SACRAMENTO — A new high-tech company is changing the landscape of downtown Sacramento.
The city's commercial office market has suffered since the coronavirus pandemic caused thousands of people to work remotely, but there is a new company that is bringing new jobs and technology to Capitol Mall. Sacramento's skyline has a new look. The 25-story building on Capitol Mall at 6th Street was originally known as the US Bank tower. It's Sacramento's second-tallest building – best known for having a colorful LED art installation across its roofline that can be seen from miles away. Now, the skyscraper has a new name, HCLTech. So what is HCLTech? "We're focused on engineering, and our engineers can do everything: software development, QA testing, data analysis, cloud production, tech support," said HCLTech spokesperson Michelle Rico. Rico said the company was founded in India and has offices in more than 60 countries. "Sacramento is a really strategic decision on our part," she explained. "We want to be where the action is. We want to be where our customers are. We want to be where the new young talent is." Barry Broome, the president and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, said they are very happy to have HCLTech in California's capital city. The GSEC said the high-tech company is bringing new jobs with an average wage of $78,000. (...) "We actually have an extended reality experience lab, so that helps our clients experience the metaverse and all of our capabilities to help support them," Rico said. HCLTech is the latest in a growing number of companies from overseas choosing to open offices in the Sacramento region. "Bosch is from Germany, HCL is from India, Solidigm is from South Korea, so you are going to start to see us become more of a global center than we have in the past," Broome said. The company has qualified for a $1.3 million state tax credit to create the new jobs and invest in facilities and office space. Source
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2023 was a year of transformation for digital sports collectibles.
Several widely hyped attempts to merge crypto with sports entertainment failed to catch on; more than a few Web3 projects pivoted or restructured their offering, responding in realtime to shifting demand. But there is a silver lining. Sports platforms that centered on fan culture proved surprisingly resilient. New platforms that focused on gamified experiences found their footing, and even in some cases, significant growth. The truth is, most fans aren’t looking to become team managers via tokens — they’re looking for connections with their favorite players, and new ways to experience the game they love. (...) This year, Tottenham released their own fan token, only to experience the same community pushback experienced by other European soccer clubs who were early to the fan token game, including Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. Participating fans felt disenfranchised from club decision-making, and speculation continued to be prioritized over genuine engagement. The UK Parliament went so far as to publish a report criticizing British soccer clubs for promoting sports NFTs tied to illusory perks. Beyond Europe, however, several soccer clubs have begun advancing the concept of fan tokens through more ambitious forms of community governance. Avispa Fukuoka, a Japanese soccer club in the nation’s top J1 League, transitioned into a full-fledged decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) this February. This model grants Avispa’s members much more decision-making power than the programs we’ve seen in Europe to date, and several other Japanese soccer teams have followed in Avispa’s footsteps and adopted the DAO model. (...) Despite launching during 2023’s bear market, the release of NFL Rivals is a great example. The game lets users build virtual teams using NFTs of NFL players to compete with other fans, gamifying the process of collecting and trading these collectibles. These NFL collectibles also unlock exclusive in-game events and rewards, further immersing players in the world of football. This is also why 2023 saw a number of platforms focused on improving access to Web3 experiences, through products like commemorative tickets and free-to-play games. During the 2023 baseball season, over 100,000 commemorative tickets were redeemed by baseball fans on Candy Digital. To celebrate the MLB playoffs, the platform launched a free game for baseball fans, providing a new onramp for fans to experience digital assets. This dual-track approach mirrors recent developments within the Web3 gaming space, and over the past year, both the sports NFT and Web3 gaming industries have become more accessible and enjoyable for “crypto curious” audiences and no-coiners alike. Fans want to connect, not just collect Beyond digital collectibles, major sports leagues like the MLB and NFL went big this year with new Web3 venues and platforms dedicated to connecting fans with one another and their favorite players. Even though most sports entertainment is consumed from home, socialization and community-building will always be the heart of sports culture. To that end, the MLB became the first major sports league to launch a virtual ballpark in their very own metaverse this year, providing an interactive setting for fans to gather during live baseball games. The virtual ballpark’s first live event included an NFT scavenger hunt and other Web3 activations, showcasing how Web3 can also be used effectively in real-world sports settings. (...) Source Engage XR warns of contract delays12/19/2023 Virtual reality (VR) and metaverse technology company Engage XR warned of some contract delays in a trading update on Tuesday.
