Verlängerte Bewerbungsfrist zur Förderung von Inklusivität und globaler Innovation
RIAD, Saudi-Arabien, 27. September 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Die Organisation für digitale Zusammenarbeit (Digital Cooperation Organization – DCO) hat eine Verlängerung der Einreichungsfrist für die Digital Prosperity Award (Auszeichnungen für digitalen Wohlstand) bekannt gegeben. Die Auszeichnungen haben in der globalen digitalen Gemeinschaft, die sich aus Regierungsstellen, Organisationen des Privatsektors und Gruppen der Zivilgesellschaft zusammensetzt, große Aufmerksamkeit und Interesse geweckt. Dieses Interesse hat zu einer Verlängerung der Bewerbungsfrist geführt, so dass mehr Einrichtungen die Möglichkeit zur Teilnahme haben.
Left: H.E. Dr. Ghita Mezzour, Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Morocco. Right: Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Honorable Ms. Paula Ingabire.
Im August startete die DCO den Registrierungsprozess für die Digital Prosperity Awards und lud Organisationen aus dem öffentlichen und privaten Sektor sowie der Zivilgesellschaft aus aller Welt zur Teilnahme ein. Mit diesen Auszeichnungen sollen herausragende digitale Beiträge gewürdigt werden, die den Fortschritt und den Wohlstand vorantreiben. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf der Förderung der digitalen Wirtschaft, die ein zentraler Katalysator für nachhaltiges Wachstum auf globaler Ebene ist.
Bis heute sind Beiträge aus den verschiedensten Ecken der Welt eingegangen, darunter aus Ländern wie Chile, Costa Rica, Malawi, Senegal und anderen, was die internationale Dynamik dieser Initiative verdeutlicht. Die Auszeichnungen wurden auch von Ministern und Vertretern der DCO-Mitgliedstaaten maßgeblich unterstützt. Als Reaktion auf dieses breite Interesse hat die Digital Cooperation Organization beschlossen, die Bewerbungsfrist bis zum 31. Oktober zu verlängern.
Ihre Exzellenz Dr. Ghita Mezzour, Ministerin für den digitalen Wandel und die Verwaltungsreform in Marokko, unterstrich die große Unterstützung durch die Regierung: „In Marokko betrachten wir die digitale Technologie als einen Beschleuniger der sozioökonomischen Entwicklung. Die Digital Prosperity Awards bieten eine hervorragende Plattform, um bahnbrechende Innovationen zu präsentieren und Start-ups die Möglichkeit zu geben, mit Kunden und Investoren auf globaler Ebene in Kontakt zu treten.”
Die ruandische Ministerin für IKT und Innovation, Honorable Ms. Paula Ingabire, fügte hinzu: „Wir freuen uns sehr über die aktive Teilnahme Ruandas an den Digital Prosperity Awards. Diese Auszeichnungen sind eine fantastische Gelegenheit für uns, unsere Innovationen zu präsentieren und unsere Start-ups mit potenziellen Kunden und Investoren weltweit in Kontakt zu bringen. Ich ermutige alle unsere Innovatoren, ihre Projekte vor der Nominierungsfrist einzureichen.”
Zu den angesehenen Jurymitgliedern, die über die Vergabe des Preises entscheiden, gehören Daniel Marco, Senior Advisor für digitale Innovation bei der Regierung von Katalonien, Spanien, Naseer Akhtar, Präsident und CEO der InfoTech Group, und Hani AlGhofaily, Vorstandsvorsitzender des Digital Economy Center in Saudi-Arabien.
Um mehr über die Preiskategorien und das Nominierungsverfahren zu erfahren und ein Projekt einzureichen oder zu nominieren, besuchen Sie bitte die offizielle Webseite der Digital Prosperity Awards unter www.DigitalProsperityAwards.com
The 68 titles were announced during the ANIME MADE BY BILIBILI 2023-2024 event, offering a wide breadth of content that reflects the platform’s leading position at the forefront of the industry.
Bilibili also announced a partnership with Shanghai Animation Film Studio and Shanghai Film Infinity to develop a new season and a film adaption of Chinese animation series Yao-Chinese Folktales.
