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Figure Named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025

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Figure Named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025

NEW YORK, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Top non-bank HELOC lender joins the ranks of Apple, Robinhood, and Plaid

Figure Technology Solutions (“Figure”), a technology platform powering a more efficient, liquid, blockchain-based marketplace for financial products, is proud to have been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025. This year’s list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations to set new standards and achieve remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy. Alongside the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognizes 609 organizations across 58 sectors and regions.

“Home equity is a key asset for many American homeowners, helping them improve their financial health and fund life’s major milestones. Our technology makes tapping that equity easier, faster, and more affordable,” said Michael Tannenbaum, CEO of Figure. “Being recognized by Fast Company as one of top ten most innovative finance companies in the world is an honor. It reflects our commitment to transforming the future of the capital markets through standardization, blockchain, AI and other technologies—reducing costs, improving speed, and expanding opportunities for homeowners, homebuyers, and lenders alike.”

Figure’s investments in technology and partnerships drove 60% YoY growth in 2024, building a resilient, rate-agnostic business that can thrive in any environment. In this past year the company has:

Added over 50 partners who embed Figure’s HELOC, including Credit Karma, Houzz, Zillow, Goodleap, and Renofi, as well as many lenders, independent mortgage banks, credit unions and more.Announced a joint venture with Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm, that features a $200M equity investment and drives liquidity into Figure Connect, Figure’s transformative marketplace for private credit loans.The JV cements Figure Connect as the largest blockchain-based private capital marketplace for loans and will bring over $2 billion of liquidity and stability to the non-agency mortgage market.Attracted major partners to DART, its blockchain-based lien registry, including Goldman Sachs, Jefferies, Deutsche Bank, Texas Capital and over half of the top 20 independent mortgage banks.

In addition, Figure has made significant AI investments to tackle lending’s costliest, most time-consuming headaches. Most notably, Figure launched an OpenAI-powered “Stare and Compare” killer. Fueled by more than six years of origination data, 168K+ documents, 1.7M+ pages and 2M+ attributes, this AI tool led to a 95% improvement in manual upfront document review labor, lessened bias and enhanced customer satisfaction.

To date, Figure has enabled more than 160k homeowners to tap more than $13B in equity, while reducing administrative costs and funding times. Figure borrowers can get approved in as little as five minutes and typically receive funding in under five business days1.

The World’s Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company’s hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year. To determine honorees, Fast Company’s editors and writers review companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world.

“Our list of the Most Innovative Companies offers both a comprehensive look at innovation today and a playbook for the future,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “This year, we recognize companies that are harnessing AI in deep and meaningful ways, brands that are turning customers into superfans by overdelivering for them, and challengers that are introducing bold ideas and vital competition to their industries. At a time when the world is rapidly shifting, these companies are charting the way forward.”

The full list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies honorees can now be found at fastcompany.com. It will also be available on newsstands beginning March 25.

Fast Company will host the Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala for honorees on June 5. The summit features a day of inspiring content, followed by a creative black-tie gala including networking, a seated dinner, and an honoree presentation.

About Figure Technology Solutions

Founded in 2018, Figure Technology Solutions (“Figure”) is a blockchain–based technology platform built to enhance efficiency and transparency in financial services. Figure Connect is powered by the Provenance Blockchain, which onboards all of Figure’s loans, and is the world’s largest originator of Real World Assets. Its subsidiary, Figure Lending LLC, is the largest non-bank provider of home equity lines of credit; its software has been used to originate more than $13B of home equity. Figure’s technology is embedded across a broad network of loan originators and capital markets buyers and is used directly as well by homeowners in 49 states and Washington, DC. With Figure, homeowners can receive approval for a HELOC in as fast as five minutes and receive funding in as few as five days.

To date, Figure has embedded its HELOC in more than 140 partners, including Rate (formerly Guaranteed Rate), CrossCountry Mortgage, Movement Mortgage, Goodleap and many other fintechs, depositories and independent mortgage banks. For more information, visit https://figure.com or follow Figure on LinkedIn.

About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com.

1Approval may be granted in five minutes but is ultimately subject to verification of income and employment, as well as verification that your property is in at least average condition with a property condition report. Five business day funding timeline assumes closing the loan with our remote online notary. Funding timelines may be longer for loans secured by properties located in counties that do not permit recording of e-signatures or that otherwise require an in-person closing, or that require a waiting period prior to closing.

