40-video mini series of free lessons on business cash flow, capital, and growth across six themes. 

NEW YORK and TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 18, 2026 — Byzfunder, the alternative finance partner that has provided more than $1.75 billion in funding to over 30,000 small businesses since 2019, today launched Money Master Class, a video series hosted by CEO Ilya Fridman designed to help small business owners better understand and manage their relationship with capital.

Money Master Class reflects how Byzfunder works with the businesses banks overlook.

When a bank says no — or takes weeks to make a decision — an owner needs answers they can act on now. Byzfunder gives them both the knowledge and the capital to move.

But this isn’t just a show about how money works. It’s about how business owners have been taught to think about money.

Traditional bank underwriting tends to favor businesses with stable, predictable revenue and financial histories that fit conventional models. That approach works well for many companies, but it can leave seasonal, fast-growing or less conventional businesses with fewer options. Over time, that dynamic has contributed to a broader cultural assumption: that borrowing is a last resort, and that needing capital is a sign something’s wrong.

That assumption costs business owners real opportunities — the contract they don’t take, the hire they delay, the inventory they don’t order — not because the capital isn’t out there, but because they’ve absorbed a rule that was never really written for them.

Money Master Class exists to close that gap. Ilya Fridman, CEO of Byzfunder, uses the show to reframe capital as a normal tool for growth — timed and used deliberately, the same way a company plans hiring or inventory. The series spans six themes: Founder’s Mindset, Funding Fact vs Myth, Cash 101, Read the Room, Inside the Trade, and Real Talk — answering some of the questions owners are afraid to ask.

“Most business owners were never handed a playbook for the money side of running a company,” said Ilya Fridman, CEO of Byzfunder. “Money Master Class is designed to be that playbook — clear, practical and free. It’s education first, built to help owners make smarter decisions about cash flow, growth and capital. We want to be a trusted partner in that journey — long before funding is needed and long after it’s received.”

What the series covers

The 40-video series spans six themes — from cash flow fundamentals and Founder’s Mindset to the lending industry landscape and vertical deep dives. New episodes are released weekly and are available on demand through Byzfunder’s YouTube channel and social media channels.

Watch Money Master Class at byzfunder.com/resources/money-master-class.

About Ilya Fridman

Fridman brings more than two decades of experience as both an entrepreneur and a business financing executive. Over the course of his career, he has built and operated businesses across lending, logistics, technology and other industries, growing companies from zero to more than $250 million in annual revenue. Having experienced firsthand the challenges of scaling businesses, navigating economic cycles and securing capital at critical moments, Fridman brings an owner’s perspective to small business finance. Through Money Master Class, he is translating those lessons into practical guidance designed to help business owners make smarter decisions about cash flow, growth and the strategic use of capital.

About Byzfunder

Founded in 2019, Byzfunder is a full-service alternative finance partner for small and medium-sized businesses across the United States. Byzfunder funds the businesses banks overlook — companies with real revenue, real operations, and real growth needs. Business owners can apply in five minutes, with funding available as soon as the same day. The company has funded more than $1.75 billion since inception. Funding now. Future secured.

For more information, visit byzfunder.com.

Media Contact

Xin Hamilton, CMO

[email protected]

byzfunder.com

SOURCE Byzfunder

Dedicated financing platform, backed by 11-bank syndicate and supported by equity sponsors GI Partners and MSIP, will fund more than 130 MW of new capacity under construction and in planning

DENVER, Aug. 18, 2026 — Flexential, a leading provider of secure and flexible data center solutions, has established an $800 million credit facility to accelerate the development of new data center capacity in markets where the company’s customers are growing and demand continues to build.

The financing will support more than 130 megawatts (MW) of new capacity across four key markets in Flexential’s national platform, providing a scalable source of capital to build ahead of enterprise and AI-driven infrastructure needs. Projects currently under construction include a 36 MW facility in Atlanta-Douglasville, Georgia; a 36 MW facility in Portland-Hillsboro, Oregon; and a 22.5 MW facility in Denver-Parker, Colorado. Also planned are another 36 MW facility in Portland-Hillsboro and a 4.5 MW expansion adjacent to Flexential’s existing operations in Atlanta-Norcross, Georgia.

