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Global fintechs and web3 giants unite to increase blockchain-based cash assistance for humanitarian crises

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Humanitarian Council members include the Algorand Foundation, Circle, Worldpay, Mercy Corps Ventures, HesabPay, the United Nations Development Programme, and others

BARCELONA, Spain, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, in a move led by the Algorand Foundation, a coalition of fintech, web3, and humanitarian organizations announced the formation of a council seeking to increase access to blockchain-based cash assistance during humanitarian crises. The council’s objective – among other activities – is to advise UN agencies and NGOs on using blockchain technology for aid payments, and to develop a roadmap for the successful piloting of blockchain-based cash programs in distressed areas.

Over the past decade, the United Nations and NGOs have begun to offer more cash-based assistance (vs. in-kind or service assistance). According to the CALP Network, a thought leader in humanitarian cash and voucher assistance, this form of assistance now comprises 21% of all international humanitarian aid, reaching $10 billion in 2022, and there is potential for that proportion to be much higher (source). Humanitarian organizations are working to deliver this kind of aid as rapidly and economically as possible whilst navigating ever more complex financial regulations. Given this, the projects under the purview of this council will explore the potential benefits and opportunities of blockchain-based payment solutions in addressing these particular constraints.

The aim in using blockchain is to first offset the lack of financial and technological infrastructure in aid locations such as Afghanistan and others. In these regions, applying blockchain technology could bring more efficiency and ease to the delivery of cash-based aid, making it possible to respond on an even larger scale.

Scaling cash-based aid also requires transparency. Cash aid programs need to be traceable and auditable without infringing on the rights of its beneficiaries. By using blockchain, organizations can maintain an immutable, unchangeable record of how cash was distributed, without disclosing how it is used by the recipient. This model protects the privacy of those in crisis while maintaining the traceability and verification that aid programs, donors, and governments need.

Built on Algorand, global payment app HesabPay is already proving the effectiveness of merging blockchain and aid delivery. It facilitates the world’s largest humanitarian project ever to be run on a public blockchain, bringing support to more than 14,000 families in Afghanistan in collaboration with United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and supported by the WFP Innovation Accelerator.

Bernhard Kowatsch, head of the WFP Innovation Accelerator, added, “The success of HesabPay in Afghanistan highlights the significant impact and scalability of this technology. We are eager to extend these innovations globally to revolutionize aid delivery.”

“Direct cash-based humanitarian assistance has been growing rapidly and is the future thanks to the extraordinary benefits cash provides for recipients. To be effective, humanitarian payments must meet several requirements: instant settlement, easily scalable to thousands if not millions of recipients,  and transparent and traceable,” said Matt Keller, director of impact at the Algorand Foundation. “Blockchain checks all of these boxes, and one reason we invested in HesabPay, which delivers humanitarian aid payments in Afghanistan without sacrificing time or accountability.”

“At Circle Impact, our mission since 2021 has been to empower underserved communities and reach people who have traditionally been excluded from financial systems. We are excited to be part of the Humanitarian Council, where we can cultivate a new generation of financial inclusion aimed at powering humanitarian aid and disaster relief,” said Mercina Tillemann-Perez, Vice President of Circle Impact.

“Launching 16 crypto pilots in 10+ countries over the past 4 years, Mercy Corps Ventures has been actively deploying first-of-a-kind real world use cases in the humanitarian and development context leveraging blockchain technology. We’re now building out a Humanitarian Venture Lab with a pipeline of humanitarian pilots, use cases, and insights that show where the challenges Algorand Foundation is addressing are playing out – and getting solved – in real time,” said Sandra Uwantege Hart, Humanitarian Venture Lab lead at Mercy Corps Ventures.

“Humanitarian crises demand faster, more transparent aid solutions. Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize aid delivery through unparalleled traceability. If this initiative can match the speed and efficiency of the 40 billion+ transactions Worldpay processes annually, there is an opportunity to provide life-saving support to the millions facing humanitarian crises, ensuring funds reach those in need without delay,” said Ahmed Zifzaf, head of crypto/web3 partnerships for Worldpay.

“In UNDP, we are exploring with Algorand how digital payments can bring transparency while making payments with more speed and trust to support the lives in countries without a strong banking ecosystem. Special attention is being paid to supporting the work of civil society organizations, such as through our Tadamon network of 4000 CSOs,” said Robert Pasicko, Innovation Team Leader a.i. at UNDP.

