LINQ provides cloud-based software for K-12 schools and districts to run core operations in one platform. It focuses on school nutrition management, finance, and administrative tasks, combining menus, payments, alerts, digital forms, and automated workflows into a single system. The product is accessed online and uses subscriptions, so districts pay recurring fees to use the software. The platform integrates different operations to improve efficiency, reduce paperwork, and ensure regulatory compliance. LINQ differentiates itself by offering an end-to-end solution that consolidates nutrition programs, financial management, and administrative processes in one cloud-based tool, helping district leaders save time and cut costs. The goal is to empower school leaders with stable, streamlined operations and better oversight of district activities.
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Wilmington, North Carolina
Founded
1989
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citybiz+ Deep Cogito raises $43M to scale enterprise AI model training. August 27, 2026 San Francisco-based Deep Cogito raised $43 million in Series A funding led by TQ Ventures, bringing total capital to over $56 million. Founded by former Google AI Search executives Drishan Arora and Dhruv Malrana, the company develops reinforcement-learning technology to customize open-weight AI models for enterprise needs. Zscaler became a customer and joined as a strategic investor. Deep Cogito will use the funding to expand model-training infrastructure, research, and enterprise deployments. San Francisco-based Deep Cogito has raised $43 million in a Series A financing round led by New York's TQ Ventures, with participation from Benchmark, Nexus Venture Partners, Atreides Management, South Park Commons, and Zscaler. The financing brings the company's total capital raised to more than $56 million, as Deep Cogito plans to use the additional capital to scale its model-training infrastructure and develop software that lets companies adapt open-weight AI models to proprietary data and business requirements. Deep Cogito was founded by Drishan Arora and Dhruv Malrana, former Google employees who worked on AI search products. Arora led Gemini post-training for AI search, while Malrana led product development for AI search from its inception. The company's core technology uses large-scale reinforcement learning to modify model behavior based on how well outputs perform against defined objectives. "Pre-training gives a model an enormous amount of knowledge and capability. Post-training determines what that model can actually become," said the company's CEO Arora, who holds an MS degree in Computer Science from Columbia University. Deep Cogito believes companies may need models optimized for internal security data, technical workflows, or proprietary decisions rather than general-purpose performance. The company has tested its methods across open-weight models ranging from 3 billion to more than 600 billion parameters and now intends to apply the same training system to enterprise models. Zscaler, a cybersecurity company that became a Deep Cogito customer before joining the funding round as a strategic investor, said Deep Cogito worked with it to train model behavior around its products and performance metrics. TQ Ventures, a venture capital firm managing about $2 billion, was founded in 2018 and has invested in startups across technology and other sectors. Its portfolio includes companies such as Railway, Linq, Ro, Lawhive, Plenful, Augmodo, Reactor, and Architect, reflecting a focus on early-stage companies. "Very few teams outside the largest AI labs have demonstrated the ability to post-train models at this scale," said Schuster Tanger, co-founding partner at TQ Ventures. In August, the firm participated in a follow-on financing for AI developer infrastructure company Pathway. Earlier in the year, TQ Ventures joined Tilt's $50 million Series B in February and participated in a $20 million Series A for Linq.
LINQ, a provider of nutrition, ERP, school payments and programme management solutions for K-12 schools, has appointed Sharon Love as CEO and Eric Wood as CTO. Both executives joined the company at the end of 2025. Love previously served as CEO of Cordance and Community Brands, whilst Wood joins from CTO roles at Cordance and Aceable, with additional leadership experience at MyFitnessPal and Under Armour. LINQ partners with 30% of US school districts, serving over 1 billion school meals annually to more than 17 million students. The company also processes payroll for 364,000 educators and staff and supports 3.5 million families with school fee management. Love emphasised the company's focus on supporting school nutrition directors and administrators who manage critical operations with increasingly limited resources.
