Monthly Archives: April 2023

E-Commerce, Fashion, News

British designer Paul Smith fashions increased revenue and conversions with Klevu and Limesharp

Luxury brand and designer, Paul Smith, has refreshed its digital commerce experience, improving online conversions and boosting revenue through its partnership with Klevu and Limesharp.

For over 50 years, Paul Smith has celebrated independent design, championing positivity, curiosity and creativity. What began in a small, 3 x 3 metre shop in Nottingham, England, has grown to 130 shops and counting around the world, with locations in over 60 countries. Remaining true to the legacy of the brand, Paul Smith ecompasses fashion, art, and fun, placing customer experience at the centre of everything it does.

However, its legacy platform meant Paul Smith couldn’t provide the digital experience that truly represented the brand. “As a fashion brand with fantastic shops, each very unique and well designed, I was frustrated at our fixed/limited monolith front end – the website you visited didn’t represent our infamous Pink Wall shop in LA, or our flagship in Ginza or Paul’s local Albemarle in Mayfair. I wanted the website to be a Digital Flagship that was fast, designed for us and our product and customers, so we could always be best in practice, not hindered by technology” said Hannah Bennett, Head of Digital at Paul Smith.

The brand began the process by installing Klevu on the existing monolithic frontend, before the larger replatforming project started. This allowed Paul Smith to lean on Klevu AI to maximise conversion and revenue during the transformation.

Integrating Klevu search, and category merchandising software from the product discovery platform has enabled Paul Smith to serve up more accurate results to shoppers faster than ever before. In just an 8-week period, Paul Smith saw revenue from search up by 74%, ecommerce conversion rate up by 31% and per session value up by 26%. Klevu AI automatically provides insights into real-time shopper behaviour, which in turn amends the order of the products and content to maximise conversions and revenue.

 

Bennett continued: “A lot of other companies we have either used or considered for merchandising were too singing and dancing. We were given all these options, and the reality is we’re a brand. We need to be telling customers what’s hot right now, and what they should be looking at. So we wanted something that we could plug in and just leave to tick over, like Klevu. Now, we will pin key products that we feel need to be highlighted, or easily switch product ordering to favour high stock items when we are in sale mode. Other than that we let Klevu AI run in the background and it works.”

 

Klevu’s category merchandising solution has seen conversion rates increase by 34%, per session value boosted by 20% for men’s category pages and conversion rates up 49%, whilst per session value has increased 15% on women’s category pages.

 

Alongside Klevu, Limesharp was chosen to rebuild Paul Smith’s ecommerce platform on a composable ecommerce architecture to suit the needs of the business.

Ed Bull, founder of Limesharp said: “Through our discovery process with Paul Smith we found brand content that was tucked away in the blog containing incredible product information. This was particularly prevalent with the many collaborations that took place over the 50 years of Paul Smith. This formed part of our objectives…how can we bring that rich content to shoppers focussed on product discovery? When you search for a collaboration on the site now, like Manchester United or Cycling, the stories are showcased with the product which is really powerful.”

The design agency utilised Klevu’s solutions to allow Paul Smith to visually show relevant stories, relating to products, for the curious customer. The headless technology approach means that Limesharp could create a very unique design, leaning on Klevu’s API’s to fetch the data needed.

 

Nilay Oza, CEO and Co-Founder at Klevu, commented: “The Paul Smith team has learned to trust Klevu AI to deliver the right product and content results to shoppers, manually merchandising as lightly as possible. This balance of AI automation and strategic control through the easy-to-use admin panel has empowered Paul Smith’s ecommerce team  to be efficient and high-performing – resulting in higher conversion rates, greater sales figures, and improved customer satisfaction. I can say on behalf of the entire Klevu team, we are overjoyed with the results that Paul Smith has seen. We’re honoured to be working with such an iconic brand.”

Awards, Finance and Banking, News

CISI awards five new Honorary Fellowships for individual contributions to the financial services profession and to CISI

The Board of the CISI is pleased to announce that five new CISI Honorary Fellowships have been recently awarded to:

  • Fionnuala Carvill, Chartered FCSI(Hon), FCIB FCIS
  • Nick Swales, DL, Chartered FCSI(Hon)
  • David Kane, FCSI(Hon)
  • Dr Robert Barnes, Chartered FCSI(Hon)
  • Vivienne Artz OBE, FCSI(Hon)

Honorary Fellowships are awarded annually by the CISI’s Board of Trustees to those who have made an outstanding positive contribution, both to the financial services profession and to the CISI. Honorary Fellowship carries the designatory letters FCSI(Hon).

