ChargeUp Accelerator for Battery Startups Opens Application Period for Cohort 3




ChargeUp Accelerator for Battery Startups Opens Application Period for Cohort 3

ChargeUp Accelerator in Binghamton N.Y. Enables Companies to Leverage Resources within a Federally Designated Battery Tech Hub to Speed Commercialization

BINGHAMTON, N.Y., Nov. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New Energy New York (NENY) has opened applications for the third cohort of ChargeUp. The six-month accelerator program is designed to support startups working on battery innovations in order to help them advance their technology development and business. U.S. companies that are working on battery innovations from lab-scale prototype to early revenue are encouraged to apply. Companies accepted into the accelerator will receive $25,000 (non-equity), training on business development and investor pitches, connections to supply chain partners, and opportunities for follow-on investment. The third round of the program follows the success of the two previous cohorts of companies, including Ateios Systems, Fermi Energy, Standard Potential, Cellec Technologies, LiBama Power and more.

“It was really important for me to become investor-ready. Being in ChargeUp, we now have the best slide deck yet, and we’re ready to scale,” said Christopher Schauerman, co-founder and CEO of Cellec Technologies. “We need partners in manufacturing, testing and engineers to make that dream come true – and going through ChargeUp put us in the position to start raising money and making that dream happen.”

The initiative is part of a $4.5 million grant awarded to NextCorps from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF-2334103) to test an accelerator model focused on technology commercialization for early-stage, deep-tech businesses while strengthening economic development within region-specific technology hubs located across the U.S. The accelerator is based on curriculum and learnings from two of NextCorps’ proven accelerators: Luminate, the world’s largest accelerator for startups developing technologies enabled by optics, photonics and imaging, and the Manufacturing Accelerator, which helps early-stage companies reduce the risk, waste and cost associated with getting hardware from prototype to mass production. The methodology used by both programs leverages university, community and industrial involvement to guide and speed the delivery of emerging technologies.

ChargeUp follows a similar format, and will take place at Koffman Southern Tier Incubator. During the program, companies will receive more than 200 hours of curriculum that will prepare them to become investment-ready by mastering business due diligence, design for manufacturing, complex supply chains, product pricing, investor pitch preparation and other topics. Each month, participation in the Binghamton-based accelerator is split between one week of in-person instructional workshops and regional tours of supply chain partners and three weeks of virtual activities. Virtual curriculum includes instruction provided by industry and business experts, pitch coaching, regional showcases, and opportunities to build out each company’s data room so they are ready for investment. The accelerator also will connect companies to resources within the region’s rapidly growing battery industry cluster – which has been federally designated as a battery tech hub – and New York State’s efforts to pioneer critical energy storage technologies through NENY.

“The Binghamton region and our partners are driving the future of energy storage innovation. ChargeUp is more than an accelerator – it’s a catalyst for transforming bold ideas into market-ready solutions,” said Bandhana Katoch, associate vice president of Technology Commercialization and Economic Development at Binghamton University and regional economic competitiveness officer for NENY. “The connections formed here empower startups to leverage New York’s unmatched expertise and assets, accelerating their path to impact. The collaboration and shared purpose among ChargeUp companies are fueling a powerful movement that strengthens the energy storage industry and advances New York’s leadership in building the batteries that will power America’s future.”

Binghamton University, through its Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships (OEIP), is leading the NENY initiative, which aims to advance the development of U.S. battery technology, supply chains and workforce development. NENY’s cornerstone project Battery-NY, a pilot prototyping and manufacturing center for batteries that is chemistry and format-agnostic. Additionally, OEIP oversees the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, which has fostered 106 startup companies through mentorship and programming since 2017.

Startups applying to ChargeUp must be incorporated, have at least two people working full-time on the business, and should have proven their core technology, preferably having developed a working prototype. ChargeUp Cohort 3 begins in April 2026 and concludes in September 2026. The first information session will be held on Zoom at noon on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, to give companies an overview of the program and how it can help reach their goals for investability.

To apply to ChargeUp, sign in or create a free account at F6S.com.

For more information on ChargeUp, visit https://bit.ly/4oPewcO

For more information on NextCorps, visit nextcorps.org.

For more information about Binghamton’s New Energy New York initiative, go to neny.org.

For more information about NSF grants, visit nsf.gov.

