Category: Asean

connecting dotts and INVNT.ATOM bring artists together for a Limited Edition NFT Drop and Auction, Available Exclusively through Sotheby’s Metaverse

Singapore, Oct. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — aespa, the massively popular and future forward female K-Pop group from SM Entertainment, which includes four real members as well as their respective online avatars, is joining forces with visual artist and NFT queen Blake Kathryn, to launch an exclusive NFT collection. The collection marks the world’s first collaboration between a K-pop group and a global NFT artist and will be available from Thursday, October 13, 5pm EST to Friday, October 21, 11am EST through Sotheby’s Metaverse. This collaboration was jointly facilitated by connecting dotts, an APAC/U.S. strategy agency connecting brands, consumers, talent and content creators and INVNT.ATOM , a global innovative brand experience agency at the forefront of the digital frontier.

Each piece of artwork in the æ girls NFT collection incorporates the personality, elements and signature identity of each band member and their avatars; perfectly combined with surreal futurist aesthetics of Blake Kathryn’s work, creating the ultimate collaboration between the artists. The ambience used is specially composed for this collection by SM Entertainment.

The æ girls NFT collection includes a 3-part series:

• MY Pass – Open edition NFT, an access key for any fan and collector. Each MY Pass comes with a free NFT from a collection of 16 different works that are specially personalized and prepared by each member of aespa.
• Altars – A total of 32 Special and Limited Editions, four (4) fine art executions of each aespa member created in editions of eight (8). Each digital artwork embodies their iconography, aespa metaverse world, KWANGYA aesthetics, and includes utilities such as a GLB file, and a personalized recording by each aespa member talking about the collaborative artwork. Edition 01 of each Altars series will go to the highest bidder and also include a signed autograph print by the members and Blake Kathryn.
• Dreamspace – Super exclusive single edition 1:1 artwork that is an environmental reflection of each aespa member. This artwork offers the ultimate fan experience that includes a GLB file, a video recording of aespa and Blake Kathryn talking about the artwork, a virtual meet-and-greet with Blake Kathryn, and an all expenses paid meet-and-greet with aespa in Seoul at their concert along with a physical print signed by each aespa member + Blake Kathryn.

The æ girls collection will be open to all buyers and bidders, with each series available between a 48 hour time period throughout the week-long auction. Bidding can be done via credit card, not just cryptocurrency. MY Pass and Limited Edition NFTs will be available at a fixed rate. Sotheby’s, the world’s premier destination for art and luxury, will host a preview exhibition of all the digital artwork in Hong Kong alongside highlights from Sotheby’s Fall 2022 sales series, including Modern & Contemporary Art from October 2nd – 9th, followed by an exhibition in Sotheby’s galleries in New York from October 13th – 20th.

“From the beginning, aespa has been a very future forward group, embracing technology and the metaverse with creativity and as a core part of their identity, and their fans have responded enthusiastically. This æ girls collection, beautifully created in collaboration with Blake Kathryn, one of the most prominent female artists working in Web3, further extends, cultivates and expands aespa’s web3 community, ” said SM Entertainment.

“It was a pleasure to collaborate with aespa on this first-of-its-kind NFT collection,” said Blake Kathryn. “This release is an authentic reflection of Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning and captures the unique essence and qualities of each of these powerful women. My hope is that it reflects female artists pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, blurring the lines between real and virtual to create a new kind of fandom.”

“The adaptability of NFTs has opened up many new avenues for communities of collectors and fans to connect with their favorite artists and musicians. This collaboration between aespa and the artist Blake Kathryn represents the best of how digital art and NFTs can bring together physical and virtual worlds to present fans with a special experience that is only possible with NFTs, and we are thrilled to offer this sale at Sotheby’s Metaverse,” said Michael Bouhanna, Sotheby’s Head of NFTs and Digital Art.

“There is no more powerful cultural force than K-pop at the moment,” said Rita Magnus, Managing Director of connecting dotts. “The æ girls collection will introduce this passionate fandom to the world of Web3, giving fans an entirely new way to connect with their favorite band. Bridging these worlds together with talent like aespa and Blake has been a remarkable first.”