CISI Chairman, Michael Cole-Fontayn, said “The CISI Board and I are delighted this year to award our highest accolade, Honorary Fellowship, to these five accomplished financial community professionals.

“They are exemplary role models for the next generation of professionals, having shown dedication to both our profession and commitment to life-long learning. It is a pleasure to recognise their outstanding contribution to both the CISI and to the financial services professional globally. We look forward to their continued guidance and inspiration over the coming years.”

 

Fionnuala Carvill, Chartered FCSI(Hon), FCIB FCIS (pictured above)

Fionnuala has been a Director of the CISI from 2010 – 2022 and is a Founding Trustee of the Future Foundation. She is also a Past President, and committee member, of the Institute’s Guernsey Branch. Fionnuala is a Non-Executive Director of Investec Bank (Channel Islands) Limited and Princess Private Equity Holding, an investment company listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. Previous positions held include Head of Private Wealth Management at Kleinwort Benson Guernsey, Commission Secretary and Head of Innovation at the Guernsey Financial Services Commission and Director of Rothschild Bank (CI). She is a Past President of Women in Professions; a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers and was granted Freedom of the City of London in 2007. In 2009 Fionnuala spent five months in China as a volunteer with VSO where she was an Organisational Development Adviser.

 

Nick Swales, DL, Chartered FCSI(Hon)

Nick was a Director of the CISI from 2009 – 2021 and is the Founding Chair of the Future Foundation. Nick is Regional Director North East at Rathbone Investment Management. He started his career at Wise Speke then spent four years at Merrill Lynch before opening the Laing & Cruikshank office in Newcastle, which was acquired by UBS in 2004. At UBS, Nick became an executive director and head of the Newcastle office. Nick has significant experience in managing private client, trust, offshore, pension fund and charity portfolios. Nick is immediate past chair of the Percy Hedley Foundation, a large charity in the North East of England providing educational, vocational and residential care opportunities for disabled people; a trustee of both the Newcastle University Retirement Benefit Fund and the University’s Development Trust; and was commissioned as a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Tyne & Wear in 2020. He is also Chair of Newcastle Theatre Royal.

 

David Kane, FCSI(Hon)

David was a director of the CISI from 2009-2018. He brought to CISI more than 28 years’ experience at J.P. Morgan, where his roles included Chief Operating Officer of Global Custody Securities Servicing for Investor Services. This role involved managing 2,000 global staff across multiple locations in North America, Europe and Asia. Additionally, from 2012 to 2015, he was the Chief Executive Officer of JP Morgan’s Global Trust & Fiduciary business, providing trustee services to large scale global asset managers, specialist investment trusts, alternative fund managers and their boards generating very substantial annual fee income. During his career he has been chair and active participant in many strategic oversight and corporate governance forums.

Dr Robert Barnes, Chartered FCSI(Hon)

Robert was a director of the CISI from 2010-2016. He became CEO of Turquoise Global Holdings, LSEG’s pan-European  MTF in 2013, a role he now combines with that of Global Head of Securities Trading at the group. Dr Barnes has extensive industry experience and market knowledge, having formerly been CEO of UBS MTF and a Managing Director, Equities, at UBS. He is a well-regarded industry expert on market structures. He has participated in a wide range of key advisory and policy groups across the financial services sector and has been a wholehearted and enthusiastic supporter of the CISI and its work across these many fora, across many geographies, for many years. Robert has a BA in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard, and a PhD in Biotechnology from Cambridge.

Vivienne Artz OBE, FCSI(Hon)

Vivienne is a strategic leader, advocate and expert on data and privacy global issues, focused on practical and innovative outcomes, with a particular diversity and inclusion focus. She is on the Advisory Board of Women in Banking and Finance, having been its President and CEO from 2017-2020. She is on the boards of a wide range of organisations in finance and academia, perhaps most notably for CISI as Chair of the Data Committee at the International Regulatory Strategy Group (irsg.co.uk), a joint venture between TheCityUK and City of London Corporation.

Her committee brings together representatives from financial services firms, trade associations, the legal profession and data providers in order to ensure a competitive UK data regime post-Brexit. To achieve this, it is tasked with tracking and responding to developments in UK, Member State and EU data policies, regularly highlighting the need for consistency with international laws. With its cross-sectoral structure, the committee is well placed to engage with HMG officials.

Previously, Vivienne was a Managing Director and Chief Privacy Officer at the London Stock Exchange Group, Refinitiv and Thomson Reuters, leading the Privacy Office and overseeing global privacy strategy and practice across 190 countries. She was also a Managing Director and Global Head of Privacy Legal & Head of International for the Intellectual Property and Technology Law Group at Citi. Before moving to Citi in 2000, Vivienne practised as a solicitor in London, focusing on technology, privacy and commercial matters in three City law firms.

