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Klarna announces Rep Her initiative addressing gender-based disparities in women’s sports merchandise accessibility

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In partnership with Sports Innovation Lab, key findings from a groundbreaking, data-led report identify a $4 billion untapped U.S. women’s sports merchandise market for retailers, with 79% of women’s sports fans indicating they would buy more merchandise if more options were available to them; To further address the cause, Klarna and women-owned media and commerce company TOGETHXR have released limited edition merchandise with proceeds benefiting the Women’s Sports Foundation

NEW YORK, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Klarna, the AI-powered global payments network and shopping assistant, today announced, Rep Her, a multifaceted, research-backed initiative to raise awareness around gender-based gaps in women’s sports merchandise availability. In partnership with fan intelligence company Sports Innovation Lab, Klarna has released a first-of-its-kind report titled Rep Her: Revealing the Unmet Demand for Women’s Sports Merchandise. The Rep Her report values the rapidly growing women’s sports merchandise market at an estimated $4 billion annually, proving the sector’s drastically unmet consumer demand, and measures gender-based imbalances between men’s and women’s sports fan communities. To further address consumer appetite, Klarna has teamed up with female Olympian-founded, trailblazing media and commerce company TOGETHXR and 2x World Cup Champion, NWSL Champion, ESPN Analyst and TOGETHXR consultant Ali Krieger to launch limited edition merchandise and has also launched a new innovative shopping experience within its app and website.

Key findings from Klarna and Sports Innovation Lab’s report include that fans are:

Hungry for Options: 79% of surveyed respondents reported they would purchase more women’s sports merchandise if there were more options available to them, while 28% reported they could not find a style they likedDemanding Inventory: More than 60% of fans who searched for and intended to buy women’s sports merchandise did not make a purchase because it was not in stockSeeking Out Retailers: 32% of women’s sports fans cannot find a retailer that carries merchandise related to their favorite teams and athletesSearching for More Styles: Buyers of women’s sports merchandise are 60% more likely to have trouble finding a style than buyers of men’s sports merchandiseExpressing Fandom Through Merch: 67% of women’s sports fans have purchased sports merchandise despite only 49% having ever purchased a ticket to a live sporting eventLimited Compared to Men’s Sports: For every nine pieces of men’s sports merchandise available, women’s sports has one (The 30-team NBA has 9x more merchandise options than the 12-team WNBA, and the 29-team MLS has 6x more merchandise options than the 14-team NWSL)Vast Supporters: Most women’s sports fans identify as fans of multiple sports and leagues – top leagues include the WNBA (60%), NWSL (51%), NCAA Women’s Basketball (49%), NCAA Women’s Volleyball (39%) and the USWNT (37%)

“Consumer appetite for league, team, and athlete merchandise is vastly exceeding supply,” said Angela Ruggiero, Co-Founder of Sports Innovation Lab. “There is a golden opportunity for retailers to capitalize on a surging market that is telling us if you create something authentic to the community, they will buy it.” 

Klarna, TOGETHXR and Krieger have tapped designers Sophia Chang and Mellany Sanchez to create t-shirts and tote bags featuring the phrase “A movement, not a moment,” celebrating their passion for women’s sports and allowing fans to Rep Her with pride. This merchandise not only symbolizes the growing influence of women’s sports, but also empowers fans to showcase their dedication. Available for purchase on both Klarna.com and TOGETHXR.com, a percentage of all proceeds from the collection will go to Billie Jean King’s Women’s Sports Foundation, emphasizing that the interest in women’s sports is a formidable force that’s here to stay.

Additionally, to help women’s sports fans find merchandise to represent their favorite teams with ease, Klarna has curated an innovative women’s sports destination on Klarna.com and in its app, offering a seamless way to discover, shop and purchase women’s sports merchandise utilizing its interest-free pay in 4 payment option.

