Technology

Rarimo Closes $2.5 Million Vision Round with Vitalik and Other Key Founders United on Future of Digital Identity

Published

1 year ago

December 4, 2024

This founder-only fundraise was designed to unite leaders around a shared vision for the future of digital identityInvestors share the Rarimo community’s conviction that digital identities must be private, user-owned and controlledFunds from the Vision Round will be used to launch Rarimo as a roll-up in Q1 2025

LONDON, Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Rarimo, a zero-knowledge (ZK) identity protocol, has announced the closing of a $2.5 million fundraising round spearheaded by Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin. Other investors included Celestia’s Nick White and Aztec’s Zac Williamson, among others*.

Termed the Vision Round and reserved exclusively for founders of leading chains and ZK protocols, the raise was designed to unite leaders around a shared vision for the future of digital identity.

Investors share a conviction that digital identities must be private, user-owned, and user-controlled. To achieve this, an identity stack such as Rarimo’s that provides total decentralization is urgently required.

In line with this view, funds from the Vision Round will be used to launch Rarimo as a ZK roll-up on Ethereum in Q1 2025. This expansion follows the successful battle testing of Rarimo’s ZK identity system during the Russian elections where it survived Kremlin attacks.

Lasha Antandze, Co-Founder of Rarilabs, a contributor to Rarimo, commented, “In the future, all users will self-issue and privately store their identities on their own device, generating zero knowledge proofs that let them co-ordinate and communicate without compromising anonymity. This decentralized model makes hacks, bans and censorship almost impossible.”

Vitalik Buterin, Founder of Ethereum, shared, “I share the Rarimo team’s passion for improving and protecting freedom and democracy in post-Soviet countries and beyond. I recognize the dual need to protect privacy against oppressive governments and hackers while, at the same time, allowing participants in discussions to trust each other. Free speech must be neither squashed by a boot nor drowned out in noise.

Rarimo’s identity model of ZK-wrapping existing proof-of-personhood methods and building applications on top, allowing users to prove important facts about who they are without fully disclosing their identity, is a promising strategy to achieve both goals at the same time.”

Nick White, Founder of Celestia, added, “Rarimo’s sovereign, private, digital identity layer will unlock very powerful, cypherpunk applications for crypto. Onchain voting is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Rarimo’s identity infrastructure started with passport ZKPs. Users can self-issue passport-based identities, store them privately on their mobile phones, and generate ZK proofs locally from their own devices. No third parties are involved in the process.

These passport ZKPs have been used for anonymous voting in Russia, Iran, and Georgia, and for airdrops. The community is now focused on expanding Rarimo’s infrastructure so that users can build private social graphs and experiment with ZK reputation.

*Full List of Investment Partners

– Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum Co-Founder
– Nick White, Celestia Co-Founder
– Brian Retford, RiscZero Co-Founder
– Daniel Lubarov, Polygon Zero Co-Founder
– Stefan George, Gnosis Co-Founder
– Alex Pruden, Aleo Co-Founder
– Keone Hon, Monad Co-Founder
– Ariel Gabizon, Zcash contributor
– Zac Williamson, Aztec Co-Founder
– Arnaud Schenk, Aztec Co-Founder
– Liam Eagan, Alpen Labs Founder
– Pavel Kravchenko, Distributed Lab Co-Founder

Additional Investor Quotes

Alex Pruden, Founder of Aleo,”Zero-knowledge cryptography holds tremendous potential for solving digital identity challenges. I’m proud to support the Rarimo team as they tackle this critical need with innovative products like Freedom Tool and the ZK Identity Registry. Their work is paving the way for secure, privacy-preserving solutions that have the potential to redefine how we trust and interact online.”

Brian Retford, Founder of RiscZero, “It’s more important today than it ever has been that there be open, decentralized and transparent identity protocol that enables *credible* anonymous and pseudonymous online actions. Rarimo is building this and I’m proud to support them.”

Zac Williamson, Co-Founder of Aztec, “Permissionless identity protocols with strong user privacy protection will be seen as a keystone technology of the new information revolution, and Rarimo is leading the charge. The community is talented, tenacious and targeting real-world deployments of this bleeding-edge technology. I am thrilled to be supporting their journey.”

