Technology

Stubbs Alderton & Markiles Announces Closing of its Preccelerator® Program

Published

12 months ago

April 28, 2025

SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP (SA&M), one of Southern California’s leading business law firms, today announced that after thirteen years it is closing its Preccelerator® Program and Santa Monica office, effective June 27, 2025. Although ending the Preccelerator® Program, SA&M will continue its commitment to supporting early-stage startups and the venture community via comprehensive legal guidance, entrepreneurial resources, mentoring, and support to startups at every stage of their development.

Founded in 2012, the Preccelerator® was one of the first early-stage accelerators to provide technology startups with initial capital, sophisticated legal services, mentorship, and access to a strategic perks portfolio. Over its 13-year history, the Preccelerator® has successfully guided more than 56 companies through its programs, with those companies securing over $62 million in follow-on funding.

The Preccelerator® grew out of SA&M’s well-established law practice, representing emerging growth, technology, and digital media companies from their very inception. It was designed to provide entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge, and resources needed to build successful businesses from their most nascent stage, avoid common pitfalls, and achieve sustainable growth.

“The Preccelerator® Program has been a cornerstone of our firm’s dedication to nurturing innovation in Southern California’s technology ecosystem,” says Scott Alderton, Managing Partner at Stubbs Alderton & Markiles. “Like many other accelerators, we have found that the need for physical space has become less pressing for these companies as technology continues to make it easier to virtually manage their way through the startup process,” he adds. “As we evolve our approach to supporting startups, we remain dedicated to the entrepreneurial community that has been the heart of the Preccelerator® since its inception,” he ends.

SA&M Partner and key figure in the Preccelerator® Program, Kelly Laffey adds, “Over the years, we have had the great privilege of working with dozens of remarkable startups that have gone on to achieve significant milestones. The Preccelerator® has served as a launchpad for companies that are now making substantial impacts in their respective industries and has allowed our attorneys to contribute consequential legal guidance to these companies. We are immensely proud of what these entrepreneurs have accomplished and the role we’ve played in their journeys,” she concludes.

Len Lanzi, Preccelerator® Managing Director, reflected on the program’s community impact: “The Preccelerator® has always been more than just an accelerator program. We have been deeply committed to fostering entrepreneurship throughout Santa Monica and the broader Los Angeles ecosystem. Through our workshops, mentorship programs, community events and strategic partnerships, we’ve strived to create an environment where innovation can thrive. The connections and collaborative spirit we have nurtured will continue to benefit the startup community long after our physical doors close,” Lanzi adds.

Stubbs Alderton & Markiles invites all current and early-stage prospective clients to continue engaging with the firm for their legal and strategic needs as they navigate the challenges of building innovative technology businesses.

For more information about Stubbs Alderton & Markiles’ services for early-stage companies, please visit us at www.stubbsalderton.com.

About Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP is a Southern California business law firm with robust corporate, public securities, mergers and acquisitions, entertainment, intellectual property, brand protection, and business litigation practice groups focusing on the representation of venture-backed emerging growth companies, middle market public companies, large technology companies, entertainment and digital media companies, investors, venture capital funds, investment bankers, and underwriters. The firm’s clients represent a broad range of industries with a concentration in the technology, entertainment, video game, apparel, and medical device sectors.

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SOURCE Stubbs Alderton & Markiles

Technology

Quote.com Announces New Senior Leadership Additions

Published

55 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Quote.com, a leading tech-enabled, omnichannel performance marketing organization, today announced the addition of two new executive team members to support the company’s continued growth and strategic expansion. Chase Nichols joins as Chief Marketing Officer and Ben Hochstetler as Senior Vice President of Marketing.

Quote.com announced the addition of two new executive team members, Chase Nichols and Ben Hochstetler.

The appointments strengthen Quote.com’s leadership team as the company continues to invest in execution, growth, and expanding its ability to help consumers access insurance solutions more easily and efficiently. “We are excited to welcome Chase and Ben to the Quote.com leadership team,” said Nick Stommes, Chief Executive Officer at Quote.com. “Both bring deep industry expertise, experienced execution capability, and a strong focus on operational excellence that will help accelerate our growth while improving how consumers access and compare insurance options. Their leadership will play a critical role at Quote.com as we continue scaling our platform and strengthening our partnerships.”

Chase Nichols joins Quote.com as Chief Marketing Officer; Chase is responsible for all performance marketing planning, organization, and execution, and is focused on driving efficient, measurable consumer touchpoints. With nearly two decades of experience in financial services and performance marketing environments, he brings a data-first approach to scaling growth while balancing brand development and direct-response marketing.

Ben Hochstetler joins as Senior Vice President of Marketing, leading digital marketing strategy and execution across Quote.com’s omnichannel performance marketing footprint. He brings more than 15 years of experience building and scaling performance marketing execution in highly competitive and regulated markets.

