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- September 25, 2026Business
Messium’s bet: the next AI breakthrough will be in agriculture - and it will come from orbit
A wheat grower can spend thousands of pounds on nitrogen fertiliser and still lack a clear answer to a basic question: does the crop need it? The uncertainty is not for want of experience. Nitrogen decisions are made across fields with different soils, drainage and yield potential, in seasons that can turn from wet to dry in weeks. By the time deficiency is obvious to the eye, the best opportunity to protect yield or grain protein may have passed. Applying too much can be just as costly: it ties up working capital, may not increase output, and leaves nitrogen vulnerable to leaching or loss to the atmosphere. Messium , a UK-based space agritech company, is trying to close that information gap. It uses hyperspectral satellites to estimate nitrogen concentration in wheat, then combines those readings with models of crop growth, weather, soils and farm management. Its software tells growers when a crop is likely to become deficient, what that could mean for yield, protein and margin, and which fertiliser rate and timing are most likely to pay. That is more ambitious than a prettier satellite map. Messium is turning orbiting sensors into a live economic model of a field. Beyond a green map Most crop-monitoring imagery is multispectral: it collects a small number of unique wavelengths and uses only two, generating data points such as NDVI. Those images show variation in greenness. They are useful, but do not directly reveal the biochemical state of a plant or precisely how much fertiliser it takes up. Hyperspectral imaging divides reflected light into hundreds of unique wavelengths. Messium works with that richer signal and can detect changes associated with chlorophyll, proteins and other plant constituents that move with nitrogen status. The challenge is not simply to point a better camera at a crop. Satellites look through an atmosphere affected by water vapour and ozone; clouds interrupt the signal; and different sensors capture different wavelength bands at different resolutions. Messium standardises data from more than 200 multispectral satellites and more than 14 hyperspectral satellites. It combines imagery with atmospheric correction, weather, soil type and moisture, sowing date, row spacing, management history and historical images. The company was also selected by the European Space Agency to support calibration and validation (Cal/Val) of ESA’s new FLEX hyperspectral mission, proving its technical expertise. Messium has built its models on a proprietary dataset of 36,000 laboratory-tested wheat samples paired with hyperspectral satellite overpasses. In a blind test organised with Eurofins Agro Testing, Messium predicted nitrogen levels and biomass at geo-referenced sample locations without seeing the laboratory results; with accuracy above 85%. AI constrained by biology Messium’s approach brings together two forms of intelligence: “I think it’s fair to say we’re at the frontier of the fusion of world models and mechanistic/process-based models,” says Rory Geeson, Messium’s Head of Machine Learning. A world model learns relationships from large volumes of data: how spectral signals, weather, soil conditions and crop outcomes move together. A mechanistic model encodes what agronomists know about crop development, water stress, nitrogen uptake and temperature. Either can fall short alone. A crop model can drift away from the condition of a particular field without fresh measurements; a purely data-driven model can find patterns without knowing whether they remain biologically plausible in another season. Messium uses frequent nitrogen observations to recalibrate crop-growth models through the season. The result is a digital twin of each field: a model that reflects its current state and forecasts what could happen next. “Normal satellite imagery gives you a broad view of how a crop looks. Our objective is to understand how it is functioning,” says Vishal Soomaney Vijaykumar, Messium’s co-founder and CTO. “We have to reconcile measurements from a large and changing set of sensors with plant chemistry, atmospheric physics and what we know about how wheat grows.” The decision is economic as well as agronomic. The system considers variety, yield potential, fertiliser cost and grain contracts. A field may be heading for nitrogen shortage but no longer have the moisture or potential to justify extra spending. Another may still have a credible route to a higher-protein milling premium. Multidisciplinary Team Messium ’s technical team includes PhDs in atmospheric correction, crop genetics, crop modelling, machine learning and physical chemistry. Its advisers add experience in crop physiology, nitrogen nutrition, precision farming, digital agriculture, crop modelling and remote sensing. For Messium, the team is part of the product. It combines the ability to learn from incomplete real-world data with the scientific judgement to recognise when an answer does not fit the underlying biology, making this capability possible for the first time. Proof in farm margins The environmental and economic case for precision nitrogen is clear: global nitrogen-use efficiency is estimated at 45%, meaning a large share of fertiliser is not taken up by crops and lost to air or water. The company says three years of UK and New Zealand trials have consistently improved profits against established commercial practice. Its 2025 New Zealand programme reported yield improvements in 75% of trials and a median gross-margin benefit of NZ$115 per hectare - NZ$34,500 across the average farm Messium serves. ADAS independently validated results. Reducing fertiliser use is not enough if growers feel they are leaving money on the table; equally, boosting yield is no better if the extra inputs cost more than the return. By measuring margin alongside fertiliser savings and yield, Messium meets farmers on the terms by which they judge agronomy products. Messium has moved from individual trial fields to farm-scale delivery. In 2026, it worked across ~4,300 fields on around 200 UK farms and is working with roughly 20 in New Zealand. From wheat nitrogen to all of agriculture Agricultural software has a distribution problem: farmers are fragmented, while trust and purchasing decisions sit with established agronomy, merchant and machinery networks. Messium’s B2B2F (business-to-business-to-farmer) approach supplies nitrogen intelligence to fertiliser companies, agronomy groups and precision-agriculture platforms, rather than asking growers to adopt another standalone tool. Partners can embed recommendations in systems, workflows and advisory relationships farmers already use. The UK Agri-Tech Centre supports Messium with multi-site trials, data collection and farmer-led product development. Messium also works with Frontier and Hutchinsons to reach more growers through established agronomy channels. This creates a data flywheel: more partner-delivered fields mean more soil types, varieties, weather patterns and management outcomes, improving validation and recommendations over time. Messium’s immediate focus remains wheat and nitrogen: deepening its UK presence, activating Australia and servicing commercial demand in France, Germany and Eastern Europe. The larger proposition is straightforward: repeatedly combining chemical measurements from space with process-based models and farm economics gives Messium a route into other crops, nutrients and uses across the agricultural food system, answering the question every grower faces throughout the season: what does this crop need now, and will acting on it make money?
