BENGALURU, India, Jan. 28, 2026 — Bengaluru-based aerospace components manufacturer JJG Aero has secured $30 million in Series B funding from Norwest. The capital will be deployed primarily to build and add capacity at its upcoming facility in North Bangalore, drive further vertical integration, and support other strategic initiatives. This round brings the total funding raised to $42 million and includes the $12 million Series A led by CX Partners in April 2024.

Established in 2008, JJG Aero specializes in manufacturing high-precision machined components with in-house special process finishing capabilities, serving the aircraft systems and engines segment. The company also operates a subsidiary that serves auto component and industrial segments. JJG Aero’s client roster includes American and European OEMs and Tier-1 vendors such as Collins Aerospace, Safran, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Woodward, and Liebherr.

“The last five years have witnessed exponential growth for companies such as ours that possess the capabilities, processes, compliance standards, and customer relationships to meet global aerospace demand. The opportunity is immense. From having two small one-acre sites, we are now building a massive Unit 3 on a 10-acre site with further backward and forward integration, and space to expand into adjacencies at the opportune time,” said Anuj Jhunjhunwala, CEO of JJG Aero. “The aerospace supply chain is facing an all-time high demand from aircraft manufacturers, which legacy vendors in the Western world are struggling to meet. With our strengths and value proposition, we see ourselves as a key player for precision-machined components in the aerospace ecosystem. India has emerged as an attractive destination for sourcing components and parts by global leaders, and we are excited to be selected by so many marquee clients as a strategic growth vendor.”

“We are thrilled to invest in JJG Aero, our first investment in this segment. JJG Aero has demonstrated remarkable growth, with a CAGR of 35% over the last three years. This investment will enable JJG Aero not only to continue its growth trajectory through capacity addition but also to upgrade the quality of earnings by focusing on higher value-added components,” said Shiv Chaudhary, Managing Director at Norwest. “Indian businesses have a proven ability to provide high-quality products and services as an outsourcing partner to customers around the world. With strong industry tailwinds, we believe that aero-parts and component manufacturing is emerging as an important segment in India’s manufacturing outsourcing story. We believe JJG Aero is well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities and further solidify its presence in the market.”

From simple 2-axis to complex 5-axis machining, JJG Aero offers a comprehensive range of manufacturing services, complemented by over 30 NADCAP-approved special processes, including electroplating, anodizing, paint, and NDT. The company also performs mechanical assemblies, testing, and other value-added services to its esteemed client base.

Veda Corporate Advisors acted as the sole transaction advisor on the deal.

About JJG Aero

Established in 2008, JJG Aero is a Bengaluru-based aerospace components manufacturer specializing in high-precision machined components with in-house special process finishing capabilities for the aircraft systems and engines segment. The company offers comprehensive manufacturing services from simple 2-axis to complex 5-axis machining, complemented by over 30 NADCAP-approved special processes, including electroplating, anodizing, paint, and NDT. JJG Aero serves a prestigious roster of American and European OEMs and Tier-1 vendors, including Collins Aerospace, Safran, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Boeing, Woodward, and Liebherr. With a CAGR of 35% over the last three years, the company is expanding its capabilities through a new 200,000 sq ft facility on 10 acres in North Bangalore, targeting ₹1,000 Crore in annual revenue by 2032-33. JJG Aero also operates a subsidiary serving auto component and industrial segments. For more information, visit www.jjgmachining.com

About Norwest

Norwest is a global venture and growth equity investment firm managing more than $15.5 billion in capital. Since its inception, Norwest has invested in more than 700 companies and currently partners with more than 250 companies in its venture and growth equity portfolio. The firm invests in early- to late-stage businesses across key sectors with a focus on enterprise, healthcare and consumer. The Norwest team offers a deep network of connections, extensive operating experience, and a wide range of impactful services to help CEOs and founders scale their businesses. Norwest has offices in Menlo Park and San Francisco, Calif.; Mumbai, India; and Tel Aviv, Israel. In India, Norwest has a successful history in partnering with innovative companies across Financials, Industrials, Technology, Internet, Healthcare & Pharma and Consumer sectors. Some of the firm’s most notable investments in India include Swiggy, Sila, Regency Health, Amagi, Infinx, and Veritas Finance. For more information, please visit www.norwest.com.

