20 locally led companies managing more than 5,000 homes come together to share infrastructure, technology and data, all under one roof.

NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pavilion, a national vacation rental company, launched today with 20 local companies managing more than 5,000 homes and welcoming approximately 50,000 guests each month across the United States.

Pavilion brings together successful local vacation rental companies that have built deep relationships with property owners and have real expertise in their markets. Each one stays locally led by the teams who built it, while gaining the resources and scale of a much larger organization. What sets Pavilion apart is who owns it. The leaders of its local companies become long-term shareholders, and together with the team running Pavilion itself, they own the majority of the business.

“The people who built these businesses are the core of Pavilion, and they should get the biggest share of the outcome,” said co-founder and chairman Joe Fraiman. “The typical industry playbook left founders with a small piece of someone else’s company. We’ve been founders in this industry ourselves, so we built the company we would have wanted to join.”

“We look for local companies that have built incredible relationships with their property owners, because those relationships are the heart of this business,” said Lino Maldonado, co-founder and CEO of Pavilion. “We see property owners as business owners. Our job is to put the best service, technology and people in the industry behind them so their business is worth more next year than it is today.”

Behind the local companies, Pavilion provides shared technology, data, owner reporting, accounting, revenue management, business development, purchasing and insurance. Its management team brings experience from Compass, Bridgewater Associates, Inhabit, Grand Welcome, Wyndham and Wheelhouse.

“Pavilion gave me a way to keep building my business while owning a piece of something much bigger,” said Steven Chrobak, founder of Myrtle Beach Destinations. “We have the tools and support we need to grow, and the only thing my homeowners have noticed is that we’ve gotten better.”

Pavilion is actively seeking more local vacation rental companies across the country. “We’re looking for builders,” said Brady Stump, co-founder of Pavilion. “People who have built something exceptional in their market and want the resources to make it substantially bigger. They are joining a collection of pioneers who own the company together, share what works, and solve problems as a team.”

Pavilion’s investors include TZP Group, investment funds managed by HPS Investment Partners (a part of BlackRock), and Capital Dynamics. PGIM, the global asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), served as the primary lender for the Pavilion platform. “Great hospitality companies shouldn’t have to choose between what makes them special and the advantages of scale,” said Paul Davis, partner at TZP Group. “Pavilion is designed to preserve the local knowledge, hospitality and entrepreneurial leadership that made these companies successful while giving them access to resources that are typically only available to much bigger companies.”

Pavilion’s 20 founding local companies are 30A Vacay, Akers Ellis, Beach Getaways, Blue Creek Cabins, Compass Resorts, Destin Pointe Realty, Enjoy Unique Stays, Executive Villas, Host & Keep, Kabino, Maui Paradise Properties, Myrtle Beach Destinations, Panhandle Getaways, Premium Beach Condos, Rent in Myrtle, Salt Water Vacations, Scenic Stays, Sea Mountain Vacations, Vacay Rental Network and Wild Oak Telluride. Blue Creek Cabins, Destin Pointe Realty, Premium Beach Condos and Rent in Myrtle have merged with one of the other local companies, so the group operates as 16 today.

Jefferies LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor and Cooley LLP acted as legal counsel.

About Pavilion
Pavilion is a national vacation rental company majority-owned by the people who run it. Its 20 local companies manage more than 5,000 homes and welcome approximately 50,000 guests each month in vacation destinations across the United States. Pavilion gives those companies shared technology, data, infrastructure and expertise while keeping the local teams and leaders behind each one. Pavilion was founded by Stakeholders, the firm Brandon Ezra, Joe Fraiman and Brady Stump started in 2025 to build national companies owned by the people who run them. For more information, visit pavilioncollection.com.
To learn more about Stakeholders, visit stakeholders.us.

About TZP Group
TZP Group, a multi-strategy investment firm managing approximately $2 billion across its family of funds, is focused on control, growth equity, debt and structured capital investments in technology, business services, and consumer companies. Founded in 2007, TZP targets companies with solid historical performance and sustainable value propositions and aims to be a “Partner of Choice” for business owners and management teams. TZP seeks to invest primarily in closely held, private companies in which the owners desire to retain a significant stake and partner with an investor with complementary operating and financial skills to accelerate company growth, increase profitability, and maximize the value of their retained stake. TZP leverages its investment professionals’ operating and investment experience to provide strategic and operational guidance and is dedicated to long-term value creation. TZP’s investment in Pavilion was led by Paul Davis, Geoff Allard, Alex Pfeffer, and Sam Dwinell. For more information, please visit www.tzpgroup.com.

