Management
PRnewswire | August 21, 2023
Network services and consumer experience pioneer Plume® and Portuguese service provider NOS have expanded their partnership, to successfully launch a new service 'Wi-Fi Pro' powered by Plume WorkPass®. This new offering provides small business owners (SBOs) with a cloud-driven suite of connectivity, productivity, and security services to optimize network performance and provide the operational insights needed to fuel growth.
Wi-Fi Pro provides users with optimized connectivity, network control, best-in-class hardware, AI-powered cyber security, and real-time operational insights that can help small business owners and their employees thrive. This latest service expansion builds on the successful rollout of the multi-award-winning 'Wi-Fi Total' powered by Plume HomePass®.
Enabling access to a growing suite of services, Wi-Fi Pro has been purpose-built from the ground up to address the specific needs of small businesses without the cost or complexity of enterprise solutions. Services include Concierge® which provides guest analytics to generate actionable insights, and Keycard to help managers understand employee behavior to improve workplace security and engagement. The service can be easily installed and managed through the WorkPass mobile and desktop apps. Key features and benefits of the new service include: • Link™: Reliable, self-optimizing adaptive WiFi for every corner of the business. • Shield™: Protect data and block threats with AI-based, enterprise-grade security. • Concierge: Control guest networks, security settings, device access, and more. • Flow™: Real-time motion awareness for added peace of mind. • Keycard: Remotely manage staff 24/7–create profiles, set security controls, and monitor individuals' time at work.
The flexible solution addresses a wide range of small business connectivity needs, with a single monthly fee and free installation and optimization. The package also includes up to 10 Plume-designed SuperPod® access points that include the latest high-capacity WiFi 6E technology and enable NOS to flexibly cater to different business footprints in its offering. Wi-Fi Pro integrates seamlessly with Plume's Haystack® Support Suite, enabling NOS's operations team to deliver the proactive support that small business subscribers need.
"We are very excited to develop our partnership with NOS and expand the reach of their connectivity services solutions to include an underserved customer segment," said Fahri Diner, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Plume. "For too long small businesses have had to rely on technology that's either over-engineered or self-built kludges that are susceptible to failure and time-consuming to manage. We're delighted to partner with NOS and bring a purpose-built solution to market that caters to the actual needs of the small business."
"We have successfully partnered with Plume for over two years to bring a differentiated and multi-award-winning WiFi service to homes in Portugal and Madeira," said João Ricardo Moreira, Board Member of NOS Comunicações. "Through Wi-Fi Pro powered by WorkPass, we can target small business owners who need a right-sized solution that not only brings fast, secure, and reliable connectivity but also provides the intelligence and insights needed to help their operations thrive."
About Plume
Plume is the creator of the world's first SaaS experience platform for Communications Service Providers (CSPs) and their subscribers, deployed in more than 50 million locations globally. As the only open and hardware-independent, cloud-controlled solution, Plume enables the rapid delivery of new services for smart homes, small businesses, and beyond at massive scale. On the front end, Plume delivers self-optimizing, adaptive WiFi, cyber-security, access and parental controls, and more. CSPs get robust data- and AI-driven back-end applications for unprecedented visibility, insights, support, operations, and marketing. Plume leverages OpenSync®, an open-source framework that comes pre-integrated and supported on the leading silicon, CPE, and platform SDKs.
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Finance
PRnewswire | July 28, 2023
Cowbell, a leading provider of cyber insurance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), today announced that it has joined the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cyber Insurance Partner Initiative.
Participation in this initiative demonstrates that Cowbell has deep expertise in serving SME customers with cyber insurance coverage tailored to their unique needs. As an AWS Cyber Insurance Partner, Cowbell's solution has been vetted by AWS for its ability to streamline the quoting process using thorough cyber risk assessments that leverage risk signals from AWS Security Hub. Policyholders will immediately benefit from the wealth of risk management resources bundled with every Cowbell-issued policy.
"We are excited to be joining the AWS Cyber Insurance Initiative as a trusted provider of cyber insurance solutions for SME customers," said Jack Kudale, founder and CEO of Cowbell. "This achievement further validates our expertise in helping businesses effectively manage cyber risks and close the insurability gap. We are committed to serving AWS customers by offering tailored cyber insurance coverage and a wealth of risk management resources to protect their businesses."
Despite cyber insurance being the fastest growing line of business in recent history, four out of five SMEs are still uninsured or underinsured for cyber. By working with AWS, Cowbell is extending its reach into cloud-first businesses, working with its appointed broker partners to close the insurability gap and deliver cyber risk transfer tailored to the needs of AWS customers in the SME market.
