Event to Feature Keynote Speaker, Indra Nooyi, Former CEO and Chairman, PepsiCo
Betterworks announced it will be hosting Empower HR, a virtual summit, featuring Indra Nooyi, former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of PepsiCo, as the keynote speaker. The two-day event, December 1st and 2nd, focuses on the theme of “Lead from Anywhere. Succeed Everywhere” and includes notable panelists, eleven sessions and several giveaways.
Indra Nooyi helped grow PepsiCo’s revenue from $35 billion, when she became CEO, to $63 billion in 2017. She will discuss what true, transformational leadership looks like today, how we can leverage innovation in the face of uncertainty, and how we can best prepare our future leaders. Registrants also will have the chance to win a copy of her book, “My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future” as well as John Doerr’s “Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis”.
According to the 2021 Deloitte Global Resilience Report, Chief Experience Officers (CXOs) who noted that their organizations cultivated resilient cultures were approximately three times more likely to have navigated 2020 successfully than those lacking resiliency. Empower HR will provide valuable insight and effective practices to enhance the employee experience, boost performance management, foster a strong company culture and strengthen an organization’s ability to pivot quickly, ensuring viability, and marketplace competitiveness.
Panelists include: Doug Dennerline, CEO and Chairman of Betterworks; Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Chief Human Resources Officer, Cohesity; Melissa Daimler, Chief Learning Officer, Udemy; Josh Bersin, global analyst and CEO, The Josh Bersin Company; John Doerr, Chairman, Kleiner Perkins; Arnaud Grunwald, Chief Product Officer, Betterworks; Andrea Lagan, Chief Operating Officer, Betterworks; Susan Lovegren, EVP, CHRO and Advisory Board Member; Anne Fulton, CEO & Founder, Fuel50; and Diane Adams, Chief Culture and Talent Officer, Sprinklr.
“Although our summit is called EmpowerHR, this event will provide actionable advice for all leaders,” said Doug Dennerline, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman at Betterworks. “CEOs and HR will learn to better identify and maximize opportunities to enhance employee engagement, sharpen performance management by utilizing partnerships, tools and integrations, and fine-tune strategies and alignment to reach goals more efficiently and increase return on investment.”
“This summit is a must for organizations that experienced high attrition during the pandemic,” said Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Chief Human Resources Officer, Cohesity. “There has never been a more critical time to retool learning and career development efforts to ensure that a new generation of managers can succeed, and their teams thrive and grow, now and in the future.”
Now is the perfect time to lay the foundation for a stronger, more resilient, and productive organization in 2022. For more information on EmpowerHR, please visit https://events.betterworks.com/empower-hr. Save your seat today for this not-to-be-missed event.
About Betterworks Betterworks closes the loop between people, strategy, and results, enabling organizations to align even their most sprawling, dynamic teams. Industry leaders such as Intuit, Freddie Mac, Asurion, Udemy, Vertiv, HCSC, and the University of Phoenix rely on Betterworks to accelerate strategic growth by supporting transparent goal setting, enabling continuous performance, and gleaning real-time employee engagement insights.
Betterworks is backed by Kleiner Perkins and Emergence Capital. John Doerr, iconic investor, OKR pioneer, and author of New York Times Best Seller “Measure What Matters,” is a board member, and Josh Bersin, global HR thought leader, serves as an advisor. For more information, visit http://www.betterworks.com.
In an age where digital marketing is prevalent, most businesses want to increase traffic to their websites. When more users visit a site, they’re more likely to become viable leads or even recurring customers. For small businesses, it may sound like it’s time to utilize methods that’ll help gain as much traffic as possible. However, Actual SEO Media, Inc. stresses that rushing headlong into rapidly increasing website traffic isn’t always the best method.
-How Organic Traffic is Better for Long Term Growth
There are several ways a business can go about attracting users to its site: paid sources and organic sources. Although paid ads can temporarily increase traffic and sales, it’s temporary and only good in the short term. On the other hand, there are several benefits in investing in gradually increasing organic traffic:
1. Sustainable approach in the long run 2. High customer trust 3. Cost-effective 4. Improves brand loyalty 5. Higher conversion rates
Organic sources include search engines like Google. Over 90% of online sales begin from Google or another search engine. Organic sources tend to have better conversion rates than paid traffic and capture over 40% of revenue since they’re more permanent.
However, 75% of users don’t even click past the first page. That’s why most businesses know that ranking on the first page of Google’s search results is better for generating sales leads.
“Increasing organic traffic is a slow process,” states Benjamin Thompson, Actual SEO Media, Inc.’s CFO. “It’s like building anything substantial. The sturdier the foundation, the better the website will fare. It’s better for a business in the long term because when websites are optimized the right way, they tend to rank higher for longer.”
-Cost-Effective Methods to Gain Organic Traffic
One of the easiest ways is investing in search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. Whether a business opts to handle it themselves or hire the help of an SEO company will depend on its own knowledge and budget. Several factors go into pushing a website’s ranking up the Google search results:
1. Optimized website and relevant content for readers. Both users and Google care about how a website is optimized. Is it relevant to what was searched? Is the content legible? Is it loading smoothly? Is it engaging?
2. Publish content regularly. It’s like with social media. There’s no point in only crafting creative content once. The world is constantly doing something new, and so the content on websites should be too.
