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Optellum, AI Lung Cancer Diagnosis Innovator, Secures $14M Series A Funding to Accelerate Expansion

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Lead investor Mercia, alongside Intuitive Ventures and Black Opal, invests in Optellum’s pioneering AI-powered lung-health technology

OXFORD, England and HOUSTON, Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Optellum, an Oxford-based medtech company that provides a breakthrough AI platform to diagnose and treat early-stage lung cancer, has raised $14 million in a Series A funding round. The investment will enable Optellum to scale its base, operations, and commercial launches in the UK and USA; accelerate research and development; and expand its platform into personalized therapy decisions by integrating imaging data with molecular data, robotics, and liquid biopsies.

 

This funding round was led by Mercia, with additional investors Intuitive Ventures (Sunnyvale, CA, USA) and Black Opal Ventures (New York, NY, USA). Existing investors, including St John’s College in the University of Oxford, IQ Capital, and the family office of Sir Martin & Lady Audrey Wood, also participated in this round.

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths in the world. Approximately 150,000 people in the United States and 1.8 million people worldwide die from lung cancer each year. The current worldwide five-year survival rate is 20 percent, primarily because most patients are diagnosed after symptoms have appeared and the disease has progressed to an advanced stage (Stage III or IV). In contrast, the survival rate for small tumors treated at Stage 1A is up to 90 percent. This disparity highlights a critical need for diagnosis and treatment at the earliest stage possible.

Optellum is the leader in AI-enabled lung cancer diagnosis, and the first and only medtech company to attain FDA clearance, CE-MDR in the EU, and UKCA in the UK for its software platform Virtual Nodule Clinic. This first-of-a-kind platform can help physicians identify and track at-risk patients, and optimally diagnose the signs of lung cancer early, so treatment can be started sooner for patients with tumors, and invasive procedures such as biopsies on benign lesions can be minimized.

Jason Pesterfield, CEO at Optellum, said: “With this strong support and commitment of highly specialized investors, we are positioned to accelerate commercial deployment in both the UK and the United States to expand our installed base. Following years of research and clinical trials that have shown the impact of our software on the diagnosis of at-risk lung nodules, we’re focused on expanding patient access to this crucial technology and identifying deadly lung cancer faster in more at-risk people. The funding will also boost our research and development with world-leading institutions and partners to progress further innovation.”

Lead investor Mercia brings expertise in software technologies having a significant impact on global health issues and an existing portfolio that includes AI and machine-learning technology.

Investment Director at Mercia, Stephen Johnson, said: “Optellum is the latest in a series of companies to channel research from the UK’s world-leading universities into commercially viable products that can make a difference to the provision of medical care. Having observed Optellum achieve great milestones over the years, we are now excited to become part of their success and apply our experience with scaling up software and deep-tech companies to help accelerate Optellum’s impact on patient lives across the world.”

Intuitive Ventures, the independent venture-capital arm of Intuitive (NASDAQ: ISRG), a world leader in medical robotics, including lung cancer care, was founded in 2020 to accelerate the future of minimally invasive care. The investment team supports Optellum’s ambitions to think and move beyond earlier diagnosis into decision support across the treatment pathway, integrating liquid biopsies, molecular tests, and drug therapies.

“Lung cancer is an urgent public health crisis and Optellum’s groundbreaking approach utilizing AI to accelerate early detection and intervention may fundamentally alter the healthcare community’s approach to combating this disease,” said Oliver Keown, MD, managing director of Intuitive Ventures. “Optellum is uniquely positioned to align and provide considerable value to patients, providers, and payers alike. Intuitive Ventures is thrilled to provide our full arsenal of financial and strategic support to Optellum as we work towards a world of better outcomes for cancer patients.”

Physician-led, female-founded fund Black Opal Ventures has a mission to build better businesses and a better future at the intersection of healthcare and technology. Its expertise in reimbursement and health economics will assist Optellum, which recently announced a New Technology Ambulatory Payment Classification for Medicare patients in the USA.

Founder Tara Bishop, MD, commented: “We value solutions that make medicine more accurate and accessible. The strong validation data that underpins the Optellum solution has demonstrated its ability to make a difference to patients. We share Optellum’s vision of making this available to every doctor in every hospital – and transform the diagnosis and treatment path for lung cancer.”

