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Elton John AIDS Foundation Launches “Speak Up Sing Out” Campaign to End LGBTQ+ Discrimination and Stigma with a Chance to Meet Elton John and David Furnish in New York City during Pride Month

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New campaign celebrates the achievement of reaching $100 million towards The Rocket Fund’s ambitious $125 million goal. “Speak Up Sing Out” was designed to drive support and engagement to create lasting change for the LGBTQ+ community as we unite to raise the final $25 million.

NEW YORK, May 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Elton John AIDS Foundation unveils its latest initiative to coincide with Pride Month in June – “Speak Up Sing Out” – a social media movement and rallying cry against LGBTQ+ discrimination and stigma. In a climate marked by a concerning surge in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the United States, with 510 such laws introduced in 2023, and 75 enacted, the campaign emerges as a beacon of solidarity and action (Source: ACLU.)

“Speak Up Sing Out” was designed to drive support and engagement to create lasting change for the LGBTQ+ community.

Harnessing the influential voice of its founder, Elton John, the Foundation aims to unite communities through the power of social media. Encouraging individuals to participate by sharing a heartfelt rendition of the final verse of Elton’s timeless anthem, “Your Song,” along with naming an individual who has supported them on their journey towards self-acceptance, the campaign seeks to amplify messages of compassion and inclusivity. Notable friends of the Foundation such as Jewel, Robin Arzón, Kristin Chenoweth, Andrew Rannells, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and Vanessa Williams have already lent their support, encouraging their followers to participate. As a special thank you for speaking up, one lucky participant and a guest will have the unforgettable opportunity to meet Elton and David Furnish in New York City during Pride Month.

“Living boldly and fearlessly is what I strive for every day, but I know firsthand the importance of having a support system that empowers you to do so—a privilege I’m immensely grateful for,” shared Elton John, Founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. “This Pride Month, I extend a heartfelt invitation to stand with me and the Foundation to honour the champion in your life. Add your unique touch to one of my songs and spread waves of love and support throughout the LGBTQ+ community. As a special thank you, one participant and their guest will have the chance to join me and David in New York City during Pride Month—an opportunity to celebrate love, acceptance, and all that makes us who we are!”

Created by lesbian-owned advertising agency Invisible Man, “Speak Up Sing Out” will support The Rocket Fund, a $125 million, multi-year initiative launched in 2023 to accelerate the Foundation’s life-saving work to tackle rising LGBTQ+ stigma and growing rates of HIV in vulnerable communities. With immense gratitude to The Rocket Fund Co-chairs, Donatella Versace, David Geffen, Tani Austin, and David Furnish and the Foundation’s dedicated supporters, $100 million of the $125 million target has already been achieved, leaving a crucial $25 million to be raised for our mission to help end the AIDS pandemic.

“It’s devastating to see that LGBTQ+ rights are threatened and being reversed in countries around the world” said Donatella Versace, Co-Chair of The Rocket Fund. “We must protect equal and fair treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and fight the harmful stigma that stands in the way of an equitable future. I am so proud to be a Co-Chair of The Rocket Fund, powered by the Elton John AIDS Foundation to end LGBTQ+ discrimination and am thrilled that we have raised $100 million out of our $125 million goal. This Pride Month, lets champion self-expression and equity and celebrate love and acceptance, always.”

“Speak Up Sing Out aims to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes who inspire us to embrace our true selves,” said David Furnish, Chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. “It’s about recognizing and honouring the courage and support of those who empower us to stand tall and be authentic in a world too often marked by discrimination and stigma. Elton and I can’t wait to meet you and your guest during the most vibrant time of the year in New York, Pride Month!”

To join the movement and enter for a chance to meet Elton John and David Furnish, follow these simple steps on Instagram:

Post a reel (vertical video) singing a lyric from “Your Song” and nominate the individual who has inspired you to embrace your true self.The lyrics are “I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind, that I put down in words how wonderful life is while you’re in the world.”Tag a person in your caption who has always supported you to be your authentic self.Use the hashtag: #SpeakUpSingOutGiveaway.Follow the Elton John AIDS Foundation on Instagram: @ejaf.