- September 25, 2026Business
Second Talent Reports 52% Rise in APAC AI Hiring Demand in Updated Salary Index
Second Talent updated its Asia Tech Salary Index in August 2026, recording a 52% year-over-year increase in demand for AI roles across APAC. The index tracks engineering pay by role and seniority across eight Asian markets. Across the markets tracked by the Asia Tech Salary Index , average time to hire was 16 days and the offer acceptance rate was 89%. “The first conversation around AI talent was heavily focused on researchers and machine learning engineers. That’s no longer enough. Once companies start putting AI into real businesses, they need engineers who can integrate systems, work with existing infrastructure, handle security and reliability, and stay close to the customer,” said Elton Chan, Co-founder and CEO of Second Talent. For Chan, the 52% rise in demand and the expansion of OpenAI and Anthropic across Asia point to the same shift: AI hiring is broadening beyond research toward applied AI, deployment and engineering roles that bring systems into production. OpenAI has committed more than S$300 million to its Singapore initiative and plans to create more than 200 Singapore-based technical roles over the next few years, according to its Singapore announcement. Its Singapore hiring spans Forward-Deployed Engineers, Applied AI Engineers, Applied AI Architects, AI deployment engineering leaders and cybersecurity roles. These positions involve taking AI systems from prototypes into production and working directly with enterprise customers. “Companies shouldn’t assume that hiring an AI engineer solves their AI problem. The technical capability has to match the stage you’re at. If you’re experimenting, you need people who can prototype quickly. If you’re deploying into production, you need people who understand architecture, evaluation, security and operations. If you’re scaling across markets, you also need people who can work with customers and local teams,” said Chan. Anthropic's February 16, 2026 announcement identified India as its second-largest market for Claude.ai, with nearly half of Claude usage in the country concentrated in computer and mathematical tasks such as building applications, modernizing systems and shipping production software. Anthropic opened its Bengaluru office in February 2026 and is hiring local talent there. Its India team will provide applied AI expertise to help businesses design, build and scale Claude-powered solutions, according to the announcement. AI hiring in India's IT sector rose 16% year over year in June 2026 while overall IT recruitment fell 3%, and AI and machine learning job listings across 14 sectors rose 25%, according to Naukri data reported by Reuters. “We are going to see more engineers who aren’t building foundation models but are still doing highly technical AI work. They might be building agentic systems, integrating models into enterprise platforms, improving evaluation pipelines, working on inference, or adapting AI systems to a particular industry. Those are engineering problems, and companies need to hire for them accordingly,” said Chan. The index benchmarks engineering pay against Silicon Valley and covers hiring velocity and skills demand alongside salaries. “APAC isn’t one talent pool. Singapore gives you something different from Bangalore. Vietnam gives you something different from Manila. The right market depends on the role, the seniority you need and how much of the work is research, product engineering, deployment or customer-facing,” said Chan. As companies across Asia build deeper AI teams, Chan expects demand for this kind of technical talent to spread beyond the companies leading in AI research and into the broader enterprise market. “Start with the system you need to build and the outcome you need to deliver. Then work backwards into the skills. A lot of companies are still writing AI job descriptions around tools and model names. That can leave you with a long list of candidates who look current on paper but don’t have the experience to take the system into production,” said Chan. About Second Talent Founded in 2023, Second Talent connects companies with technical talent across Asia. The company provides sourcing, vetting, and support with contracts, payroll and compliance.
- September 25, 2026Apps & Software
Cairn River Launches System of Record Connecting Procedures, Evidence and Historical Compliance Data
Cairn River has announced the upcoming early access launch of its system of record designed for regulated firms that need to document procedures, track their execution and preserve supporting evidence over time. The platform addresses a challenge faced by compliance and operations teams: demonstrating that correct processes were followed when evidence is typically scattered across email, shared drives, spreadsheets and notes. Cairn connects three elements within a single record. The first is the procedure that should be followed, including steps, guidance and the evidence each step requires. The second is the record of carrying out that procedure, documenting outcomes for each step and any departures from the standard process. The third is the evidence itself, such as files, links and written attestations, attached to the relevant step in the record. Each record is anchored to a specific subject, such as a client, case, property or asset, allowing compliance history to accumulate over years. The system preserves published procedure versions as stable documents, ensuring that a record always references the version in force when the work was performed. A distinguishing feature of the platform is its ability to display any record exactly as it appeared on a previous date, rather than reconstructing the record from current data. This capability is intended to support audits, regulatory reviews and client inquiries by showing the state of documentation at a specific point in time. The system is designed for use by compliance, operations and oversight teams in small regulated firms. Initial target sectors include wealth management, discretionary fund management and independent financial advisors, as well as professional services, legal practice, property management, education, medical and dental practices, hospitality, finance and accounting functions. Cairn does not assign tasks, automate decisions or send reminders. The platform is positioned as a complement to existing workflow tools, serving as the destination where procedure records and evidence are stored in an organized format aligned with the applicable procedure version. The company has indicated that early access to the platform will launch soon. Firms interested in the system can request access through the company website. About Cairn Cairn provides a system of record for regulated work, linking procedures, execution records and supporting evidence. The platform is designed for compliance and operations teams in regulated industries that must demonstrate adherence to documented processes.
