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The Law Offices of Zulu Ali & Associates, LLP, the largest Black-owned law firm in California's Inland Empire, announced today the continued expansion of its Jury Reform Initiative, a structured advocacy program addressing racial disparities in jury selection practices across California courts.

The initiative comes as national attention to jury composition has intensified. According to the Equal Justice Initiative, Black Americans are significantly underrepresented on juries across the United States, a pattern that research links directly to conviction rates, sentencing outcomes, and public trust in the legal system. The Law Offices of Zulu Ali & Associates launched the Jury Reform Initiative to address this problem through litigation strategy, public advocacy, and direct engagement with courts and policymakers.

"Jury selection is where justice is won or lost before a single witness takes the stand," said attorney Zulu Ali, founder and principal of the firm. "When juries do not reflect the communities they serve, verdicts lack legitimacy. We are committed to challenging that through every legal avenue available."

The initiative focuses on three primary areas: challenging the discriminatory use of peremptory strikes in criminal trials, advocating for expanded sourcing of the jury pool beyond voter registration lists, and engaging state bar associations and judicial councils on structural reform. Attorney Ali, who is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and multiple federal circuit courts, brings both trial-level and appellate experience to these efforts.

Racial disparities in jury selection have been documented extensively, with studies showing that prosecutors in some jurisdictions strike Black jurors at significantly higher rates than white jurors, as highlighted by the Equal Justice Initiative's research on unreliable verdicts. The U.S. Supreme Court's 1986 decision in Batson v. Kentucky prohibited race-based peremptory challenges, yet research confirms the practice persists through pretextual justifications that courts rarely scrutinize with sufficient rigor.

The Law Offices of Zulu Ali & Associates has raised challenges to jury composition in criminal cases across Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, and San Diego counties. The firm's criminal defense practice serves clients facing felony and misdemeanor charges throughout Southern California, and jury selection strategy forms a central component of trial preparation in those cases.

Attorney Ali's background as a former U.S. Marine and sworn police officer with multiple Tennessee law enforcement agencies gives him direct insight into how institutional practices within the justice system affect case outcomes. That experience informs the firm's approach to jury reform, which treats discriminatory jury selection not as an isolated procedural issue but as a structural problem requiring consistent and documented legal challenge.

In 2015, Ali also directed the American Committee for United Nations Oversight, through which he lobbied the United Nations for federal police reform. That engagement with international oversight bodies reflects his broader commitment to legal accountability beyond individual cases.

"Reforming jury selection requires more than objecting in individual trials," Ali said. "It requires building a record, challenging courts to enforce existing law, and pushing legislatures to close the loopholes that allow discrimination to continue under legal cover."

The firm also serves as a resource for other defense attorneys seeking guidance on jury challenge strategy. Through its community outreach programs, including the Linda Reese Harvey Stop and Frisk Youth Leadership Academy, the Law Offices of Zulu Ali & Associates educates community members about their rights as potential jurors, including the right to serve without facing discriminatory exclusion.

The American Institute of Trial Lawyers named Attorney Ali its Criminal Defense Litigator of the Year in both 2023 and 2024, an honor extended to fewer than 0.03% of practicing attorneys nationally. The firm was also named Best Law Firm by the same organization in 2024. USA Today included Ali among its Top Five Lawyers to Watch in 2025.

"A fair jury is not a courtesy extended to defendants," Ali said. "It is a constitutional requirement. We will keep litigating that principle until courts treat it as one."

Attorneys, community organizations, and individuals seeking information about jury rights or the firm's criminal defense practice may contact the Law Offices of Zulu Ali & Associates directly.

About Law Offices of Zulu Ali & Associates, LLP

The Law Offices of Zulu Ali & Associates, LLP is the largest Black-owned law firm in California’s Inland Empire, providing specialized counsel in criminal defense, immigration, and civil rights. Founded in 2007 by attorney Zulu Ali — a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former law enforcement officer — the firm is defined by its commitment to high-stakes advocacy and international human rights.

Attorney Ali is a distinguished practitioner with admissions to the United States Supreme Court, the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, and the African Court of Justice and Human Rights. His record of advocacy spans multiple U.S. Federal Circuit Courts and has earned recognition from the American Institute of Trial Lawyers and the United Nations-supported MIPAD initiative. The firm maintains a rigorous practice standard, focusing on deportation defense and complex litigation across Southern California.

Detailed practice areas and attorney credentials are available at zulualilaw.com.

Media Contact

Zulu Ali
zulualilaw@gmail.com

Andreozzi + Foote has filed a civil lawsuit in the Court of Common Pleas of Adams County (Case No. 2026-SU_0353) on behalf of two minor girls, alleging that they were sexually abused while receiving therapy services through Gettysburg Montessori Charter School.

The lawsuit names Gettysburg Montessori Charter School, Mitchell Counseling, LLC, and therapist David Mitchell as defendants. According to the complaint, the school hired Mitchell and his counseling practice in 2021 to provide individual counseling, group counseling, and consultation services to students. The lawsuit alleges that he used this role to sexually abuse two six-year-old students during therapy sessions.

According to the complaint, in 2024, Mitchell provided one-on-one and group art therapy to one of the victims at the school. During these closed-door sessions, Mitchell would sexually abuse the victim. As a result of this, the victim's parents removed her from the school.

The lawsuit alleges that in 2024 and 2025, Mitchell provided art therapy services to another child. Her mother discovered his services through an advertisement on the school’s website and enrolled her in the program. During these sessions, he allegedly sexually abused the child.

The complaint alleges that in January 2025, the child’s mother received notice from Gettysburg Montessori stating that Mitchell would begin working with an assistant and that art therapy sessions would be videotaped moving forward. She later learned that three different girls had accused Mitchell of sexual abuse at his home office in 2024.

According to the lawsuit, the school was aware of these accusations but did not immediately remove Mitchell from his role at the school. The complaint further alleges that the child’s mother continued to receive emails from Mitchell until the end of January 2025, indicating that he was still employed by and operating within the school well after the allegations had surfaced. As a result of this abuse, the child was removed from the school.

Mitchell later pled guilty to three counts of indecent assault of a juvenile and one count of institutional sexual contact. On March 9, 2026, Mitchell was sentenced to 22 to 56 months of confinement at SCI Camp Hill and nine years of parole. Additionally, he was classified as a sexually violent predator and ordered to lifetime registration.

Civil Lawsuit Alleges Institutional Liability

The lawsuit asserts claims for negligence, gross negligence, carelessness, and recklessness against Gettysburg Montessori Charter School and Mitchell Counseling, LLC.

According to the complaint, both the school and Mitchell Counseling, LLC, had a duty to protect students from sexual abuse but failed to do so.

The lawsuit alleges failures in how the defendants screened, trained, and supervised individuals working with minors, including ignoring warning signs and failing to take adequate steps to prevent abuse. The lawsuit also alleges that the defendants failed to report Mitchell to the appropriate authorities and violated Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law by not promptly reporting suspected sexual abuse of children. These failures, the complaint asserts, directly led to the abuse of the victims.

The lawsuit also asserts claims against David Mitchell for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, alleging that he intentionally engaged in harmful sexual contact and acted with reckless disregard for the children’s safety. The complaint states that his actions caused severe physical pain, emotional distress, and other damages. According to the complaint, Mitchell knew the likelihood that his actions would cause severe emotional distress to the victims.

According to the lawsuit, Mitchell’s conduct was extreme, outrageous, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community.

“These allegations raise serious concerns about who is permitted to work closely with children,” Nathaniel Foote, Partner at Andreozzi + Foote, said. “When institutions ignore warning signs, they put children directly in harm’s way. Basic safeguards exist for a reason, and when they are disregarded, the consequences can be life-altering.”

Attorneys encourage anyone who may have experienced similar harm involving Gettysburg Montessori Charter School, Mitchell Counseling, LLC, or David Mitchell to come forward. Information shared by survivors can play a critical role in identifying patterns, preventing further harm, and holding institutions accountable. Individuals may contact the firm at info@vca.law.

About Andreozzi + Foote

Andreozzi + Foote is one of the nation’s leading sexual abuse law firms with a history of representing survivors in cases against large and powerful organizations including Penn State University, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Catholic Church. The trauma-informed Pennsylvania-based sexual abuse lawyers at Andreozzi + Foote are committed to obtaining life-changing results for victims and their families. Managing Partner Ben Andreozzi hosts "Justice Interrupted," a podcast that gives survivors of child abuse and their advocates a national platform. For more information, visit www.victimscivilattorneys.com.

Media Contact

Maria Smith
Andreozzi + Foote
marias@vca.law
+1 717-807-5808

Shu Fei Zeng, founder and chief executive of KH Marque, has been awarded a 2026 Global Recognition Award for her measurable and consequential role in restructuring Southeast Asia's used cooking oil (UCO) sector into a transparent, commercially scalable, and globally significant supply chain for sustainable aviation fuel feedstock. The award recognizes outstanding achievement across the Revenue Growth, Startup of the Year, Leadership, and Research categories, where her record places her among the most accomplished founders in the sustainable energy sector today. Her recognition reflects the scale of what KH Marque has built since 2021, and the rigor with which it was built.

Zeng brought to KH Marque more than two decades of senior leadership at Vitol and Glencore, two of the world's largest commodity trading firms, giving her a precise understanding of where large-scale supply chains are most exposed to structural failure. Within three years of founding KH Marque, she had positioned the company as Southeast Asia's largest UCO collector, operating across 11 countries and supplying traceable, low-carbon feedstock to global aviation and energy majors. That progression from founding to regional dominance in under four years is the foundation on which this recognition rests.

