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Sequel Brands Launches MOVE Powered by SEQUELai, the Company’s Sixth Brand and First Digital Wellness Platform

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MOVE closes the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it with an AI coach designed for everyone – not just people who already exercise.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sequel Brands today announced the launch of MOVE powered by SEQUELai, the company’s sixth brand and first digital wellness platform. Joining a portfolio that includes Pilates Addiction, BODY20, iFlex Stretch Studios, Beem Light Sauna, and Ultimate Longevity Center, MOVE is available now on iOS and Android for $5/month or $25/year – a price point designed to make personalized wellness more accessible, regardless of fitness background. The platform combines AI-powered coaching, personalized workouts, recovery guidance, nutrition support, and daily accountability to help users build healthier routines that last.

Despite widespread awareness of healthy living, millions of Americans still struggle to consistently put healthy habits into practice. According to the CDC, fewer than half of U.S. adults meet federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity. MOVE was built to close that gap by making healthy movement simple, achievable, and sustainable – especially for those who don’t consider themselves “fitness people.”

Extending Sequel’s Mission Beyond the Studio

For Sequel Founder and CEO Anthony Geisler, who has spent his career building and scaling some of the industry’s most recognizable studio brands – from Club Pilates and Pure Barre to Sequel’s portfolio today – MOVE is the culmination of a belief he has championed for years: movement is the foundation of better health. Through industry stages, interviews, and podcasts – including his keynote at last year’s Athletech News Innovation Summit – Geisler has consistently argued that America’s health challenge isn’t a lack of information; it’s turning knowledge into consistent action.

“Movement is medicine – it’s the catalyst for all other health habits. Get a workout in, and a bowl of ice cream stops sounding like a good idea. Skip it, and the rest of the day tends to follow,” said Geisler. “The goal with MOVE is simple: more people moving more often, in more accessible ways.”

SmartCoach: AI That Adapts as You Do

At the heart of MOVE is SmartCoach, an AI-powered wellness coach that creates a personalized plan based on each member’s goals, fitness level, and schedule – then continuously learns and adapts as they progress. While most wellness apps are built for people who already exercise regularly, SmartCoach is designed for the millions who don’t, meeting users where they are and helping them build sustainable habits over time. Beyond personalized coaching, MOVE delivers programming across strength, cardio, mobility, recovery, sleep, meditation, nutrition, mental wellness, women’s health, GLP-1 companion support, and clinically informed musculoskeletal (MSK) recovery.

The platform will continue to evolve with new AI-powered experiences. Upcoming features include MePod, a personalized weekly podcast that recaps each member’s progress and prepares them for the week ahead, and Daily Recommendations, a dynamic workout feed that updates in real time based on how each person is actually training. Wearables integration follows, connecting with fitness trackers and health apps members are already using.

AI-Powered Innovation Across the Sequel Ecosystem

MOVE marks the beginning of Sequel’s broader AI strategy. The company is already developing the next generation of AI-powered member experiences designed to help people build healthier daily habits that drive long-term health and longevity, while giving franchisees new ways to improve retention, deepen member relationships, and drive more visits to their studios.

“Technology should make healthy living easier, not more overwhelming,” said Alex Isaly, Sequel Brands’ President of Platform and AI Strategy. “MOVE meets people where they are, with coaching that adapts as they do. This is the first step in Sequel’s broader AI strategy to turn education into execution – creating better experiences for members and unlocking new ways to support our growing wellness ecosystem.”

The MOVE Smarter, Live Brighter Challenge

To celebrate the launch, Sequel is introducing the MOVE Smarter, Live Brighter Challenge, starting July 20. Designed for every fitness level, participants complete four sessions each week – including walking, strength, mobility, and sleep – for a total of 16 guided sessions, while a live in-app tracker measures the community’s total minutes of movement in real time. No gym, equipment, or fitness background is required to get started.

To join the challenge, download MOVE powered by SEQUELai, available now on iOS and Android, or visit sequelbrands.com/move-challenge.

