Over $80K in Funding Supports Promising Studies Targeting Two Critically Underserved Conditions

DANBURY, Conn., Sept. 8, 2025 — The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD^®), in a move to accelerate breakthroughs for rare diseases lacking effective treatments, has awarded more than $82,000 in seed funding to two international scientists to support cutting-edge research in systemic and metabolic disorders.

By targeting early-stage research with high potential for impact, NORD’s seed grants aim to jumpstart scientific discovery and pave the way for larger-scale investments. These competitive awards are designed to spark novel ideas, generate critical preliminary data, and drive momentum in areas where patients often have few — if any — therapeutic options.

The 2025 recipients of NORD’s seed grants are: 

• Dr. Ilkka Paatero, senior researcher and head of the Zebrafish Core Facility at the University of Turku and Abo Akademi University in Turku, Finland, was awarded $40,000 to advance research in Levy-Yeboa syndrome (LYS). LYS is a rare genetic condition characterized by a combination of muscular and bone abnormalities, skin (dermatological) issues, hearing loss, and gastrointestinal distress.
• Dr. Margherita Romeo, senior scientist at the Instituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri in Milan, Italy, was awarded $42,000 to advance research in amyloidosis, usually a multisystem disease resulting in a wide spectrum of clinical presentations.

“Congratulations to this year’s award recipients, Dr. Paatero and Dr. Romeo, whose research represents meaningful progress for the many individuals affected by Levy-Yeboa syndrome and amyloidosis,” said Tracey Sikora, NORD Vice President of Research and Clinical Programs. “We’re honored to support innovative research that addresses the vast and urgent unmet needs of those with rare diseases. We look forward to the insights and impact their work will have on advancing research for these two patient populations.” 

Paatero’s research project, titled “Zebrafish Model of Levy-Yeboa Syndrome,” aims to generate and analyze a genetic zebrafish model for LYS. The anticipated outcomes of the study are: gaining novel insights into the disease mechanism, identification of potential drug targets, and establishing a disease model suitable for testing drugs. Ultimately, this research aims to improve understanding and treatment of Levy-Yeboa syndrome.

Romeo’s study, titled “Decoding Cardiac Toxicity in AL Amyloidosis: Insights from a Novel Transgenic C. elegans Model,” investigates how light chains cause heart damage in AL amyloidosis even before amyloid deposition occurs. This study uses Caenorhabditis elegans, a small nematode (roundworm) commonly used in medical research because many of its biological systems are similar to those of humans. Remarkably, the worm’s pharynx functions like the human heart, allowing researchers to model cardiac damage in a simple and cost-effective way. By understanding how light chains affect this “ancestral heart,” the study aims to uncover early molecular events of the disease and identify new targets for treatments that could protect the heart in people living with this rare and life-threatening condition.

NORD’s Rare Disease Research Grant Program provides funding to qualified researchers to support new or existing scientific research studies or clinical trials with the potential to attract larger funding from agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or corporate sponsors.

Since 1989, NORD has awarded more than $9 million in research grants to advance scientific discovery for rare diseases that lack treatment and funding. With fewer than 5% of the approximately 10,000 known rare diseases having an FDA-approved therapy, and the millions of dollars required to develop a prescriptive medication, early-stage funding plays a critical role in unlocking progress. NORD’s grant program has jump-started critical rare disease research, supported numerous peer-reviewed publications, and contributed to the development of two FDA-approved treatments. 

To learn more, visit https://rarediseases.org/advancing-research/research-grant-programs/.  

About the National Organization for Rare Disorders  

Founded in 1983, the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD^®) is a leading independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit patient advocacy organization dedicated to improving the health and lives of over 30 million Americans living with rare diseases. In partnership with more than 350 disease-specific member patient organizations, NORD drives progress in rare disease research, care, and policy. Learn more at https://rarediseases.org/

SOURCE National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD®)

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 8, 2025 — JetBlue Ventures today announced its rebrand to SKY VC following its acquisition by SKY Leasing (“SKY”) in May 2025. The transition marks the firm’s evolution into an independent investment platform with expanded capabilities to back founders and scale transformative technologies, leveraging SKY’s global network, deep industry relationships, and access to capital.

