New partnerships with Hyve Group, Business Show Media and Raccoon Media Group will integrate intelligent sourcing and navigation into flagship events including Autumn Fair & Glee, ISPO, White & Private Label Expo and The London Business Show

LONDON, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Accio, Alibaba.com’s agentic AI platform for businesses, today announced it has been appointed as the Official Agentic AI Partner for three premier exhibition organisers: Hyve Group, Business Show Media and Raccoon Media Group. The collaboration will deploy Accio’s ‘Exhibition Agent’ across six flagship European trade shows spanning retail, home & gift, garden, business services, private label and sporting goods.

Accio is Alibaba.com’s agentic AI platform for SMEs and solo founders providing a pre-configured agentic business team that manages the entire SME lifecycle end to end, from market analysis, design and sourcing to store optimisation and inventory monitoring. Globally, more than 10+ million SMEs already use Accio to run their businesses. It requires no code or setup and automates complex tasks such as sourcing, supplier research, procurement and marketing that would otherwise consume hours of manual effort. By embedding this capability directly into official exhibitor directories and floor plans, the Exhibition Agent transforms raw supplier lists into actionable visit plans, ranked matches and post-event procurement workflows, all within a single conversation thread.

This expansion follows the successful pilot of Accio as the Official Agentic AI Partner of Smart Manufacturing Week in June 2026, where the technology supported over 13,000 visitors and 430+ exhibitors at the NEC Birmingham in the UK.

From Navigation to Negotiation
Unlike traditional trade show apps that offer static maps, the Exhibition Agent acts as an active sourcing partner. Using natural language, buyers can find booths, compare suppliers against their criteria, then hand off to negotiation or logistics agents to draft RFQs and calculate landed costs.

Jackson Szabo, Portfolio Director at Hyve Group said: “Our role as an organiser is to make it as easy as possible for buyers to discover the right products, brands and opportunities, and to make every moment they spend at our shows count. As our events continue to grow in scale and international reach, we need to evolve the way we help visitors navigate that wealth of choice. Partnering with Accio brings a new generation of AI-powered sourcing and planning technology directly into the Autumn Fair, Spring Fair and Glee experience. It will give buyers a more intuitive way to discover relevant exhibitors, plan their time and build smarter routes around the show, while helping our exhibitors become more visible to buyers actively looking for what they offer. We’re excited to be bringing this next-generation technology to our community and to see how it transforms the way people experience our shows.”

“Partnering with Alibaba.com’s Accio on the Exhibition Agent marks a genuinely new chapter for ISPO in Amsterdam”, said Soraya Gadelrab, Joint MD, ISPO. “Bringing this kind of AI-powered navigation and real-time supplier matching to the show floor is exactly the kind of innovation our exhibitors and buyers need as sourcing gets more complex. We believe this sets a new benchmark for what a modern trade fair experience can look like.”

The solution addresses the cognitive overload faced by buyers at major events. With thousands of SKUs and hundreds of exhibitors, the Agent compresses weeks of pre-event research into minutes, ensuring every booth visit is pre-validated and relevant.

Seamless Integration for Exhibitors and Buyers

The partnership leverages Accio’s newly launched native mobile app. Designed for on-the-go utility, it allows buyers to invoke the Exhibition Agent via voice or image search directly from the show floor.

Key capabilities include:

Exhibitor-First Sourcing: Searches official directories first, returning ranked matches with booth locations and relevance explanationsIntelligent Route Planning: Groups matched exhibitors by zone to optimise walking routes and maximise time on the floorVisual Sourcing: Allows buyers to upload product photos on the spot to find exact matches among exhibiting suppliersEnd-to-End Workflow: Seamlessly hands off from discovery to negotiation, compliance checks and logistics coordination without leaving the appMaster Agenda at a Glance: Lets visitors preview all key forums and events ahead of the show, and lock in must-attend sessions so they never miss a key industry insight or networking opportunity

For exhibitors, the integration offers enhanced discoverability, surfacing their profiles to qualified buyers who are actively searching for their specific product categories.

The Exhibition Agent is scheduled for full on-site deployment at Hyve Group’s Autumn Fair, Spring Fair and Glee in Birmingham, Business Show Media’s London Business Show and White & Private Label Expo in London, and Raccoon Media Group’s ISPO in Amsterdam. 

The Accio app is available for free download on the iOS App Store and Google Play. Attendees of partner trade shows can access the Exhibition Agent features immediately upon registration or via on-site QR codes.

Notes to Editors

The partnership portfolio

About Alibaba.com
Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce that serves buyers and suppliers from over 200 countries and regions around the world. It is engaged in services covering various aspects of commerce, including providing businesses with tools that help them reach a global audience for their products and helping buyers discover products, find suppliers and place orders online fast and efficiently. Alibaba.com is part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.

About Accio
Accio is Alibaba.com’s plug-and-play enterprise AI agent designed to support the operational needs of SMEs worldwide. It deploys specialised agents to execute complex tasks – from product design and sourcing to negotiation and CRM – handled in one continuous conversation.