Bilibili continues to embrace its “MADE FOR GLOBAL” vision through a new partnership inked with leading Japanese TV Network Fuji Television to establish “B8station”, a channel dedicated to broadcasting Bilibili-produced Chinese animation.
SHANGHAI, Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Bilibili Inc. (“Bilibili” or the “Company”), an iconic brand and leading video community for the younger generation in China, unveiled a total of 68 upcoming Chinese animation titles during its signature ANIME MADE BY BILIBILI 2023-2024 event. This exciting lineup underscores Bilibili’s leading position in the Chinese animation industry, its continuing efforts to empower homegrown animation creators, as well as the company’s vision to introduce Chinese animation to global audiences.
68 Animation Titles Reflect Rising Influence of Chinese Animation
Link Click is one of the most popular Chinese animations among international audiences
Carly Lee, vice chairwoman of the board of directors and chief operating officer of Bilibili speaking about the platform’s continuous investment in Chinese animation
During the event Bilibili presented a diverse lineup of highly anticipated titles, encompassing a wide range of styles and narratives, from traditional tales to modern anime-inspired stories.
Among the highlights was Yao-Chinese Folktales, an original animation co-produced by Bilibili and Shanghai Animation Film Studio, which has been a hit among Chinese viewers for its imaginative adaptations of Chinese traditional stories with an elegant Chinese aesthetic. The series has accumulated 290 million views and sparked over 18,000 fan creations on Bilibili.
Joining hands with Shanghai Animation Film Studio and Shanghai Film Infinity, Bilibili announced at the event that it will produce a second season of this beloved series, alongside a film adaptation focusing on a protagonist from the first season, a wild boar whose story resonated deeply with younger viewers in China.
Other highly anticipated titles include:
Link Click Special Season – Link Click is one of the most popular Chinese animations among international audiences. An English dubbed version of Link Click Season 1 was launched on Crunchyroll in 2022, followed by Japanese and Korean dubbed versions on local TV channels. The series received an impressive rating of 8.73/10 on MyAnimeList, with a peak ranking of No.18.
My Three-Body Season 4 – Originally a fan-made animation adaptation of The Three-Body Problem uploaded on Bilibili, My Three-Body‘s high-quality production attracted Bilibili and The Three-Body Universe, the rightsholder of the Three-Body IP, to initiate development and production of the series.
To Be Hero X – Co-produced by Bilibili and Sony’s animation studio Aniplex, the series undertakes a unique art style that combines 2D and 3D animation. Its trailer received over 100,000 likes on Twitter when it was first released.
Bilibili has become the online home for anime, comics and games (ACG) culture in China, and Chinese animation has proven increasingly popular on the platform. Bilibili has launched nearly 600 Chinese animation titles, including 181 titles featured from the beginning of 2022 to date.
Since 2018, the number of monthly active Chinese animation viewers on Bilibili has seen a remarkable six-fold increase. In the past year, 62% of ACG fans on Bilibili regularly watch Chinese anime titles, making it a primary draw on the platform. Bilibili users collectively spend over 700 million hours annually watching Chinese animations, with each viewer completing 10 series annually on average. Total interactions around Chinese animation on Bilibili topped 5 billion over the past year. Over 57% of the platform’s Chinese animation viewers are under the age of 23.
These remarkable metrics showcase the rising prominence of Chinese animation enabled by Bilibili’s platform and its vibrant community.
Bilibili’s Commitment to Nurturing Talent and Creativity
Bilibili is committed to continuously investing in Chinese animation series to support industry talents and the production of high-quality content.
“Bilibili believes in the immense potential and value of Chinese animation, and remains steadfast in its commitment to excellence, prioritizing quality and surpassing user expectations,” said Carly Lee, vice chairwoman of the board of directors and chief operating officer of Bilibili. “Furthermore, we remain dedicated to investing in and producing original content, providing a platform for aspiring animators to collaborate with Bilibili and nurture their talents.”
