Category: Technology

New CBB market expands Stakeholder’s fan engagement platform ahead of the postseason

ALEXANDRIA, VA, UNITED STATES, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Stakeholder today announced the launch of its College Basketball (CBB) Market, expanding its fan-focused sports platform ahead of March Madness.

The CBB market allows users to participate in continuous, team-based markets tied to college basketball programs. Market pricing dynamically reflects performance indicators such as rankings, wins, losses, and season momentum. Unlike traditional betting formats that reset after each game, Stakeholder’s markets operate across the full season and beyond, allowing fans to engage with teams over time.

“College basketball is uniquely dynamic,” said Derek Peterson, Co-Founder of Stakeholder. “Rankings shift quickly, storylines evolve weekly, and fans follow the data closely. We wanted to create a structured way for fans to express their belief.”

A NEW WAY TO ENGAGE WITH COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Stakeholder’s CBB markets are continuous and season-long, enabling users to:
• Participate in team-based markets that adjust based on rankings and fan sentiment
• Track pricing movement and historical performance
• Hold positions across multiple seasons, conference tournaments, and March Madness

Early markets include top Division I programs, with plans to expand coverage throughout the season.

CONTENT INTEGRATION WITH SLEEPERS MEDIA

In connection with the CBB launch, Stakeholder has entered into a content provider agreement with Sleepers Media, an independent college basketball media brand known for year-round coverage.

Sleepers Media content and analysis will be integrated into Stakeholder’s platform to provide additional context alongside team market data and performance trends. The collaboration is intended to connect market information directly with ongoing college basketball coverage.

BUILT FOR FANS, ANALYSTS, AND CREATORS

Stakeholder combines structured team markets, performance data, and media integration into a unified sports platform. Team pages aggregate pricing history, ranking movement, and related analysis to support informed engagement by fans and content creators.

The College Basketball launch follows Stakeholder’s earlier college football beta and coincides with expanded creator collaborations focused on integrating team market data into broader college sports discussions.

LOOKING AHEAD

With March Madness approaching, Stakeholder expects increased engagement as fans react to rankings movement, conference play outcomes, and tournament performance.

“This is about enhancing fandom,” Peterson added. “We’re building tools that allow fans to follow teams in a more structured and data-driven way.”

The College Basketball Market is live at stak3holder.com.

ABOUT STAKEHOLDER

Stakeholder is a sports engagement platform that enables users to participate in continuous team-based markets across college athletics. The platform integrates pricing data, performance metrics, and media content to provide a structured fan experience.

Derek Peterson
Stakeholder
press@stakeholderapp.com

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NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — In a move that reflects the accelerating demand for cloud-native, data-driven, and AI-powered transformation, Sela and 2bcloud – two established players in cloud engineering and managed services – announced their merger today, forming one of the region’s largest multi-cloud engineering organizations. The merger advances the companies’ shared mission: to build the world’s #1 cloud services company for tech companies.

The combined company will operate under the Sela brand, employ more than 500 cloud engineers and hold the highest premier partnership designations across Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. This will give Sela a unique position in a market increasingly defined by AI workloads and rapid modernization cycles.

The merger underscores a broader trend shaping the global cloud economy: customers and hyperscalers need partners with both deep engineering specialization and real delivery capacity to keep pace with technological change.

BUILDING A CLOUD FORCE FOR THE AI ERA
The rise of AI has triggered a surge in demand for modern data platforms, scalable compute, and cloud-native architectures. At the same time, organizations are confronting talent shortages in areas such as AI engineering, DevOps, cloud security, and data architecture.
The newly combined Sela–2bcloud organization is designed to meet these pressures head-on.

“Companies are facing a perfect storm of AI disruption, data complexity, and global competition for talent,” said Ron Sprinzak, CEO of Sela.
“By merging 2bcloud into Sela, we’re creating a cloud engineering force with the depth, scale, and speed that customers now require, and significantly advancing our shared mission to build the world’s #1 cloud partner for tech companies.”

Evan Spaeder, General Manager of Sela U.S. added:
“The U.S. market is moving faster than ever toward AI-driven products, data modernization, and cloud-native transformation. Combining Sela’s delivery strength with 2bcloud’s deep expertise in digital-native companies gives us a uniquely powerful position in the U.S. ecosystem. Together, we can support customers at every stage of growth and help them move with the speed and engineering precision this new era demands.”

Sela brings more than 30 years of engineering experience across cloud, data, and modernization. 2bcloud adds a strong footprint in ISVs, SaaS, and digital-native companies, with a reputation for agility, cloud-native expertise, and high-velocity delivery.

