The Ambi Climate Draws on Data from Sensors and User Feedback to Automatically Tweak a Room’s Ambient Temperature and Humidity

The Ambi Climate uses artificial intelligence (AI) software to generate temperature and humidity profiles and then collects and learns from actual user comfort feedback via a smartphone app to develop real world, year round profiles

By Robert Hoskins, Crowdfunding PR

Hong Kong – Optimizing AC use is not an easy task, which is why the Ambi Climate 2 makes use of artificial intelligence to personalize ambient conditions. Apparently, a lot of people loved the Ambi Climate unit’s value-added business proposition so much that Ambi Labs raised over HK$1,215,900 from 1,016 backers via its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that ended on June 22, 2017.

The Ambi Climate that Draws on Data from Sensors and User Feedback to Automatically Tweak a Room’s Ambient Temperature and Humidity

The Ambi Climate was created by Ambi Labs, a Hong Kong-based company founded by Julian Lee, Paul Sykes, and Tim Chang. They state their mission as being a sort of ‘leave no man behind’ approach to technology, wherein aged appliances are given a makeover using modern innovation. With the second edition of the Ambi Climate, the aim remains to make air conditioners more energy-efficient and customizable.

The device achieves that with the help of AI software, which studies user comfort and the corresponding conditions to create unique profiles for them. It finds out how comfortable a user is at any given time via a mobile app, where you can tell the device how much its estimation of your comfort level differs from what it actually is. As you do that over different months and passing seasons, the AI learns your individual preferences and optimizes the temperature accordingly.

While user feedback is one way the Ambi Climate tweaks its own operation, it isn’t the only way. The device uses a variety of sensors to track such factors as humidity and sunlight. It also gathers data from the Web to understand weather trends during that time of year, clothing people are most likely to have on, and temperature variations at different times of the day. It uses all this information to deliver the most appropriate climate control automatically. According to the creators, that leads to as much as 30 percent savings in power bills.

Ambi Climate can be paired with air conditioners using the Ambi Climate App, which is available for Android and iOS users. Once that’s done, you can place the device in view of the AC and leave it to do its thing. The app also enables a geo-location feature; the Ambi Climate finds out when you’re about to get home and fires up the AC, so conditions are perfect as you walk in. You can tie those features in with other smart home IOT paraphernalia thanks to IFTTT and Amazon Alexa integrations.

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Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins runs one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding PR, social media and marketing agencies that has amassed a huge social media following and is dedicated to supporting a wide variety of donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.

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Front Page PR Rolls Out Turnkey PR/Media Relations Service Portfolio for Franchises, Construction, Home Services (Solar & Energy Efficiency), Industrial, Manufacturing, and High-Tech Companies

For less than $5k per month, this leading public relations, social media and marketing firm will help startups, existing companies and corporations generate more website traffic and increase monthly sales

By Robert Hoskins

Maryville, Tennessee – Seeking a leading edge PR firm? Whether your company needs help generating publicity for a franchise’s Ripley’s Believe It or Not event or would benefit from generating positive PR publicity for a business-to-business (B2B) home service company that installs solar, saves money with home energy audits or offers HVAC tuneup services to help homeowners save money on monthly energy bills, Front Page PR can provide a cost-effective, turnkey growth-hacking marketing program for around $5,000+tax per month.

Front Page PR Rolls Out Turnkey PR/Media Relations Service Portfolio for Franchises, Construction, Home Services (Solar & Energy Efficiency), Industrial, Manufacturing, and High-Tech Companies

Front Page PR’s team of marketing experts can help growing companies write press releases, develop online press rooms, build social media networks, plan a digital advertising program, write search engine optimized blog pages for content marketing, generate precise databases of vertical B2B media contacts, write effective media pitches, build media relationships with the management team, find trade show panels discussion for subject matter experts to speak at and harvest email addresses for carefully-tailored email marketing programs. An excellent price for a full portfolio marketing services that is hard to beat and represents one of the most cost-effective deals in the B2B marketing industry.