Contact

Figure: press@figure.com

Media Contact

Maya Bogle, Figure Technology Solutions, 1 4846203256, press@figure.com, https://www.figure.com/

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SOURCE Figure Technology Solutions

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Koozee Introduces Freeform Canvas and MCP in Major Platform Update

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Koozee Launches Freeform Canvas and MCP to Make Apparel Visual Production Repeatable

SYDNEY, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — STARII TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD today announced a major update to Koozee, its AI apparel visual production platform. The update introduces Freeform Canvas, a node-based workspace for reusable, multi-step fashion content workflows, and Koozee MCP, which lets supported AI agents access Koozee’s fashion visual tools for batch image generation. The company also consolidated its preset workflows under Quick Create.

“Freeform Canvas helps apparel teams connect each step of visual production and reuse workflows across a collection. MCP lets them bring Koozee’s fashion tools into supported AI agent workflows,” said Adrian Bennett, product lead at Koozee.

QUICK CREATE

Sellers choose an outcome — a model try-on, a flat lay, a ghost mannequin shot, a pose or scene change, an enhancement pass, or a short product video — upload a garment photo, and receive a finished visual. No prompt writing is required.

FREEFORM CANVAS

Freeform Canvas is a node-based workspace for connecting garment photos, model photos and visual references, or starting with an idea to generate text, images or video. Users can choose templates such as Outfit Swap or Recolor Garment, select an AI engine and carry each output into the next step to refine or extend a look. Users can add nodes and, for more creative control, add written instructions or reference images.

An approved look can become flat lays, three-view outfit images, nine-frame storyboards, scene variations or videos for product pages, ads and social media. Teams can save the workflow, replace assets and apply it across a whole collection. Canvas supports Gemini, Claude, GPT, Nano Banana, Seedance and Kling for text, image and video tasks.

MCP CONNECTS KOOZEE WITH AI AGENTS

Koozee MCP connects Koozee’s fashion visual tools to Codex, Claude Code, WorkBuddy, Antigravity and more. Users can request batch fashion image generation directly from their existing AI workspace. A copyable setup prompt connects the agent using OAuth and Streamable HTTP and configures it to use Koozee MCP for image generation.

AVAILABILITY

Both features are available now. Learn more about Koozee at koozee.ai.

ABOUT KOOZEE

Koozee is an AI visual production platform for apparel e-commerce

MULTIMEDIA

Image link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/26-1105-s2p-koozee-canvas-300dpi.webp 

Image caption: Koozee Freeform Canvas connects apparel references; MCP enables AI-agent fashion image generation. Models shown are AI-generated.

This release was issued through Send2Press® on behalf of the news source. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.send2press.com/.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/koozee-introduces-freeform-canvas-and-mcp-in-major-platform-update-302931134.html

SOURCE STARII TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD

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Financial Cents Brings Back WorkflowCon for 2026 — Bigger Than Ever and Still Free

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Back by popular demand after a standout 2025, the two-day virtual conference for small and growing accounting firms returns November 9–10 with an expanded lineup: four keynotes, more than 20 speakers across five tracks and the Small & Mighty Awards

ATLANTA, Nov. 5, 2026 /CNW/ — WorkflowCon is back. Financial Cents, the practice management software built for small and growing accounting and bookkeeping firms, is bringing back its free annual virtual conference — and this year, it’s bigger than ever. After a standout 2025, WorkflowCon returns November 9–10, 2026, with an expanded two-day program for firm owners and teams across North America who want to grow with intention. Registration is open now, and attendance is completely free.

This year’s theme, “Focus Is the New Flex,” reframes what success looks like for small and growing firms. With owners pulled in every direction and pressured to offer more services to more clients, WorkflowCon makes the case for a different approach: deciding what not to do. The program spotlights firm owners who have committed to a single growth lever — a client niche, a service line or a distinct way of working — and held steady everywhere else.

The free, 100% virtual event spans five tracks — Workflow, AI, Client, Revenue and Team — so every member of a firm can find a relevant path. Attendees can join for one day or both, and session recordings are available afterward.

WorkflowCon 2026 features four keynote speakers:

Ethan Kross, PhD, psychologist and bestselling author of Shift and Chatter, who closes Day 1 with a session on managing emotions under pressure;Keila Hill-Trawick, CPA, founder and CEO of Little Fish Accounting, who delivers the opening plenary;Jan Haugo, founder of SmartAccountant.ai and co-author of Intuit’s AI certification; andNicole Davis, CPA, founder of Conscious Accounting and a Forbes Top 200 CPA.

They are joined by more than 20 firm owners, operators and advisors leading sessions throughout the program.

“WorkflowCon is an opportunity to step away from the day-to-day, learn from other firm owners, and think differently about how you’re running your business,” said Hill-Trawick.

