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Portcast Secures USD 6.5 Million Series A Funding Led by Susquehanna Asia VC to Automate Actions through Supply Chain Visibility

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Investment to advance AI technology to fortify fragile global supply chains amid rising disruptions

SINGAPORE, Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Portcast, the Singapore-based provider of real-time transportation visibility and predictive analytics, today announced it has raised USD 6.5 million in a Series A funding round. The round was led by Susquehanna Asia VC, with participation from Hearst Ventures, Signal Ventures, and existing investors including Wavemaker Partners, TMV, and Innoport. Amid increasingly fragile global supply chains and heightened disruption, Portcast’s continued investment in its artificial intelligence (AI) technology helps protect clients’ profitability. 

Portcast provides proactive exception management, with explainable reasons and recommends alternate actions to enable shippers and logistics service providers to improve productivity, operational cost and carbon emissions in transportation. Their data network integrates data from carriers, terminals, geolocation and risk data, and proprietary documents to provide accurate visibility through a single, easy-to-integrate API and portal. Utilizing machine learning and advanced large language models (LLMs), Portcast delivers actionable insights to improve operational and financial transparency in the supply chain.

Nidhi Gupta, Founder and CEO of Portcast, said: “Supply chain disruptions have become the norm, driving up costs for shippers and logistics service providers globally. It is no longer enough to monitor shipments; the priority now is to drive actions from visibility data through automated recommendations. That’s why we’re committed to building a product that uncovers risks in transport but more importantly, automatically suggests actions to reduce freight costs and/or improve customer experience.”

“In today’s challenging economic climate, the support from both existing and new investors is a testament to the customer satisfaction we’ve achieved and the confidence in our approach. Looking ahead, we’re eager to expand in Asia Pacific and Europe, strengthening partnerships to bring our solutions to even more companies,” she added. 

Richard Hsu from Susquehanna Asia VC, said: “Portcast has tapped into both public and proprietary data that brings accurate and explainable transportation visibility. But what sets them apart is their ability to turn that data into practical, actionable insights for their customers, setting a new benchmark in logistics decision-making. We’re excited not only by what Portcast has already accomplished but also by its potential to solve more challenges in global trade with its unique data approach.”

The new funding will accelerate Portcast’s product innovation, particularly in leveraging generative AI to improve risk management, transport planning, and invoice auditing capabilities. The company plans to expand deeper into key markets across Asia Pacific and Europe, and strengthen integrations with technology partners. With this investment, Portcast is well positioned to deliver on its mission of making global trade more resilient through actionable data. 

A media kit is available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17Ga6oq4Ze1zk-a4fWWtkmyEZ8o8REg2e?usp=sharing

About Portcast

Headquartered in Singapore, Portcast provides real-time transportation visibility and predictive analytics for global supply chains. Leveraging proprietary machine learning and generative AI, the platform processes over 5 million data points daily from over 370 carriers, 800 ports, geolocation data from satellite and terrestrial sources, voyage and risk data, as well as data from documents, invoices, and ERP systems. Portcast serves shippers, logistics service providers and TMS systems, offering a unified and reliable visibility solution. Trusted by industry leaders such as AIT Corp, Sumitomo Warehouse, MPG Group, Otentic Customs, FreshCo, and Wilo Group, Portcast is transforming supply chain efficiency on a global scale.

Website: www.portcast.io

About Susquehanna Asia VC

Susquehanna Asia VC is the Southeast Asian and Indian venture capital arm of the Susquehanna International Group of Companies, a global proprietary trading and investment firm founded in 1987. As part of SIG, we have access to flexible and patient capital to grow with our investments. We support founders from their early days through each stage of growth and, together with our China team, have achieved 70+ IPO/M&A and other exits among 350+ portfolio companies in enterprise and consumer technology over the last 18 years. These portfolio companies include Bytedance, Kumu, Wakefit, Inshorts, Lentra, Mobile Premier League, Musical.ly, PayMaya and RedDoorz.

For more information about Susquehanna Asia VC, please visit www.sig-asiavc.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/portcast-secures-usd-6-5-million-series-a-funding-led-by-susquehanna-asia-vc-to-automate-actions-through-supply-chain-visibility-302308361.html

SOURCE Portcast

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Guidehouse Adds Two Leaders to Growing Health Segment

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Mark Korth and Angela Hunt, RN, join as partners to help healthcare organizations advance clinical and operational performance

MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Guidehouse, a global consultancy providing advisory, digital, and managed services to the commercial and public sectors, has added two partners, Mark Korth and Angela Hunt, RN, to the firm’s Health segment.

A former health system C-suite executive, Korth will support providers with optimizing large-scale mergers and integrations, transformations, and operating model implementation. Hunt will assist providers with improving quality, clinical documentation and coding, payer contracting, and operating performance.