From Trading Floors to Green Feedstock

When Zeng identified that the renewable aviation fuel (SAF) sector faced its most critical constraint, not in demand but in the integrity and traceability of its feedstock supply, she made a deliberate decision to move from trading commodities to building the infrastructure that would correct it. Her founding of KH Marque was not a departure from her professional expertise but a direct extension of it, channeling two decades of multinational operational experience into a company purpose-built to solve a structural gap that larger incumbents had overlooked. That precision of intent shaped every subsequent decision the company made.

KH Marque built collection networks across Southeast Asia, formalized commercial relationships with thousands of small food businesses, and educated vendors who had previously discarded UCO, unaware of its commercial or environmental value. The S&P Global Energy Awards panel took note, naming Zeng Chief Trailblazer of the Year at its 2025 ceremony and citing her discipline in scaling a sustainability-driven business under complex regulatory conditions across multiple jurisdictions.

"The challenge was never convincing large buyers that traceable feedstock mattered; it was building the ground-level infrastructure that made traceability possible at the volumes they required," Zeng has said of the work. That ground-level infrastructure now functions as one of the most consequential feedstock networks in the SAF supply chain.

Innovation Rooted in Research and Operational Rigor

Zeng's leadership extends beyond supply chain operations into applied research and the development of purpose-built technology. Her team created the UCO Tracker, a proprietary software platform that provides real-time traceability and carbon-intensity reporting for every batch of feedstock moving through KH Marque's network. The platform was built in direct response to the regulatory demands of the European SAF mandate and the requirements of global aviation buyers working toward Net Zero commitments, functioning not as a supplementary product feature but as the operational foundation of KH Marque's competitive position. The TITAN Business Awards recognized this contribution with platinum-level honors, naming Zeng both Innovator of the Year and Sustainability Leader of the Year.

Global Recognition Awards evaluates nominees through a rigorous process in which a panel of independent industry experts screens all applications against criteria including innovation, leadership, service, and social responsibility. Shortlisted candidates are then assessed using the Rasch model. This psychometric measurement framework converts evaluator scores into a linear scale, enabling precise and fair comparison between candidates across different disciplines. Zeng achieved the highest possible rating of 5 across all evaluated dimensions, including vision and strategy, ethical decision-making, originality of research methodology, international collaboration, and real-world impact, each representing world-class standing. Buyers of KH Marque's UCO achieve greenhouse gas savings of 88-93% compared to fossil-derived alternatives. This figure earned KH Marque a finalist position for SME of the Year at the Reuters Global Sustainability Awards.

Final Words

"Shu Fei Zeng exemplifies exactly what this award stands for: a leader who identified a systemic gap, built a world-class solution, and delivered measurable impact at a global scale, making her an unambiguous choice for this recognition," said Alex Sterling, spokesperson for Global Recognition Awards.

Few founders in the energy sector have achieved revenue growth, structural discipline, and social accountability simultaneously at the scale Zeng has reached across 11 countries in under four years. Her profile has appeared across international platforms, including Business Insider and Yahoo Finance, where her ability to guide teams through consistent expansion while maintaining operational standards has established her as a trusted partner for global energy majors. Her work at KH Marque makes clear that sustainability and commercial scale are not opposing forces but, under the right leadership, mutually reinforcing.

About Global Recognition Awards

The Global Recognition Awards is an international organization that recognizes exceptional companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective industries. For more information, visit globalrecognitionawards.org.

Media Contact

Alex Sterling
alex@globalrecognitionawards.org

Assembled, the all-in-one platform trusted by the world's most discerning customer support teams, today announced it has been elevated to Five9 Select ISV Partner status, the highest tier in Five9’s Independent Software Vendor program, and that Five9 is now an authorized reseller of Assembled’s workforce management platform. This expanded relationship brings Assembled’s agentic workforce management platform more deeply into the Five9 Intelligent CX Platform, helping organizations plan and manage the full workforce behind every customer interaction, including human agents, AI agents, and outsourced teams.

“As the contact center shifts to a multi-agent world, workforce management becomes a strategic capability,” said Ryan Wang, co-founder and CEO of Assembled. “Organizations need to plan across human and AI capacity in real time. With Five9, we’re helping enterprises turn that complexity into a competitive advantage.”

Through the expanded partnership, Five9 customers benefit from Assembled’s workforce management platform, built for a blended workforce of human and AI agents. With unified go-to-market efforts, closer customer success and support alignment, and continued product integration investments, shared customers can expect a more seamless and connected experience across both platforms. Organizations can plan and adjust capacity in real time using data across both systems, automate complex workflows like scheduling with AI, and manage the workforce behind every customer interaction with greater precision.

“Every conversation I’m having with customers comes back to the same thing,” said George Wilson, VP of Strategic Alliances at Five9. “They want the power of AI without recreating the point-solution sprawl they just spent years cleaning up. That’s why we’re investing in partners like Assembled, who bring agentic workforce management into the Five9 Intelligent CX Platform, so our customers can orchestrate people, AI, and workflows.”

Joint customers such as DailyPay are already seeing meaningful improvements in workforce efficiency and performance. With Five9 powering their contact center and Assembled managing workforce operations, DailyPay has transformed how they plan and staff their support team. Since implementing Assembled, DailyPay has reduced time spent on scheduling by 65%, improved SLA performance by 7%, and unlocked over $1 million in annual productivity gains, saving 9,600 agent hours per month.

MTM, which coordinates non-emergency medical transportation and manages a contact center operation spanning more than 2,000 agents and 100-plus skill queues, is also seeing results as a joint Five9 and Assembled customer.

"Previous workforce tools have struggled with our level of complexity," said Doug Kappauff, Senior Director of Workforce Management at MTM. "With over 100 skills and 2,000 agents, performance issues and slowness were constant. Assembled has reduced our schedule generation time by 50%, and our team can now focus on analytics instead of administration.”

Learn more about Assembled and Five9’s partnership on the Assembled blog.

About Assembled

Assembled is the modern, unified platform for managing in-house teams, BPOs, and AI agents. The company's comprehensive solution includes AI agents for chat, voice, email, and SMS; an AI copilot to assist human agents; and workforce management tools to forecast, schedule, and monitor blended workforces. Founded in 2018 by machine learning engineers from Stripe, Assembled serves hundreds of leading companies, including Stripe, Robinhood, Canva, and Intercom. The company has raised $71 million from NEA, Emergence Capital, and top angels, with more than 130 employees across San Francisco, New York, London, and remote locations. Learn more at www.assembled.com.

Media Contact

Katy Goldstein
katy@katygoldsteincomms.com

Cocoon, a Vietnamese vegan beauty brand, has launched in France and across Europe, marking a significant milestone for Vietnamese cosmetics. The move follows a March 2026 partnership with European distributor Orien Trade and coincides with the opening of Cocoon’s first Paris pop-up, running through April 21, 2026.

From Vietnam to Europe's Beauty Capital

With an annual cosmetics market valued at 13–14 billion USD according to Statista, France leads Europe in beauty consumption and holds the number one position globally for cosmetics exports, generating tens of billions of dollars annually.

“For Cocoon, this presence in France goes far beyond market expansion. It represents a defining milestone for a vegan beauty brand researched and manufactured in Vietnam to enter one of the world’s most important beauty capitals,” said Pham Minh Dung, Director of Business and Marketing at Cocoon Vietnam.

Cocoon's entry into France required over two years of preparation to meet European Union regulatory standards, including GMP certification, CPNP registration, IFRA compliance, and INCI ingredient disclosure.

The European market entry is facilitated through Cocoon's partnership with Orien Trade, a reputable distributor of Asian cosmetics in Europe. Through this collaboration, Cocoon products will gradually establish presence across France's major cities, marking a new chapter for Vietnamese beauty brands in the European market.

Pop-Up Store Brings Vietnamese "Sidewalk Café" Culture to Paris

To mark its European market entry, Cocoon opened its first pop-up store in Paris on April 2, 2026. Located at Glowstation, 101 Porte Berger, Westfield Forum, Paris 75001, the experiential retail space will welcome visitors through April 21, 2026.

Within this space, Cocoon recreates the concept of a “sidewalk café” (cà phê bệt) — a familiar and distinctive cultural element in Vietnamese urban life. "This is our first pop-up store in Europe. This space not only introduces the story of gentle, effective beauty from Vietnam's distinctive agricultural products, but also carries the spirit of an authentic Vietnam, helping international friends better understand Vietnamese culture and people," Dung emphasized.

Visitors can engage with Cocoon's brand story, experience photo opportunities within the Vietnamese-inspired setting, and participate in interactive games with special gifts. This activation serves as Cocoon's first direct consumer touchpoint in the European market, providing valuable feedback to shape the brand's future expansion strategy.

Building a Global Vegan Beauty Brand from Local Roots

The brand's European expansion reflects its commitment to sharing Vietnam's natural heritage and sustainable beauty philosophy with international audiences.

“We believe Cocoon will soon be present along the luxury streets of Paris, France; Milan, Italy; and many other European cities, adding a remarkable new chapter to the story of Vietnamese brands conquering international markets,” said Nguyen Ngoc Tram, Operations Director at Orien Trade.

Prior to its European expansion, Cocoon had established its presence in 15 Asian markets, including Japan. With the addition of 27 European Union member countries plus the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Norway, Cocoon now operates in 45 countries and territories globally.