“One of the most challenging decisions that most small companies face is hiring their first marketing consulting firm,” said Robert Hoskins, Front Page PR’s Director of PR and Media Relations. “Regardless of whether it’s a small startup seeking to gain market traction, a small business that wants to expand their existing business operations or a large corporation that is seeking merger and acquisition partners, our team of seasoned media relations experts can help any business move mountains with words and sway public persuasion with positive trade publication and business media interviews.”

“The average rate that most PR firms charge clients is $10,000 to $20,000 per month or $60,000 to $240,000 per year. The metric or question that all firms need to measure when evaluating their PR/media relations budget is, ‘Is my PR firm capable of generating at least $1 of media publicity for every $1 I spend on their PR consulting fees?’ ” Hoskins continued. “With that said, if a company can find a PR firm that can generate a 300% return-on-investment (ROI) for a budget of $60,000 per year, that’s equivalent to hiring three professional, seasoned marketing professionals, and/or receiving a minimum of $300,000 in positive, credible media exposure. Not many firms can deliver on this expectation, but our team can.”

Have an interest in learning more? Please give Front Page PR a call at (512) 627-6622 to learn more and to receive a free 30-minute review of your website, your social media credentials and an off-the-cuff review of what first steps might be taken to generate more website traffic, produce more business leads and how to help your sales team close deals on more new business. Front Page PR wants your business and is willing to work hard to earn your business, complete with a great ROI.

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Contact:
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Front Page PR
(512) 627-6622

OurCrowd, Motorola Solutions, Reliance Industries, and Yissum Launch Incubator, Accelerator to Give Jerusalem Startups a Competitive Edge

OurCrowd’s Incubator and Accelerator will focus on emerging startups using ‘frontier technologies’ including: big data, analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), fin-tech, storage, internet of things (IoT) and computer vision

By Robert Hoskins

Jerusalem, Israel –  OurCrowd Incubator announced new partnerships with Motorola Solutions, Reliance Industries and Yissum, to operate an innovation technology incubator to support growth of early stage startups in Jerusalem. With a long track record of startup investment in Jerusalem, and as a key player in the Israeli tech ecosystem, OurCrowd is a natural fit to lead the incubator team. The incubator will focus on frontier technologies such as big data, analytics, AI, fintech, storage, IoT and computer vision.

OurCrowd, Motorola Solutions and Reliance Industries Launch Israeli Incubator, Accelerator to Give Jerusalem Startups a Competitive Edge

The incubator will be based in OurCrowd’s Jerusalem headquarters, located in the JVP Media Quarter campus, founded by MK Erel Margalit. OurCrowd will lead the incubator consortium together with partners Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI), Reliance Industries (NSE: Reliance) and Yissum Technology Transfer Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In less than five years, OurCrowd has invested over $440M into 120 companies and eight funds. After vetting more than 6,000 companies and celebrating 13 exits, OurCrowd continues to lead the global equity crowdfunding sector for accredited investors, and make it one of the most active Venture Capitalists in the vibrant Israeli startup scene.

Jon Medved, OurCrowd’s CEO said, “We are proud to be strengthening the Jerusalem tech-ecosystem together with strong partners such as Motorola Solutions, Reliance Industries and Yissum. This represents a unique team with a global reach, incredible scale, and with deep technological, commercial and academic roots. We expect to invest in close to 50 companies over the next 10 years and further grow the formidable cadre of Jerusalem startups.”

The incubator will be part of the world famous Israeli incubator program administered by Israel’s National Innovation Authority (formerly the office of the Chief Scientist).

Eduardo Conrado, Executive Vice President, Strategy & Innovation Office, for Motorola Solutions said, “In today’s technology environment, strong partnerships and strategic investments help accelerate innovation. The Jerusalem incubator is one element of our Israel innovation hub, which is focused on developing advanced solutions in artificial intelligence, cyber security and other fields. We are proud to be part of this important project and look forward to working with OurCrowd, Reliance and Yissum on the future of public safety technology.”

