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Television New Zealand Partners with Quickplay to Fully Transform Their OTT Platform, Evolving the Broadcaster into a World-Class Digital Platform

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AUCKLAND, New Zealand and TORONTO, April 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Quickplay today announced that it has designed and implemented a comprehensive, cloud-native transformation of the Television New Zealand’s streaming platform, TVNZ+. The landmark project has been built on a new operating system, offering a suite of new services and leveraging AI tools to provide a more personalized experience for viewers. The technology overhaul will drive unprecedented innovation and efficiency for TVNZ, New Zealand’s state-owned broadcaster, which reaches over two million New Zealanders daily.

 Completed in just 12 months, Quickplay replaced a fragmented ecosystem of six+ vendors across UI/UX, content management, video processing, advertising and analytics with a single, unified platform. The team at TVNZ also named Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its preferred cloud platform for the transformation, further increasing efficiencies and lowering costs by consolidating onto a single cloud vendor. Quickplay is available in AWS Marketplace and recently joined the AWS Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Accelerate Program; the TVNZ project marks the first full-scale transformation delivered through the Quickplay AWS partnership.

“At TVNZ our ambition is clear: to be New Zealand’s number one streaming platform for entertainment, sport and trusted news. TVNZ+ already stands shoulder-to-shoulder with global streamers in our market, but standing still is not an option. To reach more Kiwis than anyone else in an increasingly digital world we knew we needed to make a step change. said Rob Hutchinson, Chief Digital Officer, TVNZ. “Working in lockstep with Quickplay we’re delivering something genuinely transformative – and at rapid pace. We’ve simplified our technology stack, reduced complexity and built a platform that lets us move faster and innovate harder. Every efficiency we unlock behind the scenes means a richer experience for New Zealand audiences.”

 Key Innovations include:

A Co-viewing capability: As a predominantly free-to-air broadcaster, advertising is of immense importance to TVNZ. Over 70% of TVNZ+ viewing happens over Connected TVs, where multiple people watch together. With this new feature, TVNZ can pass co-viewer data to the ad stack in real time, enabling them to put each ad into context based on what’s being watched and who’s watching.A unified Live Operations console with “Red Button” Live Ad Insertion: A new, streamlined console, powered by AWS Elemental Media Services, allows TVNZ to manage live channels and events with ad marker insertion via a single interface.Deep CTV Integration: This feature allows TVNZ content to be surfaced to viewers outside of the TVNZ+ app, directly within the CTV homepage.Consolidated Operations: Quickplay’s platform replaces existing systems for video CMS, live operations, UI, and data analytics.Scaling with Cloud: Migrated to a robust AWS cloud infrastructure to support significant concurrent viewership for a range of programs and events, such as the evening news and upcoming World Cup coverage. The live streaming of channels, sports and ad insertion on live TV and VOD is built on AWS Elemental Media Services and integrates Amazon Cloudfront (CDN).Enhanced Monetization: The system includes sophisticated ad-funded (AVOD) features, including sponsored rails, carousels, and pause-ad functionality to maximize revenue.Future-Ready Architecture: The platform integrates Evergent for advanced user management and billing, enabling TVNZ to introduce premium paid content and events for the first time.

“TVNZ has become a powerhouse of innovation, which is particularly unique for the public broadcast segment. They knew that to deliver what their viewers were after, they had to transition to a streamlined, high-performance platform,” said Goutham Vinjamuri, COO of Quickplay. “With that in mind, we built TVNZ a content-to-value operating system that offers their viewers what they want and makes their content library commercially liquid. This evolution illustrates that when you connect a trusted brand to a native-AI ecosystem, you don’t just survive the digital shift – you lead it.”

At The NAB Streaming Summit, TVNZ’s Rob Hutchinson will talk about the powerful features of this brand new platform when he presents “How TVNZ+ Built a Co-Viewing Product that Turns Additional Viewers into Traditional Reach” on Tuesday, April 21 at 11:30am PT.

To schedule a meeting with Quickplay at NAB, email help@quickplay.com.

About TVNZ 
TVNZ (Te Reo Tātaki) is New Zealand’s national broadcaster. We’re at the heart of the moments that matter to Aotearoa, reaching more than 2 million Kiwis through broadcast channels TVNZ 1, 2, DUKE and online platform, TVNZ+. Our purpose is to inspire conversations that shape our nation and enrich the lives of all New Zealanders – connecting Kiwis through trusted journalism, live sport, and world-class entertainment. Every day, across every screen, we reflect who we are and imagine who we might be with stories that inform, challenge, and engage. Visit us at tvnz.co.nz.

About Quickplay:
Quickplay is the Content to Value Operating System for media and entertainment, connecting every stage of the content lifecycle, from creation to monetization. By applying intelligence where it drives measurable impact, Quickplay enables broadcasters, sports operators, streamers, and creators to turn their catalogs into revenue. Quickplay powers 2.5 billion streaming minutes per month, with 5 billion ad impressions served and 99.999% streaming uptime. Quickplay was founded by four innovators with deep media and entertainment technology experience from AT&T, McKinsey and Company, The Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Headquartered in Toronto, the company has offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Chennai, and throughout Europe. For more information, visit quickplay.com.

