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FranConnect Achieves Record-Breaking Bookings and Breakthrough Innovations in 2024

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Leading the Way in Franchise and Multi-Location Solutions with Exceptional Achievements and Strategic Advancements

HERNDON, Va., Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — FranConnect, a market-leading provider of sales, operations, and marketing solutions to franchise and multi-location businesses, proudly announces key milestone achievements in 2024, including record-breaking bookings, innovative product launches, and key leadership advancements. FranConnect attributes its continued success to being closely attuned to its customers’ critical business needs, resulting in solutions that enhance performance, profitability, and operational excellence.

FranConnect announces record-breaking bookings, innovative product launches, and key leadership advancements.

FranConnect closed the year with the largest sales booking achievement in the company’s history, forming expanded partnerships with over 150 brands and welcoming 105 new customers. Last year, in particular, FranConnect welcomed three of the largest global franchise concepts, including Subway®, one of the world’s largest quick service restaurant brands, Sonesta International Hotels, the 8th largest hotel brand in the U.S. and Fantastic Sams, one of the world’s largest full-service hair care brands. Trusted by nearly 1,500 brands and over 1.3 million locations worldwide, FranConnect continues to be the industry’s “gold standard” and only platform for driving success across franchises and multi-location businesses, from managing suppliers to supporting brand owners and frontline employees.

“Partnering with brands like Sonesta, Subway, Fantastic Sams, and many others demonstrates the breadth and depth of our capabilities in franchising. Over the past year, we made a concerted effort to advance our products in the areas of operations, analytics, and AI to solve the hardest problems faced by franchise and multi-location businesses,” said Gabby Wong, CEO of FranConnect. “As the leading and pioneering technology provider supporting franchise and multi-location businesses, we are doubling down on innovation to cement our market leadership position further. Our multi-year product roadmap and M&A activities over this past year demonstrate our dedication to serving this market now and for many years to come.”

This announcement follows FranConnect’s strategic acquisition of RizePoint, a leading provider of Quality Management Systems (QMS). This is FranConnect’s third acquisition over a four-year period, and it extended FranConnect’s impact beyond franchise brands to serve the broader ecosystem of multi-unit owners and suppliers.

Over the past year, FranConnect has significantly invested in its products and solutions to help franchise and multi-location businesses tackle their biggest challenges—navigating ever-changing markets and competing constraints while delivering growth to shareholders and exceptional products to consumers. These product investments include:

Launched FranConnect Analytics, empowering brands with real-time, actionable insights derived directly from their data within the FranConnect platform so they can determine where to invest resources that drive the greatest return. Analytics emerged as the company’s top-selling product in 2024.Embedded enterprise learning management and content creation capabilities to FranConnect’s best-in-class operational platform, further revolutionizing how businesses drive team engagement, brand consistency, and unit performance. As a result, FranConnect achieved record-breaking bookings for its Operator and Frontline Employee Engagement solution.Unveiled Frannie AI™, a suite of AI agents empowering businesses with generative AI bots that automate and simplify critical business processes within multi-location businesses. Agents include Analyzer, Builder, and Automator, with additional agents continuously in development.Rolled out over 80 product enhancements across the FranConnect platform to ensure solutions remain aligned with customers’ evolving requirements, swiftly incorporating feedback and keeping products at the forefront of innovation while delivering exceptional value.

For more information on our product roadmap, visit www.franconnect.com.

FranConnect’s commitment to delivering outstanding customer experiences and fostering continuous innovation led to key appointments and promotions to its leadership team. Lisa Maynard was named Chief Customer Officer (CCO) to oversee all facets of customer operations, focusing on consolidating and unifying the customer experience across all customers and markets. Vikram Raj was promoted to Senior Vice President of Products and Sales Engineering to shape FranConnect’s multi-year product and technology roadmap and ensure alignment across FranConnect’s solutions, customer needs, and market demands.

“We are excited about the market opportunities ahead and are dedicated to continuously investing in our market, products, and people,” said Gabby Wong, CEO of FranConnect. “Our commitment to innovation will further propel growth and operational excellence for years to come.”

To learn more about FranConnect, visit www.franconnect.com.

About FranConnect

FranConnect is the leading enterprise software provider for franchise and multi-location businesses. For over 20 years, the FranConnect platform has served as the backbone for sales, operations, and marketing for over 1,500 brands and 1.3 million locations worldwide. Iconic brands such as SPARC/Authentic Brands (Forever 21), Tropical Smoothie Café, Authority Brands, and Papa John’s rely on FranConnect to expand locations, streamline unit operations, enhance collaboration, and improve profitability. Backed by private equity investor Serent Capital, FranConnect is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, with global offices in Australia, India, Colombia, and Canada. For more information, visit www.franconnect.com.