AWS enables scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions from startups to global enterprises. To support the seamless adoption of cyber insurance coverage, AWS established the AWS Cyber Insurance Partner Initiative to help customers identify AWS Partners with deep industry experience and expertise.
About Cowbell
Cowbell is a pioneer of Adaptive Cyber Insurance, a leader in providing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) coverage adaptable to today's and tomorrow's threats and the advanced warning of cyber risk exposures. In its unique AI-based approach to risk selection and pricing, Cowbell's continuous underwriting platform, powered by Cowbell Factors, compresses the insurance process from submission to issue in less than 5 minutes. Cowbell is backed by 20 prominent leading global (re)insurance partners and serves SMEs in 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 2019, Cowbell is based in the San Francisco Bay Area with employees across the U.S., Canada, India, and the U.K.
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Technology
Business Wire | August 25, 2023
Small businesses are engines of economic growth in local communities and are facing challenges with growing or enhancing their operations due to surging borrowing costs in a high-interest rate environment. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) responds with a two-pronged approach, announcing expanded discounted lending and grants:
• 0% interest-rate subsidy increased to $10 million from $2 million through year-end with the Community Small Business Advance. FHLBank Chicago member financial institutions can provide significantly below-market rate loans to business owners in low- and moderate-income communities. Eligible small businesses qualify by either annual receipts or number of employees, based on U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) regulations.
• Grants of up to $25,000 per small business to be awarded for a second year through Community First® Accelerate Grants for Small Business to support a variety of purposes, including purchase or improvement of property, equipment, workforce development, and technology. FHLBank Chicago members may submit grant applications on behalf of eligible small businesses with which they have had a business relationship for at least 12 months through competitive funding round open now through September 22, 2023.
“Small businesses provide much needed jobs, services, and resources that drive growth in rural, urban, and small town communities,” said Carolyn Jaw, Executive Vice President, Group Head, Sales, Strategy, and Solutions, FHLBank Chicago. “Local businesses in our members’ communities have worked hard to rebound from difficult years with strong economic headwinds. This combination of solutions offers unique and timely capital support, not just to sustain their businesses but to grow, especially in times of rising interest rates.”
Fayco Enterprises, Inc. (Fayco), a Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) provider in Greenville, Illinois, recently received a low-cost loan from Bradford National Bank that was made possible by the Community Small Business Advance. This zero-rate advance positioned Bradford National Bank to, in turn, extend a favorable interest rate to Fayco for the construction of a 6-bedroom, service-enriched, group home for developmentally disabled individuals in Greeneville. This project, which operates with support through the Department of Human Services’ Division of Developmental Disabilities, will provide residents with stable, supportive housing that facilitates well-being and independence.
“Fayco serves an incredible purpose in society and is a huge asset to our region. This is going to be a place to call home for many individuals for years and years to come. We were honored to be able to assist Fayco with this project, and grateful for the partnership with FHLBank Chicago,” said Chris Barth, Assistant Vice President, Bradford National Bank. “Having an option like the Community Small Business Advance available in our community means that residential support businesses like Fayco have a low-cost source of funding available locally.”
In addition to the increased and ongoing low-cost loan support for small businesses, grants also prove instrumental for business owners seeking to grow or enhance their operations but lacking access to the capital needed to do so. Deerfield Coffeehouse in Dane County, Wisconsin, owned by Teresa Pelletier, received a Community First Accelerate Grant for Small Business in 2022 to support improvements to her building to make it more inviting to customers. The coffee shop serves as a gathering place for families, but when she started hearing from new customers that the building was tough to find due to its appearance and signage, she knew she needed help.
Pelletier’s local banker, Ben Mlsna, Senior Vice President, Bank of Deerfield, connected her to the funding opportunity and she received a $25,000 grant for building upgrades, and a 5% match from Bank of Deerfield. “It’s very important to have money invested in small businesses because they are the backbone of a small community like ours,” said Mlsna. “Keeping small businesses downtown on your main street really just strengthens the community as a whole.”
About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
FHLBank Chicago is a regional bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. FHLBanks are government-sponsored enterprises created by Congress to ensure access to low-cost funding for their member financial institutions, with a focus on providing solutions that support the housing and community development needs of members’ customers. FHLBank Chicago is a self-capitalizing cooperative, owned by its Illinois and Wisconsin members, including commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, savings institutions and community development financial institutions.
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