Small Business Trends

Accenture Federal Services Names Bravium Consulting, Inc. 2022 Small Business of the Year

Accenture Federal Services | October 20, 2022 | Read time : 01:40 min

Accenture Federal Services Names Bravium Consulting, Inc.
Accenture Federal Services (AFS), a subsidiary of Accenture has named Bravium Consulting, Inc. its 2022 Small Business of the Year. Bravium is a Rockville, Maryland-based IT consultancy and a minority-owned, woman-owned small business.Bravium provides top-tier support for a number of our programs, including our work with the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,” said AFS CEO John Goodman. Bravium consistently provides exceptional contract performance in the areas of client requirements and deliverables. Throughout their client engagements this year, Bravium particularly showed an impressive ability to stand-up teams with Pegasystems skillsets. Bravium, an authorized Pega partner, works with AFS to deliver AI-powered workflow solutions for federal clients. Bravium also developed a ServiceNow Best Practices Engine that Accenture Federal Services successfully used with some of its largest clients. Bravium has previously been recognized as ServiceNow Americas Partner of the Year.

“Our small business partnerships are at the heart of achieving mission success for our clients and Bravium is an exceptional, innovative partner,Accenture Federal Services is committed to helping small businesses like Bravium thrive, as it broadens opportunities for a sector that has been traditionally underrepresented. Partnerships like these also bring a diversity of perspectives to solve client challenges.”

Elaine Beeman, AFS Chief Leadership Officer and Civilian Portfolio Lead. 

We’re incredibly proud of our amazing ten-year partnership with Accenture Federal Services,said Bravium CEO, Christine Nuessle. “We could not be more honored to receive this recognition.

About Accenture Federal Services
Accenture Federal Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Accenture LLP, is a U.S. company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Accenture’s federal business serves every cabinet-level department and 30 of the largest federal organizations. Accenture Federal Services transforms bold ideas into breakthrough outcomes for clients at defense, national security, public safety, civilian and military health organizations. Visit us at accenturefederal.com.

About Accenture
Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Technology and Operations services and Accenture Song — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 721,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities.

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IDEAS

Carver's Microloan Program Paves the Path for NYC's Small Businesses

Carver Federal Savings Bank | September 25, 2023

Carver Federal Savings Bank, a certified Minority Depository Institution (MDI) and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) is driving economic empowerment for small businesses in New York City through its innovative microloan program. This program plays a crucial role in facilitating entrepreneurs' access to capital for business expansion in the post-pandemic era. Carver employs algorithm-based software, transcending the limitations historically imposed by traditional credit scores, which have hindered the borrowing eligibility and capacity of black and brown entrepreneurs. The ongoing challenges small businesses face in Carver's community persistently weigh them down amidst economic headwinds. Notably, 41% of small businesses owned by black and brown entrepreneurs have either shuttered or are on the brink of closure due to the financial hardships stemming from the pandemic. Furthermore, it is worth highlighting that approximately 45 million adults in the United States lack traditional credit scores. Carver's microloan program fills a crucial void by providing essential capital ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to small business entrepreneurs. This initiative addresses the longstanding challenges associated with securing small-dollar loans and capital in Carver's communities. The bank's dedicated efforts are yielding tangible results, invigorating local economic activity. Michael T. Pugh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carver Federal Savings Bank, said: "Carver's mission is to provide access to capital and to be champions for the underserved community in New York City." [Source – Cision PR Newswire] He mentioned that their microloan program represented an opportunity for them to assist small businesses in recovering from the pandemic and economic downturns while working towards a prosperous future. Pugh further expressed gratitude to Charter Communications, Webster Bank, UBS, M&T Bank, and all their partners who had played a crucial role in the successful launch of their new microloan program. About Carver Bancorp, Inc. Carver Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Carver Federal Savings Bank, a renowned federally chartered stock savings bank. Headquartered in Harlem, New York, the company was established in 1948 with the mission to serve African-American communities where businesses, residents, and institutions had limited access to mainstream financial services. Recognized by the U.S. Treasury Department as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Carver stands out for its community-centric banking services and unwavering commitment to enhancing the economic vitality and revitalization of its local community. The company holds the distinction of being one of the largest African- and Caribbean-American-managed banks in the United States.