Media Contact:
Lorena Garcia
Senior Vice President of Marketing
FranConnect
571-659-3830 

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SOURCE FranConnect

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Cyber Enviro-Tech Positions AirPower Technology Agreement to Support U.S. Energy Independence Following April 2026 Presidential Actions

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cyber Enviro-Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: CETI), an environmental technology company advancing water treatment and clean energy solutions, today highlighted the strategic alignment of its AirPower compressed air energy platform with the April 20, 2026 Presidential Actions focused on strengthening U.S. energy infrastructure, enhancing grid resilience, and reducing long-term reliance on traditional fossil fuels.

The Presidential Actions announced yesterday, as outlined by the White House (https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/), underscore the growing national focus on modernizing energy infrastructure, improving grid reliability, and expanding access to scalable, domestically deployable energy solutions capable of supporting both grid-connected and off-grid environments.

Building on its recently announced exclusive manufacturing and distribution agreement with AirPower USA, CETI is expanding its focus on scalable energy infrastructure solutions designed to support both domestic and international markets where reliability, cost efficiency, and sustainability are critical.

AirPower’s patented compressed air technology provides a zero-emission energy generation and storage solution designed to address these evolving energy priorities through mechanically driven systems that reduce dependence on traditional fuels and complex battery supply chains.

AirPower systems are designed to:

Deliver zero-emission power generationProvide long-duration energy storage without battery degradationReduce dependence on critical minerals and battery supply chainsOperate in remote, off-grid, and infrastructure-constrained environmentsSupport industrial, municipal, and energy infrastructure applications

Aligned Leadership Perspective
“These policy priorities reinforce the accelerating shift toward resilient, distributed, and diversified energy systems,” said Kim D. Southworth, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cyber Enviro-Tech. “We believe our AirPower platform is well aligned with these trends and positions CETI to participate in emerging opportunities tied to infrastructure modernization, grid stability, and long-term energy transition.”

“Compressed air energy systems offer a practical and scalable pathway to deliver clean, reliable energy across a wide range of applications,” said Brianna Stoecklein, Chief Executive Officer of AirPower USA. “As energy policy and infrastructure priorities increasingly focus on resilience, independence, and long-duration storage, we believe AirPower’s technology is well positioned to support critical infrastructure applications and emerging deployment opportunities as demand for reliable, scalable energy solutions continues to accelerate.”

Expanding Energy Infrastructure Opportunity
CETI’s integration of AirPower technology represents a strategic expansion of its environmental platform into energy infrastructure applications, particularly where reliable power is essential to water treatment, industrial remediation, and critical operations.

The Company has begun advancing a pipeline of commercial opportunities, including a previously announced early-stage inquiry representing a potential $200 million deployment opportunity in Africa. CETI continues to evaluate additional opportunities across regions and sectors where energy access, infrastructure resilience, and cost efficiency are key drivers.
CETI is currently engaged in discussions with industry participants, infrastructure developers, and potential partners to evaluate deployment opportunities for AirPower systems across applications including:

Grid support and peak load managementRemote and off-grid power generationIndustrial and municipal infrastructureEnergy support for water treatment and environmental systems

Positioned for Long-Term Energy Transition Trends
As both policy direction and market demand increasingly emphasize energy independence, resilience, and sustainability, CETI believes compressed air energy systems may serve as a complementary solution within a diversified energy mix, particularly in applications where traditional electrification or battery storage may be limited.
The Company believes its combined environmental and energy platform positions CETI to pursue opportunities aligned with long-term trends in infrastructure investment, distributed energy deployment, and sustainable industrial operations.

Advancing Toward Commercial Execution
CETI’s recent strategic initiatives—including its AirPower licensing agreement, leadership expansion, and growing project pipeline—reflect the Company’s continued transition toward execution-focused operations and revenue-oriented opportunities.
“We are focused on advancing opportunities that have the potential to translate into commercial activity,” Southworth added. “Our objective is to align CETI’s platform with areas of increasing demand while maintaining a disciplined approach to execution and growth.”

About Cyber Enviro-Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: CETI)
Cyber Enviro-Tech, Inc. (CETI) is an environmental technology company focused on sustainable solutions across water treatment, remediation, and emerging energy systems. The Company develops and deploys technologies designed to address industrial wastewater, hazardous waste, and environmental sustainability challenges across global markets.

