The battery storage facility will strengthen grid reliability while driving local economic investment

and supporting California's transition to a more affordable and resilient energy future

DALY CITY, Calif. and SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Arevon Energy, Inc., a leading American energy developer, owner, and operator, today celebrated significant construction progress at its Cormorant Energy Storage Project in Daly City, California. The 250 megawatt (MW)/1,000 megawatt-hour (MWh) facility, expected to begin operations in 2027, will be capable of powering 321,000 homes for up to four hours during periods of peak electricity demand. By storing electricity during periods of lower demand and dispatching it when demand is highest, the project will enhance grid reliability in California.

Arevon is developing and will own and operate Cormorant, which is being constructed in partnership with Primoris Services Corporation's Renewables group. The project will employ approximately 175 workers at peak construction and will use lithium iron phosphate battery technology, recognized for its strong safety record and long operating life. Over its lifetime, Cormorant is expected to generate more than $73 million in property tax revenue to help fund schools, infrastructure improvements, and public services. In addition, the project will save more than 4.2 billion gallons of water and avoid 174,000 metric tons of CO₂ annually.

Arevon announced Cormorant's start of construction in March 2026, and has since made significant advancement toward commercial operation. To mark this progress, Arevon hosted a celebration attended by project partners, state and local officials, labor and business leaders, and community members. Speaking on the project's anticipated impact were Justin Johnson, Chief Executive Officer at Arevon; Molly Sterkel, a Director in the Energy Division of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC); Mayor Glenn Sylvester of Daly City; Perla Ibarrientos, Chairman of the Board at Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center; and Marya Ouro-Gbeleou, Senior Director of Client Services at the Daly City Partnership. Megan Yarnell, Development Associate at Arevon, was the event's master of ceremonies.

"Cormorant represents the kind of critical energy infrastructure California needs to meet growing electricity demand while strengthening grid reliability," said Johnson. "This event recognized the tremendous work of our construction crews and project partners who are bringing this facility to life. Arevon is proud to invest in projects that store power when it is abundant, deliver it when it is needed most, and support a more reliable and affordable energy future for California."

"Cormorant is a great example of the progress California is making toward a reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean electric grid. The CPUC, working with our partners through the state's Tracking Energy Development Task Force, has supported this project since 2024, helping address challenges and keep it moving forward," said Sterkel. "The CPUC expects over 20 gigawatts of new clean resources to come online by 2032 to meet our reliability requirements. Battery storage is a critical part of that effort, providing reliability when solar generation declines and demand remains high. We congratulate Arevon and all of the partners who helped advance this 250 MW project to this important milestone for California's clean energy future."

"This project demonstrates that Daly City can play a leading role in building the reliable, resilient infrastructure our state needs," said Mayor Sylvester. "Cormorant will strengthen our electric grid, create jobs, generate significant long-term revenue for public services, and help move California toward a cleaner and more sustainable future."

Cormorant is under a long-term offtake agreement with MCE, an electricity provider serving more than 1.8 million residents and businesses across Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano counties. Originally planned at 188 MW/752 MWh, Cormorant was expanded to 250 MW/1,000 MWh, with MCE contracting for the project's additional capacity.

"MCE and Arevon have partnered on the Cormorant Energy Storage Project to provide clean, reliable electricity when it's needed most," said Vicken Kasarjian, MCE's Acting Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer. "In addition to helping Bay Area residents take advantage of abundant midday solar production, this project has a direct community benefit. As part of Arevon's contract with MCE, more than $500,000 will be distributed to fund local community programs that empower residents and support a future we can be proud of."

Arevon has continued its engagement in Daly City and the greater Bayshore community as Cormorant has progressed through development and construction. Through donations, sponsorships, scholarships, memberships, and volunteer activities, the company has partnered with more than a dozen local and regional organizations, including Bayshore Elementary School District, Jefferson Union High School District, Daly City Partnership, Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center, Bayshore Community Center, Pacific Islands Together, John's Closet, among others.

"From offering afterschool programs to senior assistance initiatives to workforce trainings, community support is at the heart of everything we do at the Daly City Partnership," said Mike Stancil, Executive Director at the Daly City Partnership. "By investing in clean, renewable energy for Daly City, it's clear that Arevon shares our same commitment to community. They have been a great supporter of our organization, and we are incredibly grateful to have such a caring and compassionate corporate partner in Daly City."

Arevon is one of California's leading renewable energy developers, owners, and operators, with more than 4 gigawatts in operation, representing billions of dollars in capital investment. Recent milestones in the state include the commencement of operations at its Nighthawk Energy Storage Project, two-phase Eland Solar-plus-Storage Project, Peregrine Energy Storage Project, https://arevonenergy.com/news/releases/arevon-reaches-full-operations-at-its-2-billion-eland-solar-plus-storage-project-in-california/ Vikings Solar-plus-Storage Project, and Condor Energy Storage Project.