Elvin Tan, Managing Director INVNT.ATOM, said, “We’re incredibly proud that INVNT.ATOM has led the strategy, creative, design, content, artist and auction house management, as well as the marketing campaign execution. This collaboration puts storytelling front and center; extending the world of art and music from the physical to new realities – an exciting new frontier for all fans. We believe this is the perfect introduction for K-Pop fans to enter Web3, the metaverse and beyond.”

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About aespa

aespa is SM Entertainment’s fierce new all-female foursome, who, in an unprecedented debut move surpassed 100 million views on their debut video, “Black Mamba,” (the record fastest for any debut K-Pop video in YouTube history). They debuted atop charts in 95 countries upon launch, most notably Billboard Global Excl. US at No. 100 within just 3 days of being accounted for, marking the highest ranking of any K-pop female group’s debut song. The femme powerhouse of KARINA, WINTER, GISELLE and NINGNING also include their avatars— a story-telling concept that drew those 100 million views to a single video in 51 days.

Combine “ae” (avatar and experience) + “aspect”, and you get aespa, moving in between reality and virtual reality, with the avatars representing their counterparts. Each avatar, called “ae,” are created from each member’s personal data in a virtual world and can be “rekalled” into the real world. aespa, in ethos and function, represents something different.

Their recent debut EP, “Savage” entered at no. 20 on the Billboard 200 chart, the highest ranking ever for a K-pop girl group’s debut on the U.S. album chart. The six-track EP, led by the title track “Savage,” also ranked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Selling Album chart, rounding off a remarkable fortnight which also saw “Savage” hit No.1 on iTunes’ Top Albums chart in 20 countries upon release. Leaning into their individuality, they are unapologetically confident (with a stake in sci-fi world) and have industry insiders eager to wager that they will be the girl group to watch in 2022. Beyond praise from Forbes, Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone, Flaunt, and more, TIME touted them among “The Next Generation Leaders, Class of 2022” and Forbes Asia recognized them in their “30 Under 30” list for 2022. They have been named global ambassadors for both Chopard and Givenchy. Most recently named as Apple Music’s Global Up Next

artist artist for June 2022, the quartet recently released the single “Life’s Too Short” and EP, ”Girls” – The 2nd Mini Album via Warner Records.

About SM Entertainment

SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. is Korea’s largest entertainment company founded in 1995 by producer Soo-Man Lee, widely known as the “Founder of K-pop.” The company has developed and popularized numerous K-pop stars with huge global fandoms and is known for having led the global K-pop phenomenon of “Hallyu,” also known as the “Korean Wave.” Representative of the entertainment industry in Asia, the company operates its own comprehensive entertainment business including artist development, record label services, talent agency services, music production, music publishing, event management, and concert production.

About Blake Kathryn

Blake Kathryn is a Los Angeles based 3d artist with a surreal futurist aesthetic. Her work fuses vibrant palettes with ethereal undertones. Inspired by the opulent dreams of tomorrow alongside a love for retro-futurism she infuses her work with unfamiliar nostalgia. She has collaborated with aespa, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Paris Hilton, Lil Nas X & more.

About Sotheby’s

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access to and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce, and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 70 categories which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Design, as well as collectible cars and real estate. Sotheby’s believes in the transformative power of art and culture and is committed to making our industries more inclusive, sustainable, and collaborative.

About connecting dotts

connecting dotts is a fully integrated group of entertainment experts, storytellers and strategic partners who connect the dots in the entertainment world between brands, consumers, talents and content creators. Headquartered in Singapore with teams in South Korea and USA, we collaborate and push the envelope with innovative, creative and original ideas for multi-dimensional projects varying from content exhibitions, pop culture expo, brand engagement to NFT collaborations ready for Web3.0. For more information, visit. www.connectingdotts.net.

About INVNT.ATOM

INVNT.ATOM, part of [INVNT GROUP] THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT, is a innovation and brand experience agency devoted to helping global brands chart a course, navigate, activate, and create new opportunities at the digital frontier of Web3. Based in Singapore, the collective of strategists, marketers, creators, programmers, matchmakers, and thought leaders, turn strategies into stories and stories into experiences that engage communities on the global stage. For more information about INVNT.ATOM, visit: www.invntatom.com.