“We are collaborating closely with our customers and partners and making infrastructure investments today based on where we know they are growing,” said Ryan Mallory, CEO of Flexential. “Our customers are planning years in advance, and they need confidence that the capacity, density and connectivity they’ll need will be there when they’re ready. This financing gives us the ability to invest ahead of that demand and deliver the infrastructure to support their growth.”

The new facility creates a dedicated financing vehicle for Flexential’s development portfolio, providing committed capital to support projects as they move from planning through construction and delivery. It also builds on Flexential’s broader investment strategy to expand capacity across its national footprint while maintaining the flexibility to respond to evolving customer requirements.

The $800 million facility was oversubscribed and upsized 60% from the initial target of $500 million due to strong demand. The facility is supported by a syndicate of 11 leading digital infrastructure banks and complements ongoing equity investment from Flexential’s sponsors, GI Partners and MSIP. TD Securities served as administrative agent and joint coordinating lead arranger and joint bookrunner. RBC Capital Markets and J.P. Morgan served as joint coordinating lead arrangers and joint bookrunners. Goldman Sachs, ING, SMBC, Bank of America, and KeyBanc served as joint lead arrangers. Flagstar, Citibank, and Investec served as co-documentation agents. Simpson Thacher was Flexential’s legal advisor for the transaction.

About Flexential

Flexential empowers the IT journey of the most complex businesses by offering customizable IT solutions designed for today’s demanding high-density computing requirements. With colocation, cloud, interconnection, data protection, and professional services, the FlexAnywhere^® platform anchors our services in 40 data centers across 18 highly connected markets on a scalable 100+ Gbps private network backbone. Flexential solutions are strategically engineered to meet the most stringent challenges in security, compliance, and resiliency. Experience the power of IT flexibility and how we enable digital transformation at www.flexential.com.

Media Contact

Christian Rizzo

Gregory for Flexential

[email protected]

SOURCE Flexential

The Neuberger Securitize High Income Tokenized Fund brings a new high-yield strategy onchain across Avalanche, Ethereum, Solana and Sui

MIAMI and NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2026 — Securitize Corp. (“Securitize”) (NYSE: SECZ), the leader in tokenized assets, today announced the launch of the Neuberger Securitize High Income Tokenized Fund (“HINC”). This marks the first engagement by Neuberger, a global investment manager, as subadvisor to a tokenized fund.

HINC seeks to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns by investing primarily in high yield bonds, in addition to other income-producing fixed income investments, such as collateralized loan obligations and leveraged loans. As subadvisor, Neuberger brings its deep fixed income expertise in portfolio management and research to the strategy, drawing on a platform that oversees more than $230 billion assets under management.¹

“This tokenized fund brings Neuberger’s established fixed income capabilities to public blockchains,” said Carlos Domingo, Co-Founder and CEO of Securitize. “Launching HINC across Avalanche, Ethereum, Solana and  Sui, gives eligible investors access through four  leading blockchain networks, supported by Securitize’s regulated, end-to-end tokenization platform.”

“Neuberger’s fixed income platform has navigated decades of market cycles, growing into a globally integrated business built on diversified, research-intensive solutions” said Anil Abraham, Head of Product Management at Neuberger. “We are pleased to work with Securitize to extend our process-driven, actively managed approach to qualified investors looking to access fixed income strategies on-chain.”

Securitize Capital LLC serves as HINC’s investment adviser, and Securitize Markets, LLC offers interests in the fund to eligible investors. Other Securitize affiliates provide tokenization, fund administration and related operational services. HINC will be available to eligible accredited investors and qualified purchasers through Securitize, subject to onboarding, KYC/AML checks, jurisdictional eligibility and applicable securities-law requirements.

Investors can obtain additional information about HINC by visiting https://securitize.io/hinc.

About Securitize

Securitize, the world’s leader in tokenizing real-world assets with $5B+ AUM (as of July 2026), is bringing the world onchain through tokenized funds in partnership with top-tier asset managers, such as Apollo, BlackRock, BNY, Hamilton Lane, KKR, VanEck and others.

