Tag: 3BL

NEW YORK, January 22, 2025 /3BL/ – Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose© (CECP), in collaboration with CECP Global Exchange, released the fifth edition of Global Impact at Scale: Challenges and Opportunities in Non-Financial Reporting. Despite dire warnings about the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) pushback, the study finds most corporate leadership views ESG positively, and companies are not pulling back on ESG work or changing strategies as they know the ethical and fiscal benefits. But most companies are not fully prepared for mandatory reporting requirements, noting the need for resources to build up the practice such as strengthening operational and governance frameworks to meet regulatory requirements, satisfying stakeholders, and ensuring data quality.

Key findings of the report include:

ESG and/or Sustainability Reporting, Requirements, Measurement 

Most companies (46.5%) cited that a standalone ESG/Sustainability report was how they reported annually on their operations’ goals and impacts: while 12.7% of responding companies indicated that they do not report on ESG at all.Most companies (55%) reported they are “somewhat prepared” to meet mandatory reporting requirements, but time and resources are still needed to comply with reporting procedures.Many companies agreed that measuring the “Social Impact” of their organizational processes of ESG was the most complex (35.6%) even more respondents deemed all items “Equally Complex” to measure (44%).A fair number (28.6%) of CECP affiliated companies cited the greatest challenge that they anticipate in implementing CSRD requirements is the integration of ESG reporting into existing financial reporting processes; 25.7% cited managing third-party risks and supply chain data; another 25.7% cited allocating resources and managing costs to compliance.

Leadership on ESG, and ESG Backlash 

Seventy-five percent of respondents stated that leadership within their organization views ESG positively, 21% reported that leadership views it neutrally, and 20% indicated that leadership views it negatively.Fifty-one percent of respondents indicated ESG backlash has had no impact on strategies, and 26.1% of respondents cited increased transparency and reporting.Sixteen percent indicated their organizations have reduced public discourse around ESG but have continued to invest in ESG because it yields an important ethical and fiscal benefit.A majority (77%) of respondents indicated either that the backlash had no impact on their organization’s strategies or that they had increased ESG data sharing. This result deviates only slightly from that of companies headquartered in the U.S., where the largest percentage (42.3%) of respondents indicated no change to their ESG strategies.

“With new regulations and stakeholder pressure reshaping society’s expectations of companies around the world, organizations must refine their approaches to reporting on sustainability issues and ensuring quality data related to these topics,” said Kate Stobbe, Director, Corporate Insights, CECP. “This study demonstrates that globally, businesses are prioritizing robust systems and accurate disclosures as critical to addressing the growing complexity and meeting stakeholder needs.”

The insights presented in this report are the results of a collaborative effort with CECP’s Global Exchange (GX) Partners. This document features insights from GX Partners’ market-specific research and secondary research from multiple sources, including CECP’s Pulse Surveys, the European Commission’s Sustainable Corporate Governance Initiative Public Consultation, documents pertaining to country/region-specific legislative policies, and other relevant sources.

The CECP GX partners are in 10 countries and regions and serve companies by building a body of knowledge on locally relevant corporate citizenship best practices, through information sharing and collaborative research. The GX acts as a catalyst to enhance and advance corporate social investment strategies. GX partners include: Comunitas in Brazil, CSRone in Taiwan, Corporate Responsibility Türkiye in Türkiye, Dynamo Academyl in Italy, Fundacion Seres in Spain, Maala in Israel, SynTao in Mainland China and Hong Kong, Trialogue in South Africa, and Wider Sense in Germany.

###

About Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP)

Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose® (CECP) is the only business counsel and network dedicated to driving measurable returns on purpose. We promote responsible purpose-driven business as it increases customer loyalty, builds employee engagement, improves brand trust, attracts top talent, connects with strategic investors, and contributes to the bottom line.

More than 200 of the world’s leading companies seek to improve their return on purpose through access to CECP’s solutions in insights and benchmarking. With our companies, we harness the power of purpose for business, stakeholders, and society.

For more information, visit http://cecp.co.

International Olympic Committee news

As world leaders meet at COP29 to agree actions to address the climate crisis, a new study illustrates how effective climate action could reduce the impact of climate change on winter sport.

The most comprehensive study on the subject to date has identified a substantial difference in the number of potential future host locations for the Olympic Winter Games, depending on whether the world experiences a low, mid or high greenhouse gas emissions scenario.

The independent study, Climate change and the climate reliability of hosts in the second century of the Winter Olympic Games, found that as long as emissions are reduced or stabilised, every region of the world that has already hosted the Olympic Winter Games should still be able to do so until at least the 2050s.

Each of the regions – in Europe, North America and Asia – would be able to offer multiple potential host locations for Olympic snow sports, with the majority retaining their climate reliability into the 2080s.