As part of SKY, a premier aviation alternative asset manager with relationships spanning more than 100 airlines, MROs, and OEMs, SKY VC’s portfolio companies will gain expanded market access worldwide. The firm will also continue to maintain a strategic partnership with JetBlue.

“We’re excited about our next chapter as we continue to drive innovation across travel and transportation,” said Amy Burr, CEO of SKY VC. “We’ve built a winning formula of combining deep sector expertise with industry connectivity to help startups succeed. While JetBlue is no longer reflected in our name, they remain an important strategic partner to our team. Looking forward, our goal is to continue to bridge the gap between disruptive startups and established leaders, moving technologies from concept to global adoption.”

SKY VC will continue under the same leadership and team, maintaining a focus on enterprise and frontier technologies with broad applications across travel and transportation. Since its founding in 2016, the team has invested in more than 50 early-stage startups and achieved eight successful exits through acquisitions and public offerings.

About SKY VC

SKY VC invests in early-stage companies powering the future of travel and transportation with enterprise and frontier technologies. Founded in 2016 as JetBlue’s corporate venture capital arm, the team has deployed capital across more than 50 startups. In 2025, SKY VC became an independent platform following its acquisition by SKY Leasing. Learn more at www.sky-vc.com.

About SKY Leasing

SKY Leasing (“SKY”) is an alternative investment manager dedicated to providing asset-focused capital solutions to airlines globally. With a global presence across five offices in San Francisco, Dublin, New York, Miami, and Singapore, SKY leverages a 30-year history of global aviation relationships, technical asset management expertise, and a disciplined investment framework, to originate unique investment opportunities with an emphasis on seeking downside protection and stable cash flow. The company’s fund management business was founded in 2019 with a minority investment from M&G Investments. As of March 2025, the company manages over $5 billion of aviation assets. For more information about SKY, visit www.skyleasing.com.

Contact
SKY VC 
Anna Shimoda
[email protected] 

SOURCE SKY VC

Transaction delivers 8.7x returns to early investors and positions Earnix for next phase of global expansion; JVP, together with Insight Partners, strengthens leadership of company as it scales to advance InsurTech category leadership

NEW YORK, LONDON, JERUSALEM and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 8, 2025 — JVP, a leading global venture capital firm, announced today the close of a $290 million single-asset Continuation Vehicle in partnership with TPG GP Solutions, TPG’s dedicated U.S. and European GP-led secondaries strategy. The transaction supports the continued global expansion of Earnix, a category leader in Dynamic AI that is redefining the insurance industry, while delivering substantial liquidity to early JVP investors.

JVP has a three-decade track record of building companies into international category leaders through the JVP Way, a repeatable approach to company-building that has led to 42 of the largest exits out of Israel and New York, such as CyberArk, where JVP held a 47% stake at IPO and was recently acquired by Palo Alto Networks for $25B, Cogent Communications’ $3.5B sale, Qlik’s $3B sale, and many others.

The Continuation Vehicle reinforces JVP’s conviction in Earnix’s global potential. Earnix is redefining the insurance industry by delivering a cloud-native, AI-driven platform for real-time decisioning in pricing, underwriting, and product personalization across the insurance and banking industries, resulting in significantly reduced costs and increased revenue. Already operating in more than 35 countries and across six continents, Earnix has been adopted by over 100 of the largest tier-1 insurance companies in the world such as AXA, Assicurazioni Generali, Tokio Marine, Banco Santander, IAG, Toyota Financial Services, and Munich Re.

With TPG GP Solutions as the lead investor and supported by several other global investors, the continuation vehicle enables JVP to retain and expand its ownership in Earnix, while supporting the company’s next stage in becoming a dominant force in the AI SaaS for the insurance and financial services industries. Investors in JVP’s early fund were offered the opportunity to either rollover or realize returns, and many chose to roll including Partners Group, HighVista Strategies, Committed Advisors, Hollyport Capital, and others. JVP’s continuation vehicle investors join JVP’s growth Fund investors, such as Hamilton Lane and Lexington Partners, to collectively hold more than 50% of the company. The transaction delivered a gross return of 8.7x to early Fund investors, once again providing JVP’s LPs with substantial returns.

