FOSTER CITY, Calif., Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bertram Capital ("Bertram") announced today the completion of the sale of its portfolio company Tactacam ("Tactacam" or the "Company") to GTCR. The transaction represents the first exit from Bertram Capital Fund V, the firm's 2023-vintage flagship fund. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Billings, Montana, Tactacam is a pioneer in cellular-connected camera technology for the outdoors. The Company's flagship REVEAL brand is a category-leading line of cellular trail cameras trusted by hunters and land managers nationwide. The Company's Defend brand extends the same cellular platform into property security, delivering live-view monitoring of homes, gates, barns, job sites, and other remote locations without the need for Wi-Fi, wiring, or professional installation.

"On behalf of the Bertram team, we want to thank and congratulate the founders and employees of Tactacam on this milestone," said Ryan Craig, Partner at Bertram Capital. "They have built a business with consistent revenue growth, expanding market share, and a scalable model that positions them well for continued growth. We are proud to have partnered with the founders and executive leadership team, who worked tirelessly to build an exceptional company and product."

Jeff Drazan, Managing Partner at Bertram Capital, noted, "Our successful investment in Tactacam was made possible by excellent teamwork between the Bertram Capital and Bertram Labs teams. The data science team at Bertram Labs, led by Billy Mateker, played an integral role in helping our investment team gain conviction in the company and helping the firm understand the business's potential."

"We decided to partner with Bertram when they offered us something no one else would, a true 50/50 partnership," said Jeff Peel, Founder and CEO of Tactacam. "They supported us when we needed them to, such as by helping us hire key executives, and gave us the freedom to execute on our plan to build the business. Additionally, the employee incentive plan we jointly implemented provided a generous mechanism to reward our employees for their hard work. The Tactacam team appreciates Bertram's effort and support along the journey."

Bertram would like to thank the team at J.P. Morgan for serving as financial advisor to Bertram and leading the Tactacam sale process. Latham & Watkins served as legal counsel to the Company, and Ashurst Perkins Coie served as legal counsel to Bertram's entities.

About Tactacam

Tactacam is a leading provider of cellular-connected cameras for the outdoor and security markets. Through its Reveal and Defend product lines and its proprietary subscription platform, Tactacam serves a community of more than one million subscribers nationwide. Learn more at www.tactacam.com.

About GTCR

Founded in 1980, GTCR is a leading private equity firm that invests behind The Leaders Strategy™ – finding and partnering with management leaders in core domains to identify, acquire and build market-leading companies through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. GTCR is focused on investing in transformative growth in companies in the Business & Consumer Services, Financial Services & Technology, Healthcare and Technology, Media & Telecommunications sectors. Since its inception, GTCR has invested more than $35 billion in over 300 companies, and the firm currently manages $45 billion in equity capital. GTCR is based in Chicago with offices in New York and West Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.gtcr.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About Bertram Capital

Bertram Capital is a private equity firm targeting investments in lower-middle-market companies. Since its inception in 2006, the firm has raised over $4.0B of capital commitments. In addition to supplying strategic growth capital, Bertram Capital seeks to leverage proprietary processes and services, Bertram High-5SM and Bertram Labs, to empower its portfolio companies to unlock their full business potential.

The Bertram High-5SM is an operationally focused value-creation strategy, which includes management augmentation, operational initiative implementation, complementary business acquisition, sales and marketing improvements, and leveraging technology and IP. The cornerstone of this strategy is Bertram Labs, its in-house technology team, which aims to drive growth and value through digital marketing, e-commerce, big data and analytics, application development, and internal and external platform optimization. Bertram Capital V focuses on control investments in industrial, business services, and consumer sectors with more than $7.5M of EBITDA. Bertram Ignite I focuses on control and non-control investments in industrial, business services, and consumer sectors with a minimum of $3M of EBITDA.

Visit www.bcap.com for more information.

Contacts:

David Hellier

[email protected]

SOURCE Bertram Capital

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Cyolo's AI Alerts for Risky Activity Set New Standard for Real-time Oversight of Remote Sessions in OT

New AI-powered capability helps OT defenders keep pace with AI-driven threats by monitoring active remote sessions, identifying security and operational risk in context, and alerting teams in real time so they can intervene before incidents escalate or disrupt operations.

MIRAMAR, Fla., Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyolo, the leading provider of secure connectivity for critical infrastructure and operational technology (OT), today announced Live Risk Detection, a first-of-its-kind AI capability that sets a new standard for remote session supervision.

Live Risk Detection brings real-time, context-aware detection and response to active OT sessions by identifying cyber threats, operational risks, and unexpected behavior as they occur. When potential risk is detected, Live Risk Detection alerts teams within seconds, enabling them to investigate and respond while the session is still active and before operations are impacted.

As remote connectivity continues to expand, employees, vendors, and OEMs are performing more critical OT work remotely. At the same time, AI-enabled threats are increasing the speed and effectiveness of malicious activity. But 1:1 monitoring of every session is not practical at scale, meaning potentially risky sessions may go unsupervised. Live Risk Detection removes this bottleneck by adding AI supervision to every session and directing human attention to activity that may require intervention.