About Capital Dynamics
Capital Dynamics is an independent global asset management firm focusing on private assets, including private equity (primaries, secondaries and direct investments) and clean energy.

Established in 1988, the Firm has extensive knowledge and experience developing solutions tailored to meet the exacting needs of a diverse and global client base of institutional and private wealth investors. Capital Dynamics oversees more than USD 15 billion in assets under management and advisement1, and employs approximately 150 professionals2 globally across 14 offices in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Capital Dynamics is a recognized industry leader in responsible investment, receiving top marks (Five Stars) from PRI across all categories and investment strategies, as well as in GRESB benchmarking for its clean energy strategy. For more information, please visit: www.capdyn.com.

About PGIM 
PGIM is the global asset management business of PFI. (NYSE: PRU), with $1.5 trillion in assets under management. 3 PGIM offers clients deep expertise across public and private asset classes, delivering a diverse range of investment strategies and tailored solutions—including fixed income, equities, real estate and alternatives. With 1,500+ investment professionals across 40 offices in 20 countries, we serve retail and institutional clients worldwide. For more information, visit pgim.com.

PFI of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom or with Prudential Assurance Company, a subsidiary of M&G plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom. For more information please visit news.prudential.com. 

1 As of June 30, 2026. Assets under Management are calculated based on the total commitments as of the final closing date for all funds currently managed by Capital Dynamics, including amounts that have been distributed. Assets under Advisement includes assets for which Capital Dynamics provides services such as reporting, monitoring and risk management.
2 Includes all full-time and part-time employees, as well as essential functions performed by temporary staff and long-term consultants
3 As of Jun. 30, 2026. Assets are rounded to the nearest full number.

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SOURCE Pavilion

From pioneering the category in the mid-1990s to driving its future, Playseat® continues to push racing simulation forward.

DOETINCHEM, Netherlands, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In the mid-nineties, Playseat® created the racing cockpit category, and ever since, has been an innovator and trailblazer, constantly pushing the boundaries of what simulation can be and how it should look and feel.

From developing new racing sub-categories, including the world’s first foldable racing seat and the first formula-position racing seat, to building strategic partnerships with top-tier names like Red Bull, Mercedes-AMG, PUMA, PlayStation, NASCAR and Formula 1®, they consistently turned new ideas into real experiences.

Playseat® is not stopping at racing. They’re opening new simulation categories like flight and heavy-duty machinery later this year. And true to its DNA, it now sets the new standard, again, with the next-generation racing cockpit.

“Since the first prototypes in 1996, we have continuously introduced new and unique products to unlock experiences and designs for everyone worldwide,” said Fernando Smit, President and founder of Playseat®. “We thrive on exploring, creating, and innovating, and you can see the market following every step we make. To make sure the latest and greatest will always be available, we are upping the game even more for the future.”

The next-generation racing cockpit has arrived

Playseat® is about to launch the Playseat® Evolution 2, the next-generation racing cockpit engineered to set a new standard in racing chairs and redefine what sim racers can expect from their setup. Born from the Playseat® Evolution, the simulator that created the home racing cockpit category, this next-generation Evolution carries that proven expertise forward. In a long tradition of innovative product introductions since the mid-90s, the Evolution 2 delivers unmatched versatility, expandability, and value, making it the most adaptable All-Round Racing cockpit on the market today.

About Playseat®

Playseat® created the racing cockpit category in the mid-nineties and has since been trailblazing the Racing, Flight and Farming simulation cockpit and Gaming chair categories. All products are fully patented, designed and engineered in the Netherlands, combining all-round versatility for everyday use with the highest level of quality, making it the go-to brand for simulation and gaming from beginner to pro.

Find Playseat® at playseat.com or @playseat.

Media Contact:
pr@playseat.com

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SOURCE Playseat®

LONDON, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On October 2nd, At the Royal Astronomical Society in London, Starmus Festival cofounders Sir Brian May and Garik Israelian awarded Professor Brian Cox the prestigious 2026 Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, recognising his outstanding contribution to bringing science to global audiences and inspiring millions through his work as a physicist, broadcaster and public communicator.

The Stephen Hawking Medal was established ten years ago by Professor Stephen Hawking, a board member of the STARMUS Festival, to honour individuals who bridge the gap between science and society through the arts, music and film.

