Connect with us

Technology

XFoil Launches a Direct-to-Consumer eFoil Line, Undercutting the $15,000 Industry Pricing by More Than Half

Published

on

XFoil, a Silicon Valley-engineered electric hydrofoil brand founded by PLX Devices CEO Paul Lowchareonkul, today announced the ecommerce launch of its eFoil lineup: The Escape and The Apex, starting at $6,499. The launch introduces a direct-to-consumer pricing model that bypasses dealer networks entirely, bringing premium composite eFoils to market at less than half the cost of comparable boards from legacy competitors priced between $12,000 and $15,000. Each XFoil board is built from hand-laid carbon fiber composite construction and features a proprietary active flight stabilization system that continuously adjusts to counter choppy water in real time, significantly lowering the learning curve that has historically made eFoiling difficult for new riders. After five years of research, prototyping, and ocean validation in Kailua, Hawaii, XFoil boards are in stock and shipping factory-direct to customers worldwide via ocean freight or express air. The platform’s performance credentials were established at Hawaii’s first-ever eFoil race in August 2025, where a first-time XFoil rider with ten minutes of practice recorded the fastest lap of the day, outperforming riders on boards costing two to four times as much. The Escape and Apex are available now at xfoil.com. Every board includes a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty, 100% satisfaction guarantee, and free worldwide shipping.

FREMONT, Calif., July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Born in Hawaii and engineered in Silicon Valley, XFoil brings aerospace-grade composite construction and gyro-stabilized flight technology to market, starting at just $6,499 with units in stock and shipping direct from the factory.

XFoil is a Silicon Valley-engineered electric hydrofoil brand born on the waters of Hawaii.

XFoil is launching their official e-commerce store featuring the Escape eFoil and the brand new Apex eFoil. The launch follows multiple successful Kickstarter campaigns and introduces a direct-to-consumer pricing model that eliminates the dealer markups long considered standard in the premium eFoil category.

While competing eFoil brands routinely price comparable boards between $12,000 and $15,000+, XFoil boards start at $6,499, a difference the company attributes not to cutting corners but to cutting middlemen. By selling directly from its factory to the customer’s door, XFoil is able to offer the same hand-laid carbon fiber composite construction, precision motor engineering, and safety systems found in boards twice its price, without the commission structures that inflate dealer-network pricing.

Innovative Features

Aerospace-Grade Composite Construction: Each XFoil board is built from hand-laid carbon fiber composite, the same category of material used in aerospace and motorsport engineering, delivering a board that is lightweight, rigid, and built for long-term durability.Active Flight Stabilization: This proprietary stabilization system continuously adjusts in real time to counter choppy water and rider movement, significantly lowering the learning curve that has historically made eFoiling difficult for new riders.Direct-to-Consumer Pricing: By selling factory-direct and bypassing dealer networks entirely, xFoil offers the same caliber of engineering found in $12,000–$15,000 boards at a starting price of $6,499.Factory-Direct Shipping: XFoil boards are in stock and ready to ship now, traveling directly from the factory to the customer’s door by ocean freight or express air, bypassing the domestic warehousing and distribution delays typical of the category.Race-Proven Performance: At Hawaii’s first-ever eFoil race in August 2025, a first-time XFoil rider with only ten minutes of practice recorded the fastest lap of the day, outperforming riders on boards costing two to four times as much.

Built by a Lifelong Waterman, Engineered Like a Tech Product

XFoil was founded by Paul Lowchareonkul, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of PLX Devices Inc., headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. Over the past two decades, Lowchareonkul has designed, patented, and introduced disruptive innovations across the automotive, clean energy, and consumer electronics industries.

A lifelong waterman, Lowchareonkul has windsurfed, kitesurfed, and explored some of the world’s most demanding water sports destinations since the age of ten. That firsthand experience with the unpredictability of wind and weather conditions, became the inspiration behind XFoil’s engineering priorities: a board that gives riders reliable, controllable flight regardless of conditions.

The XFoil platform has spent five years in research and development, design, prototyping, testing, and continuous refinement of its core architecture and proprietary active flight stabilization system. Years of ocean validation and engineering iteration shaped the version of XFoil now shipping to customers.

