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Appnigma AI, a San Francisco, California-based developer of an AI-powered enterprise software integration platform, closed its pre-seed funding round.

The round was led by BetaBoom, with participation from strategic angel investors from Google and YouTube.


The company intends to use the funds to relocate its headquarters from Yuba City to San Francisco, expand its software development capabilities, and scale its automated deployment platform.


Led by Co-founders Sunny Chauhan (CEO) and Amarjit “AJ” Singh, Appnigma AI develops an artificial intelligence infrastructure platform engineered to autonomously build, package, and deploy Salesforce and HubSpot native integrations.


The company’s technology handles packaging, compliance, security review, and deployment, allowing companies to build enterprise-grade, native integrations through its AI-powered platform.


The startup has already deployed its solution to companies that have collectively raised more than $100 million in funding, validating demand in the enterprise market that the company estimates at $13 billion.


The company has grown its workforce to nine employees.


source[FinsMes]

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For many families across the Richmond region, one of the most difficult decisions is how best to support an aging loved one. While assisted living communities remain an important option for some seniors, a growing number of families are discovering that in-home care offers a personalized approach that allows older adults to maintain their independence while receiving the support they need.


The desire to age in place continues to shape senior care decisions throughout Virginia. Remaining at home often allows seniors to preserve familiar routines, stay connected with neighbors, and continue participating in the communities they've spent decades building. Research has consistently shown that maintaining independence can have a meaningful impact on emotional well-being, confidence, and overall quality of life.


In-home care has evolved far beyond occasional assistance. Today's professional caregivers help with personal care, meal preparation, transportation, medication reminders, companionship, light housekeeping, and mobility support. Many providers also offer specialized care for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or recovering after a hospital stay.

For Richmond-area families, selecting a care provider involves more than comparing services—it requires finding a team that understands each individual's unique needs. Providers that develop personalized care plans and regularly communicate with family members often help create better long-term outcomes for everyone involved.


One organization helping families navigate these decisions is Comfort Keepers Richmond. Their caregivers work closely with seniors to create individualized care plans designed to promote independence while providing the right level of daily support. Families can learn more about their personalized in-home care services at https://www.comfortkeepers.com/offices/virginia/richmond/care-services/


Beyond personal assistance, many caregivers embrace an approach that encourages seniors to remain mentally, physically, and socially active. Whether it's taking a walk through a local neighborhood, preparing favorite family recipes together, or simply sharing meaningful conversation, these everyday moments often become an important part of healthy aging.

As Richmond's senior population continues to grow, conversations around aging at home will only become more important. Families who begin planning early and explore available care options are often better positioned to make informed decisions when needs change.


For those exploring care solutions, understanding available resources and working with experienced professionals can make all the difference. More information about Comfort Keepers Richmond and their caregiving philosophy is available at https://www.comfortkeepers.com/offices/virginia/richmond/

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Most professionals view negotiation like broccoli: necessary, good for them, but thoroughly unappealing.


In his widely cited Stanford Graduate School of Business lecture, veteran investor and former CFO Joel Peterson flips that script. Drawing from decades of navigating complex real estate deals, corporate acquisitions, and litigation settlements, Peterson argues that successful negotiating isn't about outsmarting the person across the table—it's about understanding why traditional "tactics" almost always backfire.


The Fundamental Rule: Avoid the Desperation Trap

Across hundreds of transactions worth billions of dollars, Peterson distills the entire discipline of negotiation down to one central principle:

"Don't get in a position where you absolutely have to have the deal. That's really the whole lesson."


When an individual or company negotiates out of desperation, leverage evaporates. The moment the counterparty senses you cannot walk away, you lose the ability to shape terms, protect timing, or demand fair value.

Joel Peterson speaks at the Stanford Executive Education Influence and Negotiation Strategies Program · Recorded January 31, 2007

Why Popular Negotiation "Tactics" Fail

Peterson takes a sharp stance against classic negotiation plays taught in corporate workshops—such as stalling conversations until the other party has a flight to catch, using emotional table-pounding, or taking strategic bathroom breaks.

His critique isn't that these tricks don't work; it's that everyone recognizes them:

  • Destruction of Trust: The instant a counterparty realizes a tactic is being used on them, long-term trust is destroyed.
  • Compounding Costs: Short-term wins gained through manipulation create resentment that harms future deals and personal reputation.
  • The Transparency Advantage: Genuine transparency and predictable, calm communication ("low-velocity" language) consistently outperform high-pressure maneuvers.


The 5 Levers of Every Business Transaction

While most dealmakers obsess over price, Peterson highlights that price is merely one of five interconnected variables present in almost every contract:

  • Price: The monetary value attached to the agreement.
  • Terms: How the deal is structured and executed.
  • Timing: The schedule for deliverables, payments, and closing.
  • Warranties: Guarantees and protections offered by both sides.
  • Remedies: The built-in mechanisms for what happens if something goes wrong.


By looking beyond price and solving for what the other side genuinely values across these five areas, negotiators can uncover creative, win-win structures that hold up over time.


Key Takeaways from the Masterclass

  • Never Negotiate Without an Alternative: Always build walking-away power before entering a high-stakes meeting.
  • Focus on Relationships over Tricks: Win-win outcomes are practical necessities for deals that require long-term execution.
  • Manage Temperature with Language: Avoid aggressive or inflammatory words; deliberate, composed communication maintains control.
  • Remember Broader Accountability: Every deal affects team members, partners, and long-term reputation beyond the immediate sign-off.


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Billboard - Asked what fans can expect when the It’s Iconic tour — featuring co-headliners TLC and Salt-N-Pepa with special guest En Vogue — rolls into town this summer, industry veteran Sheila Eldridge hints, “It’s going to be a game changer for all three of the groups. They’re going to be doing some very interesting things on this tour.”


Eldridge should know. Behind the scenes, she’s been handling En Vogue’s marketing/PR for more than 30 years. However, in addition to collaborating with the pioneering ‘90s R&B/pop group, Eldridge has simultaneously forged her own trailblazing career. As founder/CEO of Maryland-based Miles Ahead Entertainment & Broadcasting, she has evolved from record promotion and PR executive to multicultural communications/marketing executive to radio station owner and syndicated broadcaster.



