SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–500 Global, una delle società di venture capital più attive al mondo, oggi ha annunciato la nomina della Dott.ssa Alaa Murabit a Managing Partner di Sustainable Growth. La Dott.ssa Murabit dirigerà l’attività Sustainable Growth della società, creata per accelerare la resilienza economica mobilizzando il capitale e le capacità nello sviluppo climatico, sanitario e umano nei mercati di frontiera ed emergenti. Il testo originale del presente annuncio, redatto nella
Month: July 2025
Samenvatting: 500 Global neemt UN SDG-architect Dr. Alaa Murabit in dienst om nieuwe aanbiedingen van het bedrijf in Sustainable Growth te lanceren
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–500 Global, een van de meest actieve risicokapitaalbedrijven ter wereld, maakte vandaag de benoeming bekend van Dr. Alaa Murabit tot Managing Partner of Sustainable Growth. Zij zal toezicht houden op de Sustainable Growth-praktijk van het bedrijf, tot stand gebracht om economische veerkracht te versnellen door kapitaal en capaciteiten te mobiliseren in klimaat, gezondheid en menselijke ontwikkeling in grensmarkten en opkomende markten. Deze bekendmaking is offici
Igniting the Power of Mission-Driven Work: Julia Santosuosso of Mary Kay Inc. Makes the DSN “40 Under 40” List
Originally published on https://newsroom.marykay.com/
Direct Selling News just dropped its annual 40 Under 40 list, and it’s packed with bold talent shaking up the industry. These game-changers – from marketing mavericks to product powerhouses – aren’t just keeping up with the trends; they’re setting them. Recognized for their leadership, disruptive ideas, and undeniable impact, this year’s class is redefining what it means to lead in direct selling.
Julia Santosuosso, Program Manager of Global Social Impact at Mary Kay, brings warmth, dedication, and purpose to everything she does. With a genuine passion for creating positive change, she collaborates closely with Mary Kay’s global markets and external partners to drive meaningful impact through the company’s social initiative, Pink Changing Lives®.
Did you know: Mary Kay ranked #9 on Forbes’ 2025 list of Best Brands for Social Impact 2025 – out of 3,900 brands, being the only beauty brand and the only direct selling company represented in the Top 10.
We caught up with Julia to get to know her better and learn about her vision of leadership beyond self.
What do you do in your current role? How did you get to this point in your career?
- In my current role, I lead Global Social Impact delivering programs and strategic communications with a focus on Mary Kay’s global corporate philanthropy and reputation building. My role encompasses everything from driving our multi-faceted Pink Changing Lives® programs – benefiting millions of women and investing over $230 million into communities and non-profits – to our Young Women in STEM initiatives helping young women pursue their dreams in STEM fields often underrepresented by women. I also manage the U.S.-based Mary Kay Ash Foundation® overseeing cancer research and domestic violence shelter grants, programs, and partnerships along with donor engagement, events, and day-to-day operations.
- What I love most about my work is the heart of the Company – where brand purpose, community investment, and storytelling all intersect —helping to amplify the Company mission to enrich women’s lives.
- My career began in nonprofit, where I spent nearly a decade working in development, communications, and event management (often all in the same role!) That experience gave me a deeper appreciation for the power of mission-driven work and that tangible impact can be achieved on any scale when people unite for a cause. I knew when I transitioned to the corporate sector, purposeful work had to remain at the core of my responsibilities.
How were you introduced to the direct selling channel?
- Growing up in Dallas, Mary Kay has always been an iconic brand and well-known for its exceptional work culture, but it wasn’t until joining the company that I could fully appreciate the transformative opportunity it creates for women around the world.
- The first time I attended Mary Kay’s U.S. Seminar – a conference convening thousands of Independent Beauty Consultants from across the country to recognize, celebrate, and learn how to develop their business – could I fully grasp the grit, determination, network, and empowerment running a Mary Kay business brings to life.
- Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with our global markets and independent sales force members around the world, amplifying the impactful work they are doing locally to make the world a more beautiful place.
What about direct selling most excites and/or inspires you?
- Empowering women. What other industry can a woman define her future on her own terms? Whether she starts a business for supplemental income, flexibility, a sense of purpose or community – direct selling allows women to cultivate success in a way that works for them at any stage of life.
- Connecting customers with amazing products is just the beginning of what direct selling unlocks for a woman starting a business. It’s about building confidence, gaining independence, and charting her own course. I have seen firsthand how direct selling transforms lives and strengthens communities – it’s a beautiful thing.
- As for the channel, I believe direct selling will continue to evolve into an even more dynamic and omnichannel experience. Technology is rapidly changing the game, finding faster, better, more sustainable ways to create and maintain meaningful connections and sales experiences with customers across the world. It’s an incredible time to join direct selling; the possibilities to grow your multi-faceted business are only getting better.
What’s one piece of advice or “pearl of wisdom” you could share to anyone starting out in a direct selling corporate career?
