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Grace Hill Acquires The Shadow Agency to Leverage Mystery Shopping Expertise

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Move positions Grace Hill to expand and evolve solutions for the multifamily industry

IRVING, Texas, July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Grace Hill, the innovator of talent and performance management solutions for commercial and multifamily real estate, today announced the acquisition of The Shadow Agency, a full-service mystery shopping company providing services to numerous industries, including multifamily real estate, home building and retail operations. The companies will combine technology, solutions and personnel to offer an elevated mystery shopping experience for its customers.

Mystery shopping captures valuable data about the customer shopping experience across several industries. For multifamily, operators utilize this service to capture essential insights and data about the renter experience, enabling them to gain an accurate understanding of their staff and operational performance. Grace Hill is committed to providing best-in-class solutions to improve property performance and development, and this partnership will enable a superior mystery shopping experience, recorded telephone shopping and traditional onsite evaluations.

“The Shadow Agency CEO Russell Wood and his team have developed a world-class mystery shopping business with a deep understanding of the housing industry, including multifamily,” said Grace Hill’s CEO, Kendall Pretzer. “This acquisition will leverage the expertise of both companies and we are confident that together, we are better positioned to serve the mystery shopping industry as a whole and continue to exceed real estate’s current mystery shopping capabilities. The customer-first approach to service at The Shadow Agency, as well as the company’s core values and mission, align perfectly with Grace Hill’s.”

Established in 1994, The Shadow Agency offers a first-rate customer experience with over a 95% completion rate. The agency pioneered the video mystery shopping industry and then expanded to provide customers with a diverse mix of mystery shops, including video, in-person, phone, virtual and the internet. The Shadow Agency employees will join the Grace Hill brand.

“The decision to join the Grace Hill family was an easy one. Grace Hill and The Shadow Agency both understand the immense value of tangible feedback in multifamily and CRE, as well as building strong relationships with customers. We have come to know and trust the company and its leadership team,” Wood said. “This partnership will enable us to build upon the goal of improving operations while delivering critical insights for owners and operators.”

Grace Hill has created a new mystery shopping department headed by Jennifer Blankenship, who currently serves as the company’s vice president of support services. This latest acquisition by Grace Hill, a subsidiary of Aurora Capital Partners, continues to broaden the company’s mystery shopping solutions. In 2022, Grace Hill acquired mystery shopping provider Ellis.

About Aurora Capital Partners
Aurora Capital Partners is a leading private equity firm focused principally on control investments in middle-market companies with leading market positions, stable industry dynamics, attractive business model characteristics and actionable opportunities for growth in partnership with management. Aurora provides unique resources to its portfolio companies through its Strategy & Operations Program and its team of experienced operating advisors. Aurora’s investors include leading public and corporate pension funds, endowments and foundations active in private equity investing. For more information about Aurora Capital Partners, visit: www.auroracap.com.

About Grace Hill
Grace Hill provides technology-enabled performance solutions that help owners and operators of real estate properties increase property performance, reduce operating risk and grow top talent. Its industry-leading solutions covering policy, training, assessment, survey and data-driven insights are bolstered by years of real estate experience, in-depth service-level expertise and outstanding customer support. Today, more than 500,000 real estate professionals from more than 2,300 companies rely on talent performance solutions from Grace Hill. Visit us at gracehill.com or on LinkedIn.

About The Shadow Agency
The Shadow Agency is a nationwide full-service Mystery Shopping company serving various industries, including property management companies, new home builders and retail operations. Since pioneering Video Mystery Shopping in 1994, The Shadow Agency has led the industry with innovative solutions, including web-based reporting and secure server content distribution. Clients leverage mystery shopping services to capture crucial data on customer experiences in order to enhance performance. The agency offers video mystery shopping, recorded telephone shopping, and traditional onsite evaluations. To learn more, visit theshadowagency.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grace-hill-acquires-the-shadow-agency-to-leverage-mystery-shopping-expertise-302204736.html

SOURCE Grace Hill

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Submarine Networks World x Subsea Security World 2026 – enacting GUIDE starts here!

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Submarine Networks World x Subsea Security World 2026: the flagship annual event for the global subsea industry returns to Singapore

SINGAPORE, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Submarine Networks World 2026 (organised by Terrapinn), steps up another level and will be welcoming over 1,500 subsea fibre leaders and 150+ industry speakers from across the globe to Sands EXPO & Convention Centre in Singapore on September 23rd and 24th.

The introduction of the new Subsea Security World theatre, focused on the biggest talking point of the last twelve months, increases attendance and participation from security sector specialists, national and regional government entities, navy, coastguard, policymakers and academics from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania.

“Subsea cables connect the world and protecting them has never mattered more. With the launch of Subsea Security World alongside our flagship event, 2026 brings together the commercial and security sides of the industry in one place for the first time. We’re thrilled to welcome back the global subsea community, as well as the policy makers and defence specialists shaping its future, to Singapore for what will be the largest edition yet, and the edition the industry has been waiting for”, Paul Clark, Managing Director (Asia), Terrapinn.

