Raising Series B Related Funding to $59M

REDMOND, Wash., July 22, 2025 — Lumotive, the pioneer in programmable optical semiconductor technology, today announced investments from Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund and ITHCA Group. The investments will help Lumotive to rapidly accelerate product deployments in industrial applications and enhance its global market presence.

The Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund backs technologies that advance automation, robotics, and next-generation industrial systems. Its support of Lumotive signals confidence in the company’s game-changing approach— replacing bulky mechanical optical components with a fully digital, reconfigurable semiconductor. Lumotive’s LCM™ platform enables a new era of intelligent perception systems that are compact, software-defined, and essential for the factories, robots, and logistics networks of the future. With Amazon’s backing, Lumotive joins a select group of transformative companies shaping the future of automation and industrial AI.

“We invest in breakthrough technologies that redefine what’s possible—and Lumotive is doing  just that,” said Franziska Bossart, Director, Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. “With their programmable optical beamforming chips, Lumotive is building a critical foundation for the next generation of intelligent machines. We’re excited to support their mission and see broad potential for their technology in industrial automation, robotics, and beyond.”

Additionally, the investment from ITHCA Group, Oman’s sovereign tech fund, reflects a strategic alignment with Lumotive’s breakthrough technology and the country’s digital transformation goals. As Oman accelerates smart infrastructure and AI initiatives, Lumotive’s entry into the region positions both sides to benefit from regional momentum and global innovation.

“This strategic investment reflects our confidence in Lumotive’s world-class technology and its potential impact on the region,” said Said bin Abdullah Al Mandhari, CEO of ITHCA Group. “Lumotive’s presence in Oman strengthens our innovation ecosystem and supports national priorities across telecommunications, AI, and smart infrastructure. We’re proud to welcome Lumotive to our growing portfolio of future-focused companies.”

“These investments reinforce the transformational potential of our programmable optical semiconductor platform,” said Dr. Sam Heidari, CEO of Lumotive. “As global industries embrace software-defined automation, Lumotive is uniquely positioned to deliver the intelligent sensing solutions needed for the future of robotics, logistics, and manufacturing. This funding fuels our mission to scale rapidly and lead this new wave of innovation.”

The investments by Amazon and ITHCA Group, together with financing by Stifel Bank, expand the company’s Series B-related funding and add to previous investments from EDOM, East Bridge, Gates Frontier, Grazia, HiMax, Hokuyo, MetaVC Partners, Quan Funds, Swisscom Ventures, and TSVC. As adoption of its optical semiconductor platform accelerates, Lumotive is positioned to power the next generation of applications across automation, mobility, smart infrastructure, and beyond.

About Lumotive 
Lumotive is pioneering the era of programmable optics—where light is controlled as intelligently and flexibly as software.

Our patented Light Control Metasurface (LCM™) transforms photonics into a digital platform, unlocking breakthroughs in sensing, optical switching, and communication. Today, LCM technology is powering a new generation of solid-state Lidar systems—compact, software-defined, and high-performance solutions for autonomy, robotics, and smart infrastructure. With more than 200 patents and growing commercial traction, Lumotive is delivering the world’s first digital platform for light—and redefining what’s possible in the optical age. Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Lumotive is backed by leading investors including Gates Frontier, MetaVC Partners, Quan Funds, Swisscom Ventures, Samsung Ventures, Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, and ITHCA. For more information, visit www.lumotive.com.

Contact: David Wamsley, [email protected]

SOURCE Lumotive

• NUS will invest S$50 million (US$39 million) in selected venture capital (VC) firms to provide structured support for NUS tech start-ups.
• S$100 million will be committed to an autonomous investment fund focused on NUS-affiliated start-ups, with the flexibility to invest alongside selected VC partners.

SINGAPORE, July 22, 2025 — Asia is grappling with a prolonged funding winter, with venture capital investments falling sharply to a 10-year low of S$85 billion (US$66 billion). With a five per cent decline from 2023, early-stage funding totalled less than S$38 billion (US$29 billion) in 2024^[1]. To address the critical funding and mentorship gaps faced by tech start-ups, NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore (NUS) — flagship comprehensive research university in Singapore, is committing S$150 million (US$116 million) to launch the NUS VC Programme.