Several of these projects have also received national recognition, including Condor for Proximo's North America Storage Deal of the Year Award, Vikings for IJGlobal's Renewables Deal of the Year – Energy Storage Award and Proximo's North American Deals of the Year Award, and Eland, which received highly commended recognition in the 2026 Reuters Events Clean Power Generation Award. In addition, Eland and Nighthawk have been named finalists in the S&P Global Platts 2026 Global Energy Awards in the Infrastructure Project of the Year and Energy Deal of the Year categories, respectively. Arevon also earned the No. 1 developer ranking in California in Solar Power World's 2026 Top Solar Contractors List.

About Arevon Energy, Inc.

Arevon is a U.S. energy leader committed to powering America with affordable, reliable, and secure homegrown energy. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, and with a regional office in New York City, the company's experienced and dedicated team develops, finances, builds, owns, and operates renewable energy projects nationwide. With a strong track record in utility-scale solar and energy storage, Arevon is a trusted partner to utilities and businesses seeking cost-effective, sustainable energy solutions. By prioritizing American manufacturing and domestic energy production, the company invests in U.S. jobs, strengthens local economies, and advances the country's energy independence.

Arevon owns and operates more than 6.3 gigawatts of solar and energy storage projects across 18 states, is currently constructing 370 megawatts (MW) of new capacity, and maintains a robust development portfolio. The company has also partnered with local utilities to develop and build 480 MW of solar energy, ensuring each project was successfully integrated into their communities. Together, this scale, execution, and ongoing development activity position Arevon at the forefront of American energy innovation. For more information, visit arevonenergy.com.

SOURCE Arevon

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FlexXray Releases Third Annual Benchmark Report on Foreign Material Contamination in Food Manufacturing

ARLINGTON, Texas, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- FlexXray, the leader in foreign material inspection services for the food industry, today announced the release of the 2026 Foreign Material Contamination in Food Benchmark Report. Now in its third year, the report is based on survey responses from more than 170 food safety and manufacturing professionals across North America, offering an ongoing, data-driven look into how the industry identifies, manages, and protects against foreign material contamination in their products.

This year's findings point to a widening gap between what food manufacturers are most likely to encounter and what their detection equipment is built to catch. Key findings include:

- A shift in the contamination profile — Plastic has overtaken metal as the most frequently reported contaminant, cited by 37% of respondents

- Internal response remains the default — 63% of producers still rely on in-house resources to manage a foreign material event

- Investment cooling, not closing the gap — The share of producers planning to increase detection investment fell from roughly 70% in 2025 to 57% in 2026, while confidence that in-line equipment catches all foreign material has remained flat

"For three years now, this report has given food safety and manufacturing leaders real industry data to benchmark their own programs against," said Kurt Westmoreland, Chief Commercial Officer. "This year's findings cover how often facilities are dealing with foreign material events, how confident they are in their detection equipment, how they're investing, and how they respond when an event happens — giving teams a clear picture of where they stand relative to the rest of the industry."

The full Foreign Material Contamination in Food Benchmark Report is available at https://flexxray.com/lp/2026-foreign-material-contamination-in-food-benchmark-report/.

For more information about FlexXray, visit https://flexxray.com/.

About FlexXray

FlexXray is the nation's leader in foreign material inspection and remediation services for the food industry. Using advanced X-ray and CT inspection technologies, FlexXray helps food manufacturers safeguard their products, reduce waste, and protect consumers. Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, FlexXray operates facilities across the U.S. and internationally, and partners with leading food brands to solve contamination challenges with speed and precision.

SOURCE FlexXray

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BEND, Ore., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Platformr, a cloud operations company and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner, today outlined how its platform supports Managed Service Providers (MSPs) adapting to AWS's newly published MSP Validation Checklist (VCL) 8.0, which is the standard that AWS partners must meet to earn and maintain AWS MSP validation.

VCL 8.0 represents a comprehensive update to the checklist, not simply an expansion of AI requirements. Of the standard's 61 total controls, 24 are net-new – covering agentic AI platform and agent lifecycle governance; a Responsible AI framework spanning data governance and prompt injection prevention; agentic Zero Trust and blast-radius containment; GenAI and agentic observability (sessions, traces, drift, and cost); operational toil measurement and reduction; an AI transformation roadmap with industry vertical specialization; and new Forward Deployed Engineer and AI Practice Lead roles.

Another 27 existing controls were updated to incorporate AI capabilities; for example, change management now covers AI model changes, vulnerability management extends to agent dependencies, and FinOps now includes AI workload cost optimization. Ten foundational controls, including IAM, encryption, Well-Architected, and patch management, carry forward unchanged, while 15 VCL 7.1 controls were retired and consolidated into broader requirements, such as combining role-based access, MFA, and IAM into a single control.