Under a high-emissions scenario, by the 2080s the majority of locations studied would be too warm.

The study’s authors, renowned climate change and sports scientists Associate Professor Robert Steiger of the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and Professor Daniel Scott of the University of Waterloo, Canada, observed that reducing emissions in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change would significantly slow the rate of global warming in mountain regions.

They noted that, this year, the world surpassed the 1.5°C dangerous global warming threshold set out in the agreement. Mountain temperatures in regions with reliable observations have increased at an average pace of 0.3°C per decade, exceeding the global warming rate of 0.2°C per decade since the mid-20th century.

“Winter sport faces many challenges,” said Professor Scott.

The profound repercussions of a high-emission future on the world’s cultural heritage represented by the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games underscore the urgency of swiftly reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.

Professor Daniel Scott 
University of Waterloo, Canada

The findings confirm that the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020 and 2020+5, with their increased flexibility for hosts, will contribute towards protecting the future of the Olympic Winter Games, including by enabling projects to be hosted across one or more regions, in order to use a maximum number of existing venues. The study reinforces the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s position that the winter sports community must work together to find solutions to mitigate the impact of climate change on winter sport, and to minimise the negative impacts of winter sport on the environment.

The host regions for snow sports at the next three editions of the Olympic Winter Games – the Italian Alps, the French Alps and Wasatch Back, Utah – are all assessed as climate reliable beyond the middle of the century, demonstrating that the IOC has elected climate-secure destinations for the Olympic Winter Games for the next decade.

“This study underlines why the IOC has adopted a clear strategy to reduce the carbon footprint of the Olympic Games, and why it has taken into consideration the impact of climate change when assessing future hosts,” said Karl Stoss, Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games and IOC Member in Austria. “These decisions are supported by extensive consultation and scientific evidence.”

There are a number of requirements set out by the IOC in the election of Olympic Games hosts, including that projects should prioritise the use of existing or temporary venues, to reduce the cost and carbon footprint of the Games.

We are committed to leading the way to secure a solid future for the winter sports movement and for everyone who practises winter sport in the mountains.

Karl Stoss 
Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games

The study was commissioned by the IOC to increase understanding of the winter sports environment and how it is being impacted by climate change, in order to make well-informed decisions about future Games.

The researchers assessed the future climate reliability of former Olympic Winter Games hosts, as well as potential new host regions that have not been considered in previous academic studies around the future of Olympic hosting.

In addition, they conducted a review of existing studies about the impact of climate change on hosting the Olympic Winter Games in the future.

In December 2022, the IOC Executive Board (EB) set two criteria for future Olympic Winter Games hosts: that they should be climate reliable and use a maximum number of existing and temporary venues, with no new venues built specifically for the Games.

The number of potential future hosts will evolve over time as new sports venues are built to serve the needs of local populations, and as National Olympic Committees (NOCs) take advantage of the flexibility offered by Olympic Agenda 2020 to propose events or sports outside the main host region.

While it is inevitable that climate change will impact the geography and development of winter sports to some degree, a reassuring finding is that even with a diminished pool of potential host locations, with continued adaptation the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games can endure as a genuinely global celebration of sport.

Associate Professor Robert Steiger 
University of Innsbruck 
 

The IOC’s commitment to contribute to global efforts to address climate change

The IOC is working to ensure a sustainable future for the Games so that they create lasting benefits for their hosts, reduce their environmental footprint and evolve in response to a warming planet.

While past Olympic Games have made substantial efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, starting with the Olympic Winter Games 2030, all summer and winter Olympic hosts will be required by the IOC to minimise Games-related carbon emissions, strive to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than their Games project emits, and use their influence to encourage stakeholders to take climate action. The IOC also uses its influence to encourage the broader Olympic Movement to take action against climate change, including for example by co-launching the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework and the Sports for Nature Framework in 2018.

As an organisation, the IOC is on track to reduce its carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2024 and is aiming for a 50 per cent reduction by 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Find out more about the IOC’s sustainability strategy.

WESTTOWN, Pa., January 22, 2025 /3BL/ – BioStar Renewables, a leading developer of renewable energy solutions, is proud to announce the start of construction on a transformative 2 MW solar field located on the historic 600-acre campus of Westtown School. This 8-acre solar project is a major step forward in supporting the school’s commitment to sustainability and providing supplemental electricity to the campus.

The journey to this milestone required overcoming newly enacted township regulations, addressing stakeholder concerns, and implementing innovative engineering solutions to bring this ambitious project to life. BioStar’s partnership with Bohler, an engineering firm with extensive local expertise, was instrumental in navigating the unique challenges presented by the project.

