Connect with us

Technology

LEADING MEDIA AND TECH INVESTORS BET ON “TOLLBIT” – THE FIRST PLATFORM TO TACKLE THE NEW ECONOMICS OF CONTENT IN THE AI ERA

Published

on

Tech Founders Raise nearly $7M in Funding to Create a New Infrastructure that Allows AI Bots and Data Scrapers to Efficiently Pay for Website Content

TollBit will Benefit Publishing Industry, Tech Companies, and Consumers by Boosting Content Revenue, Protecting Quality Information, and Reducing Legal Uncertainty

NEW YORK, March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — TollBit founders Olivia Joslin and Toshit Panigrahi today announced the company has raised $7M for their new platform aimed at addressing the shifting economics of web content in the age of AI. TollBit allows AI bots and data scrapers to pay websites directly to license their content. The technology allows websites to monetize data and content, monitor bot traffic to sites, and easily onboard AI and LLM partners. By providing a tech infrastructure,TollBit helps to establish clear guardrails to reduce the legal uncertainty of scraping. The system relies on tokens that are issued and validated by the platform to ensure every scrape is authorized and logged.

“We are seeing a fundamental shift in the economics of the Internet: as more consumers turn to AI to meet their needs, less eyeballs will reach websites. This trend inadvertently undercuts the financial health of the publishers and websites that reliable AI needs to thrive. AI agents and LLMs are only as good as the information they can access so this poses a massive threat to the entire ecosystem. TollBit is building the infrastructure to help power the Internet in this new era by ensuring publishers and content creators can be fairly paid for their work,” said Joslin and Panigrahi.

TollBit has raised initial funding from top investors with ties across digital media, tech, and AI. The round was led by Sunflower Capital and includes participation from AIX, Lerer Hippeau, Operator Collective, and Liquid 2 Ventures. Among other things, the funding will be used for the continued expansion of TollBit’s tech team.

Researchers have already raised concerns that AI companies may be running out of high quality content and data and many publishers see language models and web-enabled AI tools as an existential threat to website traffic.

“Modern AI agents rely on a steady stream of fresh and high-quality content and data to provide users with trustworthy and timely answers. We believe TollBit will be a key part of the future AI stack, providing a mechanism to incentivize and compensate publishers for the content and data they produce,” said Anthony Goldbloom, Partner at AIX.

“This disruption is coming for every industry. Any company that relies on traffic to a website or app will need to rethink their approach. User-generated and aggregated content sites will soon be impacted as AI products begin to be able to take actions on end-users’ behalf,” added Liu Jiang, Founder of Sunflower Capital.

“Our fund and leadership have spent decades managing and investing in legacy and digital media businesses, so we’ve seen the enormous impact technology has had on the sector,” said Ben Lerer, Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau. “The incredible power of AI promises tremendous benefits to society, but we need to act swiftly to coalesce around a sustainable content model that satisfies both the supply and demand sides of the market. If we fail to establish systems-wide guardrails and incentivize rich content creation, the entire system will collapse – it’s the start of a sinkhole and we’re all at risk of falling in. TollBit’s solution benefits all parties, protecting world-class journalism, creative content, accurate data, and LLMs’ ability to mature and improve.”

TollBit is currently onboarding publishers to the platform. Learn more at https://tollbit.com/

About TollBit
TollBit offers AI bots and data scrapers an easy and compliant way to compensate websites directly for content. The platform seeks to address the new economics of content creation in the AI era by reducing the legal uncertainties of scraping and protecting the health of the entire content ecosystem.

About Sunflower
Sunflower Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm that partners with foundational infrastructure companies building for the modern enterprise. We specialize in B2B products with technical moats in categories like data and machine learning, developer tooling, cybersecurity, frontier tech, and more. Sunflower was founded by solo GP Liu Jiang, who has invested in companies including Athelas, Clay, DBT, Hadrian, Retool, Semgrep, Temporal, Vercel, Verkada and Warp.

About AIX
AIX Ventures is an AI-native, early-stage venture capital firm, founded in 2021 by Richard Socher and Shaun Johnson, that includes some of the world’s top AI practitioners: Pieter Abbeel, Anthony Goldbloom, and Christopher Manning. AIX Ventures invests in founders who are developing industry-changing AI technologies. Its portfolio includes HuggingFace, Perplexity, Weights & Biases, You.com, Chroma, and others. AIX Ventures is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area.

