Events

Orlando – September 18, 2026 -- Florida's housing market snapped an 11-month streak of year-over-year sales gains in August, as closed sales of existing single-family homes fell 1.4% to 21,497 units, according to Florida Realtors' latest report.

Condo-townhouse sales also decline as higher mortgage rates weigh on demand

Condo-townhouse transactions totaled 7,291 units in August, down 1.8% compared to August 2025. Florida Realtors Chief Economist Dr. Brad O'Connor said the state had seen 12 consecutive months of year-over-year growth in new pending sales for single-family homes and 11 straight months of growth in closed sales before the streaks ended in August. He attributed the reversal to mortgage rates that have risen through the first half of 2026, narrowing and then flipping the year-over-year rate gap that had previously supported sales momentum.

Arlington, Texas – September 18, 2026 -- Plastic has overtaken metal as the most frequently reported contaminant in food manufacturing, cited by 37% of respondents in FlexXray's third annual Foreign Material Contamination in Food Benchmark Report.

Detection investment growth slows even as confidence in equipment stays flat

The share of food producers planning to increase detection investment fell to 57% in 2026 from roughly 70% in 2025, according to the report, based on survey responses from more than 170 food safety and manufacturing professionals across North America. Confidence that in-line equipment catches all foreign material has not improved despite prior years of investment growth.

Bend, Ore. – September 18, 2026 -- Amazon Web Services has published MSP Validation Checklist (VCL) 8.0, a revised standard requiring managed service providers to prove AI-driven delivery capabilities to earn and maintain AWS MSP validation, cloud operations firm Platformr said.

AWS overhauls 61 controls to embed AI across every requirement

Of the standard's 61 total controls, 24 are entirely new, covering agentic AI platform and agent lifecycle governance, a Responsible AI framework for data governance and prompt injection prevention, agentic Zero Trust and blast-radius containment, and GenAI observability tracking sessions, traces, drift and cost. The update also mandates operational toil measurement, an AI transformation roadmap with industry vertical specialization, and new Forward Deployed Engineer and AI Practice Lead roles.

Sunnyvale, Calif. – September 18, 2026 -- Plug and Play Foundation (PNPF) has launched SMB Tech Connect, an accelerator funded by a Wells Fargo grant that will help 10 Bay Area small businesses assess technology needs and fund adoption. Applications for the pilot program are now open.

Ten small businesses will receive assessments, startup pilots and adoption grants

Each participating business begins with a technology and AI readiness assessment mapping operational gaps and repetitive processes. Results determine placement into one of two tracks: a Technology Pilot Track matching businesses with vetted startup solutions, or a Workshop Implementation Track offering hands-on sessions on AI and automation tools.

Hangzhou – September 18, 2026 -- Hangzhou Zhilianhui Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. has launched a direct-to-consumer website for AccuMEMS, its thermal imaging brand, giving technicians and small businesses a new sales channel that bypasses traditional distributor markups on professional-grade inspection hardware.

AccuMEMS targets the price gap between industrial and consumer thermal cameras

The company is positioning its product line between high-end professional thermal imaging systems, which offer high-resolution sensors and rugged designs but often exceed the budgets of independent contractors, and basic consumer-grade devices with limited measurement capability. AccuMEMS is betting that a segment of electricians, HVAC technicians, building inspectors, and automotive diagnosticians will pay for mid-tier accuracy without absorbing the cost structure of specialized lab equipment.

Chicago and Atlanta – September 18, 2026 -- West Monroe and Sitenna have formed a collaboration to help utilities cut manual data reconciliation across grid, network and infrastructure programs by combining consulting expertise with an infrastructure lifecycle management platform.

San Jose, Calif. – September 18, 2026 -- Platform9 has been named a Visionary in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Server Virtualization Platforms, a recognition tied to surging enterprise demand for alternatives to VMware.