Pioneering Renewable Energy Under New Township Regulations

As the first large-scale solar project approved under Westtown Township’s newly implemented ordinance limiting solar fields to 10 acres, this development posed regulatory challenges. The approval process required collaboration with township officials to clarify procedural uncertainties and ensure compliance. BioStar Renewables worked closely with Bohler to guide the project through conditional use approval while building strong relationships with township stakeholders.

Community Collaboration to Address Concerns

One of the key challenges of the project was addressing visibility concerns raised by neighboring property owners. BioStar prioritized community engagement to resolve these issues. Detailed 3D models and proposed screening plans, which included a mix of evergreen, deciduous, and ornamental trees, were presented during site visits and virtual meetings. This proactive approach ensured smooth public approval and fostered community support.

Innovative Design Solutions to Overcome Technical Hurdles

BioStar tackled several technical challenges during the project, including glare mitigation and stormwater compliance. To address concerns about potential glare from the solar panels, the team conducted visual studies and implemented engineering solutions to reassure township officials. Additionally, infiltration basins were designed to meet localized stormwater standards while accommodating the solar field layout and existing infrastructure, such as nearby wells.

Driving Environmental and Economic Impact

The 2 MW solar field will generate clean, renewable energy for the Westtown School campus while reducing its carbon footprint. The project aligns with the school’s environmental mission and demonstrates how renewable energy can thrive in suburban communities. Over a 30-year agreement, the solar field’s energy will be sold to NJ Gas, highlighting BioStar’s ability to integrate renewable energy projects into sustainable business models.

Leading the Way in Renewable Energy Development

This project marks a significant achievement for BioStar Renewables as the first large-scale solar field approved under Westtown Township’s ordinance. It underscores BioStar’s commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions in challenging regulatory environments. With expertise in navigating complex regulations and engaging stakeholders, BioStar continues to lead the way in delivering impactful clean energy projects.

For more information about this project or BioStar Renewables’ commitment to building a lower-carbon future, please contact:

David Smart 
Chief Commercial Officer 
BioStar Renewables 
DSmart@BioStarRenewables.com 
913-369-4100 
www.BioStarRenewables.com

More about this project.

The Giving Block, a leading nonprofit fundraising platform, faced a growing challenge: how to address concerns about the environmental impact of cryptocurrency donations. In 2023, they launched EcoGift, the first initiative committed to negating the carbon footprint of cryptocurrency donations.

Powered by Climate Vault, EcoGift offsets the carbon footprint of every cryptocurrency donation made on its platform—eliminating barriers for environmentally conscious nonprofits and donors alike. By seamlessly integrating this sustainability feature, The Giving Block not only reinforced its leadership in crypto philanthropy but also set a new standard for responsible innovation in the nonprofit sector.

The Crypto Energy Challenge

As cryptocurrency adoption has grown, so have concerns about its environmental impact. Many nonprofits—especially those focused on sustainability—hesitated to adopt cryptocurrencies as a fundraising tool, citing the energy-intensive nature of certain blockchain networks.

Pat Duffy, Co-Founder of The Giving Block, explained, “There was so much misinformation about the environmental impact of cryptocurrency. Nonprofits were worried, not just about the actual footprint, but about how to explain it to their boards and donors.”

The Giving Block recognized that these perceptions, whether accurate or exaggerated, could deter nonprofits from accessing a significant and growing pool of crypto donors. They needed a solution that would:

Address environmental concerns credibly and transparently.Remove psychological or administrative barriers for nonprofits.Align with their mission to normalize and grow cryptocurrency philanthropy.

The EcoGift Initiative

The Giving Block partnered with Climate Vault to develop and launch EcoGift in late 2023. This innovative program calculates and neutralizes the emissions associated with every cryptocurrency donation made on The Giving Block’s platform, ensuring that nonprofits and donors can give sustainably.

Climate Vault’s compliance carbon market approach guarantees that offsets are real, measurable, and impactful. Additionally, its long-term removal program provides confidence that these reductions contribute to broader climate goals.

Pat praised the partnership: “Out of all the vendors we spoke with, Climate Vault was the only one genuinely interested in solving this problem with us. They helped us create an approach that wasn’t just about checking a box but truly understanding and then mitigating the environmental impact of our crypto donations.”

Implementation

EcoGift was seamlessly integrated into The Giving Block’s platform in three key steps:

Accurate Emissions Measurement: In partnership with Climate Vault, The Giving Block assessed the annual carbon footprint of crypto donation transactions on its platform.Offsetting Through Compliance Markets: Climate Vault purchased emission allowances from regulated carbon compliance markets to neutralize the cumulative annual footprint of the crypto donations, ensuring immediate and verifiable carbon reductions.Future-proofing with Removals: These immediate reductions are ultimately converted into permanent carbon removals by funding innovative technologies that actively remove CO2 from the atmosphere. This ensures EcoGift has a lasting environmental impact, further strengthening the program’s credibility.