“Reliance Industries is excited to further its long-term commitment to Israel by partnering with Israel Innovation Authority jointly with OurCrowd, Motorola and Hebrew University for the Jerusalem Incubator,” said the spokesperson from Reliance Industries Limited. “We are confident of Israeli start-ups offering unique value proposition by delivering next-gen digital services. We believe the incredible technological innovation from Israel will gain immensely by addressing the huge Indian market riding on the nationwide 4G LTE digital infrastructure setup in India by Jio. This will be a significant win-win for both India and Israel.”

OurCrowd is the leading global equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors. Managed by a team of seasoned investment professionals and led by serial entrepreneur Jon Medved, OurCrowd vets and selects opportunities, invests its own capital, and brings companies to its accredited membership of global investors. OurCrowd provides post-investment support to its portfolio companies, assigns industry experts as mentors, and takes board seats. The OurCrowd community of almost 20,000 investors from over 112 countries has invested over $440M into 120 portfolio companies and funds. OurCrowd already has thirteen exits to date, two IPO’s and eleven acquisitions.

Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) creates innovative, mission-critical communication solutions and services that help public safety and commercial customers build safer cities and thriving communities. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is India’s largest private sector company, with a consolidated turnover of $ 50.9 billion and net profit of $ 4.6 billion for the year ended March 31, 2017. RIL’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, retail and 4G digital services.

Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd. was founded in 1964 to protect and commercialize Hebrew University’s intellectual property. Products based on Hebrew University technologies that have been commercialized by Yissum currently generate $2 Billion in annual sales. Ranked among the top technology transfer companies in the world, Yissum has registered over 9,325 patents covering 2,600 inventions; has licensed out 880 technologies and has spun out 110 companies including Mobileye, BriefCam, CollPlant and Qlight Nanotech. Yissum’s business partners span the globe and include companies such as Syngenta, Monsanto, Roche, Novartis, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Intel, Teva and many more.

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Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins runs one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding PR, social media and marketing agencies that has amassed a huge social media following and is dedicated to supporting a wide variety of donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.

 

XChime “Smart” Video Doorbell Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign Allows Homeowners to See Who’s at the Front and Garage Doors via Smartphone App

Affordability combined with new video doorbell features such as garage door opener and add-on smart light bulb extend safety to front and garage doors

By Robert Hoskins

Chicago, Illinois – Home security and automation just got a bit smarter with the launch of Xchime’s Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. With video doorbells being a key part of any home safety setup, Xchime aims to broaden the usefulness by adding convenience and security features such as a garage door opener and smart light bulb integration. Soon after it’s launch, Xchime has exceeded its goal by 200% having raised $45,526 from 431 backers and is already 100% funded with first units expected to ship quickly by August 2017.

XChime Smart Video Doorbell Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign Allows Homeowners to See Who’s at the Front Door or Garage Door from Anywhere via a Smartphone App

Expand Beyond the Front Door

Garages are one of the entry points for criminals, typically when home owners forget to (completely) close the garage door. With an additional Xchime unit set up in the garage, instantly view the status of your garage door from your mobile device. Open or close it with one touch from our mobile app, using the optional garage door opener kit add-on accessory. Light is also a major deterrent to would-be thieves. Integrate your smart light bulbs with Xchime to remotely turn on or off exterior lights.

Say Goodbye to Lag

Lag time is a common complaint with other video doorbells. Anyone who’s used one knows the frustration of having a 7 or 8 second delay from when someone pushes the doorbell to when you can see and hear what’s going on. Xchime’s crack team of engineers worked hard to significantly reduce lag time, getting it closer to real-time.

Fits Any Budget

Leading video doorbells range from $199 to $249. Early backers of Xchime can get units for only $129 each, making the Xchime a perfect fit for any home budget.

