Robots at a Bristol Plant Now Package Your Variety Packs for Big Retailers
Your Surfside variety pack was sorted by robots at this Bucks County factory
Robotic packing system company Sojo, which has a laboratory in Bucks County, is using automation to create your favorite beverage variety packs.
by Joseph N. DiStefano
Published Nov. 3, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET
At first glance, Sojo’s Bristol plant looks as busy as any old-time soda canning plant, with clusters of bright-shirted workers sending long lines of drinks along clanging conveyors into colorful boxes for delivery.
But the plant in Bucks County is also an automation laboratory, where robots, sensors, and custom-made, big-tired vehicles are tested for Sojo’s larger, quieter, highly automated regional plants in Langhorne and in California, Texas, and Indiana.
Those plants are bases for the company’s picking and packing machinery, driven by the company’s tracking software, to sort clients’ products into variety packs for shipping straight to Aldi’s, Amazon, BJ’s, Costco, Target, Walmart, and other giant retailers.
At its headquarters on McNulty Road in Northeast Philadelphia, fast-growing Stateside Vodka, maker of Surfside Hard Tea and other sweet alcohol drinks, faced an extra challenge: Store chains want its sweetened hard seltzers to arrive presorted into boxes of many flavors for fickle young drinkers.
“Consumers like to try a little bit of everything. They want options. If they’re going to a party, they want to bring an item that has a flavor for everyone,” said Ryan Seckinger, Stateside’s top supply officer.
That means sorting and matching different flavored cans into mixed, store-friendly boxes.
Creating a mixed pack used to mean shutting down production lines to switch products, hiring extra workers to haul boxes of each flavor, sorting flavors into variety boxes, loading the mixed packs onto trucks, and then delivering mixed and unmixed boxes to each retailer.
But now there are robots. Stateside has turned to Sojo, a 130-person operation that in June raised $40 million from private-equity investors to build a 1-million-square-foot national network of robotic packing systems. It also upgraded its can-tracking software, which makes sorting simpler and cheaper in a competitive business where fractions of a penny per can are significant.
Clement Pappas, who cofounded Stateside, grew up in his father’s fruit-juice and cranberry-concentrate business. He knew Barak Bar-Cohen from the Sojo founder’s earlier career as an investor and chief operating officer at BAI Brands, a Princeton “antioxidant-infused” water company sold to Dr Pepper Snapple Group for $1.7 billion in 2017.
That made Bar-Cohen a natural salesperson for solving the packing challenges that Stateside faced.
How Sojo solved the mixed-pack problem
“Stateside, Whiteclaw, High Noon — for all these [hard seltzers], most of their sales are now variety packs. Young people want to take ‘em to the beach,“ Bar-Cohen said. ”Sounds like a simple exercise to make and sell variety packs. But it’s incredibly challenging. At BAI, that work was 80% manual. And manual is getting more expensive as it’s harder to find labor.
“This has become a major pain point in our industry.”
He found a potential solution in the wine business: “In wine, corking and bottling comes to your vineyard. I thought: Why not use the new mobility models and robotics automation and figure out how to bring this variety-pack capability to the warehouse where the product is sitting? You take out the freight costs and the CO2 emissions, and the administrative cost of shipping notices and shipping conversations.”
Bar-Cohen founded Sojo in 2021. The name is short for Sojourner, the NASA robotic Mars explorer that his late father, thermal scientist Avram Bar-Cohen, collaborated on in the 1990s.
With early backing by state-funded Ben Franklin Technology Partners and others, Sojo leased a 100,000-square-foot warehouse in Bristol. He set up an initial robot-assisted production line and began by outsourcing variety packs for small producers, such as Shippensburg-based Schreiber Foods and Utah-based Blue Chip Beverage.
Automation requires fewer mechanics, Bar-Cohen said. “A line used to have gravity-fed rollers and a simple pneumatic push system. Now we have four robots and a high-speed wrapper at a much faster rate.”
At Sojo’s original plant in Bristol, engineers and workers build and test automated systems for shipping soda and other food products in variety packs.Joseph N. DiStefano
But robots themselves require human labor: “We are bringing on mechanics who are expert at swinging a wrench, fixing automation lines, and interpreting error codes.”
To the original Bristol plant, Sojo has added a string of large regional facilities — 315,000 square feet in Langhorne; 285,000 square feet each in Redlands, Calif., and Tempe, Texas; and 150,000 square feet in Indianapolis.
‘A warrior mentality’
At the Bristol plant, a former furniture factory with the robust electrical connections needed for power-gobbling robotics. engineers start at 7 a.m., said chief technology officer Josh Schwartz-Dodek, who said he left Tesla to join Sojo for the challenge of working at a start-up.
His model: a “warrior mentality” of long days and aggressive problem-solving under the formula FItFO: ‘Figure it the f — out.” Schwartz-Dodek says the goal is to add production lines and reduce crews from dozens to “four or five on each shift.”
The company advertises two innovative systems:
There’s Sojo Flight, a system based on “rover” robots dropped into a manufacturing facility to take inventory and reconfigure it into variety packs on-site.