- September 24, 2026Sports
Šoltys is heading for Rallye du Maroc. He wants to enjoy racing again after a long break
The crew’s main task will be to cover as many kilometres as possible in the sand. The experience gained on the challenging Moroccan terrain is more important to them than the result itself. “Martin and his crew are heading to Morocco mainly to refresh their skills in driving on sand. After quite some time, they will have the chance to cover a substantial number of kilometres on terrain that is crucial for competing in the Dakar Rally. For us, the important thing now is for Martin and the lads to enjoy the race, get back into the swing of things and gain as much experience as possible,” says Jan Kalivoda, Head of Communications at Buggyra ZM Racing. Šoltys is looking forward to the Moroccan kilometres all the more because the originally planned opportunity to race in Spain has fallen through. The Rallye du Maroc will therefore be his first real opportunity in a long time to fully experience racing on sand again. “There isn’t much new with the Invictus, as we’re focusing on building a new car. I’d like to take that to the Dakar, and there are some new features on it. The Invictus has remained as it was after the Dakar; we’ve only made minor adjustments to it,” explains Šoltys. The construction of the new truck is currently one of Buggyra’s main projects. In Morocco, it will therefore be particularly important for Šoltys to regain his confidence behind the wheel and make the most of the challenging desert environment. “We’re mainly going to Morocco with the Invictus for a test, as we haven’t raced much this year. Spain was cancelled, so I’m looking forward to enjoying the rally in Morocco after such a long time. Especially in the sand,” says the Czech driver. And it is the sand that he will be focusing on most. The Moroccan rally will offer several days in the desert and plenty of opportunities for the crew to refresh their memory of the specifics of driving in the dunes and other sandy sections. “I expect everything to go smoothly, we’ll have a good drive, achieve a decent result and be happy with it,” adds Šoltys. The Rallye du Maroc will take place from 28 September to 3 October. The rally will start in Agadir on the Atlantic coast and finish in Zagora on the edge of the Sahara. The opening day will be followed by five special stages, with the first running from Agadir to Zagora and the remaining four taking the form of loops around the town. The total planned distance is approximately 2,838 kilometres, of which roughly 1,656 kilometres will be competitive special-stage kilometres. The route will feature mountain passes, dunes, canyons and other challenging desert terrain. For Martin Šoltys and his crew, the Rallye du Maroc will, above all, mark a return to racing in the environment they love most. Covering as many kilometres as possible in the sand, having a trouble-free rally and simply enjoying the drive will carry greater weight this time than the final standings. https://www.facebook.com/BUGGYRA https://twitter.com/buggyra_racing https://www.linkedin.com/company/buggyra-racing https://www.instagram.com/buggyra_racing/ https://www.tiktok.com/@buggyra
- September 24, 2026Business
BKREA Announces Exclusive Listing of 10,470-Square-Foot Parking Garage Condominium at 525 East 80th Street
BKREA announced today the exclusive listing of a 10,470-square-foot commercial garage condominium at 525 East 80th Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Offered at a price upon request, the property comprises 52 legal parking spaces and is located in Yorkville, one of Manhattan’s most established residential neighborhoods. The offering is led by Bob Knakal, Chairman & CEO of BKREA, and Ana Barrie, Managing Director, who represents the property on behalf of ownership. Located in Yorkville, the property is part of The Wakefield, a 13-story, 68-unit condominium building constructed in 1981 with full-service amenities. The commercial garage condominium is being marketed for investment and owner-user purposes, with potential for a build-to-suit transaction. The property is zoned R8B. “525 East 80th Street presents an opportunity for car collectors, parking operators, and all residential or commercial neighbors seeking additional parking. With 10,470 square feet and 52 parking spaces, the property offers a combination that is difficult to replicate in Manhattan, where parking remains at a premium. We are pleased to bring this unique opportunity to market and introduce it to qualified buyers,” said Bob Knakal, Chairman & CEO of BKREA. Barrie added, “What immediately stood out to me about this property is the combination of size, parking and location. As someone who lives on the Upper East Side, I see firsthand how limited parking can be in the neighborhood. Every time I pass 525 East 80th Street, the garage appears consistently well utilized, which speaks to the demand for parking in this area. The scale of the space and the number of parking spaces make this a particularly unique offering for the Upper East Side, and I’m excited to bring it to market.” The garage is located near Carl Schurz Park and the East River, with convenient access to the Upper East Side’s transportation network. The surrounding neighborhood features a mix of residential, retail and neighborhood-serving commercial uses. The offering represents an opportunity to acquire a commercial garage condominium in an established Manhattan neighborhood, with the scale and parking capacity to accommodate a range of investment and owner-user strategies. With BKREA’s specialized approach to New York City commercial real estate, the firm continues to identify and bring to market unique opportunities across specialized asset classes, connecting distinctive properties with qualified investors and owner-users.