The initiative aims to enhance support for early-stage tech innovation by focusing on high-potential ventures within the NUS ecosystem, including start-ups from the National Graduate Research Innovation Programme (National GRIP). National GRIP empowers innovators to transform lab-based research discoveries into globally competitive, market-ready ventures.

“As the region faces a sharp pullback in venture capital activity, we see the new NUS VC Programme — the first of its kind initiative by a university in Asia — as a critical enabler. Research-based start-ups face distinct challenges, including R&D cycles that are much longer than traditional start-ups, making them especially vulnerable in today’s cautious investment environment. This programme brings together capital, strategic partnerships, and specialised venture expertise to create a more resilient path from lab to market,” said Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President.

Beyond capital: Money and expertise

The programme comprises two key components.

First, NUS will commit S$50 million (US$39 million) over the next three years in selected venture capital firms with strong track records in early-stage deep tech investments. These firms will provide structured, hands-on support to start-ups, including time, expertise, and access to their networks to help them scale effectively.

The first two VC partners are Granite Asia, a leading multi-asset investment platform with a 25-year track record of backing breakthrough technology ventures globally, and 4BIO Capital, a specialist life sciences investor focused on advanced therapeutics. (Refer to Annexes A and B for details on the structured initiatives developed by NUS in collaboration with these partners and their quotes.)

Second, NUS will set aside S$100 million (US$78 million) for co-investments alongside these VC partners. These co-investments will be targeted at NUS-affiliated start-ups.

Complementing National GRIP with expert VC support for NUS start-ups

Many National GRIP start-ups are still in the early stages of technological readiness and require continued, strategic support to advance from lab to market. The NUS VC Programme complements the National GRIP framework by addressing this need for downstream venture development. While GRIP currently provides up to S$250,000 (US$194,000) in seed funding per start-up, the VC Programme focuses on accelerating post-seed growth and preparing ventures for external capital.

What sets this effort apart is the direct engagement with leading venture capital firms selected not only for their track records, but also for their market access in global innovation hubs. By combining capital with deep venture expertise, the programme offers structured support including mentorship, investor feedback, market entry, fundraising networks, and operational guidance.

“National GRIP is an important first step in helping deep tech start-ups take root,” said Dr Tan Sian Wee, NUS Senior Vice President (Innovation & Enterprise). “The VC Programme builds on this by pairing promising ventures with globally connected investors, enabling a more complete pathway to scale and commercial success. This is essential given that most start-ups struggle to move beyond early-stage innovation toward impactful, real-world deployment.”

For media enquiries, please contact:

For NUS Enterprise (APRW on behalf of NUS Enterprise):
Aye Mya Mya Toe (Mya)
+65 9237 4813
[email protected]

Bijal Doshi
+65 9754 7691
[email protected]

SOURCE NUS Enterprise

The global project leverages Viam’s AI technology to transform how nuclear waste is managed over time

NEW YORK, July 22, 2025 — Viam, the engineering platform for data, AI and automation, today announced a partnership with Swiss nuclear engineering company Transmutex. Viam’s platform supports Transmutex in building robust and enduring ion source systems that break down nuclear waste.

Transmutex is focused on transforming long-lived radioactive waste into shorter-lived isotopes, addressing a critical challenge in nuclear waste management. While ion sources are critical to nuclear waste transmutation, they are typically optimized for performance rather than longevity. When an ion source shut offs unexpectedly, it can take up to 5 days to restart fully. Reducing these shut downs requires collecting detailed data from a complex network of sensors and leveraging AI/ML to identify root causes.

Viam provides the infrastructure to capture this data and build AI models that can pinpoint error sources in real time. The insights gained can quickly diagnose hardware failures and identify optimization opportunities, allowing Transmutex to quickly get reliable ion sources back up and running.

“Transmutex is working to combat one of the most complex challenges in the nuclear energy sector,” said Viam Founder and CEO Eliot Horowitz. “Our work together demonstrates Viam’s ability to drive actionable insights within even the most complex of systems.” 

Transmutex’s project is supported by a $4.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E under the NEWTON program. The Geneva, Switzerland-based Transmutex was founded in 2019 by former CERN physicists and focuses on advancing technologies for nuclear waste transmutation, including accelerator-driven systems (ADS) and fast neutron reactors, which promise safer, more efficient waste management.

“To solve major challenges around nuclear waste, we need advanced technology that can help build enduring ion sources,” said Franklin Servan-Schreiber, Co-Founder and CEO of Transmutex. “Viam exists at the intersection of data and AI, allowing us to access a level of real-time visibility that is essential for our operations.” 