 

About the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI)           

CISI’s purpose is to champion lifelong learning and integrity, raising individual standards of knowledge, skills and behaviour globally to enhance public trust and confidence in financial services.

The CISI’s mission is to help members attain, maintain and develop their knowledge and skills and to promote the highest standards of ethics and integrity in the securities and investment profession.

Based in the City of London, with origins in the London Stock Exchange, the CISI is a global organisation with representative offices in financial centres such as Barcelona, Colombo, Dubai, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Manila, Mumbai, Nairobi and Qingdao.

CISI qualifications are recognized in over 70 jurisdictions, with over 35,000 examinations sat in 81 countries in the last twelve months. With 45,000 members in over 100 countries, the CISI is the professional body which sets examinations and offers qualifications for those working in, or looking to establish a career in, the financial planning, wealth management and capital markets professions.

 

 

News

Therapist enjoys great start in business thanks to Latvian monk and life-changing U-turn

A HOLISTIC therapist and coach had a great start to life in business after rising from ‘rock bottom’ to launch her own wellness hub.

Based on Wellington Road in Rhyl, Becoming the Great is working with organisations across the country to heal those in need of support, including veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and people suffering panic attacks, anxiety, and negative beliefs.

As well hosting workshops and one-to-one sessions, Helen – who herself fought back from depression and addiction with the help of her cousin, a Latvian monk – specialises in breakthrough coaching, while also selling crystals and self-care items.

A fully qualified practitioner in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Reiki, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Tapping and EFT Matrix, she is delighted with the response from clients across North Wales and beyond.

Originally from Liverpool and now living in Prestatyn with her partner Wez, she said: “The last six months has been an absolute whirlwind of coaching and holistic therapy sessions, meetings, networking and forging new relationships with organisations in so many different areas, from mental health support to veterans’ groups and the small business community.

“The feedback I’ve had has been so warm that I’m already looking to get to that next level, and I’m heartened to have received grant funding from Welsh Government to open my own premises and deliver care and coaching support to those who need it most.”

She added: “The majority of clients made contact initially because my story resonated with them, both men and women who have been in toxic relationships, subjected to abuse and hit rock bottom.

“To be able to turn the darkest of times into a positive quickly made me realise I had made the right decision in going it alone.”

Growing up in a tough area with dyslexia and anxiety made for a tough start to life for Helen, but after feeling lost and living alone pre-pandemic a visit to her cousin in Latvia turned things around.

“He was empathetic and told me I was going to be a healer, which I thought was impossible at the time as I felt so little self-esteem, I had no confidence,” she said.

“So, I began to learn, to research and open my eyes to what’s out there, notably the impact EFT Tapping (a combination of ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology known as energy psychology) and EFT Matrix can have almost immediately.

“The people who have come to see me here in Rhyl – and when I have been out and about or working in collaboration with services and businesses that complement what I do – have felt the effects and it has made a difference.

“Now I have to cast the net wider, I want to help even more people in larger organisations and businesses; there is an appetite out there to support people given everything they’ve been through during the pandemic – remote working, isolation, lockdown – and I can provide answers and solutions to a lot of questions they may have.”

Helen added: “The first six months in business has allowed me to lay the foundations to deliver that care and arm clients and bigger corporations with the tools to bounce back from the challenges of the last few years, to look to the future and, most importantly, put their health and wellbeing first.”

For more information, visit www.becomingthegreat.com or email becomingthegreat@gmail.com. Follow them on social media at @becomingthegreatcoaching.

Entertainment

How the mobile slots industry continues to boom

Mobile devices have contributed to the meteoric growth of the online gambling industry. At the time the first smartphones and tablets came along, Internet gambling was growing at a very slow pace. The arrival of handheld devices paved the way to new gambling revenues and punters embraced them wholeheartedly. They continue to rank high in the preferences of modern gamblers, with a significant percentage of new players choosing mobile sports betting, casino games, and bingo.

Video slots are ideal for mobile gaming

Smartphones and tablets are powerful enough to run any games glitch-free. These provide software developers with the impetus to create ever more complex games for handheld gadgets. Players can enjoy live dealer table games, bingo, and even play poker against their peers wherever they may roam. However, a significant percentage of those who choose online casinos prefer to spin the reels of slots. This genre is the most popular at casinos overall but seems to be perfect for the smaller displays of phones and tablets.

