The funding will accelerate product development and hiring in San Francisco as AI-written code puts new pressure on the reliability of the systems running beneath it

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 4, 2026 — Convex, the backend platform designed for reliability at scale, today announced a $57 million Series B led by Insight Partners. The round also included participation from Etna Labs, as well as existing investors including a16z and Spark Capital. The round brings Convex‘s total funding to $110.5 million and will accelerate the company’s core product development, investments in agentic development tooling, and hiring at its San Francisco headquarters.

Software teams are shipping more code than ever, and increasingly it is written by AI agents, but the underlying infrastructure hasn’t kept up. When frontier coding agents build on traditional infrastructure, the results often look right and behave wrong. In Convex’s own testing, 90% of AI-built apps on a traditional database silently corrupted data in real-world use, whereas apps built on Convex had a zero percent failure rate. Convex’s platform makes correctness the default: every operation is reliable by design, every piece of the stack works together out of the box, and developers don’t have to wire anything together manually.

“Agents reach for the first thing that works, and on most backends the first thing that works is subtly, silently wrong. You’ll find out weeks later, in production,” said Jamie Turner, co-founder and CEO of Convex. “We spent our careers at Dropbox learning what it takes to make a promise to hundreds of millions of users and keep it, every time. Convex is that discipline packaged as a product: the correct thing and the easy thing are the same thing. This round is about keeping that promise as our customers grow. The mission from here is simple: make excellent architecture inevitable.”

Convex was founded in 2021 by early Dropbox infrastructure engineers, including Turner and CTO James Cowling, who previously built and scaled the storage systems behind hundreds of millions of users. Today, teams at OpenAI, Tripadvisor, Solana, Zapier, and Reducto build on Convex, and the platform powers nearly 2M applications from close to 500k developers, with over 1.2M weekly npm downloads.

“AI coding agents are changing how software gets built, but they can expose the weaknesses of traditional backends,” said Teddie Wardi, Managing Director at Insight Partners. “Convex gives developers and agents a powerful foundation where the pieces work together and reliability is built in from the start. That combination is what makes the product so compelling, and why we’re excited to partner with the team.”

About Convex
Convex is the reactive backend platform that keeps up with you and your agents. Convex comes with a database, functions, workflow, sync, search, file storage and more included; all in TypeScript with zero glue code. ACID transactions, end-to-end type safety, and realtime subscriptions are default. Founded by early Dropbox infrastructure engineers, Convex is SOC 2 Type II certified and HIPAA compliant, and is headquartered in San Francisco. Start building at convex.dev, and follow us on X @convex.

About Insight Partners
Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of December 31, 2025, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 900 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has a global presence with leadership in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insight’s mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on X @insightpartners.

SOURCE Convex

MIAMI, Aug. 4, 2026 — Non-bank funder Bizcap US has launched Line of Capital (LOC) Ultra, giving brokers, financial advisors and independent sales organizations (ISOs) a flexible funding solution to offer clients seeking ongoing access to working capital.

Available for up to $2 million, LOC Ultra is designed for businesses that regularly need access to capital, allowing approved customers to draw funds as required without submitting a new application each time. With a fixed funding cost from a 1.02 factor rate for the first four weeks and no setup fee, the product gives partners another compelling solution for clients looking for greater flexibility.

Partners can now introduce an ongoing funding solution that gives approved businesses access to capital whenever they need it, instead of arranging new financing each time a client requires funds. Clients only draw what they need, when they need it, making LOC Ultra an attractive option for businesses with recurring working capital requirements.

LOC Ultra gives partners another option for clients that may not be well served by traditional term financing offerings. It’s particularly suited to businesses that regularly purchase inventory, manage seasonal cash flow or need quick access to working capital without relying on invoice factoring or debtor finance.

The launch further strengthens Bizcap’s growing suite of financing solutions available to US businesses, following the company’s recent launch under the unified global Bizcap brand.

Albert Gahfi, Global Co-CEO of Bizcap and CEO of Bizcap US, said the launch reflects the company’s ongoing investment in partner-focused funding solutions.

“Our partners are always looking for more ways to help clients access the right funding solution for their needs,” Gahfi said.

