Developer docs
API playgroundTry for free, no card

Search company profiles

Nava

Full company profile

uuid00002he

Namestring
Nava
Legal namestring
Advocate Inc., dba Nava Benefits
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2019
Descriptiontext

Nava Benefits (legal entity Advocate Inc.) is a US-based, modern employee benefits brokerage that combines elite human benefits advisors with an AI-powered technology platform, serving mid-sized employers (typically 51-1,000 employees) and HR leaders seeking to reduce administrative burden and control healthcare costs. The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in New York, operating across the United States.

The company's core product is HQ, an AI-powered benefits administration platform for HR teams that consolidates real-time renewals, carrier billing audits, ben admin and carrier integrations, centralized document storage, employee engagement dashboards, and an embedded personal AI assistant (powered by OpenAI) for instant benefits Q&A. A companion mobile app, HQ for Employees, extends this experience to plan members with 24/7 benefits support, plan decision tools, provider search, digital ID cards, and medical spending tracking. Nava also provides traditional brokerage services — healthcare renewals, open enrollment support, compliance assistance, and alternative health plan strategies (self-funding, PBMs, captives) — supported by veteran advisors with 15-25+ years of industry experience. The platform is SOC 2 Type 2 and HIPAA compliant.

Nava operates a sales-led, consultative GTM targeting mid-market and enterprise HR buyers via free benefits audits, demos, and elite advisor relationships; the company also runs content marketing and an annual industry event ("Fix Healthcare Live"). Revenue is generated primarily through carrier commissions (typically 2-10% of employer-paid insurance premiums) and per-employee-per-month (PEPM) fees for services such as self-funded plan administration, structured on annual billing cycles with custom enterprise pricing. The company has raised approximately $90 million across disclosed rounds led by Thrive Capital (Series A Oct 2020 $20M, Series B Jun 2022 $40M, Series C Oct 2025 $30M) and has executed two acquisitions — i2 Healthcare (2022) and Nielsen Benefits Group (2023) — to broaden consulting capacity and mid-market reach.

Short descriptiontext

Nava Benefits is a US-based modern employee benefits brokerage that combines elite benefits advisors with its AI-powered HQ platform to help mid-sized employers reduce admin, lower healthcare costs, and deliver 24/7 employee benefits support.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
51–100
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersNew York, United States
HQ citystring
New York
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
employee benefits brokerage, benefits administration software, health insurance advisory, HR technology platform, AI benefits platform
Industry4 codes
1Benefits Administration & Total Rewards Outsourcing
CodeBPACAKAEPrimaryYes
2Benefits Administration
CodeBPACAPACPrimaryNo
3Benefits Administration & Enrollment Support
CodeBPAAAIABPrimaryNo
4Eligibility, Enrollment & Benefits Administration
CodeHLAEALAHPrimaryNo
NAICS code2 codes
  • Health and Welfare Funds525120
  • Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds5251
SIC code2 codes
  • Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service6411
  • Services-Management Consulting Services8742
Product category
Employee Benefits Brokerage
Social media profiles2 records
GTM motion1 record

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

Revenue model2 records
1Carrier Commissions
TypeSubscription Recurring
Description

Employee benefits brokers are typically compensated through carrier commissions averaging 2-10% of total premiums paid by employers for insurance coverage.

navabenefits.com
2Per-Employee-Per-Month (PEPM) Fees
TypeSubscription Recurring
Description

Flat per-employee-per-month fees charged in certain situations such as self-funded plans, providing transparent recurring revenue.

navabenefits.com
Marketing channels7 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels2 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components5 values
Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Pricing details1 tier
1Custom enterprise pricing based on employer size and plan requirements
ModelSubscriptionBilling cadenceAnnual
Notes

No public pricing available; consultative sales approach with custom quotes. The company provides free benefits audits to demonstrate value.

navabenefits.com
GTM typeB2B
B2B
Offering typeServices
Services
Brand1 record
1HQ
Description

AI-powered benefits administration platform for HR teams, providing renewals, audits, documents, and support in one centralized hub

navabenefits.com
Core offering1 text field

Nava Benefits is a modern employee benefits brokerage that pairs elite human benefits advisors with an AI-powered technology platform called HQ. The HQ platform centralizes renewals, billing audits, documents, and carrier integrations for HR teams, while a companion mobile app provides 24/7 AI-driven benefits support to employees. Services include healthcare renewals, open enrollment, compliance, alternative health plan strategies (self-funding, PBMs, captives), and year-round employee advocacy for mid-sized US employers.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Quantifiable outcome1 of 6 values shown
  • HR teams save 40+ hours per month
+5 more records
Product overview1 text field

