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Cox Enterprises Backs Socium Ventures with a Second $300 Million Fund, Reinforcing Commitment to Fostering Innovation

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David Yang joins Socium Ventures as Partner

ATLANTA, Oct. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Socium Ventures is a venture and growth investment firm focused on investing in durable and compounding companies. Today, Cox Enterprises announced the second fund for Socium Ventures, a $300 million investment, bringing the total managed capital to $600 million. Socium Ventures is actively seeking investment opportunities in the $3 million to $25 million range across industries and sectors experiencing technology-led growth, including enterprise and vertical software, advanced computer tools, public sector software, healthcare, fintech, B2B marketplaces and sustainability. The Socium Ventures team looks to support its portfolio companies across every stage of development with strategic and operational support as well as permanent capital over the long term.

“Cox Enterprises has built innovative businesses for 126 years,” said Dallas Clement, president and chief financial officer, Cox Enterprises. “This second round of funding for Socium Ventures strengthens our ability to partner with the next generation of original thinkers to create solutions to big problems and prosperity for the next generation.”

Launched in June 2023, Socium Ventures, backed by Cox Enterprises, is looking to build on the strengths of the Cox platform, including its deep and permanent capital base as well as the strategic and operational expertise of Cox’s $23 billion family of businesses. Socium Ventures’ current portfolio of companies include New York-based Carbyne, a company revolutionizing how citizens engage with emergency services nationwide— and recently added Knowde and Crisp to the portfolio.

“This second fund recognizes what we’ve accomplished since launching Socium Ventures last year,” said Andrew Davis, senior vice president of Strategy and Investments, Cox Enterprises and managing partner of Socium Ventures. “Moving forward, we will continue our investing strategy to help early-stage businesses scale for a bigger impact. This is a formula that has worked well for us, and we are excited about our future prospects.”

In a significant addition to its team, Socium Ventures welcomes David Yang as a partner. He is the first dedicated senior hire for the firm. Yang joins Socium Ventures after spending 15 years investing in growth technology companies across investment stages, including venture, growth and public companies. His past investments have included Chime, Deuna, Digital Ocean, JOKR, Papaya Pay and PinDuoDuo. He started his investing career at Warburg Pincus and TA Associates.

“I’ve spent my career supporting founders and leadership teams who are building foundational companies,” said Yang. “I’m incredibly excited to join Socium Ventures and execute against our mandate of partnering with durable and compounding companies that are leading the charge on innovation and growth.”

For more information about Socium Ventures and its latest investments, please visit sociumventures.com.

About Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises is dedicated to empowering people to build a better future for the next generation. Cox is a leader in the broadband, automotive, and media industries, as well as a leading investment platform with strategic positions in emerging technologies driving the future of agriculture, renewable energy, health care, and public sector software. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Cox is a global company with $23 billion in annual revenues and a proud history spanning more than 125 years. To learn more about Cox and its commitment to its people, planet and communities, visit coxenterprises.com. 

About Socium Ventures
Socium Ventures, a venture and growth investment fund launched by Cox Enterprises, represents a new era in full life cycle investment strategies. Socium Ventures is dedicated to supporting portfolio companies at every stage of development and building strong partnerships with founders. Seeking investment opportunities for Series A and beyond, Socium Ventures offers a unique proposition, providing companies with access to deep and permanent capital, extensive strategic and operating experience, and support across stages and over the long term. Learn more at SociumVentures.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cox-enterprises-backs-socium-ventures-with-a-second-300-million-fund-reinforcing-commitment-to-fostering-innovation-302286408.html

SOURCE Cox Enterprises

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Envision Marks First International Application of SAFc at Global Citizen NOW, Providing Environmental Attributes Corresponding to 10 Tonnes of CO₂ Emissions Reductions

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SYDNEY, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Envision, a global leader in green technology, expanded its Sustainable Aviation Fuel certificate (SAFc) solution internationally as the Sustainability Partner of Global Citizen NOW: Perth. This marks the company’s first international application of SAFc, demonstrating a practical pathway to integrate aviation decarbonization into the sustainability practices of major global events.

For this event, Envision delivered environmental attributes corresponding to 10 tonnes of CO₂ emissions reductions. These reductions are linked to the actual production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with the associated attributes recorded and retired through a leading global Registry to ensure transparency and traceability.

Alongside this initiative, Envision’s Australian team participated in the event’s broader programme, including discussions on clean energy investment and industrial decarbonisation, bilateral meetings, and the Capital Mobilization Roundtable and Masterclass. Through these engagements, the team exchanged perspectives with leaders from business, investment and the climate community on Western Australia’s potential role in the next-generation green industries, while exploring opportunities to strengthen collaboration, mobilize investment and accelerate the clean energy transition.