Taken together, the update reflects AWS's shift to an AI-first framework: AI capabilities are now embedded across every section rather than treated as an add-on, and several previously Recommended AI controls are now Required, reflecting AWS's expectation that partners prove AI-driven delivery at scale.

The managed services market is projected to reach $645 billion in 2026, growing at a 10% compound annual rate, with agentic AI expected to unlock as much as $200 billion in net-new value over the next five years, according to industry estimates. Despite that trajectory, only a small share of MSPs today have extended agentic AI into customer-facing operations, which is a gap AWS's updated standard is designed to close.

"AWS just raised the bar on what it means to run a modern managed services practice," said Ryan Comingdeer, CEO of Platformr. "Predictive monitoring, AIOps, and a real AI-first delivery model are now mandatory under the new checklist. We built Platformr to automate exactly that kind of operational work, so our job now is helping MSP partners close that gap before it becomes a competitive disadvantage."

Platformr's solution automates and centralizes AWS cloud operations for its customers – including AWS Landing Zone deployment, multi-account governance, and observability – capabilities that align closely with the operational and AI-readiness areas VCL 8.0 now requires. Platformr is working with MSP partners to assess their current coverage against the updated checklist and close gaps to achieve AWS MSP designation for entry to the MSP Partner Program.

MSPs interested in preparing for VCL 8.0 can check out https://platformr.cloud/partners/aws/partners-aws-managed-service-provider/ to learn how Platformr can help get them there faster.

About Platformr

Platformr is an AI CloudOps platform purpose-built for AWS environments and organizations. Platformr gives users the tools to deliver secure, well-architected AWS environments quickly and then stay engaged at every stage of the customer journey, from ongoing security and compliance monitoring to cost optimization and operational visibility. The result is less time spent on infrastructure, more time spent on high-value work for customers.

Media Contact

Ryan Comingdeer

[email protected]

SOURCE Platformr

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Plug and Play Foundation Launches SMB Tech Connect With Wells Fargo Grant

Ten Bay Area small businesses will get workflow assessments, startup pilots, and grants to pay for what they adopt

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Plug and Play Foundation (PNPF) has received a grant from Wells Fargo to launch SMB Tech Connect, an accelerator that will help 10 Bay Area small businesses identify where technology can improve their operations and then fund the implementation. Applications are now open.

The program addresses a gap most small-business support misses. Owners constantly hear that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will change how they operate, but few have the time, technical guidance, or capital to find out whether a specific tool works for their business.

Most owners run every function themselves, including finance, hiring, marketing, compliance, and customer service. Evaluating and implementing software becomes its own full-time job, and a tool that turns out to be the wrong fit is a cost few can absorb.

Participants will move through Plug and Play Foundation's ELEVATE Pathway, which combines tailored education, one-on-one mentorship, workflow assessments, technology recommendations, and grant funding for adoption.

"Small-business owners are navigating an increasingly complex technology landscape, but access to a tool alone does not guarantee meaningful adoption," said Dominique Reese, Executive Director, Plug and Play Foundation. "Businesses need trusted guidance, hands-on implementation support, and the financial flexibility to test solutions that address their specific needs. We are grateful to Wells Fargo for helping us build a program that brings these resources together and makes technology adoption more practical and accessible."

Every business starts with a technology and AI readiness assessment that maps operational gaps, repetitive processes, and the highest-impact opportunities for improvement. The results determine which of two tracks it joins.

- Technology Pilot Track — Businesses are matched with vetted startup solutions that address the challenges surfaced in their assessment. Plug and Play Foundation supports onboarding, implementation, evaluation, and long-term adoption planning.

- Workshop Implementation Track — Businesses attend hands-on workshops to improve workflows and use accessible AI and automation tools to reduce repetitive work, with implementation support tailored to their use cases.

Solutions may cover finance and accounting, sales and marketing, human resources, cybersecurity, legal and compliance, vendor management, e-commerce, customer operations, and other core functions.

Wells Fargo has funded small-business assistance for years. Its $420M Open for Business Fund backed more than 200 community-based organizations providing grants, loans, and technical assistance nationwide. Grantees reported reaching more than 336,000 small businesses, creating or preserving more than 461,000 jobs, and delivering more than 1.1M hours of tailored technical assistance, more than half of it one-on-one.

Plug and Play Foundation intends to use the California pilot as a model that may be adapted for additional markets, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Dallas.

Applications for the pilot are now open. Small-business owners interested in participating can learn more here or contact Dominique Reese.

