Recent News
WeddingWire Gets New, Larger Space in Chevy Chase
May 02, 2013
WeddingWire, the business behind a go-to website for planning a wedding and advertising to engaged couples, recently moved to 2 Wisconsin Circle in Chevy Chase—a space two and a half times the size of its old location in Bethesda.
The Chevy Chase Metro Building—at 2 Wisconsin Circle, right over the Friendship Heights Metrorail Station—has a new tenant: WeddingWire, the business behind a go-to website for planning all aspects of a wedding, and for advertising wedding wares and services to engaged couples.
The company moved to its new digs—from its former headquarters at 7101 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda—in the last week of December 2012. At 25,000 square feet (the entire third floor of the Chevy Chase Metro Building), the new space is two and a half times the size of the old location.
This week, the company celebrated the opening of its new location.
"The new space ... is an open floor plan complete with multiple private and semi-private conferences and meeting spaces and a cafe with a subsidized grab-and-go market. The executive team of six shares one office which actively reflects the WeddingWire culture of collaboration and thought generation," WeddingWire senior brand manager Kate Hoffman told Patch.
WeddingWire has 228 employees—118 were hired in 2012. The company anticipates hiring more employees this year, Hoffman said.
"WeddingWire is dedicated to providing technology solutions to both engaged couples and wedding professionals while extending its offerings to those planning celebrations of all kinds. Recently, [WeddingWire.com] launched EventWire.com, as well as microsites that include MitzvahWire.com, PromWire.com, BirthdayWire.com and BabyShowerWire.com," Hoffman added.
Codero’s Disruptive Storage Pricing and Free Backups for Life
April 30, 2013
It’s easy to like today’s news from Austin’s Codero Hosting. With all new NAS and SAN storage options, they are taking on their competitors and beating the competitor’s prices by a significant margin. The promotional pricing for the services gets customers storage at 4¢ per gigabyte. You know we sit here, we pick the news, then report on those that are significant, that are driving the way on a number of technology fronts. Codero as a company is one that is constantly emerging with new options and products in the ultra-competitive high-value hosting game. This storage announcement is further confirmation that the companyIt’s easy to like today’s news from Austin’s Codero Hosting. With all new NAS and SAN storage options, they are taking on their competitors and beating the competitor’s prices by a significant margin. The promotional pricing for the services gets customers storage at 4¢ per gigabyte. You know we sit here, we pick the news, then report on those that are significant, that are driving the way on a number of technology fronts. Codero as a company is one that is constantly emerging with new options and products in the ultra-competitive high-value hosting game. This storage announcement is further confirmation that the company and the customers in this case are working together, constantly sharing experiences and delivering products that cover the spectrum of cloud, dedicated hosting, hybrid technologies, and many more.
unparalleled prices. For some months now they have also unleashed a full on backup and snapshot capability set on their Smart Servers product that delivers free backups for life. Codero’s solutions all benefit from not only the latest in technology, but a system that is heavily designed for great support. They use a fully automated self-service portal for a number of their products and US-based help is just a phone call or chat away 24/7. Codero is a market leader, they operate in the practical world, delivering what customers are looking for, and that’s a big task. That’s why given the chance, when there is something to say about Codero, I’m going to say it – coming from a long hosting background myself, I hope it reverberates throughout the community (at least through the customers I have come to know over the years). Yes, there’s a lot of great services out there, most are looking for or really need a business partner they can count on, that brings value and values that relationship. Codero -Again – Free Backups, Disruptive Storage pricing, and I’ll mention the price match guarantee. To read the release that was sent out today, click here.
MINDBODY Partners with Lululemon in Launch of Om Finder App
April 23, 2013
MINDBODY, the largest provider of online business management software to the health and wellness industry, has partnered with the Canadian-based athletic apparel company lululemon to launch the om finder app, now available in iTunes. Produced by lululemon athletica and powered by MINDBODY’S Finder technology, the om finder app marks the first major digital initiative for lululemon as part of their commitment to create more hyper-local experiences for their guests.
