Technology
Celestial Announces Proposed Board of Directors and Provides Update to C$56.7M (US$40M)¹ Financing and Proposed Qualifying Transaction Involving Nokia’s Space Communications Business Unit
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/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/
TORONTO, June 19, 2026 /CNW/ – Celestial Acquisition Corp. (TSXV: CES.P) (“Celestial”), a space technology focused capital pool company, is pleased to provide an update on its April 16, 2026 press release announcing its qualifying transaction with Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy (“NSN”), Nokia of America Corporation (“NOAC”) and Modulate Space Corporation (“MSC US”).
Pursuant to the terms of a definitive agreement among Celestial, NSN, NOAC and MSC US dated April 15, 2026 (the “Definitive Agreement”), the parties will complete a transaction that will result in a reverse takeover of Celestial by Nokia Oyj’s (HEL:NOKIA) (“Nokia”) Space Communication Solutions business (“Modul8”), which operates as part of Nokia’s renowned research and development organization, Nokia Bell Labs (the “Proposed Transaction”). Following completion of the Proposed Transaction, Celestial will continue the business of Modul8 under the name “Modul8 Corporation” (the “Resulting Issuer”).
In connection with the Proposed Transaction, Celestial has filed today a non-offering preliminary prospectus (the “Preliminary Prospectus”) with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities as its principal disclosure document in connection with the completion of the Proposed Transaction. The Preliminary Prospectus is available under Celestial’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.
The parties are also pleased to announce that they have engaged Scotiabank as lead agent and joint bookrunner, and ATB Capital Markets Corp. as joint bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of agents (collectively, the “Agents”), in connection with a concurrent brokered marketed private placement of subscription receipts (each, a “Subscription Receipt”) to raise gross proceeds of approximately C$56.7 million (US$40 million)(1) (the “Financing”).
Proposed Board of Directors
The parties are further pleased to announce that, subject to the completion of the Proposed Transaction, Mr. Kevin Ford, Mr. Chris Hadfield, Mr. Erin O’Toole and Ms. Laura Price (each independent within the meaning of applicable securities laws), will be appointed to the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer alongside Mr. John Dow, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Resulting Issuer.
“The opportunity before us is extraordinary, and the proposed Board reflects our ambition to build Modul8 as a global leader in space communications. Collectively, these distinguished individuals bring exceptional experience and strategic insights across aerospace, government and commercial markets. Their guidance will strengthen our ability to execute our long-term vision, navigate a rapidly evolving global landscape and create enduring value for shareholders. We are honoured to have them on the Modul8 team and look forward to their counsel as we embark on this next chapter,” said John Dow, Co-Founder of Modul8 and Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Resulting Issuer.
Mr. Kevin Ford – Director & Board Chair
Kevin Ford is a Canadian business leader who recently retired as President, CEO and Director of Calian Group Ltd., a diversified provider of mission-critical solutions in defence, space, healthcare and infrastructure services. He is best known for his transformative 10-year tenure at Calian, where, under his leadership, the company evolved from a conservative, technology-focused firm into a dynamic global enterprise with diversified offerings and significant growth through both organic initiatives and strategic acquisitions.
Prior to his role at Calian, Kevin worked for 15 years in the private sector in professional services firms, including IBM and DMR. He began his career with the Canadian Department of National Defence, where he worked for 14 years in the information technology and computer operations domain. He is, or has been, a board member and chair for several not-for-profit organizations, including Space Canada, the Ottawa Hospital Foundation, Excellence Canada, the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI) and Kanata North BIA.
Mr. Chris Hadfield – Director
Chris Hadfield is a retired Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Colonel, engineer, and astronaut who has flown three space missions, including serving as Commander of the International Space Station and the first Canadian to conduct a spacewalk. Over a 35-year military and space career, he served as a CF-18 fighter pilot and North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) alert pilot, a test pilot for the United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy (USN) and with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and held senior operational and technical roles with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NASA, including Chief Astronaut, Chief of Robotics, Chief of Space Station Operations, and Director of Operations in Russia.
Following retirement from government service, Mr. Hadfield founded Chris Hadfield Inc., a professional services corporation through which he provides strategic advisory, keynote speaking, board directorship, and public engagement services across the aerospace, defence, and technology sectors. He serves as a director of Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) and holds advisory and board roles across multiple technology and defence companies. He is a Lead Fellow in the Creative Destruction Lab Space and Defence tech incubator streams. He is also a six-time bestselling author in fiction and non-fiction.