Highlights from the agenda include candid, practitioner-led sessions such as “Would You Fire This Client?” with Al-Nesha Jones, CPA, and Tony Proctor, EA; “Pricing Is How You Say No” with Logan Graf, CPA; “Attract A-Players in 45 Minutes” with Ryan Lazanis, CPA; “The Minimum Viable Operations Manual” with Justine Lackey; and “Before AI Touches Client Data,” a frank look at the questions every tool should answer before being entrusted with sensitive client data. The event opens with a host welcome from Financial Cents CEO Shahram Zarshenas. The full agenda, including Day 2 sessions, will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Running a firm means being pulled in a dozen directions at once, and the pressure to do more of everything never really lets up,” said Zarshenas. “WorkflowCon makes the opposite case. The firms we admire most didn’t grow by saying yes to everything; they got clear on what mattered and had the discipline to let the rest go. We created these two days so firm owners can step back from the daily grind, learn from peers who’ve made those calls and leave with a better sense of where to focus.”

The event will also crown the winners of the Small & Mighty Awards, which recognize standout accounting, bookkeeping, tax and advisory professionals across the U.S. and Canada in four categories. The four winners — selected from 12 finalists by an independent panel of practitioners — will be revealed live on Day 2.

Registration is free and open now at workflowcon.com.

Firms that want help making the case to a manager can use the conference’s ready-made “Convince Your Boss” email template, also available on the site.

About Financial Cents

Financial Cents is a leading practice management platform built to help accounting and bookkeeping firms streamline workflows, improve collaboration and scale without chaos. Thousands of firms across North America rely on Financial Cents to manage their work, clients and teams in one place. It is rated 4.8 out of 5 on Capterra and 4.7 out of 5 on G2. Learn more at financial-cents.com.

Media Contact
marketing@financial-cents.com 

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SOURCE Financial Cents

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Quality Steak, Inc.’s Bella Philly Steaks™ Brings Authentic Philly Cheesesteak to the Frozen Aisle

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Marinated Beef and Chicken Sandwich Slices create meals in minutes, now in approximately 300 Target stores and with online retailers nationwide

VOORHEES TOWNSHIP, N.J., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Quality Steak, Inc., a family-owned Philadelphia-area meat company with more than 50 years of food industry experience, today announced the retail launch of Bella Philly Steaks™, a line of frozen Beef and Chicken Sandwich Slices. The products have been on shelf at approximately 300 Target stores along the East Coast since mid-September and are available nationwide online through Amazon.com, Di Bruno Bros. and Misfits Market. Each 12-ounce box has an in-store MSRP of $7.99. Additional retail distribution is planned for 2027.

Bella Philly Steaks are made with chopped, formed and sliced premium beef or chicken and finished with an exclusive marinade that delivers authentic Philly flavor.

Beyond the classic Philadelphia cheesesteak, Bella Philly Steaks are a simple, protein-forward base for meals at home, including skillet dinners, stuffed peppers, flatbread and pizza toppings, protein bowls, breakfast sandwiches, soups, cheesesteak dips and more.

“We’re proud to be a leading supplier and partner for restaurants across the country, and we’re excited to bring that same quality to consumers at home. In foodservice, you learn fast that a product has to be consistent, good-tasting and full of flavor, because professional kitchens don’t have time to spare,” said Gavin Mutter, managing partner of Quality Steak, Inc. “A kitchen at home at 6 p.m. is no different. We built Bella Philly Steaks to bring that same standard to families who want a real, protein-rich meal without the work and headache of planning.”

Home cooking is gaining momentum. According to FMI’s 2026 research on shopper meal trends, 44% of shoppers are having more family meals at home than a year ago, and 35% are cooking more often. The launch of Bella Philly Steaks will be supported by consumer and trade promotions, recipes, social content, couponing and influencer partnerships.

Find where to buy, plus recipes and product news, at BellaPhillySteaks.com. Follow Bella Philly Steaks on LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

About Quality Steak, Inc.
Quality Steak, Inc. is a family-owned and operated company based in Voorhees, New Jersey, with more than 50 years of meat expertise serving foodservice customers nationwide. A leading independent supplier of raw and fully cooked thin-sliced beef and chicken steak, the company also offers customized ready-to-eat protein products. Quality Steak, Inc. delivers value through innovative products, consistent quality and superior customer service. Through its new retail brand, Bella Philly Steaks, the company is on a quest to bring authentic Philadelphia flavor to home kitchens nationwide.

Media Contact:
Alissa Davis
VP Marketing
Quality Steak, Inc.
609-519-4873
Alissa.Davis@QualityFoodsInc.com

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SOURCE Quality Steaks, Inc

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