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Ohio Department of Education & Workforce Approves An Array of 95 Percent Group Science of Reading Solutions

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Evidence-based Tier 1 and intervention solutions will help teachers implement science of reading effectively in Buckeye State classrooms

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill., May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — 95 Percent Group LLC, the trusted source for comprehensive, proven literacy solutions, announced today the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce approved an array of its science of reading aligned solutions to accelerate literacy skills in the Buckeye State. The recent materials adoption was in support of the Read Ohio initiative to implement science of reading aligned instruction in all schools across the state.

In addition to the company’s 95 Phonics Core Program®, which was approved as a core foundational skills program for grades K-2, 95 Literacy Intervention System™, 95 Phonics Lesson Library™, 95 Phonics Chip Kit™, 95 Phonemic Awareness Suite™, and 95 RAP™ (Reading Achievement Program) were included on Ohio’s “Approved Evidence-Based Reading Intervention Programs” list.

Ohio education leaders have made a deep commitment to accelerating literacy skill development for all students,” said Brad Lindaas, CEO of 95 Percent Group. “I am proud that 95 Percent Group’s literacy solutions already serve many schools in Ohio, and excited that today’s news will increase access to our offerings statewide. Our programs provide Ohio teachers with a powerful foundational skills program and intervention tools that integrate with any existing curricula and are proven to accelerate reading skills.”

95 Percent Group’s core and intervention programs are already in use in Ohio elementary classrooms, and educators have high praise for the progress they are seeing in student literacy skill development. All K-3 students at Fairless Elementary School, for instance, receive core instruction with 95 Phonics Core Program, and teachers are using 95 Phonics Lesson Library for intervention with small groups of students.

“Our scores are now above pre-COVID test scores. And, thanks to 95 Percent Group, our Acadience 2nd and 3rd grade data is close to a true pyramid,” said Adam Amato, elementary reading instructional specialist.

Rebecca Tompkins, curriculum director, Sycamore Community Schools in Cincinnati, Ohio, said, “95 Percent Group’s implementation is of the utmost importance; it will have the longest-lasting impact on all students and as these students’ become adults.”

95 Percent Group products approved by the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce are:

95 Phonics Core Program: a Tier 1, structured literacy solution that adds an explicit phonics strand to the daily reading block to ensure that all students receive consistent, evidence-based and research-aligned core phonics instruction to improve outcomes. The program is rated as Strong on the Evidence for ESSA website for Tier 1, Whole-Class Instruction, confirming that it meets federal standards under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for demonstrating evidence of efficacy.

95 Literacy Intervention System™: an award-winning digital platform that puts the tools for diagnosing skill gaps, digitally grouping students with similar needs and assigning targeted reading instruction at teachers’ fingertips.

95 Phonics Lesson Library™: an evidence-based, turnkey program for Tier 2 intervention that offers three levels of phonics instruction and easy-to-use, fully prepared lessons that help teachers provide students with the targeted intervention they need to fill specific skill gaps.

95 Phonics Chip Kits™: a fun and effective tool to help students understand phonics patterns through the use of manipulatives and sound-spelling maps.

95 Phonemic Awareness Suite™: a comprehensive program for developing awareness of speech sounds for students in grades K-1. Aligned with the latest research on phonemic awareness and part of the One95 Literacy Ecosystem™, the suite includes core and intervention lessons, intervention tools, assessments and teacher professional learning.

95 RAP™ (Reading Achievement Program): part of the One95 Literacy Platform™, 95 RAP is a proven, Tier 3 digital learning platform designed to support teachers as they deliver targeted interventions to young learners with persistent reading difficulties, including dyslexia.

About 95 Percent Group

95 Percent Group is an education company whose mission is to build on science to empower teachers—supplying the knowledge, resources and support they need—to develop strong readers. Using a structured literacy approach, the company’s One95 Literacy Ecosystem integrates professional learning and evidence-based literacy products into one cohesive system that supports consistent instructional routines across tiers and is proven and trusted to help students close skill gaps and read fluently. 95 Percent Group is also committed to advancing research, best practices, and thought leadership on the science of reading more broadly.