In contrast to approaches that evaluate individual actions against predefined allow or block criteria, Live Risk Detection uses context-aware AI to assess activity across the full session. It identifies activity that is inherently malicious or unsafe, as well as mistakes that could lead to downtime or other operational disruptions. It can also recognize when a sequence of individually legitimate actions may indicate that an attack is underway or, conversely, when activity that may appear risky in isolation is benign in the context of the session.

Crucially, Live Risk Detection never acts autonomously. It flags potential risk and alerts relevant teams, always keeping a human in the loop to decide whether to observe, join, or terminate the session. This human-controlled approach is essential in OT and critical infrastructure environments, where digital actions can have physical consequences.

"Zero Trust doesn't end at login," said Almog Apirion, CEO and co-founder of Cyolo. "Getting the right person connected to the right system is key, but that's just the beginning of the story. Risk can emerge even after a session is underway. Live Risk Detection gives teams another set of eyes, helping them spot risk while there's still time to intervene—and without taking control away from the people who know the environment best."

Live Risk Detection helps security and operations teams:

- Identify cyber and operational risk: Detect malicious activity as well as mistakes, unsafe actions, or configuration changes that could disrupt equipment, processes, or production, including during third-party vendor sessions.

- Understand risk in context: Assess activity across the broader session, including user intent, to identify when otherwise legitimate actions combine to create risk and help contain AI-enabled threats faster.

- Respond while the session is active: Alert the right security and operations stakeholders in real time so they can assess the situation and, if necessary, intervene or terminate the session before risk escalates.

- Scale session oversight: Reduce the bottleneck of 1:1 manual monitoring by directing attention to the sessions and activities most likely to require review.

- Keep humans in control: Use AI to flag potential risk and provide context without taking autonomous action, leaving response decisions to human experts.

Agentless by design, Live Risk Detection requires no software downloads or changes on the remote user's device and works seamlessly across RDP, VNC, and more. Teams can adjust risk sensitivity and set notification thresholds by severity level, with alerts providing the risk level, activity details, and user identity needed for investigation. Alerts and activity logs can also feed into existing security workflows, including SIEM platforms.

This launch builds on Cyolo's wider effort to help OT defenders scale visibility and respond faster to both AI-enabled and conventional cyber threats. Live Risk Detection complements Session Intelligence, introduced earlier this year to turn session recordings into searchable operational insights, by bringing AI-powered intelligence into the active session itself.

Live Risk Detection is available as a capability for the Cyolo PRO (Privileged Remote Operations) remote access solution and is part of Cyolo's full-stack Secure Connectivity Platform for OT and critical infrastructure.

To learn more or request a personalized demonstration, visit https://cyolo.io.

About Cyolo

Cyolo secures every connection across critical infrastructure and operational technology (OT) with a full-stack Secure Connectivity Platform that unifies remote privileged access and zero trust microsegmentation. Leading manufacturers, utilities, and data centers rely on Cyolo to securely connect employees and third parties to cyber-physical systems, limit lateral movement, contain blast radius, and keep critical operations running.

Media Contact

Gabi Benedyk

Headline Media

[email protected] 

+972-584847380

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Daydream users can now explore the app's extensive fashion catalog using Siri AI, a profoundly more capable and conversational assistant

NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Daydream, the AI-powered fashion discovery platform, launched conversational search and a shoppable camera roll that utilize the newest capabilities in iOS 27. Both are powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence and accessible when using the entirely new Siri AI.

iPhone users can now shop Daydream using voice or text with Siri AI, interacting just as they would with a personal shopper, without opening the app first. Once you have the Daydream app installed, a request such as "Siri, search Daydream for a cool blazer for my board meeting on Monday," passes directly to Daydream's natural language shopping engine.

With Fashion ID, users can instantly shop any saved photo, whether it's a street-style shot, an outfit from Instagram, or a screenshot from a friend. The app automatically surfaces shoppable matches and similar styles for each item. This streamlines the "shop the look" journey from inspiration to instant, relevant results across Daydream's full catalog of 3 million products, tapping into the new image-context capabilities of Apple Foundation Models in iOS 27.

Both features require the Daydream app and an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, running iOS 27 with Siri AI enabled. Daydream is free to download and supports Visual Intelligence capabilities, allowing users to shop products directly from their photos and screenshots. iOS 27 makes this functionality easier to access in the Camera app, and is now also available on iPad.

Since its launch, Daydream has grown to more than 1.5 million shoppers browsing 3 million products across 325 retailers and 10,000 brands. These updates extend Daydream's AI-powered discovery into native experiences for iPhone users, making it easier for consumers to shop the moment inspiration strikes, whether they are saving an outfit they love or asking Siri AI for help finding something specific.

"Shopping today is still overwhelming for most people — too many tabs, too many apps, too much scrolling to find the one thing you actually want. The next generation of Apple Intelligence and a brand new Siri AI in iOS 27 give us a genuinely new way to solve that: search directly from a photo in your camera roll, or just ask Siri in plain language, and Daydream does the rest. If you complete your Daydream style passport, the results are even more personal and relevant. This is exactly what we mean when we talk about building a shopping agent for someone's whole life — technology that fine-tunes the experience down to the moment she needs it, instead of asking her to do the work of finding it herself."

