Monthly Archives: September 2021

FDA Clears First Technology to Distinguish between Bacterial and Viral Infections Using the Bodys Immune Response The MeMed BV Test and MeMed Key Platform

MeMed BV is a first-of-its kind test that decodes the immune response to accurately distinguish between bacterial or viral infections within minutes

MeMed Key is a pioneering platform that enables rapid and sensitive measurements of multiple proteins at the point-of-need

The MeMed technology suite enables better informed antibiotic treatment decisions, an essential tool in the fight against the global threat of resistant bacteria

HAIFA, Israel, Boston, MA; September 20th, 2021 MeMed, a leader in the emerging field of advanced host-response technologies, today announces that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance for use of the MeMed BV test on the point-of-need platform MeMed Key to help healthcare providers distinguish between bacterial and viral infections. The technology has been cleared for both children and adults.

Bacterial and viral infections are often clinically indistinguishable, leading to the prescription of antibiotics for the treatment of viral infections, for which they are ineffective. Antibiotic misuse drives the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), one of the biggest healthcare challenges of our time. The novelty of MeMeds technology is that it decodes the bodys immune response to infection, the host response, rather than focusing on detecting the presence of a microbe. This allows robust diagnosis when the infection site is inaccessible or unknown, even when the pathogen is undetectable using conventional tests, or when the cause of infection are emerging new pathogens. It enables better informed antibiotic treatment decisions, an essential tool in the fight against resistant bacteria.

For those of us who care for acutely ill children, we have been waiting decades for accurate, rapid diagnostics to confidently guide the care of moderately ill children without a clear focus of infection or recognizable viral illness. This novel test offers promise to help differentiate those children with self-limited viral illness from those with possible bacterial infection, thereby supporting the judicious use of antibiotics, said Rich Bachur, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Chief, Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital.

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It has been a decade long journey to reach this point from concept to impacting patient lives, said Dr. Eran Eden, MeMeds co-founder and CEO. This FDA clearance is a breakthrough moment in the field of advanced host-response and could not have been achieved without the dedication of the MeMed team, our clinical partners in the US and around the globe, and the support of the US Department of Defense and EU Commission.

Sergey Motov, MD, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Maimonides Medical Center, New York, said: Host-response technologies are a new frontier in the management of patients with infectious diseases, with great potential to improve patient outcomes. Every day, I see adults with a complicated medical history presenting to the emergency room with a suspected respiratory tract infection. A technology like MeMed BV can significantly aid in their management.

We are now using MeMed BV in my department routinely to aid in determining whether a child with fever has a bacterial or viral infection. For example, we recently had a complicated case of a young child with fever but without a clear source. MeMed BV helped in early identification of a severe bacterial infection, that would otherwise be masked by viral PCR detection, lead to a change in the course of treatment, and made a big difference in the patients outcome, said Dr Adi Klein, Director of the Pediatric Division, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center and Head of the Israeli Clinical Pediatric Society. Introducing MeMeds technology has had a significant impact on our medical practice, enabling us to be better stewards of antibiotics and improving patient outcomes.

FDA clearance was based on a multi-center blinded clinical validation study enrolling over 1,000 children and adults and addresses goals laid out in the US National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria. The test provides highly accurate results with Area Under the Curve of 90% and 97% (primary and secondary endpoints). MeMed has established its US base in Boston and is ramping up commercial activities to ensure broad availability of its products across the US.

About MeMed Our mission is to translate the immune system's complex signals into simple insights that transform the way diseases are diagnosed and treated, profoundly benefiting patients and society. To learn more about MeMed and our solutions, please visit http://www.me-med.com

About MeMed BVMeMed BV is a first-of-its-kind immune-based protein signature test, developed and validated over the course of decade-long collaborations with leading academic and commercial partners. It provides physicians with an indispensable tool to help distinguish between bacterial and viral infections across multiple pathogens, even if the infection site is inaccessible or unknown. MeMed BV measures and computationally integrates the levels of three immune system proteins: TRAIL, IP-10 and CRP. When run on the MeMed Key platform, MeMed BV provides a result within 15 minutes. MeMed BV has been independently validated on thousands of patients and the results have been published in leading peer-reviewed journals (including Pediatrics, The Lancet ID, PLOS One, BMJ Peds and European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases). The MeMed BV test has received a CE Mark in Europe and AMAR clearance from the Israeli Ministry of Health.

