Category: Press Releases

Wealthtech veteran to lead growth as firm expands from education company to embedded AI platform

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Shaping Wealth, the leading provider of behavioral science-based learning and engagement solutions for the wealth management industry, today announced the appointment of Corey Westphal as Chief Revenue Officer. Westphal joins as the company accelerates its strategic evolution from educational content provider to AI-native technology platform with the launch of Lydia, a behavioral intelligence engine that embeds real-time coaching directly into advisor workflows.

Westphal brings 15 years of wealth management technology leadership to his role at Shaping Wealth. As founder of Mobile Assistant, he pioneered advisor-first workflow innovation, earning approved-vendor relationships with LPL Financial, Osaic, TIAA, and Truist Bank. He led his team in building CRM-embedded API integrations that helped teams capture and apply client meeting insights to strengthen client relationships.

“With Lydia, Shaping Wealth is solving the right problem at exactly the right time: guiding advisors to stay deeply human as AI reshapes the industry,” said Westphal. “Real growth happens when a tool earns a place in the advisor’s workflow and strengthens the client relationship. Lydia does both.”

Westphal is stepping into his new role as Shaping Wealth positions Lydia for rapid adoption across RIAs, broker-dealers, and fintech platforms. Lydia operates as a behavioral intelligence engine built on Shaping Wealth’s proprietary corpus of thousands of behavioral finance insights developed over a decade. The multi-agent platform leverages dozens of purpose-built workflows that support advisors through difficult client conversations, major financial decisions, team development, and advisor wellbeing.

Early adoption continues to validate the demand for behavioral intelligence as a distinct layer in the advisor tech stack. The Lydia prototype already launched in Shaping Wealth’s Compass content platform has processed thousands of user inquiries, revealing the demand for practical coaching insights that help advisors improve client conversations and outcomes.

“We’re building the behavioral intelligence layer of the modern advice stack,” said Brian Portnoy, CFA, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Shaping Wealth. “Corey understands that growth in this industry comes from earning a place in the advisor’s daily workflow. His leadership will be critical as we scale Lydia across institutions that recognize human-facing skills as their next competitive differentiator.”

As CRO, Westphal will oversee revenue strategy, partnership development, and go-to-market execution as Shaping Wealth pursues integration opportunities with CRM platforms, financial planning software, and digital engagement tools. His experience building institutional partnerships and API-based integrations directly supports Shaping Wealth’s platform strategy, with more than a dozen fintech partnerships currently in development, including Conquest, Focal, YCharts, Seeds, Contio, Sherpas, Hamachi, Perscient, and Fundment.

Shaping Wealth will showcase Lydia at Future Proof Citywide in March as part of the event’s highly selective AI Demo Drop presentation. The appearance marks the platform’s first major industry debut since launching its AI-powered capabilities and positions Shaping Wealth to capitalize on growing demand for tools that differentiate advisory firms in an increasingly commoditized market. As AI reshapes client expectations and operational efficiency, behavioral intelligence represents one of the few remaining areas where human advisors maintain defensible competitive advantage. Per Portnoy, “Lydia replaces no one and enhances everyone.”

To learn more about Shaping Wealth and Lydia, visit www.shapingwealth.com.

Amanda Larson
Intention.ly for Shaping Wealth
shapingwealth@growintentionally.com
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CleanConnect.ai’s LeakFinder™ approved by NY regulators for autonomous LDAR, following EPA’s approval

WINDSOR, CO, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — CleanConnect.ai’s LeakFinder™ system, a core element of the company’s Autonomous365™ operational AI suite, has received approval from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) as an alternative monitoring technology for Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programs.

This milestone follows CleanConnect.ai’s EPA approval on May 13, 2025, and represents a major step forward for the energy industry in New York, facilitating verifiable emissions intelligence and improved adherence to state environmental regulations.

Advancing Methane Detection & Operational Efficiency
LeakFinder™ delivers component-level leak detection via continuous Optical Gas Imaging (OGI), establishing a benchmark for emissions monitoring, autonomous operations, and certified energy attributes in one of the nation’s prominent oil and gas states.

According to the NYSDEC approval letter: “New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has reviewed CleanConnect AI, Inc.’s application dated November 18, 2025, requesting the approval of the CleanConnect LeakFinder Periodic Screening Alternative Test Method as a proposed alternative leak detection technology for compliance with 6 NYCRR Part 203 Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) Requirements. That application, along with the supplemental information provided, satisfied the requirements of the regulation and CleanConnect LeakFinder is approved as an alternative LDAR technique under 6 NYCRR Part 203-7.1(c).”