SOURCE JJG Aero

• Alex Tzoukas joins Epikast’s Board of Directors
• Epikast co-founded by biotechnology luminary Dr. Stelios Papadopoulos

NEW YORK and ATHENS, Greece, Jan. 30, 2026 — Kos Biotechnology Partners (“Kos”), a global life sciences investment firm, today announced the closing of a financing round in Epikast, a premier provider of technology-enabled commercial and clinical services for the biopharmaceutical industry. This transaction marks the first investment from Kos’ inaugural fund, which is focused on a broad range of investment stages, including the seeding and scaling of high-impact life sciences platforms.

Kos led the round with significant participation from a syndicate of new and existing investors. In conjunction with the financing, Alex Tzoukas, Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Kos, will join Epikast’s Board of Directors.

The capital infusion will enhance Epikast’s proprietary technology platform and the scaling of its specialized service teams. Epikast bridges the gap between high-level medical expertise and cost-efficient operations by leveraging its Greece-based operational hub to serve global biopharmaceutical clients.

Alex Tzoukas, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Kos Biotechnology Partners commented: “Epikast represents an exciting investment for our new fund. The company has developed a differentiated, tech-enabled pharma services model that addresses a clear inefficiency in how biopharma companies engage with healthcare providers and patients. We are pleased to lead this round and support the company as it scales.”

Dr. Stelios Papadopoulos, Chairman of Epikast, added: “We are pleased to welcome Kos Biotechnology Partners as lead investor in this round. Kos brings deep sector expertise and a strong connection to both the US and Greek innovation ecosystems, which aligns well with Epikast’s operating model. Alex’s addition to the board adds valuable perspective as we enter the next phase of growth.”

Dr. Simos Simeonidis, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Kos Biotechnology Partners commented: “We are pleased to partner with Stelios and his team at Epikast with the first investment from our fund. Alex’s deep background as a life sciences investor, investment banker, and operator will further enhance the strong expertise already present on Epikast’s Board.”

Dr. Vangelis Vergetis, CEO of Epikast, concluded: “This financing reinforces Epikast’s strong momentum. We place a premium on partnering with individuals who bring deep expertise and strong judgment. Alex Tzoukas, Simos Simeonidis, and Nikos Kostaras exemplify that and will be valuable partners as we advance our next phase.”

About Epikast

Epikast is a technology-enabled biopharmaceutical services company headquartered in New York with core operations in Athens, Greece. The company provides a comprehensive suite of remote commercial, medical, market access, and patient support services. By combining highly trained medical professionals with a proprietary technology stack, Epikast delivers high-quality engagement and data-driven insights to biopharma clients at a significantly optimized cost structure. It currently partners with several global top 10 pharma companies and smaller biotechnology companies as they commercialize their products in the US and Europe.

About Kos Biotechnology Partners

Kos Biotechnology Partners is a global investment firm founded in 2025 by Dr. Simos Simeonidis and Alex Tzoukas, with a focus on identifying, supporting, and scaling innovative, high-potential opportunities in the life sciences sector. With the launch of its inaugural fund, Kos partners with experienced management teams to build enduring products, services, and platforms through strategic capital, deep operational expertise, and a long-term perspective on value creation.

Media Contacts: [email protected], [email protected]

SOURCE Kos Biotechnology Partners

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 30, 2026 — Raken, the leading field-first construction management platform, today announced the strategic expansion of its Board of Directors. Joining the board are Ron Antevy and Robert E. Knowling Jr.—two technology industry veterans who bring deep operational and leadership experience to Raken.

Ron Antevy is a recognized technology business leader in enterprise software. He grew and led e-Builder Inc., which was sold to Trimble for $500 million in 2018. Antevy then launched Trimble Ventures, a $200 million corporate venture fund investing in innovative companies that align with Trimble’s mission. He is the recipient of numerous awards for outstanding leadership, including being named EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and currently manages Antevy Capital.

