MANNHEIM, Germany, Jan. 14, 2026 — osapiens, a leading provider of enterprise software for sustainable growth, today announced that it had entered into an agreement for Decarbonization Partners, a joint venture between BlackRock and Temasek, to lead a US$ 100 million Series C fundraising round, subject to regulatory approvals. Decarbonization Partners will join existing investors Goldman Sachs Alternatives, which led the US$ 120 million Series B in 2024, and Armira Growth, which led the US$ 27 million Series A investment in 2023.

osapiens provides enterprise software that enables companies to manage regulatory compliance, sustainability, and operational efficiency across their entire value chain on a single platform. The osapiens HUB currently offers more than 25 enterprise-grade solutions, all of which run on a multi-tenant infrastructure that enables AI-driven automation and seamless cross-company collaboration. The platform combines transparency and efficiency solutions to help companies minimize risks, maximize efficiency, and respond with high agility and adaptability to changing regulatory and business requirements – setting industry standards.

The proceeds from the investment will be used to accelerate product innovation and fuel growth in existing and new international markets, further strengthening osapiens’ position as a global platform for sustainable growth.

“This investment is a strong validation of our strategy and our long-term vision,” said Alberto Zamora, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of osapiens. “It demonstrates that sustainable growth and AI-driven efficiency remain top priorities for global investors. Decarbonization Partners is an exceptional partner for us. With a focus on sustainability and the combined global presence and investment expertise of BlackRock and Temasek, they bring exactly the perspective and scale we need for our next phase of growth to become the indisputable global category leader in sustainable growth for enterprises of all sizes.”

Matthias Jungblut, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of osapiens, said: “Decarbonization Partners understands both the regulatory dynamics companies face today and the business opportunity of AI-driven efficiency that comes with it. Their deep experience in scaling category-defining technology companies makes them a perfect strategic fit alongside Goldman Sachs Alternatives and Armira Growth.”

“osapiens is redefining how companies achieve transparency, compliance, and operational excellence across increasingly complex supply chains,” said Dr. Meghan Sharp, Global Head and Chief Investment Officer of Decarbonization Partners. “Enterprises around the world are looking for trusted, scalable software to meet rising regulatory, sustainability and decarbonization expectations. osapiens’ platform delivers the clarity organizations need to operate and grow responsibly.”

About osapiens:

osapiens – one platform for sustainable growth

osapiens develops software that empowers companies to drive sustainable growth across their entire value chain. The osapiens HUB, a multi-tenant hyperscaler platform designed to enable cross-company collaboration and AI automation, combines over 25 solutions in two categories: Transparency solutions enable companies to report on financial and non-financial data, manage supply chains, mitigate risks of all kinds (including cyber-risks and trade- and geopolitical risks), and ensure compliance with product, reporting and supply chain regulations. Efficiency solutions enable AI-driven supplier collaboration, maintenance, service, and distribution processes to improve operational performance and strengthen competitiveness.

osapiens was founded in Mannheim, Germany in 2018 by Alberto Zamora, Stefan Wawrzinek, and Matthias Jungblut. Its international team of over 550 dedicated professionals across Europe and the United States supports more than 2,400 customers worldwide, including global category leaders like Coca-Cola North America, Lidl, Carrefour, OTTO, and the Acciona-Nordex Group.

About Decarbonization Partners:

Decarbonization Partners is a joint venture between Temasek and BlackRock focused on late-stage venture capital and early growth private equity investing in next-generation companies that provide solutions and technologies to help accelerate global efforts to achieve a net zero global economy by 2050. Decarbonization Partners combines Temasek and BlackRock’s complementary platforms and expertise in sourcing and underwriting private investments, portfolio and risk management, and sustainable technology and analytics. Decarbonization Partners invests in a wide range of companies that have proven technology and need capital to scale. The partnership attracted US$1.40 billion in capital from a diverse set of over 30 institutional investors across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2860577/osapiens_Founders.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2860576/osapiens_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Resonance

SARASOTA, Fla., Jan. 13, 2026 — Confianza, a comprehensive data and predictive analytics company, today announced the successful completion of its Series Seed 2 round of funding.