Xchime features also include:

• HD video (1080p)
• Two-way audio
• Video live-view and communication
• Latency (lag)-free streaming
• Night vision
• Wide-view angle
• Cloud recording
• Wide operating temperature range (-40F to 150F)
• Dual power supply (16-24VAC & 12-24VDC)

The Xchime Story

Xchime isn’t your typical inventor in a garage. The company boasts experienced engineers with backgrounds from Motorola and Qualcomm, along with seed funding from Ufrate and other angel investors to the tune of $420,000. “To fit in each doorframe, Xchime uses the standard rectangular shape design similar to other doorbells on the market, but what makes it stand out from competitors is what’s on the inside,” says CEO Gary Bi. “Our team used our experience in Real-Time Communications to reduce the lag that other video doorbells have, fulfilling the promise of almost instant views of who’s at your door. And why stop there? Home security is about the entire perimeter, not just the front door. Our add-ons mean you can secure your garage and control lights through Xchime for more peace of mind.”

Get your early units of Xchime now at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/xchime-doorbell-watch-your-home-from-your-phone.

# # #

Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins runs one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding PR, social media and marketing agencies that has amassed a huge social media following and is dedicated to supporting a wide variety of donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.

 

 

Lucca Bozzi Launches Solar Wallet – Sails 850% Past Its @Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign Goal of $5,000

Solar Wallet incorporates advanced charging technologies and an integrated charging cable for the internal power bank and solar cell, to extend mobile devices’ battery life up to 10 hours

By Robert Hoskins

San Francisco, California – Lucca Bozzi introduced its Solar Wallet on Kickstarter, a luxury wallet that gives users the power to freely charge their devices on the go using solar power.

Solar Wallet is a intelligent technology gadget that serves as portable charging system and wallet

“The most frequently carried daily devices are the phone and wallet. Your phone has consistently evolved over the past years, but why hasn’t your wallet?” said Seva Mouler, Lucca Bozzi’s Co-Founder and CEO. “Our focus has been creating a beautiful, timeless design while also working with the top engineers to perfect a piece the majority of the world carries daily.”

Solar Wallet is a modern interpretation of the classic bi-fold wallet that incorporates advanced charging technologies and an integrated charging cable for the internal power bank and solar cell, to extend mobile devices’ battery life up to 10 hours.

With a patent-pending construction, the wallet maintains thinness, durability and a lightweight design. Originating from the internal power bank is the custom integrated charging cable that is compatible with USB-C, Apple Lightning and Micro-USB devices. The charging cable tucks inside the stow-away compartment eliminating cable-hassle and the need to bring an external cord.

The wallet’s solar component offers yet another source for battery life. “One of our many aims for Solar Wallet was to encourage the use of sustainable energy in our everyday life,” Mouler adds. Users are able to cultivate renewable energy through any light source; e.g. sun coming through the windows of your home and even through lightbulbs in the workplace.

“In a time where we rely on our tech more every day, we sought to create a versatile wallet that addressed the unique and evolving charging needs of the millennial, while maintaining the luxury of a designer wallet,” said Mouler.

The Solar Wallet campaign was launched on Kickstarter on April 5 and is over 850% funded after 1 week. Estimated shipping is December 2017.

Solar Wallet Features Include:

• Internal power bank for +10 hours of extra charge
• RFID protection against electronic data theft
• Android to Apple connectivity – use a micro-USB cable to charge an iPhone or iPad
• Intelligent Charge – passthrough charge auto-optimizes between mobile device & wallet
• Quickdraw access for most used cards
• Integrated charging cable
• Compatible with USB-C, Apple Lightning and Micro-USB
• Solar rechargeable – harness the power of the sun and any light source
• Spring loaded money clip for cash storage
• Storage for up to eight cards
• Super slim and lightweight
• 100% genuine Nappa leather

Solar Wallet can be purchased on Kickstarter for an early bird discounted rate of only $99 for a limited time. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $199.

Lucca Bozzi is a company focused on creating fine Italian leather products that incorporate progressive technology, yet maintain the essence of their classic design. Their guiding philosophy is to develop products that evolve and optimize users’ everyday carry.