Bilibili launched Light Catcher Initiative in 2021 to support animators, students and anime aficionados. This year, the company has supported over 50 rising stars in the industry and received over 300 original animations from passionate animators. Light Catcher also worked with 11 top animation universities in China to provide funding and resources for over 100 student-made animations.
The event also announced a project supported by Bilibili, Capsules Season 2, which invites animation talents, both domestic and international, to create a series of short animation videos. Tomato Kitchen, an episode from Capsules Season 1, won Best International Short Film during the 2023 International Animation Festival Chilemonos.
The Global Adventure of Chinese Animation
With a “MADE FOR GLOBAL” vision, Bilibili continues to strengthen its global animation production capacity and strives to share more Chinese animations with fans worldwide.
During the event, Bilibili inked a partnership with Fuji Television Network to launch a dedicated channel B8station for Bilibili-produced Chinese animation. The two sides will also collaborate on the Japanese TV series adaptation of Link Click.
As of 2023, Bilibili has distributed nearly 70 Chinese animation titles internationally through partnerships with global mainstream platforms including Crunchyroll, Netflix, Rakuten VIKI, Astro, and more. The MADEBYBILIBILI YouTube channel has featured 135 Chinese animation titles. Bilibili also actively explores collaboration with international production partners, including Aniplex and Red Dog on the production of leading Chinese anime titles such as Link Click and Fairies Albums.
“Bilibili is born from animation and holds a deep faith in it,” Lee added. “Back in 2018, when we went public, our vision was to make Chinese animation globally beloved. We will continue working alongside Chinese animators to turn this aspiration into reality, step-by-step.”
Bilibili is an iconic brand and a leading video community with a mission to enrich the everyday life of young generations in China. Bilibili offers a wide array of video-based content with All the Videos You Like as its value proposition. Bilibili builds its community around aspiring users, high-quality content, talented content creators, and the intense emotional bond among them. Bilibili pioneered the “bullet chatting” feature, a live commenting function that has transformed the viewing experience by displaying the thoughts and feelings of other audiences viewing the same video. It has now become the welcoming home of diverse interests for young generations in China and the frontier to promote Chinese culture worldwide.
Emerging Pet Franchise Celebrates Opening of First Corporate Store with Freebies, Giveaways, Pet Fun and More
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Wag N’ Wash, the emerging self-wash, grooming and natural pet food franchise, announces the grand opening of its first corporate location on Saturday, September 30. Located at 353 N. Maple Rd. in Ann Arbor, this serves as the flagship store for the up-and-coming franchise brand. Wag N’ Wash of Ann Arbor offers local pet parents full-service grooming, self-wash facilities, baked dog treats, natural food, supplements, toys and more.
Wag N’ Wash invites pet lovers to their grand opening weekend where pets can receive free washes all weekend long. Each day’s events are as follows:
Saturday, September 30: The first 100 neighbors will receive a free goodie bag, and free scratch cards up to $10 off will be given out all day.
10AM – 4PM: Groomers will be onsite for free nail trims
12 – 3PM: Free cider and donuts will be available
Sunday, October 1: The first 100 neighbors will receive a free small bag of dog or cat food.
10AM – 4PM: Groomers will be onsite for free nail trims
12 – 2PM: Free dog treat decorating and free face painting
2 – 6PM: Free doggie pumpkin spice lattes
Neighbors will also have an opportunity to participate in a raffle where the grand prize winner will receive four tickets and hospitality passes to the University of Michigan vs. Purdue game on November 4. Other great prizes include a $100 and $50 Wag N’ Wash gift card as well as $10 off coupons. For more information and to enter, text “annarbor” to 34653 or visit winwagnwash.com/annarbor.
The new Ann Arbor store makes a significant mark in the brand’s history as the first corporate location and flagship store, serving as the template for all future stores. Previously a nail salon, the Wag N’ Wash team converted the 4,800 sq. foot space into its newest prototype. The store design captures the spirit of Ann Arbor, being progressive in nature while still embodying small-town hospitality.