Viam’s platform helps companies add cutting-edge capabilities to existing systems and build new ones fast by integrating AI, robotics, data and automation. The company was launched in 2020 by Eliot Horowitz, former co-founder and CTO of MongoDB. Earlier this year, Viam closed a Series C funding round led by Union Square Ventures.

About Viam
Viam helps companies unlock the power of AI, data and automation in the physical world. We provide a single platform for engineers of all disciplines to solve problems together and build solutions that are fast and future-proof. Viam powers solutions across robotics, food and beverage, climate tech, marine, industrial manufacturing, and more. Founded in 2020 by former MongoDB co-founder and CTO Eliot Horowitz, Viam is headquartered in New York City. viam.com

About Transmutex
Transmutex is pioneering a unique accelerator driven subcritical transmutation technology and providing a comprehensive solution to the burden of long-lived, highly radioactive nuclear waste. Conceived at Los Alamos National Laboratory and demonstrated at CERN, our proprietary technology dramatically reduces the lifetime of nuclear waste from up to one million years to approximately 500 years, while also decreasing required storage volume by more than 5x times.  Transmuting high level nuclear waste also produces essential rare industrial metals, life-saving medical isotopes and genuinely green energy while breeding fuel that enables energy sovereignty. Founded in 2019 with headquarters in Switzerland, Transmutex has established deep collaborations with top-tier research institutions while securing backing from leading venture capital partners. transmutex.com

Media Contacts:

Christopher Farrell
Beginners
[email protected]

SOURCE Viam, Inc.

HUNTINGTON, N.Y., July 22, 2025 — Sen-Jam Pharmaceuticals today announced the launch of the Healthspan Catalyst Fund—introducing two powerful new pathways for individuals and institutions to support and participate in the company’s mission to radically transform how inflammation-driven diseases are prevented and treated. Inflammation, the silent culprit behind 75% of chronic conditions, is a primary driver of America’s declining healthspan. Sen-Jam’s breakthrough platform uniquely targets all five pathways of inflammation, leapfrogging traditional biotech to deliver low-cost, fast-tracked solutions that treat further upstream, mitigating disease before it takes root.

With this initiative, Sen-Jam is not only accelerating science, but also revolutionizing access—opening the door for both legacy philanthropists and everyday investors to engage in the upside of early-stage biotech innovation.

Supporters now have two ways to join the movement:

1. Philanthropic Giving through CataCap – Foundations, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), and individual philanthropists can make tax-deductible contributions or program-related investments (PRIs) via CataCap, a 501(c)(3) intermediary administered by ImpactAssets.
2. Community Investing on Wefunder – Accredited and non-accredited investors alike may invest in Sen-Jam’s anti-inflammatory portfolio through a Regulation CF round on Wefunder (minimum investment: $250).

“Whether you’re a philanthropist focused on public-health impact or an investor seeking participation in our upside, we now have an on-ramp for everyone,” said Jim Iversen, Co- Founder & CEO of Sen-Jam Pharmaceuticals. “Together, we can compress the timeline between drug discovery and patient benefit and usher in a new era upending sickcare to celebrate longer, healthier lives.“

Launch Goal: $25,000 by August 8, 2025

Achieving this target will activate Sen-Jam’s public listing on the CataCap platform, unlocking a broader universe of mission-aligned donors and matching opportunities.
Use of Funds All proceeds—philanthropic and investment—will fuel pre-clinical and clinical research on inflammation-driven, age-related diseases and advance Sen-Jam’s lead clinical programs, including the Phase 2 trial for SJP-001 (Alcohol related Inflammation).

How to Participate
Tax-Deductible Path: Make a contribution or PRI via CataCap
Investment Path: Review offering documents and invest on Wefunder

About Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical
Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering pleiotropic anti-inflammatory regulators (PAIR technology) to address conditions ranging from alcohol hangover to chronic metabolic disease. The company has over 60 patents across 23 countries and partners with leading institutions including Duke University, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and KVK-Tech.

Media &Investor Contact
Christine Leonard, Director of Strategic Communications
[email protected] • 781-913-1902

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially. Equity investments are speculative and not insured; review all offering materials before investing.