“Tech companies are under tremendous pressure to modernize faster, adopt AI responsibly, and manage increasingly complex cloud environments,” said Gil Ron, CEO and founder of 2bcloud.
“Merging with Sela accelerates our ability to do exactly that, at scale. This is a major step toward our mission of building the world’s leading cloud services company for tech companies. Together, we combine agility, deep cloud expertise, and the multi-cloud capabilities that ISVs need to stay competitive.”

A STRATEGIC WIN FOR HYPERSCALERS
The merger also positions the combined company as a more significant partner to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.

The combined team will be able to deliver:
– Large-scale migrations for technological and enterprise customers
– Data modernization programs essential for AI readiness
– Cloud-native rearchitecture and application modernization
– AI and analytics projects aligned with each cloud provider’s strategic offerings
– Robust engineering teams capable of multi-region, multi-cloud delivery

With deep expertise, premier partner status across all three major clouds, and strong co-sell alignment, the merged company becomes a more capable channel for hyperscalers looking to grow cloud adoption securely and confidently.

SERVING THE COMPANIES BUILDING TOMORROW’S SOFTWARE
The merged company’s primary focus remains on ISVs, SaaS companies, and high-growth technology firms – sectors driving a significant portion of cloud innovation and consumption.

The combined portfolio includes managed cloud services, optimization, modernization, data engineering, AI/ML, architecture, professional services, and training – all delivered with multi-cloud fluency.

WHY THIS MERGER MATTERS NOW
Cloud spending continues to rise globally as organizations prepare for AI adoption. Yet the industry is constrained by an acute shortage of cloud and data talent. This merger creates a larger, more versatile pool of engineers capable of meeting the rising demand for:
– AI-driven solutions
– Secure, scalable cloud platforms
– Modern data pipelines
– Migration from legacy systems
– Cloud and cost optimization
– Enterprise-grade resilience and governance
With delivery teams across the United States, Europe, Israel, and India, the new combined entity is built to operate at global scale.

About Sela
Sela provides cloud and AI solutions for tech companies.
As a global premier cloud services partner of AWS, Microsoft, & Google Cloud with over 30 years of proven success in technology partnerships, Sela Cloud provides comprehensive services across all stages of the cloud journey. These include architecture design, workload migration, AI, data engineering, infrastructure management, continuous monitoring, performance optimization, and FinOps solutions.
Backed by Fortissimo Capital, and with offices in the United States, India, and Israel, Sela supports hundreds of leading tech companies such as Revenera, Wiz, and Check Point Software. For more information, visit http://selacloud.com.

About 2bcloud
2bcloud is a global cloud partner owned by Octally and specializing in startups, ISVs, and technology-driven companies. The company provides deep expertise in cloud-native engineering, FinOps, DevOps, security, and AI/ML, supporting customers across Azure and AWS and holds premier status with both.
Serving hundreds of customers across the U.S., Europe, and the middle east, 2bcloud supports a wide range of technology organizations: from high-growth startups to industry-leading global software companies. Its customer roster includes Nuvei, SemblyAI, Nucleus, DocPanel, Cyera, Bria, and many others shaping the future of cloud, AI, and data-driven innovation.

Yosef van Bemmelen
Sela US LLC
+1 267-270-5946
email us here

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EpitogenX and Attomarker sign co-development agreement to advance precision immunology diagnostics in multiple diseases including Lyme Disease and Long Lyme

EXETER, UNITED KINGDOM, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — EpitogenX Ltd and Attomarker Ltd have announced the signing of a strategic co-development agreement that unites their complementary strengths in next-generation antigen engineering and multiplex immunological diagnostics. The collaboration aims to accelerate the development and commercialisation of a new class of precision diagnostics built on Attomarker’s gold nanotechnology test platforms and powered by EpitogenX’s AI-driven epitope discovery and recombinant antigen production.

This agreement covers development across Attomarker’s full technology portfolio, beginning with the Liscar 6 platform and extending to its handheld instrument in development, enabling rapid, quantitative, multiplex immune profiling for a range of conditions where immune dysregulation is central, commencing with Lyme Disease and Long Lyme.

Addressing Unmet Need Across Immunology and Infection:

Lyme disease presents a substantial global health challenge. In the United States alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate around 476,000 cases annually, making it the most reported vector-borne illness in the country. Worldwide, the disease burden is significant, especially across Europe and North America, with many patients suffering delayed or inaccurate diagnosis, and some finding themselves with persistent, debilitating symptoms over years. The Lyme disease diagnostic market is projected to reach approximately USD 18.6 billion by 2030, driven by increasing disease incidence, awareness, and demand for improved diagnostics.

