Artificial Intelligence

Boxed, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2022 Financial Results

Published

2 years ago

November 9, 2022

Retail Gross Profit Increased YoY by 88.8%
Retail Gross Margin Increased YoY by 503 Basis Points
Gross Merchandise Value Increased YoY by 8.3% to $49.0 million
Retail Net Revenue Increased YoY by 8.9% to $41.6 million
Retail Net Revenue per Active Customer Increased YoY by 38.4% to $336

NEW YORK, Nov. 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Boxed, Inc. (NYSE: BOXD, BOXD WS) (“Boxed” or the “Company”), the commerce technology company specializing as both an e-commerce retailer and e-commerce enabler, today reported its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022.

Recent Business Highlights

Boxed Progresses On Strategic Vision and Profitability: In August, the Company provided updates to its strategic vision, with a key initiative being the re-prioritization of resource investment to accelerate its path to profitability. In the third quarter, Boxed progressed on its goal, with Retail segment gross profit and gross margin up 88.8% and 503 basis points, respectively, compared to the prior year period. Profitability improvement was supported by an increasing share of B2B customer demand, transportation cost savings, packaging cost savings, and ongoing price optimization, which was enabled by the Company’s Spresso technology and machine learning capabilities.
Significant Cost Savings Generated: Ongoing Retail gross profit improvements, combined with cost savings initiatives, including reductions in marketing expense, more focused investments toward B2B and Boxed Market, and restructuring of corporate staff, yielded a meaningful sequential improvement in Adjusted EBITDA, which increased $6.1 million compared to the second quarter of 2022. The Company believes the cost savings initiatives that were a benefit during the third quarter will also better position the Boxed business over the long term as the Company pursues increased profitability.
Strong Consumer Behavior Trends, with Retail Net Revenue per Active Customer (“RPAC”) and Retail Average Order Values (“AOV”) Both Reaching All-Time Highs: RPAC was $336, an increase of $93, or 38.4%, compared to the prior year period, and AOV was $150, an increase of $27, or 21.9%, versus the prior year period. These record highs were supported by strong B2B customer GMV growth of 37.1%, growth in customer order frequency, adjustments to the user experience, and ongoing price optimization efforts.
Boxed Market Expands Service into Westchester County and Brooklyn: Boxed Market announced that it opened its new fulfillment center in Westchester County, New York, with its Brooklyn, New York facility also opening imminently. The new locations mark the initial expansion of Boxed’s rapid on-demand grocery delivery model beyond Manhattan, as it continues to grow its assortment and fulfillment offerings to meet customer demand.
Spresso Joins Snowflake’s Partner Network Program: The partnership is expected to support ongoing lead generation and sales efforts, and is designed to streamline implementation of Spresso’s SaaS capabilities to Snowflake customers. By leveraging Snowflake’s Data Cloud, joint customers are now able to seamlessly share the data needed to drive results through Spresso technology, enabling rapid use of its advanced analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence offerings.
Deployment of AEON Vietnam Partnership Initiated: After signing a definitive agreement on September 30, 2022, Boxed began deploying its proprietary end-to-end Spresso technology platform with AEON Vietnam, an agreement that represents a 9-year, 8-figure contract, extending its strong partnership into the Vietnamese market.

“The team and I are very pleased to have met or exceeded many expectations on multiple levels in the third quarter. We are also proud to share the quick progress we have made on the strategic vision we announced last quarter, which increased focus on some of our fastest growing, stickiest, and most profitable areas of the business,” said Chieh Huang, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “By executing on the strategic vision to increase profitability, and as a result of certain financing cash inflows, we are also able to cut quarter over quarter cash consumption by more than half. We continue to actively explore additional capital markets opportunities, and we hope to further improve near term liquidity with the goal of an additional capital raise prior to year end.”