About [INVNT GROUP]

[INVNT GROUP] was established in 2020, as an evolution of the founding global live brand storytelling agency INVNT in 2008, with a vision to provide consistent, meaningful, well-articulated BrandStory across all platforms. With offices in New York, Sydney, London, Singapore, Dubai, San Francisco, Stockholm, Detroit, and Washington D.C.; headed by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP], THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward-thinking organizations everywhere, impact the audiences that matter, anywhere. The GROUP consists of modern brand strategy firm, Folk Hero; creative-led culture consultancy, Meaning; production studio & creative agency, HEVĒ; events for colleges and universities, INVNT Higher Ed; digital innovation division, INVNT.ATOM; creative multimedia experience studio, Hypnogram; and the original live brand storytelling agency, INVNT. For more information visit www.invntgroup.com.

Attachment

• Aespa

Lindsay Colker
Elevate Communications
lindsay@elevateprco.com

INVNT.ATOM Inquiries:
Anna O'Young
aoyoung@invnt.com

[INVNT GROUP] Inquiries:
Jhonathan Mendez de Leon
jmendezdeleon@invnt.com

The Quad will produce 3-5 films per year with a self-funded budget of $3M – $12M each, and will star a top influencer paired with a world-renowned director and actor

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ryan Kavanaugh, in tandem with Proxima Media and Lifeboat Productions’ Amy Kim and Jaime Burke, proudly announces their new banner production company called The Quad. Matt Weaver and Jason Barhydt will also serve as producers with the company, which specializes in feature-length films focused on horror, thriller, American comedies, and love stories. Their annual slate will consist of 3-5 films and will have a self-funded budget of $3M – $12M per picture. The Quad will utilize Kavanaugh’s deep relationships with the top influencers and surround them with world-renowned actors and directors. The Quad has already secured deals with top talent, including Charlie D’Amelio, Bryce Hall, and King Bach.

The Quad has its next four movies slated back-to-back on the heels of wrapping SKILL HOUSE over the next 12 months.

“The Quad intends to break the boundary between social media culture and what we know as Hollywood today,” said Partner Ryan Kavanaugh. “We are thrilled to be bringing Charlie D’Amelio, Bryce Hall, and now King Bach’s acting chops to the big screen. Their talent has no boundaries, and their digital footprint will help bring audiences back into theaters. I couldn’t be more excited to bring this new company to life with award-winning producers and powerhouses Amy Kim and Jaime Burke alongside veteran producer and entertainment exec Matt Weaver.”

“We are excited to be on this journey with a veteran producer like Ryan. He has a love of filmmaking that is infectious and a constant desire to create new space in the entertainment industry. The people assembled to make these movies add a depth of experience that will ensure quality projects aimed at talents’ strengths to bring top-quality entertainment to all film fans,” adds Amy Kim and Jaime Burke.

Previously Weaver and Kavanaugh together produced the Grammy-nominated documentary, I’LL SLEEP WHEN IM DEAD about Steve Aoki for Netflix, documentary THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY, about the Met Ball that was produced in conjunction with Anna Wintour for Magnolia Pictures, and the Tony Nominated Broadway Musical ROCK OF AGES which Weaver was the Lead Producer and General Partner and Kavanaugh a producer and many other television shows and content.

In addition, Triller’s Jason Barhydt will produce with The Quad. Barhydt previously worked with Kavanaugh on some of his biggest hits, including IMMORTALS, LIMITLESS, DEAR JOHN, ACT OF VALOR, SAFE HAVEN, and THE FIGHTER.

The Quad’s third project, MILES RYDER, slated to begin production later this year, starring King Bach, comedian and actor, is a JOHN WICK meets DOCTOR STRANGE style thriller with The Quad.

King Bach first entered the scene as Vine’s most followed social media user on their platform, with over 11 million followers. Bachelor parlayed his Vine success into major followings on platforms including YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, with nearly 23M followers on the latter alone. He most recently appeared in Ric Roman Waugh’s sports drama NATIONAL CHAMPIONS as well as 20th Century Studio and Broken Road Productions’ hit comedy VACATION FRIENDS for Hulu. Bachelor has also appeared in series including THE MINDY PROJECT, HOUSE OF LIES, BLACK JESUS, and KEY & PEELE, and in such films as FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK, THE BABYSITTER, and TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE. He ventured into acting with over a dozen roles from NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, VACATION FRIENDS, FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK, TO ALL THE BOYS I LOVED BEFORE, and the Adult Swim series “Black Jesus.”