Serving council members currently include:

Sandra Uwantege Hart, Humanitarian Venture Lab Lead at Mercy Corps VenturesMercina Tillemann Perez, Vice President, Circle Impact at CirclePaula Gil Baizan, PoliSync Centre for International Policy EngagementAhmed Zifzaf, Head of Crypto/Web3 Partnerships at WorldpayHasan Fallaha, Livelihoods and Economic Recovery programme Analyst at UNDP SyriaAli Theyab Al-Zuhairi, Economic Reform (FFER-FED) Project Coordinator at the UNDP Iraq Country OfficeRobert Pasicko, Innovation Team Leader a.i., United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)Henri de Jong, Chief Business Development Officer at QuantozRory Crew, Technical Advisor on Data & Digitalization at the CALP NetworkNigel Pont, Senior Advisor at HesabPaySuzana Moreno, Blockchain Technology Strategy and Portfolio Project Manager at WFP Innovation AcceleratorKelly Stablein, Independent Humanitarian Consultant

About Algorand Foundation
Algorand’s mission is to power a world where information has integrity and innovative ideas can scale. The Algorand Foundation supports Algorand’s rapidly growing ecosystem by providing a best-in-class developer environment, supporting key infrastructure and setting technical standards, offering comprehensive support to builders and entrepreneurs, and providing the infrastructure for decentralized governance.

Founded by Turing Award-winning cryptographer Silvio Micali in 2019, Algorand has grown into a vibrant ecosystem of developers, entrepreneurs, and enterprise partners that benefit from institutional-grade certainty and resilience, while features like low fees, instant finality, and a minimal carbon footprint also appeal to the protocol’s millions of retail users. Builders of all kinds can use common programming languages like Python to develop advanced apps and protocols that solve important problems at a global scale: instant payments in war and disaster zones, self-sovereign identity for the disenfranchised, supply-chain traceability for global commerce, permissionless protocols addressing financial inclusion, and the creation of entirely new markets through tokenization, to name a few. To learn more and start your journey on Algorand, visit algorand.foundation.

About Circle
Circle is a global financial technology firm that enables businesses of all sizes to harness the power of digital currencies and public blockchains for payments, commerce and financial applications worldwide. Circle is the issuer of USDC and EURC – highly liquid, interoperable, and trusted money protocols on the internet. Circle’s open and programmable platform and APIs make it easy for organizations to run their internet-scale business, whether it is making international payments, building globally-accessible Web3 apps, or managing their internal treasury. Learn more at https://circle.com.

About HesabPay
HesabPay is a global payment app at the forefront of global financial inclusion, targeting the 2 billion unbanked individuals worldwide. With exponential growth, HesabPay now boasts over half a million users, facilitating $35 million in peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers monthly. The platform serves 250,000 households in managing their bill payments and supports over two dozen donors in distributing humanitarian cash assistance. HesabPay’s impact is evident in its expansive reach and the vital financial lifeline it provides. Discover the full extent of HesabPay’s services at hesab.com.  

About Mercy Corps Ventures
Mercy Corps Ventures invests in and catalyzes venture-led solutions to increase the resilience of underserved individuals and communities. Founded in 2015 as the impact investing arm of global development agency, Mercy Corps, we’ve supported 50 early-stage ventures to scale and raise over $465 million in follow-on capital. 44% of our portfolio has at least 1 female co-founder and centers around climate adaptation and resilience-building solutions in adaptive agriculture and food systems, inclusive fintech, and climate-smart technologies, so that those living in frontier markets can withstand disruption and plan for the future. Through capital and support, piloting new approaches, action-oriented insights, and rigorously managing impact, we catalyze the ecosystem toward smarter, more impactful investments. Learn more at www.mercycorpsventures.vc.

About Worldpay
Worldpay is a leading payments technology and solutions company with unique capabilities to power omni-commerce across the globe. Our processing solutions allow businesses of all sizes to take, make and manage payments in-person and online from anywhere in the world. Annually, we process over 40 billion transactions across 146 countries and 135 currencies. We help our customers become more efficient, more secure and more successful.