“We’re privileged to provide the engine behind lululemon’s om finder app, helping to spread awareness of yoga’s health benefits to the company’s consumers worldwide,” said Rick Stollmeyer, MINDBODY’s co-founder and CEO. “At MINDBODY, we’re always looking for additional opportunities to leverage our technology to help improve the health and wellness of the world. Through lululemon’s close-knit communities, we can do that at a more intimate level through the company’s local yoga studio networks.”
Om finder allows users to search for MINDBODY yoga studios on a map, mark their favorite classes and manage their schedules. Users can invite friends to join in on a class by sending a text, tweet, email, or Facebook message through the app. The data of studio classes, locations and instructors is generated from MINDBODY’s client network which consists of over 25,000 health, wellness and beauty businesses around the world.
In the first week of om finder’s launch, the app secured the top spot in the Health and Fitness category on Apple’s App Store in Canada, and third spot in the U.S. category.
Om finder uses MINDBODY’s Finder technology which works by geotagging the physical addresses of MINDBODY’s yoga studio clients and combining their geolocation with real time class descriptions and schedules. When consumers search om finder for yoga studios nearby, studios in that area appear at the top of their search results, allowing the consumer to effortlessly find classes closest to them.
The listed businesses benefit as well: by having their studio information show up on all of MINDBODY’s mobile applications and high-traffic Finder Partner web sites, exposure to consumers increases exponentially.
About MINDBODY
MINDBODY has led the health and wellness industry in software development since its founding. With more than 900 business locations added to its network each month, MINDBODY is the fastest growing SaaS provider in the beauty, health, and wellness markets. It’s comprehensive, online solution brings all business needs under one roof, and mobile versions of the software allow for management on the go. MINDBODY has been listed on the Inc. 500/5000 list as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. for the past five consecutive years. www.mindbodyonline.com/yoga
About lululemon
lululemon athletica is a yoga-inspired athletic apparel company that creates components for people to live long, healthy and fun lives. By producing products that help keep people active and stress free, lululemon believes that the world will be a better place. Setting the bar in technical fabrics and functional designs, lululemon works with yogis and athletes in local communities for continuous research and product feedback. For more information, visit www.lululemon.com.
Ascentis Announces Record Growth for Fiscal Year 2012
March 26, 2013
Product bookings up 51%, total revenue up 24%, monthly recurring revenue up 29%
Bellevue, Wash. – Ascentis Corporation, a market leader in easy-to-use human resources software, online payroll services, and human capital management (HCM) solutions, today announced significant growth in fiscal year 2012 (FY2012) with a 51% increase in bookings and 24% increase in revenue.
“We’re extremely pleased with the final results for FY2012. At the start of the year, we set several aggressive product, growth and service goals and accomplished or exceeded every one of them,” said Ascentis CEO DJ Chhabra. “We continue to see significant opportunities in the HCM market for the solutions that Ascentis provides. With last year’s success, we’ve positioned Ascentis very nicely to take advantage of the hot market and these key opportunities.”
Key highlights from Ascentis’ successful FY2012 include:
- Bookings: New product bookings (first year value, FY2012) increased 51%.
- Revenue Growth: Ascentis grew total revenue 24%, including significant growth in our flagship products, Ascentis HR and Ascentis Payroll.
- Recurring Revenue: Total recurring revenue grew 20% with monthly recurring revenue increasing by 29%.
- New Clients: Ascentis increased new clients by 36% in FY2012, compared to FY2011.
- Cross-Sell: Cross-sell revenue to our existing customer base grew by nearly 20%.
- Awards: In addition to the above successes, Ascentis again attained industry recognition as one of the fastest growing private companies in the software industry. This award is the second consecutive award from JMP Securities, a full-service San Francisco-based investment bank.
- Product Updates: In 2012, Ascentis released several major enhancements across our total HCM suite, including touch-optimized mobile delivery of Ascentis HR and self-service, as well as workforce analytics which frame data, actions, and analytics into the context of organizational strategy and objectives.
About Ascentis
Ascentis offers easy-to-use workforce management HRIS, online payroll and timekeeping solutions that support greater business efficiency and accuracy. Ascentis technology automates critical processes such as full scale benefits management, compliance, online open enrollment, time and attendance, real-time payroll processing, tax filing, applicant tracking, employee and manager self-service and reporting. One point of data entry means employee information is accurate, up-to-date and reportable. Electronic submission of information to insurance carriers eliminates errors and supports a paperless open enrollment process. Ascentis offers world-class customer service and continues to add software offerings to its portfolio of workforce and human capital management solutions.