The AIM-traded firm said that it had been actively expanding its recurring revenue proposition throughout the year with significant achievements. Notably, its Engage Link platform had gained traction, attracting more than 15,000 licensed enterprise and education customers. (...) The board said the company's sales pipeline showed consistent growth in the second half, with solid demand for its technology, particularly within the education, training, and development sectors. However, Engage XR anticipated that some contracts it had expected to finalise in the current financial year would likely be recognised in 2024. The shift was attributed to the launch of Lenovo's new ThinkReality VRX all-in-one virtual reality headset in June. As a result, the expected benefits of Engage XR's partnership with Lenovo hardware were now anticipated to materialise in the first quarter of 2024 rather than the fourth quarter of 2023, with a relaunch featuring Engage AI features scheduled for the CES technology trade show on 19 January. The board expected total group revenue for the year ending 31 December to range between €3.6m and €3.8m. (...) Engage XR said it expected to maintain a net cash position of €7.3m by year-end, providing sufficient funding to break even in the short to medium term. "2023 has been a very valuable year for gathering data on the true value proposition of Engage to our customer base," said chief executive officer David Whelan. "We are seeing a move away from our historic offering of one-off remote events with a focus on driving our recurring revenue model with encouraging progress being made in the education, training and development verticals. (...) Source LONDON, UK - 19 DECEMBER, 2023 - Raptor PR, the world's only pure B2B tech PR agency for the global video games industry, today announces that it has been appointed as global agency of record for The Games Fund, a specialist early-stage VC fund that invests in innovative video game developers and GameTech companies.
With offices in New York and Cyprus, The Games Fund boasts a team of experienced gaming experts and rising stars in the industry who are passionate about identifying and supporting the next generation of game-makers and innovators. The firm's investment portfolio comprises a diverse range of exciting fast-growth companies including KEK, Layer.ai, Jarvi Games, and Red Rover Interactive. Raptor PR is deploying an integrated global communications strategy, delivering a high impact campaign to effectively support The Games Fund’s business objectives and core value proposition, targeting verticals such as business, technology, institutional investors, and the games industry. (...) About Raptor PR Raptor PR is the world’s only pure b2b tech PR agency for the global video games industry. We champion the pioneers and disruptors in emerging technology verticals that tie into the games industry such as AI, web3, metaverse, and fintech. Data and decades of tech brand experience drive everything at Raptor PR, enabling us to deliver high impact global campaigns and results that matter across audiences in the US, Europe and MENA. Since January 2021, Raptor PR has developed a diverse portfolio of games industry and emerging tech experience, including the likes of Xsolla, Sandsoft Games, Bidstack, Admix, Zibra AI, Ultra and Kinetix. We’re hardwired into the business of gaming, with media partners including VB Labs (VentureBeat), Steel Media (PocketGamer), Mobidictum, MCV/Develop, Blockchain Game Alliance, and we’re a proud member of UKIE. To learn more about Raptor PR, follow our Linkedin or visit our website. Source Renault in talks with representatives of the government and Revoz - will Golob convince the French?12/19/2023 According to CEO Jože Belet, Revoz will end this year with around 60,000 manufactured cars, while in its golden days it produced more than 210,000, it is at the top of the list of locations for the production of key Renault projects. Prime Minister Robert Golob said in yesterday's conversation with Television Slovenia that it is a "very large and important investment that can be compared to Sanodz's investment in Lendava".