Fighter-Jet Technology, Engineered for a Forgiving Learning Curve

Traditional eFoils have a reputation for being difficult to learn, requiring riders to manage balance and instability simultaneously while building confidence on the water. XFoil’s proprietary active flight stabilization system continuously adjusts to counter choppy water and rider movement in real time.

Factory-Direct Shipping Eliminates the Wait

For many customers coming from the crowdfunding world, the announcement carries particular significance: XFoil boards are in stock and ready to ship now, the production run is complete, with units shipping factory-direct to customers’ doors by ocean freight or express air, bypassing the domestic warehousing and dealer distribution timelines that typically add weeks or months to delivery.

Tested in the Waters Where Hydrofoiling Was Born

XFoil’s engineering may be rooted in Silicon Valley, but its testing ground is Hawaii, widely regarded as the birthplace of modern hydrofoiling. Every XFoil board is developed and proven in the demanding open-ocean conditions of the islands before reaching customers, a heritage the company says gives it credibility that lab-built competitors can’t claim.

In August 2025, XFoil hosted Hawaii’s first-ever eFoil race. A first-time rider competing on an XFoil board, with only ten minutes of practice, recorded the fastest lap of the day, outperforming riders on boards costing two to four times as much.

At a Glance

Starting price of $6,499, less than half the cost of comparable $12,000–$15,000 competitor boardsDirect-to-consumer model eliminates dealer markups entirelyHand-laid carbon fiber composite construction; lightweight, rigid, and built for durabilityActive gyro-stabilization automatically counters choppy water, lowering the learning curve for new ridersIn stock and ready to ship now, factory-direct via ocean freight or express airDeveloped and race-tested in Hawaii, the birthplace of modern hydrofoiling1-year manufacturer’s warranty and 100% satisfaction guarantee included on every board

The Escape and Apex are available now at xfoil.com, with worldwide shipping and a full lineup of accessories, training resources, and customer support.

About XFoil

XFoil, a brand of PLX Devices Inc., designs and engineers premium electric hydrofoils that combine aerospace-grade composite materials, Silicon Valley engineering, and Hawaii-tested performance. Founded on the principle that premium eFoiling shouldn’t require a $15,000 price tag, XFoil sells directly to consumers, eliminating dealer markups while delivering race-proven performance, safety, and craftsmanship. To learn more, visit xfoil.com

Media Contact

Ashley Mizell, xFoil, 1 7047732206, support@xfoil.com, https://xfoil.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/xfoil-launches-a-direct-to-consumer-efoil-line-undercutting-the-15-000-industry-pricing-by-more-than-half-302816558.html

SOURCE xFoil

Continue Reading

Technology

Miami Startup BOB Raises $5.5M To Build An AI-Powered Banking Platform

Published

on

By

The Miami-based company is building the most useful small business finance agent and banking platform in the world, with participation from Codie Sanchez, Mark Pincus,  and others.

MIAMI, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BOB AI Holdings Corp. (“BOB”), the AI finance employee for small business, today announced it has raised $5.5 million in seed funding. The round was led by Mischief (founder of Plaid, Zak Perret), with funding from Peter Thiel and participation from Codie Sanchez, Mark Pincus, Karman Ventures, and a group of additional investors and operators. BOB will use the capital to expand its product, grow its team in Miami, and bring a free AI finance agent to more of the small business owners who keep the American economy running.

The seed round brings together investors who share a conviction that small businesses deserve the same caliber finance department g that large companies take for granted. Mischief led the round, and Peter Thiel joined as a backer alongside Codie Sanchez, the investor and operator known for championing Main Street business ownership.

The funding follows BOB’s private beta launch in September 2026 and will support three priorities: deepening the product’s financial capabilities, scaling customer onboarding, and growing BOB’s team in Miami.

BOB is an AI finance employee that works alongside small business owners to handle the annoying but necessary financial work that usually eats their nights and weekends. Owners talk to BOB the way they would talk to a trusted bookkeeper or CFO, over WhatsApp, text message, Slack, Microsoft Teams, email, or the BOB app. BOB keeps the books, sends invoices, accepts payments, holds funds in a deposit account, and helps owners see where their cash is headed so they can make decisions with confidence.