Robert E. Knowling Jr. has more than 30 years of experience in the telecommunications and technology sectors, leading companies through high growth and organizational turnarounds. Knowling is Chairman of Eagles Landing Partners and currently serves on the boards of K12, Rite Aid Corporation, Citrix Systems, Inc., and Stream.

“We are pleased to welcome Ron and Robert to Raken’s board,” said Ty Kalklosch, CEO of Raken. “Their experience scaling and managing companies will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and expand the roadmap of our field management platform to meet the evolving needs of the construction industry.”

About Raken
Raken is the leading field-first construction management platform. Our easy-to-use app is built to streamline all critical field workflows, from daily reports to time and production tracking, resource scheduling, safety management, RFIs, and more. Real-time information flows from field to office, so teams stay aligned, data becomes more reliable, and decision making improves. Raken’s simple mobile experience, powerful integrations, and industry-leading support help contractors save time and money, reduce risk, and keep projects on track. For more information, visit https://www.rakenapp.com/

SOURCE Raken

Series D round led by Eclipse and 1789 Capital accelerates capacity expansion and strengthens domestic industrial resilience

DEVENS, Mass., Jan. 30, 2026 — VulcanForms, the company building the first fully integrated digital metal manufacturing platform in the United States, announced the close of an oversubscribed $220 million financing round led by Eclipse and 1789 Capital, with participation from Washington Harbour, Fontinalis, IEQ Capital, and others. The financing reflects growing demand for secure domestic production of next-generation metal products and reinforces VulcanForms’ role in strengthening critical American advanced manufacturing capability.

Today’s metal manufacturing supply chains are highly fragmented, with production spread across multiple vendors, facilities, and geographies. This introduces unnecessary cost, waste, and cycle time at every handoff. As geopolitical tension, trade disruption, and industrial policy reshape global manufacturing, this legacy model is proving increasingly inefficient and difficult to scale. VulcanForms is addressing this challenge by consolidating complex, multi-step supply chains into fully integrated, domestic digital factories designed for production-grade manufacturing at scale.

The capital supports the expansion of VulcanForms’ fully integrated manufacturing facilities. These facilities combine advanced metal additive manufacturing technologies, precision machining, automation, inspection, and proprietary AI-enabled software into a single end-to-end workflow. By compressing this supply chain into one integrated production system, VulcanForms reduces complexity, minimizes waste, lowers total system cost, and delivers finished, high-performance products at production scale with consistent quality and fully integrated, secure supply chains. The investment also enables continued execution of the company’s technology roadmap and R&D programs that strengthen the platform, advance the company’s materials portfolio, and support future capacity expansion.

Proven Adoption Across Critical Sectors

VulcanForms has moved from development into scaled industrial production while securing large multi-billion commercial programs across numerous market verticals including medical devices, consumer products, aerospace, defense, and industrial segments. These programs validate VulcanForms’ ability to deliver production-grade metal products at scale and show that organizations are shifting mission critical manufacturing back to the United States when a reliable and high-performance domestic supplier is available.

“American manufacturers need a domestic alternative that can compete with global production at scale with superior speed and precision,” said Kevin Kassekert, CEO of VulcanForms. “This financing enables us to meet surging demand and expand our role as a critical partner to companies rebuilding resilient domestic supply chains.”

VulcanForms operates a fully integrated digital metal manufacturing platform that unifies advanced metal production technologies, precision machining, automation, and proprietary software into one workflow. This integrated approach improves quality, repeatability, and lead-time predictability and strengthens domestic sourcing for mission critical components. As industries from aerospace to healthcare work to reduce foreign dependencies and accelerate innovation cycles, VulcanForms is providing the industrial capability required for the next era of American manufacturing.