About Cocoon Vietnam

Cocoon is a 100% vegan beauty brand from Vietnam, committed to using no animal-derived ingredients and not conducting animal testing. The brand develops a wide range of beauty and personal care products, distinguished by its use of locally sourced Vietnamese agricultural ingredients such as pomelo, winter melon, Dak Lak coffee, Hau Giang lotus, and Hung Yen turmeric. In the domestic market, Cocoon is recognized as one of Vietnam’s leading beauty brands, consistently ranking among top-selling brands across trusted distribution channels, including cosmetic retail chains, pharmacies, and supermarkets. The brand currently has an extensive nationwide presence, with more than 5,000 points of sale. Beyond the local market, Cocoon has steadily expanded internationally and is now present in multiple countries and territories. Notably, Japan — one of the most demanding beauty markets in Asia — stands out as a key market, reflecting the brand’s product quality and competitiveness. In March 2026, Cocoon officially entered into a partnership with Orien Trade to launch in France and across European Union markets. This milestone opens up new opportunities for Vietnamese vegan cosmetics to gain deeper access to one of the world’s leading beauty hubs. For more information, please visit cocoonvietnam.com.

About Orien Trade

Orien Trade is an international cosmetics distribution company founded in 2014 and headquartered in Europe. The company currently operates offices in 10 European countries and distributes products to more than 30 markets worldwide. It focuses on bringing Asian beauty brands into European retail systems, while also participating in major industry events such as Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna to connect brands with international distribution networks. For more information, please visit orientrade.com.

Media Contact

Tobias Nguyen
tobias@cavas.com.vn

Black Hole Golf, the portable smart-target system for golf, and Lucra, the leading social competition platform, today announced a partnership to introduce real-money and reward-based competition into the KOSMOS experience at launch this fall.

Black Hole Golf transforms any open space — a backyard, a park, an open field — into a connected, competitive golf environment. Players hit real golf balls at real targets, capture real shot data, and build a permanent performance record through the Universal Game Scoring System (UGSS).

Black Hole Golf is entering the market at a moment when the definition of where and how golf gets played is expanding rapidly. Off-course golfers now outnumber green grass players, and portable, technology-driven formats are attracting players who never connected with the traditional game. Black Hole Golf sits at the center of that shift and with Lucra embedded at launch, it brings a built-in competitive economy that most platforms spend years trying to retrofit.

By integrating Lucra, KOSMOS launches with a fully integrated competitive economy. Players enter cash matchups, join tournaments with prize pools, and compete in free-to-play formats to earn rewards. A centralized gaming wallet lets winners roll earnings directly into future play and merchandise, keeping players inside the platform. Lucra manages all payments, compliance, fraud prevention, and settlement automatically, allowing Black Hole Golf to focus entirely on gameplay, data, and player experience.

"Black Hole Golf was built to make every session matter — real shots, real data, real improvement. Lucra extends that for players who want to raise the stakes further, adding real-money matchups and rewards to a platform that was built around performance. We wanted that layer to feel native from day one, not bolted on later — and beyond the player experience, it unlocks revenue streams that simply didn't exist before. That's the universe we're building together," said Brad Thompson, founder and CEO of Black Hole Golf.

"Most golf technology is still anchored to a specific place, a simulator, a range, a course. Black Hole Golf turns the playbook on its head. When the game can happen anywhere, competition has to travel with it. The moment you add real stakes, leaderboards, and rewards to a session in someone's backyard or a local park, you've created something genuinely new. We're proud to power that from day one," said Dylan Robbins, founder and CEO of Lucra.

The partnership launches in Fall 2026 across the full Black Hole Golf platform. As KOSMOS expands its player community and hardware footprint, Lucra's competition infrastructure scales with it across every backyard, park, and open space where the game takes root.

About Lucra

Lucra is a plug-and-play SDK that integrates into apps or websites, enabling peer-to-peer competitions with real-money or rewards. It handles compliance, payments, fraud prevention, and settlement out of the box, so partners can instantly offer gamified experiences without building or managing complex infrastructure themselves. Top entertainment, hospitality, and consumer brands, including Five Iron Golf, Puttshack, Backyard Sports, Chess Kings, TouchTunes, and more, use Lucra's white-label technology to power tournaments and challenges, build loyalty, and drive new revenue. Learn more at www.lucrasports.com.

About Black Hole Golf

Black Hole Golf was founded on the belief that golf should be easier to start, more fun to play, and fit naturally into real life. Combining real golf shots with portable smart targets, adaptive gameplay, and immersive visuals, Black Hole Golf transforms backyards, fields, parks, and open spaces into connected play environments that evolve as you play. From fast-paced arcade challenges to focused improvement modes, every experience is built to match a player's energy, skill level, and setting, welcoming golfers, non-golfers, families, and competitive players alike. Founded in 2024 and based in Castle Pines, Colorado, Black Hole Golf holds dual patent-pending filings and is taking Beta orders starting May 2026. For more information, visit www.blackholegolf.com.

Media Contact

Brad Thompson
Founder & CEO, Black Hole Golf
brad.thompson@blackholegolf.com

Lindsay Linhart
Brand Strategist, Lucra
lindsay@lucrasports.com

PadSplit, the country’s largest co-living marketplace, today announced it has closed a debt financing facility with ORIX Corporation USA’s (“ORIX USA”) Growth Capital business. The new capital supports PadSplit’s social impact mission to create more affordable housing, including investments in technology and data infrastructure, and scaling its platform to serve more residents and property owners nationwide. To date, PadSplit has housed more than 75,000 people across 32,000-plus rooms in 40 U.S. markets, all without federal subsidies. The median income of PadSplit residents is $32,500.

“This financing allows us to stay laser-focused on our mission of helping to solve the affordable housing crisis one room at a time,” said Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit. “We’re seeing growing interest from cities, policymakers, and institutional partners in coliving as a scalable solution, and we’re excited to expand access to housing while continuing to innovate for both our members and property owners. We’re proud to partner with ORIX USA to accelerate that impact.”

The need for scalable housing solutions has never been more urgent. Recent data from the The State of the Nation's Housing 2025 report by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) reveals approximately 50% of renters today spend more than 30% of their income on rent, double the historical average of 25%. Even more concerning, about 25% of renters now spend more than half of their income on housing. At the same time, homeownership has become increasingly out of reach, with the median home price rising from approximately three times median household income historically to about five times today.

“PadSplit is addressing one of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. with a differentiated and scalable model,” said Blake Zhang, Managing Director at ORIX USA’s Growth Capital business. “The company has demonstrated strong execution and operational discipline while delivering meaningful social impact. We’re excited to partner with Atticus and the PadSplit team as they advance their mission and enter their next phase of growth.”

Unlike other coliving models, PadSplit is designed to reduce the financial barriers to access housing. All PadSplits include private rooms and shared common areas, without hefty upfront fees like first and last month’s rent or a security deposit. PadSplit also offers flexibility with no long-term lease, no minimum credit score requirement, and one all-inclusive weekly pricing that covers utilities. To simplify budgeting even further, residents can customize their rent due date to align with their payroll date. 83% of PadSplit residents are employed. Residents range from hourly workers and travel nurses to seniors seeking companionship.

To learn more about PadSplit, visit www.padsplit.com.

About PadSplit

PadSplit is the country's largest coliving marketplace. As a public benefit corporation, PadSplit is intentional about doing well and doing good, focusing on increasing housing supply and reducing barriers to access so the workers who serve our communities also have the opportunity to live in them. Our award-winning model allows individuals to find a flexible rental option that includes furniture and utilities, all without a minimum credit score. PadSplit's platform enables personalized rent payments, making budgeting easier and helping residents improve their financial health. A fully remote company, PadSplit offers more than 32,000 shared housing rooms nationwide. Apply to become a resident or a property owner at www.padsplit.com.

About ORIX Corporation USA 

Established in the U.S. in 1981, ORIX USA has grown organically and through acquisition into the investment and asset management firm we are today. With a specialization in private credit, real estate, and private equity solutions for middle-market focused borrowers and investors, we combine our robust balance sheet with funds from third-party investors, providing a strong alignment of interest. ORIX USA and its subsidiaries — ORIX Advisers, ORIX Capital Partners, Signal Peak Capital Management, Boston Financial, Lument, Hilco Global, and NXT Capital — have approximately 2,100 employees and have $96.9 billion in assets*, which includes $44 billion in assets and commitments, in addition to $52.9 billion in servicing and administering assets, as of December 2025. Our parent company, ORIX Corporation, is a publicly owned international financial services company with operations in 30 countries and regions worldwide. ORIX Corporation is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (8591) and New York Stock Exchange (IX). For more information, visit www.orix.com.

* As of December 31, 2025. Includes $52.9 billion in servicing and administering assets, in addition to $44 billion in funded assets and unfunded commitments across proprietary capital, third party capital and strategic partners investing in ORIX USA’s private credit, real estate and private equity businesses. Unfunded commitments are based on a contractual commitment or an expected commitment for an established program based on ORIX USA Group’s understanding.

Media Contact

Hela Sheth
hela@katalystcomms.com

Nutromics today announced the appointment of Thomas (Tom) M. Prescott as chair of its board, bringing deep U.S. medtech commercialization experience as the company enters a pivotal new phase. The appointment comes as Nutromics prepares to open its Series B round and advances toward its planned U.S. commercial launch in 2027. The news follows major recent milestones, including strong clinical performance in recent ICU studies and a February 2026 publication in Nature Biotechnology.

Prescott is one of the most experienced operators in medtech, with a track record of building and scaling businesses across U.S. and global healthcare systems in the medtech industry. He served as president and chief executive officer of Align Technology from 2002 to 2015, during which market capitalization increased from $240 million to $4.4 billion. Prior to Align, he was president and chief executive officer of Cardiac Pathways until its acquisition by Boston Scientific, and earlier held senior leadership roles at Nellcor Puritan Bennett, along with related roles at GE Medical Systems and Siemens.

Nutromics has developed a wearable platform designed to continuously monitor clinically important drugs and biomarkers in real time, giving clinicians a more timely and complete picture than is possible with today’s intermittent testing methods. Its first product is aimed at improving dosing for the antibiotic vancomycin in hospitals, including reducing toxic side effects. The second product targets sepsis detection and management, where continuous monitoring could deliver significant clinical benefits not achievable with today’s technology.

