News Briefs

Knightscope, Inc.,  a  developer of autonomous security robots and blue light emergency communication systems,  announced two new contracts with a northern California casino. The casino signed one agreement for a K1 Tower and separately signed a pre-order for two of the company’s K1 Hemisphere Autonomous Security Robots or “ASRs”. Knightscope recently deployed two K1 Hemispheres in Hawaii to mark the final stage of testing as it prepares to fulfill its pre-order contracts.

The K1 Tower is a stationary indoor/outdoor ASR optimized for use at smaller properties where mobility is not necessarily required, or at points of ingress and egress. It operates 24/7 and has the same features clients have come to expect from Knightscope’s mobile ASRs with the added option of facial recognition which, in the case of casinos, may be used to identify VIPs, advantage players and known trespassers.

The K1 Hemisphere is compact and a perfect complement to its bigger siblings for casinos, commercial property owners, residential communities, bank ATM vestibules, truck stops, lobbies, loading docks, ports, rail, schools, and any other places where one seeks to elevate the security and safety profiles of the places people work, live, study and visit. The Hemisphere is also easily mounted to a variety of objects like poles, fences, buildings, walls, etc., making it an incredibly versatile addition to any security program.

Knightscope’s ASR services and emergency communications products help better protect public spaces. To learn more about Knightscope’s robots, visit www.knightscope.com/discover.

Shiji, a global hospitality technology innovator, has partnered with IPORT, an award-winning manufacturer known for enhancing the usability of iPads and iPhones, to introduce an all-in-one software solution for hotel restaurants. This collaboration will provide hoteliers with a seamless combination of a tablet and payment device to maximize their F&B operations.

The integrated iOS and payment device solution simplifies guest service for hotel restaurant servers, providing them with an effortless tool to cater to their guests' needs. As a certified Apple partner, Shiji and IPORT guarantee exceptional performance and reliability. Hoteliers can choose from multiple device options, including iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPhone, ensuring flexibility and compatibility with their operations.

“IPORT products are built around modularity and flexibility that empower our hospitality customers to do more with the iOS platform. We are thrilled to partner with a leading iPad and iPhone cloud PMS and POS platform provider like Shiji,” said Chris Lawson, Head of Partnerships, IPORT. “We look forward to innovating with Shiji in disrupting legacy, monolithic providers who have limited the industry from harnessing the power of iOS and mobility. The future is bright, and the possibilities are endless with IPORT, iOS, and Shiji.”

"The partnership with IPORT is a significant milestone for Shiji in our commitment to provide innovative technology solutions for the hospitality industry," said Ryan King, Senior Vice President of Shiji in the Americas. "By combining our expertise with IPORT’s hardware solutions, we empower hoteliers to streamline restaurant operations and deliver exceptional guest experiences. This collaboration represents another step forward in our dedication to driving success in the Americas, and globally."

The tablet and payment device solution seamlessly integrates with multiple payment gateways, allowing hoteliers to choose the system that best suits their needs. By simplifying the payment process, it reduces operational complexities, minimizes errors, and saves valuable time and resources for hoteliers.

Fourth has partnered with Pendella to provide individual life insurance offerings to Fourth’s human resources (HR) and payroll customers.

According to financial research firm LIMRA, approximately 42% of Americans would experience financial difficulties within six months if the primary wage earner in their household were to pass away unexpectedly.

“Typically, group life insurance policies offered by employers offer either a flat sum of $20,000 or one-year’s salary as a benefit,” said Gene Cabrera, SVP of operations, HR and Payroll at Fourth. “It is far less than what an individual life insurance benefit could offer or what a family may need from an unexpected or catastrophic event.”

• Leveraging Technology and Processes to Tackle the Worker Shortage

Pendella's branded life insurance technology seamlessly merges with Fourth's workforce solution platform to create a completely digital process to shop, compare and buy financial coverage – all achieved without requiring a medical exam. Fourth’s HR and payroll customers can purchase comprehensive life insurance coverage for as low as $9 a month and in less than 15 minutes.

By expanding the accessibility of life insurance, Fourth hopes to close a huge coverage gap in which about 50% of U.S. households (according to the 2022 Insurance Barometer Study by LIMRA) have no individual life insurance. 

To learn more, join Fourth and Pendella on a live online session about “How Restaurants and Retail Chains can Win the Talent War” at fourth.com/win-the-talent-war.

​​Nomadix® Inc​., bringing connected experiences to life, today announced its Global Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Mike Gray, has been re-elected for a third term to the HTNG Vendor Advisory Council. This leadership group is an important link between the vendor community, hoteliers and AHLA, as they tackle critical technology needs and shape priorities for the hospitality industry. Nomadix supports the efforts of this council and Gray’s continued dedication to the industry.