“As a brand that breaks the status quo and is a big supporter of women’s sports through our three-year partnership with Angel City Football Club, we saw there was a lack of merchandise available for women’s sports fans yet demand for it so we want to do our part to find a solve and contribute to fueling women’s sports fandom to continue to help propel the industry forward,” said Klarna’s Head of B2C Marketing in North America and the United Kingdom, Megan Gokey. “We are energized by the growing attention surrounding women’s sports and are proud to launch this initiative with Sports Innovation Lab and TOGETHXR to raise awareness around the merchandise gap, ultimately helping to make merchandise more accessible to millions of fans and create a space for women’s sports fans to shop smarter and ‘fan’ harder.”

“As a female athlete myself, it’s incredibly important to see efforts like these that highlight and address gender disparities in sports, like the gap in women’s sports merchandise. This initiative is a pivotal step in recognizing the value of women’s sports and ensuring that fans have the merchandise they want,” shared TOGETHXR consultant Ali Krieger. “Klarna has pushed the boundaries when it comes to creating a smart way to shop and pay, and this initiative directly speaks to the brand’s impactful efforts to push the women’s sports movement forward.”

This report is the fourth annual installment in Sports Innovation Lab’s internationally acclaimed The Fan Project series, which has become the global sports industry’s north star guidance on the commercialization of women’s sports since launching in 2021.

To view the full Rep Her report, please visit HERE. Additionally, Sports Innovation Lab is hosting a live webinar on July 11 to provide a report read-through and data deep dive, which can be accessed by registering HERE.

About Klarna

Since 2005 Klarna has been on a mission to accelerate commerce with consumer needs at the heart of it. With over 150 million global active users and 2 million transactions per day, Klarna’s fair, sustainable and AI-powered payment and shopping solutions are revolutionizing the way people shop and pay online and in-store, empowering consumers to shop smarter with greater confidence and convenience. More than 500,000 global retailers integrate Klarna’s innovative technology and marketing solutions to drive growth and loyalty, including H&M, Saks, Sephora, Macy’s, Ikea, Expedia Group, Nike and Airbnb. For more information, visit Klarna.com.

About TOGETHXR

TOGETHXR is a media and commerce company founded by Jessica Robertson alongside four of the world’s top professional athletes, Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel, and Sue Bird. With a focus on rich storytelling rooted in lifestyle and youth culture, TOGETHXR is an unapologetic platform where representation and gender equality are both expected and required. TOGETHXR highlights a diverse and inclusive community of game-changers, culture shapers, thought-leaders, and barrier breakers – finding and telling the stories of women who are doing the same. As one of the most compelling platforms for women in sport and culture, TOGETHXR’s in-house production studio has created a slate of scripted and unscripted premium content, including Surf Girls: Kaikaina, More Than A Name, FENOM, Summer of Gold, and more, which are in discussions to be adapted for film, TV, and digital media. In 2023, TOGETHXR was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and won Media Company of the Year in the DigiDay Media Awards.

About Sports Innovation Lab

Sports Innovation Lab is a data company that enables brands and sports properties to build more effective sponsorships, improve targeted advertising, and enhance fan experiences. Known for its pioneering research on fan behavior and the commercialization of the women’s sports market, Sports Innovation Lab’s flagship Sports Data Cloud offering built on proprietary observational, transactional, and deterministic fan data is evolving how organizations use data to understand their customers and acquire more of them – starting with sports & entertainment. Learn how global brands including the NFL, Nike, NHL, Ally Financial, WNBA, and NASCAR use Sports Innovation Lab’s data, audiences, and strategic advisory to drive revenue by visiting sportsilab.com or following on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.

Media contacts:
Klarna – Kimberly Gibbs
kimberly.gibbs@klarna.com
(614) 967-5032

Sports Innovation Lab – Anthony Baldini
anthony@athletestrategies.com
(408) 506-5975

TOGETHXR – Togethxr@laruepr.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

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SOURCE Klarna Bank AB (publ)

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HYPERGROWTH CX SOFTWARE PROVIDER ANNOUNCES NEW HIRES TO FUEL UK GROWTH AND US EXPANSION

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September 24, 2024

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CloudInteract announces new senior hires to support UK growth and US expansion, as it sets sights on supporting an industry predicted to grow to over USD 22 billion by 2030

LONDON, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — CloudInteract, a rapidly growing, UK-based provider of customer experience (CX) platforms, announces new senior hires to support its UK growth plans and expansion into the US market.