The funding will support the continued execution of Confianza’s growth strategy, focusing investment on the expansion of client-facing resources, and advanced AI/ML analytics and predictive modeling capabilities to accelerate its growth within the insurance ecosystem. These investments will further strengthen Confianza’s position in the insurance market while enabling expansion into additional industries and use cases with the proven value of its comprehensive data and analytics assets.

Confianza provides unique data and analytics solutions that improve the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of critical business processes. To date, the company has primarily served insurance carriers, MGA’s and wholesale brokers across personal and commercial lines, helping clients drive improved outcomes, operational efficiency and increased profitable growth, across the entire policy lifecycle. With one of the largest linked databases of people and businesses, Confianza is uniquely positioned to build, train, and power models of all kinds, including AI-driven and predictive analytics models, while seamlessly embedding data into customer workflows. The company’s deep expertise in AI/ML predictive modeling further differentiates its solutions within the data and analytics ecosystem.

“This funding reflects confidence in our strategy, our data assets, and the value we deliver to customers,” said Greg Johnson, CEO of Confianza. “It allows us to continue investing responsibly while expanding the impact of our solutions.”

Founded in 2020, Confianza serves organizations seeking data-driven solutions to improve risk selection, segmentation and profitable growth.

SOURCE Confianza, Inc.

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 13, 2026 — RISA Labs, a company pioneering an AI operating system for oncology, today announced the closing of an $11.1 million Series A funding round. The financing was co-led by Cencora Ventures and Optum Ventures, with participation from Oncology Ventures, Z21 Ventures, and John Simon (co-founder of General Catalyst) via his Ventureforgood investment entity.

The funding will accelerate the deployment of RISA’s system to cancer clinics, health systems, specialty pharmacies, and infusion networks across the United States, changing how complex oncology workflows are managed end-to-end.

In oncology, delays are costly for all stakeholders: patients, practices, payers, and pharma. Addressing this, RISA orchestrates patient access, benefits verification, and prior authorization, turning manual bottlenecks into predictable, high-throughput workflows across the cancer service line. In just nine months, partner institutions have already expanded from initial deployment to second and third workflows, reflecting rapid adoption and operational trust.

“In our vision for oncology, there are two sides to every patient’s journey: getting them on the right therapy faster and deepening our understanding of the disease for the next patient through data,” said Kshitij Jaggi, CEO of RISA Labs.

RISA connects directly to a cancer center’s electronic medical record (EMR), payer and benefits systems, and other systems of record. A team of AI agents reads, reasons, and acts across these systems, gathering the right data, preparing and submitting authorizations, tracking status, and progressing cases across dozens of payer environments, EMRs and other tools. As forms, rules, or interfaces change, the agents adapt in real time, so workflows stay reliable without constant reprogramming. The AI OS is purpose-built for the realities of cancer care, handling complex payer rules, multi-drug regimens, and disease-specific requirements.

Teams manage and configure all of this through BOSS Console, RISA’s command control panel for mission-critical institutions. With BOSS Console, each institution can tailor workflows, routing, document conventions, and practice-specific rules so the system behaves like an extension of its own operations. Every AI action is traceable and audit-ready, giving leaders clear visibility into what the system did and why, and how it stays aligned with compliance and clinical standards.

RISA is already live at some of the largest oncology practices in the U.S. At one partner site, approximately 80% of administrative staff time has been freed up, denials have been reduced by up to 40%, and first-pass approval rates have reached 97.8%. Patient authorizations are now filed within 24 hours of request and are on track to drop below 2 hours, down from an average 8-day backlog. More than 20 full-time equivalents have been repurposed to higher-value work, increasing both capacity and efficiency across the practice.

“BOSS Console is a low-entropy thinking information machine,” said Kumar Shivang, CTO of RISA Labs. “Modern oncology has created thousands of potential care paths for every patient. It has become essential to have an intelligent operating system that can absorb this complexity, remove administrative burden, and act as a companion to the most informed clinical decisions.”

