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Propel celebrates 10 year anniversary by pioneering new AI-powered technology to help families navigate the safety net

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Over the last decade, Propel has put more than $500 million into the pockets of low-income Americans. Now with a rebranded app, it will build new technology to modernize the safety net, funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Propel, the leading consumer technology company focused on low-income Americans, is celebrating its 10th anniversary by introducing new technology to accelerate its vision: helping every American make it through the month with dignity and abundance. Among its new initiatives, Propel is building AI-powered tools to improve navigation of the safety net through a grant funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The daily act of navigating the safety net – i.e. government programs, such as SNAP (formerly known as food stamps), designed to provide support in a time of need – is cumbersome. Before Propel, the 41 million people in the U.S. who receive SNAP benefits on EBT cards typically checked their balances by calling a 1-800 number. Propel revolutionized this process by launching America’s first free, nationwide mobile app for checking EBT balances. Over the last 10 years, Propel has enabled 15 million people to check their EBT balances a remarkable 5.5 billion times.

Funded by a $3.5 million grant from the Gates Foundation, Propel is now prototyping and scaling new AI-powered technologies to continue modernizing the safety net. With its dedicated focus on low-income Americans who use the safety net, Propel has become the most widely used mobile app for this demographic, trusted by more than 5 million households each month. That makes Propel the ideal platform to provide answers to questions about public benefits–answers that were once buried in hundred-page PDFs are now accessible and intuitive through Propel’s data, reach, and AI.

In addition to building new AI-powered tools, Propel is also launching several new security features that make its app the most secure way to manage EBT benefits. In original research conducted by Propel, theft of SNAP benefits has become increasingly prominent, with 87% of EBT cardholders actively seeking ways to protect their benefits. Propel is the first in the market to offer suspicious transaction monitoring, which automatically scans and flags transactions that reflect an elevated risk of fraud. In select states, users will also be able to lock their cards and block out-of-state transactions.

“Protecting people from benefits theft requires a cross-sector collaborative approach. Propel is a trusted source for millions of EBT cardholders by providing additional tools and information to promote card security,” said Reggie Bicha, President & CEO of the American Public Human Services Association.

“Over its 10 years, Propel has been a clear example that business leaders can develop products for low-income Americans that support, not obstruct, people’s financial security,” said Ida Rademacher, Vice President of the Aspen Institute and Co-Executive Director of the Financial Security Program. “I look forward to many more years of Propel innovating on how to serve people’s financial security and its continued leadership in the field.”

Alongside these changes, Propel is renaming its flagship app from ‘Providers’ to ‘Propel’. Unifying its company and product names aims to increase clarity and transparency for both Propel’s millions of active users and its partners.

Propel was founded in August 2014 by Jimmy Chen, Ram Mehta, and Jeff Kaiser through Blue Ridge Labs @ Robin Hood Foundation, a nonprofit fellowship program that enables tech entrepreneurs to launch new poverty-fighting technology ventures. The program prioritizes individuals with lived experiences of poverty, ensuring that the solutions built are tailored to address real problems faced by the community.

About Propel

Propel builds modern, respectful, and effective technology that helps low-income Americans improve their financial lives. The free Propel app is used by over 5 million Americans across the country each month to manage their food stamp (SNAP) benefits and money. A Harvard study showed that using Propel helped stretch food stamps by an average of two days per month. Propel is a mission-driven for-profit company, with support from investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Nyca Partners, Kleiner Perkins, JPMorganChase, Kevin Durant, and Serena Williams. Propel has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and WIRED Magazine. To learn more, visit propel.app.

Propel measures its impact in a number of ways:

Over 5 million people use the Propel each app month. Over the history of the company, over 15 million people have used Propel’s products.Propel has helped its users put over $500 million back into their pockets – by helping people save money on everyday expenses, avoid fees, and receive cash grants and government benefits.Propel’s users have submitted 2.8 million job applications from roles they found through Propel.Propel’s users have deposited over $1.4 billion onto the Providers Card, a no-monthly-fee debit card built specifically for people who use the safety net.Prior to the Propel app, most people with EBT cards called a 1-800 number to check their balance. By using the Propel app instead, Propel’s users save about 30 seconds each time they check their balance. Propel’s 5 million users save a collective 923 years of time every year through the app. Saving time for low-income families is an underappreciated way to provide more slack and respect for families dealing with financial hardship.