“LOC Ultra gives brokers, advisors and ISOs another compelling option to add to their suite of solutions. Rather than returning to market every time a client needs working capital, they can introduce a flexible solution that allows eligible businesses to draw funds as required while only paying for what they use.

“It’s another example of our commitment to making it easier for partners to support more clients, solve more funding scenarios and build longer-term relationships.”

Bruce Gurvitsch, Chief Revenue Officer at Bizcap US, said LOC Ultra fills an important gap in the market for partners looking to support businesses with diverse funding needs.

“One of the biggest challenges for brokers and ISOs is finding solutions that remain valuable beyond the initial funding transaction,” Gurvitsch said.

“LOC Ultra helps change that. It gives partners a flexible facility they can introduce to eligible clients who need ongoing access to working capital, creating a smoother client experience while strengthening long-term relationships.

“It’s particularly compelling for businesses with healthy cash flow that regularly require capital. Rather than looking for a new funding solution every few months, partners can offer clients a facility that’s designed to support them as their needs evolve.”

About Bizcap

Bizcap is a global non-bank business funder offering fast, flexible financing to SMBs in the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Europe and Canada. Founded in 2019, Bizcap empowers businesses by offering approvals in as little as three hours, with same-day funding available. Bizcap has funded more than 100,000 SMBs, totaling $5 billion globally, while holding a 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating.

For more information or to partner with us and offer LOC Ultra to your clients, visit bizcapfunding.com 

Media contact

Alejandro Forero
+1 (305) 680-8830
[email protected]

SOURCE Bizcap

The fast-casual concept boasting 18.2% same-store sales growth joins Savory Fund’s powerhouse portfolio.

LEHI, Utah, Aug. 4, 2026 — Savory Fund, the restaurant-focused private equity firm behind category leaders like Swig and Mo’ Bettahs, is announcing its strategic investment in Zao Asian Grill, the fast-casual concept delivering fresh, bold, Asian-inspired cuisine to 23 locations and counting. The pan-Asian fast-casual category has been waiting for a national leader. Zao is it.

Founded in 2013 on the belief that Asian-inspired food deserves a permanent home in everyday fast-casual dining, Zao has spent years quietly building exactly that with clean ingredients, vibrant flavors, and a guest experience that is both healthy and habitual. Zao’s chef-driven menu dishes up bowls, salads, wraps, tacos, and soup featuring a variety of popular proteins, noodles, rice, vegetables, and scratch-made sauces.

“Dave Duffin and I have been circling each other’s orbit for years, always with a nod of mutual respect in this industry,” said Andrew K. Smith, managing director and co-founder of Savory Fund. “He’s one of the most instinctive brand builders I know, and I’ve spent years admiring Zao from the outside. Getting to finally roll up our sleeves and build something together, instead of just cheering him on from a distance, is the kind of partnership you don’t pass up. We can’t wait to show the country what the Mountain West already knows about Asian fast casual.”

What sets Zao apart is the team behind it. Dave Duffin, who previously founded Zuka Juice and Rumbi Island Grill, brings a founder’s instinct for what resonates with guests. Tom Hartman, with deep multi-unit operations experience across multiple restaurant brands, brings the systems, discipline, and leadership needed to scale Zao. And Paul Killpack, who spent 13 years as CFO of Café Zupas — growing it from 9 to 80+ locations — brings the financial architecture to do it right. Together, they represent 75+ combined years scaling restaurant brands.

“We’ve spent years proving that this concept works. When you offer guests approachable, flavor-forward Asian food, they’ll come back for it again and again. Watching this brand earn that loyalty, location by location, has been one of the great honors of my career,” said Dave Duffin, founder of Zao. “What we needed was a partner who could match our ambition without losing sight of what makes Zao special. Savory gets it. They’ve scaled brands before and they know the difference between growing fast and growing right. They are exactly the kind of partner we were looking for.”

Zao’s momentum is accelerating. Its same-store sales growth of 18.2% has the brand primed for the next phase. To fuel that growth, Zao has partnered with Columbia Bank on a $12.5 million debt facility designed to accelerate new location development. With 10+ new locations projected through 2027 and strongholds across the Mountain West, Zao is ready to bring its craveable menu to communities nationwide.