Software developers have created games that look great on mobile and require minimal resources to run smoothly. The beauty of spinning the reels of slots on real money is that you are protected from the risks of failed Internet connections. If you get disconnected while you bet real currency, there is nothing to worry about. The game will resume the moment your connection is restored, so you don’t risk losing anything. If players happen to hit a big win and even a progressive jackpot, it will be also credited to them promptly.

Online casinos reward their players

One of the reasons why punters chose online casinos over their land-based counterparts was convenience according to data by JeffBet.com poll data. When you can simply launch the game from home and play the same exciting slots as in a brick-and-mortar casino, traveling becomes a nuisance. Especially during these trying times when various restrictions have prevented players from moving around, online casinos have gained a lot of traction.

Mobile slots take it to the next level, as you can launch the games from wherever you are, as long as you have an Internet connection. In fact, many gaming operators provide punters with the chance to download an app and install it on their devices. Since many of the games are available for free, you don’t even need to be connected to the Internet. You can simply spin the reels of slots using virtual currency and play for fun without using your data plan or Wi-Fi.

It’s important to highlight the fact that online casinos offer bonuses that encourage players to sign up. From deposit offers to reload bonuses and free spins, these can be used to gamble for free while winning real money. Mobile gambling is encouraged and some casinos offer free spins to punters who agree to try their slots on mobile. There are even games developed exclusively for smartphones and tablets, so there’s an abundance of reasons why the mobile slots industry continues to boom.

 

Logistics, Logistics Tech, Technology, Telematics

Role Of Telematics In Running An Efficient Fleet Management Company

Telematics systems are typically used to provide vehicle monitoring and communication services by corporations or service providers in the automotive or fleet management industries. Vehicle Telematics is what allows for real-time vehicle monitoring. A characteristic attributed to transforming the transportation business by making operations more transparent and technologically advanced.

The system entails supervising and managing fleets to guarantee that operations run smoothly. Driver monitoring, vehicle maintenance, route planning, and fuel usage analysis are all examples of fleet management duties.

On a lesser scale, this may be done by a small team. Yet, when operations expand, businesses use fleet management software or telematics solutions to save operating expenses.

Read on to learn more about telematics and how it helps run an efficient fleet management company.

Why is Telematics System Needed Today?

Telematics has carved out an important place for itself in a variety of sectors and businesses. Certain companies would not exist without an effective telematics system, whether it be ride-sharing applications, public transportation, or, to a lesser extent, logistics and fleet management services. 

To grasp the significance of telematics, one must first understand the questions that telematics answers. The response varies according to the industry and service.

What Exactly are telematics systems?

Telematics is the transmission of data over great distances. It brings together two scientific fields: telecommunications and informatics.

Telematics systems (also known as fleet telematics) use GPS technology, sensors, and onboard diagnostic codes to collect data. This data includes engine diagnostics in real-time, car location, driver behavior, and vehicle activity. A telematics system typically includes the following elements:

  1. Software system for fleet communication
  2. GPS tracking system
  3. Interface with the engine
  4. Interface for input/output
  5. SIM card
  6. Accelerometer
  7. Buzzer

How Does Telematics Systems Work?

A telematics system sends, receives, and stores telemetry data via the vehicle’s GPS tracking device. Using a SIM card, the gadget connects to the onboard diagnostics (OBD-II) port or CAN bus port. It also communicates with the company’s central server over a wireless network using an inbuilt modem.

The telematics system gathers GPS and vehicle-specific data, which it communicates to the central server through various ways (cellular network, satellite communication, 4G mobile data, General Packet Radio Service). The server analyses the data and displays the results to end users via a secure website or mobile app.

The telematics system collects the following data about the fleet vehicle;

  • Rapid acceleration and speed
  • Usage 
  • Fuel consumption 
  • Maintenance issues 
  • Harsh driving incidents 
  • Idling time 

With this data fleet managers can create reports on specific drivers and vehicles as well as the entire fleet.

What are the Applications of Telematics for Fleet Management?

Telematics systems can be used for various purposes in fleet management. Listed below are some of the applications of telematics:

  • Driver and vehicle tracking 
  • Management of fuel
  • Safety and Compliance 
  • Route planning and optimization 

What Is the Role of Telematics in Running an Efficient Fleet Management Company?

Fleet telematics solutions improve overall performance and operational flow efficiency. Here are some concrete benefits that fleet management businesses get from using telematics:

1. Vehicle performance can be optimized with telematics 

Telematics fleet services enable managers to monitor all aspects of their fleet and prioritize and allocate resources depending on performance. Each vehicle’s sensors capture data on vehicle speed and condition, which is subsequently used during maintenance. This proactive measure guarantees that each vehicle is always utilized appropriately and in excellent shape. Excessive idling is also detected by the sensors.