Third Quarter Financial Results and Commentary

Net revenue was $41.7 million for the third quarter, a decrease of $7.4 million, or 15.0%, versus the prior year period, primarily driven by a decline in Software & Services revenue.
Retail net revenue was $41.6 million, an increase of $3.4 million, or 8.9%, versus the prior year period, supported by an increase in order frequency and a higher mix of B2B customer orders, both leading to a strong increase in Retail Net Revenue per Active Customer.
Software & Services net revenue was $0.1 million as the Company did not recognize any implementation services or up-front license fee revenue in the third quarter of 2022, compared to having recognized significant up-front license fees associated with the delivery of the software platform to AEON Malaysia in the prior year period. Revenue within the Software & Services segment is expected to remain variable from quarter to quarter in the near-to-medium term as revenue recognition is sensitive to the timing of enterprise software deployments and ongoing implementation work performed.
Retail segment gross profit was $4.9 million, an increase of $2.3 million, or 88.8%, with gross margins improving to 11.9%, an increase of 503 basis points, compared to the prior year period, supported by momentum in B2B and Boxed Market, transportation cost savings, packaging cost savings, and ongoing price optimization, leveraging Spresso technology. Total gross profit of $4.7 million for the third quarter decreased $7.9 million, or 62.7%, primarily due to the decrease in Software & Services revenue noted above.
Net loss was $26.4 million for the third quarter, compared to a net loss of $5.9 million in the prior year period.
Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $16.4 million for the third quarter, compared to a loss of $3.0 million in the prior year period. This was primarily due to lower software revenue combined with higher growth-related and public company-related investments, including staff, professional services, insurance, and IT costs.
Advertising expense for the third quarter was $2.4 million, a decrease of $2.8 million versus the prior year period. The decrease was part of a strategic plan to reduce ongoing cash burn and reallocate investment into growth of the Company’s B2B customer base and Software & Services segment.
GMV was $49.0 million for the third quarter, an increase of $3.8 million, or 8.3% versus the prior year period. The increase was largely attributable to strong B2B customer demand, as B2B customer GMV increased by 37.1% compared to the prior year period, combined with increases in GMV from Boxed Market’s customer base.
Total cash balance, inclusive of restricted cash, plus marketable securities was $39.4 million. Cash burn was cut by more than half quarter-over-quarter, with total net reduction in cash balance of $10.3 million, supported by the profitability progress and cost savings initiatives implemented during the quarter.

For more information on Retail Active Customers, Retail AOV, RPAC, and GMV, please refer to the section on “Operating Metrics” below.

Liquidity
The Company’s total cash balance plus marketable securities as of September 30, 2022 was $39.4 million, inclusive of $3.3 million in restricted cash and $4.0 million in marketable securities. Total debt principal outstanding was $135.4 million, of which $90.4 million relates to the PIPE Convertible Notes. As of October 24, 2022, the Forward Purchase Transaction entered into in connection with Boxed’s business combination was fully unwound.

Outlook
Boxed is reaffirming its previously provided guidance for Fiscal Year 2022 as follows:

Total Net Revenue of $165 to $180 million.
Total Adjusted EBITDA loss of $65 to $80 million.

For more information, including the definition and reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA, a financial measure that is not presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), please refer to “Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” below.

Conference Call Information
Boxed will host a conference call and webcast today at 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss the results. The live webcast can be accessed on the Boxed Investor Relations website at https://investors.boxed.com under “Events & Presentations.” The webcast will also be archived and available for replay. Investors interested in participating in the live call can dial 844-200-6205 from the U.S. and 929-526-1599 internationally, and enter code 916601.

About Boxed
Boxed is an e-commerce retailer and an e-commerce enabler. The Company operates an e-commerce retail service that provides bulk pantry consumables to businesses and household customers, without the requirement of a “big-box” store membership. This service is powered by Spresso, the Company’s own Software & Service business. From solving challenges with data using machine-learning modules to re-platforming with end-to-end technology, Spresso’s purpose-built storefront, marketplace, analytics, fulfillment, advertising, and robotics technologies enable better business outcomes for e-commerce customers. The Company aspires to make a positive social impact with an emphasis on good Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) practices, and as such, has developed a powerful, unique brand, known for doing right by its customers, employees and society. For more information, please visit investors.boxed.com.

Investor Contacts
Chris Mandeville
ICR
[email protected]

Media Contacts
David Taft
Boxed
[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or Boxed’s future financial or operating performance. For example, statements regarding the Company’s financial outlook for 2022, our future strategy and initiatives to achieve the Company’s goal of an accelerated path to profitability, the improved position of the Company’s business due to the cost saving initiatives, the Company’s goal of additional capital raise prior to year end, the value of our AEON Vietnam contract, the potential expansion of our Spresso business to other markets, the potential benefits of our Spresso business for our customers, the expansion of Boxed Market, the competitive environment in which Boxed operates and the expected future operating and financial performance, including expectations regarding profitability, and market opportunities of Boxed are forward-looking statements, among others. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “outlook,” “guidance,” “plan,” “position,” “project,” “forecast,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “estimate,” “believe,” “aspires,” “potential,” or “continue,” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Boxed and its management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: (i) the ability of Boxed to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships and develop new relationships with customers and suppliers, and retain its management and key employees; (ii) the evolution of the markets in which Boxed competes; (iii) the ability of Boxed to implement its strategic initiatives and continue to innovate its existing offerings; (iv) the ability of Boxed to defend its intellectual property; (v) the ability of Boxed to satisfy regulatory requirements; (vi) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Boxed’s business; (vii) our ability to meet our operating cash flow requirements; (viii) our ability to maintain compliance with the financial covenants of our term loan; (ix) our ability to obtain additional financing on terms acceptable to us, if at all; and (x) other risks and uncertainties set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Current Report on Form 8-K, which are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Therefore, such statements are not intended to be a guarantee of the Company’s performance in future periods, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Website Disclosure
Boxed intends to use its website as a distribution channel of material company information. Financial and other important information regarding the Company is routinely posted on and accessible through the Company’s website at https://boxed.com. Accordingly, you should monitor the investor relations portion of our website at https://investors.boxed.com in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about Boxed when you enroll your email address by visiting the “Investor Email Alerts” section of our investor relations page at https://investors.boxed.com under “Resources.”

Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators
This press release includes certain financial measures and key performance indicators not presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) including Adjusted EBITDA and certain ratios and other metrics derived therefrom and certain operating metrics, including Gross Merchandising Value, Retail Active Customers, Retail Average Order Value and Retail Net Revenue per Active Customer. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest expense, tax expense, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense and other one-time or non-recurring expenses, such as executive recruiting fees, severance, 3^rd party consulting fees, and transaction-related fees, among others, that the Company does not believe are recurring in nature or necessary for the ongoing operations of the business. These non-GAAP financial measures and key performance indicators are not measures of financial performance in accordance with GAAP and may exclude items that are significant in understanding and assessing the Company’s financial results. Therefore, these measures and key performance indicators should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to net income, cash flows from operations or other measures of profitability, liquidity or performance under GAAP. You should be aware that the Company’s presentation of these measures and key performance indicators may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures used by other companies. The Company believes these non-GAAP measures of financial results and key performance indicators provide useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. The Company believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures and key performance indicators provide an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends in comparing the Company’s financial measures with other similar companies, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. These non-GAAP financial measures and key performance indicators are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expense and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures and key performance indicators.

This press release also includes certain projections of Adjusted EBITDA. Due to the high variability and difficulty in making accurate forecasts and projections of some of the information excluded from Adjusted EBITDA, together with some of the excluded information not being ascertainable or accessible, the Company is unable to quantify certain amounts that would be required to be included in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures without unreasonable effort. Consequently, no disclosure of estimated comparable GAAP measures is included and no reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures is included.

Boxed, Inc.
Operating Metrics
(unaudited)


	Three Months Ended September 30,
		2022		2021
Retail Active Customers (in thousands)		124		157
Retail AOV (in whole dollars)	$	150	$	123
RPAC (in whole dollars)	$	336	$	243
GMV (in millions)	$	49.0	$	45.2

This above table sets forth key performance indicators for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021. Figures disclosed for Retail Active Customers and Retail AOV reflect Retail segment metrics only, and do not aggregate metrics from Software & Services customers who are leveraging our software or technology for their own retail operations.

Retail Active Customers – Boxed defines active customers as the distinct number of customers in its Retail segment who placed at least one order in the referenced respective time-period (“Retail Active Customers”). The change in Retail Active Customers in a reporting period captures both the inflow of new customers as well as the outflow of customers who have not made a purchase in the time period. The Company views the number of Retail Active Customers as a key indicator of its performance, which is influenced by the level of investment in advertising expenses, the number of new customers acquired during a given time period, as well as the churn of previously Retail Active Customers.

Retail Average Order Value (AOV) – The Company defines Retail AOV as the GMV for the respective time-period divided by the total number of orders placed by customers during the same period. Boxed believes Retail AOV is an important indicator of business performance as it is supported by the Company’s proprietary e-commerce technology, where its mobile app, website, and personalization engine provide a seamless shopping experience, enabling customers to easily discover new and relevant products and categories. This results in a trend where on average, Retail AOVs expand over the course of a customer’s lifecycle. Further, larger orders are on average more profitable, helping to drive margin improvement from shipping, packaging, and labor efficiencies.

Retail Net Revenue per Active Customer (RPAC) – The Company defines Retail Net Revenue per Active Customer as total Retail Net Revenue for the respective time-period divided by the total number of Retail Active Customers during the same period. We believe RPAC is an important indicator of business performance as it demonstrates customer engagement within our Retail business, blending both our Retail Average Order Values along with the order frequency of customers shopping our Retail e-Commerce offerings.

Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) – The Company defines GMV as (i) the total value of Boxed goods sold, (ii) 3^rd party goods sold on Boxed Sites, gross of any customer promotions, price discounts, credits, or rewards used, and (iii) goods sold on 3^rd party (i.e. AEON) websites which are leveraging Boxed Software & Services technology, all of which are (iv) inclusive of shipping fees, service fees and taxes. The Company believes its ability to expand GMV is an indicator of the global scale of our technology services platform in any given period, and an indicator of end-customer engagement on its technology services platform worldwide. GMV is not intended for use as an alternative to net revenue recorded in accordance with GAAP.