Zao Asian Grill marks the fourth investment in Savory Fund III, joining South Block, Bonrue, and Hawkers in a portfolio built for the next era of emerging restaurant growth. To learn more, visit SavoryFund.com.

ABOUT SAVORY FUND
Savory is an innovative private equity firm that combines over $750 million in assets under management with a growth playbook and expertise developed over 18 years of operating in the restaurant industry. Visit SavoryFund.com.

ABOUT ZAO ASIAN GRILL
Zao Asian Grill is a 23-unit fast-casual restaurant concept specializing in fresh, made-to-order Asian-inspired bowls, noodles, and wraps. Visit ZaoAsianGrill.com.

SOURCE Savory Fund

NEW YORK, Aug. 4, 2026 — Left Lane Capital today announced a new round of internal promotions spanning its investment, Accelerate, finance, and operations teams — continuing the firm’s deliberate commitment to building leadership from within. Complementing these advancements, the firm also welcomed six new investors to further expand its reach across the consumer and technology landscape.

Investment Team

Arjun Kapur and Paddy Dillon have each been promoted to Principal. Arjun is based in Left Lane’s New York office, and Paddy in the firm’s London office. Both have demonstrated strong investment judgment and deep capability across sourcing, diligence, and relationship building across the ecosystem.

Accelerate Team

Left Lane’s Accelerate team is the firm’s dedicated portfolio support function, working directly with founders to drive growth through network, talent, marketing, and operational expertise.

Alex Wu has been promoted to Partner of Talent and Erica Amatori to Partner of Platform. As Partners, both will take on expanded firm-wide leadership and responsibilities while continuing to drive meaningful value for Left Lane’s portfolio companies.

Finance & Operations

Liz Atkisson has been promoted to SVP of Finance, Compliance, and Operations and Elizabeth Donovan has been promoted to VP of Investor Relations & Business Development. Each helps to anchor the firm’s financial, operational, and LP-facing infrastructure.

Alongside these promotions are eight additional advancements across the investment, Accelerate, and finance teams.

About Left Lane
Founded in 2019, Left Lane is a global venture capital and growth equity firm investing in hyper-growth consumer and internet technology businesses with enduring customer relationships. With a lean but mighty team managing approximately $3.8 billion in assets under management, Left Lane is built to operate as a focused, high-performance firm, empowering its people with meaningful responsibility and long-term ownership.

New funding will accelerate Delightree’s mission to bring agentic AI to the operators, franchisees, and frontline teams who power Main Street

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 4, 2026 — Delightree, the AI operating system for franchise and multi-unit brands, today announced $25 million in funding from Innovius, Accel, Timber Grove Ventures, and Emergent. The funding will accelerate Delightree’s expansion across restaurants, fitness, wellness, retail, healthcare, and home services, industries that employ more than 50 million Americans yet have not benefited from recent advances in AI.

Demand has accelerated since Delightree launched its AI-powered operating system just over two years ago. Revenue has grown nearly 20x, and the platform is now used across more than 6,000 locations nationwide.

Customers including [solidcore], Dunn Brothers Coffee, JETSET, Five Star Franchising, MOOYAH Burgers, and Beem Light Sauna use Delightree to streamline training, compliance, communications, audits, and new location openings across distributed operations. Delightree has added customers spanning fitness, food and beverage, franchising, retail, and other multi-location industries.

“Most software built for multi-unit businesses was designed to track operations, not run them,” said Tushar Mishra, CEO and co-founder of Delightree. “Operators don’t need another dashboard. They need a system that helps every location execute consistently, from training and compliance to daily operations and performance. Enterprise chains have long had access to sophisticated operational infrastructure. We believe every operator on Main Street should have access to those same capabilities.”

The AI Operating System for the Physical Economy

Multi-unit businesses operate with fragmented systems for training, compliance, communications, audits, and task management. Today Delightree replaced those disconnected tools with a single operations layer, and tomorrow they will put AI in charge of running it. Instead of an operator combing through dashboards to find what’s broken, AI will work as a 24/7 ops manager: it will surface issues as they happen, track remediation to close, and assign owners without being asked. Teams won’t need to chase information; they’ll just start acting on it.

