The annual report details Daikin's sharpened focus on the challenges shaping America's future, including energy demand, cost savings, advanced manufacturing, data center growth, workforce development, and energy efficiency.

NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Daikin U.S. Corporation today announced its annual U.S. Business and Innovation Report, highlighting the company's U.S. footprint and continued investment in the people, technologies and facilities needed to support the country's growth. Daikin is building domestic manufacturing capacity, developing a skilled workforce, and advancing technologies designed to help homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure use energy more efficiently and manage costs.

America's future depends on reliable energy, modern infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and a highly skilled workforce. Data center expansion, artificial intelligence use, industrial growth, building modernization, and electrification are increasing demand on the nation's energy systems and built environment. Meeting those needs will require sustained investment in domestic production, innovation, and talent.

Daikin's annual report demonstrates the company's investments and sharpened focus on these priorities. Today, Daikin employs more than 25,000 people nationwide, operates 24 manufacturing facilities and nine research and development centers, and maintains sales and service operations in all 50 states.

"The opportunities and challenges facing the United States continue to evolve," said Yoshiyuki Uemura, President, Daikin U.S. Corporation. "From rising energy demand and rapid data center growth to workforce development and advanced manufacturing, the needs of our customers and communities are changing. This report reflects how Daikin is expanding its investments and capabilities to help address those challenges while supporting long-term economic growth across the country."

Strengthening American Manufacturing

Domestic manufacturing remains central to Daikin's U.S. growth strategy. Through its local-for-local approach, the company is investing in production capabilities closer to the customers and communities it serves, while helping strengthen U.S. manufacturing capacity and support long-term economic growth.

Investing in America's Workforce

Growing America's manufacturing and infrastructure capabilities requires people with the technical skills to install, operate, and maintain increasingly advanced systems.

Daikin is investing directly in that workforce. The $30 million, 64,000-square-foot Daikin Applied Solutions & Technical Institute provides hands-on education and professional development across engineering, service, technical, sales, and leadership disciplines, with up to 120 training pathways. Daikin's National Educational Partnership Program extends that commitment through more than 150 educational relationships nationwide, helping develop a pipeline of skilled HVAC professionals.

Improving Energy Efficiency and Helping Manage Costs

Rising energy demand makes efficiency increasingly important for homeowners, businesses, and institutions looking to control energy use and operating expenses.

Daikin continues to invest in technologies that can help customers get more from the energy they use. Inverter-driven systems, heat pumps, and advanced commercial building solutions can improve efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and deliver greater control over building comfort and performance.

These investments also reflect a broader shift outlined in the report: energy efficiency is an environmental priority and an economic and infrastructure imperative. Reducing energy waste can help customers lower costs while making better use of existing energy resources.

Meeting the Demands of the Digital Economy

Few areas illustrate America's changing infrastructure needs more clearly than data centers. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital services is increasing demand for advanced cooling technologies and creating a significant growth opportunity for Daikin.

The company expects its North American data center cooling business to exceed approximately $3.3 billion by FY2030 and plans to increase production capacity to 2.5 times 2024 levels. Daikin is also investing in a new Data Center Hub in San Diego to accelerate advancements, solution development, and customer engagement. Daikin is also planning a $163 million Advanced R&D Test Lab focused on developing next-generation cooling technologies.

Together, these investments expand Daikin's capabilities in a sector that will play an increasingly important role in America's digital and energy infrastructure.

About the Daikin U.S. Business and Innovation Report

The Daikin U.S. Business and Innovation Report highlights the company's investments, operations, and impact across the United States. The report examines Daikin's work in manufacturing, workforce development, energy efficiency, innovation, and critical infrastructure, and outlines its continued investment in technologies and capabilities to help address America's evolving needs.

Read Daikin's 2026 Business and Innovation Report: https://northamerica-daikin.com/business-innovation-report-2026

About Daikin U.S. Corporation

Daikin U.S. Corporation is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Ltd., a global leader in heat pump, air conditioning, and air filtration technology. Founded in 1924, Daikin is a Fortune Global 500 company with over 104,000 employees worldwide and operations in more than 170 countries. With more than 25,000 U.S. team members, Daikin connects its global technologies and expertise with solutions tailored to U.S. needs.

SOURCE Daikin

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- Student input helped shape the $507,000 playground, creating more opportunities for children of all abilities to play and connect.

- The playground builds on Rivercrest's commitment to student well-being, belonging and community pride.

- A $400,000 contribution from Cypress Creek Energy, along with support from Ag for Autism and local and state funding, helped bring the district's vision to life.

WILSON, Ark., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rivercrest School District, together with Cypress Creek Energy and other partners, today celebrated the grand opening of its new inclusive playground at Rivercrest Elementary School. Students, educators, families and community partners gathered for a ribbon cutting to mark the opening of a place where children of all abilities can play, explore and grow together.

The thoughtfully designed playground reflects Rivercrest's commitment to helping every student find a place to belong. Its features include wheelchair-accessible equipment, accessible swings, sensory elements and pods, reading nooks, and a merry-go-round designed to accommodate students with different mobility needs.

