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Blockchain Capital’s Pioneering Tokenized Fund Announces Dividend and Upgrades to ZKsync, Assembling its Portfolio Companies to Advance Venture Capital Investment Access

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SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Blockchain Capital (BCAP), an established venture firm in the blockchain space, today announced upgrades to its innovative tokenized venture fund, which underscores its commitment to decentralization and efficiency in venture capital investing. As part of the upgrade, the fund will be offering dividend payments to investors and will be migrating fully to ZKsync.

Blockchain Capital will distribute to the fund’s token holders $0.25 per token in USDC. The dividend payout is expected on January 28, 2025. This dividend represents a return of 25% of the original purchase price of $1 per fund token in the initial token offering in April 2017.

The migration to ZKsync, supported by BCAP portfolio companies Securitize, Circle, and Matter Labs, represents a significant upgrade for investors in the fund, who will benefit from faster transactions, substantially reduced fees, and anticipated dividend payouts. This fund disrupted the venture capital industry by enabling accredited and non-US investors to invest with flexible capital commitments, making venture capital accessible to a broader range of investors. From the original token offering in April 2017, the fund took in over 850 investors from 80 countries in investment amounts ranging from $10 to nearly $1M.

ZKsync is one of the leading Ethereum scaling solutions, offering a robust Layer 2 platform. Through its innovative zero-knowledge proof technology, ZKsync maintains Ethereum‘s security guarantees while dramatically improving transaction speed and reducing fees, making it an ideal platform for companies looking to bring tokenized assets to both institutional and mainstream audiences.

“Tokenized funds represent a transformative shift in venture capital, offering accessibility, transparency, and efficiency to a broader range of investors,” said Alex Gluchowski, Co-Founder of ZKsync. “Blockchain Capital is utilizing ZKsync’s technology to redefine how investors interact with and benefit from venture investments. Migrating from Ethereum mainnet and becoming exclusively available on ZKsync will allow investors to leverage technology for secure and faster transactions with significantly lower fees, which is exactly what the industry needs to scale and meet the demands of the community. It’s exciting to see companies like Blockchain Capital, Circle, and Securitize share our belief that zero knowledge is the future of crypto and we’re looking forward to seeing how they leverage ZKsync to advance the tokenization of assets.”1

“Securitize has always valued the pioneering role Blockchain Capital has played in shaping the digital asset ecosystem. These latest upgrades to the fund demonstrate how Blockchain Capital continues to be a leader in opening up new opportunities for issuers and investors,” said Securitize Co-Founder and CEO Carlos Domingo. “We’re excited to integrate with and facilitate the migration to ZKsync, which will deliver immediate benefits to investors in the fund and is another step in leveraging blockchains to bring tokenized assets to institutional and mainstream investors alike.”1

“We’re extremely proud of the progress of our tokenized fund, and the delivery of our first dividend. Our upgrade to ZKsync is not just about enhancing its efficiency; we leapt at the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with our portfolio companies to redefine what’s possible,” said Brad Stephens, Co-Founder of BCAP. “We’re building the democratized landscape we want to see, and we’re supporting the companies who will further that mission.”

The migration furthers BCAP’s continued commitment to innovation and efficiency in venture capital, building on the fund’s remarkable achievements and its role in democratizing access to venture capital investments.

Note: Mr. Gluchowski and Mr. Domingo are not compensated for this endorsement and are also not advisory clients of or investors in BCAP or its affiliates, but there is a conflict of interest in endorsing BCAP by virtue of Mr. Gluchowski and Mr. Domingo being Co-Founders and Founders, respectively, of portfolio companies held by the fund. Therefore, any advice or opinions of the endorsers regarding BCAP or its affiliates may be influenced by such an arrangement.

About Blockchain Capital
BCAP is a pioneer and leading venture capital firm in the blockchain industry, founded in 2013. The firm has invested in over 100+ companies, protocols, and tokens. As one of the first fund managers in the space, BCAP has been actively involved in the blockchain ecosystem, providing not just capital but operational support to innovators building the foundations of the blockchain economy.

To learn more about BCAP, please visit https://www.blockchaincapital.com.

About ZKsync
ZKsync uses zero-knowledge (ZK) technology to scale Ethereum and bring crypto to the mainstream. Deeply rooted in its mission to advance personal freedom for all, the ZKsync technology powers the entire Elastic Chain ecosystem and makes digital self-ownership universally available.

