SignVideo by Sorenson Supports Great Britain Deaf Team at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics in November

LONDON, April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SignVideo by Sorenson, the world’s leading language solutions provider, is proud to support Deaf athletes as a Platinum sponsor of Deaflympics Great Britain (DeaflympicsGB), at the 2025 Deaflympics to be held in Tokyo, Japan, on November 15-26, 2025. SignVideo’s sponsorship reflects Sorenson’s ongoing commitment to advancing accessibility and empowering Deaf communities around the world. The Deaflympics is the premier international multi-sport event for Deaf athletes, celebrating excellence, resilience, and the strength of the global Deaf community.

“We are honored to stand behind DeaflympicsGB as they represent their country on the world stage,” said Paget Alves, CEO of Sorenson. “This sponsorship is a reflection of our deep commitment to supporting Deaf communities worldwide and ensuring greater access and opportunities in all sports.”

As the official Platinum sponsor, SignVideo ensures Deaf athletes have the resources and support they need to compete at the highest level. This sponsorship is part of a broader mission to create a more inclusive world for Deaf individuals through technology, advocacy, and innovation.

“On behalf of the DeaflympicsGB, I am extremely grateful for SignVideo’s support towards the costs of our involvement in the forthcoming Games in Tokyo,” said Chris Ratcliffe, CEO of UK Deaf Sport, the organisation leading DeaflympicsGB. “The support of SignVideo as our official Platinum sponsor will provide a much-needed boost for our Team and help reduce the financial burden on our athletes.”

Without government funding, Deaf athletes in the U.K. must take on the additional challenge of securing their own financial support to cover essential expenses while also dedicating themselves to rigorous training for the Games.

“We look forward to working with SignVideo, helping to raise awareness and sharing the success of DeaflympicsGB leading up to and during the Games in November,” said Ratcliffe.

For more information about SignVideo, visit SignVideo.co.uk. To learn more about DeaflympicsGB, visit ukdeafsport.org.uk/deaflympicsgb

View announcement in BSL.

About SignVideo by Sorenson

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Predominantly a BSL-led organisation dedicated to high quality, customer-focused services and standards, SignVideo delivers BSL interpreting 24/7 for Deaf and Deaf-Blind BSL users through Video Relay Service (VRS) solutions commissioned by public and private sectors which include, government, National Health Service, councils, banks, helplines, and telecommunications providers across the UK.

In 2020, SignVideo joined Sorenson, one of the world’s leading language services providers. Across all business lines, Sorenson connects more than 140 million conversations each year through a full suite of inclusive language services. Sorenson combines patented technology with human-centric solutions to deliver call captioning and video relay services, video remote and in-person sign language and spoken language interpreting, translation, real-time captioning, and post-production language services.

About Sorenson

Sorenson is one of the world’s leading language services providers, combining patented technology with human-centric solutions. We strive to increase accessibility through communication solutions for all. We provide call captioning and video relay services, video remote and in-person sign language and spoken language interpreting, translation, real-time captioning, and post-production language services. Our company impact extends beyond the 140 million conversations we facilitate annually— Sorenson improves lives through interpreted emergency and health services. Sorenson is a portfolio company of Ariel Alternatives, and we strive to manage and minimize our environmental impact. To learn more, visit sorenson.com or es.sorenson.com.

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This strategic acquisition accelerates Recharge’s expansion into the B2B digital rewards market, unlocking new opportunities for growth.

AMSTERDAM and LONDON, April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Recharge, the European leader in prepaid payments, has acquired Giftcloud Limited from Groupon, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN), marking a strategic and accelerated expansion into the fast-growing B2B rewards space.

The deal follows Recharge’s recent €45M acquisition facility secured with ABN AMRO to fuel its international M&A activity. Giftcloud powers customer and employee engagement campaigns for major UK brands including Vodafone, Sky and TalkTalk. With millions of transactions processed annually and a strong record of profitability, Giftcloud brings Recharge a proven B2B model and a scalable platform to grow its corporate prepaid offering.

“This move is a deliberate step into B2B,” said Günther Vogelpoel, CEO of Recharge. “We see huge potential for prepaid in customer acquisition, loyalty and employee engagement. Giftcloud gives us a foundation to grow that proposition further in the UK and across Europe—backed by Recharge’s digital infrastructure, partnerships and international reach.”

The acquisition plays a key role in Recharge’s strategy to build the global leader in prepaid payments – serving both consumers and businesses. With Giftcloud, Recharge will be able to offer a broad range of services direct to business clients. It also marks a significant expansion of Recharge’s footprint in the UK, now the company’s third-largest market and the launchpad for further B2B growth across Europe.