Brian Cox says –
“It’s a great honour to receive the 2026 Stephen Hawking Medal from STARMUS, and particularly poignant for me because I was there with Stephen when the Medal was first announced 10 years ago. Astronomy is the oldest science, and in today’s fractured world I believe that striving to understand the Universe is more important than ever. Stephen believed in the search for knowledge for its own sake. ‘Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet’ was Stephen’s closing line all those years ago. For me that is what STARMUS, and science, and life, is all about.”

The Festival’s opening celebration on 17th October in Tenerife will unite science, music, and culture in an extraordinary evening featuring Andrea Bocelli, Sir Brian May and Sarah Brightman, accompanied by the Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra, alongside Rick Wakeman, Rusanda Panfili, and the STARMUS All Stars Band. The evening’s centrepiece will be the presentation of the Stephen Hawking Medal, marking a decade of outstanding contributions to public engagement with science. Due to his touring schedule, Brian Cox is unable to attend the ceremony in Tenerife and was therefore presented with the medal at the private ceremony at Royal Astronomical Society, which will be broadcast during the Festival’s opening celebration.

“Ten years ago, Stephen Hawking helped us launch a dream,” said Garik Israelian, co-founder of STARMUS. “Today, we celebrate not only what has been achieved, but also the extraordinary community that has grown around the idea that science belongs to everyone. We are delighted to be awarding Brian Cox on this occasion.”

Brian May, co-founder of STARMUS, added: “The Stephen Hawking Medal was born from a shared belief that science should inspire people far beyond the scientific community. Ten years later, its message is more important than ever. At a time when truth, evidence, and critical thinking are increasingly challenged, we are proud to celebrate those who help bring science, wonder, and understanding to the world. I am delighted that this year’s Starmus is honouring Brian Cox whose uniquely powerful presentations have dramatically changed the way the general public view the world.”

As well as presenting Brian Cox with the impressive medal, Brian May and Garik Israelian also gifted him a unique OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch crafted in 18K Moonshine™ Gold. 

The three discussed astronomy, humanity, music, AI, the universe, and the enduring legacy of Stephen Hawking, a decade after he and the STARMUS co-founders established the medal to celebrate outstanding contributions to science communication.

The Stephen Hawking Medal Ceremony 2026 will take place at – Starmus VIII: The Search for Truth, including a concert with Brian May, Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman celebrating the union between science and music.
17–22 October, Tenerife & La Palma.  Tickets available www.starmus.com

About STARMUS Festival  
Founded by astrophysicist Garik Israelian and musician, astrophysicist, and Queen guitarist Sir Brian May, STARMUS is a global festival of science, exploration, music, and art that brings together Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, scientists, thinkers, artists and musicians to celebrate human curiosity, creativity, and discovery. For the full list of speakers and musicians at Starmus VIII (17 – 22 October 2026) please visit www.starmus.com 

About The Stephen Hawking Medal
The bronze design has two particularly significant sides:

One side of the medal features a portrait of Stephen Hawking, created by Alexei Leonov, the Soviet/Russian cosmonaut who was the first person to conduct a spacewalk.The other side combines an image of Leonov during his historic spacewalk with Brian May’s “Red Special” guitar, symbolising the meeting of science, exploration, art and music—the core philosophy of the Starmus Festival.

Previous recipients include Christopher Nolan, Sir David Attenborough and The Big Bang Theory.

About OMEGA and the Speedmaster Moonwatch
OMEGA is a prestigious Swiss watchmaker and member of the Swatch Group Ltd. Since 1848, the brand has been synonymous with excellence, innovation and precision, as well as a pioneering spirit, demonstrated by conquests of the oceans and space.

 In particular, the OMEGA Speedmaster has been trusted by astronauts and international space agencies since the 1960s, most famously during all six moon landings in history. As part of the brand’s commitment to science, exploration, and the pursuit of knowledge, OMEGA has formed an enduring 10-year partnership with STARMUS. Each recipient of the Stephen Hawking Medal receives a golden Speedmaster Moonwatch. For the 2026 edition, Starmus VIII, the special Speedmaster Moonwatch in 18K Moonshine™ Gold features a smoked sapphire glass caseback, which has been uniquely engraved in white to depict the medal itself. The caseback carries the words “WINNER OF THE STEPHEN HAWKING MEDAL FOR SCIENCE COMMUNICATION”.

US: Dan DuPont, dupont0708@gmail.com, +1 202 380 7558; UK/EU: Nicole Ettinger, nicole@ettingerpr.com, +44 7515 394107; Spain, Carlos Esteban, cesteban@llys.global, +34 699 55 2854; Pablo Mate Sanllorente, pablo.mate@llyc.global, +34 656 53 7287

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SOURCE Starmus Foundation