In the U.S., Securitize operates through its affiliates, including Securitize Markets, LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC that operates an SEC-regulated Alternative Trading System (ATS); Securitize Transfer Agent, LLC, an SEC-registered transfer agent; Securitize Capital LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser; and Securitize Fund Services, LLC, which provides fund administration services. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training, nor does it constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission. In Europe, Securitize operates through its affiliate Securitize Europe Brokerage and Markets, S.A., which is fully authorized as an Investment Firm and operates a Trading & Settlement System (TSS) under the EU DLT Pilot Regime, making Securitize Corp. currently the only company, based on its existing U.S. and EU regulatory authorizations, licensed to operate regulated digital-securities infrastructure across both the U.S. and EU. Securitize has also been recognized as a 2026 Forbes Top 50 Fintech company.

For more information, please visit:
Website | X/Twitter | LinkedIn

About Neuberger
Neuberger is an employee-owned, private, independent investment manager founded in 1939 with approximately 3,000 employees across 26 countries. The firm manages $613 billion of equities, fixed income, private markets, real estate and hedge fund portfolios for global institutions, advisors and individuals. Neuberger’s investment philosophy is founded on active management, fundamental research and engaged ownership. The firm is proud to be recognized for its commitment to its two constituents, clients and employees. Again this past year, we were named Best Asset Manager for Institutional Investors in the US (Crisil Coalition Greenwich) and the #1 Best Place to Work in Money Management (Pensions & Investments, firms with more than 1,000 employees). Neuberger has no corporate parent or unaffiliated external shareholders. Visit www.nb.com for more information, including www.nb.com/disclosure-global-communications for information on awards. Data as of June 30, 2026.

Disclaimer:
An investment in HINC involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of loss of some or all invested capital, and is suitable only for investors who can bear the economic risk of their investment for an indefinite period of time. HINC’s investments in high-yield bonds, collateralized loan obligations, and other leveraged credit instruments are subject to elevated credit, interest rate, liquidity, and market risk relative to investment-grade fixed income. In addition, because interests in HINC are issued and transferred using blockchain-based tokenization technology, an investment in HINC is subject to additional risks not typically associated with investments in traditional, non-tokenized funds, including risks related to digital asset custody, smart contract functionality and security, network and technology failures, cybersecurity, and an evolving and uncertain regulatory environment applicable to digital assets and tokenized securities. Prospective investors should carefully review HINC’s confidential offering documents, which contain a description of these and other risks, before making an investment decision.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements regarding Securitize Corp.’s (“Securitize”) future results of operations and financial position, business strategy, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “potential,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties.

Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: regulatory developments relating to digital assets and tokenization; market volatility; competition; and those risks factors described in the filings of Securitize Corp..

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Securitize Corp. does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Contacts

Tom Murphy
[email protected]

Sam Ross
[email protected]

Source: Securitize (NYSE: SECZ)
XNYS:SECZ

¹ Source: Neuberger, as of June 30, 2026

SOURCE Securitize

NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2026 — J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, the life sciences venture and growth equity arm within J.P. Morgan Asset Management, today announced the appointment of Bruce N. Rogers, Ph.D., as Venture Partner. Dr. Rogers will leverage his extensive background in medicinal chemistry, translational science, neuroscience, and immunology to develop and scale innovative companies with Life Sciences Private Capital.

Dr. Rogers is a seasoned drug discovery and development expert with a strong track record of building innovative companies that deliver therapies across biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Rogers currently serves as President and CEO of an emerging precision immunology firm and a portfolio company of J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital.

Prior to that, Dr. Rogers was President of Morphic Therapeutic, where he originally joined as Chief Scientific Officer in 2016, built the company’s platform, and delivered a portfolio of assets including MORF-057. Following Morphic’s acquisition by Eli Lilly in 2024 for $3.2 billion, he transitioned to Eli Lilly as Senior Vice President and CEO of Morphic, overseeing the integration of Morphic’s portfolio and team. Before his tenure at Morphic, Dr. Rogers served as Head of Neuro-Opportunities at Pfizer and spent 16 years within the medicinal chemistry divisions at Pfizer and Pharmacia, where he led teams that advanced over a dozen small molecule candidates into clinical trials across multiple neuroscience indications.

“Dr. Rogers has built a career that spans a diverse range of therapeutic areas and drug modalities, and that breadth of experience is a real asset to our team,” said Dr. Stephen Squinto, CIO of Life Sciences Private Capital. “We look forward to working alongside him as we continue to grow our platform and support the next generation of life sciences companies.”