“The robots have eyes. They are smart,” said Chad Hagen, a beverage-industry veteran hired in October as Sojo’s chief commercial officer. Cans using the system are coded for easier sorting. Robots “recognize a case. They can build a pallet.” Since the system is portable to client factories, it cuts trucking as well as packing-line costs.
“We are targeting the beverage industry, but there are multipacks across the food and consumer-product categories, the snacking industry, pharmaceuticals,” he said. “Whatever you see sold in a Sam’s or a Costco or BJ’s Wholesale. There’s a lot of runway for us.”
And there’s Sojo Shield, a “track-and-trace” software platform that uses sensors, geolocation, and blockchain-based updates to read codes and track cans.
Selling to a big retailer like Walmart, product makers have to guarantee they can track products “within hours” in case of recall, Hagen said. “Shield can provide this within minutes.”
Why private equity bet $40 million
Sojo’s recent growth is funded by S2G (Seed to Growth), a Chicago firm with $2.5 billion committed to more than 100 mostly energy- and food-related companies, such as Philadelphia-based Burro (formerly Augean Robotics), which makes self-driving farm carts.
“We’re investing in those food businesses that respond to changing demographics, environmental pressures, changes in what people put on their plates — where there’s a chance to make money because of access to consumer information,“ said Matt Walker, an engineer turned mergers lawyer and investment banker who heads S2G’s food and agriculture team. ”That is where the food system is going.”
The “supply shocks” of the past few years — COVID shutdowns, Trump tariffs, a West Coast port strike — have sent shippers looking for flexible supply systems that can be quickly changed to other product sources when another source stalls, and small efficiencies, such as setting up a temporary repacking line right in a production plant, as Sojo does, Walker said.
“Every tenth of a penny [per can] counts,” he said.
Walker says Sojo’s services could be adopted rapidly by the biggest beverage makers.
“This business has tremendous potential to scale,” he said. “We are in the early stages of automation.”
TranscendAP Partners with Rittenhouse Ventures & Tech Council Ventures to Fuel AI AP Growth
TranscendAP Secures Venture Funding to Accelerate AI-Driven AP Automation Growth
Investment from Rittenhouse Ventures and Tech Council Ventures Supports Company’s Mission to Help Enterprise Organizations Transform Accounts Payable Operations
HAMILTON, NJ (October 30, 2025) – TranscendAP, Inc., a leading provider of accounts payable (AP) automation software, today announced that it has secured venture funding to scale operations and support the company’s aggressive growth strategy. The funding round was led by Rittenhouse Ventures and Tech Council Ventures, supporting TranscendAP’s mission to drive innovation across AP operations for enterprise organizations.
TranscendAP will utilize the investment to enhance its AI-driven technology platform, accelerate market penetration, and build on its recent momentum, which includes notable customer wins across the healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education markets. Clients include Aspen Surgical, Loomis, George Mason University, Kaiser Aluminum, Powell Industries, and Arizona Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates, demonstrating the flexibility and configurability of the TranscendAP platform and its ability to meet the unique needs of diverse AP departments.
“AP automation has moved from being a back-office necessity to a true strategic advantage,” said Jeff Weinstein, Co-Founder and CEO of TranscendAP. “Securing this venture funding is a major milestone for us, empowering our team to accelerate AI innovation, expand our platform, and continue transforming how organizations across industries manage their accounts payable. It’s especially rewarding to be backed by two venture firms with a proven track record and a team that I’ve had great success with before.”
As organizations increasingly look to apply AI to streamline financial operations, TranscendAP’s platform stands out for its intelligent data capture, workflow automation, and exception handling capabilities, helping enterprise AP teams reduce manual processing, improve visibility, and lower invoice processing costs.
“The accounts payable automation market is undergoing a crucial transformation, shifting rapidly from outdated, first-generation systems, with over 90% of the market still lacking effective AP automation,” said David Nevas, General Partner at Rittenhouse Ventures. “Their cloud-based, AI-first platform leverages best-in-class technology, providing critical value propositions like a 70% reduction in per-invoice costs and robust fraud detection capabilities. We believe the time to strike this market is now, and TranscendAP is perfectly positioned to capture significant share in the mid-market segment. The company has proven product-market fit with impressive customer wins and strong capital efficiency.”
This investment milestone not only validates TranscendAP’s approach to intelligent AP automation but also fuels the company’s ongoing initiative and commitment to help organizations worldwide achieve smarter, more efficient accounts payable operations.
“We’re excited to invest for the second time in a leader like Jeff Weinstein, who now has a best-in-class solution for automating the accounts payable workflow,” said Steve Socolof, Managing Partner at Tech Council Ventures. “Having worked with Jeff and his team in the past, we’ve seen firsthand their ability to execute, scale quickly, and deliver real enterprise value through innovation. We’re confident TranscendAP has the right leadership and technology to redefine AP automation for a broad range of organizations.”
For more information about TranscendAP’s accounts payable automation solutions or to schedule a demo, contact sales@transcendap.com.
About Rittenhouse Ventures
Rittenhouse Ventures is an emerging-growth venture capital firm that partners with capital-efficient B2B SaaS, AI, and tech-enabled services companies. With a strategic focus on the Mid-Atlantic region and other underserved markets, Rittenhouse invests in companies generating $2M-$10M in revenue, typically into rounds of $5M or less. The firm is dedicated to providing deep operational support and unique network access, collaborating with exceptional management teams to foster sustainable growth and market leadership.