Boxed, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited)
(in thousands)


	September 30,			December 31,
		2022			2021
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$	32,071		$	105,027
Restricted cash		3,302			2,768
Marketable securities		3,988			—
Accounts receivable, net		3,239			3,122
Inventories		11,081			11,428
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		9,438			4,915
Deferred contract costs, current		658			7,580
Forward purchase receivable		8,101			—
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS		71,878			134,840
Property and equipment, net		7,387			7,019
Unbilled receivables		10,898			8,891
Forward purchase receivable		—			60,050
Operating right-of-use assets		11,269			—
Goodwill		7,409			7,444
Prepaid expenses, noncurrent		8,555			—
Deferred contract costs, noncurrent		—			11,847
Other long-term assets		1,382			1,514
TOTAL ASSETS	$	118,778		$	231,605
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	$	14,705		$	28,936
Accrued expenses		8,177			6,392
Deferred revenue		2,030			2,020
Operating lease liabilities, current		2,672			—
Other current liabilities		16,662			21,899
Earnout liability, current		286			—
SPAC warrant liabilities		1,667			22,045
Forward purchase option derivative		7,555			—
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES		53,754			81,292
PIPE Convertible Notes, net of transaction costs		80,972			77,047
Long-term debt		43,589			43,287
Forward purchase option derivative		—			4,203
Earnout liability, noncurrent		1,781			27,134
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent		9,005			—
Other long-term liabilities		385			217
TOTAL LIABILITIES		189,486			233,180
STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Common stock		7			7
Additional paid-in capital		408,346			383,066
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(10	)		—
Accumulated deficit		(479,051	)		(384,648	)
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT		(70,708	)		(1,575	)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT	$	118,778		$	231,605

Boxed, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(unaudited)
(in thousands except share and per share amounts)


	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
		2022			2021			2022			2021
Net revenue:
Retail	$	41,580		$	38,186		$	129,543		$	117,253
Software & Services		73			10,824			2,402			14,965
Total net revenue		41,653			49,010			131,945			132,218
Cost of sales:
Retail		(36,633	)		(35,565	)		(117,003	)		(107,707	)
Software & Services		(297	)		(780	)		(1,256	)		(1,798	)
Total cost of sales		(36,930	)		(36,345	)		(118,259	)		(109,505	)
Gross profit		4,723			12,665			13,686			22,713
Advertising expense		(2,359	)		(5,174	)		(22,145	)		(14,618	)
Selling, general, and administrative expense		(23,957	)		(12,859	)		(70,237	)		(38,905	)
Loss from operations		(21,593	)		(5,368	)		(78,696	)		(30,810	)
Other income (expense), net		(4,782	)		(561	)		(15,707	)		509
Loss before income taxes		(26,375	)		(5,929	)		(94,403	)		(30,301	)
Income taxes		—			—			—			—
Net loss	$	(26,375	)	$	(5,929	)	$	(94,403	)	$	(30,301	)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities		10			—			(10	)		—
Net comprehensive loss	$	(26,365	)	$	(5,929	)	$	(94,413	)	$	(30,301	)
Net loss per share, basic and diluted	$	(0.37	)	$	(0.55	)	$	(1.38	)	$	(2.99	)
Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic and diluted		70,563,420			9,504,786			68,232,698			9,454,261

Boxed, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited)
(in thousands except share and per share amounts)


	For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
		2022			2021
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net loss	$	(94,403	)	$	(30,301	)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		3,286			3,566
Stock-based compensation		13,758			1,214
Noncash Common Stock Purchase Agreement costs		1,000			—
Bad debt expense/(change in reserve)		176			(87	)
Change in fair value of warrants and derivative instruments		3,052			(1,470	)
Settlement of forward purchase receivable		46,386			—
Settlement of forward purchase option derivative liability		(45,144	)		—
Loss on extinguishment of debt		—			203
Amortization of debt discount		1,331			60
PIK Interest		3,171			—
Net amortization/accretion on available-for-sale securities		(35	)		—
Unrealized gain/(loss) on available-for-sale securities		(4	)		—
Noncash operating lease expense		2,413			—
Other noncash items		—			181
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Receivables, net		(294	)		(1,812	)
Inventories		347			2,551
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		(4,523	)		(4,258	)
Unbilled receivables		(2,007	)		(3,680	)
Deferred contract costs		18,769			—
Prepaid expenses, noncurrent		(8,555	)		—
Other long-term assets		(175	)		—
Accounts payable		(14,227	)		4,962
Accrued expenses		1,785			1,052
Deferred revenue		9			231
Operating lease liabilities		(2,449	)		—
Other liabilities		(1,573	)		493
Net cash used in operating activities		(77,906	)		(27,095	)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(3,347	)		(683	)
Forward purchase payments		(1,242	)		—
Forward purchase receipts		6,805			—
Purchase of available-for-sale securities		(6,960	)		—
Sale of available-for-sale securities		3,000			—
Other investing activities		34			13
Net cash used in investing activities		(1,710	)		(670	)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Principal payments on finance lease obligations		(54	)		(56	)
Proceeds from option exercises		781			331
Proceeds from warrant exercises		11			—
Proceeds from Common Stock Purchase Agreement		6,456			—
Repayments from borrowings		—			(7,703	)
Proceeds from borrowings		—			43,800
Debt issuance costs		—			(670	)
Net cash provided by financing activities		7,194			35,702
Total change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		(72,422	)		7,937
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH BEGINNING OF PERIOD		107,795			30,043
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH AT END OF PERIOD	$	35,373		$	37,980