2. Telematics helps to collect real-time vehicle data

Telematics tracking gives near-real-time information on vehicle positions, regardless of how many vehicles are on the road. This greatly expands the scope of remote control, allowing fleet managers to detect problematic routes, issue directions, and confirm that the vehicle has fulfilled its assigned mission. Because all data is kept on a tracking server, authorized users may view the vehicle’s history as well as its current location.

3. Telematics helps gather predictive insights 

Unforeseen catastrophes can be devastating to a business and drive up costs, but predictive analytics can help ease the damage or prevent it entirely. These insights are produced from real-time sensor data and contextual data that telematics fleet software can access. This capacity to track and keep up with maintenance can help to decrease downtime and maintenance expenses in the long term.

4. Increase productivity with telematics

Another important role of fleet telematics is that it makes individual driver performance transparent and shows where they offer the most value. As a result, the staff is more productive and efficient. It also provides high-quality customer service and helps fleet managers to monitor driver health and concerns.

5. Telematics help improve driver safety 

Fleet telematics systems are useful in monitoring and preventing harmful driver safety concerns such as severe turning, speeding, sudden acceleration, and seatbelt usage. They accomplish this by making individual drivers more visible and accountable, as well as ensuring two-way communication to assure safety during the voyage.

6. Operational cost is significantly reduced with telematics 

Operational costs tend to accumulate as a result of tiny, unexpected purchases or repairs. Fleet managers may decrease expenses by tracking every transaction and determining where the budget is going. Fleet managers can also guarantee that resources are appropriately deployed and that preventive maintenance is performed to avoid unexpected costs in the future.

7. Telematics helps to improve business communication 

Since all collected data is stored on a centralized server, corporate stakeholders are more likely to be on the same page. Telematics also makes communicating between drivers and managers, drivers, and managers and teams easier. This multi-level communication flow assures that there are no misunderstandings.

8. Fuel cost is reduced with the help of telematics 

Fuel usage may add up quickly for a corporation that operates fleets, but telematics solutions can substantially minimize those expenditures. Speed, idling maintenance, and route selection all have a direct influence on fuel consumption; the data acquired from cars may be utilized to enhance performance and, as a result, cut fuel expenditures. It may also identify regions of excessive fuel usage and patterns across vehicle kinds, routes, and even individuals.

Conclusion 

Choosing the correct telematics solution provider is critical for a smart fleet-operating firm since telematics management solutions improve fleet efficiency and automate operations, freeing up human resources. With the above-mentioned points, one can understand the role of telematics in running an efficient fleet management company. In the long term, they minimize operational expenses while maximizing the usage and life of current machinery, transforming the unit into a progress-driven one.

Healthcare Tech, News, Technology

AmericanPharma Technologies Partners with Eseye to Deliver Global PharmaWatch™ Healthcare Cold Chain Monitoring Solution

IoT-based, cellular-connected monitoring system helps safeguard human tissues, vaccines, and medicines across pharmaceutical and healthcare environments 

Eseye, a pioneer of leading-edge cellular IoT connectivity solutions, today announced an innovative partnership with AmericanPharma Technologies, a leading provider of pharmaceutical and healthcare environment monitoring solutions. The partnership will further improve the reliability and resilience of AmericanPharma’s already robust PharmaWatch system and help drive its international expansion.

PharmaWatch, an IoT-based System-as-a-Service software solution, helps customers maintain safe, regulatory-compliant standards for the storage of human tissue, vaccines, and medicine by monitoring critical parameters such as temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, and differential pressure. The system provides real-time notifications, compliance reporting, and business intelligence through a website and mobile app, ensuring organisations are prepared for regulatory audits and improving their operations. However, during early deployments AmericanPharma found that relying on its customers’ Wi-Fi networks created risk of connectivity issues and data loss.

Seeking to address these challenges, AmericanPharma developed a first-generation cellular system, which resolved some Wi-Fi issues, but was limited to just one US network. This caused an increase in time spent fixing issues. By installing Eseye’s multi-network AnyNet+ eSIMs into its devices, AmericanPharma was able to guarantee reliable cellular connectivity in early device deployments.

 

Maintaining 99.6% connectivity – a mission-critical requirement

Since working with Eseye, AmericanPharma has recorded a staggering 87.5% improvement in connectivity performance. PharmaWatch device estates now operate with 99.6% connectivity – a mission-critical requirement to ensure medicines, human tissues, and embryos are stored and preserved at a low, stable temperature.