— Julie Bornstein, Co-Founder and CEO, Daydream

ABOUT DAYDREAM

Daydream is the first AI-powered search and discovery platform built for fashion. Daydream offers a personalized, conversational experience powered by advanced AI and natural language understanding. Shoppers can engage naturally through text or images to find what they're looking for from the largest branded fashion catalog, featuring over 10,000 brands across every style, category and price point. Led by e-commerce veteran, CEO and founder Julie Bornstein, Daydream raised $50 million in seed funding from top-tier investors, including Forerunner Ventures, Index Ventures, Google Ventures and True Ventures. The company is led by a team with experience at Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Pinterest, Nordstrom, Stitch Fix and Farfetch, and is committed to using technology to transform the future of online shopping.

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The additional $25 million from longtime partner SG Credit Partners and Wingspire Capital will fund new products for kids, parents, and busy households, and bring Skylight to more people in more places

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Skylight, the brand millions of families rely on to get everyone on the same page and lighten the mental load, today announced it has expanded its credit facility to $75 million. The $25 million increase comes from SG Credit Partners alongside Wingspire Capital and will help Skylight widen its product lineup and move into more channels and markets.

The news follows Skylight's biggest year yet: the business doubled and now reaches more than 12 million customers, including 1.7 million households using Skylight Calendar. The company has remained bootstrapped, growing alongside the families who use it and putting its profits back into the products they rely on today and the ones they'll reach for next.

"Families have always been at the center of what we build, and as we grow, we can take even more off their plates," said Chia Chung, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Skylight. "This commitment lets us double down on what's working and create dedicated products for every stage of family life."

Skylight began with the Frame, which helps loved ones share memories, and the Calendar, which helps families stay in sync. The expanded facility will fuel the next wave of products, including:

- Skylight Buddy: Continued development of the routine coach that sold out within a week of launch and helps kids take charge of their day.

- Skylight Assistant: Deeper investment in the AI-powered family assistant you can text, which makes it easy for you, your spouse and your entire household to get things done and stay on track.

"We've watched families fall in love with Skylight for years, and we're excited to keep backing a team that builds with so much care," said Dan McCallum, Managing Director at SG Credit Partners.

"It's rare to find a company growing this fast and this profitably, and we're glad to be along for what comes next," said Will Bence, Senior Managing Director at Wingspire Capital.

About Skylight

Founded in 2014, Skylight connects loved ones by creating the world's simplest products and services that improve family life. Its current offerings are the Skylight Calendar, a touch-screen calendar that syncs the whole family's events, activities, chores, meal plans and more, all in one place; Skylight Buddy, a personal routine coach for kids that guides them through daily tasks; and the Skylight Frame, a touch-screen digital frame that allows users to send and display photos within seconds. For more information, visit www.myskylight.com.

About SG Consumer Products

SG Consumer Products, a division of SG Credit Partners ("SGCP"), is a national private credit manager providing capital to lower middle market businesses and entrepreneurs requiring tailored credit solutions. SGCP has established a broad credit platform consisting of three verticals: Software + Technology, Consumer Products, and Commercial Finance. Headquartered in Southern California with offices throughout the country, the firm has provided in excess of $1.3 billion to lower middle market entrepreneurs across a variety of industries. For more information, please visit www.sgcreditpartners.com.

About Wingspire Capital

Wingspire Capital offers one-stop solutions of up to $200 million for middle market companies, including revolving lines of credit, asset-backed term loans, first-out revolvers & term loans, equipment loans and leases, sale lease-backs, and lender finance. Industries financed include business services, consumer products, e-commerce & retail, food & beverage, healthcare, manufacturing, distribution, transportation & logistics, automotive, technology applications and financial services. Wingspire Capital operates in two business units: Wingspire Corporate Finance and Wingspire Equipment Finance. Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law license.

Wingspire Capital is a portfolio company of Blue Owl Capital Corporation (NYSE: OBDC). OBDC is externally managed by Blue Owl Credit Advisors LLC, an indirect affiliate of Blue Owl Capital, Inc. (NYSE: OWL). Blue Owl Capital, Inc. is a global alternative asset manager with $319 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2026. For further information about Wingspire Capital, visit www.wingspirecapital.com.

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Skylight PR

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All season long, fans can turn avocado purchases into a Fanatics game day gear, win weekly prizes and enter for a chance to watch the championship from the brand's guac-themed suite at Allegiant Stadium

The Game Plan:

- Avocados From Mexico is making guacamole the ritual that kicks off every college football Saturday with "Saturdays Start With Guac," a season-long campaign spanning a new marching band anthem spot, partnerships with the University of Georgia and the University of Florida and Fanatics, plus an eight-stop college sampling tour and retail offers, running through the college football championship game in January.