Biography

Bruce N. Rogers, PhD, serves as President and CEO of an emerging precision immunology company focused on developing therapies that selectively target disease-driving T-cell populations. Previously, Dr. Rogers was President of Morphic Therapeutic, a biopharmaceutical company developing integrin therapies for serious chronic diseases, having initially joined the company as Chief Scientific Officer in 2016, building its platform and delivering a portfolio of assets including MORF-057. Following Morphic’s acquisition by Lilly in 2024 for $3.2 billion, he transitioned to Lilly, where he held the roles of Senior Vice President and CEO of Morphic, overseeing the integration of Morphic’s portfolio and team. Dr. Rogers brings deep experience in drug discovery and development, encompassing preclinical and clinical programs, medicinal chemistry, structural biology, translational science, DMPK, strategic partnering, and R&D planning. Before his tenure at Morphic, he served as Head of Neuro-Opportunities at Pfizer, leading innovative initiatives for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including direct brain delivery of protein therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease and oncology-oriented approaches. He also spent 16 years in progressively senior roles within the medicinal chemistry divisions at Pfizer and Pharmacia, leading teams that advanced over a dozen small molecule candidates into clinical trials for various neuroscience indications, such as tavapadon for Parkinson’s disease and emraclidine for schizophrenia. Dr. Rogers has co-authored more than 60 scientific publications, reviews, and abstracts, and is credited as a co-inventor on over 85 patents and patent applications. He holds a BA in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of California, Irvine. Additionally, he was a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow at the University of California prior to entering the pharmaceutical industry.

About J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital

J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital (“LSPC”), is the life sciences platform of J.P. Morgan Private Capital, the investment arm for private companies across the capital structure with a focus on venture and growth investing within J.P. Morgan Asset Management. LSPC partners with leading early-stage biotherapeutics and late-stage healthcare companies. The early stage biotechnology practice is focused on company creation, Seed and Series A investments across all therapeutic areas in biotechnology. The late-stage healthcare practice is focused on Series B through pre-IPO investments within biotechnology, medical devices, tools, diagnostics, healthcare technology and pharmaceutical services.

About J.P. Morgan Asset Management

J.P. Morgan Asset Management, with assets under management of $4.6 trillion as of June 30, 2026, is a global leader in investment management. J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s clients include institutions, retail investors and high net worth individuals in every major market throughout the world. J.P. Morgan Asset Management offers global investment management in equities, fixed income, real estate, hedge funds, private equity and liquidity. For more information, visit: www.jpmorgan.com/am.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (“U.S.”), with operations worldwide. JPMorganChase had $5.0 trillion in assets and $375 billion in stockholders’ equity as of June 30, 2026. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

SOURCE J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Facility expected to support approximately $900 million in funding to ecommerce brands over the next two years

TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2026 — Clearco, the leading provider of non-dilutive funding for ecommerce brands, today announced a new $100 million asset-backed financing facility from Macquarie Group. The facility expands Clearco’s ability to provide qualified brands with up to $10 million in funding and estimated terms of 4 to 12 months. It is expected to support approximately $900 million in funding to ecommerce brands over the next two years.

The facility is structured to support ecommerce brands as they grow across DTC, wholesale, retail, marketplaces and social commerce. It expands Clearco’s ability to provide larger amounts of funding over longer terms for inventory, marketing, major purchase orders and other growth initiatives.

“Ecommerce growth no longer happens through a single channel,” said Andrew Curtis, CEO of Clearco. “Brands are making larger inventory commitments, expanding across wholesale and retail, and investing in new ways for customers to discover and buy their products. This facility gives us the capacity to support those investments over longer terms and grow alongside ambitious operators as their businesses become more complex.”

Macquarie’s New York-based Fixed Income and Currencies team, part of the company’s Commodities and Global Markets business, provided financing for the transaction.

“Clearco combines deep ecommerce specialization with the disciplined underwriting required to serve this market at scale,” said Eli Nafisi, Senior Managing Director in Macquarie’s Commodities and Global Markets business. “This facility demonstrates Macquarie’s ability to deliver tailored financing solutions across a range of asset classes, and we are pleased to support Clearco as it enhances access to flexible capital for ecommerce brands.”