“This NYSDEC approval underscores our commitment to empirical measurement in emissions management. Building on our EPA, CO, NM, and PA approvals, we’re excited to bring our continuous OGI solution to New York, offering operators live remote control, AI-driven integration, and certified data for enhanced energy trading.” ~Mark Smith, CSO of CleanConnect.ai

Key Features of LeakFinder™:
• Approved for use as an alternative monitoring method under NYSDEC regulations, aligned with the CleanConnect LeakFinder System Component-Level Periodic Screening Alternative Test Method (ATM)
• Real-time alerts for component-level emission events within 10 minutes of detection and verification
• Full integration with the Autonomous365™ suite (including gas leak detection, liquid leak detection, fire and smoke alerts, PPE compliance monitoring, tank-level telemetry)
• Part of a comprehensive MMRV (Monitor, Measure, Report, Verify) system supporting multiple certifications (e.g., OGMP, MiQ, EO, ISCC, ISO 14067, etc.)
• Integrated with ProMax 6 for real-time mass balance and emissions modeling
• Implemented through a 3D digital twin for precise camera placement and elimination of blind spots
• Proven in the field to reduce emissions-related call-outs by up to 90% and increase control room efficiency by 10x

Achieving over 90% detection accuracy for methane leaks as low as 2 kg/hr at ranges up to 120 meters, LeakFinder™ stands as the most sophisticated and dependable component-level methane monitoring tool on the market, now customized for New York’s regulatory framework.

Mark Smith
Clean Connect AI Inc
+1 714-321-9888
email us here
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WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Foundation for Aviation Safety (FAS) today announced the release of STANDARDS, a powerful new investigative documentary that confronts one of the most consequential aviation safety crises in modern history—and the unanswered questions that remain.

In 2018 and 2019, two brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft fell from the sky within five months, killing 346 people. In the aftermath, the public was assured the causes were identified and corrected. The FAA recertified the aircraft. Boeing declared its airplanes safe. The industry moved forward. But not everyone accepted those assurances.

STANDARDS follows the families who refused to accept incomplete answers—who transformed unimaginable loss into a relentless pursuit of truth and accountability, and the aviation safety advocates who are fighting alongside them. Their journey reveals a deeper story: one of warning signs missed, critical questions unresolved, and insiders who continue to raise urgent concerns about systemic failures that have not been addressed that may still be putting passengers at risk today.

Through firsthand accounts from victim families and aviation professionals, STANDARDS exposes the human cost of corporate and regulatory failure and asks a question that affects every person who flies.

Have the underlying problems truly been fixed?

View the official trailer and full documentary on our YouTube channel.

About The Foundation for Aviation Safety
The Foundation for Aviation Safety is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing aviation safety through research, transparency, and public advocacy. FAS works to ensure that safety standards are upheld, risks are exposed, and the flying public is fully informed.

Media Inquiries: media@foundationforaviationsafety.org
Information Requests: info@foundationforaviationsafety.org

The Foundation for Aviation Safety
The Foundation for Aviation Safety
+1 202-410-0038
email us here
Visit us on social media:
YouTube

STANDARDS TRAILER

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NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — NoFraud, a leader in ecommerce fraud prevention, today announced the appointment of Breanna Moreno as CX Architect. The hire reinforces NoFraud’s commitment to customer experience leaders and its mission to help brands reduce fraud-driven workload while protecting revenue and loyalty.

Moreno brings more than 13 years of experience building and scaling high-growth customer experience organizations. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Customer Experience and was the first employee at True Classic, where she helped scale the brand from its first orders into a rapidly growing DTC operation. During that growth, she leveraged data-driven strategies to optimize operations, build high-performing teams, and transform support from a reactive cost center into a measurable driver of brand performance.

At NoFraud, Moreno will focus on helping merchants move beyond reactive fraud protection toward a more strategic future, one where reducing fraud and policy abuse enables dynamic policies and more personalized customer experiences. By eliminating operational strain and risk, brands can protect revenue while confidently delivering seamless journeys for trusted customers.