Optellum’s platform was developed and clinically validated in partnership with leading universities and healthcare systems around the world. Optellum also has strategic collaborations with GE Healthcare and the Lung Cancer Initiative at Johnson & Johnson to accelerate clinical deployments and continue the advancement of the platform. In the UK, Optellum’s solution is being used to predict at-risk lung nodules in a multi-center study with NHS Trusts as part of a major investment in AI for healthcare.

About Optellum

Optellum is a commercial-stage lung health company providing artificial intelligence decision-support software that assists physicians in early diagnosis and optimal treatment for their patients. The company was founded so that every lung disease patient is diagnosed and treated at the earliest possible stage, when the probability of better health outcomes is highest. In 2021, the Oxford-based medtech company achieved FDA 510(k) clearance for the application of AI decision-support software in lung cancer diagnosis, and has since announced strategic partnerships in the USA with GE Healthcare and the Lung Cancer Initiative at Johnson & Johnson, while the Virtual Nodule Clinic has been implemented in leading healthcare systems across the USA. Optellum has headquarters at the Oxford Centre for Innovation in Oxford, United Kingdom and a U.S. office at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit optellum.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Tim Cox | CubanEight for Optellum | timcox@cubaneight.com

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SOURCE Optellum

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Maritime Launch Services and Isar Aerospace Extend Deadline to Finalize Statement of Work and Programmatic Milestones

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HALIFAX, NS and MUNICH, Sept. 1, 2026 /CNW/ — Maritime Launch Services Inc. (CBOE: MAXQ) (OTCQB: MAXQF) and Isar Aerospace have agreed to extend the deadline to provide additional time to complete the statement of work and certain programmatic milestones contemplated under their previously-announced facilities usage agreement for Spaceport Nova Scotia. The deadline was extended from September 1, 2026, to September 15, 2026.

The parties continue to make strong progress through an intensive and productive planning process. The extension reflects the time required to complete this work.

“We are very pleased with the progress being made between both parties,” said Stephen Matier, President and CEO of Maritime Launch Services. “Our teams are working through the detailed planning required to advance this important program. The additional 14 days will allow us to complete that work and maintain the strong momentum we have established together.”

The extension does not change the other key terms of the facilities usage agreement announced on July 7, 2026. The parties remain focused on advancing the development of Isar Aerospace’s dedicated launch complex for its Spectrum launch vehicle at Spaceport Nova Scotia, with first orbital launches targeted for 2028.The agreement supports the development of sovereign orbital launch capability from Canada and expands Isar Aerospace’s launch capability into North America.

“We are making strong progress together with Maritime Launch Services as we advance the detailed planning for our launch operations at Spaceport Nova Scotia,” said Alexandre Dalloneau, Vice President Mission and Launch Operations, Isar Aerospace. “The work between our teams has been intensive and productive, and this additional time will allow us to finalize the remaining details as we move toward execution of the program.”

About Maritime Launch Services 
Maritime Launch Services Inc. (CBOE: MAXQ, OTCQB: MAXQF) is a Canadian-owned commercial space company based in Nova Scotia. Maritime Launch is developing Spaceport Nova Scotia, a dual-use commercial spaceport designed to support both civil and defence-related space missions. The spaceport will provide satellite launch services to domestic and international clients across the global commercial space market, supporting a wide range of orbital inclinations from a single location.

Spaceport Nova Scotia is Canada’s first commercial orbital launch complex, enabling small and medium launch vehicles to place satellites into low Earth orbit.

For more information, visit: www.maritimelaunch.com

About Isar Aerospace

The European space company Isar Aerospace offers launch services for transporting small and medium-sized satellites and satellite constellations into Earth orbit. The launch vehicles used to transport these satellites are developed, manufactured, and tested almost entirely in-house. Headquartered near Munich, Germany, Isar Aerospace was founded in 2018 and has grown to over 400 employees, working across 5 international locations. Private funding from international investors provides strong backing for the company’s pioneering approach to scale and industrialize launch vehicle production through vertical integration. More information: www.isaraerospace.com

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Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this press release include (without limitation) statements regarding the continuing of the term of the facilities usage agreement, continuing negotiations of the parties to the facilities usage agreement and the timing of completion of such negotiations, and anticipated launch timing.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Although Maritime Launch has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Risks and uncertainties that may cause such differences include but are not limited to: risks related to Maritime Launch’s strategy going forward; capital requirements; risks related to interest rates and inflationary pressures on the cost of doing business; geopolitical events and changes, availability of third-party contractors and service providers, and other risks inherent in the industry in which Maritime Launch operates.

Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company’s expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

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SOURCE Maritime Launch Services Inc.

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Visa Launches Enhanced A2A Protect Innovations to Help Financial Institutions Stop Fraud Before Money Leaves Accounts

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New unified fraud score is the company’s first combined offering in-market since Visa’s acquisition of Featurespace which delivers real-time A2A risk insightsNew graph-powered, agentic capability helps accelerate complex fraud and risk investigationsA2A Protect has been shown to reduce over 50% more fraud and help reduce over 40% in unnecessary fraud alerts

SINGAPORE, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visa (NYSE: V), a world leader in digital payments, today announced an enhanced version of A2A Protect, delivering real-time risk insights that help banks stop account-to-account fraud before money leaves customer accounts. The expanded solution introduces a new unified fraud score—Visa’s first in-market integration of Featurespace technology—giving financial institutions faster, clearer signals to detect more fraud while reducing unnecessary alerts.

In addition, Visa is developing its complementary fraud prevention capabilities through Visa Graph IQ, a graph-powered, agentic investigation capability that provides deeper investigative insights to help financial institutions uncover fraud networks, identify money mule activity, detect emerging threats, and accelerate fraud and risk investigations.

As account-to-account (A2A) payments accelerate globally, A2A transactions are projected to surpass 5.8 trillion by 2028, a 160% increase from 2024, with Asia Pacific expected to account for more than half of global A2A consumer transactions by 2028[1]. While this growth presents significant opportunities, it also creates new fraud risks. Asia Pacific accounts for an estimated 67% of the world’s USD 1.03 trillion in annual scam losses, with Asia alone recording USD 688.42 billion in scam-related losses in 2024[2]. This growing threat is driving increased regulatory and industry focus on strengthening fraud prevention capabilities and enhancing consumer protection.

A2A Protect leverages advanced AI and sophisticated transfer learning and gives banks immediate access to critical global risk insights on A2A transactions, without waiting months for models to develop intelligence from a bank’s own transaction data, and without having to wait for other banks to join a consortium, delivering results and value from day one. Banks that opt in can incorporate additional network-level signals to enhance detection of emerging threats operating across the ecosystem.

“As account-to-account payments continue to accelerate across Asia Pacific, financial institutions are looking for ways to grow digital payments with confidence while maintaining a seamless experience for consumers and businesses,” said Serene Gay, Head of Value-Added Services, Asia Pacific at Visa. “The latest enhancements to A2A Protect combine Visa’s network intelligence with advanced AI capabilities to help our clients detect fraud earlier, respond faster to emerging threats, and strengthen trust in the digital payments ecosystem.”

For financial institutions that opt into network level intelligence sharing, A2A Protect highlights emerging scam hotspots and coordinated fraud activity – insights that may be difficult for individual financial institutions to detect alone, and that help the wider ecosystem respond faster to new threats. This gives financial institutions an earlier and more complete view of risk, helping to identify scams before authorisation. In fact, Visa A2A Protect has been shown to increase fraud detection by up to 75% in the first six months of deployment.

A2A Protect integrates with financial institutions’ current systems through a single API, reducing implementation time and complexity. Each alert includes a plain language explanation of why a transaction was flagged, helping fraud teams act quickly and confidently without disrupting genuine customers.

For more information on how Visa works to prevent fraud across the ecosystem, visit Visa.com/security.

[1]  Juniper Research, Global Instant Payments Market Report, September 2025

[2] GASA, Asia Scam Report, 2024

About Visa Inc.
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating payments transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

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Chemonics Australia Expands Public Sector Advisory, Infrastructure, and Development Delivery Capabilities with Acquisitions of 35 South and JID

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The acquisitions strengthen Chemonics Australia’s ability to support governments, development partners, and institutions across Australia and the Indo-Pacific with practical delivery capability from strategy and design through implementation.

CANBERRA, Australia, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Chemonics has completed its acquisitions of 35 South Advisors and JID, strengthening its capabilities across public and social sector delivery, international development, infrastructure, and implementation support throughout Australia and the Indo-Pacific. Together, these acquisitions strengthen Chemonics Australia’s ability to help clients tackle complex challenges by combining talented professionals with deep analytical and implementation expertise, advanced technology, and data-driven decision-making tools.

