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Shepherd and Brickeye Partner to Bring IoT Risk Intelligence Into Autonomous Underwriting

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Construction’s safest builders have had no structured way to earn better Builder’s Risk coverage terms for the loss-prevention technology they deploy. Shepherd and Brickeye are the first to change that.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Shepherd, the AI-native commercial insurance platform, and Brickeye, the IoT-enabled construction risk intelligence platform, today announced a partnership integrating Brickeye’s BuildersRiskIQ™ risk intelligence directly into Shepherd’s underwriting model. The result: a verified, real-time view of physical risk on every protected project and better terms for builders who invest in protection.

Protecting Job Sites Should Reward Builders and Owners. Now It Does.

Shepherd Savings rewards builders for the technology they use to run safer, better-protected projects. The program began on casualty products, recognizing contractors who adopt tools for project management, reality capture, and jobsite documentation. It now covers Builder’s Risk, and Brickeye brings the jobsite intelligence that makes it possible.

Brickeye is the first Builder’s Risk partner in the program. Brickeye actively prevents loss: catching a burst water line and triggering shut-off before it floods a floor, or flagging thermal conditions in mass concrete before they turn into defects. Water damage and concrete quality are two of the costliest loss drivers in construction, and Brickeye works on both. Its platform monitors and mitigates risk across 4,500+ projects in 20+ countries. Brickeye has grown revenue 150% year over year, and has helped clients cut water loss deductibles by up to 50%.

Builders who put Brickeye on their projects receive a tiered protection classification, verified by a Certificate of Protection and based on the contracted scope of IoT services. That classification earns better terms, premium credits or lower deductibles through Shepherd Savings.

Verified Protection from IoT Data, Priced In From Day One

That same classification enters Shepherd’s underwriting model at the moment of pricing. Shepherd has spent two years replacing weeks-long, email-driven underwriting with an AI platform that prices complex construction risk in minutes, and Brickeye’s verified, structured data is exactly the kind of input that makes that model sharper. Shepherd has issued 1,500+ policies covering $400B+ in insured project value and grown revenue 7x in 24 months.

As insured projects close out, the correlation between protection tier and actual claims outcomes becomes pricing and structure intelligence no competitor can replicate. Every project that closes adds a verified signal to how Shepherd prices the next one. For Brickeye, it validates what each protection tier actually delivers, real claims outcomes that prove the value of IoT risk controls in the field. For insurance brokers, this partnership creates a differentiator: the ability to place clients who invest in risk mitigation at better terms than the standard market can offer. And for owners, this program eliminates the uncertainty and lender issues that can come along with potentially $1M+ water damage deductibles.

Better Data Means a Smarter Model

Autonomous systems rely on their inputs. Brickeye’s verified jobsite intelligence is precisely what enables Shepherd’s fully autonomous model to earn more authority to act and price with precision over time. The model compounds with each project that closes.

“De-risking a project starts before breaking ground. We assess design and risk in preconstruction, then deploy the IoT controls that inform how the project should be protected and underwritten,” said Tim Angus, CEO of Brickeye. “From there, our platform mitigates risk in real time, catching a burst water line and triggering shut-off before it floods a site, or flagging thermal conditions in mass concrete before they cause defects. Until now, all that intelligence lived on the jobsite and never informed the underwriting decision. With Shepherd, it does, and the builders who protect their projects pay less for it.”

“We built Shepherd on the thesis that, given the total cost of risk in large construction, financial services providers like us are uniquely positioned to incentivize loss prevention for the mutual benefit of ourselves and our customers,” said Justin Levine, Co-Founder and CEO of Shepherd. “Brickeye gives us a verified, upfront picture of exactly how a Builder’s Risk account is being protected, plus real-time physical-risk intelligence as it’s built. That is precisely the kind of proprietary, structured input that lets our model earn more authority and act with more autonomy and precision over time.”

The partnership initially covers U.S. Builder’s Risk for vertical construction, with a focus on water damage mitigation, expanding to include concrete quality and defect risk mitigation on infrastructure and heavy civil projects as the partnership grows. Together, Shepherd and Brickeye are solving a structural gap in a $5B global market where verified jobsite data has never informed the price.

About Shepherd

Shepherd is an AI-native insurance technology platform making risk frictionless for builders and operators shaping the physical world. The company combines proprietary AI underwriting technology, real-time construction data integrations, and deep industry expertise to deliver commercial insurance with speed, precision, and intelligence. Shepherd insures construction, infrastructure, and energy projects for companies ranging from mid-market general contractors to the firms building frontier AI infrastructure. Shepherd is headquartered in San Francisco with offices nationwide. For more information about Shepherd, visit shepherdinsurance.com.

