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Shepherd and Brickeye Partner to Bring IoT Risk Intelligence Into Autonomous Underwriting

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Construction’s safest builders have had no structured way to earn better Builder’s Risk coverage terms for the loss-prevention technology they deploy. Shepherd and Brickeye are the first to change that.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Shepherd, the AI-native commercial insurance platform, and Brickeye, the IoT-enabled construction risk intelligence platform, today announced a partnership integrating Brickeye’s BuildersRiskIQ™ risk intelligence directly into Shepherd’s underwriting model. The result: a verified, real-time view of physical risk on every protected project and better terms for builders who invest in protection.

Protecting Job Sites Should Reward Builders and Owners. Now It Does.

Shepherd Savings rewards builders for the technology they use to run safer, better-protected projects. The program began on casualty products, recognizing contractors who adopt tools for project management, reality capture, and jobsite documentation. It now covers Builder’s Risk, and Brickeye brings the jobsite intelligence that makes it possible.

Brickeye is the first Builder’s Risk partner in the program. Brickeye actively prevents loss: catching a burst water line and triggering shut-off before it floods a floor, or flagging thermal conditions in mass concrete before they turn into defects. Water damage and concrete quality are two of the costliest loss drivers in construction, and Brickeye works on both. Its platform monitors and mitigates risk across 4,500+ projects in 20+ countries. Brickeye has grown revenue 150% year over year, and has helped clients cut water loss deductibles by up to 50%.

Builders who put Brickeye on their projects receive a tiered protection classification, verified by a Certificate of Protection and based on the contracted scope of IoT services. That classification earns better terms, premium credits or lower deductibles through Shepherd Savings.

Verified Protection from IoT Data, Priced In From Day One

That same classification enters Shepherd’s underwriting model at the moment of pricing. Shepherd has spent two years replacing weeks-long, email-driven underwriting with an AI platform that prices complex construction risk in minutes, and Brickeye’s verified, structured data is exactly the kind of input that makes that model sharper. Shepherd has issued 1,500+ policies covering $400B+ in insured project value and grown revenue 7x in 24 months.

As insured projects close out, the correlation between protection tier and actual claims outcomes becomes pricing and structure intelligence no competitor can replicate. Every project that closes adds a verified signal to how Shepherd prices the next one. For Brickeye, it validates what each protection tier actually delivers, real claims outcomes that prove the value of IoT risk controls in the field. For insurance brokers, this partnership creates a differentiator: the ability to place clients who invest in risk mitigation at better terms than the standard market can offer. And for owners, this program eliminates the uncertainty and lender issues that can come along with potentially $1M+ water damage deductibles.

Better Data Means a Smarter Model

Autonomous systems rely on their inputs. Brickeye’s verified jobsite intelligence is precisely what enables Shepherd’s fully autonomous model to earn more authority to act and price with precision over time. The model compounds with each project that closes.

“De-risking a project starts before breaking ground. We assess design and risk in preconstruction, then deploy the IoT controls that inform how the project should be protected and underwritten,” said Tim Angus, CEO of Brickeye. “From there, our platform mitigates risk in real time, catching a burst water line and triggering shut-off before it floods a site, or flagging thermal conditions in mass concrete before they cause defects. Until now, all that intelligence lived on the jobsite and never informed the underwriting decision. With Shepherd, it does, and the builders who protect their projects pay less for it.”

“We built Shepherd on the thesis that, given the total cost of risk in large construction, financial services providers like us are uniquely positioned to incentivize loss prevention for the mutual benefit of ourselves and our customers,” said Justin Levine, Co-Founder and CEO of Shepherd. “Brickeye gives us a verified, upfront picture of exactly how a Builder’s Risk account is being protected, plus real-time physical-risk intelligence as it’s built. That is precisely the kind of proprietary, structured input that lets our model earn more authority and act with more autonomy and precision over time.”

The partnership initially covers U.S. Builder’s Risk for vertical construction, with a focus on water damage mitigation, expanding to include concrete quality and defect risk mitigation on infrastructure and heavy civil projects as the partnership grows. Together, Shepherd and Brickeye are solving a structural gap in a $5B global market where verified jobsite data has never informed the price.

About Shepherd

Shepherd is an AI-native insurance technology platform making risk frictionless for builders and operators shaping the physical world. The company combines proprietary AI underwriting technology, real-time construction data integrations, and deep industry expertise to deliver commercial insurance with speed, precision, and intelligence. Shepherd insures construction, infrastructure, and energy projects for companies ranging from mid-market general contractors to the firms building frontier AI infrastructure. Shepherd is headquartered in San Francisco with offices nationwide. For more information about Shepherd, visit shepherdinsurance.com.

