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The
Lowdown
October
2025 Archive
Welcome to the
The Lowdown from
DN Journal - your source for notable news and information from all
corners of the global domain name industry!
The Lowdown is
compiled by DN Journal Editor & Publisher
Ron Jackson.
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Editor's
Note: Our complete review of
the 2025 NamesCon Global conference
that was held November 5 & 6 in Miami
has now been published as our latest Cover
Story. NamesCon's first show in South
Florida was a historic full circle event as it
brought the industry back to the region
where the first major domain conference
in history (TRAFFIC
Delray Beach 2004) was held 21
years ago. Many of those original 2004
attendees returned for the 2025 event and marveled at how far the industry has come
from over the past two decades. In addition
to its historical significance Namescon
Global provided a candid look at where we
are today and the exciting possibilities
still ahead of us. |
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*****
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NamesCon
Global in Miami Just One Week Away: Pre-Bidding
Already Open for ROTD Live & Online Domain
Auction |
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It has
been a long wait since the last edition of NamesCon
Global. That's because after staging
the 2024
show in June last year, the event
moved to November dates for the 2025 event
coming up next week (November 5 & 6) in
Miami. Though it has been a 17-month break
the change made it possible for NamesCon to host
the big show in one of the world's most glamorous
cities and do it at a time of year when people
from all over the globe flock to Florida
where summer never ends. Of
course, when it is time for NamesCon that means
it's also time for another big live and online
domain & digital asset auction from RightOfTheDot.com
(ROTD). The live auction in Miami will run
from |
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from
4:00pm-6:30pm U.S EST on Wednesday, November
5 and will also be simulcast to bidders
worldwide. That will make the ROTD catalog of
premium dot-com brands, trending AI-focused domains,
geo names, and emerging-economy digital assets
available to anyone with an Internet
connection.
With hundreds of lots
in the catalog, Pre-bidding is open now (you
can register
here). On November 5 at 4:00pm, a
handpicked selection of lots will move to the
live in-person auction in Miami, conducted by
World-Champion auctioneer Wayne Wheat. Online
bidding will remain open so you can participate from
anywhere. After the live auction ends, remaining
lots will move into a timed online format beginning 24
hours after the live auction ends, giving
bidders another opportunity to acquire premium
assets before the final close.
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Image
from Bigstock |
This year's
conference is NamesCon’s
highly-anticipated Miami debut It
will be hosted at Ice Palace Studios,
a creative and technology hub in the heart
of the city’s surging art and
innovation corridor. The show will have a
festival-style setup, interactive learning
spaces, expert-led sessions, and three big
evening social events. NamesCom
Program Manager Sam Schwarz noted,
"The domain industry is evolving
faster than ever — from AI-driven
developments to the expansion of TLDs and
new monetization models. Now is an
incredibly exciting time for the industry,
and we’re excited to bring it all
together in Miami!” |
If
you haven't already gotten a ticket for NamesCon
Global you can register
here and can get 20% off by using
the "DNJ20" discount code that
NamesCon provided for our readers. If you are coming
to Miami we will look forward to seeing you
there. If you can't make it, we will have all of the
photos and highlights for you in a new Cover Story
that will be published after we return.
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(Posted
October 29, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/1029.htm
*****
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The
Art of Turning a New TLD Into a Global Community:
Jeff Sass's
October Odyssey for .ART Shows What it Takes - You're
Either All In Or You're Out of Luck |
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New
top level domains (TLDs) arrived in en masse
over a decade ago when ICANN added more
than 1,000 extensions to the Internet. It is
hard for anyone or anything to stand out in
a crowd like that, but a handful have made it
happen. Invariably, those are the ones that spent
heavily in time, money and resources to build a global
community around their TLDs. .ART
has been a prime example of that and perhaps never
more so than this month. Given
the registry's dizzying schedule of October
events, I hope no one has been trying to track .ART
CMO Jeff Sass's movements around the globe. If
you were, your GPS device has likely blown up by
now. This very day (Monday, Oct. 27) Jeff is in Dublin,
Ireland, taking part in a special exhibition
associated with the ICANN 84 Meeting
underway there. On Friday (October 24) he was busy
with .ART's 2nd Annual International .ARTist
Day Online Conference and right before that he
was sharing his love of art and .ART with fellow
attendees at the Domain
Days Dubai conference in the UAE
October 22 & 23. The week before that he was
in London where .ART announced the two
winners of their Digital Innovation in Arts
& Culture Award at a Gala ceremony hosted
by GP Bullhound Allstars on October 16th.