About Lerer Hippeau
Lerer Hippeau is an early-stage venture capital firm founded and operated in New York City. Our portfolio includes more than 400 leading enterprise and consumer businesses including Zipline, Guideline, MIRROR, Blockdaemon, K Health, Warby Parker, and ZenBusiness. We’re experienced operators who invest early and stay in our founders’ corners as they build iconic companies. Learn more at lererhippeau.com.

About Liquid 2
Liquid 2 is building the most valuable ecosystem at seed.  Founded in 2016 by Joe Montana, our ecosystem is defined by a network of deeply rooted connections with our founding advisors (Ron Conway, Jessica Livingston, Paul Graham), top-tier co-investors, and a portfolio of over 800 technology companies representing over $100B of combined enterprise value.  Liquid 2 invests $250K$1M in pre-seed and seed rounds and our portfolio includes Gitlab, Rippling, Jasper AI, Retool, Anduril, Applied Intuition, Remote, Solugen, Astranis, Stoke Space, Rappi, WhatNot, Modern Treasury, Athelas and many more.

About Operator Collective
Operator Collective is an early-stage B2B venture firm and community backed by tech’s most exceptional operators and top-tier institutions. OpCo brings together leaders who are critical to a startup’s success but largely absent from the venture ecosystem – senior operating executives from diverse backgrounds who have built the world’s most admired tech companies. Our proprietary platform enables portfolio founders to efficiently tap into 200+ active Operator LPs to help companies as they build and scale, reach potential customers, and connect with talent networks for potential executives, board members, and industry leaders.

For more information contact: press@tollbit.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leading-media-and-tech-investors-bet-on-tollbit—the-first-platform-to-tackle-the-new-economics-of-content-in-the-ai-era-302080097.html

SOURCE TollBit

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Penetron Strengthens Global Research Collaboration at ICSHM 2026

Published

on

By

PHILADELPHIA, July 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Penetron participated in the 10th International Conference on Self-Healing Materials (ICSHM 2026), held July 8–10, 2026, at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The international event brought together leading researchers, engineers, and industry representatives to present and discuss the latest advances in self-healing materials and related technologies.

A global delegation of Penetron executives attended the conference, representing the United States, Greece, Italy, Brazil, India, Chile, the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, and Singapore.

“For over 50 years, Penetron has provided self-healing concrete solutions to the industry that optimize concrete durability by sealing cracks and reducing concrete permeability to limit maintenance requirements, extend structural service life, and help protect infrastructure exposed to groundwater, chemicals, chlorides, and other aggressive conditions,” says Christopher Chen, Director of The Penetron Group. “Our participation at the ICSHM reinforces Penetron’s long-standing commitment to international research collaboration and allows us to better understand emerging research and develop leading-edge solutions for real-world construction challenges.”

Hosted at Drexel University’s Bossone Research Enterprise Center, ICSHM 2026 welcomed specialists from more than 18 countries across six continents and featured over 70 technical presentations, including keynote addresses, plenary sessions, research presentations, and an interactive poster program. The conference opened with remarks from Drexel University President Antonio Merlo and ICSHM Chair Dr. Nele De Belie. Finally, the conference provided valuable opportunities for researchers and industry specialists to strengthen cooperation between academia and the construction sector to further develop self-healing technologies.

“Extending the service life of concrete infrastructure requires cooperation between universities, materials specialists, engineers, and industry,” said Jozef Van Beeck, Director of International Sales and Marketing for The Penetron Group. “ICSHM 2026 provided an important forum for connecting scientific research with the practical requirements of the global construction industry.”

The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs, and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives, and distribution channels.

For more information on Penetron waterproofing solutions, please visit penetron(dot)com or Facebook(dot)com/ThePenetronGroup, email CRDept(at)penetron(dot)com or contact the Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/penetron-strengthens-global-research-collaboration-at-icshm-2026-302829009.html

SOURCE The Penetron Group

Continue Reading

Technology

Singtel Receives Four Frost & Sullivan 2026 Recognitions for Leadership in Enterprise Connectivity, Cybersecurity, and Digital Transformation

Published

on

By

The recognitions highlight Singtel’s leadership in secure connectivity, network transformation, IoT innovation, and cybersecurity, delivering customer value through intelligent digital infrastructure and AI-enabled enterprise services.