About Plug and Play Foundation

The mission of Plug and Play Foundation is to build the next generation of impactful entrepreneurs and innovators of all backgrounds. Through our ELEVATE Pathway, we work to democratize access to technology by making enterprise-grade tools and innovative startup solutions accessible to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Plug and Play Foundation builds the next generation of impactful entrepreneurs, with a focus on communities facing significant opportunity gaps. Backed by the network and expertise of Plug and Play, the Foundation works across three pathways — ACCESS, which builds career and workforce pipelines from early education through first-time entrepreneurship; ELEVATE, which helps small and medium-sized businesses adopt technology and operate more efficiently; and IMPACT, which accelerates and invests in startups producing measurable social and environmental returns. Participants receive mentorship, hands-on support, and direct access to Plug and Play's corporate network. For more information, visit Plug and Play Foundation.

Plug and Play Media Contact

Jacky Tsang

Senior Communications & PR Associate

[email protected] 

SOURCE Plug and Play Foundation

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Hangzhou Zhilianhui Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. Launches Official AccuMEMS DTC Website

LOS ANGELES, HOUSTON and MIAMI, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hangzhou Zhilianhui Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. officially launched the DTC (direct-to-consumer) website for its thermal imaging brand, AccuMEMS. The new website gives customers direct access to the brand's thermal imaging products and information as AccuMEMS seeks to make accurate thermal measurement more accessible to professionals, technicians, and other users through a combination of practical performance, portability, and affordability.

The launch comes as thermal imaging technology continues to expand beyond research laboratories and specialized industrial environments. Smaller and more sensitive sensors, along with advances in computing and electronics, have made thermal cameras increasingly accessible to electricians, contractors, engineers, inspectors, and other users who rely on temperature differences to identify potential problems.

Cost, however, remains an important consideration. Professional thermal imaging systems can offer high-resolution sensors, advanced image processing, and rugged designs, but these capabilities can also place them beyond the needs or budgets of smaller businesses and individual technicians. AccuMEMS is positioning its products between highly specialized professional systems and basic consumer devices, with an emphasis on balancing measurement capability, usability, portability, and price.

"Make Accurate Measurement reflects what we want AccuMEMS to stand for," said Simón, CEO of AccuMEMS. "Our goal is to provide practical thermal imaging tools that deliver the measurement capabilities users actually need while making the technology accessible to more people."

For users, that balance extends beyond price. Depending on the application, factors such as thermal resolution, image quality, refresh rate, measurement capability, battery life, and device size can determine how useful a thermal camera is in everyday work. A portable device can be particularly valuable for technicians moving between jobs or conducting inspections in confined spaces.

These tools can support a range of applications. Electricians can identify abnormal heat around electrical connections, while HVAC technicians can examine heating and cooling equipment for unusual temperature patterns. Building inspectors can use thermal information to investigate insulation, moisture, and energy-loss concerns. In automotive and industrial settings, thermal imaging can help locate heat-related abnormalities and guide further inspection alongside other diagnostic methods.

About Hangzhou Zhilianhui Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.

Founded in 2023 and based in Hangzhou, China, the company specializes in thermal imaging and measurement solutions through its AccuMEMS brand. Its products serve professional and everyday applications across multiple inspection and diagnostic scenarios. More information is available at www.accumems.com.

SOURCE HANGZHOU ZHILIANHUI ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

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New collaboration helps utilities replace fragmented, manual infrastructure data with faster visibility and actionable insights across complex grid and network programs

CHICAGO and ATLANTA, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- West Monroe, an AI-native global consulting firm, and Sitenna, an infrastructure lifecycle management platform provider, today announced they are working together to help utilities accelerate complex grid, network and infrastructure programs. By combining West Monroe's deep utility and implementation expertise with Sitenna's infrastructure technology, the companies will help utilities reduce manual processes, gain faster visibility into project and asset data, and put that information to work sooner.

The collaboration addresses a persistent challenge for utilities: critical infrastructure information can be fragmented across field teams, contractors, spreadsheets, emails and disconnected enterprise systems. That can leave teams spending significant time manually collecting, reconciling and reporting information simply to understand what is happening across their infrastructure portfolios.

Sitenna's unified project and asset management platform enables field and project information to flow into a centralized, governed system of record, providing more timely visibility into assets, milestones, progress and potential bottlenecks. West Monroe will implement Sitenna within utility environments, integrate it with existing GIS, work management and enterprise systems, and provide the security, data, reporting and program expertise needed to turn that visibility into action. The result is utilities can spend less time assembling and reconciling infrastructure information and more time using it to identify issues sooner, make better-informed decisions and keep complex infrastructure programs moving.

"The real opportunity here isn't simply collecting more data. It's shortening the distance between what's happening in the field and what utilities can do with that information," said Tim Valin, Senior Partner, Energy & Utilities at West Monroe. "Our clients are being asked to deliver more infrastructure, faster, while managing enormous complexity. Sitenna gives us another powerful tool to bring into those programs, while West Monroe provides the utility expertise and speed required to turn that technology into meaningful business and operational outcomes."