Dr. Erel Margalit, Founder and Executive Chairman of JVP and Chairman of Earnix, said: “I am delighted to partner with TPG, one of the world’s leading investment firms, as they support us in building Earnix into the leading AI platform for the insurance and financial services industries. Once again, AI is changing vertical industries with some of the most advanced technology that we’ve seen to date. I am proud of the Earnix management in North America, Europe, Israel, and around the world as the company becomes a major international leader. As evidenced by Earnix’s predictive vertical AI, artificial intelligence broadly is delivering the ability to use and translate huge volumes of structured and unstructured data to drive transformational growth, improve customer experience, reduce costs, and ultimately, serve more people in our rapidly changing and dynamic world.”

Earnix’s CEO Robin Gilthorpe said, “We are excited to partner with JVP and TPG GP Solutions; their support validates our leadership in Dynamic AI for the insurance sector. This builds on Earnix’s track record of successful customer deployments in 35 nations around the world and will accelerate adoption of AI-driven decisioning across the risk cycle for the banking and insurance industries.”

TPG GP Solutions Co-Managing Partner Michael Woolhouse said: “We are pleased to partner with JVP in supporting Earnix, a company that is redefining how global insurers and financial institutions make critical decisions through intelligent, real-time AI technology. Our investment strongly aligns with TPG’s longstanding thematic focus on deeply embedded, AI-enabled software solutions that transform how their customers operate. Earnix combines deep technical innovation with proven commercial traction at scale, and we are proud to support their continued growth.”

This transaction is one of the largest continuation vehicles of its kind by a venture capital firm. It reflects growing institutional demand for exposure to high-performing, later-stage venture-backed companies, and underscores JVP’s role as a long-term company builder with deep operational capabilities and global scaling expertise. JVP continues to lead in vertical AI across insurance, fintech, banking, cybersecurity and SaaS, complementing the GenAI revolution and bringing these innovations to professional industries undergoing rapid change.

Dr. Erel Margalit, Founder and Executive Chairman of JVP, serves as Earnix’s Chairman. 

About JVP 

JVP is a globally recognized venture capital firm based in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and New York. With a three-decade track record of building international category leaders, JVP has led some of the largest IPOs and M&A transactions to emerge from Israel and the East Coast, including CyberArk, recently sold to Palo Alto Network or $25B, Qlik’s $3B sale, and Cogent Communications’ $3.5B sale, and today is the leading shareholder in companies like ControlUp, Coro, Nanit, ThetaRay and many others. JVP maintains significant ownership positions in its portfolio and continues to back the next generation of disruptive technology leaders across Cybersecurity, AI, FinTech, ClimaTech, and InsurTech. In addition to transforming high-potential technologies into market-shaping enterprises, JVP operates regional innovation hubs in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and New York that fuel both economic growth and social impact.

Visit: www.jvpvc.com

About Earnix  

Earnix is the premier provider of mission-critical, intelligent decisioning across pricing, underwriting, rating, and product personalization. Its fully integrated platform provides ultra-fast ROI and is designed to transform how global insurers and banks are run by unlocking value across all facets of the business. Earnix is innovating for insurers and banks, with customers in over 35 countries across six continents and offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Israel. Earnix is backed by investors JVP and Insight Partners. 

Visit: www.earnix.com

About TPG

TPG is a leading global alternative asset management firm, founded in San Francisco in 1992, with $261 billion of assets under management and investment and operational teams around the world. TPG invests across a broadly diversified set of strategies, including private equity, impact, credit, real estate, and market solutions, and our unique strategy is driven by collaboration, innovation, and inclusion. Our teams combine deep product and sector experience with broad capabilities and expertise to develop differentiated insights and add value for our fund investors, portfolio companies, management teams, and communities. 

