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Mezo, Thesis’ BitcoinFi Project, Completes $7.5M Strategic Round lead by Ledger Cathay Fund

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Ledger Cathay Fund’s investment on BitcoinFi with Mezo commits to supercharging the evolution of the global Bitcoin Finance ecosystem Strategic investment plus prior funding led by Pantera Capital brings Mezo’s total amount raised to $30M

NEW YORK, July 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Thesis, one of the longest-standing venture studios funding and building brands on Bitcoin, today announced its strategic funding round led by Ledger Cathay Fund, Ledger and Cathay Innovation’s early-stage venture fund, for Mezo, its permissionless Bitcoin Economic Layer. This brings total funding for Mezo to $30M following its launch in April 2024. Other investors in the strategic round include ArkStream, Aquarius Fund, Flowdesk, GSR, Origin Protocol and Bybit ecosystem project, Mantle’s EcoFund.

Mezo will use this investment to accelerate technology development and grow the BitcoinFi ecosystem. This includes focus on integrating other ecosystem partners, like the recently announced integration of yield protocol, Acre, and wallet partners to enable a fulsome BitcoinFi experience, like the recently announced ability for Mezo users to “log in” with Bitcoin using both hardware wallets and web wallets like Unisat, OKX, and Xverse. Ledger plans to integrate Mezo directly into its suite of products with further details on integrations to be disclosed in the near future.

Matt Luongo, CEO of Thesis & Founder of Mezo, commented on today’s news: “Ledger Cathay Fund’s support for Mezo is a strong testament that BitcoinFi is the future of ownership, that Mezo is the leader in building the technology behind this future. Today is a tremendous milestone in our work with investors and peers to expand the Bitcoin network, bringing on-chain a circular economy that empowers people worldwide to put BTC to work.”

Mezo, built by Thesis, amplifies Bitcoin‘s infrastructure by facilitating cheap, efficient transactions. In turn, it preserves the Bitcoin network’s foundational principles, including security, dedication to open-source development, and a BTC-first HODL mentality. Distinct from other Bitcoin L2s, Mezo provides users access to applications usable in the real world. Features include Thesis-built tBTC, which allows for trust-minimized bitcoin bridging to numerous ecosystems, plus staking with stBTC, supported by Acre, Thesis’ recently launched Bitcoin-in, Bitcoin-out staking platform.

Mezo serves as a venue for users to maximize Bitcoin‘s full potential beyond being a store of value. Users can leverage applications to transact securely with Bitcoin without roadblocks like fragmented user experience and high gas fees. To date, Mezo has $124.5M in total volume locked and 2,152 Bitcoin deposited in the protocol.

Thesis, one of the longest standing Bitcoin builders, founded in 2013, has supported multiple brand launches of projects within the Bitcoin ecosystem including Mezo, Acre, tBTC, and Fold – who recently announced its plans to go public as the first pureplay financial services company powered by Bitcoin.

Investor Quotes:

Pascal Gauthier, Chairman and CEO of Ledger: “At Ledger, we are Bitcoiners and we believe Bitcoin is the  event. But the landscape of Bitcoin is changing. People want to do more with their Bitcoin, and we need to not only support these new developments in Ledger products, but actively support the future of Bitcoin development. We are therefore thrilled to invest in Mezo, a groundbreaking Bitcoin project that we believe will significantly impact the Bitcoin ecosystem. This investment signals our confidence in Thesis and their project, Mezo, based on their long standing track record of building successful brands in the Bitcoin ecosystem.”

Marguerite de Tavernost, Investment Director at Ledger Cathay Fund: “We really believe in Mezo’s unique vision to supercharge Bitcoin to become an economic layer. Thanks to all the synergies created by their Thesis incubator, Mezo can be the core element of this ecosystem, and create network effects from their decentralized bridge with tBTC to their consumer app with Fold. We were truly impressed by this unique positioning, combined with the very impressive execution capabilities of the Mezo team.”