A frontline employee can ask, “How do I comp a customer?” instead of searching through manuals. A franchisee can compare labor costs or operational performance against the rest of the system in real time, without waiting on corporate reports. A franchisor can see exactly where launches are delayed, where standards are slipping, and what actions need attention next.

Delightree acts as a companion for frontline employees, a coach for franchisees, and an operating team for franchisors. Across the customer base, businesses on Delightree open new locations two to three months faster, a reduction of 25 percent or more for a typical operator, while frontline teams reclaim up to 30 percent of their time and have less turnover through automation and centralized execution.

JETSET Pilates partnered with Delightree to automate studio launches and onboarding workflows as JETSET expanded nationwide. Slick City leverages Delightree to centralize safety inspections, audits, and compliance workflows across locations. Five Star Franchising used Delightree to consolidate manuals, communications, training, and operational visibility across its franchise portfolio.

“The most powerful thing AI can do for the American economy isn’t eliminate a job. It’s to create an owner,” said Madhulika Mukherjee, co-founder of Delightree. “For decades, operational advantages at scale have been concentrated among the largest chains. We believe AI can make those capabilities accessible to every franchisee, operator, and growing brand.”

New Investment Supports Next Phase of Growth

With the new funding, Delightree plans to expand its engineering and product teams, accelerate development of its AI operating system, and continue building capabilities that help franchise and multi-unit brands automate operations at scale.

The company sees a significant opportunity to bring operational intelligence and execution support to industries that have historically lacked access to the technology infrastructure available to large enterprises. Future investments will focus on helping operators reduce management overhead, launch new locations faster, improve consistency across distributed teams, and give frontline employees instant access to the information they need to do their jobs.

“Scaling a distributed business has historically required adding layers of management and operational overhead,” said Xiaolei Cong, Partner at Innovius. “Delightree is building a much more scalable operating model for how these businesses train teams, maintain standards, and coordinate execution across locations.”

“Backing 7 Brew Coffee, Insomnia Cookies, and Sweetgreen early showed us what separates local brands from national ones: technology once reserved for the largest chains,” said Daniel Fleischmann, Partner at Timber Grove Ventures. “Delightree is giving operators access to capabilities that can accelerate expansion, improve execution, and help build the next generation of category-defining brands.”

About Delightree

Delightree is the AI-powered operating system for multi-unit businesses. The platform helps operators manage training, compliance, audits, communications, and new-location launches across distributed teams from a single system. Built originally for franchises and now expanding across the broader physical economy, Delightree helps businesses scale operations faster while improving consistency, visibility, and frontline execution.

For more information, visit www.delightree.com

SOURCE Delightree

Season One Debuts as a Four-Episode Unscripted Series Following Six U.S. Startup Founders as They Navigate the Pressure, Personalities, Pivots, and Preparation Leading to the 2026 CodeLaunch U.S. Championship.

PLANO, Texas, Aug. 4, 2026 — CodeLaunch today announced the launch of “Next Founder Up,” its first original episodic reality series, premiering August 5 on YouTube.

The four-episode series takes viewers inside the high-stakes journey of six U.S. ventures as they prepare to compete in the 2026 CodeLaunch U.S. Championship, where one startup will win and advance to the CodeLaunch World Championship.

Premiering weekly throughout August, the series gives audiences an unfiltered look at what happens before founders step onto the competition stage. From product development and pitch preparation to personal sacrifices, unexpected challenges, and the relationships formed throughout the process, Next Founder Up captures the realities of building a startup under pressure.

Season 1 concludes on August 26 at 7pm ET with an interactive livestream finale. The live audience can vote in real time as founders compete for a berth into the 2026 CodeLaunch World Championship on November 11 in Dallas, where they will battle against the champions from CodeLaunch Canada (September 16 in Toronto) and CodeLaunch LATAM (October 14 in Guadalajara, MX), for $50,000.

“Next Founder Up is about more than startups and pitches. It’s about people willing to bet on themselves.” – Jason W. Taylor, President and Founder of CodeLaunch.

Next Founder Up marks CodeLaunch’s first original reality competition series, expanding the organization beyond its signature Venturetainment-style in-person showcase events.

“CodeLaunch gave us more than a stage. It gave us momentum. I’m excited to see the next generation of founders get their shot on Next Founder Up!” – Riley Keen, CEO of CharaChorder, CodeLaunch Finalist in 2019.