About MeMed KeyMeMed Key is a pioneering technology platform, enabling highly sensitive measurements of multiple proteins, within minutes, at the point of need. It opens the way to quantification of a vast array of human proteins in healthy and disease states, where and when it actually matters. The MeMed Key development program has been partially funded by the US Department of Defense and the EU Commission. MeMed Key has received a CE Mark in Europe and AMAR clearance from the Israeli Ministry of Health.

MeMed Contacts:Adee Mor, VP Marketing, MeMedpr@me-med.com Kfir Emmer, CFO, MeMedkfir.emmer@me-med.com

Media relations contact:Consilium Strategic Communications MeMed@consilium-comms.com

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FDA Clears First Technology to Distinguish between Bacterial and Viral Infections Using the Bodys Immune Response The MeMed BV Test and MeMed Key...

Innovative broadband service provider delivers multi-gigabit speeds to the network edge

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Sept. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambium Networks (NASDAQ: CMBM), a leading global provider of wireless networking solutions, today announced that Pentanet is building neXus, a multi-gigabit fixed wireless network across the metro area in Perth, Australia, to provide internet access for business and residential subscribers. The exceptional speeds will be achieved by extending their existing infrastructure consisting of 300 km of "dark" fiber with Cambium Networks' 60 GHz cnWave fixed wireless platform, using Terragraph, a mesh technology developed by Facebook Connectivity. The result will be network performance that even the most demanding video gamers will appreciate.

Cambium Networks Logo (PRNewsFoto/Cambium Networks)

"In 2019, Perth was reported as having the second slowest internet speeds of all Australian capital cities, but we know that needs to change and fast," said Stephen Cornish, CEO of Pentanet. "Bandwidth-heavy and latency sensitive applications like cloud-gaming are already transforming connectivity demands, and reliable gigabit speeds are the future for Perth. With Cambium Networks' 60 GHz cnWave technology, Pentanet's neXus is driving a leap in internet connectivity throughout the city to gigabit speeds. Using our existing fixed wireless network infrastructure, Pentanet can rapidly deploy the next-generation of wireless technology to create the neXus."

"Our development and support teams are collaborating closely with the Pentanet team to ensure our solution can scale rapidly to be able to provide connectivity across Perth," said Atul Bhatnagar, president and CEO of Cambium Networks. "They are pioneering a new age of communications with their business model and network architecture. We are pleased to recognize Pentanet's disruptive leadership in the industry with our Wireless Connectivity Hero award."

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Cambium Networks' multi-gigabit fixed wireless broadband technology and centralized management are well suited for urban applications. The solution provides multi-gigabit wireless broadband performance and reliability at a fraction of the cost of fiber. With 60 GHz cnWave, Pentanet can rapidly deploy hybrid networks to extend the fiber plant to customer premises, accelerating time to revenue at lower operating and capital costs. This video details the value that Pentanet delivers.

Cambium Networks' 60 GHz cnWave solution elements include:

V5000 Distribution Node Equipped with two sectors covering up to 280 degrees with beamforming. A single V5000 can connect up to 30 devices, which includes up to four distribution nodes. The V5000 can be used for point-to-point (PTP), point-to-multipoint (PtMP) and mesh configurations.

V3000 Client Node - Featuring a 44.5 dBi high-gain antenna with beamforming, the client nodes can support up to 3.8 Gbps with the capability for even higher rates in the future with channel bonding for both PtMP and PTP configurations.

V1000 Client Node - Includes wide-range, 80 beamforming for easy installation. Powered by 802.3af PoE, V1000 supports gigabit throughputs in a compact easy to install form factor

The latest addition to Cambium Networks' multi-gigabit wireless fabric portfolio of solutions, 60 GHz cnWave is fully integrated into LINKPlanner and cnMaestro end-to-end cloud management that provides a unified view of the entire network. The solution delivers reliable and secure connectivity for residential users, schools, enterprises, and industrial operations at a low total cost of ownership.

Find out more about mmWave products including 5G Fixed wireless, Wi-Fi 6 solutions and centralized management solutions at Cambium Connections' of Cambium Networks' online events in September. Stephen Cornish of Pentanet will be presenting live Tuesday, 21 September Register Here.

Cambium Networks' full wireless fabric portfolio of solutions are available through its global network of partners.

Cambium Networks is celebrating a Decade of Excellence in 2021 with more than 10 million radios shipped worldwide since commencing operations in 2011.