An HBCU alumnus who majored in communications at Howard University, Eldridge pursued her love of radio by working at the college’s WHUR-FM. At that time, she also gained a longtime mentor in the station’s then-sales manager and later Urban One (formerly Radio One) founder Cathy Hughes.


When a subsequent move to a Los Angeles radio gig in the late ‘70s didn’t pan out, Eldridge segued into the record biz. She first handled West Coast promotion during Casablanca Records’ disco and funk era for the likes of Donna Summer and Funkadelic. Shifting to Elektra Records marked Eldridge’s first PR stint. When the label’s jazz fusion division was eliminated, she squelched her entrepreneurial cravings by launching Orchid PR in 1981. The agency’s initial clients: Patrice Rushen, Cameo and Phyllis Hyman.


Ten years later, Eldridge rebranded Orchid as Miles Ahead Entertainment (“I’m a Miles Davis fan”) to grow beyond PR to intersect with growing corporate interest in artists for commercial campaigns. The company’s corporate clients currently include Burrell Communications, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and United Healthcare.


Returning to her radio roots in 2007, Eldridge partnered with Perry Publishing to acquire five Radio One stations in Augusta, Georgia as Perry Broadcasting. She next segued into syndication with the weekly CafĂ© Mocha radio show in 2011. With hosts Loni Love, Yo-Yo and Angelique Perrin, CafĂ© Mocha is now heard in over 40 urban AC markets including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and D.C. The four-time Gracie Award-winning program — tagged as “radio from a woman’s perspective” — recently celebrated its 15th anniversary while also hosting its Salute THEM Awards, the annual fundraiser for the radio program’s Mocha Cares Foundation. Recognized for their impact in moving the culture forward, 2025’s honorees included Academy Award winner Ryan Coogler (Sinners).


Eldridge’s latest passion project focuses on paying it forward to student creatives in the HBCU community. She and her team presented the third annual HBCU First LOOK Film Festival (HBCUFLF) at Howard University last November. The festival initially bowed in 2023 with former president Barack Obama and Michelle Obama presiding over an opening night screening of the Netflix/Higher Ground biopic Rustin. Just ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend this February, Eldridge brought the HBCU First LOOK Women in Sports event to Los Angeles, marking both the 25th anniversary of Love & Basketball and the burgeoning intersection of film, sports and music.


Here’s what else Eldridge told Billboard about adapting, pivoting and leveling up in building her multifaceted career — and mentoring aspiring industry creatives and executives of color on how to do the same.


Why does En Vogue’s music still click and — given the tour — might new music also be on the way?

En Vogue’s sound pays tribute to the ‘90s while their lyrics are timeless. “Free Your Mind” is an intergenerational anthem. As for new music, never say never. But for now, they’re focused on touring.


(NOTE: This interview was conducted before reports of a feud between En Vogue’s current and former members emerged. Eldridge was contacted but hadn’t responded by the time this story was posted.)


In making the pivot from Orchid to Miles Ahead, what lessons did you learn?

I learned along the way to keep a nucleus of your team and then staff up for different projects. The highest number that I’ve ever had was 10 people on staff, located around the country in different markets. That’s probably how I’ve been able to survive through the industry, keeping a nucleus of people. Also, part of my longevity in this industry is because I keep young people around me. I stay in a learning state of mind. From them, I’m learning about new technology, the new thinking process with social and digital media. And they’re learning the fundamentals from me.


What prompted the move into radio ownership?

You’ve got to be able to move in different areas; to always have a plan A and plan B to fall back on. The marketing side carried my business for about 20 years. But I had a passion for radio and always stayed in contact with Ms. Hughes. When I told her that I was ready to own some radio stations and asked for her help, I was devastated when she said, “You’re not ready.” She’s the one who suggested I go through the NAB program. Nearly three years later, my partners and I bought the five stations from her while I also kept my marketing business. The radio industry was going through a real downturn between selling off stations and consolidations. I stayed in that deal for about 10 years and then sold my interest.  


And what did you learn from that experience?

What I learned is that content is key; that providing content was where the industry was going. So that’s how I moved into the syndication business. This was before a lot of the big companies like iHeartMedia were really getting into syndication. I was on the cusp of that.


Which led to launching Café Mocha?

I realized there were no women leading the conversation. We had Wendy Williams but she moved into television. I decided to take a different route. That the show wouldn’t be one person’s name; it would be the platform. So I trademarked the name CafĂ© Mocha and initially began with hosts Loni Love, Angelique Perrin and MC Lyte. When Lyte exited to work with her foundation, she suggested that Yo-Yo would be the perfect person to replace her. Our goal is to assure listeners they can relate via any one of the co-hosts: Angelique, who’s single, polished and looking for a man [laughs]; comedienne/actress Loni, former automotive engineer, HBCU graduate, political and extremely well-read; and hip-hop icon Yo-Yo, rooted in music and dedicated to helping at-risk kids. All of what we term “Lifestyle Radio,” featuring intriguing conversations and the best in urban AC music.


With many decrying radio’s importance now, what’s your take on its future?

Radio no longer means terrestrial. You’ve got to be on various platforms because, as I’ve said, you have to meet people where they are. There are very few people that I know who are still listening to terrestrial radio. When we started CafĂ© Mocha, I was told, “You can’t be on SiriusXM and on terrestrial radio.” But we are 
 and also have the Mocha Podcasts Network.


What propelled your focus on the HBCU student community?

Eight years ago, I thought, “You need to come up with something that’s a career program; a pipeline for people and alumni who are in the industry who can give back and with whom students can also connect.” Like I’ve said, it’s all about networking, building relationships. So I decided after the pandemic to roll it out as a film festival because that’s where content is going. It may be called a film festival but it’s really a content festival in that students can learn about other things too. Like I had a news person from a major market tell students her story from attending an HBCU to now.  So it’s also giving them hands-on experiences through master classes and panel discussions.


What’s improved the most for women working in the music industry — and what more can be done?

What’s changed the most is that more women have come to the forefront. And now it’s even better because young women are also coming to the forefront who are speaking up, speaking out and building a strong network. That’s something I’m very proud of and happy to see. Among the women in the industry past and present whose work in bringing women together has inspired me are Hughes, Sylvia Rhone [former Epic Records chairwoman/CEO], Sharon Heyward [former president of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis’ Perspective Records] and DeDe McGuire [nationally syndicated radio personality].