3. Use long-tail keywords. “Long-tail keywords” are specific keyword phrases that users search if they’re closer to purchasing or if they’re using voice-to-text. For example, there’s a difference between searching “mug” and searching “coffee mug with lid.”
4. Include internal links. Including links that go to the rest of a website provides a better navigation experience. It allows both users and search engine crawlers to find your pages easily and allows them to dwell on the website for longer.
5. Realize the power of social media. Social media is a powerful platform that easily gains the attention of users online. An active social media account can become an influential voice that brings followers back to the main website, or vice versa.
As a leading SEO company in Houston, Actual SEO Media, Inc. helps clients to expand their online presence. By using a variety of best practice SEO techniques, the company aims to maximize clients’ organic traffic and widen their clients’ scope of recognition. For more information, follow their social media, contact the office at (832) 834 – 0661, or by email at: info@actualseomedia.com.
Live video monitoring of security cameras 24/7 to help prevent crime and inventory loss before it happens
Alert 360, one of the largest providers of security systems and smart automation in the nation, has announced its newest, advanced video monitoring system security service – Alert 360 Video Shield. The Alert 360 Video Shield is the latest security option in a series of new home and commercial security solutions the company has announced in the past year.
Alert 360 Video Shield offers highly trained video experts to monitor and watch key areas of commercial properties, business sites, and high-end residential properties. Video Shield provides live video monitoring of property and assets to help prevent crimes and property loss before they happen. The company offers two options as part of its new video monitoring service: Video Shield and Video Shield Guard.
Both new live video monitoring services increase the speed at which potential crime is detected and addressed. Alert 360 Video Shield remote video monitoring can help to identify a threat, verify it, and notify authorities if necessary. Customers can choose a tailored video surveillance solution to complement existing security systems. Alert 360 video monitoring professionals watch for suspicious activity in real-time and can dispatch police often times even before a criminal breaks in or damages property. This eliminates waiting to review a previous night’s security video footage after a crime has taken place.
Both Alert 360 Video Shield options provide:
Advanced, proactive asset protection and surveillance
Immediate notification of real-time events on your property
Video analysis of suspicious activity that saves you time by studying footage and data to respond to triggered events more rapidly
After-hours dispatch on alarm signals sent from active monitored cameras
Ability to integrate with existing video infrastructures, such as IP cameras, NVR or DVRs, and compatible with hundreds of video brands and manufacturers
Alert 360 Video Shield specific features and benefits include:
Monitoring 24/7 by Alert 360 alarm monitoring professionals from our award-winning, U.S.-based alarm monitoring center
Active monitoring of cameras initiated by a trigger (motion, virtual line-crossing, intrusion zone, object detection, etc.)
Monitored openings and closings of your business
Reduced false alarms and false dispatches
Regular, detailed incident reporting delivered via email
Alert 360 Video Shield Guard specific features and benefits include:
Monitoring of existing security cameras and video, with scheduled, live guard tours
Daily virtual guard tours six times per day
Immediate notification of real-time events on your property, when they occur
Rapid identification of potential threats, protecting your business and valuable assets
After-hours dispatch on suspicious activity picked up on virtual guard tour
Reduced staffing costs for on-site security guard service
Weekly reporting delivered via email
Reduction of false alarm fees and false dispatches
“Preventing property loss before it occurs and providing rapid response to suspicious activity makes a real difference to the bottom line of our customers,” said William Huffman, Monitoring Center Operations Manager. “These advanced, proactive monitoring options help greatly reduce insurance claims and provide a needed, extra set of eyes on valuables and property. Added video guard tours also help when staffing is short or during busy times when business owners are stretched thin or need to focus on other areas of their businesses.
“Our new Video Shield security solution is just one more advanced security solution in our growing line of services. We’re able to offer property owners across the country complete and custom security options that help protect all facets of their operations, from company vehicles and valuable inventory to employees and customers. It’s simple: Our Alert 360 Video Shield saves property owners time, money, and worry.”
Alert 360 Video Shield security camera monitoring and guard options benefit industries ranging from lumber yards, car dealerships, construction, office, cemeteries, distribution, oil and gas, storage facilities, retail, schools, multi-family residential, utility infrastructure and more.
The Alert 360 Video Shield is the latest security offering in a growing line of home, business and commercial security solutions the company has announced in recent months. As a national leader in monitored security systems and services, Alert 360 has launched four new solutions to increase security around homes, businesses, and remote locations in the past year. These services include the Alert 360 Edge security panel, Connected Car, the Flex 360, and the Alert 360 Smart Video Doorbell 2.0.
The new Alert 360 Edge security panel’s artificial intelligence and processing technology enables touchless disarm and the industry’s first home security system panel with built-in face recognition. The Connected Car extends Alert 360’s security services to vehicles and alerts owners if a vehicle is tampered with or moves. The smart video doorbell provides the latest in video analytics, more useful alerts, two-way audio, and 150-degree high definition videos, viewing of your front porch, yard, or entrance. Another new Alert 360 security option, the Flex 360, is a battery-powered sensor designed to protect toolsheds, gates, boats, ATVs, motorcycles, construction equipment, and more.