“1789 Capital is thrilled to support VulcanForms, a company revitalizing America’s industrial strength and sharply reducing our dependence on foreign suppliers,” said Omeed Malik, President of 1789 Capital. “By restoring high-skilled manufacturing jobs to American soil, VulcanForms is helping to drive the next great chapter of American prosperity.”

“Rebuilding America’s industrial capacity requires bold engineering and the ability to manufacture at scale, and VulcanForms has proven it can deliver both,” said Greg Reichow, Partner at Eclipse. “Their platform brings production of mission critical components back onshore with unmatched precision, speed, and reliability. Eclipse is proud to back a team that is delivering real industrial output today while shaping the future of American manufacturing.”

About VulcanForms

VulcanForms develops advanced digital metal manufacturing technology and deploys fully integrated production facilities in the United States. These facilities unify metal additive manufacturing, precision machining, automation, inspection, and proprietary software into one end-to-end platform. By combining technology development with vertically integrated manufacturing, VulcanForms enables American companies to produce complex, high performance metal components at scale with consistent quality, competitive economics, and secure domestic supply chains. For more information, visit www.vulcanforms.com.

About Eclipse

With approximately $5 billion in assets under management, Eclipse is a team of operators and investors partnering with exceptional companies from ideation to all stages of growth, unlocking solutions to age-old physical industry problems through the intersection of bits and atoms and the rise of physical AI. For more information, visit www.eclipse.capital.

About 1789 Capital

With approximately $2 billion in assets under management, 1789 Capital is an investment firm that focuses on providing financing to companies in the Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Growth (“EIG”) economy, which is driving the next era of American prosperity. For more information, visit www.1789capital.vc.

Media Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE VulcanForms

Why robotics companies need different ecosystems than SaaS, and how Cybernetix has built one

BOSTON, Jan. 30, 2026 — Robotics is enjoying its golden age. Hardware costs are plummeting, automation demand is surging, and trillion-dollar markets are emerging, but the ecosystems meant to support these burgeoning companies are still designed for software. Cybernetix Ventures has refined a model: a hyperfocus on the robotics industry plus synchronized activation mobilizes an entire ecosystem in one week. Now in its fourth year, Robotics Invest returns May 26-27, 2026, anchoring the second annual Robotics Tech Week from May 26-29.

Robotics Invest: Built for Relevance

At the heart of Robotics Tech Week is Robotics Invest, which has earned its reputation as the industry’s most impactful robotics gathering by design. Capped at 300 attendees—primarily C-suite founders, early and late stage investors, and corporate decision-makers—the event attracts robotics leaders who understand the unique challenges of building hardware-intensive companies. Past speakers include Marc Raibert (Boston Dynamics), Brad Porter (Cobot), Peter Wurman (Amazon Robotics), Kristina Nilsson (JP Morgan), Duncan Turner (SOSV), Milo Werner (The Engine), Stella Yoo (Evercore), among others.

The results speak for themselves: founders have secured their lead investors, closed partnerships, and saved months of work through high-caliber introductions.

Robotics Tech Week: Industry Alignment at Scale

Robotics Tech Week extends beyond Robotics Invest to activate the full ecosystem—students, operators, companies, policymakers, researchers—all focused on robotics.

“We’re building connective tissue across investors, corporates, universities, clusters, and founders so the next generation of robotics companies has a stronger foundation,” said Fady Saad, Founder and General Partner, Cybernetix Ventures. “Robotics companies face challenges other founders don’t. What we’re proving is that industry focus plus synchronization unlocks momentum that would take years to build organically.”

Why This Moment Matters

Robotics Tech Week coincides with a16z’s TechWeek Boston debut, bringing broader attention to the city’s robotics innovation ecosystem—and further validation for Boston’s approach.

“Boston has always been a robotics capital,” said Mark Martin, Co-founder and General Partner, Cybernetix Ventures. “Robotics Tech Week activates that foundation deliberately. As other cities watch to see if the model can be scaled and toured globally, we’re hyperfocused on delivering value for the industry—and so many here share the same mission of advancing intelligent machines.”