Vist: www.tpg.com 

Media Contacts:

JVP
Raoul Wootliff 
[email protected] 

TPG
Julia Sottosanti 
[email protected]

SOURCE JVP

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 8, 2025 — Ivani, LLC, the world leader in Wireless Network Sensing technology and IP, today announced it has secured a substantial financing round from Soryn IP Capital, a premier provider of capital to intellectual property-rich companies with market adopted technologies. This strategic financing will be used to fuel Ivani’s sensify® technology suite expansion across the physical security and smart home sectors, while also accelerating growth in both its technology and patent licensing business.

“We are very excited to work closely with Soryn IP Capital,” said Justin McKinney, CEO and Co-founder of Ivani. “With its best-in-class licensing experience, the Soryn team brings much more than financing to the relationship. This partnership represents an important validation of Ivani’s technology, the strength of our patent and trade secret portfolio, as well as our ability to execute on core business initiatives. With Soryn’s backing and ongoing partner product launches deploying sensify® on many millions of devices, Ivani is well-positioned for significant growth for years to come.”

Michael Gulliford , Founding Partner of Soryn IP Capital, added: “Given its robust intellectual property portfolio and strong track record in technology licensing, Ivani is exactly the kind of partner Soryn seeks. We are hopeful that this financing will provide the balance sheet strength necessary for Ivani’s sensify® technology to reach full market potential.”

About Ivani

Ivani is the global leader in scalable, reliable Wireless Network Sensing technology. Ivani’s patented sensify® technology transforms ordinary IoT devices into intelligent occupancy sensors through a simple software update. Designed to work across the full range of wireless protocols, Ivani’s innovations are redefining what’s possible in smart environments. Learn more at ivani.com.

About Soryn IP Capital Management

Soryn IP Capital Management is an investment manager that provides strategic capital to intellectual property-rich companies whose innovations have experienced significant market adoption. Learn more at sorynipcap.com.

Media Contact: 
Justin McKinney
[email protected]

SOURCE Ivani

The first wave of generative app and website tools made it possible for almost anyone to create simple prototypes, and in doing so unlocked an appetite among entrepreneurs, marketers, and designers to become product makers, autonomous from the need to hire development teams.

But that appetite came with frustration: the tools rarely deliver the desired visual and functional results in a predictable number of prompts, leaving teams stuck with half-finished outcomes instead of ready to ship.*

This is where Dazl steps in. It gives product makers the precision and reliability needed to turn ideas into real software. Dazl’s proprietary technology bridges the gap between creative and expressive intent and the final working product, nurturing a true partnership between the maker and AI. The result is a single platform where outputs are consistent, production-ready, and creators can build with confidence.

Dazl is designed to deliver more accuracy in prompt interpretation, resulting in less rounds of trial and error while communicating with the AI. It also ensures that the AI doesn’t lose context, which results in less mistakes and significantly decreases frustration.

“We’ve been seeking a founding team that not only understands the potential of AI but also has the experience to bring that vision to life,” said Roy Saar, General Partner at 40RTY Fund, who was also one of the first investors in Wix 18 years ago. “Having played a key role in building one of the most impactful platforms of the digital age, Nadav’s legacy with Wix is invaluable. Alongside Assaf, a seasoned leader in product innovation, this duo is poised to solve one of the most pressing issues in today’s product development through Dazl. At 40RTY, we’re thrilled to help them build a category defining company.”

“When Wix was founded, website builders already existed. They gave you something basic and functional, not something you were proud to call your own. Wix changed that by enabling people to create sites with beauty, personality, and creativity. With Dazl, we see the same turning point in software development,” said Nadav Abrahami, Co-Founder of Wix and Dazl. “Generative AI can produce prototypes, but it doesn’t yet empower creators to build apps that reflect their vision. Our goal is to unlock that next level — so app creation can be just as expressive as web design became with Wix.”