SOURCE Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical

SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2025 — Composio today announces $25 million in Series A funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners to tackle the fundamental limitation preventing AI agents from transforming enterprise workflows: they don’t learn from experience.

Several industry leaders also participated in the round, including Guillermo Rauch (Vercel CEO), Dharmesh Shah (HubSpot CTO & Founder), Gokul Rajaram, and Soham Mazumdar (Rubrik Co-founder), alongside institutional investors SV Angel, Blitzscaling Ventures, Operator Partners, and Agent Fund by Yohei Nakajima. Existing investors Elevation Capital and Together Fund also participated, bringing the total funding to $29 million.

The Real Reason AI Agents Aren’t Transforming Work Yet

Despite the hype, Fortune 500 companies aren’t using AI agents to transform their workflows, not because management is resistant to change, but because current AI lacks a fundamental capability: the ability to improve through practice.

“You can spend hundreds of hours building LLM tools, tweaking prompts, and refining instructions, but you hit a wall,” says Soham Ganatra, CEO of Composio. “These models don’t get better at their jobs the way a human employee would. They can’t build context, learn from mistakes, or develop the subtle understanding that makes human workers invaluable. We’re solving this at the infrastructure level.”

Composio’s approach centers on creating a shared learning layer for AI agents. When an agent on the platform learns how to handle a Salesforce integration edge case, optimize a GitHub workflow, or scaffold a database using Supabase MCP, that knowledge becomes available to every other agent—creating a network effect where the entire ecosystem improves together.

Building the Missing Infrastructure

The company started building Composio two years ago, before AI agents became the current hype, recognizing that making agents truly useful would require solving fundamental infrastructure problems. The team tackled complex challenges including multi-agent coordination, authentication across enterprise systems, and building scalable infrastructure that now processes millions of requests daily.

Most importantly, they developed a reinforcement learning layer that enables AI to build intuition from experience—something missing from conventional approaches.

“The challenge isn’t making AI smarter in isolation,” explains Ganatra. “It’s giving AI the ability to accumulate practical knowledge the way humans do—but at the scale and speed only software can achieve.”

Early Traction Points to Market Demand

The platform has attracted over 100,000 developers, with adoption accelerating among AI-first companies. Top companies from the latest YC batches like April, OpenNote, Airweave, Den, and Dash have chosen Composio. Popular AI launches like Context and Altera have also built on the platform. The company serves over 200 startups and enterprises including Glean, already generating seven-figure revenue.

A typical use case: instead of spending months building authentication, handling edge cases, and debugging integrations, developers can tap into Composio’s existing skills to ship their agents within days. More importantly, their agents don’t start from scratch, they immediately benefit from what thousands of other agents have already learned.

“What excites us about Composio is that they’re not just solving today’s integration problems,” said Raviraj Jain from Lightspeed Venture Partners. “They’re building the foundation for AI agents to become genuinely useful by learning from experience at scale. This is the missing piece between impressive demos and transformative deployments.”

The Future: Creating AI That Actually Learns

With this new funding, Composio will accelerate development of its learning infrastructure. Unlike conventional AI agents that remain static despite repeated use, Composio’s technology enables systems to continuously improve by accumulating experience.

By building a foundation that captures practical knowledge and develops contextual understanding, Composio is transforming AI from rigid tools into adaptive partners capable of genuine expertise. The platform seamlessly integrates with all major AI frameworks, including MCP, LangChain, Vercel AI SDK, and OpenAI Agents, allowing developers to implement these learning capabilities regardless of their preferred technology stack.

About Composio

Composio provides the learning infrastructure that enables AI agents to improve through experience. By creating a shared skill layer that captures and distributes practical knowledge across the entire AI ecosystem, Composio transforms static AI tools into systems that develop real expertise over time. For more information, visit https://composio.dev/

SOURCE Composio

Led by Insight Partners with participation from top CISOs, the fundraise accelerates Delve’s mission to free companies from compliance busywork so they can focus on innovating.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2025 — Today, Delve announced a $32M Series A led by global software investor Insight Partners, with participation from CISOs at Fortune 500 companies. The funding accelerates Delve’s mission to eliminate compliance busywork with AI agents that run compliance operations behind the scenes.

Since raising $3.3M in 2024, Delve has grown rapidly to serve 500+ companies across dozens of compliance frameworks, including some of the fastest-growing AI startups like Lovable, Bland, and Wispr Flow. The platform has helped customers get compliant in days, build security that lasts, and close deals faster—without months of busywork.