Together, these initial applications point to a much broader platform opportunity. Continuous glucose monitoring showed how powerful real-time data can be when it replaces delayed, intermittent snapshots. Nutromics is now taking that model beyond glucose and leading the emerging field of continuous molecular monitoring.

Commenting on his decision to join Nutromics, Prescott said: “What drew me to Nutromics is the team. The platform they have created can help close critical gaps in patient monitoring across virtually all sites of care. Those gaps can drive significant costs and less than optimal patient outcomes, which explains the sharp focus on that market. Due to the flexibility of the technology, an equally large, longer-term opportunity is the emerging wellness-driven consumer market for high performance wearables. Until now, the technology has not existed to continuously monitor a range of high value biomarkers. Opportunities to help a team define a new category, enable better patient outcomes at lower costs to the healthcare system, while building scale are rare. I am honored to join this team.”

Peter Vranes, CEO and co-founder of Nutromics, said: “Tom is joining Nutromics at exactly the right time. We have built the platform, materially de-risked the technology, and now have strong confidence in the readiness of our first product as we move toward commercialization. What makes Nutromics especially exciting is that the first product is just the beginning. Tom’s experience helping build important new product categories at companies such as Align and Nellcor is highly relevant as we move toward U.S. commercial launch.”

Nutromics is currently working with leading U.S. hospitals, health systems, and academic medical centers on clinical studies as it advances toward formal partnerships, launch readiness, and early commercial adoption.

Nutromics’ investors include Dexcom, a global leader in continuous glucose monitoring technology. Prescott succeeds Dr. Chris Roberts AO as chair. Dr. Roberts will remain on the board as a non-executive director to support continuity through the company’s next phase.

About Nutromics

Nutromics is an Australian-founded advanced monitoring company that has built a wearable, DNA-based platform for continuous molecular monitoring. Its electrochemical aptamer-based sensors, integrated with minimally invasive microneedles, are designed to sense multiple proteins, drugs, metabolites, and hormones in real time. Nutromics is advancing toward regulatory clearance and commercial launch of its first product, with operations in Australia and the United States. The company’s vision is a world with zero preventable deaths due to a lack of continuous molecular monitoring. For more information, visit www.nutromics.com.

Media Contact

Royina Bakshi Lock
Nutromics
roy.bakshi@nutromics.com

Today, Budweiser is celebrating 40 years as the Official Beer Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™ with the launch of the largest limited-edition collectible pack ever — the Budweiser® FIFA World Cup™ Anniversary Pack — bringing to life 11 bold design tributes to every tournament since 1986, and the centerpiece of a new nostalgia driven global platform.

Throughout history, Budweiser has played an important role in some of football’s most unforgettable celebrations, from last-minute goals to trophy lifts seen around the world. These moments of "Budstalgia" [Budweiser + nostalgia] are the inspiration for the brand’s newest platform, brought to life through a new collectible design, a global film titled "The Big Drop," distinctive out-of-home creative, and an era-inspired digital hub.

"For 40 years, Budweiser has been part of the moments that bring fans together — on the pitch, in the stands, and everywhere the game is watched," said Richard Oppy, Global President, Premium Company at AB InBev. "With this global platform, we are celebrating that shared history in a way that feels as relevant today as it did in 1986 — connecting generations of fans through the passion, energy, and rituals that make the FIFA World Cup so special, while building excitement for what’s still to come."

Budweiser Unveils Limited-Edition Collectible Pack

To kick off the football celebration, Budweiser is launching its most ambitious collectible pack to date: the Budweiser® FIFA World Cup™ Anniversary Pack — a curated set of 11 aluminum bottles and cans honoring the past 10 World Cups and the upcoming 2026 tournament. Starting with Mexico 1986 and ending with FIFA World Cup™ 2026, each design draws from the visual identity and cultural elements of past tournaments, unlocking some of the game’s most memorable moments for fans around the world.

More than a collector's item, each bottle features a QR code that unlocks exclusive digital content tied to its era — connecting fans to their favorite teams of the past along with immersive experiences, and thousands of prizes that vary by location. Designed in partnership with branding agency, JKR, the limited-edition pack will roll out in key markets including Brazil, China, and select European countries beginning this month.

"The Big Drop" Brings 40 Years of Big Football Memories to Life

To amplify the occasion, Budweiser is debuting a new global hero film, "The Big Drop," set to the emblematic anthem "You’ll Never Walk Alone." The film, developed in partnership with creative agency, Africa, follows larger-than-life Budweiser bottles as they journey across landscapes and continents — passing through mountains, deserts, and grasslands — before arriving at the stadiums that have hosted the FIFA World Cup™ over the past four decades.

Reimagined as oversized ice buckets, these legendary venues become the stage for the next chapter of celebration — bringing the limited-edition Budweiser bottles to life in a new way through stunning visual effects. The film will roll out globally across digital and social channels.

"Proudly on the Pitch" Celebrates Budweiser's Football Legacy

Since 1986, Budweiser and its pitch-side billboards have been the backdrop for some of the most notable FIFA World Cup™ moments. Now, the brand is bringing that legacy to the forefront with "Proudly on the Pitch," a global out-of-home campaign built from iconic archival FIFA imagery.

The series features numerous images from past tournaments, seamlessly stitching Budweiser’s unmistakable red logo evolution while highlighting the brand’s role as a consistent presence in football culture. Rolling out across multiple continents, the campaign invites fans to rediscover the moments that defined generations of the game.

Fans 21+ can visit Budstalgia.com to explore the Budweiser® FIFA World Cup™ Anniversary Pack and relive four decades of football through exclusive content and experiences.

About AB InBev

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) is a publicly traded company (Euronext: ABI) based in Leuven, Belgium, with secondary listings on the Mexico (MEXBOL: ANB) and South Africa (JSE: ANH) stock exchanges and with American Depositary Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUD). As a company, we dream big to create a future with more cheers. We are always looking to serve up new ways to meet life’s moments, move our industry forward and make a meaningful impact in the world. We are committed to building great brands that stand the test of time and to brewing the best beers using the finest ingredients. Beer is the drink for moderation, and for over a century, AB InBev has championed responsible drinking. We are committed to providing our consumers with balanced choices to enjoy on any occasion. We also invest in marketing that aims to reinforce positive behaviors, and we work with communities, customers, and partners to promote responsible consumption through evidence-based initiatives.

Our diverse portfolio of well over 400 beer brands includes global brands Budweiser®, Corona®, Stella Artois® and Michelob Ultra®; multi-country brands Beck’s®, Hoegaarden® and Leffe®; and local champions such as Aguila®, Antarctica®, Bud Light®, Brahma®, Cass®, Castle®, Castle Lite®, Cristal®, Harbin®, Jupiler®, Modelo Especial®, Quilmes®, Victoria®, Sedrin®, and Skol®. Our brewing heritage dates back more than 600 years, spanning continents and generations. From our European roots at the Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven, Belgium. To the pioneering spirit of the Anheuser & Co brewery in St. Louis, US. To the creation of the Castle Brewery in South Africa during the Johannesburg gold rush. To Bohemia, the first brewery in Brazil. Geographically diversified with a balanced exposure to developed and developing markets, we leverage the collective strengths of approximately 137 000 colleagues based in more than 40 countries worldwide. For 2025, AB InBev’s reported revenue was $59.3 billion (excluding JVs and associates).

About Budweiser

Budweiser, an American-style lager, was introduced in 1876 when company founder Adolphus Busch set out to create the United States’ first truly national beer brand — brewed to be universally embraced and transcend regional tastes. Each batch of Budweiser stays true to the same family recipe used by five generations of Busch family brewmasters. Budweiser is a medium-bodied, flavorful, crisp and pure beer with blended layers of premium American and European hop aromas, brewed for the perfect balance of flavor and refreshment. Budweiser is made using time-honored methods including “kraeusening” for natural carbonation and Beechwood aging, which results in unparalleled balance and character.

About FIFA

FIFA exists to govern football and to develop the game around the world. Since 2016, the organisation has been fast evolving into a body that can more effectively serve the game for the benefit of the entire world. As a not-for-profit organisation, FIFA — which organises the FIFA World Cup™, FIFA Women’s World Cup™, and FIFA Club World Cup™, among many other international competitions — reinvests its revenues into a wide range of football development programmes, providing funds, infrastructure and know-how to its member associations. FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023-2027 can be explored here. This year, FIFA will organise the biggest standalone sporting event ever — the FIFA World Cup 2026™. 48 teams will play 104 matches across 16 stadiums in three host countries throughout the game-changing tournament, with over 6 million fans in attendance.

Media Contact

Amelia Woodhouse
awoodhouse@webershandwick.com

Midea, a global leader in smart home appliances and HVAC technology, has officially surpassed the 10-million-unit milestone in global cumulative sales for its R290 air conditioners. This landmark achievement underscores an accelerating market shift toward natural refrigerants and solidifies Midea’s position as the world’s No. 1 R290 air conditioner brand for the third consecutive year, as verified by Euromonitor International.

Accelerating the Transition to Natural Refrigerant

This milestone marks a definitive tipping point for the HVAC industry, signaling that natural refrigerants have transitioned from a niche alternative to the new global standard. As Europe enforces increasingly stringent F-gas regulations, Midea’s market performance validates R290 as the primary successor to high-GWP refrigerants. This widespread adoption underscores a growing confidence among both installers and consumers in Midea’s safe, scalable, and field-proven technology. To date, this transition has resulted in a significant environmental contribution, with an estimated 5.2 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions successfully avoided.