About PentanetPentanet is a Perth-based, growth-focused telco delivering high-speed internet to a growing number of subscribers by providing them with next-generation internet speeds. This is achieved through Pentanet's market-leading private fixed-wireless network, the largest in Perth, as well as reselling fixed-line services such as NBN, where its wireless is not yet available.

Pentanet's flagship fixed wireless network has benefits for both customers and investors, offering an outstanding customer experience and a fixed-wireless product that is technically superior to most of the National Broadband Network (NBN) with attractive margins for investors. This sets Pentanet apart from most broadband providers, which only resell the NBN.

Pentanet will also be part of the rollout of the next wave of subscription-based entertainment services cloud gaming. The Company's Alliance Partner Agreement with NASDAQ listed NVIDIA one of the world's largest producers of specialised graphic chips used in gaming allows Pentanet to be the first to bring their GeForce NOW technology to Australia in 2021.

Media Contact (Pentanet)Alison Balch Pentanet+61 (04) 14 545 118alison@staff.pentanet.com.au

About Cambium NetworksCambium Networks delivers wireless communications that work for businesses, communities, and cities worldwide. Millions of our radios are deployed to connect people, places and things with a unified wireless fabric that spans multiple standards and frequencies of fixed wireless and Wi-Fi, all managed centrally via the cloud. Our multi-gigabit wireless fabric offers a compelling value proposition over traditional fiber and alternative wireless solutions. We work with our Cambium certified ConnectedPartners to deliver purpose-built networks for service provider, enterprise, industrial, and government connectivity solutions in urban, suburban, and rural environments, with wireless that just works.

Media Contact (Cambium)Dave Reddy - Big Valley Marketing for Cambium+1 (650) 868-4659dreddy@bigvalley.co

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SOURCE Cambium Networks

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Cambium Networks 60 GHz cnWave Technology Enables Pentanet to Rapidly Build a Multi-Gigabit Fixed Wireless Network Serving Perth, Australia - Yahoo...

The Surfacer System employs a novel Inside-Out approach and is the first FDA cleared medical device to facilitate upper body central venous access in patients with venous obstructions or other conditions that preclude access by conventional methods.

"The CMS decision to assign a New Technology APC for the Surfacer System is a major milestone and will ensure that our innovative technology will be reimbursed for Medicare beneficiaries. This is a significant development, given the prevalence of thoracic central venous obstruction in patients dialyzing via a central venous catheter," stated Gabriele Niederauer, Ph.D., CEO and President of Bluegrass Vascular. "This decision is a testament to the positive clinical evidence and cost data that support the use of the Surfacer System as a critical, lifesaving technology."

Thoracic central venous obstruction occurs in roughly 40% of patients where hemodialysis is performed via a central venous catheter.1 While permanent arteriovenous fistulas are the preferred form of vascular access for hemodialysis patients, central venous catheters continue to serve as an important bridge to securing long-term access for life-saving hemodialysis treatment. The current approach for most patients with central venous obstructions is to use an alternative vein, which reduces the ability to place and mature a functioning fistula, resulting in increased catheter days and costs.

According to CMS, more than 62.4 million Americans are enrolled in the Medicare program.2 Approximately 80% of patients on hemodialysis are covered by Medicare fee-for-service as primary payer or by a Medicare Advantage managed care plan.3 Patients who live with kidney failure represent 1% of the total U.S. Medicare population yet account for 7% of the Medicare costs.4

The use of the Surfacer device also avoids left-side catheter placement, better enabling the maturation of permanent arteriovenous access options in the left arm and minimizing unnecessary access-related procedures and complications. The National Kidney Foundation's current Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) Clinical Practice Guidelinesfor Vascular Access recommend that the ideal access site for hemodialysis catheters is the right internal jugular vein. This preferred right-sided access path is supported by the Surfacer System's novel Don't Go Left approach.

The Surfacer System received FDA De Novo clearancein the US in February and is CE marked in Europe. The device is available in North America, Europe and other territories.

About the Surfacer Inside-Out Access Catheter System

TheSurfacerSystem is designed to reliably, efficiently and repeatedly gain central venous access by inserting theSurfacerSystem through the right femoral vein and navigating it up through the patient's venous system with an exit point in the right internal jugular vein, the optimal location for placing a central venous catheter. This proprietary Inside-Out approach allows for the placement and maturation of permanent arteriovenous access options that are associated with improved patient outcomes and reduced cost of care for both hospitals and hemodialysis providers.