Special thank you to Kevin Xu, for giving $10 for each Speak Up Sing Out post, up to $25,000.  The Foundation would also like to thank our airline partner, American Airlines, and hotel partner, Smyth Tribeca, for their in-kind donation in support of the Speak Up Sing Out Giveaway.

“We are bursting with pride to have achieved $100 million of our $125 million Rocket Fund target,” said Anne Aslett, Chief Executive Officer of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. “This remarkable milestone underscores the unwavering dedication of our global community of supporters, united in our mission for health equity and justice. With this momentum, we were able to reach over 280,000 people across 42 countries with support in 2023. With an extra push, we aim to build on that impact, ultimately saving millions of lives worldwide.”

For more information about “Speak Up Sing Out” and to read the official rules for the #SpeakUpSingOutGiveaway, please visit: www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org/speak-up-sing-out.

About The Rocket Fund

The Rocket Fund is a targeted initiative that has super charged the Foundation’s work across the globe, targeting those most at risk of HIV/AIDS: young people, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people who use drugs. The Rocket Fund focuses on addressing the health inequity, stigma, and discrimination that enable HIV/AIDS to continue to flourish. By supporting groundbreaking programs and partners working directly with communities and governments, the Fund enhances access to health resources like testing and medicine; fight discriminatory and dangerous laws; and empower those most at risk to take control of their health through prevention and information.

About the Elton John AIDS Foundation

The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in 1992 and is one of the leading independent AIDS organizations in the world. The Foundation’s mission is simple: an end to the AIDS epidemic. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is committed to overcoming the stigma, discrimination and neglect that keep us from ending AIDS. With the mobilization of our network of generous supporters and partners, we fund local experts across four continents to challenge discrimination, prevent infections, and provide treatment as well as influencing governments to end AIDS. www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org

Press Contact:

Mary Pavlu: Mary.Pavlu@eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org 

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SOURCE Elton John AIDS Foundation

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Sparrow BioAcoustics closes 13 million in seed financing

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The 13-million-dollar financing was led by Killick Capital, Klister Credit and Pelorus Ventures. Closing of the round represents a huge step forward for the small Canadian medical AI startup, and a big vote of confidence for their rapid progress.

ST. JOHN’S, NL , Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Sparrow BioAcoustics [Sparrow], a pioneer in the field of bioacoustic AI technology, announces the that it has closed its seed financing round. The 13-million-dollar financing was led by Killick Capital, Klister Credit and Pelorus Ventures. Closing of the round represents a huge step forward for the small Canadian medical AI startup, and a big vote of confidence for their rapid progress.

“There is a future where people can screen for cardiac and pulmonary problems anywhere any time, and that future is really close now” – Dr. Yaroslav Shpak, Chief Medical Officer Sparrow BioAcoustics.

“The team at Sparrow pushed past numerous scientific, regulatory and business obstacles to get this stage. They have accomplished things that will lead to helping millions of people in a whole new way” says Killick President Mark Dobbin.

Sparrow is an SaMD (Software as a Medical Device), and the first medically cleared product that uses people’s smartphones to capture and decipher cardiac sounds. “In the last 100 days, normal everyday people successfully made 30,000 medical grade heart recordings” says Chief Product Officer Nadia Ivanova. “People use the system with a 96% success rate on their first try.”

Sparrow has been in the news recently for several breakthroughs in detection of cardiac anomalies, as well as several medical authority clearances including FDA. “There is a future where people can screen for cardiac and pulmonary problems anywhere any time, and that future is really close now” says Dr. Yaroslav Shpak, Chief Medical Officer.

The team at Sparrow is expected to follow up with further announcements in the coming weeks “We have some big things on the horizon, and we are heads-down getting ready” says CEO Mark Attila Opauszky.

To learn more about Stethophone and Sparrow BioAcoustics, please visit https://stethophone.com/.