Professor Andrew Shaw, CEO & Chief Scientist of Attomarker, said:
“This agreement brings together two pioneering UK diagnostics enterprises with shared vision to improve diagnostics for millions of Lyme disease patients. However, by combining Attomarker’s advanced multiplex gold nanotechnology with EpitogenX’s antigen and epitope expertise, we can deliver rapid, quantitative immune diagnostics across a much broader array of diseases, transforming how clinicians understand and manage immune dysregulation.”

Delivering Personalised Immune Profiling for Real-World Clinical Decisions:

Attomarker’s immune profiling technology, arising from translational research at the University of Exeter, enables rapid, quantitative measurement of multiple immune biomarkers simultaneously. Its licensed COVID Antibody Spectrum Test provides clinicians with endotype-level insight into immune responses in Long COVID patients, better informing personalised treatment pathways. This approach moves beyond traditional binary diagnostics towards deeper immune characterisation that supports targeted therapeutic decisions.

The partnership recognises that many diseases share common mechanisms of immune dysregulation. Conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, autoimmune arthritis, systemic lupus and others involve distinct immune signatures that could benefit from the same endotype-driven diagnostic strategy. Harnessing detailed immune profiles allows clinicians to match patients with the most appropriate treatments and monitor response with greater precision.

Leveraging Complementary Technologies:

Attomarker’s technology is based on an optical gold nanoparticle array capable of rapid, label-free, multiplex biomarker measurement from tiny blood samples. It is designed to produce laboratory-quality results in minutes and to scale across disease indications including infection, inflammation, endocrine dysfunction and allergy.

EpitogenX brings deep expertise in AI-driven epitope mapping (EpitoPredikt™) and antigen display (EpitoGen^®), enabling discovery of disease-specific biomarkers and production of highly robust recombinant antigens for use in both laboratory and point-of-care assays.

Dr Abdo Alnabulsi, CEO and co-founder of EpitogenX, said:
“This partnership marks a milestone in the translation of cutting-edge antigen science into precision diagnostics. Our technology will strengthen Attomarker’s diagnostic platforms, enabling better detection and monitoring across conditions from Lyme to autoimmune disease. Together we are building tools that clinicians and patients urgently need.”

About Attomarker Ltd
Attomarker is a diagnostic technology company based in Exeter, UK, focused on next-generation multiplex immunology and infection testing. Its platforms integrate gold nanoparticle nanotechnology, microfluidics and data analytics to deliver fast, quantitative biomarker profiles for clinicians and researchers. Attomarker is currently engaged in an acceleration round.

About EpitogenX Ltd
EpitogenX is a biotechnology company based in Aberdeen, UK, specialising in AI-driven epitope mapping, recombinant antigen discovery and development of high-performance diagnostic reagents. Its platforms support the discovery and production of antigens for research and clinical testing.

Andrew Vincent
The Grow Group Ltd
+ +13453267823
email us here
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Why brand reputation no longer guarantees marketing performance—and what business owners must demand instead in a rapidly shifting digital world.

ASHEVILLE, NC, UNITED STATES, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Over The Bull, hosted by marketing strategist Ken Carroll, has released Episode #45 titled “Reputation vs. Results – History Isn’t a Strategy.” The episode delivers a direct examination of legacy media’s decline and challenges business owners to rethink where—and why—they invest their marketing dollars.

In this episode, Carroll explores documented industry trends showing significant newsroom job losses and structural contraction across traditional print and broadcast organizations. Citing public employment data and recent workforce reductions across major outlets, the episode frames a larger question:

If legacy media organizations are shrinking, restructuring, and rapidly pivoting into digital services, should businesses rely on their historic brand reputation as proof of digital competence?

“Reputation alone doesn’t generate measurable results,” Carroll states in the episode. “Business owners need to ask deeper questions about execution, accountability, and return on investment—not just brand recognition.”

Key Topics Covered in Episode #45

The Decline of Legacy Media Employment
The episode references public reports indicating substantial newsroom employment declines since 2008, along with continued workforce reductions in print and broadcast sectors.

The Digital Pivot Challenge
Many traditional media companies have expanded into digital marketing services—including SEO, website development, social advertising, and reporting dashboards. The episode questions whether these organizations possess the internal infrastructure, agility, and specialization required to deliver measurable digital performance at scale.