Alert 360’s complete line of home security, business security, energy management, and smart automation services include interactive security, wireless security cameras, remote access, smart thermostats, water leak sensors, smart doorbell cameras, and monitored heat and carbon monoxide detectors. Alert 360 also provides professional installation or integration of smart home devices, such as sprinkler systems, sound systems, Amazon Echo, Google Home and more.
Alert 360 allows home and business owners to observe and manage their security systems using a free mobile app. In addition to the above security system options, the company offers HD video surveillance cameras, keyless entry door locks, Geo-Fence garage door controllers, and smart lighting. Alert 360 also offers the ability to control these security and smart home devices through Google Home or Alexa from a smartphone, laptop, or tablet.
Alert 360 Video Shield is available now for home, business owners and commercial locations wanting to increase the monitoring of their security camera and video surveillance systems. Call 833-333-0360 or contact one of Alert 360’s local security branches across the United States.
About Alert 360
Founded in 1973, Alert 360 is one of the nation’s oldest-licensed alarm monitoring providers. Today, the company is a leading provider of monitored home security and home automation solutions to homes across the United States. Alert 360 operates a monitoring and customer service center in Tulsa, Okla., and has offices coast to coast, serving customers in 26 states. Alert 360 has earned Five Diamond Monitoring Center designation from The Monitoring Association for excellence in alarm monitoring for security systems and home automation devices. An Oklahoma-based company, Alert 360 also was voted the “Best Home Security Provider” and has been named a “Best Places to Work” six consecutive years!
Search Engine Optimization can be a critical factor for success in the digital sphere. Actual SEO Media, Inc. explains why using SEO strategies can help brands increase their online visibility and market themselves to a wider audience.
In the era of information, the Internet has arguably become the most dominant platform that businesses use to market themselves. Because of the sheer volume of content that exists on the web, though, websites that aren’t optimized for Google’s search algorithm can easily be lost among millions of other search results. By understanding and implementing SEO principles, businesses can optimize their websites and increase their brand’s visibility online.
So, what exactly is SEO and why is it so important? For those unfamiliar with the concept, SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” SEO includes methods of enhancing web content so that it appears higher in Google’s search results. When a brand’s website ranks higher in a Google search, it becomes more visible to potential customers and is more likely to generate traffic. By understanding some of the ways that Google’s search algorithm ranks web pages and websites, a business can make its content more visible and attract more visitors.
Understanding Google’s Ranking System The first step to harnessing SEO is understanding how Google determines a website’s relevance to a search. When ranking a webpage, Google’s algorithm analyzes several factors, including the quality of a website’s code and the structure of the website’s content. When a site’s content is organized in meaningful ways, Google is better able to determine which pages of the site are the most relevant to a search. Additionally, Google prefers faster web pages and will prioritize sites that are more likely to offer a smoother experience for visitors.
Other factors that influence how Google ranks websites are links and relevant keywords. When a business’s website can be accessed through links on similar websites, Google’s algorithm determines that the business must be important and may rank it higher. Additionally, websites and pages with keywords that are relevant to a search term can rank higher on Google.
How to Use SEO to Improve Site Traffic One way that businesses can use SEO to rank higher on Google is to get relevant, reputable sources to link back to their content. When Google sees that a company’s content is associated with a high-quality site, the company has a greater chance of achieving a higher search ranking.
Websites with a more organized structure are also more appealing to Google. By organizing its site and categorizing its content, businesses can make it easier for Google to analyze the content to determine how relevant it is. It’s also a good practice to ensure that the copy of the website’s content is well-written so that Google can interpret it more easily.
To ensure that a site’s content is deemed more relevant by Google, businesses should also develop a firm understanding of their audience and the language they use. Using keywords and phrases that are related to their products and services can increase a company’s chances of getting their content in front of potential customers.
Google’s algorithm can sometimes seem very picky when it comes to ranking content, but there are ways that businesses can use it to their advantage. By learning more about SEO and implementing certain techniques when creating content, businesses can improve their presence on the web and attract a greater number of customers.
As a leading SEO company in Houston, Actual SEO Media, Inc. helps clients to expand their online presence. By using a variety of techniques, the company aims to maximize clients’ search engine optimization and widen their clients’ scope of recognition. For more information, contact the office at (832) 834 – 0661 or by email at: info@actualseomedia.com
RChilli has recently added more languages to its Search & Match Engine. These new languages are Portuguese, Dutch, Turkish, and Russian.
Keeping up its promise to provide excellent multilingual support, RChilli has recently added more languages to its Search & Match Engine. These new languages are Portuguese, Dutch, Turkish, and Russian.
It is great news for RChilli users because they can now find matches quickly and easily with enhanced multilingual search. This new addition of languages makes Search & Match Engine more capable of bringing remarkable results.
RChilli Search and Match Engine helps the users search & match resume/jobs with great relevancy and get the perfect candidate through normalized and enriched data. It supports searching in multiple languages. It automatically identifies the languages of the Resume/JD and extracts the information. There is no separate configuration required.
Apart from the new addition, the Search and Match Engine supports the following languages:
English Spanish German French Polish Italian
Talking about this amazing progress, Paramdeep Singh-Head of Marketing, said, “We are happy to share that we have implemented four new languages in our System . RChilli is committed to delivering a remarkable user experience with its best-in-class services. Our team is continuously working on adding new languages to our products and making it easier for our users to find the right match. Soon, we will introduce more languages in engine.