- September 24, 2026Business
IGEN World Announces Viksit Bharat World as the Next Stage of Its ICE Exhibitions Journey
IGEN World announces the introduction of Viksit Bharat World , or VB World , an integrated events initiative bringing together conferences, awards, and business exhibitions. According to founder and CEO Vijay Singh , the initiative represents the next stage of ICE Exhibitions and is intended to connect in-person business participation with year-round access to information and contacts through IGEN World’s AI-powered digital platforms. Operated by India Global Expo News Platform Pvt. Ltd., an AI-recognised startup by the Indian government, VB World is the physical events component of the offering. Singh explains that its central purpose is to bring businesses, leaders, institutions, innovators, and other participants together around Indian industry and enterprise which thereby empowering Viksit Bharat 2047. IGEN World provides the supporting digital component, with business information and international business-to-business connections forming part of the proposed experience. The initiative combines Viksit Bharat Conferences , Viksit Bharat Awards , and an exhibition component presented as Viksit Bharat Expo . Singh’s plan places these activities within a connected program, allowing business discussions, recognition, and opportunities to present products or services to sit alongside one another. The emphasis is on bringing several forms of participation into a common events framework. Within that framework, the conferences are intended to support industry discussions and knowledge sharing. The awards component focuses on recognition, while the exhibition component provides a setting for product presentations and buyer-seller interaction. Together, these formats outline the different ways organizations may engage with the initiative, depending on their interests and the arrangements for individual events. Singh has outlined a proposed program involving six major Indian cities and events at two-month intervals. The precise calendar, including the relationship between that cadence and the city rotation, remains subject to confirmation on their official websites, IGEN World and VB World. The connection with IGEN World is intended to extend participation beyond the physical gathering. Singh’s objective is for businesses to continue accessing relevant information and developing contacts throughout the year. Under this approach, an event would serve as one point of engagement within a broader relationship with the platforms, with the digital services supporting activity between gatherings. IGEN News forms the information component of that arrangement. According to Singh’s outline, it is intended to provide business news, sector insights, and information about companies, leaders, and expertise. Its role within the combined offering is to give participants a place to explore business developments alongside the discussions and introductions associated with VB World events. IGEN Expo provides the international business-to-business component. Singh positions it as a way to support connections between Indian businesses and overseas counterparts, as well as international organizations seeking business relationships in India. The proposed connection with VB World brings that digital trade focus alongside the physical exhibition program, while retaining distinct roles for the online and in-person offerings. The initiative also marks an evolution in the exhibition business that preceded it. Singh traces ICE Exhibitions’ beginnings to 1994 and presents VB World as the next stage of that work. The historical connection provides the background for the new format, which combines the company’s exhibition roots with conferences, awards, and supporting digital participation. For Singh, the intended change concerns the duration of engagement as well as the range of activities. The physical events remain central to VB World, while IGEN World is intended to provide continuity between them. The combined model is designed around opportunities to meet, access information, and continue business conversations, with participation details dependent on the relevant platform and program. Singh’s stated aim is to make the connection between those activities part of the overall offering. Businesses and institutions interested in the initiative can explore VB World and IGEN World for information about the physical and digital offerings, which include an AI-powered NEWS platform and an AI-powered EXPO platform. IGEN World also provides an expression-of-interest page asking visitors to identify their company, designation, city, and platform of interest. Top business-to-business brands and leaders can benefit by participating in and sponsoring the IGEN WORLD platform and VB WORLD platform for Global Exposure and Visibility for the next 20 years.
- September 24, 2026Technology
Living Shoreline Solutions Introduces Patent-Pending Oyster WAD for Coastal Habitat Restoration
Living Shoreline Solutions Inc. is adapting its Wave Attenuation Device technology for a different challenge after decades of designing coastal structures to reduce wave energy and erosion: creating calmer, more productive nearshore environments where oysters and other marine organisms can thrive. The company’s new Oyster WAD is a patent-pending living breakwater designed for lower-energy coastal environments where shoreline stabilization, sediment retention and habitat restoration can work together. The system is intended to support restoration efforts while maintaining the coastal processes that allow marine ecosystems to develop over time. Building on More Than 25 Years of WAD Experience The technology builds upon more than 25 years of experience with Living Shoreline Solutions’ Wave Attenuation Devices, commonly known as WADs. Rather than relying solely on rock, seawalls or conventional hardened shoreline structures, WAD systems are designed to reduce incoming wave energy while allowing water to move through and around the structures. That distinction is important. Instead of simply reflecting wave energy, WADs are engineered to attenuate it. As waves interact with the structures, energy is reduced on the protected side, helping create conditions favorable for sediment deposition and shoreline stability. This approach allows the structure to serve a protective function while continuing to interact with the surrounding coastal environment. The Oyster WAD takes that concept and applies it specifically to habitat-focused coastal restoration. Designing Infrastructure for Marine Habitat Its low-profile reinforced-concrete structure incorporates a corrugated exterior that provides additional surface area for oyster recruitment and marine growth. The hollow design maintains water movement and minimizes the structure’s footprint on the seafloor. Over time, oysters and other marine organisms can colonize the structure, transforming engineered coastal infrastructure into productive marine habitat. As biological growth develops, the structure is intended to become increasingly integrated into the surrounding ecosystem rather than functioning solely as a standalone coastal defense. The approach addresses a persistent challenge in living shoreline projects: biological restoration is difficult when wave energy and erosion continue to disturb the very habitat being restored. By reducing wave energy first, Oyster WADs are intended to create more favorable conditions behind the breakwater for oysters, marsh vegetation, seagrasses and other sensitive nearshore habitat. These calmer conditions can provide a more stable environment in which sediment can accumulate and habitat restoration efforts can develop. Combining Protection and Ecological Function