BOB’s long-term goal is to be the most useful banking product in the world, and a banking product specifically built for this new world of AI agents, robots, and drones. But they are getting started by building the most useful and safe financial agent for small business owners. And instead of handing owners another dashboard to learn, BOB just does the work for them and communicates in plain language.

BOB’s wedge has been particularly effective because the company is laser-focused on small business owners who have largely been underserved by the wave of financial technology built over the last five to ten years. Many of those products were designed for the general market or for enterprise finance teams, and they assume the owner has time, training, or staff to run them. BOB starts from the opposite assumption. The owner of a roofing company, a restaurant, or a local services firm should be able to get real financial help without hiring a department to get it.

“Small business owners have been an afterthought for most of the financial technology built over the last decade,” said Adam Wininger, CEO of BOB. “They are running the business, doing the work, and then staying up late trying to make sense of their books. We built BOB to take that work off their plate entirely. Our goal is simple: to be the most useful banking platform in the world, and this funding lets us put our free CFO agent, BOB, in the hands of many more owners.”

“We invest in infrastructure that becomes indispensable, and a financial layer for autonomous agents is one of the clearest examples we’ve seen,” said Dustin Moring, General Partner at Mischief. “BOB is attacking an immense market at the exact moment AI is moving from advising on transactions to executing them. We’re proud to lead this round and back Adam and the team as they build the foundation agent banking will run on.”

About BOB

BOB AI Holdings Corp. is a Miami-based company building BOB, the AI finance employee and banking platform for small business. BOB handles bookkeeping, invoicing, payments, and cash flow for small business owners through the channels they already use, including WhatsApp, text message, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. BOB’s mission is to build the world’s most useful banking product in the world. Learn more at joinbob.ai. Disclaimer: BOB AI Holdings Corp is a financial technology company, not a bank.

Media contact

Joel Strauss – joel@strausscomms.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/miami-startup-bob-raises-5-5m-to-build-an-ai-powered-banking-platform-302918254.html

SOURCE BOB AI Holdings Corp

Continue Reading

Technology

Union Home Mortgage unveils AI and automation advancements during 2026 Annual Partner Celebration

Published

on

By

The mortgage lender continues to make major technology investments going into 2027

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Union Home Mortgage (UHM), a high-growth independent mortgage banking company with a world-class culture, recently unveiled an array of AI and automation-driven technological achievements during the company’s 2026 Annual Partner Celebration held Oct. 16-17 in Cleveland, Ohio. This world-class event brought over 850 UHM employees, known internally as Partners, together to highlight the lender’s year-to-date business results, set goals to multiply business success, and foster connection between colleagues. Most notably, technology took center stage, highlighting advancements made in 2026 and a sneak peek at what is coming next.

Attendees were given an inside look at the next phase of technology shaping the business, with demonstrations of both newly implemented tools and future-focused prototypes. These innovations, ranging from conversational voice agents for enhanced customer support to the elimination of tedious manual document review, showcased the transformative potential of technology and underscored the lender’s ongoing investment in smarter, more efficient workflows.

“What makes this event so meaningful is the chance to celebrate our Partners and the impact they have on our business and culture,” said Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage. “By creating opportunities for open dialogue and idea-sharing, we’re able to strengthen our culture and identify new ways to move our business forward. As we look ahead to 2027, we remain focused on our 3X initiative, empowering our Partners with the resources, technology, and support they need to achieve more while continuing to deliver a world-class experience for our borrowers. Technology will be the key to UHM’s future, and I can’t wait to see what new solutions are developed in time for our next Annual Partner Celebration.”

While this year’s Annual Partner Celebration was heavily focused on technology, the event also featured senior leadership across all departments and business channels taking the stage to share updates on critical areas such as sales performance, servicing, benefits, employee recognition, and more. UHM Partners also took part in a panel discussion and Q&A with CEO Bill Cosgrove and Sr. Vice President of Business Development Al Blank. In addition to those attending in-person, the rest of the mortgage lender’s 2,300 Partners streamed the event virtually across the country. Following the event, attendees were invited to attend a celebratory carnival featuring casino-style games, a golf simulator, Family Feud, a custom t-shirt press, and more – earning raffle tickets to win high-value prizes. The lender also raffled off tickets to the MLB American League Championship Series being played at Progressive Field, as Union Home Mortgage is the Official Mortgage Partner of both teams that played in the series – the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians.