Groupon’s CEO Dusan Senkypl, added: “We’re proud to have found a strong new home for Giftcloud within the Recharge Group. Giftcloud has always played a valuable role in helping brands engage their customers through digital rewards. We’re excited to see the platform continue to grow as part of a business that is fully focused on prepaid and digital innovation.”

This is Recharge’s second major acquisition, following the successful integration of Startselect in 2023.

About Recharge Group

Recharge has revolutionised the prepaid payments industry connecting brands effortlessly with customers through their unified platform solutions. Recharge enables prepaid payment products to be obtained anywhere, anytime via their own multi-country digital storefronts including Recharge.com and Startselect.com. For more information, visit company.recharge.com.

About Giftcloud

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Giftcloud is a UK-based digital rewards platform helping businesses engage, acquire and retain customers through branded prepaid incentives. Its platform enables fully branded, digital campaigns that support marketing and employee engagement strategies for some of the UK’s best-known companies, including Vodafone, Sky and TalkTalk. To learn more, visit giftcloud.com.

About Groupon

Groupon (www.groupon.com) (NASDAQ: GRPN) is a trusted local marketplace where consumers go to buy services and experiences that make life more interesting and deliver boundless value.  To find out more about Groupon, please visit press.groupon.com. 

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Press Contacts
Georgia Hanias Ecology Media
georgiahanias@ecologymedia.co.uk

Ross Cumming Recharge Group
press@recharge.com 

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HONG KONG, April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — IDA, a Hong Kong-based fintech company, and AUDC Pty Ltd have announced a strategic collaboration to launch a Hong Kong–Australia stablecoin-based cross-border trade initiative. This initiative aims to transform trade between Hong Kong and Australia by introducing faster, more transparent, cost-effective cross-border payment systems.

Building on the strong trade relationship established under the Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement (A-HKFTA), this collaboration leverages Hong Kong’s role as a vital gateway connecting mainland China with the world. The agreement, A-HKFTA, which underscores Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy under the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework, provides a solid foundation for this innovative initiative.

In 2023, Australia and Hong Kong had a total trade value of US$5.3 billion^[1]. Total exports from Hong Kong to Australia amounted to US$3.4 billion, with the bulk of re‑exported goods originating from mainland China. Hong Kong’s imports from Australia in 2023 amounted to US$1.9 billion worth of Australian merchandise, including agricultural produce, seafood, and beverages. Looking ahead, Hong Kong aims to drive growth in emerging industries such as biomedical technology, green energy, and financial technology.

Sean Lee, Co-Founder of IDA, emphasized the significance of this partnership: “This collaboration builds on the progress made in bilateral trade relationships. Recent diplomatic efforts between Hong Kong, China, and Australia have reduced trade barriers, creating an ideal environment for innovative solutions like stablecoins to modernize trade systems. The potential for stablecoin technology to enhance efficiency and unlock opportunities across industries is enormous.”

Effie Dimitropoulos, CEO of AUDC Pty Ltd, expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative: “At AUDC Pty Ltd, our mission is to deliver secure and compliant digital payment solutions to support global trade. Our Australian Dollar-backed stablecoin, AUDD, addresses inefficiencies in cross-border trade, offering businesses in Australia, Hong Kong, and beyond a faster and more transparent settlement mechanism. This collaboration is a pivotal step toward modernizing trade settlements and unlocking new growth opportunities for industries on both sides.”

About IDA Finance Hong Kong Limited (IDA)

IDA is the premier digital asset technology company to spearhead the widespread adoption of blockchain finance and to empower businesses to seamlessly integrate between Web2 and Web3.

IDA will launch a stablecoin product which is designed to drive enhanced connectivity of digital currency for seamless commerce and payments between Hong Kong and global markets, 24/7/365. To maintain the highest level of security and stability, all circulating stablecoins will always be fully backed by at least 100% reserve assets in regulated Hong Kong based authorized institutions.

To maximize the network effect of the stablecoin project for domestic and cross-border usage, IDA is partnering with key industry players to facilitate the minting, redemption, and widespread acceptance of stablecoins as a payment and settlement digital currency.

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More information can be found at idafi.xyz / LinkedIn / X

About AUDC Pty Ltd

AUDC Pty Ltd is a pioneering fintech company dedicated to transforming the future of money through blockchain technology. The company powers the Australian Digital Dollar (AUDD), a stablecoin backed 1:1 by the Australian Dollar, designed to provide businesses and consumers with a stable, reliable, and globally accessible digital asset. With a strong focus on innovation and digital finance solutions, AUDC is committed to driving the next generation of financial technology.

For more information about AUDD, please visit:
https://audd.digital
https://www.linkedin.com/company/audd-digital

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