“We are thrilled to welcome Angela and Mark to Guidehouse,” said Tim Kinney, Guidehouse partner and Payer/Provider practice leader. “Their deep expertise and proven leadership in the healthcare industry will enhance our ability to provide innovative, patient-centered solutions that address our clients’ most pressing challenges. Angela’s and Mark’s unique perspectives will be invaluable as we continue to help healthcare leaders meaningfully serve their communities.”

Korth joins Guidehouse following a more than 25-year career leading large health systems, hospitals, and medical groups. A strategic executive with a proven ability to guide mergers, partnerships, and systemwide transformations, he has consistently advanced initiatives that improved population health and delivered sustainable margins. Korth’s experience spans large for-profit and nonprofit hospitals and health systems, having served as CEO, regional president, system chief transformation officer, and chief operating officer. 

With close to 30 years of strategic experience, Hunt brings a proven track record of leading teams through complex projects that have helped health systems and physician enterprises improve clinical and operational outcomes. Her proficiency spans data analytics, change management, clinical data management, strategic communication, and detailed outcomes improvement. This includes working with IT departments to develop analytics to better focus clinical integrity teams through benchmark opportunities in high volume MS-DRGs.

With 19 Best in KLAS® awards, Guidehouse’s Health segment serves providers, government agencies, life sciences companies, payers, and other healthcare organizations. Backed by proven success in modernizing and innovating healthcare services, finances, and operations, the firm delivers a comprehensive approach to solving interrelated industry challenges.

About Guidehouse
Guidehouse is a global consultancy providing advisory, digital, and managed services to the commercial and public sectors. Guidehouse is purpose-built to serve the national security, financial services, healthcare, energy, and infrastructure industries. Disrupting legacy consulting delivery models with its agility, capabilities, and scale, the firm delivers technology-enabled and focused solutions that position clients for innovation, resilience, and growth. With high-quality standards and a relentless pursuit of client success, Guidehouse’s more than 17,000 employees collaborate with leaders to outwit complexity and achieve transformational changes that meaningfully shape the future. guidehouse.com

Media Contact:
Guidehouse
Cecile Fradkin cfradkin@scprgroup.com  

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/guidehouse-adds-two-leaders-to-growing-health-segment-302307957.html

SOURCE Guidehouse

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Northern Virginia: The Hidden Giant of U.S. Tech? NVTC Study Reveals World Class Talent, Investments in AI, Cybersecurity, and Cloud

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Survey of 82 Northern Virginia Companies Underscores Region’s Tech Opportunity and How it Is Poised for Continued Growth

MCLEAN, Va, Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) today announced the findings of a groundbreaking study of top technology executives in Northern Virginia. The findings highlight the region’s position as one of the nation’s leading technology hubs, while exploring the opportunities and challenges that will shape the region’s future growth and innovation.

The study is based on a survey of 82 top technology organizations in the Northern Virginia (NOVA) region, as well as in-depth interviews with 30+ senior executives, and evaluates the region across five key dimensions: Talent, Innovation, Ecosystem, Business Attractiveness, and Proximity to the U.S. Federal Government.

Northern Virginia is finally getting the recognition it deserves as a technology powerhouse,” said NVTC President and CEO, Jennifer Taylor. “We have the second highest tech employment of any U.S. metro area with 11.2% of the workforce, we are the largest data center market in the world with over two-times total inventory of the next largest market, and we have 2.5 times more computer science graduates than peer-tech hubs like New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. The growth opportunity in this region is clear.”

What the study found:

Talent Access, Skills Gaps: 73% of employers consider access to talent a key advantage, with 55% ranking it as the top factor defining a leading tech hub. Tech leaders noted challenging skills gaps in AI/ML (62%), Cybersecurity (43%), and Software Development (39%). The Northern Virgina region boasts the nation’s second highest net tech employment by metro area – only behind New York City — with 376K tech industry and tech occupation workers, providing a rich and diverse talent pool. In net tech employment, the region is slightly ahead of tech hubs including San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Dallas.

Innovation Focus: GenAI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing are the top three emerging technologies that organizations are investing in for NOVA-specific operations over the next 2-3 years. 89% of NOVA tech leaders are investing in Generative AI, 83% in Cybersecurity and Digital Identity, and 61% in Cloud and Edge Computing. Early-stage tech like Space and Quantum are in the early stages of tech adoption.

Ecosystem: NOVA excels in developing growth-stage companies, ranking #1 in the number of firms that scaled up (>50 employees within 10 years) and #1 in the density of high-growth companies (>$2M revenue per 1K firms), compared to peers. Northern Virginia excels at scaling growth-stage companies, and recent surges in VC funding, start-ups, and five-year survival rates highlight its potential. However, one in three tech leaders still cite investment capital and entrepreneurial ecosystem as barriers. Leaders say more support is needed, including tech accelerators and incubators.