About Brickeye

Brickeye is a global leader in construction IoT and job site risk mitigation technology services, trusted by top-tier owners, developers, contractors, and insurers across 20+ countries. Brickeye is building the first AI-native IoT-enabled construction risk intelligence platform. The company helps clients protect project margins, keep construction schedules on track, and reduce insurance costs by de-risking projects in preconstruction, delivering real-time alerts and automated risk controls during construction, and providing actionable insights post-construction. Learn more at brickeye.com.

Media Contacts

marketing@shepherdinsurance.com;

media@brickeye.com

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Roborock Reports 27.6% Revenue Growth in H1 2026, Reinforcing Global Market Leadership

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BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Roborock, a global leader in home robotics engineered to simplify daily life, reported revenue of RMB 10.084 billion in the first half of 2026, up 27.6% year on year, while net profit attributable to shareholders rose 45.6% to RMB 986 million. The company also reached a new global milestone, with Roborock recognized as the world’s No.1 robotic vacuum cleaner brand by both IDC and Euromonitor International.

Global Expansion Continues to Strengthen Growth

Roborock’s international business continued to deliver strong growth in H1 2026 across both mature and high-potential markets. During Amazon Prime Day 2026, Roborock ranked No.1 in the robotic vacuum category in Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United States and Canada. In Europe, Roborock reached a 45% share of the robotic vacuum market, with unit sales up 24% year on year, while wet-dry vacuum unit sales grew 112%. In North America, Roborock reached a 33% share of the robotic vacuum market, with unit sales increasing 30% year on year.

Momentum was also strong across key Asia-Pacific markets. Roborock ranked No.1 in both unit shipments and sales value in Australia, Korea, Taiwan region and Türkiye from Q1 2023 to Q1 2026. In Korea, the brand maintained more than 70% share of the premium robotic vacuum segment, while the S10 MaxV Ultra generated approximately KRW 28 billion in sales within ten days of its February 2026 launch. In Japan, Roborock continued to deepen its premium retail presence through cooperation with Yamada Denki, including dedicated brand displays and nationwide availability of flagship products. Across Asia-Pacific, the company continued to combine its global technology platform with localized channel, marketing and service strategies.

Roborock’s global leadership has also been independently recognized by IDC and Euromonitor International. According to IDC, Roborock ranked No.1 globally by both unit shipments and sales value among robotic vacuum brands in H1 2026, while Euromonitor International ranked the brand No.1 globally by retail sales value in 2025. Together, the two rankings reinforce Roborock’s global market leadership and reflect sustained consumer demand worldwide.

Sustained R&D Investment Supports Long-Term Competitiveness

Roborock continued to invest heavily in technology in the first half of 2026, with R&D spending reaching RMB 720 million, up 5.11% year on year and accounting for 7.14% of revenue. The company continues to build capabilities in intelligent navigation, AI-powered environmental perception, cleaning systems and robotic mobility, while increasingly bringing these technologies together at the system level rather than improving individual specifications in isolation. This integrated approach allows technologies proven in flagship products to be brought into a wider range of models and price segments, helping Roborock strengthen its portfolio while making advanced features available to more consumers.

IFA 2026 Highlights the Next Phase of Innovation

At IFA 2026, Roborock is showcasing its latest advances across indoor and outdoor cleaning. Its new robot vacuums and wet-dry vacuums bring advances in steam-powered care, adaptive cleaning and whole-home versatility, while the Roborock Saros Rover introduces a two-wheel-leg architecture designed to expand robotic mobility beyond flat floors. Roborock is also broadening its intelligent cleaning ecosystem with the debut of the RockAqua P1, its first intelligent pool cleaner, alongside the RockNeo Q2 LiDAR robotic mower, extending its autonomous cleaning capabilities across floors, pools and gardens.

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Agoda Unveils South Korean Travelers’ Top Domestic and International Destinations for Chuseok Holiday

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– Fukuoka, Tokyo, Osaka, Da Nang, and Nha Trang topped overseas destinations, while Jeju, Busan, Seoul, Sokcho, and Gyeongju led domestic hotspots  

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — With the Chuseok holiday around the corner, South Korean travelers are already making plans to make the most of the four-day break. According to digital travel platform Agoda, accommodation searches for international and domestic destinations have increased by 38% and 160%, respectively, compared to two weeks before the holiday period.

Based on accommodation searches made by South Korean travelers between May to mid-August 2026, Agoda found that Japanese destinations dominated the list of the most-searched overseas destinations for the Chuseok holiday. Fukuoka ranked first, followed by Tokyo and Osaka. Beyond Japan, Vietnamese destinations also proved popular, with Da Nang and Nha Trang rounding out the top five. The findings highlight South Korean travelers’ continued preference for short- and mid-haul destinations, where they can enjoy a combination of cultural experiences and seaside leisure.

