CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Unusually hot September weather is driving high electricity demand across parts of the Carolinas. Duke Energy is asking customers in North Carolina and South Carolina to voluntarily reduce electricity use from 2-8 p.m. today, Sept. 18, to help reduce demand on the power grid during the day's peak period.

Customers can help by taking simple steps during this peak period:

- Raise your thermostat to the highest comfortable setting.

- Avoid using major appliances such as washing machines, clothes dryers and dishwashers.

- Limit use of electric ranges and ovens, which can add heat to your home and increase air conditioning demand.

- Electric vehicle owners: Charge overnight, when demand is lower.

"Above-average heat puts pressure on the system during peak hours," said Kendal Bowman, president of Duke Energy's utility operations in North Carolina. "Small actions during the late afternoon and early evening can help reduce strain on the grid and support reliable service for everyone."

"We recognize it is inconvenient to reduce electric use, but it makes a real difference," said Tim Pearson, president of Duke Energy's utility operations in South Carolina. "We're using every available resource to meet demand so power keeps flowing to our communities."

Duke Energy has approximately 3.9 million electric customers in North Carolina and more than 870,000 electric customers in South Carolina.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.

More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy

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Energy Corps Names Four New Grantees Advancing the Shift from Energy Poverty to Energy Prosperity

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy Corps today named four new grantees whose projects will expand access to affordable, reliable, modern energy for communities from East and West Africa to Tribal Nations in the United States. Energy Corps is a U.S.-based nonprofit accelerating the global shift from energy poverty to energy prosperity.

The grantees span different geographies and technologies but share a common thread: each puts local leaders and the communities they serve at the center of the work — helping families cook without smoke, businesses grow, households access reliable power, and governments manage their resources.

"Energy poverty isn't solved in a conference room. It's solved by people on the ground who know their communities and just need the right partners behind them," said Tisha Schuller, Head of Energy Corps. "That's what energy prosperity looks like."

The four new grantees reflect Energy Corps' energy-agnostic approach, spanning electric cooking, productive use of electricity, solar construction, and energy governance:

DanChurchAid (DCA) — The Cooking Dividend (Kenya), with Mwangaza Light and Renewvia Energy. Helping more than 1,000 refugee and host-community households in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei settlements — about 7,500 people — move from firewood and charcoal to electric cooking through induction cookers, pay-as-you-go financing, and a discounted daytime electricity tariff.

Prosper Global — PROSPER Senegal (Senegal). Helping about 50 women- and youth-led enterprises and producer groups put electricity to work with refrigeration, milling, and irrigation equipment — turning new grid access, leveraged from a Millennium Challenge Corporation investment, into higher incomes and new jobs.

Tribal Energy Alternatives (TEA) — Tribal Solar Access Initiative (United States). Closing the final capital gap on shovel-ready, community-led solar projects on Tribal lands, with technical and construction support; completed installations can cut participating households' energy costs by 75 to 90 percent.

New Producers for Sustainable Energy (NP4SE) — AI for Energy Governance (25 countries). Building two AI-enabled tools — an advisory desk drawing on 14 years of peer expertise and a greenhouse-gas dashboard that integrates satellite data to spot methane leaks — to strengthen energy oversight while keeping sensitive data under national control.

For the full release including detailed project descriptions and partner quotes, visit https://energycorps.com/our-work/news.

About Energy Corps

Energy Corps is a U.S.-based nonprofit accelerating global access to affordable, reliable energy. Working with partners worldwide, it tests, learns, and shares what enables modern energy to drive opportunity and prosperity — guided by a long-term ambition of bringing 50 megawatt-hours of reliable energy per person and $50,000 GDP per capita globally within 50 years.

To schedule an interview, contact [email protected].

Contact:

Charlie Cardillo

415-901-0457

SOURCE Energy Corps

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ARTPRICE NEWS: A WORLD-BOOK BECOMES A MIRROR FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

OpenAI/Astra, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Google Gemini and xAI/Grok are confronted with the same work: a meta-reading experiment turns literary criticism into a comparative laboratory for artificial intelligence.

PARIS, Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What if, in order to understand artificial intelligences, we gave them exactly the same book to read?

That is the experiment now accompanying "Dialogue Between a Thinker and AI".