About Hyve Group
Hyve Group is a leading international owner and operator of B2B events, connecting buyers and suppliers across key industries including retail, food, and manufacturing.

About Business Show Media
Business Show Media is a global exhibition organiser delivering industry-leading business events across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Its portfolio includes The Business Show World Series, White & Private Label Expo, The International Franchise Show and B2B Marketing Expo US. Business Show Media connects entrepreneurs, business leaders and suppliers across multiple sectors, creating platforms for growth, innovation and international trade.

About Raccoon Media Group
Raccoon Media Group specialises in niche B2B exhibitions and media platforms, serving sectors such as sporting goods, leisure, and specialized retail.

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Combining a heavy-duty floor-washer main unit with an ultra-slim sub-unit, iRobot introduces an unique robot architecture, powered by a mechanical deployment arm and a unified self-navigating base station.

BEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — iRobot Corp., a leader in consumer robotics and intelligent floor care, today unveiled the Roomba® Duo, iRobot’s first dual-unit robot vacuum and mop, at IFA 2026. Introducing a breakthrough approach to intelligent floor cleaning, the new system addresses a long-standing trade-off in robotic floor care: wet-dry vacuums delivered powerful cleaning but lacked autonomous navigation, while robot vacuums offered hands-free convenience without the raw cleaning power of a wet-dry vacuum. The Roomba® Duo pairs an advanced main robot that vacuums and steam-mops with an ultra-compact companion robot. The pair use a shared home map and an autonomous mobile dock, working together as one intelligent system to deliver seamless, comprehensive cleaning throughout the home.

Unlock Next-Generation Floor Care with Dual-Unit Architecture
At the heart of the concept is a capability that no other consumer robot vacuum offers: one robot that carries and deploys a secondary unit. The main robot features a top-mounted mechanical arm whose end remains level as the arm moves, providing the stability needed to carry the additional weight. It can then safely lower and release an ultra-compact companion robot into tight spaces the main unit is unable to reach.

Connected through the Roomba® Home App on a shared home map, the two robots communicate in real time, leveraging AI to coordinate their cleaning tasks: the main unit thoroughly vacuums and mops large, open floor areas, while its ultra-slim companion reaches beneath furniture, into narrow spaces and other spots conventional robot vacuums often miss. By dividing the workload between two specialized robots, the system expands cleaning coverage within the same cleaning mission, bringing a new level of intelligence to home cleaning.

Deep-Clean Wet and Dry Messes, Without Hand Scrubbing
The main unit moves beyond the physical constraints of conventional robot vacuums. Its distinctive cylindrical body maximizes internal space, allowing it to house a wet-and-dry floor-washing module, a high-performance motor, and a high-capacity battery, bringing true floor-washing capability to robotic floor care.

Its industry-leading 60mm-diameter PowerSpin™ Max Roller Mop applies 46N (around 4.7kg) of downward pressure, scrubbing the floor as thoroughly as cleaning by hand. For dry debris, it delivers exceptional suction power to effortlessly lift pet hair, food crumbs and everyday debris.

As a pre-treatment, an internal heater generates controlled steam that is evenly distributed across targeted areas to help loosen tough, dried-on grime without exposing the floor to excessive heat. A continuously self-cleaning roller then washes away loosened dirt and sticky spills, from pasta sauce to cooking grease. A hot-air drying component behind the roller dries the wet surface to help protect wooden floors from prolonged moisture.

Whether it’s for busy families with toddlers or pets who spend more time close to the floor, this deeper washing capability extends automated floor care beyond what standard robot vacuums can achieve.

Slip Under Low Furniture, Clean Tight Corners
The companion robot, demonstrated live at the IFA booth, uses the company’s Roomba® Plus 575 Combo Robot which launched earlier in 2026. It reaches the corners and edges, exactly where pet hair and debris collect. Measuring just 8.35 cm tall and 29.8 cm wide, the companion robot glides between dining chairs and cleans beneath low beds, sofas and TV cabinets, capturing dust in spaces most robot vacuums cannot enter.

The companion robot’s PerfectEdge® mop pad extends by up to 31mm outward, along with extended edge sweeping side brush, cleaning automatically into corners, along walls and baseboards, even around irregular edges, to remove pet hair, dust and crumbs. With air-lift omni-wheels, it climbs thresholds up to 3.5 cm and continues cleaning in multiple rooms without getting stuck.

Navigate and Maintain with Greater Autonomy
The Roomba® Duo is designed to understand the home, navigate everyday obstacles and reduce routine maintenance through a unified system. Both units are equipped with ClearView™ Pro dual-line LiDAR and PrecisionVision™ AI to detect and move around common household objects. On top of this, the main unit features top-mounted AI cameras to capture a wider, elevated view of rooms, furniture and floor layouts. This helps the Roomba® Duo build more detailed maps across large, multi-room homes and identify larger stains or areas of debris build-up for targeted deep cleaning.