For more information about Ascentis, send media inquiries to marketing@ascentis.com or contact Heather Bansemer at 1.800.229.2713 x174.
MediaMath in tie-up with VisualDNA
March 14, 2013
Digital media-buying platform MediaMath is boosting its audience targeting capabilities through a global partnership with audience targeting solutions provider VisualDNA.
Through the partnership, MediaMath clients will be able to access VisualDNA’s detailed audience targeting data for more than 150 million global consumers for use in advertising campaigns.
VisualDNA’s targeting capabilities group users according to their online and offline behaviour, as well as their purchase intentions. It has 450 standard audience segments covering interests, tastes, preferences and intent, and custom segments can be created to cater to a specific brand or product. Users are grouped according to their lifestyle, interests and stated purchase intent.
The targeting segments were made available to advertisers in February, allowing third-party data to be integrated into campaign optimisation and providing additional targeting, complementing MediaMath’s existing capabilities.
“Data, and the breadth of that data, are lynchpins in any successful marketer’s campaign,” says MediaMath co-founder and EMEA vice-president of business operations Greg Williams. “This partnership with VisualDNA will mean our clients have unrivalled insight into their audience groups and will be empowered with the ability to refine target segments accordingly.”
Advantage Joins American Business Media Association
March 14, 2013
Folio -It’s been a busy week for American Business Media (ABM), the association of business information and media companies. On Tuesday the organization announced the winners of the 59th annual Jesse H. Neal Awards, which recognize the best in business-to-business editorial, and voted in 11 new member organizations.
“We are so proud to welcome these organizations to membership,” Clark Pettit, president and CEO of ABM, says in a statement. “These new returning members—ranging from traditional and international media companies to progressive businesses focused on media management software, investment baking services, subscription management and lead gen—support ABM’s initiative to represent the wide range of platforms and models leveraged by business information and media companies.”
The new membership includes a variety of organizations—from former companies to new international partners. Two companies—Advantage Business Media, which publishes content on science, design engineering and communications through magazines, websites, newsletter and events; and Athletic Business Media, publisher of magazines, websites, and buyers guides for athletic, fitness and recreation professionals—both rejoined the association as returning members.
Canada-based Glacier Media Group was the only new international member to join ABM—Glacier is an information communications company that publishes trade magazines, directories, newsletters, and specialty websites.
To read the entire article in Folio, click here
Latisys Secures $200 Million Credit Facility
March 08, 2013
Data Knowledge Center - - The expansion at Latisys shows no signs of slowing. The company has just announced a new $200 million credit facility, including a 6-year, $180 million institutional term loan and a 5-year $20 million revolving credit facility. This means the company will continue its 2012 momentum, spreading that capital across Latisys’ Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform to drive accelerating growth and customer acquisition. The data center service provider said it will continue to expand its facilities adding high density capacity, enhancing its technology platform, increasing automation, as well as adding high skilled personnel to the team.
“Latisys’ growth strategy centers around ongoing strategic expansion of our IaaS platform and our ability to provide innovative right-sized, hybrid IT solutions that solve business problems,” said Doug Butler, Chief Financial Officer for Latisys. “The new credit facility provides additional capital necessary to maintain technology leadership as well as additional support services required to respond to increased demand for higher margin managed hosting and cloud services.”
To read the entire article in Data Knowledge Center, click here.
Latisys Adding More Space, Power at California Campus
March 05, 2013
Latisys is expanding its west coast hub, adding 12,000 square feet of raised floor and 1.8 megawatts of power to its OC2 data center in Irvine, California, which currently features 20 megawatts of power capacity and 93,000 square feet of data center space. The new space is expected to be available to customers by the end of the second quarter of 2013.
In addition, Latisys also announced that it has purchased its OC1 data center, a 50,000 square foot facility next door to OC2, in a strategic move to control existing assets for the long term.