ABOUT SEQUEL BRANDS
Sequel Brands is a next-generation fitness franchisor redefining the future of movement, recovery, wellness, and longevity. With an experienced leadership team and a portfolio of high-growth concepts – including Pilates Addiction, iFlex Stretch Studios, Beem Light Sauna, BODY20, Ultimate Longevity Center, and MOVE Powered by SEQUELai – Sequel delivers a scalable platform built for lasting success, cultural impact, and real results in how people move, recover, and optimize their longevity. For more information, visit sequelbrands.com

MEDIA CONTACTS
Sequel Brands Communications
E: communications@sequelbrands.com

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SOURCE Sequel Brands

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TUTK Helps Indian Security Customers Achieve STQC Cybersecurity Certification

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Secure P2P Connectivity, Cloud Governance, and Flexible Deployment Support Compliance and Market Expansion in India

TAIPEI and NEW DELHI, India, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TUTK, a global cloud platform and connectivity service provider, today announced that security devices from its customers in India, powered by TUTK’s patented P2P connectivity and cloud technologies, have successfully passed cybersecurity assessments conducted by India’s Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Directorate.

As India strengthens cybersecurity, data governance, and supply-chain requirements for video surveillance products, STQC compliance has become increasingly important for vendors targeting government, public-sector, and smart-infrastructure projects. The successful assessments demonstrate how TUTK’s secure connectivity and cloud architecture can help security device manufacturers meet evolving cybersecurity requirements while accelerating market deployment.

Secure P2P Connectivity for Devices and Video
Remote video surveillance introduces potential security risks across device pairing, NAT traversal, session establishment, and video transmission. Addressing these risks requires multiple layers of protection, including secure device authentication, encrypted communications, session management, relay security, brute-force protection, and software supply-chain transparency.

TUTK’s patented P2P technology uses device authentication and certificate binding to reduce the risk of unauthorized device registration and connection hijacking. DTLS/SRTP-based encryption further protects connection establishment and live video transmission.

When NAT or firewall restrictions prevent direct P2P connections, TUTK Relay services maintain remote connectivity while keeping video and data encrypted in transit.

From SDK Security to Cloud Governance
TUTK provides documentation covering P2P SDK provenance, maintenance, and security controls, while supporting device manufacturers in implementing access control, connection logging, and device-level security policies. Together, these capabilities help address supply-chain transparency requirements and establish multilayer protection across devices, connectivity, software, and cloud services.

TUTK’s cloud architecture also supports access control, encrypted transmission, operational logging, and audit trails. Deployment models can be tailored to customer requirements for data residency, access management, and operational governance.

By integrating device connectivity and cloud management within a unified architecture, security vendors can simplify system integration, improve visibility into device and service operations, and build a scalable foundation for future device expansion.

Flexible Deployment for Compliance and Faster Time to Market
TUTK provides modular deployment options to address different security, operational, and compliance requirements:

Private Deployment: Deploy P2P infrastructure in the customer’s own data center or designated private cloud for greater control over data, systems, and operations.Platform as a Service (PaaS): Use TUTK’s managed cloud infrastructure to reduce deployment and maintenance complexity while scaling with device and connection volumes.

P2P connectivity, Relay services, and cloud management can be deployed independently or combined according to each customer’s requirements, helping vendors balance compliance, operational control, infrastructure investment, and time to market.

Supporting Security Vendors in India and Global Markets
As cybersecurity requirements continue to evolve, secure device connectivity, encrypted transmission, software supply-chain transparency, and cloud governance are becoming essential for security manufacturers entering regulated markets.

TUTK will continue working with camera, NVR, and other security device manufacturers to integrate secure connectivity and cloud services, streamline validation and deployment, and support expansion in India and other global markets.