To learn more about ZKsync, visit http://www.zksync.io

Media Contact:
Charlotte Siller, Marketing Manager at Blockchain Capital
Charlotte@blockchaincapital.com

M Group Strategic Communications (on behalf of ZKsync)
zksync@mgroupsc.com

1 The tokenized fund and other funds managed by BCAP have invested substantial capital in ZKsync and Securitize. Neither ZKsync nor Securitize, nor any affiliates thereof, were compensated for making statements in this press release.

The tokenized fund is an evergreen venture fund that invests in the equity and digital assets of projects in the blockchain industry. The fund’s tokens represent an indirect economic interest in the fund and are not redeemable. Prior to this first dividend announced here, all returns from the fund’s investments, net of fees to the manager, have been reinvested into the fund to make new investments. Nothing presented herein is intended to constitute investment advice, and under no circumstances should any information provided herein be used or construed as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities or interests in any investment fund.

The information provided herein is historical and past performance is not indicative of future results. As with any investment strategy, there is potential for profit as well as the possibility of loss. No guarantee of investment performance is being provided and no inference to the contrary should be made. It should not be assumed that an investment in any fund managed by the manager or its affiliates will be profitable. Investment in the fund described herein will be suitable only for certain sophisticated investors who have no need for immediate liquidity in their investment and who are comfortable with the substantial risks associated with such an investment.

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SOURCE Blockchain Capital

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Lexmark Showcases New Printers and Technology Solutions for Retailers at NRF 2025

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NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Lexmark, a global imaging and IoT solutions leader, will showcase its cutting-edge, retail-ready printers and solutions at NRF 2025, Retail’s Big Show and Expo, Jan. 12 to 14, at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York. The Lexmark showcase will be in booth #6321.

“Lexmark kicks off the year with a bang by showcasing our latest 9-Series family of A3 printers and MFPs at NRF for the first time,” said Tim Speller, Lexmark’s head of retail and manufacturing. “These sophisticated devices will usher in a new era of opportunity for retailers to maximize operational efficiency while increasing sales.”

Here’s what will be on display in Lexmark booth #6321:

New Lexmark 9-Series printers and MFPs are designed for challenging retail environments

Built by evolving Lexmark’s renowned A4 technology, the 9-Series delivers versatility, simplicity and sustainability. These solutions are easy to use and manage – perfect for any retail salesfloor or back office.

Key highlights of 9-Series:

Versatile and easy to use. The 9-Series offers a broad range of media size support (A6 to SRA3), high-volume duty cycles, a common set of modular paper-handling options, finishing capabilities and professional color features including PANTONE® calibration.Simple and easy to manage. The 9-Series’ intuitive interface streamlines workflows by providing simple instructions and prompts. For routine maintenance, toner cartridges can be replaced with one hand, easily understood visual cues are displayed, and serviceable areas are easy to access and identify.Sustainable and easy to feel good about. The 9-Series’ total post-consumer recycled (PCR) content is 56% by weight for all base-model MFPs and 73% by weight for the line’s base-model printer, based on IEEE calculation procedures. *Built to last. The 9-Series is designed and built to last seven years or more. Having few components helps reduce the likelihood of technical failure while also minimizing the service time required for repairs and maintenance. Experienced technicians can perform most common service actions, even highly complex tasks, in less than 15 minutes, according to Lexmark testing.

Lexmark Engagement Automation Platform (LEAP) helps retailers drive sales and foot traffic with hyper-local social media ads

LEAP automates one-to-one promotions that drive footfall to local stores. Store leaders can trigger hyper-personalized sale posts and boost ads based on individual store inventory conditions through loyalty program apps and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. With advanced analytics and reporting capabilities, LEAP provides the insights needed to measure success and make data-driven decisions.

Key highlights of LEAP:

Engagement: To engage shoppers, center promotions around customer buying patterns with an engagement automation platform that posts localized content – such as store-specific offers, events and locally grown produce initiatives.

Automation: Schedule and manage automatic localization and delivery of corporate promotional messaging with an engagement automation platform to reach consumers through social media with hyper-local content around each store or audience region.

Loyalty: Attract local customers with an engagement automation platform that sends store- and corporate-initiated offers to geo-fenced social media apps like Facebook and Instagram and loyalty program applications.