CONTACT: press@joinpropel.com

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Fitterfly Healthtech and Ascensia Diabetes Care Launch a 21-Day Diabetes Management Program on World Diabetes Day

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November 14, 2024

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MUMBAI, India, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — This World Diabetes Day, on 14th November, Fitterfly Healthtech and Ascensia Diabetes Care are joining hands to launch a complimentary 21-day Diabetes Management Program for Ascensia’s glucometer users. This initiative aims to make diabetes care simpler and more effective for people, offering them personalised support, expert guidance, and easy-to-use tools.

For many, managing diabetes can feel overwhelming. Even with the right tools, knowing where to start can be challenging and confusing. That’s why this 21-day program is designed to help users get started on a wellness journey and build lasting habits, as 21 days is the time it takes to set a habit. By simply scanning a QR code on the warranty page of Ascensia’s glucometer, users can join the Fitterfly program and access diet plans, a 24/7 AI wellness coach, group sessions with diabetes experts, glucose tracking and insights, food diary tracking, assessments, and more. With each step, this structured support brings confidence and clarity, helping users feel truly in control of their health.

Albertraj Balraj, Country Head and Director at Ascensia Diabetes Care India Pvt Ltd., commented, “Glucometers and Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose (SMBG) play an important role in effective blood sugar monitoring. Through this partnership, we aim to offer people a 360° solution by combining our world-class glucometer with Fitterfly’s advanced tools and expert support to make diabetes management truly simple for everyone. We want people to approach diabetes care with confidence and without fear.”

Dr Arbinder Singal, CEO & co-founder of Fitterfly Healthtech, added, “Lifestyle management remains the first line of therapy for type 2 diabetes. Our collaboration with Ascensia makes it easy for people to take control of their health and get started on a journey to lower their blood sugar sustainably. By linking their glucometer to our Fitterfly app, users can track their readings, gain insights, and learn to manage diabetes with ease.”

This partnership is a true example of two brands joining forces to reduce the diabetes burden in the country.

To know more about Fitterfly’s Diabetes Programs, visit Fitterfly.

About Fitterfly

Fitterfly is a leading Indian healthtech company specialising in digital therapeutic programs for managing diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Co-founded in 2016 by Dr Arbinder Singal and Shailesh Gupta, the Mumbai-based company employs over 200 professionals, including doctors, nutritionists, fitness experts, and technologists. Fitterfly aims to improve metabolic health by focusing on conditions like prediabetes, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and heart disease. Fitterfly has significantly contributed to health technology research, publishing over 80 papers and winning numerous awards, including the Economic Times Healthtech Startup of the Year 2022. Fitterfly has raised $16.6 million in funding, with its last round in June 2022 led by Amazon with support from Fireside Ventures, 9 Unicorns, and Venture Catalysts.

About Ascensia Diabetes Care

Ascensia Diabetes Care is a global company focused entirely on helping people with diabetes. Our mission is to empower those living with diabetes through innovative solutions that simplify and improve their lives. We are home to the world-renowned CONTOUR® portfolio of blood glucose monitoring systems and the exclusive global distribution partner for the Eversense® Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems from Senseonics. Ascensia is a member of PHC Group and was established in 2016 through the acquisition of Bayer Diabetes Care by PHC Holdings Corporation. Ascensia products are sold in more than 100 countries. Ascensia has around 1,400 employees and operations in 29 countries. For further information, please visit the Ascensia Diabetes Care website at www.ascensia.com.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2553921/Fitterfly_Ascensia_Launch.jpg

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Eco-documentary A Chorus of Frogs officially launched

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November 14, 2024

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NANJING, China, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, the ecological documentary A Chorus of Frogs produced by Nanjing Newspaper Media Group was officially launched. The film told the story of Wang Ningjing, a post-95s Nanjing girl, who returned to the countryside to find the Chinese immaculate treefrog and shoot a documentary.

https://youtu.be/V8aI9PIFalA?si=Mcc6iP5FeAk3Y8OF

Wang Ningjing, the post-95s generation from Nanjing, is currently studying wildlife filmmaking in the UK. Professor Borzée Amaël from Nanjing Forestry University, who grew up in Madagascar, has been researching treefrogs over ten years.

