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Blackbaud Adds PayPal and Venmo Payment Capability for Blackbaud Merchant Services™ Customers

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New integration gives U.S. social good organizations more ways to raise money and provide exceptional donor experiences

CHARLESTON, S.C., March 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good, today announced that Blackbaud Merchant Services™ customers can now accept payments through both PayPal and Venmo in the U.S. in select Blackbaud products.  

A new product integration with PayPal allows social good organizations to offer supporters the option to checkout with PayPal or Venmo, making it easier for donors to give to their missions. Through this integration, Blackbaud customers will have access to a broader audience of donors with PayPal’s more than 426 million active consumer accounts[1]. PayPal is one of the world’s most popular and trusted payment methods[2], and Venmo is quickly growing with more than $230 billion processed on the platform in 2021[1].

“We’re continually looking for new ways to bring additional fundraising options to our customers,” said Brad Little, president and general manager, Payment Services, Blackbaud. “For social good organizations, donors are heroes who help drive their missions. We listened to our customers’ feedback, and we’re pleased to now offer PayPal and Venmo capability for Blackbaud Merchant Services customers. This will help organizations provide even more ways to give online.”  

Customers in Blackbaud’s early adopter program for the integration found nearly 10% of donor gifts came through PayPal.[3] With the new integration, social good organizations can create a more frictionless, delightful and secure checkout experience by seamlessly activating PayPal and Venmo for donations, registration, cart and membership forms. By offering one of the most trusted payment methods globally, organizations will be able to offer a more satisfying giving experience and expand their impact. 

One Blackbaud customer, Victory Junction—a camp that enriches the lives of children with serious illnesses at no cost to their families—reported that donors quickly begin to use PayPal for transactions, with 23% of online gifts coming through PayPal once the feature was introduced[4]. A database manager at Victory Junction shared, “New donors seemed especially responsive to the option to give securely through PayPal. It’s very heartwarming to see that this is an option that our donors are looking for and that we can give them.”

PayPal and Venmo are now available as payment methods in the U.S. within Blackbaud Online ExpressÔ, Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXTÒ, Blackbaud eTapestryÒ, Blackbaud Luminate OnlineÒ and Blackbaud Church ManagementÔ through the integration with Blackbaud Merchant Services, with international availability coming later this year.

Blackbaud Merchant Services is an end-to-end payment processing solution for social good organizations that includes point of sale, donation, and credit card processing software for fundraising. It allows organizations to spend more time on their missions and less time handling transactions. Since 2000, Blackbaud has helped thousands of organizations worldwide fundraise and process billions of dollars to advance their missions.

Learn more about Blackbaud Merchant Services here.

[1] PayPal Q4:2021 Earnings https://investor.pypl.com/home/default.aspx 
[2] Morning Consult – The 15 Most Trusted Brands Globally. March 2021. Morning Consult surveyed over 330,000 consumers across 10 international markets to provide a global view on the current state of consumer trust across brands. https://morningconsult.com/most-trusted-brands-2021/ 
[3] Blackbaud study of Blackbaud Online Express customers in the US who offered PayPal as a one-time gift option during a 12-month early adopter period that concluded in May 2021
[4] Victory Junction donor analysis as of Sept. 2021

About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good. Serving the entire social good community—nonprofits, higher education institutions, K–12 schools, healthcare organizations, faith communities, arts and cultural organizations, foundations, companies and individual change agents—Blackbaud connects and empowers organizations to increase their impact through cloud software, services, expertise and data intelligence. The Blackbaud portfolio is tailored to the unique needs of vertical markets, with solutions for fundraising and CRM, marketing, advocacy, peer-to-peer fundraising, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG), school management, ticketing, grantmaking, financial management, payment processing and analytics. Serving the industry for more than four decades, Blackbaud is a remote-first company headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, with operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit  www.blackbaud.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedInInstagram and Facebook.

Media Inquiries
media@blackbaud.com

Forward-looking Statements
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding expected benefits of products and product features. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles, particularly in larger organization; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud’s investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.

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SOURCE Blackbaud, Inc.

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At NVIDIA GTC 2025, DeCloak Intelligences and NTUH’s Hsin-Chu Branch will exhibit their AI privacy healthcare system

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A featured presentation will be “Enhance Patient Safety With Privacy-Preserving AI: Multimodal DNN and VLM for Event Detection in Healthcare.”