“Southern California continues to grow as a destination of choice for outsourced IT infrastructure services and as a gateway to Asia Pacific,” said Tom Panarisi, Regional Sales Director for Latisys. “Latisys has been an active participant in the Orange County business community for several years and we take our role as the region’s trusted provider for outsourced IT solutions very seriously. We have come to know the most dynamic large and mid-size enterprises—not just in Orange County but across the U.S.—and we are proud to serve as an extension of any organization’s critical IT team.”
National Demand for IaaS Solutions
Latisys’ growth in Southern California reflects increasing national market demand for data center, hosting and cloud services, with Gartner predicting the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) market will grow by 47.8% through 2015.
The Irvine data center serves as the west coast hub of Latisys’ national IT Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform – which also includes Denver as an ideal disaster recovery site, along with Chicago and Northern Virginia as gateways to Europe and Latin America.
“Every day we see accelerating demand for high performance, highly secure, hybrid Infrastructure as a Service,” said Pete Stevenson, CEO of Latisys. “And because that demand is national, Latisys continues to invest in our platform so we can ensure that businesses continue to have multi-site deployments across most flexible, secure and resilient infrastructure solutions optimized for today, and scalable for tomorrow.”
Latisys’ national expansion has been ongoing through 2012 and into 2013. Recent announcements include DEN2—Latisys’ newest state-of-the-art data center in Denver— along with the DC5 and CHI2 data centers that added an additional 22,000 and 10,000 sq. ft. of secure, ultra high-density raised floor in Northern Virginia and Chicago respectively. Latisys’ total data center platform now exceeds 343,000 square feet across seven data centers in four major markets.
OC2 is tied directly to a variety of fiber carriers, monitored 24x7x365 by on-site NOC personnel and systems, and operated under SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 audited controls.
To link to this story on Data Center Knowledge, click here.
Brian Rich: How to Pitch a Venture Capitalist
February 20, 2013
What’s the best way to contact a potential investor in your startup company? Venture capitalists see so many business plans come through the door that the way you contact them is important, says Brian Rich, managing partner and co-founder of Catalyst Ventures.
Since the mid-1990s, New York-based Catalyst has invested in more than 50 portfolio companies and completed 100+ consolidating acquisitions. Prior to co-founding Catalyst, Rich founded and managed TD Capital, the entity that made Toronto Dominion Bank’s U.S.-based equity, mezzanine, and limited partnership investments from 1995 to 1999. As group head, he oversaw approximately 40 investments totaling more than $600 million.
Rich will join two-dozen other venture capitalists participating in the upcoming Southeast East Venture Conference March 13-14 at the Ritz Carlton in Charlotte, NC. The Seventh Annual SEVC includes presentations from more than 50 high growth technology companies from the region, and insights into fund-raising from industry experts, and many networking opportunities. SEVC has named the first round of presenting companies.
Best way to approach VCs
The best way to approach a venture capital firm, Rich says, “Is through a warm introduction. Email me referencing someone I know or trust. Things like LinkedIn make that easier. ‘Brian, I know so-and-so and he recommended that I write to you.’ That’s a warm introduction, and I’ll pay more attention to that.”
Before you approach any VC with a pitch, however, you should do your homework thoroughly, he adds. “We’re sort of like doctors in our business – very specialized,” he explains. “There are investors who are geographically focused, some who are stage (of fund raising) focused, and some industry focused.” Those specializations break down even further to things such as early-stage healthcare, or social media and so on. “You need to do your homework directly or through an intermediary because there is no point in talking to someone with no interest in what you do.”
Should you use an intermediary?
That brings up another question. Should you use an intermediary when fund-raising?
Bankers are not like consultants, he says. They don’t get paid for the time they spend on a deal, so they want bigger deals. If you’re only raising a million or two, Rich says, “I’d have to question whether or not you’re likely to be more successful with them or without them.”
If you do choose to go with an intermediary, however, Rich says you should make sure it’s with someone who has demonstrated that they raised money for other companies and can provide references. “Talk to four or five CEOs of companies they worked with,” he suggests, “and ask how they performed. Did they do what they said they would? Of the money raised, how much did they raise? Were you happy with the results?” Once you make that decision, then decide on which VC you’ll approach – preferably with that warm introduction.
What sort of email should you send?