David Toh, Managing Partner of Mirana Ventures, Mantle EcoFund’s operator: “Investing in Mezo perfectly aligns with Mantle’s vision of supporting and scaling innovations in the Bitcoin ecosystem. We have confidence in Mezo and the synergistic projects led by the Thesis team. We look forward to fostering Mezo’s growth through potential strategic collaborations with projects within the Mantle ecosystem, such as Ignition ($FBTC) and Mantle LSP (Mantle’s Liquid Staking Protocol).”

About Ledger Cathay Fund:

Ledger Cathay Fund is an early-stage venture fund that provides capital to emerging startups in the Web3 ecosystem, while delivering at the same time unique value added to founders. The fund invests at Seed and Series A in companies across the globe  both in equity and tokens.

The fund is the alliance of market leader Ledger for digital assets custody and of global venture capital firm Cathay Innovation. This initiative provides founders with the benefits of the industry support of Ledger together with the long-term investment practice of Cathay Innovation.

About Ledger:

Celebrating its 10 year anniversary in 2024, Ledger is the world leader in Digital Asset security for consumers and enterprises. Ledger offers connected devices and platforms, with more than 6M devices sold to consumers in 180 countries and 10+ languages, 100+ financial institutions and commercial brands. Over 20% of the world’s crypto assets are secured by Ledger.

Ledger is the digital asset solution secure by design. The world’s most internationally respected offensive security team, Ledger Donjon, is relied upon as a crucial resource for securing the world of Digital Assets. With over 14 billion dollars hacked, scammed or mismanaged in 2023 alone, Ledger’s security brings peace of mind and uncompromising self-custody to its community.

Don’t buy “a hardware wallet.” Buy a LEDGER™ device.

LEDGER™, LEDGER LIVE™, LEDGER RECOVER™, LEDGER STAX™, LEDGER FLEX™ and LEDGER FREE FROM COMPROMISE™ are trademarks owned by Ledger SAS

Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Ledger is under license. E Ink® is a registered trademark of E Ink Corporation.

About Mezo: 

The market has been dominated by technology-first approaches that often overlook the economic needs of users. As the world’s first Bitcoin Economic Layer, Mezo introduces a pivotal shift, designed to amplify Bitcoin‘s infrastructure while adhering to its foundational principles to serve its holders. Mezo is Bitcoin native, facilitating cheap and fast transactions for a variety of relevant use cases. This not only enhances the network’s resilience but also ensures it serves the broader economic ambitions of Bitcoin holders. Mezo is the place where we can unlock the full potential of Bitcoin. This is your invitation to create your own economy. Learn more about Mezo’s initiatives and unique features on their blog here.

About Thesis:

Thesis is a venture production studio, funding and building brands on Bitcoin. Thesis has supported multiple successful brands including the launch of Mezo — a new leading Bitcoin L2 — as well as Acre, tBTC, Fold, among others. Thesis has also garnered investments from leading Venture Capital firms including a16z, Polychain Capital, ParaFi, Fenbushi and more. To learn more, please visit: https://thesis.co/

Media contact: thesis@mgroupsc.com 

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SOURCE Thesis

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Kaleidescape Named to Fast Company’s Fourth Annual List of the Next Big Things in Tech

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List Recognizes Groundbreaking Advancements Redefining the Way We Work and Live

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Kaleidescape, maker of the ultimate movie platform, today announced that it has been named to Fast Company’s fourth annual Next Big Things in Tech list, honoring emerging technology that has a profound impact for industries—from education and sustainability to robotics and artificial intelligence.

This year, 138 technologies developed by established companies, startups, or research teams are featured for their potential to revolutionize the lives of consumers, businesses, and society overall. While not all technologies are available in the market yet, each is reaching key milestones to have a proven impact in the next five years.

Kaleidescape, maker of the ultimate movie platform for residential and marine markets, has been changing the landscape of home theater entertainment experiences for over two decades. As the only digital provider of movies with lossless audio and full reference video, Kaleidescape provides customers with access to thousands of movies, TV series, and concerts for purchase or rent. Recently, Kaleidescape introduced Strato V, the next-generation movie player providing stunning 4K Dolby Vision playback with lossless audio. Strato V works on its own or grouped with Terra Prime movie servers to enable scalability. Kaleidescape is also expanding into commercial cinema, as an alternative content delivery platform, bringing library releases back to the big screen.