Business Attraction: Tech organizations are committed to Northern Virginia – 77% of surveyed organizations plan to stay in NOVA, with 29% considering expanding within the region in the next three years. NOVA boasts the nation’s largest data center market (~5x capacity of Silicon Valley). Still, executives say the high cost of living and transportation issues make it harder to attract and retain key talent.

Federal Government: Tech firms value Northern Virginia’s unique access to the federal government, prompting many major technology companies to have large offices in the region to be close to the federal government to bring IT solutions that address their mission challenges. In fact, companies in Northern Virginia received 31% of federal government’s IT contracting spend in 2023, totaling $24B. However, start-ups and niche firms face high barriers to entry due to contract procurement hurdles.

“This research confirms what many of us have long known – Northern Virginia is a powerhouse in the tech industry,” said Bruce Caswell, chair of the NVTC Board and CEO, Maximus. “Our unique combination of world-class talent, proximity to the federal government, and our focus on cutting-edge technologies like AI and cybersecurity positions us for continued growth and innovation. As we look to the future, NVTC is committed to addressing the challenges identified in this study and further strengthening our region’s tech ecosystem.”

The study, in line with NVTC’s mission, is intended to foster collaboration across the region to address challenges and drive future innovation. As Jennifer Taylor commented, “We see this as the start of an important conversation about the region and the path forward to address the challenges. We are enthusiastic about working with stakeholders across Northern Virginia – including both private sector leaders, university leaders and our public officials – to put these insights into strategic action.

Read the Study & Watch the Webinar

The full study, which provides a comprehensive analysis of Northern Virginia’s technology ecosystem, is available for download at: https://www.nvtc.org/communities/2024-northern-virginia-tech-innovation-study/

An NVTC webinar on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 will review the study findings with a panel of local technology leaders from Amazon Web Services, GDIT, Maximus and ScienceLogic. Register to join the live webinar at: https://www.nvtc.org/event/hidden-in-plain-sight-northern-virginias-rise-as-a-us-tech-giant/

Contact:
Tarin Horan
Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC)
thoran@nvtc.org
703.946.0319

About the Northern Virginia Technology Council:
NVTC is where the region’s tech community comes together. From bold startups to Fortune 100 giants, we represent over 470 members across sectors shaping the future of technology. NVTC drives innovation, fosters connections, and advocates for policies that fuel growth and position Northern Virginia as a global leader in technology. Through its initiatives in cybersecurity, AI, cloud computing, and beyond, NVTC empowers the tech community to shape the future. Whether it’s through policy advocacy, peer networks, or industry promotion, NVTC drives innovation that’s transforming the world. Learn more at http://www.nvtc.org

Media Contact

Tarin Horan, NVTC, 7039460319, thoran@nvtc.org, www.nvtc.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/northern-virginia-the-hidden-giant-of-us-tech-nvtc-study-reveals-world-class-talent-investments-in-ai-cybersecurity-and-cloud-302308165.html

SOURCE NVTC; NVTC

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Record-Breaking Pledge to USD Will Transform University’s STEM Programs

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SAN DIEGO, Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The University of San Diego (USD) received a record-breaking pledge from Darlene Marcos Shiley, philanthropist and Chair Emerita of USD’s Board of Trustees, totaling $75 million. It’s the largest gift in university history and among the largest ever given to any Catholic university in the country. The gift will touch several different areas of USD’s campus, with a primary emphasis on creating what will be known as the ‘Shiley STEM Initiative‘, expanding innovative STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs, and funding new, state-of-the-art STEM facilities on USD’s campus.

Darlene Shiley is one of the most generous and kind individuals that anyone could ever meet. She’s always looking out for humanity and the best interests of our society, and she loves our students,” said USD President James T. Harris III, DEd. “We are a better institution because of Darlene Shiley and her late husband, Donald, and what they’ve decided to do for this institution and for this world.”

The Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences embody USD’s mission to shape well-rounded leaders with a liberal arts education. Both schools boast impressive alumni in STEM, including two NASA astronauts. This gift will build upon USD’s commitment to STEM, meet the needs of growing biotechnology and scientific sectors in San Diego, and help train future STEM leaders and researchers.

“STEM fields touch all different aspects of our lives, and I believe they can be a force for good in our society,” Shiley said. “I was drawn to USD because of its emphasis on a values-based education. This gift fulfills my husband’s and my goals and makes me feel like I’ve made an impact. Now I hope it helps future students take what they learn at USD and make a positive impact of their own.”

Shiley’s gift comes at a key time for USD, where the number of students majoring in STEM disciplines has grown by 50 percent in the past decade. This gift will help expand USD’s STEM offerings by establishing a new integrated STEM space that connects engineering and the natural sciences, as well as expanded opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in research.

The pledge will also be directed to scholarships and programs benefiting veterans and military-connected students, as well as additional funding for USD’s top-ranked MFA in acting, The Old Globe and USD Shiley Graduate Theatre Program.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/record-breaking-pledge-to-usd-will-transform-universitys-stem-programs-302307922.html

SOURCE University of San Diego

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