Everyone from cable owners/operators, consortium members, technology providers, innovators, consultants, service partners, government entities, financiers, surveying companies – the whole industry – will be onsite at the true ‘one-stop shop’ for any subsea cable project.

Meet with more than 80 sponsors, exhibitors and partners, including Title Sponsor – Nokia, Diamond Sponsors – Ciena and HMN Tech and Gold Sponsors ASN, APTelecom, BAE Systems, Center3, Digital Realty, EXFO, FiberHome, Fibersense, Huawei, Prysmian, ShinewayTech, SMD, Solwake, Starboard Maritime Intelligence and Telecom Egypt.

Attendees will hear from 150+ influential speakers from every inhabited continent around the world. Both mornings begin with the daily Keynote sessions, followed by 4 specialist theatres each day – Strategy, Cable, Data Centres & CLS, Network, O&M and Subsea Security World.

Keynote Speakers include:

Alan Mauldin, Research Director, TeleGeography Andy Palmer-Felgate, Submarine Cable Engineer, MetaGiuseppe Valentino, VP Product Management, Backbone & Infrastructure Solutions, SparkleNelson McMillan, Royal Navy Maritime Domain Awareness Adviser, Southeast Asia, UK Ministry of DefenceKent Bressie, Partner – HWG LLP / Legal Advisor, ICPC Nadia Krivetz, Director, Cable Resilience & Connectivity Centre, DFAT AustraliaCaptain Brett Dawe, Chief of Navy Liaison Officer to the Republic of Singapore Navy, Royal Australian NavySean Bergin, President & Co-Founder, APTelecomBevan Slattery, Founder, SUBCOMark Procter, Deputy CEO, Stavian HighTech InfrastructureAmbrogio Michetti, Chief Corporate & Revenue Officer, SparkleAmajit Gupta, Group CEO and MD, LightstormJim Fagan, Chief Executive Officer, EXA InfrastructureSasha Pearson, Policy Analyst, European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM)Woon Sien Loh, Senior Director, Infrastructure Planning & Market Development, Info-Communications Media Development Authority (IMDA)Emily Kiernan, Head of Strategy and Investments, Telstra Digital InfrastructureRobert Pepper, Senior Fellow, Global Digital Inclusion PartnershipWalid Wakim, Chief Technology Officer of Systems, NokiaSavy Wei, Senior Network Solution Manager, HMN TechAmit Malik, Vice President, APJI Sales, Ciena

For event information and the full conference agenda, visit https://www.terrapinn.com/ExperienceSNW2026

PRNewswire is the Official Media Partner of Submarine Networks World x Subsea Security World 2026.

Press attendance is complimentary. Enquiries should be directed to:
Jessica Foong
Terrapinn Pte Ltd
Jessica.foong@terrapinn.com

About Submarine Networks World x Subsea Security World 2026:
Submarine Networks World x Subsea Security World 2026 will take place on 23-24 September 2026 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore. Firmly established as the world’s largest annual gathering of the global subsea communications community, Submarine Networks World is the dedicated platform to exchange knowledge, explore the latest projects, develop strategies and form lucrative new partnerships to drive the industry forward. For 2026, Subsea Security World joins the event for the first time, bringing together the public, private and policy-making stakeholders shaping the future of cable security and protection.

About Terrapinn: 
Terrapinn has been sparking ideas, innovations and relationships that transform business for over 30 years. Using our global footprint, we bring innovators, disrupters and change agents together, discussing and demonstrating the technology, strategies and personalities that are changing the way the world does business. Whether you’re looking to make new connections, introduce a product or inspire change in your industry, we invite you to join us as agitators of change. Terrapinn – spark something.

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SOURCE Terrapinn Pte Ltd

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Iyuno’s Strategic Approach: Multi-Agent AI, Built Around Context

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Specialized AI agents are becoming an industry-wide shift. Iyuno applied that approach to one of media’s hardest problems: giving AI a memory that holds up across scenes, episodes, and seasons.

BURBANK, Calif., Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Iyuno, the world’s largest media localization company, today detailed the multi-agent engineering behind CLOE’s Contextual Memory, built on the belief that applying specialized AI agents to a narrow, well-defined problem outperforms brute-force scale.

Most enterprise AI deployments chase scale — bigger models, bigger context windows, bigger compute bills — and still lose narrative continuity across long-form video. CLOE takes a different approach, built on three principles:

Vertical Multi-Agent Orchestration. Instead of one monolithic model, a network of hyper-specialized micro-agents each performs a specific function, such as character relationship mapping, emotional intent, prosodic matching, or brand compliance, instead of relying on a single system to perform every task.High-Density, Low-Token Prompting. Raw video, audio, and script are synthesized into a structured knowledge graph first; agents work from compressed, high-signal context vectors instead of massive raw inputs, cutting token consumption and inference cost per title.Persistent Graph Memory. Agent outputs converge into one persistent ontology graph instead of being discarded after each task, so understanding compounds across a title, season, or franchise without compounding inference cost.