The founder-first approach continues to drive CodeLaunch’s mission of creating more investible early-stage ventures while giving innovators the resources, connections, and visibility needed to grow.

“We’re proud to support a platform that strengthens the startup ecosystem and exemplifies Improving’s commitment to Conscious Capitalism.” – Curtis Hite, CEO, Improving, parent company of CodeLaunch.

SEASON 1 RELEASE SCHEDULE

Episode 1 — August 5 Noon CT
From 290 to 6, who will make the cut?

Episode 2 — August 12 Noon CT
The 6 finalists accelerate their digital products with Improving PCL (Professional Coder League) teams.

Episode 3 — August 19 Noon CT
With Championship Day approaching, every decision matters.

Episode 4 Livestream — August 26 6pm CT
The journey concludes with the CodeLaunch U.S. Championship, during which livestream audiences can watch the competition and vote in parallel with the in-person studio audience through Improving’s LaunchKings platform to determine which founder wins, and advances to the World Championship.

ABOUT CODELAUNCH
CodeLaunch is a startup accelerator competition and live Venturetainment platform that connects early-stage tech founders with investors, mentors, corporate partners, and professional software engineering teams from Improving, to accelerate startup growth and visibility.

Since its founding in 2013, CodeLaunch has accelerated hundreds of startups across North America and Latin America to transform ambitious digital product ventures into scalable companies without taking equity. Through its founder-first model, CodeLaunch elevates founder visibility and produces startups more prepared to raise investment funding while enabling founders to retain full ownership of their companies, and elevating their digital products.

MEDIA CONTACT & RESOURCES
Dez Ewell
Phone: (214) 613-4456
Website: codelaunch.com
Next Founder Up: youtube.com/c/CodeLaunch

SOURCE CodeLaunch

Financing will fund mass production of precision strike and counter-UAS systems already engaged on the Ukrainian front, as Isengard expands agreements with allied militaries across Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East.

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 4, 2026 — Backswing Ventures, the defense-focused venture capital firm, today announced its participation in Isengard Industries‘ latest financing round alongside A3 Management Group and other strategic investors.

The financing will support Isengard’s development of precision strike systems, counter-UAS capabilities, and the advanced manufacturing needed to produce critical military capabilities at scale for the U.S. and its allies.

As geopolitical competition accelerates and global conflicts expose weaknesses across the defense industrial base, the ability to manufacture munitions faster, cheaper, and at greater scale has become a strategic imperative. Backswing Ventures invests in founders building not just new autonomous systems and software, but the industrial capacity to sustain them — and sees companies like Isengard as a critical layer of that future.

Founded by Francisco Serra-Martins, Isengard Industries is rethinking how these systems are designed, produced, and deployed, helping build a more resilient defense industrial base capable of meeting growing allied demand.

The company has already shown strong early traction, with agreements and partnerships spanning allied militaries across Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East, with early engagement underway with U.S. Army units.

“We’re excited to partner with Isengard Industries as they tackle one of the most critical challenges facing the defense industrial base,” said Kyle Asman, Founder & Managing Partner of Backswing Ventures. “Advanced systems only matter if they can be produced and delivered at the scale required, and Isengard is building the capabilities to help address that challenge.”

“War is won in the factory as much as at the front, and years in Ukraine proved it to us,” said Francisco Serra-Martins, Founder and CEO of Isengard Industries. “Isengard builds weapons of mass production: scalable, attritable mass that lets the West outproduce and outfight our adversaries. Backswing Ventures’ backing puts that capability into production at scale.”

Isengard plans to use the new capital to execute on its growing contract pipeline, expand operational capacity, and establish a U.S. base of operations, with Florida currently under evaluation as a potential site.

For more information, visit https://backswingventures.com/ and https://isengardindustries.com/.

About Backswing Ventures 

Backswing Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on dual-use and defense technology companies. The firm invests in businesses building next-generation capabilities across aerospace, autonomy, defense systems, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and national security technologies. Follow Backswing Ventures on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Medium, and Substack for more company updates.