"This playground started with a simple wish: to give a student an opportunity to experience the joy of a swing," said Shantele Raper, superintendent of Rivercrest School District. "Our teachers saw what was possible, our students helped shape the vision, and our partners helped us bring it to life. Now we have a place where children of all abilities can play together, build friendships and feel included. That means so much to our students and their families."

The idea took root during a field trip to a nearby community, where teachers saw how accessible playground equipment created a meaningful experience for a student with special needs. A request for a swing grew into a broader effort to create a playground that would serve students with a range of abilities and interests.

Students played an active role in the design. The district surveyed students and selected ambassadors from each grade level to review playground options and represent their classmates' ideas. Their input helped shape a space with opportunities for active play, sensory exploration and quiet moments.

Cypress Creek Energy contributed $400,000 toward the playground, with Ag for Autism and additional local and state funding helping make the project possible. Cypress Creek announced its contribution in July 2026 at the groundbreaking of its Steel River Energy Center, alongside a $3 million community commitment for Mississippi County.

"Rivercrest's teachers and students brought this playground to life with a clear vision for what every child should be able to experience," said Kevin Smith, CEO of Cypress Creek Energy. "We're proud to help make that vision a reality. As we build the Steel River Energy Center and become part of Mississippi County, we have a responsibility to contribute to the community's future. Supporting its children and schools is one of the most meaningful ways we can do that."

The playground is part of Rivercrest's broader focus on student well-being and a welcoming, secure school environment. The district is also installing automated gates around school driveways, supported by a $100,000 donation from Moss Construction and additional support from Cypress Creek Energy.

These partnerships bring together local schools, Cypress Creek Energy and the companies helping build its Steel River Energy Center near Wilson. The project is being built with Arkansas-made structural steel and 100% U.S.-made solar panels.

"Cypress Creek genuinely cares about partnering with us, and we see that commitment in the difference they're making for our students," Raper added. "They're also bringing other partners into the effort, helping turn shared goals into real benefits for our school community."

For Rivercrest, the new playground advances a mission that reaches beyond the classroom. From pre-K through graduation, with more than 1,200 students enrolled, the district combines a strong academic foundation with athletics, band and other opportunities that help students discover their interests, develop their abilities and succeed.

Serving rural communities across roughly 400 square miles of Mississippi County, Rivercrest is also a gathering place where families connect through shared traditions and pride in their children's accomplishments. The new playground carries that spirit forward, creating more ways for students to participate and belong.

Clare Quirin, [email protected]

SOURCE Cypress Creek Energy

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LOCATED AT 3401 DALE ROAD, SUITE 655, MODESTO, CA, this clinic opening marks 20 years of uninterrupted growth for the founder-led, Los Angelesâbased company.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LaserAway, the nation's leader in aesthetic dermatology today announced the opening of its 238th location in Modesto, CA. The opening celebrates the company's 20th Anniversary which takes place this year and reflects two decades of continuous growth without a single clinic closure, a rare achievement in retail and the medical aesthetics category.

Founded in 2006 by Dr. Roy Winston and brothers Scott, Brock, and Todd Heckmann, LaserAway has evolved from a single West Hollywood, CA clinic into the largest nationwide aesthetics and dermatology company in the country. All LaserAway locations are privately owned and operated with no franchises. LaserAway's success was built on a simple but disruptive idea: that industry-leading, safe, and effective aesthetic dermatological treatments should be available for everyone.

"When we opened our first clinic on Sunset Boulevard, we knew there was a massive opportunity to make these treatments accessible to everyoneânot just a privileged few," said Scott Heckmann, co-founder and CEO of LaserAway. "From day one, our mission has been to combine medical precision with modern convenience, giving people safe, effective results in a setting that feels approachable and empowering."

LaserAway currently operates in 36 states and all treatments are performed by licensed medical professionals (NPs, PAs, RNs). LaserAway's Chief Medical Officer is Dr. Will Kirby. Dr. Kirby leads LaserAway's Medical Board, which consists of a team of over 25 board-certified dermatologists.

The Modesto location, like all LaserAway locations, will provide a full range of non- and minimally-invasive aesthetic services, including laser hair removal, Botox®, dermal fillers, skin rejuvenation and body contouring treatments such as CoolSculpting® and Thermage®. It will also feature LaserAway Wellness Injections, administered by medical professionals to support safe, clinically monitored results.

For more information on the brand, please visit laseraway.com.

ABOUT LASERAWAY

LaserAway® is the nation's leader in aesthetic dermatology, offering customized treatments tailored to patient needs with a team of more than 25 board-certified dermatologists and 700 nurses in its 238 locations across the country. It specializes in a full suite of non- and minimally-invasive aesthetic treatments, including laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal, laser skin rejuvenation, body contouring, skin tightening, injectables, and skincare products. LaserAway is committed to providing high-quality, results-driven skincare solutions in a modern and welcoming environment. For more information, visit the brand on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, or at www.laseraway.com.

SOURCE LaserAway, LLC.