Platform9 reports unprecedented growth as enterprises seek VMware alternatives

Madhura Maskasky, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Platform9, said the company has experienced unprecedented growth over the past year as organizations worldwide look for a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to VMware. That customer momentum has driven increased R&D investment and new product capabilities aimed at giving infrastructure teams a familiar virtualization experience alongside greater flexibility and clearer cost predictability.

Milwaukee – September 18, 2026 -- River1 Asset Management LLC launched the Rebuild America ETF (Cboe BZX: BUIL) on Sept. 16, 2026, an actively managed fund built to capture a multi-year infrastructure investment cycle in U.S. power, grid, construction and materials markets.

Utilities plan $1.4 trillion in grid spending through 2030

The Edison Electric Institute projects utilities will invest roughly $1.4 trillion in electricity infrastructure through 2030. The Electric Power Research Institute forecasts data centers could consume 9% to 17% of U.S. electricity by 2030, up from about 4% to 5% today, as reshoring and domestic manufacturing add further demand for power, materials and construction capacity.

Washington – September 18, 2026 -- More than 20,100 Americans signed a petition in just four days demanding Congress reauthorize the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies (ACT) for ALS law before its September 30, 2026 expiration date.

Petition drive targets key congressional committees ahead of deadline

The campaign, organized by advocacy group I AM ALS during its annual Week of Impact, directs the petition at Senate HELP Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee leadership. Signatories include patients living with ALS, caregivers, researchers, and clinicians who rely on programs the law established.

Littleton, Colorado – September 18, 2026 -- Employee-owned retailer SCHEELS will open its 38th store in Littleton, Colorado in 2029, creating more than 500 new jobs before the doors open.

SCHEELS anchors new Mineral Place development alongside Costco

The flagship store is planned as an anchor retailer at the Mineral Place development, positioned along the C-470 corridor in the Denver metro area's growing Front Range region.

CEO Matt Hanson calls the store the company's deepest commitment to Colorado

"On behalf of our employee-owners, we could not be more excited to expand our footprint across Colorado's Front Range," said SCHEELS CEO Matt Hanson, adding that the store will serve as a destination bringing families together and generating hundreds of career opportunities.

Washington – September 18, 2026 -- First Health Advisory has launched Resilience360, a consulting program designed to validate whether hospitals and health systems can keep clinical operations running during cyberattacks, technology outages, third-party failures, and natural disasters.

Program targets the gap between disaster recovery plans and actual clinical continuity

Healthcare organizations have invested heavily in disaster recovery, incident response, and emergency preparedness, but many have not validated how clinical and operational workflows will continue functioning while systems are being restored, according to First Health Advisory. Resilience360 is built to close that gap by testing the people, processes, and workflows required to sustain patient care throughout a disruption, rather than adding another compliance framework.

Hopewell, N.J. – September 18, 2026 -- ProBio, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has struck a strategic collaboration with Kun Tuo, an IQVIA-owned clinical research organization (CRO) in China, to integrate manufacturing and clinical trial execution for advanced therapies.

Partnership links CDMO manufacturing with CRO trial operations in China

The alliance combines ProBio's biologics and cell and gene therapy (CGT) development and manufacturing platform with Kun Tuo's clinical trial management network, targeting faster Investigator-Initiated Trials (IITs) for global biopharma sponsors entering the Chinese market. The integrated offering spans Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC), non-clinical studies, and clinical operations under a single coordinated pathway.

Dallas – September 18, 2026 -- RSE, a European engineering and manufacturing company with more than 1.5 GW of realized and contracted energy projects, is entering the U.S. market targeting power generation and high-efficiency cooling and heating technologies for data centers and industrial clients.

RSE Energy LLC becomes authorized Olympian dealer for diesel and gas generator sets

RSE Energy LLC has secured status as an Authorized Sales and Service Provider for Olympian, within its authorized U.S. territory. The Olympian line, designed and manufactured by Caterpillar, spans 20 to 200 kW and supports standby, demand response and prime power applications. RSE will provide local engineering and technical support across the equipment lifecycle.

