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Boston – September 18, 2026 -- Electrified Thermal Solutions has signed an agreement with Holcim to deploy its Joule HiveTM Thermal Battery (JHTB) as part of the cement producer's electrification roadmap, marking a rare entry of electric heat into a process that has relied almost exclusively on combustion.

Two JHTB units will supply heat up to 1,800°C to a high-temperature cement process

The initial deployment consists of two Joule Hive units storing clean electricity in electrically and thermally conductive bricks, discharging heat on demand at temperatures up to 1,800°C (3,275°F). That range has been largely inaccessible to conventional electric heating technologies, forcing cement, steel and chemicals producers to depend on fossil combustion for their hottest processes.

Brooklyn, N.Y. – September 18, 2026 -- it's electric has been selected by the City of New York and the New York Power Authority to build a permanent curbside electric vehicle charging network spanning all five boroughs, replacing the city's pilot infrastructure with 700 chargers over the next three years.

City expands charging points eightfold from current pilot network

The NYC Department of Transportation's PlugNYC program will grow from 88 Level 2 charging points to 700 under the contract, procured through the Department of Citywide Administrative Services in partnership with the New York Power Authority.

Horsham, Pa. – September 18, 2026 -- Augmentir has launched two conversational AI interfaces, Augie Command Center and Augie Procedure Studio, that let manufacturing staff build workflows, procedures, and AI agents by describing them in plain language rather than navigating software menus. The company unveiled the tools at IMTS 2026, positioning them as a replacement for traditional software navigation on factory floors.

Command Center Lets Frontline Leaders Deploy AI Agents Through Conversation

Augie Command Center allows users to analyze live operational data, build dashboards, schedule work, and create Industrial AI Agents without report builders, SQL, or coding. The system generates charts, insights, and recommended actions conversationally, then chains workflows, procedures, training, and integrations into a single deployed response rather than requiring separate tools for each step.

Stockholm and London – September 18, 2026 -- DanAds, a self-service advertising technology provider, and Nodals AI, an autonomous AI platform for publishers, have entered a strategic partnership that combines predictive-outcome modeling with self-service ad buying, letting publishers sell performance-based campaigns without sacrificing yield.

Nodals AI's models predict clicks, conversions and video completions from publisher data

Nodals AI trains on a publisher's own first-party data to forecast advertiser outcomes such as clicks, conversions or video completes. That capability lets publishers offer CPC- or CPA-style outcome campaigns directly inside their existing ad stacks, matching advertiser demand for performance-based buying.

San Francisco – September 18, 2026 -- GrubMarket has launched a new USDA Pricing AI Analyst, giving produce distributors and wholesalers conversational access to U.S. Department of Agriculture market pricing data for fruits and vegetables.

New tool joins GrubAssist AI platform alongside three existing analysts

The USDA Pricing AI Analyst is the latest addition to GrubMarket's GrubAssist AI lineup, which already includes the Business Analyst, Inventory Analyst, and Cash Flow Analyst. It draws on data from the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, covering fruits and vegetables sold across the United States, and combines that with a distributor's own sales and purchasing records when connected to their ERP system.

Waltham, Mass. – September 18, 2026 -- Sales messages that tell B2B technology buyers they control a positive outcome hold attention 31% longer and produce 31% better recall than fear-based pitches, according to new neuroscience research from Allego, Inc. that challenges a nearly 50-year-old sales doctrine.

The study, conducted with cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Carmen Simon of Enhancive, tests the real-world application of Prospect Theory, the 1979 model by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky holding that fear of loss motivates buyers more than potential gain. Kahneman won the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics partly for that work.

Las Vegas – September 18, 2026 -- UrVenue will open its new Las Vegas Strip headquarters on Sept. 30 to demonstrate technology aimed at driving non-gaming revenue for resort and casino operators, coinciding with an industry event expected to draw 25,000 gaming and hospitality executives to the city.

