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Calgary’s First Esports Arena Opens at Bow Valley College

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CALGARY, AB, Sept. 25, 2024 /CNW/ – Bow Valley College unveiled its much anticipated 70-seat esports arena Wednesday as a new hub for competition, innovation, and game development.

The arena is the first in Calgary and features 40 competition ready gaming stations, two full motion-rigged racing simulators, a state-of-the-art broadcast suite, and a dedicated varsity esports training room.

“We’re proud of the facility we’ve created here, but even more proud of the contribution it will make to the future of Calgary’s esports and digital entertainment industry,” says Dr. Misheck Mwaba, President and CEO of Bow Valley College. “We exist to give students the skills they need to take their talents and dreams and apply them to careers that grow our province.”

The new 3500sq. ft (325sq. m) arena in Bow Valley College’s South Campus holds over $1 million in state-of-the-art technology, and can be used to host tournaments, test game play and as a workspace for the college’s accelerator programs.

“The facilities that come together here will allow students in our Esports Business Management Program to get hands on experience in all aspects of the business, including broadcasting,” says Eddie Sargent, Associate Dean of the Chiu School of Business.

Bow Valley College’s Digital Entertainment Nexus received $5.5 million in funding from Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund in 2023, money that was separate from the esports arena, but allows the training of 675 people and growth of 125 companies by 2028, supporting Canada’s $5.5 billion gaming industry.

“Calgary’s game development community has been building mass for years,” says Mike Lohaus, Manager of Bow Valley College’s Digital Entertainment Nexus. “It’s inevitable that before long, some team of creators will hit it big. This space means students don’t have to leave the province to succeed in esports.”

The esports arena project was funded by the college and forms a key pillar of the Alberta Esports Strategy.

“The opening of this arena is a game-changing moment, igniting a wave of growth and investment in Calgary’s digital media and entertainment arts sector,” says Luke Azevedo, Vice-President – Creative Industries, Operations and Film Commissioner with Calgary Economic Development. 

OCIF’s investment will enable access to cutting-edge programs in 3D animation, game development, esports, virtual reality, podcasting and more. This strategic funding is set to drive innovation, expand career opportunities, and foster entrepreneurial ventures in the creative sector, while also serving as a catalyst for economic growth and diversification across the region.

“We’re driving disruptive growth by thinking beyond traditional industries. The opening of BVC’s esports arena is a prime example of how we’re fostering innovation and capturing investment in sectors that are reshaping the future of our economy,” said Brad Parry, President and CEO, Calgary Economic Development and CEO, OCIF.

About Bow Valley College

Bow Valley College is the largest college in the Calgary area, with over 15,000 students. We focus on preparing our graduates for in-demand jobs across Canada. Our graduates contribute to the economy and community through careers in business, entertainment arts, technology, health care, social services, and more. We are proud to be named one of Alberta’s Top 80 employers and one of Canada’s Top 50 research colleges. Our innovative applied research, focused on health and health technology, educational technology, and social innovation, is helping shape the future of college education. Learn more about the opportunities we create for students, employees, and our province at bowvalleycollege.ca.

Esports Arena Fact Sheet

The arena cost approximately $5 million to build and equip, including $1 million in computer, simulator and broadcast technology. Direct funding came from Bow Valley College’s capital improvement and reserve fund budgets.The esports arena is approximately 3500sq. ft (325sq. m)There are 40 individual gaming stations connected with 10,500 ft of cable – roughly 3.2kms.Holds up to 70 people for events with additional large screen spectator space in the adjacent Market areaIncludes a variety of accessibility devices to enable maximum inclusionState-of-the-art broadcast booth allows game play, commentary/analysis and live shots from the arena to be streamed or broadcast anywhere in the world in real timeSeparate, fully integrated Shoutcast boothCutting edge, highly intense immersive driving simulator offers a hyper-realistic experience that mimics real-world driving conditions with stunning precision.Dedicated training room for team play, coaching and coordinationThe arena will be used by Bow Valley College’s Accelerator program, supporting a minimum of 18 companies each year in building their products and services, and taking ideas to market. Currently there are 20 businesses enrolled in the Fall 2024 accelerator term.Accelerators can include game developers, content creators, coaching and league businesses

SOURCE Bow Valley College

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Gravity Game Unite (GGU) Successfully Concludes European User Meetup for PC MMORPG ‘Ragnarok Zero: Global’!

