Technology

Meeranda, the Human-Like AI, Officially Launches its Global Operations

Published

3 years ago

August 17, 2023

TORONTO, Aug. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Meeranda, a privately held Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions provider, serving both Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) and Global Multinational Corporations (MNCs), announced today its emergence onto the global stage, with the promise to disrupt the worldwide customer experience through its cutting-edge AI technology and research advancements.

Meeranda aims to address a problem that has long frustrated global organizations and their clients; chatbots along with their half-baked AI solutions. A recent IPSOS1 survey revealed that 77% of customers find chatbots frustrating and 88% prefer speaking to a live agent. Another survey, conducted by Clutch2, revealed that 69% of customers encountered irrelevant phone options and 70% pressed “0” to speak with a live agent. Forrester Consulting3, on the other hand, revealed that 30% abandon a brand following a poor chatbot experience and 73% cancel their orders altogether.

Meeranda aims to also address the issue with startups having the tendency to hire too early and larger organizations hiring too many customer support, sales, and marketing staff. Moreover, Meeranda works to tackle the quality issues encountered with outsourcing as well.

“We are not talking about a small problem here,” said Mr. Raji Wahidy, Co-Founder and CEO of Meeranda. “The numbers are quite telling. We have over 69% levels of customer dissatisfaction. Chatbots are clearly frustrating many people out there due to the lack of concrete and relevant responses returned. Moreover, people despise waiting on-hold for a long time, to speak with a live agent. We have heard that directly from our partners, whom we have presented Meeranda to. They love the potential. They love the personalized experience through our Human-Like AI. Most importantly, they love the fact that we are addressing their pain points, saving them unnecessary costs, helping them market and sell their products and services, and to cap it off, increasing their customers’ satisfaction. There is a reason why Meeranda, although in its early stages, has secured existing agreements and strategic partnerships across six countries and seven industries, thus far.”

The Meeranda team is made up of entrepreneurs and senior level executives with a successful track record in innovation and business operations, boasting over 70 years of combined international experience. The team has deep expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Driven Modeling. The Meeranda team also has over 20 global awards and recognition from public, private, and government institutions; including the United Nations, the Canadian and the United States’ governments.

“The recent strides in AI advancement have paved the way for enhanced customer experiences,” said Mr. Jayson Ng, Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer of Meeranda. “We are on a mission to foster inclusive customer engagement across diverse cultural landscapes. We envision the adaptability to businesses’ unique requirements, which will not only bolster their brand representation, but also cater to a wide array of needs and use cases. During Meeranda‘s development, significant breakthroughs have been achieved, including the creation of real-time Human-Like AI agents with remarkably natural speech patterns.”

Meeranda will commence its Seed Funding round by the end of August 2023.

Reference List

[1] https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/younger-employed-americans-are-more-concerned-about-ai-replacing-their-jobs

[2] https://clutch.co/bpo/resources/virtual-assistants/how-businesses-set-up-ivr-menu

[3] https://voicebot.ai/2023/02/08/30-of-customers-abandon-a-brand-after-a-bad-chatbot-experience-survey

About Meeranda

Meeranda is a privately held Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions provider, serving Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) and Global Multinational Corporations (MNCs). Meeranda is best known for its Human-Like AI that intends to offer the new personalized customer experience to combat the ongoing frustration of dealing with chatbots and half-baked AI solutions. Although in its early stages, Meeranda already has agreements across six countries and seven industries, thus far.

Follow Meeranda

Website: https://meeranda.com
Media Kit: https://meeranda.com/media-kit/
X: https://x.com/HelloMeeranda
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HelloMeeranda/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/HelloMeeranda
Instagram: https://instagram.com/HelloMeeranda
Threads: https://instagram.com/HelloMeeranda
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@meeranda
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meeranda_ai

Meeranda Inc., Media Relations, media@meeranda.com

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Technology

1-800Accountant Launches Tax Savings Services Designed for 1099 Workers

Published

45 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

New offering helps independent contractors structure their business to reduce their tax burden from day one

NEW YORK, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 1-800Accountant, the nation’s leading virtual accounting firm for small businesses, announced the launch of a new service offering built specifically for 1099 workers and independent contractors. The service helps freelancers and self-employed professionals work with an accountant to select the right business setup for their income, with a focus on reducing taxes from the start.

Growth Is Outpacing Tax Readiness

Independent contractor work has grown significantly in recent years. 1-800Accountant’s client data shows sharp year-over-year growth across contractor-heavy industries, with Consulting up 17%, Construction up 10%, and Service-sector clients growing more than 200% compared to 2024. Despite this growth, many contractors continue to overpay their taxes because they operate without a formal business structure in place or the right tax election.

The gap is particularly visible in industries like Healthcare, Engineering, and Legal, where LLC adoption among 1-800Accountant clients sits at 81%, 72%, and 71%, respectively, well below the 90%-plus rates seen in higher-adoption industries like Construction and Real Estate. 1-800Accountant’s new business tax optimization service closes that gap by matching contractors with the right business type while ensuring their business is set up correctly before they file their first return.

