Standard Bank Group, located in South Africa, is Africa's largest bank by assets and among the longest operating financial institutions on the continent having been founded more than 150 years ago. The Group offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services via the Hedera blockchain including a wide array of payment processing solutions for both individuals and businesses.

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The firm’s primary functions include facilitating transactional banking, lending, asset finance, merchant solutions, trade finance, and international payment services for its business and enterprise clients. Standard Bank also provides insurance and asset management services. 

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As a member of the Hedera Governing Council, Standard Bank provides enterprise-grade, secure transactions and digitized cross-border trade processes on the immutable Hedera distributed blockchain ledger. 

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Standard Bank is one of the leading Hedera-based service providers utilizing Hedera's Token Service (HTS) and Consensus Service (HCS). The primary focus of this collaboration is to improve transaction efficiency and reduce costs associated with international cross-border payments.

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Choice is a financial technology company founded in 2020 that offers a platform for investing in both digital and traditional assets within a tax-advantaged retirement account. The company's mission is to provide investors with greater freedom and choice over their retirement savings, breaking away from the limitations of conventional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).

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The primary service offered by Choice is a single, unified retirement account that allows users to hold a diverse range of assets, including Bitcoin, various other cryptocurrencies, stocks, and ETFs. This eliminates the need for multiple accounts to manage different asset classes. A unique feature of the platform is "Blinko," a game that allows users to win free Bitcoin daily, encouraging engagement and consistent saving. The app is designed to be accessible to all types of investors, from beginners to experienced traders, and supports various IRA types, including Traditional, Roth, and SEP, as well as Solo 401(k)s.

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MIOO Technology provides an enterprise-grade platform that connects physical products to the digital world through unique, verifiable digital identities. It specializes in creating Digital Product Passports (DPP), which enable users to track products through QR codes or NFC tags connected directly to a product or its label and secured on the immutable Hedera blockchain network giving them access to a wealth of information about the status of their goods.  

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The platform is designed to help brands, particularly in the luxury, fashion, and art sectors, combat counterfeiting and prepare for upcoming regulations like the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The DPP can house detailed data on a product's materials, origin, carbon footprint, and repair history, promoting transparency and sustainability. For consumers, this digital identity serves as an undeniable certificate of authenticity and ownership. For brands, it opens a direct channel for post-sale customer engagement and provides valuable insights into the product lifecycle.

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MIOO's technology is active in the micromobility sector with MIOO Cycling, an initiative supported by EIT Urban Mobility. This service uses the DPP to track a bicycle's entire lifecycle, including service history and ownership transfers.

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The Porini Foundation is a Swiss-based non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the gap between innovative technology and nature conservation. Founded by experts in wildlife biology, blockchain technology, and sustainable business, its mission is to support climate and nature conservation projects by leveraging disruptive technologies, particularly zero-carbon blockchain solutions, to align with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

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The foundation's flagship initiative is Nature Collectibles, the first global marketplace for NFTs for Conservation (NFTCs). This platform allows individuals to purchase digital collectibles that are directly linked to real-world conservation projects in protected areas. Each collectible represents a specific species, and 100% of the proceeds go directly to funding conservation efforts, with the foundation covering all transaction fees. This creates a transparent and direct funding channel for vital conservation work.

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