About RChilli RChilli is the trusted partner for parsing, matching, and data enrichment, providing companies, in 37+ countries, with solutions built for the future of technology and recruiting. RChill’s innovative products, backed by an industry-leading tech stack, power the processing of 3.5+ billion docs a year for 1,700+ employers and top global recruiting platforms. Enabling companies to hire better talent faster since 2010, RChilli is ISO 27001:2013 certified and GDPR compliant.
Women in CyberSecurity is offering hands-on cyber training through real-world simulations in its Cyber FastTrack program.
Women in CyberSecurity is offering hands-on cyber training through real-world simulations in its Cyber FastTrack program.
Cyber FastTrack is a quick and affordable path to successful cyber-based careers. Participants receive free access to train with the highly regarded CyberStart game, which was created by SANS Institute experts and includes more than 200 fun security challenges. The gamified learning platform teaches students about Python, social engineering, SQL injection, cryptography and more. Beginners can use CyberStart to build their skills from scratch while experienced players can hone their craft through advanced levels.
This preparation allows participants to access scholarships, advanced training and certification. This experience also will help boost their resumes for potential employers.
“The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation values our relationship with WiCyS. This collaboration is focused on a critical national imperative — identifying, nurturing and empowering the next generation of experts to eliminate the cybersecurity skills gap in the United States,” said David Brown, executive director of the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation.
This program will launch on Oct. 27 to U.S. residents. WiCyS Student Chapter members are eligible to receive a free license to participate. To connect with the local student chapter president or start a student chapter, email info@WiCyS.org. Register for the “Scholarships and Free Cybersecurity Training for College Students through Cyber FastTrack” webinar on Nov. 1 at 1pm CT. For additional information and to register, visit https://www.brighttalk.com/webcast/17216/513462
About WiCyS: Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) is the premier nonprofit organization with international reach dedicated to bringing together women in cybersecurity. Founded by Dr. Ambareen Siraj from Tennessee Tech University through a National Science Foundation grant in 2013, WiCyS offers opportunities and resources for its members and collaboration benefits for its sponsors and partners. The organization’s founding partners are Cisco, Facebook and Palo Alto Networks. Strategic partners include Tier 1: Amazon Web Services, Bloomberg, Carnegie Mellon University – Software Engineering Institute, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Optum. Tier 2: Abbvie, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Linkedin, Navy Federal Credit Union, Nike, SentinelOne, Wayfair, Workday. Tier 3: Fortinet, Haystack Solutions, HERE Technologies, Home Depot, IBM, MITRE, Palo Alto Networks, SANS Institute, Smoothstack, Starbucks, Target. To partner, visit https://www.wicys.org/support/strategic-partnerships/.
Marketing and Brand Strategy Expert Joins Peer Sharing and Networking Franchise as Franchisee #3
ZorForum, a “first-of-its-kind” peer sharing and networking franchise connecting emerging franchisors with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to thrive, recently announced that Eric Mayers, a leading franchise marketing expert, consultant, and Fractional CMO with more than 15 years of experience, has been awarded their third franchise.
Though not a newcomer to marketing at the ripe old age of 38, Eric is relatively fresh to the franchising space. His first experience in franchising was as a franchisee with an emerging franchise brand that had some success. However, his franchisor ultimately succumbed to one of franchising’s dreaded blind spots, the kind that ZorForum helps its members avoid.
“To paraphrase a saying from one of my mentors, Willie Jolley, a setback isn’t a death sentence,” said Mayers. “A setback can be a setup for a comeback… it all depends on how you look at it. The world of Franchising is full of unknowns, blind spots, and proverbial landmines. I firmly believe that any Franchise Executive can benefit from the ability to tap into the collective knowledge, experiences, and new perspectives from peers who are also navigating their way to franchising success. ZorForum gives its members exactly that, access to the support, the accountability, and the community they’ll need to minimize the potential for failure and maximize the potential for franchising success.”
According to Stan Friedman, ZorForum Co-Founder and Managing Member, “Eric Mayers is the perfect fit as franchisee #3.”
“Eric has the empathy required to help others succeed and the passion to help others avoid some of the mistakes made by his previous franchisor,” said Friedman. “ZorForum is built to tap into the distinct advantages that diverse perspectives give and that goes for our Members and our Franchisees, more commonly known as ‘Moderators.’ It’s the job of a ZorForum Moderator to help facilitate the flow of the meeting so that it pulls the best out of everyone and maximizes the value for each of the members. I’ve personally seen Eric get the best out of Franchise Executives and have every confidence in his ability to do so for ZorForum members as well.”
With Mayers on board, Friedman, along with Dave Pazgan and Graham Chapman, his fellow ZorForum Co-Founders and Managing Members, believes that applications for franchises and peer group membership will continue to rise. The trio of founders expect to build on ZorForum’s successful launch by awarding several more franchises in Q4 and recruiting 200+ members by the end of 2021.
