Vytelle Closes $20MM in Series B Funding to Accelerate Genetic Progress in Cattle

LENEXA, Kansas, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vytelle, a precision livestock company, has raised $20MM in Series B funding to accelerate genetic progress in cattle. With this new investment, Vytelle will continue to expand its global operations, while delivering the most accessible, reliable, and predictable reproductive technology available to customers today.

The investment was led by Forage Capital Partners, a Calgary based growth equity fund that invests across the entire food and agriculture value chain. New investor, Mountain Group Partners, joins current investors, Grosvenor Food and Ag Tech, Open Prairie, Fulcrum Global Capital, Serra Ventures, and KC Rise to complete the round.

Forage Capital Partner, Jim Taylor said, “Vytelle has proven their ability to scale and deliver consistent results for the benefit of cattle producers aiming to accelerate genetic progress around the world. We are impressed with Vytelle’s track record of growth and delivery and are excited about what the future will bring.”

Vytelle’s integrated technology platform combines Vytelle ADVANCE, a breakthrough in vitro fertilization (IVF) technology, with Vytelle SENSE, an animal performance data capture system, and Vytelle INSIGHT, an artificial intelligence based genetic analytics engine.

As the fastest growing advanced reproduction company, Vytelle is easily accessible to more than 50% of the US cow herd. Combining this footprint, with Vytelle’s curation of the world’s largest multibreed efficiency database, provides the infrastructure to impact bovine genetic progress rapidly. Progressive cattle producers can use the technology to multiply the impact of elite livestock productivity and profitability, sustainably delivering more protein with fewer inputs.

“We are delighted to have secured this new investment; this is indicative of strong market interest in our products and services. Our mission is clear, and we are grateful for the support of our investors who join us on our journey to ensure meat and milk are viable food choices for future generations.” said Kerryann Kocher, CEO of Vytelle.

About Vytelle

Vytelle is a precision livestock company reshaping how cattle producers worldwide optimize their herds. Through Vytelle’s integrated technology platform, generations of genetic gains can be made in just a few years. This allows producers to sustainably deliver more protein with fewer inputs, helping to ensure meat and milk are viable, competitive food choices for future generations. For more information about Vytelle, please visit www.vytelle.com.

About Forage Capital Partners

Forage Capital Partners is Canada’s most experienced team of Ag & Food investors, having managed over $500 million in commitments to the industry over the last 18 years. Forage Capital Ag & Food Business Solutions Fund works to provide its portfolio companies with the stability and flexibility they need to expand and adapt their business models during these challenging times. The fund will invest with creative business owners that are looking to capitalize on new and innovative opportunities. For more information on Forage Capital Partners, visit www.foragecapitalpartners.com.

About Mountain Group Partners

Mountain Group Partners is a Nashville-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies predominantly in the life sciences, animal health and disruptive technology sectors.  The firm has invested in companies across animal health primarily in companion animals and technologies centered on improving protein production.  Mountain Group takes a hands-on approach to investing based upon its deep operational experience and currently has over $300 million in assets under management. For more information on Mountain Group Partners, visit www.mtngp.com.

Attachment

Lisa Rumsfeld
Vytelle
lisa.rumsfeld@vytelle.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8801024

Fluence completes 570 MW battery-based energy storage portfolio contributing to SMC Global Power’s 1,000 MW Battery Storage Fleet Inauguration in the Philippines

SMC Global Power’s 1,000 MW Battery Storage Fleet Inauguration in the Philippines

Fluence completes 570 MW battery-based energy storage portfolio contributing to SMC Global Power’s 1,000 MW Battery Storage Fleet Inauguration in the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fluence Energy, Inc. (“Fluence”) (NASDAQ: FLNC), a leading global provider of energy storage products and services, and cloud-based software for renewables and storage, announced the completion of a 570 MW battery-based energy storage portfolio supplied to SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMCGP). The announcement was made during an inauguration ceremony held by SMCGP for its 1,000 MW / 1,000 MWh battery-based energy storage fleet in the Philippines.