LINQ settlement resolves class action lawsuit over months-long data breach. Law v. EMS LINQ, LLC. A LINQ settlement offers cash and credit monitoring to those who may have been affected by a data breach that occurred from Sept. 2023 to May 2024. Defendant(s) EMS LINQ, LLC has agreed to a class action settlement to end a lawsuit that alleged the K-12 school administration software platform failed to protect sensitive student and employee information from a months-long data breach between September 2023 and May 2024. The LINQ class action settlement received preliminary approval from the court on February 13, 2026. The deal covers all individuals who were sent written notice that their personal information was potentially accessed, viewed and/or obtained as a result of the LINQ data breach that occurred between September 12, 2023 and May 13, 2024. The court-approved website for the LINQ data breach settlement can be found at LINQDataIncident.com. According to the website, LINQ settlement class members who file a timely, valid claim form are eligible to receive credit monitoring services and one of two cash payments. Class members who submit with their claim form proof of ordinary losses stemming from the LINQ data breach are eligible to receive up to $500 in reimbursement. The settlement agreement explains that class members must submit third-party documentation, such as receipts, to receive reimbursement for bank fees, phone charges, postage, travel, and other data breach-related expenses. Class members who submit proof that they spent money to obtain credit reports, credit monitoring, or identity theft insurance between September 12, 2023 and June 29, 2026 may receive reimbursement for these expenses, subject to the $500 ordinary loss cap, court documents state. In addition to ordinary-loss reimbursement, class members who file with their claim form proof of extraordinary expenses incurred due to the data breach are eligible to receive up to $2,500 in reimbursement. The agreement says that class members must also provide proof demonstrating the total amount of their breach-related losses, that they are not covered by ordinary loss relief, and that the individual attempted to avoid or seek reimbursement for their losses. The settlement agreement states that class members may not receive compensation for any monetary losses that have already been reimbursed by another source. In lieu of a documented-loss payment, class members may instead file a claim form to receive an alternative $50 cash payment, with no proof required, the settlement website says. In addition to monetary relief, all settlement class members may also elect on their claim form to sign up for one year of three-bureau credit monitoring and identity theft protection. To file a LINQ data breach settlement claim form online, class members can head to this page and log in using the unique ID and PIN as listed on their copy of the settlement notice. Alternatively, class members may download a PDF of the claim form to print, fill out and return by mail to the settlement administrator. All LINQ settlement claim forms must be submitted online or by mail by June 29, 2026. Finally, the agreement notes that in the time since the data breach occurred, LINQ has implemented additional data security measures to strengthen the security of its systems. The court will determine whether to grant final approval to the LINQ settlement following a hearing on June 23, 2026. Compensation will begin to be distributed to class members only after final approval is granted and any appeals are resolved. The EMS LINQ class action lawsuit claimed that the education software company failed to implement proper cybersecurity measures to prevent a data breach between September 12, 2023 and May 13, 2024, during which cybercriminals allegedly accessed files containing the data of students and employees in districts that partnered with LINQ. Per court documents, private information that may have been compromised during the eight-month data breach included names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, bank account information, and other personal information. Case Spotlight Video game addiction lawsuits. If your child suffers from video game addiction - including Fortnite addiction or Roblox addiction - you may be able to take legal action. Gamers 18 to 22 may also qualify. Kratom 7-OH lawsuits. Anyone who has used 7-OH kratom products and suffered a serious injury, such as overdose, heart attack or addiction, may be able to take legal action. How do I join a class action lawsuit? Stay Current New cases and investigations, settlement deadlines, and news straight to your inbox. Last Updated on April 14, 2026 - 11:17 AM
K-12 Strategic Budgeting Strategies at ASBO International. AUSTIN, Texas-(BUSINESS WIRE)-School CFOs and business leaders are under increasing pressure as relief funds expire, costs climb, and scrutiny intensifies. At ASBO International's Annual Meeting & Expo, LINQ, the premier software provider exclusively serving K-12 school operations, will join CFOs, business officers, and district finance leaders for an Innovation Hour session focused on strategies to build resilience into budgets, streamline audit prep, and protect classroom resources in a climate where every decision is under the microscope. What: An Innovation Hour session, "Doing More with Less: Strategic Budgeting Strategies for Schools," will bring together district and industry finance leaders for a roundtable-style discussion on practical ways to stretch limited resources, reduce audit fatigue, and maintain trust with boards, staff, and families. Where: ASBO International Annual Meeting & Expo Fort Worth Convention Center - Ballroom A 1201 Houston Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102 LINQ modernizes K-12 school operations with best-in-class, cloud-based software solutions built to help districts return more resources to classrooms. LINQ streamlines finance, HR, nutrition management, and payments into a secure unified platform, reducing administrative burden and untangling workflows. LINQ partners with 30% of school districts across the U.S., helping serve over 1 billion school meals annually to over 17 million students and processing payroll for 364,000 teachers, administrators, and staff. Over 3.4 million registered users on the LINQ Connect app can use it to manage school fees and payments. Learn more at www.linq.com. Editor's Note: Photo and interview opportunities will be available during and immediately following the session at the LINQ Booth - #318. AUSTIN, Texas-( BUSINESS WIRE )-K-12 Strategic Budgeting Strategies at ASBO International... WILMINGTON, N.C.-( BUSINESS WIRE )-Baltimore City Public Schools partners with LINQ to streamline operations and improve student meal programs... WILMINGTON, N.C.-( BUSINESS WIRE )-LINQ expands Services & Support to streamline onboarding, enhance AI support, and strengthen district partnerships...
LINQ, the premier software provider exclusively serving K-12 school operations, today announced a new partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools, marking an important step in the district's efforts to modernize nutrition services.
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Industries
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Wilmington, North Carolina
Founded
1989
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today