Podcast Hosting Platforms Can Provide More Efficient Audio Delivery Worldwide Including New Points of Presence in London and Sydney

LONDON, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SoundStack, the independent, full-stack technology company for digital audio, today announced an expansion of its global content delivery network (CDN). Rooted in edge-computing capabilities to deliver, process, and measure audio closer to listeners around the world, the innovation creates more seamless listening experiences for audiences, and gives hosting platforms and other audio publishers a simple way to add critical functionality to their business with lower costs and faster time-to-market.

The news was announced in London in advance of this week’s Podcast Show and concurrent with the opening of new data centers in London and Sydney, expanding SoundStack’s international points of presence (POPs) to 12 locations, with more planned later this year.

SoundStack’s new, purpose-built edge compute capabilities are designed to integrate directly with podcast hosting companies’ existing systems. With these new capabilities, hosting platforms can continue to provide their podcasters with their own customer-facing content management systems (CMS) and tools, while seamlessly leveraging SoundStack’s CDN to handle the heavy lifting of enabling podcast delivery, programmatic monetization, contextual enrichment and extraction, and adherence to IAB 2.2 measurement guidelines.

“In audio, it’s easy to overlook how critical physical server proximity is to delivering a seamless listening experience,” said Jon Stephenson, CEO of SoundStack. “Low latency, fast ad decisioning, and scalable ad stitching are essential for podcasting (and streaming) success, but many platforms and media companies simply don’t have the infrastructure or resources to manage it. With SoundStack’s enhanced CDN and purpose-built applications, they don’t have to. We’ve built it so they can focus on what matters most: their content, audience, and core publishing features.”

SoundStack owns and operates its own CDN within data centers around the world – including New York, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Toronto, Tokyo, Singapore, Vancouver, Sydney, and London. This footprint gives SoundStack CDN customers global reach, putting audio delivery and the computing power necessary to deliver rich listener experiences right in their own back yard.

For more information on SoundStack CDN and edge-computing capabilities, visit https://soundstack.com/global-network/.

About SoundStack
SoundStack is the independent, full-stack technology / services company for podcast and digital audio businesses – enterprise media, networks, hosting platforms, ad tech, and buy-side partners. Our collective experience of having built some of the most foundational platforms in digital audio informs our core belief: when podcasters and broadcasters work with independent tech providers that are free to put the publisher first, instead of a corporate media parent, those publishers run a more successful business overall. Constantly innovating to help publishers seamlessly deliver, monetize, and measure digital audio, our team of 75+ audio tech experts is guided only by what delivers the best results for our 14k+ partners. SoundStack is headquartered in Pittsburgh and is the parent of Live365 (which continues to operate as its own brand).

Media contact:
Scott Klass, CMO
scott@soundstack.com

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SOURCE SoundStack

Seasoned product leader joins executive team to accelerate AI-powered innovation and customer-centric strategy

BELLEVUE, Wash. and COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Siteimprove, the leading AI-powered SaaS-platform for delivering digital content experiences that are compliant and accessible, today announced the appointment of Kalvin Brite as Senior Vice President of Product. In this role, Brite will lead the company’s global product organization, reporting to CEO Nayaki Nayyar. Brite will be instrumental in delivering a bold new product vision – one that places the customer at the heart of our AI innovation and strengthens our leadership position.

Brite brings more than 15 years of product leadership experience from high-growth SaaS companies including Contentful, Twilio, and SendGrid. Most recently, as Vice President of Product at Contentful, he contributed to Contentful’s growth beyond $200 million in annual revenue, the acquisition of Ninetailed and the launch of Contentful Studio and AI Actions. Prior to Contentful, Brite led expansion of Twillio’s marketing automation platform to over 20,000 customers, and he led product management at SendGrid through its IPO and acquisition by Twilio.

“Kalvin’s customer-first approach, deep technical expertise, and track record of product innovation make him the ideal leader to guide Siteimprove’s next chapter,” said Nayaki Nayyar, CEO of Siteimprove. “Kalvin’s strategic thinking, full product lifecycle experience and iterative mindset will help us deliver even more value faster to our customers.”

This strategic hire reflects the company’s priority on deepening its understanding of customer needs and accelerating the development of solutions that drive impact in the AI era.

“I’m thrilled to join Siteimprove at this pivotal moment,” said Brite. “The company has a powerful legacy of helping the world’s leading brands deliver accessible and engaging digital experiences. I’m excited to shape the next generation of Siteimprove’s AI-platform and empower teams to turn bold ideas into tangible, customer-centered outcomes.”

Brite holds both an MBA and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Denver, along with product leadership certifications from CPO Accelerator and the Silicon Valley Product Group.

For more information about Siteimprove’s leadership team, visit siteimprove.com/about.

About Siteimprove:
Founded in 2003, Siteimprove empowers companies to deliver engaging, accessible and compliant digital experiences that not only perform, but matter. Today, clients spanning manufacturing, government, higher education, financial services, and healthcare rely on Siteimprove’s AI-powered platform to capture their users’ attention, drive engagement, and adhere to the highest accessibility standards. Based in Copenhagen, Bellevue, Minneapolis and London, Siteimprove represents a single, actionable source of truth for marketing teams of every size and scale, from Series A to the largest global enterprises. Siteimprove is majority owned by Nordic Capital.