Founded by customer workplace communications experts, Nick Seagrave and Simon Leyland, CloudInteract launched in 2023, providing customers, including education provider, Pearson, life sciences enterprises, and online consumer services providers, such as Swoop with innovative CX software, as well as supporting industry partners, including Amazon Web Services.

Through the delivery of AI-driven platforms and omnichannel systems, CloudInteract empowers companies to scale and continuously adapt to their evolving customer service needs.

Simon Leyland, CEO and co-founder of CloudInteract, explains, “CloudInteract was born out of Nick’s and my mission to reimagine customer experience, by making contact centre interactions better for both customers and users alike. We understand that in a world full of technology providers, the difference lies in how technology transforms real-world experiences.”

To support its UK growth plans and expansion of its US presence, CloudInteract has onboarded new talent to its 50% female senior leadership team. The company recently welcomed Marketing Director, Louise Mahrra, Head of Business, North America, Nancy Van Delist and UK Head of Business Development, Julian Degg.

They will work alongside Change Director, Eliza Taylor and co-founders, Chief Technology Officer, Nick Seagrave and CEO Simon Leyland.

“As CloudInteract expands its operations and brings in new talent to support strategic growth in an industry predicted to mature to over USD 22 billion by 2030, we are firmly fixated on helping businesses unlock the full potential of their customer experience platforms by turning every interaction into a competitive advantage.”

“By doubling down on our investment in people, partnerships, and platforms, we’re positioning CloudInteract as the go-to partner for businesses that want to unlock the power of AI, data, and communication to transform their customer interactions,” concluded Simon.

About CloudInteract: https://www.cloudinteract.io/ 

CloudInteract builds customer experience platforms to unlock the potential of data to improve customer interactions. Our solutions leverage AI, automation, and integration to create smarter, seamless customer experiences that are built to last.

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Tata Elxsi Delivers World’s First RDK-B Integration on Qualcomm 5G Fixed Wireless Access Platform

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September 24, 2024

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SAN DIEGO and BENGALURU, India, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Tata Elxsi, a global leader in design and technology services, today announced the successful integration of the RDK-B software stack with the Qualcomm® 5G FWA Gen 3 Platform. This first-of-its-kind integration opens a new pathway for operators to deliver fast, reliable, and scalable high-speed FWA solutions. Integration of the RDK-B middleware includes key features, such as Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, packet statistics, and advanced security options, ensuring the platform is versatile and can be deployed in both indoor and outdoor environments. Operators can now deliver value-added services, like Quality of Service (QoS), band steering, parental control, and VPN, enhancing the overall broadband experience. 

Gautam Sheoran – VP and GM, Wireless Broadband and Communications at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., stated: 

“We are proud to collaborate closely with Tata Elxsi, who has leveraged their considerable expertise to port the RDK-B stack to our 5G FWA Gen 3 Platform, featuring the Snapdragon® X75 Modem-RF System. This critical step empowers operators to accelerate time-to-market, deliver high performance FWA solutions, and reduce development efforts, as they deploy powerful new FWA CPE solutions. We look forward, through continued collaboration with Tata Elxsi, to expanding our engagement with the broader RDK community, giving operators more choices and flexibility in deploying state-of-the-art solutions.”

Priya S Kumar – Head, Media and Communications at Tata Elxsi, stated:

“This integration broadens the RDK ecosystem and silicon diversity, which has traditionally centered on wired technologies like DOCSIS and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). By incorporating RDK-B into the cellular-managed WAN space, Tata Elxsi is excited to collaborate in positioning the Snapdragon X75 platform as a future-ready solution for high-performance broadband applications. Tata Elxsi’s continuous commitment to the RDK ecosystem enables SoCs, OEMs and operators to rapidly innovate and scale, addressing the demands of next-generation broadband technologies.”

