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Certares Closes Single-Asset Continuation Fund of Guardian Alarm

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NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Certares, a leading global investment firm focused on travel, hospitality, and business and consumer services, today announced the closing of a single-asset continuation fund (the “Continuation Fund”) to extend its partnership with Guardian Alarm (“Guardian” or the “Company”), a leading provider of security, fire, access control, and automation solutions. The new investor group was led by funds managed by New 2ND Capital (“New 2ND”) and provided Guardian’s existing shareholders with an option to receive liquidity while also providing additional committed capital to support Guardian’s acquisition strategy and continued growth.

Founded in 1930 and based in Southfield, Michigan, Guardian is one of the country’s largest, vertically integrated providers of security, fire, access control, and automation solutions to commercial and residential customers. The Company serves commercial and residential customers in over 10 states across the Midwest and South. Guardian provides comprehensive, one-stop service offerings to its customers, encompassing all aspects of design and installation, 24/7 in-house monitoring, service, and maintenance.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with the Certares team and welcome our new investors in Guardian,” said Brent Uhl, Chief Executive Officer of Guardian. “Guardian has built a differentiated platform based on exceptional customer service, a comprehensive suite of security solutions, and a highly scalable operating model. The additional capital provided through this transaction will allow us to continue investing in the business and accelerate our acquisition strategy as we expand Guardian’s presence in existing and new markets.”

“We are thrilled to continue supporting Guardian as it builds upon its strong momentum and pursues its next phase of organic and strategic acquisition growth,” said Richard Moreau, Managing Director at Certares.

“Under Brent and his team’s leadership, Guardian has become a leading security and fire services platform with a highly scalable operating platform and tremendous growth potential,” said Zach Lazar, Managing Director at Certares.

“Guardian represents exactly the type of high-quality business we seek to support through our secondary investments,” said Rob Luttrell, Partner at New 2ND. “The Company has an established market position, a compelling recurring revenue model, and a demonstrated track record of growth. We are pleased to partner with Certares and Guardian’s management team and look forward to supporting the Company through its next phase of growth.”

William Blair served as exclusive financial advisor to Certares and Guardian. White & Case LLP and Sidley Austin LLP served as legal advisors to Certares and Guardian. Ropes & Gray LLP served as legal advisor to New 2ND.

About Certares

Established in 2012, Certares is a leading alternative asset manager focused on the travel and tourism, hospitality, and business and consumer services sectors. Certares is led by an experienced team of investment and operating professionals who leverage deep sector expertise in partnership with management teams to seek to accelerate growth, improve operations, and unlock value. As of December 31, 2025, Certares had approximately $6.4 billion of regulatory assets under management. For more information, please visit www.certares.com.

About New 2ND Capital

New 2ND Capital is a New York based private equity firm specialized in leading GP-led secondaries transactions. The firm focuses on investments in North American middle market companies. New 2ND Capital creates flexible solutions to address the liquidity, capital, and strategic needs of private equity managers and investors. New 2ND Capital is currently investing its fourth fund. The firm had $2.6 billion in regulatory assets under management as of December 31, 2025. For more information, visit www.new2ndcapital.com.

About Guardian

Guardian is one of the largest regional providers of electronic security and automation solutions serving commercial and residential markets. Through its vertically integrated model, Guardian serves customers across the full solution lifecycle, including system design, installation, servicing, 24/7 in-house monitoring, maintenance, and inspection. For more information, please visit www.guardianalarm.com.

CONTACT:  pro-certares@prosek.com 

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HeyGen Earns Committed Badge from EcoVadis

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The recognition reflects HeyGen’s performance across environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HeyGen, the world’s leading AI avatar company, has earned a Committed Badge from EcoVadis, the global provider of independent business sustainability ratings. The recognition reflects HeyGen’s performance across four areas: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement

“Enterprise demand for AI video continues to grow, and HeyGen is proud to already serve 85% of the Fortune 100. As these companies adopt AI at scale, they’re prioritizing partners who take governance and responsibility seriously, not just capability,” said Will Ji, Head of Customer Success at HeyGen. “This recognition reflects that commitment, and we’re excited to keep building on it as we grow our enterprise partnerships.”