“Every major shift in media has come when creators gained access to better tools — from mobile photo editing to short-form video to social creation,” said Assaf Sagy, CEO and Co-Founder of Dazl. “At TikTok, I saw firsthand how unlocking expressive creativity reshaped culture globally. With Dazl, we’re bringing that same leap to product making, giving creators the fidelity, creativity, and control to shape applications with AI.”

Early adopters eager to be part of the journey can join the waitlist now on Dazl’s website: https://dazl.dev/ 

Notes to editors

Supporting Research*

• The 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey underscores this frustration: 66% of developers said they are frustrated with AI outputs that are “almost right but not quite,” and 45% reported that debugging AI-generated code actually takes longer than writing it themselves.
• An 2025 MIT Media Lab report found that only 5% of custom enterprise efforts to integrate AI into development processes actually reach production — a 95% failure rate — largely because prototypes break down before they can become reliable, usable applications.

About Dazl

Dazl was founded by Nadav Abrahami, Co-Founder of Wix.com, and Assaf Sagy, former Global Head of Gaming at TikTok, together with 30 senior Wix veteran web and AI engineers. The team is building a technology that delivers reliable, production-ready apps. By enabling a true partnership between humans and AI, Dazl aims to make app creation more intuitive, expressive, and scalable — unlocking the next era of software development.

Media contact

Gavin Horwich, Headline Media
[email protected] 

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2767004/Dazl.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2767003/Dazl_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Dazl

– Warner Bros. Discovery and Alex Morgan’s Trybe Ventures to double down on their investments in the league –

MIAMI, Sept. 8, 2025 — Today, Unrivaled presented by Samsung Galaxy announced the closure of its oversubscribed Series B investment round led by Bessemer Venture Partners. Among the notable investors joining this round is Serena Ventures, with Warner Bros. Discovery and Alex Morgan’s Trybe Ventures building on their previous investments in the league. With this latest infusion of capital, Unrivaled is now valued at $340 million, a historic figure for a young league and a milestone reflective of the bold vision, strong performance, and increasing market momentum that defined its inaugural season.

Founded in 2023, Unrivaled was born from a shared vision to empower athletes as real stakeholders whose voices and ownership position both shape the platform’s direction and capitalize on its performance. Beyond offering the highest average salary in professional women’s sports league history, a key element of the league’s business model is its player-first compensation structure, which includes equity stakes for the athletes who participated in the inaugural season. With the company’s rising valuation, the players continue to benefit directly from the league’s growth and market success.

“We’re continuing to align with partners who elevate our league and accelerate our strategic growth. With Bessemer Venture Partners leading this round, Unrivaled is in an unprecedented position for a new sports league,” said Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell. “Bessemer’s world-class leadership, combined with the collective influence of our entire investor group, amplifies our mission and pushes the industry forward. This rise in Unrivaled’s valuation reflects investor confidence and proves that athlete-driven models can thrive at the highest levels of business.”

Unrivaled’s Series B Round also includes investment from:

• Trae Young, NBA All-Star with the Atlanta Hawks
• Darryll J. Pines, University of Maryland President, and Sylvia Pines
• Sam Rapoport, Award-winning sports executive
• Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic Forward
• Moritz Wagner, Orlando Magic Center
• Next Legacy Partners

“At Bessemer, we’ve had the privilege of backing many category-defining companies, and we believe Unrivaled is building the next great sports league,” said Caty Rea, Vice President at Bessemer Venture Partners. “What impressed us most is the league’s outstanding business performance—achieving both rapid growth and impressive unit economics in its first year of operations—alongside its focus on both athlete advocacy and extraordinary fan engagement. We’re thrilled to partner with Unrivaled to take the league to the next level.”

This latest investment closure builds on the investor momentum generated from Unrivaled last year, which secured investments from industry titans and all-stars including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Build Your Legacy Ventures, Carmelo Anthony, Geno Auriemma, Amy Banse, Dan Benton, the Berman Family, Stephen Curry, Moira Forbes, Coco Gauff, Linda Henry, Tyus & Tre Jones, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, Ashton Kutcher, Avenue Sports Fund and Marc Lasry, David Levy, Michael Phelps and Nicole Phelps, Dan Rosensweig, Ann Sarnoff, Richard Sarnoff, John Skipper, Dawn Staley, Wanda and Alex Sykes, JuJu Watkins and Gary Vaynerchuk. 