About Tech Council Ventures
Tech Council Ventures invests in the most promising early-stage, rapid-growth technology companies in the Mid-Atlantic region. The Fund typically initially invests $500,000 to $3M, with up to $4-5M to support the company’s growth. The general partners are active investors, typically (but not always) a Board Director and lead investor.
About TranscendAP
TranscendAP, Inc. provides a flexible and scalable AI-driven accounts payable (AP) automation platform capable of supporting the most complex workflows and processes. Since 2018, enterprise organizations in healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, and other sectors have entrusted TranscendAP to manage millions of invoices and billions of dollars annually. For more information, visit www.transcendap.com.
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Media Relations Contact:
Domenick Cilea
Springboard
dcilea@springboardpr.com
Mend and OrthoElite Partner to Redefine Perioperative Care in Arizona
Phoenix, AZ – August 25, 2025 — Mend (www.mend.me), a leader in clinically validated perioperative nutrition and digital care, today announced a strategic partnership with OrthoElite (www.weareorthoelite.com), Arizona’s premier provider of orthopedic care. The collaboration is designed to elevate the patient experience, improve surgical outcomes, and position OrthoElite as the state’s destination for orthopedic patient optimization.
Through this partnership, OrthoElite will integrate Mend’s evidence-based perioperative nutrition protocols and Upgraid’s care navigation and remote monitoring platform directly into the surgical journey. This comprehensive approach ensures that patients are nutritionally and functionally optimized both before and after surgery, accelerating recovery, reducing complications, and improving overall satisfaction.
“OrthoElite is redefining what orthopedic care should look like — personalized, proactive, and outcomes-driven,” said Paul Roscoe, CEO of Mend. “By combining our clinically validated perioperative nutrition with our Upgraid care navigation program, we’re helping OrthoElite patients prepare, recover, and thrive after surgery. This partnership sets a new benchmark for orthopedic care in Arizona.”
OrthoElite, known for its commitment to cutting-edge surgical excellence and patient-centered care, sees Mend as the perfect fit to complement its mission.
“At OrthoElite, we’re not just treating an injury or performing a surgery — we’re optimizing the entire patient journey,” said Chris Bero, Partner at OrthoElite. “Mend and Upgraid provide the missing link: nutrition and continuous support that bridge the gap between clinic and home. Together, we’re building a model that makes recovery faster, safer, and more complete.”
With this integration, OrthoElite becomes the first orthopedic optimization group in Arizona to fully embed perioperative nutrition and digital navigation into its standard of care. This partnership will differentiate OrthoElite’s practice in a competitive landscape and reinforce its position as the go-to center for patients who want not only world-class surgery but also the best preparation and recovery experience possible.
To learn more about Upgraid, please visit upgraid.mend.me
Exero Medical Strengthens U.S. Expansion with $12.7M in Seed Funding
This financing includes investments from new investors Longevity Venture Partners, Tech Council Ventures, and Edge Medical Ventures, alongside participation from existing investors.
Mortality rates in patients with severe complications after gastrointestinal surgery can be up to 20% due to challenges in identifying these complications early. The xBar system uses sensors placed at the surgical site to collect data that can assist clinicians in early detection of major, life threatening complications after gastrointestinal surgery.
Raissa Hacohen, Managing Partner at Longevity Venture Partners, comments, “We were thrilled to lead Exero’s latest round as we believe in the potential of innovative medical technology to unlock new health data. We support Exero’s vision of creating efficiency within the healthcare system and improving patient outcomes by adding dimensions of new health data into the existing workflow.”
Mark Kolb, Partner at Tech Council Ventures, adds, “Exero Medical’s breakthrough xBar system has the potential to revolutionize post-operative care by providing critical real-time data to detect complications early—ultimately saving lives and reducing healthcare costs. Tech Council Ventures is proud to support Exero’s growth and expansion into the U.S. market.”
Shai Policker, General Partner at Edge Medical Ventures and Chairman of Exero, shares:
“We are excited to welcome new investors in support of Exero’s clinical program, regulatory clearance, and launch of the xBar system. Additionally, Exero’s new US headquarters in Scitech Scity at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ, will serve as a vital hub for these important initiatives.”
About Exero Medical
Exero Medical’s mission is to empower health care providers with high-quality, actionable post-operative tissue healing data that can save lives, improve prognosis, and reduce cost of care. The company’s flagship product, the xBar system, has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA. Exero Medical was founded in 2018 by MEDX Xelerator, and is backed by the Israeli Innovation Authority, Tech Council Ventures, Longevity Venture Partners, Edge Medical Ventures, Consensus Business Group (CBG), Unorthodox Ventures, and Clalit Health Services – the largest HMO in Israel.
The xBar system is not approved for sale in the United States and is limited to investigational use.
