Partly Closes Series B Raise at $500M Valuation and Announces Immediate US Market Expansion
Partly, creators of the Interpreter AI model for the automotive repair supply chain, announced its DST Global Partners-led $50M Series B raise, as well as the brand’s US market launch.
Partly’s Interpreter model is the world's only foundation model purpose-built for automotive parts, according to the company. Interpreter is the result of five years of training on human feedback and synthetic data, more than fifty manufacturer agreements, and continuous training on live data.
With confident backing from DST Global Partners — the investor behind industry-defining brands like Anthropic, Meta, Alibaba, Airbnb, and Spotify — Partly now enters the world’s largest auto repair market in the world, the US. The $100 billion+ US collision repair market has, to date, operated without AI-native infrastructure and has for too long relied on analog solutions, which contribute to billions of dollars in lost time and revenue each year, reports the company.
"DST Global has backed some of the defining companies of the internet era — Anthropic, Meta, Alibaba, Airbnb, Spotify,” said Levi Fawcett, CEO and co-founder of Partly. “The fact that they've now turned their attention to repair tells you everything about where this industry is heading. Parts automation has been overlooked for decades. We're proving it's one of the most valuable problems in the global automotive economy."
Sacramento Area Single Mother Receives Refurbished Vehicle Thanks to Allstate, Fix Auto USA and the NABC Recycled Rides® Program
On Saturday, June 20, a Sacramento area single mother received a donation of a refurbished vehicle that will allow her to properly care for her daughter. A 2022 Honda Accord, donated by Allstate and refurbished by the technicians at Fix Auto in Turlock, CA, was presented to Cinthia Carrillo Montes.
The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor Allstate and repair partner Fix Auto USA, part of the Driven Brands family of automotive brands.
The presentation took place at Fix Auto in Turlock, CA. The recipient was nominated by Family Promise of Greater Modesto.
Fix Auto Lakeside Brings Energy and Engagement to MAC Tools Car Show
Fix Auto USA Lakeside, owned by Haider Lafta, participated in the MAC Tools 4th Annual Tool Expo & Customer Appreciation Car Show on June 14, connecting with local residents and automotive enthusiasts during a well-attended community event.
The Fix Auto Lakeside team hosted a booth throughout the day, sharing information about their collision repair services and distributing branded promotional items, including koozies, stickers, air fresheners, hats and fanny packs. The event provided a strong opportunity to meet community members and build new relationships.
In addition to its on-site presence, Fix Auto Lakeside donated a gift certificate for a full automotive detail, which was featured as a raffle prize for attendees.
Mississippi First Responders Participate in National Auto Body Council® First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) Program
First responders from across Mississippi donned their gear at Windham Body Shop in New Albany, MS, on Saturday, June 20 for a hands-on learning experience teaching them how to rescue accident victims from late-model vehicles — life-saving skills that are critical when minutes matter most, all thanks to Windham Body Shop, Allstate and the National Auto Body Council® F.R.E.E.™ program. Hurst Jaws of Life® provided the tools used in the demonstrations.
The first responders from these units gathered at a special NABC F.R.E.E.™ education and guidance program recently to help ensure drivers in the region get the best prepared response in case of an accident.
Today’s vehicles are equipped with numerous airbags, advanced technology and innovative safety systems that keep drivers safer in case of an accident. But these same safety advantages make it harder for first responders to rescue those drivers and passengers. Add to that the potential challenge presented by electric and hybrid engines, and first responders need a whole new arsenal of rescue tools and procedures.
CARSTAR Billings Celebrates First Year of Serving Drivers and Strengthening Community Connections
CARSTAR Billings celebrated its first anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community celebration in Billings, Montana, marking one year of serving local drivers with high-quality collision repair and customer care.
Owned by brothers Jeremy and Matt Buller, CARSTAR Billings marks their first CARSTAR location. The brothers have always had a passion for the automotive industry, so in 2015 they founded Buller Automotive Inc. Over the past decade, they have expanded their business portfolio to include four Abra locations in addition to CARSTAR Billings.
"We built this business around a passion for helping people and doing repairs the right way," said Matt Buller. "Celebrating our first year is about more than reaching a milestone, it's about the relationships we've built with our customers, employees and community. We're grateful for the trust we've earned and excited for what comes next."
SCRS Opens Registration for 2026 Repairer Driven Education Series at SEMA Show
The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has announced that registration is now open for the 2026 Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, taking place November 3-6 alongside the SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The RDE series offers shop owners, managers, estimators, and technicians direct access to actionable, industry-specific education delivered by leading practitioners and subject-matter experts. This year's program features 19 sessions spanning Tuesday through Thursday, covering a wide range of business, technical, and leadership topics critical to the modern collision repair environment.
For attendees looking to get the most out of the week, SCRS recommends the full series pass, which offers the best value and the greatest flexibility to move between sessions and build a personalized educational track across all three days.
Fix Auto Moreno Valley Takes Strides to Honor and Support Veterans at Steps for Vets 5K
During the second weekend of May, Fix Auto Moreno Valley, owned by Selvi Rizk-Menard, participated in the Steps for Vets 5K race at March Air Force Base in Riverside, California.
The Fix Auto Moreno Valley team took the time to support their community and honor veterans by taking part in the race that aims to eliminate veteran homelessness in the US.
Rachele Cermak, business development specialist at Fix Auto Moreno Valley, proudly represented their location, and placed first overall in the women’s division.
“We were honored to take part in the Steps for Vets 5K and support such an important cause for our veterans and community,” said Rizk-Menard. “Seeing our team come together for this event — and celebrating Rachele’s incredible accomplishment — made the day even more meaningful. Giving back and supporting those who have served our country is something we’re proud to stand behind.”
Abra Brookings Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary
Abra Brookings, owned by Doug Sharp and Chester Lockwood, is proud to celebrate five years of serving the Brookings community with high-quality collision repair and customer care.
“Our goal from day one has been to take care of people — not just their vehicles,” said Sharp. “We’re grateful to the Brookings community for trusting us over the past five years and supporting our growth.”
Lockwood added, “It’s been rewarding to be part of this community and to see how much we’ve grown. We’re proud of our team and look forward to many more years serving Brookings.”