“There has been a steady stream of inquiries for the past couple of months as more and more people are hearing about ZorForum,” said Friedman. “I’m already speaking with dozens of emerging franchise leaders about becoming members, and many of my peers have expressed interest in moderating their own ZorForum groups. Collectively, we’re building a vibrant and inclusive community that fills a void for emerging franchisors, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
ZorForum was originally conceived in 2013 as a “meeting of the minds” executive group by a collection of emerging franchisors interested in helping one another. Dave Pazgan was part of that group. Today, Graham Chapman and Stan Friedman have joined Pazgan and morphed ZorForum into a network of peer groups custom-built for emerging franchisors. These groups, moderated by ZorForum franchisees, all industry pros themselves, will participate in monthly Forum style peer meetings that also feature networking opportunities for its members. Collectively, ZorForum will provide unparalleled access to the best practices and the brightest minds within the franchising space. Monthly virtual meetings will feature networking, deep dives, and guest speakers. Ongoing communications, and a growing library of cloud-based, intellectual capital, will be shared via a private platform.
ZorForum is currently offering franchise opportunities to industry veterans eager to lead their own ZorForum mastermind groups. Through expansive, but well-vetted, recruitment efforts, ZorForum plans to award multiple franchises to these passionate luminaries and grow their membership base to 200+ by January 2022.
DesignRush issued the third quarterly list of top app design and development companies that provide specialized services, including app design and development, iOS and Android development, app consulting and more.
In Q3 of 2021, users spent $34 billion on apps and games, which is a 20% increase year-over-year. As the demand continues to grow, an increasing number of businesses are looking to capitalize on this engaged market and get into the app business.
DesignRush, a B2B marketplace connecting brands with agencies, has released its third quarterly list of the top app design & development experts to work with in 2021.
These companies and agencies specialize in various technologies and services, including:
The top-ranking app design and development companies in the third quarter of 2021 are:
Aalpha Information Systems – aalpha.net
Applify Tech – applify.co
Beezer – beezer.com
Biz4Solutions – biz4solutions.com
Borne Agency – borneagency.com
Cloud Solutions – cloudsltns.com
Code Inspiration – codeinspiration.pro
CognitiveClouds – cognitiveclouds.com
Evolution Labs – theevolutionlabs.com
Exaud – exaud.com
GTM Plus – gtm-plus.com
Infosparkles IT Solutions – infosparkles.com
Inkyy – inkyy.com
KitelyTech – kitelytech.com
Lava X Technologies – lavax.co
MobMaxime – mobmaxime.com
On The Spot Development – onthespotdev.com
Rootstack – rootstack.com
SAM WEB STUDIO – samwebstudio.com
Skookum Films – skookum-films.com
Suria International Service – suriainternational.com
Tribe Global – tribeglobal.net
Uptech – uptech.team
ValueCoders – valuecoders.com
Brands can explore the top app design and development companies by location, size, average hourly rate and portfolio on DesignRush.
About DesignRush:
DesignRush.com is a B2B marketplace connecting brands with agencies through expert reviews and agency ranking lists, awards, knowledge resources and personalized agency recommendations for vetted projects.
NOT FOR PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, WITHIN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM, CANADA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG, NEW ZEALAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE CONTRAVENING TO ANY APPLICABLE RULES. ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ARE APPLICABLE, PLEASE SEE “IMPORTANT INFORMATION” IN THE END OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. Smart Eye Aktiebolag (publ) (“Smart Eye” or the “Company”) has today entered into an agreement with the shareholders of iMotions A/S (“iMotions”) to acquire 100 percent of the shares in iMotions (the “Acquisition”) for a consideration corresponding to an enterprise value of iMotions of SEK 400 million based on iMotions’ financial position as of 31 December 2020 (the “Consideration”), excluding a potential earn-out consideration of SEK 50 million. iMotions is a provider of multimodal software for human behavior research with offices in Copenhagen, Boston, Singapore and Berlin. Approximately SEK 200 million will be paid in 1,019,493 newly issued shares in Smart Eye (the “Consideration Shares”) and the remainder will be paid in cash. Smart Eye’s Board of Directors will resolve to issue the Consideration Shares based on an authorization expected to be resolved on by an extraordinary general meeting planned to be held on 12 November 2021 (the “EGM”). Smart Eye’s Board of Directors also intends to explore the conditions to carry out a new share issue of approximately SEK 200 million directed to Swedish and international institutional investors through an accelerated bookbuilding procedure conducted by Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ) (the “Directed Share Issue”).
The Acquisition in Brief
The Consideration for 100 percent of the shares in iMotions based on iMotions’ financial position as of 31 December 2020 corresponds to an enterprise value of iMotions of SEK 400 million.
Approximately SEK 200 million will be paid in 1,019,493 new Smart Eye shares, all of which are to be issued upon closing of the Acquisition.
The remaining consideration of approximately SEK 200 million will be paid in cash upon closing of the Acquisition.
Combining Smart Eye’s advanced eye tracking and emotion AI technologies with iMotions’ innovative, multiple-sensor data collection and analytics software to create a powerhouse in human behavioral research and analysis offering an end-to-end, multi-modal approach to analyzing complex human behaviors and delivering holistic human insights.
Incorporating iMotions’ software solution will enhance and future-proof Smart Eye’s offering in the automotive sector by providing a platform that combines multiple sensor modalities to offer better insights.
The Acquisition will also expand Smart Eye’s offering within Research Instruments into the multimodal research market.
iMotions’ revenue reached approximately SEK 95 million during the twelve-month period ending 30 September 2021, with gross and EBITDA margins of 71 and 11 percent, respectively[1].