“This is an exciting time for Wag N’ Wash as we continue to grow the brand’s footprint and reach new achievements,” said Chris Rowland, CEO of Wag N’ Wash and Pet Supplies Plus. “We couldn’t think of a better place for our flagship store than Ann Arbor. Its community-centered roots perfectly align with Wag N’ Wash, and we look forward to calling it home.”
Each Wag N’ Wash location offers both a self-serve pet wash station and full-service grooming salon. In the self-serve pet wash area, neighbors are met with a self-wash attendant who provides apron(s), towels, dry brushes, wet scrub brushes, shampoo, conditioner, and cologne spray. In the full-service grooming salon, neighbors work with our top-tier, professional groomers to provide full-service grooming, including nail trims, ear cleanings, and more. With services being a primary part of the business, each Wag N’ Wash also offers a variety of dog and cat products such as supplements, pet food, collars and leashes, toys, supplies and other unique goods.
Wag N’ Wash was acquired by PSP Group, LLC in February of 2022, which is also the parent company of Pet Supplies Plus, the largest independent pet franchise in North America with over 700 stores across the U.S. The emerging brand currently has 25 locations open and 40 more in various stages of development across the U.S. Although separate entities, the brands are rooted in and operate from the same proven business model and have the billion-dollar backing of 30+ years of franchise and industry experience.
About Wag N’ Wash Wag N’ Wash Natural Pet Food & Grooming, a full-line dog grooming and self-wash specialty retail destination, has a mission to recognize, promote and foster the positive impact that companion pets and their humans have on each other. Wag N’ Wash provides full-service grooming, self-wash facilities, baked dog treats, natural food, supplements, and toys. In 2020, Wag N’ Wash was ranked on Denver Business Journal’s Colorado-Based Franchisors List, Franchise Times Top 200+ List and Included on Franchise Gator’s Top 100 Franchisees List for the third year. Today, there are 25 Wag N’ Wash locations open across the nation. To learn more about Wag N’ Wash, please visit https://www.wagnwashfranchising.com/.
About Pet Supplies Plus Pet Supplies Plus, a subsidiary of Franchise Group, Inc., is focused on making it easier to get better products and services for your pet. With over 700 locations in 42 states and counting, the stores have a streamlined design making it easy to navigate a wide assortment of natural pet foods, goods, and services. Additionally, www.petsuppliesplus.com provides neighbors with additional shopping options to better meet their pet-shopping needs. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, Pet Supplies Plus ranked No. 22 in Entrepreneur magazine’s 43rd Annual Franchise 500® list as of 2022, and is ranked as the Top Full-Service Pet Supplies Franchise for the ninth year running for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability, growth rate and system size. For more information on Pet Supplies Plus franchise opportunities, visit www.petsuppliesplusfranchising.com.
Media Contact: Marisa Beaumont, Fishman Public Relations, (847) 945-1300 or [email protected]
Survey of 700 C-suite execs and 5,000 consumers reveals gaps in achieving digital transformation goals
CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — West Monroe, a leading digital services firm, today released its latest signature research, “The Digital Disconnect: Linking Vision to Real-World Execution.” This second-annual survey dives into the challenges and opportunities organizations and business leaders face in navigating digital transformation.
In an era where generative AI is driving unprecedented urgency for data and digital transformation, West Monroe’s survey reveals that companies are actively embracing digital strategies throughout their businesses, yet a noticeable gap persists between their visionary aspirations and practical execution.
A majority (61%) of C-suite executives acknowledge that digital transformation ranks as a top priority in their organizations, yet hurdles such as competing priorities, available skillsets, and data quality issues hinder the translation of this vision into reality. This underscores the need for businesses to align their strategies with customer demands, reinforce data and analytics infrastructures, and invest substantially in internal upskilling.
“Digital transformation is no longer a nice to have, it’s a necessity. But our research shows that while there’s a strong alignment on the digital vision, the execution is falling short,” said Pablo Alejo, Managing Director, Product Experience and Engineering Lab at West Monroe. “This report is a wake-up call for companies to pinpoint the areas of execution holding them back—and come up with clear action steps to address them.”
