TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 22, 2026--
ChatFeatured, the AI search optimization platform that helps marketing teams turn visibility data into published content and measurable results, today announced an oversubscribed USD $2 million pre-seed round. The round was led by Storytime Capital, with participation from Garage Capital and BY Venture Partners.
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The financing comes little more than six months after ChatFeatured launched in the first week of January 2026 - a pace that reflects how quickly AI search has emerged as a discovery and buying channel. ChatFeatured initially set out to raise USD $1.5 million and expanded the round to USD $2 million following investor demand. The company will use the funding to grow its team, expand its go-to-market efforts and build an autonomous answer engine optimization (AEO) agent designed to operate as an extension of the marketing team.
AI assistants are increasingly shaping how people discover, compare and choose products. But most AI search optimization tools stop at measurement: they show marketing teams where a company appears, without doing the work required to improve that visibility. ChatFeatured closes that loop. Their agentic platform analyzes what large language models are already citing, identifies where competitors are winning, builds a content strategy, writes and publishes the content, and tracks the resulting lift.
"AI search is already a discovery and buying channel, but most marketing teams are being handed dashboards that tell them there is a problem and leave them to solve it," said Farris Nasr, co-founder and CEO of ChatFeatured. "We built ChatFeatured to do the work. This funding allows us to grow the team, reach more companies and build an autonomous agent that proactively finds opportunities and acts as an extension of the marketing team."
In the months since launch, ChatFeatured has begun serving customers across the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany, growing over 40% month-over-month. Every customer on their platform sees a lift in citations and traffic from AI search engines, which is ultimately leading to increased revenue.
“AI search isn’t coming - it’s already where buying decisions are being made. What impressed us about ChatFeatured is that while most companies are still asking the question, this team built the answer, got it in front of customers, and earned fanatic loyalty through performance. Gretzky said, ‘Skate to where the puck is going.’ ChatFeatured is already ahead of it.” – Lauren Epstein, General Partner @ Storytime Capital
ChatFeatured was founded by Farris Nasr and Nithiiyan Skhanthan, who met at a Toronto Tech Week networking event and built the platform together. Farris spent over a decade driving go-to-market strategies across multiple companies before teaching himself to code; Nithiiyan got his start as an engineer at Tesla and was an early hire at two VC-backed startups, including the YC-backed startup LifestyleRx. Ryan Nahas soon joined as founding Head of Growth. Having met Farris at Salesforce 10 years ago, Ryan brings experience as a former Head of SMB Growth at Salesforce and two private equity exits under his belt. He joined the team after experiencing ChatFeatured's impact firsthand as a customer.
“Every major shift in how people discover products and make buying decisions creates an opportunity to build an enduring company. AI search is that shift today. ChatFeatured recognized it early, moved quickly to build for it, and is already delighting customers who are seeing real results and referring others. This is exactly the kind of founding team we're excited to partner with at Garage Capital.” – Garage Capital
ChatFeatured's next-generation autonomous agent will move beyond waiting for a marketer to check a dashboard. It is being designed to proactively identify a company's gaps in their online presence, surface third-party sources worth pursuing, recommend editorial opportunities, create and publish supporting content, and tell the marketing team what to do next.
For more information, visit chatfeatured.com.
About ChatFeatured
ChatFeatured is an AI search optimization platform that helps marketing teams get cited when customers ask AI what to buy. Rather than stopping at analytics, ChatFeatured works backward from the sources large language models already cite, identifies competitive and content gaps, builds a strategy, writes and publishes content, and tracks the resulting lift across major AI search platforms. Founded in Toronto in 2026, ChatFeatured serves customers across five countries. Learn more at chatfeatured.com.
The ChatFeatured founding team in Toronto. From left: Nithiiyan Skhanthan, co-founder and CTO; Farris Nasr, co-founder and CEO; and Ryan Nahas, founding Head of Revenue.