# # #

Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins is considered one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding experts that has amassed a huge social media following, which is dedicated to supporting donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.

IBM, Indiegogo and Arrow Electronics Partner to Fuel the Next Generation of Internet of Things with Crowdfunding

Entrepreneurs to Get Free Access to IBM’s Watson IoT Platform and Discounts on Cloud Services

By Robert Hoskins

Munich, Germany – IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced a partnership with Indiegogo and Arrow Electronics (NYSE: ARW) to help bring new Internet of Things (IoT) ideas to life. This collaboration brings IBM’s Watson IoT platform and cloud services together with ideation to production services from Arrow Electronics and Indiegogo – the world’s largest crowd sourced funding platform with more than $1.1 billion raised.

IBM, Indiegogo and Arrow Electronics Partner to Fuel the Next Generation of Internet of Things Startups

Now, qualified Indiegogo entrepreneurs will have no-charge access to IBM Watson IoT Platform via Bluemix for an unlimited amount of time, giving them access to more than 160 industry-leading cloud services to incorporate ready-to-use capabilities, such as artificial intelligence, Blockchain, advanced data analytics and cyber security into their latest IoT inventions. In addition, qualified startups will have access to IBM’s global network of technical and industry expertise, education, mentoring and enterprise customers and business partners, all of which can help to bring new and innovative IoT products to market quickly.

“We’re very excited to be partnering with Arrow and IBM to help entrepreneurs bring their wildest IoT dreams to life,” said David Mandelbrot, CEO of Indiegogo. “We know that fundraising is only one piece of the entrepreneurial puzzle, and by working together with IBM and Arrow we’ll be able to continue making it easier for entrepreneurs to bring their ideas all the way from concept to market.”

Experts predict that by 2022, the IoT landscape will be worth $14.2 trillion.¹ A critical driver to this growth will be entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses which, while armed with ideas, lack the resources and skills to develop these next-generation IoT innovations and bring them to market.

Early examples of Arrow Certified Indiegogo IoT startup projects include:

• Fitly, which created Smart Plate, the first intelligent nutrition platform that instantly analyzes and tracks what you eat. An industry first, Smart Plate was developed with support from Arrow and IBM Cloud, and was successfully funded on Indiegogo.
• PlayDate, a startup that launched on Indiegogo, created the first smart ball for pets that lets owners interact with their dogs and cats from anywhere in the world. The PlayDate team ran the highest grossing pet tech crowdfunding campaign to date, but used Indiegogo for much more than just funding. They were one of the first campaigns to get Arrow-certified, a badge of approval on their manufacturing plans, and they received $100,000 in flash funding as well as engineering design support. “Arrow and Indiegogo’s support was incredibly valuable,” said Kevin Li, CEO at PlayDate. “Our campaign with Indiegogo opened doors with partners and acted as market validation for investors. Indiegogo and Arrow partnering with IBM will be a huge benefit for entrepreneurs using the platform.”

Through this partnership, IBM, Indiegogo and Arrow are removing key barriers and providing the expertise, resources and funding that entrepreneurs need to develop innovative new connected products and quickly and cost-effectively bring them to market. Combining IBM’s powerful cognitive capabilities with Indiegogo’s entrepreneur platform and Arrow’s end-to-end technology design and production expertise will rapidly increase the volume and quality of IoT devices in market and help fuel a new generation of entrepreneurs.

“Entrepreneurs and startups play a vital role in creating the next generation of businesses – their drive, innovation and passion for bringing new ideas to life is particularly important in building the IoT,” said Harriet Green, General Manager Watson IoT. “We are thrilled to partner with Indiegogo and Arrow Electronics to accelerate IoT innovation and development around the world working hand in hand with some of the best and brightest entrepreneurs, developers and startups to build an even better IoT.”