About BluegrassVascular Technologies

Bluegrass Vascular Technologies is a medical technology company dedicated to developing and commercializing lifesaving devices and methods that address shortcomings in vascular access procedures. For more information, please visitwww.bluegrassvascular.com.

1 Data on file at Bluegrass Vascular Technologies, Inc.2 https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/CMS-Fast-Facts3 United States Renal Data System (USRDS) 2020 Annual Data Report4 https://pharm.ucsf.edu/kidney/need/statistics

SOURCE Bluegrass Vascular Technologies

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Bluegrass Vascular Announces Decision by Medicare to Assign a New Technology Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) for the Surfacer System Procedure...

Flying high: the UK is home to 105 unicorns - businesses valued at over $1bn

Britain is creating unicorns, companies valued in excess of $1bn, almost at the rate of one a week, according to Government research.

Twenty new unicorns were minted just in the first half of this year including Tractable, Zego and Depop and the UK receives more venture capital than France, Germany and Israel combined.

A record 13.5bn of venture capital was invested in 1,700 companies in the first half of the year, including mega fundings for Revolut, Hopin and Cinch. More than half of all rounds raised this year have been for over 72m ($100m).

>See also: Companies raise 121% more in H1 2021 than the same period last year

This was almost three times what was invested in British tech in the first six months of 2020.

The UK is now home to 105 unicorns, again more than France and Germany combined.

The number of futurecorns high-growth companies with the potential to become unicorns is also growing, with 153 possible candidates in the UK. Some of these futurecorns include digital bank Zopa, kids entertainment company Moonbug and direct-to-consumer letterbox flowers platform Bloom & Wild.

>See also: Half of VCs will slash investment if Government clamps down on takeovers

Fintech continued to dominate most investment rounds with the sector attracting 4.2bn in the first six months of the year.

Healthtec was the second busiest tech sector with 2.7bn raised, followed by 1.3bn for enterprise software.

The VC investment boom has not been concentrated solely in London. Five UK cities outside London are comparable to other European tech hubs: Manchester, Cambridge, Oxford, Bristol and Edinburgh.

Of these, Oxford is ranked as top city for attracting venture capital outside of London, due to its biotech sector.

The Government trumpets the figures as underlining the UKs position as the leading centre of tech in Europe and the main challenger to Silicon Valley after China.

The figures were compiled for the UKs Digital Economy Council and Tech Nation by Dealroom for London Tech Week.

Carolyn Dawson, managing director of London Tech Week event organiser Informa Tech, said: As we prepare to host the worlds top investors at London Tech Week, we are delighted that the UKs tech sector is set to achieve a record year of investment and London remains the epicentre for VC funding.

Key to tech investment lies in hands of pension holders, says Sunak

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UK creating technology unicorns at rate of one a week - GrowthBusiness.co.uk

Imagine being an early investor to Apple, or Amazon.com, and sitting on a fortune. Ahhh.

But a failure to identify future technology right now could mean missing out on the next big thing, says our call of the day from a team of Bank of America strategists led by Haim Israel, which highlights 14 potentially lucrative new technologies that represent a $330 billion market now that could be worth $6 trillion by the next decade.

The pace at which themes are transforming businesses is blistering, but the adoption of many technologies like smartphones or renewable energy have surpassed experts forecasts by decades, because we often think linearly but progress occurs exponentially, say the strategists. They say a paradigm shift in the explosion of data, faster processing power and the rise of artificial intelligence will bring about the fastest rollout of disruptive tech in history.

And in the big stock universe, an increasing few are showing investors the money. Over the past 30 years, just 1.5% of companies generated all the net wealth on the global stock market, meaning that actually only a handful of disrupters (superstar firms) really influence long-term financial markets, says Israel and the team.

Here are the 14 technologies: 6G, brain computer interfacing (BCI), emotional artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, immortality, bionic humans, eVTOL (electrical vertical takeoff and landing vehicles), wireless electricity, holograms, metaverse, next-gen batteries, oceantech (ocean energy, precision fishing, etc.), green mining and CCS (negative-emissions technology that captures and stores carbon dioxide before it can be released). This table gives a rundown:

As for the sectors, they say telecoms would be a beneficiary of 6G, new media and entertainment of metaverse and holograms, and big tech platforms are pioneers in multiple moonshot technologies, such as emotional AI, brain computer interfaces, bionic humans, and more. E-commerce and retailing are beneficiaries of metaverse tech, while under real estate, data centers and telecom towers would be beneficiaries of 6G creation.