Contact:
Yi-Ching, Chen
Marketing.en@tutk.com 

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Businesses Achieved 322% ROI with Avalara, According to New Total Economic Impact Study

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New study finds a composite Avalara customer realized $1.2 million in benefits and $881,000 in net present value over three years, with payback in under six months

PUNE, India, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Avalara, Inc., the agentic AI leader in global tax and compliance, today announced the results of a new commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting: The Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) Of Avalara. The study found that a composite organization representative of Avalara customers achieved a 322% return on investment over three years, with an investment payback period of less than six months.

“We believe a 322% ROI and payback in under six months demonstrate that compliance automation is a substantial financial advantage,” said Jayme Fishman, Chief Strategy and Product Officer at Avalara. “By combining trusted tax content with automation and AI directly in the systems businesses already use, we help customers improve accuracy, operate with greater confidence, and make tax and compliance more reliable as their businesses grow.”

To examine the potential return on investment that organizations may realize by deploying Avalara products and services, Forrester Consulting interviewed seven decision-makers across industries with direct experience using Avalara. Forrester aggregated their experiences into a single composite business with 2,000 employees and $300 million in annual revenue.

Why the Study Matters for Tax and Finance Teams
Regulatory requirements continue to expand and grow more complex, making manual, spreadsheet-based tax compliance increasingly difficult to sustain. Before adopting Avalara, interviewees described relying on manual processes and legacy systems to calculate and manage sales and use tax, file returns and 1099 and W-9 forms, maintain rates, and apply exemptions. These approaches were time-consuming and led to inaccurate calculations, inconsistent exemption handling, and material compliance risk, including audit findings, penalties, and back taxes.

After investing in Avalara, interviewees’ organizations automated tax calculation, filing, and exemption management through a centralized system integrated with their ERP platforms. As a result, they improved accuracy and compliance while reducing manual effort and spending on third-party services.

Key Financial Findings
A three-year financial analysis of the composite organization demonstrated:

322% return on investment (ROI) over three years.$881,000 in net present value (NPV) over three years.$1.2 million in total benefits versus $274,000 in total costs over three years.Payback in less than six months.

Quantified Product-Level Value and Savings
Forrester quantified the following three-year, risk-adjusted present-value benefits for the composite organization:

$317,000 saved by avoiding third-party services and additional full-time employees, allowing the organization to absorb growth in jurisdictions and compliance requirements without proportionally increasing headcount or consulting costs.$267,000 saved on use tax by automating taxable-purchase identification and use tax calculation and accrual, reducing up to 45 hours of manual review per month.$203,000 in labor savings from Avalara Exemption Certificate Management (ECM), which reduced certificates filed with errors by 95% through centralized, AI-assisted capture and validation.$96,000 saved by managing 1099 and W-9 preparation, validation, and submission within Avalara, reducing reliance on third-party filing providers.$93,000 in labor savings from Avalara Managed Returns, which eliminated 570 hours of work and reduced time spent on return filing by approximately 95%.$53,000 saved from Avalara VAT Reporting, which drove a 90% improvement in VAT compliance efficiency across multiple jurisdictions.$52,000 saved through improved audit preparation and avoided penalties, including a 90% efficiency gain in audit prep and roughly 36 hours saved per audit.$38,000 saved through participation in the Streamlined Sales Tax (SST) program using Avalara.$35,000 in labor savings from Avalara Tax Research, a 90% efficiency improvement that saved about 18 hours per month.

In addition to quantified savings, interviewed decision-makers highlighted significant unquantified benefits, including increased executive peace of mind, operational resilience, and seamless scalability without organizational strain.

Register to join Avalara and Forrester on October 7 to learn how organizations are realizing a 322% ROI with Avalara. This webinar will explore the findings from the Total Economic Impact™ study and the measurable business benefits of modernizing tax compliance.

About Avalara
Avalara is the agentic AI platform for global tax and compliance. For more than two decades, Avalara has built one of the most expansive libraries of tax content and integrations in the industry, processing more than 54 billion transactions annually and supporting millions of businesses worldwide. The company’s purpose-built AI agents automate end-to-end compliance with greater precision, from tax calculations and return filings to exemption certificate management and beyond. For more information, visit Avalara.com.