“Kaleidescape continues to innovate by bringing to market products that evolve the cinema experience at home and beyond,” said Tayloe Stansbury, chairman & CEO of Kaleidescape. “Kaleidescape’s platform allows consumers to experience a vast array of content in the highest quality, as the director intended, enabling a movie theater-like experience in the home.”

“The Next Big Things in Tech provides a fascinating glimpse at near- and long-term technological breakthroughs across a variety of sectors,” says Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “Spanning everything from semiconductors to agricultural gene editing, the companies featured in this year’s list are tackling some of the world’s most pressing and vexing problems.”

Click here to see the final list.

About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Brendan Vaughan. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

About Kaleidescape (www.Kaleidescape.com)  
Kaleidescape is the ultimate movie platform. Kaleidescape has been designing, manufacturing, and selling state-of-the-art movie players and servers for over 20 years. Kaleidescape digitally delivers movies with lossless audio and reference video. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Kaleidescape builds its products in the USA. 

CONTACT:
Josh Gershman 
josh.gershman@kaleidescape.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kaleidescape-named-to-fast-companys-fourth-annual-list-of-the-next-big-things-in-tech-302309397.html

SOURCE Kaleidescape, Inc.

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Payroc Expands Gateway Solution with Hosted Fields, Apple Pay & Google Pay

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Empower your clients with Payroc’s unified payment solutions—offering modern, secure options like Apple Pay and Google Pay alongside Hosted Fields to deliver seamless online checkouts, elevate customer satisfaction, and give you a competitive edge in today’s market.

TINLEY PARK, Ill. , Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Payroc, a leading payments platform, releases Apple Pay and Google Pay Acceptance, in addition to previously released Hosted Fields. This provides ISVs, sales partners, and their merchants with a fully unified, secure, and streamlined online payment experience.

“Hosted fields and digital wallets build upon our platform to help partners provide merchants with a secure, streamlined, and customer-centric payment experience.”

Payroc’s Hosted Fields enable merchants to accept payments directly on their branded websites or applications without redirecting customers to an external page. By embedding payment fields into the checkout process, merchants can maintain a consistent and seamless customer experience. Additionally, partners can help merchants minimize compliance scope, as Payroc handles PCI requirements and tokenization entirely. With this fully integrated solution, partners can provide merchants with secure, modern payment options that meet customer expectations.

Additionally, the Payroc Gateway has expanded support for Apple Pay and Google Pay to both Hosted Fields and Hosted Payment Pages on the TSYS platform to go along with existing availability on First Data. Along with accepting digital wallet payments in person, merchants can now offer customers a faster, friction-free and more secure online checkout. With this feature, customers can skip manual card entry and complete payments with their saved digital wallet information, on both a mobile device and desktop. Apple Pay and Google Pay require minimal integration for partners using Hosted Fields, while Hosted Payment Pages automatically support these payment options with no additional setup needed.

“At Payroc, our priority is empowering partners and their clients with solutions that create real value,” said Walter Greaney, Vice President of Product Management. “Hosted fields and digital wallets build upon our platform to help partners provide merchants with a secure, streamlined, and customer-centric payment experience.”

Payroc’s new features are designed to offer its partner network high-value, adaptable payment tools that address the evolving needs of today’s market.

For more information on Payroc’s Hosted Fields, and Apple Pay & Google Pay integration, please visit http://www.payroc.com.

About Payroc:
Payroc WorldAccess, LLC is a high-growth merchant acquirer, processor, and payment integrations powerhouse that offers best-in-class sales enablement and payment processing technology on a global scale, delivering proprietary, innovative, and full-service merchant acquiring solutions together with key card brand network payment sponsorship registrations. Payroc (through its subsidiaries) is a registered Visa third-party processor, a Visa independent sales organization, a Mastercard third-party service provider, a Mastercard member service provider, a payment facilitator, an encryption support organization for Fifth Third Bank, National Association (“Fifth Third”), and, in Canada is registered with Peoples Trust Company, among many others.