- Shoppers who spend $10 on avocados can score a $10 Fanatics promo code toward game day gear, in stores or online. Shoppers can also get $1.50 cash back on bags with themed packaging at participating retailers.

- Through Nov. 21, fans can follow @avocadosfrommexico on Instagram and enter weekly "Guac Drops" for a chance to win new game day prizes, with every entry also counting toward the Grand Prize: a hosted Guac Box Suite experience at the college football championship game.

DALLAS, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Every college football Saturday has its rituals, from the tailgate to kickoff, and across more than 1,600 games this season, Avocados From Mexico wants guacamole to be the one that signals the game is on. The number one selling avocado brand in the U.S. is launching "Saturdays Start With Guac," a season-long omnichannel campaign featuring on-campus experiences across the Southeast, weekly digital prize drops, Fanatics game day gear savings and a chance to experience the championship game from the brand's Guac Box Suite.

Bringing that game-day ritual to life, the campaign is anchored by "The Sound That Starts Saturdays," a new :30 spot that turns the chop, mash and mix of making guacamole into a full marching band anthem for game day, in addition to returning as the ESPN halftime sponsor. Avocados From Mexico is also showing up where Saturdays matter most. The Southeast is home to some of college football's most passionate fan bases, so the brand is hitting the road with the Saturdays Start With Guac College Sampling Tour, an immersive game day experience visiting eight campuses across the Southeast through Nov. 27, alongside partnerships with the University of Florida and the University of Georgia.

"For college football fans, every Saturday matters, and every great game-day ritual needs something that signals it's gametime. That's where guacamole comes in," said Alvaro Luque, president and CEO, Avocados From Mexico. "'Saturdays Start With Guac' is built around that idea. This season, we're showing up everywhere fans are, from their Instagram feeds to the produce aisle, so avocados land in the cart before the weekend, the guac gets made before kickoff and the bowl is on the table when the game starts."

Game Day Gear from Fanatics in the Produce Aisle

To get fans ready to start their Saturday with guac, Avocados From Mexico has teamed up with Fanatics to turn a trip to the produce aisle into a head start on game day gear. Fanatics' audience network will carry the offer across display placements online, reaching college football fans by their sports-related behavior and location while they browse their favorite sites and apps.

Stocking up on avocados comes with a bonus this season, and an even bigger basket opportunity. According to Numerator shopper data, average basket size increased 47% when avocados were added during football season. Two offers running at participating retailers:

- Spend $10 on Avocados From Mexico and receive a $10 Fanatics promo code Oct. 19 – Jan. 15. Scan the QR code on in-store displays or online at scorewithguac.com, and upload a photo of your receipt to unlock a Fanatics promo code and a guac recipe, then redeem it for game day gear.

- Purchase Avocados From Mexico thematic bag highlighting "Saturdays Start With Guac" football campaign and receive $1.50 cash back, Nov. 2 – Jan. 25. Scan the QR code on the bag and upload a photo of your receipt.

A New "Guac Drop" Every Saturday

Every Saturday through Nov. 21, Avocados From Mexico will reveal a Guac Drop: a new round of game day prizes* unveiled on Instagram. Prizes include $100 Fanatics gift cards, a Nomad grill, guac-themed cornhole and tailgate upgrades like the Guacket, a wearable guacamole holder that keeps hands free for cheering.

To enter, fans can follow @avocadosfrommexico on Instagram, find that Saturday's Guac Drop post and follow the entry instructions.*

Every weekly entry also counts toward the season's Grand Prize: a hosted Guac Box Suite experience at the college football championship game in January. Fans can enter the Grand Prize sweepstakes directly at avocadosfrommexico.com/college-football through Dec. 4.

Ending the Season in the Guac Box

It all builds to the Guac Box Suite, a fully branded, guac-themed suite where Avocados From Mexico hosts fans for the college football championship game. Following its debut last season, the Guac Box Suite returns for 2027, now expanded to two premium suites at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, host of the championship on Jan. 25, 2027. The fully branded, guac-themed suite offers an elevated, immersive experience for one lucky Grand Prize winner and a guest to end the season the same way every Saturday started: with guac. As the Official Avocado of Allegiant Stadium, Avocados From Mexico will also light up the stadium's exterior LED screens and highway marquee Jan. 22-24.

Whether it's a noon kickoff or a prime-time rivalry, Avocados From Mexico wants every Saturday to start the same way: with a fresh bowl of guac. For weekly Guac Drop details, sweepstakes entry and game day recipes, visit avocadosfrommexico.com/college-football.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S./D.C., 18+ (19+ in AL and NE). Sweepstakes ends 12/4/26 at 11:59 p.m. CT. See Official Rules at https://avocadosfrommexico.com/college-football.

