BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Today, Verizon announced that a new grant funding opportunity for small businesses, totaling $500,000, is now available via Verizon Small Business Digital Ready . In partnership with partners Next Street and LISC, the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready online resource is designed to give small businesses the tools they need to thrive in today’s digital economy. Small businesses can access, for free, personalized learning through over 40 courses, mentorship, peer networking, 1:1 expert coaching and incentives such as grant funding. “Small businesses are the backbone of our communities,” said Rose Stuckey Kirk, Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer at Verizon. “We developed the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready portal to give small businesses tools and resources that can help them succeed and, ultimately, help benefit their local economies.” The Verizon Small Business Digital Ready portal was created with and for small businesses, with a specific focus on helping diverse and under-resourced business owners. Starting today, March 1, until May 12, 2023, small businesses can unlock the application for this round of grant funding by first registering on Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, available at www.verizon.com/smallbusinessdigitalready , and completing at least two of the following, in any […]

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Fluix, founded by Abhishek Sastr ’20, was selected for the 2022 TechStars Industries of the Future accelerator prior to recently winning the Innovation Award at the inaugural Reef Starter Innovation Challenge. Abhishek Sastri ’20 built a business on cooling technology for high-performance computers. Now, the UCF mechanical engineering alumnus plans to take the business one step further by developing cooling technology for data centers around the world. The coolant is unlike anything created on Earth. It’s created in microgravity, and has already received recognition from Blue Origin. Sastri’s company, Fluix, won the Innovation Award at the inaugural Reef Starter Innovation Challenge, which encourages startups to pitch innovative ideas that could be developed in outer space for the benefit of lives on Earth. The challenge is sponsored by Reef Starter, the innovation engine of Orbital Reef, a Blue Origin-backed space station that will be built in low-Earth orbit and eventually used as a business park. Out of hundreds of applicants, Fluix was one of 20 startups to be selected for the final round of the challenge, and one of four to win top awards. As an awardee, Sastri received $25,000 and a customized workshop with industry experts. Sastri has already […]

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Students celebrate at the Binghamton University School of Management 2022 Commencement Ceremony. Image Credit: Jonathan Cohen. The Binghamton University School of Management (SOM) has once again been ranked as a top 10 business school among fully public institutions, according to a top publication for business education news. Of the 93 schools ranked for Poets & Quants 2023 Best Undergraduate Business Schools, the School of Management came in at number 26 overall, moving up a spot from the 2022 rankings. SOM also ranked within the top 20 schools for academic experience and in the top for 30 for admission standards. Poets & Quants , an online publication for business education news, developed the rankings using data on admission standards, employment outcomes and alumni surveys of the undergraduate class of 2020 to provide feedback on their academic experience. This is the second consecutive year SOM has ranked in the top 10 among fully public business schools. “These rankings are a true reflection of the hard work our entire School of Management family has invested in our reputation of providing a world-class education for an incredible value,” said SOM Dean Shelley Dionne. “We are thankful for the positive feedback from our alumni, […]

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“Our CEO will always be the Chief Risk Officer – a task it is irresponsible to delegate,” says American investor Warren Buffett. Warren Buffett is closing in on 60 years in managing Berkshire Hathaway. At 92, the American investor is the world’s fifth-wealthiest person . Ahead of Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting, Buffett and Charlie Munger, vice chairman for the company, release a letter for shareholders . While it includes detailed financial data, it’s also full of advice for business owners of all types. CEOs must manage risk. “Our CEO will always be the Chief Risk Officer – a task it is irresponsible to delegate,” Buffett writes. Always stash cash. Buffett says Berkshire will always hold a boatload of cash and U.S. Treasury bills along with a wide array of businesses. “We will also avoid behavior that could result in any uncomfortable cash needs at inconvenient times, including financial panics and unprecedented insurance losses,” he writes. Not every decision needs to be a homerun. Buffett says Berkshire’s satisfactory results have been the product of about a dozen truly good decisions. “That would be about one every five years,” he writes. Ignore the weeds. Buffet’s lesson for investors: “The weeds […]

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LEXINGTON, Ky., March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV ), a trusted leader in preventive automotive maintenance delivering quick and convenient service, today announced that it has completed the previously announced sale of its Global Products business to Aramco. The purchase price is $2.65 billion in cash, subject to certain customary adjustments. "It is a historic day for our 157-year-old brand. With the sale of our Global Products business to Aramco, each business can now focus on its individual future growth and strategic plans," said Sam Mitchell, CEO, Valvoline Inc. "Today, Valvoline Inc. becomes a pure-play, automotive services company with a right-sized capital structure and enhanced capital allocation. Additionally, Valvoline Inc. expects to offer significant capital returns to our shareholders through equity buybacks over the next 18 months. We are excited about our future and our ability to continue driving long-term shareholder value." "This acquisition will advance our international lubricants growth strategy and leverages our global base oils production and R&D capabilities," said Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani, Aramco Executive Vice President of Downstream. "It also provides an exciting opportunity to strengthen our relationship with original equipment manufacturers worldwide by extending the reach of Valvoline as one of […]

