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Reshaping Future Lifestyles: Markor Unveils AI Strategy at the Apsara Conference

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BEIJING, Sept. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On September 19, the 2024 China Apsara Conference, a major annual event for the Chinese cloud computing industry, commenced in Hangzhou. Over three days, industry representatives, media professionals, and numerous AI technology enthusiasts gathered to witness the event’s grandeur.

This year’s summit, themed “AI on Cloud: Recharging• Innovating • Transforming,” spotlighted the evolution of cloud computing across various sectors in the AI era, presenting the world’s largest showcase of generative AI applications. Industry giants including NVIDIA, Intel, Alibaba Cloud, and Tesla were in attendance. Markor distinguished itself as the sole home furnishing company represented at the summit, presenting its cutting-edge “AI Smart Home” system, which introduced a new era of AI-driven home consumption experiences, attracting significant attention.

Live at the Scene: Markor’s AI Smart Home Takes a Giant Leap Forward

From its transition to new retail in recent years to its embrace of AI, the home furnishing industry’s exploration and implementation of AI have drawn immense attention. It has been recognized as a long-term strategy that will influence the future of urban living and people’s quality of life.
In 2023, dubbed the first year of AI in China, Markor led the industry by launching its AI-powered home application, “AI Smart Home.” This program integrates cutting-edge AI model technology with a curated selection of best-selling products, offering features such as a home knowledge encyclopedia, lifestyle analysis and recommendations, design style suggestions, furniture recommendations, and one-click product replacements, providing users with 24/7 intelligent home design and easy home setup solutions.

The AI Smart Home system revolutionizes traditional home setup processes, enabling users to enjoy services conveniently via mobile devices. At the summit, Markor provided live demonstrations of the AI Smart Home system, with an interactive area for hands-on experiences. The system’s ease of use, wide range of style options, instant results, one-click sharing, and seamless purchasing capabilities ushered in a new era, allowing attendees to transition from imagining AI-powered home setups to instantly experiencing full-room services. The audience was left impressed and full of praise.

As the world’s first AI multimodal model for professional interior design, and the only AI application to incorporate a large language model in home furnishing retail, the AI Smart Home offers flexible and dynamic solutions that go beyond pre-existing layout-generated designs. It represents a groundbreaking leap in the home industry, emerging as a leading tool that reshapes service ecosystems.

Open, Shared, and Collaborative AI Business Achievements Define AI’s Sustainable Future

As a traditional home furnishing retailer closely tied to people’s daily lives, the success of AI Smart Home is no coincidence. Markor’s global strategy and presence ensure that the brand remains open and internationally competitive. Whether through prestigious awards or its global manufacturing footprint, each leap in innovation is supported by its competitive edge.
Since the beta launch of AI Smart Home by Markor Furnishings, a home furnishing brand under Markor, it has recorded over 50,000 page visits in a short time, with tens of thousands of users generating sales orders worth tens of millions of yuan. This achievement has boosted confidence in the traditional industry’s digital transformation.
A representative of Markor at the summit stated, “AI represents openness, and Markor has always embraced the times through an open ecosystem to meet users’ needs. With over 20 years of accumulated lifestyle experience, we aim to extend the reach of quality living experiences through AI interaction and expansion. The true sustainable future of AI lies in achieving shared success among users, brands, and technology platforms.”

It is evident that Markor is not simply focused on app development; it is committed to a long-term strategy that builds AI-driven lifestyles and reshapes business models. By creating personalized shopping experiences and innovating marketing models that cater to new consumer demands, Markor’s AI-based tools like “AI Xiaomei” and “AI Smart Home” serve as personalized recommendation and virtual design solutions. The company is poised to further enhance its services by leveraging AI to accurately predict market trends, optimize advertising effectiveness, and upgrade customer solutions, thus driving marketing conversion opportunities. Through disruptive shopping experiences and business models, Markor aims to become the world’s first AI-driven home furnishing brand with a fully digital and intelligent shopping experience.