Media Contacts:
Emily Amey for TVNZ
Emily.Amey@tvnz.co.nz

Breakaway Communications for Quickplay
Quickplaypr@breakawaycom.com
+1 917 731 5734

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SOURCE Quickplay

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Shoplazza Launches the World’s First AI-Native Commerce Operating System with a Unified Suite of AI Agents

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TORONTO, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Shoplazza, a leading global commerce platform, announced the launch of the world’s first AI native commerce operating system recently, along with a unified suite of AI agents designed to execute across the entire ecommerce lifecycle. The release marks a major step forward in the company’s evolution from a traditional software platform to an AI-driven commerce infrastructure built for global scale.

At the core of the system is Shoplazza AI Store Builder, an intelligent agent that fundamentally changes how online stores are created. Instead of configuring tools manually, merchants can now generate fully functional, ready to sell storefronts through simple natural language input. By interpreting product information, target markets, and customer profiles, the system automatically builds site architecture, generates localized content, and provides initial go to market recommendations. What once required weeks of setup can now be completed in minutes, with a complete store and launch ready foundation.

Shoplazza also introduced LazzaStudio, an AI powered visual creation agent that streamlines how merchants produce content at scale. From product imagery to marketing creatives and campaign visuals, LazzaStudio transforms traditionally complex production workflows into a prompt driven process. With built in brand learning capabilities, the system generates consistent, high quality assets tailored for global audiences, enabling merchants to deploy content seamlessly across storefronts and advertising channels while significantly reducing production time and cost.

To complete the growth loop, Shoplazza launched AdValet, an AI advertising agent that automates campaign execution end to end. AdValet translates product data and market signals into audience targeting, creative generation, media planning, and campaign deployment. During live campaigns, it continuously monitors performance and dynamically optimizes outcomes through real time feedback and model iteration. This shifts advertising from manual, experience based trial and error to a system of continuous, AI-driven performance optimization.

These agents operate together within Shoplazza’s AI-native commerce operating system, where merchant intent is translated directly into coordinated execution. By unifying store creation, content production, and marketing into a single system, Shoplazza replaces fragmented workflows with an integrated layer of automation that enables faster, more predictable growth.

Shoplazza currently supports more than 650,000 merchants worldwide. With its AI-native architecture, the platform brings together previously disconnected capabilities into a single intelligent system, delivering improvements in efficiency, scalability, and operational reliability for businesses operating in increasingly complex global markets.

Looking ahead, Shoplazza will introduce Athena very soon, an AI admin agent designed to extend automation into day to day business management. Covering areas such as product management, order processing, analytics, and content operations, Athena allows merchants to interact with the system conversationally while orchestrating multiple agents in the background. This will complete a fully connected agent ecosystem spanning store creation, creative production, marketing execution, and ongoing operations.

“Commerce has reached a point where adding more tools no longer solves the problem,” said Jeff Li, Founder and CEO of Shoplazza. “What merchants need is a system that can understand intent and execute across the entire business. That is what we are building with our AI native commerce operating system. It is not just about making things easier. It is about making outcomes more predictable, scalable, and aligned with how modern commerce actually operates.”

About Shoplazza

Shoplazza is a global AI-native commerce operating system that enables brands to build, launch, and scale their online businesses. Built on an AI agent-native framework, Shoplazza integrates storefronts, marketing, payments, and operational workflows into a unified system designed to support scalable, long-term growth across global markets. Learn more at https://www.shoplazza.com/.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shoplazza-launches-the-worlds-first-ai-native-commerce-operating-system-with-a-unified-suite-of-ai-agents-302746904.html

SOURCE Shoplazza

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Pricer and JRTech Solutions sign 51 MUSD digital store transformation deal with Sobeys in Canada

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MONTREAL, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ – Pricer AB, a global leader in digital shelf-edge solutions, announces that its Canadian partner JRTech Solutions has signed a major agreement with Sobeys, one of Canada’s leading supermarket chains. The contract includes the deployment of Pricer’s latest electronic shelf label (ESL) technology and the cloud-based platform Pricer Plaza across an estimated 300–350 stores.

The agreement covers the supply of multicolor electronic shelf labels and the necessary store infrastructure, with a total hardware and infrastructure value of approximately 51 MUSD (excluding Pricer Plaza). The deployment is scheduled for an 18-month period starting in May 2026.

“We are very grateful for the trust and that Sobeys has once again chosen Pricer as its long-term strategic partner,” says Mats Arnehall, Chief Growth Officer at Pricer. “This deal confirms our leading position in the North American market and the value of our high-performance system in high-density retail environments. Our scalable cloud platform, Pricer Plaza, will be the intelligence behind every label, enabling Sobeys to act faster and work smarter.”