Media contact:
Eileen Ke
Vice President, Business Development
(+1) 267-342-0576
eileen.ke@exeromedical.com
Sojo Industries Announces Strategic Collaboration Deal with Molex
December 09, 2024, 01:20 PM Eastern Standard Time
SOJO INDUSTRIES ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC COLLABORATION DEAL WITH MOLEX
Introducing Sojo Seal™ – Industry’s First Single-Use GPS Tracking Device
Sojo Industries, an innovative leader in smart supply chain solutions, has announced a strategic collaboration with Molex, a global electronics leader and connectivity innovator. The collaboration will scale and enhance the production of Sojo Seal™, a proprietary and patent pending, network-enabled tracking device for consumer-packaged goods. This marks a significant step forward in the evolution of supply chain transparency, enabling real-time visibility and unparalleled data insights into the movement of goods across the globe.
The Sojo Seal™ is a next-generation, single-use, tamper-evident seal designed to secure and track truckload shipments throughout the supply chain. Unlike traditional seals that only provide visual evidence of tampering, the Sojo Seal™ incorporates custom-designed electronics embedded within the seal. When broken upon delivery, the seal sends a digital ping communicating the product’s precise location to the Sojo Shield™ TRACK module. This provides real-time, actionable data on product movement and ensures the integrity of goods throughout the logistics process.
“Sojo Seal™ is a game changer for industries that rely on secure logistics for products that require global tracking,” said Barak Bar-Cohen, Founder and CEO of Sojo Industries. “The Sojo team is dedicated to the vision of transforming ‘atoms to bits’- connecting the physical manufacturing world and the last digital mile.”
The digital pings generated by Sojo Seal™ are integrated into Sojo Shield™ a sophisticated AI-enabled platform providing Sojo customers with valuable insights for optimizing supply chain performance through advanced analytics and actionable recommendations.
“This collaboration with Molex will allow Sojo to scale like never before, pushing the boundaries of sensing technology and unlocking new possibilities for connected products,” said Todd Skibinski, Business Development Manager at Molex. “Molex has successfully utilized its design and manufacturing expertise to enhance the production and cost-effectiveness of the Sojo Seal™ design, enabling rapid deployment across industries. We are excited about our collaboration with Sojo and excited to support their vision of transforming low-cost trackability in the food and beverage industry.”
Through its collaboration with Molex, Sojo can scale the production of its innovative smart seal technology and expand its capabilities to meet the demands of a global marketplace.
“Sojo Seal™ takes full advantage of Molex’s world-class manufacturing capabilities,” said Josh Schwartz-Dodek, Chief Technology Officer of Sojo Industries, “Sojo remains committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that enhance supply chain visibility, improve operational efficiency, and help businesses meet the evolving demands of the modern logistics landscape.”
For more information on Sojo Industries and the Sojo Seal™ device, visit www.sojoindustries.com and www.molex.com
About Sojo Industries
Sojo industries is a fast-growing technology company, engaged in advanced robotics, mobile manufacturing and modular packaging solutions delivering efficient packaging and assembly services for the food and beverage industry. Along with Sojo Shield™, its newly launched blockchain-based track-and-trace platform, for geolocating products across the food and beverage supply chain, the company is a pioneer in variety packaging solutions, working with major brands. Sojo Industries was founded in 2021 after Barak was inspired to fuse his business background with his late father’s scientific endeavors-making mobile manufacturing a reality.
Sojo Industries Awarded Patent for Sojo Flight™
Nov 14, 2024, 09:00 ET
Mobile Robotics to Revolutionize Food and Beverage Automated Manufacturing
BRISTOL, Pa., Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Sojo Industries, a leading mobile automation and robotics manufacturer for food and beverage assembly, today announced that it had been awarded a United States Patent (US-20230002090-A1) for its Mobile Automated Modular Variety and Multi-pack Production Line and System Solution called Sojo Flight™.
Sojo Flight™ redefines traditional manufacturing by enabling automated production lines and robotics to be deployed and operational in as little as one hour. By transporting entire production lines directly to locations, Sojo Flight™ bypasses traditional supply chain constraints. This approach eliminates the costly and time-consuming step of shipping individual components, significantly enhancing supply chain flexibility and accelerating time-to-market. Sojo Flight™ streamlines production, increases packaging capabilities, reduces freight costs, decreases operational complexity, minimizes the need for expensive infrastructure and dramatically lowers transportation emissions, supporting a more sustainable manufacturing ecosystem.
The patented Sojo Flight™ technology is built around four key principles:
- Seamless Transport: Traditional automated machines are bulky and designed for fixed locations. Sojo Flight™ utilizes specially designed transport skids that serve as permanent homes for machines, allowing for easy movement and quick setup.
- Simplified Powering: By requiring only a single high-voltage power drop to function, our system drastically cuts down on the complexities and costs associated with electrical setup while optimizing power efficiency.
- Automatic Leveling: With advanced automated leveling technology, our systems can achieve precision leveling in under two minutes, eliminating the need for manual adjustments and reducing setup time.
- Flexible Anchoring: The innovative design of Sojo’s transport skids rethinks traditional anchoring methods, ensuring stability without the need for extensive and costly floor modifications.
“We built Sojo Industries on the pillars of mobility and modularity,” said Barak Bar-Cohen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Sojo Industries. “Sojo Flight™ is a game changer for the food and beverage industry and further establishes Sojo as a leader in industrial manufacturing with the technology to deliver variety and multi-packs across all formats at an unbeatable price.”
