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CDK Global Leads $45M Investment in Ripcord to Modernize the Car Buying Process

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HAYWARD, Calif., Feb. 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ripcord, the world’s first robotics digitization company, today announced an additional $45 million in Series B2 funding, increasing the company’s total funding to over $120 million as the business focuses on scaling globally. The funding was led by CDK Global (Nasdaq: CDK), a leading retail automotive technology company, who will partner with Ripcord to drive digital transformation across the automotive industry and modernize the car buying process. Existing Ripcord investors Kleiner Perkins, GV, Steve Wozniak, Silicon Valley Bank, Lux Capital, Tyche Partners, Icon Ventures and Baidu participated with strong support in the Series B2 funding.
Car dealerships face increasing challenges with consumer privacy concerns and legacy business processes that rely heavily on inefficient manual, time intensive forms. To further complicate problems, the information from both paper and digital forms typically funnels into multiple disparate and totally disconnected systems, compounding data compliance and processing issues.CDK Global is investing in Ripcord to streamline the car buying experience. CDK Global and Ripcord together enable solutions that will improve both the consumer and dealer experience by saving time, reducing errors, and driving down costs throughout the car buying process. For dealerships, Ripcord provides added intelligence that helps them buy, sell, service and finance cars more competitively and with reduced processing costs – ultimately leading to better prices for the consumer and higher profit margins for dealers.“CDK Global strives to help dealers improve the customer experience in a digital-driven world, and Ripcord’s intelligent approach to digitization supports our vision and benefits both dealerships and consumers tremendously,” said Brian Krzanich, president and CEO, CDK Global.Ripcord is on a mission to digitize the earth and usher in a green, paperless era with its vision-guided robots and advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. Ripcord digitizes business processes that still rely on paper, and automates and modernizes customer workflows to bring efficiency and cohesion to time-intensive processes and disconnected systems. Most of the recorded knowledge of human history is exiled in paper, and Ripcord leverages its intelligent software to free that information to make it searchable and accessible to everyone. Ripcord provides the highest speed and accuracy in the industry, and creates streamlined and more automated processes that translate to increased profits for businesses, greater time savings for consumers, and reduced costs across the entire digital ecosystem.“Once you pick a car, all you want to do is drive it off of the lot, but today, there is a mountain of repetitive paperwork and manual data entry blocking the exit,” said Alex Fielding, founder and CEO of Ripcord. “Together with CDK’s expertise in automotive and our unmatched digitization capabilities with intelligent robotics and cutting edge software, we are going to get new car owners on the road more quickly and help dealers perfect compliance and earn greater margins. With this new financing, we’ll continue to expand our offering and transform additional vertical markets across North America and globally.”Ripcord drives digital transformation across every industry, and works with notable brands such as Coca Cola, BP and Chevron, MUFG Bank, UCLA, Cantium, and a number of Fortune 100 companies, including three of the top five financial services and three of the top five insurance companies.For more information about Ripcord, please visit www.ripcord.com.Investor Supporting Quotes:
“Every industry, and especially highly regulated industries, faces a daunting challenge to keep sensitive information private, and data trapped in paper makes it even harder to track,” said Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple and advisor and investor in Ripcord. “Ripcord has solved this problem and is completely transforming the customer experience for every business, and the company is primed to capture a greater share of the market with its robotics and AI-driven technologies.”
“As more businesses go digital, they need help shifting from paper to digital processes and that’s where Ripcord comes in,” said Wen Hsieh, General Partner at Kleiner Perkins. “Through its smart robotics technology Ripcord augments digital transformation by liberating data from paper and making this information digitally accessible. We see Ripcord poised for even greater growth as it scales to new geographies and verticals.”About CDK Global, Inc.
With $2 billion in revenues, CDK Global (Nasdaq: CDK) is a leading global provider of integrated information technology solutions to the automotive retail and adjacent industries. Focused on enabling end-to-end automotive commerce, CDK Global provides solutions to dealers in more than 100 countries around the world, serving approximately 30,000 retail locations and most automotive manufacturers. CDK solutions automate and integrate all parts of the dealership and buying process, including the acquisition, sale, financing, insuring, parts supply, repair and maintenance of vehicles. Visit cdkglobal.com.
About Ripcord
Ripcord is transforming the $62 billion records management, RPA, MPS, and ECM space through robots that scan, index and categorize paper records, making them searchable in the cloud and integrated into existing business processes while better enabling RPA. Ripcord is based in California and has raised $120 million from leading investors including CDK Global, Kleiner Perkins, GV, Baidu, Lux Capital, Silicon Valley Bank, Steve Wozniak, Legend Star, Icon Ventures, Kitty Hawk, and Tyche Partners.
To learn more about Ripcord visit www.ripcord.com.Press Contact for Ripcord:
Alex Cardenas
Highwire PR
[email protected] 