About Rarimo

Rarimo is a ZK identity protocol. It unlocks a new generation of social apps.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2573208/Rarimo_Vision_Round_Founders.jpg

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Technology

SiriusXM Media Becomes Exclusive Audio Advertising Representative for YouTube in the United States

Published

39 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

YouTube, Home of The World’s Number One Podcast Platform and a Leading Music Service, Chooses Audio Ad Powerhouse SiriusXM Media as Its Exclusive Audio Sales Representative in the U.S.

New Deal Cements SiriusXM’s Leadership In Powering The Largest Ad-Supported Audio Ecosystem And Gives Brands Exclusive Access To YouTube’s Audio-First Inventory

NEW YORK, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SiriusXM (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced a new audio advertising partnership with Google that connects YouTube to one of the largest audio advertising platforms in North America. The agreement makes SiriusXM Media, the advertising group representing SiriusXM, Pandora, and expansive Streaming and Podcast Networks, the exclusive advertising representative of YouTube audio advertising inventory in the U.S. This will provide advertisers access to guaranteed impressions at scale for the first time, backed by similar sophisticated targeting and measurement as YouTube’s ecosystem.

“Audio is one of the most powerful mediums for listeners, creators, and advertisers alike, and at SiriusXM Media, we’re proud to be at the forefront helping brands harness that impact at scale,” said Scott Walker, SiriusXM’s Chief Advertising Revenue Officer. “By partnering with YouTube, a true leader in ad-supported content consumption, we’re uniting our unique skillset with their audience, creating an unparalleled opportunity for marketers and creators to grow their businesses.”

“YouTube has become a primary destination for audio-first content, where fans engage with their favorite podcasts, music, and creators,” said Romana Pawar, Senior Director of Product, YouTube Ads. “By partnering with SiriusXM Media, we are making it easier than ever for advertisers to tap into these high-attention moments.”

YouTube audio ads reach listeners wherever they are across audio-first content and behaviors: immersed in podcasts, talk shows, and music. By meeting users in environments primed for listening and engagement, such as when YouTube content is playing on smart speakers, brands can tap into high-intent listening experiences across YouTube’s vast creator ecosystem. According to a study from SiriusXM Media and Edison Research, there are more than 212 million monthly listeners in the U.S.1 engaging in audio-first content or environments on YouTube.

Starting this fall, advertisers will be able to buy guaranteed audio ad impressions against YouTube’s high-value audiences at scale for the first time directly through SiriusXM Media—paired with an audio-first activation approach to extend reach and impact. Brands can now reach YouTube’s expansive, next-generation and highly engaged audience in the same place where they buy SiriusXM Media’s leading portfolio of ad-supported audio inventory, ensuring a seamless buying experience powered by AdsWizz Inc.’s ad tech platform. As audio continues to reach consumers as a constant companion throughout the day, from commuting to working hours, this deal gives brands an opportunity to reach a valuable audience that is further leaning into audio-first behaviors and content on YouTube in high-attention moments.

Powered by AdsWizz, SiriusXM Media now offers access to 255 million monthly listeners2—reaching nearly 90% of the U.S. population 13+—delivering expansive scale and incremental reach, best-in-class measurement and targeting capabilities, and premium brand-safe environments across every major audio touchpoint. The landmark partnership with YouTube highlights SiriusXM’s commitment to an open, partner-first audio advertising ecosystem, continuing to connect advertisers to premium audio content wherever audiences choose to listen.

For more information, please visit https://www.siriusxmmedia.com/advertise-on-youtube-audio.

About Sirius XM Holdings Inc.
SiriusXM is the leading audio entertainment company in North America with a portfolio of audio businesses including its flagship subscription entertainment service SiriusXM; the ad-supported and premium music streaming services of Pandora; an expansive podcast network; and a suite of business and advertising solutions. SiriusXM offers a broad range of content for listeners everywhere they tune in with a diverse mix of live, on-demand, and curated programming across music, talk, news, and sports. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.