The Giving Block absorbs the cost of offsets to ensure that neither nonprofits or donors face additional financial burdens. “We felt strongly that passing this cost along would undermine the simplicity and appeal of our platform,” said Pat.

Results

Since launching EcoGift, The Giving Block has seen measurable success:

Increased Carbon Neutral Donations: EcoGift has already offset more than 2,400 CO2 emissions from tens of thousands of transactions. They aim to grow this impact even more by the end of 2025.Growing Adoption by Environmentally Minded Nonprofits: More environmentally focused nonprofits are now embracing cryptocurrency as a viable funding method.Enhanced Donor Confidence: Donors are reassured knowing their contributions are environmentally responsible.Positioning as a Sustainability Leader: The Giving Block became the first cryptocurrency fundraising platform to commit to carbon-neutral crypto donations, strengthening its reputation as an innovator.

Pat attributes much of EcoGift’s success to the partnership with Climate Vault. “This wasn’t about us finding a vendor; it was about finding a partner,” he explained. “Climate Vault approached this challenge with curiosity, expertise, and a genuine commitment to impact. They weren’t interested in a one-size-fits-all solution—they wanted to do it right.”

Additionally, EcoGift has opened the door for broader conversations about the sustainability of cryptocurrency as a technology. “EcoGift is showing nonprofits and donors that cryptocurrency can be a net positive for the planet,” Duffy said.

The Giving Block aims to continue expanding the program’s reach, bringing more nonprofits into the crypto philanthropy space and educating the public about the efficiency and sustainability of blockchain technology.

Tapping into different voices, perspectives, and experiences helps businesses solve problems, reveals new opportunities to grow, and encourages contributions that better support people and communities. At Henkel North America, diversity is a path to progress, innovation, and impact. Our employees and partners are united by our purpose: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations. They collaborate to tackle challenges, find solutions and open new perspectives – allowing us to deliver products, services, and innovations that enrich and improve everyday life.

We invite you to “meet” our pioneers in our series, “Pioneers for Good.”

Introducing Carl and Grady

Carl Jordan, Global Quality Key Account Manager, and Grady Rorie, Application Engineering Manager, exemplify Henkel’s commitment to building diverse teams and fostering an inclusive culture to drive Henkel’s success.

As past Co-Presidents and long-time members of the Madison Heights, MI chapter of the Henkel Black Alliance (HBA) Employee Resource Group (ERG), Carl and Grady supported the development of equity and education-focused initiatives to uplift Black voices within Henkel and the community to better connect us all as allies for each other. The positive impact they made has created a ripple that continues to expand today.

Building connection and understanding through stories

History is full of unsung heroes and stories that can serve as inspiration for challenges and circumstances we face today. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when so many needed to feel a sense of connection and hope, Carl and Grady spearheaded a virtual museum tour for their Henkel colleagues with the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, MI. The museum explores and celebrates African American history and culture with an eye toward greater understanding, acceptance, and unity.

Reinforcing the power of storytelling, Carl and Grady also created “Little Known Heroes in Black History,” an initiative highlighting the untold stories of innovations and contributions of Black individuals in American history. It was a team effort to share these stories to uncover the details and moments that connect us and the invisible ripples made throughout history that benefit all.

Creating opportunities and building a diverse pipeline of talent

Understanding the importance of attracting and retaining diverse voices in the workplace, Carl and Grady worked through HBA to help remove barriers to educational resources and opportunities for Black talent.

Together, they nurtured a decade-plus-long relationship with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), which includes extensive fundraising for UNCF’s Walk for Education and an internship program connecting students at HBCUs with Henkel. A key part of the UNCF fundraising organized by the HBA team is an annual Burger Cook-Off when executives and employees showcase their cooking skills. The burgers are paired with various dishes, often inspired by traditional African American cuisine.

Carl and Grady help shape Henkel’s diverse workforce by attending career fairs and supporting opportunities for professional growth. Grady has worked extensively with a rotational program at Henkel designed to attract, develop, and retain high-potential, diverse talent for Henkel Adhesive Technologies.

“I want to serve as a credible reference and raise awareness of career opportunities for other people of color. At a recent college career fair, I met students who were surprised to learn I was a chemist, saying they did not know there were black chemists. It was exciting to open that avenue and show them they can do anything. I hope for the day when color is not a roadblock.”

Grady Rorie, Application Engineering Manager

In line with Carl’s and Grady’s commitment to education and uplifting the next generation, they joined Henkel colleagues in supporting Math Corps, a mathematics enrichment and mentoring program for middle and high school students. The program is run by Wayne State University and Detroit Public Schools and has created a lasting impact for the students, with 90% of the students enrolled attending college.