After hundreds of hours of dialogue, human thought, archives, questions, and contradictions gave rise to a book whose pen was entrusted to artificial intelligence.

https://www.dialoguebetweenathinkerandai.com/en/

Today, the book also exists materially: its French and English editions are in print. But the experiment does not end with the book. It now turns back toward the artificial intelligences themselves.

We didn't ask AI to judge the book. We asked AIs to read it — and then to read each other.

The complete corpus is submitted to several major systems:

OpenAI / Astra, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Google Gemini, and xAI / Grok.

They all receive the same object. But do they produce the same reading?

https://www.dialoguebetweenathinkerandai.com/en/meta-reading/

The objective is not to organize a competition between models.

It is precisely the opposite.

The purpose is to observe their convergences, divergences, and blind spots.

Which concepts do they spontaneously identify? Which theses do they consider central? Which passages do they connect? Where do their interpretations diverge?

And above all: what happens when each is subsequently given access to the analyses produced by the others? At that moment, a meta-reading emerges.

AI no longer merely reads the book.

It reads another AI reading the book.

A third system can then analyze that confrontation. Commentary becomes corpus. The corpus becomes new material for analysis.

For centuries, we have used critics to better understand books.

This experiment also proposes the reverse movement:

using a book to better understand those who read it.

The same work thus becomes a kind of cognitive mirror placed before several artificial-intelligence architectures. This mirror does not ask: "Which AI is right?"

What Gemini thought of the analysis produced by Grok.

DeepSeek's response to the critique by OpenAI Astra.

It asks: "Why don't they see exactly the same thing?"

The distinction is essential. Because their divergences themselves become information.

This experiment does not delegate human judgment.

It demands more of it. The human remains the one who compares, doubts, contextualizes, and decides.

The machine produces readings. The human also observes the gaps between those readings.

Dialogue Between a Thinker and AI thus becomes simultaneously a book, a corpus, and an open experiment into the plurality of artificial intelligences.

The book was meant to be read by humans.

It now also becomes an object through which humans can watch AIs read.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The meta-reading experiment makes it possible to examine, among other things:

- what Google Gemini observes in the analysis produced by xAI/Grok;

- DeepSeek's response to the critique produced by OpenAI/Astra;

- the convergences, divergences and blind spots revealed by confronting the different readings.

"We didn't ask AI to judge the book. We asked AIs to read it — and then to read one another."

https://www.dialoguebetweenathinkerandai.com/en/meta-reading/

https://www.dialoguebetweenathinkerandai.com/en/

Media Contact : Thierry Ehrmann, [email protected]

SOURCE Artmarket.com

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Appian also named a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies (BOAT) report

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Appian (Nasdaq: APPN) today announced it has ranked #1 for the Deterministic Workflow Automation Use Case and Platform Consolidation Use Case in the 2026 Gartner Critical Capabilities™ for Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies (BOAT) report. In addition, Appian is once again a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant™ for Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies (BOAT) report based on its Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute.

The BOAT market is seeing immense traction driven by evolving automation needs as organizations shift from task automation to agentic automation and address the growing proliferation of AI agents across the enterprise.

According to Gartner, "By 2030, 70% of enterprises will pivot to a consolidated automation platform that orchestrates business processes, AI agents, bots, APIs and human actions, up from 10% today." Gartner evaluated 20 vendors across five common use cases for BOAT. Of the vendors recognized as Leaders, Appian was the only vendor among the top three for all five use cases, and the highest scoring vendor for the Platform Operations and Governance Critical Capability.

We believe Appian enables organizations to orchestrate complex operations with AI, systems, and people. The Appian Platform unifies critical BOAT capabilities, including process orchestration, data, AI agents, robotic process automation (RPA), rules, intelligent document processing (IDP) and AI-assisted low-code application development.

Large enterprises and governments use Appian to automate their most important business processes.

"We're automating manual work, orchestrating processes, and reducing complex operational cycles from weeks down to minutes on the Appian Platform. Appian gen AI provides an opportunity for us to continue delivering against our strategic plans. The more innovation that we do, the better tools that we can give to our policy owners, the faster they can deliver to their patients." — Sheila Evans, Chief Product and Solutions Officer, MagMutual

As a recognized enterprise software vendor in process, data, and AI with more than 25 years of customer success, we believe the Appian Platform provides enterprise-grade resilience and scale.

"AI must operate with reliability when running high-stakes operational processes," said Sanat Joshi, Executive Vice President of Product at Appian. "By embedding AI agents directly within structured, deterministic process models, Appian gives AI the exact goals, precise context, and guardrails to execute complex work safely. This recognition as a Leader from Gartner validates our vision for serious enterprise AI, built on process."

