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indent and Red Seven Announce Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Creative IP-Works

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This collaboration will leverage Nola’s Creative Writing Platform to enhance webtoon development and drive innovation in IP creation.

TOKYO, April 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — indent, Inc., the developer of Nola, a creative Writing platform[*1] that connects over 500,000 writers with more than 30 publishing labels, has entered into a strategic partnership with Red Seven Inc., led by CEO Lee Hyun-seok, a group company of Red Ice Studio, known for producing “Tomb Raider King”.tom

On March 1, 2025, both companies agreed to strengthen the corporate “IP Development Total Package,” leveraging Nola’s extensive database of over 2 million Japanese “gensaku” – original IP-works –  by Providing comprehensive support for businesses, from sourcing and discovering original IP-works to developing them into full-fledged multimedia content, including webtoons, comics, and novels.

Purpose of the Partnership

This alliance aims to contribute to the growth and revitalization of the global webtoon market, with a particular focus on Japan and South Korea. It does so by leveraging Red Seven’s production expertise, which has resulted in numerous high-quality global hit webtoons such as “The Great Mage Who Returned After 4000 Years” and “Tomb Raider King”, along with Nola – Creative Writing Platform, indent’s creative platform that connects writers and companies. 

Background and Vision of the Partnership

With the widespread adoption of digital devices, the webtoon market has firmly established itself in South Korea as a platform optimized for multimedia storytelling. This market is experiencing rapid global expansion, including in Japan, and is projected to reach 3.85 trillion yen by 2028[*2]. However, as the industry grows at an unprecedented pace, ensuring a sustainable production system and maintaining quality remain pressing challenges.

Until now, indent has supported businesses seeking to develop media-mixable IPs originating from novels, manga, and webtoons through its IP Development Total Package, leveraging a database of over 2 million Japanese “gensaku” (original IP-works) created by 500,000 writers. With this new partnership, Red Seven will take the lead in overseeing and providing comprehensive support for the webtoon sector within this package.

By utilizing Red Seven’s specialized expertise in establishing and expanding production systems, this collaboration will drive business growth for participating companies while also helping to build a sustainable ecosystem for the long-term success and innovation of the webtoon industry.

Statements from Company Representatives

Red Seven Inc, CEO,  Lee Hyun-seok

“As of 2024, Japan’s manga industry has reached a historic high, surpassing 700 billion yen. In light of this industry milestone, Red Seven and indent have formed a business alliance to foster meaningful collaboration in the webtoon market.

Amid this period of growth driven by digital innovation, both our companies recognize the critical importance of developing high-quality IP and productions and are committed to ensuring the sustainable development of the webtoon industry.

Our partnership aims to discover talented creators and nurture original works that captivate both Japanese and global audiences. Both companies will work to create an environment where creators can fully realize their potential.

By combining indent’s expertise in operating Nola – Creative Writing Platform with Red Seven’s extensive experience in webtoon production, this collaboration will enable a mutually complementary partnership. Through these efforts, both our companies seek to contribute to the healthy growth of the webtoon industry and deliver valuable content to readers worldwide.”

indent, Inc., CEO Yuki Kamagata

“This alliance is a major step toward creating new value in the rapidly expanding webtoon market by maximizing the strengths of both companies.

With demand for Japanese original works increasing around the world, our company envisions to contribute to the development of the industry as a whole by establishing a consistent support system for the creation of media-mixable IP starting from webtoons through this alliance.

indent, Inc. will combine the expertise and resources of both companies to explore new possibilities for webtoon. The goal is to create an environment where writers using the Nola – Creative Writing Platform can focus more on their craft, while also fostering a dynamic ecosystem where businesses and emerging talent connect, leading to the creation of inspiring content.

What is  “IP Development Total Package”?

Target Audience: Companies aiming to create media-mixable IP, starting from webtoons, novels, and manga.
Package Contents: Comprehensive support is provided, covering everything from identifying and acquiring original works to full-scale production.

Recruitment of Japanese “gensaku” (original IP works)

Example: Utilizing the “Editorial Board” Feature

A corporate-exclusive feature within Nola – Creative Writing Platform Novel, a novel submission site where works written on Nola – Creative Writing Platform can be posted directly. This function allows companies to list the types of works they seek and specify key criteria, enabling them to identify and acquire submissions from writers tailored to their needs.

Example: Japanese “gensaku” (original IP works) identify and acquire Contest

Taking advantage of the fact that more than 60,000 new works are created each month on Nola – Creative Writing Platform, the contest facilitates connections between companies and emerging authors. Companies receive support in designing contest requirements to align with the type of works they seek.