Throughout the week, Partners also attended individualized leadership summits specific to their department or role within the company, as well as a Hard Stops Summit aimed at examining existing hard stops in the loan process to streamline operational efficiency.

Internal loan officer coaching program Partners Coaching Partners (PCP), which pairs each participating loan officer with a high-performing mentor and an accountability partner at their production level, also held their Fall PCP Impact event on October 14-15. The group aims to equip members with the skills and knowledge to increase productivity, generate leads, finetune the origination process, improve teambuilding, and increase profit margins. Next year, the PCP program will celebrate its twentieth consecutive PCP Impact event, cementing its status as a pillar of Partner development at UHM.

About Union Home Mortgage
Union Home Mortgage Corp. (UHM) is a high-growth, full-service retail, wholesale, and consumer direct independent mortgage banking company with branches across the U.S. in 49 states + D.C. UHM is an in-house loan servicer offering world-class customer service through high touch communication & technology. A privately held family business, with a collaborative culture that stands out in the mortgage industry, UHM Partners (employees) are guided by a Code of Conduct that emphasizes respect, open communication, and accountability. All these principles translate to industry-leading customer retention and satisfaction. Some honors include being a Six-Year USA TODAY Top Workplace and a Twelve-Year Northeast Ohio Top Workplace. Learn more at www.uhm.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/union-home-mortgage-unveils-ai-and-automation-advancements-during-2026-annual-partner-celebration-302918265.html

SOURCE Union Home Mortgage

Continue Reading

Technology

Pew Funds 4 Biomedical Research Partnerships in Latin America

Published

on

By

Scientists will team up on interdisciplinary explorations

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Pew Charitable Trusts announced today that four pairs of researchers from Latin America will receive funding to pursue collaborative biomedical research projects.

These eight esteemed scientists, all independent investigators in Latin America, will team up on interdisciplinary explorations that span plant biology, genetics, immunology, and more. Recipients will receive a combined $180,000 per pair—$90,000 annually over two years.

The Partnership Award was created to help advance scientific collaboration and networking among the biomedical research community in Latin America. Recipients include four alumni of Pew’s Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences, which has funded nearly 350 scientists from across the region since 1991. The Partnership awards were made possible by a grant from Biohub.

“Pew is proud to support these exceptional scientists from Argentina, Brazil, and Chile,” said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, Pew’s senior vice president for Philadelphia and scientific advancement. “Their creative ideas and pioneering approaches will undoubtedly lead to important discoveries that advance biomedical research across Latin America and the world.”

Recipients of this year’s Partnership Award are:

Luis F. Larrondo, Ph.D., Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 2004 Pew Latin American Fellow

Gerardo Cárcamo-Oyarce, Ph.D., Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Larrondo and Cárcamo-Oyarce will establish a new, light-based platform for studying the formation of biofilms by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Priscilla Olsen, Ph.D., Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), 2016 Pew Latin American Fellow

Beatriz Patricio, Ph.D., Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO)

Olsen and Patricio will develop and test a new strategy to overcome antimicrobial drug resistance.

Paulo José P. L. Teixeira, Ph.D., Universidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, 2013 Pew Latin American Fellow

Antonio Camargo, Ph.D., Universidade de São Paulo

Teixeira and Camargo will examine plant immune receptor specificity.

Marcelo Yanovsky, Ph.D., Fundación Instituto Leloir – CONICET, 2000 Pew Latin American Fellow

Esteban Beckwith, Ph.D., Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires – CONICET – Partner Institute of the Max Plank Society

Yanovsky and Beckwith will study how organisms regulate gene expression in response to environmental stress.

Founded in 1948, The Pew Charitable Trusts uses data to make a difference. Pew addresses the challenges of a changing world by illuminating issues, creating common ground, and advancing ambitious projects that lead to tangible progress. Learn more at pew.org.

Press contact: Liz Lowe, 215-575-4812, elowe@pewtrusts.org

https://www.pew.org/en/about/news-room/press-releases-and-statements/2026/10/22/pew-funds-4-biomedical-research-partnerships-in-latin-america

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pew-funds-4-biomedical-research-partnerships-in-latin-america-302918270.html

SOURCE The Pew Charitable Trusts

Continue Reading

Trending