By leveraging AI to confront the looming challenge of a growing patient population, increasingly complex treatment strategies, and a limited supply of oncologists, RISA aims to address the core mathematical problem in modern cancer care.

“As the treatments available for oncology patients increase in number and complexity, solutions to help streamline operational processes and enable efficient access to therapy become vital.  We look forward to supporting RISA on their next phase of growth,” said Jason Dinger, Senior Vice President, Strategic Execution at Cencora.

In the coming year, RISA will go deeper in oncology, partnering with ecosystem leaders to expand AI-driven workflows across the full continuum of cancer care. Extending these capabilities to specialty pharmacy operations is the next step, built on the same foundation and configured through BOSS Console.

About RISA Labs

Founded by Kshitij Jaggi and Kumar Shivang, RISA Labs is the creator of BOSS Console that helps build AI OS for mission-critical institutions. Its first area of focus is oncology, where the system unifies access, benefits, and prior authorization across cancer centers, specialty pharmacies, and infusion networks so every eligible patient can start the right therapy faster.

Already deployed at leading oncology networks and community practices, RISA helps them operate with greater efficiency, capacity, and precision while strengthening financial performance: making institutions win in the age of AI. For more information, please visit Risa Labs at https://www.risalabs.ai

About Cencora Ventures

Cencora Ventures is the dedicated corporate venture capital fund of Cencora. Cencora is a leading global pharmaceutical solutions organization centered on improving the lives of people and animals around the world. We partner with pharmaceutical innovators across the value chain to facilitate and optimize market access to therapies. Care providers depend on us for the secure, reliable delivery of pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, and solutions. Our 51,000+ worldwide team members contribute to positive health outcomes through the power of our purpose: We are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. Cencora is ranked #10 on the Fortune 500 and #18 on the Global Fortune 500 with more than $300 billion in annual revenue.      

CONTACT: Media Contact: [email protected] 

SOURCE RISA Labs

BOSTON, Jan. 13, 2026 — Diffraqtion, an MIT and University of Maryland spinout developing satellite constellations powered by a novel quantum camera, today announced the close of their pre-seed funding round, led by QDNL Participations, with participation from milemark•capital, Aether VC, ADIN, Offline Ventures, and a non-dilutive DARPA SBIR Direct-to-Phase 2 contract supporting space situational awareness capabilities. The total amount of funding between dilutive and non-dilutive raised is $4.2 million.

Founded by Johannes Galatsanos, Christine Wang, Ph.D., and Prof. Saikat Guha, Diffraqtion has developed a first-of-its-kind quantum camera that enables satellites and telescopes to see farther and process visual information dramatically faster than conventional systems. Built on Prof. Guha’s research with NASA and DARPA, the technology delivers up to 20 times higher resolution and 1,000 times faster processing than conventional cameras and processors, enabling ultra-high-resolution imaging systems at a fraction of the cost of today’s satellites and ground-based telescopes.

Diffraqtion’s novel approach enables the company to deploy large constellations of low-cost, high-precision satellites for space domain awareness, defense, and commercial Earth observation. These satellites support applications ranging from orbital safety and intelligence to agriculture, disaster response, and environmental monitoring.

In recent months, and in addition to the amount raised, the company has received multiple major recognitions, including:

• First place at SLUSH 100, selected from over 1,000 startups, resulting in an $1.1M equity prize from Cherry Ventures and General Catalyst
• TechConnect’s “2025 Best Space Innovation” $100k award

Diffraqtion is also part of the U.S. Space Force’s Apollo Accelerator, where it is actively demonstrating and refining its quantum imaging technology with government partners. In early 2026, the company plans to conduct on-sky demonstrations with the University of California Observatories, followed by space-based demonstrations.

“Space-based infrastructure powers our communications, navigation, and defense, and through Earth Imaging, it supports everything from agriculture to disaster response,” said Johannes Galatsanos, CEO and Co-Founder of Diffraqtion. “Yet despite the boom in low-cost launches, we still lack clear, continuous visibility of what’s happening above and below the atmosphere. Our quantum camera changes that: it tracks smaller, faster objects to keep assets in orbit safe, while delivering ultra-high-resolution imaging for critical applications on Earth.”