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SMALL BUSINESS TRENDS

NEXT Revolutionizes Small Business Coverage with Coverage Builder

NEXT Insurance | September 20, 2023

NEXT Insurance, a renowned digital small business insurer, recently unveiled an innovative new offering that will empower agents to tailor coverage quotes precisely to the unique needs of their small business clientele. NEXT's Coverage Builder represents a significant advancement in granting agents the capability to finely customize small business insurance quotes while still retaining NEXT's hallmark instant bind capabilities. Coverage Builder is designed to be swift, user-friendly, and exclusively tailored for agents before purchase, equipping them with the necessary tools to choose suitable limits and maintain complete control over the coverage they're quoting. With the introduction of Coverage Builder, agents can set their base policy limits, add or remove specific coverage, or adjust limits post-purchase. This functionality, combined with the convenience of instant underwriting and pricing updates, not only saves agents valuable time but also enables them to make adjustments instantly without the need to pick up the phone, eliminating the need for direct communication with an underwriter. This represents NEXT's ongoing commitment to supporting its agents, offering them a digitally driven quoting experience that is user-friendly, accessible, and 100% online. Additionally, Coverage Builder will be accessible to all NEXT customers post-purchase, enabling small business owners to tailor their policies with immediate pricing adjustments and seamless policy management. Cody L Slocum Lammers, Commercial Lines Agent & Broker at Affordable Insurance Solutions, commented, NEXT's Coverage Builder feature is 100% hassle-free. This new feature sets NEXT Insurance to a new level, above its competitors, as this allows agents the flexibility to customize policies to fit the needs of each individual small business. It's user-friendly and simple to understand- this is truly a game changer for NEXT Insurance agents! [Source – Cision PR Newswire] This announcement follows NEXT's recent commercial umbrella/excess liability coverage launch to aid small businesses in their entrepreneurial journey. The digital small business insurer has also made strides by announcing its integration with Ivans Download for General Liability and Workers' Compensation policies and appointing Jack Ramsey as Vice President of Agent Business. These developments underscore NEXT's dedication to its agents and mission to enhance small business clients' insurance purchasing process with a smoother and more intuitive experience. About NEXT Insurance NEXT Insurance, a leading digital small business insurer, is spearheading the transformation of small business insurance by offering streamlined, digital, cost-effective, and tailored coverage solutions. With the trust of over 480,000 business proprietors, the company offers policies that are both convenient to purchase and grant uninterrupted access to Live Certificates of Insurance, additional insured, and more. Pioneering an industry historically known for its complexity, NEXT leverages the power of AI and machine learning to simplify the buying process and make affordable coverage accessible. Established in 2016 and headquartered in Palo Alto, the company has garnered a total of $881 million in venture capital funding.

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TECHNOLOGY

Cloudinary Empowers SMBs with AI-Enhanced Digital Asset Management

Cloudinary | September 22, 2023

Cloudinary, a renowned image and video platform, has recently unveiled an addition to its asset management suite with the launch of Cloudinary Nexus. This digital asset management (DAM) solution is explicitly tailored to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Available immediately, Cloudinary Nexus offers both free and premium options. This AI-powered solution empowers SMBs and teams with enterprise-grade capabilities, making it effortless for them to connect, explore, and optimize their digital assets, all while streamlining their branding efforts with minimal time and complexity. Drawing upon the strengths of Cloudinary's acclaimed DAM solution designed for enterprise clientele, known as Cloudinary Assets, Nexus equips smaller brands with the ability to automate essential yet time-consuming tasks associated with asset management. Nexus incorporates advanced AI functionalities and automation to handle tasks like metadata tagging and file format and size optimization. This ensures that teams can dedicate more of their time to more rewarding and high-impact activities. Nexus places significant emphasis on user-friendliness and accessibility, making it a valuable asset for a wide range of teams and individuals. With features such as generative AI, Studio, collections, smart search, and auto-tagging, Nexus equips users with all the tools necessary to unlock the full potential of their images and videos. It enables users to: Instantly Prepare Images and Videos: Users can effortlessly adapt designs, resize, and fine-tune assets in bulk within seconds. The inclusion of subject-aware AI enables the generation of new assets, while readily available creative presets facilitate the creation of multiple variations from a single master asset. Transform User-Generated Content into Brand-Ready Assets: AI and automation simplify the task of moderating, managing, and approving user uploads, requiring minimal to no effort. Facilitate Seamless and Effective Collaboration: By controlling file visibility through custom user roles and permissions, Nexus enhances productivity. Users can collaborate seamlessly with other contributors, teams, and partners, simplifying asset handovers. Instantly Organize and Discover Assets: The automatic addition of tags and metadata, including colors, faces, and objects, improves asset discoverability. An AI-driven visual search feature provides highly accurate and personalized search results. Effortless Setup: Nexus offers easy visual content import and integration with existing storage platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox, ensuring a smooth transition. About Cloudinary Cloudinary is a leading image and video technology platform that empowers the world's most engaging brands to deliver transformative visual experiences on a global scale. Consisting of a user base of over 1.5 million and serving more than 10,000 esteemed customers, including Bleacher Report, Apartment Therapy, Bombas, NBC, Grubhub, Mediavine, Paul Smith, Minted, and Peloton, Cloudinary is the trusted choice for bringing campaigns, applications, and websites to life. With unrivaled image and video APIs, supported by cutting-edge AI and patented technology, Cloudinary provides brands with a singular source of truth to effectively manage, transform, optimize, and seamlessly deliver visual experiences at scale.