This study was commissioned by Avalara and conducted by Forrester Consulting. Results are based on the aggregated experiences of interviewed customers and a composite organization. Forrester makes no assumptions as to the potential ROI that other organizations will receive.

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Xobin Research: 72% of Workplace Skills Now Meet Criteria for AI Delegation, But Hiring Is Shifting Toward What Machines Still Can’t Do

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Mid-year study of 683 skill groups, 113 leadership scorecards, and thousands of technical assessment requests finds AI delegability concentrated in analytical and technical work, while leadership, business-to-technical translation, and collaboration remain the harder-to-automate hiring priorities

CHENNAI, India, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Xobin, an AI-powered recruitment, talent assessment and talent management platform, today published its Human vs AI Skills Report: 2026 Mid-Year Edition, authored by Guruprakash Sivabalan, Founder and CEO of Xobin. The report draws on data through 30 June 2026, covering 683 skill groups, 113 leadership scorecards from 92 employers, and thousands of technical assessment requests. Full report: https://xobin.com/research/articles/human-vs-ai-skills-2026/.

Headline finding: 72% of skill groups in Xobin’s 2024 hiring framework were fully or partially delegable to AI under at least one tested model. Delegability varied sharply by category, from 90-100% for analytical reasoning down to 28% for operations and execution, with leadership skills below 50%. Partial delegation often still requires a person to frame the task, review the output, and handle exceptions; the study does not measure jobs eliminated.

“The question hiring teams should ask isn’t whether AI can do a task; for most tasks now, some version of it can,” said Guruprakash Sivabalan, Xobin. “It’s which parts a candidate must do independently, and which they need to direct and check.”

Additional findings:

EQ narrowly leads leadership scorecards. Across 113 templates from 92 employers, EQ-related criteria averaged 52% of scorecard weight versus 48% for all other criteria combined, placing interpersonal capability inside the formal definition of leadership fit.Business-to-technical translation cracks the top five. Among 35 technical roles studied, this skill was requested by 10-19 roles, enough for a top-five ranking, though behind AI integration/automation and analytical problem-solving (each requested by 30-35 roles).Coding assessments are shifting toward AI-assisted judgment. Traditional, AI-free coding tests fell from 75-100% of technical assessment requests (Jan-Jun 2024) to 25-50% (Jan-Jun 2026), while AI-assisted tasks (generate, test, debug, explain) rose from under 25% to 50-75%.Collaboration and non-linear thinking are more common in emerging roles. Within 24 tracked emerging skill groups, collaboration appeared in 12-17 groups in 2026, up from 4 in 2024; non-linear thinking rose from 0-5 groups to 6-11.

“Foundational knowledge hasn’t gone away; it’s what lets someone catch an AI’s mistake,” Sivabalan said. “Separate what a candidate must do independently from what they need to direct and verify with AI, and build that into how roles are assessed.”

Methodology

The report combines five independently scoped analyses: an AI-delegability review of 683 skill groups tested against OpenAI and Anthropic models; an analysis of 113 leadership scorecard templates from 92 employers; a skill-frequency review across 35 technical roles; a matched comparison of technical assessment types between 2024 and 2026; and a matched two-period comparison of 24 emerging skill groups. The five units are independent and not combined into one sample. Full methodology and references: https://xobin.com/research/articles/human-vs-ai-skills-2026/.

About Xobin

Xobin is an AI-powered recruitment, talent assessment and talent management platform combining psychometric assessments, skills testing, secure online proctoring, structured and AI-assisted interviews, and learning & development tools to help organizations hire, evaluate, and upskill talent at scale. Xobin is used by companies ranging from fast-growing startups to several Fortune 100 enterprises.

Media Contact
Guruprakash Sivabalan
Founder and CEO, Xobin
Email: guru@xobin.com
Website: www.xobin.com

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