Media Contact
Kari Bayait
Marketing Communications Manager
ChargeUp Accelerator
kbayait@binghamton.edu
607-777-6124

Investa Breaks £1 Million as UK Crowdfunding Market Shows Fresh Momentum




Investa Breaks £1 Million as UK Crowdfunding Market Shows Fresh Momentum

– Strong investor backing on Crowdcube highlights growing demand for more transparent and accessible options trading – 

London – Investa, the UK’s first zero-commission options trading app (other fees may apply), has reached its £1 million minimum fundraising target just one week after launching its second Crowdcube campaign.

Following its first round raise on the European equity crowdfunding platform, which was 220% overfunded, Investa launched its 2025 Public Live phase on Wednesday, 29th October, opening the door for more investors to join its mission to transform access to options trading in the UK. After starting this latest campaign with £678,000 of direct investment, the past week has seen a further £370,000 committed to the round from over 230 investors – raised via Crowdcube investors and direct investors – bringing the total funding to more than £1 million. The strong response underscores growing investor interest in fintech solutions that increase transparency, inclusivity, and accessibility for the retail market.

Investa’s first round was the most participated-in UK fintech raise on Crowdcube in 2024 and drew nearly 500 investors. This surge is further evidenced by recent high-performing Crowdcube campaigns from Chip, Prosper, and Zero, suggesting investor enthusiasm for startup equity crowdfunding is on the rise again after a period of plateau. 

“The response since we launched early access has been fantastic and is already mirroring our remarkable first round,” said Alec Beasley, CEO of Investa. “It’s clear that UK investors want to get behind businesses with a clear mission and proven traction. We believe trading should be accessible, transparent, and community-led, and our crowdfunding round reflects that philosophy. We’re giving everyone the opportunity to share in Investa’s growth and help drive change across the UK trading landscape.”

“Crowdcube has now processed more than £1.5b of private market investment,” said Matt Cooper, Co-CEO of Crowdcube. “Crowdcube remains a vital route for growth-stage fintechs looking to engage their user base, build a strong community and attract new capital. The appetite for retail investors to invest in early-stage fintechs remains strong and it’s a pleasure to support companies like Investa as they continue to grow and innovate.”

Funds raised during this second round will enable Investa to:

• Develop and launch its Android app 
• Help scale customer acquisition into the thousands
• Develop additional trading infrastructure to help build the best options trading app in the UK market
• Give more people the opportunity to join Investa in shaping access to options in the UK
• Strengthen operations to support growing demand following the successful iOS launch

Investa is redefining how the UK trades options, and investors can be part of that journey. For more information, visit the Investa page on Crowdcube.

– ENDS – 

About Investa 
Investa has built the UK’s first zero-commission options trading app for on-the-go traders. Founded by ex-Citi options brokers who understand the challenges faced by non-US investors and developed by the co-founder of Freetrade (Ian Fuller), Investa aims to level the playing field for private investors by providing an accessible way to trade both stocks and options.

What makes Investa different from other trading apps? 
The platform has been designed specifically with options traders in mind and removes the jargon, complex options chains, and commissions to deliver an intuitive and straightforward trading experience. Unlike traditional platforms, Investa focuses on clarity and accessibility:

• Zero commission (other fees apply)
• Cash accounts only, with no margin
• Jargon-free terminology and simplified “options cards” that aim to strip away complexity
• An intuitive interface that has been designed for the on-the-go trader

Investa is a trading name of Investa Markets Ltd, which is an appointed representative of Richdale Brokers & Financial Services Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 1008437). In this capacity, it is permitted to perform the reception and transmission of orders. Investa does not provide investment advice. Individuals should seek advice from a suitably licensed and independent professional advisor.


Visit the website for more information:  https://www.investa.co.uk/
Download the app here. 

For further press information, please contact: Francesca De Franco on 0794 125 3135 or email francesca.defranco@investa.co.uk

Disclaimer: Capital at risk. All investments carry a varying degree of risk and it’s important you understand the nature of these. The value of your investments can go up or down and you may get back less than your original investment. Options are complex products and not suitable for all investors. Please review Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options prior to engaging in options trading. Fees may apply.

WorldWiDE EdTech Awards 2026 Opens Global Nominations




WorldWiDE EdTech Awards 2026 Opens Global Nominations

Free-to-Enter Program Recognizes Innovation in Education Technology Worldwide

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Nov. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WorldWiDE EdTech Insights today opened nominations for the 2026 edition of the WorldWiDE EdTech Awards, recognizing education technology that measurably improves learning outcomes and accessibility worldwide. The global awards program is free to enter and open to EdTech innovators across all education sectors.

Submissions are evaluated by an independent panel of education experts using five core criteria: impact, design, innovation, accessibility, and responsibility. All entries remain confidential until the public announcement of winners.