Hosted by SMCGP Chairman, CEO, and President Ramon S. Ang, the ceremony marked the significance of the company’s 1,000 MW / 1,000 MWh energy storage portfolio as the first and largest within the Southeast Asia region. The SMCGP energy storage portfolio is strategically located across 32 sites throughout the Philippines to provide advanced grid stability as increasing amounts of intermittent renewable energy sources are added to the grid. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. was joined by Secretary of Energy, Raphael Perpetuo M. Lotilla, Energy Regulatory Commission Chairperson, Monalisa Dimalanta, and several undersecretaries from various government departments of the Philippines. Senior officials from the Embassies of the United States and South Korea were among the foreign dignitaries to attend the event.

SMCGP is one of the biggest power suppliers in the Philippines, playing a significant role in the country’s power industry. As the largest customer of Fluence in the Philippines, SMCGP has been a key contributor in helping the country progress towards the achievement of its climate goals of 35 percent renewable energy generation in 2030 and 50 percent in 2040. Together, Fluence and SMCGP have deployed 570 MW of energy storage across 18 sites. These projects are providing critical grid stability services throughout the National Transmission Network in the Philippines including frequency response, reserve power, and voltage regulation. The deployment of these energy storage systems marks a significant milestone in the clean energy transition journey of the Philippines towards a cleaner, more resilient, and flexible grid.

“The inauguration of SMCGP’s energy storage system fleet is a key milestone for both SMCGP and Fluence in the ASEAN region. Our relationship with SMCGP began in 2018 when they started to explore energy storage and realized its visionary potential for the Philippines,” said Don H. Lee, GM Southeast Asia and East Asia and VP Service, APAC at Fluence. “The Masinloc energy storage project was the first project in the Philippines and one of the first grid-scale projects to enter Commercial Operations in Southeast Asia. Since delivering that project, we successfully passed grid compliance tests with National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in Kabankalan, Malita, Maco, San Manuel, Concepcion, Jasaan, Villanueva, Gamu, and Maapit, just to name a few. Fluence is excited to bring our more than 15 years of team experience together with our reliable and safe products and proven technology to the Philippines, enabling the success of our customers and the country’s energy transition.”

About Fluence

Fluence Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLNC) is a global market leader in energy storage products and services, and cloud-based software for renewables and storage. With a presence in over 40 markets globally, Fluence provides an ecosystem of offerings to drive the clean energy transition, including modular, scalable energy storage products, comprehensive service offerings, and the Fluence IQ Platform, which delivers AI-enabled SaaS products for managing and optimizing renewables and storage from any provider. The Company is transforming the way we power our world by helping customers create more resilient and sustainable electric grids.

For more information, visit our website, or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. To stay up to date on the latest industry insights, sign up for Fluence’s Full Potential Blog.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements described herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the operational performance of SMCGP’s Battery-based Energy Storage sites. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this press release, words such as “may,” “possible,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “targets,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. and variations thereof and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events, and their potential effects on our business. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and there can be no assurance that future developments affecting our business will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, which include, but are not limited to, such factors set forth under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on December 14, 2022 and in other filings we make with the SEC from time to time. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all such risk factors, nor can we assess the effect of all such risk factors on our business or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements made in this press release. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or which we become aware of, after the date hereof, except as otherwise may be required by law.

Media Contact

Adele Zhang, Head of Marketing & Communications, APAC
Email: Adele.Zhang@fluenceenergy.com
Phone: +61 406529688

Analyst Contact

Lexington May, Vice President of Investor Relations
Email: investorrelations@fluenceenergy.com
Phone: +1 (713) 909-5629

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b7b4e01d-fad9-4e88-ba69-e68490f173cc

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8801413

Decision Intelligence Leader & AI Innovator Quantexa Raises Valuation to $1.8 Billion With Completion of Series E Funding Round

GIC leads funding round of $129 million with Warburg Pincus, Dawn Capital and other existing investors participating

Quantexa joins elite group of UK tech companies reaching breakout Unicorn status

LONDON and NEW YORK, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quantexa, a global leader in Decision Intelligence (DI) solutions for the public and private sectors, announced today that it has completed a $129 million Series E funding round. The latest investment round secures the British tech company’s unicorn status with a valuation of $1.8 billion and will accelerate the execution of its growth strategy within the *$230bn Decision Intelligence category.

The round was led by GIC, a global institutional investor, and existing investors also participated, including Warburg Pincus, Dawn Capital, British Patient Capital, Evolution Equity Partners, HSBC, BNY Mellon, ABN AMRO Ventures, and AlbionVC. This investment comes less than 18 months after Quantexa closed its $157 million Series D funding round in July 2021 and just weeks after its acquisition of Aylien, a Dublin-based leader in natural language processing (NLP) and advanced AI.