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Cash paid during the period for:
Cash paid for taxes	$	64		$	17
Cash paid for interest	$	3,690		$	281

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Right-of-use asset obtained in exchange for operating lease liability	$	2,384		$	—
Shares issued related to equity consideration of acquisition	$	3,000		$	—
Conversion of Convertible Notes	$	274		$	—
Deferred transaction costs included in accrued expense & accounts payable	$	—		$	2,843

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$	32,071		$	35,409
Restricted cash at end of period		3,302			2,571
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	$	35,373		$	37,980

Boxed, Inc.
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
(unaudited)
(in thousands)


	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
		2022			2021			2022			2021
Net loss	$	(26,375	)	$	(5,929	)	$	(94,403	)	$	(30,301	)
Adjusted to exclude the following:
Depreciation and amortization		1,078			1,102			3,286			3,566
Change in fair value of warrants and derivative instruments		(167	)		(452	)		3,052			(1,821	)
Interest expense		4,425			770			10,511			988
Other expense		98			243			41			324
Stock-based compensation		4,134			360			13,758			1,214
Other costs ⁽¹⁾		426			931			2,757			3,842
Adjusted EBITDA	$	(16,381	)	$	(2,975	)	$	(60,998	)	$	(22,188	)

⁽¹⁾Other costs primarily represent consulting and advisory costs with respect to the Business Combination and other equity and debt financing transactions, as well as litigation costs.

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Grace Sun, 16, receives $75,000 Top Award for a new kind of organic electrochemical transistor at the world’s largest pre-college science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition.
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Society for Science (the Society) announced that Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won the $75,000 top award, the George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award, named in honor of the pioneering drug researcher and Regeneron co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer, in the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), the world’s largest pre-college science and engineering competition. Other top prizes went to projects in second-order cone programming, microplastics filtration and multi-sensory therapy for dementia.