To learn more about Appian's position as Leader in orchestration and automation, download a complimentary copy of the Gartner report at appian.com/boat-report.

Gartner, Inc. 2026 Magic Quadrant™ for Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies (BOAT). Saikat Ray, Art Villa, Tushar Srivastava, Sachin Joshi, Adam Briggs, Mike Warren. 15 September 2026.

Gartner, Inc. 2026 Critical Capabilities for Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies (BOAT). Saikat Ray, Art Villa, Tushar Srivastava, Sachin Joshi, Adam Briggs, Mike Warren. 15 September 2026.

Gartner® and Magic Quadrant are trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.

Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding future product capabilities, strategic plans, and industry growth, are forward-looking. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Appian undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

About Appian

Appian provides AI automation for the most important business processes at the world's largest organizations.

On the Appian Platform, customers build AI-powered processes that accelerate work, reduce cost, and manage risk. Our platform is known for its unique power, reliability, and scale. We've been automating processes for more than 25 years and understand enterprise operations like no one else. For more information, visit appian.com. [Nasdaq: APPN]

Follow Appian: LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

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Clinicians and staff gain an up-to-date view of capacity, patient movement, and environmental services workflows

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- San Juan Regional Medical Center has strengthened its clinical operations with several new Oracle Health solutions that help streamline patient flow, improve bed management, and enhance operational visibility. The new capabilities give clinical and operational teams a shared, up-to-date view of capacity and demand, helping them coordinate care efficiently, limit delays, and support a predictable patient experience. Oracle Health and Optum supported the implementation, combining connected clinical operations technology with healthcare operations and transformation expertise.

San Juan Regional Medical Center is an independent, community-owned nonprofit healthcare system serving patients across the Four Corners region of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. The organization sought to address fragmented coordination among bed management, environmental services, and clinical operations, which limited visibility into bed status, patient movement, and operational priorities. To help address these challenges, San Juan Regional Medical Center implemented Oracle Health Command Center Dashboard, Oracle Health Patient Flow, and Oracle Health Transfer Center, building on its long-time use of Oracle Health clinical and revenue cycle solutions. Optum worked alongside San Juan Regional Medical Center, leveraging the organization's deep expertise in technology transformation, to help align workflows, support adoption, and apply operational best practices.

"Our long-standing collaboration with Oracle Health provided a strong foundation for this next step in enhancing patient flow and operational coordination," said John Gaede, CIO, San Juan Regional Medical Center.

"Working collaboratively with Oracle Health and Optum, the new solutions now equip our clinical and operational teams with a more connected view of operations that helps us enhance coordination, improve discharge readiness, and turn beds over quicker to prepare for new patients," said Carlo Hallak, MD, physician informatics executive, San Juan Regional Medical Center.

One month after go-live, San Juan Regional is seeing early operational improvements. Bed-assignment time decreased 38.9%, from 54.00 minutes to 33.00 minutes. Environmental services response time decreased 48.5%, from 49.67 minutes to 25.56 minutes, exceeding the organization's established target. Environmental services clean-completion time improved 1.2% and continues to trend positively.

"Health systems need a clear, real-time view of their operations to help increase efficiency, make the best use of available resources, and deliver timely care," said Seema Verma, executive vice president and general manager, Oracle Health and Life Sciences. "By connecting our clinical operations solutions with San Juan Regional Medical Center's existing Oracle Health environment, the organization can improve patient flow, strengthen coordination across care teams, and help caregivers spend more time focused on patients."

"Technology transformation is most successful when it is paired with operational expertise and a clear focus on the care journey," said Lou DiLorenzo, CEO, Optum Advisory. "Together with San Juan Regional Medical Center and Oracle Health, we are helping establish a foundation for sustainable improvements in patient flow, capacity management, and operational performance."

To learn more about Oracle's full suite of clinical, life sciences, and business applications, join us at the Oracle Health and Life Sciences Summit in Orlando, September 22-24, 2026. Register now.

About San Juan Regional Medical Center

San Juan Regional Medical Center is an independent, community-owned nonprofit healthcare system headquartered in Farmington, New Mexico. Founded in 1910, the organization serves patients throughout the Four Corners region. Learn more at https://www.sanjuanregional.com/.