“Quantum sensing can bring new capabilities to monitoring and protecting orbital infrastructure,” said Chad Rigetti, Venture Partner at QDNL Participations “Diffraqtion’s team combines deep photonics and quantum expertise with practical defense and space insight – exactly what’s needed to bring quantum imaging into operational reality.”

About the Leadership

Johannes Galatsanos, Co-Founder and CEO, has over 15 years of experience in AI, Quantum Tech, and Operations. He’s an MIT and Oxford graduate, and has been an MIT researcher, Executive Director at Novartis, and Technical Consultant with a track record of building teams delivering Data and AI products across Manufacturing and R&D. 

Christine Wang, Co-Founder and CTO, did her Ph.D. at Harvard and Post-Docs at EPFL and Max Planck Institute. She has over 20 years experience in designing and prototyping photonics and optics devices for defense and commercial use, latest as Director of Optics and Photonics at Riverside Research and Principal Scientist at Draper Labs.

Prof. Saikat Guha, Co-Founder and CSA, is a world-renowned scholar in quantum sensing with over 100 papers and patents, over 10,000 citations, and inventor of Diffraqtion’s patented quantum imaging IP. He’s an IEEE Fellow, Distinguished Chair Prof. at the University of Maryland, adjunct faculty at MIT, and Director at the NSF Center for Quantum Networks.

Mark Michael, Head of Product, is the ex-CTO and Co-Founder of Kepler Communications, one of North America’s largest space companies. He is an Engineering graduate from University of Toronto and worked at IBM before Kepler.

About Diffraqtion

Diffraqtion is a Somerville, MA, space startup building the world’s first quantum camera powering the largest ultra-high-resolution imaging satellite network. Combining quantum photonics and AI, Diffraqtion enables machines to see further and think faster, advancing space exploration, defense, and intelligent systems worldwide.

About QDNL Participations

QDNL Participations is a $70 million specialized investment fund dedicated to investing in early-stage quantum technology companies worldwide. Established in 2022 by General Partner Ton van ‘t Noordende, the fund’s investment team operates across the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. 

Media Contact:
[email protected] 
www.diffraqtion.com

SOURCE Diffraqtion

• Financing led by Genesys Capital with participation from Cleveland Clinic and JobsOhio Ventures
• Genesys Capital Managing Partner Jamie Stiff to join Enspire Board of Directors
• Proceeds to support continued enrollment of the RESTORE pivotal clinical trial

CLEVELAND, Jan. 13, 2026 — Enspire DBS Therapy, Inc. (“Enspire”), a clinical-stage company developing an implantable neuromodulation therapy for post-stroke recovery, today announced that it has raised $10.3 million in a Series B1 financing led by new investor Genesys Capital, with participation from existing investors Cleveland Clinic and JobsOhio Ventures.

Proceeds from the financing will be used to continue enrollment in the multicenter RESTORE pivotal clinical trial, which evaluates deep brain stimulation combined with structured rehabilitation (“DBS + Rehab”) for patients with chronic upper-extremity impairment due to stroke. The RESTORE study is designed to generate the long-term safety and effectiveness data required to support future FDA marketing authorization. Interim results are expected in mid 2027.

“This financing represents an important milestone for Enspire as we advance RESTORE through pivotal clinical development,” said Scott Kokones, Chief Executive Officer of Enspire DBS Therapy. “With strong continued support from Cleveland Clinic and JobsOhio Ventures, and the addition of Genesys Capital as a new lead investor, we are well positioned to execute our clinical strategy and advance a potential first-in-class brain therapy for stroke recovery.”

As part of the financing, Jamie Stiff, Managing Partner at Genesys Capital, will join Enspire’s Board of Directors.

“Genesys Capital invests in companies developing transformative therapies across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology,” said Stiff. “The Enspire team has made remarkable progress advancing DBS-enabled rehabilitation for patients with neurological deficits following stroke. I am excited to join the Board and support the continued clinical progress of RESTORE and the company’s long-term vision.”