“Support teams are often expected to do the most with the least,” said Breanna Moreno, CX Architect at NoFraud. “After 13 years on the brand side, I’ve lived the pressure of scaling fast while protecting margins and customer trust. I joined NoFraud to advocate for CX leaders and help brands eliminate the noise of fraud and policy abuse so their front-line teams have the tools, data, and resources they need to protect margins while delivering seamless experiences to their best customers.”

As ecommerce brands tighten return policies and confront rising fraud and policy abuse, CX leaders are increasingly caught between protecting revenue and protecting relationships. NoFraud’s platform addresses both, using real-time decisioning and abuse prevention to reduce chargebacks, stop return abuse, and remove unnecessary friction from legitimate transactions.

“Breanna has sat in the seat our merchants sit in every day,” said Scott Gifis, CEO of NoFraud. “She has lived through high-growth scaling firsthand by building teams, navigating operational strain, and balancing risk with customer trust. Her brand-first perspective strengthens our commitment to true partnership with ecommerce leaders, not just protecting transactions, but helping support teams drive performance and loyalty.”

As CX Architect, Moreno will work closely with merchants to ensure their support teams have the tools, data, and operational clarity they need to limit risk, protect margins, and deliver high-performing customer journeys.

About NoFraud
NoFraud is a leader in ecommerce fraud prevention, protecting merchants from fraudsters while preserving seamless customer experiences. With advanced machine learning, real-time decisioning, and a commitment to customer success, NoFraud enables merchants to grow with confidence. Learn more at www.nofraud.com.

Lauren Fairbanks
S&G
+1 212-729-6120
L.Fairbanks@stuntandgimmicks.com

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NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Podean, the largest independent global marketplace-focused agency and recipient of Amazon’s coveted “Global Expansion Award”, has acquired Ad Advance, a leading retail media agency specializing in full-funnel strategy and performance across Amazon, Walmart, and emerging commerce channels. This acquisition reinforces Podean’s global leadership, adding substantial retail media and DSP sophistication as well as Ad Advance’s technology suite, Streamline. Through advanced analytics and proprietary technology, Ad Advance helps brands transform data into measurable growth. They are headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota.

The combined business will have 260 staff based across 17 countries on 5 continents.

Together, Podean and Ad Advance work with over 330 brands globally, including household names such as Mattel, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Danone, De’Longhi, SharkNinja, Revolution Beauty, Colgate-Palmolive, Luxottica, Spectrum Brands, Shure, New Balance, OluKai, AB InBev, Skechers, Fruit of the Loom, HexClad Cookware, Intake Breathing, Kate Farms, and Authentic Brands Group brands, including Eddie Bauer, Nautica, Reebok, and Lucky Brand.

The integrated offering, spanning more than 100 marketplaces globally with deep experience on more than 40 Retail Media Networks, including Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Target, Instacart, eBay, Shopee, Noon, Lazada, Tesco, Macy’s, Shein, Temu, and Mercado Libre, will drive accelerated growth and sales and create an unfair advantage for their clients.

Mark Power, who founded Podean in 2019, commented, “The acquisition of Ad Advance accelerates our vision to be the leading independent agency servicing brands on marketplaces around the world and further strengthens our media operations and technology offering.”

Joe Shelerud, co-founder and CEO of Ad Advance, added, “Podean’s global platform, creative expertise, and social commerce capabilities complement Ad Advance’s strengths in retail media and technology. Together, we’re building a more complete global offering that helps brands expand internationally with greater speed and impact.”

Ryan Craver, a Podean co-founder and their Chief Strategy and Analytics Officer, added, “We’re excited to be adding Ad Advance’s Streamline technology to Purvey.AI, our machine‑learning‑driven offering. Combined with our global team, this technology platform will deliver a truly differentiated end-to-end marketplaces offering.”

Matt Wiklund, co-founder and CTO of Ad Advance, said, “We’re thrilled to be joining forces with Podean. Their larger footprint will be a significant addition to our client base. We’re also looking forward to being able to invest further in our joint technology and product offering.”

Travis Johnson, Podean’s CEO, concluded, “This is the next step in our creation of something unique and at scale in the market. Ad Advance is the perfect complement to Podean’s current global offering. We’re excited to join forces and leverage our combined capabilities as one team of marketplace and retail media network experts.”

Ad Advance’s two founders, Matt Wiklund and Joe Shelerud, will join Podean’s leadership team and take on product leadership.

The strategic purchase of Ad Advance by Podean from Permanent Equity was facilitated through Mountaingate Capital, Podean’s private equity partner.