Mr. Hadfield holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee.
Mr. Erin O’Toole – Director
Erin O’Toole currently serves as President and Managing Director of ADIT North America, a globally integrated risk advisory firm specializing in international trade, due diligence, security and compliance. Prior to joining ADIT, he served for over a decade as a Canadian Member of Parliament, which included serving as Minister of Veterans Affairs, Parliamentary Secretary for International Trade, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Official Opposition. Prior to his time in elected office, Mr. O’Toole practiced corporate law at two national law firms and served as in-house counsel at Procter & Gamble. He was also a commissioned officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force serving as a Tactical Navigator on Sea King helicopters in support of naval operations, maritime surveillance, and search-and-rescue operations. Mr. O’Toole is a graduate of the Royal Military College and Dalhousie Law School. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Governance, Leadership and Ethics program at Huron University and as a Distinguished Fellow at the Hudson Institute.
Ms. Laura Price – Director
Laura Price possesses more than 25 years of experience in providing audit and consulting services to the US defense industrial base. In the early 2000s, Laura founded KPMG’s US national security sector advisory practice and subsequently led KPMG’s risk management advisory practice, providing financial, internal control and compliance, cybersecurity, and fraud risk management services across the federal government. Laura retired as a Partner from KPMG LLP in 2021. Following retirement, Laura served as a board member and audit committee chair for Knightswan Acquisition Corporation, a US emerging growth company focused on effecting a business combination in the US defense and intelligence sectors.
Laura is a CPA licensed in Virginia and South Carolina and possesses an undergraduate degree in business summa cum laude from Michigan Technological University and a graduate degree in Organizational Management from George Washington University.
Executive Leadership
The parties are also pleased to announce that, concurrently with the completion of the Proposed Transaction, Mr. Brad Morrison will be joining the executive team of the Resulting Issuer as proposed Chief Strategy Officer.
Brad brings over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, investor, and corporate development strategist. He has held leadership roles across consulting (KPMG LLP), investment banking and high-technology ventures. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he co-founded and led multiple high growth cybersecurity and space solutions companies as a CEO, CFO and Corporate Development Officer. Brad holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from the United States Air Force Academy and Masters of Science in Telecommunications from Southern Methodist University. He also serves on the inaugural Texas Space Commission Board of Directors overseeing strategy and investment to advance Texas’ role in the development of a robust space economy.
Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, the current directors and officers of Celestial will resign with the following individuals appointed (together with Brad Morrison) as the core executive leadership team:
Mr. John Dow – Director and Chief Executive Officer
John Dow currently serves as General Manager of Modul8 under Nokia Bell Labs and is a Co-Founder of Modul8. He previously served as VP Strategic Initiatives – Corporate Strategy & Technology Group, and GM & Global Head of Disruptive Network Innovations at Nokia.
John is a highly experienced entrepreneur with decades leading technology innovations as Chief Executive Officer, General Manager, and Senior Executive. As Vice President of Alcatel-Lucent’s Americas Wireless business, he led significant revenue growth and profitability during his tenure. John also led the market introduction of Alcatel-Lucent’s small cell driving significant revenue growth and market expansion under his leadership. While an executive at Fortress Technologies, John was the architect of the company’s strategic shift into secure wireless communications, a decision that ultimately led to the company’s acquisition by General Dynamics.
Dr. Thierry E. Klein – Chief Technology and Research Officer
Thierry E. Klein currently serves as President of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia and is a Co-Founder of Modul8.
Thierry is a world-renowned researcher, an innovation leader, and an IEEE Fellow. Thierry has over 25 years of experience in communication networking and information technologies and has led countless research and innovation projects and cross-disciplinary industrial partnership engagements, including the 5G Automotive Association and the GreenTouch Consortium. Thierry previously served as CTO and Founder of Alcatel-Lucent’s Rapidly Deployable Networks Venture.
Thierry earned an MS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Electrical Engineering from the Université de Nantes and the Ecole Centrale de Nantes in Nantes, France. He received a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. He is an author on over 35 peer-reviewed conference and journal publications and an inventor on 36 patent applications. In 2010, he was voted “Technologist of the Year” at the Total Telecom World Vendor Awards and received the 2016 Industrial Innovation Award from the IEEE Communications Society. Thierry has been broadly recognized as an innovation leader and selected on the BINJE’s Best Power List 2026, the NJBIZ Power 100 list (2025 and 2026), the New Jersey ROI Influencers: Power List Super 75 (2025 and 2026) and recognized with the New Jersey Innovate 100 Award (2024).