SAN ANTONIO, July 19, 2026 /CNW/ — Frost & Sullivan is pleased to honor Singtel with the 2026 Southeast Asia IoT Connectivity Service Provider Company of the Year, 2026 Singapore Network Transformation Customer Value Leadership, 2026 Singapore Cybersecurity Services Company of the Year, and 2026 Singapore SD-WAN and SASE Service Provider Company of the Year recognitions. These acknowledgements reflect Singtel’s outstanding achievements in delivering secure, intelligent, and scalable digital infrastructure that enables enterprises to modernize operations, simplify complexity, and accelerate digital transformation across Singapore and Southeast Asia. They underscore the company’s consistent leadership in strategy execution, customer value creation, and innovation across enterprise connectivity, cybersecurity, software-defined networking, and IoT connectivity services.

Frost & Sullivan evaluates companies through a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. Singtel excelled in both, demonstrating its ability to anticipate evolving enterprise requirements while consistently translating long-term vision into measurable customer outcomes. Through platforms such as Singtel CUBΣ (CUBE) and its multidomestic IoT connectivity architecture, the company continues to unify networking, cybersecurity, automation, and AI-driven intelligence into integrated solutions that address the growing complexity of hybrid, multicloud, and connected environments. “Singtel has established itself as a benchmark for enterprise digital infrastructure by converging connectivity, cybersecurity, network intelligence, and IoT orchestration into a unified, customer-centric ecosystem. Its disciplined execution, platform-led innovation, and commitment to simplifying complex enterprise environments continue to strengthen operational resilience and deliver sustained value for organizations across the region,” said Kenny Yeo, Director at Frost & Sullivan.

Guided by a long-term strategy focused on digital innovation, intelligent infrastructure, and customer-centric transformation, Singtel has moved well-beyond traditional telecommunications to a trusted technology partner for enterprises navigating increasingly connected and data-driven environments. Its strategic investments in AI-enabled operations, cloud-native platforms, secure connectivity, and ecosystem partnerships enable organizations to modernize critical infrastructure while maintaining the flexibility to support future business growth.

The company’s strategic agility and sustained investment in integrated digital platforms have enabled it to scale innovative services across local, regional, and global enterprise environments. Innovation remains central to Singtel’s approach through solutions including the CUBΣ connected intelligence platform, multidomestic IoT connectivity powered by eSIM orchestration, managed cybersecurity services, AI-driven network automation, and network-as-a-service capabilities. These solutions simplify network and security management, strengthen cyber resilience, improve operational visibility, and provide enterprises with scalable, secure, and high-performing connectivity across cloud, edge, IoT, and hybrid infrastructures.

By streamlining service delivery through intelligent automation, centralized orchestration, proactive monitoring, and flexible managed and co-managed service models, Singtel continues to help organizations reduce operational complexity while improving service reliability and business agility. Its ability to integrate best-of-breed technologies in a unified operational framework, combined with strong regional network ownership and localized expertise, enables customers to confidently scale digital initiatives while maintaining security, governance, and operational excellence.

Frost & Sullivan commends Singtel for setting a high standard in competitive strategy, execution, and customer value across multiple technology domains. By combining intelligent networking, secure digital infrastructure, AI-enabled operations, and cross-border IoT capabilities in an integrated platform strategy, the company is shaping the future of enterprise connectivity while helping organizations build resilient, future-ready digital ecosystems.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents its Company of the Year and Customer Value Leadership recognitions to organizations that demonstrate outstanding strategy development and implementation, resulting in measurable improvements in customer satisfaction, competitive positioning, and business performance. These recognitions honor forward-thinking companies that continuously raise industry standards through innovation, operational excellence, and long-term value creation.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition
Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards.
Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:
Tarini Singh
E: Tarini.Singh@frost.com

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/singtel-receives-four-frost–sullivan-2026-recognitions-for-leadership-in-enterprise-connectivity-cybersecurity-and-digital-transformation-302829114.html

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

Continue Reading

Technology

Emdoor Launches “Ailyn” AI Hub at WAIC 2026: Unifying Intelligence Across Every Device

Published

on

By

SHANGHAI, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Emdoor, a leading provider of intelligent computing devices, unveiled its latest innovation — Ailyn, an integrated software-hardware AI hub — at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026. Under the theme “Intelligence in All Things, Boundless Edge Intelligence”, Emdoor’s Booth X1B-804 showcases four immersive scenarios spanning personal, home, enterprise, and industrial use cases, demonstrating how AI can flow seamlessly across devices.