Sojo Flight™ has been deployed with leading food and beverage brands across multiple geographies including Denver (CO), Glendale(AZ), Lake Elsinore (CA), Salt Lake City (UT), Walla Walla (WA), Indianapolis (IN) and Miami (FL) with several additional deployments scheduled for early 2025.
“Sojo Flight™ solves multiple manufacturing challenges utilizing established mechanical engineering principles,” said Josh Schwartz-Dodek, Chief Technology Officer at Sojo Industries. “The addition of robotics and advanced automation to our Sojo Flight™ solution further improves scale and agility. By deploying automated production lines on-site in a matter of hours we provide manufacturers with significant transport cost savings and offer a climate responsible solution thanks to reduced CO2 emissions.”
About Sojo Industries
Sojo industries is a fast-growing technology company, engaged in advanced robotics, mobile manufacturing and modular packaging solutions delivering efficient packaging and assembly services for the food and beverage industry. Along with Sojo Shield™, its newly launched blockchain-based track-and-trace platform, for geolocating products across the food and beverage supply chain, the company is a pioneer in variety packaging solutions, working with major brands. Sojo Industries was founded in 2021 after Barak was inspired to fuse his business background with his late father’s scientific endeavors-making mobile manufacturing a reality.
For more information about Sojo Flight™ and our innovative mobile manufacturing solutions, please visit www.sojoindustries.com or contact commercial@sojoindustries.com.
SOURCE Sojo Industries
Mend Welcomed Esteemed Surgeon Partners to Upgraid
Discover how Upgraid by Mend raises the bar in healthcare innovation by partnering with top-tier surgeons.
Click here to learn more about how this announcement.
We are thrilled to announce that a new group of world-class surgeons has partnered with Mend to optimize patient care both before and after surgery with the Upgraid perioperative platform. This exciting collaboration is designed to enhance surgical outcomes, reduce recovery times, manage BMI risk, and ensure patients receive the best support on their surgery-healing journey to wellness.
Mend Quarterfinalist for Emerging Innovation at hlth
Mend has been named a quarterfinalist in the Emerging Innovation category at this year’s HLTH conference! This prestigious recognition underscores their unwavering dedication to transforming healthcare through innovative solutions that enhance patient outcomes and well-being.
HLTH is a premier event in the healthcare industry, gathering top innovators and thought leaders from around the world. Being selected as a quarterfinalist in such a competitive field is a tremendous honor, reflecting the significant impact Mend is making with their cutting-edge health and wellness solutions.
Mend’s mission goes beyond developing products; it’s about redefining the possibilities in healthcare. From groundbreaking work in perioperative care to scientifically-backed, food-as-medicine nutrapharma products, Mend is committed to supporting the body’s natural healing, recovery, and overall wellness.
“This recognition from HLTH inspires us to pursue our mission with even greater passion and determination. We look forward to showcasing our latest innovations and research while connecting with others who share our vision for the future of health and wellness,” said Eziah Syed, Mend’s Co-Founder & CEO.
Thank you to everyone who has supported Mend on this journey. Together, we are making a meaningful impact in the world of healthcare. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to advance in this exciting endeavor!
Sojo Industries Partners with Schreiber Foods on Mobile Manufacturing and Next Generation Track and Trace Platform
BRISTOL, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sojo Industries, a leading mobile automation and robotics manufacturer for food and beverage assembly, today announced that it has partnered with Schreiber Foods, a global food manufacturer with over $7 billion in sales across five continents. Sojo Industries also announced it has raised a Series A round of $10 million with participation from Schreiber Ventures and Tech Council Ventures, an early-stage fund that manages over $175 million.
“Sojo Flight™ enables us to innovate across our facilities and provide our customers with new, scalable and cost-effective offerings, with Sojo Shield™ helping to solve several critical last-mile challenges as today’s track-and-trace world continues to evolve.”
Sojo Industries is supporting Schreiber’s continued innovation across its food and beverage operations through the use of its proprietary Sojo Flight™ solution. Sojo Flight™ provides brands with mobile manufacturing lines and multiple packaging capabilities that can be moved across the country into different food and beverage production facilities, supporting the growing innovation in the variety-pack and multi-pack categories as well as mitigating rising labor costs, labor shortages and high freight costs.
“We are super excited to work with the global commercial and engineering teams at Schreiber on implementing mobile manufacturing solutions for the variety and multi-pack category that support Schreiber’s DNA as an innovator in food and beverage manufacturing,” said Barak Bar-Cohen, CEO and founder of Sojo Industries. “With our national footprint built-out, our world-class team is bringing the ‘Sojo Mojo’ and we look forward to this next phase of our journey!”
Sojo Industries is also working closely with Schreiber Foods on integrating Sojo Shield™, a first-of-its-kind track and trace platform that provides real-time geolocation data and insights on critical tracking events, that enhances Schreiber’s existing supply chain platforms, including The Hive™. The Hive™ is a complete inventory management system supporting over 30 locations around the world and over 4.5 billion pounds of palletized products globally.
“We’re very excited about our new partnership with Sojo and are eager to incorporate their unique blend of physical assets and digital data collection into our global operations,” said Ron Dunford, President & CEO at Schreiber Foods. “Sojo Flight™ enables us to innovate across our facilities and provide our customers with new, scalable and cost-effective offerings, with Sojo Shield™ helping to solve several critical last-mile challenges as today’s track-and-trace world continues to evolve.”