“Our focus was never building the biggest AI system—it was building the right one for media,” said David Lee, Founder & CEO of Iyuno. “For a broad, general-purpose problem, bigger models and more compute make sense. For a specialized domain like entertainment, that scale doesn’t buy you the thing that actually matters: narrative continuity. Specialized agents working off precise, high-density context get us state-of-the-art understanding at a fraction of the footprint, and that footprint doesn’t grow with catalog size the way monolithic approaches do. Every title we process makes the graph more capable, not more expensive to run.”

This architecture already runs Iyuno’s commercial suite: CLOE Enterprise (SaaS), CLOE Sub, CLOE Script, CLOE Dub, and CLOE Live — in live studio and streaming production today. Future announcements will detail how it extends into CLOE Skills across accessibility, marketing, and additional workflows.

About Iyuno

Iyuno (www.iyuno.com) is a leading provider of localization services for the media and entertainment industry. Trusted by top entertainment brands and creators worldwide, Iyuno offers comprehensive end-to-end localization services from 40 offices across 29 countries. Backed by a team of exceptional creative and technical talent, state-of-the-art facilities, and cutting-edge technologies, Iyuno proudly boasts the largest global footprint amplifying its dubbing, subtitling and media services offerings. The company is also the creator of CLOE, a contextual intelligence platform that transforms content into structured understanding, enabling AI-powered workflows across localization, accessibility, marketing, and emerging content experiences.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iyunos-strategic-approach-multi-agent-ai-built-around-context-302875036.html

SOURCE Iyuno

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Nel ASA: Enters framework agreement with Hydrasun as a European integration partner for PEM electrolyser solutions

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OSLO, Norway, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Nel ASA (Nel) (OSE: NEL) has entered into a framework agreement with Hydrasun to establish dedicated assembly and integration capabilities for the MC Series, Nel’s modular and scalable PEM technology platform. With this partnership, Nel gains an experienced integration partner in Europe, complementing its existing integration setup in the US and widening its delivery capabilities for the European market. Nel’s PEM stack production will continue at Nel’s Wallingford, Connecticut facility in the US.

Under the agreement, Hydrasun will develop production capabilities for the assembly and integration of Nel’s containerized PEM technology platform. Hydrasun will procure, integrate, and manufacture the balance of plant systems surrounding the electrolyser stack, enabling delivery of a fully integrated, modular, and containerized electrolyser offering, while stack production continues to be done by Nel from its Wallingford facility. The collaboration gives Nel an experienced integration partner in Europe at a time of growing demand for standardized, modular electrolyser solutions. It will expand Nel’s manufacturing flexibility and strengthen supply chain resilience, while bringing production capabilities closer to key growth markets. Hydrasun’s initiative is supported by the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Fund and will see Hydrasun invest in and upgrade its Aberdeen facilities to support clean technology manufacturing.

“This agreement marks a defining moment in Hydrasun’s evolution. For 50 years we’ve supported the energy industry in the areas of fluid transfer, power and control solutions, and clean energy, this investment builds directly on that industrial capability,” says James Gaskell, Chief Executive at Hydrasun. “Establishing Scotland’s first electrolyser assembly and integration facility is a proud milestone for the company and an important step forward for Aberdeen’s energy sector more broadly, ensuring the city has genuine clean energy manufacturing capability.”

The project is expected to contribute to the development of Scotland’s clean energy manufacturing sector by building on existing industrial competence in Aberdeen, supporting skills development, supply chain activity, and high-value employment. Hydrasun has stated that the initiative has the potential to create up to 12 new jobs while safeguarding a further 11 existing roles.

“We are pleased to be working with Hydrasun to establish an experienced European integration partner for our standardized PEM electrolyser solutions, the MC Series. As demand for standardized, modular systems grows, this collaboration enhances our ability to serve key markets while creating greater flexibility and scalability across our production network,” says Tushar Ghuwalewala, SVP PEM Operations at Nel.

For additional information, please contact:

Kjell Christian Bjørnsen, CFO, +47 917 02 097
Wilhelm Flinder, Head of IR, Communications and Marketing, +47 936 11 350

About Nel ASA | www.nelhydrogen.com 

Nel has a history tracing back to 1927 and is today a leading pure play hydrogen technology company with a global presence. The company specializes in PEM and Alkaline electrolyser technology for production of renewable hydrogen. Nel’s product offerings are key enablers for a green hydrogen economy, making it possible to decarbonize various industries such as transportation, refining, steel, and ammonia.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/nel-asa/r/nel-asa–enters-framework-agreement-with-hydrasun-as-a-european-integration-partner-for-pem-electrol,c4392033

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