“The WorldWiDE EdTech Awards were created to highlight meaningful innovation that improves learning experiences for all,” said Chris Bryant, Managing Director at WorldWiDE EdTech Insights. “We are proud to provide a transparent, global platform that recognizes responsible, effective use of technology in education.”

Award categories span the full spectrum of education technology, including early childhood education, K–12, higher education, personal and professional learning, language learning, health education, and accessibility solutions.

Key Dates:

• Nomination Deadline: December 14, 2025
• Evaluation Period: December 15–19, 2025
• Winner Notifications: Early January 2026
• Public Announcement: February 9, 2026

Winners will gain international visibility through the WorldWiDE EdTech Awards website and official communication channels. The recognition affirms excellence in educational technology and distinguishes recipients as leaders in EdTech innovation and impact.

Organizations and innovators can review full eligibility details and submission guidelines at https://worldwide-edtech.org/awards.

About WorldWiDE EdTech Insights

WorldWiDE EdTech Insights is a global organization advancing innovation, equity, and responsible technology use in education. Through research, events, and awards programs, WorldWiDE EdTech Insights connects educators, technologists, and policymakers to improve teaching and learning worldwide.

Media Relations
WorldWiDE EdTech
media@worldwide-edtech.org 

New Jersey institute of Technology Launches PureTrace Labs to Commercialize PFAS Detection Technology




New Jersey institute of Technology Launches PureTrace Labs to Commercialize PFAS Detection Technology

NJIT and its subsidiary, New Jersey Innovation Institute, have formed the first startup through NJII’s Venture Studio

Newark, N.J., Nov. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) announced the launch of PureTrace Labs, a startup created to bring NJIT-developed technology for rapid detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to market.

The company marks the first official launch from NJII’s Venture Studio, supported by an investment of up to $1 million.

The launch event took place Oct. 29, at the Profeta Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, where leaders from NJIT and NJII formalized the agreement through an exclusive startup license for NJIT Technology ID 24-016, “Method for Rapid Detection of PFAS.” The license was signed on NJIT’s behalf by NJIT President Teik Lim and NJII President Michael Johnson for PureTrace Labs.

“PureTrace Labs is the perfect embodiment of what the NJII Venture Studio was designed to do in commercializing intellectual property, and I am very proud of the team in building and starting to deploy a venture fund so quickly,” said Johnson.

PureTrace Labs is built upon the research of Hao Chen, professor of chemistry and environmental science at NJIT, whose team developed a paper-spray mass spectrometry method capable of detecting PFAS compounds in water, soil and packaging materials in under three minutes. That breakthrough, published in Journal of Hazardous Material, slashes the time, cost and complexity of traditional PFAS testing.

PFAS — often called “forever chemicals” — are used in applications from firefighting foams to food-packaging, and have been linked with long-term environmental persistence and health concerns. Traditional laboratory testing can take days and requires costly infrastructure; PureTrace’s approach offers the potential for portable, on-site analysis in minutes.

The company will initially focus on developing field-ready PFAS detection devices for environmental monitoring agencies, municipalities and industrial partners.

The formation of PureTrace Labs illustrates how NJIT’s research commercialization pipeline — from discovery to the Center for Translational Research (CTR) to NJII’s Venture Studio — enables university innovations to have societal impact faster. It also reflects a deeper institutional shift, says Atam Dhawan, executive director of the CTR, which is reshaping how universities think about impact.

For much of modern academic history, research discoveries have remained confined to journals and conference proceedings for years before reaching practical use. The CTR and Venture Studio model, Dhawan noted, is designed to break that cycle by building an ecosystem where innovation and entrepreneurship advance in parallel with scholarship.

“Society cannot afford the old kind of system — academia has to redefine its role, not only in educating the future leaders, but also innovating solutions for unmet societal needs and bringing them to market,” said Dhawan, who also serves as NJIT’s senior vice provost for research. “I’m proud Professor Hao Chen’s project was funded by our technology innovation translational acceleration (TITA) seed grant program and became the first venture selected by the NJII team through the Venture Studio — a true example of how this academic transformation now carries innovation from the lab to the marketplace.”

The startup is led by CEO Cassie Hallberg and has Chen as co-founder and chief scientific officer. Hallberg brings a strong entrepreneurial and industry-driven background in management consulting and startup growth — prior to leading PureTrace she held leadership roles in technology commercialization and business development, focusing on mission-critical engineering products and environmental applications. She holds an MBA and a bachelor’s in public policy. 