West Monroe and Sitenna will support utility programs across a range of fast-growing infrastructure needs, including grid security and resilience, distributed energy resources, private LTE, and fiber buildouts. These capabilities are becoming increasingly important as utilities modernize the grid, respond to rising demand and prepare for new sources of load, including AI and data centers, while maintaining a lens on customer affordability.

The agreement also addresses another source of friction: the time and complexity involved in introducing new technology into a utility environment. With an existing commercial agreement between West Monroe and Sitenna, the technology can be incorporated into West Monroe engagements without requiring clients to establish a separate contractual relationship with Sitenna. For utilities accustomed to lengthy procurement, technology, security and data reviews for new vendors, this structure can help shorten the path from identifying a need to putting a solution to work.

Sitenna provides an integrated platform spanning site acquisition, project delivery, asset management and commercialization. Rather than replacing utilities' existing technology environments, the platform can connect with GIS, work management, finance and other enterprise systems. West Monroe will provide the implementation, integration and professional services around the technology. The relationship allows Sitenna to remain focused on its technology while West Monroe brings the industry capabilities required for complex utility environments.

"West Monroe has supported clients through some of the most complex grid and network programs in the United States," said Daniel Campion, Sitenna CEO and Co-Founder. "We built Sitenna to give those teams a single system for the sites, projects, assets, agreements and equipment behind infrastructure programs. Combining that technology with West Monroe's expertise in utility technology, data and analytics, and project management gives the industry a faster path to putting infrastructure data to work, without adding another disconnected system or another layer of complexity."

West Monroe has more than 400 professionals dedicated to the energy and utilities industry and works with leading utilities across the United States on grid modernization, operational resilience and major infrastructure programs. In 2026, West Monroe was named a Top Energy Consulting Firm by Vault and Overall AI Consulting Firm of the Year in the 2026 AI Breakthrough Awards.

About West Monroe

West Monroe is an AI-native global consulting firm built for today's pace of change. We combine deep industry expertise with modern technology and business transformation capabilities to help organizations move faster and deliver measurable impact with speed to value and certainty of results through execution excellence. We don't just talk about what's possible—we apply AI and technology where it matters most, pairing strategic insights with hands-on execution to help clients move from strategy to results, faster.

Clients tell us we show up differently. Our employee ownership model fuels an all-in approach grounded in practical execution, measurable impact, and lasting partnership. That commitment has earned recognition from Forbes and Business Insider and made West Monroe one of only 22 companies recognized worldwide for building high-quality careers.

See what's possible at westmonroe.com.

About Sitenna

Sitenna is an infrastructure lifecycle software platform used by operators, developers and infrastructure service providers to manage site acquisition, project delivery, asset management and commercialization in one system of record. It supports telecom, utility, energy, fiber, EV charging, battery storage and public sector infrastructure without custom re-engineering. Sitenna is backed by Y Combinator, Samsung Next, Merus Capital and Rebel Fund.

Get faster asset data confidence with sitenna.com

Media Contacts

West Monroe:

Christina Galoozis, Director, Communications & Public Relations

[email protected]

847-302-1762

Sitenna:

Jeremy Jones, VP of Growth

[email protected]

470-681-4012

SOURCE West Monroe

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SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Platform9, the company simplifying private cloud infrastructure, today announced that it has been named as a Visionary in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Server Virtualization Platforms.

Platform9's Private Cloud Director product helps organizations modernize their virtualization environments while maintaining a familiar experience for infrastructure teams. It provides a SaaS-delivered control plane, automated migration tooling and support for virtual machines and containers across existing infrastructure.

According to Gartner:

"Server virtualization platforms can be used by enterprises to optimize IT infrastructure and improve service levels within data centers and remote locations. Service providers often use a server virtualization platform as an embedded component of their infrastructure as a service (IaaS) offerings and/or for delivering a hosted server virtualization platform."

"We've experienced unprecedented growth over the past year as organizations around the world look for a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to VMware," said Madhura Maskasky, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Platform9. "That customer momentum has accelerated our own pace of innovation. We've been able to turn what we're hearing from customers into major investments in R&D and bring new capabilities to market that deliver the familiar virtualization experience infrastructure teams expect, while giving them far greater flexibility to adapt as their environments evolve. Just as importantly, we're giving organizations much clearer cost predictability as they plan for the future."

A New Approach to Virtualization

The market for server virtualization is undergoing significant change as organizations reassess the cost, flexibility and operational complexity of their infrastructure environments. Platform9 is focused on helping enterprises make that transition without requiring them to abandon the operational familiarity of traditional virtualization.