But make no mistake about it, [the pushback on] DEI is hitting everyone. However, the good news is that people, especially women, know how to pivot. And women of color are masters of that. What needs to happen is more generational interaction. We need more women of my generation to network and engage with young women who are just getting into the industry. There needs to be a stronger connection between women of all generations. At the end of the day, we’re experiencing many of the same issues. Working together on a broader, intergenerational scale would be a very powerful way to not only survive through this era but also excel.


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NEW YORK, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Checker, a global network that enables financial institutions to plug into stablecoins and digital asset liquidity, cross-border payments, treasury, and credit via a single API, announced today that it has raised $8M in funding from Galaxy Ventures, Al Mada Ventures, and Framework Ventures. Additional participants include strategic financial institutions, such as Bitso and Airtm in Latin America, DFS Lab in Africa, and Onigiri Capital, SNZ Capital and Velocity in Asia. Additional investors include fintech operators from Stripe, Tala, Flutterwave, Mesh, ComplyAdvantage, Superstate, and more.


While stablecoins and tokenization promise faster, cheaper, and more reliable financial infrastructure, large-scale adoption will require solutions to liquidity fragmentation, operational complexity, and compliance hurdles. To access crypto and stablecoin markets, institutions are often stuck stitching together multiple providers as a makeshift solution, resulting in systems that are difficult to scale and maintain.


Enter Checker. Through the company's single API, financial institutions can launch and scale products spanning trading, payments, treasury, and credit across markets worldwide. The network delivers access to global liquidity, fiat on- and off-ramps, and payment rails, eliminating the need to integrate multiple providers.


"Checker's network has been instrumental to our business. Their plug-and-play infrastructure supercharges our trading and treasury plumbing," said Bhanu Kohli, former CEO and Cofounder of cross-border payments company Rail, which was recently acquired by Ripple.


"We have spent our careers dealing with the existing financial plumbing inside 24/7 global financial institutions. We've experienced how broken it is, and know how much better it can and should be" said Jack Chong, Cofounder of Checker. "This funding allows us to accelerate our mission to enable financial institutions from Brazil and Kenya, to Hong Kong and the United States, to transform how foreign exchange, payments, trading, and investment products are built. We are incredibly grateful for our customers and investors' trust."


Over the past year, Checker has onboarded institutional clients including Rail (acquired by Ripple), Braza Bank in Brazil, and Belo in Argentina, as it scaled to $3B in total processing volume, accounting for around 1% of annual global B2B stablecoin payments volume. Checker's stablecoin processing volume spans 30 customers, which are regulated financial institutions across the US, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The Checker network now covers 75 global currencies, powering foreign exchange, collections, payouts, virtual accounts, and trading products worldwide.


"Financial institutions globally are converging on stablecoins as core infrastructure, but fragmentation across liquidity, rails, and compliance slows adoption," said Will Nuelle, General Partner at Galaxy Ventures. "Checker is building the connective tissue that brings market participants together into a unified platform."


"The friction points in fiat on-ramps and off-ramps remain the hardest problem to solve. Checker addresses this with a novel orchestration layer that organizes fragmented stablecoin liquidity into a programmable, compliant network," said Omar Laalej, General Partner at Al Mada Ventures. "With their customer bases growing rapidly across the emerging markets, especially Africa, we didn't hesitate to back this exceptionally lean, top-tier founding team."


With this funding, Checker plans to deepen its global payments coverage to replace traditional correspondent banking dependencies. The team also intends to build out embedded borrowing and lending capabilities that improve capital efficiency and reduce pre-funding requirements for its customers, fully utilizing the just-in-time settlement capabilities of stablecoins. Finally, the firm intends to launch AI-powered agents for treasury management, back-office operations, and predictive analytics, enabling financial institutions to hyperscale their operating efficiencies.


About Checker

Checker unifies the fragmented digital assets markets for financial institutions globally.


The network enables financial institutions to plug into stablecoins and digital asset liquidity, cross-border payments, treasury, and credit via a single API. More than 30 regulated financial institutions, from B2B payments providers, remittance companies, FX banks, to trading firms, now work with Checker to access global efficient and reliable stablecoin FX liquidity, named accounts, and payment rails without stitching together multiple providers.


Founded by operators with experience across trading, treasury, and financial infrastructure, Checker's network coverage spans across the United States, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Checker is also backed by leading investors and financial institutions including Galaxy Ventures, Al Mada Ventures, Framework, Bitso, Airtm.


SOURCE PRNewswire

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Columbus’s vibrant East Side is set to come alive with creativity, community spirit, and incredible flavors. On Friday, June 13, 2026, the community will gather for the inaugural 1313 Food and Arts Fest, a highly anticipated all-day event designed to spotlight Central Ohio’s exceptional local talent and small business owners. Taking place at 1313 E. Broad Street, this family-friendly event offers free admission, ensuring everyone can join in celebrating the city's rich cultural tapestry.  


At A Glance: Event Logistics

Daytime Marketplace: Shop Small, Eat Local (11:00 AM – 7:00 PM)


The festival kicks off at 11:00 AM with a bustling daytime market. Attendees can browse and shop from unique local vendor booths, showcasing an eclectic mix of handmade apparel, original art prints, custom-scented candles, and curated beauty and wellness products. It is the perfect opportunity to support local entrepreneurs and discover your next favorite Columbus-area brand.  


Alongside the shopping experience, a fleet of eight premier food trucks will satisfy every craving imaginable. The culinary lineup showcases the city's diverse flavors, serving up everything from rich soul food and authentic New Orleans cuisine to smoky Hawaiian BBQ, artisan desserts, and refreshing custom-flavored lemonades. A live DJ will anchor the daytime festivities, spinning a continuous stream of music to keep the community energy high.  


Evening Showcase: The Exhibit of Expression (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)


As the sun sets, the 1313 Food and Arts Fest transforms into a high-energy live performance venue. Starting at 7:00 PM, the main stage hosts the Exhibit of Expression, an innovative live poetry and visual art competition. This unique showcase pairs Columbus’s most compelling poets and visual artists on stage, challenge-style, to create and perform in front of a live audience and panel of judges.  