As part of Chemonics, which has been delivering programs for over 50 years, Chemonics Australia launched in 2025 to better support governments, institutions, and development partners across Australia and the Indo-Pacific. The acquisitions of 35 South and JID strengthen that effort by adding complementary expertise in public sector delivery, infrastructure, and program implementation, expanding Chemonics Australia’s capabilities to support partners from planning and design through to delivery.

35 South strengthens Chemonics Australia’s ability to support Commonwealth, State, and Territory agencies. With practical expertise in public policy, program and service delivery, economics, and data insights, the firm has built a reputation for exceptional client service, agility, and practical problem solving. Its experience spans finance, health, social services, central agencies, international development, defence, and other sectors. Its fit-for-purpose consulting, government delivery experience, and tailored client engagement will help agencies turn complex reforms into practical action and measurable results.

JID strengthens Chemonics Australia’s on-the-ground delivery capability. With teams already delivering key programs across the Indo-Pacific region, JID brings proven expertise in social and economic infrastructure, service delivery, disaster response and resilience, and complex program execution. JID has supported Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other regional partners across Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Vanuatu. This includes work leading and managing major infrastructure investments across the Pacific. JID’s end-to-end model combines advisory services, program management, and operational delivery, enabling partners to implement complex programs and strengthen resilience in remote, disaster-affected, and resource-constrained settings.

Chemonics Australia was established to bring Chemonics’ global experience and delivery capability closer to partners across Australia and the Indo-Pacific. Building on that foundation, the acquisitions deepen Chemonics Australia’s expertise, while drawing on Chemonics’ more than 50 years of experience delivering programs in over 160 countries. Together, they expand Chemonics Australia’s ability to support partners including Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Department of Defence, New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Asian Development Bank, and other government and development institutions across the region.

“I’m very excited to welcome 35 South and JID to the Chemonics family,” said Jamey Butcher, Chair and CEO of Chemonics. “I’ve been incredibly impressed by the work both organisations have done and by the people behind it. Bringing these teams together with Chemonics Australia strengthens what we can offer partners across Australia and the Indo-Pacific and brings expertise and experience that will make our organisation stronger around the world.”

“35 South was created to help governments and not-for-profits design better policies, deliver citizen-centred services, and operate more effectively,” said Scott Alexander, CEO of 35 South. “This next chapter gives our team access to broader capability, expertise and knowledge that Government demands while preserving the close client delivery, relationships, agility, and practical approaches that will help our clients achieve lasting, positive outcomes for Australian communities.”

“JID was established to help partners deliver complex development programs that work in practice,” said Brad Bowman, CEO of JID. “Our strength comes from teams embedded across the region and their ability to manage infrastructure and services in demanding environments. This partnership will give those teams stronger systems and resources to support larger programs, while keeping local knowledge at the centre of delivery.”

Looking ahead, the acquisitions create opportunities to strengthen public sector delivery, infrastructure implementation, and development programming across Australia and the Indo-Pacific. The combined Chemonics Australia organisation will continue to work in partnership with governments, regional institutions, development partners, and communities to support complex reform efforts, manage large investments effectively, and deliver programs that respond to local priorities and contribute to long-term outcomes.

For additional media inquiries and further information, please contact:
Natalie Wisely
Senior Director, Executive Strategy and Communications, Chemonics International
media@chemonics.com

About Chemonics Australia
With a focus on the Indo-Pacific, Chemonics Australia works with partners to offer fit-for-purpose solutions to today’s toughest challenges, combining deep regional insights with a global track record to deliver practical, sustainable impact. Through our regional offices, long-term partnerships, and network of local and international experts, we deliver tailored, results-driven solutions that strengthen systems, build local capacity, and achieve lasting impact for communities.

About 35 South
Founded in 2021, 35 South is a consulting firm recognised for its exceptional client service, data analytics, program delivery, financial and economic modelling and practical problem-solving. The firm supports Australian Government and not-for-profit partners across priority sectors including health, social services, central agencies, defence, and international development.

About JID
Established in 2016, JID specialises in project advisory, program management, and on-the-ground delivery in complex environments. With teams across the region, JID draws on deep local expertise and strong project management discipline to deliver infrastructure and service delivery programs that support sustainable, long-term impact.

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SOURCE Chemonics Australia

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