About Sparrow BioAcoustics

Sparrow BioAcoustics, with offices in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, is leading the Software as a Medical Device industry in new directions for cardiac and pulmonary disease detection. Our team of physicians, engineers and data scientists are working to unlock the richest source of diagnostic information about cardiac and pulmonary conditions. Our mission is to help the millions of people at-risk and suffering from cardiac and respiratory disease to live longer, healthier lives enabled by earlier detection and quicker treatment.

Media Contact

Mark Opauszky, Sparrow BioAcoustics, 1 416 268 8966, mark@sparrowacoustics.com, https://stethophone.com/.

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/sparrow-bioacoustics-closes-13-million-in-seed-financing-302253893.html

SOURCE Sparrow BioAcoustics

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Huawei Cloud: One Step to Intelligence, One Leap to Excellence

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — During HUAWEI CONNECT 2024, Huawei Cloud hosted a Summit themed “One Step to Intelligence, One Leap to Excellence”, gathering global industry leaders to explore the intelligent transformation trend, share pioneering cases, and assist customers in their journey to cloud-based operational excellence. At the summit, Huawei Cloud and global customers, unveiled the Data Center-to-Cloud solution and the PRIME Framework white paper.

Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service, said: “Customers’ support enables us to innovate with finance, retail, autonomous driving, the Internet and many other sectors. By combining cutting-edge technologies with industry know-how, Huawei Cloud paves your way to digital and intelligence.”

Kevin Gao, President of Huawei Cloud Public Cloud Business, presented a keynote speech “One Step to Intelligence, One Leap to Excellence”. He outlined three critical factors for accelerating cloud migration and AI use: global infrastructure, continuous technological innovation, and lean operations.

In terms of global infrastructure, Huawei Cloud’s global infrastructure, KooVerse, offers extensive coverage, exceptional experience, and excellent quality. With 33 Regions and 93 Availability Zones (AZs) worldwide, Huawei Cloud supports over 10,000 customers in achieving business globalization. Huawei Cloud has interconnected with over 2,400 peers of global carriers, ensuring one hop to cloud and global business deployment for customers. Huawei Cloud data centers achieve Tier IV reliability.

Technological innovation is at the heart of Huawei Cloud’s mission to accelerate enterprise transformation. At this summit, three key areas were highlighted: compute upgrade, data-AI convergence, and application innovation.

The Data Center-to-Cloud solution released by Gao offers data center facilities, intelligent O&M, and DCN as a service, allowing customers to easily relocate and run dedicated compute resources on Huawei Cloud.

Huawei Cloud’s Ascend AI Cloud Service enables training jobs to run non-stop up to 40 days, shortens the fault recovery time to 10 minutes, and increases the linear scalability to 90% (the industry average are 2.8 days, 60 minutes, and 80%, respectively).

Huawei Cloud’s deterministic operations system has been adopted by over 300 global customers, maintaining a strong security record with zero intrusions and zero data breaches. 

DeFacto from Türkiye leverages Huawei Cloud’s cloud native solution with Cloud Container Engine (CCE) and streamlines their services.

Huawei Cloud helps Chery to deploy, use, and manage the cloud. Currently, Huawei Cloud nodes in more than 10 countries and regions are providing services for Chery.

NavInfo has adopted Huawei Cloud’s R&D expertise and CodeArts software development pipeline to establish efficient development management standards and efficiency measurement systems.

Kingsoft and Huawei Cloud have collaboratively developed an excellence framework to optimize cost management.

Tencent Music’s Tianqin Lab has developed the MUSELight AI model acceleration framework, utilizing Huawei Cloud’s Ascend AI Cloud Service.

At the end of the summit, Huawei Cloud and global customers jointly released the Enterprise Excellence PRIME Model White Paper. This white paper offers a reference framework for enterprises to leap to excellence with digital and intelligent technologies.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2510990/Jacqueline_Shi_President_Huawei_Cloud_Global_Marketing_Sales_Service.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2510991/Kevin_Gao_President_Huawei_Cloud_Public_Cloud_Business.jpg 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/huawei-cloud-one-step-to-intelligence-one-leap-to-excellence-302254392.html

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Spatial Labs Unveils Fashion Collection: Core Powered by Circle: A New Way to Connect

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Spatial Labs, a cutting-edge technology and design company, introduces their first fashion collection – Core Powered by Circle—a revolutionary step forward in fashion and how we connect with each other.