About Isengard Industries 

Isengard Industries builds precision strike systems, counter-UAS technologies, and the scalable manufacturing behind them — strengthening the defense industrial base by enabling rapid production and deployment for the U.S. and its allies. Follow Isengard Industries on LinkedIn for more company updates.

Backswing Ventures | [email protected] 

SOURCE Backswing Ventures

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. and BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 4, 2026 — CND Life Sciences, a leading neurodiagnostics company advancing objective biomarker-based testing for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the completion of growth financing led by S-Curve Partners, an operator-led healthcare investment firm focused on founder-inspired healthcare technology and diagnostics businesses. S-Curve was joined by current CND investors and shareholders, reflecting continued confidence in the Company’s commercial trajectory, expanding clinical adoption, and long-term strategic positioning.

“We are pleased to deepen our relationship with S-Curve Partners and grateful for the continued support of existing investors and shareholders,” said Rick Morello, CND’s Chief Executive Officer. “S-Curve’s confidence in CND’s mission reflects the progress our team has made in expanding clinical adoption and advancing the science behind our scalable neurodiagnostics platform.”

CND is best known for the Syn-One Test, the first commercially available skin biopsy-based laboratory developed test (LDT) designed to detect abnormal, or phosphorylated, alpha-synuclein and other pathological markers. The Syn-One platform assists clinicians in evaluating patients with suspected Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, REM sleep behavior disorder, and related synucleinopathies. Since 2020, Syn-One has been used by more than 4,000 neurologists and other clinicians across the United States to support the diagnostic evaluation of more than 60,000 patients. Syn-One is supported by a growing body of peer-reviewed clinical evidence assessing cutaneous phosphorylated alpha-synuclein as a biomarker of synucleinopathies.

Proceeds from the financing will support sustained growth of the Syn-One platform, expansion of commercial initiatives, product innovation, strategic partnerships, and incorporation of Syn-One into a broader multimodal biomarker capability designed to support clinical diagnosis and disease characterization of neurodegenerative disorders. The financing comes at a time of heightened interest in objective biomarkers, earlier diagnosis, and precision medicine approaches within neurology.

“As a neurologist, I am encouraged to see the neuroscience field move toward multimodal biomarkers and earlier intervention,” said Todd Levine, MD, CND’s Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder. “This financing gives us the flexibility to invest in innovation, expand access to the Syn-One platform, and strengthen our pharmaceutical and research relationships.”

“Neurodegenerative diseases remain among the most underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed conditions in medicine, and as disease-modifying therapies emerge, objective biomarkers will only become more essential for clinicians, patients, researchers, and pharmaceutical companies,” said Daniel Livschutz, Founding Partner of S-Curve Partners. “We believe CND has built one of the most differentiated platforms in neurodiagnostics, and this financing is intended to accelerate its evolution from a category-defining product to a broader platform supporting earlier diagnosis, disease differentiation, and more personalized care. We look forward to partnering with the entire CND team.”

About CND Life Sciences

CND Life Sciences is a neurodiagnostics company focused on advancing objective biomarker-based approaches for neurodegenerative disease diagnosis and research. The Company developed the Syn-One Test^®, a proprietary skin biopsy-based diagnostic test designed to detect abnormal alpha-synuclein and other pathological markers to support the diagnosis of synucleinopathies including Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, and related disorders. Since 2020, more than 4,000 neurologists and other clinicians have ordered the Syn-One Test to support their diagnostic evaluation of patients.

The Syn-One Test is intended to provide objective pathological information to assist clinicians in the evaluation of patients with suspected synucleinopathies. Test results should be interpreted in conjunction with clinical findings and other diagnostic information.

The company also collaborates with biopharmaceutical companies on clinical trials for investigational therapies and is conducting studies on early disease detection and synuclein quantification. For more information, visit cndlifesciences.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.

About S-Curve Partners

S-Curve Partners is an operator-led healthcare investment firm that partners with businesses at critical inflection points to accelerate growth and create long-term enterprise value. Focused on healthcare technology, diagnostics, AI-driven platforms, and tech-enabled services, S-Curve provides more than capital, combining strategic resources, operational expertise, and deep industry relationships to help companies scale. Led by former founders and operators who have successfully built, acquired, scaled, and exited healthcare businesses, the firm is guided by a simple philosophy: identify transformational companies, support them through active partnership, and help them realize their full potential through S-Curve inflection.