Nava Benefits is a modern employee benefits brokerage offering a unified platform-plus-services model. The core product is HQ, an AI-powered benefits administration platform available in two versions: HQ for HR teams (consolidating renewals, audits, documents, and carrier integrations with an embedded AI assistant) and HQ for Employees (a mobile app providing 24/7 AI-powered benefits support, plan decisions, and provider search). These are paired with expert human advisory services including healthcare renewals, compliance assistance, and alternative health plan strategies. Nava also provides educational content through its Benefits 101 resource hub and maintains a compliance resource library for employers.

Product and service3 records
1HQ (AI-Powered Benefits Platform for HR Teams)
CategoryBenefits Administration Software
Description

AI-powered benefits administration platform for HR teams that consolidates real-time renewals, billing audits, documents, carrier integrations, and an embedded AI assistant into one system. HR teams report saving 40+ hours per month.

2HQ for Employees (Mobile App)
CategoryEmployee Benefits App
Description

Mobile benefits concierge app for employees providing 24/7 AI-powered support, plan decision tools, digital ID cards, provider search, deductible tracking, and medical spending summaries. Achieves 97% employee satisfaction rating.

3Benefits Brokerage Services
CategoryEmployee Benefits Brokerage
Description

Full-service modern employee benefits brokerage combining elite human advisors with AI-powered technology. Services include healthcare renewals, open enrollment support, compliance assistance, alternative health plan strategies (self-funding, PBMs, captives), and year-round employee advocacy.

Scale indicator8 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Partnership2 partners
Strategic tierCoreTypeTechnology or IntegrationAnnounced on2024-10-21
Description

Partnership to power Nava's AI Benefits Assistant, launched in October 2024. The AI assistant uses OpenAI's technology to help employees understand and use their benefits with instant answers. OpenAI receives de-identified chat prompt information when users interact with the chat functionality.

Strategic tierCoreTypeStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnounced on2023-07-12
Description

Nava acquired Nielsen Benefits Group (NBG), a benefits consulting firm, to expand services for mid-sized employers. The acquisition combined technology and expertise to lower healthcare costs and improve benefits delivery. Terms were not disclosed.

Recent move6 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight5 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Broad HR, payroll, and benefits platform serving SMB and lower mid-market employers; bundles benefits administration with payroll, competing for the same buyer and increasingly overlapping with Nava's HQ value proposition.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

PEO and HR tech platform offering benefits, payroll, and compliance to SMB and mid-market employers; overlaps with Nava on benefits administration and competes for HR leader mindshare.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Large US insurance brokerage with an employee benefits practice serving mid-market and enterprise; represents the traditional broker model Nava is disrupting, with growing tech investment of its own.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Unified HR, IT, payroll, and benefits platform targeting mid-market employers; competes for HR leader budget with an integrated suite approach that could pressure standalone benefits brokers like Nava.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

National insurance brokerage with significant employee benefits presence; an incumbent that has been actively acquiring regional brokers and investing in technology to defend share against tech-enabled entrants.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Global insurance brokerage and advisory giant with Mercer as its benefits arm; competes for the same mid-market and enterprise benefits accounts with far greater scale and resources.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Large North American insurance brokerage with a substantial employee benefits practice serving mid-market employers; an incumbent competitor in the same accounts Nava targets.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

US-focused insurance, financial services, and HR consulting firm with a sizable employee benefits brokerage practice serving mid-market employers — a direct incumbent competitor to Nava.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Modern employee benefits broker with a tech platform and analytics layer, serving mid-sized employers with a human-plus-software model similar to Nava's HQ-plus-advisors approach.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Tech-enabled benefits broker for SMBs and small mid-market employers, combining advisor-led service with a software platform — directly comparable positioning to Nava's model.

Market position
Strengths5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat5 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights7 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Named customers5 records

Each record includes

Name, Industry, Type, Use case, Source, UUID

Segment3 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile2 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
Yes
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

Integration2 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Description, Source

AI capability4 records

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Feature6 records

Each record includes

Title, Differentiator, Description, Source

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles11 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

Subsidiaries1 record

Each record includes

Name, Acquired on, Relationship type, Type, Business focus

Compliance2 records

Each record includes

Name, Class, Description

Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds4 records

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors16 records

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Nava

Employee Benefits Brokeragenavabenefits.com

Nava Benefits is a US-based modern employee benefits brokerage that combines elite benefits advisors with its AI-powered HQ platform to help mid-sized employers reduce admin, lower healthcare costs, and deliver 24/7 employee benefits support.