(...) Since electrification is the future, and the umbrella concern is 15% owned by the French state, the pressure to keep the majority of electric car production at home is considerable. Nevertheless, it has been suggested for some time that the Slovenian Revoz may be an exception to this. "Negotiations are ongoing and I believe that we know how to conclude them successfully," the prime minister was confident about the further fate in yesterday's conversation. Revoz: Renault meets with government representatives For the location of the production of the new car, which, according to Renault CEO Luc de Mee, "changes the rules of the game", intensive negotiations are underway in the concern. Recently, many domestic and foreign media reported that this role will be assigned to Revoz, which is said to be inviting former employees back to work. These statements were refuted by checking the information both at Revoz and at the headquarters of the concern at Bloomberg Adria. But this was not the first time, as there have been quite a few unfounded speculations regarding Revoz; for example, years ago it was speculated that Mitsubishi would move part of its production there. (...) At Renault, the development of new cars will be entrusted to artificial intelligence, which will reduce the vehicle development time from three to two years. The plan to increase competitiveness, which the company published on its website last Thursday, also reveals a forecast that the cost of making cars with an internal combustion engine will fall by 30 percent. In the case of electric ones, this saving should be as much as 50%. By the middle of the decade, the concern plans to increase the number of practical applications of artificial intelligence to 3,000, which will further strengthen the industrial metaverse, with which the concern has created 270 million euros in savings, mainly due to more predictable maintenance. The concern is expected to break the magic limit of 20 thousand for an electric car with the new twingo (twingo legend), which is expected to be sent to the market in 2026. If Renault succeeds in realizing its predictions, it could establish price parity between electric cars and those with an internal combustion engine. This will certainly be necessary if the French are serious about realizing their intention to more than double the sale of electric cars to 25 billion euros by 2031. Source PRESS RELEASE — QANplatform, the quantum-resistant Layer 1 blockchain, has successfully signed a $15 Million investment contract with MBK Holding prior to its highly anticipated testnet launch.
MBK Holding, an investment holding company with its main office in Qatar and a subsidiary in the United Kingdom, focuses on investing in technology startups. The Founder and Chairman, H.E. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, member of the Qatari ruling family, formerly served for a decade as the director of information technology for The Council of The Qatar Ruling Family Affairs. The announcement was held at the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) – Qatar’s premier hub for applied research, technology innovation, incubation, and entrepreneurship – by H.E. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Founder and Chairman of MBK Holding, Jevgenia Kim, CEO of QANplatform, and Johann Polecsak, Co-Founder and CTO of QANplatform. Besides the $15 Million technology-focused investment commitment, MBK Holding offers growth services to facilitate global market access and expansion for QANplatform. MBK Holding’s focus extends to various regional markets, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and United Kingdom while also encompassing other global opportunities. MBK Holding recently signed a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia to support entrepreneurial growth and innovation in Saudi Arabia by developing growth services that seek to create market-leading investment opportunities. A Layer 1 blockchain platform, like Ethereum or QANplatform, is the basic infrastructure of all blockchain projects and applications. It is comparable to the operating system of a computer. It is the fundamental base layer on top of which the ecosystem can build endless solutions. QANplatform will be the first EVM-compatible, quantum-resistant Layer 1 hybrid blockchain platform where developers can code smart contract, DApp, DeFi, DAO, token, NFT, Metaverse, CBDC, tokenized asset, and robust Web3 solutions on top of the QAN blockchain platform in any programming language. (...) H.E. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Founder and Chairman of MBK Holding said: “MBK Holding proudly backs QANplatform, the game-changing quantum-resistant blockchain platform and nominates Johann Polecsak as the Director of Blockchain of MBK Holding. Blockchain technology in general, is still an untapped area with many opportunities and potential to transform entire value chains, sectors, and business processes. As a deep tech startup, QANplatform can lead the next wave of blockchain platforms with its remarkable features, including multi-language smart contracts and quantum-resistant security. QANplatform is a great fit for our portfolio and partner companies to discover and benefit from the potential of its technology.” Johann Polecsak, Co-Founder and CTO of QANplatform said: “Working alongside MBK Holding and their team is truly an honor. QANplatform is driven by the vision of creating the safest and most user-friendly blockchain platform, enabling the development of numerous real-world robust applications that bring tangible value to various industries.” Jevgenia Kim, CEO of QANplatform said: “The strategic partnership with MBK Holding opens up new horizons and elevates the potential of QANplatform to unprecedented heights. We eagerly anticipate exploring new use cases and targeted regional market expansions, thanks to the support and opportunities provided by MBK Holding.” Source SoftBank-backed metaverse firm Improbable has sold one of its major gaming ventures to an Irish video game developer.