Launched earlier this year, Sojo Shield™ provides food and beverage brands with a platform for supporting the FDA’s impending Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Food Traceability Rule effective January 20, 2026. This rule mandates that members of the food and beverage supply chain monitor essential data elements during critical tracking events like shipping, receiving, and product transformation. All required data must be submitted to the FDA within 24 hours of a request.
To learn more about how Sojo Industries is transforming food and beverage packaging processes, visit https://sojoindustries.com/.
About Sojo Industries
Sojo Industries is a leading industrial automation company that utilizes robotics, mobility and modularity to deliver efficient packaging and assembly solutions for the food and beverage industry. Along with its newly launched blockchain-based track-and-trace platform for geolocating products across the food and beverage supply-chain, the company is a pioneer in variety packaging solutions, working with major brands to create unique and highly popular variety packs. Sojo Industries was founded in 2021 after Barak was inspired to fuse his business background with his late father’s scientific endeavors — making mobile manufacturing a reality.
About Schreiber Foods
Schreiber Foods strives to do good through food every day. Based in North America, Schreiber is a customer-brand leader in cream cheese, natural cheese, process cheese, beverages and yogurt. Its more than 10,000 employees and presence on five continents enable Schreiber to be an essential ingredient in its customers’ success. With annual sales of more than $7 billion, Schreiber partners with the best retailers, restaurants, distributors and food manufacturers around the globe. Schreiber also recognizes its responsibility to do good in the world and are driven to make a difference in everything it does.
Contacts
Vitalief CEO Recognized in NJBIZ 2024 ICON HONORS
July 3, 2024
Vitalief CEO Recognized in NJBIZ 2024 ICON HONORS
David Moore Acknowledged for His Contributions to New Jersey Industry and Community
[New Brunswick, NJ – July 3, 2024] – Vitalief, an innovative healthcare consulting company dedicated to transforming clinical trials and empowering research, is excited to announce that Chief Executive Officer David Moore has been recognized as an NJBIZ 2024 ICON HONOR recipient.
This ICON HONOR program recognizes seasoned New Jersey business leaders for their success and strong leadership both within and outside of their chosen field. The nominations are evaluated by an independent panel of judges.
David Moore commented, “I am deeply honored to be recognized as an NJBIZ 2024 ICON HONOR recipient. This award reflects the collective dedication, hard work, and innovation of the entire Vitalief team. Together, we have built a successful and meaningful business. The New Jersey clinical research community has been foundational to our business, providing a vibrant community, robust infrastructure, and an environment that fosters growth and innovation.”
Vitalief, headquartered in New Brunswick, was formed in response to growing resourcing, administrative, and operational challenges faced by clinical research teams.
David continued, “We strive to push boundaries, achieve excellence, and contribute to our community and industry. I am grateful for the support of my colleagues, family, and everyone who has been part of this incredible journey. This recognition inspires us to continue pursuing our vision with even greater passion and commitment.”
Mark Kolb, Partner at Tech Council Ventures and Vitalief Board member, added, “I am thrilled to congratulate David on being recognized as an NJBIZ 2024 ICON HONOR recipient. This award highlights his visionary leadership and the remarkable success achieved under his stewardship. We are proud to work with David and be part of Vitalief’s journey. We look forward to witnessing even greater accomplishments in the future.”
Honorees for this award will be recognized during an in-person awards ceremony at The Marigold in Somerset, NJ, on Tuesday, August 13th, at 8:00 a.m.
About Vitalief
Vitalief is a consulting firm specializing in research and clinical trial operations. With a team of experienced industry practitioners, Vitalief provides consulting, resourcing, managed services, and learning and development services to help research and clinical trial teams optimize their operations and achieve greater success.
For more information, visit vitalief.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Xevant and Ivím Health Join Forces to Bring First Full Service Corporate GLP-1 Program, Ivím at Work, to Employees
Xevant and Ivím Health Join Forces to Bring First Full Service Corporate GLP-1 Program, Ivím at Work, to Employees
LEHI, Utah–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Xevant, the leading provider of data analytics for healthcare solutions, and Ivím Health, the industry-leading provider of GLP-1 weight loss programs, today announced a strategic partnership between the two companies introducing the first corporate-designed medical weight loss solution, Ivím at Work with Xevant, to the market. Not only will this program offer medical weight loss as a corporate benefit, but it also sets a benchmark for exemplary clinical care and broadened access to GLP-1 medications. Setting a new gold standard for employer health benefit programs, Ivím at Work will significantly reduce employer healthcare costs while optimizing health outcomes for all participating employees through the most advanced clinical approach to obesity care and medical weight management.
“By leveraging Xevant’s data analytics and Ivím Health’s clinical expertise, we are confident in delivering a program that sets a new standard in corporate wellness.”