The week before that he was in Portland, Oregon
for American Art Therapy Association
conference where .ART was exhibiting October 10th. OK,
I'm sure you're starting to get the picture. When
you see what it takes to turn a new TLD into an institution,
I wouldn't blame those who are thinking about
applying for a new TLD if they are having second
thoughts! I'm not sure how Jeff kept up with all
of that as I certainly couldn't, but we will try
to rectify that right now. |
.ART
CMO Jeff Sass at the American
Art Theraphy Association Conference
in Portland, Oregon October 10, 2025.
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Let's start with that Art Therapy event
as that is an important story in its own right. .ART
Founder Ulvi Kasimov has been a tireless
advocate for the healing
power of art. Ulvi noted that "art
therapy takes concepts from psychology and
counseling and expands on them, forming a
unique field of mental health treatment in itself.
It’s time to remember that art has a therapeutic
effect and start sharing art, its practices, and
impressions to begin the process of global healing
and recovery.” The .ART registry is a member of
the American
Art Therapy Association (AATA) and provided
support for their annual conference as a sponsor,
presenter, and exhibitor. The next week it was on to London where two
innovators, Artcrush
and WHATCLASS,
were named winners of the 2025
Digital Innovation in Arts & Culture Award
for their work in reshaping public art and creative
education through technology. Artcrush is a Belgian
startup that transforms unused digital billboards
into the world’s largest open-air gallery,
creating a new cultural economy that connects
artists, brands, and millions of viewers through
urban space. UK-based WHATCLASS is revolutionizing
music and cultural education by turning artists
into teachers and fans into co-creators.
As Spotify’s global education partner and
backed by ABRSM, WHATCLASS blends streaming culture
with accredited, artist-led learning. 
Mathieu France (CEO of Artcrush), Ulvi
Kasimov (Founder of .ART Registry) and
Chairman of the Judging Jury Dean Phelus (Editor
in Chief of Museum Magazine and Senior
Director of Special Projects at the American
Alliance of Museums), at the 2025 GP
Bullhound Allstars Gala in London. Now,
about that International .ARTist Day Online
Conference that was held Friday (October 24).
That event was created to support the following
day's International Artist Day (IAD) celebration.
For over 20 years IAD has been celebrated on October
25th (Pablo Picasso's birthday). For the free
online conference .ART presented four excellent panels
of artists and experts from various facets of
the art world, including many who use a .ART domain.
If you missed the live event you can watch a YouTube
replay here. While the conference
was running .ART also released this year's edition
of the .ART ODYSSEY publication, which
this year is focused on HEALING and the
healing power of Art. .ART ODYSSEY: HEALING
is available
now on Amazon.
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That brings us
to today (October 27) and the .ART
exhibition during the ICANN meeting in
Dublin. To help celebrate the art and
culture of Ireland and other regions,
the registry presented an AR (Augmented
Reality) Exhibition, Between
Nature and Code, at EPIC
The Irish Emigration Museum. By scanning
a QR code and pointing their smartphone
camera at the featured artworks, ICANN
participants could consider the
interconnectedness of physical and virtual
matter, where a cell might become a pixel,
and a mineral might transform into a model
of digital memory. Each work is experienced
not on a conventional screen or canvas, but
through augmented reality, offering a
dynamic encounter with art as process and
experience. |
This
artwork from Lolli.olly
was part of the
Between Nature and Code Exhibition |
After
all of that you might think Jeff's travels on behalf
of .ART would be over for now. That would be wrong,
of course! Next week it's on to Miami, Florida and
the NamesCon
Global conference. It should be easy to
spot Jeff - he'll be the guy with a large cup of
coffee in each hand and most of the leather
worn off the bottom of his shoes. Still, the old
saying is true - when you love what you do, you
never work a day in your life - and Jeff
obviously has deep affection for art and .ART
domains.
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(Posted
October 27, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/1027.htm
*****
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Domain
Days Dubai Concludes 2025 Conference With News of a Name
Change and the Dates to Save for the 2026
Event |
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Editor's
Note: Our full
review of the 2025 Domain Days Dubai conference
(DDD) has now been published with photos and
highlight from every sessions. With
additional information now in hand about what's
next for this rapidly growing event, this post has
been updated.. The
curtain came down on the the 3rd annual Domain
Days Dubai conference Thursday night
(October 23) with a yacht tour of the city's
scenic harbor capping off the well received event.