Media Contacts:
Victoria Chow, victoria.chow@siriusxm.com
Erica Walsh, ericawalsh@google.com

1 Edison Research, Infinite Dial 2026 + SiriusXM Media
2 Edison Research, Infinite Dial 2026 + SiriusXM Media

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SOURCE Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

Technology

ServiceForge plants two million trees worldwide

Published

39 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

The company celebrates a meaningful milestone in its ongoing initiative to make a lasting impact within global communities

PORTLAND, Ore., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ServiceForge, the 24/7 live answering and customer service platform built for skilled trades and home service businesses, announces a significant achievement in its ongoing sustainability drive: the company has now planted more than two million trees worldwide, a milestone reached in time for Earth Day 2026.

Each month, ServiceForge plants one tree for every employee and every customer. What began as a simple commitment to give back has grown into a meaningful, long-term impact effort, now surpassing a major milestone. This accomplishment reflects the company’s continued dedication to environmental stewardship and community-focused values.

For context, two million trees adds up to:

Approximately 4,000 acres of forestRoughly 3,000 football fieldsTrees sufficient to remove an estimated 44,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year (equivalent of taking 9,500 cars off the road)

“This milestone reflects the kind of work we believe in: steady, intentional and rooted in real impact,” said Jane Blanchard, head of brand and marketing for ServiceForge. “In the skilled trades, success isn’t about quick wins; it’s about the slow, human work of strengthening homes, businesses and communities. Planting trees is a natural extension of that mission. It’s a way for us to contribute to something lasting, something that grows alongside the businesses we serve.”

ServiceForge partners with verified reforestation organizations that plant trees in areas affected by deforestation, wildfires and climate change. Partners include Trees for the Future, Save the Redwoods League and Friends of Pando, ensuring that each tree contributes to restoration efforts where it’s needed most.

“We’re in the business of fixing things,” Blanchard said. “What better way to exemplify that commitment than by planting trees, which clean the air, restore habitats and ultimately make the world a better place.”

For more information about ServiceForge and their Giving Back initiative, visit https://www.serviceforge.com/why-serviceforge/givingback

About ServiceForge
ServiceForge helps home service businesses get found, get booked and get paid with 24/7 human answering, scheduling, lead qualification and payments. By combining smart technology with real human connection, ServiceForge helps service businesses stand out in an increasingly disconnected world, ensuring contractors capture more jobs while delivering exceptional customer service. For more information, visit serviceforge.com.

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SOURCE ServiceForge

Technology

Contractor Commerce launches AI-powered conversational buying experience

Published

39 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

New technology ushers in new era of e-commerce for home service contracting companies

LEBANON, Ohio , April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Contractor Commerce, a leading e-commerce and sales enablement platform built specifically for home service contractors, announces the next evolution in its platform: a conversational buying experience that’s powered by AI and designed to improve the way homeowners shop for residential services online.

By empowering home service professionals to establish their own virtual storefronts, Contractor Commerce has long championed a modern buying experience, fully aligned with the way consumers seek information on the web, including through guided buying journeys and seamless purchasing flows. With conversational buying, Contractor Commerce embeds AI directly into the shopping experience, allowing the end consumer to enjoy a more natural, personalized and responsive process.

“This shift from guided to conversational shopping builds on everything we’ve done up to this point,” said Paul Redman, president of Contractor Commerce. “Our goal has always been to help contractors meet homeowners where they are. This advanced and intuitive approach will further that goal, and cement Contractor Commerce as a category leader.”

Contractor Commerce’s expanded capabilities are designed to reflect how homeowners buy today: researching options, comparing pricing and making decisions in a time and place that’s most convenient to them. Features include:

An image upload option, allowing homeowners to submit photos of their home systems to receive specific, real-time recommendations.Robust pricing tools, including quote comparisons and full rebate integration, enabling homeowners to fully assess their options and understand the fine print.An AI agent-guided buying journey, providing homeowners with personalized assistance even when they are not fully sure what types of services they need.

“Our conversational buying platform is made for contractors, not retailers,” Redman said. “The goal is to help businesses establish trust, improve their lead qualification process and capture after-hours demand, all while providing customers with a frictionless shopping experience.”

For more information about Contractor Commerce, visit ContractorCommerce.com.

About Contractor Commerce

Contractor Commerce is the pioneer and industry leader in providing e-commerce services for contractors, offering plug-and-play online stores for home service companies so they can grow their sales and serve customers with convenience and transparent pricing. To learn more about Contractor Commerce and its innovative solutions, visit ContractorCommerce.com.

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SOURCE Contractor Commerce