The Core collection is the first to leverage the new innovative platform Circle, which transforms the way we engage, share, and build relationships. Core marks the beginning of a new era in personal expression and connection – setting a new standard for fashion and for global brands.

The Core collection embodies Spatial Labs’ commitment to innovation, self-expression, and cultural impact. Each piece offers a new way to interact, making fashion a living reflection of personal identity.

The debut Core collection features essential pieces including Core Tee $120, Core Crewneck $220, Core pants $250 and Core Hoodie $320. The collection comes in five colorways including: Arctic, Titanium, Carbon, Rust, and Moss. The Core collection is made in Los Angeles and debuts online and at the flagship store in Culver City at The Platform, where customers can explore the future of fashion and experience the technology firsthand.

“Our vision with Circle is to build a platform that allows people to interact with the world around them in ways never before possible,” said Iddris Sandu, Founder & CEO of Spatial Labs.

“In a world where our connections have become fragmented and often impersonal, Circle is reimagining how we share and preserve moments. It’s not just about social networks; it’s about building a new interaction layer where everyday objects and experiences tell our stories in real-time.”

Sandu continued: “With Core and Circle, we’re pioneering a future where the objects we own,wear and touch are gateways to personal memories and shared experiences. This is not some far-off vision—it’s here, today, and it’s creating opportunities for everyone to showcase their lives in ways that feel more intimate, more authentic, and ultimately more human.”

Each item in the Core collection is embedded with smart chip technology linked to Circle which allows users to personalize their clothing. Circle users can post to their feed using “Tiles” to share photos, videos, links, playlists, and more moments from their daily life, creating deeper connections and fostering a sense of community. And it all comes to life when users tap the Tag on each other’s clothing.

Circle offers an alternative space for individuals to express themselves, allowing users to share their lives more authentically and intimately. Unlike traditional social media sharing tools that often feel impersonal, overly curated, and limiting, Circle keeps you and your close circle of friends connected, enabling a depth of presence to share your stories in real time without any expectations of maintaining a perfect image.

To learn more about Spatial Labs and to purchase the Core collection please visit www.spatial-labs.com or explore at the flagship store located at Spatial Labs Store – #104, 8840 Washington Blvd, Suite 104, Culver City, CA 90232, and engage with the future of interactivity.

About Spatial Labs

Founded in 2019, Spatial Labs exists to simplify and enhance people’s lives by bringing the digital and physical worlds together. Through innovative products and services, we help people create and enjoy experiences that inspire joy. Our mission is to make technology a natural part of the human experience and empower people to shape the world they want to see.

Founder and CEO, Iddris Sandu is a visionary technologist and designer who has been at the intersection of technology and fashion for many years. He has collaborated with leading tech companies like Google, Meta, and Twitter, and at only 19, Iddris became the CTO for Nipsey Hussle – creating The Marathon Store which was the world’s first Smart Store powered by augmented reality and geofencing technology.

His unique blend of technology and culture led him to create Spatial Labs in 2019, backed by Blockchain Capital and JAY-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners. In 2019, he founded Spatial Labs where he has collaborated with brands like Rihanna’s Fenty, Beyoncé’s IVY PARK, Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack, Vogue, Prada, and Adidas. At only 27 years old, Sandu is one of the youngest founders ever to raise an eight figure seed round for his technology company, Spatial Labs. 

Technologies developed at Spatial Labs helps people, brands, and communities tell richer, more meaningful stories.

CONTACT:
Spatial Labs
press@spatial-labs.com

SLATE PR
Andy Gelb / Ida Bo Frazier
310-461-0111
andy@slate-pr.com / Ida@slate-pr.com

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SOURCE Spatial Labs

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