PharmaWatch was one of the first products to use Eseye’s latest AnyNet SMARTconnect™ intelligent connectivity optimisation software, which launched earlier this year. The solution embeds intelligent, global IoT connectivity directly into any device to provide dynamic optimisation of the connection, enabling organisations to get to market faster and focus on creating value for their customers.

AnyNet SMARTconnect™ boosts resilience, enabling devices to remain connected and optimised as connectivity requirements and technologies evolve over time. This guarantees operation over cellular networks at a high level and unlocks connectivity opportunities to support deployments beyond the U.S.

 

Recovering connectivity in 30 to 90 minutes during network outage

This proved extremely valuable during the Rogers Communication network outage in July 2022. While wireless connectivity remained active, the end-to-end data path was down. As a result, most IoT devices across a large area of Canada were offline for a full 19 hours. For PharmaWatch, all devices that had Eseye’s AnyNet SMARTconnect™ and AnyNet+ eSIM embedded were able to recover connectivity within 30 to 90 minutes, by redirecting traffic over the TELUS network. This resulted in minimum service downtime and disruption for customers: for example, allowing Canadian IVF clinics to ensure embryos were kept safe and protected throughout.

 

Casey Harris, Chief Technology Officer at PharmaWatch, comments, “Eseye’s solution has made our PharmaWatch system orders of magnitude more reliable than Wi-Fi or our previous cellular-based solution. We’re in the 99.6% connectivity uptime range right now. It’s as good or better than what we expected; and it’s getting better every day. It’s now easier to sell, install, support, and scale up. We offer the most reliable monitoring solution for our market, which requires resilient connectivity. Eseye was a perfect match for our values and aligned with our aim to deliver mission critical service levels to customers.”

 

Transforming healthcare cold chain monitoring

With Eseye’s innovative IoT connectivity solution, AmericanPharma Technologies is poised to transform healthcare cold chain management on a global scale, ensuring pharmaceutical and healthcare organisations maintain safe and compliant environments for the well-being of patients and practitioners alike.

 

Commenting on the partnership, Nick Earle, CEO of Eseye, says: “AmericanPharma has witnessed the revolutionary impact of AnyNet SMARTconnect™ on global IoT deployments first hand. We strongly believe the device is critical to optimise connectivity and our global IoT connectivity switching intelligence and logic has already proven its value by safeguarding PharmaWatch devices from a major network outage.”

Nick continues, “Our partnership is a great fit because we offer flexible connectivity in regions such as North and Latin America where roaming restrictions must be adhered to, and localisation is essential. These changing environments not only affect near-term deployments but require flexibility and resilience throughout each project’s lifetime. As AmericanPharma expands into new global markets it is a pleasure to partner with the company to deliver a simplified, scalable IoT connectivity solution that consistently delivers on its reliability promise.”

 

To find out more about the partnership, read the success story of Eseye’s AnyNet SMARTconnect™ and PharmaWatch™ here.

 

Education, Education News, News, Tech Education, Technology

Yugabyte University Celebrates 13,000 Student Milestone with New Courses on DBaaS, Cloud Native Apps, and Distributed SQL

New Learning Programs and Professional Certifications Enable Developers and Database Practitioners to Strengthen Distributed SQL Skills

Yugabyte, the leading open source distributed SQL database company, today announced new learning paths and professional certifications in Yugabyte University to meet the growing demand for education around distributed SQL, database as-a-service (DBaaS), and cloud-native development.

Since its launch in 2021, Yugabyte University has garnered over 13,000 students and 21,000 course enrollments from data practitioners and developers around the world. Students have received over 2,400 professional certifications from Yugabyte University.

 

“We launched Yugabyte University as an accessible platform for learning and enablement,” said Karthik Ranganathan, co-founder and CTO, Yugabyte. “Yugabyte University is meant for developers, architects and database administrators at any level to find the resources they need to embrace distributed SQL and cloud-native applications in their organizations. It has been exciting to see the program grow over the past year, and we look forward to the new innovations that will come from our expanded certification program and new learning paths.”

 

Yugabyte University now offers four new learning paths designed to ensure YugabyteDB users across all experience levels can expand their skill sets and harness all the benefits of distributed SQL:

  • YugabyteDB for Administrators covers key concepts, CLI tools, and operational playbooks for installing, configuring, managing, monitoring, and scaling a YugabyteDB cluster.
  • YugabyteDB Anywhere for Administrators provides training on managing YugabyteDB universes using Yugabyte Anywhere.
  • YugabyteDB YCQL for Developers is a hands-on learning path for developers building internet-scale applications using a query-driven design methodology for semi-relational workloads.
  • YugabyteDB YSQL for Developers covers how to build geo-distributed applications for transactional workloads with YugabyteDB and frameworks like Spring.