Smart Eye’s Board of Directors intends to explore the conditions to carry out a new issue of shares in Smart Eye of approximately SEK 200 million through an accelerated bookbuilding procedure conducted by Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ), which intends to be directed to Swedish and international institutional investors.
The Directed Share Issue is intended to partly be based on the share issue authorization from the annual general meeting held on 14 April 2021, and partly by way of the Board of Directors resolving on the remainder of the shares to be issued following approval by the EGM expected to be held on 12 November 2021.
Mats and Martin Krantz as well as Anders and Linda Jöfelt, who together hold approximately 17 percent of the shares in Smart Eye have undertaken to vote in favor of the resolution to approve the part of the Directed Share Issue that is subject to the EGM’s approval at the EGM. In addition, large shareholders who jointly hold approximately 25 percent of the shares in Smart Eye have expressed their intention to vote in favor of the resolution at the EGM.
The final outcome of the Directed Share Issue will be announced before the commencement of trading on Nasdaq First North Growth Market on 27 October 2021.
Notice to the EGM, expected to be held on 12 November 2021, to authorize the Board Of Directors to resolve to issue the Consideration Shares to be paid on closing of the Acquisition will be published in a separate press release.
Closing of the Acquisition is expected to take place before the end of November 2021.
In the coming decade, we are going to see an expansion of human behavioral research utilizing multimodal approaches, and the addition of iMotions and its multi-sensor integration software gives us the tools to unlock increased value for Smart Eye’s customers, particularly in the automotive industry. The future is multimodal with technological advances likely to make it easier, faster and more cost-effective to understand what’s driving human behavior and decision making. With iMotions, we’re adding multimodal analysis software to our advanced eye tracking and facial expression analysis platform.
Martin Krantz, CEO and Founder of Smart Eye
Smart Eye and iMotions have shared visions for eye tracking and multimodal research for many years. In Smart Eye we have the ideal partner to further invest in the vision to accelerate human behavior insights, driving transformation that will fuel our customers’ successes across commercial industries, as well as for academic researchers. Together, we will work on long-term strategies that will benefit our partners and open the best opportunities for our employees. It’s going to be exciting to collaborate closer based on our shared values and culture.
Peter Hartzbech, CEO and Founder of iMotions
Background and Reasons
With its strong position in the field of Human Insight AI, Smart Eye will couple its advanced eye tracking and Emotion AI technologies with iMotions’ innovative, multiple-sensor data collection and analytics software to create a powerhouse in human behavioral research and analysis, an end-to-end, multimodal approach to analyzing complex human behaviors and delivering holistic human insights.
iMotions has more than 15 years of experience developing and delivering a solution that in real-time integrates data streams from more than 50 biosensors, as well as other explicit measures, into a single research platform that provides a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of human behavior.
With iMotions, research teams are able to expand beyond single technology analysis and streamline data from multiple modalities such as eye-tracking, facial expression analysis, sweat gland activity, brain activity, heart rate, field surveys, focus groups and more. Integration with Smart Eye’s eye-tracking and facial expression analysis will power iMotions’ product innovation that makes nonconscious human behavioral research more accessible, scalable, and insightful.
Incorporating iMotions’ software solution will enhance and future-proof Smart Eye’s offering in the automotive sector by providing a platform that combines multiple sensor modalities to offer better insights. In the evolving Interior Sensing market, cameras and sensors are turned inward to understand what is happening inside a vehicle, where advanced AI, computer vision and other sensing modalities are applied to measure the state of the driver, the cabin and its occupants. To further understand what is happening in a vehicle, and specifically to understand complex human behavior in challenging environments, a multimodal approach will be required, synchronizing high-quality multiple sensor data and providing integrated analytics for holistic insights. The acquisition of iMotions, and integration of iMotions’ technology into Smart Eye’s Interior Sensing solution, will improve the ability to understand what is happening inside a vehicle and translate data into actionable insights.
iMotions brings more than 1,300 customers worldwide across academia and commercial verticals, including 55 of the World’s Top 100 universities, according to QS World University Ranking. For iMotions, Smart Eye provides an entry point into Asia-Pacific markets. Following the Acquisition, iMotions will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Smart Eye and continue to be independently operated.
Consideration
The Consideration for 100 percent of the shares in iMotions corresponds to an enterprise value of iMotions of SEK 400 million, based on iMotions’ financial position as of 31 December 2020. The Consideration consists of the Consideration Shares and a cash payment.
The value of the Consideration Shares amounts to approximately SEK 200 million. The price per Consideration Share is based on Smart Eye’s volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) on Nasdaq First North Growth Market for the trading days since 9 August 2021 excluding today’s trading, equal to SEK 197.3931 per share.
The Consideration Shares is planned to be paid through an initial issuance of 1,019,493 shares upon closing of the Acquisition. A maximum of SEK 50m in earn-out cash consideration dependent on iMotions meeting pre-determined targets on gross profit and EBITDA before capitalization of development costs for 2021 and 2022. Up to 25 percent of the earn-out cash consideration is dependent on meeting the 2021 targets and up to 75 percent of the earn-out cash consideration is dependent on meeting the 2022 targets.
The issue of the Consideration Shares is subject to the EGM granting the Board of Directors an issue authorization to issue the Consideration Shares and the Board of Directors utilizing such authorization. The notice to the EGM will be announced in separate press release and is expected to be held on 12 November 2021.