- Say yes to every opportunity to ask questions, learn, and keep growing. Early in my career, I shied away from questioning decisions or sharing feedback that differed from the group – thinking experience automatically gave you the right answer, so my input must not be as valuable or needed. It wasn’t until much later, I realized we each bring a unique perspective and experience to every situation, problem to be solved, or strategic brainstorm – our collective input only elevates the group’s outcome.
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About Mary Kay
One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.
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The Spirit of Giving and Family Fun is Alive and Well as Keel Farms Celebrates Christmas in July
Keel Farms, home to Keel+Curley Winery and Keel Farms Agrarian Ales and Ciders is
getting a jump start on everyone’s favorite holiday by bringing Santa down from the
North Pole and helping kids with cancer. Enjoy live music, donate a toy and get a free
drink.
PLANT CITY, Fla. , July 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Keel Farms, home of Keel and Curley Winery and Keel Farms Agrarian Ales and Cider, is excited to announce the return of Christmas In July from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. July 26, 2025. Enjoy dozens of local vendors, live music, and a free Santa bounce house (see images from 2024 event here).
Visitors are encouraged to donate a toy for ‘No More Umbrellas’ and receive a free drink from Keel Farms as a thank you. This toy drive (with free drink) runs all month long.
No More Umbrellas is a non-profit that provides support for kids fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, and their families. No More Umbrellas partners with West Central Florida’s three pediatric cancer hospitals and community organizations. Through cash hardship assistance, gift card support, and donations of toys, games, and activities, families can focus on what matters most.
“Our Christmas in July event is all about community,” said Clay Keel, President of Keel Farms. “We have so many vendors participating, this is a wonderful time to pick up unique gifts and get some early Christmas shopping done. We know our patrons are all about giving back so we anticipate plenty of toys will be donated to No More Umbrellas. It’s never too early to embrace the giving spirit of Christmas.”
Christmas in July Details:
- Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025
- Time: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- Location: Keel Farms, 5202 Thonotosassa Road, Plant City, FL
- FREE Parking and Admission
- Pets welcome
In addition to Christmas in July Festival, Keel Farms gets the party going with Sangria Night every first Friday of the month. This has proven to be extremely popular and keeps things hopping on the dance floor. Speaking of dancing, there’s line dancing every Thursday night from 7-9 p.m. There’s no need to worry about the heat, both events take place in a huge air-conditioned tent.
For more information visit Keel Farms.
About Keel Farms: Keel Farms is home to Keel and Curley Winery and Keel Farms Agrarian Ales and Cider. Our mission is to grow people, community, and agriculture by always providing memorable experiences through quality farm products and sustainable practices.
Media Inquiries:
Colin Trethewey, PRmediaNow Communications: Colin@PRmediaNow.com
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SOURCE Keel Farms
Macsen Labs Achieves Breakthrough in Sodium-Ion Battery Chemistry, Files Provisional Patent, and Advances Toward Pilot-Scale Manufacturing
Video Link: https://youtu.be/qJQrHt-apeY?si=7P4gCV1rXI3tryFD
UDAIPUR, India, July 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Macsen Labs, a manufacturer of APIs, dyes, and specialty chemicals since 1952, has announced a major breakthrough in Sodium-Ion battery technology through the successful R&D-scale synthesis of its high-performance Prussian White, a next-generation cathode material for Sodium-Ion batteries. The company has filed a provisional patent for its proprietary synthesis process. The material has already undergone optimization for battery use at the company’s electrochemistry and battery R&D facility and has shown promising results, driving the next phase toward pilot-scale manufacturing.
“It’s an interesting story, how a pharmaceutical company like ours entered the energy storage space,” said Mr. Achal Agrawal, CEO of Macsen Labs and the lead researcher behind the project. “While working on Prussian Blue as a drug for radioactive poisoning, we discovered its derivative — Prussian White, which was emerging as a leading candidate for Sodium-Ion battery cathodes. That moment of curiosity led us down this path.”
Exactly one year ago, with zero experience in electrochemistry, Macsen’s team fabricated a basic pouch cell inside a regular chemistry R&D lab, without specialized equipment. “We had no glovebox, no coater, no calendering machine, just our lab experience and synthesized material,” recalled Agrawal. “When that small cell lit up an LED bulb, we knew we had something worth pursuing. That spark led us to establish a full-fledged electrochemistry lab.”
Today, Macsen’s battery R&D facility includes an argon-filled glovebox for inert atmosphere handling, coin and pouch cell fabrication stations, electrode coaters, crimpers, vacuum dryers, and electrochemical testing systems, such as cyclers and potentiostats. With this setup, Macsen can rapidly prototype and test battery cells using its own synthesized materials, significantly reducing development time.
The company already operates a pilot-scale chemical synthesis facility, which is now being used to produce Prussian White at a kilogram scale. Through numerous experiments conducted over the last year, the team has gained proficiency in Prussian White chemistry and has achieved what is likely to be one of the finest quality variants produced to date.