LEXINGTON, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 22, 2026--
ZIPS Car Wash is inviting drivers across Central Kentucky to celebrate the completion of renovations at three of its locations with a customer appreciation event featuring free car washes, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, exclusive membership offers, and Folds of Honor scholarship presentations. Free Washes will be offered Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25 at select locations.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260722652819/en/
From July 24-25, guests can receive a complimentary car wash at the following remodeled ZIPS locations:
The remodeled sites feature refreshed exteriors, upgraded customer areas, and operational improvements designed to make every visit faster, more convenient, and more enjoyable. The investment reflects ZIPS Car Wash's continued commitment to enhancing the customer experience while delivering the high-quality express wash service drivers have come to expect.
As part of the celebration, new and current ZIPS Unlimited members can take advantage of a special, limited-time promotion by adding a family vehicle to their membership at no cost. The offer is available only during the July 24–25 event, and customers should speak with an on-site team member for details.
"This Grand Re-opening is our way of thanking customers for their continued support with the hope that they will come experience the upgrades on our free wash days," said Doug Miller, Vice President of Marketing for ZIPS Car Wash. "If you've ever considered adding a family member's vehicle to your Unlimited membership, now is the time to take advantage of this limited-time offer."
Ribbon-cutting celebrations will be held at each location to commemorate the renovations. On Thursday, July 23, at 10:00 a.m., a ceremony will take place at the Lexington ZIPS alongside Commerce Lexington at 1250 S. Broadway, Lexington, KY 40504.
The celebrations will continue Friday, July 24, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) with a ribbon-cutting alongside the Owensboro Chamber of Commerce at 104 Osborne Way, Georgetown, KY 40324.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 1250 S. Broadway location and as part of its ongoing national partnership with Folds of Honor, ZIPS Car Wash will recognize four local Folds of Honor scholarship recipients from Berea, Kentucky: Eloise Hailey Romine, a second-grade student; Lennon Ray Romine, a rising fifth-grade student ; Allen "AJ" Jacob Romine, a rising 10th-grade student and, Hunter Nathaniel Romine, a rising 12th-grade student.
The Romine siblings are the children of Specialist Alec Ray Romine, who served more than six years in the U.S. Army as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist and Infantryman. During his military service, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, was disabled in the line of duty, and was awarded the Purple Heart for his service and sacrifice.
On Friday, July 24, during the ribbon-cutting celebration at the Georgetown location, ZIPS will also recognize Audryana Scarlett Harris of Georgetown with a Folds of Honor scholarship. Audryana is a sophomore at Transylvania University, where she is studying Pre-Law, International Law, and Political Science. She plans to pursue a career practicing international law at the highest levels of government.
Audryana is the daughter of Staff Sgt. Jonathan Keith Harris, who served more than 20 years in the U.S. Army as a Radio and COMSEC Repairer and CBRN Specialist. During his military career, he completed multiple deployments to Iraq and was disabled in the line of duty. Through its partnership with Folds of Honor, ZIPS Car Wash is proud to recognize military families like the Romines and the Harris family while helping support the educational goals of deserving scholarship recipients.
In addition to the free washes, visitors who stop by during the celebration can enter to win a FREE Premier Car Wash Membership for one year. Giveaway entries must be completed in person during the event.
About ZIPS Car Wash
ZIPS Car Wash, headquartered in Plano, Texas, operates more than 185 express car wash locations across 19 states under the ZIPS Car Wash, Rocket Express Car Wash, and Jet Brite Car Wash brands. With more than two decades of industry experience, ZIPS combines innovative technology, premium wash quality, and exceptional customer service to deliver a fast, convenient car wash experience. Through the ZIPS Car Wash mobile app, customers enjoy loyalty rewards, membership benefits, and added convenience. Beyond clean cars, ZIPS is dedicated to supporting the communities it serves through partnerships with schools, military nonprofit organizations, and local leaders. In 2025, Newsweek recognized ZIPS Car Wash as both a Best of the Best and Best in Customer Service award recipient.
Stop by and experience the upgraded wash tunnels, improved site experience, powerful vacuums, and the brilliant shine your vehicle deserves. Whether you're a loyal ZIPS customer or trying ZIPS for the first time, this is the perfect chance to see what's new and leave with a clean, shiny ride.
