fuel cells or hydrogen fuel cells and have those all work off of the same microgrid controller creating a wholistic environment through our IO-HUB, that’s how to take resiliency, redundancy and reliability to the next level of nanogrids.»

As an indication of commitment, Instant ON is looking to ensure the integration of 5 million nanogrids by 2025 to protect families and communities. They already have contracts to build more than 1 million nanogrids for US Veterans and are looking for more companies to join their mission. Koben is making this same kind of commitment to protect families and communities in Canada and together there is a lot of work ahead.

About Koben Systems Inc.

Koben Systems Inc. is a global company that helps the world’s most ambitious change makers define the future. Koben is focused on the residential and commercial industry through the development and distribution of a unique range of efficiency and sustainability products. Our aim is to fully leverage this uniqueness and help lead and accelerate the transformation to high-performing healthy green buildings and homes leading to a sustainable future.

About Instant On, LLC

Instant ON is providing a one-stop shop for solar contractors and consumers to find the right solution for their residential, commercial and industrial needs. By taking the guesswork out of system design and optimization, they give those in the industry peace of mind knowing that the solutions have been vetted and tested to ensure proper functioning and communication for the best results in maintaining power for their home or facility in times of emergency and optimized value of their energy in everyday use. Through a partnership with Schneider Electric GreenStruxure, they offer innovative, modular, standardized renewable energy microgrids under the EaaS model to commercial customers.

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SOURCE Koben Systems Inc.

Survey: Pandemic Devastates Americans’ Finances – but Bolsters Financial Acumen

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — COVID-19 might have permanently changed how an entire generation thinks about spending, saving, and debt – and in ways that might offer a silver lining to a devastating pandemic, says Jean Chatzky, best-selling author and CEO of

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — COVID-19 might have permanently changed how an entire generation thinks about spending, saving, and debt – and in ways that might offer a silver lining to a devastating pandemic, says Jean Chatzky, best-selling author and CEO of HerMoney.com.

Approximately 45 percent of survey respondents feel that President-Elect Biden will be good for their finances.

HerMoney partnered with Debt.com and polled more than 1,000 working Americans about their financial habits as the pandemic dragged on into December. The results were surprising and profound:

While most Americans do not have an emergency fund, more than 8 in 10 of those who lost money due to the pandemic told HerMoney and Debt.com, «I now realize how important it is to save money for emergencies.» 

Credit card debt has long topped $1 trillion in this country and was trending up before the pandemic, but the survey shows nearly 1 in 5 people say, «I’m paying more attention to the interest rates on my credit cards.»

Nearly 1 out of 5 now rethink how they make large purchases, saying they’re more willing to buy used cars and other pre-owned big-ticket items.

A quarter of American adults have nothing saved for retirement, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve, but only around 15 percent of survey respondents reported, «I’m not ignoring retirement savings like I once did.»

Both Chatzky and Debt.com chairman Howard Dvorkin, CPA are surprised by the results and hopeful for a post-pandemic financial future. 

«I’ve spent the better part of my professional life convincing Americans to stop running up debts,» Chatzky says. «That’s a hard argument to make when times are good. Even the Great Recession had only a temporary effect on spending, but this time seems very, very different. Maybe this will prove to be the silver lining from this awful time.»

Other survey findings:

  • Over 34 percent of respondents lost at least a quarter of their household income
  • Of those who lost income, 94.6 percent cut their spending by at least 25 percent, while only 5 percent say they are still spending just as much as they did pre-pandemic.
  • Almost 30 percent admit to finally sticking to a budget, even though they had made a budget in the past and did not stick with it
  • Approximately 45 percent of respondents feel that President-Elect Biden will be good for their finances

For Dvorkin, the pandemic has made being a financial counselors both harder and easier. «It’s been tough hearing how hardworking Americans are struggling to make ends meet. These aren’t lazy people looking for a handout. These are Americans who want to work but can’t. Then again, I hear hope for the future in their voices – especially when they tell me, ‘Howard, now I get it. Never again will I forgo an emergency fund.’ If we can emerge from this pandemic with this profound psychological shift in our thinking about money, we might avoid a lot of pain in the future.»

About: HerMoney is a digital media company focused on improving the relationships women have with money. Started by personal finance expert Jean Chatzky, the mission of HerMoney is to level the playing field for financial security, confidence and power with content that is welcoming, thought-provoking, bold, unbiased and always smart.

About: Debt.com is the consumer website where people can find help with credit card debt, student loan debt, tax debt, credit repair, bankruptcy, and more. Debt.com works with vetted and certified providers that give the best advice and solutions for consumers ‘when life happens.’

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SOURCE Debt.com

Monolith Installation at Forest Park in Ahmedabad, India by Symphony Ltd: An initiative to promote nature and sustainability

AHMEDABAD, India, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Taking inspiration from the growing popularity of the Monolith sculpture, Symphony Ltd., world’s largest air cooler company collaborated with an artist to create a monolith installation at the Symphony Forest Park in Ahmedabad, India. The steel sculpture was installed last week to promote conservation of nature and wildlife sanctuaries in India, including, Gir National Park and Wildlife…

AHMEDABAD, India, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Taking inspiration from the growing popularity of the Monolith sculpture, Symphony Ltd., world’s largest air cooler company collaborated with an artist to create a monolith installation at the Symphony Forest Park in Ahmedabad, India. The steel sculpture was installed last week to promote conservation of nature and wildlife sanctuaries in India, including, Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary – Gujarat. The triangular prism-shaped structure, around seven feet tall, has the latitudes and longitudes of various national parks tactfully inscribed on it.

Over the weekend, people flocked at the Symphony Forest park to witness the monolith. This evoked conversations about nature conservation and sustainability, which is the essence of the sculpture. The citizens enjoyed the mystery of unlocking new ideas and thoughts in conjunction with humanity and nature. It showcases how brands are leveraging trends and contemporary art to generate positive conversations around themes like environmentalism and sustainability.

Monolith structures started with the discovery of the Utah monolith in November 2020. Later it was discovered in Romania, then Southern California followed by England, Netherlands, and Columbia. Overnight the monolith became a sensation and generated worldwide conversations. These sculptures have taken the internet by storm, with numerous theories about their origins and meanings. While some say that these are works of art with a similar movement arising in the 1960s, others have also said that these are a from a variety of different artists and sci-fi lovers across the world.

Symphony Ltd. had recently opened access of ‘Symphony Forest Park’ to the citizens to rejuvenate with nature. The forest park is well equipped with seating, children playing area, amphitheater, temple, and a parking lot. One can enjoy walking through the grassland, dense plantation under the restful shade of tall trees. The company had adopted an urban landscape project with an aim to revamp an abandoned patch of land ranging 11,000 square meters, which was rejuvenated to develop a Forest Park. The Park contains more than 250 plant species, 30,000 tree saplings, numerous species of exotic birds, and a resuscitated lake with aquatic species. As a global corporate, Symphony is committed to deliver sustainable innovative product & services. Their philosophy is to integrate ethical, environmental & social principals by elevating lives of people, their experiences and positively impact the world.

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SOURCE Symphony Ltd.