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YäRKEN Raises Funds from 1982 Ventures to Expand AI-Driven IT Financial Management Across North American Enterprise Clients

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NEW YORK, May 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — YäRKEN, the first AI native IT Financial Management (ITFM) platform for enterprise clients has announced a fundraising round led by 1982 Ventures. This funding will enable YäRKEN to further develop its AI capabilities and scale its customer base across North America.

The ITFM market is projected to grow at 12.7% per annum and hit US$14 billion (according to Business Research Insights, forecast period 2025-2033). This growth is driven by CIOs’ increasing need for solutions to effectively manage and forecast complex cloud and on-premises investments as well as managing software licences and usage across multiple business units. Yarken’s AI-native approach reduces implementation times, delivers average cost reductions of 15-25%, and significantly reduces ongoing maintenance hours by up to 50%.

Yarken was founded by seasoned entrepreneurs Ravi Kuppan (CEO) and Vaibhav Kulkarni (CTO), after the successful sale of their enterprise software company Tarantula Global to Constellation Software. Kuppan said, “Our years delivering software to large global enterprises showed us CIOs are struggling to manage sprawling IT infrastructure costs with legacy solutions and spreadsheets that are inflexible, slow to deploy, and expensive to maintain. We knew how to solve this by leveraging AI.”

Ravi Kuppan, Yarken CEO stated, “Yarken’s native AI can ingest and analyze data from any IT system, regardless of format. This means whether you’re tracking cloud spending, software licenses, or hardware assets, our clients gain comprehensive, actionable cost insights months faster than our competitors.” He added, “Yarken’s platform provides comprehensive audit trails and cost transparency, helping enterprises maintain compliance and enhance IT governance.”

Yarken, which was recently included in Gartner’s 2025 Market Guide for ITFM as an established offering, has been rapidly expanding in the United States and Canada.  US based Maryville Consulting, recognized for its expertise in Technology Business Management, will now offer Yarken’s platform to its extensive portfolio of enterprise clients, giving them streamlined access to Yarken’s powerful analytics and cost management tools.

“Yarken’s light TBM approach and ease of use help us provide innovative solutions to the North American market. By integrating Yarken’s platform into our service offerings, we can help clients gain deeper insights into IT spend and drive more strategic decision-making.” said Quinn Abraham, VP of TBM / FinOps at Maryville Consulting.

“Many CIOs are faced with the competing mandates of reducing costs while continuing to invest in new systems. Yarken’s AI-native platform gives CIOs full visibility on their tech spend, with integrated forecasting and benchmarking that produce actionable insights, including rapid IT planning capabilities, allowing for proactive budget adjustments that the business can collaborate on. The solution pays for itself,” said James Kim, Operating Partner of 1982 Ventures and former Managing Director at Accenture. He added, “Yarken is the only platform that integrates all areas of IT financial management and cloud operations with native AI, allowing enterprise clients to achieve faster time to value.”

Scott Krivokopich, Founding Managing Partner at 1982 Ventures, stated, “We are excited to support founders like Ravi and Vaibhav, who have a proven track record of building and exiting successful enterprise software companies. Our investment in Yarken fits perfectly within our strategy of backing companies that are leveraging AI to transform financial services and enterprise operations. Yarken’s innovative approach to IT financial management, powered by native AI, is precisely the kind of disruption we believe will reshape the industry.”

The funding will fuel Yarken’s next phase of growth. Specifically, the company plans to aggressively expand its customer base across North America, further develop its AI capabilities and scale operational capacity to support this growth. Building on the success of global SI partnerships.  Yarken is also exploring more strategic partners with key industry players to broaden its market reach and further enhance its service offerings.

Kuppan added, “We’re just getting started.  This investment enables us to deliver even more value to our customers and partners as we redefine how enterprises manage IT spend.”

About Yarken:

YäRKEN is a leading AI-native IT Financial Management (ITFM) solution provider recognized for its innovative approach and featured in Gartner’s Market Guide for ITFM 2025. Yarken enables businesses to gain complete visibility into their IT spend, optimize costs, and make strategic decisions through AI-driven insights, forecasting, and benchmarking. Yarken’s platform simplifies ITFM, providing faster implementation, enterprise-grade scalability, and robust analytics.

For more information, visit: www.yarken.com 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yarken-raises-funds-from-1982-ventures-to-expand-ai-driven-it-financial-management-across-north-american-enterprise-clients-302446154.html

SOURCE 1982 Ventures; Yarken

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Sapient Insights Group Reveals the HR Technology Solutions Ranking Highest in Vendor Satisfaction and User Experience for 2026

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Voice of the Customer badges awarded across 23 HR technology categories, based on 10,000 responses to Sapient’s 2026-2027 Annual HR Systems Survey

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Sapient Insights Group today revealed the HR technology solutions ranking highest in vendor satisfaction and user experience in its 2026-2027 HR Systems Survey, now in its 29th year. This year Sapient awarded 630 Voice of the Customer badges across 23 technology categories and three company sizes. The rankings are based on responses from HR professionals representing 6,038 organizations.