About AirPower USA
AirPower USA develops patented compressed air energy storage and power generation systems designed to deliver clean, efficient, and scalable energy solutions for industrial, municipal, and off-grid applications.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding technology deployment, project development, commercial opportunities, and business strategy. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, including the ability to convert opportunities into revenue, technical performance, regulatory requirements, customer adoption, and market conditions. Actual results may differ materially. CETI undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Contact:
Winston McKellar
Director of IR / PR
Cyber Enviro-Tech, Inc.
6991 E. Camelback Rd., Suite D-300
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Phone: 866.687.6856
Website: www.cyberenviro.tech

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Ellucian Announces 2026 Experience Idol Winners Celebrating Innovation and Excellence in Higher Education

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Key Highlights:

Six winners — three higher education institutions and three partners — recognized for innovative use of the Ellucian Platform capabilities to solve real campus challenges.Institutional winners receive a Student Experience Scholarship, professional services support and design consultation to accelerate continued innovation.Submissions highlighted creative use of capabilities including central workspace, business process automation, low-code integrations, and AI-driven experiences.

RESTON, Va., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ellucian, the leading higher education technology solutions provider, announced the 2026 Experience Idol winners on the mainstage at Ellucian Live, the industry’s premier global technology conference. Experience Idol is an annual program celebrating institutions and partner organizations using the Ellucian Platform and SaaS-native capabilities to deliver innovative, data-driven experiences that improve outcomes for students, faculty, and staff across the higher education lifecycle.

Advancing Innovation Across the Student Experience

“As we look across this year’s Experience Idol submissions, what stands out is not just creativity. It is how institutions and partners are applying Ellucian technology in practical, meaningful ways to improve the day-to-day experience across campus,” said Mike Wulff, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Ellucian. “These innovations show what becomes possible when data, automation, and intuitive experiences come together in ways that are built for how higher education actually works. From bringing clarity to complex workflows and enabling earlier, more targeted student support, to reducing friction for faculty and staff through more unified experiences, this year’s winners are setting a new standard for efficiency, impact, and better outcomes across higher education.”

Recognizing Innovation in Action

The Experience Idol program invites institutions and partners to design and deliver impactful solutions using capabilities within the Ellucian Platform, including central workspace, reporting & analytics, workflow automation, low-code integrations, and AI-powered experiences. Finalists are selected based on creativity, measurable impact, and effective use of platform capabilities to improve outcomes for students, faculty, and staff.

The 2026 Experience Idol higher education institution winners include:

Best Use of AI: recognizing innovative applications of AI-powered capabilities to deliver meaningful outcomes.

Anne Arundel Community College

Anne Arundel Community College used Ellucian’s business process automation and the AI Writing Assistant to improve its faculty contract workflow. The AI supports staff by generating precise, role-specific instructions and consistent email communications, reducing ambiguity and accelerating approvals. By improving clarity at each step, the institution minimizes errors, reduces delays, and enhances transparency across departments. This approach modernizes a high-volume, high-risk process while maintaining human oversight, resulting in a more efficient and trustworthy experience for faculty and administrators alike.

Best Use Case: highlighting impactful solutions that address key institutional challenges.

University of the Fraser Valley

The University of the Fraser Valley implemented a centralized emergency communication system within Ellucian’s central workspace to deliver fast, consistent messaging across multiple channels. Replacing a fragmented approach that required updates in several systems, the new solution enables staff to create a single message and distribute it simultaneously via email, SMS, workspace notifications, and more. A unified dashboard provides full visibility into active and past alerts, improving response time and coordination during critical events. This approach enhances trust, reduces confusion, and ensures students and staff receive timely, reliable information when it matters most.

Best Overall Dashboard: showcasing intuitive, persona-driven experiences within the central workspace.

Jacksonville University

Jacksonville University transformed its campus portal by replacing a fragmented SharePoint experience with a unified, mobile-friendly dashboard built within Ellucian’s central workspace. By introducing a consistent design system across 24 cards, the university created a cohesive, branded interface that makes it easy for students, faculty, and staff to find critical resources. Features like centralized financial aid information, one-tap campus security access, and a powerful search function for important forms significantly reduced help desk calls. The result is a streamlined, intuitive experience that improves usability and reinforces a stronger institutional identity.

Institutional winners received a Student Experience Scholarship, an Ellucian professional services package to support continued innovation, and a design session with Ellucian’s User Experience team.

The 2026 Experience Idol partner winners include:

Best in Extensibility: honoring solutions that demonstrate seamless integration through APIs, data pipelines, and platform interoperability.

ESM Solutions

ESM Solutions delivers a personalized procurement experience through purchase cards in Ellucian’s central workspace that brings purchasing, approvals, and budget insights together in a single interface. By integrating seamlessly with Ellucian systems, the solution provides real-time visibility into spending and ensures compliance through built-in validations and workflows. Users can manage transactions, track progress, and make informed decisions from one dashboard, reducing complexity and improving efficiency across finance and procurement teams.

