Latest news with #Octave
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Octave® unveiled: Hexagon reveals name for potential 2026 company spin-off
Hexagon has announced that the spin-off of its Asset Lifecyle Intelligence and Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial divisions, and related businesses, will operate as Octave. Octave will be a pureplay software and SaaS company focused on helping customers make smarter, more data-driven decisions across their organisation. If approved by relevant stakeholders, it is the Hexagon Board's current expectation that the separation and listing process will be completed in the first half of 2026 STOCKHOLM, June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Hexagon AB prepares for the potential spin-off of Hexagon's Asset Lifecycle Intelligence and Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial divisions and related businesses, the company has announced that the new business will operate as Octave. This new name communicates the company's intent to increase, accelerate, and optimise customer outcomes. As previously announced, in addition to Hexagon's existing Asset Lifecycle Intelligence and Safety, Infrastructure and Geospatial divisions, Octave will also include ETQ (currently operating under the Manufacturing Intelligence division) and Bricsys (currently operating under the Geosystems division). This new business will be a pureplay software and SaaS company focused on helping customers make smarter, more data-driven decisions across their organisation. Octave's portfolio will help customers design, build, operate and protect assets more effectively, enabling clearer insights and better incident response. "As we prepare for the potential separation from Hexagon AB, Octave will be a powerful identity to reflect the significant growth opportunity," said Mattias Stenberg, current President of Hexagon's Asset Lifecycle Intelligence and Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial divisions and incoming Octave Chief Executive Officer. "As a separate, stand-alone company Octave will have the depth, scale, and expertise necessary to capitalise on software and services opportunities across the industrial and public sector spaces and deliver intelligence at scale." Collectively, Octave had approximately 7,200 employees as of December 31, 2024, and revenues of approximately EUR 1,448 million with an adjusted operating margin (EBIT1) of approximately 31% for the year ended December 31, 2024, before consideration of standalone costs and using IFRS accounting standards.[1] If approved by relevant stakeholders, it is the Hexagon Board's current expectation that the separation and listing process will be completed in the first half of 2026. Hexagon will provide additional information on the cost of the separation process and other key matters in due course. The separation, spin-off and listing remain subject to this ongoing process and final approval of the Hexagon Board and shareholders, as well as being subject to other conditions, consents and regulatory approvals. There can be no assurances that a separation, spin-off or listing will occur. For more information, visit FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Keri Tomsic, Director Corporate Communications, Hexagon, +1 404.725.3964, media@ Hull, Head of Investor Relations, Hexagon, +44 7442 678 437, ir@ Important information:This communication does not constitute an offer to exchange, sell or buy securities. There shall not be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This communication contains forward-looking statements. When used in this communication, words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan" and "project" are intended to identify forward-looking statements. They may involve risks and uncertainties, including technological advances in the measurement field, product demand and market acceptance, the effect of economic conditions, the impact of competitive products and pricing, foreign currency exchange rates and other risks. These forward-looking statements reflect the views of Hexagon's management as of the date made with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. All of these forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by Hexagon's management and are believed to be reasonable, though are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict. Actual results or experience could differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Hexagon disclaims any intention or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and the actual results of Hexagon's operations and the development of the markets and the industry in which Hexagon operates or other outcomes suggested by such forward-looking statements (including any outcomes of a separation, a spin-off or a listing and any related business, financial, tax, regulatory or other implications, or differences between the existing ALI division and any separated business) may differ materially from those described in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements contained in this communication. [1] As all details about Octave are subject to change as preparation for the potential spin-off progresses, the actual results of Octave, and Hexagon excluding Octave, may vary from the figures reflected herein, for reasons including but not limited to potential changes in accounting standards and the inclusion of stand-alone costs. This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: Octave® unveiled Hexagon reveals name for potential 2026 company spin-off View original content: SOURCE Hexagon Sign in to access your portfolio
Forbes