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding expected growth, product development, commercialization initiatives, strategic partnerships, and market opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from current expectations.

Media Contacts

CND Life Sciences: [email protected] 

S-Curve Partners: [email protected] 

SOURCE CND Life Sciences

Equity crowdfunding fuels manufacturing expansion, retail growth, and product innovation for the creator of the world’s first alcohol-filled popping boba.

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 4, 2026 — Unifying Spirits announces the successful close of its Wefunder equity crowdfunding campaign, raising $2.238 million from 462 investors to accelerate the growth of Boba POPS^®, the first and only alcohol-filled popping boba.

This campaign brings the company’s total equity financing to approximately $8 million, with approximately half of the capital coming from experienced beverage industry investors. The raise reflects growing confidence in Boba POPS^® as the company continues to redefine the beverage alcohol industry through patented innovation, rapid retail expansion, and product development.

Since launching, Boba POPS^® has experienced remarkable momentum. The company generated $2.8 million in revenue in 2025, representing 3.6x year-over-year growth, and has expanded into more than 10,000 points of distribution across 75 national retail chains. Protected by patents through 2035, Boba POPS^® remains the first and only alcohol-filled popping boba on the market, creating an entirely new category within beverage alcohol.

“This campaign represents much more than capital; it represents a community of people who believe in where we’re headed,” said Ray Rozycki, CEO of Unifying Spirits. “The enthusiasm we’ve seen from both consumers and investors reinforces that people are looking for new experiences in beverage alcohol. We’re excited to build on this momentum as we expand our production capabilities, introduce new products, and bring Boba POPS^® to even more consumers nationwide.”

The new funding will support several strategic initiatives, including:

• Expanding U.S. manufacturing operations with a fivefold increase in production capacity.
• Accelerating national retail expansion and increasing distribution.
• Growing partnerships with bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
• Advancing product innovation, including the upcoming ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage line.

Unlike traditional beverage brands, Boba POPS^® enhances cocktails, champagne, seltzers, and other beverages with alcohol-filled pearls that burst with flavor, creating an interactive drinking experience. The product sits at the intersection of experiential drinking, bubble tea culture, and evolving consumer preferences, helping define an entirely new category within beverage alcohol.

The company is also expanding its domestic production capabilities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where new proprietary equipment is expected to increase manufacturing capacity by approximately five times while strengthening supply chain control and supporting future growth. This expansion will position Boba POPS^® to meet growing consumer demand and support continued retail and on-premise expansion nationwide.

About Boba POPS^®:
Boba POPS^® (Pearls Of Popping Spirits) are the first and only alcohol-filled popping boba, delivering a unique, sensory-driven way to enjoy spirits. Designed to elevate cocktails and beverages with a burst of flavor, Boba POPS^® combine innovation, versatility, and visual appeal to create a new category within beverage alcohol. Available in Blueberry Boba POPS, Strawberry Boba POPS^®, Raspberry Boba POPS^®, Peach Boba POPS^®, Lychee Boba POPS^®, Espresso Boba POPS^®, Margarita Style Boba POPS^®, and Piña Colada Style Boba POPS^®, the brand is rapidly expanding across retail and on-premise channels nationwide.
Learn more at: https://www.bobapops.com

About Unifying Spirits:
Unifying Spirits is an innovation-driven beverage company focused on developing and scaling differentiated products within the spirits industry. Backed by a management team with a track record of building and exiting high-value beverage brands, the company combines proprietary technology, specialized manufacturing capabilities, and strategic distribution to bring new concepts to market. Unifying Spirits is the creator and sole producer of Boba POPS^®, supported by patented manufacturing processes and purpose-built production facilities in the United States.
Learn more at: https://www.unifyingspirits.com

About Wefunder:
Wefunder is a leading equity crowdfunding platform that enables companies to raise capital from their communities of customers, supporters, and investors. By connecting founders with a broad network of individuals, Wefunder provides access to investment opportunities in emerging brands and helps companies expand their reach while building deeper engagement with their audiences.
Learn more at: https://wefunder.com

For More Information:
Boba POPS^® Wefunder Campaign

SOURCE Boba POPS