Best Student Impact: celebrating solutions that deliver measurable improvements to the student experience.

Entrinsik

Entrinsik’s AI-powered card created for Ellucian’s central workspace delivers a personalized, conversational interface that enables students to access real-time information and take action directly from their dashboard. By leveraging low-code integrations and multiple system integrations, the assistant can surface holds, financial data, and academic information while allowing secure updates with user approval. This solution meets students where they are, providing immediate, context-aware support that improves engagement, reduces friction, and helps remove barriers to student success.

Student Wellness Challenge: recognizing innovative, data-informed approaches to addressing student wellness.

Ferrilli

Ferrilli’s Stress and Wellness card provides students with immediate access to mental health resources and proactive support directly within Ellucian’s central workspace. Features include guided stress-relief exercises, centralized resource hubs, and a “Stressed About Class” workflow that connects students with instructors and escalates concerns if needed. Built using Ellucian’s low-code integrations and business process automation, the solution ensures timely intervention and creates a structured support system that helps students feel seen, supported, and connected.

To learn more about Ellucian solutions, visit: https://www.ellucian.com/

WHAT IS ELLUCIAN
Ellucian powers innovation for higher education, partnering with approximately 3,000 customers across 50 countries, serving more than 21 million students. Ellucian’s AI-powered platform, trained on the richest dataset available in higher education, drives efficiency, personalized experiences, and strengthened engagement for all students, faculty and staff. Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, including data-rich tools for student recruitment, enrolment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement. Ellucian’s innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners and user community of more than 45,000 provides best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes.

Media Contacts
Greg Giangrande, Chief Marketing Officer
Greg.Giangrande@Ellucian.com

Jess Weston, Manager, Communications
Jess.Weston@Ellucian.com

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SOURCE Ellucian

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PaleBlueDot AI Launches PBD TokenRouter, a Unified Platform for Accessing AI Models

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Company also unveils premium credit program for builders, startups, and enterprises to accelerate growth

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PaleBlueDot AI today announced the launch of PBD TokenRouter at tokenrouter.com, a new platform designed to make it easier and more affordable for organizations of every size to access and manage artificial intelligence models.

Built for business use from day one, PBD TokenRouter serves the full spectrum of builders in the AI era: builders, startups, and enterprises running mission-critical AI workloads. The platform provides a comprehensive, business-to-business solution that centralizes control over AI resources for teams scaling adoption while maintaining operational and cost discipline.

Leveraging the company’s Token Factory model and existing compute infrastructure, PBD TokenRouter expands into a full-stack intelligence solution that combines proprietary token production with an ecosystem-driven go-to-market approach. Through a single integration point, PBD TokenRouter consolidates frontier providers into a single API layer that powers any AI application with all token usage managed in one place.

“Our goal is simple: to deliver faster, better, and cheaper access to intelligence infrastructure for everyone,” said Stephen Watts, CEO of PaleBlueDot AI. “Builders shouldn’t have to re-architect their stack every time a model provider goes down or a better model ships. PBD TokenRouter handles orchestration, failover, and access management, so that builders, startups, and enterprises can focus on what they’re actually building.”

Unified AI Access with Enterprise-Grade Governance

PBD TokenRouter is designed to help organizations control and optimize AI spend while ensuring consistent performance by eliminating the need for individual account registrations, replacing fragmented workflows with streamlined administration across internal teams and projects to consolidate oversight of AI usage and costs.

Key capabilities include:

Smart Token Routing: A proprietary skill that analyzes each request and routes it to the model best suited for the task, optimizing performance and cost automatically.Multi-Channel Automatic Failover: PBD TokenRouter maintains connections across multiple upstream providers, direct model access, and PBD’s self-hosted inference cloud, enabling 99.95% uptime when any route degrades.Real-Time Cost Governance: Automated budget enforcement operates at the member, team, and department level across the full request lifecycle, replacing manual reconciliation with programmatic spend controls.Smart Caching: Intelligent request deduplication and result reuse reduce unnecessary token consumption without requiring application-level changes.

PaleBlueDot AI also unveiled its Premium Token Credit Program, which selects 100 builders, startups, and enterprises each month to receive free inference credits. The program is designed to connect PBD TokenRouter with developers, founders, and teams driving the most meaningful work in AI today. As part of the program, PBD TokenRouter will host and sponsor global hackathons, partner with organizations around the world on events and programs, and support broader AI research initiatives.

PBD TokenRouter is available now at tokenrouter.com.

Contact:
palebluedotAI@fgsglobal.com

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SOURCE PaleBlueDot AI

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