About Avocados From Mexico

Avocados From Mexico is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA), formed for the purpose of advertising, promotion, public relations and research for all stakeholders of Avocados From Mexico. Under agreements, MHAIA and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers & Packers of Mexico (APEAM) have combined resources to fund and manage Avocados From Mexico, with the intent to provide a focused, highly-effective and efficient marketing program in the United States. Avocados From Mexico is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

Media Contact:

Susana Pastrana

Susana.Pastrana@edelman.com

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Brands including Kraft Mac & Cheese and Meiji Hello Panda™ are already putting product directly into the hands of sports families, with campaigns scaling to over 2 million samples through TeamSnap's network

CHICAGO, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TeamSnap, the #1 youth sports management platform, today announced the launch of TeamSnap Sampling, a national product sampling offering powered by the TeamSnap Activation Network, giving brands an unprecedented way to put physical products directly into the hands of youth sports families. Brands are already putting TeamSnap's sampling offering to work, reaching families through both targeted, local activations and national campaigns of more than 2 million samples.

Built across leagues, tournaments and now more than 40 partner sports facilities across North America, TeamSnap's Activation Network reaches families at the exact moment they're making everyday decisions about what to eat, pack, wash, wear, and restock. The expansion into major youth sports facilities, such as Spooky Nook and SCHEELS Sports Park at Legacy Point, marks a significant leap in scale, concentrating distribution across high-traffic youth sports destinations.

TeamSnap's existing relationships across leagues, tournaments and facilities let brands introduce products in environments families already know and trust, rather than through generic, disconnected distribution. With more than 100 million people reached through TeamSnap's sponsorship network, and 40 million through the facility network, brands can scale nationally while keeping every touchpoint feeling local and relevant.

Leading consumer brands have already used TeamSnap's sampling offering to connect with sports families. Meiji Hello Panda ran a sampling campaign through youth sports leagues that drove a 64% lift in brand familiarity and a 22% increase in monthly purchases among participating league families. Kraft Mac & Cheese and Capri Sun have also partnered with TeamSnap's sampling network to put their products in front of active sports families.

"Sampling only works if it reaches the right family at the right moment," said Nicole McCormack, SVP and GM of Brand Solutions at TeamSnap. "That's what our network is built for. We're not just handing out products; we're putting them directly into the hands of engaged sports families in a setting they already trust, and giving brands the confidence and the data to know it actually happened."

Brands can also pair sampling with TeamSnap's broader suite of brand solutions to extend their presence across the youth sports ecosystem. To learn more about TeamSnap Sampling or participate, visit tmsnp.co/brands-sampling.

About TeamSnap

TeamSnap — the #1 sports management platform — has pioneered the future of youth sports technology for more than 15 years. Across more than 100 different sports and activities, TeamSnap has powered 19,000+ organizations and more than 30 million parents, players, and coaches, making it the largest and most engaged online community in youth sports. Through TeamSnap, brands have invested more than $20 million in youth sports sponsorships, fueling communities and giving more kids the chance to play.

For more information, visit the TeamSnap website and follow the company on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Media Contact:

JConnelly for TeamSnap

[email protected] 

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Miter is modernizing the $2 trillion construction industry's dreaded tech "Frankenstack," helping fuel the boom in data center, housing and energy buildouts nationwide

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Miter, the leading AI-powered workforce management platform for the construction industry and the built world, announced it has raised a $40 million Series B round of financing led by Battery Ventures, bringing its total capital raised to $78 million. Existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners and Coatue also participated.

Miter intends to use the funds to continue investing in AI products that help customers run their back offices and jobsites. The company will also significantly grow its engineering team based in San Francisco and New York and add to its go-to-market teams across the U.S. Miter's products are already in use by major general and specialty contractors, SMBs and other enterprises.

Current customers include Clayco, an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 5 design-build firm that delivers complex, high-performance projects with an unwavering commitment to safety, and Haugland Group, a family-owned, union-strong infrastructure services organization with more than 1,600 employees, delivering integrated solutions across energy, heavy civil, marine and logistics, and technology and engineering.

Today, the construction industry is a notable bright spot in the U.S. economy. The sector added 22,000 jobs in August as overall U.S. employment declined, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. AI data center projects drove much of that job growth, and both are projected to keep climbing. Roughly two of every 100 American construction workers now get paid through Miter, while contractors use the platform to coordinate workforce management, field operations, job costing and expenses across hundreds of thousands of active jobs each month. The company is rapidly building out related products for the field and back office in areas such as safety, accounts payable and project intelligence to keep up with new demand.

"The U.S. has never needed this much new infrastructure this fast. We need to unleash the potential of electricians, welders, carpenters and ironworkers everywhere," said Connor Watumull, who co-founded Miter with Tobin Paxton and serves as CEO. "Miter is helping contractors modernize their operations and unify their workforce, jobsites and financials in one system."

Miter has also embedded deep AI capabilities across the platform, giving superpowers to the teams building the world we live in. In the back office, Miter's technology parses and structures the data buried in invoices, receipts and pay rate tables; runs the complex workflows contractors previously did by hand; and surfaces labor and job cost trends while the job is still running rather than weeks after it closes. In the field, Miter's AI creates safety reports from photos or voice notes and summarizes job status using inputs from across the platform. The company plans to extend AI capabilities further to help contractors build stronger teams and increase profits.