Inspiring more ripples of impact in the community

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the first official National Day of Service in the U.S., designed to encourage people to volunteer and engage in their communities in honor of Dr. King’s teachings. The idea of being of service to others – to their families, communities and at Henkel – is something Carl and Grady take to heart. Those small actions are part of the ripples they cast into their communities and Dr. King’s birthday is a special opportunity to join the “day on” by celebrating Black culture and giving back to those in need.

“We harness the teachings, activism, and sacrifices of civil rights predecessors like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to expand our impact and create lasting momentum to serve future generations.”

Carl Jordan, Global Quality Key Account Manager

Carl and Grady take steps every day to elevate diverse voices in pursuit of inclusivity, understanding, and growth, setting a strong example for the next generation of leaders to carry on. They proudly handed the role of HBA co-presidents to Malik Johnson and Jada Simpson to make their own ripples of impact.

CLEVELAND, January 22, 2025 /3BL/ – KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) provided a $9.8 million construction loan, a $3.7 million permanent loan and $9.4 million in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) financing for construction of Jalen Lofts, a new 66-unit workforce and affordable housing community in Trotwood, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. The development represents a significant milestone in the community’s efforts to rejuvenate areas adversely impacted by the 2019 Dayton tornadoes.

Jalen Lofts will provide quality housing for families, with income levels between 30%, 50%, 60%, and 80% of area median income (AMI). The project is a co-developer, co-owner partnership between Pivotal Housing Partners and The Trotwood Community Improvement Corporation (TCIC) and will be located less than 15 minutes from Downtown Dayton, and within proximity to Trotwood’s latest developments, including a new library,courthouse, YMCA, and Goodwill Easter Seals. The development boasts a mix of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom residences, each featuring accessible and universal design features, an energy-efficient design, and an extensive array of contemporary amenities.

The City of Trotwood received a most impacted and distressed (MID) area designation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) because of the tornado damage and was allocated $10.5 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to recover from Presidentially declared disasters and to rebuild rental development projects.

The sponsor, Pivotal Housing Partners, is a top ranked Ohio-based multifamily developer and property management company with LIHTC properties operating in 16 states including Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansa, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and most recently, New York.

Derek Reed and David Lacki of KeyBank CDLI structured the financing for the transaction.

About KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) finances projects that stabilize and revitalize communities across all 50 states. As one of the top affordable housing capital providers in the country, KeyBank’s platform brings together construction, acquisition, bridge-to-re-syndication, and preservation loans, as well as lines of credit, Agency and HUD permanent mortgage executions, and equity investments for low-income housing projects, especially Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing. KeyBank has earned 11 consecutive “Outstanding” ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, making it the first U.S. national bank among the 25 largest to do so since the Act’s passage in 1977.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $190 billion at September 30, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC. 

###

CONTACT: 
Laura Mimura 
216-471-2883 
Laura_J_Mimura@KeyBank.com

KEY MEDIA

NEWSROOM: 
Key.com/newsroom

Originally published on Illumina News Center

Illumina recently launched the MiSeq i100 and MiSeq i100 Plus Systems, two powerful, compact benchtop sequencers that incorporate more than 140 invention disclosures and 60 patent families. Through a series of News Center articles, we are celebrating outstanding employees who helped develop this breakthrough technology.

The Illumina MiSeq i100 Series, announced last fall, is the company’s first customer-installable instrument since the iSeq. Illumina’s latest offering was a brand-new challenge for Staff Software Technical Product Manager Aneesh Natarajan.

When Natarajan began work on the confidential project in September 2021, only a select handful of employees knew about it. His manager, Bret Langham, asked him to represent the entire software department and serve as the software project lead. “To be on the core team of a new instrument project is a really good opportunity, and I jumped on it,” he says.

Inside Illumina 
Illumina’s software organization is responsible for a portfolio that includes cutting-edge AI algorithms like PrimateAI-3D and industry-leading software solutions such as DRAGEN, winner of the PrecisionFDA Truth Challenge V2.

The software department itself is divided into three disciplines: developers, testers, and technical product managers. Natarajan is part of the third category and works on the software that users interface with when operating an instrument.

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Natarajan always liked math and science. He landed at the University of California, San Diego, for college—less than two miles from Illumina’s global headquarters. He majored in bioengineering, not computer science, specializing in bioinformatics (a discipline used heavily in genomics, which produces a large volume of data). In his final year of college, Natarajan’s teaching assistant mentioned that a friend working at Illumina was asking him to recommend people for a job. He encouraged him to apply, and that friend at Illumina became Natarajan’s current boss.