Comprehensive assistance is provided for all aspects of contest operations, including contest page design and development, management, and expanding awareness among writers.

Discovery of Japanese “gensaku” (original IP works)

Red Seven, which has produced multiple global hit webtoons, and Yui Tsutsumi, the outside director of indent, recognized for discovering and editing numerous successful works in the isekai (otherworldly) genre, lead IP discovery efforts. A specialized discovery team with expertise in content selection, along with proprietary systems, is used to identify promising original works.

Co-production of works

In the webtoon sector, support is provided for the adaptation of promising Japanese “gensaku” (original works) into webtoons. This process maximizes Indent’s editorial resources while leveraging Red Seven’s expertise and production know-how.

Please feel free to contact us at the following link.
For inquiries, please contact: https://indent.co.jp/en/contact

(*1) What is “Nola – Creative Writing Platform”?

Nola – Creative Writing Platform is a creative platform operated by indent, Inc., that connects authors and companies, with over 500,000 registered authors. In addition to supporting data synchronization across both PC and mobile devices, the platform offers various tools to facilitate structured storytelling, including plot creation, character management, and setting material organization. Features such as manuscript writing, setting management, and plotting functions have been developed to support authors in their creative endeavors.

Nola – Creative Writing Platform Service HP:
https://nola-novel.com/ 

App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/id1468307521

Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nola.app&hl=ja&gl=US 

(*2) QYResearch <2023> “Global Webtoon Market Report 2023-2029”.

Red Seven Co.

Company name: Red Seven Co.
Location: Victoria Center 7F, 4-6-10 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
CEO: Lee Hyun-seok
Establishment: January 11, 2019 (Established on September 14, 2020 by reorganizing L7, a limited liability company)
Business: Production, import, export and distribution of comics, etc., and production, import, export and distribution of animation and movies, etc.
Company URL: https://redseven.jp/  

indent, inc. Company Profile

Company name: indent, Inc.
Location: 4F Kanda Misaki-cho Building, 3-6-12 Kanda Misaki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
CEO Yuki Kamagata
Establishment: October 8, 2019
Business: Planning, development, and operation of Internet services
Company URL: https://indent.co.jp/en   

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SOURCE indent, Inc.

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SiriusXM Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

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NEW YORK, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SiriusXM (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.27 per share of common stock. This regular quarterly dividend is payable in cash on August 26, 2026, to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 10, 2026.

About Sirius XM Holdings Inc.
SiriusXM is the leading audio entertainment company in North America with a portfolio of audio businesses including its flagship subscription entertainment service SiriusXM; the ad-supported and premium music streaming services of Pandora; an expansive podcast network; and a suite of business and advertising solutions. Together, SiriusXM reaches a combined monthly audience of approximately 255 million listeners. SiriusXM offers a broad range of content for listeners everywhere they tune in with a diverse mix of live, on-demand, and curated programming across music, talk, news, and sports. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.

Source: SiriusXM

Investor contacts:
Jennifer DiGrazia
investor.relations@siriusxm.com 

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SOURCE Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

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Shutterstock Announces Capital Allocation Update

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NEW YORK, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK) (the “Company”), a family of brands delivering scalable creative and GenAI solutions to help customers fuel great work, today announced that at a meeting held on July 20, 2026 its Board of Directors (the “Board”) resolved to suspend the Company’s future quarterly cash dividend.

The Board’s determination reflects its ongoing review of the Company’s capital-allocation priorities and its focus on deploying capital to support long-term value creation for shareholders, including reducing debt, minimizing related interest expense and strengthening financial flexibility.

The Board will continue to evaluate the Company’s capital allocation priorities as part of its regular governance process. Any future declaration and payment of dividends, and the amount thereof, will remain subject to the discretion of the Board and will depend upon the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, applicable law, and such other factors as the Board deems relevant.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may discuss intentions and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as predictions of future events, as there can be no assurance that the events or circumstances reflected in these statements will occur. Forward-looking statements can often, but not always, be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “believes,” “could,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “ongoing,” “plans,” “seeks,” “should,” “will,”  or the negative of these words and phrases, other variations of these words and phrases or comparable terminology, but not all forward-looking statements include such identifying words. Forward-looking statements are based upon current plans, estimates and expectations that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things, the Company’s capital allocation strategy, the suspension of the Company’s quarterly cash dividend, the Company’s plans with respect to debt reduction, interest expense management and financial flexibility, and any future declaration and payment of dividends. For a discussion of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking statements, see the sections captioned “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. While those factors are considered representative, no list of risk factors should be considered a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, and the Company disclaims any such obligation, except as may be required by law.