Watumull says most contractors now rely on a cobbled-together "Frankenstack" of 1980s-era software, spreadsheets and paper to run their businesses. That's partly because of the unique demands of construction industry accounting and payroll. Most contractors require specialized technology to "job cost," the practice of tracking costs to specific projects and cost codes. A single construction crew can trigger compliance requirements across payroll, HR and safety at once, such as prevailing wage laws and certified payroll reports on publicly funded projects. Those obligations extend further to taxes withheld across multiple states as crews move between jobsites, meal and rest break rules that vary by state, and OSHA recordkeeping requirements.

"The construction industry is tremendously complex, which has made it difficult for technology providers to develop robust tools attuned to customers' specific demands, despite the large potential market," said Michael Brown, a Battery Ventures general partner. "But Connor, Tobin and their team have succeeded in developing an easy-to-use, integrated product that delivers payroll as well as other mission-critical business functions. The traction they've achieved is impressive, and we're excited to watch them leverage technology to take on more of the work their customers do by hand today."

Watumull previously worked as a venture capital investor and, prior to that, as a product manager in the technology industry and as a management consultant. He and Paxton announced Miter's Series A fundraising round in May 2025; since then, the company has tripled its customer count.

About Miter

Driven by a vision of a better built world, Miter's AI-native operating system makes it easier and faster to build critical infrastructure by empowering the next generation of contractors to strengthen their workforce, control job costs and accelerate jobsite execution. More than 2,000 contractors, from ENR Top 20 builders to family-owned specialty contractors, run payroll, HR, field operations and expense management on Miter. Miter has tripled customer count in the 18 months and is backed by Battery Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners and Coatue, the investors behind Shopify, Toast, Procore and ServiceTitan. Learn more at miter.com.

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Two national winners and six finalists recognized for exceptional compassion, dedication, and commitment to clients and their families

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BrightStar Care, a leading provider of in-home care and medical staffing solutions, today announced the winners of its annual Best & Brightest Nurse of the Year and Caregiver of the Year Awards, recognizing exceptional nurses and caregivers across its nationwide network who exemplify a commitment to compassionate, high-quality care.

Each year, BrightStar Care invites clients, family members and fellow employees to nominate nurses and caregivers who have made a meaningful difference in the lives of those they serve. The awards celebrate the individuals who go above and beyond in providing care while embodying BrightStar Care's core values of compassion, integrity, excellence, trustworthiness, accountability and reliability. This year, BrightStar Care recognized one National Nurse of the Year and one National Caregiver of the Year, along with three finalists in each category. National Nurse and Caregiver of the Year recipients will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, while each finalist will receive $2,500 in recognition of their contributions to the clients and families they serve.

Best & Brightest Award Winners

Shari Rice, RN, of Omaha, Nebraska, was named National Nurse of the Year for the calming, steady presence she has provided to a pediatric patient and their family. The patient previously experienced significant anxiety surrounding their regular infusion treatments, but through the trust and connection Shari built with them, that anxiety has been greatly reduced. Her commitment to going above and beyond is perhaps best illustrated by her decision to use her own 3D printer to create figures of some of the patient's favorite characters, helping bring comfort and joy to their care experience.

LaDonna Chaney, of Chesapeake, Virginia, was named National Caregiver of the Year for providing love, compassion, and servant-hearted care to her client during the final year of her life. LaDonna formed a meaningful connection with her client and went above and beyond to create a special birthday celebration by arranging for a local family choir to perform a private concert for the client and her family. The moment was so meaningful to the client that she later requested the same family perform at her memorial service after her passing – a request that was honored.

"These awards are a reflection of the incredible people behind the care we provide," said Josh Wall, Chief Executive Officer at BrightStar Care. "Shari and LaDonna demonstrate how the strongest care relationships are built through trust, empathy and a willingness to see the person beyond the care they need. We're incredibly proud to recognize them, as well as each of this year's finalists, for the difference they make in the lives of clients and families every day."

Best & Brightest Award Finalists

Joining this year's national winners as Best & Brightest finalists are Tammy Mulchay (West Portland, OR), Elizabeth Martinez (Baltimore City/County, MD) and Amy Nguyen, CNA (Santa Barbara, CA), recognized as Caregiver of the Year finalists, as well as Joyce Eldredge, RN (Gloucester County, NJ), Madelyn "Maddie" Leader, RN (York, PA) and Kari Erdmann, RN (Northern Michigan), recognized as Nurse of the Year finalists.

BrightStar Care celebrated this year's honorees through surprise events at their respective franchise locations, bringing together colleagues, clients, and family members. Each recipient received a physical award, and nomination letters were read aloud during the celebrations. CEO Josh Wall and SVP of Clinical Operations Kelley Hill attended the national award presentations to personally recognize Shari and LaDonna.

To find out more about the 2026 Best and Brightest Winners and Finalists, please visit www.brightstarcare.com/best-brightest-awards.