Engineering Innovation and Global Standards

The path to widespread R290 adoption required overcoming significant technical and safety hurdles. For more than 15 years, Midea has spearheaded R&D initiatives dedicated to leakage prevention and flammability mitigation, ensuring that natural refrigerant technology meets the rigorous efficiency demands of the modern market. The company’s proprietary safety systems are engineered to provide a rare combination of high-tier energy efficiency and long-term operational stability.

As a committed participant in the United Nations Global Compact, Midea continues to align its operations with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and lead the development of international safety standards. These efforts have earned the company prestigious accolades, including the German Blue Angel certification — a distinction reserved for products that demonstrate the highest levels of environmental performance and safety.

The Malta Blueprint: A Model for Regional Deployment

Recognizing that technical excellence must be matched by localized expertise, Midea launched a strategic initiative in Malta to accelerate R290 adoption across Europe. In partnership with KENKAR, Midea established an "education-first" framework to bridge the knowledge gap and address specific concerns within the HVAC installer community.

Through comprehensive, hands-on training programs, Midea empowered local technicians to become expert advocates for natural refrigerants. The results of the pilot program underscore the technology’s viability: 240 units were successfully installed within a single year with zero safety incidents. This success now serves as a scalable blueprint for the rapid, safe deployment of R290 technology across the European continent.

Defining the Future of the HVAC Sector

As the European HVAC industry navigates a complex landscape of decarbonization mandates and evolving regulatory frameworks, Midea’s 10-million-unit milestone provides a definitive signal: the era of natural refrigerants has arrived.

Midea’s expanding R290 portfolio — spanning residential air conditioning, heat pumps, and commercial applications — demonstrates that the technology is mature, scalable, and ready for mass-market integration. By driving this shift, Midea is establishing R290 as the de facto natural refrigerant solution, paving the way for a more sustainable and healthier planet.

About Midea

Midea Group is a leading global technology company specializing in smart home appliances, HVAC systems, and industrial automation. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in China, Midea operates in more than 200 countries and regions. The company is committed to innovation and sustainability, developing energy-efficient solutions that improve everyday life. Midea remains the world’s No. 1 R290 air conditioner brand for the third consecutive year (verified by Euromonitor). For more information, www.midea.com/global.

Disclaimer

The data is calculated by Midea based on the sales volume of each R290 product sold during the period from January 2018 to December 2025 and the carbon avoided reduction of refrigerant per unit. (Carbon reduction of refrigerant per unit = GWP of refrigerant before R290 replacement x the refrigerant charge of product before replacement — GWP of R290 refrigerant x the charge of R290.)

Euromonitor International (Shanghai) Ltd. measured in terms of sales volume of R290 air conditioners, including OEM brands. (2022–2024 data, based on research completed in August 2025. R290 air conditioners refer to air conditioner using propane refrigerants, including residential and commercial air conditioner.)

Media Contact

Jochen Schäfer
jochen.schaefer@midea.de

Inference Beauty today announced the launch of its cross-brand AI personalization engine for beauty retailers, a platform designed to address longstanding technology gaps in beauty retail through advanced data-driven recommendations. The solution is currently active across retailer and brand partnerships in the European Union, United States, Canada, Australia and the United Arab Emirates. The announcement follows the company’s selection into the Beauty Tech Atelier L’Oréal Accelerator, along with recognition as a winner of the ForwardBeauty Challenge by Douglas and a finalist at the Beauty E-Commerce Award Germany.

The Inference Beauty platform operates between a retailer's product catalogue and its digital customer experience, enriching product discovery with AI-powered diagnostics and structured ingredient data. Retailers integrating the platform gain access to AI Skin Analysis, Hair Analysis, Foundation Shade Matching, Fragrance Finder, and an Ingredient Explainer, all powered by a proprietary database of more than 150,000 beauty products and 60,000 standardized cosmetic ingredients categorized by source, function, effect, and utility. The platform's cross-brand architecture enables product recommendations that span an entire retail assortment rather than a single brand catalogue, addressing how modern shoppers actually behave across beauty categories.

The platform's full solution suite includes AI Skin Analysis for Skincare Personalization, AI Hair Analysis for Haircare Recommendations, AI Fragrance Finder with Olfactory Matching, AI Foundation Shade Matching Across Brands, an Ingredient Intelligence and Transparency Engine, Beauty Product Data Enrichment and Catalog Structuring, and a PDP Personalization and Recommendation Engine.

"We were built to solve a structural problem in beauty retail," said Estella Benz, Founder and CEO of Inference Beauty. "Recommendation tools that operate only within a single brand miss the reality of how consumers shop. Our engine connects every brand in a retailer's assortment and matches shoppers to the most relevant products based on their actual skin, hair, fragrance, and ingredient needs. That is cross-brand personalization at scale."

Retailers integrating the Inference Beauty platform are reporting strong commercial returns. Client data shows a 30% increase in conversion rate, a 30% uplift in average basket value, and 12% of platform users opting into sign-up flows, generating first-party data assets that further strengthen personalization performance over time.

Consumer demand for personalized beauty experiences is accelerating alongside the broader shift to digital commerce. According to McKinsey’s & Company’s annual "The State of Fashion: Beauty" report, beauty ecommerce is projected to account for over 30% of global beauty sales by 2030, as shoppers increasingly expect digital journeys that replicate the expert guidance available in physical retail environments. Simultaneously, research from Cosmetics Business shows that 72% of consumers now expect detailed ingredient explanations when making beauty purchases online, while new regulatory frameworks in Europe and Canada are placing formal ingredient disclosure requirements on retailers across all digital channels.

The company operates across more than 100 active retailer and brand integrations globally. Retailers and beauty ecommerce platforms seeking to integrate advanced personalization and ingredient transparency can engage directly with Inference Beauty to explore implementation options suited to their existing digital infrastructure.

"Industry recognition has been gratifying, but the clearest validation is commercial adoption across five global markets," said Benz. "Retailers are choosing our platform because it delivers measurable improvements in conversion, basket size, and consumer engagement. That is the outcome that defines whether a technology truly serves the market."

About Inference Beauty

Formerly known as Skin Match Technology, the company rebranded to Inference Beauty in 2025. Inference Beauty is a B2B beauty technology company providing a unified AI personalization engine for beauty retailers, brands, and ecommerce platforms. The platform integrates AI diagnostics, fragrance intelligence, foundation shade matching, and ingredient transparency tools into a single infrastructure layer, powered by a database of over 140,000 beauty products and 60,000 standardized ingredients. An alumnus of the Beauty Tech Atelier L'Oréal Accelerator, winner of the ForwardBeauty Challenge by Douglas, and finalist of the Beauty E-Commerce Award Germany. To learn more about the cross-brand AI personalization engine and its deployment capabilities, visit inferencebeauty.com.

Media Contact

Estella Benz
estella@inferencebeauty.com

iibGroup has officially opened a Representative Office in Addis Ababa, marking a significant milestone in the Group’s long-term regional strategy in East Africa. The new office will enable iibGroup to deepen its engagement with Ethiopia’s financial ecosystem, support cross-border investment, and position the Group to play a constructive role as the country advances reforms aimed at modernizing and opening its financial landscape. While there are 15 representative offices in Ethiopia, iib is the first to obtain this significant license post-reform, which underscores our commitment to the Ethiopian market.

Ethiopia’s Financial Liberalization Creates New Opportunities

As regulatory reforms continue to unfold, the market is expected to unlock new opportunities in foreign investment, trade facilitation, and financial services innovation. Building on its regional platform through iib East Africa in Djibouti, iib’s presence in Addis Ababa positions the Group among the first international financial institutions establishing a footprint in Ethiopia. Through its regional expertise and transactional banking capabilities, the bank aims to support Ethiopia’s expanding trade and investment landscape while building long-term partnerships with local institutions and businesses. iibGroup is well positioned to leverage its experience and networks across the Horn of Africa to support Ethiopia’s financial sector transformation.

“Ethiopia represents one of the most exciting frontier opportunities in global finance today,” said Sohail Sultan, Chairman of iibGroup. “As we deepen our understanding of the local market and build trusted partnerships with Ethiopian businesses and institutions, we will continue to explore opportunities to expand our presence in line with Ethiopia’s evolving regulatory framework. Our office in Addis Ababa reflects our long-term commitment to Ethiopia and to the broader East African region.”

Strengthening the Ethiopia–Djibouti Trade Corridor

With a presence in both Djibouti and Ethiopia, iib East Africa will provide commercial and transactional banking services with a focused mandate on the Ethiopia–Djibouti trade corridor, one of the region’s most strategically important trade routes through which most of Ethiopia’s import and export trade flows.

Operating within the regulatory framework governing banking offices, iib East Africa in Ethiopia will focus on developing relationships with local financial institutions, engaging with key stakeholders, and conducting market research to identify emerging opportunities in Ethiopia’s evolving financial sector. The office will also serve as a liaison through which Ethiopian businesses and potential partners can access iibGroup’s international banking capabilities and connect with the bank’s broader regional network.

“We aim to serve as a bridge between Ethiopian businesses and international markets,” said Mrs. Aynalem Ababu, Chief Representative Officer in Addis Ababa. “At the same time, we look forward to supporting international investment into Ethiopia’s major infrastructure initiatives, including the Bishoftu airport project and its planned aerotropolis development.”

About iibGroup Holdings W.L.L. (Bahrain)

iibGroup is a diversified international investment and banking group with operations across East Africa, the Middle East, West Africa, and the Caribbean. The Group provides banking, investment, and advisory solutions while also deploying capital into high-impact sectors such as trade, digital infrastructure, and financial inclusion. Through its regional platforms, iibGroup supports SMEs, empowers women- and youth-led enterprises, and channels capital to industries that strengthen regional integration and sustainable growth across emerging markets. For more information, visit www.iibanks.com.