About Brickeye

Brickeye is a global leader in construction IoT and job site risk mitigation technology services, trusted by top-tier owners, developers, contractors, and insurers across 20+ countries. Brickeye is building the first AI-native IoT-enabled construction risk intelligence platform. The company helps clients protect project margins, keep construction schedules on track, and reduce insurance costs by de-risking projects in preconstruction, delivering real-time alerts and automated risk controls during construction, and providing actionable insights post-construction. Learn more at brickeye.com.

Media Contacts

marketing@shepherdinsurance.com;

media@brickeye.com

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CoolFly to Showcase Personal Flight Portfolio and NA80 Flight-Control Technology at IFA Berlin 2026

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Dream ST will be on display as CoolFly highlights flagship Urban, high-performance Dream Pro and its expanding global dealer network

BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CoolFly, a developer of personal electric aircraft and eVTOL technologies, is showcasing its Dream ST personal aircraft at IFA Berlin 2026, taking place September 4–8 at Messe Berlin.

Dream ST is on display at CityCube Hall B, Booth CCBB-143, in IFA’s Mobility area. While Dream ST is the aircraft physically presented at the show, CoolFly is also introducing its broader product portfolio, including high-performance Dream Pro and flagship Urban.

Dream ST is a lightweight, single-seat electric aircraft designed for personal and recreational flight, featuring a seated configuration and quick-fold design for easier transportation and storage.

Dream Pro extends the platform with greater payload, endurance and performance. It supports a maximum payload of 120 kg, reaches a maximum speed of 100 km/h, and can achieve up to 40 minutes of flight time with a 70 kg pilot onboard, depending on operating and environmental conditions.

Urban, CoolFly’s flagship personal aircraft, features a standing-position configuration and enclosed-propeller architecture, reflecting the company’s effort to create a more intuitive and distinctive personal flight experience.

All three aircraft share CoolFly’s self-developed NA80 flight control system. NA80 uses a dual-redundant architecture with two independent flight-control units, each integrating three aviation-grade inertial measurement units (IMUs). The system continuously monitors aircraft attitude and motion, supports millisecond-level fault detection and failover, and serves as a common technology foundation across CoolFly’s product portfolio.

Dream ST, Dream Pro and Urban have all obtained CE and FCC certifications for applicable product compliance requirements, supporting CoolFly’s continued international expansion.

CoolFly is also actively recruiting dealers, distributors and commercial partners worldwide, with a current focus on Europe, North America, Australia, the Middle East and other key markets.

Prospective partners and media are invited to visit CoolFly at IFA Berlin 2026, CityCube Hall B, Booth CCBB-143.

About CoolFly
CoolFly develops personal electric aircraft and eVTOL technologies, integrating aircraft design, propulsion and self-developed flight-control systems to make personal flight more accessible.

Media: press@coolflyaircraft.com
Business: support@coolflyaircraft.com

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Experience AI Companion in Everyday Life at Hisense IFA 2026

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BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, is inviting visitors at IFA 2026 to experience how AI can make everyday home routines simpler and more intuitive. Under the theme “Innovating a Brighter Life,” the Hisense AI Companion Suite, powered by ConnectLife, brings connected intelligence to the kitchen, laundry and living spaces.

Step into the kitchen and a simple question— “What should I make?”—can set the experience in motion. The AI Companion Refrigerator recognizes stored ingredients and suggests meal ideas based on personal preferences. Once a recipe is selected, it can sync with the AI Companion Oven to support automatic cooking, while the AI Companion Wine Cabinet recommends pairings and maintains suitable storage conditions. After the meal, the AI Companion Dishwasher recognizes dish conditions and adjusts cleaning, demonstrating how AI can support the journey from planning dinner to cleaning up.

In the laundry area, visitors can see how the AI Companion Laundry Suite turns a routine load into a simpler, more automated experience. By recognizing clothing characteristics, it selects suitable wash and dry cycles and adjusts the process automatically, creating a load-and-go experience.

The experience continues in the living space. The AI Companion Air Conditioner senses indoor conditions and user presence, adapting airflow as people move through the room. Meanwhile, the AI Companion Energy System considers weather and time-of-use electricity pricing to help optimize household energy use.

Building on ConnectLife’s support, Hisense is collaborating with Alexa+ to be among the first home appliance brands bringing smart home devices to Amazon’s Alexa+ AI assistant using Amazon’s new Smart Home AI Toolkit. Available in the coming months, Alexa+ customers will be able to control select Hisense air conditioners by simply saying what they need. Alexa+ will then map the request, navigate the settings, and complete the action for them.