For additional information on 95 Percent Group, visit: https://www.95percentgroup.com.

Media Contact

Lisa Wolfe, L. Wolfe Communications for 95 Percent Group, 1 3129538085, lwolfe@lwolfe.com, www.95percentgroup.com

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SOURCE L. Wolfe Communications for 95 Percent Group

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Visier Expands Workforce Intelligence with the Launch of New Integration with Microsoft Viva Glint

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Visier’s new connector brings Viva Glint survey engagement data & insights into Visier, creating unified workforce context for analytics and AI

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visier, the award-winning industry leader and creator of Visier Workforce AI, has brought a new data connector to market in collaboration with Microsoft Viva Glint, a leading enterprise employee listening and engagement platform. Through this integration, leaders within the enterprise have the data-backed confidence to strategically act and implement change within the workforce that will drive the most impact.

With Visier’s connector for Viva Glint, employee sentiment is no longer isolated within survey results. Insights captured through Viva Glint pulse surveys, lifecycle listening programs, and other engagement signals are seamlessly integrated into Visier’s Workforce Intelligence platform, creating a unified people data foundation.

By bringing employee engagement and satisfaction directly into workforce analytics, leaders gain a richer understanding of how employee experiences influence business outcomes. This holistic view enables organizations to connect workforce sentiment with performance, productivity, retention, and organizational change, turning insights into action.

The result is a powerful bridge between what employees are experiencing and the decisions leaders need to make. By closing the gap between employee voice and workforce strategy, organizations can respond faster, drive meaningful change, and achieve stronger business results.

The data connector between Visier and Viva Glint operates through the following:

Survey Closes – Engagement data is collected within the Viva Glint platform.

Connector Triggers Automated Transfer – Data is exported using Viva Glint’s API as prompted or scheduled.

Engagement Data Joins Your Workforce Data Model – Visier ingests and aligns the Viva Glint data to existing company workforce metrics and parameters, creating unified, org-specific context.

Actionable Insights Delivered – HR leaders and teams can immediately analyze engagement results alongside other workforce metrics within Visier.

“Every organization’s most valuable asset is its workforce, and we’re excited to collaborate with Microsoft Viva Glint to ensure that workforce engagement and satisfaction insights are prominently featured in the overall landscape of holistic Workforce Intelligence,” said Ike Bennion, Vice President of Product Management, Platform, at Visier. “As this collaboration continues and we explore the depths of what’s possible together, the market can expect innovation on a level synonymous with two of the most respected names in workforce intelligence and engagement. As excited as we are now, the best is yet to come.”

“Microsoft Viva Glint serves as a trusted source of employee engagement and listening insights for organizations around the world,” said Liz Pierce, Head of Product for Viva Glint. “Through our growing ecosystem of partners and integrations, customers can extend the value of those insights across their workforce technology landscape. Visier’s connector is a strong example of how organizations can leverage Viva Glint engagement data as part of a broader workforce intelligence strategy.”

Multiple data sources working together in a seamless, automated, and tailored analytical environment is how enterprises connect talent, from across the entire workforce, to business outcomes. Employees will tell you their thoughts, feelings, and wishes if you’re fast enough to receive, analyze, absorb, and react to their input. Visier’s integration with Viva Glint cuts the time between workforce input to leadership action, all while delivering a deeper level of Workforce Intelligence.

If your organization is running both Microsoft Viva Glint and Visier, the connector integration is available today for early access. To learn more, visit Visier.com.

About Visier

Visier Workforce AI gives leaders, business executives, and managers, the trusted insights and contextual guidance to make confident workforce decisions and lead workforce transformation at scale. The company’s award-winning technology expands beyond analytics, connecting insights to action during the workforce decision moments that matter most to an organization.

Our mission is to help businesses lead with insight at scale while continuously transforming in a rapidly changing workforce landscape.

Founded in 2010 by the pioneers of business intelligence, we have over 85,000 customers in 75 countries—including enterprises like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Domino’s Pizza, Experian, Amgen, eBay, and Ford Motor Company.

Discover more at visier.com.