Approximately one-third of U.S. employer health plans now offer coverage of GLP-1 drugs for diabetes management and weight loss. However, this coverage typically lacks a comprehensive solution for corporate employees. The Ivím at Work program bridges this gap by offering a holistic solution, incorporating cutting-edge GLP-1 therapies combined with personalized support and resources designed to help employees and members achieve their weight loss goals and adopt healthy lifestyle habits. The program targets and mitigates health risks early, empowering employers to maximize ROI—and overall workplace well-being—by decreasing the likelihood of chronic conditions that drive up costly insurance claims and costs for employers.
“We are excited to introduce Ivím at Work, a groundbreaking step forward in workplace wellness, in partnership with Xevant,” said Anthony Kantor, CEO of Ivím Health. “This program cultivates our commitment to delivering tailored, impactful health solutions that significantly enhance employee well-being and reduce healthcare costs.”
Ivím Health’s team of board-certified obesity management specialists sets the benchmark for clinical care, serving over 100,000 Americans, ensuring that employees receive gold-standard, personalized treatment, and continuous support. Xevant’s advanced data analytics are integral to this solution, providing data-driven custom solutions for both patients and employers. This partnership will provide the most affordable access to GLP-1 medication programs from the largest network of suppliers for both branded and compound medications. Beyond access to GLP-1 medications, patients receive professional guidance, coaching, education, and around-the-clock support.
Ivím at Work is a game changer for employee health and wellness solutions. Only Ivím at Work offers employers:
- Enhanced access to affordable GLP-1 medications, mitigating disruptions in clinical care management and managing GLP-1 drug shortage issues
- The highest-quality care management and clinical oversight tailored to each unique patient journey
- A combination of flexible plans and employee cost-share options to suit unique goals and budgets
- An easy-to-use app providing tracking, nutrition, wearable support, biometrics and education
- Access to a robust and engaged Ivím weight loss community
- Greater control over future benefit costs and health outcomes
“Our partnership with Ivím Health brings an unparalleled level of care, cost, control, choice, and corporate wellness solutions to the market,” said Brandon Newman, CEO of Xevant. “By leveraging Xevant’s data analytics and Ivím Health’s clinical expertise, we are confident in delivering a program that sets a new standard in corporate wellness.”
Ivím at Work will be available on August 1st, 2024. To learn more about how to empower your team with personalized weight care solutions, visit www.xevant.com/ivim-at-work or call (888) 774-6610.
About Xevant:
Xevant’s revolutionary data analytics platform infuses real-time automation across the entire pharmacy benefits ecosystem driving the lowest net costs and improving overall health. With a focus on customer success and a commitment to innovation, Xevant is the partner businesses of all sizes trust to transform their pharmacy benefit and reporting practices for more proactive, efficient benefit management that delivers results in a fast-changing pharmacy landscape.
About Ivím Health:
Ivím Health is the premier provider of GLP-1 weight loss and health and wellness programs that incorporate cutting-edge GLP-1 therapies combined with individualized guidance and resources. Renowned for their commitment to clinical excellence, comprehensive patient care, and a personalized approach, Ivím Health empowers patients to achieve lasting weight loss and embark on a transformative journey towards optimal wellness.
Contacts
Please direct media inquiries regarding Xevant or Ivím to Xevant@society22pr.com
Princeton NuEnergy Raises Series A Funding to Advance Lithium-ion Battery Direct Recycling Technology
May 13, 2024, 08:00 ET
Latest financing totaling $26.4 million over six months, supplements the company’s $16.1 million initial closing with the remaining round attracting valuable strategic partners.
BORDENTOWN, N.J., May 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Princeton NuEnergy (“PNE”), a leading clean-tech innovator specializing in lithium-ion battery direct recycling, proudly announces a successful round of equity financing totaling $10.3 million. Key investors include SCGC (a subsidiary of SCG Group), Tech Council Ventures, and a subsidiary of LKQ Corporation. This recent injection of capital brings the company’s total Series A funding over the past 6 months to $26.4 million.
PNE’s flagship innovation is a low-temperature plasma-assisted separation process (LPAS™), a patented technology that significantly reduces costs, environmental waste, and carbon emissions commonly associated with lithium-ion battery recycling. PNE’s direct recycling approach enables higher critical material recovery rates and superior material performance compared with traditional recycling methodologies.
“We are immensely thankful for the support of our investors and partners. With their backing, we’re set to expand upon the solid groundwork we’ve laid, driving forward with even greater momentum.” stated PNE Co-Founder and CEO, Dr. Chao Yan. “PNE’s Cathode-to-Cathode™️ technology is reshaping the landscape of critical material reclamation, driving down costs while making a significant impact on the sustainability of battery recycling. This groundbreaking process not only reduces carbon emissions and energy consumption but also establishes a sustainable model for battery recycling.”
The newly acquired funds will support construction of an Advanced Black Mass and Cathode Manufacturing Center in the heart of the southeastern U.S. ‘battery belt’.
In addition to this $26.4 million Series A raise and preceding Seed Round of $7 million, PNE has secured multiple U.S. Department of Energy grants for battery recycling research of $18 million, in total. The new Series A funding further solidifies PNE’s commitment to reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign critical materials by securing the U.S. critical material supply chain, fostering domestic manufacturing capabilities, and cultivating high-quality clean energy jobs within the United States.
