Management

The Company was established by Bryan Scott Schaffner, a mobile technology and fintech (financial technology) executive for more than twenty-five years. He specializes in business development, intellectual property and brand strategy and has been an angel investor as well as engaged to advise many venture-backed/well-capitalized companies and investment firms over the years. He has extensive experience managing complex projects often in emerging product and service categories and sees them through often from inception to completion as well as subsequent merger or acquisition processes.

He developed the commercial real estate-focused DealFundingNetwork™ (DFN™) platform in 2016. DFN™ is equity-based (vs debt financing) with the aim to connect CRE developers (referred to as Sponsors) with prospective financiers (referred to as Investors). DFN™ includes all major property types (e.g. Hotels, Multi-Family, Office Buildings, etc) across all major geographic locations around the world.

With the DFN™ platform, prospective Investors specify criteria such as their preferred Property-type, geographic location and deal size then are automatically notified when a CRE developer uploads a project that matches their criteria. If interested, after reviewing a “Deal Summary” prospective Investors can receive more detailed info, at the discretion of the CRE developer - often after the prospective Investor has electronically signed the CRE developer's respective NDA (which takes place within the DFN™ system/platform). These potential Investors, who have executed an NDA (unless the CRE developer does not require an NDA), can then download Deal-related documents in a secure Deal Room (also within the DFN™ system/platform) and also communicate directly with CRE developers through a convenient direct messaging interface.

All prospective Investors must first register and be approved by DFN's management prior to being able to view any Deal Summaries. As well, all CRE developers are also approved by DFN management prior to being able to upload Deal Summaries/projects on to the DFN™ platform and each individual project is also reviewed by DFN's management prior to it being published to the platform for prospective Investors to view.

DFN™ can help CRE developers in all types of market conditions potentially source better rates and terms from prospective financiers/investors, and, in turn, better maintain momentum for current/future projects in their queues as well as retain valuable staff/workers (as opposed to simply waiting for months if not years for their existing lenders to ease standards and/or provide them more financial capacity). The platform will likely be the most helpful to CRE developers during periods when banks or other lenders tighten their lending standards (which can occur when slower economic conditions prevail). DFN™ provides qualified CRE developers access to alternative private institutional and other funding sources including accredited individual investors who have registered (and been approved by Management, upon KYC/AML verification).

He has also made DFN™ the cornerstone of a “smart buildings” initiative and expects to provide resources for CRE developers regarding the latest offerings in “connected/cognitive” structures which have the potential to set CRE developers' projects apart, reduce operational costs for owners and improve productivity for occupants. Over the long term, DFN™ has the goal of helping CRE developers expedite projects in their respective development queues and bring more of their visions to fruition featuring state-of-the art techology and cybersecurity-integration to the benefit of areas primed for growth and revitalization as well as more remote locations suitable for large-scale new construction.

His other chief executive experience over the years also includes that of smartphone-tech inventor of a branded QR code creation interface/platform certified by IBM® (co-author of US 8,783,571, patent issued 2014 filed 2011 as well as US 10,839,275 (issued 2020), US 11,281,951 (issued 2022) & US 11,645,488 (issued 2023) to deploying, in 2012, a group purchasing platform (GPO) to benefit resorts, large hotels, universities and restaurant groups to having completed, in the mid-2000s, the first intra-card mobile-commerce transaction on the First Data® platform as a debit card issuer (in cooperation with sponsor Four Oaks Bank & Trust of North Carolina) which also featured integration of health benefits (vision/dental/prescriptions) services to creating, in the early 2000’s, some of the first branchless/online banks via retail distribution of debit card products (as well as Payroll and Health Savings Account cards) that were approved by Interlink®, Plus® and Visa® to developing, in the late 1990’s, stored value telecom, wireless and other payment products (e.g. top-up/prepaid/micropayments) that accessed a walled-garden platform featuring exclusive music content in cooperation with service providers including AT&T® and Sprint® among others.

