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Groundfloor named to Forbes Fintech 50 list

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The alternative investing platform for real estate was recognized for its regulatory innovation, transparency and unique approaches to fundraising

ATLANTA, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Groundfloor, the award-winning alternative investment platform with over $1 billion in investment and repayment volume, is announcing it’s been named to the 2024 Forbes Fintech 50. This prestigious award highlights 50 companies that are changing how people invest, save and spend. Forbes recognized Groundfloor for its many first-to-market alternative investment products, the industry-leading transparency it offers to investors and its unique approach to fundraising. Groundfloor is only one of two companies featured in the real estate category and the only company on the list from Georgia.

“We’re excited to be recognized with this distinction,” said co-founder and CEO Brian Dally. “Similar to public market securities over the past 50 years, retail investor adoption of alternative investments, enabled by a new wave of regulatory and technology innovation, is now reshaping portfolios and capital markets for the better. Groundfloor’s product offerings continue to expand in scale and scope to open more opportunities for more investors, more rapidly than ever before.”

Groundfloor’s journey began in 2013, when Dally and his co-founder Nick Bhargava dreamed up the idea of creating a private capital marketplace open to everyone, not just the one percent. Bhargava helped author Title III of the JOBS Act of 2012, designed to allow more small businesses to access capital. The two picked up and moved to Atlanta because of the Invest Georgia Exemption, which liberalized securities regulations conducted within the state. Dally and Bhargava entered unchartered territory, and for the first time ever, Groundfloor packaged real estate debt securities for fractional participation by the general public. The first offering created $2 million in loans in Georgia alone, demonstrating the demand for fractionalized, alternative real estate investing.

With an idea that no company had ever tried before, Groundfloor then became the very first company qualified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to offer real estate debt investments for both accredited and non-accredited audiences, eventually expanding investment opportunities to all 50 states.

Today, Groundfloor remains true to its mission of leveling the playing field so everyone can benefit from the unique advantages of fractionalized private market investing. In fact, to this day, anyone can still invest in most Groundfloor offerings with as little as $10. Many other companies emerged to mimic what Groundfloor accomplished, but none have generated consistent, short-term, 10% returns over a ten-year track record.

Last year marked another year of growth and innovation for Groundfloor despite high interest rates and housing market headwinds. The company launched multiple new products providing investors more options to invest in real estate backed alternatives. As a result of these product launches, including the Groundfloor 3.0 auto-investing app, the company grew year-over-year revenue by 25 percent. To date, Groundfloor has now surpassed $1.3 billion in retail investment volume and $1.1 billion in investor repayments, underscoring the continued appeal of fractionalized real estate investing.

Groundfloor is also known for its unique approach to fundraising. The company has raised more than $34 million in equity funding with the majority being from public stock sales to its own customers. Groundfloor is proudly 31 percent customer-owned, ensuring the company remains focused on delivering value for its 7,100+ shareholders, free from the outside influences that have caused many fintech startups to falter.

To learn more about Groundfloor and begin investing, visit Groundfloor.com or download the apps on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

About Groundfloor
Groundfloor is an award-winning fintech company that levels the playing field in financial markets for individual investors. Known for its regulatory prowess and developing completely new financial products for alternative investing, the company was the very first to be qualified to offer direct real estate debt investments for both accredited and non-accredited audiences alike. The company has won numerous awards for its product innovation and growth, including the Forbes Fintech 50 and four years in a row of being on the Inc. 5000 List. Since it launched in 2013, Groundfloor’s investors have consistently seen 10% annualized returns across its short-term investment offerings. For more information or to get started investing fractionally in real estate, visit Groundfloor.com. 

Media contact:
Hela Sheth
678-938-1318
hela@katalystcomms.com 

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SOURCE Groundfloor Finance Inc.

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BCE reports results of Series S and T preferred share conversions

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MONTRÉAL, Oct. 19, 2026 /CNW/ — BCE Inc. (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE) today announced that 400 of its 4,798,333 fixed-rate Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares, Series T (“Series T Preferred Shares”) have been tendered for conversion on November 2, 2026, on a one-for-one basis, into floating-rate Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares, Series S (“Series S Preferred Shares”). In addition, 676,765 of its 1,866,877 Series S Preferred Shares have been tendered for conversion on November 2, 2026, on a one-for-one basis, into Series T Preferred Shares. Consequently, on November 2, 2026, BCE will have 5,474,698 Series T Preferred Shares and 1,190,512 Series S Preferred Shares issued and outstanding. The Series T Preferred Shares and the Series S Preferred Shares will continue to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols BCE.PR.T and BCE.PR.S, respectively.

The Series T Preferred Shares will pay on a quarterly basis, for the five-year period beginning on November 2, 2026, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of BCE, a fixed cash dividend based on an annual fixed dividend rate of 5.523%.