To facilitate the student learning experience, Yugabyte University offers courses with hands-on labs that feature a browser-based, interactive shell for YugabyteDB Managed. The interactive shell makes it easy for students to complete labs and build applications without having to install YugabyteDB.

 

Yugabyte University is part of Yugabyte’s holistic enablement program for enterprise customers who have embraced distributed SQL. As businesses across multiple industries including financial services, telecommunications, retail and e-commerce adopt cloud-native architectures, the need for database architects and administrators is growing. Technical enablement can eliminate barriers and accelerate the adoption of new technologies, like distributed SQL, that offer a competitive edge.

 

By completing courses and earning professional certifications Yugabyte University students can hone their skills to increase their value to their organization and accelerate their career advancement.

In addition to offering free training, Yugabyte hosts regular Distributed SQL Summit (DSS) events that bring together developers, database administrators, architects, and technology leaders to discuss, collaborate, share ideas, and learn with fellow app developers and database practitioners.

The upcoming DSS Day Amsterdam was hosted yesterday in collaboration with KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe. The interactive event brought the Kubernetes community together to learn how distributed SQL databases are shaking up the decades-old regime of traditional RDBMS.

To view past Distributed SQL Summit recordings, please visit: https://distributedsql.org/on-demand/

To learn more about the free certifications and learning paths available through Yugabyte University, please visit: https://university.yugabyte.com/

 

About Yugabyte
Yugabyte is the company behind YugabyteDB, the open source, high-performance distributed SQL database for building global, cloud-native applications. YugabyteDB serves business-critical applications with SQL query flexibility, high performance and cloud-native agility, thus allowing enterprises to focus on business growth instead of complex data infrastructure management. It is trusted by companies in cybersecurity, financial markets, IoT, retail, e-commerce, and other verticals. Founded in 2016 by former Facebook and Oracle engineers, Yugabyte is backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners, 8VC, Dell Technologies Capital, Sapphire Ventures, and others. www.yugabyte.com

Driving, News, Sport, Sports Tech

Getac’s technology partnership gains ‘access all areas’ during the 2023/24 British Touring Car Championship race season

Getac today announced it is continuing its highly successful technology partnership with the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) for the 2023/24 racing season. The announcement marks the fourth year that Getac has been involved with the BTCC, and the second year it has done so as official technology partner of the series.

The new deal will see Getac continuing to supply the BTCC with its powerful UX10 fully rugged tablets, as well as its cloud-based Electronic Vehicle Inspection Solution to digitise the key scrutineering processes that take place each race. In addition, for the 2023/24 race season, Getac will also be implementing technology to help the race officials and teams with trouble- shooting complex technical issues and skills-based training with the aid of its rugged video solutions and collaboration tools.

 

Digitally led operations

The BTCC has successfully transitioned to a digitally led organisation over the past two seasons, supported by Getac. A key part of this has been replacing traditional paper-based data recording with Getac rugged devices and new digital processes that streamline operations and bolster teams’ data analytics capabilities throughout each race weekend.

Now, with the 2023/24 season fast approaching, the BTCC is looking to take this even further with the inclusion of rugged video solutions.

“We are delighted to continue our long-term technology partnership with the BTCC for another season, supporting its ongoing transition to a fully digital organisation,” says Russell Younghusband, Global Automotive Director, Getac. “As the BTCC continues to grow in popularity around the world, this transition will not only give fans unprecedented levels of access to teams and drivers, but it will also help deliver faster, even more exciting racing, which is what every BTCC fan wants to see week in, week out.”

“Competitive motorsport is all about innovation and our partnership with Getac really embodies this,” says Alan Gow, Chief Executive of the BTCC. “As we move into the 2023/24 season, we’re confident that the experience we offer BTCC fans everywhere is the best it’s ever been, and with the help of Getac, it will only continue to get better.”

Colin Turkington (GBR) WSR BMW

The 2023/24 BTCC race season kicks off on 22-23rd April at Donnington Park. For more information, please visit www.btcc.net.

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About Getac

Getac Technology Corporation is a global leader in rugged mobile technology and intelligent video solutions, including laptops, tablets, software, body-worn cameras, in-car video systems, digital evidence management and enterprise video analytics solutions. Getac’s solutions and services are designed to enable extraordinary experiences for frontline workers in challenging environments. Today, Getac serves customers in over 100 countries spanning defense, public safety, ambulance, fire & rescue, utilities, automotive, natural resources,  manufacturing,  transport,  and  logistics.  For  more  information, visit: http://www.getac.com.