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Expands HCM Technology Advisory, Integration, and Managed Services Capabilities

ATLANTA, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NIIT Learning Systems Limited (NSE, BSE: NIITMTS), a global leader in Managed Learning Services, today announced that it has acquired 100% of Bluewater Learning, LLC ("Bluewater"), a strategic learning and talent transformation partner that helps organizations connect workforce capabilities, learning ecosystems, and technology investments to business priorities. The acquisition has been completed through NIIT Learning's wholly owned subsidiary, NIIT (USA), Inc., for an aggregate consideration of up to USD 17.6 million, including performance-based earnouts over the next five years, subject to certain customary adjustments in accordance with the definitive agreements.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Plano, Texas, Bluewater partners with organizations to help them navigate learning and talent transformation. Combining strategic advisory, technology solutions, and ongoing operations, Bluewater helps clients develop strategies, implement solutions, and support the organizational changes needed for long-term success. Over the past two decades, Bluewater has served more than 1,100 clients and completed more than 5,000 learning and talent projects.

As AI transforms how work gets done, talent transformation has become an essential enabler of business change. Enterprises are navigating shifting skills requirements, new and emerging roles, and increasingly complex learning and talent ecosystems built on enterprise HCM platforms and data. The union brings together Bluewater's strategic advisory, implementation, and integration expertise with NIIT Learning's global managed learning services capabilities and scale, creating the right-sized, trusted, global HCM and talent transformation partner for large enterprises.

Bluewater's deep partnerships with leading learning and talent technology platforms, including Cornerstone and Docebo, along with NIIT Learning's partnerships with Cornerstone, Docebo, Workday, SuccessFactors, Sana Labs, Degreed, Litmos, and Adobe Learning, further strengthen the combined organization's ability to support clients with a total bench strength of 210 certified HCM consulting and implementation professionals with over 1000 certifications across multiple platforms. Together, the companies offer what large enterprises have been seeking: the global reach and reliability of a large, global managed learning services provider, with the specialist depth in and exclusive focus on HCM technology for learning and talent transformation. The combined organization connects business strategy, talent capabilities, technology and data decisions, and ongoing operations to deliver real-time performance visibility, hyper-personalized learning, and sustainable business outcomes.

As organizations take on massive talent transformation in the age of AI, NIIT is evolving into a trusted business partner that leads clients to "Transform and Operate" their AI-enabled L&D. The acquisition supports NIIT Learning's growth strategy through:

- Expanded strategic advisory capabilities that help organizations align learning, career development, and workforce strategies with AI-driven business priorities, assess skills and organizational readiness, and build actionable transformation roadmaps.

- Deeper learning and talent technology expertise spanning platform strategy, implementation, enhancement, and optimization, along with API-led integration and data orchestration across HCM and other enterprise systems.

- Strong operational and managed services capabilities that combine Bluewater's technology expertise with NIIT Learning's global delivery scale to simplify operations, accelerate proficiency development, and sustain the value of technology investments.

- Expanded opportunities for clients and technology partners, bringing together complementary capabilities to support evolving learning, talent, and workforce needs at enterprise scale.

"AI is driving the most significant transformation of the talent and learning landscape we have ever seen, and enterprise HCM platforms and data will sit at the center of it. For more than two decades, Bluewater has built trusted, strategic partnerships with the world's leading HCM technology companies. Their advisory, implementation, and integration expertise complements NIIT Learning's global managed learning services capabilities and significantly expands our HCM technology solutions portfolio. Together, we offer large enterprises a global, reliable, and specialist partner that combines strategic guidance, deep technology expertise, and delivery at scale to drive meaningful business outcomes," said Sapnesh Lalla, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, NIIT Learning.

Chris Bond, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bluewater Learning, said, "I'm genuinely excited for Bluewater to join the NIIT Learning family. For twenty-three years, our clients have trusted us with some of their most important learning and talent work, and many of those relationships go back well over a decade. That trust is what we're proudest of, and it's what we bring into this next chapter. NIIT Learning brings expanded capabilities and a strong track record of delivering great client experiences, giving us an unprecedented opportunity to drive greater impact together. With the scale to do more and the flexibility our clients count on, we can help organizations strengthen workforce readiness, build organizational agility, and achieve long-term business outcomes."

For more information, please visit https://info.niit.com/niit-bluewater.

About NIIT Learning Systems Limited

NIIT Learning is the trusted, award-winning L&D and talent partner for the world's leading companies, and a recognized leader in AI maturity for learning and development. Established in 1981, NIIT Learning helps enterprises build the AI operating model, infrastructure, and fluency that a human + AI workforce demands, pairing AI-powered managed learning with strategic consulting to solve the most complex challenges in learning, talent, skills, and workforce transformation. Across 40+ countries, our experienced learning teams help clients thrive in an AI-first world with AI-first L&D transformation solutions, reskilling employees at scale through intelligent coaching and dynamic simulations embedded directly into the workflow. With a Net Promoter Score of 9.65/10 and an industry-leading renewal rate, we help leading companies reimagine their learning ecosystems and increase the business value and impact of learning.

For more information, visit us at www.niitmts.com.

About Bluewater Learning

Bluewater Learning helps organizations transform how learning and talent contribute to business performance. Combining strategic advisory, deep learning technology expertise, and ongoing operational support, Bluewater partners with clients to align workforce priorities with learning strategies and technology investments. Through a business-first, technology-informed approach, Bluewater helps organizations move beyond isolated learning initiatives to build connected, sustainable learning ecosystems that support workforce readiness, organizational agility, and long-term business outcomes.

