Technology

AVENUE 8 DOUBLES DOWN ON GENERATIVE AI, SHIFTS FOCUS TO SIDEKICK PLATFORM FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Published

4 months ago

June 10, 2024

San Francisco-Based Real Estate Tech Company To Focus Exclusively On Developing Its Groundbreaking AI Assistant For Agents

SAN FRANCISCO, June 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Real estate technology company Avenue 8 announced today a strategic realignment to focus exclusively on Sidekick, its game-changing generative AI assistant for real estate agents. The decision marks a new direction for the company, aimed at furthering its mission to empower real estate agents with a technology platform that enables them to work more effectively and efficiently.

“This is an exciting time for Avenue 8 that’s coming amid significant changes for the real estate industry, from the way AI is reshaping how agents work to anticipated changes in how they may earn commissions,” said Michael Martin, Co-Founder of Avenue 8. “Focusing on Sidekick allows us to channel all of our resources into enhancing this powerful tool and better support agents so they can grow their careers amid a rapidly evolving industry. Our mission and the core of what we do remains unchanged — helping agents succeed. Now, we are focusing on Sidekick to achieve this goal.”

Sidekick is designed to streamline an agent’s workflow and enhance their productivity at a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional virtual assistants. With a subscription cost of $25 per month, Sidekick helps agents to easily generate detailed, personalized market and property reports, develop customized marketing strategies and content, and automate client communications and task management.

Using generative AI technology, the platform allows for seamless MLS property listing searches, the development and interpretation of spreadsheets, and the generation of listing descriptions from photos, among other features. Sidekick’s trainable interface also learns an agent’s preferences and implements them in real time, ensuring a personalized and efficient workflow.

“Avenue 8’s decision to prioritize Sidekick is a bold strategic move that will enable the company to meet the needs of a real estate industry in the midst of its most dramatic changes in decades,” said Andrew Davis, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Investments at Cox Enterprises. “This approach will position Avenue 8 for sustained, long-term success and underscores its dedication to delivering innovative solutions for agents and brokerages. It’s a strategy for meeting the moment now that will continue to pay off down the road.”

Sidekick has already garnered significant attention within the industry, and Avenue 8’s move to focus on the platform comes at a time when real estate industry professionals are increasingly turning to AI to support their work. In May, Avenue 8 partnered with the MIAMI Association of Realtors, the nation’s largest local Realtor group, as well as BeachesMLS, to bring Sidekick to over 100,000 agents and brokers across South Florida. Those announcements came on the heels of Avenue 8’s inaugural partnership with the San Francisco Association of Realtors to connect Sidekick to more than 4,000 agents in the AI capital of the world.

As part of Avenue 8’s strategic shift, and after a recent round of funding earlier this year, the company announced that it will transition away from providing brokerage services to its agents at the end of July as it accelerates Sidekick’s growth. This change empowers the company to engage with other brokerages and offer Sidekick to them directly without raising competitive concerns.

“Focusing on Sidekick allows us to seize this unique moment of change to better serve our industry,” said Justin Fichelson, Co-Founder of Avenue 8. “We started Avenue 8 convinced of a better way to support agents and brokerages and we’ve developed an innovative technology that does exactly that. We are, of course, sensitive to the impact this strategic shift will have on our employees and agents, and we are committed to supporting them through this period and as they pursue new opportunities. We’re grateful for their commitment and dedication to the company’s success over the past five years.”

Sidekick has been lauded for its innovative contributions, receiving accolades for both Best AI Product & Service and Best AI Work & Productivity App at the 28th Annual Webby Awards. This recognition highlights Sidekick’s excellence in harnessing AI to enhance productivity and work efficiency, solidifying its status as a leading tool in the emerging AI landscape.

About Avenue 8

Avenue 8 is a real estate technology company. Its flagship product, Sidekick, is a generative AI assistant purpose built for agents, teams and brokerages. For more information, visit www.sidekickgpt.io.