The Copy-Paste Problem That Costs Billions

Compliance touches nearly every part of how a company operates, from launching products to closing enterprise deals. But instead of driving growth, the manual work behind compliance has become a bottleneck.

Around the world, millions of people spend their workdays taking screenshots, updating spreadsheets, and filing compliance documents, which collectively cost businesses billions in lost productivity.

Legacy Tools Can’t Keep Up with How Companies Operate Today

Traditional compliance tools weren’t built for how modern companies actually operate. They rely on rigid templates, static checklists, and manual input, slowing down fast-moving teams and creating operational drag at the exact moments when speed matters most.

“Compliance frameworks are standardized. Businesses aren’t,” says Delve CEO Karun Kaushik. “That mismatch is why traditional software breaks down and teams fall back to duct-taped workflows across email, Slack, and shared drives.”

Delve takes an AI-native approach to solve that. Its platform gives companies AI agents that act like part of the team—understanding company context, navigating fragmented systems, and handling complex compliance tasks from start to finish. Rather than layering AI on top of legacy workflows, Delve was built from the ground up by AI researchers from MIT, Stanford, and Berkeley to automate the work that typically drains hundreds of hours.

“We’re not just streamlining compliance, we’re helping businesses grow faster,” says Delve COO Selin Kocalar. “Getting compliant faster unblocks deals, and eliminating the busywork lets teams focus on what actually drives the business forward.”

Scaling AI-Native Compliance with $32M Series A

With its $32M Series A, Delve is deepening its AI capabilities, expanding the team to accelerate growth, and launching support for even more compliance frameworks.

“AI is fundamentally transforming how companies operate, yet compliance is still being managed like it’s the pre-AI era,” said Praveen Akkiraju, Managing Director at Insight Partners. “Since compliance touches every part of how a business runs, from scaling operations to closing deals to building customer trust, modernizing this function can modernize entire organizations. That’s what makes Delve’s approach so important. They’re not just transforming compliance, they’re transforming how companies operate at their core.”

About Delve

Founded in 2023 by MIT AI researchers Karun Kaushik and Selin Kocalar, Delve uses AI agents to help companies achieve and maintain compliance without the busywork. The platform now serves 500+ companies across industries, eliminating hundreds of hours of manual processes while helping them get certified faster. Backed by Insight Partners, Y Combinator, Funder’s Club, General Catalyst, and leading compliance executives, Delve is headquartered in San Francisco.

Learn more at https://www.delve.co/

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, 2024, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 800 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has offices 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.

SOURCE Delve

Also Announces “You Are Not Alone” Podcast to Support Human-Centered Offboarding

LOS ANGELES, July 22, 2025 — Respiris Inc. announced today the launch of its disruptive Affiliate Program, a bold new model where HR professionals can refer companies in transition and earn income while helping people recover from job loss. Rooted in empathy and powered by AI, Respiris redefines outplacement as something far more human: re-inspiration.

“We don’t hand someone a résumé and wish them luck,” said Angel Cruzado, Founder and CEO. “We share screens. We use AI tools live. We co-create the transition together.”

Re-inspiring Coaching After Job Loss

Respiris delivers a 3-month, 10-session experience at $1,500—far less than traditional providers charging $3,000–$7,500. Coaches meet individuals in the emotional aftermath of job loss and help rebuild clarity through:

• Live résumé and LinkedIn development
• Hands-on use of AI tools like ChatGPT and the Respiris AI Companion Coach
• Career Prayer™ sessions to reconnect with identity and purpose
• Network activation to move from isolation to opportunity

This isn’t résumé automation or check-the-box HR. It’s reinspiring, personal coaching built for real transition.

Built from Doing the Right Thing

Cruzado began offering this kind of support for free after conducting layoffs at Microsoft, Medtronic, and Fidelity Investments. “I couldn’t just walk people out and go home. I stayed connected, rewrote résumés, and helped them find what was next.”

Eventually, one company offered to pay him. Then two. Word spread quickly. Today, Respiris supports VC- and PE-backed employers across the U.S., helping both people and businesses navigate one of the hardest parts of work with dignity and care.

It’s not just about landing a job—it’s about healing, reframing, and reigniting purpose. Each session is tailored, interactive, and designed to spark confidence from day one.