“After years of close collaboration and shared success, we’re proud to grow our partnership with Sobeys even further with an expanded rollout,” says Diego Mazzone, President and CEO of JRTech Solutions. “That momentum is driven by our ability to consistently deliver reliable, high-quality solutions in complex retail environments. Together, we are positioning our digital smart labels at the heart of a broader digital transformation, driving operational excellence, unlocking real-time intelligence, and creating meaningful value for both Sobeys and their customers.”

Orders will be included in Pricer’s order intake as they are received.

About JRTech Solutions
JRTech Solutions Inc. is the leading North American turnkey Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) provider and the largest worldwide distributor of Pricer ESLs, involved in over 2,000 store installations since 2008. JRTech Solutions is the exclusive Canadian provider of AI-powered inventory scanning robotics powered by Brain Corp for automated inventory management.
For further information: www.jrtechsolutions.com

About Pricer
Pricer is a pioneer and partner for in-store communication and digitalization in the rapidly evolving retail tech landscape. As a global technology leader, we empower leading retailers worldwide to shape effortless and inspiring shopping experiences that fundamentally change buying behaviors, boost sales, and drive operational efficiency. Leveraging cutting-edge innovation, we deliver scalable, high-performing solutions that easily integrate with existing systems, are energy-efficient, and user-friendly. Founded in Sweden in 1991 and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, Pricer has delivered over 380 million electronic shelf labels in more than 28,000 stores across more than 80 countries.
For further information, please visit www.pricer.com

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SOURCE JRTECH SOLUTIONS INC.

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Mitate Zepto Technica Joins JST’s Next-generation Edge AI Semiconductor R&D Program as Social Implementation Partner

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– MZT to Lead Product Commercialization through Its Genome-analysis Accelerator “RASEN” –

TOKYO, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mitate Zepto Technica, Inc. (hereinafter “MZT”), based in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, announced on April 20 that it has joined the national research initiative “Next-Generation Edge AI Semiconductor Research and Development Program” promoted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). MZT participates as a designated social implementation and commercialization partner for the research theme “Accelerating Edge Intelligence for AI for Science” (Principal Investigator: Makoto Taiji, Program Director, TRIP Headquarters, RIKEN).

Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202604167540-O1-5Sz6I68Q 

This research theme aims to achieve advanced computational infrastructure through the integration of AI technology and next-generation edge semiconductors, with genome analysis as one of its key application domains. MZT participates as an organization responsible for the productization and social implementation of research outcomes through its proprietary genome-analysis accelerator “RASEN.”

Background

Since its founding in 2020, MZT has pursued a distinctive approach to genome analysis: purpose-built ASIC acceleration. Following technology validation through joint research with Tohoku University and other partners, MZT now participates as an R&D institution responsible for social implementation under this research theme.

MZT’s Role in the Program

Within this research theme, MZT will integrate AI research outcomes from RIKEN and Tohoku University into the RASEN architecture, and lead the R&D work toward social implementation through ASIC development and productization. As the industrial partner bridging research and real-world deployment, the company targets social implementation by 2029.

Program Overview

Research theme: Accelerating edge intelligence for AI for science
Promoting agency: Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Principal investigator: Makoto Taiji, Program Director, TRIP Headquarters, RIKEN
Participating institutions: RIKEN, Tohoku University, Keio University, Mitate Zepto Technica
MZT’s participation start: April 2026 (FY2026)
JST program period: FY2025 onwards

Comment from Keisuke Harashima, President & CEO, Mitate Zepto Technica:
“It is a tremendous honor that we can lead the social implementation of this research theme through the acceleration of genome analysis via dedicated semiconductors — a challenge we have pursued since MZT’s founding. RASEN is at exactly the right inflection point, transitioning from research to real-world deployment. We will use this participation to accelerate commercialization across healthcare, drug discovery, and research infrastructure.”

About RASEN

RASEN is MZT’s proprietary genome-analysis accelerator under development, built on a purpose-designed ASIC architecture. In internal validation, RASEN has demonstrated the ability to complete whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis in approximately 5 minutes on a standard workstation — without the need for supercomputers or high-performance computing infrastructure. In independent validation studies conducted with Tohoku University, RASEN achieved 99.8% concordance with conventional analysis methods across 12 samples, confirming that its speed advantage does not come at the cost of accuracy.

About Mitate Zepto Technica

Mitate Zepto Technica is a Japanese deep-tech startup developing purpose-built semiconductor solutions for genome analysis. By harnessing cutting-edge chip technology, MZT aims to deliver transformative speed improvements in genomic computation –contributing to the resolution of global challenges in healthcare, food security, and energy through its proprietary products.

Website: https://mitatezeptotechnica.com/en/company/ 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mitate-zepto-technica-joins-jsts-next-generation-edge-ai-semiconductor-rd-program-as-social-implementation-partner-302746768.html

SOURCE Mitate Zepto Technica, Inc.

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