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SOURCE Avenue 8

Technology

STEM Exploration Day Ignite Girls Passion for Careers in STEM

Published

2 hours ago

September 29, 2024

Professional women with careers in science, technology, engineering and math make a world of difference in inspiring young girls to show them they can achieve anyything they want to with hard work and believing n themselves.

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is proud to help ignite a passion in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for girls of all ages. The STEM Exploration Day took place on Saturday, September 28, 2024 with professional women sharing their experience and advice.

There’s something about a robot that can feed into that interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Touch sensors, buttons and sonar show them how to control different actions and that’s fascinating.

Young girls met with women in various STEM professions including coding, physics, astronomy, robotics and engineering just to name a few. Hands-on activities and demonstrations served as great learning opportunities as visitors received special giveaways.

Programs & Activities – Thank you to all participating groups that provided hands-on activities and helped guide STEM career explorations. They included:

Eli Lilly and Company Visiting Scientist Dr. Carlotta Berry
Dr. Berry is an accomplished electrical engineer specializing in controls and robotics. She advocates for the demystification of STEM through innovative strategies, including robot hip-hop slam poetry. She is a professor and endowed department chair at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. She’s also an author, researcher, mentor, role model, prolific speaker, and a STEM trailblazer. Dr. Berry engaged visitors in hands-on exploration with robots. You can hear more from her here: https://youtu.be/16smIuetR_w

Indiana Visiting Artist Emily Bennett
If your first thought of “sculpture” is a gleaming marble bust from ancient Greece, just wait until you see the work of Terre Haute artist Emily Bennett! She redefines what sculpture can be, weaving colorful fibers onto metal structures to create bold, vibrant pieces. The results are what she calls “imaginary dreamscapes” that you can hang on the wall or set on a shelf. As programming coordinator for the Community School of the Arts at Indiana State University, Bennett relishes helping people uncover their artistic abilities.

Women in Lilly Discovery and Development (WiLDD) with Eli Lilly and Company (families created their own binary bracelets and lava lamps).

80 Acres Farms

Franklin Pest Solutions

Indiana State Police Crime Laboratory (visitors examined various pieces of evidence with forensic experts to learn how they solve crimes).

Society of Women Engineers (girls explored mechanical engineering and learned how to make their own catapults). UIndy Human Identification Center (families received an interesting introduction to forensic anthropology, learned about radiographs and studied casts of bones from various animals to learn about the different ages and stages of life).

City of Indianapolis—Department of Public Works, Engineering (shared a storm drain model to demonstrate how families can protect stormwater).

IU Astronomy Department (families learned how the same elements that make up our bodies are also present in galaxies billions of light years away and examined the patterns of Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen and Neon and made bracelets with the same patterns as these elements).

IU Intelligent Systems Engineering (featured robotics and electronics).

IEEE Women in Engineering (helped visitors explore various sensors).

Sycamore School (more than two dozen activities revolving around mechanics, electricity, sound, optics and air pressure made up the activities).

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) (provided a bridge building simulation).

The Gurl Code (provided binary bracelets, 3D Pens, Ozobots and MakeyMakey).

DNA Discovery in Corteva Agriscience STEMLab (families were able to extract real DNA from plant cells, discovered where DNA can be found in nature and learned about how scientists discovered the structure of DNA).

STEM Exploration Day is presented Lilly Girls & Young Women In STEM and supported by Indiana Soybean Alliance.

About The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
We ignite joy, wonder and curiosity by creating powerful learning experiences for children and adults. For more information about The Children’s Museum, visit http://www.childrensmuseum.org and follow us on social media @childrensmuseum.

Media Contact

Kimberly Harms, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, 317-334-4003, kimh@childrensmuseum.org, www.childrensmuseum.org

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SOURCE The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

Technology

NECA to Unveil EV Charging Resource Network at NECA 2024 San Diego

Published

5 hours ago

September 29, 2024

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) today announced the unveiling of its EV Charging Resource Network at NECA 2024 San Diego. Developed in collaboration with Fuser LLC, this platform aims to empower NECA members to capitalize on the rapidly growing EV charging market.