The concept also reflects a broader shift toward coastal infrastructure that combines engineered protection with ecological objectives. Rather than treating shoreline stabilization and habitat restoration as separate goals, the Oyster WAD is designed to address both within the same low-profile structure. The design also offers an approach for projects where maintaining water movement and supporting marine life are important considerations alongside shoreline protection. Its low-profile configuration and habitat-oriented exterior are intended to allow the structure to serve both a protective and ecological purpose. Informed by Severe Storm Conditions Living Shoreline Solutions’ broader WAD technology has been used in coastal environments for decades and has been subjected to severe storm conditions, providing the company with real-world performance experience that now informs the Oyster WAD design. That history is particularly relevant for coastal communities where structures must contend with changing water conditions, wave energy, erosion and severe weather. The experience gained through previous WAD applications provides a foundation for adapting the technology to habitat-focused restoration environments. “After more than 25 years of watching our Wave Attenuation Devices protect shorelines through hurricanes, we asked how we could take what we’ve learned and make it even more productive for the ecosystem,” said Scott Bartkowski, inventor of the WAD®, EcoWAD® and patent-pending Oyster WAD. “The Oyster WAD was designed to do more than reduce wave energy. We wanted infrastructure that helps retain sediment, creates habitat and provides the surface oysters needed to establish a living reef.” “The goal isn’t simply to put concrete in the water,” Bartkowski said. “It’s to create infrastructure that becomes more valuable to the shoreline as nature moves in.” Supporting Living Shoreline Restoration For communities and restoration professionals evaluating living shorelines, oyster habitat restoration, living breakwaters, shoreline stabilization and nature-based coastal protection, the Oyster WAD represents an effort to combine engineering performance with ecological function. The design also offers an approach for projects where maintaining water movement and supporting marine life are important considerations alongside shoreline protection. Its low-profile configuration and habitat-oriented exterior are intended to allow the structure to serve both a protective and ecological purpose. As coastal communities search for alternatives to traditional shoreline armoring, Living Shoreline Solutions believes the next generation of coastal infrastructure should do more than resist the water. It should help rebuild what lives there. About Living Shoreline Solutions Living Shoreline Solutions Inc., based in Pensacola, Florida, develops Wave Attenuation Devices (WADs), EcoWADs and Oyster WADs for coastal erosion control, wave attenuation, sediment accretion, shoreline stabilization and marine habitat enhancement. Its site-specific systems are designed to work with natural coastal processes while providing engineered protection for vulnerable shorelines. With decades of experience in wave attenuation and coastal structures, the company continues to explore ways engineered systems can support both shoreline resilience and marine habitat. The Oyster WAD reflects that approach by bringing together wave-energy reduction, sediment retention, shoreline stabilization and opportunities for biological growth within one coastal structure. For more information, visit livingshorelinesolutions.com or contact at [email protected] or (850) 492-7333 . Living Shoreline Solutions can also be found on Facebook and Instagram .
- September 24, 2026Business
Psychological Safety Week Returns with Warning Over Workplace “Talent Hushing”
A growing number of employees may be staying silent at work, not because they have nothing to say, but because speaking up does not feel safe, worthwhile or effective - a phenomenon being highlighted this year as “ Talent Hushing .” That is the warning from Psychological Safety Week , which returns from 21–25 September 2026 with a call for employers to confront the hidden organisational cost of silence at work. Hosted by business psychologists Pearn Kandola , the free international initiative will bring together employers, people leaders and business psychologists to examine how and why people hold back ideas, questions, concerns and ambition - and what organisations can do to change it. This year, Personnel Today joins as headline sponsor, with several new sponsors and founding sponsors returning to support this year’s edition. The hidden business risk of silence While workplace debate has focused on burnout, engagement and retention, Psychological Safety Week 2026 is turning attention to a quieter problem with serious consequences: employees censoring themselves because they do not believe it is safe, useful or welcome to speak openly, which business psychology firm Pearn Kandola has titled ‘Talent Hushing’. Psychological Safety Week 2026 was officially launched yesterday with a keynote exploring the firm’s brand-new research into Talent Hushing, hosted by Professor Binna Kandola OBE. Professor Binna Kandola OBE, Co-founder and Senior Partner at Pearn Kandola, said: “After our astonishing inaugural year, we are delighted to be back for Psychological Safety Week 2026, supported by our wonderful sponsors, who help to bring this event to the wider world. This year’s theme, Talent Hushing, highlights both the organisational risks and missed opportunities when those with the best ideas feel they will not be heard – or that it’s simply safer to stay quiet. In our research, conducted in July, we found that 43% of UK adults said they contribute less than they are capable of , due to their experiences at work . It’s a shocking figure that demonstrates how Talent Hushing could well be a national productivity issue .” What the week will cover Running from 21–25 September 2026 , Psychological Safety Week offers free live webinars, practical resources and expert insight to help organisations understand the conditions that determine whether people speak up - or stay quiet. Why it matters now At a time of economic pressure, rapid change and rising workplace complexity, organisations increasingly depend on employees being willing to flag risks, challenge assumptions, ask difficult questions and offer new ideas. But if people do not believe their voice will be welcomed - or that it will make any difference - many will choose silence instead. Psychological Safety Week 2026 aims to help employers recognise the patterns and dynamics that lead to talent hushing and to instead build cultures where people feel safe to contribute, challenge and collaborate. Register for free Psychological Safety Week is open to organisations and individuals committed to building high-performing, inclusive and innovative workplaces. To find out more and register for free, visit psychologicalsafetyweek.com Backed by leading organisations Alongside Personnel Today, Psychological Safety Week 2026 brings back several founding sponsors, with new support from global organisations, reflecting growing recognition across sectors that psychological safety is not a “nice to have”, but a core condition for performance, trust and inclusion. A full list of the sponsors for 2026 can be found here: https://www.psychologicalsafetyweek.com/sponsors About Pearn Kandola Pearn Kandola LLP is a business psychology consultancy that has been transforming leaders, teams and organisations globally since 1984. For more than four decades, the firm has worked with organisations to apply evidence-based insight to make workplaces fairer and more effective.