Moreover, large 17cm wheels powered by hub motors give the main robot greater stability as it moves between spaces. The shared AutoWash™ dock handles autonomous maintenance in one place. It features a centralized clean-water supply and wastewater tank, automatically washes and dries the mops, and empties collected dust into a large bag for months of hands-off use.

“The Roomba® Duo represents a real leap forward in how we’re reimagining home robotics,” said Hao Li, CEO at iRobot, “Every breakthrough starts with someone willing to imagine what others can’t—to challenge what’s expected, and to build what doesn’t yet exist. That conviction led us somewhere completely new. Instead of asking one robot to do everything, we’ve built specialized robots that work together as a single intelligent system—because that’s what it takes to truly transform life at home. It’s the foundation for our vision of a fully autonomous home that takes care of itself, so you don’t have to.”

Media Availability at IFA 2026
iRobot showcases the Roomba® Duo prototype at Booth 133, Hall 9, Messe Berlin, Germany from September 4–8, 2026. Media, influencers, and industry partners are invited to attend live demonstrations and learn more about the company’s latest innovations, from the recently launched 2026 flagship Roomba® Max 875 Combo to the high-performance Roomba® Plus 675 Combo and the compact, AI-powered Roomba® Plus 575 Combo.

About iRobot Corp.
iRobot is a global consumer robot company that designs and builds thoughtful robots and intelligent home innovations that make life better. iRobot introduced the first Roomba robot vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that ranks No.1 in cumulative global robot vacuum sales*. iRobot’s product portfolio features technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping, and navigation. Working from this portfolio, iRobot engineers are building robots and smart home devices to help consumers make their homes easier to maintain and healthier places to live. Roomba. The Original. Trusted by over 50 million homes. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com.

* Source: iRobot ranks #1 in cumulative global sales of household and similar-use cleaning robots (2016-2025), based on Frost & Sullivan’s market position statement

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SOURCE iRobot

Partnership advances KCM’s AI-enabled transformation journey, strengthens local talent development, and marks Zensar’s entry into Zambia as part of its growing Africa presence.

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Zensar Technologies, a leading AI-native digital solutions and services company, today announced a strategic technology transformation partnership with Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), one of Zambia’s largest integrated copper producers.

The partnership will support KCM’s transformation journey by modernizing its technology landscape and enabling a more connected, agile, and data-driven enterprise. Leveraging Zensar’s expertise across AI-enabled operations, intelligent automation, digital workplace services, infrastructure management, and modern technology platforms, the collaboration is designed to enhance operational resilience, improve user experiences, and create a scalable foundation for future growth.

As mining organizations increasingly invest in digital technologies to improve efficiency, optimize performance, and accelerate decision-making, KCM is advancing modern technology capabilities to drive innovation and unlock greater business value across the enterprise.

The partnership has already achieved a significant milestone with the successful go-live of all contracted services. Delivered in less than seven weeks, the transition established a strong operational foundation and enabled both organizations to accelerate the next phase of KCM’s transformation journey.

Pushpender Singla, Executive Director of Konkola Copper Mines and Chief Financial Officer of CopperTech Metals, said: “We are pleased to partner with Zensar as we step into our technology transformation journey. Through AI-enabled operations, intelligent automation, and modern technology platforms, we are creating a more connected and data-driven enterprise.  

From the outset, Zensar demonstrated a deep understanding of the Africa mining sector and the unique operational challenges of our industry. The successful transition and early momentum in the engagement reinforce our confidence in Zensar as a trusted partner. We look forward to working together to drive innovation, operational excellence, and long-term value creation.”

Building Local Technology Capabilities in Zambia

To support the engagement, Zensar has onboarded 15 Zambian professionals, reinforcing its commitment to local talent development and building sustainable capabilities within the communities it serves.

Kaushik Chatterjee, Senior Vice President and Head – Africa, Zensar Technologies, said: “Our partnership with KCM reflects a shared vision of leveraging technology and innovation to create measurable business value. We look forward to supporting KCM as it advances its digital transformation ambitions while contributing to local capability development and long-term growth.”

Marking Zensar’s entry into Zambia, the partnership strengthens the company’s growing footprint across Africa and reinforces its commitment to delivering transformation, innovation, and sustainable impact across the region.

About Konkola Copper Mines

Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Plc, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the largest copper producers in Zambia. It operates mining and processing plants located in four districts, namely Chingola, Chililabombwe, Kitwe and Nampundwe. 

With an investment pledge of over $1.2 billion by Vedanta, KCM envisages to unlock key operations such as the Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP) in Chililabombwe and increasing production to 300,000 tonnes of copper per year by 2030.

About Zensar

Zensar Technologies Ltd, headquartered in Pune, India, is a leading experience, engineering, and engagement technology solutions company and part of the USD 5.2 billion RPG Group. Zensar partners with global enterprises across banking and financial services, insurance, healthcare and life sciences, manufacturing, and technology, media, and telecommunications to architect and engineer digital transformation. For more information, visit www.zensar.com.

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