For more information, visit us at www.bluewaterlearning.com.

SOURCE NIIT (USA), INC.

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The national vacancy rate declined to 1.2 percent; Zombie home rate dropped slightly to 3 percent

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ATTOM, the leading provider of property data, AI-powered intelligence, and real estate analytics solutions, today released its latest Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report showing that 1.2 percent of residential properties in the United States were vacant in the final quarter of the year. That was down from 1.3 percent in the third quarter and in the same quarter last year.

The report analyzes publicly recorded real estate data collected by ATTOM â including foreclosure status, equity and owner-occupancy status â matched against monthly updated vacancy data. (See full methodology below).

There were 269,195 properties in the foreclosure process in the fourth quarter, out of 105.1 million total properties analyzed. Of those properties in foreclosure, 3 percent, or 8,040 properties, were "zombies," meaning the owners had abandoned the homes before the conclusion of the foreclosure proceedings. The fourth-quarter zombie rate was down from 3.3 percent in the prior quarter and in the same quarter last year.

"The fourth-quarter data showed modest declines in both vacancy and zombie foreclosure rates nationwide," said Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM. "While trends vary from state to state, vacant and abandoned homes continue to represent a relatively small share of the nation's housing stock."

2026 Zombie Foreclosure Infographic

Zombie homes on rise in majority of states

The number of zombie properties rose quarter-over-quarter in 29 states.

Among states with at least 50 zombie properties in the fourth quarter, the largest quarter-over-quarter increases were in Wisconsin (up 20.9 percent to 52 zombie properties), Maryland (up 19.2 percent to 180 zombie properties), Pennsylvania (up 17.2 percent to 252 zombie properties), Texas (up 15.7 percent to 192 zombie properties), and North Carolina (up 15.2 percent to 129 zombie properties).

The states with sufficient data to analyze and that had the largest declines in zombie properties were Arizona (down 34.9 percent to 56 zombie properties), Florida (down 19.6 percent to 2,220 zombie properties), California (down 10.4 percent to 267 zombie properties), South Carolina (down 9.6 percent to 141 zombie properties), and Oklahoma (down 8.9 percent to 82 zombie properties).

Vacancy rates below half a percent in much of Northeast

The states with the highest overall home vacancy rates in the fourth quarter were Oklahoma (2.4 percent), Kansas (2.3 percent), Alabama (2.1 percent), West Virginia (2.1 percent), and Missouri (2 percent).

The lowest vacancy rates were in New Hampshire (0.3 percent), Vermont (0.4 percent), New Jersey (0.4 percent), Connecticut (0.4 percent), and Idaho (0.5 percent).

Ten metro areas posted no zombie properties

There were 164 metropolitan statistical areas with sufficient data to include in ATTOM's analysis, meaning they had at least 100,000 residential properties and at least 50 properties in the foreclosure process. The metro areas with the highest zombie rates were Baltimore, MD (13 percent); Youngstown, OH (13 percent); Akron, OH (11.5 percent); Cedar Rapids, IA (10.7 percent); and Scranton, PA (9.4 percent).

Ten of the metro areas had no zombie properties, the largest of which were Bridgeport, CT; El Paso, TX; Little Rock, AR; Fayetteville, AR; and Visalia, CA.

Vacancy rates higher among investor-owned properties

Institutional investors held 30.6 million homes in the fourth quarter, of which 2.7 percent, or 840,384, were vacant.

The states with the highest vacancy rates for investor-owned homes were Indiana (6.5 percent), Alabama (5.8 percent), Oklahoma (5.4 percent), Kansas (5.2 percent), and Louisiana (5.1 percent).

The lowest vacancy rates for investor-owned properties were in New Hampshire (0.6 percent), Vermont (0.9 percent), Utah (0.9 percent), Hawaii (1 percent), and New Jersey (1.1 percent).

Zombie rates high in several Baltimore, Indianapolis zip codes

There were 2,585 zip codes with sufficient data to be included in ATTOM's analysis, meaning they had at least 1,000 residential properties and at least 25 in foreclosure in the fourth quarter. Of those, the highest zombie rates were in 21205 in Baltimore, MD (42.5 percent); 21223 in Baltimore, MD (40 percent); 46201 in Indianapolis, IN (32.3 percent); 46218 in Indianapolis, IN (32.3 percent); and 13619 in Carthage, NY (32.1 percent).

Conclusion

ATTOM's fourth quarter vacancy and zombie home report found that the national vacancy rate fell slightly from the previous quarter to 1.2 percent. The national zombie home rate also dropped to 3 percent.

Report Methodology

ATTOM analyzed county tax assessor data for over 105.1 million residential properties for vacancy, broken down by foreclosure status and owner-occupancy status in the fourth quarter of 2026. Only metropolitan statistical areas with at least 100,000 residential properties and 50 properties in pre-foreclosure, counties with at least 50,000 residential properties and zip codes with at least 1,000 residential properties and 25 in pre-foreclosure were included in the analysis.

Report Definitions

Vacant Rate

The percentage of all residential properties that are unoccupied at the time of analysis, regardless of foreclosure status or ownership type.