While Founder |
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Munir
Badr launched the show to put Dubai and
the Middle East/Africa region in the spotlight, it
has attracted attendees from around the globe
from the start. With a record number of international
attendees this year, that has opened the
possibility of seeing Domain Days events in other
locations in addition to Dubai. So, expect to see
the brands Domain Days and Domain Days
Dubai used interchangeably in the years ahead
(the DDD website is at DomainDays.com).
In another change
that recognizes the number of events and
commitments that people in the industry have to
fit into limited calendar space - and all of the planning
that goes into that - Munir gave them a head
start by announcing that next year's edition
of Domain Days will be held October 14-15, 2026.
As for the just concluded 2025 extravaganza in the
UAE metropolis, we are planning a complete
conference review when the professional photos
come in. In the meantime, here are some scenes
captured by attendees and posted on social media: |
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Above
& Below: Domain Days Founder & Curator
Munir Badr welcomes a full house to the 3rd
annual edition of the event at the Marriott
Resort Palm Jumeirah October 22. (Photos
courtesy of Domain Summit Founder Helmuts
Meskonis, seen at far right in the photo below).
Above: The
Program Director for Domain Days, Leonid
Todorov, followed Munir onstage to give
attendees a rundown on what was in store for them
over the next two days. Below:
The business sessions at Domain Days featured
leading industry experts from around the world. One
especially popular panel discussion on Mastering
the Art of Investing & Sales featured
(left to right) Darpan Munjal (Atom.com), Braden
Pollock (Legal Brand Marketing), Mark
Ghoriafi (Sedo's "Mr. Premium) and Jack
Dai (DN.com).
Above:
With Domain Days being held in the United
Arab Emirates, there was a lot of interest in
the nation's ccTLD - .ae. The audience got a
comprehensive inside view of the extension in a Keynote
presented by Mohammad Ismail Alfalasi (Manager, Digital Resources Management,
TDRA). Below:
Much of the innovation in the tech world is coming
from Dubai. Marwan AlZarouni (CEO of AI for Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism
(DET) as well as CEO of Dubai Blockchain Center)
provided some great insight into what has propelled
the city into a global leadership role.
Above: The
owner of the first .com domain registered on the
Internet (Symbolics.com), Aron
Meystedt (at right in this picture with DN.com's
Jack Dai), was also a featured speaker at Domain
Days. Symbolics.com is celebrating its 40th birthday
since being registered in 1985! Below:
Also on hand to present CEO Insights That
Rhyme With Success were (left to right): Lukasz
Gawlor (WebHosting.today), Elias Rendon-Benger
(InterNetX), Lars Jensen (ShortDot SA)
and Michael Osterloh (HostAfrica).
Above:
Domains Days 2025 came to a spectacular close
with a yacht tour along the Dubai skyline
Thursday night (October 23). Domain Days
Founder Munir Badr (3rd from left) is with
some of the guests admiring the view on a perfect
evening in the UAE. More
to come soon when we'll take a deeper dive
into Domain Days.
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(Posted
October 24, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/1024.htm
*****
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Domain
Days Dubai Set to Begin With Digital Asset Auction
Among Wednesday's Opening Day Highlights |
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The
2025 Domain
Days Dubai (DDD) conference will be
held Wednesday and Thursday (October 22
& 23) at the Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah.
You can see our preview of the 3rd annual
event here.
One thing we haven't talked about yet is the
innovative Bid-To-Earn
Digital Asset Auction that RightOfTheDot.com
is conducting in association with the event. The
auction is a global online event that
anyone can participate in. Bidding opened October
16 but lots won't begin closing until the end of
the opening business day at
DDD |
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Wednesday. Since the time in Dubai is 8 hours
later than U.S. Eastern Daylight time (where we
are located), that means you will need to get
your bids in before 10:30AM U.S. EDT
Wednesday, Oct. 22. The
auction features a curated portfolio of 166
premium digital assets headlined by Tokens.com,
one of the most valuable and culturally relevant
digital assets currently on the market. The name
represents the foundation of the global crypto
economy, a single word recognized across
blockchain, fintech, gaming, and
tokenized real estate and gold sectors. Another
auction headliner is Solutions.crypto,
a premium Web3 identity that aligns with decentralized
branding and blockchain utility. Other standouts in
the catalog include Amman.com - Arab.x
- Dubai.jobs - Developing.ae
- Somalia.com - Design.crypto
– Mint.nft – Server.ai
– Capetown.com – UAE.jobs
and Dubai.net to name just a
few.