About BrightStar Care

Founded in 2002, BrightStar Care is a leading franchisor of home care services with more than 420 franchised locations nationwide that provide skilled and unskilled home care to clients and custom medical staffing solutions to corporate entities. BrightStar Care franchise agencies employ more than 15,000 caregivers and 5,700 registered nurses who oversee the care and safety of each individual client. Network-wide BrightStar Care agencies are accredited by The Joint Commission, and the brand has been recognized as an Enterprise Champion for Quality for over a decade. In March 2025, BrightStar Care was acquired by Peak Rock Capital, a leading middle-market private investment firm focused on investing in growth-oriented businesses. In addition to supporting families at home, BrightStar Care partners with healthcare organizations to meet evolving staffing needs with experienced, credentialed professionals. Learn more at www.brightstarcare.com.

Media Contact

Power Digital

[email protected]

SOURCE BrightStar Care

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The inaugural WSF Sport ReportTM 2026 reveals higher costs for girls, a belonging gap among teens and warning signs for women in college sports.

NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF®) released its inaugural WSF Sport ReportTM 2026, a new annual benchmark examining the state of girls' and women's sports across the full sports pipeline.

A first-of-its-kind annual assessment, the WSF Sport Report takes a view no other research does: examining the state of girls' and women's sports across the full pipeline, from a girl's first opportunity to play through collegiate, professional and elite (Olympic and Paralympic) competition. By pairing the experiences of girls and their families with candid assessments from leaders shaping women's sports today, the report connects what is happening at every level to reveal where progress is taking hold, where it is stalling or slipping backward, and what demands attention next.

The inaugural findings reveal a striking disconnect between the progress making headlines at the professional level and the reality across the full sports pipeline:

- More than half of girls who have never played want to. 54% of girls ages 8–18 who have never played organized sports say they want to, essentially the same as boys (52%). Yet 45% of girls currently participate in organized sports compared with 52% of boys.

- Girls face higher costs to play. Median annual sports spending is $500 for girls compared with $400 for boys, a 25% difference. Cost is an even greater barrier for girls from lower-income households, who are more than twice as likely to cite it as a reason they have never played.

- A belonging gap is evident among teens. At ages 8–10, 80% of both girls and boys feel sports are "for someone like me." Among 14–18-year-olds, that figure is 66% for girls compared with 73% for boys, leaving roughly one in three teen girls who does not feel sports are "for someone like her."

- Most girls and parents are unfamiliar with Title IX. 79% of girls ages 8–18 and 55% of parents say they have never heard of the landmark law.

That lack of awareness comes as 47% of industry experts identify Title IX rollbacks or weakened enforcement as the greatest threat to continued progress for girls and women in sports.

"Girls deserve an equal chance to get in the game, the resources to stay there, a place where they know they belong and the knowledge to stand up for their rights. We fought, and continue to fight, for Title IX because every girl deserves an equal chance to discover what sports can give her. These findings remind us that progress has to be understood, protected and pushed forward," said Billie Jean King, Founder and Honorary Chair of the Women's Sports Foundation.

Professional Progress, College Warning Signs

Further along the pipeline, the report finds a stark contrast between the professional and collegiate levels:

- Experts overwhelmingly report progress at the professional level. 93% say progress toward gender equality improved over the past year, by far the strongest assessment of any level examined.

- College sports show warning signs. College is the only level examined where more experts say progress for women declined than improved (37% vs. 35%). And 40% say the leading barrier they identified has worsened over the past year, compared with just 16% who say it is improving.

Experts point to unequal resource allocation and disparities in name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities among the greatest barriers facing women college athletes, while also raising concerns about new revenue-sharing structures and implementation of the House v. NCAA settlement.

"The extraordinary growth in professional women's sports shows what is possible when investment, innovation and opportunity align. But our research tells a more complicated story. College sports, where the next generation of athletes, coaches and leaders are often developed, is the only level where more experts say progress declined than improved over the past year. NIL, revenue sharing and litigation are rebuilding an outdated economic model from the ground up, and women don't yet have a guaranteed seat at the table. The WSF Sport Report exists to name where that work is needed and to hold the field accountable to getting it done," said Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women's Sports Foundation.

Visibility Is Growing. Connection Still Has to Follow.

Even amid the professional boom, the report finds differences in how girls and boys connect with professional athletes:

- Nearly half of girls cannot name a favorite professional athlete. 45% of girls cannot name one of any gender, compared with 29% of boys.

- Few boys name a woman as their favorite professional athlete. Only 2% of boys name a woman, compared with 23% of girls.

"Visibility has the power to change what girls believe is possible for themselves in sports, but it has to be sustained. When we invest in women athletes and tell their stories year-round, we're not only building fans and growing the business of women's sports. We're showing the next generation that there is a place for them in the game, too," said Gabby Thomas, Olympic gold medalist and Women's Sports Foundation Trustee.

What Comes Next

The inaugural WSF Sport Report points not only to where gaps remain, but to what is possible. The investment, innovation and attention transforming professional women's sports demonstrate what can happen when opportunity is met with intentional action.

The opportunity now is to bring that same ambition across the full sports pipeline, from expanding access and belonging for girls to strengthening the protections that preserve equal opportunity and ensuring women are not left behind as college sports undergo historic change.