What Nava does

Nava Benefits (legal entity Advocate Inc.) is a US-based, modern employee benefits brokerage that combines elite human benefits advisors with an AI-powered technology platform, serving mid-sized employers (typically 51-1,000 employees) and HR leaders seeking to reduce administrative burden and control healthcare costs. The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in New York, operating across the United States.

The company's core product is HQ, an AI-powered benefits administration platform for HR teams that consolidates real-time renewals, carrier billing audits, ben admin and carrier integrations, centralized document storage, employee engagement dashboards, and an embedded personal AI assistant (powered by OpenAI) for instant benefits Q&A. A companion mobile app, HQ for Employees, extends this experience to plan members with 24/7 benefits support, plan decision tools, provider search, digital ID cards, and medical spending tracking. Nava also provides traditional brokerage services — healthcare renewals, open enrollment support, compliance assistance, and alternative health plan strategies (self-funding, PBMs, captives) — supported by veteran advisors with 15-25+ years of industry experience. The platform is SOC 2 Type 2 and HIPAA compliant.

Nava operates a sales-led, consultative GTM targeting mid-market and enterprise HR buyers via free benefits audits, demos, and elite advisor relationships; the company also runs content marketing and an annual industry event ("Fix Healthcare Live"). Revenue is generated primarily through carrier commissions (typically 2-10% of employer-paid insurance premiums) and per-employee-per-month (PEPM) fees for services such as self-funded plan administration, structured on annual billing cycles with custom enterprise pricing. The company has raised approximately $90 million across disclosed rounds led by Thrive Capital (Series A Oct 2020 $20M, Series B Jun 2022 $40M, Series C Oct 2025 $30M) and has executed two acquisitions — i2 Healthcare (2022) and Nielsen Benefits Group (2023) — to broaden consulting capacity and mid-market reach.

Nava firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Nava
Legal name
Advocate Inc., dba Nava Benefits
Website
https://navabenefits.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
2019
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
51–100 employees
Short description
Nava Benefits is a US-based modern employee benefits brokerage that combines elite benefits advisors with its AI-powered HQ platform to help mid-sized employers reduce admin, lower healthcare costs, and deliver 24/7 employee benefits support.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Nava industry classification

Industry
Product category
Employee Benefits Brokerage
NAICS
Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)
SIC
Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
akta.pro primary industry
Benefits Administration & Total Rewards Outsourcing (BPACAKAE)
akta.pro secondary industries
Benefits Administration (BPACAPAC), Benefits Administration & Enrollment Support (BPAAAIAB), Eligibility, Enrollment & Benefits Administration (HLAEALAH)

Keywords

  • Employee benefits brokerage
  • Benefits administration software
  • Health insurance advisory
  • HR technology platform
  • AI benefits platform

Where Nava is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
New York
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Nava business model

Business model
GTM type
B2B
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

  1. Carrier Commissions: Employee benefits brokers are typically compensated through carrier commissions averaging 2-10% of total premiums paid by employers for insurance coverage.
  2. Per-Employee-Per-Month (PEPM) Fees: Flat per-employee-per-month fees charged in certain situations such as self-funded plans, providing transparent recurring revenue.

Pricing tiers

ModelBillingPrice
SubscriptionAnnualCustom enterprise pricing based on employer size and plan requirements

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Nava product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Nava Benefits is a modern employee benefits brokerage that pairs elite human benefits advisors with an AI-powered technology platform called HQ. The HQ platform centralizes renewals, billing audits, documents, and carrier integrations for HR teams, while a companion mobile app provides 24/7 AI-driven benefits support to employees. Services include healthcare renewals, open enrollment, compliance, alternative health plan strategies (self-funding, PBMs, captives), and year-round employee advocacy for mid-sized US employers.

