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NAVER D2SF Invests in SAZO, a Cross-Border Agentic Commerce Startup

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-Developing agentic AI-powered cross-border commerce infrastructure that automates shipping and customs duty prediction, translation, payment, and customs clearance

-Monthly transaction volume grew approximately sevenfold over the past six months through its Korea-Japan cross-border service; secured partnerships with Mercari, Rakuten, and more

-NAVER D2SF continues to discover and invest in young founders challenging global markets, while exploring potential collaboration with NAVER Commerce

SEONGNAM, South Korea, June 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NAVER D2SF, the corporate venture capital arm of NAVER, has made a new investment in SAZO (CEO, Maro Gil), a cross-border commerce startup building agentic AI-powered infrastructure for global shopping. SAZO has developed a platform where AI agents automate key processes required for overseas purchases, including shipping fee and customs duty prediction, translation, local pricing, payment, and customs clearance. NAVER D2SF decided to invest in the team based on its ability to rapidly build a product for the global market and validate its business potential through transaction growth and partnerships across Korea and Japan.

Demand for cross-border commerce is growing rapidly, with 59% of consumers worldwide having purchased products from overseas retailers. As interest in content and creator IP increasingly translates into product purchases, demand is also rising for overseas goods, fashion items, secondhand products, and other long-tail items that are difficult to access through conventional distribution channels. On the supply side, e-commerce sellers, creators, and IP owners are increasingly seeking ways to sell their products to global customers.

SAZO addresses the information asymmetry and complex purchasing process in cross-border commerce through agentic AI. For overseas purchases, consumers often face uncertainty around final shipping costs and customs duties until the point of payment, while differences in language, currency, and customs regulations across countries create additional friction that limits conversion. SAZO predicts shipping fees, customs duties, and service charges with approximately 95% accuracy, while enabling AI agents to automate translation, local pricing, payment, customs clearance, and other transaction processes.

Through this infrastructure, consumers can purchase overseas products in a way that feels similar to domestic online shopping. Platforms and sellers can also expand their sales regions without building separate systems or taking on overseas inventory burdens. By connecting local platforms with logistics and payment infrastructure across countries, SAZO lowers the barriers to cross-border commerce for both consumers and sellers.

SAZO currently operates a cross-border commerce service connecting Korea and Japan, with monthly transaction volume growing approximately sevenfold over the past six months. The company has secured partnerships with leading commerce platforms in Korea and abroad, including Mercari, Rakuten, and Bungaejangter. In 2025, SAZO also attracted a strategic investment from Japan Post Capital, the venture capital arm of Japan Post Group, which operates one of Japan’s largest cross-border logistics infrastructures. Building on this foundation, the company is advancing its cross-border shopping experience and currently operates services in Korea, the United States, and Japan. Going forward, SAZO plans to expand into additional markets and grow into a global infrastructure company for cross-border agentic commerce.

Maro Gil, CEO of SAZO, is a founder in his twenties who founded the company in 2023 after leaving his studies in Japan, where he had been studying on a government scholarship. Since its founding, SAZO’s co-founding team has built its product and business structure for the global market, based on a deep understanding of AI agents and cross-border commerce. With this investment, the company plans to expand partnerships with brands and platforms targeting global markets, while actively hiring talent to build its next stage of growth.

“Cross-border commerce is not simply about exposing products to overseas customers. It requires connecting different languages, payment systems, logistics networks, and customs processes into a single purchasing experience,” said Sanghwan Yang, Head of NAVER D2SF. “SAZO is currently discussing various forms of collaboration with NAVER Shopping, and we expect the team to provide users with a more convenient overseas shopping experience while creating new global sales opportunities for sellers and creators.”

NAVER D2SF has recently been actively supporting and investing in young founders in their teens and twenties who are boldly challenging global markets. As AI continues to lower the barriers to product development, NAVER D2SF plans to further expand collaboration opportunities with young founders who quickly identify market problems and turn them into global products.