About Quote.com

Quote.com is a tech-enabled omnichannel performance marketing organization that delivers high-quality, mission-critical demand at scale to industry-leading partners. The company serves customers across multiple insurance verticals, including auto, home, life, and Medicare insurance. Quote.com provides significant value to consumers by providing an independent, third-party comparison-shopping experience.

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SOURCE Quote.com

Technology

Young Voices Across Oceans: Telling China’s Story Fiji Special Showcases GDI Achievements

Published

55 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

SHENZHEN, China, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This year marks the 5th anniversary of the Global Development Initiative (GDI). Shenzhen Media Group’s “Telling China’s Story” program presents a special Fiji season, taking the perspective of young Chinese people to the Pacific island nation of Fiji. It documents the implementation of numerous cooperative projects which are smaller in scale but well-designed, showcasing the heartwarming stories and broad prospects of China and Fiji working together to promote common development and share the fruits of cooperation, vividly illustrating the practical achievements of the GDI.

The program will air from April 20th to 22nd, 2026. The first episode features Chinese actor Zhao Xiaotong, food blogger Yang Beichuan, and Wu Dongwei, a doctoral student at China Agricultural University, who visit the China-Fiji Juncao Technology Demonstration Center in Nadi, Fiji, to explore how this “Happiness Juncao” from China has taken root and grown in the South Pacific island nation, benefiting people’s livelihoods.

This “Happiness Juncao” has yielded “win-win results” in Fiji, bringing tangible changes to local families. Internet technology engineer Ashmir not only gained a stable income by learning Juncao (a type of grass cultivation) to grow mushrooms, but also successfully paid off his car loan.

During this filming, a “Mushroom Team” of young Chinese people joined Ashmir in a Fijian market to promote mushroom dishes and introduce locals to various new ways to enjoy mushrooms. The humble mushroom became a bond of friendship across mountains and seas, conveying the warm sentiments of mutual understanding between the Chinese and Fijian people amidst the bustling market atmosphere.

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SOURCE Shenzhen Media Group

Technology

Laminar Wins Gold 2026 Edison Award for Physical AI that Powers the Self-Driving Factory

Published

55 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

Top honor recognizes Laminar’s innovation and transformation in the CPG manufacturing industry

BOSTON, April 22, 2026 /CNW/ — Laminar, a physical AI solution helping the world’s leading manufacturers run more productive and sustainable factories, announced that it received a Gold 2026 Edison Award in the Manufacturing & Logistics category. The award recognizes Laminar for enabling food and beverage manufacturers to unlock new levels of productivity and sustainability through innovation – running faster production lines while cutting water, chemicals, and downtime.

“Laminar is leading the way CPG manufacturers implement physical AI on the factory floor with first-of-their-kind self-driving processes,” said Annie Lu, Laminar Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder. “Our patented spectral sensors and complete library of ML models enable a new, transformative approach to closed-loop automation, making the goal of the self-driving factory achievable today. We are honored the Edison Awards recognized our commitment to building a new category of technology and reshaping the future of manufacturing.”

Laminar’s physical AI transforms operations by enabling CPG manufacturers to transition from manual, timer-based operations to self-driving. Deployed across six continents for Coca-Cola, AB InBev, Danone, and Unilever, Laminar delivers measurable sustainability and profitability gains from the same investment. Laminar’s self-driving processes include:

Self-Driving Clean-in-Place Self-Driving Product Changeover Self-Driving Batch Optimization Self-Driving Quality ControlAnd more

The Edison Awards, established in 1987 and named in honor of inventor Thomas Edison, celebrates game-changing innovation across industries worldwide. Drawing a global community of innovators across 60+ countries, the Edison Awards elevate solutions that reimagine our future.

Recognition for Laminar’s Innovation

Headquartered at Greentown Labs in Somerville, MA – North America’s leading cleantech incubator – Laminar is a woman-founded startup backed by top-tier investors, including Greycroft, Construct Capital, 2048 Ventures, and Flybridge Capital.

Recognized for its innovation and impact, Laminar received AB InBev’s 2024 Cheers Award for outstanding startup partnership and was named Unilever’s 2023 Supplier Startup of the Year. Laminar’s solution is also deployed in World Economic Forum Lighthouse factories recognized for their leadership in cutting-edge technology.

About Laminar

Laminar’s physical AI helps the world’s leading manufacturers run self-driving factories with more sustainable, efficient operations. Our patented spectral sensors and complete library of ML models transform manual operations into self-driving processes that cut water, chemicals, and downtime in real-time. Deployed in factories across six continents and trusted by global leaders like AB InBev, Coca-Cola, and Unilever, Laminar is building a new category of physical AI that will power the future of process manufacturing. Learn more at runlaminar.com

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SOURCE Laminar