Supporting resources

Learn more about Lexmark’s booth at NRF 2025.

Read Lexmark’s NRF blog.

Schedule a booth meeting with our retail experts during NRF 2025.

Get more details about the Lexmark 9-Series.

Get more details about the Lexmark Engagement Automation Platform (LEAP).

Watch a video about LEAP.

Get the details on NRF 2025.

Follow us on LinkedIn for live NRF updates.

About Lexmark

Lexmark creates cloud-enabled imaging and IoT technologies that help customers worldwide quickly realize business outcomes. Through a powerful combination of proven technologies and deep industry expertise, Lexmark accelerates business transformation, turning information into insights, data into decisions, and analytics into action.

Lexmark and the Lexmark logo are trademarks of Lexmark International, Inc., registered in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

* PCR content measured in accordance with IEEE Std 1680.2a™ – 2017 Standard for Environmental Assessment of Imaging Equipment – Amendment 1 — which is the standard used by EPEAT.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lexmark-showcases-new-printers-and-technology-solutions-for-retailers-at-nrf-2025-302348628.html

SOURCE Lexmark

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Pricer and Focal Systems Announce Strategic Collaboration to Drive the Next Step in Physical Store Digitalization

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Pricer, a global leader in digital shelf-edge solutions, and Focal Systems, a leader in shelf-edge AI, today announced a strategic collaboration to accelerate the digitization and optimization of the physical store for retailers worldwide.

STOCKHOLM, Jan. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — This collaboration brings together Pricer’s innovations in dynamic pricing and shelf-edge communication with Focal Systems’ advanced computer vision and product availability solutions to maximize shopper satisfaction while optimizing retail operations.

As a pioneer in enabling dynamic pricing and digitizing shelf-edge shopper communication, Pricer has led the first step of the retail digitalization journey. Focal Systems has pioneered the application of computer vision to digitizing what products are available on-shelf or not in near real-time. Together, Pricer and Focal Systems will empower retailers to improve labor efficiency, reduce out-of-stocks, increase sales, and enhance shopper satisfaction like never before.

Enhancing the Shelf Edge Through Collaboration

By integrating Focal Systems’ AI-powered shelf vision cameras with Pricer’s leading electronic shelf label (ESL) platform, retailers will benefit from:

Real-Time Shelf Insights: Automated detection and alerting of out-of-stock or low items powering rapid replenishment and increased shopper satisfactionDynamic Task Automation: Streamlined workflows and prioritized tasks to improve operational efficiency for store staff.Patented Innovation: Camera-based out of stock detection and communication, flashing ESLs, alternate location communication.Seamless Integration: Standardized API connections that deliver out-of-the-box value, offering synchronized ESL flashes, messaging updates, and shelf-edge intelligence.

Together, Pricer and Focal Systems demonstrate that the combined offerings deliver measurable value for the retailers by enabling a fully digitalized shelf-edge ecosystem.

Strategic Collaboration for the Future of Retail

“We are proud to combine our leadership in ESL technology with Focal Systems’ AI-powered shelf vision,” said Chris Chalkitis, CDO at Pricer. “Both companies share a belief in the digitalization of the physical store. Pricer has been a pioneer in dynamic pricing and shelf-edge communication. With Focal Systems, we take the next step, digitizing what’s on the shelf – and what’s not – to drive greater efficiency and performance for retailers.”

Focal Systems’ AI technology transforms retail operations through real-time shelf monitoring and replenishment task optimization.

“Partnering with Pricer, a global leader with groundbreaking ESL technology and innovation, creates tremendous value for retailers,” said Kevin H. Johnson, CEO at Focal Systems. “Together, we deliver an integrated, data-driven solution that reduces operational complexity, automates workflows, and enhances the in-store experience. We look forward to demonstrating this powerful collaboration to retailers and their customers.”

Showcasing the Future at NRF 2025

The collaboration will officially debut at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show in January 2025, where Pricer and Focal Systems will showcase the integrated solution at Pricer’s booth. This marks the beginning of an exciting journey to redefine the shelf edge and set new standards for retail innovation.