Ms. Janet Kumpu – Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer
Janet Kumpu currently serves as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Modul8 under Nokia Bell Labs, following a highly distinguished career in business operations, finance and executive leadership.
Janet has held senior executive roles, including GM, President, COO and CFO for early-stage startups and Fortune 500 companies, driving growth through organic expansion, M&A and integration. Janet served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Fortress Technologies, a secure tactical wireless communications provider, leading it from startup to eventual sale to General Dynamics where she continued as Business Unit Director and VP Federal Strategic Sales and Business Development. Janet has deep experience leading large-scale defense and national security operations, driving strategic partnership integration into ACAT1 programs for mission critical communication platforms.
Mr. Zeev Lubenski –Vice President of Engineering
Zeev Lubenski currently serves as Head of Engineering at Modul8 under Nokia Bell Labs. An accomplished technology leader; Zeev has more than 30 years of R&D experience.
Zeev has worked as a global leader with multinational and distributed R&D environments and built and led large R&D teams from inception to maturity in both startups and large companies across the full product life cycle management and delivery from the prototype to deployment and operations. He has deep technical knowledge in all aspects of telecommunications, including deployable networks with a broad end-to-end architectural view.
Financing
In connection with the Proposed Transaction, the parties intend to complete a brokered marketed private placement of Subscription Receipts of a newly incorporated Ontario corporation to be named “Modul8 Space Financing Inc.” (“Finco”), at a price of C$3.40 (US$2.40)(1) per Subscription Receipt (the “Issue Price”), for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$56.7 million (US$40 million)(1). The parties have engaged Scotiabank to act as lead agent and joint bookrunner and ATB Capital Markets Corp. as joint bookrunner, on behalf of the Agents, to offer the Subscription Receipts for sale on an agency basis. In connection with the Financing, the Agents will receive a cash commission (the “Agents’ Commission”) equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Financing (reduced to 3.0% in respect of sales to certain president’s list subscribers).
The parties have also granted the Agents an option (the “Agents’ Option”) to sell up to such number of additional Subscription Receipts as is equal to 15% of the number of Subscription Receipts sold under the Financing at the Issue Price. The Agents’ Option shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time up to 48 hours prior to closing of the Financing.
Each Subscription Receipt will entitle the holder thereof to receive, upon the satisfaction or waiver, as applicable, of certain escrow release conditions prior to the escrow release deadline, including all conditions precedent to the completion of the Proposed Transaction, and without payment of additional consideration therefor, one (1) common share in the capital of Finco (each, a “Finco Share”). Concurrently with the completion of the Proposed Transaction, each issued and outstanding Finco Share issued upon the conversion of the Subscription Receipts will be exchanged for one (1) post-Consolidation (as defined herein) common share in the capital of the Resulting Issuer (each, a “Resulting Issuer Share”).
The gross proceeds from the Financing, less (i) an amount equal to 50.0% of the Agents’ Commission, and (ii) the reasonable costs and expenses of the Agents incurred in connection with the Financing (the “Escrowed Proceeds”), will be held in escrow until the satisfaction of the applicable escrow release conditions. If the escrow release conditions are not satisfied on or prior to the escrow release deadline, the Escrowed Proceeds will be returned to holders of Subscription Receipts, together with any interest earned thereon, in accordance with the terms of the subscription receipt agreement.
The proceeds of the Financing are intended to be used for capital investments, working capital and general corporate purposes. The Financing is anticipated to close on or about July 9, 2026, or such other date as the Agents, Celestial, NSN and NOAC may agree. The terms of the Financing including the gross proceeds and the Issue Price may change depending on market conditions.
The Qualifying Transaction
Pursuant to the Definitive Agreement, Celestial will acquire the Modul8 Business Assets (as defined below) in exchange for the issuance of (i) 20,333,333 Resulting Issuer Shares to NSN (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nokia existing under the laws of Finland) and (ii) an aggregate of 10,000,000 Resulting Issuer Shares to the shareholders of MSC US (a Texas incorporated entity).