UrVenue hosts an Open House at its new Grand Canal Shoppes office from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event takes place at The Venetian Resort's Palazzo side, Level 2M, above the Waterfall Atrium. Attendees can book personally guided, 30-minute sessions in advance, with additional visits available outside Open House hours by contacting UrVenue directly.

Southlake, Texas – September 18, 2026 -- Travel companies are accelerating rather than retreating from AI investment despite persistent economic and geopolitical uncertainty, according to new research from Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR). Just 17% of executives surveyed are curbing modernization spend, while 27% are accelerating AI investment and 41% are protecting their existing technology roadmaps.

Sabre's Compass report blends survey data with Cantor Fitzgerald macro analysis

The findings come from "Compass: Navigating the Fog," a Sabre report combining independent macroeconomic analysis from Cantor Fitzgerald with a proprietary survey of more than 140 airline, agency and hotel executives conducted in June 2026. Sabre characterizes the industry posture as "protection mode": long-term AI roadmaps remain intact while near-term spending shifts toward initiatives with faster returns.

Redwood City, Calif. – September 18, 2026 -- The Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) market reached $3.5 billion in the second quarter of 2026, extending year-over-year growth above 20 percent for a fifth consecutive quarter, according to Dell'Oro Group.

SD-WAN spending strengthens as enterprises replace aging branch infrastructure

SD-WAN demand rose materially in Q2 as branch-network modernization climbed enterprise priority lists. Dell'Oro Group found the trend reflects selective replacement of aging or higher-risk equipment rather than a wholesale refresh across entire branch estates.

San Francisco – September 18, 2026 -- Corelight has launched the Agent Builder Library and Natural Language Query, two tools designed to let security operations centers match the speed of AI-driven cyberattacks without losing auditability over investigation logic.

Attackers now exploit vulnerabilities in roughly five days, far outpacing patch cycles

Enterprise patching cycles typically run 60 to 150 days, but the median time to exploit has dropped to approximately five days, according to Corelight. The company warns that with emerging Mythos-class AI models, attackers may exploit vulnerabilities before defenders even know a flaw exists, making faster patching an inadequate defense on its own.

San Francisco – September 18, 2026 -- Kindred, the global home-swapping platform, has surpassed 500,000 nights swapped since launching in 2022, a threshold the company says confirms peer-to-peer home exchange has moved beyond niche travel behavior.

Kindred now counts 400,000-plus members across 150-plus cities

The platform reports a member satisfaction score above 9 out of 10 sustained through its recent growth phase. More than 90% of listed homes are members' primary residences rather than investment properties, distinguishing Kindred's model from short-term rental marketplaces and keeping that inventory outside the STR market.

Montréal – September 18, 2026 -- Lightspeed Commerce Inc. (NYSE: LSPD) (TSX: LSPD) has launched On Deck, a new feature within its Lightspeed Golf booking platform that automatically matches golfers to newly available tee times freed up by cancellations or rescheduling.

Golfers can now flag preferred time windows for automated matching

Through the Lightspeed Golf booking experience, golfers set up an On Deck request for a preferred tee time or window. When a matching slot opens due to a cancellation or change by the original booker, the system sends an automated email offering the opportunity to book it, removing the need for manual, repeated checking.

Hallandale Beach – September 18, 2026 -- NextPlat Corp (NASDAQ: NXPL) said its UK subsidiary Global Telesat Communications Ltd (GTC) has signed an agreement to sell satellite-enabled communications and tracking devices on Decathlon's digital marketplace, giving the satcom retailer entry into 20 countries.

GTC gains direct access to Decathlon's outdoor and sports shopper base

The catalog will feature products running on Globalstar, Iridium and Inmarsat networks, targeting activities such as hiking, cycling, sailing, camping, skiing and expeditions where mobile coverage is unreliable. Decathlon operates more than 1,700 stores across over 70 countries and regions and employs more than 100,000 people, founded in 1976.

Westminster, Colo. – – September 18, 2026 -- The Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) has formalized deeper ties with the Aquatic Plant Management Society (APMS) after the two groups' shared leadership produced measurable research and policy gains at APMS's 66th Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, held July 13-16.

