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Sinai.ai Closes $1.45M Pre-Seed Round to Reimagine the Future of Reading

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The AI-native books platform backed by KAUST Innovation Ventures, DisrupTech Ventures, and a coalition of leading investors is transforming the way people read, bringing books to life as living, interactive aiBook™ experiences

SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sinai.ai, an AI-native books platform, today announced the close of its $1.45M pre-seed funding round, led by KAUST Innovation Ventures (KIV) and DisrupTech Ventures, with participation from Maza Ventures and YOUXEL Ventures, alongside a coalition of angel investors. The capital will fund proprietary tech, AI infrastructure, user acquisition, and licensing.

The $150 billion global book market has seen little innovation in format for decades. Sinai was built to change that. At the heart of the platform is the aiBook™, a trademarked, patent-backed book format built on 100% licensed, full-text content. Readers can converse with their book in real time, generate study guides and quizzes, access titles across multiple languages, and switch between reading and listening. Sinai is launching with thousands of titles, having already secured partnerships with double-digit publishers, including several prominent names in the industry.

Investor Perspectives

“We strongly believe that AI will fundamentally reshape a wide range of industries, and the book industry is long overdue for meaningful innovation. For over two decades, the core format of books has remained largely unchanged. What the Sinai.ai team is building introduces a truly new paradigm — transforming books into interactive, intelligent experiences where readers can engage, learn, and explore in entirely new ways. We are particularly excited about the team and their ability to execute on a vision that sits at the intersection of content, technology, and user experience. We are always proud to back Egyptian founders who are building category-defining companies and pushing the boundaries of innovation beyond local markets.”
— Mohamed El Sayed Okasha, DisrupTech Ventures

“What drew me to Sinai.ai is that they’re approaching a huge, old industry with respect and clarity. Publishing has been around for centuries, and for good reason, but much of how it operates hasn’t evolved at the pace of technology. Instead of trying to break it, Sinai.ai is working alongside it, using AI to modernize how books are created, produced, and distributed. That’s a harder path. It requires understanding the incentives of everyone involved and building something that fits into a real ecosystem, not just replacing it. But it’s also the more enduring one. The companies that last are often the ones that reshape industries from within, and Sinai.ai feels like it’s doing exactly that.”
— Tambi Jalouqa, Maza Ventures

About the Team

Sinai.ai was co-founded by five individuals: Ahmed Kamel (CEO), a serial tech entrepreneur with post-graduate studies in AI and innovation at Stanford; Mohamed Elshamy (CRO), Yale MBA, with experience at Google, McKinsey, and Meta; Mohamed Elshenawy (CTO), PhD in AI from the University of Toronto, and led AI teams in different ventures; Hana Malhas (CFO), University of Michigan MBA, with deep experience in creative industries; and Abdullah Moatasem (CCO), creative director with credits at Warner Bros., Netflix, and Disney+.

Media Contact
Hana Malhas
6692369534
412491@email4pr.com
www.sinai.ai

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SOURCE Sinai.ai Inc.

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Votebeat Launches Expert Desk with Support from More Perfect

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, More Perfect partners with Votebeat—the nation’s only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated exclusively to covering how elections are run—to announce the launch of the Expert Desk.

As we head into the midterms, this free platform connects journalists nationwide with bipartisan  election experts, including former election officials, election attorneys, and technologists, who provide real-time, on-the-record guidance. Journalists will use the Desk to check claims, understand lawsuits, find credible sources, pressure-test tips, and get on-the-record quotes without waiting on callbacks or relying on loud voices with thin expertise.

With support from More Perfect and its partners, the Desk multiplies Votebeat’s impact far beyond its own coverage, equipping local and national outlets with resources to cover elections accurately. The Desk is expected to serve 600 journalists across 150 newsrooms nationwide. More than 100 experts will be available to answer questions and offer proactive tips. 

“Journalists across the U.S. will be equipped to cover elections and provide communities with credible, trusted information to make informed decisions about key issues, thanks to More Perfect’s generous support of our national coverage and the Expert Desk,” said  Elizabeth Green, Founder and CEO of Civic News Company. Journalists across the country can now turn to Votebeat for a free resource to help them through this demanding election cycle.

“A functioning democracy depends on voters having accurate information about how their elections are run,” said John Bridgeland, Founder and CEO of More Perfect. “More Perfect is proud to support Votebeat and the Expert Desk, which puts trusted, on-the-record expertise directly in the hands of journalists in communities. This is the kind of work our alliance came together to advance.”