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ROTD
Founder & President Monte Cahn
at Domain Days Dubai last year. |
Another major
attraction is the Bid-to-Earn (BTE) auction
platform, powered by GBM. In this
model, every time a bidder is outbid, they earn
money back in the form of promotional
credits or cash rewards, meaning every
participant wins something, even if they
don't secure the digital asset.
RightOfTheDot President and Founder Monte
Cahn said, "Bid-to-Earn gamifies
participation and makes high-value auctions
more inclusive." Monte also believes
Dubai is the perfect place to present a BTE
sale. Monte noted, "With more than 300
Web3/blockchain companies, Dubai
has become a symbol of innovation in
blockchain and fintech,
making it the ideal backdrop for this
evolution in how digital assets are
discovered, valued, and acquired."
Domain
Days Dubai Founder Munir Badr added,
"Bringing together the Middle East
& Africa domain and hosting community is
something we take great pride in and we're
excited to host the Digital Asset Auction
with RightOfTheDot, which reflects our
ongoing commitment to elevating the
region's digital ecosystem. The
introduction of this new bidding system
brings greater transparency, efficiency, and
engagement than ever before." |
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(Posted
October 21, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/1021.htm
*****
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Ammar
Kubba Rings Up Record-Breaking $750,000 Sale of
Wisdom.ai With Grit Brokerage Helping Buyer
Acquire Dream Domain |
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Over the
past 20 years Ammar
Kubba has put together a stunning
string of successful ventures and investments.
That hot streak continues with his latest landmark
sale - Wisdom.ai at $750,000, making
it the highest publicly reported .ai sale on
record, topping the $700,000 paid for You.ai
in 2023. The
buyer is an innovative company founded by experts in AI, data analytics, and
enterprise software. They called on Brian
Harbin and his team at Grit
Brokerage to help them acquire the
domain. While they gave him a big budget to work
and Brian and Ammar had already known each other
for years,
the acquisition was |
Image
from Bigstock
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no slam dunk because the domain
was one Ammar had a strong personal attachment to.
In fact Brian told me that he and Maureen
Sullivan at Grit spent two years working
with the buyer before finally closing a
deal.
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Ammar
Kubba
Brian
Harbin
Grit Brokerage Founder |
I
knew that a thought-provoking domain like Wisdom.ai
would be right up Ammar's alley because his
personal blog is at AfterTHOUGHT.com
and he describes himself as an entrepreneur,
investor, adviser and lifelong learner
(with the latter no doubt being the most important
to him of the four). While it is not
surprising that Wisdom.ai would catch his eye,
he did have some doubts about that
flirtation when it began seven years ago
- long before the current .ai boom.
Ammar told me,
"I acquired the domain in 2018 in a
Park.io auction. It was my first .ai acquisition, and I recall second-guessing my decision to spend that much on a
virtually unknown extension with no end user adoption. The domain only got a handful of inquiries over the first five years I owned it, and then
in 2023, interest started ramping up. That's around the time when Brian first reached out on behalf of his buyer. We weren't able to come to terms at that time, so I assumed his client had decided to move on. Then, a few months ago, Brian reached out again and over the next few weeks, we had some good conversations and eventually arrived at a number that worked for everyone."
Before
that happy ending, Ammar re-priced the name
several times, showing how ambivalent
he was about letting go of a name that
encapsulated what he is all about. "I
originally bought Wisdom.ai because I
loved the connotation and the combination
of the SLD with the TLD, so I was
in no rush to sell," Ammar concurred.
"I suspect Brian (and his client) would
tell you that I was quite rigid. In
fact, I had originally priced the domain at $250,000
when I first acquired it, then raised it to $500,000,
then to $750,000, and finally to $990,000.
I saw the .ai market moving, and I adjusted
accordingly. I'm pretty sure I left some
money on the table, and I'm pretty sure the
buyer paid more than they wanted to, but that's
a win-win in my book. You can't always
get what you want, but if you try sometimes,
well, you just might find, you get what you
need!" (Apparently, Ammar also needs to
add "lifelong Rolling Stones fan"
to his resume)!
