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From boots to bookings: Mastercard insights show where Calgary Stampede drives meaningful lift for local businesses

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The Mastercard Economics Institute shows restaurants, retail and accommodations are among the biggest beneficiaries.

CALGARY, AB, June 25, 2026 /CNW/ – New insights from the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) show the Calgary Stampede does more than draw crowds, it sets Calgary’s economy in motion even before the gates open, from last-minute retail runs ahead of opening weekend to surging restaurant demand and early hotel bookings downtown.

Using aggregated and anonymized spending insights from 2025, alongside travel trends through bookings made by the end of May 2026 with departure dates from June 29 through July 12 for Calgary International Airport, MEI examined how economic activity around the Calgary Stampede compared with expected baseline levels without the event.

MEI estimates that the 2025 Calgary Stampede generated an approximate 18 per cent lift in spending at local merchants relative to baseline, with restaurants experiencing one of the strongest lifts at roughly 29 per cent. Retail spending also surged ahead of opening weekend, while accommodation demand built early, especially in downtown Calgary.

The data reveals a clear pattern: Stampede’s economic impact builds in waves. Retail spending jumps before the festivities begin, as Calgarians and visitors prepare for the week ahead. Dining demand remains elevated through the event, and accommodation spend is front-loaded into the first few days as visitors arrive and settle in. Together, the insights show that Stampede is not just busy, it is an engine of local spending in ways that are visible across time, place and category.

The spending story is also being shaped by international interest in Stampede. Preliminary booking data suggests international travel tied to Stampede is up year over year in 2026, with some of the strongest international growth coming from the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Australia.

“The Calgary Stampede is a great example of how a cultural moment can also be a major economic catalyst,” said Benjamin Jacob, Senior Vice President, Services, Mastercard, Canada. “For local businesses, success during Stampede is not just about being busy, it is about being ready. Insights like these can help businesses better anticipate demand and make smarter decisions around staffing and inventory during one of Calgary’s most important economic moments.”

“While the Calgary Stampede is a cultural and recreational highlight for our city, it is also a key opportunity to showcase Calgary on the global stage. The 10-day event reflects the energy, entrepreneurial spirit and community pride that defines Calgary, while attracting visitors from around the world,” said Melanie McDonald, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Partnerships and Engagement, Calgary Chamber of Commerce. “Generating an estimated $664 million in economic activity in Calgary in 2025, the Stampede provides a significant boost to restaurants, bars, hotels, entertainment venues, coffee shops, retailers and many other local businesses across the city. It is also a time when Calgary’s business community comes together to strengthen relationships and celebrate the spirit of collaboration that supports the city’s continued growth.”

The insights show how Stampede spending unfolds across the city:

MEI estimates that the 2025 Calgary Stampede drove a roughly 18 per cent lift in overall spending at local merchants relative to expected baseline without the event.Restaurants saw some of the strongest lift in spend, approximately 29 per cent, underscoring the role dining plays in the Stampede experience.Retail spending surged on the Thursday ahead of opening weekend, as consumers prepared for Stampede festivities.Accommodation demand built early, with the strongest lift concentrated downtown in the first few days of the event.Among international markets tied to Stampede travel in 2026, the United States accounts for roughly one-third of all bookings.Travel bookings are up year over year from international markets, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain and Australia.  

The insights also show that economic value is not evenly distributed. Spending patterns varied by sector, location and timing, with some of the strongest lifts concentrated in areas closest to the Stampede grounds and in experience-led categories such as dining and accommodations.

As businesses navigate a more complex economic environment, understanding those patterns matters. Through the Mastercard Economics Institute and its economic solutions, Mastercard helps businesses, governments and partners decode what is happening in the real economy using anonymized spending insights to help them plan with greater confidence and act on emerging opportunities.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a resilient economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

SOURCE Mastercard Canada

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Integreon’s Creo™ Recognized for Artificial Intelligence Services Innovation in 2026 AI Breakthrough Awards Program

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37 minutes ago

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June 25, 2026

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AI Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization recognizing the top companies, technologies, and products in the global artificial intelligence market, today announced that Integreon, a leading global provider of tech-enabled legal and business solutions, has been named the winner of the “AI Services Innovation” award in the 9th annual AI Breakthrough Awards program. The award recognizes Integreon’s innovative use of AI across its creative graphics services through its proprietary Creo™ platform.