Earn and Empower: The Affiliate Program

The disruptive Affiliate Program enables CEOs, fractional HR professionals, and coaches to earn 10–20% of revenue by referring companies in need of outplacement support. Many affiliates also become job search coaches—earning from both sides of the transition.

The platform runs on Framer, HubSpot, FirstPromoter, and Stripe for seamless referrals and payouts.

A Legal and Cultural Advantage

Companies who use Respiris minimize:

• Risk of wrongful termination or retaliation claims
• Inflated severance costs and legal fees
• Reputational harm from online reviews
• Low morale and disengagement post-layoffs

There are no retainers. Companies only pay when an impacted employee opts in.

You Are Not Alone

Respiris also launched the You Are Not Alone podcast, hosted by Cruzado, featuring honest conversations with CHROs, founders, and impacted employees navigating layoffs with courage and hope.

Learn more: www.respiris.com
Listen: www.respiris.com/podcast
Join: www.respiris.com/affiliates

About Respiris Inc.
Respiris Inc. is a B2B outplacement and transitions platform combining empathy, AI tools, and co-creation to support job loss recovery. Founded by HR veteran Angel Cruzado, Respiris delivers high-touch coaching that helps people rediscover purpose, while helping employers reduce risk and support culture through transitions. Learn more at www.respiris.com.

Media Contact
Angel Cruzado
Founder and CEO, Respiris Inc.
[email protected]
(415) 770-3380
calendly.com/angelcruzado/noagenda

SOURCE Respiris Inc

New book challenges business leaders to move past fear and hesitation—and start measuring Return on AI (ROAI)

DENVER, July 22, 2025 — Brett A. Schklar, AI strategist and founder of AI–First Leadership™, today announced the launch of his groundbreaking new book, AI Without the BS™: The CEO’s Playbook for Actually Getting AI Right.*

This candid, no–nonsense guide provides a framework for CEOs and business owners who are feeling left behind as artificial intelligence transforms industries. With companies worldwide moving rapidly to integrate AI into every aspect of operations, Schklar warns that many executives still treat the technology like a “middle school science fair project”—dabbling instead of leading.

“CEOs don’t have time for fluff—they need clarity, action, and measurable impact,” said Schklar. “This book gives them a roadmap to do just that. It’s time for CEOs to stop hesitating and start focusing on what I call Return on AI—ROAI—as their most critical business metric for the next 12 to 18 months.”

Why Now: The Leadership Mandate of 2025

Artificial intelligence is no longer experimental—it’s operational. Companies that hesitate today risk falling irreversibly behind as competitors deploy AI to scale faster, cut costs, and make smarter decisions. Yet many CEOs remain stuck, paralyzed by fear of complexity or unsure where to begin.

“The gap between what AI can do and what CEOs are doing is growing by the day,” Schklar warns. “Over the next 12 to 18 months, Return on AI—ROAI—must become every leader’s most important metric. This isn’t about playing catch-up; it’s about staying relevant.”

A CEO’s roadmap to AI that delivers strategic insights and practical frameworks, the book guides leaders through:

• Moving beyond pilots to enterprise-wide AI implementation
• Managing risk while driving innovation
• Building an AI–ready team and culture
• Shifting from short–term wins to long–term strategic advantage
• Measuring success with ROAI—Return on AI
• Hiring and retaining AI–capable talent
• Streamlining implementation for faster results

“Every time a CEO uses AI to remove redundancy, automate a task, or accelerate decision–making, they’re freeing up their people to do what only humans can: connect, create, and lead,” Schklar added. “That’s not cheating—that’s smart business.”

Launch Events and Engagement Opportunities

To celebrate the release, AI–First Leadership™ will host a series of events for business leaders:

“AI is no longer optional—it’s a leadership mandate. This book gives CEOs the lens and the language to make AI their competitive advantage instead of their blind spot,” Schklar said.

AI Without the BS is available now for pre-order in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon: https://bit.ly/AIWithoutBS 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brett A. Schklar is a nationally recognized AI strategist and executive advisor with over 20 years of experience helping organizations unlock smarter growth. He has guided startups, Fortune 500 companies, and mid–market leaders through digital transformation and AI adoption. Over the past 18 months, Schklar has spoken with more than 1,000 CEOs and executive teams nationwide, uncovering a consistent theme: while AI capabilities are advancing rapidly, many leaders remain hesitant to engage meaningfully with the technology.