EcoVadis is one of the world’s most widely used sustainability assessment platforms, evaluating more than 150,000 companies globally. Its ratings are based on international standards including the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, International Labour Organization conventions, the Global Reporting Initiative standards, and ISO 26000, and provide an independent benchmark of a company’s sustainability performance and management practices for customers, partners, and investors.

To view HeyGen’s full scorecard and Recognition Page, please visit https://recognition.ecovadis.com/GOL_3scAx0qTCUiONQLFsg.

ABOUT HEYGEN
HeyGen is the world’s leading AI avatar company. We create the world’s most realistic avatars — digital versions of real people that look, sound, and move just like them. Rated #1 most realistic on G2 and powered by our proprietary Avatar V model, HeyGen is used by over 30 million people, from solo and small-business operators to 85% of the Fortune 100, to scale their presence in minutes, without a camera or crew. HeyGen brings avatars to life across video, real-time interactive experiences, and voice.

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LeoSight and Axis Communications Unite Video and Sensor Intelligence for More Coordinated Public Safety Response

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Native integrations bring Axis video, body-worn solutions, metadata, and sensor intelligence into LeoCommand and connect teams through LeoLink.

DALLAS, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LeoSight, a leader in unified incident command software for public safety, today announced a new partnership with Axis Communications, a global leader in network video and physical security technology. The partnership brings native integrations for Axis video management and body-worn solutions into LeoCommand, LeoSight’s situational awareness platform, helping agencies strengthen officer safety, operational efficiency, and real-time coordination.

Through the integrations, agencies can bring live video, metadata, and sensor intelligence from Axis devices and systems into LeoCommand. AXIS Camera Station Pro, Axis IP cameras, and Axis body-worn solutions can contribute trusted visual intelligence to the same operational map as officer locations, vehicle data, drone feeds, and other connected public safety systems.

This unified view helps command staff and dispatchers assess incidents as they develop, while LeoSight’s secure communications platform, LeoLink, enables relevant information to be shared with field personnel and partner agencies. Teams can coordinate around the same real-time intelligence without relying on separate systems or fragmented communication channels.

Designed for daily operations, critical incident response, and multi-agency coordination, the integrations help agencies turn video and sensor data into shared operational awareness. LeoSight’s scalable architecture also supports deployments across agencies and jurisdictions, allowing authorized teams to collaborate while maintaining secure access to the information they need.

“By integrating AXIS Camera Station Pro, Axis IP cameras, and body-worn solutions with LeoSight, agencies can bring trusted video and real-time insights into LeoSight’s shared operational map alongside other critical response data,” said Dean Cunningham, Axis Segment Development Manager for Public Safety. “Together, Axis and LeoSight give responders the same real-time picture, helping them coordinate faster and act with greater clarity.”

For public safety agencies, video is most valuable when it becomes part of a broader operational picture. Connecting trusted visual intelligence with communications and other real-time data helps teams understand what is happening, align their response, and act with greater confidence.

“Public safety teams should not have to piece together an incident across separate screens, systems, and conversations,” said Mark Wood, CEO of LeoSight. “By bringing Axis video and sensor intelligence into LeoCommand and making it shareable through LeoLink, we are helping command staff, dispatchers, and field personnel operate from the same real-time picture. That shared understanding supports faster coordination, safer response, and better decisions when every second matters.”

The partnership expands LeoSight’s ecosystem of public safety technology providers across drones, cameras, body-worn video, sensors, and other real-time public safety technologies.

About LeoSight

LeoSight helps public safety agencies communicate, coordinate, and respond as one team. Our platform connects law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency management across jurisdictions, bringing together secure communications, live operational visibility, and collaborative workflows in a single operational environment. By helping agencies overcome fragmented systems and disconnected teams, LeoSight enables faster coordination, clearer decision-making, and more unified response during both daily operations and critical incidents. To learn more, visit LeoSight.com.