The vast healthcare sector, biopharma, biotech, life sciences, medical technology, are obvious beneficiaries of several moonshot technologies, along with information technology, while metals and mining would benefit from green mining, next-gen batteries and oceantech, with chemicals poised to benefit from synthetic biology and next-gen batteries.

Heres one last massive chart from Bank of America that shows how those new technologies may change our lives.

A data dump has left us with better-than-expected retail sales, which rose 0.7% against expectations for a drop after July s 1.1% tumble. Weekly jobless claims came in slightly above forecasts, and the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index also beat views with an increase to 30.7 in September.

On the heels of a similar study from Pfizer PFE, -1.30%, Moderna MRNA, -2.41% said a study of its vaccine shows waning efficacy of COVID shots over time, supporting the need for a booster.

Cisco CSCO, -0.84% shares are up after the network equipment makers upbeat revenue forecast.

CF Industries CF, +0.16%, which manufactures hydrogen and nitrogen products, is halting operations at two U.K. plants, citing high natural-gas prices. A shortage of the commodity in Europe and the U.K. has morphed into a major crisis for the regions.

SpaceXs first private flight and first-ever all amateur crew began a three-day mission to orbit high above the earth on Wednesday.

Ho ho, oh no. You could pay more or even miss out on that artificial Christmas tree thanks to supply chain hiccups that are threatening to spoil the holidays.

Stocks DJIA, -0.48% SPX, -0.91% COMP, -0.91% are mixed after Wednesdays solid session, with a Yom Kippur holiday likely keeping volumes down. Quadruple witching options expiries are also looming. Asia may have been a drag Not helping were more losses in Asia, with the Hang Seng HSI, -3.30% dropping 2% and Chinas CSI 300 000300, +1.00% losing 1% with tech regulatory worries a continued overhang.

Read: How the buy Yom Kippur sell Rosh Hashana trading theme is playing out in the stock market in 2021

As we wait for retail sales, heres a chart showing lots of pessimism is out there:

Long-eared Lou the dog and a 7-foot teen among the new entries in the 2022 Guinness Book of World Records.

University of Noahs Ark? More students are bringing comfort pets onto campus. But also their pets pet.

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Emotional AI and other 'moonshot' technologies could grow to $6 trillion market by 2030, says Bank of America - MarketWatch

By Christian Paul Del Rosario

With the rising number of YouTubers nowadays, one must know how to brand themselves through content. But for me, genuine content will always catch my attentionthose contents with sense, true stories, and a straightforward approach.

The countrys Ultimate Multimedia Star, Toni Gonzaga-Soriano, is one of the most sought-after new Youtube content creators because of her authenticity in interviewing different personalities like Dra. Vicky Belo and Hayden Kho, Raffy Tulfo, Atty. Chel Diokno, Mayor Isko Moreno, Senator Grace Poe, Vice President Leni Robredo, and more.

Her Youtube channel started in January 2019 with personal and family vlog content. She later branded herself through the Toni Talks segment nine months later.

But just a few days ago, the social media was abuzz with Toni Gonzaga-Sorianos interview with Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. (BBM). It is never strange to the Filipinos that Bongbong is the son of the infamous dictator, the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

With the trending Youtube content of the celebrity host, Toni tackled the most important lessons Bongbong learned from his father. The published video was not received by some netizens wholeheartedly because of the atrocious history committed by his family.

This issue gained some positive and negative reactions in the online world. Some say that BBM is just showing an excellent faade of his family, while others say its just a personal interview and nothing to worry about.

ON BASHES

Toni was called in different names with this online issue a Marcos apologist, enabler, whitewasher, and history revisionist. Some news articles even mentioned that she was not aware of the vast responsibility shes carrying as a celebrity and an influencer, given that the national election is fast approaching.

The anti-Marcoses felt betrayed because Toni gave a platform to save the face of the dictators family. These people believed that she lacked the sense of history because the interview might conceal the unpleasant martial law history.

The netizens were angry about Tonis taking the issue lightly while sharing the content with her four million followers. They said that it was not an issue of who she was going to interview, but its the fact that she is giving an almost 30-minute talk to a dictators son. Thus, a chance to cleanse the familys mess.

While on Twitter, several accounts campaigned to dislike and report the BBM interview content to show disgust and disappointment.