13-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why Most Startups Are Torching Their Marketing Spend
Every startup pitch sounds the same. Every sales email feels like it came from the same script. Every product demo promises to be 'AI-powered,' 'blazing fast,' and 'revolutionary.' That's because, in many cases, they were- thanks to generative AI tools like ChatGPT. AI was supposed to give companies a competitive edge. Instead, it triggered a conformity crisis—flattening differentiation and flooding the market with lookalike messaging. And that sameness is expensive. According to Rakuten Marketing, companies waste 26% of their marketing budgets—about $130 billion annually—on efforts that don't drive results. Sales teams aren't faring much better. Bloated prospect lists, recycled messaging, and unclear value props are dragging down deal cycles. Companies are pouring time and salaries into outreach strategies that barely move the needle—dozens of reps chasing the same stale leads with the same tired scripts. Customer acquisition costs are rising across nearly every sector, yet many teams keep expanding headcount instead of rethinking the model. The shift is already underway: 'The most effective teams are cutting through the noise—not by scaling up effort, but by scaling up precision,' according to Zach Vidibor, CEO and Co-founder of Octave. With AI handling the heavy lifting—identifying real buyer intent, automating workflows, and tailoring outreach—teams are closing more with less. But two startups: Clay and Octave are rewriting the rules. Clay, backed by Sequoia and now valued at $1.3 billion, is betting on signal-based sales. Instead of guessing who might be interested, Clay tracks over 100 real-time data points—like job changes, funding rounds, or new tech adoption—to tell companies when someone is actually ready to buy. It's the difference between cold outreach and timely engagement. In one example, Rippling used Clay to build over 50 workflows that replaced mass emailing with high-signal targeting. The result? A 30% response rate from a small number of qualified leads and triple the pipeline with 90% less noise. If Clay solves for "who," Octave solves for "what." Founded by GTM veteran Zach Vidibor (ex-LinkedIn, Dropbox, DocuSign), Octave uses AI to test dozens of message variants in parallel—helping companies learn what actually converts. "AI-powered" vs. "human-first." "Revolutionary" vs. "reliable." Instead of guessing which messaging resonates, Octave helps companies discover the phrasing that fits their specific customers, not just market trends. A SaaS company in the business travel space was competing in an increasingly crowded market. Rather than using generic pitches, they deployed Octave to personalize messaging for every prospect interaction. Their sales reps receive customized talking points before each call, powered by AI agents that research prospects and match them to relevant value propositions and use cases. The company has integrated Octave directly into Salesforce and calls their agents thousands of times per week. The financial results were clear: more demos booked, faster sales cycles, higher close rates. Their go-to-market engine finally matched the velocity of their competitive landscape. Vidibor's approach reflects a broader shift in how companies compete. When product features can be replicated quickly, the sustainable advantage lies in how fast you can test and adapt your messaging. The companies winning today aren't just building better products—they're optimizing their narrative faster than competitors can copy their innovations. In markets where everyone has access to similar tools, speed of message iteration becomes a critical differentiator. Success goes to companies that can reshape their story faster than others can replicate their features. This isn't just a marketing story—it's an economic one. When every company sounds the same, buyers can't tell the difference. That drags out decisions, drives up costs, and pushes even strong products into obscurity. The startups solving this problem aren't just improving efficiency. They're giving companies a way to stand out in a market that rewards speed over substance. Strategic AI is creating new competitive moats—not through features, but through faster learning cycles and message adaptation. AI leveled the playing field in how companies write, pitch, sell and even how they build. Code, content, and product delivery are now faster and more accessible than ever. That means the only real edge left is how quickly you can differentiate before someone else copies you. For companies watching their GTM costs soar while conversion rates stagnate, the solution isn't generic AI tools that speed up misfires. It's precision platforms that restore competitive advantage. The teams winning today aren't scaling volume. They're scaling insight. They know who to target, what to say, and when to move. They're not chasing trends; they're setting them. Clay and Octave function as go-to-market operating systems. Clay transforms guesswork into actionable signals. Octave converts noise into message discipline. Octave's CEO, Vidibor, elaborates, 'Used together, they don't just reduce costs; they rebuild competitive moats that actually matter.' Hundreds of companies have already deployed both Clay and Octave as a combined system, proving that in a world where every company sounds identical, clarity becomes currency. And adaptation speed determines survival. The next wave of growth isn't about more automation. It's about sharper targeting, clearer messaging, and real-time narrative control. That's what Clay and Octave are building.