“Don’t send me a diatribe in email,” he warns. “I’m not going to read it. I get a hundred a day. Get to the point. This is my company, this is our size and scale, how much we intend to raise, the key merits of the deal and who you are. Keep it short enough to read in a minute or less.” Attach a one-page pdf with more details and if the deal interests the VC, it will get read. It is essentially a written version of the elevator speech an entrepreneur should be able to deliver between floors. Once you get into see a VC, “Don’t be too rigid in your presentation,” says Rich. “Allow the investor to ask questions. If you’re in the right place, he’ll have a good knowledge of the space you’re in. If the questions take you off track, you should be strong enough to pull the meeting back on track.” If you don’t get funding and you come back to the same venture firm in a couple of years time, “Rest assured we will pull out your old set of projections. We save everything,” says Rich. “So be careful of what you say you’re going to do.” If you’re lucky enough to interest a couple of investors, he says, “Don’t dilly-dally. Close with one of them. Go and get it done.”
Join the 2013 Southeast Venture Conference in hosting some of the most dynamic emerging companies in the Southeast, March 13-14, 2013 at the Ritz Carlton in Charlotte, VA. www.seventure.org
To connect to the article on TechJournal's website, click here.
Density, Diverse Services Drive Growth at Latisys
February 07, 2013
As a data center service provider, Latisys has been on a journey in which it has expanded across the country and up the value chain. In 2013, it has arrived as an end-to-end provider of IT outsourcing, complete with a national footprint and a portfolio of high-end customers.
The offerings from Latisys span every aspect of the infrastructure stack, from colocation to managed services to managed hosting and cloud, delivered in high, density data centers with a high-touch, hybrid model.
The company now offers more than 350,000 square feet of data center capacity across four markets, and nearly everything they do is high density. “We saw early on that power densities would continue to change the dynamic,” said VP of Marketing for Latisys. “We invested so customers could go up, not out.”
To read the entire article, click here.
MediaMath Acquires Akamai's ADS data platform
January 24, 2013
Enhances MediaMath’s existing data management platform and leverages pixel free targeting capabilities to provide advertisers greater returns on media investments
NEW YORK & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MediaMath, the leading global digital media-buying platform, and Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), today announced MediaMath’s acquisition of Akamai’s Advertising Decision Solutions (ADS) data cooperative which will augment MediaMath’s industry-leading Data Management Platform (DMP).
With today’s news, the companies have also signed a multi-year relationship whereby MediaMath will have exclusive rights to leverage Akamai’s pixel-free technology for use within digital advertising and marketing applications.
As part of the agreement, MediaMath will acquire substantially all of the assets associated with Akamai’s ADS business, and will integrate the Akamai ADS team into its workforce.
To read the entire release, click here.
Cloud Growth Propels Turnaround at Codero
January 23, 2013
DataCenterKnowledge.com - - A year ago, Emil Sayegh took the reins as CEO at Codero, a dedicated hosting provider that had pretty flat growth at the time. After a year of adding talent and expanding the product portfolio, the company has returned to a year-over-year growth of better than 20 percent, and is set to expand its infrastructure.
Sayegh says that success was tied to growing the company’s cloud portfolio to enable hybrid infrastructures and a sharper focus on customer service. The company has evolved from a solid dedicated hosting provider with flat growth to a hybrid hosting provider with growth above industry averages.
The company was founded in 1992 as an IT equipment value-added reseller (VAR). Four years later, the company repositioned as Aplus.net, a provider of Internet access, domain name registration, and hosting services. In 2006 it was purchased by Catalyst Investors. The company divested its shared hosting and domain name businesses in a sale to Hostopia (Deluxe Corp) in 2009, rebranding as Codero and shifting its focus to dedicated and managed hosting.
To read the entire release, click here.
CRS Unveiling Predictive Coding and E¬Discovery Technology
January 23, 2013
Industry-Leading Enhancements Improve Risk Mitigation and Efficiency, and Help Reduce Costs
DENVER—Catalyst Repository Systems ("Catalyst"), Inc., a pioneer in cloud-based document repositories for e-discovery and other complex legal matters, today announced that it will be releasing Insight Predict, its advanced integrated predictive coding technology, at LegalTech® New York, January 29–31, 2013. The company is also releasing enhancements to its cloud-based e-discovery review platform, Insight, that improve efficiencies and case management. Catalyst will be showcasing Catalyst Insight Predict and Insight at Booth #2401-2403.