Now, as a staff software technical product manager, his daily responsibilities involve working with all kinds of teams with varying levels of technical expertise. A hardware engineer might ask him to build software that can run a calibration routine. A product management director might suggest that low-throughput customers could use a feature in their software to reanalyze their data. Every day holds a new opportunity to collaborate and solve problems.

Behind the MiSeq i100 
For a project like the MiSeq i100, a hardware team begins building what they call the “prototype one,” or P1, instruments and consumables. Natarajan’s initial goal was to construct the bare-bones software that would allow the hardware teams to manufacture the P1 instruments and test them as they build. This first version is called the service software, and it’s used not only in manufacturing but also when field service engineers are troubleshooting an instrument.

Very soon after the initial service software gets off the ground, the team splits into two groups—one continues to create manufacturing tests for the service software while a second group begins to work on the customer-facing application, called the control software. They start importing all the sequencing functionality and building in some of the features that users will need.

One of the major efforts for the MiSeq i100 was developing the first-time setup for the user, which needed to be as easy as possible for users. The software guides the user step by step so they can install it independently without an Illumina field service engineer. Building this detailed workflow was extra challenging: Illumina’s last customer-installable instrument, the iSeq System, was built on Windows, and the user had access to the underlying operating system. Natarajan’s team would be building the MiSeq i100 on Linux, which would require a far more sophisticated setup workflow since the user would not have access to the underlying operating systems to configure their instrument. Natarajan’s team wanted to provide instead a simple and intuitive workflow within the software user interface itself that would allow a customer to apply all their necessary configurations.

Through analysis of many customer use cases and potential failure modes, they worked out what information they’d need and what screens they’d require to connect the instrument to a customer’s network. “Companies sometimes have massive IT departments because they have very unique networking requirements,” Natarajan explains. “Our instruments need to be able to connect to any type of network, no matter how complicated or simple.” They had to prepare different workflows based on a wide range of potential network configurations.

Writing these steps and accounting for all the possibilities, during setup and beyond, requires deep collaboration across the business. “Imagine the software detects some sort of hardware failure,” Natarajan says. “What error message should we show to the user in that scenario? We have to work with the subject matter expert of that piece of hardware, because they would know the corrective action and what we should recommend to the customer. And then with the technical writing and experience design (XD) teams, we figure out how to craft that message before we put it into the software.”

An XD team within a larger user experience team makes high-fidelity mockups of how the software should look in terms of font sizes, button sizes, color schemes, and so on. When they have the detailed requirements, they deliver them to the UI developers and software testers so they know what screens to build, and how to test that the software does what the stakeholders intended it to do.

Beyond setup, calibration, and other maintenance considerations, there is—of course—the actual sequencing. MiSeq i100 can run up to 384 samples in a span of four to 16 hours, depending on run configuration. All of this requires a sleek and streamlined user interface. “The customers don’t want to spend a lot of time setting up a run,” Natarajan says. “They often want to be able to plan the details of their runs ahead of time, so when it comes time to start sequencing, the workflow is quick and simple. They subsequently want a streamlined way to get their secondary and tertiary analysis results. To support these needs, we have features across our run management software, our instrument software, our cloud software, and our bioinformatics pipelines that allow the user to plan their runs and analysis, stream data to our cloud platform, BaseSpace Sequence Hub, and auto-launch analysis either on instrument or in the cloud.”

At this point, the software team is ready to bring in other software components. They start with Real-Time Analysis, which is needed for sequencing. They add Illumina Run Manager, which handles a lot of the run planning, run management analysis, and execution. They start bringing DRAGEN on board, which will analyze the data. They begin doing the cloud integration. They compile all the features they need to build a full digital package and launch the product; then they begin testing the software, cleaning it up, and making it completely customer-ready.

Natarajan is most proud of the effort the team put into embracing and building what the company calls “universal software”—meaning that the MiSeq i100 and NovaSeq X leverage many of the same software components, even though the instruments are very different. Many Illumina systems launch in staggered years but are built in parallel. Universal software allows everyone to work more efficiently and benefit from previous upgrades, improvements, and new features. “If we build new features on top of what NovaSeq X has, then theoretically NovaSeq X can pull those features into their subsequent software releases,” Natarajan says. Best of all, universal software gives the customer a more consistent experience across all instruments in the Illumina portfolio.

The final stretch 
Late summer 2024 was crunch time. Natarajan flew to Singapore to work with some of his software colleagues (the last two or three years of MiSeq i100 software development occurred mostly in Singapore while much of NovaSeq X was being built in San Diego). It was time to get the product ready for customers. “We want to make sure the product is as bulletproof as possible,” he says. “No one wants the user to make an error because the software workflow itself was not intuitive enough.”

The Illumina MiSeq i100 Series was introduced to the market in October 2024. Natarajan says, “There are so many exciting features in MiSeq i100. And I’m thrilled when I hear users say the software is extremely easy to use.”

Join the Biomimicry Institute virtually for the first-ever Ray of Hope Demo Day on Wednesday, February 12.

You’ll have the opportunity to hear pitches from and meet the founders of the 10 best nature-inspired startups of 2024, participating in the 2024 Ray of Hope Accelerator of The Biomimicry Institute. These visionary companies, selected from a global pool of innovators, are scaling transformative solutions to address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

About the Ray of Hope Accelerator

This program accelerates the growth of nature-inspired startups to scale systemic solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Every year, the program supports a cohort of ten high-impact nature-inspired startups, spanning Pre-Seed to Series A stages and representing various sectors and regions. Each selected startup receives $15,000 in non-dilutive funding and over $50,000 worth of in-kind services. This includes tailored coaching, investor introductions, a 4-day Nature Retreat, and comprehensive training materials covering topics such as Impact and Sustainability Business Training, Innovation Storytelling & Amplification, DEI, and Founder Mental Health.

Click here to register for this FREE event.

Mastercard

about In Tech

In Tech is our regular feature highlighting what people are talking about in the world of technology — everything from crypto and NFTs to smart cities and cybersecurity.

In the U.S., there’s a prevailing narrative, propelled in part by politics, that the electric vehicle boom is over. But while growth is slowing, new figures released during the annual Detroit Auto Show point to strong sales globally, with a 25.6% year-on-year increase in December for fully-electric and plug-in hybrids. And even in the U.S. and Canada, EV sales rose nearly 9% in December.

But the leader in EV adoption is Norway, according to the BBC, with 88.9% of new cars sold in the country in 2024 electric.

The government there has long held supportive legislation making electric cars a more attractive and economically viable option for consumers. Dating back to the ‘90s, the transition to EVs involved consistent policies like tax incentives for EVs and higher taxes for petrol and diesel cars. Other perks include free parking and access to bus lanes.

“We think it’s wrong to advise a customer coming in here today to buy an ICE [internal combustion engine] car, because the future is electric,” says Ulf Tore Hekneby, chief executive of the Oslo-based car dealership Harald A Møller. “Long-range, high-charging speed. It’s hard to go back.”

Despite being a major oil and gas producer, and even after early Norwegian EV manufacturers ceased operations, Norway aims for all new cars sold to be zero emissions this year.

Even more vital to widespread adoption, Norway supports a comprehensive network of public charging stations. This extensive infrastructure ensures that EVs are convenient to use, even in colder climates where battery performance can be an issue. As a result, consumers have adapted their habits to charge whenever possible instead of waiting until necessary.

Indeed, another new study out in conjunction with the Detroit Auto Show reveals that infrastructure is a sticking point for car buyers globally — 60% of those surveyed by Tata Consultancy Services say charging infrastructure was a major challenge (although 64% said that an EV is likely to be their next vehicle).

At the Detroit show, Jeep showed off its first all-electric SUV, the all-wheel-drive midsize Wagoneer S, and Cadillac highlighted the Vistiq, adding a new three-row SUV to its EV lineup. And last week at CES, Honda stole the show with the debut of its electric 0 series prototypes, including the futuristic, wedge-shaped 0 Saloon, and the news that it could go on sale in North America next year.

Meanwhile, Tesla recently unveiled the facelifted version of their popular Model Y on its China consumer site, indicating that the automaker may be ready to start production on the updated vehicle.

According to a report by the German publication Handelsblatt (and echoed in Road & Track), the first European models of the Model Y could roll off the production line as early as this week.

Although Tesla this month reported the first full-year drop in sales in its history as a public company, the Tesla Model Y continues to be a juggernaut for the company, becoming the fourth biggest-selling car in the U.S. trailing the Ford F-series pickup, the Chevy Silverado pickup, and the Toyota RAV4, according to Car & Driver.

The Australian publication Drive, reports that the Model Y is expected to arrive in Australia by May. That said, there’s been no official announcement from Tesla regarding the U.S. release date.

The updates to the Model Y closely mirror those applied to the Model 3 sedan last year, which includes a revised front end with a new bumper and headlight assembly and a new taillamp that spans the hatchback. Inside, the Y benefits from improved material quality similar to the Model 3, while notably retaining the turn-signal stalk — a feature that many drivers appreciate.

Although U.S. pricing for the refreshed Model Y has yet to be announced, it’s anticipated that the new model will not deviate significantly from the current price of $44,630.

‘Bye,’ robot

With a major redesign to appeal to a new generation, Chuck E. Cheese is making a comeback four years after emerging from bankruptcy, CNBC reports. And yes, sadly, that means those animatronics are gone.

Even though it emerged from their financial woes, another threat loomed: entertaining a new era of tech-savvy children and their parents.

Chuck E. Cheese, founded in 1977 in San Jose by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, has become an iconic childhood institution because of its pizza, birthday parties, and animatronic mouse mascot and band. But the days of physical tickets, SkyTube tubes, and animatronics are over.

CEO Dave McKillips says the idea pulling the robots came with some debate but ultimately was a no-brainer. “Kids were consuming entertainment in such a different way, you know, growing up with screens and ever-changing bite-sized entertainment.” These days, the 470 locations feature trampolines, a smartphone app, tons of arcade games and floor-to-ceiling jumbotrons.

According to McKillips, Chuck E. Cheese is looking into various entertainment collaborations that would turn its mouse mascot into a major character, in addition to 30 license agreements for items ranging from clothing to frozen pizzas. Embracing the 21st century continues with a YouTube account with almost a half million subscribers who tune in for videos featuring their cast of characters and six albums of music featuring Chuck E. Cheese available on streaming platforms.

Originally published by Mastercard

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

More than 15,000 trees distributed through collaboration with the Arbor Day Foundation, local communities since 2017Company’s highly trained arborists, contractors care for and maintain trees year-round, including ahead of hurricane season

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., January 22, 2025 /3BL/ – Following a devastating hurricane season, Duke Energy Florida is giving away 1,000 free trees to its customers as part of its ongoing collaboration with the Arbor Day Foundation.

On Friday, Jan. 17, which is also Florida Arbor Day, Duke Energy Florida customers can request a free tree online starting at 9 a.m. at arborday.org/dukeenergy, while supplies last.

The 1-gallon trees are shipped directly to customers’ homes with planting and care instructions and are expected to be delivered in time for National Arbor Day in April. Available tree species include the sweetbay magnolia, red maple, bald cypress, bottlebrush and crape myrtle (pink).

The company also participates in several National Arbor Day tree giveaways with local cities, counties and communities and encourages residents to be on the lookout for those opportunities in the coming spring.

Throughout the year, Duke Energy Florida certified arborists and environmental specialists work with skilled contractors to identify potential hazards, trim trees, apply herbicides and remove trees that pose a threat to power lines or could pose a threat in the future.

The company’s arborists are experienced professionals who cover all aspects of tree care and are familiar with the many species of trees in Florida. For nearly 20 years, Duke Energy Florida has been recognized for its tree management practices through the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Line USA program and has provided more than 15,000 free trees since 2017.

“No one loves Florida trees and vegetation more than an arborist,” said Tamron Fernandez, Duke Energy manager of distribution vegetation management and ISA certified arborist. “But we recognize that trees are among one of the leading causes of power outages, so it’s important for us to take a balanced approach of following science-based standards to ensure the health of the trees while keeping lines clear and service reliable for our 2 million customers.”

“Every tree we come across is different and must be cared for and considered individually,” said Fernandez. “The action we take depends on the voltage and type of line, as well as the type of vegetation and its proximity to the line. When the right tree is planted in the right place, you are helping to reduce outages for you and your neighbors now and in the long run.”

Customers can do their part by following Duke Energy’s Right Tree, Right Place guidelines.

Find the Right Tree – Once you determine the tree’s purpose, you can select from species that will serve that purpose well. Before selecting your tree, make sure you consider the long-term size, maturity and shape of the tree. For lists of recommended trees for your region, reach out to your local municipality or University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension. 
 Choose the Right Place – If you’re planting trees on your property, look around and note the location of power lines. Consider how your tree will impact existing lines as it grows taller, wider and deeper. Keeping trees away from power lines also helps keep fallen or loose debris farther away from the lines to speed power restoration efforts. 
 Call Before You Dig – If you’ll be performing work in your yard that involves digging, Florida law requires you call 811 before you begin so Duke Energy Florida and other utilities can show you where cables and pipes are. You can also submit your request online at www.Sunshine811.com. 
 Keep Ground/Pad Transformers Clear – Keep the transformer (green box typically found in front of homes) clear at all times to allow for maintenance and repairs. Maintain a clearance of 10 feet in the front and 3 feet on all sides. 
 Stay Safe Around Power Lines – Never attempt to trim trees around power lines yourself. These lines are energized and extremely dangerous. You should hire a qualified professional tree contractor to do this work.

For information about planning and planting vegetation around electrical facilities, visit Duke Energy’s Right Tree Right Place website.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

Contact: Audrey Stasko 
24-Hour: 800.559.3853 
Twitter: @DE_AudreyS

View original content here.