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Globant’s BeKind. Tech Fund increases its entrepreneurial network and the scale of its impact in its mission to mitigate the potential negative effects of technology in society, such as online harassment and abuse, AI bias, screen time abuse, and information bubbles and polarization.

NEW YORK
, April 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Globant (NYSE: GLOB), a digitally native company focused on reinventing business through innovative technology solutions, today announced that its BeKind. Tech Fund, the first and only venture fund wholly focused on supporting startups that seek to tackle misuse of technology, is welcoming three new entrepreneurial ecosystem partners: Endeavor, LAVCA, and Newlab. A central tenet of the Fund is the belief in the power of collective action, and these partners will work to promote the fund and help reach the thousands of next-generation entrepreneurs, start-ups, and dreamers tackling the misuse of technology.

The BeKind. Tech Fund has five main focus areas: online harassment and abuse, data privacy and security, AI bias, screen time abuse, and information bubbles and polarization. Globant launched the $10M USD fund based on its strong belief that technology is inherently good and, when applied correctly, has the potential to improve our lives, communities, and the planet. Welcoming these new ecosystem partners who share Globant’s beliefs, goals, and vision for technology will increase both the Fund’s reach and scale of impact.

“Through this partnership, we’re co-creating a movement to invest in positive technological change and hope to inspire other companies to join us,” said Guibert Englebienne, Globant Co-Founder and President of Latam and Globant X. “Together, we’ll be able to connect with tens of thousands of entrepreneurs and startups to invest in the highest-quality, most ambitious startups with the potential to maximize technology’s positive influence.”

“Technology is growing and changing more rapidly than ever before, and it’s imperative that entrepreneurs around the world create companies that prioritize harnessing technology for good to keep our economies, societies, and planet sustainable,” said Adrian Garcia-Aranyos, President at Endeavor. “By leveraging our ecosystem of high-impact entrepreneurs, we will help further the BeKind. Tech Fund’s important journey.” 

“The BeKind. Tech Fund’s mission to enable the growth of diverse startups that will improve the well-being of global societies is strongly aligned with the goals of our organization and its members,” said Carlos Ramos de la Vega, Director of Venture Capital at LAVCA. “We know that investment is a powerful tool to spur sustainable economic growth, and we’re looking forward to seeing all that we can accomplish through our partnership.”

“We continue to experience systemic challenges as a result of technology but remain hopeful by the many entrepreneurs around the world who are passionate about solving the problems our society faces today,” said Satish Rao, Chief Product Officer at Newlab. “Through Globant’s extensive, advanced technology platforms and their BeKind. Tech Fund, combined with our proven Innovation Studios that pair experts and entrepreneurs with industry leaders, we’re excited to bring forward the resources and access for early-stage companies to grow their vision and expand their influence in building a safe and equitable future.”

Endeavor is a global community of, by, and for high-impact entrepreneurs; LAVCA is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to supporting the growth of private capital in Latin America and the Caribbean; and Newlab, which acts as a facilitator for its community of experts and innovators, helps to scale world-changing ideas through investment, venture building, and structured collaboration with industry and government partners.

Learn more about BeKind. Tech Fund here. 

About Globant

We are a digitally native company that helps organizations reinvent themselves to create a way forward and unleash their potential. We are the place where innovation, design and engineering meet scale.

• We have more than 23,500 employees and we are present in 18 countries working for companies like Google, Electronic Arts and Santander, among others.
• We were named a Worldwide Leader in CX Improvement Services by IDC MarketScape report.
• We were also featured as a business case study at Harvard, MIT, and Stanford.
• We are a member of the Cybersecurity Tech Accord.

Contact: [email protected]
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For more information, visit www.globant.com.

About BeKind. Tech Fund

Launched in 2021, the BeKind. Tech Fund is a $10 million USD corporate venture fund administered by Globant Ventures. The fund seeks to assist global startups looking for support in developing apps, products, and platforms that are focused on mitigating the negative effects of technology, such as online harassment and abuse, data privacy and security, AI bias, screen time abuse, and information bubbles and polarization.