Pioneering Future Living with AI: Unlocking New Opportunities

Markor is committed to leveraging technological convenience, unlocking potential, and sharing technological benefits. As a trailblazer in quality living, its development path consistently follows a “science + art” approach, which has proven to be a long-term strategy in line with current market trends. In 2024, Markor was honored with the title of “Outstanding Home Furnishing Brand Enterprise of 2024.” Its sub-brand, Markor Furnishings, reached a new brand value of over 32.2 billion yuan, securing a spot in the “Top 100 New Quality Home Brands of 2024” and winning the “Home Service Excellence Award” for the 13th consecutive year.
Backed by its national-level Industrial Design Center, robust R&D systems, and global operational capabilities, Markor continues to invigorate the ecosystem through digitalization, intelligence, and supply chain integration. With AI Smart Home as the bridge, Markor is reigniting public interest and confidence in AI’s potential and advancing the commercialization of AI technologies like natural language processing. It is building a continually open-source platform for both DTC end-users and B2B interior designers.
In July 2024, Markor hosted the “Art + AI + Life” forum in Beijing and launched a national AI painting and design competition, further embedding AI practices in the industry. In September, it signed a strategic partnership with the AI technology leader Shengshu Technology to break new ground in product design, manufacturing, marketing content innovation, and service experience. This collaboration will fuel the company’s efforts toward smart, personalized home furnishing upgrades, setting new benchmarks in the industry. These initiatives underscore Markor’s determination to use AI to enhance its future competitiveness.

Democratizing design empowers everyone to shape their dreams and take control of their future. Markor’s ongoing AI strategy not only provides opportunities for those pursuing a better life but also highlights new possibilities in the ever-evolving home living landscape.

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reshaping-future-lifestyles-markor-unveils-ai-strategy-at-the-apsara-conference-302255015.html

SOURCE Markor International Home Furnishings

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Orderful Raises $15M Growth Round Led by NewRoad Capital Partners to Transform B2B Integration with Modern EDI Solutions

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Orderful secures $15M to expand its modern EDI platform, enabling faster, smarter B2B integrations with AI and self-service solutions.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Orderful, a pioneering company revolutionizing business-to-business (B2B) integration with its industry-leading Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) platform, announced today that it has raised $15 million in a growth round led by NewRoad Capital Partners. The round also saw participation from new investors 9Yards, Flume Ventures, and NFI Ventures, alongside existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and GLP Partners.

“We like to invest in companies with strong domain expertise that are solving big legacy problems and delivering on what they promise to the market. Orderful exceeds expectations in all of these areas.” Gregoire Lehmann, Principal at NewRoad Capital Partners

Orderful is changing the status quo in the B2B integration space by offering a fast, modern EDI software-as-a-service platform that drastically simplifies the way businesses connect and exchange data. Orderful customers connect once to their API platform and can go live with new EDI connections in less than 2 weeks, which is 10x faster than competitors. This year, Orderful launched its Web EDI Fulfillment product, a solution for companies of all sizes to start trading EDI without speaking with a sales representative. Orderful is the first EDI company in the world to provide this product experience.

Orderful is also the first company to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its platform to manage and resolve EDI errors in real-time. The AI-based recommendation engine drastically reduces the time and effort required to go-live and manage trading partners. Hundreds of leading companies, including NFI, Koch Industries, Pepsi Logistics, G-III Apparel Group, Liquid Death, and Continental Mills, are leveraging Orderful’s platform to gain a competitive edge in their respective markets. With its latest funding, Orderful is poised to accelerate growth and further enhance its product offerings.