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Applied Materials ( AMAT ) earned positive reviews for its latest semiconductor manufacturing tools, which target high-end chips made using extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, lithography equipment from industry peer ASML ( ASML ). AMAT stock bounced back into a buy zone on the news. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Applied Materials on Tuesday introduced two new products to its lineup. First, the Centura Sculpta system promises a simpler, faster and more cost-effective alternative to EUV double patterning. Second, the VeritySEM 10 system precisely measures the dimensions of semiconductor device features patterned with EUV and emerging High-NA EUV lithography. "We view Applied Materials’ announcements as an overall positive, as we believe both the Centura Sculpta and VeritySEM 10, albeit to a lower extent, expand the company’s opportunities in leading-edge patterning," Deutsche Bank analyst Sidney Ho said in a note to clients. He rates AMAT stock as buy. From a competitive standpoint, he sees no major implications for other semiconductor equipment players in the near term, including ASML, KLA ( KLAC ) and Lam Research ( LRCX ). The reason is it could take a couple of years before the Centura Sculpta platform is added to high-volume manufacturing process workflows at major chipmakers, […]

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WCNC Charlotte discovered small business grants went to Beyond Open CLT Advisory Council members, discouraging some to reapply. The program defends its selections. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A $15 million grant program, aimed at helping diverse small business owners in Mecklenburg County, bestowed nearly $6 million in the first round of three, however, some applicants who were denied are questioning the selection process and wondering if it’s worth the time and effort to apply again. Joyce Saint-Cyr spent two weeks in late 2022 building the strongest application possible for a $250,000 Beyond Open CLT small business grant. Saint-Cyr had high hopes the money would help her Charlotte-based accounting firm expand. "I was very hopeful, and I felt that I had a good understanding of what was necessary," she said. "I didn’t just throw numbers around. I really put in the work." She was so optimistic about the program, she even recommended that her clients apply. "I know the struggle," she said. "When I first started, I couldn’t even put gas in my car. I couldn’t even afford lunch. This grant was just really going to help people sustain themselves coming out of COVID. This was a lifeline for so many […]

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No compatible source was found for this media. CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – Christiansburg Marketplace has exploded with new businesses the past couple of years. But that’s just the beginning. “It’s grown like wildfire,” said Christiansburg Mayor Mike Barber. Email Newsletters Have nothing but heartfelt, feel-good moments arrive in your inbox the first Friday of every month Click here to sign up He said the Marketplace is almost unrecognizable. “The Marketplace was absolutely deserted. I think it had two businesses in it and had been that way for 15 years,” said Barber. Now, it’s home to the grocery store Earth Fare, and restaurants like Mission BBQ, Chicken Salad Chick, Starbucks and more. Plus, there are places to work out, get your nails or hair done, and even go to the dentist. The town worked with the developer and VDOT to secure $1.3 million to improve the entrance. Barber estimates the current investment is $350 million. He says the developer has even bigger plans in store. The goal is to build two hotels, a 130-unit senior residence complex, a rooftop restaurant and bar, and a doctor’s office. Barber says it’s an economic engine for the area, bringing in $800,000 to $900,000 each […]

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GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – A city in the east created a small business assistance program to help up and coming businesses recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The first day of March also marks the first day of new opportunities for business owners in Uptown Greenville, thanks to the city’s small business assistance program. The program helps small businesses recover from the pandemic and the owner of Votre Boutique, Pam Carraway, plans on applying. “Well we had to close up so you don’t bring in revenue, so you still have bills to pay though,” Carraway said. “You’ve got rent and inventories that you’ve ordered six months prior that are shipping in” The small business assistance program is made possible through the American Rescue Act, and eligible businesses can receive grants of up to $50,000 for physical improvements. According to Greenville Housing administrator, Tiana Berryman, businesses within a specified area would be eligible for the program. Other requirements include being independently owned, operating no more than 5 locations, having fewer than 100 employees and having no more than $5 million in gross sales. One thing city leaders want to make clear is that the small business assistance program is not a […]

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ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz visited Rochester Wednesday to meet with small business owners and promote a budget he says will help businesses succeed. The visit started with a tour of the Mill Creek Life Sciences lab in the Minnesota Biobusiness Center to see what innovations scientists are developing when it comes to cell therapy. Walz along with DEED Commissioner Steve Grove held a roundtable discussion. They talked with Rochester small business owners about their successes and struggles. “Every small business is a dream, every small business is an opportunity,” Walz said. “Not just for the owners and the founders but to create opportunities so people can live the life they want in communities like Rochester.” Walz used the roundtable to rollout part his $4.1 billion economic plan. Some proposals include family and medical paid leave for small businesses, more grants and tax credits for entrepreneurs. The plan is part of his “One Minnesota” budget proposal. According to Walz, Minnesota’s small businesses employ three out of every four workers in the state. His plan recommends an initial $18.5 million in funding for the Small Business Navigation Program, Small Business Development Centers, and the Small Business Partnerships […]

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