The facility marks Clearco’s next stage of growth, expanding its capacity to support ecommerce operators as their funding needs become larger and more complex.

For more information about Clearco, please visit www.clear.co.

About Clearco

Clearco introduced non-dilutive funding to ecommerce and remains its leading provider. Built for the realities of ecommerce, its flexible funding supports inventory, always-on marketing, major purchase orders, and expansion across DTC, wholesale and retail. Qualifying brands can access up to $10 million with estimated terms of 4 to 12 months, no personal guarantees and no all-asset liens. To date, the company has provided more than $3.3 billion in funding to over 11,000 businesses.

Media Contact
Ryan Hecker
PANBlast for Clearco
[email protected]

SOURCE Clearco

$5.2 million round co-led by J2 Ventures and Stormbreaker Ventures will scale Mobile Coverage as a Service across underserved enterprise properties.

LOS GATOS, Calif., Aug. 18, 2026 — InfiniG, the company modernizing enterprise cellular through its Mobile Coverage as a Service (MCaaS) platform, today announced a $5.2 million Seed round co-led by J2 Ventures and Stormbreaker Ventures. The investment will expand enterprise deployments, automate mobile-operator integration, scale InfiniG Insights, and advance the platform’s foundation for automation and physical AI.

Reliable mobile coverage has become a foundational infrastructure for employees, customers, emergency responders, connected devices, and business-critical applications. Whether enterprises provide phones or use Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), they increasingly need dependable coverage from all three nationwide mobile operators and their MVNO partners.

Three forces are colliding: people and critical operations are more dependent on mobile phones, modern buildings increasingly use energy-efficient materials such as dense concrete, steel, and low-emissivity glass that block outdoor cellular signals, and mobile operators are no longer able to fund enterprise deployments at the scale required. The industry needs a modern model built for this new reality.

Traditional indoor cellular solutions were designed primarily for the largest venues, leaving millions without an economical path to multi-operator coverage. Many carrier-funded Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) are reaching an end of life, while mobile operators generally no longer fund replacements or new enterprise DAS deployments. Enterprises are left to finance complex upgrades requiring separate signal sources, engineering, approvals, and coordination for each participating operator. Repeaters may seem like a quick fix for very small buildings, but their performance depends on the outdoor macro network, creating a variable user experience.

InfiniG was created to disrupt that model. MCaaS uses shared CBRS spectrum, advanced multi-operator (MOCN) technology, and common neutral-host infrastructure to deliver enterprise-funded, carrier-grade coverage through one fully managed service. InfiniG standardizes design, installation, operator onboarding, macro-network and 911/PSAP integration, activation, analytics, and 24/7/365 operations – turning a process that took months or years into a repeatable model deployed in weeks.

“Enterprises need to build cellular infrastructure for the next 10 years, not recreate models designed for the last 10 or 20,” said Joel Lindholm, co-founder and CEO of InfiniG. “MCaaS provides one shared, managed foundation for all participating operators. It solves today’s coverage problem while giving enterprises a flexible path toward 5G, private networks, automation, and physical AI.”

MCaaS protects the enterprise’s investment by combining immediate coverage with a cloud-managed, 5G-upgradeable foundation. InfiniG Insights provides visibility into availability, call performance, mobility, traffic, and utilization across individual properties or entire portfolios. The same foundation can evolve toward enterprise-prioritized and private networks supporting connected operations, robotics and physical AI – without replacing the system for each technology cycle.

“InfiniG is modernizing a market still constrained by deployment models designed for a small number of premier venues,” stated Said Mia, Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Stormbreaker Ventures. “The InfiniG team is uniquely qualified to recognize and solve this problem, having developed and operated this model at Meta, one of the world’s largest, most complex and security-conscious enterprises. That experience gives InfiniG a rare perspective on enterprise needs and requirements, not simply the technology and uniquely positions the company to deliver MCaaS at scale.”

InfiniG has spent three years building and deploying MCaaS with large enterprises across healthcare, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, education, and critical infrastructure. Its platform builds on the founders’ experience deploying multi-operator enterprise cellular at Meta. The financing is primarily growth capital for deployments, operator automation, analytics, and partner expansion rather than years of foundational product development. 