If you are an entrepreneur or startup focused on mitigating the negative impacts of tech and ensuring tech is used for good, or are interested in knowing more about the BeKind. Tech Fund, please visit www.bekindtechfund.com and join the revolution.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/globant-welcomes-endeavor-lavca-and-newlab-as-partners-of-its-bekind-tech-fund-301516967.html

SOURCE Globant

• Medtronic adds to its robust clinical program with long-term data demonstrating the continued blood pressure lowering effect of the Symplicity renal denervation procedure
• Medtronic also completes enrollment in the SPYRAL HTN-ON MED trial

DUBLIN and WASHINGTON, April 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), a global leader in healthcare technology, today announced long-term data from the first 80 patients in the SPYRAL HTN-ON MED trial, which were presented today at the American College of Cardiology’s 71^st Annual Scientific Session (ACC.22) late-breaking featured clinical research sessions. The data were also simultaneously published in The Lancet.¹

In the first 80 patients of the SPYRAL HTN-ON MED trial, the data demonstrated that patients who were prescribed anti-hypertensive medications and treated with the Medtronic Symplicity Spyral™ Renal Denervation (RDN) System continued to show durable, clinically significant blood pressure reductions through three years. At three years:

• 18.7 mmHg reduction in RDN patients versus 8.6 mmHg in sham for 24-hour systolic ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM)
• 20.9 mmHg reduction in RDN patients versus 12.5 mmHg in the sham arm for office systolic blood pressure (OSBP)

“Across the latest trials, consistent blood pressure reductions have been observed in patients with uncontrolled hypertension treated with the Medtronic Symplicity Spyral RDN system,” said Felix Mahfoud, M.D., cardiologist at Saarland University Hospital in Homburg, Germany, and member of the SPYRAL HTN executive committee. “For the first time, we now have randomized data that demonstrates that in a typical patient population – hypertension patients who are on anti-hypertensive medications and treated with RDN – we are seeing the continued, long-term blood pressure lowering effect. Lowering blood pressure can have meaningful clinical results for patients, including a decrease in the risk of cardiovascular events.”

The trial also demonstrated procedural and long-term safety with the Symplicity Spyral renal denervation catheter, with zero major device or procedural safety events through three years.¹

“With the ON MED randomized data presented and published today, Medtronic has now demonstrated the long-term benefit of renal denervation against a backdrop of an anti-hypertensive medication, with continued demonstration of a safe procedure,” said Jeffrey Popma, M.D., chief medical officer for the Coronary & Renal Denervation business and the Structural Heart & Aortic business, which are part of the Cardiovascular Portfolio at Medtronic. “This highlights the importance of additional treatment options such as renal denervation.”

Approved for commercial use in more than 60 countries around the world, the Symplicity Spyral renal denervation system is limited to investigational use in the United States, Japan, and Canada.

SPYRAL HTN-ON MED is a global, randomized, sham-controlled trial investigating the blood pressure lowering effect and safety of RDN with the radiofrequency-based Medtronic Symplicity Spyral system in hypertensive patients prescribed one to three anti-hypertensive medications. The long-term ON MED data presented at ACC.22 studied the same cohort of patients as the six-month primary endpoint analysis that was previously published in The Lancet in 2018.²

Medtronic completes randomization in the full cohort of its SPYRAL HTN-ON MED Trial

Medtronic also announced it recently completed randomization for the full cohort of its SPYRAL HTN-ON MED trial and closed enrollment. The full analysis cohort targets up to 340 randomized patients. Medtronic expects the six-month post procedure follow-up for the full cohort will be complete in the second half of calendar year 2022.

“The data presented at ACC underscores Medtronic’s confidence in RDN as a solution for the millions of people who suffer from uncontrolled high blood pressure. These new data will be important to regulatory officials, clinicians and payers as we look to bring a new treatment option to market for patients with uncontrolled hypertension,” said Jason Weidman, senior vice president and president of the Coronary & Renal Denervation business unit, which is part of the Cardiovascular Portfolio at Medtronic. “Looking ahead, we remain focused on the anticipated six-month follow up for the full cohort of the ON MED trial in the second half of this calendar year.”

The SPYRAL HTN-ON MED trial is part of the SPYRAL HTN Global Clinical Program, adding to the safety and efficacy data for RDN. Along with the real-world data from the Global Symplicity Registry, when combined with commercial experience, there have been more than 20,000 procedures performed with Medtronic RDN technology. The clinical program is backed by the most rigorous and extensive patient experience studied in the presence² and absence³ of medication and in patients with high baseline cardiovascular risk.⁴

About the Medtronic Symplicity Spyral™ Renal Denervation System

The Medtronic RDN procedure uses a minimally invasive procedure that delivers radiofrequency energy to specific nerves near the kidneys that can become overactive and cause high blood pressure.

About Medtronic

Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 90,000+ passionate people across 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), visit www.Medtronic.com and follow @Medtronic on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic’s periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

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SOURCE Medtronic plc