SAN JOSE, Calif. and TAIPEI, March 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — DeCloak Intelligences, a subsidiary of Etron Technology (TPEx: 5351), is set to showcase its groundbreaking ‘AI-aided Privacy Agent (AipA) Healthcare System’ at NVIDIA’s GTC 2025 with the Hsin-Chu Branch of National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH), scheduled from March 17–21, 2025, in San Jose, California. This innovative system leverages patented AI de-identification technology to enhance medical efficiency while ensuring patient privacy and safety.

The ‘AipA Healthcare System’ performs real-time de-identification image processing, significantly reducing the risk of personal data leakage. It offers a suite of AI recognition functions, including patient identity verification, tracking within medical facilities, and detection of critical events such as falls or violent incidents. These capabilities aim to bolster the safety and efficiency of healthcare environments.

Currently, this system has been implemented in the public areas and demonstration wards of the NTUH Hsin-Chu Branch Zhubei Campus. Using AI automatic recognition technology, it ensures the image privacy of patients and medical staff without affecting medical operations. Additionally, it reduces the risk of medical violence, further enhancing the safety within the hospital.

At GTC 2025, Dr. Yao-Tung Tsou, President of DeCloak Intelligences, will present a session titled “Enhance Patient Safety With Privacy-Preserving AI: Multimodal DNN and VLM for Event Detection in Healthcare.”

This presentation will delve into the integration of privacy-enhancing technologies with multimodal deep neural networks (DNN) and vision-language models (VLM). This system integrates differentially private AI models with identity recognition and event detection to perform critical tasks such as fall detection, identifying dangerous activities, and recognizing elderly patients without exposing image data.

This advancement builds upon DeCloak’s award-winning privacy solutions, including the DeCloakVision surveillance system and DeCloakFace facial recognition technology, which have been deployed in smart healthcare and automotive environments. The integration of VLM represents a significant leap forward in balancing data utility with privacy preservation, addressing ethical concerns associated with AI in healthcare, all while adhering to stringent compliance standards, including GDPR, CCPA, and Taiwan’s Personal Information Protection Act.

DeCloak stated that the company had a brilliant showing at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the United States, successfully demonstrating a number of innovative technologies and solutions, including the CES Innovation Award-winning DeCloakVision surveillance system and DeCloakFace facial recognition technology, significantly enhancing the brand’s international recognition. During the exhibition, DeCloak engaged in in-depth exchanges with industry representatives and investors from Europe, the Americas, and Asia, attracting the attention of many potential customers, which not only deepened relationships with existing partners but also successfully expanded new cooperation opportunities.

Looking ahead, DeCloak will continue to expand its international presence and will soon travel to the United States to participate in NVIDIA GTC – an important AI semiconductor exhibition. NVIDIA GTC is a premier event in the global AI and high-performance computing fields, attracting technical experts, academic institutions, and industry leaders worldwide. DeCloak Intelligences’ participation underscores Taiwan’s active engagement in smart healthcare innovation. The company aims to expand Taiwan’s smart healthcare technology.

National Taiwan University Hospital, Hsinchu Branch, utilizes DeCloak’s ” AI-aided Privacy Agent (AipA) Healthcare System ” for de-identified image processing, reducing the risk of personal image data leakage.

About DeCloak
DeCloak’s privacy computing solutions can be deployed through either software or hardware. With DeCloak’s patented corresponding AI prediction algorithm, all data processed can remain highly analyzable while preserving total privacy. The processed data is transmitted to the local server or cloud in a de-identified format, and enterprises can use the AI prediction model to run data analysis and architect big data trends.
https://de-cloak.com/

About Etron Technology, Inc.
Etron Technology, Inc. (TPEx: 5351. TW) is a world-class fabless and heterogeneous integration IC design company that specializes in the application-driven buffer memory, known-good die memory (KGDM), and long-retention time DRAM (RPC DRAM), and other artificial intelligence and machine learning-induced DRAM products. Etron also develops system-in-packages, including high-speed transfer interface chips of USB Type-C and 3D depth sensing computer vision and panoramic image capturing chips. www.etron.com/