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Artificial Intelligence

High tech specs and adapted World Cup pitch sensors awarded share of £1.5m as finalists in Longitude Prize on Dementia

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AI glasses that help people living with dementia navigate their environment and a smartwatch that learns daily routines to assist in everyday tasks are among five groundbreaking technologies announced as finalists in The Longitude Prize on DementiaThe Longitude Prize on Dementia is a £4.4m prize funded by Alzheimer’s Society and Innovate UK and delivered by Challenge WorksThe prize is driving the creation of AI-based assistive technologies that can help people living with dementia maintain their independence for longerThe five finalists will share £1.5m to develop their solutions in pursuit of the £1m first prize to be awarded in 2026LONDON, Oct. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — State of the art AI glasses to help people with dementia navigate their environment and a smartwatch that learns daily routines are among five groundbreaking technologies awarded £300,000 as a finalist in the £4.4m Longitude Prize on Dementia.

It is rewarding the creation of new assistive technologies that use AI to transform how people live with dementia after a diagnosis so that they can maintain their independence for as long as possible.
The global challenge prize is funded by Alzheimer’s Society and Innovate UK and delivered by Challenge Works (part of Nesta).
One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime, with around a million people in the UK living with a form of dementia now. This is projected to rise to 1.4 million people by 2040.
The five finalists, who were announced today in the UK on BBC One’s The One Show, will each receive £300,000 to develop their technologies in the next 15 months. The finalists are:
High-tech glasses that help users recognise objects and people – the technology helps people living with dementia to recognise objects and people and remember what to say or do to improve memory recall. This will help them to carry out daily activities independently, such as making a cup of tea or greeting a loved one. The glasses, which also work with existing prescriptions, aim to delay the progression of memory loss and use synaesthesia – associating senses such as sights and sounds (CrossSense, Animorph, UK).Football pitch sensor technology applied to predict and prevent falls – existing ‘fall’ technology can only inform caregivers once an accident has happened, this groundbreaking update will use the technology that maps how a football moves on a pitch (Ultra Wideband) to establish when falls are likely to happen and ultimately prevent them. This tech, worn in the form of a smartwatch designed for older people, could anticipate slips at certain points in a daily routine (e.g. before bed) or in certain locations (e.g. the bathroom). By detecting and calculating fall risk, the tech could limit risk of hospital admission which can speed dementia symptom progression (Theora 360, Clairvoyant Networks, Inc, USA).A smartwatch-based app to provide guidance on daily routines – this AI software processes data from a smartwatch and sensors around the home to learn about its users’ activities and gently guide them on their routines, reminding them of actions they may have forgotten through personalised cues such as illustrations (eg an open fridge or running tap), text, audio and vibrations. If they are not responsive, it will alert a carer. The software will become more intensive as a person’s dementia progresses, helping them to stay in their own home and community for longer (AUTONOMOUS, Associação Fraunhofer Portugal Research, Portugal).At-home monitoring-box that protects privacy – when a loved one is in the early stages of dementia and is still able to live independently, family members can sometimes worry about their wellbeing. This ‘sensor’ box and automated messaging system scans rooms to help remotely inform family members of the loved one’s wellbeing via WhatsApp or text message (e.g. your mum is up and about and the heating came on at the usual time this morning). This provides reassurance for both family member and user, but unlike existing monitoring technology, doesn’t use cameras or wearables, connecting caregivers without infringing on privacy (Supersense Technologies, UK).Home assistance device resembling a traditional telephone – this familiar-looking device offers a screen for video calls which can also display personalised reminders of daily activities. The phone connects users to a reassuring voice-recording of their choice that shares prompts on daily activities and displays images of items in that person’s house. It also makes video-calling loved ones as easy as picking up the phone, to empower people living with dementia to do things they love that bring meaning (MemoryAid, The MARCS Institute, Western Sydney University, Australia).Dr James Brown, CEO of Supersense Technologies said: “A few years ago, I was volunteering with a charity supporting people who had just received a dementia diagnosis. At almost every house we visited there would be a drawer full of unused gadgets – fall-detection watches or pendants, AI speakers – great tech but clearly not being used by the people it was designed for.
“As an engineer and researcher with a decade of experience in developing sensor technology, I knew that there was far better, unintrusive technology that could help people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment to live safely in their own homes for longer, and to help families know that their loved one is safe and well. Our system is specifically designed to maintain a person’s privacy and autonomy, while identifying new behavioural patterns as soon as they develop, so that loved ones or carers can provide support at the right time, all with the aim of helping people to stay independent in their homes for longer.”
Kate Lee, CEO of Alzheimer’s Society said: “Currently, around one million people in the UK live with dementia, a figure projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. AI presents exciting opportunities to help those with dementia stay active and independent, enabling them to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. By harnessing the power of technology, we can support memory recall and assist individuals in maintaining their daily routines. The five finalists of the Longitude Prize on Dementia are tackling these challenges in innovative and diverse ways. I look forward to seeing how their technologies evolve over the next year.”
Dr Jennifer Bute was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2009 at the age of 63, leading to her retiring early from her career as a GP. She adds: “Research suggests that remaining independent, whether in your own home or a place where extra help is available, is one of the best contributors to slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. As a daily user of technology to help manage my finances, medications – even my home lighting – it’s really encouraging to see the breadth of new tools and services being developed to support independent living.”
Tris Dyson, Managing Director at Challenge Works said: “The Longitude Prize on Dementia was launched to help meet the urgent need for intuitive, AI technologies that could support independent living for people with dementia. Last year we saw some incredible ideas come through the 24 semi-finalist entries and it was a challenge for the judges to select the five finalists announced today. This announcement proves the critical role innovation, and challenge prizes, have to play in helping to solve some of the biggest challenges of our time.”
Stella Peace, interim Executive Chair, Innovate UK said: “Dementia’s impact is devastating for those who develop the condition and for their loved ones. There is much we can do to ensure that those with dementia continue to live fulfilling lives. Technology has a great role to play and the projects for which we have announced funding today have the potential to truly change lives for the better.”
In addition to the financial reward, non-financial support has been funded to provide innovators with crucial insight and expertise until the end of 2025. The support includes access to potential product users, mentorship, and expert advice on technical and business aspects of the innovation to ensure products are scalable. It will also facilitate knowledge sharing between participants. All teams will be working with people with lived experience to ensure solutions are fully co-created.
In early 2026, one winner will receive a prize pot of £1 million, following a judging process with the international Judging Panel and Lived Experience Advisory Panel. For more information on the finalists and prize, please visit dementia.longitudeprize.org.
 