The Quad is currently in post-production on SKILL HOUSE, the first installment in the R-rated horror film franchise starring social media phenomenon and TikTok star Bryce Hall, in co-production with global hip hop icon Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s G-Unit Film & Television. The film stars Hall alongside veteran actors Neal McDonough (Yellowstone, The Arrow, The Flash) and Leah Pipes (The Originals, SORORITY ROW).

Pre-production is underway from The Quad for the highly anticipated Charli D’Amelio supernatural thriller HOME SCHOOL, written by Casey Giltner. SVP of Production at Proxima, Daniel Herther, who shepherded the development of Home School, will be producing alongside Kavanaugh, Barhydt, Burke, and Kim with Kavanaugh’s partner Bobby Sarnevesht. Marc, Heidi, and Dixie D’Amelio will serve as executive producers.

“I forgot how much I loved the art of making movies. Going back to my roots where I was hands-on in the creative process for projects like BROTHERS, THE BANK JOB, LIMITLESS, IMMORTALS, DEAR JOHN, THE FIGHTER and many others, it’s reminded me of what I loved about making movies. For the first time, I have the best of the best partners in Amy, Jaime, and Matt to make sure we execute and deliver with an A+ standard and quality. This time we are doing it our way!” Kavanaugh continued.

About Proxima Media and Ryan Kavanaugh
Founder of Proxima Media, the controlling shareholder of Triller, Ryan Kavanaugh, is one of the most accomplished, prolific, and honored executives in entertainment industry history. Using an intelligent model of film finance, he was dubbed the creator of “Moneyball for movies.” He produced, distributed, and/or structured financing for more than 200 films, generating more than $20 billion in worldwide box office revenue and earning 60 Oscar nominations. He is the 25th highest-grossing film producer of all time. His productions include Fast and Furious 2-6, 300, Social Network, Limitless, Fighter, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and Mama Mia! Kavanaugh and Proxima pioneered an innovative finance deal for post-bankruptcy Marvel, making the studio and finance structure that led to Marvel Cinematic Universe. He built the SVOD (streaming) category with Netflix, which boosted that company’s market capitalization from $2 to $10 billion. Kavanaugh is the co-founder of Triller, one of the three fastest-growing social media apps. He recently led the acquisition, merger, and re-launch of the social media and music app.

He also created the powerhouse television company, now known as Critical Content, producing hit shows like Catfish on MTV and Limitless on CBS, which he sold for $200M. The company had 40 television series across 19 networks before its sale. Kavanaugh has earned several achievements and awards, from Variety’s Producer of the Year Award to The Hollywood Reporter’s Leadership Award, from Fortune’s 40 Under 40 Most Influential People in Business to Forbes’ Fortune 400, Billion-Dollar Producer by the Daily Variety and the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Vanity Fair. Proxima and Kavanaugh are repped by Neil Sacker.

Given his passion for animals, Kavanaugh is also active in the pet food brand Dog for Dog, which donates dog food to local and national shelters for each product purchased to save dogs from being euthanized. He also served on the boards of several charitable foundations, including the Sheriff’s Youth Foundation and Cedars-Sinai’s Board of Governors, and served as the Chairman of Art of Elysian for
almost eight years, amongst others.

About Lifeboat Productions
Amy Kim and Jaime Burke are award-winning producers with over 20 years of diverse experience. They have produced original content for all the leading streamers and studios with their most recent credits, including the Apple+ series Surfside Girls and Amazon’s Undone. Kim got her producing starts with the Academy Award Winning short film, WEST BANK STORY, while Burke worked for 20th Century Fox and produced indie features prior to forming Lifeboat Productions. Lifeboat will continue to produce its slate of projects as well as collaborate with current and future partners in addition to The Quad.

About Matt Weaver
Matthew Weaver will be producing projects for the company. Previously Weaver and Kavanaugh produced the Grammy-nominated documentary, I’LL SLEEP WHEN IM DEAD, about Steve Aoki for Netflix. They also produced the documentary THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY, about the Met Ball that was produced in conjunction with Anna Wintour for Magnolia Pictures. Kavanaugh was also a producer on the Tony Nominated Broadway Musical ROCK OF AGES, on which Weaver was the Lead Producer and General Partner on.