More about Podean

A Global Amazon Powerhouse

Founded in 2019 by Mark Power and joined soon after by Travis Johnson, Podean was initially a pure-play Amazon agency. Since then, it has evolved into the only truly global, independent marketplaces-focused agency, offering an extensive suite of end-to-end marketplace services spanning global strategy, analytics, media, social commerce, and content solutions, across major platforms including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Instacart, and Mercado Libre.

Podean is also a leader in social commerce through its LiveCraft division, which capitalizes on driving commerce through influencers. Given Podean’s leadership, they were one of TikTok’s earliest accredited agency partners.

In August 2025, in a simultaneous transaction, Mountaingate Capital acquired Podean and Commerce Canal. These businesses are now integrated and Ryan Craver, the founder, joined Travis and Mark as the leaders of Podean.

Podean’s global footprint is extensive, with operations across North America, Latin America, Australia, Asia, the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. Its operational model is remote, now comprising more than 260 employees globally, supported by centers of excellence in the Philippines and Brazil that provide 24/7 assistance for design, media, and reporting functions. The firm holds industry-leading Amazon credentials, including Advanced Amazon Partner status globally. Podean was awarded the Global Expansion Partner Award by Amazon in 2023 and has been chosen to present at numerous Amazon events, including Cannes.

www.podean.com

More About Ad Advance

Ad Advance is a retail media agency specializing in full-funnel strategy and performance across Amazon, Walmart, and emerging commerce channels. Through advanced analytics and proprietary technology, the agency helps brands transform data into measurable growth. Ad Advance is headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota.

www.adadvance.com

More about Purvey.AI:

Purvey.AI transforms eCommerce businesses into forward-thinking, data-driven powerhouses. Its capabilities empower clients to uncover hidden opportunities, identify and address problems, and outmaneuver competitors. The platform provides key metrics in one convenient interface, offering daily snapshots, real-time notifications, and AI-powered reporting and optimizations. Purvey.AI significantly reduces the time clients spend on data digging, allowing them to allocate more time to strategic planning and execution. Podean’s proprietary measurement and management technology will be integrated with Purvey.AI.

www.purvey.ai

Press Contact

For more information, please contact Travis Johnson, Podean Founder and Chief Executive Officer, travis@podean.com

Travis Johnson
Podean
contact@podean.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn

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Massachusetts Call Center Highlights Rising Consumer Frustration With Automated Systems as AI Use Surges

QUINCY, MA, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — QTAS, a Quincy-based call center serving businesses nationwide, announced today a new industry position on the rapidly growing trend of AI-powered call answering systems. While automation has expanded across nearly every sector, QTAS says the demand for live, empathetic, and professionally trained agents has never been higher—especially during emergencies when callers are anxious, confused, or in distress.

“As AI takes center stage, people forget what happened when voicemail first became popular 25 years ago,” said Susan Reardon, Sales Manager at QTAS. “Everyone thought live agents would disappear—but instead, customers became even more relieved to reach a real person. Today, with AI answering, the same thing is happening again.”

When Every Second Counts, People Want a Human

QTAS reports that many of the industries they support involve time-sensitive or emergency scenarios where automation or AI responses simply aren’t trusted by callers. Examples include:

• Furnace failures during freezing weather when families urgently need heat
• Flood and fire situations requiring immediate remediation
• Medical office emergencies where patients must speak with staff quickly
• HVAC, plumbing, and electrical breakdowns needing rapid dispatch
• Snowstorms, when residents must reach plow services before work
• Elevator entrapments, where panicked callers want a live voice assuring help is coming
• Technology outages, where businesses can’t afford to navigate automated menus while systems are down

“In moments like these, nobody wants to talk to a bot, wait for a menu, or hope AI understands them,” Reardon added. “People want reassurance. They want real answers from a real person.”

Aging Population Struggles With AI Systems

QTAS also notes that America’s aging population—now one of the fastest-growing demographics—often struggles with automated prompts, voice recognition, and AI conversation flow.

“Many seniors simply can’t navigate AI instructions or complex menus,” said Reardon. “Businesses risk losing customers or damaging their reputation when callers feel overwhelmed or confused.”

AI Isn’t Going Away—But It Won’t Replace Human Agents

QTAS supports the responsible use of AI for efficiency, such as call routing, basic FAQs, and behind-the-scenes support tools. But Reardon emphasizes that AI should complement—not replace—human customer service:

“Even companies that deploy AI successfully still need a live person option,” she said. “Automation is helpful, but empathy isn’t programmable.”