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SOURCE Algorand Foundation

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TeamLogic IT Honors Top Franchisees, Brings Leading Industry Experts Together at TeamLogic IT Owners Summit Convention

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October 21, 2026

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MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TeamLogic IT, a national provider of managed IT services and technology support, celebrated the achievements of its franchise network at the company’s annual Owners Summit and Vendor Show, held October 5-8, 2026. The event brought together TeamLogic IT franchisees, vendors and partners for a week of learning, collaboration and connection, culminating in the recognition of the network’s top-performing franchisees.

“One of the things that makes TeamLogic IT so special is the strength of our franchisee community. Our TeamLogic IT franchise owners represent the very best of the managed services industry,” says Richard Lowe, president and CEO of TeamLogic, LLC. “Owners Summit gives us the opportunity to come together, exchange ideas and celebrate what we’ve accomplished as a network. Recognizing our top-performing owners is always a highlight. Their leadership and commitment to delivering high-quality technology solutions are helping drive our network forward and strengthen the TeamLogic IT brand nationwide.”

The sold-out vendor exhibition featured more than 70 leading companies in the technology industry, including Pax 8, the conference’s signature sponsor, Bitdefender, Blackpoint, Cytracom, Sophos, Kaseya, N-able, NinjaOne, Proofpoint, Rewst, Slide and more.

At a closing ceremony, the following awards were presented:

Franchisee of the Year: Arti Dutt – West Northridge, CA

Rookie of the Year: Reese Verschelde and Corey Gisondi – Bryn Mawr, PA

Technician of the Year: Federico Hansen – N. Palm Beach, FL

VIP (Volume Increase Percentage)
Larry Anderson and Tony Anderson – Montgomery, ALSteve Anderson – Johns Creek, GATop 15 (Based on 2025 sales)
Jim Hackett and Andrew Hackett – Woburn, MATodd & Linda Harrell – Morris Plains, NJTodd & Ruth Tolly – Santa Rosa, CAPaul Behrman & Nadia Pukhova – Lake Forest, CACory & Kathleen Boxall – Ashburn, VARob Fallows & Chris Kasten – Phoenix, AZKirk Gramoll and John Halama – Germantown, WICindy McPike, Cameron Nelson, and Jacob Harrington – Salem, ORBob Roloff – Ft. Myers, FLDwight & Allison Blankenship – Columbus, OHRick Higgins – Dunwoody, GADan & Becky Thomas – Durham, NCScott Daniels – Naples, FLEric Summers – Des Moines, IARandall Wilson – Decatur, ALMillion Dollar Club
Kyle Temple – Richmond, VAJeremy Mason – East Madison, WIJoseph & Joyce Tauras – Manchester, NHSandeep Kaushal – Vernon, CTJim & Mikki Young – Lake Arlington, TXSteve & Jamie McGlumphy – Aurora, ILMike Treiser and Danny Ramey – Denver West, COMayank & Jaimini Patel – Niles, ILAllen Chu – White Plains, NY

About TeamLogic IT
TeamLogic IT is a national provider of advanced technology solutions for companies of all sizes. Local offices provide clients with the IT support they need to run their businesses more efficiently by leveraging the latest technology solutions, including managed IT services, cybersecurity, business continuity, cloud, co-managed IT services, managed AI, and consulting and support. With more than 350 independently owned and operated locations across North America, TeamLogic IT helps companies minimize downtime, improve productivity and secure their IT infrastructure. Visit www.teamlogicit.com or www.TeamLogicFranchising.com for more information on the TeamLogic IT franchise network.

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SOURCE TeamLogic, LLC

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Mili and Egnyte Partner to put Client Documents to work in Financial Advice

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35 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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The partnership brings Egnyte’s secure content platform and Mili’s AI agents together, so advice firms can deliver more comprehensive, personalized advice at scale.

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mili, an AI platform for wealth management firms, and Egnyte, a leader in secure content collaboration, intelligence, and governance, today announced a partnership that brings Mili’s AI agents to client documents in Egnyte. Advisors work from a file or a whole client folder alongside data from the firm’s CRM, portfolio and planning systems, under each advisor’s Egnyte permissions.

Kitces Research finds that reviewing client documents is the most common way advisors use AI. Its productivity research puts a new financial plan at 15 to 40 hours of team time.