Stacey Harris, Chief Research Officer and Managing Partner at Sapient Insights Group, presents the HR technology solutions ranking highest in vendor satisfaction and user experience for 2026.

To help buyers find the providers that fit their organization, the rankings are split into three company sizes: small, mid-sized, and enterprise. Respondents rate their satisfaction with their current solution in each technology category on a scale of 1 to 5, with attention to support and service. Sapient also ranks solutions on user experience. The top five solutions in each category and size earn a badge for vendor satisfaction and a badge for user experience. Three categories with smaller sample sizes (Time Labor Budgeting, Contingent Workforce Management, and Skills Management) are ranked in aggregate across all company sizes.

The survey continues to grow with the HR technology market. New this year, the survey adds Compliance Management to the HR Blueprint, application-level outcome questions, payment models for applications and AI, and finance applications covering Core, Expense, and Planning. It also asks more “why” questions throughout, so the results show not just what organizations are doing but the reasons behind their choices.

“Our Voice of the Customer rankings come straight from HR practitioners, with no sponsorship involved, which is why buyers and vendors both pay attention to them,” said Stacey Harris, chief research officer and managing partner at Sapient Insights Group. “This year we expanded the rankings to cover more of the HR technology landscape, which gives buyers a clearer view of how solutions perform for the specific work they need done, not just at the suite level. It also gives vendors honest feedback from the people who use their products every day.”

The highest-ranking solutions for vendor satisfaction are listed below. Rankings include point solutions, modules within technology suites, and in some cases service providers.

Payroll
Dayforce – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

HR Management
Dayforce – Enterprise
HiBob – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Benefits
Businessolver – Enterprise
Fidelity NetBenefits/PSW – Mid-sized
HiBob – Small

HR Service Delivery: Portal
Dovetail – Enterprise
Workday Help – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

HR Service Delivery: Content Management
Dovetail – Enterprise
DocuSign – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

HR Service Delivery: Employee Help Desk
Dovetail – Enterprise
ServiceNow – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

HR Service Delivery: Engagement Survey
Dovetail – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Time and Attendance
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Absence Management
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Leave Management
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Workforce Scheduling
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Labor Budgeting
isolved – All sizes

Learning
Cornerstone – Enterprise
OpenSesame – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Recruiting
Indeed – Enterprise
Greenhouse – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Onboarding
Dayforce – Enterprise
isolved (ApplicantPro) – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Performance
Dayforce – Enterprise
HiBob – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Compensation
Dayforce – Enterprise
Payscale Payfactors – Mid-sized
Insperity – Small

Succession
Dayforce – Enterprise
Microsoft Glint – Mid-sized
Paylocity – Small

Rewards and Recognition
Awardco – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
Gifted – Small

Analytics
Visier – Enterprise
Visier – Mid-sized
UKG People Analytics – Small

AI/ML
Visier Vee – Enterprise
Grammarly – Mid-sized
Anthropic Claude – Small

Contingent Workforce Management
ServiceNow – All sizes

Skills Management HiBob – All sizes

The complete Voice of the Customer results, including the top five solutions for vendor satisfaction and user experience in every category and company size, are available here (https://sapientinsights.com/top-vendors/).

Sapient Insights Group will publish detailed survey findings and analysis in its annual HR Systems Research Report on November 6, 2026. The report will be available to purchase here (https://sapientinsights.com/shop/).

About the 2026-2027 HR Systems Survey

Now in its 29th year, Sapient’s HR Systems Survey is the longest-running, most comprehensive survey of the HR technology landscape, and the only fully objective, non-sponsored study of its kind. This year, HR professionals representing 6,038 organizations around the globe took part. The survey now covers 23 technology categories. The annual report includes an in-depth look at each category, along with current and future adoption rates, customer retention, replacement plans, and projected vendor growth.

For more information about the survey and report, schedule a call (https://calendly.com/summerorellano/schedule-a-call-with-sapient-insights-group).

About Sapient Insights Group Sapient Insights Group is a certified women-owned, privately-owned consulting, research, and advisory firm. The company works with organizations in the areas of HR and finance technology; HR strategy and transformation; leadership and culture; change management; talent management; mergers and acquisitions; and project management. The company’s HR Systems Survey is the HR profession’s most trusted source for objective data on the HR technology market and insights to guide buyer investments and vendor product development and marketing. For more information, visit www.sapientinsights.com.

Media Contact

Allison Williams, Sapient Insights Group, 1 4043044748, Info@sapientinsights.com, https://sapientinsights.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/sapient-insights-group-reveals-the-hr-technology-solutions-ranking-highest-in-vendor-satisfaction-and-user-experience-for-2026-302915884.html

SOURCE Sapient Insights Group

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SAJ Debuts First CEC-Approved Systems under Australia’s New Battery Standard at All Energy 2026

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EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5 on show at Stand M143, with Australia’s Strongest Man at Stand E01 and the SAJ range across three distributor stands

MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SAJ will exhibit at All Energy Australia 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 28–29 October. At Stand M143, installers can get their first hands-on look at the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5, the first products approved under Australia’s new SA TS 5398 standard.