Media Contact
Michelle Vieyra
(202) 415-7714
michelle@jiveprdigital.com
www.jiveprdigital.com

Product and distribution momentum set to fuel international growth

Boulder, Colo, Oct. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Automox®, the cloud-native IT operations provider, today announced general availability of its remote control feature, offering global IT teams advanced troubleshooting capabilities from a single cloud-native console.

Remote control is a powerful tool for IT teams everywhere. IT administrators often face a mountain of device-related issues daily, ranging from email account errors, password resets, and devices that won’t update, to processes that drain device resources. Without the ability to perform an in-depth investigation directly on the device, providing a fix generally requires significant time from IT teams and multiple tools.

With remote control, IT admins can gain immediate access to end-user devices to troubleshoot issues directly. The functionality was developed in-house by Automox’s product team to help IT teams quickly address a wide array of common endpoint issues.

“While our customers usually just set up Automox and let it run, we found that many of our customers occasionally need more hands-on capability with their endpoints to help with troubleshooting or user assistance.  It was a straightforward and natural step to add in remote control capabilities,” said Corey Bodzin, Senior Vice President of Product.  “Our customers can now use a single intuitive console to manage and troubleshoot all of their endpoints.”

Automox’s in-console remote control gives IT operations teams two major advantages:

• Teams can quickly and easily access and troubleshoot remote devices for employees anywhere in the world to provide quick fixes to update issues, configuration problems, and more.
• Teams can consolidate their toolset for simplicity and cost savings by combining patching, configuration, and troubleshooting into a single easy-to-use platform.

On the heels of its remote control release, Automox also announced further momentum into international markets with its inclusion in Orchestra, an IT channel sales distribution partnership led by QBS Software and global investor Insight Partners. Automox is one of five hypergrowth software companies to be included in the international launch, which focuses its preliminary distribution in the UK and Germany.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Automox, along with some of our fast-growing peers in the software industry, to continue to build on our international community of customers,” said Stefan Schweizer, Vice President of International Sales. “With new added functionality in our platform, our positioning is better than ever to empower fast and easy IT operations anywhere in the world.”

To learn more about Orchestra, visit here.

To learn more about remote control and troubleshooting with Automox, visit here.

About Automox

Automox is the cloud-native IT operations platform for modern organizations. It makes it easy to keep every endpoint automatically configured, patched, and secured – anywhere in the world. With the push of a button, IT admins can fix critical vulnerabilities faster, slash cost and complexity, and win back hours in their day. Join thousands of companies transforming IT operations into a strategic business driver with Automox. Learn more at : www.automox.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.

© 2022 Automox Inc. All rights reserved. Automox, Automox Worklet, and the Automox logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Automox Inc.

Justin Talerico
Automox
(561) 870-5957
press@automox.com

SWANZEY, N.H., Oct. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Moore Nanotechnology Systems (“Nanotech”), a leading global supplier of ultra-precision machining systems, announces the grand opening of their Global Training and Process Development Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Mark Boomgarden, President and CEO of Nanotech shared, “Nanotech is very excited to announce the grand opening of our Global Training and Process Development Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although the initial focus of this facility is to provide customer-specific training and industry-leading process development, it also provides Nanotech incremental production capacity to meet the demands of a rapidly growing market.”

Nanotech purchased and recently completed the upfit of a 50,000 ft² building located in the Northpark Corporate Park – Charlotte, NC.

Nanotech’s core technology and employee base is in Swanzey, New Hampshire, and this foundation is fundamental to the products and services in which they provide. But as the organization continues to grow, Nanotech needed to find an ecosystem to help foster and accelerate this growth, and the Charlotte region allows Nanotech access to a world-class university, an international airport, and a city with the infrastructure to support a global footprint.

Robert Keynton, Dean of Engineering at UNC Charlotte added, “One of the advantages of having Nanotech expand their facilities here in Charlotte is that it strengthens our collaborations and our relationship, to include the hiring of our students.” Keynton continued, “But it also enables them access to the cutting-edge research our faculty are doing and to incorporate that knowledge into their systems.”

Nanotech continues to see significant growth as the requirements for optical systems become more and more complex and evolve from both real to virtual applications. The knowledge and process development required to support the manufacturing of these systems has also dramatically increased.

Scott Gerhart, Vice President Nanotech Sales and Service commented “Training and application support are fundamental to our product and service offerings, and in today’s markets, are expected by our customers.” Gerhart continued, “Because of this, our business depends on hiring the top talent available in the ultra-precision machining world. The students that are coming out of the Precision Manufacturing and Metrology Programs at UNC Charlotte are extremely well-prepared for the kind of roles we need to be successful at Nanotech.”