Hisense’s approach to innovation has also earned recognition at IFA, with several of its products receiving awards. The Multi Function II Series, an all-in-one energy-saving HVAC solution, received a Winner Award, while the X-zone Master was named an Honoree. The U8 Air Master Air Conditioner, W60 3D Kitchen-fit Series and 60cm Integrated Wine Cabinet were also recognized that underscores Hisense’s focus on combining intelligent technology, thoughtful design and everyday usability.

Across these IFA scenarios, Hisense brings its Smart Home Companion capabilities to life through V AIOS, giving devices the ability to Sense what is happening, Think through what to do, Communicate naturally with users and across devices, and Execute tasks by orchestrating devices and services autonomously. Together, these capabilities help AI Companion Suites understand context, make decisions and take action, helping the home do more while asking less of its users.

About Hisense

Hisense, founded in 1969, is a globally recognized leader in home appliances and consumer electronics with operations in over 180 countries, specializing in delivering high-quality multimedia products, home appliances, and intelligent IT solutions. According to Omdia, Hisense ranks No. 1 globally in the 100-inch and over TV segment (2023-2026H1). As The Origin of RGB MiniLED, Hisense continues to lead the next-generation RGB MiniLED innovation. As the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026TM, Hisense is committed to global sports partnerships as a way to connect with audiences worldwide.

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Roborock Reports 27.6% Revenue Growth in H1 2026, Reinforcing Global Market Leadership

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BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Roborock, a global leader in home robotics engineered to simplify daily life, reported revenue of RMB 10.084 billion in the first half of 2026, up 27.6% year on year, while net profit attributable to shareholders rose 45.6% to RMB 986 million. The company also reached a new global milestone, with Roborock recognized as the world’s No.1 robotic vacuum cleaner brand by both IDC and Euromonitor International.

Global Expansion Continues to Strengthen Growth

Roborock’s international business continued to deliver strong growth in H1 2026 across both mature and high-potential markets. During Amazon Prime Day 2026, Roborock ranked No.1 in the robotic vacuum category in Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United States and Canada. In Europe, Roborock reached a 45% share of the robotic vacuum market, with unit sales up 24% year on year, while wet-dry vacuum unit sales grew 112%. In North America, Roborock reached a 33% share of the robotic vacuum market, with unit sales increasing 30% year on year.

Momentum was also strong across key Asia-Pacific markets. Roborock ranked No.1 in both unit shipments and sales value in Australia, Korea, Taiwan region and Türkiye from Q1 2023 to Q1 2026. In Korea, the brand maintained more than 70% share of the premium robotic vacuum segment, while the S10 MaxV Ultra generated approximately KRW 28 billion in sales within ten days of its February 2026 launch. In Japan, Roborock continued to deepen its premium retail presence through cooperation with Yamada Denki, including dedicated brand displays and nationwide availability of flagship products. Across Asia-Pacific, the company continued to combine its global technology platform with localized channel, marketing and service strategies.

Roborock’s global leadership has also been independently recognized by IDC and Euromonitor International. According to IDC, Roborock ranked No.1 globally by both unit shipments and sales value among robotic vacuum brands in H1 2026, while Euromonitor International ranked the brand No.1 globally by retail sales value in 2025. Together, the two rankings reinforce Roborock’s global market leadership and reflect sustained consumer demand worldwide.

Sustained R&D Investment Supports Long-Term Competitiveness

Roborock continued to invest heavily in technology in the first half of 2026, with R&D spending reaching RMB 720 million, up 5.11% year on year and accounting for 7.14% of revenue. The company continues to build capabilities in intelligent navigation, AI-powered environmental perception, cleaning systems and robotic mobility, while increasingly bringing these technologies together at the system level rather than improving individual specifications in isolation. This integrated approach allows technologies proven in flagship products to be brought into a wider range of models and price segments, helping Roborock strengthen its portfolio while making advanced features available to more consumers.

IFA 2026 Highlights the Next Phase of Innovation

At IFA 2026, Roborock is showcasing its latest advances across indoor and outdoor cleaning. Its new robot vacuums and wet-dry vacuums bring advances in steam-powered care, adaptive cleaning and whole-home versatility, while the Roborock Saros Rover introduces a two-wheel-leg architecture designed to expand robotic mobility beyond flat floors. Roborock is also broadening its intelligent cleaning ecosystem with the debut of the RockAqua P1, its first intelligent pool cleaner, alongside the RockNeo Q2 LiDAR robotic mower, extending its autonomous cleaning capabilities across floors, pools and gardens.

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