"The latest enhancements to Insight are designed to help law firms and corporations make substantial improvements in risk mitigation, time efficiency and cost reduction," said John Tredennick, CEO of Catalyst. "We are also excited to preview Insight Predict, a new technology that eliminates the need to transfer data to and from Catalyst Insight prior to document review. Unlike other predictive coding applications, Insight Predict allows documents to be added to the review platform on a rolling basis."
To read the entire release, click here.
Codero Hosting Unveils MicroCloud Private Cloud Offering
December 12, 2012
Fully dedicated resources reduce risks, increase security, flexibility and control
MicroCloud comes in various configurations of hardware and offers a choice of hypervisors – VMWare ESXi or Citrix XenServer. Codero plans to expand the MicroCloud product line within the next six months to include more industry-leading hypervisors and orchestration stacks.
“MicroCloud offers customers the flexibility of cloud computing in private, with 100 percent dedicated hardware. No matter how many virtual machines a customer launches on their infrastructure, the MicroCloud will always be at a set monthly price,” said Chandler Vaughn, SVP of Product for Codero Hosting. “Our goal at Codero is to enable customers to leverage the best of both virtualized and dedicated servers so that they can place their workloads on preferred platforms, all with the reliability and exceptional service Codero is known for.”
To read the entire release, click here.
MediaMath Acquires Tap.Me
December 04, 2012
WSJ – All Things Digital – MediaMath, a digital ad platform, has acquired Tap.Me, an ad tech start-up that specializes in placing messages within games on mobile phones. New York-based MediaMath said it will keep all of Tap.Me’s Chicago-based team in place, but wouldn’t disclose deal terms.Codero Hosting Expands with New Austin Office, Names SVP of Product Development
November 27, 2012
WHIR – Web hosting provider Codero Hosting announced on Tuesday it has expanded with the opening of its new Austin, Texas office and the addition of Chandler Vaughn as SVP of product development.
Codero has grown significantly in the past few years with recent appointments, as well as data center and office openings. The new Austin office marks Codero's third office with headquarters in Lenexa, Kansas and a location in Phoenix. Codero provides hosting services from its data centers in Phoenix, Chicago, and its recently opened Ashburn, Virginia.
Xplornet Starts New 4G Satellite Broadband Service
November 27, 2012
Digital Home – Residents in many rural areas of Canada previously denied of 4G commercial broadband services, now have access thanks to the EchoStar XVII satellite.
Xplornet Communications said EchoStar XVII, a new 4G broadband satellite, has passed all tests and has been cleared for commercial service.
Residents in several rural and remote regions of British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia will now be able to experience high-speed Internet connection to their homes and businesses — many for the very first time.
InSite to Expand Wireless Service in MBTA Tunnels
November 21, 2012
AT&T is testing new MBTA cell phone service in tunnels
Boston Business Journal – If you noticed better cell phone service this week while riding the MBTA Green Line underground, you might have been part of an experiment by AT&T (NYSE: T) to improve cellular connections in Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) tunnels.
Mindbody in SLO - Ranked among Fastest-growing Companies
November 15, 2012
The Tribune – San Luis Obispo-based software company Mindbody, which announced a $35 million infusion in venture capital early this month, has once again been named one of the fastest-growing companies in North America as it positions itself to go public.
Mindbody’s software helps beauty and wellness businesses manage all scheduling and sales aspects of their operations within a single system, accessible to owners and clients via web and mobile apps.
Codero Hosting’s New Customers Sign on for Dedicated and Cloud Hybrid Services
November 13, 2012
Customers in various sectors including healthcare, IT and eCommerce now rely on Codero for the most superior performance, reliability and value in the hosting industry
Lenexa, Kan. — Codero Hosting, a leading provider of dedicated, managed, and cloud hybrid hosting services, today announced several exciting customer wins: diabetes advocate Chiron Data Systems, top online radio station HD Radio Network, premier eCommerce retailer Buxnie.com, and SaaS provider FormLogix. The new customers selected Codero for its flexible hybrid hosting portfolio encompassing both dedicated and cloud hosting solutions, combined with superior network speed, reliability, and performance.
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