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Thundercomm Launches RUBIK Pi on Qualcomm Platforms

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Making Application Development with AI Inference More Accessible
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Embedded World — At an industry event in Austin today, Thundercomm announces RUBIK Pi, the first Pi built on Qualcomm® SoC platforms for developers. RUBIK Pi is an innovative tool that aims to lower the barriers application development with AI inference, allowing developers to access high-performance, easy-to-deploy AI R&D tools

The Pi product is a must-have for electronics enthusiasts and developers. It can be seen as a microcomputer, integrating a processor, memory, storage, and various interfaces on a credit card-sized board. Thundercomm, a world-leading IoT product and solution provider, building on its expertise in ICT technologies and developer workflows, launched RUBIK Pi, aiming to create the most user-friendly AI R&D tools.
RUBIK Pi utilizes the Qualcomm® QCS6490 processor, delivering 12.5 TOPS of AI inference performance and support for a 1.8 billion-parameter LLM. With Qualcomm® AI Hub, developers can explore cutting-edge tools that allow developer to download pre-optimized AI models or optimize their custom model to get the best performance from the SoC
RUBIK Pi supports Qualcomm® Linux®, Android, and Windows, ensuring broad operating system compatibility. It also features upward compatibility with Thundercomm’s C8550 SOM and downward compatibility with the C5430P SOM, providing robust scalability for developers.
“We’re excited to see Thundercomm launch RUBIK Pi. It’s the first Pi product built on the Qualcomm® SoC platform, supporting Qualcomm® Linux® and  Android, Windows, and Ubuntu,” said Manvinder Singh, VP, Product Management, Partner Solutions, Developer Experience, Industrial and Embedded IoT, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “It has a rich set of IO interfaces and delivers unrivaled compute and AI performance to unleash developer creativity. With the support of Qualcomm® Al Hub, developers will be able to quickly deploy optimized AI models on RUBIK Pi.”
“RUBIK Pi is a lightweight development board that is not only easy to use and is low cost but also holds significant ESG value. By making AI application development accessible to beginners, it promotes AI education, enhances technological literacy, and fosters social equity,” said Pier Zhang, Vice President of Thundercomm.
Preliminary orders of RUBIK Pi will be available at the beginning of November. For more information on RUBIK Pi, please visit the webpage.
About Thundercomm
Thundercomm, headquartered in San Diego, is a joint venture with Qualcomm®. Thundercomm was established to accelerate innovation in the Internet of Things and automotive industry, providing one-stop solutions powered by Qualcomm Technologies. Learn more at www.thundercomm.com
The registered trademark Linux® is used pursuant to a sublicense from the Linux Foundation, the exclusive licensee of Linus Torvalds, owner of the mark on a worldwide basis.
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Precisely Announces Breakthrough in Data Enrichment with New Data Graph API