"Zombie" Foreclosure Rate (Pct Pre-Foreclosures Vacant)

The percentage of properties in the foreclosure process that are vacant because the owner has abandoned the property prior to the foreclosure being completed.

Vacant Investment Rate

The percentage of investor-owned residential properties that are unoccupied, measured against the total number of investor-owned homes.

Vacant Bank-Owned (REO) Rate

The percentage of bank-owned (REO) residential properties that are vacant after foreclosure has been completed and ownership has transferred to the lender.

About ATTOM

ATTOM delivers AI-driven property intelligence built on the nation's most trusted property data repository, covering 160+ million U.S. propertiesâ99% of the population. Our engineered, multi-sourced, semantically rich real estate data spans property tax, deeds, mortgages, foreclosure, environmental risk, property conditions, natural hazards, neighborhood insights, and geospatial boundaries, rigorously validated for advanced analytics. ATTOM supports analytics, AI applications, and AI agents through flexible delivery options including APIs, bulk licensing, cloud delivery, and the MCP Server for AI-powered, agentic access to engineered property data, enabling organizations to automate analysis, power intelligent workflows, and scale property intelligence across industries.

Media Contact:

Megan Hunt

[email protected] 

Data and Report Licensing:

949.502.8313

[email protected]

SOURCE ATTOM

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Stylish Linux-powered computer in glasses form factor now available for pre-order with a fully refundable $49 deposit; first shipments are expected in January 2027

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Raven Resonance today announced that Raven Prismâ¢, the world's first Ambient Computer, is now available for pre-order with a fully refundable $49 deposit. Following its first public debut and demos at Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2026, Raven Prism is now moving into commercial availability, with initial shipments to early adopters expected to begin in January 2027.

Powered by RavenOS, the company's Linux-based operating system, Raven Prism combines the appearance of beautiful premium prescription eyewear with a powerful standalone computing platform designed for continuous, hands-free use. Created for creative professionals, makers, developers and enterprise users, Raven Prism brings real-time information into view through a full-color LCoS waveguide display that provides a virtual viewing experience comparable to a 16-inch display at arm's length while allowing users to remain engaged with their surroundings.

Ambient computing refers to interfaces that appear when needed and then fade into the background, helping people stay present in the physical world. Raven Prism places a standalone 64-bit computer within a user's field of view, controlled by eye gaze and voice and designed to deliver contextual information and powerful tools without pulling attention away from the physical world. Raven Prism is designed to live with you â always there, aware of the context around you, and able to assist on the go without getting in the way.

Unlike conventional smart glasses that primarily function as connected smartphone accessories, Raven Prism is a standalone Linux computer in the form factor of premium everyday prescription eyewear. It operates independently and does not require a smartphone. Powered by a quad-core 64-bit ARM processor, the device supports native Linux applications, SSH access and developer customization. Raven Prism ships with more than 25 applications available through its own app store and provides low-level access to the operating system, creating a flexible platform for developers, creators and enterprises alike.

Raven Prism features privacy-preserving eye control implemented in hardware, enabling users to navigate applications and information using natural gaze-based interaction. Voice interaction, wireless peripherals through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and contextual ambient applications complement the gaze-first interface.

A key innovation is Raven Wingsâ¢, Raven's patent-pending modular hot-swappable battery architecture that connects magnetically to an expansion port on the frame, designed for continuous ambient computing. Unlike conventional mobile devices that require shutdowns, reboots or interruptions when power is depleted, Raven Prism preserves system state during battery exchanges, allowing users to swap batteries and continue working without restarting the device, relaunching applications or losing their place. Users can remove a depleted Raven Wing, attach a fresh one and continue working exactly where they left off. The architecture is designed to support uninterrupted all-day operation while creating a modular hardware platform for future expansion. Beyond power delivery, Raven Wings are designed as expansion modules capable of introducing additional hardware functionality over time, such as AI accelerators, cellular modems, GPS receivers, and more.

"Since showing Raven Prism publicly at AWE, it's been exciting to see it resonating so well with technical creatives, developers, and enterprises. People are clearly ready for a radically better relationship with personal computing," said Thomas Suarez, co-founder and CEO of Raven Resonance. "For decades, the computer has lived on a desk, in a pocket or in a bag. Raven Prism puts a powerful, open Linux computer directly into your field of view, accessible through your eyes and voice, without demanding your constant attention. Opening pre-orders is an important step toward bringing that capability into people's vision. This is a new kind of personal computer."

Privacy remains a foundational design principle of Raven Prism. Eye control data is processed locally on the device, no user data is transmitted off-device without explicit user consent and core AI capabilities are designed to run locally whenever possible. Unlike many connected wearables that rely heavily on cloud infrastructure, Raven Prism is designed to perform as much computation as possible locally, keeping user data under the user's control and reducing dependence on remote infrastructure. Raven Resonance believes privacy should be enforced through hardware and software architecture rather than only policies or permissions.

To support that philosophy, Raven Prism incorporates multiple hardware-level privacy protections. The device includes a physical camera cover that blocks image capture unless intentionally removed by the wearer, providing a visible and verifiable indication when the camera is capable of operation. Raven's proprietary Beakon visibility system further enhances transparency through illuminated indicators integrated into the frame that make camera activity readily apparent to both the wearer and those nearby. Custom circuit logic provides additional protection for data across hardware components.