The Directed Share Issue
To fund the cash component of the Consideration, Smart Eye’s Board of Directors intends to explore the conditions to carry out a directed new share issue of approximately SEK 200 million. The Directed Share issue is intended to partly be based on the share issue authorization from the annual general meeting held on 14 April 2021, and partly by way of the Board of Directors resolving on the remainder of the shares to be issued following approval by the EGM expected to be held on 12 November 2021.
The Directed Share Issue will be carried out through an accelerated bookbuilding procedure conducted by Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ). The bookbuilding procedure will commence immediately following the announcement of this press release. Pricing and allocation of the new shares are expected to take place before the trading on Nasdaq First North Growth Market commences at 09:00 CEST on 27 October 2021. The timing of the closing of the bookbuilding procedure, the pricing and the allocation of shares are at the discretion of the Company. The Company may also at any time decide to suspend, shorten or extend as well as to refrain in whole or in part from carrying out the Directed Share Issue. The Company will announce the outcome of the Directed Share Issue in a press release after the closing of the bookbuilding procedure.
The reasons for deviating from the shareholders’ preferential right are to, in a time- and cost-effective manner raise necessary capital to carry out the acquisition of iMotions. Thus, Smart Eye’s Board of Directors assess that the reason to carry out the Directed Share issue with deviation from the shareholders’ preferential rights overweighs the principal rule that new share issues shall be carried out with preferential rights for existing shareholders and that a share issue with deviation from the shareholders’ preferential rights is most favorable for Smart Eye and its shareholders. As the subscription price in the Directed Share Issue will be determined through a bookbuilding procedure, it is the Board of Directors’ assessment that the subscription price will reflect current market conditions and demand.
Lock-up
In connection with the Directed Share Issue, the Company’s CEO and Founder, Martin Krantz, Board Member and Founder, Mats Krantz, and Chairman of the Board, Anders Jöfelt, have entered into a 720 days lock-up for 50 percent of their holdings in Smart Eye and 360 days lock-up for 50 percent of their holdings after the settlement date of the Directed Share Issue. The Company’s CFO, Anders Lyrheden, CTO, Martin Rydberg, and the other members of the Board of Directors have entered into 180 days lock-up after the settlement date of the Directed Share Issue. Furthermore, the Company has agreed to a commitment, with customary exceptions, not to carry out any additional issuances for a period of 180 calendar days after the settlement date of the Directed Share Issue.
The selling shareholders of iMotions have agreed to lock-up undertakings of 12 months for 50 percent of the Consideration Shares and 24 months for 50 percent of the Consideration Shares.
Advisers
Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ) is acting as financial adviser to Smart Eye in relation to the Acquisition and Sole Global Coordinator and Bookrunner in the Directed Share Issue. Advokatfirman Vinge is acting as legal advisers to Smart Eye. Deloitte has acted as due diligence adviser to Smart Eye in relation to the Acquisition.
For further information, please contact Martin Krantz, CEO Smart Eye Aktiebolag Phone: +46 70-329 26 98 Email: martin.krantz@smarteye.se
About Smart Eye Smart Eye is the global leader in Human Insight AI, technology that understands, supports and predicts human behavior in complex environments. We bridge the gap between humans and machines for a safe and sustainable future. Today, our technology is embedded in next-generation vehicles, leading the way towards human-centric mobility through Driver Monitoring Systems and Interior Sensing solutions. Our Research Instruments offer unparalleled insights into Automotive, Aviation & Aerospace, Assistive Technology, Media & Marketing, Psychology and many more fields. Our subsidiary Affectiva is pioneering Emotion AI, connecting machine logic with human empathy to gain a deeper understanding of how consumers engage with content and products. Smart Eye was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Sweden with offices in the US, UK, Germany, Egypt, Japan and China. A publicly traded company since 2016, our customers include NASA, Nissan, Boeing, Honeywell, Volvo, GM, BMW, Geely, Harvard University, 70% of the world’s largest advertisers and 28% of the Fortune Global 500 companies. Visit www.smarteye.ai for more information.
Smart Eye is listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Erik Penser is Certified Adviser and can be reached at +46-8-463 8000 or certifieradviser@penser.se.
About iMotions Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Copenhagen with offices in Boston, Singapore and Berlin, iMotions has successfully developed the world’s leading human behavior software solution. The software combines data from +50 sensors – eye tracking, facial expressions, sweat gland activity, brain activity and more – in one easy-to-use software that uniquely and in real-time tracks, aggregates and analyses nonconscious emotional, cognitive and behavioral data providing research teams a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of human behaviors. More than 1,300 organizations around the world – from leading academic institutions to global brands to highly respected healthcare organizations – use iMotions. Customers include worldwide top tier universities, corporations, agencies, government, and military customer segments. iMotions successfully developed the multimodal research market from the eye tracking research market and is today a global SaaS company and leader in the early-stage niche market for multimodal software for human behavior research as well as a knowledge intensive organization with in-depth neuroscience expertise as part of the global organization. For more information, visit iMotions.com.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This announcement is not and does not form a part of any offer for sale of securities. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful or would require registration or other measures.
The securities referred to in this announcement have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and accordingly may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in accordance with applicable U.S. state securities laws. The Company does not intend to register any securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States.