In addition to IBM’s benefits, Arrow provides qualified Indiegogo campaigns with up to $500,000 in benefits, such as component parts, online product design and prototyping tools, comprehensive technical reviews with Arrow engineers, manufacturing and supply chain services and sustainable recycling. As the only global technology company capable of providing comprehensive, sensor-to-sensor, full IoT product lifecycle solutions, Arrow is uniquely positioned to guide the biggest names in technology, and startups and makers alike, along their IoT production journey.

“IBM will take our groundbreaking collaboration with Indiegogo to a whole new level, helping us reach more entrepreneurs and get their innovative products to market quickly and cost-effectively,” said Arrow’s Chief Digital Officer Matt Anderson. “As one of the world’s largest providers of electronic and IT products and services in the world, Arrow has the breadth of resources and depth of expertise to successfully shepherd promising entrepreneurs along their path to market. Arrow engineers around the world are eager to collaborate with Indiegogo entrepreneurs on cutting-edge tech designs that incorporate the best that IBM’s Watson IoT and cloud services have to offer.”

IBM made the announcement at its first-ever Genius of Things Summit at the company’s Watson IoT headquarters in Munich, where customers, partners and influencers gathered to examine how Watson clients are implementing IoT solutions that drive exceptional outcomes. Around the globe, IBM is working with more than 6,000 clients, across industries, to help them truly realize the benefits of IoT. For more information, please visit:on IBM Watson IoT

Originally launched as a crowdfunding platform, Indiegogo is the place for entrepreneurs to move their ideas quickly from concept to market. Entrepreneurs on Indiegogo are able to showcase their ideas directly to users, take orders for products early in their lifecycle and ultimately build direct relationships with their first customers. Indiegogo is the platform of choice for early stage entrepreneurs and the creative teams of some of the most successful consumer product companies in the world. The company was launched in 2008 and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles and New York.

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Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins is considered one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding experts that has amassed a huge social media following, which is dedicated to supporting donation-, rewards- and equity-based crowdfunding campaigns.

Chinese Entrepreneurship Global Study Shows Staggering Increase in Shenzhen and Hong Kong Entrepreneur Activities Compared to 64 Competitive Countries Worldwide

Experts advocate the two cities join force in formation of complementary advantages to foster international competitiveness for entrepreneurship

By Robert Hoskins

Hong Kong, China – New research released by the professors of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School’s Center for Entrepreneurship (CfE) and Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)’s School of Business shows that entrepreneurship in Hong Kong and Shenzhen is on the rise.

A collaborative effort by CUHK CfE, HKBU School of Business, the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Business and Economics, Shenzhen Academy of Social Science and Savantas Policy Research Institute, the research titled “Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Hong Kong and Shenzhen Report 2016-17” provides a detailed analysis of the current status of entrepreneurship in Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

The GEM Study Compares the Results with Past Indicators for Ecosystems and Provides an International Benchmark with 64 Other Economies Worldwide

The study compares the results with past indicators for both ecosystems and provides an international benchmark with 65 economies worldwide. It is part of the global initiative, 180-page Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Research Report, the world’s foremost comparative entrepreneurship study and a trusted resource on entrepreneurship for key international organizations such as the United Nations, World Economic Forum, World Bank and more.

In the recent few years, Hong Kong and Shenzhen have experienced an explosive growth in the start-up support ecosystem. The GEM Hong Kong and Shenzhen Report 2016-17 shows that the start-up rates recorded a staggering increase in Hong Kong and Shenzhen from 2009 to 2016. In mid-2016, the early-stage entrepreneurial activity among the adult population was estimated at 9.44 percent (3.64 percent in 2009) in Hong Kong and 16.04 percent (4.8 percent in 2009) in Shenzhen.

The growth has been driven by a rapid increase in Shenzhen’s new (+284 percent) and Hong Kong’s growth in nascent businesses (+206 percent) in comparison with 2009 statistics. The prevalence rates of established businesses recorded an increase as well: +389 percent for Shenzhen and +109 percent for Hong Kong. It is worth noting that while entrepreneurship rates are on the rise in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, they are declining in other places in China. Both cities have developed a separate start-up culture and entrepreneurial ecosystem that operate independently from the rest of the Mainland.