In what has been a difficult period for many tech companies, Quantexa continues to post impressive growth, having grown their ARR over 100% since closing their Series D round. In the same time period, Quantexa has seen robust growth in all regions, including a breakout performance in North America, with an increase in ARR of over 180%.

The success comes on the heels of Quantexa’s continued geographic expansion efforts which has seen the company grow from 500 to 650 employees over the past year and open new offices in New York City, the UAE, Amsterdam, and a new Technology and Analytics Hub in Malaga Tech Park, Spain, in November 2022. This new capital will ensure that Quantexa continues to grow its global presence and invest in its world-class engineering talent.

Quantexa also plans to use the funding to boost technology innovation efforts and strengthen its Decision Intelligence Platform capabilities in low-code data fusion, graph analytics, machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence (AI). Additionally, Quantexa will increase focus on accelerating joint go-to-market efforts with its flagship partners which include Google, Moody’s, Accenture, KPMG, Deloitte, and EY.

Deployed in more than 70 countries, thousands of users across banking, insurance, telecoms industries, and within public sector, rely on Quantexa’s outcome-driven solutions to protect, optimize, and grow their organizations. Quantexa’s growing customer-base includes BNY Mellon, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Danske Bank, Vodafone, and The Public Sector Fraud Authority in the UK Cabinet Office.

Vishal Marria, CEO of Quantexa said, “After closing our Series D investment round, Quantexa has been on a transformational journey, accelerating the growth of our global software business and firmly establishing our leadership position in the emerging Decision Intelligence category. In a challenging market we have doubled our ARR, our user base, and continue to penetrate new markets and industries. This infusion of capital will fuel further innovation, diversification, and expansion, and opens exciting options for our future.

“It’s a real testament to our vision and trajectory to have such a significant contribution from our new investor, GIC and the majority of our Series D investors – in our latest round. We warmly welcome GIC and thank our existing investors for their continued confidence in our ability to generate growth and accelerate the path to profitability.”

*Total addressable market (TAM) estimate is based on Quantexa proprietary research with data from sources including IDC, Chartis, GreySpark (GS), Allied Market Research, and Inkwood Research.

About Quantexa

Quantexa is a global data and analytics software company pioneering Decision Intelligence that empowers organizations to make trusted operational decisions by making data meaningful. Using the latest advancements in big data and AI, Quantexa’s Decision Intelligence platform uncovers hidden risk and new opportunities by providing a contextual, connected view of internal and external data in a single place. It solves major challenges across data management, KYC, customer intelligence, financial crime, risk, fraud, and security, throughout the customer lifecycle.

The Quantexa Decision Intelligence Platform enhances operational performance with over 90% more accuracy and 60 times faster analytical model resolution than traditional approaches. Founded in 2016, Quantexa now has more than 600 employees and thousands of users working with billions of transactions and data points across the world. The company has offices in London, New York, Boston, Toronto, Malaga, Brussels, Amsterdam, Luxemburg, Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, and the UAE. For more information, please visit www.quantexa.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About GIC

GIC is a leading global investment firm established in 1981 to secure Singapore’s financial future. As the manager of Singapore’s foreign reserves, GIC takes a long-term, disciplined approach to investing and is uniquely positioned across a wide range of asset classes and active strategies globally. These include equities, fixed income, real estate, private equity, venture capital and infrastructure. Its long-term approach, multi-asset capabilities and global connectivity enable it to be an investor of choice. GIC seeks to add meaningful value to its investments. Headquartered in Singapore, GIC has a global talent force of over 1,900 people in 11 key financial cities and has investments in over 40 countries. For more information, please visit www.gic.com.sg or follow on LinkedIn.