At 2pm on Wednesday 28 October, DEKRA and CCS will present SAJ with the CEC certificates for the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5 on the stand, making SAJ the first brand listed under SA TS 5398. SAJ and DEKRA will also sign a strategic cooperation agreement covering safety, quality and compliance.

On the stand

EK70 HS5 – the all-in-one home energy system, combining hybrid inverter, LFP battery and whole-home backup in one unit. Modular 6, 7 and 9 kWh battery blocks stack to suit the household.EK90 HS5 – the premium tier, with 12,000-cycle cells, nine-layer safety protection, edge AI and a 15-year warranty.B2S and H2 – modular storage and the latest from SAJ’s residential range.elekeeper 5.0 – SAJ’s energy management app, with AI-assisted design, five-minute app commissioning and remote diagnosis.C&I – SAJ’s latest commercial and industrial solutions.

Live demonstrations of the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5, elekeeper 5.0 and the C&I range run at 10am on both days and again at 3pm on Wednesday.

Visitors can also play the claw machine on the stand throughout both days to win tennis balls signed by SAJ brand ambassador Alex de Minaur.

Beat Australia’s Strongest Man of 2026 at Stand E01

At Stand E01, near the hall entrance, visitors can take on Bradman Houston, Australia’s Strongest Man 2026, on the high striker. Bradman will be there each day. Anyone who beats his score wins!

Bradman recently partnered with SAJ and Sydney Solar & Electrical on a video series about lifting technique and fitness for solar installers, now on SAJ’s Instagram.

SAJ across the floor

The SAJ range is also on show with the company’s three national distribution partners, for stock, pricing and account conversations:

One Stop Warehouse – Stand EE113, with the EK90 HS5 on displaySupply Partners – Stand L135Tradezone – Stand S113

“All Energy is where the industry sees what’s next, and for SAJ that’s the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5,” said Alan Li, the Sales Director of SAJ Electric Australia. “Installers told us they want one integrated system that’s faster to install and that they can stand behind. Being the first brand listed under SA TS 5398 is the proof. We’d love installers to see both systems up close at Stand M143, and to try their luck against Bradman at E01 while they’re there.”

Visit SAJ

Where: Stand M143 (Beat the Strongest Man at Stand E01), Melbourne Convention and Exhibition CentreWhen: Wednesday 28 – Thursday 29 October 2026More information: au.saj-electric.com

About SAJ

Founded in Guangzhou in 2005, SAJ (Guangzhou Sanjing Electric Co., Ltd.) is a specialist in smart energy storage, delivering integrated solutions across solar generation, battery storage, energy management and EV charging for residential and commercial customers. SAJ has operated in Australia since 2013 and works with three national distribution partners – One Stop Warehouse, Supply Partners and Tradezone – backed by local technical support and warranty infrastructure.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/saj-debuts-first-cec-approved-systems-under-australias-new-battery-standard-at-all-energy-2026-302915502.html

SOURCE SAJ

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Starvia Automotive Expands Used-Car Exports to Afghanistan and Iran

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GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Starvia Automotive has added Afghanistan and Iran to the destinations covered by its used-car export business, the company said on Oct. 21, as it focuses on used vehicles built to Chinese-market specifications. Buyers in both markets can now request an assessment of a specific vehicle before an order is confirmed.

What the review covers

For a used vehicle, the model name alone does not determine whether an export order can proceed. Year of manufacture, vehicle identity, condition, ownership documents and destination import rules are reviewed for each request, together with carrier acceptance, transit requirements and payment restrictions, according to the company.

Starvia cited two listings in its online used-car catalog as examples of the process: a 2023 Volkswagen Polo and a 2021 Volkswagen Tharu. The company said the listings show published stock and do not confirm that either unit is available or eligible for import into both markets. Stock, vehicle records and destination suitability are confirmed before a model is presented as an order option.

How an inquiry is handled

Inquiries are submitted through the company’s online form, which asks for destination city, importer details, preferred vehicle, quantity and purchasing timeframe. Starvia said the information is used to identify suitable vehicles, check documentation and seek a transport option, and that alternatives can be discussed if the first model does not meet the requirements.

An Arabic-language version of the site is available at https://www.starviaauto.com/ar?utm_source=prnews for buyers who prefer Arabic.

Any vehicle offer, freight estimate or shipment timing remains subject to commercial, regulatory and logistics checks, the company said. Buyers should obtain destination-side import approval before committing to a purchase.

About Starvia Automotive

Starvia Automotive is a Guangzhou-based exporter of new and used vehicles. Its online catalog lists used cars with vehicle history and inspection information for buyers in multiple regions.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/starvia-automotive-expands-used-car-exports-to-afghanistan-and-iran-302915298.html

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