About Stroke
Approximately 800,000 people in the United States experience a stroke each year, making stroke a leading cause of long-term disability. While many patients survive the acute event, persistent neurological impairment often compromises quality of life and independence, with nearly 50% of survivors requiring assistance with daily activities.

About the RESTORE Pivotal Study
The RESTORE Stroke Pivotal Study is a multicenter clinical trial evaluating the safety and effectiveness of DBS + Rehab for improving arm strength and functional recovery following stroke. DBS for post-stroke rehabilitation is investigational and is being studied under Enspire’s FDA-approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE).

Each participant is implanted with a commercially available third-party DBS system and completes a five-month outpatient rehabilitation program. Following a blinded, randomized five-month comparison between DBS + Rehab and rehabilitation-only control, participants initially assigned to control cross over to receive DBS and complete an additional five-month therapy phase. Results are expected in mid 2027.

For more information, visit ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05701280) or www.restorestrokestudy.com. The RESTORE trial is actively recruiting.

About Enspire DBS Therapy
Enspire DBS Therapy, Inc., headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is a clinical-stage medical device company focused on developing neuromodulation therapies to restore function in patients living with disability after stroke. Founded in 2010, Enspire is a Cleveland Clinic portfolio company dedicated to translating breakthrough neuroscience into clinically meaningful outcomes.

For more information, visit www.enspiredbs.com.

About Genesys Capital
Genesys Capital is a Toronto-based venture capital firm investing in early-stage life sciences companies addressing areas of significant unmet medical need. With more than 25 years of experience, Genesys has generated over 20 exits and is widely recognized as Canada’s most successful life sciences venture firm. For more information, visit www.genesyscapital.com.

SOURCE Enspire DBS Therapy, Inc.

Strategic Funding Round, Led by Sound Ventures and Joined by Corporate Investors Samsung Ventures and Qualcomm Ventures, Advances the Company’s AI Security Capabilities and Reach

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 13, 2026 — WitnessAI, the AI security platform trusted by leading enterprises, today announced strategic funding of $58 million. Led by Sound Ventures, an early investor in OpenAI, Anthropic, and SentinelOne, and with participation from Fin Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Samsung Ventures, and Forgepoint Capital Partners, the funding will be used to accelerate WitnessAI’s global go-to-market and product expansion. Today, the company also unveiled expanded agentic AI governance capabilities that bring observability to global enterprises developing and deploying AI agents.

Expanded Agentic AI Security Capabilities

WitnessAI provides the confidence layer for enterprise AI adoption. The leading AI security platform extends to secure agents in two novel ways. The first is securing AI agent activity similarly to LLM activity, monitoring which agents are active, what MCP servers and tools they are accessing, and what data they are sharing. WitnessAI can see what an agent is doing on an employee’s or customer’s behalf. By connecting the human and agentic identities and capturing the evolving decision-making context, including agent state and execution commands at runtime, WitnessAI provides explainability for agent actions. This creates powerful observability across both workforces, human and agentic.

The second is extending AI application protection from AI models to agents, safely blocking attacks and malicious prompts before they reach the agent. These capabilities enable the protection of multi-generational AI apps, built on foundational model APIs, custom LLMs, and AI agents. The platform uniquely provides policy control based on behavioral intent, understanding the meaning and intention of any prompt. This enables smarter, more accurate policy enforcement, effectively blocking advanced threats such as prompt injection or multi-turn attacks.

WitnessAI Agentic Security is available January 2026. You can learn more about these new agentic security features in our technical blog here.

Already Protecting Hundreds of Thousands of Enterprise Employees and Apps

As a leading pure-play AI security and governance vendor, WitnessAI has established the most comprehensive platform purpose-built to secure every AI environment and interaction. In the past 12 months, the company experienced over 500% growth in ARR and scaled employee headcount by 5x. Production customers include the largest publicly-held enterprises in multiple industries such as financial services, utilities, automakers, airlines, retailers, and telcos. This latest funding accelerates the company’s trajectory, providing the resources required to scale and new strategic partners to drive growth into new markets. WitnessAI last raised $27.5 million in a Series A funding round in May 2024, co-led by Google Ventures and Ballistic Ventures.