Other key findings from the report include:
Responsibility is increasingly ambiguous. Only 21% of organizations indicate that their entire C-Suite is responsible for digital transformation, a decline from last year. And 47% of executives believe less than half of their employees have embraced digital transformation.
Integrating digital throughout the organization is still a struggle. About one-third (30%) of execs noted mindset gaps among their workforce and culture as a significant mistake on their digital transformation journey, and only 18% believe their organization is very resilient to setbacks and capable of iterative improvement.
Untapped value in product development. Only 39% of organizations believe they gather sufficient data to understand behaviors, and only 30% are iterating products based on insights.
Be Digital Signature Research The Digital Disconnect: Linking Vision to Real-World Execution, West Monroe’s signature research initiative, polled 700 C-Suite executives across seven industries (financial services, healthcare providers, healthcare insurers, manufacturing, retail, technology and utilities) and more than 5,000 of their representative consumers. The survey was conducted by Rabin Research Company, an independent marketing research firm, using Op4G’s panel of executives.
About West Monroe West Monroe is a digital services firm that was born in technology but built for business—partnering with companies in transformative industries to deliver quantifiable financial value. We believe that digital is a mindset—not a project, a team, or a destination—and it’s something companies become, not something they do. That’s why we work in diverse, multidisciplinary teams that blend management consulting, digital design, and product engineering to move companies from traditional ways of working to digital operating models—and create experiences that transcend the digital and physical worlds. Connected by the 13 founding values that drive our culture, our 2,000 employees work collaboratively across the firm with the belief that our clients’ success is our success. Visit westmonroe.com to learn more.
Media Inquiries Christina Galoozis Senior Manager, External Communications [email protected] 847-302-1762
Two icons align: Cougar collaborates with legendary tire-maker Michelin to launch a fashionable outdoor footwear collection that’s centered around Michelin winter technology developed by JV International, the worldwide licensee for Michelin soles. It’s a next-level innovation where trendsetting style meets performance.
NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Cougar Shoes, the iconic Canadian footwear brand, celebrates 75 years of heritage and embraces the new with the debut of the Cougar Collection with winter technology by Michelin soles.
The collaboration delivers footwear that’s designed for women and made for real outdoor performance – these boots are temperature rated to – 40°C/-40°F. “I am so excited to introduce our Michelin styles, which offer hybrid winter boots that meld winter technology with outdoor, fashion-forward style,” says Cougar President Steve Sedlbauer.
The Ultra, The Union and the Ultima all featuring soles by Michelin
The Collection with Michelin soles comprises three luxe-athletic hybrid styles offered in directional colors, from runway-inspired Loden to the softest shades of Pearl and Almond. Lightweight with anti-slip Michelin soles, they have sleek silhouettes, along with sculptural design for traction and tread spacing for flexibility. The winter technology applied to the soles offers, in fact, a superior grip on ice, packed snow and slippery surfaces, achieving excellent traction and stability in cold conditions. The development of the soles is inspired directly by Michelin’s high-performance tires offering maximum comfort and long-lasting performance.
It’s a winning combination in step with the world-renowned Michelin brand. “Shoes are to people what tires are to a vehicle – the only thing connecting the user to the ground,” says Filippo Sartor Senior Sales Manager JV International/Michelin soles. “We want people to experience better movement and better feeling, a connection with the ground through Michelin soles.”
The stylish lace-up boots are designed for cold-weather use, come with the Cougar “Always Waterproof” guarantee and feature PrimaLoft® insulation. Combining this insulation with Michelin soles technology is an exciting innovation.
Available for purchase now through cougarshoes.com and other retailers across North America. $180 to $275.
About Cougar Shoes
A family business since 1948, Cougar Shoes has refined their craft over decades to grow into a Canadian footwear staple with global distribution. Today, Cougar is a style leader producing footwear playing on its Canadian roots and remains true to its heritage by mixing fashion with function they have always been known for.