The top winners were honored during two award ceremonies: the Special Awards on May 16 and the Grand Awards Ceremony on the morning of May 17. In total, over $9 million USD was awarded to the finalists based on their projects’ creativity, innovation and depth of scientific inquiry. The competition featured nearly 2,000 young scientists representing 49 U.S. states and nearly 70 countries, regions and territories across the world.
Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won first place and received the $75,000 George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award for her research on building a better organic electrochemical transistor that she hopes will be used to develop new electronic devices that could help detect and treat serious illnesses like diabetes, epilepsy and organ failure. To overcome the problems that have previously prevented such devices from working effectively inside the body, Grace developed a new way of chemically treating their organic components, which greatly improved their laboratory performance.
Michelle Wei, 17, of San Jose, California, received one of two Regeneron Young Scientist Awards of $50,000 for her research to improve the speed and efficiency of a type of software that is useful in many fields such as machine learning, transportation and financial systems. Michelle’s new approach involved determining a quick approximate solution to the second-order cone programming problem, then splitting the initial cone into smaller cones, which enabled her new algorithm to greatly outperform previous approaches.
Krish Pai, 17, of Del Mar, California, received the second Regeneron Young Scientist Award of $50,000 for his machine-learning research to identify microbial genetic sequences that can be modified to biodegrade plastic. His new software, called Microby, scans databases of microorganisms and determines which ones can be changed genetically to biodegrade plastics. In tests, he identified two microorganisms that can be genetically modified to degrade plastic at a cost he believes would be ten times less than traditional recycling.
“Congratulations to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024 winners,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, Society for Science and Executive Publisher, Science News. “I’m truly inspired by the ingenuity and determination shown by these remarkable students. Coming from around the world with diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines, these students have shown that it is possible to come together in unity to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our world today, and I could not be prouder.”
Regeneron ISEF provides a global stage for the world’s best and brightest young scientists and engineers. Through this competition, Regeneron and the Society are fostering the next generation of STEM leaders who are pioneering solutions to improve our world. Since 2020, Regeneron has provided STEM experiences to approximately 2.4 million students, on track to meet its goal of 2.5 million by 2025.
“The talent, intelligence and potential of this year’s Regeneron ISEF finalists is truly inspiring, and I congratulate each on their remarkable achievements,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. “Science competitions like ISEF were pivotal in shaping my own career and fueling my passion to fight back against disease. I look forward to seeing these students continue to push the boundaries of science and technology to create positive and sustainable change for all humanity.”
Other top honors from the competition include:
Justin Huang and Victoria Ou, both 17, of Woodlands, Texas, received the Gordon E. Moore Award for Positive Outcomes for Future Generations of $50,000 for their new prototype filtration system that uses ultrasonic waves to remove microscopic plastic particles from water. In lab tests, the acoustic force from the high-frequency sound waves removed between 84% and 94% of the suspended microplastic particles in a single pass. The students are now working to scale up and fine-tune their experimental system.
Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, 17, of Hong Kong, China received the Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation of $10,000 for her research on using a multi-sensory therapy for dementia patients. Her mixed therapy app would allow patients to practice physical and cognitive skills through a personalized, immersive environment using virtual reality headsets. Ingrid conducted an eight-week study with six people living with dementia and found that the cognitive function of patients who used her prototype improved in several areas. She believes her app could serve as a viable option for dementia patients with limited access to in-person professional therapy.
Tanishka Balaji Aglave, 15, of Valrico, Florida, received the H. Robert Horvitz Prize for Fundamental Research of $10,000 for her investigation into a natural alternative treatment against citrus greening, a disease that threatens citrus farming in many parts of the world and is currently only treated with antibiotics. Tanishka injected the trunks of infected trees with an extract from the curry leaf tree, and found through tests that this potential method could effectively and sustainably manage citrus greening disease.
Maddux Alexander Springer, 18, of Honolulu, Hawaii, received the Peggy Scripps Award for Science Communication of $10,000 for his research into fibropapillomatosis (FP), a disease that is the primary cause of death in green sea turtles. Some turtles he studied in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, were stricken with a disease that causes internal and external tumors that inhibit their everyday lives. After analyzing the turtles’ diet of green algae, Maddux concluded that this disease, wastewater, invasive algae and the amino acid arginine all pose a grave risk to these endangered sea creatures.
Ria Kamat, 17, of Hackensack, New Jersey; Anna Oliva, 17, of Houston, TX; and Shuhan Luo, 18, of Worcester, MA, received the Dudley R. Herschbach SIYSS Award, which provides finalists an all-expense paid trip to attend the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar during Nobel Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
Jack Shannon, 18, of Clane, Kildare, Ireland, and Nikhil Vemuri, 17, of Cary, North Carolina, received the EU Contest for Young Scientists Award. Their projects will represent Regeneron ISEF at the EU Contest for Young Scientists to be held this September in Katowice, Poland.
For more information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit: https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
The full list of Special Award ISEF 2024 Finalists can be found at https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-special-awards-winners.
In addition to the Top Award winners, more than 450 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative research, including “First Award” winners, who each received a $5,000 prize.
The following lists the First Award winners for each of the 22 categories, from which the Top Awards were chosen:
Animal Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceMaddux Alexander Springer, Honolulu, Hawaii
Behavioral and Social Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceAndrew Y. Liang, San Jose, California
Biochemistry, sponsored by RegeneronAmy Hong Xiao, Garden City, New York
Biomedical and Health Sciences, sponsored by RegeneronRia Kamat, Hackensack, New Jersey; Kevin Xuan Lei, Shanghai, China
Biomedical Engineering, sponsored by Alfred E. Mann CharitiesAyush Garg, Dublin, California; Divij Motwani, Palo Alto, California; Akash Ashish Pai, Portland, Oregon
Cellular and Molecular Biology, sponsored by RegeneronLara and Maya Sarah Hammoud, Beverly Hills, Michigan
Chemistry, sponsored by Society for ScienceAkilan Sankaran, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Arjun Suresh Malpani and Siddharth Daniel D’costa, Portland, Oregon
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, sponsored by RegeneronKun-Hyung Roh, Bronx, New York
Earth and Environmental Sciences, sponsored by Google.orgNikhil Vemuri, Durham, North Carolina; Justin Yizhou Huang and Victoria Ou, The Woodlands, Texas
Embedded Systems, sponsored by HPChloe Rae and Sophie Rose Filion, Welland, Ontario, Canada
Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design, sponsored by Siemens EnergyAlia Wahban, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationChiyo Nakatsuji, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, Japan; Kevin Shen, Olympia, Washington
Environmental Engineering, sponsored by JacobsKrish Pai, San Diego, California; Jack Shannon, Clane, Kildare, Ireland
Materials Science, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationGrace Sun, Lexington, Kentucky
Mathematics, sponsored by Akamai FoundationAnna Oliva, Houston, Texas
Microbiology, sponsored by Schattner FoundationMatthew Chang, Irvine, California
Physics and Astronomy, sponsored by Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust IIHarini Thiagarajan and Vishal Ranganath Yalla, Bothell, Washington; Shuhan Luo, Worcester, Massachusetts
Plant Sciences, sponsored by Society for SciencePauline Estrada, Fresno, California; Tanishka Balaji Aglave, Dover, Florida
Robotics and Intelligent Machines, sponsored by RegeneronMichal Lajciak, Dubnica nad Vahom, Trenciansky kraj, Slovakia; Anthony Efthimiadis, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Systems Software, sponsored by MicrosoftMichelle Wei, San Jose, California
Technology Enhances the Arts, sponsored by Society for ScienceAnant Khandelwal, Sritan Motati and Siddhant Sood, Alexandria, Virginia
Translational Medical Science, sponsored by RegeneronZheng-Chi Lee, West Lafayette, Indiana; Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, Hong Kong, China
The full list of all award-winning ISEF 2024 finalists is available here: https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-full-awards.
View all the finalists’ research here: https://projectboard.world/isef.
About the Regeneron International Science and Engineering FairThe Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), a program of Society for Science for over 70 years, is the world’s largest global science competition for high school students. Through a global network of local, regional and national science fairs, millions of students are encouraged to explore their passion for scientific inquiry. Each spring, a group of these students is selected as finalists and offered the opportunity to compete for approximately U.S. $9 million in awards and scholarships.
In 2019, Regeneron became the title sponsor of ISEF to help reward and celebrate the best and brightest young minds globally and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM to positively impact the world. Regeneron ISEF is supported by a community of additional sponsors, including Akamai Foundation, Alfred E. Mann Charities, Aramco, Caltech, Google.org, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Howmet Aerospace Foundation, HP, , Jacobs, King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, Microsoft, National Geographic Society, Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust II, Rise, an initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Schattner Foundation, Siemens Energy, Annenburg Foundation, Ballmer Group, Broadcom Foundation, Cesco Linguistic Services, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Edison International, Insaco, Oracle Academy, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and US Army ROTC. Many are entrepreneurs across a wide range of industries. Learn more at https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/.
About Society for ScienceSociety for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its outreach and equity programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).
About RegeneronRegeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous approved treatments and product candidates in development, most of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.
Regeneron believes that operating as a good corporate citizen is crucial to delivering on our mission. We approach corporate responsibility with three goals in mind: to improve the lives of people with serious diseases, to foster a culture of integrity and excellence and to build sustainable communities. Regeneron is proud to be included on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Civic 50 list of the most “community-minded” companies in the U.S. Throughout the year, Regeneron empowers and supports employees to give back through our volunteering, pro bono and matching gift programs. Our most significant philanthropic commitments are in the area of early science education, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
For more information, please visit www.Regeneron.com or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X.
More information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit: https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
Media ContactsJoseph Brown, [email protected]
Gayle Kansagor, Society for [email protected]
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Artificial Intelligence