The celebrity host was also invited and challenged by the Ateneo Martial Law Museum to interview the victims of the military government through a Facebook open letter. As noted in the letter, it would be more inspiring to hear the stories and struggles of the survivors relating to the viewers than interviewing any of the Marcos family members. Hence, we must be thankful to those victims who sacrificed their lives for us to live under a democracy.

ON WINS

Despite the online noise made by the anti-Marcos netizens, there are many wins on the said issue.

When Toni uploaded her interview with BBM, the Youtube video gained 4.5 million views in five days. And suppose you compare it to VP Lenis video, which gained 1.4 million views in two weeks and 3.1 million views for Mayor Isko Moreno in three weeks. In that case, BBMs video is obviously performing better.

BBMs interview content has an average of 900,000 views per day, while Leni and Isko have 100,000 and 148,000 views per day, respectively. And looking at the like and dislike counter, BBMs video is at 459,000 likes and 54,000 dislikes, VP Leni is at 72,000 likes and 36,000 dislikes, and Mayor Isko at 113,000 likes and 9,900 dislikes.

Tonis Youtube channel also acquired around 190,000 new subscribers since September 13, 2021, with an average of 38,000 new daily subscribers and putting her estimated earnings at approximately $1,402- $22,300 (PHP 70,100- PHP1.1M).

Many of Toni Gonzagas friends and colleagues defended her from the bashers with the likes of Bianca Gonzalez, Chiz Escudero, Ogie Diaz, and Cristy Fermin.

Moreover, many netizens continue to support Toni because they believe that the interview with BBM was wholesome. And you can prove it through the number of followers and video views on her Youtube channel.

The cancel culture towards the celebrity host reminds me of her interview with Wil Dasovich. She said, I dont categorize the people I interview. I look at all of them as people who have stories to tell no matter how bad a person is, no matter how good a person is, no matter how canceled a person is by society, every single person on this planet has a powerful story to tell. And no matter how bad their story is, we can always learn from that person.

The hatred towards Toni Gonzaga-Soriano brought so many victories in just a few days. In this case, the people with pure intentions and good actions always win.

Christian Paul Del Rosario is the Acquisitions Marketing Manager of the Asian Institute of Management. He is a graduate of Master of Marketing Communications in De La Salle University and currently a Doctor of Business Administration student of the Ateneo de Davao University

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How Technology could give you bashes and wins - Manila Bulletin

Michel Andr is CIO of Banking Circle the tech-first payments bank. Banking Circles technology enables payments businesses and banks of any size to seize opportunities in the new economy though providing financial infrastructure such as cross-border payments. Here, Andr discusses the role of a CIO and the qualities the CIO of the future will need to have.

How would you describe the current role of a CIO and has it transformed compared to five years ago?

To be a CIO you must be curious and strive to learn new things about both technology and the business you are working for. This has always been a requirement for the role but as the world becomes increasingly dominated by tech, it can be difficult to stay on top of.

A lot has changed in the past five years. Just take the pandemic as an example it has undoubtedly accelerated Digital Transformation and changed the way we interact in business and society for good. From running a company, to keeping connected to friends and family, we have all been forced to adopt digital tools and they arent going anywhere.

In the payments space specifically, Digital Transformation is thriving. Consumers today have high expectations for real-time payments (particularly cross-border) as well as a range of services, from lending through to foreign exchange. FinTechs and financial institutions must step up or risk getting left behind. The same goes for CIOs. The newest new normal is just around the corner; you have to be open to learning about it so you can adopt the latest technology and use it to empower your business.

What is a business/IT challenge you have faced in your role and how did you overcome this?

Despite the incredible acceleration of Digital Transformation in financial services, transferring money between countries remains a slow, expensive and cumbersome process, with transactions taking anything from two to five days. Cross-border payments are core to Banking Circles offering and we are always working towards making payments as fast and cost-effective as possible for our clients.

As part of this, we recently shifted our entire infrastructure to Microsoft Azure. Although our technology has always provided compliance and cut down the manual handling of transactions, our core banking systems were previously supported by a managed service that was a bottleneck for development. Shifting to the cloud was the answer; with our entire infrastructure cloud-based, we can evolve architecture rapidly to respond to the ever-changing demands of the industry.

During this project, one of the biggest challenges my team faced was learning to operate with a cloud mindset and figuring out the way it allows you to scale up and down. They say knowledge is power and the project required significant upskilling. We worked through this by making sure internal communication was prioritised as well as working closely with the provider.