A Trusted Massachusetts Call Center for Over Seven Decades

QTAS has provided 24/7 live answering and call center services for more than 75 years. The company is seeing increased demand from service providers, medical practices, professional firms, and technology companies seeking a reliable, human-powered alternative to AI call handling.

“Our mission is to make sure callers feel heard, safe, and supported,” Reardon said. “Especially when the stakes are high.”

About QTAS

Founded in Quincy, Massachusetts, QTAS provides professional 24/7 call center, live answering, telephone support, and emergency dispatch services for businesses across New England and beyond. With more than 75 years of experience, QTAS specializes in delivering reliable, empathetic service that strengthens customer relationships and ensures no call goes unanswered.

Susan Reardon
QTAS
+1 617-479-3700
email us here

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Zūm Rails Completes All-in-One Payments Ecosystem, Enabling Companies to Customize and Unify Customers’ Payments Experiences Across Borders and Payment Types

MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Zūm Rails today announced that it will enable companies to embed credit card acceptance directly into its all-in-one payment ecosystems, creating custom checkout experiences for customers across the US and Canada. This final piece of Zūm Rails’ payments ecosystem was contingent upon it becoming an official payments facilitator, which it has now completed through its work with Fiserv. Early adopters include the brokerage platform Questrade, which uses the platform to accept credit card payments for educational content, and Canadian real estate company Zolo, which uses it for property transactions.

Credit cards remain the most popular payment method in North America, accounting for 23% of transactions in the United States and 33% in Canada. For businesses, however, accepting credit cards traditionally meant relying on third-party processors with rigid, redirect-based checkout flows that disrupt the customer journey, increasing the likelihood that customers will abandon their cart–all while charging higher fees.

Zūm Rails’ approach bypasses prebuilt checkout flows and instead enables companies to introduce fully customized payment experiences embedded directly within their platforms and integrated with the broader payments operations they already rely on. The solution accepts all major payment methods, offers lower transaction costs and unifies acceptance across both countries.

This gives companies a flexible alternative to building custom payment infrastructure, which requires establishing direct banking relationships and managing up to a dozen different providers. For businesses operating across both the US and Canada, this complexity is compounded by having to navigate separate regulatory requirements, vendors and payment relationships in each country.

To help companies overcome these hurdles, Zūm Rails has worked with Fiserv to become a payment facilitator and simplify credit card acceptance. For Zūm Rails, this is the final piece in its mission to give companies one platform for managing their bank rails (Interac, EFT, ACH, RTP, FedNow), Visa/Mastercard Debit, and open banking data aggregation across Canada and the US. Now, companies can:

• Design fully embedded checkout experiences that align with the brand and user journey. Zūm Rails’ embedded finance approach enables businesses to build credit card acceptance directly into their existing interfaces. Companies control every element of checkout, from button placement to error messaging to confirmation screens, creating seamless experiences that increase conversion. Unlike major payment processors, which restrict customization to color schemes and logos on hosted checkout pages, Zūm Rails gives businesses complete design control.
• Retain more revenue with lower transaction fees. Major payment processors typically offer non-negotiable pricing structures with limited flexibility, especially for growing businesses. As a payments facilitator, Zūm Rails provides more competitive transaction costs without the high setup fees common with traditional payments providers.
• Launch credit card acceptance in days across both the US and Canada. With a single integration and streamlined onboarding, businesses can accept credit card payments in both countries without coordinating with separate relationships, compliance requirements, and vendors in each country and each jurisdiction. Now, businesses gain access to both markets simultaneously.
• Unify payment operations across all rails and geographies. Instead of managing separate workflows, dashboards, and reconciliation for credit cards, ACH, real-time payments, debit payments and cross-border transactions, businesses gain a single view of their entire payment ecosystem. This consolidation reduces operational overhead and enables better cash flow visibility.

“For too long, businesses have been forced to choose between rigid checkout experiences or slow custom payment builds with full control,” said Miles Schwartz, CEO at Zūm Rails. “By eliminating this trade-off, companies can now embed fully customized checkout into their platforms in days, not months–with lower costs and unified access to both US and Canadian markets.”

Zūm Rails becoming a payment facilitator through Fiserv builds on the existing collaboration in the US for embedded finance.