Through its proprietary process, Macsen has achieved an energy density exceeding 150 mAh/g with Prussian White, which is comparable to Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP). The material also shows excellent stability, fast sodium-ion mobility due to its open crystalline structure, and compatibility with existing Li-ion cell manufacturing infrastructure.
“Performance-wise, it’s at par with LFP, but made from abundant, low-cost materials like sodium and iron,” said Agrawal. “And these elements are easily available, affordable, and free from geopolitical constraints.”
This project, originally incubated within Macsen Labs, is now being advanced under a dedicated entity currently under formation — ‘Macsen Energy’, which will focus exclusively on energy storage innovation and scale-up.
“The real potential of sodium-ion batteries lies not just in electric vehicles,” said Agrawal. “It lies in stationary energy storage systems that store and manage renewable energy from solar and wind. This is where India’s energy transition will happen at scale.”
Macsen’s current Sodium-Ion battery technology, using its Prussian White as cathode paired with a hard carbon anode, is well suited for applications such as battery energy storage systems (BESS) for grid and solar, household backup and inverter systems, short-range EVs, auto-rickshaws, two-wheelers, city buses, rural microgrids, and energy access solutions.
The company is now focusing not only on improving cycle life, energy density, charge-discharge rates, and optimizing electrolyte-additive systems, but also on reducing the cost contribution of other components of the battery cell. Macsen aims to develop economical form factors by innovatively combining low-cost battery materials, components, and manufacturing processes, especially for large-scale stationary energy storage. One inherent cost advantage of sodium-ion technology is its use of aluminium in place of copper as the cathode current collector, which would further reduce raw material costs.
To demonstrate the performance of Prussian White in commercial large-format cells, Macsen is setting up a pilot-scale cell fabrication line. The company is already sourcing equipment for this and aims to have the pilot-scale production facility operational by early 2026.
“We are trying to make a new energy future for India,” concluded Agrawal. “Sodium-ion batteries are India’s opportunity to build a truly indigenous, scalable, and affordable energy storage ecosystem.”
Contact
corporate@macsenlab.com
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJQrHt-apeY
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2734787/Macsen_Labs_Logo.jpg
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SOURCE Macsen Labs Group
China International Supply Chain Expo Highlights Global Collaboration
Third CISCE Reflects China’s Role in Strengthening Supply Chain Integration, Innovation, and Resilience
BEIJING, July 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — “The Chinese supply chain is a miracle. The Chinese market is vast and full of vitality.” These were the remarks of NVIDIA Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang during an interview at the third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE, the Expo).
Held in Beijing from July 16th to 20th, the third CISCE served as a key platform for facilitating international cooperation in the supply chain sector. The event’s 6 Chains + 1 Exhibition Area structure underscored the importance of enhancing integration and innovation across industrial ecosystems.
- The Advanced Manufacturing Chain highlighted developments in industrial automation, including AI-enabled platforms and full-stack technologies demonstrated through humanoid robotics.
- The Green Agriculture Chain emphasized farm-to-table solutions, featuring agricultural drones and the implementation of precision irrigation and other digital practices in rural areas.
- The Digital Technology Chain focused on enhancing supply chain resilience, with leading global semiconductor firms presenting AI-integrated terminal applications and digital forecasting tools aimed at improving demand planning accuracy.
- The Healthy Life Chain promoted a holistic health framework, with healthcare companies displaying end-to-end innovation in cotton production and showcasing the evolving role of traditional Chinese medicine in modern clinical settings.
- The Smart Vehicle Chain explored advancements in mobility infrastructure, as international component suppliers leveraged digitalization to improve response capabilities and domestic electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers reported a 300 percent increase in data processing capacity through AI chip integration.
- The Clean Energy Chain featured full-cycle capabilities of major industry participants. Chinese firms now supply 80 percent of global photovoltaic modules and contribute one-third of global investment in clean energy.
- The Supply Chain Service Area demonstrated integrated support functions through coordinated logistics and financial services, offering essential reinforcement for industrial chain operations.
The Expo offers a comprehensive view of the adaptability and innovative capacity of China’s supply chains, reinforcing their position as a central link in global economic connectivity and long-term development.
“Over 80 percent of Apple’s 200 major global suppliers manufacture in China,” Tim Cook, Apple Chief Executive Officer, noted during his visit at the second CISCE.
As the first national-level exposition dedicated exclusively to supply chains, CISCE has emerged as a platform for both policy dialogue and industry engagement, where more insightful trends on dynamic global supply chains could be found at https://en.cisce.org.cn/.
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SOURCE China International Supply Chain Expo
500 Global Taps UN SDG Architect, Dr. Alaa Murabit, to Launch Firm’s New Offerings in Sustainable Growth
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–500 Global, one of the world’s most active venture capital firms1, today announced the appointment of Dr. Alaa Murabit as Managing Partner of Sustainable Growth. She will oversee the firm’s Sustainable Growth practice created to accelerate economic resilience by mobilizing capital and capabilities across climate, health and human development in frontier and emerging markets. 500 Global’s Sustainable Growth practice aims to create financing strategies, educational