J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Announce Winner of Inaugural 2024 Life Sciences Innovation Summit

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

In conjunction with Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week 2024
ABU DHABI, UAE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Group announced today Rayees Rahman of Harmonic Discovery as the winner of the inaugural J.P. Morgan Asset Management: Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery is a precision pharmacology company applying its generative chemistry platform to advance next-generation kinase inhibitors.

In partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the Summit took place on May 14-15, 2024 at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and showcased the 11 innovative finalists, as well as highlighted existing innovators and opportunities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The event also featured keynote speeches from Dr. Laurie Glimcher of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Shahrukh Hashmi of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, and Dr. David Ho of Columbia University Medical Center and provided attendees networking opportunities to gain valuable insights into the future of life sciences innovation.
In addition, the jury designated Chun-Hao Huang of Algen Biotechnologies as honourable mention. Algen Biotechnologies is a platform therapeutics and drug discovery company using world-leading CRISPR and AI to find treatments for cancer, inflammation and metabolic diseases.
The winners were selected by an esteemed, international panel of judges, which included:Laurie Glimcher, MD, President and CEO at Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteJorge Guzman, MD, CEO at Cleveland Clinic Abu DhabiProf. Shahrukh Khurshid Hashmi, MD, Director of Research, Department of Health, Abu DhabiYasmine Hayek Kobeissi, PhD, CQF, BSc., Executive Director at Blue Horizon AdvisorsAnya Schiess, Managing Partner at J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private CapitalWalid Zaher, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO, Carexso
Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Research and Innovation Centre at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi said: “Under the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership, and renowned for its world-leading medical infrastructure, Abu Dhabi stands at the forefront of healthcare excellence, offering an unparalleled opportunity for advancement in healthcare for global partners. It was our utmost pleasure hosting the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Life Sciences Innovation Summit 2024 on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week and we commend the winners for their pioneering efforts in driving impactful advancements in healthcare; their dedication to innovation not only transforms the landscape of medicine, but also holds the promise of improving lives worldwide.”
Stephen Squinto, PhD, Chief Investment Officer, J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital said: “We are thrilled with the level of biotech passion and innovation that we observed at this year’s Summit in Abu Dhabi. The energy was truly palpable we are thrilled to announce Rayees Rahman as the winner of our first Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery’s approach embodies the next generation of drug discovery and development. We appreciate the time and effort of all participants and cannot wait for our next event in the region.”
Nabil Kobeissi, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Horizon Advisors, said: “As the main sponsor, we are committed to nurturing and fostering the growth of all 11 finalists in this vibrant biotech ecosystem. This Summit marks the beginning of a transformative journey, and we are confident that it will pave the way for a flourishing hub in the region. We are also pleased to announce that we will commit to invest in and partner with the winner, Harmonic Discovery, to support its future growth in the region.”
Sponsors for the event included J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, J.P. Morgan Commercial Bank, Blue Horizon Advisors, United Al Saqer Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Salam Capital. The Summit organisation, logistics and finalist recruitment were facilitated by Lyfebulb.
Of importance, at the Summit, Mr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Sustainable Development at Masdar City, announced that Masdar City Free Zone would award all 11 Finalists complimentary business licenses to further support their establishment in the region. Masdar City is one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments and innovation hubs with a growing focus on life science entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi.