Raven Prism is now available for pre-order at https://raven.computer with a fully refundable $49 deposit. The initial production run is expected to begin shipping to early adopters in January 2027. Raven Prism is designed and engineered by Raven Resonance in California and manufactured in the United States.

About Raven Resonance

Raven Resonance Inc. (San Francisco) is the developer of the world's first Ambient Computer, creating a new category of personal computing that brings the computer directly into the human eyeline. Founded by wearable computing pioneers, the company's first product, Raven Prism, combines the form factor of stylish premium eyewear with a powerful standalone Linux-based computing platform. Featuring 64-bit quad-core ARM processing, hardware-based privacy-preserving eye control and a full-color LCoS waveguide display, Raven Prism enables users to access contextual information and control applications hands-free, without relying on a smartphone. Raven's proprietary hot-swappable Raven Wings provide modular battery power for continuous operation while serving as expansion ports for future hardware functionality. Built on the conviction that privacy is a fundamental human right, Raven Prism incorporates privacy protections throughout its hardware and software architecture. Raven Prism is designed and engineered in California and manufactured in the United States. Learn more or buy Raven Prism at https://raven.computer .

All Raven trademarks and registered trademarks cited herein are the property of Raven Resonance Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are acknowledged as the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Raven Resonance

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CPG businesses can now put AI to work on their payables, connecting Settle's purchasing, bill pay and working capital data with the rest of their tools

NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Settle, the leading cash flow management and working capital platform for inventory-based businesses, today announced the launch of its public API and Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. Businesses can now connect Settle directly to their own software, data warehouses and AI assistants such as Claude. It is the first step toward agentic procure-to-pay, where AI handles the busywork across the systems a business runs on, from purchase order to payment.

Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands run on a patchwork of tools: Shopify, an ERP, accounting software, inventory and 3PL systems, and spreadsheets in between. Settle's API and MCP server bring Settle into that whole stack. Finance and operations teams, and the AI agents working for them, can tap into Settle's payables data and tools alongside their other systems to reconcile faster, forecast cash, and answer questions like "what do we owe our suppliers next month?" in seconds instead of hours.

Early customers are already building with it, from custom cash flow dashboards to AI agents that help run day-to-day operations. Settle plans to keep expanding what agents can see and do across procurement, payables, and working capital.

"Every business we talk to is rebuilding how they work with AI, and the companies moving fastest want their tools to talk to each other," said Alek Koenig, CEO and founder of Settle. "We built Settle's API and MCP server so a brand's AI can work alongside our platform and their other systems, not around them. This is the foundation for agentic procure-to-pay: software that keeps purchasing, payables, and cash flow moving on its own, with our team behind it."

Developers and Settle customers can get started at settle.com/api or by contacting their Settle account team.

ABOUT SETTLE

Settle is a cash flow management and working capital platform purpose-built for product businesses. The company's integrated suite, including procurement, bill pay, AP automation, and flexible working capital financing, gives brands the tools to manage their payables and access the capital they need to grow. With more than $8 billion in payments processed and total originations exceeding $4 billion, Settle has helped thousands of businesses across the United States unlock the capital they need to scale. Settle is backed by leading investors including Ribbit Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Caffeinated Capital, Stripes, Founders Fund, SciFi Ventures, Citi Ventures, and Activant Capital. Learn more at settle.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Settle Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Settle Inc.

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PITTSBURGH, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- "My daughter came up with this idea after making her own movie box with a cardboard box and tablet," said an inventor from Macon, Ga. "The idea would help children feel like they are at the movies while encouraging creativity and imaginative play."

InventHelp Invention Spotlight: THE JOURNEE Could Help Reduce Boredom for Children

- Provides a fun entertainment option for children

- Encourages creativity and imaginative play

- Creates a more engaging movie-style viewing experience InventHelp Client's Invention for Children's Entertainment

Children can become bored with standard screen time, and parents may seek more engaging ways to encourage imaginative play. THE JOURNEE idea would offer a children's entertainment accessory that could combine video viewing with pretend play.

Licensing Opportunities for InventHelp 123Invent Client:

- The invention is available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers who may wish to bring it to market.

- For more information, visit www.thejournee.net. Or contact Tamira Slaughter at (478) 737-7967 or email [email protected].

About InventHelp: Empowering Inventors with Tools, Guidance, and Potential Exposure

InventHelp is one of America's leading invention-service companies, helping inventors and entrepreneurs submit invention ideas to companies to attempt to obtain a good faith review. Since 1984, the company has assisted clients with invention submission, prototype modeling services, invention websites, patent referral services, and more. InventHelp's team attempts to connect inventors with companies looking for new product ideas and provides services on how to present, promote, and protect inventions. Through its invention services, InventHelp provides confidentiality, step-by-step support, and help to innovators who wish to submit their inventions to industry. To learn more about InventHelp, visit InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

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Spacelift Flows allows platform teams to build automations with an AI-assisted visual canvas or code to bring policy and audit controls to infrastructure operations, so platform teams can move at the pace the business requires.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Spacelift, the infrastructure orchestration company, today announced Spacelift Flows, extending its platform beyond infrastructure deployment to day 2 operations, where platform teams spend the majority of their time running, maintaining and troubleshooting infrastructure already in production.