The assets to be acquired in connection with the Proposed Transaction will include: (i) two patents and 52 additional patent licences from NSN (the “Modul8 IP Assets”), in aggregate covering existing works of Modul8 and potential future technology development, which will be transferred concurrently with the completion of the Proposed Transaction to a newly formed, wholly-owned Ontario subsidiary of Celestial; and (ii) certain operating business assets (the “Modul8 Operating Assets”), which will be transferred concurrently from NOAC to MSC US, including software, hardware, a lease to Modul8’s operating facility in Texas, and other unregistered intellectual property such as, among other things, know-how and trade secrets, through the acquisition of MSC US, in each case required for the operation of the Modul8 Business (as defined herein under the heading “About Modul8”). Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, MSC US will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Resulting Issuer. The Modul8 IP Assets and the Modul8 Operating Assets are collectively referred to herein as the “Modul8 Business Assets”).
It is anticipated that following completion of the Proposed Transaction, no person or company will beneficially own, directly or indirectly, or exercise control or direction over more than 10% of the voting rights associated with the issued and outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares other than NSN, a Finnish company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Nokia. Johanna Jukka, Nina Malila and Mikko Hautala, each of whom is resident in Finland, comprise the board of directors of NSN and exercise effective control and direction over NSN. NSN is expected to hold 20,333,333 Resulting Issuer Shares, representing approximately 40.67% of the issued and outstanding share capital of the Resulting Issuer.
In connection with the completion of the Proposed Transaction, the outstanding common shares of Celestial (the “Celestial Shares”) are currently expected to be consolidated on the basis of one post-consolidation Celestial common share for up to every 3.0833 existing Celestial Shares (the “Consolidation”), and Celestial will effect its name change to “Modul8 Corporation” (the “Name Change”).
Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to, among other things, prior satisfaction or waiver of a number of customary conditions including, among others, the conditional acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange”) and completion of the Financing, Name Change and Consolidation. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction or the Financing will be completed as proposed or at all.
Additional Information
Additional information concerning the Proposed Transaction will be provided in subsequent press releases and is also available in the Preliminary Prospectus, which is accessible under Celestial’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.
All information contained in this press release with respect to Celestial and Nokia was supplied by or from the respective party for inclusion herein, without independent review by the other party. Each party has relied on the other party for any information concerning the other.
Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Exchange acceptance and if applicable pursuant to Exchange requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Proposed Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.
Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Preliminary Prospectus, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.
The Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.
In accordance with the policies of the Exchange, trading in Celestial Shares has been halted and is not expected to resume trading until completion of the Proposed Transaction or until the Exchange receives the requisite documentation to resume trading. It is intended that the Resulting Issuer will be listed on the Exchange as a Tier 1 issuer, subject to Exchange approval.
This news release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements.
About Modul8
Modul8 is the newly launched name under which Nokia’s Space Communication Solutions business is conducted, currently operating as a venture within Nokia’s research and development organization, Nokia Bell Labs. Modul8 engages in the design, development and deployment of communications and compute solutions for use in space, including hardware, software, applications and related services engineered for extreme operating environments (the “Modul8 Business”). Its activities focus on transforming traditional in‑space communications through the application of advanced, standards‑based cellular (including 4G and 5G), Wi‑Fi and free‑space optical communications technologies. In March 2025, the Modul8 team deployed and operationalized the first cellular communications network on the Moon as part of the Intuitive Machines IM‑2 mission. The Modul8 Business is also engaged with Axiom Space, Inc. to integrate cellular communications capabilities into the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) next‑generation spacesuit designed for lunar exploration as part of NASA’s Artemis program.
Prior to completion of the Proposed Transaction, the Modul8 Business has historically been carried on within certain entities of Nokia, with its principal operations conducted in the State of Texas. While the Modul8 Business has dedicated personnel, assets and customer relationships, it does not have a separate legal existence.
About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader in connectivity for the AI era. With expertise across fixed, mobile, and transport networks, we’re advancing connectivity to secure a brighter world.
About Celestial
Celestial is the first and only Capital Pool Company listed on the Exchange that is focused on the Space sector. Celestial is part of a larger platform and network of sophisticated technicians, industry professionals and impact capital whose mission it is to grow the Space Tech ecosystem in Canada by attracting exciting growth stage New Space companies to the Canadian capital markets, and supporting their growth and success.