San Francisco – – September 18, 2026 -- The Globee Awards has opened nominations for its 23rd Annual Globee Awards for Cybersecurity, calling on organizations and professionals worldwide to submit artificial intelligence security achievements for evaluation.

Program targets both AI-driven defense and AI system protection

The awards accept entries covering two distinct fronts: the use of AI to strengthen cybersecurity operations, and the protection of AI systems, models, data, and infrastructure themselves. Eligible categories span AI-powered threat detection, fraud detection, identity security, automated incident response, vulnerability management, cloud security, security analytics, AI governance, model security, and agentic AI security.

Austin, Texas – September 18, 2026 -- Bambu Lab has launched a global design challenge on MakerWorld with seven accessibility organizations, issuing 24 design briefs between September and December 2026 that ask makers to produce 3D-printable aids for people with disabilities.

MakerWorld mobilizes its designer community around specific disability needs

The challenge marks the first time MakerWorld, described as the world's largest community of 3D-printing makers, has organized its designers around concrete briefs tied to named individuals and documented daily obstacles. Partner organizations include Ayúdame3D, the Emerging Tech Lab at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, e-NABLE France, MakeGood, Makers Making Change (Neil Squire Society), PrintLab, and Rightfooted Foundation International.

Austin, Texas – September 18, 2026 -- BuildersUpdate.com has introduced a "Pay Upon Performance" marketing model that eliminates upfront fees for homebuilders, charging a flat fee starting at $1,000 per property only when a sale closes.

Homebuilders shift away from upfront marketing spend amid rate uncertainty

Rising costs, fluctuating mortgage rates and cautious buyers have made it harder for builders to convert leads into closed sales, prompting scrutiny of traditional lead-generation models that require payment regardless of outcome. BuildersUpdate.com's new structure ties marketing costs directly to closed transactions rather than lead volume.

Covina, Calif. – September 18, 2026 -- EasyLlama has launched Compliance Advisor, a tool that maps more than 800 federal and state compliance mandates directly to an organization's workforce, replacing manual legal research with an automated, tailored training program.

Tool matches organization profiles against a legally verified mandate database

Admins complete a short profile detailing industry, company size, employee locations, and business operations. EasyLlama then cross-references those inputs against a curated database of federal and state training mandates, which its legal team continuously monitors as regulations change. The output identifies which specific training is legally required, the statute behind each requirement, and which employees must complete it.

Delray Beach, Fla. – September 18, 2026 -- The global more electric aircraft market is set to grow from USD 5.95 billion in 2026 to USD 8.66 billion by 2031, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 7.8%, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets.

Rotary-wing platforms outpace fixed-wing growth despite smaller base

Rotary-wing aircraft are projected to post the highest CAGR of 13.3% through 2031, even as fixed-wing aircraft retain the largest overall market share on the back of strong order backlogs and production activity for narrow-body and wide-body programs. Aircraft systems will account for 70.1% of the market by system in 2026, while engines are expected to grow fastest among components at a 10.4% CAGR.

Pittsburgh – – September 18, 2026 -- A California-based inventor has developed a patent-pending tool called the V-SQUARE designed to help builders square vertical members quickly and accurately when framing openings for doors and windows.

Tool measures two distances simultaneously to speed up framing work

The adjustable device allows users to measure two distances at once, cutting the time needed to create consistent square openings for vertical members. The inventor, from La Mirada, Calif., said the design targets builders who need a fast and accurate way to install vertical members where a uniform square opening or space is required.

Singapore – September 18, 2026 -- KELLS' AI Dental Scan has become the first AI-powered dental screening tool registered as a Class B medical device by Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for direct consumer use, the company announced.

HSA registration validates KELLS' proprietary AI for at-home dental screening

The clearance allows users to capture smartphone images of their teeth, which KELLS' AI then analyzes to flag potential oral health concerns and indicate when professional dental care may be warranted. The registration marks a regulatory first for consumer-facing dental AI tools in Singapore and supports the company's expansion in the market.