More on Smart Buildings

“Smart buildings” reduce operational costs, benefit from enhanced cybersecurity and corresponding data from Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors as well as other emerging technologies. “Cognitive buildings/structures/campuses”, as they are commonly referred to, will become even more efficient once 5G/6G technology becomes widely available in the coming years coupled with improvements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics.

Additionally, preventative measures and holistic environments can be helped by use of QR codes, NFC and RFID wherein building occupants can scan codes on everything from elevators to fire extinguishers to video projectors to lights to other use cases within rooms such as reporting issues directly to a Building’s Helpdesk - all of this data can be logged with repair teams dispatched as necessary. The result of "smart buildings" are facilities that are more operationally efficient and optimized - benefiting tenants and owners alike. Many IoT-based environments also support voice control, including Alexa® and others, and are engineered to handle tasks such as adjusting lights or temperatures via voice. As well, integrated cloud services can help property managers gain access to energy efficiency metrics (for lights, HVAC, etc) for their facility portfolios and better enable them to further refine efficiency of operations over time. Hospitality firms are already benefiting from smart electrical panels with optimized settings based on time of day as well as predictive intelligence to spot potential maintenance issues prior to their being issues (that could detrimentally impact consumption, in turn increase costs if not addressed, and otherwise negatively impact intelligence).

At present, GE®, IBM®, SAP®, Cisco®, Hitachi®, Johnson Controls®, Siemens®, Panasonic® and Honeywell® among many others each provide leading solutions in the sector.

Honeywell’s IoT-based strategy already touches about 10 million smart buildings worldwide.

According to IBM “Operations account for 71% of the total cost of a building over its lifespan, and buildings consume 42% of all electricity—more than any other asset. Employing a cognitive buildings strategy can help an organization reduce energy use up to 50% and increase facilities utilization by up to 85%. In the U.S. alone, commercial real estate accounts for 12 billion square feet of covered area, but only 67% is utilized. In a world where employees are spending less time in the office and more time in alternative workplaces, a cognitive buildings strategy can also enhance employee productivity up to 18%.”

30 billion IoT gadgets are expected to be online by the end of 2030, according to data from market research firm IHS. These "things" can be installed virtually everywhere, from factory floors to streetlights to water pipes.

IoT will be more pervasive in smart commercial buildings than anywhere else, suggested consulting firm Deloitte. Revenue related to installations of sensor-equipped lighting, climate control equipment, thermostats and other automation systems could quadruple by 2026 to about $732 billion, predicted Navigant Research in a report published in 2016.

Other Executive Experience (continued):

Since the mid-nineties, Mr. Schaffner has ideated, operated and sold multiple startups, primarily in the technology sector, and, after each acquisition, has been retained by the acquirer to continue serving as a high-level executive and board member. Consistently ahead of macro trends throughout his career, he has been the first to bring products to market on many occasions in emerging online, mobile and retail channels across various services categories. He is versed in the full business-cycle from expediting concept-to-market product development inclusive of strategic planning, road-mapping and brand development to complex product/service approvals, intricate licensor/IP rights as well as other nuanced intangible asset-related matters. For clients, many of these services are provided for equity stakes in the respective ventures. Additionally, he also has familiarity with the inner-workings of merger and acquisition processes (from being acquired to acquiring to representing buy-side and sell-side).

Through his 5Gfund™ (fka 4Gfund™ - established in 2008), he invests, advises and leads development of products and services, generally software-based, suitable for a range of market segments which can benefit from the next generation of mobile technology, apps/messaging, IoT, NFC and other wireless advancements as well as enhanced cybersecurity (e.g. office buildings, infrastructure, healthcare, supply chains, e-commerce, banking, campuses, stadiums, hotels, resorts, condominium/apartment complexes and multi/single-family homes). As part of his efforts, he also drafts core strategy documents, creates product/services roadmaps, usually leads business development and establishes key partnerships along the way. He implements the same capital and time contribution formula when it comes to creating, managing and licensing of new and existing brands as well as protecting intellectual property rights and other intangible assets through his IntellectualPropertyFund™ - a pursuit which began with licensing of the Montecristo® brand for Consolidated Cigar Corporation in 1995 and securing of telecom-based product development rights for the music artist Sting in 1996. Generally, he catalyzes projects with his own capital from ideation through R&D and go-to-market phases (e.g. Alpha, Beta and V1.0 iterations) as well as contributes his time for months if not years prior to commercialization and, as necessary, will source primarily institutional venture capital (having first done so in the nineties) to further accelerate growth and/or seek suitable acquirers and/or installs executive management to help take projects to the next level.