Media Enquiries 
C: Stephanie Crisp, Associate Director and Media Strategist, Fight or Flight
E: Quantexa@fightflight.co.uk

C: Adam Jaffe, SVP of Corporate Marketing
T: +1 609 502 6889
E: adamjaffe@quantexa.com
– or –
RapidResponse@quantexa.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000802066

CORRECTION – Evident Acquired by Bain Capital: Partnership to Accelerate Future Growth and Innovation

TOKYO, April 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a release issued under the same headline earlier today by Evident Corporation, please note that the titles of Yuji Sugimoto and Stephen Thomas have been corrected to Partner, and the spelling of Stephen Thomas’s name has been revised. The corrected release follows:

Evident Corporation (“Evident”) announced today that it has been acquired by private equity firm Bain Capital Private Equity (“Bain Capital”) from Olympus Corporation (“Olympus”) pursuant to the definitive agreement signed on August 29, 2022.

Evident was newly established on April 1, 2022 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Olympus comprising the former Scientific Solutions business conducted by Olympus. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Evident conducts business in 24 countries worldwide with more than 4,300 employees.

Supported by Bain Capital, Evident will attain a higher level of agility and faster decision-making to drive innovation-based growth in the life science and industrial markets. Building on a history of more than 100 years of innovation in imaging, instrumentation, and measurement solutions, Evident plans to further expand its portfolio of world-class products, solutions, and services.

Yoshitake Saito, the President and CEO of Evident said “We are very excited about our partnership with Bain Capital because we are convinced that it will enable us to even more strongly fulfill our purpose of becoming a preferred workflow solution partner for a broad range of customers in the life science and industrial markets.”

Yuji Sugimoto, Partner of Bain Capital in Japan, said “Bain Capital is committed to supporting Evident on its sustainable growth path to allow the company to foster an accelerated innovation process.”

Stephen Thomas, Partner of Bain Capital in North America, added “Evident is at the frontier of digital optical technology in the life science and industrial end markets, and has great potential to expand into new products, new customers, and new markets as an independent company.”

About EVIDENT

At Evident, we are guided by the scientific spirit—innovation and exploration are at the heart of what we do. Committed to making people’s lives healthier, safer, and more fulfilling, we support our customers with solutions that solve their challenges and advance their work—whether it’s researching medical breakthroughs, inspecting infrastructure, or exposing hidden toxins in consumer products.

Evident Industrial’s solutions range from microscopes and videoscopes to nondestructive testing equipment and X-ray analyzers for maintenance, manufacturing, and environmental applications. Backed by state-of-the-art technologies, Evident’s products are widely used for quality control, inspection, and measurement.

Evident Life Science empowers scientists and researchers through collaboration and cutting-edge life science solutions. Dedicated to meeting the challenges and supporting the evolving needs of its customers, Evident Life Science advances a comprehensive range of microscopes for pathology, hematology, IVF, and other clinical applications as well as for research and education.

For more information, visit www.EvidentScientific.com

About Bain Capital Private Equity

Bain Capital Private Equity has partnered closely with management teams to provide the strategic resources that build great companies and help them thrive since its founding in 1984. Bain Capital Private Equity’s global team of more than 280 investment professionals creates value for its portfolio companies through its global platform and depth of expertise in key vertical industries including healthcare, consumer/retail, financial and business services, industrials, and technology, media and telecommunications. Bain Capital has 23 offices on four continents. The firm has made primary or add-on investments in more than 1,100 companies since its inception. In addition to private equity, Bain Capital invests across multiple asset classes, including credit, public equity, venture capital and real estate, managing approximately $160 billion in total assets and leveraging the firm’s shared platform to capture opportunities in strategic areas of focus.

For more information, please visit www.baincapitalprivateequity.com.

Media Contact:
Tobias Ruckes, Global Corporate Communications
Tobias.Ruckes@EvidentScientific.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8801034

H.E. Pan Sorasak: Trade and Tourism Sector, Important for Economic Growth

Cambodian Minister of Commerce has stressed the important role of trade and tourism in the country’s socio-economic development toward inclusive, resilient, and sustainable recovery.

The minister H.E. Pan Sorasak made the point when addressing the opening of the Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India 2023: Reviving Tourism Post-Pandemic of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) webinar recently.

Trade has significantly increased job opportunities, generated income, and facilitated food and goods supply chains, he added.

Tourism was a driving force for service trade, infrastructure development, and people-to-people contact promotion.

The Royal Government of Cambodia is diversifying the country’s economy through the establishment of multilateral, regional, sub-regional, and bilateral free trade agreements.

He continued that institutional capacity building and necessary legal and regulation reform and framework have also been introduced to harness potential growth.