“The Expert Desk is the backbone for better election coverage,” said Jessica Huseman, editorial director for Votebeat. “It gives journalists immediate access to trusted experts who can help them make sense of complicated election laws, procedures, and technology — whether they need a source, a gut check, or an answer to a technical question on deadline.”

Votebeat’s National bureau ensures that trustworthy information is available to communities through its coverage of federal voting policy, legal battles, and cross-state trends that connect local reporting to broader national developments. Votebeat’s work has prompted policy changes, influenced public debate, and shaped how elections are understood and administered. That same expertise also informs Votebeat’s Expert Desk, which extends beyond its own newsroom.

Interested reporters are invited to complete the application form. Journalists will be accepted if they are actively reporting on the 2026 elections, are not funded by or working for political candidates, campaigns or parties, and abide by the Expert Desk’s participation guidelines. Experts with relevant election experience can express interest in participating by completing this form. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Journalists will be able to participate until December 15, when the Desk closes.

About More Perfect
More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance of 44 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to advance five Democracy Goals: 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service and Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides; 4) Trusted Elections and More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News and Information.

About Civic News Company and Votebeat
Civic News Company publishes Votebeat (Election Administration), Healthbeat (Public Health and Healthcare), and Chalkbeat (Education). Our publisher is one of the nation’s largest networks of nonprofit local newsrooms with 15 bureaus across 12 states. Votebeat is the only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom in America focused exclusively on how elections are run. With embedded reporters in five states that will decide the balance of power in Washington (Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin), plus a National Desk and the Election Expert Desk, Votebeat watches the machinery of democracy year-round: voter rolls, mail ballots, county certification, election-office funding, and the laws that quietly determine who can vote and how easily.

For press inquiries, contact:
press@joinmoreperfect.us

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/votebeat-launches-expert-desk-with-support-from-more-perfect-302878059.html

SOURCE More Perfect

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Votebeat Launches Expert Desk with Support from More Perfect

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, More Perfect partners with Votebeat—the nation’s only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated exclusively to covering how elections are run—to announce the launch of the Expert Desk.

As we head into the midterms, this free platform connects journalists nationwide with bipartisan  election experts, including former election officials, election attorneys, and technologists, who provide real-time, on-the-record guidance. Journalists will use the Desk to check claims, understand lawsuits, find credible sources, pressure-test tips, and get on-the-record quotes without waiting on callbacks or relying on loud voices with thin expertise.

With support from More Perfect and its partners, the Desk multiplies Votebeat’s impact far beyond its own coverage, equipping local and national outlets with resources to cover elections accurately. The Desk is expected to serve 600 journalists across 150 newsrooms nationwide. More than 100 experts will be available to answer questions and offer proactive tips. 

“Journalists across the U.S. will be equipped to cover elections and provide communities with credible, trusted information to make informed decisions about key issues, thanks to More Perfect’s generous support of our national coverage and the Expert Desk,” said  Elizabeth Green, Founder and CEO of Civic News Company. Journalists across the country can now turn to Votebeat for a free resource to help them through this demanding election cycle.

“A functioning democracy depends on voters having accurate information about how their elections are run,” said John Bridgeland, Founder and CEO of More Perfect. “More Perfect is proud to support Votebeat and the Expert Desk, which puts trusted, on-the-record expertise directly in the hands of journalists in communities. This is the kind of work our alliance came together to advance.”

“The Expert Desk is the backbone for better election coverage,” said Jessica Huseman, editorial director for Votebeat. “It gives journalists immediate access to trusted experts who can help them make sense of complicated election laws, procedures, and technology — whether they need a source, a gut check, or an answer to a technical question on deadline.”

Votebeat’s National bureau ensures that trustworthy information is available to communities through its coverage of federal voting policy, legal battles, and cross-state trends that connect local reporting to broader national developments. Votebeat’s work has prompted policy changes, influenced public debate, and shaped how elections are understood and administered. That same expertise also informs Votebeat’s Expert Desk, which extends beyond its own newsroom.

Interested reporters are invited to complete the application form. Journalists will be accepted if they are actively reporting on the 2026 elections, are not funded by or working for political candidates, campaigns or parties, and abide by the Expert Desk’s participation guidelines. Experts with relevant election experience can express interest in participating by completing this form. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Journalists will be able to participate until December 15, when the Desk closes.