For additional information contact:
Marek Lorenc
Director and Board Chair
Celestial Acquisition Corp.
t: 647-247-8256
Nokia Communications
Email: Press.Services@nokia.com
Resources
Website: Modul8Space.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains statements which constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Celestial and Nokia with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “should”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” or similar expressions and includes, without limitation, information regarding: (i) expectations regarding the ability to consummate the Proposed Transaction, the ability to obtain requisite regulatory, shareholder and third-party approvals, as applicable, and the satisfaction of other conditions to the consummation of the Proposed Transaction (including, but not limited to, the completion of the Financing, the Consolidation and the Name Change), the proposed terms of the Financing, the timing for completing the Financing and the Proposed Transaction, the use of proceeds of the Financing, and the anticipated structure of the Proposed Transaction; (ii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (iii) the expected composition of the board of directors and management of the Resulting Issuer, (iv) obtaining requisite exemptions and approvals from the Exchange or other regulatory bodies, and (v) expectations regarding Resulting Issuer management’s ability to execute the Modul8 business plan.
Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect Celestial and Nokia’s respective management’s expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Celestial and Nokia believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the combined company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the ability to raise the anticipated proceeds under the Financing, the ability to utilize the proceeds under the Financing as anticipated, the ability to consummate the Proposed Transaction; the ability to obtain requisite regulatory and shareholder approvals, as applicable, and the satisfaction of other conditions to the consummation of the Proposed Transaction on the proposed terms and schedule; the potential impact of the announcement or consummation of the Proposed Transaction on relationships, including with regulatory bodies, employees, suppliers, customers and competitors; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets and in domestic and foreign laws and regulations; the diversion of management time on the Proposed Transaction; and management’s ability to correctly and fully execute the Modul8 business plan. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Celestial and Nokia and market conditions.
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Celestial and Nokia have attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date of this news release and Celestial and Nokia do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.
Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Celestial Acquisitions Corp.
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Technology
Info-Tech LIVE 2026 Draws Thousands of CIOs to Las Vegas to Tackle AI Execution and Enterprise Value
Published
27 minutes agoon
June 19, 2026By
Info-Tech LIVE 2026 brought together thousands of CIOs and senior IT leaders at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino from June 9 to 11 to explore how agentic AI is reshaping enterprise technology, cybersecurity, data, operating models, and IT leadership. Across keynotes and analyst-led sessions, the event reinforced a central message for technology executives navigating the current landscape: AI value within organizations depends on disciplined execution, strong governance, reliable data foundations, and the ability to scale the right work.
LAS VEGAS, June 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ – Info-Tech Research Group has wrapped Info-Tech LIVE 2026 in Las Vegas, where thousands of CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, and senior IT leaders gathered at the Bellagio from June 9 to 11 to explore how organizations can move from AI ambition to measurable enterprise value. Centered on the theme Agentic IT: From Hype to Value, the three-day conference featured industry keynotes, hands-on workshops for IT leaders, a record number of software exhibitors, exclusive roundtables, breakouts, lightning rounds, and peer-led sessions focused on the leadership, governance, security, and operational disciplines required to scale agentic AI responsibly.
As organizations move beyond AI experimentation and begin embedding agentic capabilities into workflows, the global research and advisory firm set an agenda that prepared IT leaders to practically navigate new expectations about value realization, accountability, and execution. Throughout Info-Tech LIVE 2026, data-backed insights from analysts, speakers, and industry experts emphasized that the next phase of enterprise AI will not be defined by adoption alone, but by how effectively CIOs redesign operating models, strengthen data and security foundations, and decide which AI initiatives deserve investment.
Research from Info-Tech shared during the opening keynote reinforced the urgency of moving from AI enthusiasm to disciplined execution. Findings presented from the firm’s AI Adoption in the Enterprise Survey revealed that 91% of IT executives are bullish on AI and 96% expect AI budgets to increase over the next 12 months. However, only 42% of organizations report cross-departmental AI adoption with measurable impact, and only 50% have a board-approved dedicated AI strategy. The findings underscore a central theme from LIVE 2026: AI value depends on clear ownership, deliberate investment choices, governance, data readiness, and measurable execution.
“Our 2026 edition of Info-Tech LIVE in Las Vegas made clear that CIOs are no longer trying to prove whether AI matters; they’re now being asked to prove where it creates measurable value,” says Chief Research Officer at Info-Tech Research Group, Gord Harrison. “Agentic IT requires a different operating discipline that connects value creation and control through stronger strategy, governance, data readiness, security, and measurement. As shared across keynotes, panels, analyst one-on-ones, and privately amongst peers at various networking events throughout the week, the leaders who succeed will be the ones who know which AI bets to make, which to stop, and how to scale the work that delivers real outcomes.”
