General News

CIS Names 10-Member Alumni Advisory Council, Sets Memphis Summit

Arlington – September 25, 2026 -- Communities In Schools (CIS) has appointed 10 alumni to its National Alumni Advisory Council, a body tasked with shaping engagement strategy across the organization's national network.

Ten alumni from CIS affiliates nationwide join the new council

The cohort draws from CIS chapters including Atlanta, Tacoma, Georgia, Los Angeles, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Eastern Pennsylvania, Nevada, South Carolina, East Texas and Nation's Capital. Members are Ariana Ellis, Leanna Esquivel, J'Niyah Freeman, Bryan Harris, Amanye Jinwright, James Leap, Kaylee Main-Gomez, Miracle Mozzee, James Rivera and Kuniya Young. The group will advise on alumni programs, network connectivity and leadership pathways.

SOCi Ranks #1 Franchise Marketing Supplier, Hits Inc. 5000 Ninth Year

San Diego – September 25, 2026 -- SOCi Inc. secured three separate industry recognitions in the third quarter of 2026, ranking #1 in Marketing Products & Services on Entrepreneur's 9th Annual Top Franchise Suppliers list, landing on the Inc. 5000 for a ninth consecutive year, and reaching finalist status in five categories at The 2026 A.I. Awards.

Franchisors rate SOCi highest in its category for a second straight year

Entrepreneur's ranking draws from an annual survey of franchisors that generated more than 1,000 responses this year, scoring over 180 suppliers across 13 categories on quality, cost, and value. More than 75 franchise brands reported using SOCi, giving it an average rating of 4.57 out of 5 and the top spot in Marketing Products & Services -- SOCi's second consecutive year at #1 and seventh straight year in the top three. The list appears in Entrepreneur's September/October 2026 double issue.

Blitzy Signs 52,000-SQFT Lease, Cambridge's Largest Office Deal of 2026

Cambridge, Mass. – September 25, 2026 -- Blitzy has signed a 52,000-rentable-square-foot office lease at One Kendall Square, the largest new office lease completed in Cambridge in 2026, according to JLL, which represented the company in the deal.

Blitzy quadruples headcount after $200 million raise

The autonomous software development company, founded in Cambridge in 2023, raised $200 million in May 2026 at a $1.4 billion valuation in a round led by Northzone. Blitzy quadrupled its headcount in the first half of 2026 and now employs more than 200 people in Cambridge.

Clarius Repeats on TIME's Top 500 Global HealthTech List

Vancouver – September 25, 2026 -- Clarius Mobile Health has been named to TIME's list of the World's Top HealthTech Companies 2026 for the second consecutive year, placing it among just 500 companies selected from thousands reviewed globally.

TIME and Statista ranked Clarius on financial performance, reputation and online engagement

The list, presented by TIME and Statista Inc., was announced on September 25, 2026. Statista evaluated thousands of HealthTech companies worldwide before narrowing the field to the top 500 recognized for their performance across financial, reputational and engagement metrics.

Moore Named Brand Agency of Record for Alzheimer's Association

Washington – September 25, 2026 -- Moore has been named brand agency of record for the Alzheimer's Association, expanding an existing fundraising mandate to now cover strategy, creative and media across the health organization's master brand.

Moore expands scope beyond fundraising into full brand management

The appointment follows a competitive review process and grants Moore oversight of all brand creative development, paid media planning and delivery, and marketing across the Association's master brand and national initiatives. The agency will also support select medical and scientific research communications, product launches, and campaigns aimed at reinforcing the Association's position in brain health.

Honor Shipments Hit 71 Million in 2025 After Rebuilding From 3% Share

Beijing – September 25, 2026 -- Honor's global smartphone shipments surpassed 71 million units in 2025, making it the fastest-growing leading smartphone vendor after the company's domestic market share had collapsed to just 3% following its November 2020 spinoff from Huawei.

Shipments climbed 25% in Q1 2026 despite market headwinds

Honor extended its recovery into 2026, with first-quarter shipments rising 25% even as broader smartphone demand faced pressure. The gains follow a period in which the roughly 7,000-person team operated without an owned operating system or manufacturing facilities.

TCL Signs Multi-Year Sponsorship Deal With Green Bay Packers

Irvine, Calif. – September 25, 2026 -- TCL has become a "Proud Partner of the Green Bay Packers" under a new multi-year agreement granting the consumer electronics brand in-stadium signage, video board sponsorships, and digital activations at Lambeau Field.

TCL secures branding rights across Lambeau Field and Packers digital channels

The deal gives TCL rights to use Packers trademarks in advertising and promotional materials, subject to team approval, alongside video board replay sponsorships and in-stadium signage at Lambeau Field. The partnership also extends to digital advertising and social media activations across Packers-owned channels for the duration of the NFL season.

Atossa CEO Quay to Join Harvard Panel on Aging Drug Development

Seattle – September 25, 2026 -- Atossa Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATOS) announced that President and CEO Steven Quay, M.D., Ph.D., will serve as a panelist at the 13th Aging Research and Drug Discovery Meeting (ARDD 2026), scheduled for October 1-3, 2026, at the David Rubenstein Treehouse at Harvard University in Boston.

Quay joins regulatory and academic leaders to discuss clinical pathways for aging-related diseases

The panel, titled "Clinical Trials in Diseases of Aging: From Evidence to New Therapeutics and Regulatory Pathways," is set for Thursday, September 25, 2026, from 11:20 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET. The session will be moderated by Sebastien Thuault, Editor at Nature Medicine, and will include Jill Lee, Director of Regulatory Policy & Intelligence at Novo Nordisk; Calum MacRae, Professor at Mass General Brigham; and Steve Horvath, Professor at UCLA.

Leapfrog Group Names Retired Navy VADM Raquel Bono Board Chair

Washington – September 25, 2026 -- The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other health care purchasers, has elected Raquel Bono, MD, MBA, FACS, as its new Board Chair, marking the first time a surgeon has led the nonprofit's board.

Retired Navy Vice Admiral brings $50 billion health system oversight to Leapfrog's board

Dr. Bono is a board-certified trauma surgeon and retired three-star Vice Admiral in the U.S. Navy, where she served as the 11th Chief of the Navy Medical Corps. From 2015 to 2019, she directed the Defense Health Agency, overseeing integration of a $50 billion global health system serving millions of service members and their families.

Rock Tech Lithium Joins Muskoka Capital Event to Court Canadian Investors

Toronto – September 25, 2026 -- Rock Tech Lithium Inc. (TSXV: RCK) (OTCQX: RCKTF) (FWB: RJIB) will hold 18 scheduled one-to-one meetings at the Muskoka Capital Event running September 25-27, 2026, as part of a push to deepen ties with Canadian institutional capital.

Rock Tech books 18 meetings among 47 companies and 55 investors at CEM's year-end event

The event, hosted by Capital Event Management Ltd. (CEM) at the JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa in Muskoka, Ontario, marks CEM's final Capital Event of 2026. Rock Tech's 18 sessions, each 20 minutes, will run alongside roughly 47 other participating companies and more than 55 institutional investors, portfolio managers, investment advisors, family offices and high-net-worth investors drawn from across North America.