The HTNG Vendor Advisory Council (VAC) represents the collective interests of technology vendors supporting the hospitality industry, focusing efforts on unlocking global business potential. The council strives to surface thought leaders, elevate workgroup outcomes, increase awareness of AHLA initiatives, strengthen Allied membership engagement and educate the hotelier community on industry-wide technology initiatives.

“We could not be more pleased to welcome Mike Gray for another term on HTNG’s Vendor Advisory Council,” said AHLA CTO Michael Blake. “Mike holds a wealth of knowledge and experience that has helped direct technology advancement in our industry, and he continues to provide sound direction to help us move hospitality forward.”

“I’m honored to have been re-elected to the HTNG Vendor Advisory Council by my peers and AHLA leadership. Having served on the council for the past six years, I’m excited to continue the important discussions and leading initiatives that improve hotel efficiencies, safety, profitability and technology for a stronger future,” said Mike Gray, global vice president of strategic partnerships at Nomadix.

Favor Delivery, a restaurant delivery app for Texans, is launching its largest ad campaign to date.

The integrated campaign, "How Texas Orders In," features Texas newcomers learning the unique, and at times, funny ways in which things are done in their new home state.

From 2000 to 2022, Texas gained close to 10 million new residents—a 43% increase in population, according to Census.gov. 

Founded in Austin in 2013, Favor currently operates in more than 200 cities across Texas with over 100,000 Runners (drivers), who have delivered more than 75 million Favors to date—which range from restaurant meals and alcohol to groceries and everyday essentials. In 2018, Favor became the first US on-demand delivery company to achieve profitability, which prompted its sale to grocery retailer H-E-B.  

Texan Quirks in the Spotlight

The centerpiece of the campaign, which is running exclusively in Texas across all major markets, is three 30-second spots featuring newly-arrived Texans sharing what they've learned about their neighbors since moving in. The first, that Texans love ordering food delivery through Favor. The second, always a signature Texan quirk–like that neighbors will want to help with whatever it is you're doing in the yard, or that your neighborhood will likely turn into a ghost town on Saturday during football season. The spots will run across local linear broadcast, connected TV and digital channels. 

Out-of-home ads echo the local angle with messages like, "Proudly Unavailable in 49 States," and "Welcome New Texans. No State Income Tax = Extra Guac." Social media posts will provide helpful hints for Texas newcomers ("Don't rush out to buy boots. We don't all wear them. But do download Favor. We all use it for delivery.") and playfully reference the four seasons in Texas. ("Winter, Spring, Summer, and Football"). 

View the spots here: Neighbors, Yard Signs, and Ghost Town.

 

 

Despite facing barriers to entry, Generation Z is embracing entrepreneurship in Canada with an optimistic outlook, according to Gen Z: A New Age in Canadian Entrepreneurship, a new report from technology company Square. The report is based on the findings of a survey conducted with 400 Canadians aged 18–27 who own a business or are in the process of starting one, conducted in collaboration with Leger.

While more than one in two (56%) respondents believe they have better economic opportunities than the previous generation, a far larger percentage of men (60%) than women (49%) shared this optimistic outlook.

When it comes to entrepreneurial role models there is a significant gender divide, with 34% of male respondents indicating they looked up to Elon Musk the most. Women had far less interest in Musk (14%), favouring entertainers-turned-moguls Selena Gomez (25%), Ryan Reynolds (18%) and Rihanna (18%).

The definition of success also varied largely between Gen Z men and women, with 51% of women indicating that growing a customer base was the number-one success factor, compared to only 38% of men. Women were also far more concerned with customer satisfaction (39%) than men (29%).

However, in many areas there was general consensus across genders. For example, more than three in four respondents (77%) believe Gen Z is more open to alternative paths to success instead of a corporate 9–5 job than previous generations. Jasmine Linton, who owns DIBS Scratch Bakery, a bakery in Richmond Hill, Ontario, agrees.

“We're not only more open to alternative paths, but in many cases, I think we actually prefer it,” said Linton. “Being able to do my own thing on my own time, rather than being confined to 9–5, is part of what led me to start my own business.”

Linton is, however, in the minority: 25% of Gen Z entrepreneurs consider their business a full-time endeavour while 53% see their businesses as side hustles.

Technology's Starring Role

Technology is a big factor in growing these businesses from part- to full-time, with 79% of respondents saying they consider technology tools, such as payment processing, essential to starting a business. More than a third (36%) attribute Gen Z's entrepreneurial nature to greater access to technology and related tools. But they still lack comfort with some of the financial tasks required to run a business: 86% of respondents have at least one finance-related task they feel ill-equipped to handle, with more than one-fifth (22%) struggling with knowing how to secure funding. Some (21%) also admit to difficulties with budgeting and cash flow management, and another 19% find it difficult to manage invoices.

To learn more about Square  visit Square.ca.