Private Cloud Director provides a unified management experience for virtual machines and containers, while its hardware-agnostic architecture enables organizations to make greater use of their existing infrastructure. Platform9 also provides automated tooling designed to simplify migration from legacy virtualization environments.

The company has expanded its product capabilities significantly over the past year in response to growing customer demand, with a focus on delivering an enterprise-grade virtualization experience that combines familiar workflows with a more adaptive infrastructure model.

Take the Risk Out of VMware Migration

Platform9 recently announced its 60-Day Production Guarantee, designed to address one of the biggest uncertainties organizations face when moving away from VMware: how long the migration will take.

Under the program, customers define an agreed-upon production milestone and work with Platform9 experts to reach it within 60 days. If the milestone is not reached, customers can cancel at no cost. The program complements vJailbreak, Platform9's free utility for automating the migration of VMware workloads to Platform9.

To learn more about the 60-Day Production Guarantee and how Platform9 is helping organizations take the risk out of leaving VMware, visit:

https://platform9.com/blog/platform9-takes-on-the-risk-of-leaving-vmware-so-you-dont-have-to/

Access a Complimentary Copy of the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Server Virtualization Platforms

Organizations can also download a complimentary copy of the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Server Virtualization Platforms through Platform9's Gartner reprint landing page: https://platform9.com/gartner-magic-quadrant.

Gartner Disclaimer

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

Gartner, Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Source: Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Server Virtualization Platforms, by Tony Iams, Daniel Bowers, Tony Harvey, Paul Delory.

About Platform9

Platform9 simplifies private cloud infrastructure, enabling organizations to run and manage virtual machines and containers on infrastructure they control. Platform9 Private Cloud Director provides a cloud-like operating experience with a SaaS-delivered control plane, automated operations and migration tooling, helping enterprises modernize their infrastructure while reducing complexity and improving cost predictability. Learn more at https://platform9.com.

Media Contact

Nicole Silva, VP of Marketing at Platform9

[email protected]

SOURCE Platform9 Systems, Inc.

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HUBLOT - CLASSIC FUSION BALLOON DOG BY JEFF KOONS: TIME, INFLATED INTO ART

NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hublot and Jeff Koons, two visionary forces renowned for transforming the ordinary, unveil a revolutionary collaboration that seamlessly merges watchmaking art with contemporary art; objects, time and symbols – transforming them into cultural icons. Available in three editions – mirror-polished stainless steel, red or blue anodized aluminum – the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons turns form into presence and time into something tangible.

The Classic Fusion Balloon Dog, inspired by Koons's iconic mirrored balloon sculptures, translates the emotional language of inflatables into a radical object of horology. This unprecedented collaboration, limited to 200 pieces per edition, breathes new life into the iconic forms of Koons' beloved Balloon Dog, transforming the sculpture into a captivating series of timepieces that redefine the boundaries of wearable art.

Jeff Koons' Balloon Dog (1994-2000), from his Celebration series started in the mid-1990s, takes a universally familiar object, the balloon animal and transforms it into something permanent. What is fragile, temporary and playful becomes monumental, precise and enduring. A fleeting childhood gesture is fixed into industrial perfection. This transformation defines Koons' practice: elevating the ephemeral into the iconic through absolute control of form, scale and finish.

This logic resonates directly with Hublot's approach to watchmaking. Since its founding in 1980 and the introduction of the original gold-and-rubber concept, later reinterpreted through the Big Bang in 2005 and the Classic Fusion in 2008, Hublot has consistently worked with time as a material, shaping the momentary into something that lasts beyond it.

"Translating Balloon Dog into the language of the Classic Fusion required far more than fusing an artwork with an existing watch. The challenge was to fundamentally reinterpret the architecture of the Classic Fusion through the visual and sculptural language of inflatable forms. Traditionally defined by its sleek and relatively flat profile, the Classic Fusion was entirely re-engineered to create the illusion of inflated volume and tension, as though each component had been shaped by air pressure," stated Jeff Koons.

"Working with Jeff Koons on this project was both an artistic and technical adventure. What appears effortless and playful is, in reality, an extraordinary exercise in engineering, craftsmanship and detail. We challenged every construction principle of the Classic Fusion to create the illusion of inflation and volume while preserving the integrity of fine watchmaking. Every component was reimagined, reshaped and refined; milled on 5-axis CNC for a distinctive puffed form, then meticulously finished by hand to perfection. This project perfectly expresses Hublot's philosophy: using the full mastery of horology in the service of emotion, aesthetics and innovation," stated Julien Tornare, Hublot CEO.

THE CLASSIC FUSION: AIR-SCULPTED

Every element of the 42mm Classic Fusion Balloon Dog was reengineered through Jeff Koons' visual language. The traditionally sleek architecture of the Classic Fusion was transformed with inflated geometries, soft domed surfaces and convex lines to create the illusion of a watch shaped by air pressure. The result is playful, irreverent and technically highly sophisticated, where high horology and craftsmanship converge to achieve an aesthetic that feels effortless and self-evident in its execution.