The launch of PureTrace Labs illustrates NJIT and NJII’s shared mission to expand the university’s impact through innovation and entrepreneurship. NJII’s Venture Studio is a model for turning New Jersey-based research discoveries into high-growth startups tackling global challenges. By 2030, Venture Studio aims to launch 10 companies, each with up to $1 million in support.

“Venture Studio aligns perfectly with NJIT and our 2030 strategic plan, which calls for the university to expand our role as a nexus of innovation,” said Lim. “Innovation creates solutions to practical problems, which is the focus here today. Venture Studio is a critical addition to NJIT’s efforts to turn R&D into products and services that can improve people’s lives and, more importantly, bring joy to living.

“We are indeed strengthening and expanding that nexus of innovation.”

Attachment

• NJIT-NJII-PureTrace-Labs

CONTACT: Deric Raymond
New Jersey Institute of Technology
973-642-7042
draymond@njit.edu

mimic robotics raises $16 million to deploy frontier physical AI across industries




mimic robotics raises $16 million to deploy frontier physical AI across industries

Switzerland-based mimic has raised $16 million to deploy frontier physical AI for robots that can handle complex, dexterous tasks in manufacturing and logistics – positioning itself as the leading European player in the global race towards general purpose robotics.

Zurich, Nov. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — mimic, a Zurich-based robotics company, has raised $16 million in funding led by Elaia, alongside Speedinvest, to deploy its frontier physical AI across industries, enabling robots to handle complex, dexterous tasks that conventional machines cannot. This heavily oversubscribed seed round also included participation from Founderful, 1st kind, 10X Founders, 2100 Ventures and Sequoia Scout Fund, bringing mimic’s total funding to over $20 million. The new capital will accelerate the development of mimic’s foundation AI model and humanoid robotic hands, and advance deployments with leading global industry players. 

Delicate Manual Assembly Automated with mimic’s Robot.

On factory floors around the world, millions of intricate manual tasks still depend on human skill. These tasks remain out of reach for traditional automation across industries including manufacturing, assembly and logistics. With labour shortages growing and industries reshoring production amid global uncertainty, the need for versatile and intelligent robots has never been clearer. Traditional robots excel at repetitive, pre-programmed motions in controlled environments, but require costly setup and custom coding for each task. At the same time, the race to build humanoid robots has drawn billions in investment, led largely by companies in the US and China, but adoption remains very limited. Safety and regulatory concerns, high costs and limited dexterity have all slowed real-world deployment.

“Humanoids are exciting, but there aren’t many industrial scenarios where the full-body form factor truly adds value,” says Stephan-Daniel Gravert, co-founder and CPO at mimic. “Our approach pairs AI-driven dexterous robotic hands with proven, off-the-shelf robot arms to deliver the same capabilities in a way that is much simpler, more reliable and rapidly deployable. 

mimic’s Humanoid Robot Hands Learn from Human Action.

mimic builds frontier physical AI models trained on real-world human demonstrations, using innovative methods to overcome the data scarcity problem in robotics. Skilled operators wear mimic’s proprietary data collection devices while performing their daily work on factory floors, capturing detailed movement data from live production settings without disrupting operations. These demonstrations are then used to train AI models via imitation learning, enabling mimic’s humanoid robotic hands to reliably reproduce human technique. The company’s physical AI models ensure that robots autonomously react to changing positions and orientations of objects, handle disturbances and self-correct their actions, seamlessly operating in environments designed for humans. 

“Our general purpose AI models allow us to automate manual labour in a way that simply was not possible before,” says Elvis Nava, co-founder and CTO at mimic. “Thanks to our unique focus on human-like dexterity and human data, we are competitive at the robot foundation model layer as well as the application layer.” 

Labour markets across industrial economies are under sustained pressure. Aging workforces, rising production costs and efforts to reduce dependence on global supply chains are driving a shift towards reshoring and automation. Analysts project the global humanoid and dexterous robotics market alone could reach $38 billion by 2035, within a broader robotics market estimated between $200 billion and $1 trillion by 2040. 

mimic’s technology is already being piloted with top-tier manufacturers, including Fortune 500 companies and global automotive brands. mimic is also partnering with leading multinational logistics providers and seeing strong customer demand across many other labour-intensive sectors. 

mimic Robotics team. 

Founded in 2024 as a spin-off from ETH Zurich, mimic brings together a multidisciplinary team of 25 engineers, researchers, and operators. Over the past year, the company has secured non-dilutive funding from Switzerland’s federal innovation agency and was selected for the AWS Generative AI Accelerator, a program supporting early-stage companies applying advanced AI to real-world challenges.