Tom's Guide
06-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
You can build your own AI voice from scratch with Hume — here's how
Hume is a chatbot which seeks to bring expressiveness, realism and emotional understanding to voice AI. It's designed to read the emotion in your voice, meaning conversations can feel more natural and personable. And now, thanks to the introduction of EVI 3 (a model that captures the full range of voices and speaking styles in one model), you can speak with any voice and personality, customizing them to suit your exact needs. You don't need to pay to play around with the system, but I would suggest signing up for an account because it gives you access to more AI features. EVI 3 requires a back-and-forth verbal conversation, but if you prefer typing, you can use the Octave text-to-speech model instead. Hume's EVI 3 is well worth trying as it's the best AI voice generator around right now, outperforming GPT-4o in blind tests across empathy, expressiveness, and audio quality. Let's check it out. Go to and you will be able to immediately make use of EVI 3, the platform's new empathic voice-to-voice model. To begin generating a natural-sounding customised voice, simply select Design a voice — but be aware that you will need to grant access to your device's microphone because the creation process is entirely verbal. Since you can't use text prompts, you may also want to be somewhere a little private and quiet. Hume's AI will start a conservation with you. It will introduce the concept of creating an AI voice and personality, and it will ask you to list the qualities that you want the voice to have. You don't need to wait for the AI to finish communicating. You can interrupt whenever you wish and, to speed things up, we advise you to do this.. So what can you say? Well, you could, for example, say: 'give me a high-pitched, laid-back sarcastic voice in a New York accent'. Hume will acknowledge this and ask some follow up questions to get an idea of the personality. Would you like the AI to be blunt and to the point? Do you have any particular situations in mind? That kind of thing. Eventually, Hume AI will stop asking questions. It will tell you that it has enough information and it's ready to generate a custom voice for you. You can also select Proceed to Customized Voice if you feel you've added enough. You'll land on the chat screen. You can engage in a conversation and get a feel for the voice and how it sounds, working out if it's what you wanted. The more you chat, the more you will know if it's reacting well. If you like the voice, click the thumbs-up symbol. If you don't like the voice, click the thumbs-down symbol. Doing the latter will give you an option to try creating the same voice again — click Retry and it will re-generate, hopefully giving you something better. When you've had enough of chatting, you can do one of two things. You can click the + icon and add the voice to your account – select Continue (if you don't have an account you will be prompted to set one up). You can also exit the chat. Just click the red button and you will return to the home screen. From there, you can select Design a new voice or select Talk to custom voice if you want to resume the conversation with the same voice. And there you go. You now know how to design your own AI voice using Hume. Other services can perform a similar task. Discover how to turn text into audio with ElevenLabs AI Reader and learn how to use Hendra to clone your voice. You may also want to explore OpenVoice, a text-to-speech AI tool that clones your voice in seconds. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Business Insider
29-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
See the 12-slide pitch deck AI marketing-tech startup Octave used to raise a $5.5 million seed round from Bonfire and a LinkedIn alumni fund
Marketing tech startup Octave has raised $5.5 million to grow its AI-powered go-to-market platform. The San Francisco-based startup helps companies build ideal customer profiles and decide their marketing campaign strategy. The startup says it was born out of frustration with existing inbound marketing and sales tools like HubSpot and Salesforce. "I spent 15 years on all these sales teams and the tools, they just suck energy from you, they don't help you," said Octave's cofounder and CEO, Zach Vidibor. "Our mantra was really about being a battery-included experience." Vidibor, who has worked on sales teams at LinkedIn, DocuSign, and Dropbox, met his cofounder, Julian Tempelsman, at an internet safety startup that was acquired by Twitter in 2018. "Think of GPT and Claude and Gemini and DeepSeek," Vidibor said about how the platform harnesses AI. "Those are the engine, and we've built a car around it that drives on a very specific track." The round was led by Bonfire Ventures, with participation from Unusual Ventures, Bee Partners, inVest Ventures — a fund focused on LinkedIn alumni — and angel investors. The seed round is Octave's second cash injection, following a $2.9 million pre-seed round in 2022, which was led by Craft Ventures and Tidepool Labs. The company launched publicly in February 2024 and works on a subscription-based freemium model. It offers customers a forever-free tier, and paid plans start at $150 a month and scale depending on usage, Vidibor said. With the cash infusion, the startup said it would ramp up hiring in its go-to-market team, including engineers, product designers, and a head of growth. The CEO said AI and the string of coding tools now available to engineers are playing a role in these hiring decisions. Octave is "really trying to focus on people that have domain experience and building in areas that are close to our problem space," he said. "Maybe you are not the rockstar, change the world engineer, but you can balance that out now, a little bit, with some of these tools." Check out the pitch deck Octave used to secure the fresh funding.