Witnessing wordsmiths and painters collaborate and compete simultaneously offers a rare, immersive look into the creative process. Competitors will face off for exciting prizes, promising a riveting end to an already spectacular day.


Calling All Creators: Open Registration

Are you a poet or visual artist looking for a platform to share your voice and display your work? Opportunities are still available to join the evening's performance bracket. Slots are filling fast, and local creatives are highly encouraged to secure their place on stage to showcase their vision to the city.  


How to Attend

Whether you are looking to shop with local artisans, dive into incredible food truck cuisine, or experience the city's finest live poetry and art battles, the 1313 Festival is built for Columbus, by Columbus. Mark your calendar, invite your friends and family, and secure your tickets or artist registration today at cbusevents.com/1313-festival-event

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ATLANTA (May 15, 2026) — Calm and Collected Music Group (CACMG) concluded its debut integrated presence at Music Biz 2026 this week, transforming the conference experience through a series of immersive wellness activations, conversations, and artist-centered programming focused on creativity, connection, and sustainability within the music industry.


Throughout the three-day conference, CACMG served as an on-site wellness partner, curating experiences designed to bring moments of reflection and reset into the fast-paced conference environment.


Programming included guided yoga, meditation sessions, sound baths, and multi-sensory audio-visual activations, creating spaces for artists, executives, and attendees to reconnect both personally and professionally.

“Our presence at Music Biz reflected a core belief that music is far more than entertainment - it’s something people live alongside every day,” said Chris Leon, CACMG co-Founder and co-CEO. “We wanted to create experiences that reminded people of music’s ability to ground us, connect us, and support our well-being both inside and outside the industry.”


A centerpiece of the week was the featured roundtable conversation, Music, Community & Mental Health: Reconnecting to the Why, featuring CACMG co-Founder and co-CEO Coyle Girelli and moderated by Cathy Applefeld. The discussion explored the growing mental health challenges facing artists and industry professionals, and the need for more sustainable, human-centered models that prioritize long-term well-being alongside commercial success.


During the roundtable, Girelli said: “Music has the power to heal people emotionally, spiritually, and neurologically, but the industry itself has for too long failed to protect the well-being of the people creating it. The conversation is finally starting to shift toward sustainability, mental health, and creating environments where artists and those who work with them are supported and able to thrive." 


CACMG’s expanded presence at Music Biz reflects a broader cultural shift taking place across the entertainment industry, as conversations around wellness increasingly move from awareness toward implementation. By embedding mindfulness, restoration, and community directly into the conference experience, CACMG demonstrated how music-centered spaces can foster not only networking, but meaningful human connection.


Founded by co-Founders and co-CEOs Andrew Horowitz, Chris Leon, and Coyle Girelli, CACMG continues to build a global ecosystem at the intersection of music, wellness, and functional listening through its label operations, publishing, immersive experiences, and artist collaborations.


ABOUT CALM AND COLLECTED MUSIC GROUP

Calm and Collected Music Group (CACMG) is a modern global music company creating and distributing music and sound designed for focus, calm, and emotional well-being. Founded in 2019, CACMG operates a portfolio of five genre-spanning sub-labels across lofi, jazz, tropical house, neo-classical, ambient, new age, and children’s music, collaborating with hundreds of artists and composers worldwide.


CACMG’s catalog has generated more than 40 billion streams globally and is widely featured across major digital platforms, where its music is used daily as a sonic companion for concentration, rest, and balance. Operating as both a record label group and publishing company, CACMG builds and owns a growing body of original, human-made music curated specifically for functional and wellness-driven listening. 


Built on an artist-first philosophy, CACMG prioritizes long-term creative partnerships and sustainable economics. As listening continues to shift toward functional and mood-driven use cases, CACMG has emerged as a leading force in purpose-driven music.

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Niko Moon has made a career out of good times, beach songs, and feel-good anthems. But with "RICH MAN," he's doing something different — and it might be the best thing he's ever written.


"RICH MAN" is a song about realizing that the most valuable things in life have nothing to do with money or material things. It's warm, unhurried, and deeply lived-in — the kind of country song that doesn't announce itself loudly but stays with you long after it's over.


The accompanying visualizer brings that message to life, depicting Moon sitting outside a trailer beside his pregnant wife — a direct homage to the humble roots that shaped him and the understanding that, with family beside him, he already has everything that matters. It's strikingly simple. It's strikingly effective.


"RICH MAN" is the lead single from Moon's forthcoming album ROOTS, arriving July 17 via Empire — a project that trades the beachside energy of his 2025 record American Palm for something far more personal and grounded. The album draws from Moon's upbringing across Tyler, Texas, Atlanta, and Georgia, shaped by a young mother, a truck-driving father, and years spent moving between trailers and extended-stay motels. It's the origin story he hasn't fully told until now.


In Moon's own words: "I started feeling pulled back toward the places that raised me: Tyler, Texas, Atlanta, and Georgia. This album is an homage to those places, those memories, and the stories that shaped me. ROOTS draws not only from my own life, but from the musical history of Texas, Atlanta, and the South as a whole. Instead of writing about taking somebody to the beach or out to a party, I wanted to take people back to where I come from."


This marks the second release from Moon's new era, following "GEORGIA (ROOTS)" — which features an iconic sample of "Georgia On My Mind" made famous by Ray Charles. Looking ahead, Moon will continue his momentum on the road throughout 2026 with an extensive run of headline dates and festival appearances. He will also return with his Good Time Fest in Charleston, South Carolina — an expanded festival experience blending live music, community, and wellness, with a portion of proceeds supporting his Happy Cowboy Foundation, dedicated to increasing access to mental health resources.


ROOTS drops July 17. Pre-order now and stream "RICH MAN" wherever you get your music.

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Star Catcher Industries, Inc. ("Star Catcher"), the company building the first power grid in space, today announced it has raised $65 million in an oversubscribed Series A round. The new investment — led by B Capital and co-led by Shield Capital and Cerberus Ventures, the venture arm of Cerberus Capital Management — brings Star Catcher's total capital raised to $88 million. 