- September 24, 2026Technology
Simular releases Sai, ushers in new era of autonomous computer fleets
Simular , the autonomous computer company, announced the general availability of Sai, its computer-use agent, at sai.work . Sai can spawn a fleet of autonomous computers that execute tasks on multiple machines simultaneously, furthering the company’s mission to free people from laborious, repetitive digital work. Sai operates computers directly: it reads screens, clicks, types, navigates applications, and plans what to do next. Users can assign work to one or multiple computers, monitor progress remotely, and receive a notification when the work is complete. Sai was invite-only before its general availability. The company introduces #SaiFleet as a new paradigm for computer-use agents: instead of one AI agent operating one computer at a time, users can deploy fleets of autonomous computers to work in parallel. Because Sai works through the computer interface rather than integrations, it can operate software that has no application programming interface (API), including legacy desktop applications and internal portals behind a login. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, either on a cloud-based virtual machine (VM) that Simular provisions or on the user's own device. Users can watch any computer in the fleet while it works and take back control of the mouse during a run. Sai asks for permissions on critical actions, and results arrive through iMessage, SMS or Telegram. Sai is available now at sai.work , starting free with options for pay-as-you-go, unlimited access, and enterprise-grade scaling and security. To demonstrate Sai’s ability to handle long, complex computer tasks, the company streams the agent playing Minecraft live. Sai played autonomously for 14 hours, without step-by-step human intervention. It read the game screen, decided what to do next, and spawned helper agents: including Jev, to handle tasks like mining while the main agent continued working on other objectives. Sai completed eight of fifteen goals in the session, costing approximately $0.01 per hour. That means the #SaiFleet can run 100 computers in parallel for less than $1 in total, opening the possibility of autonomous fleets performing hundreds of tasks simultaneously, from research and data entry to browser workflows, software testing, operations, and other repetitive digital labor. “We believe the future of computer use is not one agent doing one task, but autonomous computers working together at scale,” said Ang Li, CEO and cofounder of Simular. “Our goal is to make digital labor faster, cheaper, and increasingly accessible so people can spend their time on the things only humans can do.” Agents often rely on large language models to reason through every step of a task. For repetitive workflows, that can make automation expensive and slow. Sai takes a different approach. Its neuro-symbolic architecture uses AI models to determine how a task should be completed, then it compiles the resulting procedure into executable scripts. When the same workflow runs again, Sai replays the code rather than reasoning through every step from scratch. If the interface changes, Sai returns to the base model for planning as part of a self-optimization mechanism. Completed workflows can be saved as skills, scheduled to run automatically, or triggered by events. According to Simular's measurements, this approach reduces token consumption by at least 90% on long-horizon office tasks that repeat many times. Sai is designed to operate without requiring users to supervise every click. The system includes tiered approval controls, allowing users to grant trust for an individual task or workflow. Passwords and verification codes can be entered through encrypted input so that sensitive credentials are not exposed to the underlying model. This allows Sai to move beyond chat-based assistance toward unattended digital work. Sai ranked #3 Product of the Day on Product Hunt on September 21, 2026. On OSWorld 2.0, an industry leading benchmark of 108 long, multi-step, real computer tasks, Simular reported a 73.0% partial score for Sai in August 2026, ahead of Anthropic and OpenAI. In December 2025, Simular's open-source Agent S framework reached 72.6% on the original OSWorld benchmark, making it the first agent to reach the human baseline of 72.36%. Simular is a research-driven company building accessible intelligence to free humans from digital labor. Its flagship agent Sai automates workflows by controlling local and cloud computers. Agent S, its open-source agentic framework, was the first to achieve human-level performance on the OSWorld computer-use benchmark. The company was one of five companies to pilot Microsoft's Windows 365 for Agents. Founded in 2023 by former Google DeepMind researchers, Simular is backed by investors including Felicis, Nvidia’s NVentures, South Park Commons, Basic Set, and Lenny Rachitsky.