“We’re at an inflection point in robotics where learning-based systems meet real industrial needs,” says Stefan Weirich, co-founder and CEO at mimic. “We make dexterity deployable at scale, closing the gap between what AI can do in the lab and what factories actually need. Europe has the talent, the infrastructure, and the demand, and we’re building the company that brings all of this together.”

Clément Vanden Driessche, Partner at Elaia, says “Elaia is thrilled to lead the seed round in mimic. The world-class team at mimic is addressing one of the most challenging problems in physical AI: dexterous manipulation. mimic’s breakthrough approach integrates a proprietary robotic hand, state-of-the-art foundation models for robotics, and novel data acquisition and training methods.” Vincent Faber, Investment Manager at Elaia adds “This enables autonomous, versatile manipulation and unlocks a previously untapped segment of the automation market, where the demand for flexible solutions continues to grow.”

Andreas Schwarzenbrunner, General Partner at Speedinvest, says, “At Speedinvest, we’ve always believed that Europe’s strength lies in marrying world-class engineering with foundational research. With mimic, we see exactly that: a platform that unlocks human-level dexterity with frontier AI and solves billion-dollar problems on factory floors today. This is the moment Europe steps forward to compete and lead in the new era of AI and robotics”

Media images can be found here

About mimic
mimic, a Zurich-based physical AI and robotics company, enables robots to handle complex, dexterous tasks autonomously. The core focus is developing an AI foundation model and humanoid robotic hands which make human-level dexterity deployable across industries. By combining advanced AI, scalable hardware, and a unique solution to the data scarcity in robotics, the company is building a foundation for the next generation of intelligent automation – robots that can finally do what people do, at the scale industry demands. mimic was founded by Stefan Weirich (CEO), Stephan-Daniel Gravert (CPO), Elvis Nava (CTO), Benedek Forrai (Founding Engineer) and Robert Katzschmann (Scientific Advisor).  Learn more at mimicrobotics.com.

About Elaia
Elaia is a European full stack tech and deep tech investor. We partner with ambitious entrepreneurs from inception to leadership, helping them navigate the future and the unknown. For over twenty years, we have combined deep scientific and technological expertise with decades of operational experience to back those building tomorrow. Our joint venture with Lazard, Lazard Elaia Capital, enables us to support exceptional founders at any stage. From our offices in Paris, Barcelona and Tel Aviv, we have been active partners with over 100 startups including Criteo, Mirakl, Shift Technology, AQEMIA and Alice & Bob. Learn more at elaia.com.

About Speedinvest
Speedinvest is a leading early-stage venture capital firm with more than €1 billion AuM and investors based in Berlin, London, Munich, Paris, and Vienna. Our dedicated sector-focused teams are the first to fund Europe’s most innovative technology startups, and our in-house operational experts offer founders ongoing support with growth, HR, market expansion, and more. Bitpanda, GoStudent, Wayflyer, Tide, Moove, CoachHub, Gigs, and Adverity are among our portfolio of 400+ companies. Learn more at www.speedinvest.com.

CONTACT: For further information please contact the mimic press office on press@mimicrobotics.com.

Kaizen raises $21 million to re-build government’s digital front door




Kaizen raises $21 million to re-build government’s digital front door

Kaizen is bringing modern, people-first software to America’s public services. Its technology is already with more than 50 agencies across 17 states, serving over 30 million residents. From recreation and transit to licensing and payments, Kaizen partners with local, state, and federal agencies to replace outdated systems with a single platform built for residents and the public servants who serve them.

New York, Oct. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — America’s public institutions were once legendary examples for how governments ought to engage their citizens. While these services are critical to maintaining the Country’s social fabric, the technologies that facilitate them are known for being slow, hard to use, and multiple generations behind our expectations. Kaizen is changing that for America’s public agencies, one digital roadblock at a time. The company announced a $21 million funding to accelerate its mission to restore public faith in government services through beautifully designed, modern e-government solutions.

Kaizen founders KJ Shah and Nikhil Reddy. 

The Series A funding round was led by NEA with participation from 776, Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, and Carpenter Capital. This follows an $11m seed co-led by Accel and Andreessen Horowitz’s American Dynamism practice. To date, Kaizen has raised $35 million.