Advisors use Mili’s agents to model the tax cost of moving a client’s accounts into the firm’s strategy, weigh a rebalance against unrealized gains, summarize a bonus agreement and build a financial snapshot from a statement. The agents link answers to their sources and flag what an analysis may still need.

David Ringler, Managing Director at Onyx Bridge Wealth Group ($1.6B+ AUM), said, “Egnyte and Mili are two valuable pieces of technology in our stack, and bringing them together has changed how our practice runs. Mili’s meeting prep and planning agents have become significantly better with Egnyte data behind them.”

Chirag Gandhi, Co-Founder and CEO of Mili, said, “How many clients an advice firm can serve well has long been capped. It is set by the work of understanding each client’s financial life. Agentic AI is changing that, helping advice firms uplift client capacity by accelerating the delivery of high-quality advice.”

Kyle Blair, Director of Global Financial Services at Egnyte, said, “Egnyte helps financial services firms accelerate critical business operations by turning document-heavy tasks into faster, connected, and revenue-generating workflows. Our partnership enables Mili’s AI agents to securely access and work on customer data within Egnyte for better business outcomes.”

The integration is live for mutual customers. Building on Mili’s work with hundreds of advice firms, it aims to put a firm’s full client knowledge into its advice.

About Egnyte

Egnyte is a leader in secure content collaboration, intelligence, and governance, trusted by more than 23,000 customers to increase employee productivity, drive operational efficiencies, and secure mission-critical content. Egnyte’s AI-powered platform empowers organizations to create, share, and protect their information at scale, with specialized solutions designed to meet the unique needs of organizations in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), financial services, life sciences, and other industries. For more information, visit www.egnyte.com.

About Mili

Mili is an AI platform for wealth management firms. Its specialized agents automate advisor workflows across meetings, prospecting, onboarding, planning, data management, document intelligence, and compliance. Mili is SOC 2 certified, ISO 27001 compliant, and works with RIAs and broker-dealers managing $250B+ in client assets. Learn more at getmili.ai.

Media Contact

Chirag Gandhi
chirag@getmili.ai

 

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SOURCE Mili

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QUANTUM CONNECTIONS PROMOTES JAMES “JAMIE” GRIFFETH TO CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF THE DIALOGUE TRAINING INSTITUTE

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October 21, 2026

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DALLAS, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Quantum Connections® has promoted James “Jamie” Griffeth to Chief Operating Officer. Griffeth joined the organization in September of 2025 as Chief Learning Officer and will continue to serve as Director of the Dialogue Training Institute in addition to his new responsibilities.

Since joining Quantum Connections, Griffeth has focused on the organization’s learning mission. He designed a four-tier practitioner credentialing framework, architected the Quantum Dialogue Profile behavioral assessment, led the migration to a new enterprise learning management system, and built the organization’s localization pipeline—delivering that training in French Canadian with Spanish and Chinese queued as next languages.

Griffeth’s expanded role brings together organizational operations and learning leadership around multiple goals: maintaining the company’s infrastructure in ways that align with its mission, expanding the certified leadership network, and continuing to make dialogue skills easier to access, practice, and apply in everyday life.

“Jamie has earned my complete trust and admiration thorough his exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to turn vision into execution.” Said Dr. Jonathan Thorp, Chief Executive Officer of Quantum Connections. “When I asked him to success me as Chief Learning Officer, I already knew he was capable of great things. His performance has only reinforced that confidence. I’m delighted to recognize his contribution with this promotion and look forward to partnering with him as we continue building the future of Quantum Connections.”

Griffeth will continue to support Quantum Connections’ mission by preparing the company for sustainable growth while maintaining the quality and consistency of its learning experiences. By linking program delivery to assessments and evidence, Griffeth aims to use technology to expand its reach to more partners and clients, helping them understand how to apply dialogue skills and the outcomes that follow.

About Quantum Connections
Quantum Connections, founded by renowned relationship experts Harville Hendrix, Ph.D., and Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D., leverages over 40 years of expertise to provide individuals and organizations with invaluable relational competency skills rooted in neuro and quantum social sciences. Quantum Connections serves small businesses, large corporations, global faith communities, educational institutions, and community organizations, as well as individuals, couples, and families, offering live and on-demand training, coaching certification, and resources to foster authentic connections through effective communication and skill development.

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SOURCE Quantum Connections LLC

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