The positive changes were not limited to early entrepreneurship rates only. The research team also observed a major shift in attitudes and entrepreneurial intentions. In particular, 56.8 percent of the adult population perceives start-up opportunities in Hong Kong. In Shenzhen, the same proportion of individuals who declared they possessed necessary skills and knowledge to start a new business (35.8 percent), also reported their intention to start a business in the next two years (36 percent).

Comparing to 2009, the population with entrepreneurial intentions in Hong Kong grew from 7.3 percent to 19.7 percent in 2016, representing an impressive increase of +170 percent. Similarly, in Shenzhen the intentions grew from 17.6 percent to 36 percent, an increase of +105 percent. According to the study, cultural conditioning and attitudes towards entrepreneurship, perception of own skills, and exposure to entrepreneurship practices all had a positive impact on intentions to start businesses. Successful entrepreneurs are also regaining their high status and are promoted by local media in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

In terms of financial support, Hong Kong early-stage firms have lower capital requirements than that of their Shenzhen counterparts, which may be related to the lower technological intensity of Hong Kong firms. 92 percent of nascent entrepreneurs in the two cities declared that their principal source of financial support was their own savings. The role of the family in financing new ventures is still significant in Shenzhen, but not so much in Hong Kong.

Banks are also more supportive of startups in Shenzhen than in Hong Kong and so are venture capitalists, which could be explained by a higher prevalence of start-ups with profound market impact. In Hong Kong, on the other hand, crowdfunding is more prevalent as the source of capital for early-stage businesses, a sign of a more established product innovation.

Aligned with higher entrepreneurship rates, the research team also found a growing culture of informal investors developing in both cities. Shenzhen observed a much higher informal investment prevalence rate (20.5 percent) than Hong Kong (6.5 percent) of the adult population. In fact, Hong Kong and Shenzhen informal investors were two of the most generous among all economies in the study with a contribution of US$70,565 and US$76,112 respectively.

The study has also recorded a dramatic change in investment patterns for Shenzhen. While in 2009 individuals were rather investing in family members, in 2016, friends and neighbors had been the first choice which was aligned with that of Hong Kong.

In addition, the research team interviewed 39 Hong Kong and 37 Shenzhen experts in the field of entrepreneurship about their opinions on how the cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen that would increase the cities’ international competitiveness. The most frequent recommendation was to leverage the natural industry compatibilities between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Other recommendations include:

• Joint development of industries such as Internet-of-Things, Smart City, Health Tech, Edu Tech, Fintech or E-commerce
• Joint R&D initiatives aiming at cross-border innovation, sharing of talents and intensification of knowledge exchange
• Introduction of joint or cross-border education to develop a shared cultural understanding of each other through opening more world-class academic institutions catering to students from both sides of the border
• Coordinating government policies for entrepreneurship between the two economies, e.g. joint visas for entrepreneurs that would facilitate cross-border operations of many start-ups

“If Hong Kong and Shenzhen join forces in the formation of complementary advantages on entrepreneurship, it would strengthen the international and Mainland competitiveness for both,” said Prof. Kevin Au, Associate Director of CUHK CfE and Associate Professor of the Department of Management at CUHK Business School. “This can be the first step towards the development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen megalopolis.”

“Hong Kong and Shenzhen are facing a fantastic opportunity: that of being in the perfect position to build a highly unique and internationally competitive start-up hub with an unparalleled ecosystem compatibility between the two cities and a supportive informal investment culture,” said Dr. Marta K. Dowejko, Research Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship of the Department of Management at HKBU School of Business. “While Shenzhen’s start-ups are well geared to deliver innovative ideas with high growth potential, Hong Kong’s entrepreneurs possess the know-how in taking ideas to the next level and ensuring their long-term sustainability. The results from this year’s GEM report give testament to this unique setup that no other place in the world has.”

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Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins is considered one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding experts that has amassed a huge social media following, which is dedicated to supporting donation-, rewards- and equity-based crowdfunding campaigns.