Kaizen is specifically focused on modernizing “resident services” — the essential public-facing institutions that deliver constituent services and facilitate high-volume, e-commerce–style transactions. Common examples include parks & recreation, transit, DMVs, hunting and fishing licenses, utility billing, courts management, passport renewals, social security, tax filing, and more. These services span all levels of government, including city, county, state, and federal agencies. 

“Kaizen is focused on the most fundamental American services that we use every day – the parks, transit, licensing, the everyday systems that quietly hold our communities together. That clarity of mission has accelerated their growth and embodies exactly what the American Dynamism movement stands for to ensure our government is working at the speed of technology and serving our national interests,” said Katherine Boyle, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz who co-leads the firm’s American Dynamism practice.

Across the Country, these agencies rely on clunky systems and long-term contracts that charge tax-payers billions in service charges and junk fees. Kaizen offers an alternative: a unified commerce and purchase platform that lets governments launch essential services to their communities in weeks. On the back-end, Kaizen gives administrators powerful digital building blocks to create service offerings, manage operations, and process payments. On the front-end, Kaizen serves a branded and hyper-configurable purchase experience for the constituent simple. The result is a consumer-grade experience for residents to access, enjoy, and explore their public services – and a way for governments to build a stronger bond with the communities they serve.

“American citizens have been worn down into accepting second-class solutions when it comes to public service technology,” said Nikhil Reddy, co-founder and CEO of Kaizen. “Think about it, when was the last time you had a delightful experience booking a DMV appointment or reserving a campsite at a state park? IRS.gov logged over 275 million visits in a recent filing season, and federal park sites receive nearly a billion visits a year. Imagine if each of those interactions were just flat out excellent – seamless, discoverable, and optimized for an AI-native world. If we raise our expectations of what public service technology can and should be, we can transform not just someone’s day or weekend, but how millions of people experience the impact of their taxpayer dollars. Our country has an extraordinary legacy of using design to create enduring icons — from monuments and infrastructure to public spaces. So why should the technology powering our most widely used and impactful resident services be any different?”

Kaizen reimagines how residents can engage with public services. 

The timing for Kaizen couldn’t be better. Across the country, governments are investing billions to modernize outdated digital systems and make public services as intuitive as the private-sector apps people use every day. The federal government recently instituted a new National Design Office, tasked with leading a $10 billion modernization effort to overhaul more than 25,000 government portals  Kaizen is building the resident-first technology that embodies this new era of accessible, human-centered government.

“In so many places around the world, public services run on technology that’s every bit as good as what we use in our daily lives — sometimes better. There’s no reason America shouldn’t aim just as high,” said Alexis Ohanian, Founder & General Partner at Seven Seven Six. “Kaizen is building the backbone for public services that reflect the beauty, ambition, and potential of the society they serve.”

For founders Nikhil Reddy and KJ Shah, the company’s mission is deeply personal. Reddy, an early engineer at defense-tech pioneer Anduril, saw firsthand how modern software can power critical operations with speed and precision. Shah, who began his career in M&A and was exposed to public-sector technology companies at William Blair, witnessed how legacy software and fragmented tools were holding government agencies back. Together, they founded Kaizen to help power a new era for these kinds of public services. “For decades, public servants have been forced to use stagnant software built through acquisitions, not product innovation. Our agencies need and deserve a platform built natively and designed to grow with them,” said Shah.

The results are already clear. In Maryland, Kaizen launched a new day-pass system for state parks in less than 60 days, a month ahead of schedule. On the Fourth of July weekend, the parks hit full capacity with no major check-in delays for the first time in years. Virtually overnight, seven-mile traffic jams were eliminated, visitor satisfaction soared, and the state saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime costs.  The impact even extended beyond human experience: park leadership reported a resurgence of wildlife thanks to the newfound peace and predictability of daily entry. 

“As a career public servant with 30 years at the Department of Natural Resources, I can say without hesitation that this initiative is one of the most meaningful changes we’ve implemented to expand and safeguard public access while ensuring equitable access to our public lands,” said Paul Peditto, Assistant Secretary of Land Resources, Maryland DNR — a testament to how transformative thoughtful technology can be when it’s designed around residents, not bureaucracy.

Since the start of 2024, Kaizen’s customer base has grown 10x, and ARR has jumped 9x YoY. The company now works with more than 50 agencies across 17 states. In the last eight weeks alone, Kaizen has announced partnerships with Maricopa County, AZ, San Bernardino County, CA, Suffolk County, NY, and the Cherokee Nation, America’s largest tribal organization. The team of 30 will expand to 50 by early next year as Kaizen prepares to expand to Federal agencies and net-new verticals like DMVs, courts management, and licensing.