AUSTIN, Texas and LONDON, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Prestigious International Annual Awards Program Honors Standout AI Companies & Solutions

“We didn’t start with AI and look for a problem to solve. Instead, we drew from decades of experience supporting some of the world’s most recognized brands.” – Anshu Gupta, President and Business Head of Creative and Business Solutions at Integreon

AI Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization recognizing the top companies, technologies, and products in the global artificial intelligence market, today announced that Integreon, a leading global provider of tech-enabled legal and business solutions, has been named the winner of the “AI Services Innovation” award in the 9th annual AI Breakthrough Awards program. The award recognizes Integreon’s innovative use of AI across its creative graphics services through its proprietary Creo™ platform.

“Many organizations are experimenting with AI, but few have developed the operational foundation necessary to apply it consistently and effectively at enterprise scale,” said Steve Johansson, Managing Director, AI Breakthrough. “Integreon stands out for combining AI capabilities with deep service expertise, creative talent, and operational discipline. Their approach demonstrates how organizations can move beyond experimentation and apply AI to deliver measurable business outcomes. We are proud to recognize Integreon as our 2026 AI Services Innovation Award winner.”

For more than two decades, Integreon has been a partner of choice for financial institutions, consulting firms, and professional services organizations delivering high-volume creative graphics services. This experience has given Integreon deep institutional knowledge of how business content and communications are created, reviewed, refined, and delivered while preserving corporate design standards.

Drawing on decades of creative graphics experience, Creo combines AI, automation, and design expertise to simplify the production of business-critical content. By reducing repetitive tasks and removing workflow bottlenecks, Creo helps organizations work more efficiently while maintaining consistency and brand integrity.

“We didn’t start with AI and look for a problem to solve. Instead, we drew from decades of experience supporting some of the world’s most recognized brands,” said Anshu Gupta, President and Business Head of Creative and Business Solutions at Integreon. “That experience showed us where time was spent on repetitive tasks and where AI could have the greatest impact. Creo reflects the expertise of our creative graphics specialists and technologists, helping clients create consistent, brand-compliant content more efficiently.”

Built on more than 2,000 visual assets and governed by enterprise-grade security, Creo’s centralized design intelligence framework enables scalable, consistent, and client preference-based-application of AI, in creative graphics for complex, highly regulated environments.

“True value isn’t built on standalone tools; it’s unlocked when AI is deeply embedded into daily operational workflows,” said Krishna Nacha, CEO of Integreon. “We built Creo on the conviction that technology is only as good as the real-world operational and domain expertise behind it.”

The mission of the AI Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the creativity, hard work, and success of Artificial Intelligence companies, technologies, and products. This year’s program attracted thousands of nominations from more than 18 countries worldwide.

About Integreon

Integreon is a trusted global provider of technology-enabled legal and business solutions that help corporations, law firms, and professional services organizations modernize operations, improve efficiency, and scale more effectively. Integreon combines deep domain expertise, operational rigor, AI-enabled workflows, and global delivery capabilities to support a broad range of managed services, from creative and business solutions to legal and compliance operations. With global delivery centers on three continents, Integreon delivers around-the-clock service in 70+ languages and is deeply committed to client success, consistently delivering innovative, tech-enabled solutions that improve agility, efficiency, and business performance.

For more information about Integreon’s range of services, email info@integreon.com, visit www.integreon.com and follow Integreon at LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About AI Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the AI Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in Artificial Intelligence technologies, services, companies and products. The AI Breakthrough Awards provide public recognition for the achievements of AI companies and products in categories including AI Platforms, Deep Learning, Smart Robotics, Business Intelligence, Natural Language Processing and industry-specific AI applications. For more information visit AIBreakthroughAwards.com.