Image description

A rendering of Star Catcher’s optical power beaming orbital energy grid transmitting concentrated and conditioned solar energy to client satellites — enabling the client satellite to generate up to 10x more power with its existing hardware. Credit: Star Catcher Industries

Cerberus' General John W. "Jay" Raymond (Ret.), the first Chief of Space Operations of the United States Space Force, will join Star Catcher's board, along with B Capital General Partner and Global Head of Energy Jeff Johnson and SHIELD Principal David Rothzeid. GreatPoint Ventures, Helena, Oceans Ventures, and MVP Ventures also participated in the round.


"This investment underscores the conviction that orbital infrastructure is now as fundamental as terrestrial infrastructure," said Andrew Rush, co-founder and CEO of Star Catcher. "Every major application driving the space economy — connectivity, computing, security, sensing — is power-limited today. Star Catcher is lifting that ceiling — making it possible to build in orbit at the scale the next century of life on Earth will demand." 


Founded less than two years ago, Star Catcher is developing a space-based energy infrastructure layer that delivers electricity on demand to satellites and other spacecraft using optical power beaming. Following an industry-leading seed round and exceptional customer traction, the company set the world record for optical power beaming, completed a critical on-orbit subsystem demonstration, and validated its end-to-end system architecture. The Series A positions Star Catcher to move from validated technology to scalable infrastructure.


"At B Capital, we focus on scaling technologies to enhance energy infrastructure, and the same dynamics we're seeing on Earth are now playing out in orbit," said Jeff Johnson, General Partner and Head of Energy at B Capital. "There is exploding demand, limited shared infrastructure, and a generational opportunity for the company capable of building the first in-orbit grid. We strongly believe Star Catcher is that company. The traction we've seen thus far speaks for itself, and we're proud to lead this round in support of a team that brings unmatched operational depth to solve this critical challenge."


Next Up: Accelerating Mission Cadence

Star Catcher will launch the first-ever space-based optical power beaming demonstration later this year. The mission marks a foundational step toward constructing the first energy grid in space — built to deliver up to 10x more power to satellites with no retrofit or custom receiver required — and the first of a series of flight missions designed to progressively retire technical risk and deploy operational capability.


As the company advances toward on-demand power availability, this investment accelerates a second orbital mission already in development and strengthens the engineering and operations capacity to drive scalable grid deployment.


"Star Catcher is solving the constraint that plagues every space-based mission: power," said John Serafini, Partner at SHIELD. "They've moved from concept to world-record performance to flight hardware on a timeline almost no frontier-tech company achieves, and they're building infrastructure with direct relevance to both commercial operators and the national security community. This is precisely the kind of company SHIELD exists to back."


An Expanding Customer Base

Star Catcher's customer base spans commercial space operators and U.S. Government stakeholders. The company has signed seven power purchase agreements, secured multiple government contracts, and is managing a qualified commercial pipeline representing more than $3 billion in projected annual recurring revenue. The Series A will fund continued commercial expansion alongside deeper engagement with U.S. national security customers.


"Energy and infrastructure resilience are core national and economic priorities on Earth, as in orbit," said General Raymond, Senior Managing Director at Cerberus. "Persistent surveillance, resilient communications, and unhindered maneuverability are all constrained today by power. An on-demand power grid can change that, expanding critical capabilities across commercial and national security missions."


About Star Catcher

Star Catcher is building the first power grid in space — beaming concentrated solar energy on demand to satellites in orbit with no retrofit required. By eliminating power as a constraint on spacecraft design and mission capability, Star Catcher is unlocking a new generation of space operations for commercial, civil, and national security customers. Learn more at www.star-catcher.com.


About B Capital

B Capital is a multi-stage global investment firm that partners with extraordinary entrepreneurs to shape the future through technology. With more than $11 billion in assets under management across multiple funds, the firm focuses on seed to late-stage venture growth investments, primarily in the Technology, Healthcare and Energy sectors. Founded in 2015, B Capital leverages an integrated team across nine locations in the US and Asia, as well as a strategic partnership with The Boston Consulting Group, to provide the value-added support entrepreneurs need to scale fast and efficiently, expand into new markets, and build exceptional companies. Select investments include Perplexity (AI-powered search and answer engine), Precision Neuroscience (minimally invasive brain-computer interface technology), Axiom (AI- powered math reasoning platform), and Fervo Energy (next-generation geothermal power). For more information, click here.


About Shield Capital

Shield Capital is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage companies building technology in artificial intelligence, autonomy, cybersecurity, and space. SHIELD's experienced team of company founders, investors, and national security leaders is mission-focused to support entrepreneurs addressing challenges and opportunities at the nexus of commercial industry and national security. At SHIELD, the Mission Matters. Learn more at www.shieldcap.com.


About Cerberus Ventures

Cerberus Ventures is an early-stage investor backing founders challenging assumptions to transform industries and society for the better. We believe the future will be shaped by bold breakthroughs across the critical domains of intelligence, energy and resources, digital infrastructure, computing, and biotech. As the venture arm of Cerberus Capital Management, a $70 billion global investment firm, we bring the full weight of experience, networks, and capital to help consequential companies tackle high-stakes problems. Learn more at: www.cerberusventures.com.


source[PR NewsWire]

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Fashion Photographer Camillo Rios & International Stylist Julian Rios have fulfilled their childhood dream and created a brand that embodies the fluidity of United Rivers.


The Colombian-born Rios (Spanish for Rivers) brothers were always dreamers. The catalyst of these dreams stemmed from the duo’s obsession with spaghetti westerns. Once arriving in America from Medellin during their childhood, they graduated later into the world of luxury fashion and created their personal homage to iconic Western denim Shirts. 


A five-panel pocket created by Western Denim shirt gave birth to a new dynamic collection. The Rios brothers have United themselves to explore this American dream. Naming each piece created after actual rivers in America.

United Rivers is a Luxury lifestyle denim brand that modernizes the traditional American western street style though superior tailoring and craftsmanship. The infusion of the Americana Cowboy boasts materials from US, Italy and Japan. The Americana motif is the actual product and design in each creation. Each of which is manufactured solely and masterfully in California, USA.


The Company was founded in late 2015 and saw its full launch in 2021. Here is the introduction to the collection. The possibilities are deemed endless.

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Kalshi, a NYC-based prediction market solutions company, raised $1 Billion in Series F funding, at a $22 billion valuation.


The round was led by Coatue, with participation from Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, IVP, Paradigm, Morgan Stanley, and ARK Invest.