About Optum 

Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone. With more than 310,000 people worldwide, Optum delivers intelligent, integrated solutions that help to modernize the health system and improve overall population health. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). For more information, visit www.optum.com.

About Oracle

Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com.

Trademarks

Oracle, Java, MySQL, and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company—ushering in the new era of cloud computing.

SOURCE Oracle

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NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Class Action Attorney Juan Monteverde with Monteverde & Associates PC (the "M&A Class Action Firm"), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2025 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. The firm is headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and is investigating Aethlon Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: AEMD) related to its merger with North Immunology, Inc. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, Upon closing of the proposed transaction, Aethlon shareholders will own approximately 4.75% of the combined company. Is it a fair deal?

Click here for more info https://monteverdelaw.com/case/aethlon-medical-inc/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE EQUAL. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?

2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?

3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

About Monteverde & Associates PC

Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders...and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

No one is above the law. If you own common stock in the above listed company and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:

Juan Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2026 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

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FHU Reports Record Graduation Rate Amid Strong Fall Enrollment

HENDERSON, Tenn., Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Freed-Hardeman University welcomed 2,296 students to classes this fall, continuing a period of strong enrollment while seeing high student retention and an all-time-high five-year graduation rate of 71%, exceeding the rate at nine of Tennessee's public four-year universities. FHU's 89% retention rate and graduation rate point to a student experience that continues to help students find their place, remain engaged and reach graduation.

"While numbers tell part of the story, what encourages me most is seeing students find a place where they are valued and challenged to grow," FHU President Keith Harris said. "Our strong retention and graduation rates, along with the continued growth in new and international students, show a community that is investing deeply in the lives of its students. We are grateful for every student who has chosen FHU and for the faculty and staff who walk alongside them."

Overall, the number of new students increased by 5% from the previous year. The university also welcomed an all-time high number of international students this fall, expanding FHU's global reach and bringing students from an increasing number of backgrounds and cultures into the campus community.

At the same time, FHU continues to see strong engagement in its residential campus experience. Full-time undergraduate enrollment increased 3% this fall, while the number of students living on campus grew 5%, adding to the community and personal relationships that are central to the FHU experience.

FHU's distinctive Christian mission also continues to shape the campus community. Approximately 76% of on-campus, undergraduate students are members of the churches of Christ, representing the highest percentage among Christian colleges and universities, according to Senior Vice President Dave Clouse. The strong alignment between FHU's student body and its mission creates an environment where students can grow academically, spiritually and personally alongside others who share their faith.

Graduate education also continues to grow, with full-time graduate enrollment increasing by 13% this fall.

"Students are looking for a college where they feel like they belong, and we continue to see that in the students choosing Freed-Hardeman," Ryan Malecha, vice president for enrollment management, said. "We are encouraged by the increase in new students and the growth in full-time graduate enrollment. We are also seeing more students choose to live on campus, which strengthens the relationships and sense of community that make the FHU experience distinctive. These are encouraging signs as we look ahead."

FHU's fall enrollment includes 1,806 undergraduate students, with 490 additional students enrolled in the university's graduate programs. As the university begins another academic year, the enrollment figures illustrate a community marked by strong student persistence, an increasing global presence and a continued commitment to its mission of Christian higher education.

The mission of Freed-Hardeman University is to help students develop their God-given talents for His glory by empowering them with an education that integrates Christian faith, scholarship and service. Located in Henderson, Tennessee, FHU offers associate, bachelor's, master's, specialist and doctoral degrees. More information is available at fhu.edu.

SOURCE Freed-Hardeman University

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Innventure, Inc. (INV) Shareholders Who Lost Money Have Opportunity to Lead Securities Fraud Lawsuit

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, Pa., Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces that investors with substantial losses have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit against Innventure, Inc.

IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO SUFFERED A LOSS IN INNVENTURE, INC. (INV), CONTACT THE LAW OFFICES OF HOWARD G. SMITH BEFORE OCTOBER 27, 2026 (LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONGOING SECURITIES FRAUD LAWSUIT.

Contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss your legal rights by email at [email protected], by telephone at (215) 638-4847 or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.

What Is The Lawsuit About?