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MANAGEMENT

DigitalOcean Launches Managed Kafka Offering

Business Wire | September 27, 2023

DigitalOcean Holdings, Inc., the cloud for startups and SMBs, today announced the launch of DigitalOcean Managed Kafka, a new, fully managed data streaming platform as a service offering for Apache Kafka. DigitalOcean Managed Kafka helps small and medium-sized businesses across industries, including video streaming, the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, gaming, and eCommerce, access and process data streams in real time while eliminating the complexity associated with the Kafka administration. Through this offering and other enhancements across DigitalOcean’s portfolio, startups and tech entrepreneurs can more easily grow their businesses in the cloud. “While Kafka is the gold standard for data streaming, it frequently presents technical challenges for smaller businesses with budget and resource limitations. We are excited to introduce a solution that makes this technology more accessible and meets DigitalOcean’s standard for simplicity,” said Megan Wood, Chief Strategy & Product Officer at DigitalOcean. “By reducing the burden of implementing a new platform, companies can shift their focus away from the complexity of managing their data streaming services and get back to building apps that differentiate their business.” As businesses receive higher amounts of data inputs, the ability to rapidly capture and process this data becomes crucial. Thousands of companies, including over 80% of Fortune 100 companies, rely on Kafka to optimize their data streams and provide leaders with insights that inform decision-making. With DigitalOcean Managed Kafka, startups and SMBs can benefit from the ability to scale up and down clusters with ease while setting up alerts for proactive maintenance. Additionally, DigitalOcean customers can expect end-to-end security via private networking and data encryption along with cost-effective, predictable pricing starting at $147 for a three-node cluster. “DigitalOcean's Managed Kafka offering has been a game-changer for us at Datacake,” said Lukas Klein, Chief Technical Officer at Datacake. “By taking care of the operational aspects of running our Kafka cluster, we have been able to focus our attention on what really matters – building a great product. With this new service, we were able to migrate seamlessly to an event-based architecture while maintaining the highest levels of operational security.” Alongside DigitalOcean Managed Kafka, DigitalOcean has been making investments in its product and infrastructure offerings to provide peace of mind, increased productivity, and more affordable solutions to SMBs and startups. Some of those recent updates include: GPUs with the acquisition of Paperspace-The computing power needed for training AI models and deploying at scale Premium CPU-Optimized Droplets-Higher outbound network speeds, higher performance, and faster disk writes than standard Droplets Enhanced memory and storage for Basic Premium Droplets-More flexibility with a wider choice of virtual machines Low-cost support plans for every size of business-Eight-hour response times for all issues, regardless of severity Object Storage in the Bangalore data center-Increased performance with compute and storage in one location In addition, over the coming quarters, DigitalOcean will unveil the following enhancements and capabilities to continue to make DigitalOcean the cloud of choice for SMBs and startups: More flexible storage offerings -Effortlessly accommodate dynamic storage requirements with Scalable Storage for Managed Databases, a cost-effective solution that helps businesses expand their data footprints with confidence Faster, frequent, and comprehensive Backups -Ability to create daily Droplet backups that are differential, significantly reducing the time required to create them Better performance for a range of products -Extending the premium variant to the General Purpose line of Droplets, providing newer generation CPUs, faster NVME drives, and up to 10 Gbps of outbound data transfer speeds making them ideal for running e-commerce, consumer, and SaaS apps About DigitalOcean DigitalOcean simplifies cloud computing so builders and businesses can spend more time creating software that changes the world. With its mission-critical infrastructure and fully managed offerings, DigitalOcean helps developers at startups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) rapidly build, deploy and scale, whether creating a digital presence or building digital products. DigitalOcean combines the power of simplicity, security, community and customer support so customers can spend less time managing their infrastructure and more time building innovative applications that drive business growth.

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