About Shutterstock
Shutterstock is in the business of turning ideas into impact. Powered by a global network of millions of creators and our cutting-edge technology, we provide businesses, creatives, and brand leaders with the essential, universal ingredients to make their work more effective. Shutterstock offers access to one of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of high-quality licensable assets, specialized training datasets, evaluation tools, and end-to-end strategic partnerships for the full model training lifecycle, as well as advertising and distribution solutions, exclusive editorial content, and full-service studio production—delivering unparalleled resources to fuel great work.

Discover our impact at www.shutterstock.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube.

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SOURCE Shutterstock, Inc.

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ICI Welcomes Bipartisan Sponsors of Bill to Stop States from Seizing Long-Term Investors’ Savings

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WASHINGTON, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Investment Company Institute released the following Viewpoints blog. To learn more about why this issue matters and how the SAFER Act would help protect American investors, watch our video on LinkedIn.

Millions of American investors have adopted the advice given by financial advisors to invest for the long term and then leave those savings alone. In some states, however, following this guidance can get your account seized. That was the warning sounded at an event featuring the sponsors of the bipartisan SAFER Act, Representatives Sam Liccardo (D-CA) and Mike Lawler (R-NY), who joined ICI leaders to make the case for a federal solution to the problem of state unclaimed property laws that can treat buy-and-hold investors as though they have disappeared. 

ICI President and CEO Eric Pan opened the event by outlining the nature of this growing threat. More than 128 million Americans invest in regulated funds, many with the intention of holding them for years, following the advice of many financial educators to “stay in the market, invest for the long term.” They put their money away and go about their lives, confident that the savings will be there when they need it. But under some states’ laws, an account that shows no activity can be declared abandoned and taken into state custody through a process called escheatment.

Pan walked through what seizure means in practice. When a state escheats an investment account, it typically liquidates the holdings — so even an investor who eventually recovers the money gets back only what the account was worth at seizure, with no credit for years of market gains. For retirement accounts, the forced liquidation can also trigger unforeseen tax consequences. And recovering the money at all can take years of paperwork and persistence. Meanwhile, some states are moving in the wrong direction, loosening their rules to make it easier to capture assets. 

“This is where the leadership of Congressmen Lawler and Liccardo is so important,” Pan said. “They’ve introduced the SAFER Act, a federal solution to a problem that exists across the United States. This patchwork of different legal standards, and the fact that the legal standards change constantly, creates a lot of confusion and creates this risk and harm that we’re so worried about.” 

In a panel discussion, the two lawmakers described the issue as an obvious place for Democrats and Republicans to find common ground, given Americans’ widespread use of investment accounts for saving.

“We are, for the most part, a group of Americans who sit on our investments, which is more or less the right strategy,” Liccardo said, noting that this is exactly the approach that inactivity standards put at risk. 

Liccardo pointed to the widely reported case of Walter Schramm, an investor who bought Amazon shares in the late 1990s and then did what many long-term investors do: leave the account be. Delaware deemed the account abandoned and liquidated the shares in 2008, when they worth about $8,000. By the time Schramm discovered what happened years later, the position would have been worth roughly $100,000.

The financial incentives driving state behavior are a concern, Liccardo noted. Unclaimed property has become one of Delaware’s largest sources of revenue, bringing in more than half a billion dollars a year — a powerful reason for states to loosen their standards rather than tighten them. 

Lawler contrasted legitimate unclaimed property programs and what some states are doing now. “It’s one thing to get an asset because it’s truly abandoned,” he said. “It’s another to basically target a group of investors who have a long-term strategy of just not touching the asset and being passive.”

The right standard, Lawler argued, is the obvious one: before seizing investment assets, a state should have to prove the owner is actually deceased. He posited that most Americans would be shocked to learn how little protection they have. “You think you have ownership of this asset, but the state, under current law, can just take it.”

The SAFER Act would establish federal guardrails ensuring that inactivity alone cannot be the basis for escheatment and that states confirm the death of an owner and that no estate or beneficiary has claimed the assets before escheating investment accounts. It would also require states to leave unclaimed investments in place, rather than liquidating them, until they can prove abandonment.

Both lawmakers said the path to fixing the problem is through public awareness of the threat some state laws pose to Americans financial security. “Ultimately the American people will rise up,” Liccardo said. “It may take a little while. We just have to get the information to them.”

Contact: media@ici.org 

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SOURCE Investment Company Institute

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