Unrivaled’s second season will tip off in January 2026. For more information and to stay up to date with league news, visit unrivaled.basketball and follow @UnrivaledBasketball.

Media Contacts:
Tish Carmona, Unrivaled – [email protected]
Melanie Van Dusen, Berk Communications for Unrivaled – [email protected]

About Unrivaled:
Unrivaled is a professional women’s basketball league innovating the women’s professional sports landscape with a groundbreaking model centered on investing in its athletes. Co-Founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled is player-owned, providing participating players equity opportunities for a vested interest in the league’s success. Launched in January 2025, Unrivaled features the current top women’s basketball stars in the world across six clubs for a 3-on-3, compressed full court style of play. To learn more, visit unrivaled.basketball or contact [email protected].

About Bessemer Venture Partners:
Bessemer Venture Partners helps entrepreneurs lay strong foundations to build and forge long-standing companies. With more than 150 IPOs and 390 portfolio companies in the enterprise, consumer and healthcare spaces, Bessemer supports founders and CEOs from their earliest days through every stage of growth. Bessemer’s global portfolio has included Pinterest, Shopify, Twilio, Yelp, LinkedIn, PagerDuty, DocuSign, Wix, Fiverr, Toast and ServiceTitan, and the firm has $19 billion of assets under management. Bessemer has investment teams located in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, New York, Boston, London, Bangalore, and Tel Aviv. Born from innovations in steel more than a century ago, Bessemer’s storied history has afforded its partners the opportunity to celebrate and scrutinize its best investment decisions (see Memos) and also learn from its mistakes (see Anti-Portfolio). 

About Serena Ventures:
Serena Ventures is an institutional venture capital firm uniquely positioned to invest at the intersection of technology, innovation, and societal progress. Our mission is to back bold founders building high-impact companies that drive meaningful change — whether by solving systemic challenges, reimagining legacy industries, or unlocking opportunities for underserved communities. We are focused on early stage companies at Seed and Series A. The firm backs companies across health and wellness, products and services, commerce technology, tools for small and medium-sized businesses, and the sports and entertainment ecosystem. Based in New York City, the firm has a strong commitment to democratizing access to capital.

SOURCE Unrivaled

Funding to accelerate growth, expand products

CHICAGO, Sept. 8, 2025 — Kin, the pioneering, direct-to-consumer, digital home insurance provider, raised an oversubscribed $50 million Series E financing, at a pre-money valuation of $2 billion. The company also closed on a $200 million debt facility, $145 million of which was used to repay an existing debt facility. The debt and equity financings together result in $105 million of incremental capital for the company which fuels growth, funds the launch of an additional reciprocal exchange, and enables investment in new, innovative products that meet the needs of Kin customers.

With over $600 million of inforce premiums and more than $100 billion in total insured property value, Kin serves customers in 13 states, covering more than 50% of the Total Addressable Market. The company, profitable since 2023, delivers rapid growth and healthy operating margins, consistently exceeding the benchmarks set by Rule of 40 and Rule of X.

Insured losses from global natural catastrophes reached $137 billion in 2024 as a rapidly changing climate drives more frequent and severe natural disasters, including wildfires, hurricanes, and floods. Many U.S. insurers incurred losses and stopped selling new business in high-risk states including California, Florida, Texas, and Louisiana, leaving a massive, non-discretionary market of homeowners without adequate protection or competitive options. Kin meets this market demand with its direct-to-consumer model, proprietary technology, and data analysis techniques that enable it to accurately assess and fairly price risk, delivering reliable coverage to these underserved homeowners.

“Insurance is a critical safety net, but it’s disappearing just when people need it most,” said Kin Founder and CEO Sean Harper. “We built Kin differently. Our unique use of data and expert analysis enable us to better assess risk profiles of specific homes and offer customized protection. We’ll use this funding round to expand in markets most affected by natural disasters in a way that’s sustainable, scalable, and customer-focused.”