The company intends to use the funds to expand its product suite, including its recently launched block trading capabilities, upcoming risk products, and deeper broker integrations to meet institutional demand.


Founded in 2018 and led by CEO Tarek Mansour, Kalshi is a prediction market service that offers financial markets on the outcomes of real-world events, such as award shows.


source [FinSMEs]

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by Brandon Hill


We just raised a $22M Series B for Vori to make every supermarket in America autonomous.


Grocery is a $1.5T domestic market — bigger than restaurants and hotels. But it's running on technology from the Reagan administration.


This industry is massive, essential, and near and dear to my heart.


My parents met in a supermarket. My grandparents owned a grocery store. My mom, Tori, works at Vori.


Walmart and Amazon have invested heavily in this space, capturing 25% of U.S. grocery spending. But no one is building tech for the other 75% of the market.


Vori is the engine for grocery: an AI-native operating system that handles checkout, payments, pricing, ordering, inventory, and loyalty.


→ A system of record: tracks all activity happening in the store in one place.

→ A system of action: agents leverage what the store "knows" to actually do the work.

→ A system of transaction: Vori processes every dollar that flows through the store, accounting for 60% of our revenue.


Since launch, we have processed $500M+ in payments across 140+ stores in 55+ cities, serving over 1M consumers nationwide.


In the past six months, we have doubled payment volume, with new stores being onboarded every single day. The revenue we used to close in a year, we now close in a month.


This round — led by Adrianna Samaniego at Cherryrock Capital with participation from Mike Duboe at Greylock Partners and Factory — brings our total funding to $50M. The capital will go toward expanding our engineering and product teams, shipping the next generation of AI agents for grocery, and bringing Vori to thousands more stores.


To Tremaine, Robert, and the entire Vori team: there's no one I'd rather build this with.


To the grocers who trust us with their stores every day: you are load-bearing pillars of your economies, and you inspire us every day to do work that matters.


Our mission is to power grocery stores with technology that enables them to run more profitably and increase the GDP of Main Street.


We're just getting started (and we're hiring).

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Enzo Health, a Lehi, UT-based provider of an AI-driven platform for home health and post-acute care, raised $20M in Series A funding.


The round was led by N47. Existing investors Gradient, Tandem Ventures, and Rigby Watts also participated.


The raise brought the total amount to $26M.


The company intends to use the funds to expand into the skilled nursing and hospice sectors by extending its AI-driven platform to address the unique clinical, operational, and regulatory workflows of each setting, enabling providers to operate more efficiently while maintaining high-quality care.


Led by CEO Zach Newman, Enzo Health is an AI-driven platform built specifically for home health. Connecting front office, clinical, and back office operations in one system, Enzo automates each stage of the patient journey from referral to revenue, helping agencies take on more patients, protect their reimbursement, and give their clinicians time to focus on care. It includes:

  • Enzo Intake, which analyzes referrals instantly, converts faxes, emails, and PDFs into structured data, and checks eligibility in seconds before staff review is needed.
  • Enzo Scribe, which delivers OASIS validation and AI-assisted documentation in real-time during a visit, so clinicians finish charting before they leave the patient’s home.
  • Enzo QA, which continuously reviews charts for clinical and regulatory accuracy, catching issues before they affect reimbursement or compliance.


source[FinSMEs]


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Creati Gen AI, a San Francisco, CA-based creator of an AI video-editing product creator called Buzzy, raised $20m in funding. The round was led by Redpoint Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to launch Buzzy.


Led by Ella Zhang, founder, Creati Gen AI is an AI-powered creative tools company whose flagship product, Creati Studio, serves over 20 million users globally. Its newest product, Buzzy, enhances video editing through conversational AI. It is a conversational video editing tool that serves as a “Vibe Video Photoshop,” enabling creators to fix, refine, and perfect video content with simple text commands.


source[FinSMEs]

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(source) SpaceX has received approval to acquire the AI startup Cursor for $60 billion (ua.news)


by Saanya Ojha


The Cursor-SpaceX deal looks wild: a coding startup gets Colossus-scale compute, while SpaceX gets the right to buy Cursor for $60B or pay $10B to walk. Effectively a one-year call option. The deal makes a lot of sense for one reason - and very little for another.


What Makes Sense - The structure reveals where power is concentrated.


For the last two years, AI coding looked like an app-layer land grab: build the best interface, win developers, monetize seats. Reasonable, but incomplete.


Cursor built a great product and put up one of the fastest ramps in recent history. But the market shifted. Now OpenAI has Codex, Anthropic has Claude Code, and Google has its own stack.


The labs that own the models are increasingly owning the experience. That makes being the best shell around someone else’s intelligence precarious. Cursor’s problem is simple: its suppliers have become its competitors.


Anecdotally, the market is already full of stories of teams moving off Cursor and directly onto Claude Code or Codex. The center of gravity is shifting from the wrapper → first-party system. If value accrues to the model, neutrality isn’t a moat. You need privileged access - or your own capability. Cursor tried to evolve into a full-stack intelligence company but was bottlenecked by compute.


From SpaceX’s perspective, xAI has compute but no app-layer traction. The move is obvious: turn infra into leverage. Find an app that already matters, give it the GPUs it desperately needs, and buy an option on the upside. That is a pretty good trade.


Cursor gets computed. xAI gets a real use case. Spare GPUs meet existential need. As marriages of convenience go, this one is unusually clean.


What Makes Less Sense


Cursor’s value has been model-agnostic flexibility. xAI ownership threatens that neutrality.


Anthropic has already shown that model access is not some apolitical utility. When OpenAI was rumored to be acquiring Windsurf, Anthropic cut its direct access to Claude models. That precedent hangs over this deal.


Why would Anthropic or OpenAI let their best models power a rival-owned product - while feeding it data and insight? Even with strict separation, incentives are misaligned.


So the Cursor-SpaceX deal only makes sense if one of three things is true:

1. Cursor thinks Anthropic will stay on-platform despite the ownership change, because the commercial upside is too large

2. Cursor thinks losing access to Claude is survivable

3. Cursor has decided that dependence on Claude was already an existential risk, and the only rational response was to get closer to owning more of the stack before the supplier relationship turned fully adversarial.