NECA’s new online hub will provide charging news, information and industry networking opportunities.

“We see a critical need to unify the professional community around Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE),” said Marco Giamberardino, NECA’s Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs. “As EV adoption accelerates, we have to ensure our infrastructure keeps pace. This Resource Network will play a crucial role in connecting skilled electrical professionals with the growing demands of the industry.”

Pete Mastrorocco, NECA’s Senior Vice President of Education, Events and Partnerships, expects the Resource Network to represent NECA’s ongoing commitment to boosting member engagement in lucrative new markets. “EVSE represents a significant opportunity for our members,” said Mastrorocco. “NECA’s Resource Network will be an invaluable tool, helping contractors connect with experienced peers, share knowledge and capitalize on the industry’s rapid growth.”

Key features of NECA’s EV Charging Resource Network will include:

Training resourcesComprehensive EVSE news and informationRegular updates on National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) and Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) funding opportunitiesCurated links to state and utility grants and rebatesSpecial opportunities for NECA members

The Resource Network also provides access to Fuser, the open marketplace and networking platform devoted to EVSE.

Fuser LLC executive Pat McGinnis has expressed hope to build a stronger, more responsive industry by working with NECA to bring together all EVSE stakeholders. “These initiatives will streamline the service and installation process, create new business opportunities, and support widespread adoption of electric vehicles,” commented McGinnis. “Fuser is working with NECA to integrate their platform and is currently offering an exclusive 4-month free trial of their open marketplace to all NECA members.”

For convention details, visit necaconvention.org.

To explore NECA’s EV Charging Resource Network, visit www.necaev.org.

About NECA

NECA is the voice of the $240 billion electrical construction industry that brings power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities across North America. NECA’s national office and 118 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research, and standards development. Go to www.necanet.org for more information.

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SOURCE National Electrical Contractors Assoc Inc.

Technology

CNBM holds promotional conference in Riyadh

Published

6 hours ago

September 29, 2024

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A Report From GLOBAL TIMES ONLINE:

China National Building Material Group (CNBM) held a promotional conference in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia on Sept. 25.

The event was joint by over 120 guests from the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia, the government of Saudi Arabia, 35 of the group’s global partners, eight investment organizations as well as renowned media outlets.

Chairman of CNBM Zhou Yuxian delivered a keynote speech at the event, stressing the solid foundation and future prospects of CNBM’s cooperation with Saudi Arabia. He said CNBM is committed to promoting international industrial cooperation, and is ready to contribute its wisdom, plans and strength to the development of Saudi Arabia.

Mosleh H. Alemrani, General Manager for Non-Metallic Minerals Development, Ministry of industry & Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia, remarked that the government of Saudi Arabia supports green development and will promote carbon reduction and the use of new energy in the cement industry.

Mohammed A. Al-Garni, Board Member & CEO of Saudi Cement Company, reviewed the company’s cooperation with CNBM and reiterated the company’s willingness to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides.

Mohammad N. A-Mulhim, Vice President of Aramco Asia noted that Aramco and CNBM see huge potential of cooperation in advanced non-metal materials, low-carbon construction materials and energy storage solutions. The framework agreement of cooperation signed by the two sides this time marked their continued cooperation and signaled their willingness to keep sharing opportunities, he added.

During the event, the guests jointly inaugurated Sinoma Technical Service Center (KSA), which aims to improve the service capabilities of CNBM in the Middle East. The service center will provide CNBM’s clients in the Middle East with professional equipment, processing, repairment and maintenance, technical upgradation as well as training services.

The promotional conference built a closer bond between CNBM and various sectors in Saudi Arabia, and laid a solid foundation for promoting the synergy between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. CNBM looks forward to joining hands with more partners to jointly advance sustainable development.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cnbm-holds-promotional-conference-in-riyadh-302261862.html