Tech Breakthrough LLC does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our recognition programs, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with award designations. Tech Breakthrough LLC recognition consists of the opinions of the Tech Breakthrough LLC organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Tech Breakthrough LLC disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this recognition program, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Media Contact

Emily Bricker, Integreon, 1 6199806425, emily@limelightgrowth.com, https://www.integreon.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/integreons-creo-recognized-for-artificial-intelligence-services-innovation-in-2026-ai-breakthrough-awards-program-302811024.html

SOURCE Integreon

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Integreon’s Creo™ Recognized for Artificial Intelligence Services Innovation in 2026 AI Breakthrough Awards Program

Published

37 minutes ago

on

June 25, 2026

By

AI Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization recognizing the top companies, technologies, and products in the global artificial intelligence market, today announced that Integreon, a leading global provider of tech-enabled legal and business solutions, has been named the winner of the “AI Services Innovation” award in the 9th annual AI Breakthrough Awards program. The award recognizes Integreon’s innovative use of AI across its creative graphics services through its proprietary Creo™ platform.

AUSTIN, Texas and LONDON, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Prestigious International Annual Awards Program Honors Standout AI Companies & Solutions

“We didn’t start with AI and look for a problem to solve. Instead, we drew from decades of experience supporting some of the world’s most recognized brands.” – Anshu Gupta, President and Business Head of Creative and Business Solutions at Integreon

AI Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization recognizing the top companies, technologies, and products in the global artificial intelligence market, today announced that Integreon, a leading global provider of tech-enabled legal and business solutions, has been named the winner of the “AI Services Innovation” award in the 9th annual AI Breakthrough Awards program. The award recognizes Integreon’s innovative use of AI across its creative graphics services through its proprietary Creo™ platform.

“Many organizations are experimenting with AI, but few have developed the operational foundation necessary to apply it consistently and effectively at enterprise scale,” said Steve Johansson, Managing Director, AI Breakthrough. “Integreon stands out for combining AI capabilities with deep service expertise, creative talent, and operational discipline. Their approach demonstrates how organizations can move beyond experimentation and apply AI to deliver measurable business outcomes. We are proud to recognize Integreon as our 2026 AI Services Innovation Award winner.”

For more than two decades, Integreon has been a partner of choice for financial institutions, consulting firms, and professional services organizations delivering high-volume creative graphics services. This experience has given Integreon deep institutional knowledge of how business content and communications are created, reviewed, refined, and delivered while preserving corporate design standards.

Drawing on decades of creative graphics experience, Creo combines AI, automation, and design expertise to simplify the production of business-critical content. By reducing repetitive tasks and removing workflow bottlenecks, Creo helps organizations work more efficiently while maintaining consistency and brand integrity.

“We didn’t start with AI and look for a problem to solve. Instead, we drew from decades of experience supporting some of the world’s most recognized brands,” said Anshu Gupta, President and Business Head of Creative and Business Solutions at Integreon. “That experience showed us where time was spent on repetitive tasks and where AI could have the greatest impact. Creo reflects the expertise of our creative graphics specialists and technologists, helping clients create consistent, brand-compliant content more efficiently.”

Built on more than 2,000 visual assets and governed by enterprise-grade security, Creo’s centralized design intelligence framework enables scalable, consistent, and client preference-based-application of AI, in creative graphics for complex, highly regulated environments.

“True value isn’t built on standalone tools; it’s unlocked when AI is deeply embedded into daily operational workflows,” said Krishna Nacha, CEO of Integreon. “We built Creo on the conviction that technology is only as good as the real-world operational and domain expertise behind it.”

The mission of the AI Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the creativity, hard work, and success of Artificial Intelligence companies, technologies, and products. This year’s program attracted thousands of nominations from more than 18 countries worldwide.

About Integreon

Integreon is a trusted global provider of technology-enabled legal and business solutions that help corporations, law firms, and professional services organizations modernize operations, improve efficiency, and scale more effectively. Integreon combines deep domain expertise, operational rigor, AI-enabled workflows, and global delivery capabilities to support a broad range of managed services, from creative and business solutions to legal and compliance operations. With global delivery centers on three continents, Integreon delivers around-the-clock service in 70+ languages and is deeply committed to client success, consistently delivering innovative, tech-enabled solutions that improve agility, efficiency, and business performance.

For more information about Integreon’s range of services, email info@integreon.com, visit www.integreon.com and follow Integreon at LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About AI Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the AI Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in Artificial Intelligence technologies, services, companies and products. The AI Breakthrough Awards provide public recognition for the achievements of AI companies and products in categories including AI Platforms, Deep Learning, Smart Robotics, Business Intelligence, Natural Language Processing and industry-specific AI applications. For more information visit AIBreakthroughAwards.com.