Notable Innovations:

In 2018, he established PaloSMB and, in 2019, SmartphoneCybersecurity™ as a Palo Alto Networks, Inc. innovator partner. [2018 - present]

In 2017, he launched MessagingPlatforms™, a white-label Web, iOS® and Android® secure messaging interface that companies/not-for-profit organizations to "own their own data", improve their Users' privacy, customize their own Feed and other content in addition streamlined outreach/communications features and efficiency benefits. [2016 – present]

Smartphone-tech inventor of a branded QR code creation module and interface as co-author of US 8,783,571 (1st patent issued 2014, filed 2011) along with additional patents US 10,839,275 (2020), US 11,281,951 (2022) & US 11,645,488 (2023) and development lead, from 2011 thru 2015, for an IBM®-approved for Social Commerce and Smarter Business (IBM’s first ad-tech QR/barcode-based designations), Platform-as-a-Service known as PhotoQR® (launch, 2013) [chief executive and board member 5GQR™ (fka 4GQR™). 2011 – present]

In 2016, he founded CloudServicesBids.com™ (CSB), a software-procurement platform built to help organize and expedite software vendor management/bidding as part of the RFP-curation processes for companies with the aim of freeing-up time for CIOs, CISOs and CEOs - designed primarily to benefit medium-to-large sized businesses (500 to 4000 employees). Based on client-specified parameters, CSB™ selects best-in-class publishers and manufacturers then presents them in an “apples-to-apples” format to aid the decision making of its clients whose companies are transitioning to the “cloud.” Sourcing competing bids is preferred by executives – assuming they have the time to gather, interview and collate leading vendors - as it helps to future-proof IT environments, improves speed of scaling (sizing up or down), fortifies business continuity, strengthens cybersecurity as well as nearly always results in significant operational savings. Core CSB™ software publishers include Microsoft® (Teams®/Skype for Business®, Azure® and Office365®), VMware®, Oracle®, IBM® and cybersecurity vendors including Sophos®, Trend Micro® and Palo Alto Networks®. [2016 – present]

In 2015, he launched M&A Catalyst™, a retainer-free business strategy and consulting firm which represents both sell-side (prospective clients must have minimum annual EBITDA of $1.0m) and selected buy-side clients which includes private equity firms and family offices seeking add-on acquisitions. [2014 – present]

Additionally, in 2012, he deployed a group purchasing platform to benefit resorts, large hotels, universities and restaurant groups serving as chief executive and board member of web-based food and beverage procurement platform, PrivateGPO™. It enables its primarily resort hotel, private club and fine dining clients to work closely with senior advisors for US Foods® and Performance Food Group® in an effort to help improve the bottom line while heightening the quality of offerings in the ever-evolving locally-sourced, farm-to-table marketplace -ranging from everyday basics to custom curated items such as craft condiments (sauces, jams and salsas) and craft beverages (spirits, beer, seltzers, canned cocktails, better-for-you beverages, coffees and teas) in addition to ancillary products (such as handcrafted, natural ingredient-based bath and body items). [2010 - present]

In 2011 and 2012, he authored a thesis based on his intellectual property, branding and intangible asset experience along with accompanying monetization strategies that formed the basis of an investment fund for the boutique investment bank which retained him. He began updating the thesis' primary framework in 2018 to accommodate evolutions in international intellectual property matters, licensing, trademark royalty stream management and patent protections among other techniques as part of his IntellectualPropertyFund™. [1995 – present]

From 2006 through 2010, he was also retained by venture-backed and otherwise well-capitalized firms that were pursuing second and third iterations of the market segments he helped shape in the mobile technology and payment technology sectors years prior; for those engagements, he helped to guide product offerings, go-to-market strategies, provided macro analysis, market research and quality assurance as well as helped roadmap future offerings including establishing a debit card-issuance sponsorship agreement with Regions Bank® in 2009 among other business development efforts.