“The primary barrier to enterprise AI adoption isn’t tech debt; it’s tech doubt,” said Ashton Kutcher, General Partner at Sound Ventures. “WitnessAI has proven it can instill confidence in AI adoption, and has done so for multiple global leaders. We are thrilled to support the team as they use this capital to expand into new markets and solidify their position as the leading standard for safe, secure enterprise AI.”

“The future of AI is hybrid, spanning both cloud and edge. Qualcomm is delivering AI-first experiences across a multitude of devices, where privacy and security are paramount,” said Tushar Gupta, Vice President, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., and Managing Director, Qualcomm Ventures North America. “WitnessAI has developed a platform that governs and protects AI agents, models, applications, and users—wherever they operate. We’re excited to invest in WitnessAI as they build the essential infrastructure for the agentic era.”

“Enterprises are just getting started with mobile AI,” said a Samsung Ventures Vice President. “As models move from the cloud to the device, security organizations will require AI controls that protect devices as well as corporate desktops and servers. WitnessAI has built an architecture that can scale to handle global enterprise AI adoption, and we are happy to be part of that journey.”

“Financial Services often leads the way in new technology adoption, and AI is no exception,” said Logan Allin, Managing Partner at Fin Capital, who is investing from its SMBC Fin Atlas Beyond Fund, a part of SMBC’s corporate venture capital strategy focused on U.S. startups. “We believe that WitnessAI is poised to be the category leader in secure AI adoption for financial services institutions of all sizes across banks, asset and wealth managers, and insurers, all of whom are crossing the chasm and must do so with a robust bridge.”

“AI adoption in financial services requires not only innovation but also the highest standards of security and accountability,” said Keiji Matsunaga, General Manager of the Digital Strategy Department at SMBC. “As one of Japan’s leading financial institutions, SMBC sees great significance in supporting WitnessAI’s growth as it advances responsible AI implementation.”

“AI workflows are maturing and starting to cross corporate and cloud LLMs and agents,” said Rick Caccia, co-founder and CEO at WitnessAI. “We are the only AI security vendor that can secure every AI interaction, everywhere, with a unified solution. The alternative is trying to stitch together secure workflows using network proxies, firewalls, DLP products, and XDR agents. In short, the alternative is a complex mess.”

To learn more about WitnessAI and see its unified AI security and governance platform in action, visit here for a self-guided demo.

About WitnessAI
WitnessAI is the unified AI security and governance platform enterprises trust to govern and protect all AI activity. We provide complete, network-level visibility into every interaction including employees and autonomous agents, even in native apps where legacy tools are blind. Unlike security that relies on outdated keywords, our platform understands intent, enabling intelligent policies that stop novel threats like prompt injection while empowering productivity. Our enterprise-first, single-tenant architecture ensures data sovereignty and compliance. WitnessAI transforms security from a bottleneck into the enabler of your AI strategy as the confidence layer for enterprise AI.

Media Contact 
Jessie Birkhofer
[email protected]

SOURCE WitnessAI

Funding Round Led by Consortium of Strategic SME-Focused Investors Positions 33rd Team at the Forefront of Football Analytics and Technology Innovation

NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2026 — The 33rd Team, an emerging football intelligence and technology company founded by veteran NFL executive Mike Tannenbaum, today announced the closing of its eight-figure Series B funding round fueling its emergence as a leading cutting-edge football data and technology provider.

The latest round features notable investors including Liberty Media, FORTA Advisors, Autumn Road, Dan Senor, Nick Gross, Gary Vaynerchuk, Ryan Moore, Greg Ciongoli, George Pyne, John Low, and Silver Falcon Capital (the family office of Brian France, former NASCAR CEO). The company also expanded its cap table with some of the sharpest football minds in the game, including NFL alumnus Justin Pugh and former head coach Matt Patricia.

“This is a transformational moment for us,” said Mike Tannenbaum, CEO of The 33rd Team. “It’s a powerful validation of our vision and the new direction we’re embarking on as a company. The guidance from our investors – spanning across elite coaching, global media, technology innovation, and more – is an invaluable asset as we build the future of football.”

