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MCNC completes historic HERO Project

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Multi-year, $19 million investment delivers high-speed internet to underserved and overlooked communities in rural North Carolina

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MCNC, the technology non-profit that builds, owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), today announced the completion of its HERO (High Speed Economies for Rural Opportunity) Project.

The making of HERO

On May 16, 2022, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo (2021-2025) was in Durham to launch Internet for All, a federal bipartisan investment of $45 billion to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet for everyone in America by the end of the decade. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) was tasked to administer and implement the new initiative. Full Story.
 MCNC applied for funding in September 2022 to extend its network by 209 fiber miles via two strategic routes. Those routes included Albemarle to Winston-Salem (74 miles) in central North Carolina, and between Sanford via Fayetteville to Jacksonville (135 miles) in southeastern North Carolina. More than 235 grant applications were submitted nationwide totaling more than $5.5 billion. MCNC was the only Research and Education Network (REN) in the country to receive individual funding. Visit NTIA Project Page.

On June 16, 2023, MCNC received $11,186,162.82 million from the NTIA for the project. The Golden LEAF Foundation awarded $2,672,234 to be used as matching funds towards the southeastern portion of the project. MCNC provided the rest ($5,101,201). Read Original Announcement.
 From August 2023 to June 2024, MCNC released a series of stories highlighting various elements of the project – exploring everything from health care and public safety to education, entrepreneurship, and economic development. The series included several episodes on the MCNC Community Connect Podcast.
 On Sept. 5, 2024, MCNC held a groundbreaking ceremony at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) to officially start the construction phase of the project. Access Video, Photos and Information.
 Now, as of June 2026 with the completion of HERO, the total operation of MCNC’s network is 4,745 miles. MCNC continues to provide technology services in all 100 counties of North Carolina. View Network Map.

North Carolina needed HERO

The HERO Project supports important improvements to broadband access and affordability in central and southeastern North Carolina, positively impacting over 350,000 housing units and 696 community anchor institutions, which will bring a modern “infrastructure of opportunity” to these rural and economically-challenged areas. The 11 total counties benefiting from this project previously saw more than 16,000 unserved and 12,000 underserved housing units, including many substantially unserved local communities.

Along with MCNC’s own investments and continued support from the Golden LEAF Foundation, the HERO project has been $19 million total infusion towards high-speed internet and technology services for the state. This expansion also supported many construction and engineering jobs throughout the project and now enhances the affordability strategies of last-mile commercial providers in these communities moving forward.

“Today marks a significant milestone for making high-speed internet affordable and available in North Carolina,” said MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks. “The continued support from the NTIA and the Golden LEAF Foundation along with our own stakeholders makes this particular project a very special one for MCNC and a game changer for economic growth and success in our local communities.”

“The true impact of the HERO Project lies in the spaces between our towns,” added Tommy Jacobson, MCNC Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. “While municipalities often have options, it’s the rural areas between them that face the greatest need for middle-mile infrastructure. By strengthening this foundation, we continue to ensure every community in North Carolina has the essential resources to thrive, learn, and succeed.”

“High-speed internet is critical for education, health care access, and economic growth,” said Nate Denny, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Information Technology and State CIO. “MCNC completing the Hero Project is a major milestone for our ongoing work to close the digital divide.”

About MCNC
MCNC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit client-focused technology organization. Founded in 1980, MCNC owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), one of America’s longest-running regional research and education networks. With over 45 years of innovation, MCNC provides high-performance services for education, research, libraries, healthcare, public safety, and other community anchor institutions throughout North Carolina. NCREN is the fundamental broadband infrastructure for over 850 of these institutions including all public K-20 education in North Carolina. As one of the nation’s premier middle-mile fiber backbone networks, MCNC leverages NCREN to customize protected Internet, cybersecurity services, and related applications for each client while supporting private service providers in bringing cost-efficient connectivity to rural and underserved communities in North Carolina.

Visit www.mcnc.org. MCNC Social: Facebook, X, YouTube, LinkedIn.

Graphics & Images

The following imagery are available for download. For any other images or logos, please contact MCNC.