APMS honors WSSA scientists for research and publishing milestones

Ramon Leon, Ph.D., of NC State University received the APMS T. Wayne Miller Distinguished Service Award for converting the Journal of Aquatic Plant Management from a print-only format to open-access digital publication. Chris Mudge, Ph.D., of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers won the society's top honor, the Outstanding Research Contributor award, for advancing aquatic plant management to protect U.S. water resources.

Omaha, Neb. – September 18, 2026 -- Farmers National Company, the largest U.S. land management firm, has built out CommonGround, a digital marketplace acquired in early 2026 to bring transparency and valuation data to farmland leasing transactions.

Farmers National acquired CommonGround in early 2026 to pair digital tools with its ground network

The acquisition gives Farmers National a technology layer to complement its land professionals operating across more than 30 states. The company positions the deal as part of a broader push to modernize farmland asset management amid volatile commodity prices, shifting interest rates, and rising input costs.

Edina, Minn. – September 18, 2026 -- ReEmerge, Inc. has closed an oversubscribed $37 million Series A financing and exited stealth mode to advance a novel therapy targeting chronic cognitive impairment caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Investor syndicate backs first-of-its-kind neural stimulation approach

U.S. Venture Partners (USVP) and Santé co-led the round, joined by Oxford Science Enterprises, 415 Capital, IAG Capital Partners, The Vertical Group, and Dendrion Ventures. The capital will fund an upcoming clinical study, technology development, and expansion of clinical and regulatory operations.

Dallas – September 18, 2026 -- Treon Inc. unveiled Treon IQ, an industrial AI engine that diagnoses equipment issues and recommends maintenance actions automatically, eliminating manual dashboard analysis for plant operators.

Treon IQ turns raw asset data into continuous operational briefings for maintenance teams

The new capability extends Treon's Connect Prescriptive Maintenance cloud platform by combining proprietary anomaly detection, deep-learning diagnostic models, and selected large language models into one framework. It pulls data from real-time and historical asset intelligence alongside CMMS and ERP systems to detect issues, explain root causes, and generate prioritized action lists.

Fairmont, W.Va. – September 18, 2026 -- Kibar Americas has begun production at a newly opened aluminum manufacturing facility in Fairmont, West Virginia, marking the Chicago-headquartered company's first domestic manufacturing footprint after acquiring the site earlier this year.

Fairmont plant starts output for HVAC, packaging, automotive and industrial sectors

The facility, celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by government officials, customers, suppliers and community leaders, is now producing aluminum products across four end markets: HVAC, packaging, automotive and industrial applications.

Austin, Texas – September 18, 2026 -- 6lock has become the only Verified Money Movement platform in BluWave's vetted provider network, giving more than 500 private equity firms and thousands of portfolio companies direct access to identity-verified transaction infrastructure.

BluWave's invite-only network now routes capital call and distribution needs to 6lock

BluWave connects private equity firms and portfolio companies with third-party service providers selected for specific business needs, and providers must pass an evaluation covering direct private equity experience, client references, capability fit and project history, with ongoing review tied to client feedback and performance. 6lock cleared that bar as the network's exclusive money movement provider, positioning it to be considered whenever BluWave clients look to replace email-, spreadsheet- and callback-based fund transfer processes.

Pinehurst, N.C. – September 18, 2026 -- MedicareCompliance.com launched an independent industry platform designed to connect carriers, agencies, third-party marketing organizations and compliance professionals navigating Medicare's regulatory environment. The platform, a division of EnrollHere Inc. operating independently, opened its Medicare Compliance Community to members seeking industry intelligence, regulatory discussions and networking access.

Inaugural industry event scheduled for Washington, D.C. in January 2027

MedicareCompliance.com confirmed its first industry event will run Jan. 20-21, 2027, in Washington, D.C., convening ecosystem leaders on regulatory, technological and operational issues. Community members will receive details on speakers and programming as they are finalized.