According to a CNBC report, Improbable sold its multiplayer games developer The Multiplayer Group (MPG) for $97.1 million to Keywords Studios, an Irish video game industry services company. While this transaction aligns with Improbable’s broader venture builder strategy, analysts have raised concerns about the company’s ability to effectively commercialize its technology, citing perceived technical limitations and high associated costs. In a commentary to CNBC, Greg Martin, co-founder and managing director of Rainmaker Securities, a private market trading firm, noted that Improbable’s business model remains uncertain, saying “the jury is still out if they have a viable business model going forward.” However, Improbable’s CEO, Herman Narula, pointed out that the sale of The Multiplayer Group does not signify a retreat from the gaming sector. According to Narula, the deal was part of its “venture builder” strategy and the London-based firm is “not in any way selling any technology, or in any way ceasing to operate with games companies.” “We’re not in any way selling any technology, or in any way ceasing to operate with games companies. MPG provide a very specific, specialized service.” (...) Source ince 2012, French soccer has been dominated, both on the pitch and off it, by Parisian giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), a period that began with the 100% purchase of the club by state-backed equity group Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).
QSI’s large-scale investment into the playing side of the club has seen PSG become the record winners of both the country’s Ligue 1 top-tier league, as well as its Coup de France, Trophée des Champions, and now-defunct Coupe de la Ligue cup competitions. Since the group took control of the club, PSG has won nine of the last 11 Ligue 1 titles and has been a consistent competitor on the continent with one Champions League final appearance and several deep runs in the competition. The ownership, among the richest of any soccer club, has enabled PSG to attract global stars such as Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to play for the club, a move that has attracted criticism from its competitors but paid off major dividends for the club in the form of silverware, and commercial income. (...) Speaking at a media session in London, UK, PSG chief revenue officer Marc Armstrong was keen to show the strength of the club’s financial position, especially regarding the position it finds itself in in European soccer. “When you see the Deloitte Money League, we’re going to have record revenue for [the 2022-23 fiscal year], we’re going to be above $800 million [in revenue] for the first time,” Armstrong says. “That’s huge growth and we’re confident we’ll keep on that trajectory and that growth pattern, so we have to keep driving.” Armstrong stressed the club’s belief that there is always more to be done, explaining: “We’re confident that we’re in a good place but we have to keep working hard. “We’re trying new things. We’ve hired a head of Web3 and Metaverse [Pär Helgosson]. We’ve just hired a new chief digital officer from META, previously at Chelsea [Jerry Newman]. We have to keep finding new ways to grow.” The diversification of revenue streams is of major importance to the club which competes among Europe’s elite both on the pitch and off it but sits in a league that has struggled to financially compete with some of Europe’s other top tier competitions. (...) The club’s stadium revenues exceeded $150 million for the 2022-23 fiscal year, an impressive figure considering the comparatively low stadium capacity relative to other European soccer giants. It’s a feat only recently matched by FC Barcelona, which boasts more than double the Parc des Princes’ capacity at its Camp Nou stadium. “48,000 is not enough,” Armstrong stresses. “We have the highest revenue per seat in Europe as of last season, and we’ll be there or thereabouts again this season, but we can do a lot more with a bigger stadium and we should be playing in front of 60,000 or 70,000 fans every week.” There are several options PSG can take to bring the club’s stadium revenues forward, but whether or not the more viable options are preferable is a question that lingers at the club. (...) The club is already preparing to open a new store in South Korea in January 2024, to complement its four other global locations, including Tokyo, entrenching its presence in the APAC market and the value its revenue streams hold to such a major club. Source This week, during an online speaker session, which included XR end-users and solutions providers, The VRAR Association (The VRARA) spoke on the real-world effectiveness of Meta’s recently launched business-ready headset management service.