The Kaizen team.

“Kaizen is tackling one of the toughest areas in technology and doing it with precision and purpose,” said Amit Kumar, Partner at Accel. “Nikhil sees opportunity where others see complexity, and his team is proving that public services can be modern, efficient, and built around the people they serve.” Andrew Schoen, Partner at NEA added: “Public services impact hundreds of millions of people every day in the US alone, yet their technologies often lag far behind the seamless digital experiences modern consumers expect. We’re thrilled to back Nikhil, KJ, and the Kaizen team as they bring streamlined, thoughtfully-designed, AI-native experiences to government services, already reaching more than 30 million residents across 17 states and 50 agencies.”

Kaizen’s long-term vision is to become the technology prime that builds beautiful, effective, and ever-improving interfaces for civic institutions. These constructs empower our democracy, and usable, trustworthy interfaces are necessary for their continued success of our social fabric in America.

Media images can be found here. 

About Kaizen Labs
Kaizen is building modern, people-first software for America’s essential public services.The company partners with local, State, and Federal agencies to replace legacy systems across constituent services like recreation, transit, DMVs, ticketing, public libraries, postage, and more. Kaizen has built an AI-native, highly re-usable framework to power resident services across government segments. Whether selling to a State government in need of a more modern DMV licensing system, or the Federal government’s national park reservation system, the company has implemented a singular SAAS platform that can be hyper-configured to service each of these use cases. Kaizen’s YouTube channel can be found here.

About NEA
New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA) is a global venture capital firm focused on helping entrepreneurs build transformational businesses across multiple stages, sectors and geographies. Founded in 1977, NEA has more than $28 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2025 and invests in technology and healthcare companies at all stages in a company’s lifecycle, from seed stage through IPO. The firm’s long track record of investing includes 284 portfolio company IPOs and more than 500 mergers and acquisitions. For more information, please visit www.nea.com.

CONTACT: For further information please contact the Kaizen press office at press@kaizenlabs.co. 

Cambridge Atomworks is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Alistair Pettey as a non-executive director




Cambridge Atomworks is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Alistair Pettey as a non-executive director

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Oct. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alistair will lead on the growth and capital strategy for Cambridge Atomworks. Alistair has a passion for investing in companies that have a strong focus in sustainability following an instrumental role building out the EU Emissions Trading Desk for ICAP some 20 years ago. He has significant financial experience gained from the Equity, Energy, and Foreign exchange markets during a career spanning 35 years. He has established a rich global network from within the Banking and Energy industries whilst working for two of the World’s largest Interdealer Brokers in TPICAP and Tradition. 

Ian Farnan, CEO, said, “We are excited to welcome someone with Alistair’s commercial and financial experience to the Board of Cambridge Atomworks. His expertise and knowledge will be invaluable as Cambridge Atomworks continues its ambitious growth plans.” 

About Cambridge Atomworks  

Cambridge Atomworks was set up in January 2023 as a consulting partnership to develop the design of ODIN, a Transportable Nuclear Micro-Reactor using a low pressure coolant. In August 2023, Cambridge Atomworks took the design through to a pre-conceptual review by the US Department of Energy at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). In the following May, Cambridge Atomworks (2024) Ltd was formed to deliver the ODIN design for deployment in the USA under a services agreement with Nanonuclear Energy Inc. and a UK Export Control Licence. The regulatory engagement process with the US NRC for the ODIN design began in October 2024 with ODIN expected to achieve the Conceptual Stage in Q2 2026. Cambridge Atomworks is now in the process of buying back the intellectual property generated in the ODIN design in a deal worth $6.2m and is now a UK-based reactor design and delivery company. The intention is to develop a demonstrator micro-reactor in the United Kingdom by the end of the decade and subsequently an off-grid system with an off-grid anchor partner by the mid-2030s.   

Ian Farnan, CEO
Ian.farnan@cambridgeatomworks.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0ff8baac-6b07-4939-9066-0b2da7d6da8d

Cambridge Atomworks is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Alistair Pettey as a non-executive director




Cambridge Atomworks is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Alistair Pettey as a non-executive director

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Oct. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alistair will lead on the growth and capital strategy for Cambridge Atomworks. Alistair has a passion for investing in companies that have a strong focus in sustainability following an instrumental role building out the EU Emissions Trading Desk for ICAP some 20 years ago. He has significant financial experience gained from the Equity, Energy, and Foreign exchange markets during a career spanning 35 years. He has established a rich global network from within the Banking and Energy industries whilst working for two of the World’s largest Interdealer Brokers in TPICAP and Tradition. 