Key Sessions from Info-Tech LIVE 2026 in Las Vegas
Across the event, Info-Tech analysts and featured speakers outlined how technology leaders can prepare their organizations for more autonomous systems while maintaining control, resilience, and business alignment.
The 200+ sessions reflected the broader message carried through Info-Tech LIVE 2026 in Las Vegas: organizations are entering an era in which AI buy-in is no longer the central challenge, with execution becoming the differentiator. From agentic enterprise design and cybersecurity engineering to data-driven decision-making and CIO leadership, Info-Tech’s largest event to date highlighted the need for IT leaders to select the right workflows, strengthen governance, define ownership, and scale AI only where it can create measurable value.
The following is a summary of several of the major themes explored at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 in Las Vegas:
Agentic IT: From Hype to Value
Opening the conference, Info-Tech Research Group CEO Tom Zehren challenged CIOs and senior IT leaders to move beyond AI hype and focus on the operating discipline required to convert AI demand into measurable enterprise value. The keynote introduced Info-Tech’s Agentic IT Framework, built around four priorities: owning the AI mandate, picking the right AI bets, enforcing AI discipline, and proving and scaling AI value. Zehren’s session also highlighted new Info-Tech survey findings showing that while IT executives are broadly bullish on AI, organizations still need stronger strategy, governance, data readiness, and execution models to realize impact.Reinventing Cybersecurity in the AI Era
Technical Counselor Erik Avakian explored how AI is forcing cybersecurity leaders to rethink a discipline that was built for human-scale operations. His session framed threat detection and response, vulnerability management, and compliance management as engineering challenges rather than just security problems, as AI increases both the speed of attacks and the complexity of defenses. Avakian highlighted the need for security leaders to audit data and workflows, define guardrails before deploying agents, and prepare teams for new roles such as CyberAI agent supervisors and agent engineers.Designed for Autonomy: Inside the Agentic Enterprise
On the mainstage, Carlene McCubbin, AVP of Agentic AI Implementation, explored what it takes to build an organization that runs on AI, not just one that uses it. The session articulated the shift from AI adoption to transformation, moving from assisted and augmented work to agentic workflows, orchestrated systems, and enterprise-wide compounding value. To achieve this shift, McCubbin explained that leaders must start with the right workflows, architect agents for governed execution, and ensure production-ready systems have clear ownership, bounded permissions, defined incident paths, and observable trace logs before scaling.Agents 2.0: Architect for Autonomy
Martin Bufi, Principal Research Director, shared with attendees implementation evidence from a year of agentic AI development, including 13 prototypes, 63 agents built, and 123 tools created across 13 workflows and five domains. His keynote emphasized that autonomy without architecture creates risk, and that successful agentic systems must be mapped, engineered, and governed before they can scale. Bufi walked through practical lessons from the work, including the need to standardize workflows before automation, design agents around specific jobs rather than broad generalist tasks, build tool integrations deliberately, and ensure every agent can be measured, stopped, and improved.Become an Exponential CIO
The keynote from Geoff Nielson, SVP of Brand, Reach & Influence, examined how the CIO mandate is evolving as technology becomes more central to enterprise performance. Nielson highlighted for the nearly 4,000 IT leaders in attendance the gap between where C-suite leaders expect CIOs to operate and where many IT departments are today, with many still constrained by firefighting, immature processes, resource scarcity, stakeholder pressure, and under-leveraged data. The eight drivers of IT success were also shared, including stakeholder satisfaction, strong core IT processes, leadership development, mission-critical project delivery, right-sized risk, vendor effectiveness, evidence-based decisions, and business transformation.Tech Trends 2027
Executive Counselor Rob Meikle previewed the technology forces expected to shape IT decision-making in 2027 and beyond. The early look at the tech trends the firm is currently tracking urged leaders to move beyond instinct, hype, and headlines when placing technology bets, especially as agentic AI reshapes the technology stack, talent models, vendor markets, enterprise operations, and infrastructure decisions. For the Las Vegas gathering, Meikle outlined four major trend themes, including the shift in the IT stack to support agentic AI, the redrawing of talent and vendor strategies, the convergence of physical and digital operations, and the growing influence of geopolitical pressures on technology investment.Securing Agentic AI and the New Security Reality
The presentation from Research Director Pearl Almeida focused on the controls organizations must prioritize before scaling agentic AI. During Almeida’s talk, she emphasized that traditional security controls were built for predictable systems, while agentic AI introduces dynamic reasoning, shifting permissions, nondeterministic decisions, and autonomous loops. Almeida presented a layered approach to securing agents, including API security, MCP gateway enforcement, identity governance, logging, baselining, and monitoring, while framing autonomy boundaries as the new security perimeter for AI-enabled systems.