The lead investors in the Series E round are QED Investors and Activate Capital, with participation from other new and returning investors. The debt financing is led by Wellington Management. The Series E brings the total primary equity raised to $286M, nearly doubles Kin’s previous $1.1 billion valuation, and accelerates its mission to deliver accessible, affordable home insurance everywhere in the United States, including areas where legacy insurers are pulling back.

“Kin fills a gap impacting millions of Americans that will intensify for the foreseeable future. And, as a direct-to-consumer company, they’re doing it with precision, efficiency, and empathy,” said Amias Gerety, partner at QED. “Unfortunately, extreme weather is a reality for most of the country and legacy insurers are struggling to serve these homeowners. Kin is showing that technology can help humanity adapt to the current situation. It’s a necessary and bold business strategy. We’re proud to deepen our partnership.”

“Kin’s unique approach allows them to price affordable policies in geographies disproportionately impacted by extreme weather events,” said Eric Meyer, partner at Activate Capital. “They’re not just writing policies; they’re offering a vital financial service to homeowners who need it most. We’re enthusiastic about investing further in a company that’s truly innovating and making a real difference.”

As the climate crisis redefines where and how people live, Kin’s modern, data-rich approach to underwriting and customer engagement positions it as a resilient leader in the future of home insurance. Founded in 2016, Kin helps homeowners protect what matters most in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

About Kin
Kin is the only direct-to-consumer digital insurance provider focused on the growing homeowners insurance market. Kin offers more convenient and affordable coverage by eliminating the need for external agents. Kin’s technology platform delivers a seamless user experience, customized options for coverage, and fast, high-quality claims service. Behind the scenes, Kin analyzes thousands of data points about each property to provide accurate pricing. To learn more, visit www.kin.com.

SOURCE Kin

Geospatial Veteran Tapped to Accelerate and Drive Growth Across Government and Enterprise Markets

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 8, 2025 — SkyFi, the Earth intelligence company building the world’s most scalable geospatial platform, today announced the appointment of Andrew Canales as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). Canales will oversee global revenue strategy across government and enterprise markets, leading SkyFi’s sales and business development teams.

In today’s data-driven world, geospatial intelligence is no longer a niche tool—it’s a critical asset for modern businesses. By seamlessly integrating location data with satellite and aerial imagery, companies can unlock powerful insights that inform strategic decisions and boost operational efficiency. SkyFi is at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging its network of nearly 50 partners to provide a wide range of imagery, including optical, SAR, hyperspectral, and aerial data.

Canales brings nearly two decades of geospatial and defense technology sales leadership to SkyFi, most recently serving as Vice President of Business Development for the U.S. Government at Maxar Technologies, where he led go-to-market efforts with defense primes and emerging technology companies in support of national security missions. Previously directed enterprise sales and territory teams at Maxar, driving growth across defense, civil, and commercial customers in the Americas region before transitioning to the Vice President of Global Enterprise Sales.

“Andrew’s track record in building revenue engines across government and commercial markets, coupled with his deep expertise in scaling technology platforms and forging strategic partnerships will be critical as we accelerate our growth and expand our global footprint,” Luke Fischer, CEO of SkyFi. “This is a pivotal moment for SkyFi, and Andrew’s leadership will contribute to our mission to make Earth observation data more accessible for U.S. Government missions and global enterprise customers.”

SkyFi’s comprehensive approach to data and image intelligence supports a diverse array of industries, from defense and energy to finance and agriculture. By making Earth observation data more accessible through its user-friendly platform, SkyFi is revolutionizing how businesses and individuals acquire and analyze satellite imagery. This access empowers customers to make smarter, faster, and more informed decisions without needing specialized expertise, giving them a significant competitive advantage in an increasingly complex global market.