About iib East Africa (Djibouti)

iib East Africa is a licensed banking institution based in Djibouti, serving corporate and institutional clients across the Ethiopia–Djibouti corridor. The bank is committed to advancing financial inclusion, innovation, and private sector development in the region. For more information, visit www.iibanks.com/eastafrica.

Media Contact

Farah Sayeed
farah.sayeed@iibanks.com
+973 1711 6633

Rafi Law Group founder Brandon B. Rafi today announced the launch of Rafi Law Services, a newly formed Management Services Organization (MSO), alongside a strategic $125 million investment from a strategic equity investor that values Rafi Law Services at approximately $450 million. The move positions Rafi Law Group for national expansion while preserving attorney independence and ethical governance, as the firm takes a visible leadership role in the evolving legal services landscape. It will also support expansion into new markets, investment in technology and infrastructure, and potential partnerships with aligned personal injury firms nationwide.

Rafi Law Services will house the firm’s non-legal operations, including technology, marketing, and administration. Rafi Law Group will remain the legal practice, with all attorneys retaining full authority over client representation, including legal strategy and advising clients regarding litigation and settlement.

“This structure allows us to modernize how we operate without changing who we are,” said Brandon B. Rafi. “Our mission remains the same: deliver outstanding results for clients. What’s changing is our ability to scale that mission responsibly. This isn’t disruption for disruption’s sake. It’s modernization with clear guardrails that keep clients and ethics first.”

The MSO model has been widely used across professional services such as healthcare and accounting and is increasingly being adopted in the legal industry as firms seek capital to support growth and an improved client experience while ensuring attorney independence. Legal industry leaders note that rising operational complexity, technology costs, and client expectations are accelerating interest in the model, particularly among personal injury firms.

The strategic equity investor in Rafi Law Services, a leading investment manager with expertise in the legal services sector, is now a minority partner in Rafi Law Services, with Brandon B. Rafi maintaining majority ownership and control. Rafi will continue to solely own and control Rafi Law Group.

“Capital can support efficient delivery of legal services while ensuring independence of legal decision making,” said Andy Halaby, Chief Legal Officer of Rafi Law Services. “This structure ensures that lawyers retain sole authority over client representation, while giving us the operational strength to expand access to justice.”

Legal industry analysts note that personal injury firms are at the forefront of a broader shift toward consolidation in the legal sector, as firms seek scale, efficiency, and resilience in an evolving marketplace. Brandon B. Rafi believes transparency and governance are essential as the industry evolves and intends to play a visible leadership role in shaping best practices for ethical growth.

“As the legal industry evolves, firms have a choice about how they grow,” Rafi added. “It’s about building a sustainable structure that puts clients first, supports lawyers, and is prepared for the future of the legal profession.”

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., a leading specialist investment bank to the financial services and legal sectors, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) advised Brandon B. Rafi of Rafi Law Group as it identified and negotiated with its investment partner.

About Rafi Law Group

Rafi Law Group, Arizona’s premier personal injury law firm, is committed to providing unmatched legal representation and personalized attention to clients. The firm strives to secure justice and fair compensation for those who have suffered injuries due to the negligence of others. Rafi Law Group is founded on the idea that when people need legal help after being hurt in an accident, finding reliable, compassionate, and knowledgeable legal counsel should be stress-free, no matter the time of day or the case’s complexity. For more information, visit www.rafilawgroup.com or call 623-388-4333.

About Rafi Law Services

Rafi Law Services is a Management Services Organization (MSO) providing operational, administrative, and business support to Rafi Law Group and affiliated firms, enabling scale while preserving attorney independence.

Media Contact

Jennifer Schwegman
jschwegman@hmapr.com
+1 651-247-6640

Cashfloat, a UK-based lender that is part of leading fintech firm Western Circle Group and a specialist in short-term loans since 2014, announced it has launched an initiative to improve financial education and literacy by providing free, accessible guides and resources, and by signposting across its direct lending brands, so loan applicants and individuals with credit concerns can find reliable, accurate information with ease.

The company, which develops proprietary fintech systems to make UK-based lending faster, safer, and fairer, has long advocated for awareness. It aims to address widespread misunderstandings about lending terms, options, and products that can be detrimental to financial health.

Reasons Behind Western Circle Group’s Efforts to Combat Low Levels of Financial Literacy

Research conducted by the Financial Capability Survey attempted to quantify the reality of financial literacy levels among the UK adult population and found that over 20 million, or 39%, are not confident that they have the skills and knowledge to manage their money properly.

This study also identified that 11.5 million adults have under £100 in savings, putting them at risk of financial instability, and of the nine million who are in serious debt, only a third access help to restore their finances and repay their debts.

"Financial literacy isn’t about having a formal qualification in finances or accountancy, but having the understanding every person needs to make informed decisions, whether choosing a savings account, applying for a loan, or recognising when a website might potentially be a scam," said Ofer Valencio Akerman of Western Circle Group.

"Things that some people might consider simple, such as verifying the credentials of a lender to ensure they are properly regulated or knowing how an interest rate translates to the total repayable, are incredibly complex to others, and can put those in financial hardship in an even more difficult position," Akerman continued.

"Our role as a fintech specialist is to develop innovative technologies that make the world of short-term loan lending more accessible, breaking down barriers to safe, responsible borrowing for people who might otherwise have felt that properly regulated loan products weren’t available to them. Improving know-how and literacy go hand in hand with that."

Examples of Free Financial Literacy Resources From Western Circle Group

Western Circle has several brands, each with a specific remit, whether focusing on fair borrowing options for people who have a low credit score or lack a credit score altogether, and niche brands concentrating on providing safe lending to particular demographics.

Each offers varied resources and guidance for borrowers, all of which is available regardless of whether a visitor decides to apply for a product with a Western Circle brand or is simply looking for information. They include:

• A comprehensive library of Education Guides via Cashfloat, covering topics such as what open banking loans mean, how to use borrowing responsibly following a job loss or redundancy, and advice about managing family finances and creating budgets.
• Free affordability calculators and eligibility checkers, ensuring borrowers don’t submit applications where there is little likelihood of acceptance, and can verify whether they can comfortably afford pay-day loan repayments in advance.

The group’s brands also provide simplified, step-by-step information through "How It Works" pages, ensuring anyone considering a loan has all the details they need before applying and before incurring any credit searches.

The Importance of Lender Proactivity in Driving Improvements in Financial Literacy

Western Circle is a well-established innovator, and its focus on educating and informing its customers is part of a brand-wide commitment to parity and to changing the convention that those in most need of responsible borrowing are at greatest risk of resorting to high-cost unregulated lending.

Akerman added, "We believe it's fundamental that anyone who speaks with our customer service teams receives the right information and the right support, without being left to make guesses or assumptions about serious financial decisions that can have a big impact on their families and financial well-being."

The hope is that other lenders and fintech firms will follow suit, ensuring that every prospective applicant who interacts with a direct lender or financial services provider is signposted to advisory information, particularly for those ineligible for borrowing or in a debt crisis, who may require dedicated support during financial difficulty to improve their financial situation.

About Cashfloat

Founded in 2014, Cashfloat is a U.K.-based direct lender providing online loans to individuals across a range of credit scores. Cashfloat focuses on accessible digital lending and transparent financial services for borrowers seeking short-term credit solutions. The company operates as a trading style of Western Circle Ltd, which is fully authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

About Western Circle Group

Western Circle Group is a UK-based, FCA-authorised consumer credit provider specialising in fast, responsible, online lending. Western Circle Ltd (company number: 07581337) is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 714479) and with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO: Z3305234).

Disclaimer

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Western Circle Group and Cashfloat encourage all consumers to provide accurate information during applications and to borrow responsibly. While the financial literacy tools mentioned are free to access, they are intended as educational resources and not as a substitute for professional debt counseling or independent financial advice.

Media Contact

Ofer Valencio Akerman
Cashfloat
info@cashfloat.co.uk

Arrafund, a San Francisco-based startup, today announced the launch of its social commerce platform designed to help users earn commission-based income through purchases made within their trusted personal networks.

The company says its platform introduces a new model for monetizing social trust by enabling users to share products with close friends and autonomously earn commissions when purchases are made through their network. They developed the platform in response to growing demand for alternative income streams and more self-directed earning opportunities in an increasingly uncertain labor market.

Co-founder and CEO Joe Champness said, “The platform allows your closest friends to instantly shop their every purchase through you. By effortlessly earning commissions from your several friend’s daily purchases — the closest people in your life become your multiple streams of income.”

Arrafund enters the market at a time when concerns around automation, workforce disruption, and income security are becoming more prominent across industries. The company believes its platform can support consumers seeking greater flexibility, autonomy, and resilience in how they earn.

For Champness, the mission behind Arrafund is also shaped by personal experience. Earlier in his career, while playing professional football in Turkey’s top division, circumstances outside his control forced him away from the field and affected his earning ability. Champness says he emerged from that period with a renewed sense of purpose, prevailing through that uncertainty with a stronger belief that individuals need more control over how they generate income.

“Our mission ensures humanity as a whole will never lose their leverage of self. In the modern day and into the future our platform will best serve society’s increasing need for self-sufficiency. With as little as only two or more friends on the platform shopping loyally through you, meaningful income is inevitable,” says Champness.

Arrafund says its broader vision is to provide people with a practical way to participate in commerce through the strength of their existing relationships. As part of that vision, the company is developing infrastructure for fintech and AI integrations to support the platform’s continued growth. By combining digital shopping behavior with peer-to-peer trust, Arrafund aims to build a model centered on accessibility, self-sufficiency, and long-term economic participation.

About Arrafund

Arrafund is a San Francisco-based startup focused on building social commerce technology that helps users earn through trusted personal networks. The company’s platform is designed to enable commission-based earning opportunities by connecting everyday shopping activity with relationship-driven product sharing.