“The U.S. military and public sector increasingly need commercial technologies that strengthen critical infrastructure, healthcare, and communications,” said Alexander Harstrick, managing partner and co-founder at J2 Ventures. “That is central to J2 Ventures’ dual-use investment thesis, and InfiniG fits it well: the company is building resilient, scalable cellular infrastructure for today’s essential operations and tomorrow’s AI-enabled systems.”

InfiniG works with mobile operators, system integrators, and technology providers to make multi-operator cellular coverage practical across portfolios of buildings and campuses.

To learn more about InfiniG, visit www.infinig.io.

About InfiniG

InfiniG delivers Mobile Coverage as a Service (MCaaS), enabling enterprises and property owners to deploy reliable, multi-operator cellular coverage through shared CBRS spectrum and cloud-managed infrastructure. Its enterprise-funded, fully managed neutral-host platform integrates with participating U.S. mobile operators while providing visibility, analytics, and an upgradeable foundation for 5G, private networks, automation, and physical AI. Founded by enterprise networking and cellular infrastructure veterans, InfiniG makes carrier-grade coverage simple to deploy, operate, and scale. For more information, visit www.infinig.io.

About Stormbreaker Ventures

Stormbreaker Ventures is an early-stage venture firm investing in the connectivity infrastructure powering AI, including Open RAN and AI-RAN, private 5G, satellite-cellular convergence, edge compute, IoT, connected mobility, and U.S. manufacturing modernization. Led by veteran operators and founders like Glenn Lurie, former President and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Operations; Wade Oosterman, founder of Clearnet Communications; Derek Aberle, former President of Qualcomm; and Andy Funk, a three-time founder who built and sold Virtela and OverWatchID, Stormbreaker brings decades of experience building and scaling category-defining companies across telecommunications, mobility and enterprise technology. For more information, visit www.stormbreaker.vc.

About J2 Ventures

J2 Ventures is a dual-use early stage venture capital fund investing at the intersection of government and the private sector. Currently deploying out of their third fund, the firm manages over $800M of assets under management. J2 companies have gone on to raise over two dollars of government non-dilutive leverage for every dollar invested and billions in follow-on investment. More information can be found on www.j2vp.com.

Media Contact

BAM for Stormbreaker
[email protected] 

SOURCE InfiniG

Managed upskilling program helps engineering teams build and verify advanced AI coding skills

WESTLAKE, Texas, Aug. 18, 2026 — Pluralsight, the leading technology skills development company, today announced the launch of Pluralsight AI Ready, a fully managed upskilling program designed to turn AI coding tool investments into stronger engineering performance. Through live instruction, hands-on practice, and verified assessment, AI Ready helps teams build, apply, and prove advanced AI skills.

While many organizations invest heavily in generative AI software, they often struggle to move beyond basic code autocomplete and experimentation. Research has found that 95% of AI pilots fail. This failure can often be attributed to skill deficits and strategic misalignments within an organization. Organizations also need the workforce capabilities and operating discipline required to move AI from experimentation into repeatable engineering practice.

AI Ready helps CIOs and engineering leaders understand where capability gaps exist, build advanced AI coding skills across their teams, and turn AI investment into verified capability, measurable engineering output, and ROI that organizations can defend.

“Organizations have moved quickly to put AI coding tools in developers’ hands, but access alone doesn’t drive results,” said Michael Ross, Chief Product Officer at Pluralsight. “Engineering leaders need to know their teams can use those tools effectively and turn AI investment into stronger performance. AI Ready builds and verifies those skills through hands-on practice, real-world application, and Skill IQ assessment.”

From AI Tool Adoption to Verified Engineering Capability

AI Ready helps engineering teams progress from foundational AI-assisted development to advanced, repeatable engineering capability through a structured progression with three stages: AI-assisted coding, AI agent development, and orchestrating multi-agent systems. The progression is designed to move teams beyond inconsistent, individual experimentation and toward more consistent application of AI across engineering workflows.

The solution expands Pluralsight’s enterprise AI capability portfolio alongside Pluralsight AI Academy. AI Academy helps technical and non-technical teams establish foundational AI fluency, while AI Ready is designed for engineering organizations that have already deployed AI coding tools and need to build, scale, and verify more advanced engineering capability.