DENVER, Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Eastwall, an emerging leader in pureplay Microsoft Azure Consulting and Engineering, and Efferent Health, a leading innovator in healthcare data informatics and medical imaging, are pleased to announce a partnership to enhance services provided to its customers on Microsoft Azure. Efferent Health will provide their innovative cloud based DHP (Digital Health Platform) solutions to optimize DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) workflow management, HL7®, FHIR® (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), and workflow automation. Eastwall will bring to the table its extensive expertise in streamlining cloud adoption, ensuring compliance, fortifying security, and integrating Azure technologies for complex healthcare environments. The collaboration between Eastwall and Efferent Health will significantly enhance service offerings for medical imaging and healthcare informatics customers, streamlining the migration to cloud architecture and their subsequent cloud journey.
“This partnership does more than just magnify our separate capabilities. It creates a collaborative synergy that elevates how our medical imaging informatics clients integrate our software in the cloud.” said Kress Stein, CEO of Efferent Health. “We’re solving critical skillset gaps while maximizing the potential of Microsoft Azure within healthcare systems.”
“Collaborating with Efferent Health enhances our joint capacity to enable healthcare and life sciences organizations to fully utilize Azure’s capabilities to benefit their operations,” stated Glenn Mate, Co-Founder & CEO of Eastwall. “In partnership, we will accelerate our clients’ transition to the cloud by delivering seamless, automated, and refined healthcare solutions and services, assisting them in their deployment strategies.”
By integrating Eastwall’s technical expertise in Azure consulting and Efferent Health’s market-leading medical imaging & informatics platform, the partnership is positioned to deliver robust, scalable solutions that streamline workflow and enhance data connectivity in the healthcare sector while addressing diverse needs that are unique to each customer’s cloud environment or technical proficiency.
“We understand that in the healthcare sector, attaining business goals is intrinsically linked to meeting clinical targets—an accomplishment regularly showcased by the Efferent Health team. This partnership leverages the strength of Microsoft Cloud. Our value will be to ensure that our mutual customers are not bottlenecked by technical roadblocks and that we enable them to realize the vision of connected care.” said Chuck Martin, Co-Founder & Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships at Eastwall.
Efferent Health’s expertise in linking healthcare data and users with Azure-based complements Eastwall’s proven excellence in fine-tuning cloud solutions for healthcare providers. This collaboration seeks to steer mutual clients through their cloud transitions, enabling robust security and streamlined data management and workflows. The alliance marks a significant advancement for healthcare and life sciences organizations that may lack the resources or technical skills to fully embrace cloud capabilities. Key advantages include:
Rapid Deployment: Through close collaboration, Efferent Health and Eastwall will swiftly address technical hurdles, enhancing clients’ Azure cloud proficiency and expediting implementation.
Holistic Support: Clients looking to upgrade or refine their Azure Cloud integrations, security measures, or compliance standards with Efferent Health’s DHP services will gain direct access to Eastwall’s comprehensive cloud consulting and engineering expertise.
Enhanced User Experience: Solutions created within this partnership will simplify the clinical experience by minimizing the complexities tied to cloud adoption and expansion, boosting customer satisfaction.
About Efferent Health
Efferent Health is an information technology company with its primary focus on connecting healthcare to collect and automate operational processes among clinicians, patients, hospitals, other facilities, suppliers, and other medical providers. With a robust user base of over 5,000+ across 30 U.S. states and 5 countries, their innovative solutions optimize DICOM workflow management, FHIR, and informatics workflow automation. The Efferent Health DHP (Digital Health Platform) architecture is predicated on three basic principles: making healthcare operational processes faster, less expensive, and more effective than current methods by unlocking valuable data and transforming data-interoperability. To learn more visit www.efferenthealth.com
About Eastwall
Eastwall is a leading Microsoft services partner focused 100% on the Azure platform helping clients build, migrate, modernize, and manage their applications, infrastructure, data, and analytics in the cloud. Dedicated to driving meaningful impact, Eastwall has continually exhibited a commitment to aligning its services with healthcare organizations’ strategic objectives through all phases of cloud adoption to deliver an exceptional Azure experience. To learn more, visit, www.eastwall.com
Contact Chuck Martin Co-Founder, Vice President of Business Development & Partnerships Eastwall, LLC 636.312.3672 [email protected]