Walker Sands
visierpr@walkersands.com

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SOURCE Visier

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Airbility Secures KRW 6.5 Billion Series A Led by Sazze Partners, Bringing Total Funding to USD 7.6 million

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Funding will accelerate commercialization of an integrated, high-speed eVTOL counter-UAS portfolio and build production capacity for global deployment

SILICON VALLEY, Calif. and SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Airbility, a deep-tech aerospace and defense company developing high-speed electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, today announced that it has raised USD 4.7 million (KRW 6.5 billion) in Series A funding led by a Silicon Valley-based global VC Sazze Partners. The round brings Airbility’s total funding to USD 7.6 million (KRW 10.5 billion). The company’s valuation was not disclosed.

Existing investor Stonebridge Ventures participated with a follow-on investment, and Industrial Bank of Korea joined as a new shareholder. Airbility’s existing investors also include Samho Green Investment, Mashup Ventures, BASS Ventures and 500 Global. The funding represents Sazze Partners’ first investment in the defense sector. Founded in 2018, Sazze Partners has backed more than 100 companies across artificial intelligence, software and consumer technology, including Korean AI company Upstage.

Funding to Scale an Integrated Counter-UAS Portfolio

Airbility will use the proceeds to advance an end-to-end counter-unmanned aircraft system (counter-UAS), designed to physically defeat hostile drones in the air, while establishing the production infrastructure required for scale. The architecture is built around the company’s high-speed eVTOL platforms and pairs airborne interceptors with onboard autonomy and external sensing assets.

The portfolio includes the net-gun-equipped AB-U10, which is designed for speeds of approximately 180 kilometers per hour, and the AB-U60 mothership platform. Airbility is also developing two new interceptors: the AB-U2, a compact kinetic interceptor deployed from the mothership, and the AB-U4L, a fixed-wing, launcher-deployed interceptor designed for speeds of approximately 300 kilometers per hour. The company plans to commercialize the AB-U10 by the end of 2026 and the AB-U2 and AB-U4L in the first half of 2027, creating a three-interceptor lineup. The AB-U60 is targeted for launch in 2027.

Airbility will also enhance the onboard AI that powers its interceptors. The goal is to enable independent mission execution in communications-limited environments and connect the aircraft with external detection assets, including radar, electro-optical and infrared sensors. This will allow detection, interception and post-engagement assessment to operate as one coordinated system. Airbility will strengthen its manufacturing system in parallel, drawing on its in-house capabilities in 3D printing, composite airframes, battery packs and flight-control software.

Built for Speed, Affordability and Exportability

Airbility was co-founded in November 2023 by researchers who helped develop Korea’s KT-1, T-50 and KF-21 aircraft at the Agency for Defense Development, together with professionals from Hyundai Motor, the MIT Media Lab, LG Electronics and Genesis Design. Three of the company’s senior technical leaders each spent between 25 and 31 years at the Agency for Defense Development. Of Airbility’s 26 employees, approximately 80 percent work in research and development.

In December 2025, two years after its founding, Airbility completed transition-flight demonstrations across three prototype aircraft, validating the core design, flight-control logic and system integration behind its high-speed eVTOL platform. The 4-kilogram-class AB-U4 entered commercialization in 2025.

The company is positioning its counter-UAS system to address a widening cost asymmetry in drone defense. A Shahed-type one-way attack drone is often cited at approximately USD 35,000, while a Patriot interceptor can cost about USD 4 million. Airbility estimates that its air-to-air approach can reduce the cost of an engagement to approximately USD 50 to USD 3,000, depending on configuration. The company also expects the domestically developed AB series to be priced at roughly one-tenth of comparable overseas systems, while offering greater flexibility for export customers facing origin restrictions and lengthy procurement processes.

Airbility is currently in commercial discussions with counterparties in more than nine countries across the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Latin America. Four memoranda of understanding and two joint-venture initiatives are in progress. In Korea, Airbility recently secured USD 2.2 million (KRW 3 billion) in R&D support through the Korea AeroSpace Administration’s 2026 Scale-Up TIPS program and is building domestic references through projects with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

“Airbility is tackling the cost asymmetry in counter-drone defense with a system that combines a high-speed eVTOL mothership with small interceptors,” said Kiha Lee, Partner at Sazze Partners. “We were impressed by the team’s experience leading indigenous aircraft programs in Korea and by the speed with which it has moved from development to flight validation. If Airbility converts today’s rapidly growing global demand into contracts, we believe it can become a defining Korean defense technology company.”