Product overview

Nava Benefits is a modern employee benefits brokerage offering a unified platform-plus-services model. The core product is HQ, an AI-powered benefits administration platform available in two versions: HQ for HR teams (consolidating renewals, audits, documents, and carrier integrations with an embedded AI assistant) and HQ for Employees (a mobile app providing 24/7 AI-powered benefits support, plan decisions, and provider search). These are paired with expert human advisory services including healthcare renewals, compliance assistance, and alternative health plan strategies. Nava also provides educational content through its Benefits 101 resource hub and maintains a compliance resource library for employers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

  • HQ: AI-powered benefits administration platform for HR teams, providing renewals, audits, documents, and support in one centralized hub

Products and services

  • HQ (AI-Powered Benefits Platform for HR Teams) AI-powered benefits administration platform for HR teams that consolidates real-time renewals, billing audits, documents, carrier integrations, and an embedded AI assistant into one system. HR teams report saving 40+ hours per month.
  • HQ for Employees (Mobile App) Mobile benefits concierge app for employees providing 24/7 AI-powered support, plan decision tools, digital ID cards, provider search, deductible tracking, and medical spending summaries. Achieves 97% employee satisfaction rating.
  • Benefits Brokerage Services Full-service modern employee benefits brokerage combining elite human advisors with AI-powered technology. Services include healthcare renewals, open enrollment support, compliance assistance, alternative health plan strategies (self-funding, PBMs, captives), and year-round employee advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

  • HR teams save 40+ hours per month
  • +5 more outcomes

Companies that use Nava

Customer profile

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Nava technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Nava partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

  • OpenAIcoreTechnology or Integration · 21 October 2024Partnership to power Nava's AI Benefits Assistant, launched in October 2024. The AI assistant uses OpenAI's technology to help employees understand and use their benefits with instant answers. OpenAI receives de-identified chat prompt information when users interact with the chat functionality.
  • Nielsen Benefits Group (NBG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2023Nava acquired Nielsen Benefits Group (NBG), a benefits consulting firm, to expand services for mid-sized employers. The acquisition combined technology and expertise to lower healthcare costs and improve benefits delivery. Terms were not disclosed.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Nava competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

  • Gusto: Broad HR, payroll, and benefits platform serving SMB and lower mid-market employers; bundles benefits administration with payroll, competing for the same buyer and increasingly overlapping with Nava's HQ value proposition.
  • Justworks: PEO and HR tech platform offering benefits, payroll, and compliance to SMB and mid-market employers; overlaps with Nava on benefits administration and competes for HR leader mindshare.
  • Alliant Insurance Services: Large US insurance brokerage with an employee benefits practice serving mid-market and enterprise; represents the traditional broker model Nava is disrupting, with growing tech investment of its own.
  • Rippling: Unified HR, IT, payroll, and benefits platform targeting mid-market employers; competes for HR leader budget with an integrated suite approach that could pressure standalone benefits brokers like Nava.
  • Brown & Brown: National insurance brokerage with significant employee benefits presence; an incumbent that has been actively acquiring regional brokers and investing in technology to defend share against tech-enabled entrants.
  • Marsh McLennan: Global insurance brokerage and advisory giant with Mercer as its benefits arm; competes for the same mid-market and enterprise benefits accounts with far greater scale and resources.
  • HUB International: Large North American insurance brokerage with a substantial employee benefits practice serving mid-market employers; an incumbent competitor in the same accounts Nava targets.
  • OneDigital: US-focused insurance, financial services, and HR consulting firm with a sizable employee benefits brokerage practice serving mid-market employers — a direct incumbent competitor to Nava.

Direct peers

  • Bennie: Modern employee benefits broker with a tech platform and analytics layer, serving mid-sized employers with a human-plus-software model similar to Nava's HQ-plus-advisors approach.
  • Thatch: Tech-enabled benefits broker for SMBs and small mid-market employers, combining advisor-led service with a software platform — directly comparable positioning to Nava's model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Nava social profiles

Digital presence

Nava compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance2 records

Nava financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Nava leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Nava subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries1 record

Nava funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Nava M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nava

What does Nava do?

Nava Benefits is a modern employee benefits brokerage that pairs elite human benefits advisors with an AI-powered technology platform called HQ. The HQ platform centralizes renewals, billing audits, documents, and carrier integrations for HR teams, while a companion mobile app provides 24/7 AI-driven benefits support to employees. Services include healthcare renewals, open enrollment, compliance, alternative health plan strategies (self-funding, PBMs, captives), and year-round employee advocacy for mid-sized US employers.

Is Nava a public or private company?

Nava is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.

When was Nava founded?

Nava was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is Nava based?

Nava is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.

How does Nava make money?

Two revenue lines are on record. Carrier Commissions are the primary driver. The others are per-Employee-Per-Month (PEPM) Fees.