About Nordic Capital:
Nordic Capital is a leading sector-specialist private equity investor with a resolute commitment to creating stronger, sustainable businesses through operational improvement and transformative growth. Nordic Capital focuses on selected regions and sectors where it has deep experience and a long history. Focus sectors are Healthcare, Technology & Payments, Financial Services, and Services & Industrial Tech. Key regions are Europe and globally for Healthcare and Technology & Payments investments. Since inception in 1989, Nordic Capital has invested c. EUR 26 billion in close to 150 investments. The most recent entities are Nordic Capital XI with EUR 9.0 billion in committed capital and Nordic Capital Evolution II with EUR 2 billion in committed capital, principally provided by international institutional investors such as pension funds. Nordic Capital Advisors have local offices in Sweden, the UK, the US, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and South Korea. www.nordiccapital.com.

Media Contact:
Misty@Relevance.com

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SOURCE Siteimprove

New Alliance Aims to Create Sustainable Technologies Benefiting Credit Unions and Their Communities

BOCA RATON, Fla., May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The multi-phased investment firm backed by recognized fintech leaders, Black Dragon Capital℠, has announced a new strategic partnership with State Employees Credit Union of Maryland (“SECU”).

Founded over a decade ago by recognized financial technology and credit union leaders, Black Dragon Capital℠ is a multi-phased investment firm focused on disruptive technologies in high-growth industry segments. The firm is led by a collaborative team with a combination of intense operating experience, community impact focus, and a proven ability to transform and grow companies to strengthen economic stability within communities.

SECU is Maryland’s largest state-chartered credit union, which offers goals-based financial planning and investment management services at every stage of life to its over 250,000 members¹.

After an extensive due diligence process, SECU has opted to enter a strategic partnership with Black Dragon Capital℠ which aims to explore approaches to the business and competitive challenges arising from the ongoing digitization of financial services. This collaboration between Black Dragon Capital℠ and SECU is focused on supporting the development of financial technology initiatives intended to assist credit unions transform and streamline their workflow while continuing to deliver the highest-quality member service possible.

SECU joins other credit unions that have partnered with Black Dragon Capital℠ to explore strategies aimed at enhancing community-focused financial services SECU. They will work with the Black Dragon Capital℠ team to engage the firm’s global reach and technology-focused insights to identify tools that may support credit unions navigating today’s digital landscape.

Through this partnership, SECU will also be able to bring the expertise of a collaborative firm that has seen success on a global scale to their community of members in Maryland.

“SECU is deeply committed to providing the best financial services to our members. We have listened intently to the Black Dragon Capital℠ team’s vision, which aligns with our belief that stronger financial services are the backbone of empowered communities. This partnership is an important, innovative step towards a new era of financial empowerment, and we are excited to unlock new technologies that will directly benefit our growth across Maryland,” said Jason Reimer, Executive Vice President and Chief Infrastructure & Experience Officer, SECU.

The Black Dragon Capital℠ team’s insights on operations, combined with their deep experience in cutting-edge technology positions them to advise portfolio companies on strategies that may strengthen market positioning. Through intense research on the competitors and markets, they have honed their prowess in identifying scalable solutions and working with founders to identify opportunities for differentiated growth in competitive markets.

“Digital disruption has affected credit unions and the communities they serve. The Black Dragon Capital℠ team’s goal is to seek out innovative technologies that can help credit unions gain a competitive edge that they may thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape. To reach this goal, we present credit unions like SECU with a unique opportunity to partner with our team of experienced professionals – all of whom have deep domain expertise in the financial industry, and a proven ability of transforming and growing companies,” said Louis Hernandez Jr., Founder and CEO, Black Dragon Capital. “SECU shares our goal of empowering credit unions and their communities and we’re looking forward to working with them.” 

¹ As stated on their website.

About Black Dragon Capital℠

Black Dragon Capital℠, founded over a decade ago by recognized financial technology and Credit Union leaders, is a multi-phased investment firm focused on disruptive technologies in high growth industry segments that strengthen economic stability within communities. The firm is led by a collaborative team with a combination of intense operating experience, community impact focus, and a proven track record of successfully transforming companies.

About SECU (State Employees Credit Union of Maryland)

SECU (“see-Q”), Maryland’s largest state-chartered credit union, serves over 250,000 members via 23 Financial Centers across the state, including 21 Financial Centers, 1 Digital Center, and a Virtual Financial Center. As a member-owned, not-for-profit organization, SECU puts its members first. Membership is open to all of Maryland, with over 1,900 ways to join. You may be eligible through a family member, work, the college you attended, state employment, an organization you are affiliated with, or simply through a one-time donation to SECU’s partner, the SECU Foundation. Headquartered in Linthicum, Md., SECU offers convenient access to over 50,000 free ATMs through the CO-OP network, as well as access to expert financial planners. With more than $5 billion in assets, SECU ranks among the top 60 credit unions nationwide based on total assets in the U.S. Insured by NCUA. For more information, visit www.secumd.org or follow SECU on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.

Media Contact or Inquiries: 
Aren Wong
Social Media Manager, Black Dragon Capital
awong@blackdragoncap.com

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SOURCE Black Dragon Capital