How to Participate

Applications for Robotics Invest 2026 will open soon. Attendance is capped at 300, with past events activating a waitlist. Organizations can submit Robotics Tech Week events at roboticstechweek.com. For updates, visit roboticsinvest.com or follow Robotics Invest on LinkedIn.

About Cybernetix Ventures

Cybernetix Ventures is a leading venture capital firm focused on early-stage robotics and physical AI. Headquartered in Boston, the firm is led by robotics experts Fady Saad and Mark Martin, who have 50 years of combined robotics technologies, operating, and investing experience. Cybernetix invests in purpose-built teams and industry-critical opportunities across North America and Europe. Sectors include: advanced manufacturing, logistics, construction, healthcare, agriculture, and energy infrastructure.

SOURCE Cybernetix Ventures

WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 30, 2026 — Brand Engagement Network, Inc. (“BEN”) (Nasdaq: BNAI), a provider of secure, enterprise-grade artificial intelligence solutions, today announced the receipt of $818,302.70 in cash proceeds from warrant exercises, the repayment of legacy debt, and the execution of a $1.518 million private placement, further strengthening the Company’s balance sheet and financial flexibility.

The warrant exercises were completed for cash and consisted of:

• 19,750 shares exercised at $25.00 per share, generating $493,750 in gross proceeds;
• 8,202 shares exercised at $37.00 per share, generating $303,474 in gross proceeds;
• 5,701 shares exercised at $3.70 per share, generating $21,078.70 in gross proceeds.

In addition, during January 2026, BEN repaid $640,332.46 in outstanding loans, including $630,332.46 related to loans with Hana Bank, South Korea, thereby satisfying the Company’s liabilities under the Asset Purchase Agreement dated May 3, 2023, through January 30, 2026.

Separately, BEN entered into a securities purchase agreement for a $1.518 million private placement with Ben Capital Fund I, LLC, priced at $63.25 per share, representing an issuance of 24,000 shares of common stock. The investment will be funded in three equal installments of $506,000, with closings scheduled for January 30, February 25, and March 25, 2026. The transaction includes no warrant coverage and was priced at a premium to the Company’s January 29, 2026 closing price.

“This week reflects continued execution against our financial strategy,” said Tyler Luck, Chief Executive Officer of Brand Engagement Network. “The combination of warrant exercises, debt repayment, and a premium-priced private placement strengthens our balance sheet and positions BEN to move forward with focus and flexibility as we execute on our business objectives.”

The securities described herein were offered and sold in private transactions pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

About Brand Engagement Network, Inc. (Nasdaq: BNAI)
Brand Engagement Network, Inc. (“BEN”) is a provider of secure, enterprise-grade artificial intelligence solutions that enable natural conversations, workflow automation, and real-world execution across text, voice, and avatar-based experiences. Designed for regulated and high-impact industries, BEN delivers highly personalized, multimodal AI within secure, closed-loop environments to help organizations modernize operations, improve decision-making, and enhance customer engagement. BEN’s platform is powered by proprietary technology, including its Engagement Language Model (ELM™), with governance, compliance, and reliability embedded by design. For more information, please visit www.brandengagementnetwork.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Additional information regarding these risks is contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

BEN Investor Relations: [email protected]

BEN Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Brand Engagement Network, Inc. (BEN)

• Decube also completed the largest data governance related deal in the region in 2025
• Decube provides the trusted data context that AI and analytics rely on

SINGAPORE, Jan. 29, 2026 — Decube, a data trust and context platform for enterprise AI, has raised USD 3 million in its latest funding round*, which is being led by Taiwania Hive Ventures, with participation from Iterative and 500 Global.

The funding will support Decube’s global growth, continued product innovation, and rapid expansion across the APAC region, as enterprises increasingly look to operationalize AI on top of data they can trust.

The Context Data Layer Enterprises Need

As organizations invest heavily in AI, many are discovering a hard truth: AI systems are only as effective as the context provided to them. While enterprises have modern data platforms, warehouses, and pipelines, they often lack a unified way to explain what their data actually means, where it comes from, how it changes, and whether it should be trusted.