“I am incredibly excited to join SkyFi and help accelerate the company’s mission to make Earth observation data accessible to everyone,” said Andrew Canales, chief revenue officer of SkyFi. “In an increasingly complex world, geospatial intelligence is becoming a critical tool for businesses across every sector. SkyFi’s unique platform and growing network of partners make it perfectly positioned to meet this demand, and I look forward to being part of the team that will drive our next phase of growth.”

At Maxar and DigitalGlobe, Canales consistently delivered above-plan results, securing multi-million-dollar opportunities within multiple service branches of the DOD, Fortune 500 companies, and international governments. He was a ten-time recipient of the President’s Club award and created key account programs with major partners. Canales also developed business cases that accelerated the launch of new products, including Raptor, Maxar’s vision-based navigation solution. He holds a B.A. in Geography from the University of Colorado and completed a post-graduate program in Geographic Information Systems from the University of Denver, along with advanced programs such as the Harvard Program on Negotiation.

About SkyFi

SkyFi is an Earth intelligence company providing analytics and satellite imagery through scalable data platforms. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, SkyFi serves the U.S. Government, international governments, and enterprise customers across defense, civil, and commercial sectors.

SOURCE SkyFi

NICOSIA, Cyprus, Sept. 8, 2025 — At SiGMA Euro-Med 2025 in Malta, Kea is showcasing its flagship payment solutions and joining the stage in the panel discussion ‘Stablecoins and Payments Ecosystem‘. Alongside its product highlights, Kea has also announced the close of its €6 million extended seed funding round, bringing its post-money valuation to €40 million.

“Kea is not just building better banking experience— it’s building access, trust, and relevance in a world where millions are still left out,” said Mark Carnegie. “I’ve backed the company before, and I’m proud to continue supporting a team that understands regulation, technology equally well. That’s a rare combination — and it shows.”

Strategic Investment with a Vision

Leading the round is a Switzerland-based private investor known in insider circles for early bets on transformative fintech and blockchain ventures. Their belief in Kea’s roadmap signals more than funding — it’s a strategic alliance for long-term impact.

Building on a prior €2.5 million seed round led by Mark Carnegie in 2023, both investors actively contribute strategic guidance, accelerating Kea’s growth trajectory.

A New Era of Banking for Underbanked Markets

Kea offers a seamless, compliant platform for crypto, stablecoins, FX, SEPA, SWIFT, and IBAN accounts — all under one KYB onboarding process. The technology stack includes:

• A proprietary Core Banking System launched in early 2024
• A Payment Intelligence Layer enabling rapid integrations with global providers

But beyond its tech stack, Kea is built on human touch — replacing legacy banking’s cold bureaucracy with empathetic communication, hands-on support, and client-first culture.

“Our clients aren’t numbers — they’re founders and operators we empower with tailored support and frictionless services,” said CEO Mark Berkovich.

Crypto Processing: Driving Client Success

Launched just six months ago, Kea’s crypto processing solution delivers:

• 20–30% revenue growth for clients adding crypto rails
• Over 80% savings on commission fees for high-volume transactions
• Seamless crypto-to-fiat off-ramping directly into corporate accounts
• One KYB onboarding for both crypto and traditional banking — no repeated verification
• Stablecoins built-in — send and settle cross-border transactions in seconds, with near-zero volatility

This unified approach eliminates friction and empowers businesses to thrive in a complex market.

What’s Next with the €6M Funding

The new capital will power:

• Accelerating licensing applications in the UK, UAE and EU EMI acquisition
• Expansion of crypto-processing features, including robust on/off-ramping
• Deployment of Kea’s fintech mega-app for enhanced scalability and user experience
• Integration of new payment rails and providers, extending payment corridors
• Development of stablecoin infrastructure tailored for client needs

Unlock banking. Do crypto. With Kea by your side.

About Kea

Kea is a group of licensed entities powering global finance with one KYB across banking, stablecoins, and crypto — supported by a custom core banking system, and a human-touch approach.

Contact
Head of Marketing
Olha Hryhorievska
Kea
[email protected]

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2766927/Kea_Core_Banking.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2766926/Kea_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Kea