His mission is to close this leadership gap—helping executives move from confusion to confidence, and from AI fear to AI Adoption.

Media Contact:
Brett Schklar
[email protected]
303-883-2449

SOURCE Brett Schklar

CVS Health® Ventures joins investors to expand whole-person care for vulnerable and chronically complex members.

COLUMBIA, Md., July 22, 2025 — AbsoluteCare, a leader in value-based integrated health care, has secured $135 million in equity financing from four investors: Kinderhook Industries, CVS Health Ventures, Pacific Life, and Lexington Partners. This funding bolsters AbsoluteCare’s ability to optimize operations and expand into new markets and serve new member populations.

“AbsoluteCare is setting a new standard for value-based care, delivering comprehensive health care to high-acuity Medicaid and Medicare members,” said Chris Michalik, Managing Director at Kinderhook. “We are thrilled with the company’s success and recent expansion, and we look forward to supporting AbsoluteCare as it continues to scale its proven care model and improve patient lives across the country.”

AbsoluteCare’s Beyond Medicine™ model is designed to improve health outcomes for complex Medicaid and Medicare members through a whole-person approach that includes intense social determinants of health support, behavioral health care, primary and urgent care, and integrated pharmacy.

Vijay Patel, Vice President and Managing Partner at CVS Health Ventures highlighted AbsoluteCare’s impact, saying, “AbsoluteCare is delivering a unique, concierge-level of care to individuals who need it most, within their own community. Supporting the enhancement and expansion of this innovative care model aligns with our commitment to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations.”

With 25 years of experience serving marginalized populations and deep expertise in value-based care, AbsoluteCare is committed to improving quality outcomes by increasing interactions with primary care providers while reducing avoidable utilization and costs. Results include a 34% reduction in emergency department (ED) visits and a 20-30% decrease in total cost of care, along with 75-80% member engagement.¹ This is for a member population that averages 13 diagnoses, 10+ medications and of which 60% have a behavioral health or substance use diagnosis.

“This investment reflects deep confidence in AbsoluteCare’s concierge, PCP-led care model and strengthens our ability to deliver outstanding health outcomes for our members and payer partners,” said Mike Radu, CEO of AbsoluteCare. “Due to its complexity, value-based care in Medicaid is rare at scale, but we are unwavering in our commitment to expanding our reach and deepening our presence in new communities. Our partners are seeing the results of that dedication with enhanced quality and demonstrated cost savings.”

AbsoluteCare offers services within comprehensive care centers set in urban communities, near their member populations, and extends care into the community by rounding in hospitals and facilities and visiting members in their homes.

¹ Data Source: AbsoluteCare internal data (2025), Average annual performance across all members after year one.

About Kinderhook Industries
Founded in 2003, Kinderhook Industries, LLC is a private investment firm that has raised $8.5 billion of committed capital. We have made in excess of 500 investments and follow-on acquisitions since inception. Kinderhook’s investment philosophy is predicated on matching differentiated, growth-oriented investment opportunities with financial expertise and our proprietary network of operating partners. Our focus is on middle market businesses with defensible niche market positioning in the healthcare services, environmental & industrial services, and light manufacturing & automotive sectors. For more information, please visit https://www.kinderhook.com

About CVS Health Ventures
CVS Health Ventures is a dedicated corporate venture capital fund that works with high-potential, early-stage and growth-stage companies focused on making health care more accessible, affordable, and simpler. The company focuses on investments that transform care delivery and focus on whole person care, consumer-centric health, and disruptive technology enablement. CVS Health Ventures’ goal is to enable promising entrepreneurs to scale more quickly and effectively through access to their unmatched enterprise capabilities and consumer touchpoints, while offering expertise and insights from their company’s unique perspective. For more information, visit cvshealthventures.com.

About AbsoluteCare
Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, AbsoluteCare is a leading value-based integrated health care provider. AbsoluteCare tends exclusively to the needs of the high-risk population who persistently represent a disproportionate amount of unnecessary utilization and cost. AbsoluteCare operates in 11 markets: Baltimore and Prince George’s County, MD; Chicago, IL; Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton OH; New Orleans, LA; and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, visit absolutecare.com.

www.absolutecare.com | LinkedIn 

SOURCE AbsoluteCare Manager, LLC.