AI-assisted development is increasing the volume and velocity of infrastructure reaching production, but automation and governance have historically stopped short of this operational phase. Spacelift, known for bringing automation and governance to infrastructure as code (IaC) and GitOps deployment, now applies its automation, policy enforcement and audit control expertise to day 2 operations, helping platform engineers keep pace with AI-generated code without becoming the bottleneck.

Spacelift Flows carries automation past provisioning into operations

Infrastructure teams have spent the past decade automating provisioning. However, the operations that occur after a deployment have remained manual and ad hoc. Making matters worse, platform engineers have had no shared view of what automations are running and no record of execution when something fails. That changes with Spacelift Flows. It extends Spacelift's automation and governance, as well as its AI-powered Spacelift Intelligence layer, to day 2 operations.

"Platform teams are absorbing more infrastructure requests than ever as AI accelerates how quickly their developers write code," said Pawel Hytry, CEO of Spacelift. "Our customers already manage their IaC pipelines with Spacelift, and Flows extends that same automation, visibility and governance to everything that happens after. When the work after deployment is governed and automated, features ship faster, fewer things break, and platform engineers spend their days on what's next instead of firefighting."

The Spacelift infrastructure orchestration platform

The Spacelift platform now manages the full infrastructure lifecycle on a single control plane, with one governance layer and one AI layer spanning deployment and operations. The IaC and GitOps deployment component is now called Spacelift Deploy, and the new operations component is called Spacelift Flows. Spanning both components is Spacelift Intelligence, an intelligence layer that helps understand, design, govern and even deploy infrastructure with natural language.

Spacelift now gives platform teams a single place to see every infrastructure automation running in their organization, with a step-by-step execution trail, real-time status and the ability to replay a workflow either in whole or in parts.

Governance and audit that don't stop at provisioning

Every control that applies to infrastructure deployed with Spacelift now also applies to what happens after it. Policy, role-based access control and audit history work the same way on a provisioning run and on an operational workflow. Deployment events can trigger operational workflows and vice versa.

Clear ownership for agentic infrastructure

Platform teams increasingly want agentic workflows, where an agent, not a person, makes the change. Spacelift Flows gives agents a governed path into infrastructure. Teams can expose internal databases, monitoring systems and operational APIs as MCP servers that agents can call, with private network access and approval gates. Each agent authenticates as itself and appears in the audit trail as its own user, rather than borrowing an engineer's credentials or using a shared key. Every action is attributable to the agent that took it. The workflows themselves execute deterministically, running the same way every time.

The platform team at Discovery Education has deployed Spacelift Flows and is realizing the various benefits of agentic workflows after infrastructure deployment. Toby Norman, partner success manager, said "I hadn't built an MCP server for my infrastructure before. It went very smoothly with Spacelift Flows. In a few hours I had several tools running and a proof of concept that helps developers debug their services on our platform." Parker Cameron, senior manager, cloud engineering, said "With Flows, we had something working in a few hours, instead of four weeks later and still struggling with auth, which is usually the pattern."

More information can be found on the Flows landing page and on the Spacelift blog. A webinar featuring a demo will be held on November 5th â register here.

FAQ

Does anything change for existing Spacelift customers?

No. The product previously known as Spacelift is now called Spacelift Deploy. Functionality, contracts and access are unchanged, and existing customers can use Spacelift Flows immediately.

What does Spacelift Flows cost?

Spacelift Flows is available as part of the Spacelift platform for no additional cost through a promotional period that runs through the end of the year. Commercial pricing and packaging will be announced in Q1 2027.

What does Spacelift Flows integrate with?

Spacelift Flows includes out-of-the-box integrations for AWS, Kubernetes, Terraform, Datadog, PagerDuty, ServiceNow, Jira and Slack. There is a library of more than 40 pre-built templates for tasks including incident enrichment, drift alerts, environment vending and certificate expiry monitoring. Teams can easily build custom flows for internal services and APIs. For AI use cases, Spacelift Flows can act as an MCP gateway, giving agents governed access to internal systems, and can work with whichever AI model a team selects.

Can Spacelift Flows automations be managed as code?

Automations built in Spacelift Flows, whether on the canvas or with the AI assistant, can also be defined as code through a Terraform provider published to the Terraform and OpenTofu registries.

About Spacelift

Spacelift, the infrastructure orchestration company, helps platform teams keep pace with AI-accelerated development by automating and governing IaC pipelines and Day 2 operations, in a single integrated platform.

The Spacelift platform orchestrates Terraform, OpenTofu, CloudFormation, Pulumi and Ansible in one governed workflow, and provides a visual canvas that lets teams build and run Day 2 automations. An intelligence layer adds AI-powered provisioning, workflow building and diagnostics, so teams deliver secure, scalable and compliant infrastructure at AI speed. Duolingo, Figma, Moody's, Checkout.com, 1Password and Redfin all manage their infrastructure with Spacelift.