Decube is building what many enterprises are missing: a context layer for data.

In practical terms, Decube sits between raw data systems and AI or analytics use cases, providing the critical context required for responsible and scalable decision-making. This includes understanding lineage, ownership, quality, and usage policies—without relying on manual documentation or disconnected tools.

For business and data leaders, this context layer becomes the foundation that allows AI initiatives to move from experimentation to production with confidence.

Commenting on the success of this latest funding round, Jatin Solanki, Founder and CEO of Decube said: “Decube was founded on a simple insight: enterprises can’t scale AI without a trusted context layer across their data. This round validates what we are seeing at the heart of almost every large business: enterprises are racing to deploy AI, but most are still missing the context layer that makes AI reliable at an enterprise level. This funding allows us to move faster, expand strategically across APAC, and help our clients turn trusted data into production-grade AI, not experiments. We are building the foundation that lets AI actually work in the real world.”

With this funding, Decube plans to deepen its global footprint while expanding rapidly across the APAC region, where enterprises are modernizing data estates and preparing for AI at scale. The company will invest in product capabilities, regional partnerships, and enterprise deployments aligned with this growing demand.

The Missing Foundation Behind Enterprise AI Adoption

Decube’s platform helps enterprises move beyond fragmented metadata, spreadsheets, and tribal knowledge by unifying data understanding into a single system. This enables organizations to:

• Know where data originates and how it is transformed
• Establish accountability and ownership across data assets
• Continuously assess data reliability before it is consumed
• Provide trusted, explainable inputs to analytics and AI systems

This approach is increasingly critical for regulated and data-intensive industries, where AI adoption must balance speed, trust, and accountability.

Reflecting on the funding opportunity, Tawania Hive Co-Founder and Managing Partner Yan Lee said: “We were drawn to Decube because of the clarity of the problem they are solving and the strength of the team executing against it. As AI adoption moves from pilots to core enterprise systems, the need for scalable, production-grade data foundations is becoming non-negotiable. Decube is building a category-defining platform with strong early traction in regulated industries, and we are excited to support the company as it scales across Asia Pacific.”

Decube is already supporting enterprises across highly regulated industries including regional banks, financial institutions, telcos, and global corporates. In Indonesia, PT Superbank, which recently went public, is using Decube as part of its AI foundation to ensure that the data powering analytics and AI is governed, traceable, and ready for production use.

This reflects a broader shift among Chief Data Officers: moving from isolated governance initiatives toward operational data trust embedded directly into data workflows.

About Decube

Decube provides the trusted data context that AI and analytics depend on.  It provides enterprises with a unified layer to understand, trust, and operationalize their data—bringing together lineage, metadata, quality signals, and controls into a single foundation. Decube enables organizations to build analytics and AI systems on data that is not just available, but explainable and trustworthy.

SOURCE Decube

Founded by former Google DeepMind scientists, Poetiq emerges from “stealth” after setting a new state-of-the-art (SOTA) on ARC-AGI-2

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 29, 2026 — Poetiq, developer of an AI meta-system that makes LLMs work better, announced today that it raised $45.8 million in Seed funding co-led by FYRFLY Venture Partners and Surface Ventures with Y Combinator, 468 Capital, Operator Collective, Hico Ventures, and Neuron Venture Partners participating. The funding news follows Poetiq’s commanding results on ARC-AGI-2, an industry benchmark for machine reasoning and progress towards artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Poetiq can pair with any frontier LLM (OpenAI’s Chat GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, Meta’s Llama, etc.) to make it learn faster and solve harder problems. Clients provide Poetiq with a problem and a few hundred examples instead of the thousands or millions required for fine-tuning or RL post-training. Poetiq’s meta-system generates an agent that specializes in solving that problem and recursively improves the agent to become more accurate and cost-efficient.