For further information, please contact:
Chris Chalkitis, Chief Digital Officer, +46 70 4849812
Finn Wikander, Chief Product Officer, +46 705 233077
info@pricer.com

About Pricer

Pricer is a leading global provider of digital shelf-edge solutions, helping retailers optimize pricing, improve operational efficiency, and enhance the customer experience. With patented innovations like camera-based product identification by ESL, Pricer continues to set the standard for dynamic, intelligent shelf-edge solutions. For more information, visit www.pricer.com.

About Focal Systems

Focal Systems is a leading provider of AI-powered computer vision solutions, helping retailers automate operations and optimize product availability through real-time shelf monitoring. Its advanced technology delivers actionable insights that drive efficiency and profitability. For more information, visit www.focal.systems.

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

https://news.cision.com/pricer/r/pricer-and-focal-systems-announce-strategic-collaboration-to-drive-the-next-step-in-physical-store-d,c4090287

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SOURCE PRICER

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Blue Owl Capital Expands Tennis Player Sponsorship to All Grand Slam Tournaments in 2025

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Blue Owl to place logo patches on dozens of athletes competing across the Australian Open,
French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open

Jordan Thompson named as Blue Owl’s dedicated athlete ambassador for the Australian Open

NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Blue Owl Capital Inc. (“Blue Owl”) (NYSE: OWL), a leading alternative asset manager, announced today a marquee sponsorship agreement to expand their presence at all Grand Slam tournaments in 2025 and become the exclusive financial services partner for professional tennis’ Player Patch Program.

Blue Owl’s logo will be featured on the shirt of select players competing across men’s singles, women’s singles, mixed doubles, men’s doubles and women’s doubles competitions at this year’s Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open tournaments. In addition to Blue Owl’s presence on the courts, the firm will be featured in iconic Melbourne transit hubs, social media and digital media during the Australian Open in an effort to raise brand awareness within the country and the broader APAC market.

Blue Owl Chief Marketing Officer Suzanne Escousse said, “Just as Blue Owl is redefining alternative investing, we are supporting established and emerging professional players who are redefining the game of tennis. Tennis is a truly worldwide sport requiring peak performance in critical, high-pressure moments. This is the same ethos that underpins Blue Owl and allows us to focus on delivering results for our international client base. Following the success of our involvement with the Patch Program at the 2024 US Open, and given Blue Owl’s established presence within the country, Australia is the perfect place to kick off our presence across Grand Slam tournaments.”

Blue Owl has also partnered with Australian tennis professional Jordan Thompson, who will serve as the firm’s Athlete Ambassador at the 2025 Australian Open – January 12-26 in Melbourne. Most recently, Thompson won the men’s doubles at the 2024 US Open, where he was wearing a Blue Owl patch, and was a men’s doubles finalist at Wimbledon in 2024. He has also registered victories over several top-10-ranked opponents in singles competitions and previously represented Australia at the Olympics and the Davis Cup. Thompson will be one of several competitors wearing Blue Owl’s logo throughout the tournament.

Jordan Thompson said: “Blue Owl is focused on delivering excellence for its clients, which makes it a great fit for a partnership with professional tennis players. Support from firms like Blue Owl is tremendously beneficial for players who are preparing for career-defining events, especially the four Grand Slams. Our shared core values, including striving for success in every step of our journeys, whether that be in the financial services industry or competing as a professional athlete, is a perfect match. Alongside my coaches, my doubles teammate(s) and tennis fans, Blue Owl will play a key role for me here in Melbourne at the 2025 Australian Open.”

About Blue Owl

Blue Owl (NYSE: OWL) is a leading asset manager that is redefining alternatives.

With $235 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2024, we invest across three multi-strategy platforms: Credit, GP Strategic Capital, and Real Estate. Anchored by a strong permanent capital base, we provide businesses with private capital solutions to drive long-term growth and offer institutional investors, individual investors, and insurance companies differentiated alternative investment opportunities that aim to deliver strong performance, risk-adjusted returns, and capital preservation.

Together with over 1,050 experienced professionals, Blue Owl brings the vision and discipline to create the exceptional. To learn more, visit www.blueowl.com.

Media Contact

Nick Theccanat
Principal, Corporate Communications & Government Affairs
Nick.Theccanat@blueowl.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blue-owl-capital-expands-tennis-player-sponsorship-to-all-grand-slam-tournaments-in-2025-302348626.html

SOURCE Blue Owl Capital

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