- September 24, 2026Business
NYO3 Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Norway's Understory Factory and Oslo Flagship Store Opens in Parallel to Accelerate Global Expansion
On September 21 (local time), NYO3, a Norwegian premium anti-aging supplement brand, and Aker BioMarine, the global krill raw material giant, signed a letter of intent for a wholly-owned acquisition of the Understory factory in Oslo. NYO3 Norwegian flagship store officially opened on the same day. The implementation of two major moves—the acquisition and the store opening—marks that NYO3 will leverage Norway’s high-standard local manufacturing capabilities to continuously advance its global layout in the health industry. It is reported that the Understory factory is an innovation factory invested in and built by Aker BioMarine in Oslo in 2023, specializing in producing high-value krill protein through enzymatic hydrolysis. The factory is equipped with a full production line from GEA, a global leader in pharmaceutical equipment, and houses high-specification laboratories and a complete quality management system. In 2024, it was rated as Norway's second-largest innovative enterprise for its technological innovation. Data shows that Norway applies dietary nutrition regulatory standards more stringent than those of the EU, Australia and New Zealand, and it exercises full-chain control over raw material screening, formula R&D, manufacturing, and finished product safety. NYO3 has always adhered to Norway's local quality standards. NYO3 has qualified for the ORIVO origin verification program for 6 consecutive years and has thereby the exclusive right to use the Golden Orivo product logo. Certain products have obtained the "Made in Norway" certificate of origin from Innovation Norway. NYO3 has maintained its position as a global leader in krill oil sales for three consecutive years. Its products are sold in 33 countries and regions worldwide. As planned, NYO3 will take the Understory factory as its core production carrier to deeply explore the high-value utilization of Antarctic krill resources, and build a full-dosage-form krill nutrition product base covering powders, drinks, tablets, and capsules. NYO3 will also further expand its production footprint, strengthen the quality barrier of Norwegian manufacturing, and deliver Norwegian anti-aging nutrition technology to the global market. The NYO3 Norwegian flagship store, which opened simultaneously, is located in Oslo's premier upscale business district, adjacent to the MUNCH and the Oslo Opera House. It aims to create a new landmark for Nordic healthy living. The store offers one-stop services including product display, offline experience, and after-sales service, driving an upgrade in brand positioning from a single krill oil products supplier to a provider of Norwegian anti-aging technology and health solutions. At the opening ceremony, representatives of strategic partners such as Aker BioMarine, ORIVO, and Lerøy, as well as NYO3's Scientific Advisor, who is also a Fellow of the Royal NorwegianSociety of Sciences and Letters, were present to witness the event. The dual deployment of production and offline terminals has perfected NYO3's global industrial closed loop. Backed by the robust intelligent manufacturing capabilities of its leading factory and stringent Norwegian quality standards, together with the deep rollout of domestic offline touchpoints, NYO3 has further consolidated its core competitiveness in the premium anti-aging nutrition sector. Currently, NYO3 has already gained deep penetration into Norway’s domestic market, with its products widely available across diverse offline channels such as pharmacies, convenience stores, and souvenir shops. The launch of the Oslo flagship store marks a key milestone for the brand to take root in Norway and deepen its presence in the European market. Using Norway as a global strategic hub, NYO3 will expand its reach across overseas markets, and continuously deliver the standardized, high-quality Norwegian anti-aging wellness lifestyle philosophy to the world.
- September 24, 2026Marketing
APR Adds Ten Major Global Brands Following AI Transformation
Global marketing production advisory, APR, has revealed 10 major new client wins, including Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies across technology, telecommunications, apparel, and FMCG. Photo courtesy of: APR The new business momentum follows APR’s transformation into an AI-enabled production intelligence company, as the world’s leading brands seek greater visibility and control across increasingly complex marketing production ecosystems. As AI accelerates content creation and brands manage a growing mix of agencies, creators, production companies, in-house capabilities, and technology platforms, marketers are finding it harder to trace how content gets made and what it costs. APR’s expanded intelligence platforms provide oversight across a marketer’s entire production ecosystem, along with category- and geography-specific benchmarks. Clients are leaning on that intelligence to rethink their production investments, partners, and operating models. “The way brands produce marketing has fundamentally changed, and the advisory model has to change with it,” said Patrick Lafferty, CEO of APR . “Production can no longer be reviewed one project or partner at a time. Brands need to understand how decisions across technology, talent, agencies, procurement, and operations affect the performance of the entire ecosystem. These wins reflect the demand we’re seeing for an independent partner that can connect those decisions and help clients build production models for what comes next.” The new engagements also reflect a significant expansion in APR’s remit. Historically brought in to provide independent oversight of brands’ largest, highest-budget productions, APR is increasingly working across the entire production supply chain, helping clients optimize production models, partner ecosystems, procurement, workflows, and technology across everything from flagship creative to experiential, social, and creator-led content. “These wins validate the transformation we’ve made at APR and the broader role we can now play for clients,” said Edmond Handwerker, global CMO and innovation officer at APR . “The world’s largest marketers are under pressure to produce more content across more channels while simultaneously figuring out where AI fits, what capabilities they should own, and how an increasingly fragmented network of partners works together. We’ve evolved APR to give clients the expertise, intelligence, and technology to make those decisions with a much clearer view of their entire production ecosystem.” APR’s transformation has combined nearly three decades of production consulting expertise with expanded capabilities in data, technology, and AI. The company has evolved ACERO™, its proprietary production intelligence platform, into an AI-enabled foundation for intelligence while developing CAPRI, a new AI platform that operationalizes those insights at scale. Drawing on intelligence from more than 400 global brands, billions of dollars in annual marketing production spend, a network spanning 55 cities, and relationships with more than 3,000 agencies and production companies, CAPRI enables APR consultants to benchmark production costs by market and category, compare supplier performance, identify revision trends, and uncover cross-market opportunities through a conversational interface. The 10 wins come as APR enters its next phase of growth under CEO Patrick Lafferty, who was appointed in July to lead the company’s global expansion. APR is now focused on extending its Production Intelligence offering across more clients, markets, and areas of the content supply chain. About APR APR is a global marketing production advisory that partners with the world’s leading brands to optimize marketing investments across the content supply chain. With a presence in over 50 countries, APR’s expertise and data-driven insights help global brands and their partners work together more effectively and efficiently, with enhanced creative outcomes. APR is a WBENC-certified business. For more information about APR's services, visit www.aprco.com.