AI Ready includes a managed learn-practice-do model designed to build capability and verify that engineers can apply what they have learned:

• Keep teams on track: Dedicated program management drives rollout, scheduling, and execution.
• Build advanced AI skills: Instructor-Led Training combines live seminars and code-alongs to move engineers beyond basic prompting.
• Know where teams stand: Skill IQ assessments reveal readiness, identify gaps, and verify progress.
• Prove skills in practice: The Capstone Challenge puts engineers on a real codebase to build an end-to-end multi-agent workflow.

“AI advancements are transforming the way we work, yet many organizations remain stuck on the sidelines because their teams lack the practical, hands-on experience to use these tools effectively,” said Josh Meier, Senior Generative AI author at Pluralsight. “To get real value from AI, organizations need more than access to the tools. Engineers need hands-on practice applying AI to real development work. That’s how teams move from experimentation to repeatable engineering implementation.”

Click here to learn more about AI Ready. Learn how Pluralsight helps organizations assess readiness, close critical skill gaps, and build workforce capability at Pluralsight.com.

Media Contact
Ryan Sins
Senior Communications Manager
[email protected]

About Pluralsight
Pluralsight provides the only learning platform dedicated to accelerating the technology skills and capabilities of today’s tech workforce. Thousands of companies, government organizations, and individuals around the world rely on Pluralsight to support critical technology skill development in areas that are crucial to innovation, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, software development, and machine learning. Pluralsight offers highly curated content developed by vetted technology experts, industry leading skill assessments, and hands-on, immersive learning experiences designed to help individuals skill-up faster. The company is headquartered in Westlake, Texas with a global office in Dublin, Ireland. For more information, visit pluralsight.com.

SOURCE Pluralsight

Stop Networking. Start Moving Capital.

For women entrepreneurs seeking capital, this is the room that matters.

NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2026 — The Women Business Collaborative (WBC) today announced the Women’s Capital Summit, a high-impact gathering designed to move women from conversations about capital to real relationships, real commitments, and real investment.

Taking place October 6–7 in New York City, the Women’s Capital Summit will bring together a deliberately curated room of women entrepreneurs, institutional and individual investors, corporate leaders, athletes, philanthropists, and ecosystem builders who are changing who receives capital—and who gets to deploy it.

This is the room where founders meet the people who can write checks, where investors discover investment-ready businesses, and where women with influence learn how to build ownership, invest in founders, and reshape the capital system.

The program will feature leading voices from high-growth brands, billion-dollar companies, and successful exits—including Merrilee Kick, Founder and CEO of BuzzBallz, alongside founders, investors, and operators who have built unicorns, scaled category-defining businesses, and created meaningful exits. Conversations will focus on the practical decisions behind growth, access to capital, ownership, investment readiness, venture debt, AI, consumer brands, health, sports, and the future of women’s wealth.

“Women do not need another room where people simply acknowledge the capital gap,” said Gwen Young, CEO of Women Business Collaborative. “They need access to the investors, partners, knowledge, and opportunities that close it. The Women’s Capital Summit is built to create that access—and to turn powerful connections into investment, ownership, and growth.”

Among the Summit’s featured panel discussions:

• From Influence to Ownership: How athletes, creators, executives, and other influential women can turn platform, earnings, and networks into long-term wealth and ownership.
• The Founder–Investor Match: What investors are looking for now, how founders can build the right capital relationships, and how both can move from introductions to diligence.
• Unicorns, Exits, and What Comes Next: Lessons from women who have scaled businesses, built enduring value, and created liquidity—and how they are investing back into the next generation.
• Capital Beyond Venture: Practical pathways through venture debt, private credit, revenue-based financing, corporate partnerships, and philanthropy.
• Women’s Sports as an Ownership Opportunity: Why one of the fastest-growing markets in business is creating new pathways for investors, founders, and athletes.

The Summit is designed for women founders actively raising capital; investors looking for compelling opportunities and co-investors; corporate and philanthropic leaders committed to building durable capital pathways; and women who are ready to become angel investors, fund investors, owners, or strategic partners.

With a targeted audience of 150 investors and 150 women entrepreneurs, the Women’s Capital Summit offers the kind of access, candor, and purposeful connection that is increasingly difficult to find in larger conferences.