Poetiq was founded in June 2025 by co-CEOs Shumeet Baluja, PhD, and Ian Fischer, former AI researchers at Google DeepMind. Baluja was previously the CTO of Jamdat Mobile (IPO 2004) and spent the last 21 years with Google DeepMind, where he founded their mobile practice and started their fundamental computer vision research group. He has contributed to more than 170 patents in neural networks, machine learning, and applications and is one of the originators of YouTube’s copyright system. Fischer joined Google DeepMind through its 2015 acquisition of Apportable, a platform that ported iOS games to Android, where he was co-founder and CTO.

Collaborating at Google DeepMind, Fischer and Baluja noticed that frontier LLMs were struggling to solve most hard (or easy) problems. The current solution—to pre-train and post-train LLMs through reinforcement learning (RL)—takes weeks and is far too expensive for all but the biggest companies.

“LLMs are impressive databases that encode a vast amount of humanity’s collective knowledge,” said Shumeet Baluja, co-CEO of Poetiq. “They are simply not the best tools for deep reasoning. That’s why efforts to improve their problem-solving skills are so slow and expensive. For ARC-AGI 1 and 2, we used recursive self-improvement to produce specialized agents in a matter of hours. It demonstrates how much we can help with problems that have been too hard or too expensive for LLMs alone.”

An MIT study of 300 public AI implementations, published in August 2025, underscores the need for Poetiq. Although enterprises have invested $30 to $40 billion in GenAI, 95% of organizations are “getting zero return,” according to the researchers. Use cases that have struggled to generate an ROI are ideal candidates for Poetiq, as it can improve the reasoning capabilities of any LLM, including proprietary, in-house models.

“That Poetiq managed to top ARC-AGI within six months of launching is remarkable,” said Philipp Stauffer, General Partner at FYRFLY Venture Partners. “Rather than compete against frontier models, their team of six found a way to coax more intelligence from every LLM available. Poetiq will be a must-have for companies trying to make AI work for real-world business applications.”

“Poetiq is one of the rare AI startups that doesn’t need to outcompete frontier models or pick sides,” added Gyan Kapur, co-Managing Partner at Surface Ventures. “It can enhance any combination of LLMs, any native AI platform, and any AI use case. Poetiq can provide better performance at lower costs across diverse use cases by sitting on top of foundation models, and that is a unique position to be in.”

The Abstraction and Reasoning Corpus (ARC-AGI), developed in 2019 by AI researcher François Chollet, is a benchmark that measures an AI’s “human-like generalization” of problem-solving skills. In early December, Poetiq established a SOTA on the ARC-AGI-2 semi-private evaluation set, topping Gemini 3 Deep Think, the previous leader, at half the cost per task; this was done using Poetiq’s system on top of Gemini 3 Pro. Within a few days, OpenAI released GPT-5.2. Poetiq immediately incorporated this model into their system and showed a new SOTA at 75% accuracy (on the public evaluation set), a 16 percentage point improvement on the previous SOTA. OpenAI co-founder and President Greg Brockman tweeted in response to this feat, Poetiq is “exceeding the human baseline on ARC-AGI-2 with gpt-5.2.”

For technical details on Poetiq’s ARC-AGI-2 results, read their blog posts at:

To learn more about the company, visit poetiq.ai

About Poetiq

Poetiq is on the fastest path to AGI with a meta-system that makes frontier LLMs smarter and more cost-effective at solving real-world problems. Through recursive self-improvement, Poetiq generates AI agents to solve business problems that are too difficult or too expensive for LLMs alone. With each problem they solve, Poetiq agents become faster and more accurate at solving related problems. Visit poetiq.ai to learn more.

Press Contact:
[email protected] 

SOURCE Poetiq

One of the most influential coaches in the modern game endorses the patented three-in-one system creating a new era of player development and competition.

SANFORD, Fla., Jan. 29, 2026 — 360 Hoops, the emerging sports innovation company behind the patented three-in-one basketball system and circular gameplay format, today announced a landmark investment from Geno Auriemma, one of the most accomplished and influential basketball coaches in the history of the sport.