About NAVER D2SF

NAVER D2SF is NAVER’s in-house corporate venture arm, supporting sustainable growth by collaborating with startups. Founded in 1999, NAVER has maintained its position as Korea’s leading search engine for over 20 years and operates across commerce, content, fintech, and cloud services. Under the technological vision of D2 (For Developers, By Developers), NAVER is actively developing new technologies and global partnerships to grow as a leading tech company.

To learn more, visit https://d2sf.naver.com

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SOURCE NAVER D2SF

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HKAGE Showcases Gifted Students’ Learning Journeys at InnoCarnival 2026

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Promoting “Technology for Good” Through Innovation and Creativity 

HONG KONG, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) has been invited to participate in InnoCarnival 2026, organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission. Under the theme “Technology for Good, Innovation for All”, HKAGE will showcase the learning journeys of gifted students who have completed programmes on AI robotic arms, underwater archaeology, etc., demonstrating how technology can be harnessed to address societal needs.

Having proactively aligned its work with the education development strategies of the Education Bureau (EDB), HKAGE fully supports the EDB’s Blueprint for Digital Education in Primary and Secondary Schools, which seeks to advance the digital transformation of school education in Hong Kong. Building on its Talent Development Model, HKAGE systematically develops programmes, provides diversified learning experiences and engages in cross-sector collaborations to nurture gifted talents equipped with innovative capabilities, technological literacy, and a strong sense of social responsibility. At the exhibition this year, HKAGE will present how students applied knowledge gained through gifted education programmes and learning experiences in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, environmental science, underwater archaeology and sustainable development to design socially conscious solutions. These experiences reflect the students’ ability to serve society with knowledge and respond creatively to diverse challenges.

Among the highlights is the learning journey of students in the “Artificial Intelligence Course: Creative AI Robotic Arm for Inclusion”. After acquiring foundational knowledge in artificial intelligence, robotics and sensor applications, students designed, tested and refined intelligent robotic arm prototypes through real-time data analysis and algorithms. With the aim of improving the quality of life for the elderly and caregivers, students explored various application scenarios for intelligent robotic arms. Another showcase features the “Environmental Science Course: Bat Echoes – Voices of the Night”. Through acoustic monitoring, the exhibition demonstrates how students recorded bat voices and analysed related activity data and characteristics. The programme enabled students to gain a deeper understanding of local biodiversity and explore practical approaches to ecological conservation.

The HKAGE exhibition booth also features an interactive photo-taking device, allowing visitors to take photos with different gifted programme themes and share the joy of learning.

On the first day of the exhibition, a “Build Your Own Glider Parent-Child Workshop” is specially organised by HKAGE for the visitors. Under the guidance of instructors and assisted by HKAGE students, participants will learn the basic principles of aerodynamics, including lift, gravity, thrust and drag. They will also learn to design, assemble and decorate their own gliders by using lightweight and durable materials, experiencing the joy of science and engineering.

Mr WONG Chung Po, Acting Executive Director of HKAGE, said: “The Academy is committed to providing gifted students with diversified learning platforms and encouraging them to transform knowledge into innovative practices that generate positive social impact. Participation in this exhibition not only provides students with a valuable learning experience that helps consolidate the knowledge acquired in gifted programmes, but also enables the public to better understand how gifted education nurtures a new generation of creative and socially responsible talents to jointly advance the philosophy of ‘Technology for Good’.”

InnoCarnival 2026 – The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

Date:

24 Oct – 1 Nov

Venue:

The Hong Kong Science Park

Booth:

C08-09

Time:

10:00 – 17:00 (Mon to Fri)

10:00 – 18:00 (Sat & Sun)

 

About the HKAGE

Established in 2008 and subvented by the Education Bureau, the HKAGE offers gifted education services actively to local primary and secondary school students to unleash their potential. It also provides gifted education-related information and support for teachers, parents, and other relevant stakeholders.

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SOURCE Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

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LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

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Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

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SOURCE LEAP Group

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STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

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NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

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SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

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