“Capital moves through relationships,” Young added. “We are making sure women are not simply invited into the room—they are helping to define it, lead it, and deploy it.”

Registration is now open. Space is limited.

Register for the Women’s Capital Summit: https://wbcollaborative.org/wbc-events/womens-capital-summit-2026/

Event Details
Women’s Capital Summit
October 6–7, 2026
New York City
Wells Fargo Connections

150 East 42nd Street

Concourse Level

New York, NY 10017.

About Women Business Collaborative

Women Business Collaborative is a leading action-driven organization advancing equal position, pay, and power for women in business. Through cross-sector collaboration, WBC brings together business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and allies to create measurable progress for women in leadership, entrepreneurship, capital access, and the future of work.

SOURCE Women Business Collaborative

As colleges shift from digital literacy to AI literacy, Codio introduces a practical framework for teaching responsible AI use and judgment.

BOSTON, Aug. 18, 2026 — Codio, the learning experience platform that helps higher education institutions deliver applied, work-ready technical education, today announced its new AI Literacy offering, alongside the completion of a $5 million strategic growth financing led by long-term investor, Armada Investment.

As employers increasingly expect graduates to work confidently and responsibly with AI, colleges are shifting from digital literacy to AI literacy across disciplines. Codio’s AI Literacy offering provides a practical framework for teaching students not only how to use AI, but when to use it, how to evaluate its outputs, when its use should be disclosed, and why human judgment remains essential.

Aligned with the U.S. Department of Labor’s AI Literacy framework, the curriculum is built around Codio’s “Notice, Test, Verify, Explain and Defend” methodology, helping students develop the judgment and critical thinking needed to work responsibly with AI.

Delivered through Codio’s next-generation learning experience platform, students interact with leading AI models while faculty maintain visibility into assignments, AI interactions and student progress. The platform integrates with leading learning management systems, including Canvas, enabling educators to incorporate AI into existing coursework while maintaining instructional oversight.

“This isn’t just a course about learning AI tools,” said Doug Hughes, CEO of Codio. “It’s a course about building judgment. Students learn when AI adds value, how to verify its outputs, when to disclose its use and why they’re ultimately accountable for the results. Those are the skills employers and educators increasingly expect as AI becomes part of everyday work.”

The offering extends Codio’s long-standing hands-on learning model beyond computer science, helping institutions prepare students across disciplines for careers where AI is becoming a core workplace capability.

This fall, after redesigning its required digital literacy curriculum, the University of Tampa will launch a new required AI literacy course using Codio’s AI Literacy offering, helping prepare students across disciplines to use AI responsibly before they enter the workforce.

“Students don’t just need to know how to use AI—they need to know how to evaluate it, improve their work without outsourcing their judgment, and recognize when human oversight matters most,” said Jessica O’Brien, Coordinator for Spartan Studies Online Learning & Digital Literacy at the University of Tampa. “AI literacy is becoming a foundational skill for today’s workforce, and bringing it into the curriculum gives students the practical experience they’ll need long after they graduate.”

Codio plans to follow its foundational AI Literacy course with an Applied AI for Business Schools offering, combining foundational AI literacy, discipline-specific assignments and instructional tools that help educators integrate AI into existing coursework.

“Every organization is trying to understand how AI will reshape the workforce, and that transformation starts with education,” said Daniel S. Aegerter, Chairman & Principal of Armada Investment. “We’re investing in Codio because we believe AI literacy—and especially the judgment to use AI responsibly—will become a foundational skill for every graduate entering the workforce, as well as the workforce at large.”

Codio’s AI Literacy foundational course is now available, with institutions able to request early access and learn more at  https://www.codio.com/ai-literacy.  

About Codio

Codio is a learning experience platform that helps higher education institutions and workforce learning organizations deliver applied, work-ready technical education. Used by more than 150 universities and educational institutions worldwide, Codio has helped more than 3 million learners build technical skills through hands-on learning.

The platform enables educators to deliver real-world software environments where students complete assignments using the same technologies they will encounter in industry, including cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity platforms and AI tools. Rather than relying on simulations or static coursework, students build projects in live environments that mirror professional workflows and can be carried directly into their portfolios.

For more information, visit www.codio.com.

Media Contact:

Nina Felicidario
Ditto Public Relations
[email protected] 

SOURCE Codio