Due to its proximity to South Korea with an average flight time of just 1.5 hours from Seoul, Fukuoka is one of the most accessible Japanese destinations for South Korean travelers. The destination is expected to become even more accessible with Eastar Jet’s expanded services on the Incheon–Fukuoka route through October 24, and the Busan–Fukuoka route from August 29 to October 24, covering the Chuseok holiday period.

For those making travel plans closer to home, Jeju ranked as the most-searched domestic destination, with a 131% increase in travel interest, followed by Busan (147%), Seoul (64%), Sokcho (324%), and Gyeongju (222%). Sokcho, which recorded the strongest growth in search interest among the top 5 domestic destinations, saw tourism expenditure by South Korean travelers increase by 8.2% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. The high growth in interest in Sokcho’, driven by its diverse mix of mountains, beaches, lakes, culinary experiences and cultural attractions, suggests that the destination could see continued visitor demand through the second half of the year, including during the Chuseok holiday period.

Gyeongju, which ranked fifth, continues to attract South Korean travelers with its historic sites and rich cultural heritage. The city’s appeal could be further boosted by expanded KTX and KTX-Eum services scheduled to begin in September, offering travelers improved rail connectivity during the autumn travel season.

Alex Park, Country Director, South Korea at Agoda shared, “As the Chuseok holiday approaches, South Korean travelers are showing strong interest in nearby destinations, with domestic travel seeing particularly strong demand. As a global travel platform, Agoda is committed to supporting travelers with diverse preferences by offering great deals on flights, accommodation, and activities, whether they are looking to explore destinations overseas or closer to home.”

As South Korean travelers finalize their Chuseok holiday plans, Agoda continues to offer a seamless booking experience across more than six million holiday properties, 130,000 flight routes, and 300,000 activities worldwide. To find the best deals for autumn travel to Asia and beyond, visit Agoda.com or download the Agoda mobile app. As part of Agoda’s August Mega Sale, travelers can enjoy up to 60% off on hotel bookings during the main sale through 31 August.

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TECNO Wins Two IFA Global Product Technology Innovation Awards for Modular Phone and Tonino Lamborghini TECNO TAURUS

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BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TECNO, a global AI-driven innovative technology brand, achieved two IFA Global Product Technology Innovation Awards at IFA 2026:

Tonino Lamborghini TECNO TAURUS took the Miniaturized Gaming PC Technology Innovation Gold Award, standing out with its Italian aesthetics and exceptional performance in the compact body. The TECNO Modular Phone was honored with the Ultra-Slim Magnetic Modular Technology Innovation Gold Award, praised for its ultra-slim craftsmanship and unique modular magnetic technology.

These awards once again demonstrate TECNO’s sustained breakthroughs in product innovation and industry-leading craftsmanship in design excellence. The Global Product Technology Innovation Awards were established in 2014 by IDG, IFA, and DIHK to celebrate excellence across the global consumer electronics industry. The awards honor products that set new industry benchmarks and drive innovation through intelligent technology and user-centric design.

TECNO Modular Phone: The World’s Thinnest Modular Smartphone

At just 4.9mm, the TECNO Modular Phone is powered by proprietary Modular Magnetic Interconnection Technology. It combines a precision magnetic array with pogo-pin connectors, offering a flexible ecosystem for different needs. The host retains a 3000–4000mAh battery, while modules draw power directly for a snap-and-go experience. It also resolves the inherent conflict between rising AI computing demands and limited device space.

The technology has earned over 20 accolades from leading media, with CNET and Yanko Design naming it the Best of MWC 2026, and The Verge recognizing it as the Best Mobile Tech at MWC 2026.

Tonino Lamborghini TECNO TAURUS: One of the World’s Smallest Water-Cooling Gaming Mini-PCs

At around 6.36 liters, the panoramic transparent chassis of the Tonino Lamborghini TECNO TAURUS fuses iconic Italian design with raw engineering. Powered by the Intel® Core™ i9-13900HK and NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5060 (614 AI TOPS, 145W TGP, DLSS 4), it achieves the pinnacle of performance, providing a high-fidelity gaming experience and high-efficiency AI workstation. The water-cooling system sustains peak frequencies, while 15 ports and WiFi 6E deliver connectivity. It was recognized with Yanko Design’s Best of MWC award.

In addition, TECNO made waves at IFA with the Next-Gen Bezelless Concept Phone featuring a revolutionary 0mm screen bezel, and the convertible laptop MEGABOOK T15 360 Pro. Relentlessly pushing the boundaries of design, performance, and AI innovation, TECNO is pioneering limitless possibilities for futuristic technology.

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