Media Contact:
Etron Tech – Ms. Justine Tsai, Tel: +886-3-578-2345 #8670, Email: pr@etron.com.tw
DeCloak – Ms. Vicki Chang, Tel:+886-2-8751-1691 #2204, Email: vchang@de-cloak.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/at-nvidia-gtc-2025-decloak-intelligences-and-ntuhs-hsin-chu-branch-will-exhibit-their-ai-privacy-healthcare-system-302400925.html

SOURCE Etron Technology; DeCloak Intelligences

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Baidu Unveils ERNIE 4.5 and Reasoning Model ERNIE X1, Makes ERNIE Bot Free Ahead of Schedule

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With the launch of ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1, ERNIE Bot is made free to the public ahead of schedule, and users can access both models free of charge.As a deep-thinking reasoning model with multimodal capabilities, ERNIE X1 delivers performance on par with DeepSeek R1 at only half the price.ERNIE 4.5 is the company’s latest foundation model and native multimodal model, with input and output prices starting as low as RMB 0.004 per thousand tokens and RMB 0.016 per thousand tokens.

BEIJING, March 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU and HKEX: 9888), a leading AI company with strong Internet foundation, today launched its latest foundation models, including native multimodal foundation model ERNIE 4.5 and deep-thinking reasoning model ERNIE X1. Both models are now freely accessible to individual users through ERNIE Bot’s official website (https://yiyan.baidu.com/).

The launch of ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1 marks a significant milestone in pushing the boundaries of multimodal and reasoning models, offering advanced capabilities at a more accessible price point. It also underscores Baidu’s commitment to continued investment in developing smarter and more powerful next-generation foundation models.

Baidu also plans to progressively integrate both ERNIE 4.5 and X1 into its product ecosystem. This integration will include Baidu Search, the Wenxiaoyan app, and other offerings, delivering a more versatile and enhanced experience to a broader base of individual users.

With the addition of ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1 today, ERNIE Bot is being made free to the public ahead of schedule. Earlier this year, the company announced a plan that ERNIE Bot would become fully-free to individual users starting April 1. For enterprise users and developers, ERNIE 4.5 is now accessible via APIs on Baidu AI Cloud’s MaaS platform Qianfan, while ERNIE X1 is set to be available on the platform soon.

ERNIE 4.5: Baidu’s New Generation Native Multimodal Foundation Model

ERNIE 4.5 is Baidu’s new generation native multimodal foundation model independently developed by the company. It achieves collaborative optimization through joint modeling of multiple modalities, demonstrating exceptional multimodal comprehension capabilities. With refined language skills, it exhibits comprehensive improvements in understanding, generation, reasoning and memory, along with notable enhancements in hallucination prevention, logical reasoning, and coding abilities.

ERNIE 4.5’s multimodal capabilities are evident in its ability to integrate and understand text, images, audio, and video content.

ERNIE 4.5 also possesses strong intelligence and contextual awareness, effortlessly understanding internet memes, satirical cartoons, and more.

As Baidu’s latest foundation model and native multimodal model, ERNIE 4.5 outperforms GPT-4.5 in multiple benchmarks while priced at just 1% of GPT-4.5.

 

The significant enhancements in ERNIE 4.5’s capabilities are attributed to several key technologies including “FlashMask” Dynamic Attention Masking, Heterogeneous Multimodal Mixture-of-Experts, Spatiotemporal Representation Compression, Knowledge-Centric Training Data Construction, Self-feedback Enhanced Post-Training.

ERNIE X1: Baidu’s New Deep-Thinking Reasoning Model

ERNIE X1 possesses enhanced capabilities in understanding, planning, reflection, and evolution. As Baidu’s first multimodal deep-thinking reasoning model capable of tool use, X1 also excels in Chinese knowledge Q&A, literary creation, manuscript writing, dialogue, logical reasoning, and complex calculations.

Specifically for tool use, X1 supports various tools including advanced search, Q&A on given document, image understanding, AI image generation, code interpreting, webpage reading, TreeMind mapping, Baidu academic search, business information search, and franchise information search.

The comprehensive uplift in ERNIE X1’s capabilities is underpinned by key technologies such as the Progressive Reinforcement Learning Method, End-to-End Training Approach Integrating Chains of Thought and Action, and A Unified Multi-Faceted Reward System.