Paul Vermette, Vice President of Engineering stated, “As our customer’s continue to advance their in-house capabilities to meet the industry’s demanding product requirements, Nanotech continues to stay 1 to 2 generations ahead of the curve.” Vermette continued, “Our 5-year product & technology roadmap is built with customer input, which when combined with our internal investments, provides Nanotech the required strategic direction to achieve these goals.”

This new Nanotech facility is located at 6510 Northpark Blvd in Charlotte – fifteen minutes from both Uptown and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The facility was renovated in 2022, to include the buildout of Class 10k cleanrooms, sitting on 24-inches of concrete isolation pads, and temperature control to +/- 0.1 degrees C. Additionally, the facility was upgraded to include temperature controlled high-bay manufacturing space, and a state-of-the-art training complex to support customer engagement.

Moore Nanotechnology Systems (Nanotech) was founded in Keene, New Hampshire in 1997 as a stand-alone subsidiary of the Moore Tool Company. In 2010, the company relocated into a modern, purpose-built facility in Swanzey, New Hampshire and in 2020 opened a facility in Concord, North Carolina. For over 25 years, Nanotech has been a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of state-of-the-art ultra-precision machine tools and associated processes (single point diamond turning, micro-milling, micro-grinding and glass press molding) for the production of advanced optical components in consumer electronics, space, defense, aerospace, lighting, medical and automotive sectors. Moore Tool, founded in 1924 and located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has a long history in the precision and ultra-precision machine tool markets. Today, Moore Tool provides a complete line of high-performance CNC jig grinders, along with contract precision-manufacturing services certified to both ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D. Moore Nanotechnology Systems and Moore Tool are vertically integrated under the PMT Group.

Moore Nanotechnology Systems: www.nanotechsys.com
Moore Tool, Inc: www.mooretool.com

For further information, please contact: sales@nanotechsys.com

LONDON, Oct. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The EURO 9.4 million funding facility for Kashf Foundation was originated, structured, and negotiated by Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP (EMGA), the emerging market investment bank.

Speaking on the transaction, Mr Shahzad Iqbal, CFO of Kashf Foundation said, “Kashf Foundation is registered as a Non-Banking Micro Finance Company regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. Set up in 1996 as the first specialized microfinance institution of Pakistan it began its operations as a Grameen replicator and since then, Kashf has successfully carved out a distinct and unique niche for itself in the microfinance sector in Pakistan by offering a suite of innovative and transformative products and services to low-income households especially for women. It has a current outreach of over 600,00+ female borrowers across its 360+ branches with a GLP of USD 90+ million.”

“Just to share that it has always been a pleasure working with EMGA on new transactions to expand our network and outreach. This is the first ever transaction that we are doing with BIO and that too, in Euros. I believe BIO and Kashf will work together and build a strong relationship to increase the financial inclusion in Pakistan and particularly for women. This transaction will help Kashf Foundation to expand its outreach not only in its existing operational areas but also in the new geographical regions across Pakistan.”

Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP (EMGA)’s Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking Sajeev Chakkalakal said, “It has been a pleasure to continue our long-term partnership with Kashf Foundation and deliver this new financing solution despite the volatile economic environment both within Pakistan as well as globally.” Also commentating on the transaction, Emerging Markets Global Advisory Limited (EMGA)’s Managing Director Jeremy Dobson said, “It was a real pleasure to work with Kashf Foundation again on this latest transaction and help support their female micro-entrepreneur client base.”

Frédéric Vereecke, Investment Officer from the Belgian Investment Company for Developing countries (BIO) commented, “We welcome the opportunity to support Kashf Foundation in empowering women and their families by providing quality financial services to low-income households in Pakistan.”

Kashf Foundation is registered as a Non-Banking Micro Finance Company regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. Set up in 1996 as the first specialized microfinance institution of Pakistan it began its operations as a Grameen replicator and since then, Kashf has successfully carved out a distinct and unique niche for itself in the microfinance sector in Pakistan by offering a suite of innovative and transformative products and services to low-income households especially women.