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Ammar
had nothing but positive things to say about
working with Brian and his team but I'm
going to save those comments for a
profile of Grit Brokerage that we were
already working on as part of a NamesCon
Global preview article that will
be published on our home page this week. If
you are heading to Miami for the
conference next month, you can take
advantage of the opportunity to meet Ammar
and Brian in person there. |
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(Posted
October 13, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/1013.htm
*****
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2025
.ORG of The Year Winner Announced at Public
Interest Registry's Impact Awards Celebration |
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Public
Interest Registry's 2025
.Org Impact Awards were handed out
Tuesday evening, October 7th at a gala celebration
in Washington. D.C. With $180,000 in
donations to distribute among the world's most
outstanding .orgs, over 3,000 applications
from more than 120 countries poured in for the
7th annual competition. Those were whittled down
to winners in seven categories from which
the ultimate .Org of the Year was chosen by
the program's distinguished panel of judges. |
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That honor
went to Fonds
pour les Femmes Congolaises (FFC
- The Fund for Congolese Women), a non-profit
organization based in the Democratic Republic of
Congo. The FFC was recognized for the
organization’s work to empower women within
the DRC by advancing initiatives to eliminate
gender-based sexual violence, provide empowerment
programs for women and girls, educate women about
HIV/AIDS and reproductive health, and advocate for
environmental justice and equitable access to
resources and land.
(L to R): PIR
President & CEO Jon Nevett, Gisele Kambesa (FFC
Program Assistant & Office Manager) and Impact
Awards Host Common Tuesday night in Washington, D.C.
The judging panelists were inspired by how
the FFC’s work not only bridges the gap
between international donors and local women’s
initiatives but also creates the conditions for
women to move from victims of violence to
survivors, advocates, and leaders within their
communities. As the 2025 .ORG of the Year, the Fund
for Congolese Women will receive $50,000 in
donations from Public Interest Registry.
PIR President & CEO
Jon Nevett said, "The winners of the .ORG
Impact Awards are the very best of the .ORG
Community and work tirelessly to create positive
change every day. Public Interest Registry is
thrilled to uplift their efforts and humbled by the
work they are doing to build a bright future for us
all. The work that this year's .ORG of the Year
winner, The Fund for Congolese Women, does to drive
change from the ground up and uplift women in their
communities deeply inspires me. I'm honored to
celebrate them and shine a global spotlight on their
extraordinary impact."
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Repesenting FFC,
Gisele Kambesa said, "Community-building
is at the heart of our mission at Fonds pour
les Femmes Congolaises. Our organization
started when a group of women came together
and decided to fight for a better future
for women and girls in the Democratic
Republic of Congo. We hope to
use the award money to invest in even more
women-led organizations who are
making a positive impact on their
communities. This award is not just for
Congolese women, but all women that impact
the world."
Common
added, "It's an honor to join Public
Interest Registry in celebrating this year's
.ORG Impact Award winners. These
organizations are proof that passion and purpose
can change lives and |
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communities
around
the world. Their stories remind us that when
we care and do for each other the world is
naturally better." |
The winners in each of
the seven categories received a $10,000 donation
from PIR. FFC won the Community Building
category en route to earning their .ORG of the
Year Award. Here are the winners in the
additional categories that make up the .ORG
Impact Awards:
Quality
Education for All – Winner: IncluEdu
- Donation Received: $10,000
IncluEdu is
transforming education across Latin America
by harnessing AI to teach sign language and
advance deaf inclusion. Their platform equips
educators with inclusive tools, provides real-time
feedback, and creates accessible learning
environments for students.
Environmental
Stewardship – Winner: Nature
Environment and Wildlife Society (NEWS)
Donation Received: $10,000
The Nature Environment
and Wildlife Society (NEWS) is advancing biodiversity
and climate resilience across India by restoring
mangrove ecosystems. Working hand in hand with local
communities, NEWS empowers women climate leaders and
promotes sustainable livelihoods that protect
natural resources.
Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion –
Winner: Humanos
3D - Donation Received: $10,000
Humanos 3D harnesses
the power of emerging technologies to create personalized
assistive devices for people with upper limb
disabilities. Through 3D printing and
community-driven innovation, the organization
promotes inclusion, education, and
independence.
Health
and Healing - Winner:– Access
to Specialist Knowledge - Donation
Received: $10,000
Access to Specialist
Knowledge connects healthcare workers in underserved
regions with U.S. board-certified specialists who
provide pro bono consultations. This exchange
of expertise empowers local providers, expands
treatment options, and ensures patients in remote or
resource-limited areas have access to high-quality
care.
