Technology

Omaha-based startup Workshop raises $5M to streamline internal email and communications

Published

4 years ago

July 25, 2022

OMAHA, Neb., July 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Workshop, a delightful platform for distributing and measuring internal email and communications, has raised $5.2 million in additional seed funding.

Workshop, a delightful platform for distributing and measuring internal email, has raised $5.2 million in seed funding.

The round was led by McCarthy Capital out of their Emerging Growth strategy. It also included support from a group of prominent Silicon Valley and Midwest venture funds, including Coelius Capital, All Access Fund, Invest Nebraska, and M25.

This additional round of investment follows a pre-seed round for $3.5 million in April 2021. In the last year, Workshop has developed a standout platform for internal email and built up a customer base that’s responsible for communications to over 50,000 employees every month, from Fortune 100 companies to beloved brands like Lime and Home Chef.

“Evolving work styles and the shift toward hybrid workplaces have increased the importance of employee communication,” said BJ Hansen, Managing Director at McCarthy Capital. “Workshop enables companies to better connect and engage with their employees. We are excited to work with the experienced team at Workshop to support their efforts to become the leading platform for internal communications.”

Workshop was co-founded in 2020 by Rick Knudtson (former founder of Flywheel), Ben Stevinson, and Derek Homann (former founders of Median). The group came together with a shared vision to help other organizations create positive, engaging company culture through great internal communication.

“We’re excited to partner with McCarthy Capital through the next phase of growth. They believe in our product vision, our team, and the opportunity in the market,” said CEO and co-founder Rick Knudtson. “With the new capital, we’ll double down on our product strategy and work to provide even more robust solutions for internal communications teams across the world.”

The startup plans to use the funds to continue to fuel product innovation and accelerate hiring, with a current focus on recruiting engineering and sales talent.

Workshop also announced the ofﬁcial launch of their new Automatic Lists feature, which enables internal communications teams to integrate with their best employee data sources and create their own automatically updated distribution lists (without the need for IT support). Workshop is able to deliver this feature by offering more integrations than any other internal email platform, enabling teams to pull in employee contact data from Outlook or Google, their HRIS system (including UKG, Workday, and more), or their payroll software (including Gusto, ADP, and more).

“We’re really excited to expand Workshop’s contact management and integrations to meet customers where they’re at, no matter what tooling they’re already using,” said Chief Technology Ofﬁcer and co-founder Ben Stevinson. “We’ve seen a strong signal that we’re able to solve our customer’s biggest internal comms pain points in a way that hasn’t been possible before.”

For more information and to request a demo, head to useworkshop.com. ABOUT WORKSHOP

Workshop is the most effective way to create, send, and measure employee emails and branded internal communications across distributed teams. It’s intentionally built for internal use, with easy drag-and-drop templates, automatically updated distribution lists, and valuable engagement data. It also integrates with all of the internal communication channels you already use, including Slack, Sharepoint, SMS, Microsoft Teams, and more. Make every internal email a great employee experience with Workshop!

ABOUT MCCARTHY CAPITAL

McCarthy Partners Management, LLC is a registered investment advisor that conducts business as McCarthy Capital. McCarthy Capital, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is focused exclusively on lower middle-market companies. For more than 35 years, the McCarthy organization has been partnering with founders, families and exceptional management teams to support the growth of their companies. More information about McCarthy Capital can be obtained at www.mccarthycapital.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/omaha-based-startup-workshop-raises-5m-to-streamline-internal-email-and-communications-301592624.html

SOURCE Workshop

Technology

Neptune Robotics Invests US$12mn in New Singapore Factory to Drive Five-Fold Increase in Autonomous Ship Hull Cleanings

Published

54 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

Move to capture a larger share of Singapore’s hull cleanings at berth and anchorage
New R&D operations enhances cutting-edge robotics and AI capabilities

SINGAPORE, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Neptune Robotics (“Neptune”), a pioneer in AI-powered robotic hull cleaning services with a presence in 61 ports across Singapore and China, today announced a major manufacturing and R&D expansion in Singapore. This is part of the company’s continuing ambition to tackle biofouling, one of the shipping industry’s costliest issues with significant environmental impact.