Through its research-driven agenda, Info-Tech LIVE 2026 in Las Vegas provided CIOs and senior IT leaders with practical insights into how agentic AI can be governed, secured, and scaled to deliver measurable business outcomes. The conference underscored that the path from hype to value requires more than technology adoption, including operating discipline, enterprise design, workforce readiness, and leadership capable of translating AI potential into organizational results.
Photos, press releases, and related assets are available on the LIVE Media Kit page. Keynote presentations from the event are also accessible through the Info-Tech LIVE Hub, offering additional access to the research, frameworks, and insights shared during the conference.
Follow Info-Tech Research Group on LinkedIn and X for updates.
Media Passes for Upcoming Events: Applications Open for Info-Tech LIVE 2026 in Barcelona and Toronto
Media professionals, including journalists, bloggers, podcasters, and influencers, are invited to attend Info-Tech LIVE 2026 in Barcelona, September 22-23, 2026, or Info-Tech LIVE 2026 in Toronto, November 10-12, 2026, to gain exclusive access to research, content, and interviews with industry leaders for their audiences.
Media professionals looking to apply for media passes can contact pr@infotech.com to secure their spot for a front-row seat to exclusive insights and launches that only happen at Info-Tech LIVE events.
Exhibitor Opportunities
Exhibitors are also invited to be part of Info-Tech LIVE and showcase their products and services to a highly engaged audience of IT decision-makers. For more information about becoming an Info-Tech LIVE exhibitor, please contact events@infotech.com.
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is the “get things done” partner for over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing leaders worldwide. The fastest growing research and advisory firm, Info-Tech enables leaders to make well-informed decisions and transform their organizations through AI, strategic foresight, step-by-step methodologies, practical tools, industry-leading advisory, and training programs. For nearly 30 years, tens of thousands of private and public organizations have trusted Info-Tech to lead their most important initiatives through periods of change and deliver outcomes that truly matter.
To learn more about Info-Tech’s HR research and advisory services, visit McLean & Company, and for data-driven software buying insights and vendor evaluations, visit the firm’s SoftwareReviews platform.
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Technology
Chau Nguyen of Vintage Modern, Inc named EY US Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2026 Southeast Award winner
Published
27 minutes agoon
June 19, 2026By
ATLANTA, June 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Founder and CEO, Chau Nguyen of Vintage Modern, Inc was named an EY US Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2026 Southeast Award winner. Nguyen was selected among nearly 35 program participants, including 592 finalists across 17 regions, competing for the title.
Rising from humble beginnings to his third entrepreneurial success, Nguyen has built Vintage Modern into one of the country’s most innovative luxury automotive companies. After founding and exiting two technology ventures, including Campus Special, acquired by Chegg, and Hirewire, acquired by Seasoned, Nguyen launched Vintage Modern in 2018 with a vision to create an entirely new vehicle category: a classic-inspired luxury vehicle equipped with today’s safety features and technology.
Today, the Atlanta-based company handcrafts more than 250 vehicles annually, pairing classic-inspired design with fully modern platforms, safety systems and performance. With a global following of more than 4 million enthusiasts and a clientele that includes Mark Wahlberg, LeBron James and Ryan Reynolds, Vintage Modern has emerged as a disruptive force in the luxury automotive market.
“This honor is deeply meaningful because it recognizes a journey defined by resilience, discipline, and an unwavering belief that there is always a better way forward,” said Nguyen. “I’m grateful to the incredible team whose talent, craftsmanship, and commitment have helped transform a bold idea into an entirely new vehicle category. While I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, I believe our best work is still ahead as we continue building a new category in the luxury automotive space.”
Now in its 41st year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. It celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or raised outside capital to grow their company, transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.
Regional winners were chosen by an independent panel of past winners, top CEOs and business leaders. Judges assessed candidates on long-term value creation, entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven commitment, and significant growth and impact.