Tech Breakthrough LLC does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our recognition programs, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with award designations. Tech Breakthrough LLC recognition consists of the opinions of the Tech Breakthrough LLC organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Tech Breakthrough LLC disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this recognition program, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Media Contact

Emily Bricker, Integreon, 1 6199806425, emily@limelightgrowth.com, https://www.integreon.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/integreons-creo-recognized-for-artificial-intelligence-services-innovation-in-2026-ai-breakthrough-awards-program-302811024.html

SOURCE Integreon

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Premarket Acquires Maklare AI to Build Residential Real Estate’s First Demand Intelligence Platform

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37 minutes ago

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June 25, 2026

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Maklare AI co-founder and CEO Oliver Wenner joins Premarket as chief operating officer

NEW YORK, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Premarket, the agent-only platform centralizing private real estate listings across brokerages into a single searchable network, today announced the acquisition of Maklare AI, a New York-based artificial intelligence company focused on structuring demand-side data in residential real estate. As part of the transaction, Maklare AI co-founder Oliver Wenner joins Premarket as chief operating officer, bringing AI capabilities that accelerate Premarket’s intelligence roadmap.

The acquisition comes at a pivotal moment for the residential real estate industry. The rapid fragmentation of listing data — as brokerages and portals move inventory out of shared listing layers and into siloed networks — has created an acute information problem not only for agents but also for buyers and sellers. Premarket was built to solve it: a shared operating layer that centralizes siloed private inventory and buyer demand, giving agents a complete view of the market before it becomes public.

What has remained entirely opaque until now is the demand side.

Residential real estate has long operated with near-complete opacity on buyer demand, relying on anecdotal agent intelligence and historical transaction data to make critical pricing and timing decisions. Maklare AI was founded on the thesis that this opacity is not inevitable. The company developed proprietary AI infrastructure to structure previously siloed and unstructured demand data — extracting actionable signals from buyer behavior, preferences, and intent that have historically disappeared the moment a conversation ends.

Placing those capabilities inside Premarket — across its $4 billion in active New York City private inventory and thousands of active buyers — creates something that has not existed before in residential real estate: a forward-looking demand intelligence platform built on live, structured data from both sides of the private market.

“Real estate listing data is rapidly fragmenting,” said Brett Helberg, founder and CEO of Premarket. “Premarket exists to rebuild that shared infrastructure — but on better terms for every agent, brokerage, and their clients. Bringing Oliver and Maklare’s AI capabilities into Premarket means we can now do that for both supply and demand simultaneously. It’s a meaningful acceleration of everything we’re building.”

For Wenner, the move brings together parallel bodies of work on the same structural problem. “Real estate has always been a supply-side industry — the stock of available properties is generally known, tracked, and marketed,” said Wenner. “The demand side has operated in complete opacity. Agents know their own clients, but the market has no structured view of aggregate demand, directional intent, or forward-looking buyer signals. At Maklare, we built the AI infrastructure to change that. Inside Premarket, with real inventory and real buyers at scale, we can build the demand intelligence layer this market has never had.”

Premarket is currently live in New York City and expanding to additional markets. Integration of Maklare AI’s capabilities is underway across the platform’s agent subscriber base.

About Premarket

Premarket is the agent-only platform for private real estate listings, centralizing off-market and pre-market inventory across brokerages into a single, searchable network. Built as neutral infrastructure for the residential real estate market, Premarket gives agents access to listings and buyer demand before they reach the public markets. The company is based in New York City and is expanding nationally.

To learn more or apply for platform access, visit www.premarket.nyc 

About Maklare AI

Maklare AI developed proprietary artificial intelligence infrastructure for demand-side intelligence in residential real estate, applying AI to structure previously siloed and unstructured buyer data and extract actionable demand signals from the private listing market. Founded in New York City, Maklare AI was acquired by Premarket in 2026.

Media Contact
Brett Helberg | brett@premarket.nyc

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/premarket-acquires-maklare-ai-to-build-residential-real-estates-first-demand-intelligence-platform-302811053.html

SOURCE Premarket, Inc.

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