Following Zūm Rails’ recent partnership with Mastercard to enable businesses to issue their own debit and credit cards, companies can now both extend credit to customers and accept credit card payments within a single platform.

###

About Zūm Rails
Zūm Rails is the company enabling businesses to power their own payments, banking, prepaid cards and other financial experiences. Zūm Rails’ omni-rail approach to money movement and open banking-powered risk management tools means that companies can utilize the payment methods that best fit their needs in the fastest, safest and most efficient way possible. Through partnerships with leading financial services companies, including Visa, Mastercard and Fiserv, Zūm Rails supports the entire payments journey, all in one place. Zūm Rails is backed by Arthur Ventures and headquartered in Montreal, Quebec and Miami, Florida. Learn more at Zūmrails.com.

Kieran Powell
Zūm Rails
kieran.powell@channelvmedia.com

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ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — In 2018, Jordanian food scientist Moayad Abushokhedim moved to Rotterdam with one idea he could not let go of: healthy food should not cost more than unhealthy food. He looked at the sweetener market and saw ingredients that were either too expensive, too artificial, or both. He believed there was a better way.
His approach was enzymatic bioconversion: using enzymes as natural catalysts to transform a simple carbohydrate into a functional sweetener. Not another premium niche product, but a technology built to reach competitive pricing. A sweetener that does not just taste like sugar but performs like it in real formulations: browning, bulk, texture, baking stability.
Eight years later, that work is done.

The Milestone
Today, Fooditive publishes the complete safety file for its Keto-Fructose sweetener (5-Dehydro-D-fructose, or 5-KDF): five OECD-aligned studies evaluating genotoxic and cytotoxic effects using human-relevant test methods. The results: no intrinsic genotoxic or cytotoxic effects were observed under the stated test conditions, utilizing appropriate controls and purified material.
The sweetener has achieved self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status, and a GRAS notification is currently under active review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Why Now
Regulatory frameworks are tightening. The FDA is developing reforms to the GRAS system that could require mandatory submissions for all food ingredients and continues to raise requirements for novel foods. Consumers are asking harder questions about what is in their food and how safety was determined.
“The era of ‘trust us’ in food safety is ending,” said Abushokhedim. “What comes next is ‘show us.’ We are not waiting for that shift. We are already there.”

Why It Took Eight Years
Fooditive chose a disciplined path. Not because it could not raise more capital, but because Abushokhedim understood where that money ends up: in the price per kilogram. The more a company spends on development, the more it needs to charge to earn it back.
“If the goal is a sweetener that manufacturers can actually afford to use at scale, you cannot start by burning through a hundred million in R&D,” he said. “That cost does not disappear. It gets baked into the product. We kept spending disciplined from day one because the end price was always the point.”

What Comes Next
Fooditive is now working with partners and inviting food and beverage manufacturers to test 5-KDF across their applications, from baked goods and dairy to beverages and confectionery.
“It needs to work in real formulations and it needs to be priced so manufacturers will actually switch,” said Abushokhedim. “That is what we built. And today, we are putting every page of the science on the table for the world to judge.”
Eight years. No shortcuts. Every page public.

Access the Full Safety File
Fooditive invites regulators, scientists, manufacturers, and journalists to review the complete sweetener safety file:
https://www.fooditivegroup.com/post/the-5-kdf-safety-file-we-don-t-market-trust-we-publish-it
We Don’t Market Trust. We Publish It.

About Fooditive
Founded in 2018 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Fooditive B.V. is a food biotechnology company working to make healthy food affordable and accessible worldwide. Through its proprietary Fooditive Engine™, a modular precision fermentation and bioconversion platform, the company develops and licenses sustainable ingredient technologies, including functional sweeteners, animal-free casein proteins, and fermentation-derived enzymes such as FAOX-C. Rather than manufacturing directly, Fooditive partners with global food companies through technology licensing, providing validated strains, optimized processes, and full technical support from lab to production line. The company’s ingredient technologies are built for industrial-scale production and are backed by rigorous, publicly available safety data.

Website: www.fooditivegroup.com | Media Contact: pr@fooditivegroup.com

Editor’s Notes
Moayad Abushokhedim, Founder and CEO of Fooditive, is available for interviews. High-resolution images, founder biography, and a detailed timeline of Fooditive’s development from 2018 to 2026 are available upon request.

Fooditive PR Team
Fooditive Group
pr@fooditivegroup.com

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