The complaint filed in this class action alleges that between November 17, 2025 and August 13, 2026, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Accelsius' alleged transformative deal with DarkNX was unlikely to come to fruition as no evidence of DarkNX constructing or facilitating a large scale AI data center existed; (2) as a result, the Company's stated revenue and cash flow targets for Accelsius in 2026 were overstated; and (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

Contact Us To Participate or Learn More:  

If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact:

Howard G. Smith, Esq.,

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith,

3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112,

Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020,

Call us at: (215) 638-4847

Email us at: [email protected],

Visit our website at: www.howardsmithlaw.com.

To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

Contact Us: 

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith

Howard G. Smith, Esquire

215-638-4847

[email protected]

www.howardsmithlaw.com

SOURCE Law Offices of Howard G. Smith

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SDK.finance Announces Expanded Platform Focus to Power Native Financial Products for Retailers, Marketplaces, and Telecoms

VILNIUS, Lithuania, Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SDK.finance, a provider of ready-made software foundations for modern wallets and payments, today announced the strategic expansion of its core platform availability to specifically target non-financial consumer brands. The company is positioning its infrastructure to empower retailers, marketplaces, and telecom operators to build native financial products, projecting that established consumer brands will drive the next wave of financial innovation.

"Retailers, marketplaces, and telecom operators already have the customers. Now they can bring payments and wallets into the same experience using our infrastructure," said Pavlo Sidelov, CEO at SDK.finance. "A customer returns a jacket and is offered a choice: wait for the money to go back to the card they paid with, or take it as a balance inside the retailer's own app and spend it on the next order. None of these companies set out to be a bank, but all of them are moving money. That is the prediction worth taking seriously, and the strategic rationale behind our expanded focus: the next wave of consumer financial products may come less from new fintech startups than from businesses that already have the customers, the transactions, and a practical reason to sit closer to the flow of money."

A Familiar Screen, an Unfamiliar System

As noted in the company's platform documentation, a branded wallet looks like one more screen in an app people already use. Behind it sits something most businesses have never had to run: software that tracks every customer's balance, processes payments and transfers as they happen, and gives support staff a way to investigate when a payment goes wrong. It also has to work with the company's existing checkout or billing systems and with whichever bank or payment provider moves the funds.

Building all of that from scratch is a substantial engineering undertaking in a field the business does not otherwise work in. Providers such as SDK.finance supply ready-made software foundations for modern wallets and payments, helping businesses adapt an existing foundation to their own brand and business model. The platform offers over 650 APIs for connecting to existing systems. Companies can use it as SaaS or license the source code for greater control over customization and deployment. The point is to choose a practical starting position, not to avoid the work. Integration, testing, and daily operations still have to be done, but a retailer's advantage is rarely in the ledger.

Three Industries Driving the Transition

To illustrate the market demand driving SDK.finance's strategic focus, the company highlighted publicly available data from three distinct industries where non-financial businesses have successfully integrated financial products:

● Retail: For a retailer, a wallet is mostly about refunds, gift balances, and a quicker checkout. Starbucks sells coffee, yet customers have become comfortable prepaying for future purchases through its stored-value cards and app. The company's fiscal 2025 annual report shows roughly $1.84 billion on the combined balance-sheet line for stored-value card liability and the current portion of deferred revenue.

● Marketplaces: For a marketplace or commerce platform, the financial product is the seller's money: what they earned, what was deducted, and when it lands. Shopify is a commerce platform that also offers financial products to its merchants. Its fourth-quarter 2025 results reported 37% growth in gross payments volume for the year. Bringing sales, fees, and payouts into the platform gives merchants a clearer view of how money moves through their business.

● Telecom: For a telecom operator, the wallet can become the account. In the year to March 31, 2025, M-PESA accounted for 44.2% of Safaricom's service revenue in Kenya. M-PESA was built up over many years, serving as a useful corrective to anyone imagining a wallet as a single quarter's roadmap item.

These public examples demonstrate broader market trends and the viability of the model SDK.finance's software is built to support. The next question is how many other businesses can follow without spending years developing the software behind them. Ready-made platforms and arrangements with licensed financial partners provide another route.

Software Is Not Permission

The SDK.finance release also issues a firm reminder regarding regulatory compliance. Buying software does not authorize a company to provide regulated financial services. Depending on the jurisdiction, functionality, and business model, holding customer funds, issuing electronic money, or executing payments may require the company's own license, an arrangement with a licensed financial institution, or both. A closed-loop gift balance and an account that sends money to third parties are not the same regulatory object.