What management qualities do you believe are essential for leading a successful team and how do you instil these into the workplace?

There is a broad palette of skills needed to be a CIO. Primarily, you need technical competency and an understanding of the technology landscape. The next step is applying technology to business challenges. This combination of business sense and tech skills is crucial to success.

You also need to be a strong leader. Your team will look to you for answers, so being equipped with sound managerial skills and the ability to work strategically and tactically means being an effective mentor. To achieve this, good communication skills coupled with integrity and independence are a must. You can inspire these traits in the workforce through leading by example. For instance, encourage entry-level employees to ask questions and encourage mid-level managers to lead the way.

How do you ensure you deliver outcomes that support Banking Circles business goals?

We put clients at the heart of what we do. In turn, clients are loyal which helps us grow and allows us to invest time and money right back into innovating for them. Thats the reason we migrated to the cloud it offers so much flexibility and scalability, enabling our clients to be agile in the face of ever-evolving requirements. We also offer open APIs which enable easy integration between the platforms functions and clients workflows so they can easily integrate payment services into their own infrastructure.

This client-first approach is absolutely key and its meant we have doubled our client base since 2020. Were now working with over 170 financial institutions including Stripe, Alibaba, Shopify and Paysafe.

How do you see the role of CIO developing in the next 12 months? What qualities will the CIO of the future need to have?

Technology is constantly evolving which means so is the role of the CIO. Indeed, there is a whole host of new technology to learn about. For example, in financial services, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have the power to totally transform the industry. We are already making major inroads, especially when it comes to fighting money laundering and fraud whereby AI dramatically increases rules precision, highlighting patterns the naked human eye could never spot. Its the job of the CIO to tap into new trends and stay ahead of the curve.

Embracing emerging tech is one piece of the puzzle, another relates to navigating a permanent shift to hybrid working. With teams separated by geography at least some of the time, soft skills such as communication, mentoring and leadership will be even more critical than before. Not only do soft skills help manage a team effectively, but they also help instil a large degree of trust across the whole organisation, from board level to interns. This is crucial because as a CIO youre making decisions that keep the company running and you need to reassure people that youre making the right choices.

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Navigating the technology landscape through the eyes of a CIO - Intelligent CIO ME

Over the past year schools have been forced to close, exams have been cancelled and education providers have been left scrabbling to implement technology in a tactical way to ensure they can still provide their key services. But as schools and universities begin to reopen and navigate the challenges still presented by the pandemic, the focus now turns to education beyond COVID-19.

Like many other industries and markets that have been forced to think differently and operate in new ways, the education sector has had to adapt quickly. As a sector that typically suffers from significant levels of technical debt, it must be said that providers have done extremely well to implement an emergency technology-led learning programme to maintain a level of provision throughout the crisis. However, stop-gap tools like Zoom and Teams are a long way off a digital-first approach that could see huge advancements and opportunities in this field.

Most providers have been left in a state of limbo and are asking the same question what will the future of education look like? One thing is for certain there is an opportunity to reinvent old systems and use technology to shape a new and improved education system for the future.

Digital ecosystems for education providers

When it comes to a digital presence, universities have been leading the way in terms of using digital to engage and attract students. There is an obvious reason for this the element of competition. Students and parents need to consider much more than just catchment area and Ofsted reports when it comes to choosing a higher education provider, which is why a universitys digital presence is so important. What the pandemic has done is to force every education provider to implement digital technologies to help them engage with their audience and function, as we have all had to rely on digital tools to function while the physical world has been unattainable.

Organisations are now left with a Frankenstein model of tools and systems that are neither properly integrated, nor being utilised to their full potential. Looking ahead to the possibility of hybrid learning models, new processes for grading and the opportunities for more personalised learning experiences will rely on providers having a digital ecosystem that will support this innovation and growth. And the acceleration of digital adoption from both individuals and businesses across all sectors will naturally bring about change across every tier of education. Parents and students alike will demand online experiences from providers at all levels that rival those they experience in everyday life. The fact is organisations will need to prepare themselves for a digital-first future. And making sense of their digital ecosystem and how it creates a joined up experience will be the first step to providing a cohesive and intuitive experience for their audience.