This announcement and this offering are only addressed to and directed at persons in member states of the European Economic Area, except for Sweden, (a “Relevant State”) who are “Qualified Investors” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, Qualified Investors. This announcement should not be acted upon or relied upon in any Relevant State by persons who are not Qualified Investors. For the purposes of this provision the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
In the United Kingdom, this document and any other materials in relation to the securities described herein is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, and any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to, and will be engaged in only with, qualified investors (as defined in the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of domestic law in the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018) and who are (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”) or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom this announcement may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “Relevant Persons”). This communication must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. Persons distributing this communication must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so.
Forward looking-statements
Matters discussed in this announcement may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intends,” “estimate,” “will,” “may,” “continue”, “should” and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this release by such forward-looking statements. The information, opinions and forward-looking statements contained in this announcement speak only as at its date, and are subject to change without notice.
Information to distributors
Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended (“MiFID II”); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the “MiFID II Product Governance Requirements”), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any “manufacturer” (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the shares in Smart Eye have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that such shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the “Target Market Assessment”).
Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, Distributors should note that: the price of the shares in Smart Eye may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the shares in Smart Eye offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the shares in Smart Eye is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Directed Share Issue.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the shares in Smart Eye.
Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the shares in Smart Eye and determining appropriate distribution channels.
[1] Based on iMotions’ internal consolidated financial statements for the period.
This information is information that Smart Eye is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 2021-10-26 17:35 CEST.
What is SD-WAN – a definition. SD-WAN (software defined WAN) is an innovation based upon the more comprehensive concept of SDN (software defined networking).
What is SD-WAN – a definition
SD-WAN (software defined WAN) is an innovation based upon the more comprehensive concept of SDN (software defined networking). It enables companies as well as enterprises to set up plans to disperse the network web traffic. The central site of any SD-WAN service has complete control of its sites or workplaces as well as the website traffic which runs via the network, using a Controller. This network Controller is also capable of initiating edge devices on the websites or offices to be set up with zero touch provisioning. One more big benefit that SD-WAN provides is the option to produce an online overlay of the transportation network that is in charge of carrying the website’s traffic data.
What are SD-WAN’s origins
Early in the 2000’s MPLS gradually ended up being the network technology utilized by companies and big enterprises because it was a network supplied by the network providers that offered vital benefits. As the end of the initial decade approached, these exact same big businesses and companies wanted and also required to alter their typical MPLS facilities for numerous reasons. Internet lines (specifically xDSL lines) are becoming more trustworthy as well as they can definitely defeat MPLS on the continually increasing data transfer needs, implementation time as well as cost. Organizations started to examine the options of using normal Internet lines, but they still were to develop adequately to be able to facilitate moving from the currently used MPLS lines to normal Internet connections. That’s when the bases of SD-WAN were set.
A quick introduction into the origins of SD-WAN
As became clear that standard venture networks (MPLS, …) were not likely to be completely valid in the near future, study and also examinations started in finding means to changing the network to be adjusted to the businesses and large organization’s interaction needs. Among these research studies was the project named “clean slate” that had been developed at Stanford University. At the end, the specialists of the Stanford University concluded that the network requires to be dedicated to transferring data, whilst the network management to be controlled centrally from a central site.
With the approach of separating completely data and control layers, the Stanford University researcher’s design of a new technology paradigm grew into what was later to end up being the base today’s SD-WAN technology. As soon as the project investigations reached this conclusion, it became obvious that SD-WAN was the future for modern network configurations that large enterprises and companies would be implementing.
Cybersecurity, an important aspect of SD-WAN
Due to the fact that many of the SD-WAN implementations make use of open public networks on the Internet, security within SD-WAN is of crucial significance. The need is clear that websites require take care of vital business information, commonly handled by cloud applications and similar web solutions, internet surfing, as well as providing the accessibility of site visitors to the network, with their website traffic originating from diverse sources on the web or in the cloud. Furthermore, one of the fundamental of SD-WAN is that we know that there is a need for two basic levels: the network control level as well as information level and both require to be secured.
Some SD-WAN suppliers have a safety and security option that integrates, device protection overlay safety protection and cloud security.
First of all, there is the device protection, based on a Level 7 firewall program with LAN as well as WAN encapsulation using VRFs. There is the overlay safety level that covers data and verification and integrity, as well as data confidentiality that are handled through IPSEC as well as sectors isolating various network zones and domains, supplying central means for defining end-to-end subdivisions in the SD-WAN implementation.
Now, the Cloud protection is divided into 3 sections. There are affordable offerings, utilizing the most effective protection options to deal with numerous malware threats. These services use malware defense, web filtering as well as network analytics, CPE agnostics, cybersecurity policy configuration, all based upon DNS resolution.
Additionally it provides for a sophisticated protection options that offer extra safety procedures for SD-WAN solutions, acting as a NGFW. Specifically important for systems that allow public cloud access for remote offices and branches. This supplies central services with IDS/IPS capacity, sandboxing, antispam, antivirus, and so on, based upon a modern Check Point technology and is totally integrated within the network administration portal.
In addition, this SD-WAN implementation utilizes its advanced Network Traffic Analytics software with and expert level system for security. This provides an affordable and also unique service for SD-WAN safety and security, enabling an advanced system to find and also avoid safety dangers proactively.