A licensed partnership does not make regulatory responsibilities disappear. The company and its financial partners must establish who is responsible for safeguarding funds, compliance, complaints, and operational controls under the applicable rules. SDK.finance, like other vendors in this category, supplies software. It is not a bank, a licensed payment institution, or a source of regulatory approval.

Financial Products Grow Where the Relationship Already Exists

"The useful question for a retailer, marketplace, or operator is not whether to become a fintech. It is narrower than that," added Sidelov. "Money already moves through the business in the form of refunds, payouts, top-ups, and settlements. Whether it is worth bringing part of that inside is a judgment about the customer relationship first and the technology second. For plenty of companies, the honest answer will be no. But where the answer is yes, the opportunity belongs to companies that already own the customer relationship, which is exactly who our software is built to serve."

If the prediction holds, the next generation of financial products will not arrive announcing themselves as financial products. They will show up as a balance inside an app that somebody already had a reason to open, powered by backend software providers like SDK.finance.

Media Contact

Name: Pavlo Sidelov

Company: SDK.finance

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://sdk.finance/

SOURCE SDK.finance

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The article outlines how regular service supports system efficiency and reliability in coastal climates.

OCEAN VIEW, N.J., Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- How often should homeowners service their HVAC systems to maintain performance in a coastal climate?

HelloNation has published the answer in an article featuring insights from HVAC expert Bob Schmid of Richardson Heating & Cooling in Ocean View, NJ.

The HelloNation article explains that coastal environments like Ocean View and Cape May County create added challenges for heating and cooling equipment. High humidity and salt air exposure can accelerate wear and reduce HVAC system efficiency. Because of these conditions, following a consistent HVAC maintenance schedule is essential for reliable performance throughout the year.

The article notes that most professionals recommend servicing systems at least twice annually. This standard HVAC service frequency includes one visit before the cooling season and another before the heating season. Maintaining this HVAC service frequency allows technicians to prepare systems for heavy use and identify issues before they require HVAC repair.

During routine service visits, technicians inspect and clean key components of heating and cooling equipment. This process often includes checking refrigerant levels, cleaning coils, and evaluating airflow. These steps are critical for maintaining HVAC system efficiency and reducing the likelihood of breakdowns. For coastal HVAC systems, service may also involve removing salt buildup and checking for corrosion on outdoor units.

Coastal HVAC systems require extra attention due to environmental exposure. Salt air can settle on outdoor components, leading to corrosion over time, while humidity can make it more difficult to regulate indoor temperatures. The article explains that a consistent HVAC maintenance schedule helps minimize these effects and supports better long term system performance.

Skipping maintenance can lead to a range of issues that impact HVAC system efficiency. Reduced airflow, uneven temperatures, and higher energy use are common results when heating and cooling equipment is not properly maintained. The article emphasizes that neglecting regular service often increases the need for HVAC repair and shortens the lifespan of the system.

The article also highlights the benefits of HVAC maintenance plans. These plans provide structured service schedules and ensure that systems receive consistent care. HVAC maintenance plans are especially useful for coastal HVAC systems, where ongoing exposure to salt and moisture requires more frequent attention. By following HVAC maintenance plans, homeowners can reduce the risk of missed service visits and maintain system reliability.

Seasonal preparation is another key aspect discussed in the article. Before summer, service visits help ensure that cooling systems can handle increased demand and humidity. Before winter, technicians focus on preparing heating components for safe operation. This balanced approach supports HVAC system efficiency and keeps heating and cooling equipment functioning properly throughout the year.

The article advises homeowners to watch for early warning signs that indicate service may be needed sooner. Unusual noises, inconsistent temperatures, and weak airflow can all signal underlying problems. Addressing these issues early helps prevent costly HVAC repair and supports continued HVAC system efficiency.

Coastal homes benefit from proactive maintenance strategies that address environmental stress. Regular cleaning, corrosion checks, and system inspections are essential for protecting coastal HVAC systems. These efforts help extend equipment life and maintain consistent performance despite challenging conditions.

The article concludes that establishing a reliable HVAC maintenance schedule is one of the most effective ways to protect heating and cooling equipment. By maintaining proper HVAC service frequency and using HVAC maintenance plans, homeowners can improve HVAC system efficiency and reduce the likelihood of unexpected HVAC repair.

How Often Should You Service Your HVAC System in Ocean View & Cape May County's Coastal Climate? features insights from Bob Schmid, HVAC Expert of Ocean View, NJ, in HelloNation.

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