Co-hosted by Global Citizen and the Government of Western Australia, the summit took place ahead of COP31, convening representatives from governments, businesses, philanthropic foundations, and First Nations communities to advance clean energy access, climate resilience, and inclusive economic development.

The Perth SAFc initiative builds on Envision’s SAFc application at the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) in Xiamen in September, where the company demonstrated how SAFc could address the air-travel emissions of a major conference. Global Citizen NOW: Perth represents the next step—applying this model internationally and demonstrating its potential as a scalable solution for companies and major events seeking to tackle aviation-related emissions across global value chains.

The initiative also reflects Envision’s broader approach to corporate decarbonisation. Across wind and solar power, energy storage, green molecules, net-zero industrial parks, and green computing, Envision is developing integrated solutions to help companies tackle emissions across their operations and value chains.

“Envision will continue to explore the application of green fuels across aviation and international events, foster collaboration throughout the green fuel value chain, and support aviation’s low-carbon transition through transparent, traceable environmental attribute management,” said Bella Zhang, Head of Global SAF at Envision.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/envision-marks-first-international-application-of-safc-at-global-citizen-now-providing-environmental-attributes-corresponding-to-10-tonnes-of-co-emissions-reductions-302923213.html

SOURCE Envision

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More Than Business: ChinaMarket’s “Little Bees” Go the Extra Mile for International Buyers

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LINYI, China, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — When a Malaysian buyer experienced a sudden toothache during the Linyi Mall International Buyers Conference in China, he found help in an unexpected place.

A member of ChinaMarket‘s “Little Bees” service team, Chen Fuqing, promptly accompanied him to a local hospital and assisted him throughout the visit.

It was a small act of kindness, but it reflected something important about doing business in Linyi: international buyers have people they can turn to when they need help.

During the international buyers conference, ChinaMarket established its “Little Bees” service team to assist overseas visitors throughout their stay in Linyi.

From welcoming international buyers and arranging market visits to connecting them with suppliers, helping bridge language barriers, and responding to unexpected situations, the team works to make the sourcing experience easier and more comfortable.

Linyi is home to one of China’s major wholesale market clusters, attracting buyers from around the world with its diverse products, manufacturing resources, and extensive supply chains.

As the official digital platform of Linyi Wholesale Market, ChinaMarket connects global buyers with Chinese suppliers and provides integrated sourcing and trade services.

For international buyers, successful sourcing involves more than finding the right products. Clear communication, reliable coordination, and access to support are equally important.

The “Little Bees” team brings this commitment to life through personal, on-the-ground assistance.

A recent song released by ChinaMarket captures the spirit of the city:

“Come to Linyi, a city that welcomes you with open arms.”

In Linyi, global buyers can discover business opportunities, build partnerships, and experience the warmth of genuine hospitality.

Come to Linyi. Source with ChinaMarket.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/more-than-business-chinamarkets-little-bees-go-the-extra-mile-for-international-buyers-302923217.html

SOURCE ChinaMarket

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UnionPay and Cuscal Paymark Discuss Payment Acceptance and Digital Innovation

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AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mr. Dong Junfeng, Chairman of China UnionPay and UnionPay International, met with Cuscal Paymark, in Auckland on 19 October 2026 to discuss expanding UnionPay acceptance in New Zealand and opportunities for cooperation in digital payments. Mr. Mike Blomfield, Chief Executive Officer and Julia Nicol, Chief of Staff expressed support UnionPay’s plans and the advancement of key projects.

Cuscal Paymark is New Zealand’s largest payment switching and network services provider. The two parties have maintained a partnership since 2012.  To date, several major banks on its network support UnionPay payments at physical merchants. The company has also incorporated a number of UnionPay product standards into mandatory terminal upgrade requirements, providing a foundation for broader acceptance. Looking ahead, UnionPay will leverage Cuscal Paymark’s local network and transaction processing capabilities to upgrade online and in-store payment platforms and further improve UnionPay acceptance services.

Discussions also covered upgrades to support chip transactions on dual-branded cards, online payment gateway integration, and the joint promotion of SoftPOS solutions to acquirers. The companies agreed to strengthen technical coordination to maintain reliable payment processing during and after system upgrades.

Other topics included agentic payments, digital identity, biometric applications, and payment network connectivity.

Ms. Nicol reaffirmed Cuscal Paymark’s support for UnionPay’s ongoing development in New Zealand and the advancement of key projects. Both parties agreed to explore further cooperation in wallet connectivity and digital payments.

UnionPay entered the New Zealand market in 2008. Its acceptance coverage now exceeds 90%, and UnionPay cards are now widely issued by local financial institutions. UnionPay will continue working with partners to improve payment services, strengthen financial integration between China and other APEC economies, and advance cross-border payment cooperation between China and New Zealand and across the broader Asia-Pacific region.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/unionpay-and-cuscal-paymark-discuss-payment-acceptance-and-digital-innovation-302923215.html

SOURCE UnionPay International

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