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Unified access to a connected network of trusted datasets empowers users with enhanced query capabilities to gain valuable insights  
BURLINGTON, Mass., Oct. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Precisely, the global leader in data integrity, today announced the Data Graph API, a new addition to the Data Enrichment service within the Precisely Data Integrity Suite, during its Trust ’24 Data Integrity Summit in Philadelphia. For the first time, a single API offers simplified access to the Precisely data portfolio for flexible queries, data enrichment, and enhanced data discovery. Supported by the PreciselyID, the company’s unique and persistent identifier for any addressable location, the Data Graph API reduces complexity, ensures consistency, and speeds up the data enrichment process, accelerating time-to-value.

Data enrichment, the process of augmenting company data with carefully curated third-party data to improve its overall value, accuracy, and usability, is fast becoming a critical priority for organizations. This is especially true for companies looking to ensure that initiatives, such as AI and machine learning, are driven by contextually relevant data. In fact, research indicates a 22% increase in use of data enrichment as a key strategy for improving data integrity year over year. Despite this, many organizations continue to struggle with the time-consuming and often manual process of accurately integrating third-party data.
Powered by GraphQL technology, the Data Graph API dramatically simplifies data enrichment by enabling users to specify their data needs in a single query. The API filters and organizes the data before delivery, ensuring that businesses receive only the most relevant information according to their needs.  
Korem, a leading expert in geospatial technologies, and design partner for the Data Graph API, are looking forward to implementing the new functionality into their solutions to support a wide range of industry use cases. “We are excited about the launch of the new Data Graph API from Precisely,” said Jonathan Houde, CTO at Korem. “Instead of licensing entire datasets or making multiple web service calls, our customers can now access all the necessary information through one efficient and cost-effective service.”
At the heart of the Data Graph API is the PreciselyID, which allows customers to connect addresses to a wealth of trusted data for additional insight, such as relationships between buildings, parcels, property attributes, addresses, demographics, natural perils, and more. The Data Graph API simplifies queries to the rich portfolio of Precisely connected data and can facilitate the same easy access to data from industry partners. One such partner is GeoX, an aerial image processing company that provides property intelligence data to the insurance industry. As an industry partner, GeoX integrates their property intelligence into the Data Graph API, enabling insurers to enhance risk assessments, accurately underwrite policies, and predict and prevent losses by establishing a complete, 360-degree view of residential and commercial properties.
“The launch of the Data Graph API fundamentally transforms how companies bring together data to enhance the contextual relevance of AI and advanced analytics,” said Dan Adams, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Data Enrichment at Precisely. “Our data enrichment portfolio is designed to work together seamlessly, using unique identifiers to create a network of connected data where all feature relationships are mapped across datasets. As we extend this by pre-linking data from our trusted partners, the possibilities become limitless. We know this will save our customers time, allowing them to focus more on innovation rather than data preparation.”
The Data Graph API and a broad range of other market-leading tools are available in the company’s recently announced Precisely Data Integrity Suite Developer Portal, providing developer-friendly tools and resources to shorten the time it takes to build applications.
Learn more about the Data Graph API and how it helps customers to unlock a new world of data enrichment or register for the virtual Trust ’24 event taking place October 15 – 16 to hear about the latest data integrity innovations.
About PreciselyAs a global leader in data integrity, Precisely ensures that your data is accurate, consistent, and contextual. Our portfolio, including the Precisely Data Integrity Suite, helps integrate your data, improve data quality, govern data usage, geocode and analyze location data, and enrich with complementary datasets for confident business decisions. Over 12,000 organizations in more than 100 countries, including 93 of the Fortune 100, trust Precisely software, data, and strategy services to power AI, automation, and analytics initiatives. Learn more at www.precisely.com.
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