Innovation

💸 Tapcheck, an on-demand pay provider, secured $225 million in equity and debt funding. Founded in 2019 by Ron and Kayling Gaver, the company has over 300 payroll and timekeeping system integrations. Employers report a 50% increase in retention, and 70% of employees feel less financial stress using Tapcheck. The service has processed over $1 billion in early wage access, serving 12,000 employer locations, including major companies like McDonald's, with 112,000 employees accessing over $160 million in wage advances. The latest funding consists of a $25 million Series A extension from PeakSpan Capital and a $200 million credit facility by Victory Park Capital. The funds will enhance Tapcheck's products, including its Mastercard offering and AI capabilities, reinforcing its leadership in earned wage access solutions.

💰 Tapcheck, founded in 2019 by Ron and Kayling Gaver, secured $225 million in funding. The company offers on-demand pay, integrating with nearly 300 payroll systems, and is used by employers like Hilton and McDonald's. It boasts over 50% employee retention improvement, has facilitated over $1 billion in early wage funding, and served 12,000 employer locations. The latest financing includes a $25 million Series A extension from PeakSpan Capital and a $200 million credit facility from Victory Park Capital.

📈 Tapcheck, founded in 2019 by Ron and Kayling Gaver, secured $225 million in equity and debt financing, with $25 million in Series A extension from PeakSpan Capital and $200 million credit from Victory Park Capital. The company, integrating with nearly 300 payroll systems, has processed over $1 billion in early wage funding for employees at 12,000 employer locations, including Hilton and McDonald's, serving 112,000 McDonald’s employees with over $160M in wage advances. Tapcheck reports a 50% employee retention improvement and a 70% decrease in employee financial stress. The new funding will expand product development, scale Mastercard access, and enhance AI capabilities.

💳 Tapcheck, an on-demand pay provider founded in 2019, raised $225 million in equity and debt financing. The company integrates with nearly 300 payroll systems and has facilitated over $1 billion in early wage funding, serving 12,000 employer locations. Employers see a 50% improvement in retention, and 70% of employees report reduced financial stress. Tapcheck supports major companies like Hilton and McDonald’s, with 112,000 McDonald’s employees receiving over $160M in advance wage disbursements. The latest funding includes a $25 million Series A extension from PeakSpan Capital and a $200 million credit facility from Victory Park Capital.

🔎 On April 14, 2025, Kayak launched Kayak.ai to enhance personalized, real-time travel search. Kayak.ai is a "test lab" for AI-driven features, aiming to revolutionize travel booking with conversational AI and real-time pricing, setting itself apart from traditional search interfaces. Kayak's CEO Steve Hafner anticipates that AI may replace many travel services, emphasizing direct consumer service while exploring AI partnerships with platforms like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT.

🔍 On Apr 14, 2025, zero-click search, driven by AI, has transformed digital marketing, devaluing traditional click-driven tactics. Marketers now focus on building digital "signals" over website clicks, optimizing for AI recommendations. Key strategies include engaging on multiple digital platforms and optimizing for AI-friendly signals, like long-tail keywords and local search. Full details at [Impact](https://www.impactplus.com/blog/build-search-signals).