The leading XR hardware and software vendor debuted Meta Quest for Business in November following a previous iteration and beta testing stages. However, following a lacklustre push towards workplace XR by way of the Pro headset, Meta is revamping its XR portfolio as an inclusive tool for harnessing the much-hype industrial Metaverse. While Meta officials like the CEO Mark Zuckerberg and President of Global Affairs Nick Glegg assure that the firm’s XR portfolio is suited for businesses, it is up to the end-users of said solutions to decide. The enterprise XR space is full of big-name competitors, all claiming that their immersive solutions will be the ones to take the future of work forward and into the present day. The VRARA, however, are raising concerns over Meta’s enterprise (re)debut. During its online gathering, industry thought leaders and experts discussed how Meta’s “consumer-focused approach” could lead to poor-quality enterprise offerings. Will Meta’s Consumer Focus Bring Down its Enterprise Vision? According to the VRARA and its Global Executive Director Kris Kolo, Meta’s renewed dive into the business world – following the Quest Pro and other delves during the Oculus era – may be rife with issues. Meta is an openly consumer-first XR solutions provider. The firm’s latest Connect showcase highlighted this clearly, focusing on gaming and consumer smart glasses. Despite this consumer focus, Meta is keen to stay in the enterprise XR space as it develops a consumer portfolio. However, Meta may be making promises for the workplace without a strong product or development roadmap focused on providing XR at a standard that enterprise clients expect. (...) Notably, as the industrial Metaverse wave of 2024 approaches, many firms like Microsoft, AWS, and Meta are attempting to lead it. Microsoft and AWS are integrating many business-grade digital services and related security measures to ensure end-users feel safe adopting each vendor’s XR technology. For example, Microsoft-brand XR services have found homes in major corporations such as Sanofi, Nexco East, and SNC-Lavalin – partially due to their existing security and application frameworks. (...) Is Meta Serious About the Industrial Metaverse and Enterprise XR? Nick Clegg posted a video in November promoting enterprise and education customers to leverage XR. The video came as the firm extensively advertises its portfolio as an avenue for end-users to access industrial Metaverse applications, including Meta Quest for Bussiness, which launched the same month. In the promotional video, Clegg emphasized the potential of Metaverse technologies to transform work and education. He showcased how European companies use AR and VR to enhance industries and improve people’s lives. Clegg also added: European business leaders such as Lufthansa, Iveco, Alstorm, and Decathlon are already using immersive technologies to develop products, to train employees, and engage customers. – Others, like virtual medicine, are using Metaverse technologies in groundbreaking ways to support medical professionals, educators, and students in fully immersive digital environments. The impact of the Metaverse is real, and it’s happening today, right now. – As Metaverse technologies continue to progress, more and more opportunities will open up. (...) Furthermore, Meta aims to introduce many XR devices into homes during the 2023 holiday season to establish a foundational building block for introducing workplace XR. This consumer-focused strategy is designed to make headsets ubiquitous daily, with improved optics and familiarity. As a result, XR technologies will no longer seem overwhelming or difficult to understand when presented to workplace decision-makers – a similar approach that smartphone vendors took as they gained prominence as a workplace tool. Source Belgium to Push European Blockchain Network During EU Council Presidency, Digital Minister Says12/18/2023 Belgium will give Europe’s ambitious blockchain initiative a political push when it takes the EU Council presidency in January, the country’s digital minister said in an interview with CoinDesk.
Mathieu Michel has already shared his grand vision for an EU-wide digital infrastructure that – at the very least – could store records such as driving licenses and property titles on a common blockchain controlled by the bloc’s governments. Key to that plan is the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) initiative, which began in 2018 as a technical project. Michel said the goal is to rev up political support for it during Belgium’s six-month Council presidency and that eight member states are already on board. “In the coming months, what we will do is to propose to other European countries to be involved in the project or to use the project for application,” Michel said. The Council gathers government ministers from the European Union’s 27 member states and is the bloc’s highest political entity. Prolific regulation According to Michel, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology applications could be key to the EU’s pursuit of digital sovereignty, encompassing control over data and authority over cyberspace. When it comes to guardrails for the digital space, the EU has been prolific in recent years, introducing legislative plans for everything from crypto to artificial intelligence, data sharing, a digital euro and even the metaverse. In fact, with the Markets in Crypto Asset (MiCA) regulation finalized this year, the bloc is set to become the first major jurisdiction in the world to have a comprehensive regime for the digital asset space. Enough regulation, Michel says. Now, it’s time for Europe to put those digital innovations to good use. EU countries were told in 2020 how to join the EBSI blockchain network by setting up their own nodes. But to avoid data silos, applications built on it should be interoperable across member states – something Michel said blockchain can help achieve. “We are really bringing a lot of attention to privacy, but also transparency, control of the data. And with the blockchain, there is a technical aspect that can bring us that. And that's really, for example, the interoperability between the application in France, Italy and Spain,” Michel said. (...) Source |