About LKQ Corporation:
LKQ Corporation is a leading provider of alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other vehicles. LKQ has operations in North America, Europe and Taiwan. LKQ offers its customers a broad range of OEM recycled and aftermarket parts, replacement systems, components, equipment, and services to repair and accessorize automobiles, trucks, and recreational and performance vehicles.
About Tech Council Ventures LLC
Founded in 2000, Tech Council Ventures has been focused on investing in exciting innovators across multiple industries in the region for over 20 years. Tech Council Ventures offer portfolio companies access to an extensive network of resources and expertise to accelerate their success.
About SCG Chemicals Public Company Limited
SCG Chemicals Public Company Limited (SCGC), a subsidiary of The Siam Cement Public Company Limited (SCG), is a leading industry player in the Asia-Pacific region. Established in 1989, SCGC specializes in high-value-added (HVA) products across various sectors. Through joint ventures and separate business units, SCGC develops innovative solutions for industrial and everyday applications.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Arsalan Khan
arsalan_khan@pnecycle.com
SOURCE Princeton NuEnergy
OrthoLoneStar Expands use of Mend Perioperative Solutions Across the Network
Upgraid, recognized by US News and Tech Times as best in class, is a perioperative care platform operating at the intersection of evidence-based nutrition and digital behavioral health. Upgraid provides patients with hands-on precision care navigation, monitoring, and coaching through clinically proven care pathways that improve outcomes and reduce risk. As a core modality of care, Mend provides each patient with perioperative nutrition products that improve key biomarkers and enhance return to function, as published in leading orthopedic journals. As an industry first, Mend has also recently announced “Nourished by Mend”, a BMI program that optimizes patients for surgical outcomes, enabling more high BMI patients in need of surgery to get scheduled.
“We’ve invested heavily in developing evidence-based modalities that drive improvement in clinical outcomes and lift patient experience as seen in our high patient satisfaction scores and improvement in clinical metrics,” says Mend CEO Eziah Syed. “We are beyond thrilled to expand the use of our solutions with OrthoLoneStar, a national leader who is increasingly setting the bar for how to operate a large multi-practice group dedicated to quality patient outcomes.”
OLS began piloting Mend at the prestigious Carrell Clinic in January 2023 with an implementation of Upgraid. “The program is evidence-based and addresses key clinical parameters that the Joint Commission is seeking,” says Dr. Paul Peters. “We have seen demonstrable benefits from the program and are proud to have led the way for our network to expand the use of this outcomes-focused platform and set of solutions.”
With this expansion, the OLS board and leadership will encourage the adoption of Mend’s perioperative nutrition products and Upgraid by its 180 physicians to ensure maximal impact for applicable patients and consistency of clinical protocols and patient experience.
About Mend
Mend, a life sciences company, passionately brings healing worldwide. Operating at the intersection of nutrapharma, food as medicine, digital wellness, and behavioral health, Mend empowers individuals to repair, recover, and embrace a better life. Through clinically proven nutrapharma products, the transformative power of food as medicine, and digital behavioral health solutions, we accelerate healing, improve recovery, and target key risk factors for chronic conditions. With a clinician-first AI-supported model, our platform revolutionizes digital wellness, enhancing behavioral well-being. Trusted by elite soldiers, athletes, and respected doctors, Mend is the world’s first whole-person, nutrapharma-powered platform.
Experience the power of healing with Mend. For more information, visit mend.me.
About OrthoLoneStar
OrthoLoneStar is the largest independent orthopedic practice in Texas, comprised of 180 physicians and 35 different locations across Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and East Texas. The group is dedicated to providing the highest quality outcomes at the best value to patients across the state. For more information, visit www.ortholonestar.com.
For media inquiries, contact Mend
Kathryn Smart
kathryn@mend.me
SOURCE Mend Labs
Sojo Industries Launches Sojo Shield™, a Pioneering Track and Trace Platform for Food and Beverage Brands
Xevant Embarks on Accelerated Growth with Significant Follow-on Investment from HCAP Partners and Tech Council Ventures
Princeton Identity Launches EyeAllow
Princeton Identity unveils EyeAllow, a multi-modal biometric authentication device
Vitalief Launches Innovative Float Pool Services to Address Nagging Resourcing Challenges Across Research and Clinical Trials Industry
Vitalief Announces New Clinical Trials Office and Study Activation Services
At TED2023, EpiBone CEO Dr. Nina Tandon gives an update on how far EpiBone has come in developing bone and cartilage replacements
Vitalief in collaboration with CISCRP sponsored the release of a Clinical Trials Supplement in the latest edition of USA Today
CareAlign recognized for achievements in Care Coordination and Collaboration
Xevant Announces Compliance with SOC 2 Type 2 Standards
Xevant Ranks No. 1 on the Inc. 5000 2022 List as the Fastest Growing Private Software Company in America
ReGelTec’s HYDRAFIL Technology Selected as Best Abstract Presentation at the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience Annual Meeting
Portfolio company Regenosine receives a $1.67M NIH NIAMS Phase II SBIR grant
Xevant CEO Brandon Newman Recipient of the Top 100 CEOs in Innovation Award 2021 of World Biz Magazine
Leading Clinical Nutrition Companies MEND and Upgraid Join Forces
Xevant wins ‘Start-Up of the Year’ in the 16th Annual 2021 IT World Awards