Who are Nava's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Gusto, Justworks, Alliant Insurance Services, Rippling, Brown & Brown, Marsh McLennan, HUB International and OneDigital. Direct peers are Bennie and Thatch.

Does Nava have an API?

No public API is recorded for Nava.

What industry is Nava in?

Nava's product category is Employee Benefits Brokerage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAKAE, Benefits Administration & Total Rewards Outsourcing, with a secondary code of BPACAPAC, Benefits Administration. Its NAICS code is 525120 and its SIC code is 6411.

Unlock the full company data

50 free credits on sign-up, no credit card required.

Contact sales
Live signals
ExecutiveBizNava Backs Launch of CMS App for Medicare ClaimsNava supported the launch of TCEDI, a CMS application that routes Medicare claims through a single system, replacing seven contractor-run systems. The app supports processing over 1 billion claims annually, and Nava has partnered with CMS since 2015 on modernization efforts.OcbjAlliant Insurance to Acquire Nava BenefitsAlliant Insurance Services has agreed to acquire Nava Benefits, an employee benefits brokerage known for its AI-powered platform. The transaction, announced on August 18, aims to combine Alliant's brokerage services with Nava's technology to create an AI-native benefits model. Specific financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.Insurance Business AmericaAlliant acquires AI benefits platform Nava in tech consolidation pushAlliant Insurance Services has agreed to acquire Nava Benefits, a New York-based employee benefits broker and AI technology platform provider. This transaction is part of a broader industry trend where large brokers are acquiring AI-native firms rather than building internal capabilities, following similar moves by competitors like WTW. The acquisition aims to integrate Nava's proprietary HQ platform into Alliant's operations to enhance real-time quoting and member support services.TecHRAlliant Insurance Services to Acquire Nava, Creating an AI-Native Model for the Future of Employee BenefitsAlliant Insurance Services agreed to acquire Nava Benefits, combining its advisory scale with Nava's AI-native HQ platform. The deal aims to create a connected benefits model where AI resolves 81% of support inquiries, with terms undisclosed. Barclays served as financial advisor.MorningstarAlliant Insurance Services to Acquire Nava, Creating an AI-Native Model for the Future of Employee BenefitsAlliant Insurance Services agreed to acquire Nava Benefits, combining Alliant's advisory scale with Nava's AI-native HQ platform. The platform resolves 81% of support inquiries and holds a lifetime NPS of 89. Terms were not disclosed.NavabenefitsYour ultimate guide to employee benefits brokersThis is an educational guide from Nava, a modern employee benefits brokerage, explaining what benefits brokers do, how they get compensated, and why employers should consider switching to tech-forward brokerages. The guide covers key broker functions including healthcare renewals, open enrollment support, compliance assistance, and year-round employee advocacy, and distinguishes between traditional brokerages and modern tech-enabled firms. It positions Nava's model—combining expert consulting with technology tools like its HQ platform—as the preferred alternative for mid-sized employers seeking transparency and proactive benefits management.SiliconprairienewsAll-women cohort of entrepreneurs competed for over $91k worth of prizes at Pitch Black 2026The MAC Chamber hosted Pitch Black 2026, a pitch competition for BIPOC, immigrant, and refugee entrepreneurs, with five women-led businesses as finalists. Over $91,000 in prizes were awarded, including $24,500 in cash and $66,000 in technical assistance. The first-place winner, CoreScience BioDiagnostics, plans to expand its franchise.FcbarcelonaNava 24-42 Barça: Another win for the recordFC Barcelona defeated Nava 42-24 in the ASOBAL league, securing their 26th win of the season and maintaining a perfect record for the 2025/26 campaign. The victory served as preparation for their upcoming Champions League match against Nantes, with key contributions from players such as N'Guessan and Dika Mem.TechStartupsMeta unveils Muse Spark, its first superintelligence model to rival OpenAI and GoogleMeta unveiled Muse Spark on April 8, its first model from Meta Superintelligence Labs, designed for text, images, and voice with a contemplating mode. Early benchmarks show it holds its own against top models but trails in coding and abstract problem-solving. The model is not open, with future versions planned.TechStartupsOpenAI halts UK Stargate AI infrastructure project amid energy costs and regulatory concernsOpenAI has paused its UK Stargate AI infrastructure project, which planned to deploy up to 8,000 GPUs with Nscale and Nvidia. The company cited energy costs and regulatory clarity as reasons for the delay, though talks remain active. It will continue investing in talent and local partnerships.