- September 23, 2026Select
Alcott Global Announces the Top 30 Supply Chain Leaders of 2026
Fifth Edition of Prestigious Global Awards Celebrates Transformational Executives Driving Resilience, Digital Innovation, and Sustainable Growth Under the Theme “Where Insight Connects the Dots” Alcott Global, an international executive search and leadership advisory firm, has officially announced the recipients of the Top 30 Leaders in Supply Chain Awards for 2026 . Celebrating its fifth edition, the annual program spotlights outstanding corporate leaders who are successfully connecting enterprise strategy, technological innovation, workforce development, and operational execution to transform end-to-end global value chains. Guided by the 2026 theme, “Where Insight Connects the Dots,” this year’s awards acknowledge senior executives who excel in an operating environment marked by persistent geopolitical turbulence, rapid technological changes, evolving consumer expectations, and increasing demands for responsible enterprise growth. The honorees were selected for their ability to look beyond traditional functional silos, uniting diverse capabilities across their organizations to drive measurable business impact and long-term resilience. Stringent Eligibility and Dual-Evaluation Methodology To ensure only high-impact, transformative executives were considered, nominees were vetted against rigorous qualifying requirements. Eligible leaders had to: Hold a regional or global leadership post for at least 18 consecutive months. Possess end-to-end supply chain accountability. Operate within a manufacturing enterprise generating annual revenues exceeding USD $1 billion. Qualified candidates submitted comprehensive case studies highlighting their strategic vision, verified business outcomes, enterprise transformation roadmaps, digitalization benchmarks, sustainability advancements, and team development initiatives. The definitive Top 30 ranking was established using a balanced, objective evaluation model: 75% Independent Jury Score: Assessed by an esteemed panel of prominent supply chain practitioners, former industry chief supply chain officers (CSCOs), academics, authors, and transformation advisors. 25% Global Peer Vote: Cast by an international cohort of more than 2,000 senior supply chain leaders. The 2026 Independent Jury The 2026 judging panel brought together leading authorities from across the supply chain ecosystem, including: Cliff Henson , Corporate Vice President, Cloud Supply Chain and Engineering, Microsoft (2025 Award Winner) Mourad Tamoud , Chief Supply Chain Officer, Schneider Electric (2023–2024 Award Winner) Michael Corbo , Former Chief Supply Chain Officer, Colgate-Palmolive Kai Hoberg , Professor of Supply Chain Management, Kühne Logistics University Cheryl Capps , Former Chief Supply Chain Officer, Corning Knut Alicke , Former Partner, McKinsey & Company; Advisor, Alcott Global Bart Derde , Former Chief Supply Chain Officer, Haleon Daniel Stanton , Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Supply Chain Deborah Dull , Author, Circular Supply Chain Radu Palamariu , Group Chief Executive Officer, Alcott Global “For five years, these Awards have been dedicated to putting supply chain leaders under the spotlight they deserve,” said Radu Palamariu , Group CEO of Alcott Global. “This year’s winners demonstrate what it truly means to connect the dots between risk and resilience, strategy and execution, technology and decision-making, performance and responsibility, and leadership and legacy. Selected from 403 nominees and recognized through both independent Jury assessment and the voice of more than 2,000 industry peers, they represent the very best of modern supply chain leadership.” A Growing Global Footprint and Worldwide Campaign The 2026 edition received 403 nominations representing 354 organizations across 24 countries. The final Top 30 honorees were officially presented during the virtual Leaders in Supply Chain Awards Gala on September 10, 2026, which convened international supply chain executives, jury members, and industry partners to explore the strategic imperatives guiding modern operations. The announcement kicks off an extensive international communications campaign spanning earned media, executive thought leadership, social networks, and featured digital displays in New York City’s Times Square. Reaching an estimated 10 million-plus digital impressions, more than 500 media publications, and Alcott Global’s network of 3 million professionals, the initiative aims to showcase modern value chain leadership and inspire upcoming generations of operational executives worldwide. About Alcott Global Alcott Global specializes in Executive Search and Leadership Advisory, facilitating senior executive and board-level appointments across the end-to-end value chain and P&L leadership spectrum. The firm recruits and advises CEOs, COOs, CSCOs, CFOs, Regional Managing Directors, and functional executives across planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce, and supply chain operations. In its mission to connect the global value chain, Alcott Global convenes executive communities via Makers & Movers , an invite-only global forum for enterprise operators and C-suite leaders to shape the future of value chain ecosystems. The next Makers & Movers summit will convene on April 28–29, 2027, in Zurich, Switzerland. Through its technology arm, Supplify , Alcott Global connects enterprise corporations with emerging logistics and supply chain technology providers to accelerate operational digital transformation. Media and Resource Links Alcott Global Official Website: https://alcottglobal.com Leaders in Supply Chain Awards Gala: https://gala.makersmovers.com
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ON INSIDER
- Kennedy ABA Establishes Its Role as a Leading ABA Therapy Provider in Charlotte, NC
- Speranza Behavioral Health Expands Mental Health PHP and IOP Capacity to Meet Growing South Jersey Demand
- Guardian Angel Carers Expands Franchise Opportunities Across the UK
- The Oblist Brings “Excess Baggage” to American Collectors in Its US Brand Campaign
- University of Leeds Lifts Staff News Engagement 20% by Letting 9,000 Employees Choose What They Read
- PatientGain Eliminates Healthcare Website Headaches for Busy Practice managers with VaultDocSites (TM)
- Dragon Federation Prepares Kickstarter Launch for AI Companions That Grow With Their Riders
- Postal Tube Shop Launches RECAP, the UK's First Fully Plastic-Free End Cap for Postal Tubes
- Houston Freight Forwarder to Address Texas A&M Logistics Students on Supply Chain and AI in Freight Forwarding
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