 

Fantem Unveils IndieGoGo Crowdfunding Campaign Offering New Oomi, the World’s First Z-Wave Smart Home Built for Everyone

Oomi’ s Z-Wave MultiSensors gives customers more insight into what is going on inside of their domicile by detecting motion, temperature, light, UV rays, vibrations and humidity

By Robert Hoskins

Chicago, IL – Fantem announces Indiegogo campaign featuring it new Oomi Smart Home System, which includes a new, redesigned controller and a unique multisensor. The new controller, Oomi Touch, is encased in edge-to-edge glass and includes both tactile buttons and capacitive touch controls, offering control of smart home devices as well as television and music. Oomi Multisensor not only detects motion, but also temperature, light and humidity, and more, adding versatility to the home automation system already set apart by intuitive control and ease of use.

Oomi’s patent pending Tap-and-Touch™ technology sets Oomi apart from other systems by allowing for effortless setup and configuration. Oomi Cube, a hub with unrivaled functionality built on the Z-Wave Wireless Mesh Network Technology, instantly recognizes all system accessories and sensors without programming. Self-learning algorithms and adaptive automation allow the system to learn the user’s habits, schedules and preferences to deliver a new level of whole home control.

Oomis Z-Wave MultiSensors gives customers more insight into what is going on inside of their domicile

The latest Oomi smart home technology is available now for preorder on Indiegogo. The campaign offers three bundles, each based on Oomi Cube and Oomi Touch. Bundles also come with a choice of Oomi accessories, allowing contributors to create their ideal smart home.

Oomi bundles include:

• Oomi Cube plus the choice of one of three Oomi Z-Wave accessories ($279) – limited time pricing
• Oomi Cube and three Oomi Z-Wave accessories, plus the choice of Oomi Streamer or Oomi Air ($439) – limited time pricing
• Oomi Cube, both Oomi premium accessories, and a choice of nine Oomi Z-Wave accessories ($699)

Oomi Z-Wave technology-enabled accessories include:

• Oomi Multisensor. Comprised of a motion, temperature, humidity and ambient light senor, Oomi Multisensor can be mounted, recessed, or placed on a shelf and is 70 percent smaller than leading sensors.
• Oomi Plug. Wirelessly control home accessories and monitor energy consumption, all with a tiny 56mm x 56mm x 42mm wall outlet. The light band on Oomi Plug changes color to display energy use, offering real-time energy monitoring.
• Oomi Bulb. Control light output, including shade, just by screwing in this RGB bulb. With the ability to render millions of colors, the Oomi Bulb offers brilliant color or white for perfect ambiance any time of the day or night.

Oomi premium accessories include:

• Oomi Streamer. Plug the Oomi Streamer into your TV’s HDMI port and instantly access the Internet and HD video.
• Oomi Air. Monitor airborne pollutants that cause risks to you and your family and record environmental quality.

Lead by Fantem chief executive officer, Winston Cheng, the creators of Oomi boast experience in the smart home space spanning over a decade. Before founding Fantem, Cheng was a vice president at Aeon Labs, the creators of Z-Wave products, and also served as a software engineer for companies such as Zensys and Quantum3D. With its first product Oomi, Fantem seeks to facilitate consumer adoption of smart home technology by removing the complexity and frustration associated with existing systems.

Fantem is a developer of innovative products and solutions for the home. It is dedicated to the worldwide consumer adoption of smart home technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) through the development of home automation solutions that remove the complexity and frustration associated with existing systems.

Together with its global team of experts and partners, Fantem set out to create the first smart home management system that is not only the easiest to install, set-up, and use, but also the first smart home system that is actually smart.

The result of this effort, Oomi, is set to revolutionize the future of home automation, not only by positively impacting upon multiple areas (home safety and security, home environment and home entertainment) of users’ home lives, but by also making it accessible to the everyone – “a system designed for the rest of us!” Fantem is based in Chicago with offices and strategic partners spanning four continents.

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