Spacelift is also a major contributor to the Platform Engineering community as a founder and major contributor to OpenTofu and as the founder of IaCConf, the leading vendor-neutral IaC conference. Learn more about Spacelift and how it can help you at Spacelift.io. Sign up for a demo, or test the platform yourself with a free trial.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Cristin Connelly

Cathey.co for Spacelift

[email protected]

SOURCE Spacelift

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Nov. 11 benefit at eTown Hall celebrates teachers and will help fund 30 Colorado public educators for the inaugural Colorado Educators Summit

BOULDER, Colo., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Creative Educators Network (CEN) will host The Power of Story, a benefit evening celebrating storytelling and the teachers and mentors who change lives, on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. All proceeds support the inaugural Colorado Educators Summit, which brings 30 educators from across the state to the Sundance Film Festival, January 27â29, 2027, as the festival opens its first edition in Boulder.

CEN connects creative teachers with industry-based professional development, investing in the educators who are building the future of Colorado's creative workforce.

Stories that start in the classroom

At The Power of Story, four notable Coloradans will share stories of teachers and learning:

- Paige Doughty has spent more than two decades as half of the beloved children's music duo Jeff & Paige, writing science- and nature-based songs for families across seven albums. She is CEO and co-founder of the nonprofit Rainbow Socks and co-creator of its new live-action children's series on Rocky Mountain PBS. Her forthcoming memoir, Unwinding Myself Whole, traces her journey through mental illness and recovery.

- Bill LeBlanc grew up surrounded by teachers: his father spent a lifetime teaching and coaching baseball in Kansas City, and his mother, sister, and sons all became teachers. His own path ran through Apple, Disney, energy consulting, and he's now a Director at Tierra Resource Consultants and MC for Boulder's Switch, he was recognized as a "Game Changer" by the Association of Energy Service Professionals.

- Stephen Brackett, aka Brer Rabbit, co-founded the platinum-selling Flobots and Youth on Record. A lifelong Denver resident, he leads ONE Denver, the city's Office of Nighttime Economy, and Foundation Music School in Fort Collins, and is a former Colorado Statewide Music Ambassador.

- Brad Lidge, the former MLB closer nicknamed "Lights Out," went a perfect 41-for-41 in saves in 2008 and made the final out of that year's World Series for the Philadelphia Phillies. After retiring from baseball, he became a professional archaeologist, and he is now pursuing his PhD at CU Boulder.

Live music from Ryan Dart

The evening opens with live music from Colorado singer-songwriter Ryan Dart, starting at 6:45 p.m. before the program begins. For Ryan, every song starts as a story, which makes him a natural fit to open The Power of Story.

A fourth-generation Colorado native, Ryan Dart turns hard-won stories of loss, love, and resilience into Americana. His latest album, If Love Don't Break You, named "one of the year's best" by Americana Highways, carries the spirit he calls "Hard Ground, Open Heart": songs about showing up, starting over, and believing growth is always possible, the same things educators work toward every day.

Before stepping out front, Dart spent two decades on the road behind the scenes for artists like Ryan Bingham, Dinosaur Jr., and Jack Johnson. Those years taught him what every great teacher already knows: a story told honestly can change a room.

Why we're raising funds

The educators in the first Colorado Educators Summit cohort are passionate about elevating student voice, helping young people find, shape, and share their own stories.

"Storytelling, across cultures, families, and communities, is one way we keep the past alive," said Josette Lorig, an educator at Vista PEAK Preparatory in Aurora and a member of the Summit's first cohort. "Storytelling is also a way to imagine the future: to world-build, imagine otherwise, and ask what could exist beyond the reality we currently know."

From a competitive pool of more than 80 applicants, 30 educators were selected to join the first cohort of the Colorado Educators Summit, including film and media instructors and general education teachers. Every dollar raised at The Power of Story goes directly to their experience:

- Screenings, creative conversations, and professional development during the Sundance Film Festival

- Hands-on industry experience in the Sony Lab

- Networking with Colorado creative industry professionals from Coupe Studios, La Storia Productions, 11 Dollar Bill, and SoundSpace

- Lodging, meals, and transportation throughout the Summit

- A year-long professional learning community, so each teacher brings a Summit-inspired project back to the classroom

The Colorado Educators Summit is the first step in CEN's plan for statewide impact: a growing network of educators who uplift young storytellers and prepare Colorado's next generation of creative professionals.

Adopt a Teacher

A gift of $5,000 fully sponsors one teacher for the entire Summit experience. And every gift, at any level, helps puts a Colorado educator in the room.

Invest in Colorado's creative workforce

Here's how you can support the Colorado Educators Summit:

- Buy a ticket. Join us Nov. 11 at eTown Hall. Tickets are $65

- Donate. Give at any level or sponsor a teacher for $5,000

Can't attend? Donations and pledges are welcome whether or not you join us in person.

About Creative Educators Network

Creative Educators Network (CEN) connects creative teachers to industry-based professional development, investing in the growth of Colorado's creative workforce. By bringing educators face to face with working artists, filmmakers, and industry leaders, CEN helps teachers bring real-world creative practice back to their students. The 2027 Colorado Educators Summit is CEN's inaugural statewide cohort. Learn more at creativeeducatorsnetwork.org.

SOURCE Creative Educators Network

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