Unlike most girls who like fairy tales, Wang has been passionate about creature and nature since childhood. Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo, not far from her home, was a place she often visited as a child.

“I see one. Is that it？……That one on the wheat. So beautiful!” The species’ breeding season is May and June. During this period, Professor Amaël conducted regular field surveys to locate populations of the treefrog, known for its unique calls that can be heard from a distance. The documentary began with Wang listening to the calls of the treefrog in the fields at night.

A Chorus of Frogs is positioned as an ecological and humanistic documentary. By following Wang Ningjing and Amer to explore the traces of the Chinese immaculate treefrog, it vividly tells the story of people and frogs.

Chinese path to modernization has the distinctive features of respecting nature, following its laws and protect it as well as promoting harmony between humans and nature. The harmonious coexistence between human and the environment is important not only to China but to the world as well.

Where does the Chinese immaculate treefrog go? I believe everyone will find their own answer after watching.

Nanjing Newspaper Media Group, a state-owned media group in Nanjing City, was established on December 17, 2002 with the approval from the National Press and Publication Administration. In recent years, the group has seized strategic opportunities for media convergence to develop a new type of mainstream media based on the Internet. Fully committed to mobile first, it has accelerated the establishment of all-media communication system. The group’s flagship brand, Zijinshan Video, focuses on short video creation, particularly the production of documentaries. It currently has more than 65 million followers across all platforms.

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8aI9PIFalA

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/eco-documentary-a-chorus-of-frogs-officially-launched-302305134.html

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Avathon Partners with CP PLUS, Largest CCTV Manufacturer in India, to Enhance Public Safety while Strengthening Community Bonds

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November 14, 2024

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PLEASANTON, Calif., Nov. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Avathon, provider of the leading AI platform for industrial operations, has partnered with CP PLUS, one of the largest manufacturers of CCTV cameras, to create safer, more connected societies by bundling Avathon’s computer vision technology with each camera. The companies are bringing Avathon’s computer vision AI capabilities to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across India, turning their cameras into intelligent assets that enable more secure workplaces, factories and facilities.           

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s hard to keep an eye on every single detail, every minute of the day. Computer vision AI technology gives users the freedom and control to go about their daily lives knowing they will receive proactive alerts identifying safety and security issues in real time.

“Increasing demand for advanced public safety tools, smart home devices and integrated AI-powered cameras is fueling massive industry growth,” said Aditya Khemka, Managing Director, CP PLUS, a subsidiary of Aditya Group. “Our partnership with Avathon will help us to better deliver state-of-the-art AI-powered solutions that feature advanced functions like real-time anomaly detection and intelligent monitoring.”

Avathon’s computer vision AI automatically detects and alerts unsafe conditions and incidents in real time, allowing users to proactively take the right actions. Avathon enables business owners using valuable resources to monitor CCTV camera feeds to get back to focusing on operations. The company partners with OEM camera manufacturers by providing AI technology that enables end customers to quickly and accurately address processes, behaviors, and conditions that cause unacceptable risk. Through its partnership with CP PLUS, Avathon has democratized this technology, giving access to large organizations and small businesses alike.

CP PLUS is India’s leading surveillance brand with the most extensive portfolio in the entire global industry. Representing a major share of the Indian CCTV market, CP PLUS offers a range of products and services to meet the varied needs of government, commercial, residential, and industrial customers and its products are successfully deployed in every nook and corner of India and many countries across verticals and industry.

“AI cameras are paving the path forward in India toward smart-city initiatives and enhanced public safety improvements. In this sometimes disconnected world, it’s comforting to rely on a technology that instantly alerts users to potential dangers and other anomalies,” said Pervinder Johar, CEO of Avathon. “We’re proud to partner with CP PLUS to provide the AI innovations needed to push India to the leading edge of technological advancement.”

About Avathon

Avathon, a leader in Industrial AI, extends the life of critical infrastructure while advancing the journey toward full autonomy. Avathon’s Industrial AI platform empowers commercial and government customers with scalable, secure, and value-driven solutions that enhance efficiency and resilience across heavy industry.

Media contact:

Jon Ross
Sr. PR & Communications Manager
Avathon
jross@avathon.com

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SOURCE Avathon

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