“Independent contractors continue to be one of the fastest-growing segments of the American workforce, and they are also among the most underserved when it comes to strategic tax planning,” said Mike Savage, Founder and CEO of 1-800Accountant. “That lack of planning means that most 1099 workers don’t realize how much they’re leaving on the table. This service changes that. We’re giving contractors access to the same strategic advantages that established businesses have, ensuring the right business setup from the beginning.”

Tax Strategy Built In from Day One

These services walk clients through a structured process that includes accountant-recommended business types, registering with the appropriate state agencies, and coordinating with an accountant to ensure alignment between the structure and the client’s specific tax situation. 1-800Accountant integrates business setup for 1099 earners into a broader tax strategy tailored around each contractor’s income level, filing status, and long-term goals.

“What sets us apart is the tax strategy layer,” said Ryan Teeples, Chief of Strategy at 1-800Accountant. “What contractors and gig workers actually need are professionals to help them understand which tax setup makes the most sense for their income, their industry, and where they want their business to go. Then, we do the work to save on both their business and personal taxes. That’s what we’re delivering here.”

The service is available now to new and existing 1-800Accountant clients. Pricing starts at $19 per month (plus any government filing fees) and includes business setup evaluation, tax return preparation and filing, state registration, federal registration, simple-to-use AI bookkeeping software, and a consultation with a tax expert for onboarding and explanation of their individual tax situation.

About 1-800Accountant

1-800Accountant is the nation’s leading virtual accounting firm for small businesses and independent contractors. With a team of credentialed accountants and tax professionals, 1-800Accountant provides bookkeeping, tax preparation, tax planning, and advisory services to clients across all 50 states. The firm is committed to making professional accounting accessible and affordable for business owners at every stage.

Contact: Wyatt Johnson
Content Manager, 1-800Accountant
920-807-9159 | media@1800accountant.com

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SOURCE 1-800Accountant

Technology

9fin launches in APAC to expand global credit coverage

Published

45 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

With APAC playing a bigger role in increasingly complex global credit markets, 9fin brings the news, data and AI tools professionals need to navigate volatility

HONG KONG, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 9fin, the AI-native information platform for global debt markets, has formally launched in the Asia Pacific region, giving credit professionals access to cutting-edge news, data and analysis across private and public bonds and loans.

As the 9fin team continues to grow quickly across APAC from its initial base in Hong Kong, it is supporting firms locally by providing proprietary credit intelligence, comprehensive data, and AI-powered workflow tools, all within one unified platform.

The launch comes as the tussle between public and private markets intensifies in APAC, making it more important than ever for banks, asset managers, advisors, and law firms to have visibility across the full credit landscape. While bond issuance has dropped amid geopolitical disruption, private credit activity remains robust as borrowers seek alternative financing options.

By combining deal intelligence from local sources with its extensive global credit database and AI tools, the 9fin platform gives users a comprehensive view across fragmented markets. The APAC platform includes coverage of more than 1,800 issuers and 16,000 instruments, with issuance history dating back to 2003 following 9fin’s acquisition of Bond Radar, in March 2025.

9fin is already used by more than 300 institutions globally, including KKR, Apollo, BNP Paribas, and Kirkland & Ellis. The company’s APAC buildout — supported by its $170 million Series C fundraise in March 2026 — marks the next phase of its global expansion.

Steven Hunter, CEO and co-founder at 9fin, commented: “APAC is a complex region and is becoming even more so as private markets expand and geopolitical volatility increases. The region needs a faster, smarter platform covering the full picture across bonds, loans, private credit and distressed. That’s exactly what 9fin provides. With our full platform now live in APAC, we’re giving our users the clarity to make informed decisions, faster.”

9fin’s APAC launch follows its expansion across the US, Europe, and Latin America, with CEEMEA to follow.

About 9fin

9fin is the AI-native platform for global debt markets. Founded by former J.P. Morgan banker Steven Hunter and Deutsche Bank engineer Hussam EL-Sheikh, the company combines data, analytics, and AI-powered workflows in a single platform, helping clients work smarter and faster to outperform their peers.

The company is headquartered in London, with offices in New York, Hong Kong, and Belfast and with teams across Latin America and Asia. For more information, visit 9fin.com.

Media contacts
Jessica Simpkin
jessica.simpkin@9fin.com
Shree Dhond/Katie Nerantzis
Dukas Linden Public Relations | 9fin@dlpr.com

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Technology

Trimble First Quarter Earnings Call and Webcast

Published

45 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

WESTMINSTER, Colo., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB) will hold a conference call on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 8 a.m. ET to review its first quarter 2026 results. The call will be broadcast live on the web at https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/544327873. Analysts who wish to dial into the call may do so by first registering at https://events.q4inc.com/analyst/544327873?pwd=s5ilhwSm. Upon registration, dial-in details will be sent via email to the registrant.

About Trimble

Trimble is a global technology company that connects the physical and digital worlds, transforming the ways work gets done. With relentless innovation in precise positioning, modeling and data analytics, Trimble enables essential industries including construction, geospatial and transportation. Whether it is helping customers build and maintain infrastructure, design and construct buildings, optimize global supply chains or map the world, Trimble is at the forefront, driving productivity and progress. For more information about Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB), visit: www.trimble.com.

FTRMB

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SOURCE Trimble