As a Southeast award winner, Nguyen will now be considered by the national judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum®, where high-growth CEOs, Fortune 1000 executives and investors converge to shape the future of business. The National Overall Award winner will move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in May 2027.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized the leadership of entrepreneurs such as:
Jason McGowan, Crumbl CookiesReid Hoffman | Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn Corp.Saeju Jeong, NoomAllison Ellsworth | Stephen Ellsworth, PoppiJitendra Mohan | Sanjay Gajendra | Casey Morrison, Astera Labs
Shelly Ibach, Sleep NumberHoward Schultz, Starbucks Coffee CompanyHolly Thaggard | Amanda Baldwin, Supergoop! Jodi L. Berg, Vita-Mix CorporationMichael Happe, Winnebago IndustriesArthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons, The Home Depot, Georgia Force
Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, LLC, Marsh Risk, SAP and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In the Southeast, sponsors also include VACO, LLC as the regional Platinum sponsor; ADP and King & Spalding as the regional Gold sponsors; and Babbit Bodner as the regional Silver sponsor.
About Entrepreneur Of The Year
Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year® has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 60 countries and territories globally.
The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum® in November where national finalists and award winners are announced. The national overall winner represents the US at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.
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Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.
EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.
All in to shape the future with confidence.
EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.
EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law, where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.
© 2026 Ernst & Young LLP.
All Rights Reserved.
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This material has been prepared for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, legal or professional advice. Please refer to your advisors for specific advice.
About Vintage Modern
Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Atlanta, Vintage Modern (formerly Vintage Broncos) is a luxury vehicle builder that created an entirely new automotive category: the Modern Classic. Rather than restoring vintage automobiles or modifying existing classics, the company handcrafts classic-inspired vehicles on fully modern platforms, combining timeless design with today’s safety, technology and performance. Every Vintage Modern vehicle is FMVSS-compliant, crash-tested and equipped with six airbags. Producing more than 250 vehicles annually, the company serves a global clientele of celebrities, athletes, collectors and luxury enthusiasts, supported by coast-to-coast white-glove service. For more information, visit www.vintagemodern.com.
Media Contact:
Colleen Murphy
Trevelino/Keller
cmurphy@trevelinokeller.com
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SOURCE Vintage Modern
Technology
Firma.dev, the cheapest e-signature API on the market, ranks #1 on Product Hunt
Published
27 minutes agoon
June 19, 2026By
The developer-first signing API charges just 3 cents per envelope, around 99% less than DocuSign, and topped all apps on Product Hunt on June 12.
BARCELONA, Spain, June 19, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Firma.dev, the cheapest e-signature API built for developers, earned the #1 spot across all apps on Product Hunt on Friday, June 12, 2026. It was the company’s second launch on the platform.
The pitch is simple and the numbers do the talking. At €0.029 per envelope, roughly 3¢, Firma.dev runs about 99% cheaper than DocuSign, where a single envelope can cost up to $4 to $5 or more. There are no monthly minimums, no annual contracts, and no sales calls. Developers sign up, grab an API key, and start building the same day.
Firma.dev is a powerful, API-first platform rather than a signing app with an API added later. It ships a clean REST API, embeddable template and signing editors, and Customer Workspaces that give each of a company’s own customers an isolated space with separate templates and usage. Firma.dev is the only e-signature API that is fully white-label, letting teams put their own brand on the entire signing experience, from the editor to the signing flow to signer emails, so signing looks like a native part of their product rather than a third-party tool. For teams building with AI coding agents, Firma.dev provides two MCP servers, one for its documentation and one exposing 84 API tools, so agents can generate accurate integration code and manage signing requests directly.
The product is designed to support the frameworks that matter for legally recognized e-signatures, including ESIGN, UETA, HIPAA, GDPR, and eIDAS, and e-signatures are recognized in more than 55 countries.
The pricing and the no-sales-call model are already changing how small teams ship signing. Rasmus Rowbotham, founder of workflow automation startup FoundBase, integrated Firma.dev in a single evening. “I’m a geek. I don’t have to speak to anyone. I can just get started now,” he said.
Firma.dev offers a free sandbox key with real documents and unlimited usage, so developers can test the full flow before paying anything. Get started with Firma.dev for free, no credit card required, at firma.dev.
Media Contact
Derick Dorner, Firma.dev, 1 (503) 583-2842, press@firma.dev, https://firma.dev
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SOURCE Firma.dev
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Chau Nguyen of Vintage Modern, Inc named EY US Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2026 Southeast Award winner
Firma.dev, the cheapest e-signature API on the market, ranks #1 on Product Hunt
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