On the back of a US$52 million Series B round led by Granite Asia in September 2025, the new facility will accelerate Neptune’s mission to slash maritime carbon emissions and fuel wastage through automated hull maintenance.

“Our investment in Singapore is a strategic milestone that will enhance our service provision to clients and position us to meet their current and future needs,” said Elizabeth Chan, Co-Founder and CEO of Neptune Robotics. “With operators facing mounting fuel cost and emissions pressures, we’re scaling autonomous hull cleaning to help mitigate these issues and empower our clients to run more sustainable shipping operations.”

A growing number of shipowners are realizing the benefits of Neptune’s solutions. Biofouling — the buildup of marine growth on hulls — can increase ship greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25-30%[1] depending on vessel characteristics and conditions. Neptune’s AI robots remove this growth without damaging hull coatings, providing an immediate ROI for shipowners facing volatile energy markets and evolving sustainability regulations.

The new facility will bring a number of benefits including:

Increased capacity: By the end of 2026, Neptune will increase its local autonomous cleaning capacity by 400% with plans to reach 60 daily hulls by 2027.Advancing AI and robotics: The new facilities in Singapore will house dedicated R&D operations to advance the company’s proprietary computer vision and machine learning capabilities. This will ensure robots can operate 24/7 in challenging conditions including extreme weather, strong currents and low-visibility water.

With a global network now covering 61 strategic ports across Singapore and China, Neptune is scaling AI-driven hull maintenance to the heart of global trade. The company now services 70% of Asia’s primary shipping lanes, providing standardized, robotic hull cleaning at more than half of the world’s international merchant stops.

Since entering the Singapore market in 2024, Neptune has seen significant growth even as the local competitive landscape has thinned. By automating the hull cleaning process, Neptune eliminates the need for human divers in dangerous environments while ensuring vessels remain fuel efficient at sea.

Neptune will be exhibiting at Booth D19 during Singapore Maritime Week (SMW), April 20–24, 2026.

– ENDS –

About Neptune Robotics

Neptune Robotics is a technology company specializing in robotics-driven vessel cleaning and energy efficiency optimization.

Its robotic system can clean full draft capesize vessels within 24 hours, counter 4-knot currents, and operate day and night in both clear and murky waters. With coverage across 61 ports in Singapore and China — representing around 70% of major trade routes — Neptune supports shipowners at scale.

Neptune’s services are trusted by the world’s top five bulk carrier and container ship fleets. Its approach has earned endorsement from a leading silicone paint manufacturer for protecting hull coatings. Capable of cleaning all vessel types, Neptune helps clients cut fuel use, lower emissions, and advance their 2050 net-zero goals.

In September 2025, Neptune raised US$52 million in Series B funding led by Granite Asia to drive R&D, new robotic systems, and global expansion.

Company website: Neptune Robotics | ROV Underwater Hull Cleaning

[1] https://shipandbunker.com/news/emea/266832-imo-publishes-final-biofouling-report

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/neptune-robotics-invests-us12mn-in-new-singapore-factory-to-drive-five-fold-increase-in-autonomous-ship-hull-cleanings-302746872.html

SOURCE Neptune Robotics

Technology

transcosmos organizes a well-digging volunteer project in Vietnam

Published

54 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

Aiming to address community-specific, long-term challenges through continuous efforts in environmental conservation, child support, and infrastructure support projects

TOKYO, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — transcosmos today announced that transcosmos technology Vietnam co., ltd. (Headquarters: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; CEO: Daisuke Kamada; transcosmos Technologies Vietnam, TTV), its wholly owned subsidiary specializing in agile software development services in Vietnam, has organized a well-digging volunteer project in Kon Tu Ma Village, Mang Den, Kon Plong District, Quang Ngai Province, located in Vietnam’s Central Highlands.