Media Contacts:

For LeoSight

Ally Ward
Marketing Manager
award@leosight.com

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Efectis Group Strengthens Its Presence in India with the Launch of Efectis India

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New subsidiary combines global fire safety expertise with local capabilities to support India’s infrastructure, industrial and energy ambitions

CHENNAI, India, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Efectis, a global leader in fire safety and explosion risk management, has officially launched Efectis India following the acquisition of a majority stake in AADIT, developed by entrepreneurs Mr. Anil Agarwal and Mr. Jothi Ramalingam. This strategic milestone marks a significant step in the Group’s long-term commitment to the Indian market.

With more than 70 years of experience as a testing institute, Efectis group has inaugurated a new fire testing facility in Chennai, dedicated to performing fire tests based on Indian, European and international standards. This is the first international fire testing laboratory in India, operated by a strong local team and supported by more than 300 fire experts from Efectis. The Group aims to support India’s development ambitions by providing internationally recognised fire safety expertise tailored to local needs.

The official launch was celebrated at a high-profile event in Chennai, organised with the support of Business France, reflecting Efectis’ ambition to become a trusted partner for India’s rapidly evolving construction, infrastructure, industrial and energy sectors.

The event, held at the Taj Club House Hotel, brought together the Consul General of France in Puducherry and Chennai, Mr. Etienne Roland-Piègue, along with representatives from industry, government institutions, technical organisations, academia and the wider French Indian business ecosystem. Throughout the event, speakers and industry professionals highlighted the need to further strengthen fire safety in India.

Efectis Supporting India’s Next Phase of Growth

India’s rapid urbanisation, large-scale infrastructure projects and industrial expansion are generating increasing demand for advanced safety, resilience and regulatory compliance solutions. In this context, Efectis India will offer a comprehensive range of services, including fire safety engineering, testing, certification, inspection, risk assessment, technical audits, training and compliance support.

Combining local presence with international experience, Efectis India will support safety improvement, developers, manufacturers, infrastructure operators, industrial facilities, energy transition projects, battery technologies and critical infrastructure. Efectis will be available to assist national and regional public authorities or their representatives in addressing evolving fire and explosion safety challenges linked to modern and scientific assessment methods. The new facility will make fire testing more accessible and cost-effective for manufacturers and project owners in India, while ensuring a direct link with recognized international and local practices.

The launch comes at a time when India is accelerating investments in smart cities, industrial corridors, logistics hubs, transportation networks and clean energy infrastructure. As these projects grow in scale and complexity, this investment in India aims to strongly contribute to the improvement of Indian safety in construction, transportation and energy development, ensuring life safety, and make safer international industrial investment.

A Long-Term Commitment to India

“The launch of Efectis India through a partnership with AADIT reflects our strong confidence in India’s long-term growth trajectory and our commitment to supporting the country’s ambitions with internationally recognised technical and scientific expertise in fire safety and risk management,” said Daniel Joyeux, President of the Efectis Group

“Our objective goes beyond delivering technical services. We want to build lasting partnerships with Indian stakeholders, contribute to skills development and support the creation of safer, more resilient infrastructure and industrial projects across the country. India is a strategic market for Efectis, and we look forward to working alongside our customers and partners in the years ahead.”

Through engineering expertise, testing and certification capabilities, technical training and regulatory support, Efectis India is positioning itself as a trusted long-term partner for safer buildings, more resilient infrastructure and sustainable industrial growth.

About Efectis

Efectis is an international third-party fire safety company, covering fire and explosion testing, inspection, certification, audits, investigation and engineering. With more than 70 years of experience, more than 350 professionals operating from 28 offices, 8 fire testing laboratories, and recognition as a certification body in 35 countries, Efectis supports clients throughout the entire project lifecycle. In 2025, the Group carried out more than 20,000 tests worldwide, serving sectors including construction, infrastructure, transport, energy, logistics, industry, batteries, and nuclear facilities. Based on a very strong technical and scientific background, Efectis Group actively participates in developing European and international standards and supports the improvement of national fire safety regulations.

Contact 
india@efectis.com  

Efectis headquarter                                                                                                         
Route de l’Orme des Merisiers 
91190 Saint-Aubin, France                                                                             

Fire And Explosion Safety Experts

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