Media Contact

Arrafund Support Team
partners@arrafund.com

The URKL (Ultimate Robot Knock-out Legend), recently initiated and hosted by EngineAI, has officially launched global registration.

As a premier humanoid robot combat competition open to universities, enterprises, and research institutions worldwide, URKL adopts EngineAI humanoid robots as the standardized competition platform. The league is guided by its core principles of open-source collaboration, joint technological development, fair competition, and safe, non-violent engagement.

The competition focuses on key technological capabilities of humanoid robots, including motion control, balance algorithms, perception and decision-making, power systems, and structural protection. Destructive or excessively aggressive modifications are strictly prohibited. Instead, participating teams are encouraged to enhance robot performance through self-developed protective solutions, algorithm innovation, and engineering optimization, with the goal of building a global platform that combines both competitive excitement and scientific value.

To ensure fairness and professionalism, URKL adopts the T800 full-size humanoid robot, independently developed by EngineAI, as the unified competition platform. Equipped with EngineAI’s proprietary embodied intelligence algorithms and high-performance power systems, the T800 demonstrates exceptional dynamic balance and precise motion control, providing teams with a stable and reliable technological foundation.

The competition follows a core model of “standardized hardware + differentiated algorithms,” shifting the focus of competition toward algorithm optimization, motion control, and strategic decision-making. This approach truly embodies the philosophy of “validating technology through competition and advancing research through competition,” accelerating the transition of humanoid robotics from laboratory research to real-world application.

In terms of competition structure, URKL features a carefully designed format combining preliminary screening, group-stage round-robin matches, and single-elimination playoffs, ensuring both competitiveness and entertainment value while maintaining fairness and order.

Following registration and qualification, 16 teams will advance to the main competition. These teams will be divided into four groups for round-robin matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Top 8. The Top 8 teams will compete in a cross-bracket single-elimination format to determine the Top 4. The final stage will include the semi-finals, third-place match, and grand final, ultimately determining the champion, runner-up, and second runner-up.

To encourage global participation and innovation in robotics, the competition offers a comprehensive and highly rewarding incentive system, covering honor, financial rewards, and development opportunities.

All Top 4 teams will receive substantial prize money, with the championship team awarded an exclusive gold championship belt weighing 10 kilograms and valued at approximately $1,450,000 (RMB 10 million). All teams reaching the Top 16 will receive an EngineAI T800 humanoid robot to support further research and development. In addition, all members of the Top 8 teams will receive a limited-edition EngineAI T800 humanoid robot, along with access to a priority recruitment channel (fast-track offers) from EngineAI, supporting their continued growth in both technology and career development.

The high-intensity and highly realistic combat scenarios created by URKL will serve as a true “proving ground” for core humanoid robotics technologies. Real-world competitive testing will drive continuous breakthroughs in motion control, perception and decision-making, human-robot interaction, and structural protection, accelerating the engineering and practical deployment of embodied intelligence technologies.

At the same time, URKL will bring together top global talent, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative ideas in the humanoid robotics field, establishing an efficient industry–academia–research–application collaboration platform. This will promote resource integration across the value chain, address key industry challenges such as technological bottlenecks and ecosystem fragmentation, and foster a virtuous cycle of “technology development to competition validation to commercialization to industrial upgrading.”

As the world’s first commercialized humanoid robot competitive league, URKL is expected to significantly enhance public awareness and industry influence in the humanoid robotics and embodied intelligence sectors. It will attract greater investment, talent, and high-quality resources, helping the industry move beyond a “concept-driven” phase toward real-world applications, and accelerating the transition from concept demonstration to practical deployment. Ultimately, URKL aims to build an open, collaborative, and win-win global ecosystem, injecting sustained momentum into the development of the industry.

The global registration for URKL is now officially open. Interested teams may see detailed registration information and apply on EngineAI's official website.

About EngineAI

EngineAI is a robotics company focused on developing next-generation embodied AI systems and high-performance robotic platforms. Through continuous innovation in hardware and software integration, EngineAI aims to build an open, intelligent ecosystem that accelerates the adoption of robotics across industries. EngineAI's URKL (Ultimate Robot Knock-out Legend), a humanoid robot combat competition, is open to teams worldwide. The event aims to bring together innovators in robotics to showcase technological capabilities, promote knowledge exchange, and explore new possibilities in the development of humanoid robot competitions and the broader robotics industry. For more information, visit en.engineai.com.cn.

Media Contact

Zibin Cen
URKL@engineai.com.cn

ADI Foundation today announced that ADI Predictstreet, the dynamic forecasting platform, has been named the Official Prediction Market Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, marking FIFA's first-ever global partner in the prediction market category.

Through this partnership, ADI Predictstreet will leverage the global stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 — set to be the largest tournament in history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches competing across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States — to introduce interactive forecasting to billions of football fans worldwide.

Thanks to this collaboration, football fans will be able to participate in dynamic prediction-based experiences on ADI Predictstreet’s platform, which will leverage FIFA’s official historical data. Supporters will have the opportunity to forecast match outcomes, tournament statistics, standout players and key moments, enhancing their connection to the FIFA World Cup™ through informed interaction. 

ADI Predictstreet’s activities related to the FIFA World Cup will operate in alignment with FIFA’s regulatory and integrity frameworks, incorporating a comprehensive integrity monitoring framework which includes real time monitoring of suspicious trading activity and structured information sharing and reporting systems. These safeguards will ensure transparency, fairness and the protection of participants. Similarly, as ADI Predictstreet is rolled out globally through a phased approach, with expansion guided by market readiness and regulatory alignment, the platform is committed to operating within the legal frameworks of each jurisdiction. 

ADI Predictstreet will be available via desktop application, offering a seamless and immersive experience throughout the FIFA World Cup. 

First Ecosystem Project on ADI Chain

ADI Chain is the first institutional Layer 2 blockchain for stablecoins and real-world assets in the MENA region, providing settlement infrastructure for a dirham-backed stablecoin initiated by IHC and FAB, licensed by the UAE Central Bank. The network operates on three pillars — compliance, efficiency, and security — serving governments implementing blockchain infrastructure across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

ADI Predictstreet is the first consumer-facing application deployed on ADI Chain's institutional-grade blockchain infrastructure, proving ADI Chain can support consumer applications at global scale. $ADI functions as the gas token powering on-chain transactions across the ADI Chain ecosystem, including ADI Predictstreet activity.

Built on ADI Chain's compliance-ready infrastructure — which uses ZKsync's Airbender zero-knowledge proof technology and has been audited by OpenZeppelin and Hacken — ADI Predictstreet delivers real-time market signals, performance tracking, and embedded safeguards to ensure fairness, integrity, and participant protection.

“The FIFA World Cup is where billions of people share one moment at the same time. With this historic announcement of the first consumer-facing ecosystem project on ADI Chain, ADI Predictstreet gives fans a way to partake in the history of football at a scale nobody has done before — all powered by ADI Chain's infrastructure," said Andrey Lazorenko CEO, ADI Foundation.

A New Model for Fan Engagement

Rather than simply watching events unfold, ADI Predictstreet gives fans the ability to test their knowledge, read the pulse of the market, and participate in the tournament's momentum as it evolves - turning global football into a real-time forecasting arena. Beyond football, ADI Predictstreet will expand to prediction markets across politics, economics, technology, and popular culture, functioning as a real-time sentiment engine where market activity reflects collective expectations about future events.

About ADI Foundation

ADI Foundation is an Abu Dhabi-based non-profit founded by Sirius International Holding, a subsidiary of IHC, dedicated to empowering governments and institutions in emerging markets through blockchain infrastructure. The foundation's mission is to bring one billion people into the digital economy by 2030, building on a foundation of over 500 million people already within its ecosystem reach. For more information, visit the www.adi.foundation and follow on LinkedIn and X.

About ADI Predictstreet

ADI Predictstreet, a subsidiary of Finstreet Limited an (IHC Subsidiary), is the exclusive Official FIFA Partner for Prediction Markets for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, licensed and operating from Gibraltar. The platform that enables users to forecast the outcomes of real-world events across sports, global news, technology, and cultural moments. By aggregating insights and expectations from a global community, the platform transforms collective sentiment into measurable probabilities, creating a new model of digital participation. Launching first through football, built on ADI Chain, Predictstreet is designed to scale into thousands of prediction markets worldwide, positioning itself as a platform where individuals and communities engage with and anticipate what happens next. For more information visit www.adipredictstreet.com, follow on X, or email contact@adipredictstreet.com.

Disclaimer

ADI Foundation is an Abu Dhabi-based not-for-profit DLT Foundation registered with ADGM under commercial license number 20599. ADI Chain and tokens developed by ADI are not subject to registration with ADGM's FSRA. ADI issues only utility tokens which are not regulated digital assets under FSRA's regulatory framework. All features, token utilities, timelines, and launch details are subject to change without notice. No guarantees are made regarding future performance or token value. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice, nor an offer to buy or sell any digital assets. Investment capital is at risk.

Joseph S. Smith, chief executive officer of HITvision, has announced a new governance handbook, “Board Governance Guidance: A Practical Framework for Corporate Directors,” designed to help directors and executive leaders address complex oversight responsibilities. The book distills more than 40 years of leadership in health care technology into a concise reference for active governance decision-making.

Mr. Smith developed the handbook after serving both as a senior executive presenting to boards and as a director serving on health care boards.

Governance Insights From Both Sides

Mr. Smith spent 36 years participating in board meetings while working within the Blue Cross and Blue Shield system. During that period, he presented strategy proposals, answered questions from directors and worked with oversight committees for finance and audit.