In 2022, TTV initiated an employee-led TTV Volunteering Club to boost unity and foster social awareness among employees. Today, approximately 20 employees participate in volunteering activities, led by 10 club members, engaging in initiatives such as environmental conservation, child support, and infrastructure support projects.

This time, the project was carried out in Mang Den, a beautiful place known as “the second Da Lat.” Nestled amidst gently sloping mountains and abundant virgin forests, Mang Den is located on a tranquil plateau with a comfortable, cool climate throughout the year. Many ethnic minority groups sustain themselves mainly through agriculture; however, they face various challenges related to their living environment, medical care, and education. Children living in remote mountainous areas, in particular, face severe conditions.

In Mang Den, TTV has been carrying out volunteering activities for these children by providing meals and clothing, as well as recreational events and interaction programs. To further deepen these initiatives, TTV has dug a well to provide clean water to Kon Tu Ma Village and has also provided food and daily necessities.

With the Village Mayor, A Reo, and Mr. Hia, who is in charge of public safety, in attendance, TTV handed over the completed well at the grand opening ceremony. At the ceremony, Mayor A Reo commented, “This will not only help improve daily life, but also provide a secure environment even during dry seasons. We appreciate TTV’s support and thank you for your continued assistance.”

With the aim of establishing safe and sustainable water supply systems, TTV will continue to consider possibilities for supporting the development of water storage facilities and water purification systems. Guided by the belief that helping communities address community-specific, long-term challenges—going beyond temporary support—is the ideal approach, TTV is committed to continuing its volunteering activities.

*transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries.

*Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies.

About transcosmos inc.

transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have united superior “people” with cutting-edge “technology” to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients’ business processes, focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 186 bases across 36 countries/regions with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of the e-commerce market on a global scale, transcosmos provides comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients’ excellent products and services to consumers in 46 countries/regions around the globe. transcosmos is committed to treating the challenges of its clients and society as its own—discussing and addressing their issues from planning to execution—and Make It Real, Together. Visit us here https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/transcosmos-organizes-a-well-digging-volunteer-project-in-vietnam-302746877.html

SOURCE transcosmos inc.

Technology

Agoda Launches brand new ‘What a Save!’ campaign in India

Published

54 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

NEW DELHI, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Digital travel platform Agoda is ready to save the day and travelers’ wallets with its fresh “What a Save!” campaign. This lighthearted set of digital ads, including three unique videos, blends humor with creativity to highlight real savings of up to 50% off on domestic hotel bookings.

In the campaign’s videos, viewers are treated to unexpected acts of heroism. One shows a beachgoer rescuing a dolphin washed ashore, with the crowd exclaiming “What a save!” only for the hero to cheekily add, “Actual savings happen on Agoda.” Another video features a girl performing the Heimlich maneuver on a choking peacock, with a grateful mom echoing the same sentiment about Agoda’s savings.

Gaurav Malik, Country Director India at Agoda, shared, “With the new ‘What a Save!’ campaign, we’re blending humor with genuine value. Agoda aims to make travel planning as enjoyable as the journey itself. Wherever travelers venture, booking with Agoda ensures they’ll be amazed and exclaim, ‘What a Save!’.”

In addition to the videos, Agoda is rolling out digital creatives and teaming up with popular creators like Aparshakti Khurana, Raghu and Rajiv of Roadies fame, and Gajraj Rao. This dynamic content lineup is set to engage audiences and highlight Agoda’s knack for great deals and a delightful booking experience.

Agoda’s “What a Save!” campaign is now live on Meta platforms, YouTube and other digital channels. It showcases the platform’s vast offerings, including over 6 million holiday properties, more than 130,000 flight routes, and over 300,000 activities, all of which can be combined in a single booking. Travelers can explore these offerings and find the best deals on Agoda’s mobile app. For more information, visit Agoda.com or download the Agoda mobile app.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2959229/What_a_Save_Campaign_Visual.jpg

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2567836/Agoda.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/agoda-launches-brand-new-what-a-save-campaign-in-india-302746088.html