For more than 50 years, the Women's Sports Foundation has used research to identify barriers and inform action. The WSF Sport Report creates a new annual benchmark to do just that: track progress, surface emerging challenges and help identify where the field must focus next.

The full WSF Sport Report, including complete findings and methodology, is available at www.WomensSportsFoundation.org/WSFSportReport.

About the WSF Sport ReportTM 2026

The WSF Sport Report draws on two original research initiatives conducted in 2026. A nationally representative online survey conducted by YouGov from May 28 to June 15 included more than 6,100 U.S. parents and their children, ages 8–18. Parents completed a survey about their household's experiences with youth sports and identified an eligible child to participate. The youth survey was then completed independently by 3,065 children, with roughly equal numbers of girls and boys across three age groups: 8–10, 11–13 and 14–18. Age-group comparisons are cross-sectional and reflect differences between groups at a single point in time, not changes within the same children over time.

WSF also surveyed 60 professionals across the women's sports ecosystem from June 25 to July 22, representing perspectives across collegiate, professional and elite (Olympic and Paralympic) sport. Nearly three-quarters had more than 10 years of professional experience in women's sports.

About the Women's Sports Foundation

The Women's Sports Foundation® (WSF®) exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate, and a catalyst for tomorrow's leaders. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we are one of the first organizations to recognize the powerful connection between sport access, equity, and society. For over 50 years, WSF has been changing the game through its research, advocacy, and community programming, investing over $115 million to help girls and women play, compete, and lead – in sports and beyond – without barriers. A leader and champion of the entire women's sports ecosystem, WSF amplifies the vital societal and cultural impact that is made when girls and women play sports. When girls play, they lead, and we all win!® To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Kandice Miller

Women's Sports Foundation

[email protected] 

Meg Rushton

Women's Sports Foundation

[email protected]

SOURCE Women's Sports Foundation

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Ready for a New Career or Side Gig?

PLANO, Texas, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For people dreaming of a career that offers flexibility, entrepreneurship and the opportunity to turn a love of travel into a business, becoming an independent travel advisor can be an appealing path. International Vacations, Inc., a full-service travel agency and host agency, provides aspiring travel advisors with the tools, training and industry support needed to get started.

Whether you are new to the travel industry, exploring a side business or second career, or looking for a host agency that feels like a better fit, International Vacations, Inc. provides the tools, resources and support to help independent travel agents learn the industry and build their own businesses.

"Travel is something people are already excited about, and we wanted to show that passion can potentially become more than just a hobby," said Shamali Przywara, President of International Vacations, Inc. "You don't have to know everything about the travel industry when you start. That's where having a host agency behind you can make a difference."

What Is a Host Agency?

For someone new to the travel industry, getting started can seem overwhelming. A host agency provides independent travel agents with access to industry resources and support that would otherwise take significant time and investment to establish independently.

International Vacations, Inc. provides its independent travel agents with access to:

- Established travel industry credentials

- Consortium access and benefits

- Preferred supplier relationships

- Training and educational opportunities

- Travel agent resources and benefits

- Marketing resources

- Booking and business tools

- Basic CRM technology

- Commission tracking

- Commission-processing services

- Ongoing agent support

Independent travel agents operate as contractors and have the flexibility to develop their own travel businesses and brands while utilizing the resources, credentials and supplier relationships available through International Vacations, Inc.

"One of the biggest advantages of working with a host agency is that you don't have to build the foundation of your travel business completely on your own," Przywara said. "We provide the infrastructure, resources and support, while our independent agents have the opportunity to build their business in a way that works for them."

A Flexible Business Opportunity

The travel industry offers opportunities for people with a wide variety of backgrounds. Parents, retirees, career changers, entrepreneurs and anyone with a passion for travel may find becoming an independent travel advisor an appealing way to explore a new business opportunity.

For some, travel advising may begin as a side business while they maintain another career. For others, it may become a second career or develop into a larger independent business over time.

International Vacations, Inc. emphasizes personal support to help new agents understand the travel industry, learn how to work with suppliers, market their services and develop relationships with their clients.

"Starting something new can be intimidating," Przywara said. "Our goal is to give people the resources and support they need to take that first step. They bring their passion, their personality and their desire to build something. We provide the industry foundation and help them learn along the way."

Ready to Explore a Career in Travel?

For those who have ever thought, "I love to travel. Could I actually build a business around it?" International Vacations, Inc. encourages aspiring travel advisors to explore the possibilities.

Learn more about becoming an independent travel agent with International Vacations, Inc. at:

https://www.internationalvacations.com/

Coming Soon

As part of its continued commitment to providing innovative tools and opportunities for its network of independent travel advisors, International Vacations, Inc. is preparing to launch a new strategic initiative focused on expanding group travel opportunities.

The initiative will include a partnership with an emerging travel technology platform designed specifically for the group travel market, giving advisors access to new tools and resources to help simplify the group planning process and support the growth of their group travel businesses.

More details about the partnership and upcoming opportunities for International Vacations Inc. agents will be announced soon.

Brandi Lilley

Marketing Manager

[email protected]

SOURCE International Vacations, Inc

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