Business Wire
29-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Octave Bioscience Expands Medical Leadership to
MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Octave Bioscience, Inc., a leading precision care company that is delivering a new standard for managing multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases, announced the appointments of Jennifer Graves, MD, PhD, MAS as Senior Medical Director and Darin Okuda, M.D., F.A.A.N., F.A.N.A., as Senior Medical Advisor, and the promotion of Terrie Livingston, PharmD, to Vice President, Medical Affairs. The extensive experience of this world-class medical leadership team will accelerate Octave's commitment to improving the quality of life of patients with neurodegenerative diseases by developing new biomarker-based approaches to deliver medical insights that are clinically actionable and generate long-term value through innovation. 'The expansion of our medical leadership team not only validates the power of our precision neurology efforts but also positions us to accelerate broad market adoption and establish a new standard of care." Doug Biehn, President and Chief Executive Officer Share Dr. Graves is Professor of Neurosciences and Vice Chair of Human Clinical Research at UC San Diego. As Division Chief of Neuroimmunology, she directs the multiple sclerosis clinics at UCSD, the San Diego VA Hospital and the Rady Children's Hospital. 'Neurology is entering an era where innovations in precision biomarkers and digital tools are reshaping how we understand disease biology, assess disease processes, and ultimately treat disease,' said Dr. Graves. 'Through my senior scientific advisory role, I am excited to realize the promise of precision neurology to improve clinical outcomes in MS and to create tools we had believed to be possible in our early pilot studies with Octave at UCSD. The opportunity to treat to target with a serological test will transform the field." Dr. Okuda is an M.D., F.A.A.N., F.A.N.A. and professor of neurology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, specializing in multiple sclerosis and related disorders. 'It's a privilege to join a company that truly balances scientific innovation with meaningful patient impact,' said Dr. Okuda. 'Precision neurology can only move from theory to practice when we know who to treat and when. With the Octave MSDA Test accessible to MS patients across the country, we're not just advancing innovation, we're accelerating its reach. This allows us to identify and support a broader range of patients earlier in their disease course, when timely intervention can make the greatest difference.' 'Our goal is to continue setting new standards of care for neurodegenerative diseases by supporting optimal clinical decision-making in conditions like multiple sclerosis,' said Terrie Livingston. 'My vision is to advance Octave's ability to measure disease activity and progression, delivering actionable, data-driven insights that inform evidence-based treatment decisions and, ultimately, help patients receive more personalized, timely, and empowering care.' 'This is a pivotal moment for Octave as we experience strong adoption across physicians, pharma, and payers,' said Doug Biehn, President and Chief Executive Officer at Octave Bioscience. 'The expansion of our medical leadership team not only validates the power of our precision neurology efforts but also positions us to accelerate broad market adoption and establish a new standard of care. We are pioneering a more proactive and clinically actionable approach to ensure the right patient is on the right therapy at the right time.' The Octave Bioscience team will be onsite at the CMSC Annual Meeting, booth #401, in Phoenix, AZ from May 28 - 31, 2025, where five posters will be presented showcasing fluid biomarker innovation. Onsite, meeting attendees can learn how the Octave MSDA Test is transforming MS care with actionable insights and connect with our team to discover how fluid biomarkers can elevate clinical decision-making. About Octave Bioscience, Inc. Octave Bioscience, Inc. is a leading precision care company pioneering biomarker-driven solutions for neurodegenerative diseases, starting with multiple sclerosis. Octave's comprehensive solution provides objective, actionable insights to improve disease monitoring, treatment decisions, and patient outcomes. The company's flagship product, the Octave Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity (MSDA) Test, is the first clinically and analytically validated blood-based biomarker test that enables physicians to quantitatively measure MS disease activity, allowing for more informed treatment decisions and personalized disease management over time. For more information, visit