“This investment gives us the resources to move faster,” said Jinmo Lee, co-CEO of Airbility. “We will build on our validated high-speed eVTOL platform, commercialize our first counter-UAS aircraft this year, and establish a three-interceptor portfolio in the first half of next year. From there, we intend to expand from aircraft sales to integrated system sales, convert our overseas pipeline into contracts, and target KRW 50 billion in cumulative revenue by 2028.”

About Airbility
Founded in November 2023, Airbility is a South Korean deep-tech aerospace and defense company developing AI-powered, high-speed eVTOL systems for air security and future mobility. The company’s aircraft combine optimized eVTOL geometries and flight systems with distributed electric fanjet propulsion, variable-inlet technology and modular hybrid-energy propulsion. Airbility brings together experience in manned and unmanned aircraft, autonomy, propulsion, vehicle engineering and industrial design. For more information, visit airbility.co.kr.

About Sazze Partners
Sazze Partners is a Silicon Valley venture capital firm founded in 2018 to support globally ambitious founders across East Asia and North America. The firm invests in exceptional entrepreneurs and combines capital with operating experience, mentorship and a cross-border network. For more information, visit sazze.vc.

Media Contact
Airbility
contact@airbility.co.kr

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SOURCE Airbility

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Konko AI Secures $6 Million to Scale Interoperable AI Platform that Gives Doctors More Time for Patient Care

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With support from Hi Ventures, NYC-based Harvard team expands definitive platform for AI in clinics across Latin America, already managing 2 million+ patient interactions in 90 healthcare institutions

NEW YORK and SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Konko AI, LatAm’s leading AI platform to manage patient journeys for healthcare clinics and hospitals, today announced $6 million in funding led by Hi Ventures, with participation from LifeX Ventures, SquareOne Capital, GroundUp Ventures, Phoenix Fund and angels from Harvard, MIT, Google and Tesla.

The funding fuels product development and growth expansion in LatAm to advance its mission of delivering personalized healthcare to the 5.6 billion people in the Global South.

Co-founder and CEO Jean-Marc Goguikian witnessed his wife, Dr. Juliana Vallejo, spend years training to save lives, only to be consumed by paperwork instead of patient care. He partnered with Harvard classmate and AI expert Michael Haddad to create Konko AI and give doctors more time.

Konko AI launched in Costa Rica to help overwhelmed clinics with their workloads. Its first deployment was at the clinic Goguikian founded with his wife. From there it expanded to Mexico and Colombia. In one year, Konko AI has become the most widely used platform in its category, with 2M+ patient interactions managed across 90 healthcare institutions and 60 specialties in Mexico, Colombia and Costa Rica – 75% are handled end-to-end by AI.

“Applying AI to healthcare is more complex than most companies realize. Every clinic has unique workflows across dozens of systems, that’s why we’ve spent years working with providers to build AI that understands how healthcare operates,” said Goguikian.

Providers implement Konko AI when operational complexity outgrows their tools. What began as an AI for appointment scheduling evolved into a medical-grade AI platform automating patient journeys from first contact through follow-ups. Clients experience up to 30% revenue growth, +50% productivity and +30% patient NPS. As it automates, Konko AI unifies patient context into a continuous and interoperable record for each patient.

Konko AI’s platform includes:

Front Office: autonomously handles patient messages, triage and scheduling in any language.Reactivate: reaches patients proactively to close referral loops and recover no-shows.Unify: consolidates each patient’s context into a continuous and interoperable record.Analyze: equips teams with real-time analytics plus agentic evaluation that assesses patient needs.

Media Contact: contact@konko.ai 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/konko-ai-secures-6-million-to-scale-interoperable-ai-platform-that-gives-doctors-more-time-for-patient-care-302866518.html

SOURCE Konko AI

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