In 2005 and 2006, he developed and completed as a debit card issuer, in cooperation with sponsor Four Oaks Bank & Trust of North Carolina, the first intra-card mobile-commerce transaction on the First Data® platform (this technology-advancement enabled purchasing of products via phone without having to key in or enter lengthy payment card alphanumeric or address info) and previous to that had launched some of the first sold-at-retail “cloud-based” "branchless" banking products in 2003. [president and board member, TCA Financial Services, 2001 – 2008]

In addition, 2003 also marked the debut, by wholly-owned subsidiary iCan Payment Systems dba iCan Health Plans, of a first-of-its-kind to be sold at retail health benefits-product, InstantRX® - launched notably 2 years prior to a similar Medicare offering; complementing Dental-services and Vision-care benefits products, that were also Point-of-Sale activated and a segment first in their respective category/product class, were also included in the product suite. [2001 – 2005]

In 2001 and 2002, he began development of some of the first micropayments and branchless banking initiatives with retail-distributed debit products that were approved by Star® (2002), Interlink® (2003), Plus® (2003) and Visa®(2004); He served as president and board member for companies in the retail online banking, peer-to-peer payments and payroll card sector including AllAccessBank.com™ (2001) and TCABank.com™ (2002), which received some of the first product approvals in the sector from Visa USA, Inc. and First Data® in cooperation with sponsor Four Oaks Bank & Trust of North Carolina (launched at retail locations in 2003; TCA was acquired in 2004, and he was retained by the acquirer to continue serving as president and board member, positions held to 2007). TCA was the first debit card issuer to complete an intra-card mobile commerce transaction on First Data’s platform in 2005 - a unique service initiative he led that was ultimately utilized by many other of First Data’s debit card issuers. By 2003, TCA had created some of the first Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Payroll debit-card based programs to be introduced in the sector along with loyalty programs to further empower the banked, unbanked and underbanked millennial demographic; its loyalty program began in 2000 with a stored value debit/micropayments platform to purchase exclusive music artist content and merchandise. [2001 – 2008]

Prior to those offerings, parent company and venture incubator All Access Media Corp, for which he served as chief executive, deployed the first cloud-based, officially licensed, music content to be delivered via phone for leading content providers including dozens of marquee artists, MTV® and WWE®, in cooperation with carriers including AT&T®, Sprint®, Frontier® and CenturyTel® among others - these services generated the first revenues from the telecom/mobile sector for each content licensor in the process (major retailer launch in 1998). These stored value telecom, mobile/wireless and other payment products (top-up, prepaid, micropayments) were the first retail products to provide access via phone to exclusive music content from chart-topping artists (fan club news/info and unreleased song listens/streams) were first developed by American Telecard in 1996, beginning with Sting, then as Spotlite and All Access by 2000. In April of 2000, All Access’ e-commerce merchandising rights were sold to one of New York City’s leading venture capital firms at that time, ICES Ventures – with a deal structure that included it receiving an ownership stake in an online artist merchandise marketplace in addition to receiving financing for the continued pursuit of All Access’ own proprietary voice recognition-driven mobile-commerce portal, online banking endeavors and other retail distributed telecom/mobile/micropayment prepaid product initiatives as well as retention of all other licensed product rights for the artist rosters it had assembled over the years along with all intellectual property rights associated with its technology development which subsequently led to the founding All Access Financial Services (AllAccessBank™), TCA Financial Services (TCABank™) and iCan Payment Systems by early 2002. [1995 – 2002]

Other

Mr. Schaffner received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and is an alumnus of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC. He supports and dedicates his time to various philanthropic and charitable causes across the country.