Business, Business Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships, Business News, Construction, Construction News, North of England

MBO at multidiscipline construction company fuels turnkey ambitions

Multidisciplinary construction company the Beech Group (John Beech Limited) has announced the successful completion of a Management Buyout that will fuel the business’s focussed growth and turnkey service delivery plans, a deal advised on by the GS Verde Group.

 

Established September 1963, John Beech Limited has experienced significant change over the years, as methods and legislation both influenced ‘smarter’ and ‘safer’ working. Beech Group even had the privilege of undertaking works with the late Fred Dibnah, when a pint and demolition went hand in hand – though nowadays it is a cup of tea and biodiesel (HVO).

 

Set to celebrate their 60th year of trading in September, the Birkenhead-based Group has developed a wide range of services including demolition, scaffolding, geotechnical, asbestos surveying and removal, mechanical and electrical installation, and construction design management. The business’s clients come from a variety of sectors and include the likes of Land Rover, Stellantis – Vauxhall, Essar Oil UK – Stanlow, and Alder Hey NHS.

 

The MBO, led by Gareth Vaughan, will allow the company to begin to fulfil their focussed growth and turn-key service delivery plans, building upon a long and established reputation, in the commercial, industrial, automotive, and petrochemical sectors.

 

Since joining John Beech Limited in May 2021, Gareth has enabled the business to go beyond historic trading, from a £5-6m turnover, to over £12m 2022/2023, and from an historical average EBIDTA of £500k to £2.5m 2022/2023. The business is set to continue on this upward trend.

 

Managing Director of John Beech Limited, Gareth Vaughan commented: “The Beech Group has a well-established, experienced team in place to deliver some of the most hazardous services to new and continually valued clients. We are committed to the continued delivery of our specialist services to identify, manage, control and reduce and remove hazards, whilst protecting clients, their employees, and their brand reputation.”

Sellers Philip Jordan and Christopher Wainwright have supported the management team, providing them with an opportunity to take full control of the business with financial backing from SME Capital.

Said Philip Jordan: “We would like to thank all those involved who made the MBO possible. Gareth has been an integral part of the Beech Group, utilising his broad skillset and knowledge to expand and further develop our services and we look forward to seeing the business flourish under his leadership.”

 

Multidiscipline dealmaking experts GS Verde Group advised throughout every aspect of the transaction, including the financial analysis and forecasting, valuation, funding arrangements and legal structuring.

Entertainment, Games Sector, Gaming & Entertainment

Five Areas Of Gaming That Are Worth Investing In This Year

Gaming is a rapidly growing industry that offers exciting opportunities for both casual and professional players. With new technologies and trends emerging every year, it can be challenging to decide where to invest your time and money. In this article, we will share five areas of gaming that are worth investing in over the next 12 months…

Cloud Gaming

Cloud gaming is a technology that allows players to stream games from remote servers, without the need for expensive hardware or downloads. It offers flexibility and accessibility, as players can access games on multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Some popular cloud gaming services include Google Stadia, Amazon Luna, and Nvidia GeForce Now. With the rise of 5G networks and improved internet speeds, cloud gaming is expected to become even more popular in 2023.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that immerses players in a 3D environment, where they can interact with objects and characters in a realistic way. It offers a unique gaming experience that enhances immersion and engagement, and can be used in various genres, such as action, adventure, simulation, and sports. Some popular VR platforms include Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR, and HTC Vive. With the increasing affordability and accessibility of VR devices, it is expected to become a mainstream gaming trend in 2023.

eSports

eSports is a competitive gaming industry that has been growing rapidly in recent years. It involves professional players competing in online or offline tournaments, with prize pools that can reach millions of pounds. Some popular eSports games include League of Legends, Fortnite, and Overwatch. With the increasing popularity and legitimacy of eSports, it offers exciting opportunities for players, teams, and sponsors in 2023.

Mobile Casino

Mobile casino is a popular trend that offers convenience and accessibility for players on the go. It involves games that can be played on smartphones and tablets, and includes various styles of games from blackjack to online slots. With the increasing capabilities and processing power of mobile devices, mobile casino is expected to continue its growth in 2023, with brands such as Casino777 really beginning to lead the way.

Indie Games

Indie games are games developed by independent studios or individuals, without the support of major publishers or investors. They often offer unique gameplay, art style, and storytelling, and can be found on various platforms, such as PC, console, and mobile. Some popular indie games include Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and Among Us. With the increasing popularity and success of indie games in recent years, they offer exciting opportunities for creativity and innovation in 2023.