Inspired by Koons' iconic reflective Balloon Dog, the watch reinterprets the Classic Fusion through a continuous language of roundness and air-filled volume. To create this sensation of volume and tension, multiple elements have been domed and reshaped, from the sapphire crystal and titanium screw heads to the convex "puffy" dial construction and sculptural case architecture. Every surface is reworked to preserve the illusion of internal pressure, extending through the smooth, padded metallic leather strap and softened attachment points. As a nod to both the dog and the balloon, signature details include a balloon-inspired crown in rubber-molded aluminum, a flexible decorative "balloon tail" at 10:30, a Balloon Dog-shaped seconds hand counterweight and inflated Super-LumiNova indexes and hands.

Available in mirror-polished stainless steel or polished anodized aluminum in striking red and blue, aluminum has been specifically selected for its ability to reproduce the vivid, saturated tones associated with Koons' work. The complexity continues within the movement itself. Powered by a manufacture automatic caliber, it integrates a custom-designed tungsten oscillating weight with rounded, voluminous forms echoing the visual language of the case.

The Classic Fusion Balloon Dog continues Hublot's philosophy of fusion through material experimentation and technical innovation. Presented in Balloon Dog-inspired packaging, the piece extends the concept of inflatable softness. The inflated dog is rendered in a chromed finish, colour-matched to each watch variation. Its rubber-effect painted surfaces echo the same tactile, playful codes that define the watch itself.

From its sculptural, air-inflated case architecture to its manufacture automatic movement, the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons is a powerful expression of the innovation, mastery and boldness that define Hublot. Conceived, developed and assembled at the Manufacture in Nyon, it conveys the quality and reliability of every watch it creates. This confidence is demonstrated through Hublot's 5+5 warranty program, extending coverage to up to ten years; a commitment rooted in the brand's conviction in every manufacture-made watch and the expertise of the teams behind it.

Limited to 200 pieces per edition, the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog is available at selected Hublot points of sale. It will also be presented in selected galleries, reinforcing the dialogue between contemporary art and watchmaking.

HUBLOT: www.hublot.com - Email: [email protected] - Presslounge platform: presslounge.hublot.com/connection/

SOURCE Hublot SA

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Actively managed ETF targets companies positioned to benefit as power, grid capacity, manufacturing and infrastructure investment accelerate across the U.S.

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- River1 Asset Management LLC (River1) today announced the launch of the Rebuild America ETF (Cboe BZX: BUIL), an actively managed exchange-traded fund designed to invest in the companies helping meet the growing physical infrastructure buildout of the United States.

BUIL launches as a major new investment cycle takes shape across American power generation and transmission, manufacturing, construction and materials. Utilities are planning approximately $1.4 trillion in electricity infrastructure investment through 2030, according to the Edison Electric Institute, while the Electric Power Research Institute projects that data centers could account for 9% to 17% of U.S. electricity consumption by 2030, compared with roughly 4% to 5% today. Reshoring and renewed domestic manufacturing investment are adding further demand for power, materials and construction capacity.

Launched by River1 following the 2024 debut of the Trenchless Fund ETF (NYSE Arca: RVER), BUIL is designed to give investors liquid public-market exposure to that multi-year investment cycle, through a concentrated portfolio rather than a broad infrastructure index. River1 expects the strategy to span companies involved in areas including energy and power, electrical-grid infrastructure, construction, materials and data-center infrastructure.

River1 was established by principals associated with the Michels family office and draws upon decades of experience investing in and studying infrastructure-related industries. That background contributes to River1's long-term understanding of infrastructure markets and industry trends. River1's investment team combines traditional fundamental research with extensive experience analyzing infrastructure-related industries and markets.

Tony Tagliapietra, CEO, and Rob Haugen, CIO respectively of River1, and BUIL portfolio managers, each bring more than 25 years of investment experience including work with major hedge funds and mutual funds. Their approach combines traditional fundamental analysis with insights drawn from an infrastructure ecosystem that sees the buildout happening in real time. BUIL was developed to bring those two disciplines together in a concentrated, actively managed public-market portfolio.

"A career investing in infrastructure with a front-row seat to what is actually being built in America is the ideal insight engine for the rebuild America market story," said Tagliapietra, CEO, River1 Asset Management. "Our investment process includes extensive industry research, company engagement, supply-chain analysis and fundamental valuation work designed to help identify opportunities across the infrastructure ecosystem. BUIL grew from the idea that those insights should make us better infrastructure investors."

That research approach is already revealing significant insights to the multi-year lead times for natural gas turbines, shortages of low-voltage wire and increasing pressure on U.S. electrical-grid capacity as examples of the real-world signals that can help shape the portfolio.