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July 21, 2026

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gravity Game Unite (GGU), the Malaysian subsidiary of global gaming company Gravity, successfully concluded the “Ragnarok Zero: Global European User Meetup” held in Germany.

Gravity Game Unite (GGU) hosted its first offline event for European users in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 18. The event was organized to demonstrate the company’s commitment to directly serving the European market and to build long-term relationships with the local community.

The event was attended by key Gravity Game Unite (GGU) executives, including CEO Yoshinori Kitamura, as well as members of the Ragnarok Zero: Global development team. Local users, influencers, and media representatives were also present, reflecting strong anticipation for the game. Europe was one of the regions where Ragnarok Zero: Global received particularly positive feedback during its OBT. CEO Yoshinori Kitamura’s attendance underscored the importance of the event and Gravity Game Unite (GGU)’s commitment to providing dedicated service to the European community.

The event began with welcoming remarks from the CEO of Gravity Game Unite (GGU), followed by an introduction to the title from the development team, a presentation on the service direction and roadmap for Europe, a developer talk featuring behind-the-scenes insights, a user Q&A session, and networking among users, developers, media representatives, and influencers. Attendees also received exclusive merchandise and enjoyed a variety of activities designed to create lasting memories.

Gravity Game Unite (GGU) stated that it plans to strengthen communication with users through the direct service of Ragnarok Zero: Global. During the event, the development team listened to user feedback and exchanged a wide range of views, while reaffirming its commitment to the game’s post-launch service direction and the growth of its community in Europe.

Harry Choi, President of Gravity Game Unite (GGU), said, “This event marked a significant milestone and laid a strong foundation for Gravity Game Unite (GGU)’s entry into the European market. We are making thorough preparations to repay the tremendous support and enthusiasm users showed during the OBT. We will continue to create opportunities to engage and communicate with our local community.”

Stay Connected

Players can follow the official Ragnarok Zero: Global channels for the latest news and updates.

Join OBT: https://roz.mygnjoy.com/en/event/obt
Pre-Register: https://roz.mygnjoy.com/event/prereservation?media=pr9
Discord: https://discord.gg/bFg77WjcHT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ragnarokzeroglobal/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragnarokzeroglobal/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RagnarokZeroGlobal
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ragnarokzeroglobal

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SOURCE Gravity Game Unite SDN. BHD.

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The 18th Annual Globee® Awards for Innovation Invite Local, Regional, and Global Workplace and Business Achievement Nominations Worldwide

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July 21, 2026

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Recognizing achievements across innovation, leadership, organizational advancement, products, services, and workplace excellence with worldwide participation

SAN FRANCISCO, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Globee® Awards, organizers of merit-based, data-driven business awards programs with worldwide participation that recognize achievements across industries, announced that entries are currently being accepted for the 18th Annual Globee® Awards for Innovation (Golden Bridge Awards®), inviting organizations, professionals, business owners, teams, and departments worldwide to nominate their local, regional, and global workplace and business achievements for consideration.

Apply now: https://globeeawards.com/innovation/

Originally established as the Golden Bridge Awards®, the program is now in its 18th year and continues its tradition of recognizing achievements across innovation, leadership, business transformation, organizational advancement, products, services, and measurable impact across industries and markets worldwide.

The awards recognize achievements that improve how organizations operate, serve customers, develop products and services, strengthen workplaces, advance technologies, enhance communications, and create measurable value for businesses, communities, and industries.

The program welcomes nominations representing achievements in innovation, operational excellence, customer experience, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, sustainability, workforce initiatives, brand, communications, creative, and other business and workplace environments.

Organizations of all sizes are invited to participate, including startups, small and medium businesses, large enterprises, public and private companies, government entities, educational institutions, research organizations, and non-profit organizations worldwide.

The Globee® Awards for Innovation recognize achievements across category groups including products and services, company and organization, individual and team, and brand, communication and creative. These recognitions are part of 10 awards programs that collectively reflect achievements across business and technology domains.

Nominations are welcomed for local, regional, and global achievements, recognizing that meaningful innovation and organizational progress can originate at every level and in every workplace.

Entries are evaluated through a merit-based, data-driven process involving participation from experienced professionals across multiple industries worldwide. Evaluations are conducted through a structured, consistent, and transparent framework based on defined scoring criteria.

Entries are open to organizations and professionals worldwide.