Looking ahead, Tata Elxsi will upgrade the platform to include next-generation features such as Wi-Fi 7. This upgrade will further enhance FWA devices, offering operators more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solutions, setting the stage for the next generation of wireless innovation. 

About Tata Elxsi

Tata Elxsi is among the world’s leading design and technology services providers across industries, including Automotive, Broadcast, Communications, Healthcare and Transportation.

We are helping customers reimagine their products and services through design thinking and applying digital technologies, such as IoT (Internet of Things), Cloud, Mobility, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence. For more information, visit www.tataelxsi.com

Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

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Huawei Calls to Expand Partnerships to Drive Global Digital Inclusion through TECH4ALL

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September 24, 2024

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — At the TECH4ALL Digital Inclusion Forum hosted at Huawei Connect 2024, Huawei called for more partners to join its TECH4LL initiative to drive global digital inclusion.

Launched in 2019 and aligned with the UN SDGs, TECH4ALL is Huawei’s long-term action plan for enabling an inclusive and sustainable digital world, focusing on the education, environment, health, and development domains.

At the forum, attendees explored TECH4ALL inclusion projects and digital inclusion advances in China outlined in the 2024 China Digital Inclusion Report produced by China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).

“Promoting digital inclusion can not only effectively deal with problems that may exist in the development and application of digital technology, but also improve the realization of our overall goals,” said Xin Yongfei, Director of the CAICT Institute for Policy and Economics.

Discussions focused on how technology can help bring down barriers to information accessibility, equal opportunities, and a high quality of life. A key theme at the forum concerned the importance of cross-sector partnerships in maximizing the efficacy of inclusion projects such as those Huawei’s runs under TECH4ALL.

“Huawei is a committed to supporting China’s digital inclusion strategy,” said Jeffrey Zhou, President of ICT Marketing at Huawei. “We work with governments, enterprises, scientific research institutions, universities, and NGOs to implement projects that provide a useful reference for the world to seize the opportunities of digital transformation and share the inclusive benefits of digitalization.”    

Partners from both the deaf and vision-impaired communities looked at the role of technology in enabling digital inclusion. Huawei shared how it considers the needs of people with disabilities, the elderly, and children from the beginning of product design. As well as Bluetooth connectivity for hearing aids, Huawei smartphones, provide 15 accessibility features that are used by around 10 million people each month. These include technologies that can identify and send alerts for job recommendations tailored for people with disabilities.

“As a visually impaired device user and Huawei partner, I think it’s crucial to share the message that technology can give everyone an equal opportunity to participate in society, use public resources, and help eliminate the digital divide,” said Yin Nan, Chairman of Tianjin Hongqiao District Blind Association.

With partners the China Association of the Deaf and E-Times Digital Technology, Huawei TECH4ALL has also developed the Trouble-Free Hearing app. Based on Huawei Cloud AI, the app provides speech-to-text and text-to-speech translation and a real-time online sign language hub for use in potentially complex situations such as healthcare, legal consultations, and at service windows.

The forum also explored education inclusion through the TECH4ALL China DigiSchool project, which aims to provide online resources and teacher training for the delivery of STEAM curriculum. To date, 4,800 teachers and students have benefited in 29 schools.

Huawei also runs a range of education and training initiatives across the globe, including the Open School project with UNESCO, Instant Schools Network with Vodafone Foundation, and Skills and Wheels projects with global and local partners. Skills on Wheels, for example, brings free digital skills training to remote communities via truck-mounted mobile classrooms, reaching 93,000 people in 18 countries so far.

TECH4ALL education projects have reached more than 400,000 people across the globe, with technology and partnerships the key to success of each project.

About Huawei TECH4ALL

TECH4ALL is Huawei’s long-term digital inclusion initiative. Enabled by innovative technologies and partnerships, TECH4ALL aims to promote inclusion and sustainability in the digital world.

For more information, visit the Huawei TECH4ALL website: https://www.huawei.com/en/tech4all 

Follow us on X:
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SOURCE Huawei

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