Understanding the complex needs of your audience

Education providers face a particular challenge in that they have complex audience profiles with very different needs. As we identified in our insight relating touniversity online experiences, audiences are hugely varied. Prospective students, the parents of said students, current students, alumni, post-grads, lecturers, members of the local community and press could all be accessing the same portal at any one time. This presents a huge challenge when it comes to offering a personalised experience and how your solution caters for all these complex requirements.

Couple this with the journey each user takes and the multiple touchpoints they may engage with, and you start to see how complex the overall picture is. There are two steps in approaching this challenge. The first is to understand the goals of the organisation and where the current shortfalls are this will feed into the overarching digital strategy and work to build a roadmap for a successful ecosystem. The second is to truly understand the needs of each audience. We do this by speaking to users directly through usability testing. Weve seen this process work for clients likeThe Royal College of Nursing, and is the only way you can truly cater to the complex needs of a varied audience.

Embracing technology to drive future growth

To really shape the future of education for the better, providers have an opportunity to embrace technology and really revolutionise the way they educate. When we think about some of the exciting opportunities that technology can deliver in this sector, we start to consider:

But there are lots of challenges too, and technology can help with those as well. Turning tactical short-term solutions into valuable and strategic long-term ones is where education providers will start to shape an exciting future in education. And as digital experts, were here to facilitate that journey and help organisations plan their roadmap for a digital future.

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How Technology Will Shape the Future of Education - Business News Wales

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New technologies emerge rapidly, and the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for applying technology to Environmental, Health, Safety to increase safety, lower costs, improve oversight and increase skills. Technology such as smart glasses, wearables, AI, drones, autonomous vehicles, robotics and more demand that you rethink your programs and adapt to a rapidly changing environment. These technologies create new opportunities and challenge for EHS professionals and understanding them is critical for success. As firms digitally transform under Industry 4.0 and expand remote operations, opportunities arise to apply technology in new and interesting ways. Come listen and learn about:

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SpeakersJacob Zollinger, CSP, National Practice Director - Information Solutions, British Standards InstitutionThe recipient of the 2020 SPY Award in Central Texas, Mr. Zollinger, CSP leads BSI's Information Solutions practice. As BSI's National Practice Director, Information Solutions he has overall accountability for the US-based consulting team that supports clientele in technology utilization assessments, database development and hosting, and general EH3S technology excellence. Formerly he was President of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), Senior Consultant, Performance and Assurance for Environmental Resources Management. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University in Biology and Chemistry.Jacob Zollinger Xavier Alcarez,CSP, CIH, National Practice Director - Safety, British Standards InstitutionMr. Alcaraz is the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Practice Director for BSI Consulting and leads a high-performance team supporting clients in the US and globally. He has 20+ experience partnering with clients to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions that improve EHS performance and integrate HSW systems into their business culture. Xavier has over 20 years of professional experience in industrial hygiene, safety, and building science disciplines. Xavier is the National Safety Practice Director and supports both regional and global clients. Xavier has been supporting organizations with managing pandemic risk and strategies related to risk assessment, risk mitigation, regulatory compliance, and COVID-19 plan development and implementation.

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Disruptive EHS Technologies that can Save Lives, Money, and Reputations - EHS Today

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore are tackling food waste by turning discarded durian husks into antibacterial gel bandages.

The process extracts cellulose powder from the fruits husks after they are sliced and freeze-dried, then mixes it with glycerol. This mixture becomes soft hydrogel, which is then cut into bandage strips.

In Singapore, we consume about 12 million durians a year, so besides the flesh, we cant do much about the husk and the seeds and this cause environmental pollution, said Professor William Chen, director of the food science and technology programme at NTU.

The fruits husks, which make up more than half of the composition of durians, are usually discarded and incinerated, contributing to environmental waste. Chen added that the technology can also turn other food waste, such as soy beans and spent grains, into hydrogel, helping limit the countrys food waste.

Compared to conventional bandages, the organo-hydrogel bandages are also able to keep wound areas cooler and moist, which can help accelerate healing.

The researchers say using waste materials and yeast for the antimicrobial bandages is more cost effective than the production of conventional bandages, whose antimicrobial properties come from more expensive metallic compounds like silver or copper ions.

A durian wholeseller, Tan Eng Chuan, said he goes through at least 30 crates of durians a day during durian season as much as 1,800 kg. Being able to use the parts of the fruit that are ordinarily discarded, he said, was an innovation that would make enjoying it more sustainable.

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Scientists in Singapore transform fruit leftovers into antibacterial bandages - The Indian Express