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Artificial Intelligence

Congregating in the Lion City for a Win-Win Future of Intelligent Computing at the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

congregating-in-the-lion-city-for-a-win-win-future-of-intelligent-computing-at-the-global-data-center-facility-summit-2024

SINGAPORE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On May 17, 2024, the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024 was held in Singapore with the theme of “Power the Digital Era Forward.” At the summit, over 600 data center industry leaders, technical experts, and ecosystem partners gathered to discuss new trends and opportunities of the global data center industry in the intelligent computing era. The attendees also got to experience all-scenario, all-ecosystem, and all-service end-to-end (E2E) solutions, share innovative practices of green data centers in the Asia Pacific and Europe, and experience the exhibition vehicle to unveil the mystery of Outdoor PowerPOD that features one power system per container. By fully embracing the intelligent computing era, Huawei strives to power the digital era forward.

Seizing Opportunities Brought by AI and Jointly Building Green & Reliable Computing Infrastructure
At the opening speech, Charles Yang, Senior Vice President of Huawei and President of Marketing, Sales and Services, Huawei Digital Power, noted that since ChatGPT ushered in the AI era, large models keep pushing the limits of computing power and the intelligent computing industry is witnessing an unprecedented construction boom. As predicted, 100 GW will be added to the global data center installed capacity and the market value will exceed US$600 billion in the next five years.
According to Charles, with opportunities come challenges. The primary challenge concerning the data center industry is reliability and electricity. Data centers are scaling up from the MW-level to the GW-level. E2E reliability of data centers is becoming even more important than ever. In response to the opportunities, Huawei will work with customers and partners to expand the industry space.
Steering Data Centers to the AI Era with Product + Service + Ecosystem
During the summit, Sun Xiaofeng, President of Huawei Data Center Facility & Critical Power Business, delivered a speech titled “Power the Digital Era Forward. ” He stated that as AI large models are penetrating, the surging compute demands drive the expansive growth in data center.
To address the challenges, Huawei strives to build product + service + ecosystem E2E data center solutions that feature fast deployment, flexible cooling, green energy, and ultimate reliability.
Fast deployment: Data centers are fully modularized and prefabricated to ensure high quality and efficient construction.Flexible cooling: Air-liquid fusion and integrated cooling source emerges as the optimal cooling architecture for intelligent computing.Green energy: New generation-grid-load-storage integrated solution is built to ensure the sound operations of intelligent computing centers.Ultimate reliability: Data centers are safeguarded through reliable products and preventive protection.Currently, Huawei’s global service network covers more than 170 countries with over 1800 professional engineers, providing 24/7 technical support. With N+ flagship service centers, Huawei has built a one-hour service radius for its customers.
The ecosystem is a key part for a win-win future of intelligent computing. Huawei works with partners to develop comprehensive E2E solutions and provide customers with one-stop data center services.
During the summit, Huawei and the ASEAN Centre for Energy released a white paper on “Building Next Generation Data Center Facility in ASEAN.” The document provides insights into the status quo, challenges, and trends of data centers in the ASEAN region, and emphasizes that efficient and energy-saving products and solutions should be applied. It also proposes future-oriented policy recommendations for data center markets.
In the ecosystem exhibition area, Huawei showcased scenario-based solutions for large-, medium-, and small-sized data centers, and demonstrated data center consulting, design, integrated development, and delivery capabilities with dozens of ecosystem partners including CIMC, Weichai, CSCEC, and Huashi.
On a special note, the Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD exhibition vehicle made its global debut. The Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD features one power system per container, outdoor deployment, plug-and-play, and high protection rating and reliability. It has become the preferred choice for decoupling the power supply architecture.
A single tree cannot make a forest.
AI is presenting great opportunities. By delving into the industry, aggregating partner ecosystems, and making innovations applicable to transformations, Huawei will continue to help customers build reliable computing infrastructure, accelerating the industry to embrace AI and powering the digital era forward.
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