Belgian Investment Company for Developing countries (BIO) supports a strong private sector in developing and emerging countries, to enable them to gain access to growth and sustainable development within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. They achieve this by investing in small and medium-sized enterprises, financial institutions, and infrastructure projects, contributing to socio-economic growth in developing countries.

Emerging Markets Global Advisory Limited (EMGA), with offices in New York and London helps financial institutions and corporates that seek new debt or equity capital. EMGA provides its services, to clients within many of the worlds rapidly developing economies, including Pakistan. With a proven track record in capital formation and strategic advisory throughout diverse economic cycles, EMGA continues to expand its geographic reach and service offering, as they solidify their place in the market as one of the industries preeminent emerging markets focused investment banks.

Contact details
info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com

NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Madison Newbond, the institutional lending platform of Madison Realty Capital and Newbond Holdings that provides first mortgages, mezzanine loans and preferred equity to hotel owners and developers nationwide, today announced that it has provided a $20 million loan to FullG Capital’s equity sponsorship group for the acquisition of the Balfour Hotel Miami Beach (the “Balfour”), an independent boutique hotel located at 350 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, Florida.

Located within Miami’s famed South Beach Art Deco District and situated less than one block from the beach, the Balfour contains 82 guestrooms across two towers, as well as an upscale restaurant and bar, an outdoor plunge pool, complimentary beach services, and approximately 1,300 square feet of rooftop terrace space. The hotel is managed by Driftwood Hospitality Management under a third-party hotel management agreement.

Josh Zegen, Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Madison Realty Capital, said, “Miami is no longer just a top destination for domestic and international leisure travel, but has rapidly become a growing hub for corporations and financial firms seeking to relocate their headquarters. We are pleased to provide a flexible financing solution to facilitate the acquisition of a superbly well-located hotel in one of the most liquid and dynamic hospitality markets in the country.”

Drew Coles, President of FullG Capital said, “Madison Realty Capital is a highly experienced lender in the Miami hospitality market with a reputation for certainty of execution. We are thrilled to leverage Madison Newbond’s attractive financing capabilities to complete the acquisition of the Balfour.”

Neil Luthra, Founding Partner at Newbond, added, “Madison and Newbond’s extensive operating experience enables us to efficiently underwrite hospitality lending opportunities and provide borrowers with a reliable financing partner in today’s choppy credit environment.  The Balfour perfectly exemplifies this, and we are excited to work with the FullG Capital team to bring their business plan to life.”

Madison Realty Capital has significant experience investing in hotel and luxury condominium developments in Miami and across South Florida. Notable transactions include an $85 million loan to The Related Group, BH Group, Teddy Sagi’s Globe Invest, and Wanxiang Group Corporation for the acquisition and pre-development of a luxury condominium project on Fisher Island in Miami Beach, a $76 million loan to The Related Group for the development of District 225, a 343-unit luxury condominium project in Miami, a $210 million loan to Fort Partners for the construction of the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale, and a $105 million loan to Fort Partners for the acquisition and modernization of the Four Seasons Hotel Miami.

Madison Newbond launched in November 2021 with approximately $500 million of initial lending capacity and has plans to add scale in line with existing opportunities.

 

About Madison Realty Capital 

Madison Realty Capital is a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm that, as of August 31, 2022, manages approximately $9.5 billion in total assets on behalf of a global institutional investor base. Since 2004, Madison Realty Capital has completed approximately $21 billion in transactions providing borrowers with flexible and highly customized financing solutions, strong underwriting capabilities, and certainty of execution. Headquartered in New York City, with an office in Los Angeles, the firm has approximately 70 employees across all real estate investment, development, and property management disciplines. Madison Realty Capital has been named to Commercial Observer’s prestigious “Power 100” list of New York City real estate players. To learn more, follow us on LinkedIn and visit www.madisonrealtycapital.com.

About Newbond Holdings

Newbond Holdings, founded by Neil Luthra and Vann Avedisian in 2021, is a real estate investment and operating platform focused on debt and equity investments across multiple real estate product types with a hospitality focus as well as investments in related operating businesses and technology platforms. The partners at Newbond have completed over $15 billion of debt and equity transactions. As a vertically integrated operating and investment platform, Newbond is uniquely positioned to create significant value beyond the typical investment process through creative structuring, operations and the development of single and multiple asset brands.

Nathaniel Garnick/Grace Cartwright
Gasthalter & Co.
(212) 257-4170
madisonrealty@gasthalter.com