About the Globee® Awards

The Globee® Awards are organizers of merit-based, data-driven business awards programs with worldwide participation. Through 10 awards programs, the Globee® Awards recognize achievements across multiple industries and sectors. The programs use a structured evaluation approach involving participation from professionals across various industries.

Follow: @globeeawards

Hashtags: #GlobeeAwards #InnovationAwards #GoldenBridgeAwards #WorkplaceAchievements #BusinessAchievements #Innovation #Leadership #BusinessTransformation #GlobalRecognition #OrganizationalImpact

All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

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SOURCE Globee Awards

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Finatical Software: The Next Decade of Finance Will Be Built on a Structured Financial Data Layer

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July 21, 2026

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As AI transforms finance, trusted and structured financial data—not better prompts—will determine which organizations realize its full value.

DURHAM, N.C., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Finatical Software, creator of Flash Reports for QuickBooks Online, today announced its vision for what it believes will become the next essential layer of the modern finance technology stack: the Structured Financial Data Layer.

For decades, finance technology has evolved in response to changing business needs.

1995–2015

Finance needed better reporting.

2015–2025

Finance needed real-time reporting, dashboards, and automated KPIs.

2025–2035

Finance needs trusted data for AI-powered decisions.

While organizations are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, many finance teams are discovering that AI is only as effective as the financial data and business logic it receives. Without a single source of truth built on reconciled, complete, and accurate financial information, AI can produce inconsistent analyses, conflicting recommendations, and outputs that are difficult to validate or trust.

“Much of the conversation around AI has focused on choosing the right model or writing better prompts,” said Shaun Pendrigh, Chief Technical Officer of Finatical Software. “We believe the real competitive advantage will come from building trusted, structured financial workflows that AI can consistently understand. Before finance teams can trust AI’s recommendations, they first need confidence in the data, calculations, and business logic behind them.”

Finatical believes finance organizations need more than access to AI—they need a governed foundation that organizes financial information into consistent, reusable, and auditable structures before AI enters the workflow.

That foundation is what Finatical describes as the Structured Financial Data Layer.

Unlike disconnected spreadsheets or opaque AI workflows, the Structured Financial Data Layer creates a trusted financial foundation where data, calculations, reporting logic, and business rules are transparent, reusable, and reviewable. Finance professionals can trace recommendations back to their source, understand how conclusions were reached, and maintain confidence in the decisions supported by AI.

Rather than replacing finance professionals, the Structured Financial Data Layer enables them to work more effectively with AI by combining trusted financial data with human judgment. AI can accelerate analysis, identify patterns, and generate recommendations, while finance professionals retain the ability to review assumptions, validate results, and understand the reasoning behind important business decisions.

“Finance professionals should remain in control of financial judgment,” Pendrigh added. “AI should amplify that expertise—not replace it. But that only happens when AI operates within a trusted financial workflow where both the data and the underlying logic can be reviewed.”

Finatical’s Flash Reports platform is designed around this philosophy by connecting live QuickBooks Online data with Microsoft Excel to create governed, refreshable financial models that become a trusted source of truth for reporting, forecasting, analysis, and AI-assisted decision support. By preserving financial logic within structured Excel workflows, finance teams gain the flexibility of Excel while maintaining the governance and transparency required for trustworthy AI.

“Finance has always required trust,” Pendrigh said. “AI doesn’t change that—it raises the standard. Organizations won’t gain a competitive advantage simply by adopting AI. They’ll gain it by building financial data foundations that make AI trustworthy, explainable, and repeatable.”

“Reporting was the last generation of finance technology,” Pendrigh concluded. “Decision support will define the next. The organizations that build a trusted Structured Financial Data Layer today will be best positioned to unlock the full potential of AI tomorrow.”

About Finatical Software

Finatical Software helps finance professionals transform live QuickBooks Online data into structured, trusted financial information and workflows for reporting, analysis, and AI-assisted decision support. Its flagship solution, Flash Reports, connects Microsoft Excel directly to QuickBooks Online, enabling finance teams to build refreshable, governed financial models while preserving the flexibility of Excel. Finatical’s vision is to become the trusted Structured Financial Data Layer for finance professionals working in Excel with QuickBooks Online.

Media Contact:

melissa.neal@finaticalsoftware.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/finatical-software-the-next-decade-of-finance-will-be-built-on-a-structured-financial-data-layer-302830512.html

SOURCE Finatical Software

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