This is not just a startup cashing in at a huge price. It is one of the breakout winners of the AI app wave, confronting a harsher reality: in AI, the most important product in your stack can also become your most dangerous landlord.

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[Tech Funding News] At 22, Emil Barr has deferred admission to Stanford GSB, negotiated a $200,000 payment from his university, and contributed to DOGE. Now, he is focusing on the bigger challenge of workforce development in the United States.

His startup Flashpass is tackling a big problem: AI is replacing jobs faster than institutions can keep up. Governments spend a lot on reskilling. For example, U.S. community colleges distribute about $35 billion in workforce funding each year, according to a pitch deck shared with TFN. However, current platforms do not connect training to jobs very well. Flashpass wants to fix this.


Today, the company just closed a $4.1 million seed round led by J2 Ventures, the Boston firm known for backing Aalyria, Code Metal, and Apex. Other investors include Seven Stars Ventures, RiverPark Ventures, and Uncommon Projects.


Selling to governments, not workers

Flashpass built its team to focus on government sales. Co-founder Will Hinman became Director of the Ohio Speaker of the House’s Office at age 24, started a government relations firm, and helped revise the state’s K-12 education funding formula, according to the pitch to investors. General Counsel Andy Bowers has 30 years of experience in state and federal legislative strategy and wrote a crisis care law that unlocked $70 million in public funding.


Flashpass stands out by partnering with state governments rather than focusing on individuals or corporate HR teams. Unlike Coursera, Guild, or Multiverse, Flashpass helps governments design programs before requests for proposals go out, rather than competing for contracts later.


Ohio is paying Flashpass $800,000 to develop an upskilling course for oil and gas technicians, according to the company’s pitch. The pilot generated $4 million in annual recurring revenue in its first year and earned over $1.5 million in profit. The program reached more than 2,000 users across five schools and 71 employers.


The state’s TechCred and Individual Microcredential Assistance programs are funding the project, and Flashpass provides the curriculum, platform, and job-matching tools.


The $4.1 million investment will help Flashpass expand into three new states: Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia, which are already in early talks, according to the pitch deck. The funding will also support the development of a new job-matching engine.


Right now, the platform issues credentials to workers. The new engine, expected in 2026, will turn those credentials into job placements, making the investment more valuable for state governments.


source[Tech Funding News]

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GAHANNA, OH — March 20, 2026 — In a bold move to bridge the gap between receiving financial aid and achieving a degree, the LRVH (Love, Respect, and Value Her) Cotillion & Youth Scholarship Initiative announces its annual celebration on April 25, 2026, from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM at the Edison Venue (781 Science Blvd, Gahanna, OH 43230).


While traditional scholarships often end at the point of disbursement, LRVH is introducing a pioneering, proprietary curriculum centered on "Scholarship Stewardship." This initiative addresses the critical "leaky bucket" phenomenon in higher education: the unintentional mismanagement of educational funds that can derail students in both urban and rural communities.


“Getting into college is only half the battle; staying there requires a legacy mindset,” says Danielle Dallis Hairston, Founder of WJLM and LRVH. “We are teaching our ‘debs’ and ‘beaus’ that a scholarship is not just a deposit—it is a sacred seed. Our program ensures they have the specific tools to keep, Plant, and invest those assets so they don't just graduate; they build a foundation for generational wealth.”

A Powerhouse Coalition for Economic Mobility

The event features a "Who’s Who" of Columbus leadership, including Emmy-award-winning news icons and state policymakers. This collective of city legends is uniting to witness the launch of a financially protected pipeline from middle school to the region’s premier higher education institutions, including Central State University.


The 2026 LRVH Strategy Highlights: The "Legacy Seed" Licensed Stewardship Model: A specialized, high-impact curriculum developed by Danielle Dallis Hairston and Sarah Wilkes. This proprietary model provides students and families with the sophisticated fiscal tools needed to defend their educational assets and protect investments from common external financial pressures.


The $100,000 "Endowment Defense"

Goal: A strategic fundraising cycle dedicated to scaling this unique financial-readiness framework for middle schoolers across the region.


Keynote Insight: Prosecutor Shayla Favor will deliver a powerful address on the intersection of community leadership, personal accountability, and the "higher-ed-to-career" pipeline.


Media Availability: Members of the press are invited for a dedicated interview window from 1:45 PM to 2:15 PM with participants, keynote speakers, and the founders to discuss why Scholarship Stewardship is the missing link in Central Ohio's education system.


Supporters can invest in this movement at: https://givebutter.com/nUepKk


About LRVH Cotillion

The LRVH Cotillion (Love, Respect, and Value Her) is a premier youth initiative dedicated to the holistic development of middle school students through mentorship, financial stewardship, and community affirmation.


Media Contact: Danielle Dallis Hairston (833) 395-3335 | events@womenjustlikeme.org


NOTICE: The "Keep, Plant, Invest" curriculum and the LRVH Stewardship Model are the exclusive intellectual property of Danielle Dallis Hairston and Sarah Wilkes. All rights reserved © 2026. These materials are used by LRVH under an exclusive licensing agreement.

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For many families in Richmond and surrounding communities, one of the hardest questions to answer is this: When does an aging parent or loved one need extra help at home? The answer is rarely obvious at first. Changes often happen gradually—missed medications, increased isolation, trouble with meals, mobility concerns, or a home that no longer feels as safe as it once did.


The good news is that needing help doesn’t always mean a move to a facility. Many older adults can continue living safely and comfortably at home with the right support, and local providers like Comfort Keepers offer customized in-home care designed to help seniors remain independent in the place they know best. Comfort Keepers Richmond serves seniors in Richmond and nearby communities, including Henrico, Chesterfield, Glen Allen, Midlothian, Bon Air, Goochland, North Chesterfield, and surrounding areas.

Common Signs an Older Adult May Need Help at Home


Families are often the first to notice that something has changed. Sometimes it’s a single event, like a fall or hospitalization. More often, it’s a pattern that becomes harder to ignore over time.


Here are some of the most common signs:

1) Everyday tasks are becoming more difficult

If a loved one is struggling with bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, or getting around the house safely, it may be a sign they could benefit from extra support.


2) The home no longer feels as safe

Cluttered walkways, missed housekeeping, spoiled food, laundry piling up, or bathroom safety concerns can all point to a growing need for assistance.