The round, initiated in early 2024, signaled the company’s strategic pivot away from content and media, toward technology innovation. In fewer than 17 months, The 33rd Team has taken its Zenith platform from concept to market adoption, securing deals with four NFL teams, a promising start that captured over 10% of the league for the inaugural 2025-26 season. These collaborations provide advanced on-field metrics and analytics, while positioning the company to accelerate its technology roadmap and expand its footprint across the league.

“Sports ownership is entering a period of rapid modernization, driven by private investment and aggressive adoption of next-generation technology,” said Ryan Moore, Founder of Revenant VC. “With AI accelerating this shift, it’s clear that organizations must evolve or fall behind. The 33rd Team is at the forefront of this transformation, equipping teams with the intelligence needed to navigate the competitive landscape both on and off the field.”

As part of its expanding technology platform, The 33rd Team has developed a proprietary suite of critical pre-snap data points not currently available on the market – including huddles, motions, substitutions, and formations – unlocking new layers of intelligence for teams. This data is made available to teams on a near-real-time basis following games, and is already being fully integrated into weekly pre-scout preparation and in-game management workflows across the league.

“Our foundation in deep NFL expertise, combined with a commitment to leveraging leading technologies including the new force multiplier of AI, creates an unparalleled value proposition,” said Mark Romagnoli, Chief Operating Officer of The 33rd Team. “This funding enables us to build the engine for a market changing platform, allowing the company to innovate at the intersection of on-field knowledge, advanced data, and technology to enhance team performance, fan engagement, and beyond.”

About The 33rd Team

The 33rd Team is a technology and analytics company redefining football intelligence for the modern era. Built on deep NFL front-office and coaching expertise, the company integrates advanced data engineering, AI-driven models, and proprietary on-field analytics to deliver clearer, faster, and more actionable football intelligence.

Through its expanding technology platform and strategic advisory services, The 33rd Team equips professional and collegiate teams and organizations with the tools, data, and guidance needed to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven sports landscape.

For additional information, please visit www.33rdteam.com. Follow @the33rdteamfb on X/Twitter and @the33rdteam on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contact

The 33rd Team: [email protected] or [email protected]

SOURCE The 33rd Team

New growth equity investment, led by HLM Investment Partners, will accelerate growth of the PayMedix financing platform nationally

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 13, 2026 — HPS/PayMedix, the leading healthcare financing and payments solutions provider, today announced it has closed $33 million in equity and debt financing to accelerate the growth of its groundbreaking PayMedix healthcare financing and payments solution. HLM Investment Partners, a leading healthcare investment firm, led a $16 million growth equity investment, joined by Escalate Capital Partners and RVM Enterprises, and existing investor SV Health Investors.

The funding comes at a time of notable growth for the company, as demand increases for its   innovative healthcare payments platform to improve affordable access to healthcare nationwide.

“PayMedix is a highly effective platform that streamlines the payment experience for payors, providers, and members,” said Michael Ludwig, Partner at HLM Investment Partners, who will join the HPS/PayMedix board of directors as part of the transaction. “In a time where it is critical to reduce provider abrasion and improve member affordability, we are excited to partner with Tom and the HPS/PayMedix team to accelerate growth.”

The new term debt facility of $17 million was provided by Escalate Capital Partners, a leading private credit and growth equity investment firm that services growing companies within the technology, software, services, and healthcare sectors.

“As employers, providers, and payors look for alternative financing and payment solutions to deal with the affordability crisis in healthcare, demand for PayMedix has skyrocketed in the last year,” said Tom Policelli, HPS/PayMedix CEO. “With years of 100% provider retention, over 93% employer retention, and consumer satisfaction ratings over 91%, we have proven that we have created a solution that provides value across the board. This new investment will directly support expanding our platform so more patients can get the care they need and providers can serve their communities more effectively.”

Tom Flynn, Managing Partner at SV Health Investors, commented, “We are pleased to partner with knowledgeable healthcare investors to capitalize the company for a period of rapid growth.”