New Partnership and Strategic Insights

As part of the investment, Gregoire Lehmann, Principal at NewRoad Capital Partners, will join Orderful’s board of directors. Josh Jewett, Operating Partner at NewRoad and former Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Family Dollar and Dollar Tree, will join as a board observer. Their deep expertise in supply chain and retail technology will provide invaluable insights as Orderful continues to scale. “Orderful is fundamentally changing the way companies trade EDI. Their approach to simplifying EDI is a game changer. We like to invest in companies with strong domain expertise that are solving big legacy problems and delivering on what they promise to the market. Orderful exceeds expectations in all of these areas.” said Gregoire Lehmann, Principal at NewRoad Capital Partners.

“Having spent years in the retail industry, I understand the pain points of traditional EDI systems. Orderful’s innovative approach is precisely what the industry needs to move forward. The labor expense, delays, transaction fees, cumbersome interfaces, and poor error handling are all gone with their model. I’m excited to contribute to their journey,” added Josh Jewett, Operating Partner at NewRoad Capital Partners.

“NFI has always been at the forefront of innovation in logistics, and Orderful has been a critical partner in helping us streamline our EDI processes. Their platform has enabled us to be more agile and responsive, giving us a significant competitive advantage,” said Dave Broering, President of Integrated Logistics at NFI.

Looking Ahead

“We are thrilled to partner with NewRoad Capital Partners, whose industry expertise and extensive network will be invaluable as we continue to scale Orderful,” said Erik Kiser, CEO of Orderful. “The enthusiasm and support from our investors, both new and existing, are a testament to the impact Orderful is making in the B2B integration space. We are excited to continue growing at this pace and look forward to the opportunities ahead.” David Ulevitch, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, reflected on Orderful’s journey, “From the beginning, we saw the potential in Orderful’s vision to modernize EDI. Their progress has been incredible, and we’re excited to see how they will continue to innovate and lead in this space.”

Orderful is growing faster than any EDI company in its category, and this capital will enable the company to continue this momentum as it targets more enterprise customers in the retail and supply chain space.

With this new funding, Orderful plans to accelerate product development, expand its global reach, and continue to deliver cutting-edge solutions that empower businesses to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

About Orderful

Orderful is the modern EDI Platform revolutionizing how logistics providers, retailers, manufacturers, and technology companies manage their EDI trading partnerships and transactions in real-time. Its simplified integrations, pre-connected network, and user-friendly self-service approach minimize errors with customers onboarding new partners. Orderful has been recognized as a best-in-class EDI provider by industry leaders like G2 and SourceForge. To learn more, visit https://www.orderful.com/.

Media Contact

Gem Nwanne, Orderful, 1 855-965-1887, gem@orderful.com, https://www.orderful.com/

Twitter, LinkedIn

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/orderful-raises-15m-growth-round-led-by-newroad-capital-partners-to-transform-b2b-integration-with-modern-edi-solutions-302306730.html

SOURCE Orderful

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30 Years After the Passing of Daddy Bruce Randolph, His Legacy of Feeding Families on Thanksgiving Is in Jeopardy Due to Lack of Funding. Epworth Foundation Issues an Urgent Call for Donations

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DENVER, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — With just one week left before the annual Denver Feed-A-Family event in honor of Daddy Bruce Randolph, the Epworth Foundation faces a critical shortfall in funding. To meet its ambitious goal of providing 7,500 Thanksgiving meal baskets, the organization needs to raise $400,000 but is far short of its goal. This significant gap puts thousands of families at risk of going without a meal this holiday season.

This year’s theme, “One Community, One Family,” embodies the foundation’s mission to bring nourishment and unity to those most in need. However, with funding levels far below what’s necessary, the Epworth Foundation urgently appeals to the community for help.

“We are at a crossroads,” said Xiomara Yanique, Program Director at the Epworth Foundation. “Without immediate support, we risk leaving many families without a Thanksgiving meal this year. Every dollar counts, and time is running out.”

The average cost of a meal basket is $55, which includes everything needed for a family meal serving 4-5 people. With current funding, the organization will be able to serve fewer than 1,000 families. The Epworth Foundation calls on local businesses, philanthropists, and community members to step in and help bridge this critical gap. Donations of any size are urgently needed and can be made directly on the foundation’s website.