River1 evaluates investment themes by comparing market expectations against publicly available industry data, company disclosures, and broader infrastructure trends.

"There is an enormous amount of capital going into rebuilding and expanding the physical backbone of the U.S. economy," said Haugen, CIO, River1 Asset Management. "The opportunity keeps moving. Today the constraint might be generation capacity, tomorrow it may be transmission, equipment, or materials. An active ETF gives us the ability to follow those capacity-constraints as they move through the system."

The fund will hold approximately 15 to 25 publicly traded companies selected through fundamental analysis of cash flow, growth, valuation and margin durability, together with an assessment of how directly each business can benefit from the infrastructure buildout. River1 will actively adjust the portfolio as supply constraints, pricing power and spending move through the infrastructure value chain.

The Rebuild America ETF (BUIL) is an actively managed ETF focused on publicly traded companies positioned within the ongoing expansion and rebuilding of U.S. infrastructure. The fund uses fundamental analysis alongside River1's builder-informed1 research process to identify companies operating at critical points in the infrastructure value chain. The BUIL ETF has an annual expense ratio of 0.65%. Sound Capital serves as adviser to the fund and River1 Asset Management LLC serves as sub-adviser. [river1.us/buil/prospectus.]

About River1 Asset Management

River1 Asset Management LLC is an investment manager with a builder-informed1 approach to public-market investing. Its investment team combines decades of active investment management experience with access to infrastructure-industry knowledge developed through its roots in the Michels family's infrastructure-building enterprise.

1 Builder-informed refers to the professional backgrounds and industry experience of River1's principals and research process. The term does not imply participation by Michels Corporation in investment decisions or access to material nonpublic information.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For a prospectus or summary prospectus with this and other information about the Funds, please call 414-290-1920 ext. 7089 or visit our website at river1.us/buil/prospectus. Read the prospectus or summary prospectus carefully before investing.

Investing involves risk. Loss of principal is possible.

Non-Diversification Risk. A non-diversified fund under the federal securities laws may hold a significant percentage of its assets in the securities of relatively fewer companies or even one company; therefore, events affecting those companies have a greater impact on the Fund than on a diversified fund. Equity Securities Risk. The risks that could affect the value of the Fund's shares and the total return on your investment include the possibility that the equity securities held by the Fund will experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision. ETF Risk. ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to NAV. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at market prices (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Market risks, including political, regulatory, market, and economic or other developments, and developments that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market, can affect the value of the Fund's shares. Local, regional, or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the market generally and on specific securities. The Fund is subject to the risk that the prices of, and the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline significantly and/or rapidly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, general economic and market conditions, or other developments, such as regional or global economic instability (including terrorism and related geopolitical risks), interest rate fluctuations, and those events directly involving the issuers that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment.

Distributed by Pine Distributors, LLC

SOURCE River1 Asset Management

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I AM ALS Movement Collects More Than 20,100 Petition Signatures Urging Congress to "Finish the Job" and Reauthorize ACT for ALS Before September 30 Deadline

During their annual Week of Impact and with just days left before expiring, I AM ALS advocates across the U.S. demand swift action to renew historic legislation

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 20,100 Americans signed a petition asking Congress to reauthorize the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies (ACT) for ALS law before the law expires on September 30. The petition—organized by I AM ALS, the largest community movement to end ALS—reflects mounting urgency across the ALS community. Prominent voices carried the petition nationwide, including I AM ALS Ambassador Tanea "Rebel" Brooks, Katie Couric, and Rebecca Gayheart Dane, continuing Ambassador Eric Dane's fierce advocacy for this bill.

First signed into law in 2021, ACT for ALS established groundbreaking programs to advance progress in ALS research and treatment access, including promising therapies for those who can't access clinical trials, and a robust national research infrastructure. Without reauthorization, advocates warn of disruptions in progress and care for patients who are currently relying on treatments. In some cases these treatments are delaying or regressing symptoms, buying precious time.

"ALS quickly and relentlessly takes away a person's ability to move, speak, eat, and ultimately breathe," the letter with petition signatures says. "For people living with this disease and the families who love them, days, weeks, and months matter. Every unnecessary delay costs time they simply do not have to spare."

The petition, which captured more than 20,100 signatures across the country in only four days, calls on Congressional leadership and members of the Senate HELP Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure reauthorization before the deadline "in order to avoid any potential interruption to these critical programs." The signatures represent Americans living with ALS, their caregivers, researchers, clinicians, and those impacted by the disease. I AM ALS continues to power the national campaign for reauthorization and encourage constituents to lend their voice with this form to contact their members of Congress.

Take Action: Contact your senators and representatives at bit.ly/fundALS

SOURCE I AM ALS

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