He later served on the boards of three health care organizations. Moving from executive presenter to director allowed him to observe governance dynamics from both sides of the board table.

“This experience provided the credentials to create the book’s framework, content and structure,” Mr. Smith says. The 103-page handbook helps directors think through governance challenges rather than providing predetermined answers. The book presents eight governance scenarios covering issues such as chief executive officer performance concerns, financial irregularities, strategic disputes and risk oversight.

Additionally, the publication serves as a desktop quick reference for leaders, supporting board discussions and complementing training from governance firms, universities and director associations. “It offers a quick, structured guide to help address issues and make informed decisions,” Mr. Smith says.

New Guidance for Corporate Boards 

Corporate boards today face a broader range of oversight responsibilities, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity risk management and enterprise risk governance. Although directors often receive extensive training, they lack a clear framework to organize decisions during active board discussions.

Mr. Smith’s handbook offers a structured, easily accessible tool for directors to apply when addressing governance decisions. His core goal is to pass on actionable governance knowledge to new generations of directors and executives.

Specifically, Mr. Smith aims to equip them to lead organizations amid increasing operational and technological complexity. It is a mission fueled by his mindset of “earning credibility through sustained excellence.”

A Career Built on Digital Transformation

Mr. Smith's career began in the early 1970s, when the health care industry accounted for roughly 7% of the U.S. economy and relied heavily on paper-based processes. While working with Blue Cross and Blue Shield organizations, he questioned the prevailing approach to administrative claims management, asking why paper needed to move through the system at all.

“Previously, paper exchanges were cumbersome, often resulting in lost documents and claims,” Mr. Smith says. In response, he contributed to the development of large-scale health care digitization efforts, helping build the Blue Cross and Blue Shield InterPlan claims communication system. This platform connected dozens of regional plans and supported growth in membership across the United States.

In the 1990s, Mr. Smith helped lead the development of one of the nation's earliest operational health information exchange (HIE) systems in Arkansas. Working with Arkansas Providers, his team designed, built and implemented its HIE in 2000. This technology enabled hospitals, physicians, insurance providers and other health care organizations to exchange administrative, clinical and financial data electronically.

In 2014, Mr. Smith founded HITvision after his retirement as senior vice president and chief information officer of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Through the firm, he advises organizations and governments on health care information technology strategy.

Mr. Smith earned a bachelor of science in industrial management from Illinois Institute of Technology and a master of business administration in finance from Loyola University Chicago. His work in health care technology earned numerous industry recognitions, including recognition by Marquis Who’s Who. Most notably, his chief information officer peers across North America selected him as one of the Elite 8 CIO Award recipients in 2011.

About Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith is the chief executive officer of HITvision in Philadelphia, specializing in health care IT consulting. He previously spent two decades at Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield as chief information officer and senior vice president. His work and impact have also been featured by Apple News and the Associated Press. 

Media Contact

Marquis Who’s Who
info@marquiswhoswho.com

OJO Group of Companies, the Kuwait-based holding company, is expanding its strategic advisory arm, ARC Advisory, into Saudi Arabia, deepening a platform and network that has been active across the region for years. The move extends ARC Advisory’s footprint further into the Gulf and puts the platform squarely inside one of the region’s most consequential economic transformations.

Connecting Capital to Regional Institutions

ARC Advisory works at the pressure points where international money meets Gulf-region institutions, facilitating deals and navigating regulatory complexity to ensure successful market entry. Its clients include ultra-high-net-worth individuals, major corporations, and sovereign entities seeking to establish or expand a meaningful presence across the GCC.

The platform’s leadership team brings over 35 years of combined experience and a transaction history totaling more than $10 billion facilitated, including $5 billion in structured contracts, $3 billion in capital raised, and $1 billion in preserved asset value. The client roster includes multinationals, royal family offices, and sovereign stakeholders requiring a trusted intermediary and execution partner.

Strategic Partnership with Sarat Investment Holdings

ARC Advisory is entering the Kingdom alongside Sarat Investment Holdings, a boutique firm aligned with Vision 2030 with a diversified portfolio spanning healthcare, hospitality, innovation platforms, and sovereign fund management. Sarat manages upward of $20 billion in assets.

The expansion comes as the Saudi market experiences rapid regulatory shifts under Vision 2030, requiring the specialized local fluency ARC Advisory provides. The two firms are jointly overseeing projects worth $350 million, all of which are expected to wrap up by the end of 2026. ARC Advisory’s role covers high-level engagement management, capital alignment, and hands-on project coordination across the Kingdom.

Navigating the Complexities of Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has opened sectors that were closed a decade ago and drawn in capital from every corner of the world. However, the pace of reform has created a more complex environment, characterized by evolving regulations, shifting priorities, and layered stakeholder dynamics. The primary challenge for international players is often alignment with sovereign priorities and the ability to execute within those systems. ARC Advisory is designed to bridge this gap, reducing the friction that typically slows market entry and opening access to sovereign decision-making channels.

OJO Group’s Strategic Vision

OJO Group actively develops and scales businesses across the GCC in strategic advisory, contracting, real estate, consumer ventures, and strategic communications. ARC Advisory’s Saudi expansion reflects the group’s commitment to identifying high-growth markets and providing genuine execution capability.

Leadership Perspective

Omar Jamal Al-Omar, OJO Group’s chairman and the founder of ARC Advisory, has spent years executing multi-billion-dollar infrastructure and contracting projects across the region.

“In Saudi Arabia, we have maintained collaborative relationships with investment platforms and local partners working across sectors aligned with Vision 2030, including infrastructure, sustainability, and strategic capital projects,” Al-Omar said. “This foundation makes the formal expansion a natural next step in our regional growth strategy.”

About OJO Group of Companies

OJO Group is headquartered in Kuwait and operates across the GCC through subsidiaries in strategic advisory, contracting, consumer ventures, real estate, and strategic communications. For more information, visit ojogroup.net.

Media Contact

Yasmeen Mohamed
yasmeen@theproffice.net

The Surrogacy Foundation (TSF), an Atlanta-based nonprofit, partnered with LA-based surrogacy agency, Hatch Egg Donation & Surrogacy (Hatch), to fund and award its first-ever national surrogacy grant to Brittany and Tyler Luskin of Lexington, South Carolina, covering the cost of their journey to parenthood after years of infertility.

The grant marks a significant milestone in addressing the growing financial barriers to fertility care in the United States, where gestational surrogacy can cost over $150,000, placing it out of reach for many families. Through grants and partnerships, The Surrogacy Foundation works to reduce that barrier while promoting ethical surrogacy practices.

The Luskins, a married couple from South Carolina, have spent more than five years navigating infertility, undergoing multiple IVF cycles and embryo transfers while spending tens of thousands of dollars to build their family. Their most devastating moment came after joyfully announcing a twin pregnancy on Christmas, only to learn during a New Year’s Eve scan that both babies had passed. Brittany’s diagnosis of stage 4 endometriosis ultimately led them to turn to surrogacy as the only path to having a biological child.

“We are so accustomed to receiving bad news that when we were told we were the winners of the [Hatch Full Journey] grant, we were in disbelief,” said Brittany Luskin. “We are so thankful for this renewed hope for us to start our family.”

“Partnering with Hatch on this grant allowed us to do something we haven’t done before, fund an entire surrogacy journey from start to finish,” said Zach French, Executive Director of the Surrogacy Foundation. “For most families, this isn’t out of reach because they don’t want it. It’s out of reach because they can’t afford it. This gives Brittany and Tyler a real path forward, and it shows what’s possible when the right partners step up. We see this as a blueprint for how we expand access moving forward.”

“Partnering with The Surrogacy Foundation is a natural extension of our commitment to leading surrogacy with care and integrity,” said Kristie Dolan, CEO of Hatch Fertility. “At Hatch, we believe how you do surrogacy matters just as much as the outcome. That means protecting and supporting surrogates and intended parents every step of the way, emotionally, medically, financially and legally, through trust, transparency and consent. Together, we’re not only helping make parenthood possible, we’re also celebrating the humanity of these journeys and strengthening the community that makes them possible.”

The Luskins were selected through TSF’s robust multi-step grant application and review process, designed to identify families with both financial and medical needs to parenthood but also to ensure fairness and transparency.

The Surrogacy Foundation and Hatch both hope that this grant will spark broader awareness and support for expanding access to fertility care nationwide and deepen public understanding of surrogacy as a beautiful and necessary path to parenthood.

As they begin their surrogacy journey, the Luskins are sharing their story to offer hope to others facing infertility. Brittany and Tyler Luskin are available for interviews and open to sharing their journey, including photos and updates throughout the process. 

About The Surrogacy Foundation

The Surrogacy Foundation is an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to making surrogacy more accessible through financial grants, education, and advocacy. By partnering with medical, legal, and mental health professionals, the Foundation supports intended parents and gestational carriers throughout their journeys. To date, the organization has raised more than $1 million to help families pursue surrogacy and continues to work toward normalizing ethical surrogacy and expanding access to family building. For more information, visit www.thesurrogacyfoundation.org and follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About Hatch Egg Donation & Surrogacy

Hatch is a full-service surrogacy and egg donation agency dedicated to making parenthood accessible, ethical, and inclusive for all families. For more than 35 years, Hatch has guided intended parents and surrogates through every step of the family-building journey with expert care, personalized support, and a commitment to transparency, integrity, and informed choice. Grounded in thoughtful matching, mutual consent, trusted medical oversight, and clear, accountable processes, Hatch prioritizes the safety, dignity, and well-being of everyone involved while providing fair, ethical support throughout the journey. Through education, advocacy, and responsible industry stewardship, Hatch works to strengthen surrogacy practices and help turn hope into families. For more information, visit www.hatch.us and follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Meagan Luevano
mluevano@ka-pow.com