The Hall of Fame coach and 12-time National Champion said of 360 Hoops, “What stood out to me about 360 Hoops is that it doesn’t try to change basketball…it amplifies it,” said Auriemma. “More movement, more awareness, more decisions. Anything that gets players more involved and thinking about the game in real time is worth supporting.”

Auriemma’s investment and strategic advisory role mark a key validation for 360 Hoops as the company prepares for its official rollout in the second quarter of 2026, following extensive prototyping and pilot programming in 2025.

An Engagement Multiplier

360 Hoops is built around three integrated elements that can operate independently or together, forming a new basketball platform supported by patented intellectual property:

Product: A patented three-in-one basketball system

Gameplay: A proprietary circular format that allows players to score on any of three baskets

Activation: A customizable platform designed for community programming, events, and brand engagement

At the equipment level, the three-in-one system is designed to increase player involvement by creating more scoring opportunities, movement, and decision-making within a single play environment. The company’s flagship product, 360Flex, is a portable system adjustable from 4.5 to 10 feet and is scheduled to be available for purchase this spring. In addition to the portable system, the company plans to introduce a permanent in-ground version, with a ceiling-retractable, pro-grade model currently in development.

At the gameplay level, 360 Hoops introduces a proprietary 3v3v3 format played on a circular court, where players can attack and defend any of three baskets. The company states that up to five 360Flex systems can be operated within the general footprint of a traditional basketball court, enabling higher participation levels and expanded programming opportunities for facilities and operators. The company plans to host its own slate of tournaments while also partnering with approved operators to support broader adoption.

As an activation platform, 360 Hoops systems can be custom-designed for schools, clubs, municipalities, and brand partners, supporting signage, sponsorship, and experiential programming. The systems are designed to serve as focal points for community engagement while offering operators additional options for events and partnerships.

Drawing inspiration from how pickleball transformed tennis, 360 Hoops aims to do the same for basketball — offering a highly engaging, social, and accessible complement to the traditional game rather than attempting to replace it.

“Players learn by being involved,” Auriemma added. “This format forces awareness and decision-making in a way that reflects real basketball situations.”

Validation From a Trusted Voice in Basketball

Founded by Anthony Gomez and Shane Brey, 360 Hoops was built to expand participation, skill development, and engagement while preserving the fundamentals of the game. Auriemma’s investment aligns directly with that mission, reinforcing the company’s focus on scalable, community-based programming that enhances basketball without changing its core.

Shane Brey, Inventor and Co-Founder of 360 Hoops, said:

“Geno’s belief in what we’re building is incredibly meaningful. He sees the game better than anyone and understands what truly benefits players and communities. His investment validates 360 Hoops as a platform that enhances basketball and youth development without compromising the integrity of the sport we all love.”

Anthony Gomez, Co-Founder of 360 Hoops, added:

“This is a major vote of confidence in 360 Hoops as a company, and we don’t take it lightly. We’re grateful for Geno’s belief and know his support will accelerate our ability to scale, bring 360 Hoops to market, and deliver long-term value for the communities, partners, and players who experience it.”

Auriemma echoed that belief, saying:

“We need more ways to keep kids engaged with the game. 360 Hoops meets players where they are while still respecting basketball’s fundamentals.”

What’s Next

360 Hoops will launch sales this spring, introduce a nationwide slate of 360 Hoops Tournaments, and roll out its school experience model this fall. The company will also continue to announce additional investments, partnerships, and strategic initiatives in the coming months.

About 360 Hoops

360 Hoops is a sports innovation company reimagining basketball with its patented three-in-one hoop and circular gameplay, allowing players to attack, score, and defend all three baskets. While preserving the essence and global appeal of basketball, 360 Hoops enhances engagement, maximizes space efficiency, and gets more players moving and having fun. Played on a circular court with nonstop action, the game is designed for all ages and skill levels. By changing the shape of the game, 360 Hoops creates a fast-paced, dynamic experience while solving the common challenge of too many players and not enough hoops. With a mission to deliver the most fun way to fall in love with sports, 360 Hoops inspires movement and makes the game more accessible. Learn more at play360hoops.com.

SOURCE 360 Hoops