With decades of experience across cloud, edge, device, and wearable form factors, Emdoor has established one of the industry’s most comprehensive intelligent hardware portfolios. Yet the company recognized a critical gap: while individual devices grow smarter, they often operate in isolation.

Ailyn is Emdoor’s answer to this challenge. Introduced on the WAIC Magic Box stage, Ailyn serves as a unified intelligence layer that orchestrates storage, computing power, AI models, and data across PCs, NAS systems, computing boxes, and IoT devices. The result is a scalable, centrally managed intelligence platform that delivers seamless cross-device collaboration, data privacy, and AI capabilities that improve with use.

At its core, Ailyn follows a device-first, multi-device connected philosophy. By prioritizing on-device model deployment, it reduces costs while preserving privacy, minimizing latency, and enabling offline functionality. Key capabilities include unified data access, uninterrupted task handoff between devices, intelligent multi-model routing, and dynamic compute scaling — plus built-in features for knowledge accumulation, skill expansion, persona customization, and automated task execution.

Four Scenarios, One Intelligent Ecosystem

The enterprise lineup features high-performance AI workstations, AI servers, AI NAS, Mini PCs, and motherboards. Workstations support up to 96-core processors and four double-width GPUs with integrated BMC remote management. AI servers run dual Intel Xeon scalable processors with up to eight mainstream AI accelerators. The single-GPU workstation series offers dual-platform compatibility with both Intel and AMD, featuring a PCIe 5.0 ×16 slot and up to 128GB DDR5 memory. Available in two form factors — a 23.9L tower chassis and a 15.3L compact chassis with tempered glass side panel — it delivers balanced performance for both creative workloads and local AI inference. The AI NAS unifies storage and AI computing power in one device, with192GB of octa-channel LPDDR5X memory to support local large model deployment. Ailyn unifies these resources into a private computing backbone, intelligently offloading heavy workloads so users get instant on-device responsiveness with datacenter-grade power on demand.

For individual users, the showcase includes Mini PCs, AI PCs, AI tablets, and multimodal wearables. The AP16, powered by Intel’s 3rd Generation Core™ Ultra processor, delivers 180 TOPS of AI performance with sustained 54W output — capable of running large models locally. Multimodal wearable solutions built on Qualcomm and BES chips offer faster time-to-market for brand partners. Within the Ailyn ecosystem, PCs handle heavy computing while wearables provide continuous environmental awareness, each device strengthening the whole.

Industrial visitors will find AI BOX units, rugged AI notebooks, handheld terminals, and industrial PCs. AI BOX devices come preloaded with industry-specific models for production line visual inspection. Rugged notebooks deliver reliable performance for mobile field operations. Industrial PCs feature industrial-grade architecture for 24/7 uptime. Through Ailyn, these connected devices break down traditional data silos, enabling intelligent resource orchestration and a closed-loop perception-decision-execution system that accelerates industrial digital transformation.

At the center of the home scenario are AI tablets and home NAS, connected to a full-house AIoT network. The NAS acts as the family’s private data and computing hub, while the tablet serves as the primary interface for senior health reminders and children’s learning support. Ailyn weaves these devices into a cohesive system covering family memories, health care, companionship, and home security — bringing intelligence into daily life without intruding on it.

The launch of Ailyn marks a significant evolution for Emdoor — shifting from a hardware manufacturer to a builder of intelligent infrastructure. It represents the convergence of the company’s deep hardware heritage and its AI innovation roadmap. Moving forward, Emdoor will continue investing in edge AI technology and expanding the Ailyn ecosystem alongside partners, bringing distributed intelligence from the showroom into everyday life.

Company: Emdoor Digital Technology Co.,Ltd.
Contact Person: Yao Zhou
Email: marketing.digi@emdoor.com
Website: http://www.emdoordigi.com/
City: Shenzhen, China

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/emdoor-launches-ailyn-ai-hub-at-waic-2026-unifying-intelligence-across-every-device-302829098.html

SOURCE Emdoor Digital

Continue Reading

Trending