Hunger
and Poverty -Winner – Andando
- Donation Received: $10,000
Andando supports rural
communities in Senegal through long-term
partnerships that break the cycle of poverty. Their
holistic approach strengthens access to clean
water, healthcare, education, agroforestry, and
microfinance programs. By focusing on the growth
of entire villages, Andando creates pathways to
financial independence and sustainable development.
Rising
Star – Winner: Jovia Kisaakye, Ecobed
Biotech - Donation Received: $10,000
Ecobed Biotech, founded
and led by youth changemaker Jovia Kisaakye in
East Africa, transforms food waste into
mosquito-repellent lotion, clean fuel, and organic
farm inputs. By addressing waste management, health,
and agricultural needs simultaneously, Ecobed is
advancing climate resilience, improving livelihoods,
and protecting communities from disease.
In the seven years
since the .ORG Impact Awards first started, Public
Interest Registry has cumulatively donated
$865,000 to .ORGs across the world. This year is
a continuation of PIR's ongoing commitment to uplift
the changemakers making the world a better place.
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(Posted
October 10, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/1010.htm
*****
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Internet
Commerce Association Welcomes New Platinum Member
Squarespace & Invites Nominations for 2026 Lonnie
Borck Memorial Award and ICA Trailblazer Award |
|
The Internet
Commerce Association (ICA), the
non-profit organization that fights to protect
domain owner's rights, continues to attract
steadfast support for its mission from some of the
most important players in the domain and Internet
industries. The latest to line up alongside the
ICA as a top tier Platinum
Member is global tech leader Squarespace.
The company is known around the world for its
suite of services, including AI website builders
and domain registrations, that have made it easier
for their 13 million users to create a
powerful online presence. As one of the top five
registrars in the world and the support of a
diverse and vital community of entrepreneurs,
creators, and small businesses, Squarespace will
be an invaluable addition to the ICA. In
addition to providing financial support through
their Platinum membership, Squarespace is going to
share the workload too with their Head of Domains
& Applications and Senior VP Kevin Doerr
joining the ICA's Board of Directors.
Doerr
has extensive leadership experience with iconic
technology companies including GoDaddy, Microsoft
and Yahoo. ICA General Counsel Zak
Muscovitch noted, "Kevin's deep, holistic
view of the industry will be critical in guiding
the ICA’s strategic initiatives and policy
positions. The ICA Board of Directors and its
members extend a warm welcome to the entire
Squarespace team and to Kevin Doerr. We look
forward to a close collaboration to advance the
interests of all domain registrants worldwide." On
another front, the ICA has opened nominations
for their two prestigious annual awards - The
2026 Lonnie Borck Memorial Award and the 2026
ICA Trailblazer Award. |
Kevin
Doerr
Senior VP, Head of Domains & Applications
Squarespace
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The two
awards celebrate different but equally important
contributions to the industry and the ICA wants everyone's
help in choosing them - not just members. So, anyone
can nominate an individual or company that they
believe deserves recognition. Information on each
award is below, along with a link to make a
nomination. Keep the deadline in mind -
nominations will close on November 2, 2025. 
The
Lonnie
Borck Memorial Award honors individuals
who have made an exceptional contribution to fostering
a sense of community within the domain name
industry. The previous winners of the award that was
established in 2017 are:
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2025:
Richard Lau
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2024:
Jason Sheppard
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2022:
Andrew Allemann
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2021:
Michael Cyger
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2020:
Ron Jackson
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2019:
John Berryhill
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2018:
Kathy Kleiman
-
2017:
David Weslow
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(In
2023 the ICA moved the award presentation
date to the following January so it could be
presented at the organization's Annual
Member Meeting (a full review of the 2025
meeting is here.)
You
are encouraged to nominate individuals who
exemplify collaboration, positivity, and
community-building. The nominee must be
living at the time of nomination.
Nominate
someone for the Lonnie Borck Memorial Award |
The
ICA Trailblazer Award was launched last year to
recognize companies or individuals who have
significantly advanced the domain name industry
through innovative products or services with a
lasting impact. The inaugural award was presented to Atom.com and
its founder Darpan
Munjal whose product
innovations have helped shape domain investing. Submit
a nomination for the ICA Trailblazer Award
After nominations close, the winner of each award
will be determined by a vote of ICA members and both
awards will be presented at the ICA's 2026 Annual
Member Meeting that will be held in
Las Vegas, January 15-17, 2026.
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(Posted
October 2, 2025) To refer others to the post
above only (and not the full Lowdown
column) you can use this URL:
https://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2025/dailyposts/1002.htm
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