The minister cited OECD Economic Outlook stating that Cambodia’s economy achieved around 4.5 percent in 2022 and is expected to accelerate to 6.3 percent this year.

The challenges to economic growth includes continuous inflationary pressure and global economic downturn which can partly be addressed by the reopening of the major economies in the region and adaption of trade and tourism to new trends, including digitalisation.

H.E. Pan Sorasak appreciated the webinar aimed to provide update on global economic recovery after and enhance awareness on economics, trade, investment, and tourism.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

Government to Offer Free Public Bus Service during Khmer New Year

The public will have access to free-of-charge public bus service in Phnom Penh and back and forth between the capital and provinces during the upcoming Khmer New Year.

The announcement was made in a letter issued by Phnom Penh Administration on April 3, adding that 345 buses will be used to provide the free service on April 13-17.

The three-day celebration of the Khmer New Year, the Year of Rabbit, will start on April 14.

Flocks of people are set to return to their homeland, go to pagoda, travel to different tourism destinations, and join various entertainment activities to observe the New Year.

The Royal Government annually provides the free bus service to help reduce people’s travel cost during one of the biggest holidays of the country.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

Structural Design for Angkor Sankranta 2023, 90 Percent Complete

Structural design for Angkor Sankranta 2023 to be held in Siem Reap province, home of the famous Angkor temples, during the Khmer Traditional New Year from April 14 to 16, is now 90 percent complete.

The update was shared yesterday by H.E. Som Ratana, Head of Working Group on Promotion and Public Relations of Angkor Sankranta, adding that the working group is working hard to complete their work as planned.

Angkor Sankranta 2023 will highlight amazing spectacles and fun programmes reflecting Khmer culture and traditional games, he said.

The stunning spectacles include “My Village”, “This Is Not a Dream”, “Mony Harotey Park”, and “SEA Games-ASEAN Para Games 2023 Village”.

“My Village” will showcase seven giant objects – Chapei Dang Veng (long-necked guitar), Prahok (Khmer fermented fish) basket, palm leaf hat, eggs and nest, Hanuman mask, Angrut (fish trap), and palm juice containers, H.E. Som Ratana added.

He also encouraged national and international visitors to join the Angkor Sankranta 2023 crowdedly to cheer the flash back of the peaceful life of Cambodian people from ancient to the present time.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

ADB Sees Cambodia Benefiting from New Trade Agreements and Investment Law

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Tuesday that Cambodia’s economy was expected to grow 5.5 percent this year and 6.0 percent next year as a more robust tourism recovery offsets slower exports of garments, footwear and travel goods.

“Industry continues to benefit from new trade agreements and policy reform that includes a new investment law to create a one-stop service organisation for investors,” the bank said in its annual development outlook for Asia.

The outlook forecast industrial output to expand 5.8 percent this year and 7.8 percent next year, with “slow” growth in construction activity. Agriculture is projected to grow 1.1 percent this year and 1.2 percent in 2024, boosted by crop exports.

Growth in services is forecast to accelerate to 7.3 percent this year before easing to 6.8 percent next year, led by stronger tourism growth following the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions in China.

The service sector is also expected to be boosted by the hosting of the SEA Games in May, the ASEAN Para Games in June and national elections in July.

Inflation is projected to moderate to an average of 3.0 percent this year, rising to 4.0 percent next year.

The ADB expects the government to sustain COVID-19 programmes as well as skills training, cash for work and cash transfers. The two sporting events and the national elections over the next few months are “important spending priorities,” it added.

‘LOW RISK OF DEBT DISTRESS’

The bank reiterated that Cambodia was at a “low risk of debt distress” with public external debt projected to rise to a “manageable” level of around 35 percent of GDP.

Sovereign bond issues – expected to raise US$ 200 million this year – “will provide the government with an alternative financing source and more instruments for managing monetary policy, while offering more investment options to institutional investors.”

With the recovery in tourism and growth in merchandise exports, the ADB expects Cambodia’s current account deficit to shrink further.

The deficit is expected to be financed by foreign direct investment and aid, boosting international reserves beyond US$ 21.1 billion by the end of next year – equivalent to seven months of imports.

Risks to the outlook include weaker growth in the United States and Europe along with high private debt, disappointing tourist arrivals from China and foreign direct investment, soaring energy prices and extreme weather, the bank said.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse