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3M and Discovery Education open submissions to the 2025 Young Scientist Challenge

ST. PAUL, Minn. and CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — 3M (@3M) and Discovery Education (@DiscoveryEd) today announced that the 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge is now open to entries. As the nation’s premier middle school science competition, the annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge invites students in grades 5-8 to compete for an exclusive mentorship with a 3M scientist, a $25,000 grand prize, and the chance to earn the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.” Competition entries are accepted at YoungScientistLab.com until the deadline on May 1, 2025. 

Each year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge recognizes the grand prize winner, 10 finalists, four honorable mentions, and up to 51 state merit winners – nationwide and in Washington D.C. – who have demonstrated a passion for using science to solve everyday problems and improve the world around them.  

“The 3M Young Scientist Challenge has sparked curiosity in countless inventors, innovators, and problem-solvers over the last 18 years, all before they even begin high school,” said Torie Clarke, 3M’s executive vice president and chief public affairs officer. “I’m proud of 3M’s support for this program that helps students get excited about the power of science and technology to address global challenges.” 

To enter, students in grades 5-8 submit a brief video explaining their original idea to solve an everyday problem using science, which are evaluated for their creativity, scientific knowledge, and communication skills. This year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge will offer students the opportunity to engage through new entry topics, including robotics, home improvement, automotive, safety, AR/VR, and climate technology.  

“The 3M Young Scientist Challenge is a powerful testament to the incredible things that happen when students bring classroom knowledge to real-world problems,” said Amy Nakamoto, executive vice president of marketing and strategic alliances at Discovery Education. “This annual challenge elevates students’ remarkable creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills, showcasing their extraordinary potential to transform the world for the better.” 

Previous Winners 
Previous challenge finalists and 3M scientists have collaborated to create solutions for a wide variety of real-world problems, including cybersecurity, coral reef health, water conservation, food waste, alternative energy sources, energy consumption, air pollution, and transportation efficiency.  

The 2024 winner – 14-year-old Sirish Subash from Snellville, Georgia – created Pestiscand, a handheld device designed to detect pesticide residues on produce using a non-destructive method. The innovation employs spectrophotometry, which involves measuring how light of various wavelengths is reflected off the surface of fruits and vegetables. A machine learning model then analyzes this data to determine the presence of pesticides.  

Next Steps 
In June 2025, 10 finalists will be chosen to participate in an exclusive summer mentorship program during which they will work closely with and learn from a 3M scientist. Each finalist then has the opportunity to compete in the final event at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota during an interactive competition comprised of hands-on challenges, presentations, live judging, and more. The grand prize winner will be announced during the final event October 13-14, 2025.  

Now in its eighteenth year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge continues to inspire and challenge middle school students to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to discover real-world solutions. America’s Top Young Scientists have given TED Talks, filed patents, founded nonprofits, made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and exhibited at the White House Science Fair. These young innovators have also been named TIME Magazine’s first Kid of the Year, featured in The New York Times Magazine, Forbes, and Business Insider, and appeared on national television programs such as Good Morning America, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and more. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network was formed in fall 2022 and includes more than 100 former challenge finalists and winners who take part in networking opportunities and more. 

To learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, including entry details, and to find supporting resources, visit YoungScientistLab.com. 

About 3M 
3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what’s possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we’re working to improve lives and make what’s next at 3M.com/news. 

About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and corporate partnerships, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com. 

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SOURCE 3M Company

RBC Climate Action Institute releases annual climate action report

TORONTO
, Jan. 14, 2025 /CNW/ – Canada can make a significant dent in carbon emissions over the next decade by growing and decarbonizing the country’s electricity grids, new research from the RBC Climate Action Institute finds. Decarbonizing Canada’s electricity grids would reduce emissions, drive economic benefit, and contribute to energy security. Meanwhile, despite a combination of policy, capital and consumer action driving climate progress over the past five years, the pace of change is slowing. As we approach the 10^th anniversary of the 2015 Paris Agreement, different models, and new paradigms for thinking about climate are critical if we are to make real progress.

These findings and more can be found in the RBC Climate Action Institute’s annual report: Climate Action 2025: a year for rewiring. The research provides a unique perspective on Canada’s climate progress, including new survey and interview data that reveal how businesses and consumers are feeling about the state of climate progress in Canada. Informed by the Institute’s team of researchers, Climate Action 2025: a year for rewiring questions whether Canada is on track to meet its climate commitments, while at the same time, highlighting bright-spots in several sectors.

“2025 is shaping up to be a year of climate uncertainty. Political change and economic frustration have challenged how businesses and governments are thinking about climate action, but these same forces also offer opportunities to advance our collective approaches in a new global reality,”
– John Stackhouse, SVP, Office of the CEO, RBC.

Some of the key findings from this second annual assessment of Canadian climate action include:

1. Climate action has nearly doubled in the last 5 years. According to the Institute’s Climate Action Barometer, policy, capital and consumers have driven a near doubling of climate action in Canada over the past five years.

2. 
   Canada is not on course to meet its climate targets. Emissions fell by 0.8% in 2023, led by progress in the electricity sector. However, at this pace, government projections suggest that Canada will not meet the targets in its 2030 Emission Reduction Plan until 2035.

3. Climate investment is slowing. Cleantech investments in heavy industry fell dramatically in 2024. Venture capital financing slowed to $158 million in the year, compared to a combined $650 million on average in the previous two years, partly due to an overall global downturn in investment flows and faltering investor sentiment around cleantech.

4. 
   Alberta is at the forefront of Canadian climate action.
   Alberta’s removal of more than six megatonnes of coal-based emissions drove national electricity emissions lower by about 12%. The province is now coal-free—six years ahead of schedule.

5. Concern over climate change is waning among Canadians. Approximately 14% of Canadians cited climate change as one of their top 3 concerns—compared to 26% in 2019. What will this mean for where climate will sit on the country’s political agenda?

6. Canadian businesses see themselves on the frontlines of climate action. According to our survey, over half of executives identified government subsidies (55%), internal funding (53%), and C-suite buy-in (50%) as the most significant factors for driving emissions reduction in their organizations.

This research by RBC’s Climate Action Institute offers a comprehensive view of Canadian climate progress to date. The Institute surveyed 2,000 Canadians and 100 Canadian business leaders for their views on climate action, providing a unique perspective on how attitudes towards climate are evolving. The Institute also developed the Climate Action Barometer – a proprietary tool that combines industry scores for Policy, Capital, Action & Sentiment, Emissions and Technology to track economy-wide climate progress. Tying this in-depth research together, images throughout the report were the result of a Canada-wide photography program that highlights climate action on-the-ground, across the country.

Climate Action 2025: a year for rewiring also showcases several companies pursuing solutions for reducing emissions in a series of case studies. From Canada Nickel, a Canadian mining company finding new ways to sequester carbon as it extracts ore, to Semex, a Canadian agriculture company reducing methane emissions in dairy cattle – the report highlights the important, often behind the scenes ways that companies are helping Canada achieve its climate goals.

Read the full Climate Action 2025 report.

About the RBC Climate Action Institute (The Institute)
The Institute strives to bring together research insights and industry experts to help clients and communities apply climate solutions. The Institute has a three-part mandate:

• Inform and inspire: Leverage RBC’s thought leadership capabilities to inform policy and inspire action towards a net-zero future in Canada.
• Engage decision makers: Help convene key stakeholders to discuss ideas and develop pragmatic climate solutions.
• Facilitate bold action: Work with industry partners to help clients and communities apply climate solutions.

Since its launch in April 2023, the Institute has published over twenty research papers on topics ranging from electricity regulations to mass timber. The Institute has engaged with governments, industries and community groups to share insights and ideas and its heard, and learned from, Canadians at the forefront of climate change. The Institute has also helped launch two groups—the Canadian Alliance for Net- Zero Agrifood and the Climate Smart Buildings Alliance—to help develop private sector strategies to reduce emissions. You can find out more about the Institute on the Institute website.

About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 98,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 18 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/peopleandplanet.

For more information, please contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE RBC

SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Homestead Capital USA LLC (Homestead), an asset manager focused on strategic investments in U.S. farmland, and Kudu Investment Management, LLC (Kudu), a provider of permanent capital solutions to asset and wealth managers globally, today announced that Kudu has made a passive, minority investment in Homestead. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 2012, Homestead manages more than $1.6 billion in equity and credit assets for pension plans, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, and family offices. San Francisco-based Homestead acquires and manages high-quality farmland properties and is a lender to farmland operators. The firm remains majority employee-owned and led by Daniel Little and Gabe Santos, co-founders and co-CEOs.

“In Kudu we have found a partner who shares our conviction that investing in a diversified platform of U.S. agricultural assets has key benefits that appeal to a broad group of investors,” Little said.

Santos said, “As investors, operators and lenders, we see many opportunities for growth. We have been looking for a partner with similar values and, with Kudu’s backing, we are well-positioned to accelerate our investments across the agricultural asset class.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Dan, Gabe, and the Homestead team—in our view they simply have no equal in farmland investment management. And we believe that agricultural assets are poised to grow as investors allocate additional funds to this vital real assets market,” said Charlie Ruffel, Kudu’s chairman and managing partner.

Homestead has 20 employees and operations in the Pacific, Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Delta and Midwest regions of the United States. The firm invests in high quality farmland across strategic regions, crops, lease types, and farm operators and primarily works with small and mid-sized farmers to help improve capacity and profitability.

Since it was founded in 2015, New York-based Kudu has made investments in 30 asset and wealth managers in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia. Kudu’s partner firms now collectively invest approximately $128 billion, as of Sept. 30, 2024, on behalf of individual and institutional investors worldwide in traditional and alternative strategies and market segments.

Holland & Knight was legal counsel and Grace Strategic Consulting, LLC served as financial advisor to Homestead. Seward & Kissel LLP served as legal advisor to Kudu.

About Homestead Capital
Established in 2012, Homestead acquires and manages high-quality farmland properties and is a lender to farmland operators. Homestead focuses on acquisitions with opportunities for value enhancement through capital improvements, tailored farm management, economies of scale, crop selection and rotation, and customized farm operating strategies. For more information, visit www.homesteadcapital.com

About Kudu Investment Management
Kudu provides long-term capital solutions—including generational ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisition and growth finance, as well as liquidity for legacy partners—to independent asset and wealth managers globally. Kudu was founded in 2015 and is backed by capital partners White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM) and MassMutual. For more information, visit www.kuduinvestment.com.

Media Contacts

Margaret Kirch Cohen/Richard Chimberg
Newton Park PR
+1 847-507-2229
+1 617-312-4281
[email protected]
[email protected]

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SOURCE Kudu Investment Management, LLC

INDIANAPOLIS
, Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Calumet, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLMT) (the “Company” or “Calumet”) today announced that, subject to market conditions, its wholly owned subsidiaries, Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. (the “Partnership”) and Calumet Finance Corp. (together with the Partnership, the “Issuers”), intend to offer (the “Offering”) for sale to eligible purchasers in a private placement under Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), $100 million in aggregate principal amount of 9.75% Senior Notes due 2028 (the “New Notes”). Calumet intends to use all of the net proceeds from the Offering to redeem a portion of the Issuers’ outstanding 11.00% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “2026 Notes”) on or before April 15, 2025 (the “Redemption”).

The New Notes are a mirror issue to the Issuers’ existing 9.75% Senior Notes due 2028, of which $325 million in aggregate principal amount was issued on June 27, 2023 (the “Original Notes”). The New Notes will have substantially identical terms as the Original Notes. However, the New Notes will be issued under a separate indenture and have different CUSIP numbers from the Original Notes. 

The securities to be offered will not be, and have not been, registered under the Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and unless so registered, the securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Calumet plans to offer and sell the securities only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act.

This press release does not constitute a notice of redemption with respect to the 2026 Notes. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any of these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful. This press release is being issued pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 135c under the Securities Act.

About Calumet

Calumet, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLMT) manufactures, formulates and markets a diversified slate of specialty branded products and renewable fuels to customers across a broad range of consumer-facing and industrial markets. Calumet is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and operates twelve facilities throughout North America.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements.” The words “will,” “may,” “intend,” “believe,” “expect,” “outlook,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “should,” “could,” “would,” or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature. The statements discussed in this press release that are not purely historical data are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the Offering and the use of proceeds therefrom and the Redemption. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on us. While our management considers these assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, our actual results may differ materially from the future performance that we have expressed or forecast in our forward-looking statements. For additional information regarding known material risks, uncertainties and other factors that can affect future results, please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the risk factors and other cautionary statements in the latest Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Partnership and other filings with the SEC by the Company and the Partnership. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

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SOURCE Calumet, Inc.

INDIANAPOLIS
, Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Calumet, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLMT) (the “Company” or “Calumet”) today announced that the Company has filed a prospectus supplement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) establishing an at-the-market equity offering program (the “ATM Program”) under which it may issue and sell, from time to time, shares of its common stock having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $65 million (the “Offered Shares”). Calumet intends to use the net proceeds from the ATM Program for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, repayment of indebtedness, working capital and capital expenditures.

Pursuant to the ATM Program, Calumet may issue and sell, at its discretion, the Offered Shares to the public from time to time, at the market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, in each case on or through the Nasdaq Global Select Market or any other national securities exchange where the Offered Shares may be traded, and, as a result, prices at which the Offered Shares are sold may vary among purchasers and during the period of any distribution.

Pursuant to the terms of the equity distribution agreement (the “Equity Distribution Agreement”), dated January 14, 2025, between Calumet and BMO Capital Markets Corp. (the “Sales Agent”), sales of the Offered Shares, if any, under the ATM Program will be made in sales deemed to be “at the market offerings” as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Sales Agent may also sell the Offered Shares by any other method agreed in writing between Calumet and the Sales Agent and permitted by applicable law, including, without limitation, as block transactions. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Equity Distribution Agreement, the Sales Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with normal trading and sales practices and in accordance with applicable law and regulations, to sell on Calumet’s behalf all of the Offered Shares designated by Calumet pursuant to a placement notice. There is no minimum amount of funds that must be raised under this offering.

The offering is being made pursuant to a prospectus supplement dated January 14, 2025 to the Company’s base prospectus included in its registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the SEC on January 14, 2025. Before making an investment in the Offered Shares, potential investors should read the prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus for more information about Calumet and the ATM Program. Copies of the prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and the Equity Distribution Agreement are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Potential investors can request copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus from the Sales Agent by contacting: BMO Capital Markets Corp., Attn: Equity Syndicate Department, 151 W 42nd Street, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10036 or by email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any of these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

About Calumet

Calumet, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLMT) manufactures, formulates, and markets a diversified slate of specialty branded products and renewable fuels to customers across a broad range of consumer-facing and industrial markets. Calumet is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and operates twelve facilities throughout North America.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements.” The words “will,” “may,” “intend,” “believe,” “expect,” “outlook,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “should,” “could,” “would,” or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature. The statements discussed in this press release that are not purely historical data are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the statements regarding (i) the potential distribution of the Offered Shares pursuant to the ATM Program, (ii) the aggregate gross sales price of the Offered Shares which may be issued pursuant to the ATM Program and (iii) the expected use of net proceeds, if any, from the ATM Program. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on us. While our management considers these assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, our actual results may differ materially from the future performance that we have expressed or forecast in our forward-looking statements. For additional information regarding known material risks, uncertainties and other factors that can affect future results, please see our filings with the SEC, including the risk factors and other cautionary statements in the latest Annual Report on Form 10-K of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. (the “Partnership”) and other filings with the SEC by the Company and the Partnership. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

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SOURCE Calumet, Inc.