About More Perfect
More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance of 44 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to advance five Democracy Goals: 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service and Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides; 4) Trusted Elections and More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News and Information.

About Civic News Company and Votebeat
Civic News Company publishes Votebeat (Election Administration), Healthbeat (Public Health and Healthcare), and Chalkbeat (Education). Our publisher is one of the nation’s largest networks of nonprofit local newsrooms with 15 bureaus across 12 states. Votebeat is the only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom in America focused exclusively on how elections are run. With embedded reporters in five states that will decide the balance of power in Washington (Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin), plus a National Desk and the Election Expert Desk, Votebeat watches the machinery of democracy year-round: voter rolls, mail ballots, county certification, election-office funding, and the laws that quietly determine who can vote and how easily.

For press inquiries, contact:
press@joinmoreperfect.us

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/votebeat-launches-expert-desk-with-support-from-more-perfect-302878059.html

SOURCE More Perfect

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Votebeat Launches Expert Desk with Support from More Perfect

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, More Perfect partners with Votebeat—the nation’s only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated exclusively to covering how elections are run—to announce the launch of the Expert Desk.

As we head into the midterms, this free platform connects journalists nationwide with bipartisan  election experts, including former election officials, election attorneys, and technologists, who provide real-time, on-the-record guidance. Journalists will use the Desk to check claims, understand lawsuits, find credible sources, pressure-test tips, and get on-the-record quotes without waiting on callbacks or relying on loud voices with thin expertise.

With support from More Perfect and its partners, the Desk multiplies Votebeat’s impact far beyond its own coverage, equipping local and national outlets with resources to cover elections accurately. The Desk is expected to serve 600 journalists across 150 newsrooms nationwide. More than 100 experts will be available to answer questions and offer proactive tips. 

“Journalists across the U.S. will be equipped to cover elections and provide communities with credible, trusted information to make informed decisions about key issues, thanks to More Perfect’s generous support of our national coverage and the Expert Desk,” said  Elizabeth Green, Founder and CEO of Civic News Company. Journalists across the country can now turn to Votebeat for a free resource to help them through this demanding election cycle.

“A functioning democracy depends on voters having accurate information about how their elections are run,” said John Bridgeland, Founder and CEO of More Perfect. “More Perfect is proud to support Votebeat and the Expert Desk, which puts trusted, on-the-record expertise directly in the hands of journalists in communities. This is the kind of work our alliance came together to advance.”

“The Expert Desk is the backbone for better election coverage,” said Jessica Huseman, editorial director for Votebeat. “It gives journalists immediate access to trusted experts who can help them make sense of complicated election laws, procedures, and technology — whether they need a source, a gut check, or an answer to a technical question on deadline.”

Votebeat’s National bureau ensures that trustworthy information is available to communities through its coverage of federal voting policy, legal battles, and cross-state trends that connect local reporting to broader national developments. Votebeat’s work has prompted policy changes, influenced public debate, and shaped how elections are understood and administered. That same expertise also informs Votebeat’s Expert Desk, which extends beyond its own newsroom.

Interested reporters are invited to complete the application form. Journalists will be accepted if they are actively reporting on the 2026 elections, are not funded by or working for political candidates, campaigns or parties, and abide by the Expert Desk’s participation guidelines. Experts with relevant election experience can express interest in participating by completing this form. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Journalists will be able to participate until December 15, when the Desk closes.

About More Perfect
More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance of 44 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to advance five Democracy Goals: 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service and Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides; 4) Trusted Elections and More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News and Information.

About Civic News Company and Votebeat
Civic News Company publishes Votebeat (Election Administration), Healthbeat (Public Health and Healthcare), and Chalkbeat (Education). Our publisher is one of the nation’s largest networks of nonprofit local newsrooms with 15 bureaus across 12 states. Votebeat is the only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom in America focused exclusively on how elections are run. With embedded reporters in five states that will decide the balance of power in Washington (Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin), plus a National Desk and the Election Expert Desk, Votebeat watches the machinery of democracy year-round: voter rolls, mail ballots, county certification, election-office funding, and the laws that quietly determine who can vote and how easily.

For press inquiries, contact:
press@joinmoreperfect.us

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/votebeat-launches-expert-desk-with-support-from-more-perfect-302878059.html

SOURCE More Perfect

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