A Call for Unity from Denver’s Mayor

Denver’s Mayor, Mike Johnston, expressed his concern and support for the initiative: “The Denver Feed-A-Family event has been a vital source of hope and comfort for our city’s most vulnerable families. I urge everyone to contribute. Together, we can ensure no family goes without a meal this Thanksgiving.”

How You Can Help

Donate Today: Visit www.epworthfoundation.org to make a contribution. You can sponsor one or more meal baskets or give any amount to help cover the cost of these essential meal kits.

Participate in Giving Tuesday: Join our community effort to honor Daddy Bruce Randolph’s legacy by supporting the cost of meal baskets for families in need.

Volunteer: There are still opportunities to lend a hand on distribution day, November 23rd.

For more information or to donate, please visit www.epworthfoundation.org.

Contact for Media:
Jackie Perry
Email: socialmedia@epworthfoundation.org
Phone: 904.866.3828

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/30-years-after-the-passing-of-daddy-bruce-randolph-his-legacy-of-feeding-families-on-thanksgiving-is-in-jeopardy-due-to-lack-of-funding–epworth-foundation-issues-an-urgent-call-for-donations-302307350.html

SOURCE The Epworth Foundation

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The Merriest Grinchmas Ever Awaits with Grinch Décor from Gemmy

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Grinch-Inspired Decorations from Airblown® Inflatables to Life-Size Animatronics

DALLAS, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Fans of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! will be delighted with a feast of Grinch decorations to choose from this season. Gemmy’s expansive collection, from amazing Airblown® Inflatables and yard décor to life-size animated characters, is sure to grow hearts three sizes.

Grinch fans will be delighted with Gemmy’s expansive collection of decorations to choose from.

Airblown® Inflatables

Set the scene for a Merry Grinchmas with the Grinch inflatable lineup. Big or small, hanging or arched, Gemmy has you covered:

Craft a custom scene with adorable 4-ft tall characters: Grinch in Ugly Red Sweater and Cindy-Lou Who with gift.Warm hearts and add fun to your display with 6-ft and 6.5-ft options: Max and Grinch with red heart scene and Hanging Grinch with wreath.Welcome guests with whimsical 9-ft and 10-ft styles, perfect for parties and photo ops: sneaky Tiptoeing Grinch with gift sack, Merry Grinchmas Archway, and Grinch and Max with Naughty or Nice Sign.

Musical and Animated Merriment

For a multisensory experience, Grinch enthusiasts will love animated decor that plays “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”:

Life-Size Animated: Equipped with sound and motion features, these realistic characters are available in two styles—the charming 4-ft Animated Little Grinch and the 6-ft Animated Grinch in a Santa suit.EmoteGlow™: Featuring animated faces that light up and sing, this amazing technology is available in the adorable 6.3-in Kawaii Grinch (in-store only) and the Grinch Musical Light String with eight bulbs.

Indoor/Outdoor Lighting and Decor

Lighting and decor options are fantastic on their own or layered into the mix:

The 4-ft tall 3D Grinch Tinsel Sculpture features the Grinch holding colorful stockings and shines with 35 LED lights.Light up interior or exterior surfaces and walkways with the colorful Whirl-A-Motion™ Grinch Projection and festive Grinch Pathway Stakes.Perfect for indoor locations, battery-operated blow molds are available in two styles: 14-in Grinch and 12-in Max (in-store only).

Find this Grinch collection in-store and online at The Home Depot.

About Gemmy Industries
Gemmy Industries is a leader in the seasonal décor market, bringing festive fun and holiday cheer to homes everywhere. Dedicated to innovation and creative design, Gemmy has elevated industry standards and established recognizable brands like Airblown® Inflatable and LightShow® Lighting. For more information on products and retailers, visit www.gemmy.com. Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook.

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SOURCE Gemmy Industries

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