The Series S Preferred Shares will continue to pay a monthly floating adjustable cash dividend for the five-year period beginning on November 2, 2026, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of BCE. The monthly floating adjustable dividend for any particular month will continue to be calculated based on the prime rate for such month and using the Designated Percentage for such month representing the sum of an adjustment factor (based on the market price of the Series S Preferred Shares in the preceding month) and the Designated Percentage for the preceding month.

About BCE
BCE is Canada’s largest communications company1, leading the way in advanced fibre and wireless networks, enterprise services and digital media. By delivering next-generation technology that leverages cloud-based and AI-driven solutions, we’re keeping customers connected, informed and entertained while enabling businesses to compete on the world stage. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

1 Based on total revenue and total combined customer connections.

Media inquiries:
Ellen Murphy
media@bell.ca

Investor inquiries:
Krishna Somers
krishna.somers@bell.ca

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bce-reports-results-of-series-s-and-t-preferred-share-conversions-302913268.html

SOURCE BCE Inc.

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3M announces collaboration with GSEO to advance Expanded Beam Optical manufacturing and development

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ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 3M (NYSE: MMM) today announced a collaboration with Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd. (GSEO, Taiwan: 3406), an optical technology company, to advance technology development and manufacturing for 3M’s Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) solutions. In support of these efforts, 3M expects to make a strategic investment to acquire approximately 4.7% of GSEO’s common shares as part of the company’s private placement of newly issued shares, subject to customary closing conditions.

The collaboration brings together 3M’s EBO technology leadership, optical interconnect expertise, materials science, manufacturing scale and customer relationships with GSEO’s precision optics manufacturing capabilities and production scale. Together, the companies aim to support EBO commercialization and long-term capacity expansion to meet growing demand from hyperscale data centers and other advanced connectivity applications.

“3M is investing in capabilities and partnerships that can accelerate innovation for our customers,” said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. “By selecting GSEO as a manufacturing partner and investing in the company, we are strengthening the path to scale next-generation optical connectivity solutions for high-performance data center infrastructure.”

GSEO’s existing precision optics manufacturing capabilities and technical development experience are expected to support manufacturing readiness for 3M’s EBO ferrules, co-packaged optics solutions and related optical interconnect applications. The collaboration is part of 3M’s broader EBO ecosystem strategy, which includes continued work with customers and partners across the optical interconnect market.

“GSEO is pleased to expand its relationship with 3M as we work together to advance optical interconnect solutions for next-generation data center infrastructure,” said Micro Kuo, GSEO CEO and President. “This collaboration brings together complementary technology and manufacturing strengths to support continued innovation and help meet the performance demands of high-growth connectivity markets.”

3M expects the strategic investment to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release are considered “forward-looking statements” under the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and are intended to enjoy the protection of those laws. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this release and are typically identified by the words “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “evaluate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “goal,” “guidance,” “impact,” “initial,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “probable,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and other words that are similar to, or have the opposite meanings of, those words. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, 3M assumes no duty to update those statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of those statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events and trends that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those described in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of 3M’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.

About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.

Contacts
3M
Investor Contact:
Diane Farrow, 612-202-2449
Media Contact:
3MNews@mmm.com 

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SOURCE 3M Company

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Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers Announces Second Annual Operation Fur-Ever Home Pet Adoption Event at Lafreniere Park

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NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers is excited to announce the return of its second annual Operation Fur-Ever Home, a free community pet adoption event taking place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, Louisiana.

The free, family-friendly event will give attendees the opportunity to meet adoptable pets from local animal shelters, learn about responsible pet ownership, and potentially welcome a new furry companion into their homes. Those who preregister for the event will also be entered for a chance to win a Soundcore speaker and a free pet adoption.

“Last year’s event was everything we hoped it would be, and we are incredibly excited to bring Operation Fur-Ever Home back for a second year,” said David Vicknair, founding partner of Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers. “There is something special about watching a family meet a pet that could become part of their lives for years to come. We wanted to create another opportunity to make those connections while supporting the organizations that work tirelessly to care for animals in our community.”

Building on the success of the first event, this year’s event continues the firm’s commitment to supporting local animal shelters and creating meaningful opportunities for families throughout Southeast Louisiana.

“Giving back to our community has always been an important part of who we are as a firm,” said Vicknair. “Whether we are helping students prepare for school, recognizing deserving teachers, or supporting local animal shelters, our goal is to make a positive difference in the communities we serve.”

Operation Fur-Ever Home is free and open to the public. Families, animal lovers, and anyone interested in adopting a pet are encouraged to attend and preregister.

About Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers

Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers is a New Orleans-based personal injury firm committed to providing exceptional legal representation while also investing in the communities it serves. Their experienced team of dedicated attorneys specializes in car accidents, personal injury, and wrongful death cases in New Orleans. With diverse personal and professional backgrounds, they craft legal strategies tailored to each client’s specific case and needs.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scott-vicknair-personal-injury-lawyers-announces-second-annual-operation-fur-ever-home-pet-adoption-event-at-lafreniere-park-302913183.html

SOURCE Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers

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