3) Memory changes are affecting daily life

Forgetting appointments, medications, meals, or familiar routines may indicate that more structured support would help preserve both safety and quality of life.


4) Family caregivers are stretched too thin

When family members are juggling work, parenting, and caregiving responsibilities, burnout can happen quickly. Respite support can be essential—not just for the senior, but for the whole family.


5) Social isolation is increasing

Seniors who stop attending activities, seeing friends, or leaving the house often experience declines in emotional and physical well-being over time.

These are exactly the kinds of day-to-day challenges many local families face—and why in-home care has become such an important option for aging adults who want to remain at home.


Why More Richmond Families Are Choosing In-Home Care


One of the biggest priorities for many older adults is simple: stay at home for as long as safely possible. In-home care makes that possible by providing support that adapts to a person’s needs, routine, and personality.

Comfort Keepers provides customized in-home care plans that can include companionship, personal care, mobility assistance, meal support, medication reminders, transportation, safety support, and specialized care for individuals living with memory-related conditions. Their Richmond-area services may also include respite care for family caregivers and support designed to preserve independence, engagement, and quality of life.


What makes in-home care especially valuable is that it supports both practical needs and human connection. Help with daily tasks matters—but so does conversation, consistency, routine, and having someone there who can offer encouragement and companionship.


A Local Option for Families in Richmond and Beyond


When families begin researching senior care, many are looking for a provider that understands the needs of the local community—not just a national brand name.


Comfort Keepers serves families throughout the greater Richmond region, including Henrico County, Chesterfield County, Midlothian, Glen Allen, Bon Air, Goochland, and North Chesterfield. The office offers one-on-one in-home care, caregiver matching, and a range of support services intended to help seniors remain active, safe, and connected at home.


For families who are unsure where to begin, speaking with a local care team can be one of the most helpful first steps. Even if a loved one doesn’t need full-time help, a conversation about current challenges can often clarify what level of support may be most useful now—and what may be needed later.


The Right Time to Ask for Help Is Often Earlier Than Families Think


One of the biggest misconceptions around senior care is that families should wait until there’s a crisis. In reality, care often works best when it begins before things become overwhelming.


A few hours of support each week can sometimes make a major difference:

  • Helping a parent stay on top of meals and routines
  • Reducing fall risks and household stress
  • Giving family caregivers time to recharge
  • Preserving independence for longer


Starting care early can also make the transition feel more natural and comfortable for everyone involved.


If your family has been wondering whether now is the right time to explore home care, that uncertainty alone is often worth paying attention to. The earlier families ask questions, the more options they usually have.


For seniors in Richmond and the surrounding area, Comfort Keepers can be a local resource for families who want compassionate support while helping a loved one remain at home safely and comfortably.


Contact Comfort Keepers in Richmond, Virginia, anytime at (804) 750-1123 or visit them online at https://www.comfortkeepers.com/offices/virginia/richmond/

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On September 14, 1970, Helen Katherine Mason did something the American Southwest had never seen before. Armed with the dual power of a city bureaucrat's pragmatism and a Civil Rights activist's fire, she founded the Black Theatre Troupe — a cultural institution that would grow to become the beating heart of Phoenix's African American arts community.


Mason was no stranger to building things from the ground up. As an official in the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, she understood how to create programs that met real community needs. But her inspiration ran deeper than policy. She drew directly from the Black Arts Movement — ignited in 1965 by playwright Amiri Baraka and his Black Arts Repertory Theater in Harlem — a national awakening that declared Black art to be inseparable from Black liberation.


Her vision was to transplant that energy to the desert. She reached out to activist-artists in New York and at Howard University, drawing them in as critical advisors and teaching artists. They believed in what she was building: a platform for Black voices in a region where none existed.


Together, they created a space for underserved artists to present work that would heal, uplift, and bridge cultures across a divided city. The early years were humble but determined. Black Theatre Troupe performed wherever they could — the community room at Sidney P. Osborn Housing Projects, the open-air Amphitheatre at Eastlake Park in downtown Phoenix. There were no guarantees, only purpose.

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By 1976, the company had secured a former LDS Church at 10th Street and Moreland. It was a foothold, a home — until 1981, when the building found itself directly in the path of the planned Papago Freeway and the Deck Park. Rather than fold, the community rallied.


In a campaign led by community members, corporate partners, and city leaders, Black Theatre Troupe fought for and won something more permanent: a mortgage-free facility at 333 East Portland in downtown Phoenix, in what is now known as the Roosevelt Row–Churchill District.


The company never forgot its roots at Eastlake Park, continuing to use the historic amphitheater for performances long after it had secured its own walls.


Then came a defining moment. In the 2006 City of Phoenix bond election, Phoenix taxpayers voted to fund capital projects for four of the city's major cultural institutions — and Black Theatre Troupe was among them. What followed was a successful capital campaign to raise matching funds, culminating in one of the most meaningful openings in Phoenix arts history.


On February 1, 2013 — the first day of Black History Month — Black Theatre Troupe opened The Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center. The state-of-the-art facility sits at Washington and 14th Street in downtown Phoenix, just two blocks from Eastlake Park, where it all began.

Image description

The distance is small. The journey is extraordinary.

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Acurion, a San Diego, CA-based precision oncology technology company, closed its $4.3m seed financing round. 


The round was led by TK & Partners, with participation from Mesa Verde Venture Partners, The National Foundation for Cancer Research, the Asian Fund for Cancer Research, Bootstrap Ventures, institutional investors, impact funds, and healthcare executives.


The company intends to use the funds for clinical validation, platform development, regulatory preparation, and commercialization of OncoGazeℱ toward broader clinical and research adoption.  


Led by Rick Fultz, CEO, Acurion is a precision oncology company developing AI-powered image analysis tools for biomarker detection that uncover clinically actionable insights from conventional pathology images. The OncoGazeℱ platform extracts biomarker insights from routine pathology slides prepared during standard clinical care, enabling an instantaneous, scalable, and accessible approach to precision medicine.


Acurion’s technology builds on foundational work by co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer Ludmil Alexandrov, Ph.D., Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at UC San Diego, whose work on mutational signatures has reshaped understanding of cancer origins and treatment response.  

The company expects to announce additional clinical collaborations and regulatory progress in the coming months.


source[FinSMEs]

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