Media Contact

Yosselin Nunez, Payroc, 1 (888) 477-4500, yosselin.nunez@payroc.com, https://payroc.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/payroc-expands-gateway-solution-with-hosted-fields-apple-pay–google-pay-302310099.html

SOURCE Payroc

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Spacelift Announces Expanded Ansible Support to Tame Operational and Observability Challenges of Ansible Playbook Execution and Unite Ansible and IaC Automation Workflows

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Platform and DevOps teams with large-scale, complex environments no longer have to struggle with Ansible playbook execution and observability challenges. They can also unite formerly separate workflows for provisioning and configuration management of infrastructure resources, thanks to enhancements to the Spacelift orchestration platform.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Ansible is an essential part of infrastructure automation, but managing large-scale playbook execution in complex environments is still challenging. It’s often managed separately from Infrastructure as Code (IaC) provisioning automation, leading to inefficient workflows that slow developer velocity and lack the necessary visibility and control for security and compliance. Today’s updates from Spacelift aim to solve these problems.

These Spacelift updates have transformed this experience, elevating our Ansible operations, giving us real visibility into all of our resources, and a single workflow for our infrastructure automation.

The Spacelift platform now automates the execution of Ansible playbooks, delivers inventory visibility and control over Ansible-managed resources, and links provisioning workflows (Terraform and OpenTofu, etc..) seamlessly with configuration management (Ansible).

New Spacelift Platform Enhancements include:

Playbook Automation: Manage the execution of Ansible playbooks from one central location.Inventory Observability: View all Ansible-managed hosts and related playbooks, with clear visual indicators showing the success or failure of recent runs.Playbook Run Insights: Audit Ansible playbook run results with detailed insights to pinpoint problems and simplify troubleshooting.Integrated IaC & Ansible Workflows: Easily define workflows that combine any flavor of IaC (Terraform, OpenTofu, CloudFormation…) and Ansible to streamline infrastructure provisioning and configuration management.Developer Self-Service: Integrate Ansible playbooks into infrastructure self-service for developers.

“Ansible and IaC have lived in isolated silos, leading to cumbersome infrastructure management workflows and slowing developer velocity,” said Pawel Hytry, co-founder and CEO of Spacelift. “By layering the infrastructure orchestration benefits of Spacelift on top of Ansible, we’re making it easy for platform teams to not only control what is happening with Ansible, but also create a seamless workflow that combines the provisioning power of Terraform, OpenTofu and CloudFormation with the configuration management benefits of Ansible.”

“Ansible is our go-to automation for managing resources after they’ve been provisioned, but it comes with its own set of challenges,” said Jakub Krzemiński, head of DevOps at Synerise. “These Spacelift updates have transformed this experience, elevating our Ansible operations, giving us real visibility into all of our resources, and a single workflow for our infrastructure automation.”

The expanded Ansible support is available immediately to provide greater control and visibility over Ansible playbooks, orchestrate Terraform and Ansible pipelines into a single integrated workflow, and help platform and DevOps teams provide infrastructure self-service to developers.

*About Spacelift*
Spacelift is an infrastructure orchestration platform that manages the entire infrastructure lifecycle — provisioning, configuration and governance. Spacelift integrates with existing infrastructure tooling (e.g. Terraform, OpenTofu, CloudFormation, Pulumi, Ansible) to provide a single integrated workflow to deliver secure, cost-effective and resilient infrastructure, fast.

By automating deployment and configuration, providing developer self-service, golden paths with guardrails, and an OPA policy engine, Spacelift empowers businesses to accelerate developer velocity while maintaining control and governance over their infrastructure.

Sign up for a demo or a free trial at Spacelift.io.

Media Contact

Cristin Connelly, Spacelift, 4049316752, cristin@cathey.co, www.spacelift.io

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SOURCE Spacelift

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