HERO Completion Infographic | JPG Image

MCNC Network Map | JPG Image or PNG Image

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcnc-completes-historic-hero-project-302826475.html

SOURCE MCNC

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Glacis Labs Raises $6.8 Million Seed Round to Scale ZeroDelta, the Clearing Layer for Digital Assets

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July 15, 2026

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Seed investment to accelerate hiring, operations, and go-to-market for multichain clearinghouse that has settled over $1 billion in digital asset volume

NEW YORK, July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Glacis Labs, the crypto infrastructure company building the clearing layer for digital assets, today announced the close of a $6.8 million seed funding round led by Lightspeed Faction, with participation from Franklin Templeton, Coinbase Ventures, Again (formerly IDC Ventures), Protein Capital, and Techni Ventures. The investment will scale hiring, expand operations, and accelerate go-to-market for ZeroDelta, the company’s flagship product, a multichain clearinghouse that has settled over $1 billion in digital asset volume and operates at a $1.5 billion annualized run rate across more than 40 chains.

“The next decade of finance is going to settle onchain, but the rails to do it at an institutional scale do not exist yet. ZeroDelta is the clearinghouse that makes it possible,” said Jacob Blish, Co-Founder and CEO of Glacis Labs. “We are starting with stablecoins because that is where the volume is today, and we are building toward a future where tokenized securities and real-world assets clear on the same infrastructure.”

ZeroDelta is a multichain clearinghouse that matches, nets, and settles digital asset flows with non-custodial, atomic delivery and a cryptographic receipt on every transfer. It sits above the bridges and transport layers that move tokens between blockchains. Rather than routing each transfer individually, it matches opposing flows against each other internally so that only the net remainder ever moves onchain. Glacis Core, the cross-chain messaging layer, and Glacis’ AirLift, the token transport layer, run beneath every ZeroDelta settlement to handle routing and chain-to-chain movement.

Today’s existing cross-chain infrastructure introduces slippage, custody risk, and fragmented audit trails that constrain institutional adoption. ZeroDelta replaces that with a system where settlement is final or it does not happen. The architecture is asset-agnostic and built to extend into tokenized securities, real-world assets, and FX as those markets mature.

The timing of this investment coincides with accelerating institutional demand for onchain infrastructure. Stablecoin regulation is pulling institutional volume onto blockchain rails and as that volume grows, the deterministic, auditable settlement infrastructure from ZeroDelta is critical to how digital asset markets function at scale.

About Glacis Labs
Glacis Labs builds the clearing layer for digital assets. Its flagship product, ZeroDelta, is a multichain clearinghouse that matches, nets, and settles digital asset flows across more than 40 chains with non-custodial, atomic delivery. ZeroDelta has cleared over $1 billion in lifetime volume and operates at a $1.5 billion annualized run rate. Glacis serves stablecoin issuers, financial institutions, and protocols building on tokenized assets. Learn more at glacislabs.com.

Media Contact
hello@glacislabs.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/glacis-labs-raises-6-8-million-seed-round-to-scale-zerodelta-the-clearing-layer-for-digital-assets-302825869.html

SOURCE Glacis Labs

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FalconX Acquires bloXroute to Accelerate the Future of Onchain Capital Markets

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July 15, 2026

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Acquisition brings together institutional trading, liquidity, and blockchain networking to power the next generation of onchain capital markets.

NEW YORK, July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — FalconX today announced it has acquired bloXroute, a leader in blockchain trading and networking technology, to extend its platform in support of tokenized assets and onchain capital markets.

In 2026, FalconX expanded its client-facing trading business across oil, gold, silver, compute, and tokenized equities, broadening institutional access to a growing range of onchain markets. As more financial assets move onchain, institutions need infrastructure that supports 24/7 trading, capital efficiency, and risk management across markets. FalconX is building the platform for this new market structure.

By combining bloXroute’s blockchain networking infrastructure with FalconX’s institutional trading platform, the company will enhance the speed and efficiency of onchain execution while accelerating the development of new trading, financing, and prime brokerage capabilities. The acquisition also strengthens FalconX’s ability to support institutional clients as tokenized markets continue to expand across traditional and digital assets.

“We believe the future of capital markets will be onchain,” said Raghu Yarlagadda, CEO and Co-Founder of FalconX. “As onchain and traditional markets continue to converge, institutions will need a single platform built for both. bloXroute strengthens our platform and accelerates our ability to build the products and services institutions will rely on as markets evolve.”

“As institutional activity moves onchain, connectivity becomes as important as execution and liquidity,” said Uri Klarman, CEO and Co-Founder of bloXroute. “Joining FalconX allows us to build new trading and prime brokerage products that will benefit from FalconX’s global distribution and regulatory infrastructure.”