About HLM Investment Partners

HLM Investment Partners is a leading healthcare investment firm, providing capital to innovative and category-defining healthcare technology and services companies. HLM works with leading growth-oriented healthcare companies that are improving the quality of healthcare while reducing overall costs. HLM has built an extensive network of talented investment professionals, deep strategic relationships and experienced industry veterans. Since its founding 40 years ago, HLM has invested more than $1 billion, building more than 100 companies.

About HPS/PayMedix

PayMedix is transforming how people access, use, and pay for healthcare by simplifying and consolidating healthcare information and payments for consumers and providers. Through guaranteed payments to providers, the SuperEOB^®, and complete interest-free financing for consumers, PayMedix is the only platform that unifies all stakeholders through a single system. PayMedix has processed over $7 billion in medical payments for hospital systems and physician practices. The acquisition of TempoPay in 2024 expanded the company’s interest-free financing platform to include pharmacy, dental, and vision expenses. For more information, visit www.paymedix.com.

SOURCE HPS/PayMedix

Investors and founders convene in New Orleans March 10–12 as the Gulf South emerges as a serious venture market

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 13, 2026 — As venture capital firms look beyond traditional coastal hubs for capital-efficient growth, The Idea Village’s 3rd Coast Venture Summit will return March 10-12, 2026 for its third year, convening national investors, founders, and ecosystem builders in New Orleans for a focused look at where the next wave of venture-scale companies is being built.

Produced by The Idea Village, the Gulf South’s leading startup accelerator, during New Orleans Entrepreneurship Week, the summit is one of the only venture convenings dedicated specifically to the Gulf South – an increasingly active region spanning future energy, industrial and infrastructure technology, logistics, maritime innovation, and applied AI. Once overlooked by coastal capital, the region is now drawing sustained investor attention. Recent national research from the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center ranks the New Orleans Metro #14 among America’s Top 20 Entrepreneurial Growth MSAs, underscoring the broader shift toward emerging markets with lower burn rates, deeper technical talent, and proximity to real-world customers.

“The Gulf South is no longer a flyover market for venture capital,” said Jon Atkinson, CEO of The Idea Village. “Founders here are building durable, revenue-driven companies in sectors that matter to the economy. The 3rd Coast Venture Summit is where investors come to understand and access that opportunity.”

Over three days, the event will feature robust programming designed to drive meaningful connections and actionable insights, including expert-led panels, curated networking opportunities, and startup showcases. Sessions will focus on where capital is flowing and why, including:

• 2026 outlook for emerging venture capital trends
• Applied and Vertical AI, with an emphasis on data advantage
• Deep-tech intelligence across supply, logistics and other frontier sectors
• Regional density and deal flow, and what investors miss when they stay concentrated on the West and East coasts
• Capital efficiency and scale, examining how companies in frontier and growth markets are building durable businesses with less burn

“Silicon Valley has long been the center of startup activity, but the ‘growth at all costs’ era is coming to an end,” said Andrew Albert, Programs Director for The Idea Village. “Investors are rediscovering the advantages of regional ecosystems where capital, incumbents, and real-world problems intersect, and the Gulf South is a prime example of how geography can strengthen venture outcomes rather than limit them.”

The 3rd Coast Venture Summit positions New Orleans as both a convening ground and a case study, offering investors front-row access to founders operating at the intersection of technology, industry, and the future of the U.S. economy. More details, including registration information, can be found at www.3rdCoastVentureSummit.com.

About The Idea Village
The Idea Village champions innovation and entrepreneurship in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf South. Since its founding in 2000, The Idea Village has supported over 23,700+ entrepreneurs with mentorship, coaching, and access to capital. Alumni companies have generated more than $2 billion in regional economic impact. A 501c3 non-profit, operating exclusively for exempt purposes, The Idea Village provides business accelerator programs that guide startups from the idea stage through venture capital rounds. The Idea Village works every day to cultivate a robust startup community and create an inclusive, vibrant, and future-driven economy. Further information can be found here: www.ideavillage.org.

Media Contact:
Addisyn Bryant
Pace Public Relations
931-801-4901
[email protected]

SOURCE The Idea Village