Ian Farnan, CEO, said, “We are excited to welcome someone with Alistair’s commercial and financial experience to the Board of Cambridge Atomworks. His expertise and knowledge will be invaluable as Cambridge Atomworks continues its ambitious growth plans.” 

About Cambridge Atomworks  

Cambridge Atomworks was set up in January 2023 as a consulting partnership to develop the design of ODIN, a Transportable Nuclear Micro-Reactor using a low pressure coolant. In August 2023, Cambridge Atomworks took the design through to a pre-conceptual review by the US Department of Energy at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). In the following May, Cambridge Atomworks (2024) Ltd was formed to deliver the ODIN design for deployment in the USA under a services agreement with Nanonuclear Energy Inc. and a UK Export Control Licence. The regulatory engagement process with the US NRC for the ODIN design began in October 2024 with ODIN expected to achieve the Conceptual Stage in Q2 2026. Cambridge Atomworks is now in the process of buying back the intellectual property generated in the ODIN design in a deal worth $6.2m and is now a UK-based reactor design and delivery company. The intention is to develop a demonstrator micro-reactor in the United Kingdom by the end of the decade and subsequently an off-grid system with an off-grid anchor partner by the mid-2030s.   

Ian Farnan, CEO
Ian.farnan@cambridgeatomworks.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0ff8baac-6b07-4939-9066-0b2da7d6da8d

NeXtGen Biologics Successfully Completes First FDA Audit with Zero 483 Observations




NeXtGen Biologics Successfully Completes First FDA Audit with Zero 483 Observations

GAINESVILLE, Fla., Oct. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NeXtGen Biologics announced today the successful completion of a two-day inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The inspection concluded with no Form 483 observations issued, underscoring the company’s commitment to quality, compliance, and operational excellence.

“Our vision has always been to pair scientific innovation with uncompromising integrity,” said Jonelle Toothman, co-founder and CEO of NeXtGen Biologics. “Completing this inspection with no observations highlights both the rigor of our quality systems and the high standards our team holds in every aspect of their work.”

A form 483 observation is issued when FDA inspectors identify conditions that may violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Concluding an inspection without observations is an important validation of a company’s quality and compliance practices.

This successful inspection represents a key step as NeXtGen Biologics advances its ECM platform technology. The company is continuing research and development to support future applications in wound care, surgery, and other medical disciplines.

About NeXtGen Biologics, Inc.

Headquartered in Alachua, FL, NeXtGen Biologics is a medical device company with a suite of patents covering an extracellular matrix (ECM) platform technology derived from the axolotl. Leveraging expertise in medical devices and breakthrough tissue technologies, the company is developing advanced solutions to address complex challenges in wound care, trauma, plastic surgery, cardiovascular disease, neurosurgery, orthopedics, and ophthalmology.

Contact:
Jonelle Toothman, 904-599-3264, jltoothman@nextgenbiologics.com

NeXtGen Biologics Successfully Completes First FDA Audit with Zero 483 Observations




NeXtGen Biologics Successfully Completes First FDA Audit with Zero 483 Observations

GAINESVILLE, Fla., Oct. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NeXtGen Biologics announced today the successful completion of a two-day inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The inspection concluded with no Form 483 observations issued, underscoring the company’s commitment to quality, compliance, and operational excellence.

“Our vision has always been to pair scientific innovation with uncompromising integrity,” said Jonelle Toothman, co-founder and CEO of NeXtGen Biologics. “Completing this inspection with no observations highlights both the rigor of our quality systems and the high standards our team holds in every aspect of their work.”

A form 483 observation is issued when FDA inspectors identify conditions that may violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Concluding an inspection without observations is an important validation of a company’s quality and compliance practices.

This successful inspection represents a key step as NeXtGen Biologics advances its ECM platform technology. The company is continuing research and development to support future applications in wound care, surgery, and other medical disciplines.

About NeXtGen Biologics, Inc.

Headquartered in Alachua, FL, NeXtGen Biologics is a medical device company with a suite of patents covering an extracellular matrix (ECM) platform technology derived from the axolotl. Leveraging expertise in medical devices and breakthrough tissue technologies, the company is developing advanced solutions to address complex challenges in wound care, trauma, plastic surgery, cardiovascular disease, neurosurgery, orthopedics, and ophthalmology.

Contact:
Jonelle Toothman, 904-599-3264, jltoothman@nextgenbiologics.com