Enterprise users and developers can directly access ERNIE 4.5’s API through Baidu AI Cloud’s Qianfan Foundation Model Platform, with input prices starting as low as RMB 0.004 per thousand tokens and output prices at RMB 0.016 per thousand tokens.  ERNIE X1 will soon be available on the Qianfan Platform, with input prices as low as RMB 0.002 per thousand tokens and output prices as low as RMB 0.008 per thousand tokens.

2025 is set to be an important year for the development and iteration of large language models and technologies. With the launch of ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1, Baidu will continue to invest in artificial intelligence, data centers and cloud infrastructure to advance our AI capabilities, and develop smarter and more powerful next-generation models.

About Baidu

Founded in 2000, Baidu’s mission is to make the complicated world simpler through technology. Baidu is a leading AI company with strong internet foundation, trading on the NASDAQ under “BIDU” and HKEX under “9888.” One Baidu ADS represents eight Class A ordinary shares.

Media Contact
intlcomm@baidu.com

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SOURCE Baidu, Inc.

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GRE Alpha to Showcase Innovative LED Driver Solutions with LumiFree™ Light Distribution Technology at LEDucation 2025

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GRE Alpha, a global leader in LED power solutions, will exhibit cutting-edge LED drivers and control systems that power LumiFree™ light distribution technology at LEDucation 2025.

NEW YORK, March 15, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — GRE Alpha, a global leader in LED power solutions, will exhibit cutting-edge LED drivers and control systems that power LumiFree™ light distribution technology at LEDucation 2025.

LEDucation attendees are invited to visit GRE Alpha at Booth #205 to experience innovations firsthand and discuss how these solutions can be customized for specific project requirements.

Visitors to Booth #205 will experience firsthand how this powerful combination solves traditional challenges associated with manual lighting controls while offering superior flexibility and performance.

The showcase at the annual trade show and conference organized by the Designers Lighting Forum of New York will take place at the New York Hilton Midtown on March 18-19, 2025.

Visitors to GRE Alpha’s booth will witness live demonstrations highlighting the system’s wireless capabilities across multiple control protocols, including Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, 0-10V, DALI, and DMX.

The GRE Alpha and LumiFree™ combination offers several key advantages:

Enhanced Control Flexibility: LumiFree™ technology enables electrical control of light spread and independent two-axis light distribution control (horizontal and vertical), representing a breakthrough in lighting customization with applications across general lighting, specialized lighting, and optical inspection systems.Simplified Integration: GRE Alpha’s LED drivers seamlessly integrate with a wide range of luminaire designs, allowing OEMs complete freedom in their mechanical requirements.Extended Product Lifespan: The elimination of mechanical control components reduces wear and failure points, significantly enhancing system reliability and longevity.Greater Automation Capabilities: With wireless connectivity and advanced programming options, lighting systems can be easily updated, monitored, and controlled remotely.Reduced Installation Complexity: Wireless controls eliminate the need for additional control wiring, simplifying installation and reducing associated costs.

The technology supports a wide range of applications, including architectural lighting, commercial installations, industrial applications, smart building integration, and retail and hospitality environments.

LEDucation attendees are invited to visit GRE Alpha at Booth #205 to experience these innovations firsthand and discuss how these solutions can be customized for specific project requirements.

About GRE Alpha

GRE Alpha is dedicated to the design and manufacture of high-quality power supplies and lighting control accessories that meet the needs of the lighting industry. With more than two decades of power conversion expertise, GRE Alpha provides OEM and ODM services to lighting manufacturers and offers a comprehensive portfolio of LED drivers and lighting control modules to global lighting brands.

For more information, visit www.grealpha.com/contact.

About LEDucation

LEDucation, presented by the Designers Lighting Forum of New York, is the largest LED-only trade show and conference in the United States. The event connects lighting design professionals with manufacturers, allowing attendees to explore cutting-edge innovations in LED technology.

For more information, visit https://leducation.org/

Media Contact

Marina Milutinovic, GRE Alpha, 1 (770) 538-0630, marina@grealpha.com, https://grealpha.com/ 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/gre-alpha-to-showcase-innovative-led-driver-solutions-with-lumifree-light-distribution-technology-at-leducation-2025-302402290.html

SOURCE GRE Alpha

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