The acquisition advances FalconX’s long-term strategy of building the infrastructure institutions need as financial markets become increasingly digital and interconnected. FalconX will continue investing in the capabilities that support tokenization and the continued evolution of onchain capital markets.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About FalconX

FalconX is a leading digital asset prime brokerage for the world’s top institutions. We provide comprehensive access to global digital asset liquidity and a full range of trading services. Our 24/7 dedicated team for account, operational and trading needs enables investors to navigate markets around the clock. FalconX Bravo, Inc., a FalconX affiliate, was the first CFTC-registered swap dealer focused on cryptocurrency derivatives.

FalconX is backed by investors including Accel, Adams Street Partners, Altimeter Capital, American Express Ventures, B Capital, GIC, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sapphire Ventures, Thoma Bravo, Tiger Global Management and Wellington Management. FalconX has offices in Silicon Valley, New York, London, Hong Kong, Bengaluru, Singapore and Valletta. For more information visit falconx.io or follow FalconX on X and LinkedIn.

‍”FalconX” is a marketing name for the FalconX Group and its affiliates. Availability of products and services is subject to jurisdictional limitations and FalconX entity capabilities. For more information about which legal entities offer particular products and services, please see the disclosure on our public website, incorporated herein, or reach out to your relationship contact.

About bloXroute

Founded in 2017, bloXroute has built the industry’s leading blockchain connectivity networks, enabling market participants to receive blockchain data and submit transactions with greater speed and reliability, and without leaking information before they execute. Its technology is used by market makers, trading firms, validators, builders, exchanges, and developers across all major blockchain ecosystems.

Media Contact:
media@falconx.io

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/falconx-acquires-bloxroute-to-accelerate-the-future-of-onchain-capital-markets-302826625.html

SOURCE FalconX

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Proaction Announces $4.2M in Funding to Build the Modern Alternative to Legacy Fleet Management Services

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July 15, 2026

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AI-native fleet management company will use the funding to help fleets replace costly, fragmented fleet management spend with a modern, higher-visibility platform and services.

DES MOINES, Iowa, July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Proaction, an AI-native fleet management technology and services company, today announced $4.2 million in funding to build a modern alternative to the expensive, outdated methods commercial fleets are traditionally managed.

Transformation in the fleet management industry.

New investors include GTMfund, Breakers, Aviso Ventures, and Iowa InnoVenture, with continued participation from Holman Growth Ventures and the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

For decades, fleets have relied on legacy fleet management companies and fragmented software tools to manage critical operational work across assets, maintenance, payments, programs, claims, and other required fleet workflows. These services are often expensive, opaque, and difficult to adapt to the needs of modern fleet operators.

Proaction is building a new model: an AI-native fleet management service provider that helps fleets replace existing spend with lower-cost, higher-visibility solutions. Rather than forcing operators to choose between disconnected software and expensive managed services, Proaction leverages AI agents instead of call centers. This enables fleets to manage work themselves on top of Proaction’s services platform.

As of today, Proaction currently services publicly traded and Fortune 500 companies who rely on fleets of vehicles and equipment to support their businesses.

“Fleets have been stuck with the same legacy vendors and outdated processes for decades,” said Drake Bauer, CEO of Proaction. “We believe today’s technology creates an opportunity to rebuild fleet management from the ground up: lower costs, clear visibility, faster workflows, and a much simpler experience for the teams doing the work every day.”

The company plans to use the funding to accelerate product development, expand its AI-enabled operations, and grow its team across engineering, operations, sales, and customer success.

“Fleet operators are already spending money on these problems,” added Bauer. “Our job is to become the optimal place for that spend to go, starting one workflow at a time and expanding as clients see the impact.”

Proaction is hiring. Candidates interested in helping reinvent how fleets are managed can learn more at www.proaction.com/careers

About Proaction

Proaction is an AI-native fleet management company helping commercial fleets replace expensive, fragmented fleet management spend with a lower-cost, higher-visibility platform. Proaction helps fleets manage critical operational workflows across areas like maintenance, rentals, registrations, claims, and more, giving operators a modern alternative to legacy fleet management companies.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/proaction-announces-4-2m-in-funding-to-build-the-modern-alternative-to-legacy-fleet-management-services-302825608.html

SOURCE Proaction, Inc.

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