Brand Equity vs. Operational Competence
Carroll highlights a growing disconnect between historic brand prestige and modern digital execution. He argues that digital marketing today demands continuous experimentation, technical fluency, data analysis, and strategic adaptation—capabilities that may not automatically accompany legacy brand recognition.

The Shift in Audience Behavior
Consumers increasingly access information through search engines, social platforms, direct subscriptions, streaming, and AI tools. The episode discusses how fragmented attention and evolving trust patterns impact the effectiveness of traditional advertising models.

The Risk of Vanity Metrics
Episode #45 also addresses the difference between surface-level reporting—impressions, clicks, dashboards—and true outcome-based measurement tied to revenue, conversions, and business growth.

A Broader Message for Business Owners

Rather than encouraging do-it-yourself marketing or reliance on single-channel specialists, Carroll advocates for comprehensive digital strategy grounded in:
• Measurable ROI
• Transparent reporting
• Technical execution
• Cross-channel fluency
• Ongoing adaptation

“Marketing in 2026 requires more than a logo and a sales pitch,” Carroll says. “It requires competence, testing, and the willingness to evolve quickly.”

The episode concludes by encouraging business owners to evaluate marketing partnerships based on demonstrated capability—not legacy positioning—and to seek agencies that can integrate strategy across content, paid advertising, technical infrastructure, and conversion optimization.

Listen to Episode #45

Episode Title: Reputation vs. Results – History Isn’t a Strategy
Podcast: Over The Bull
Host: Ken Carroll
Listen Here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2459339/episodes/18694345-45-reputation-vs-results-history-isn-t-a-strategy

John Kenneth Carroll, Jr
Integris Design LLC
828-333-7621
email us here
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PT compared system responsiveness and on-device AI performance on AMD Ryzen CPU-powered Dell Pro 14, HP ProBook 4 G1a 14, and Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 AI PCs.

ROUND ROCK, TX, UNITED STATES, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Slower, less capable laptops open the door to more stress and less productivity. Investing in AI PCs with higher performing processors can help users get ahead over time. To quantify the performance increases you might see, Principled Technologies (PT) compared the performance of three Windows 11 Pro AI PCs, each equipped with the best AMD Ryzen 5 processor available for that model during testing:

• Dell Pro 14 configured with an AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 CPU and AMD Radeon 840M GPU
• HP ProBook 4 G1a 14 configured with an AMD Ryzen 5 230 CPU and AMD Radeon 760M GPU
• Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 configured with an AMD Ryzen 5 230 CPU and AMD Radeon 760M GPU

PT ran multiple industry-standard benchmarks that measure CPU and NPU performance in order to compare system responsiveness and on-device AI performance.

Then, to explore how higher performance on those benchmarks could improve real-world productivity, PT presented the hands-on testing results through the lens of a hypothetical end-user’s day. Their report introduces their hypothetical user as Nicole: “Nicole is a project manager at a leading consulting firm, responsible for delivering high-impact projects while ensuring alignment with business objectives and stakeholder expectations. Her employer is leveraging AI tools to accelerate everyday activities and her key responsibilities, which include:
• Data collection and preparation, trend analysis, presenting key metrics for stakeholders, and providing actionable recommendations for marketing, pricing, and inventory strategies
• Driving stakeholder satisfaction through clear communication and proactive problem-solving
• Analyzing client data to uncover trends, build models, and prepare persuasive presentations
• Tracking team progress, drafting status reports, checking performance metrics, and creating tailored updates for diverse audiences

For Nicole, constant client interaction is central to success. She invests significant time analyzing data to build compelling cases and actionable insights, then translating those insights into business strategies. Her ultimate goal is to connect day-to-day project execution to client business value and the firm’s strategic objectives.”

In addition to completing day-to-day activities and processing large datasets in less time, PT reveals the ways the Dell Pro 14 can help this hypothetical high producer embrace AI technologies that could streamline manual processes. The report notes, “The superior NPU performance on the Dell Pro 14, compared to the HP and Lenovo AI PCs we tested, means Nicole can rethink a lot of the time-intensive tasks she’s tackled manually in the past. She might want to employ AI tools for faster image and text analysis from scanned documents. Or she might research AI applications that will help her and her clients extract text from images, identify patterns in visual datasets, or validate compliance in visual assets remotely.”

FAQ
1. What challenges does this report address?
Older laptops weren’t built for an AI-forward world. For users relying on slower, less capable PCs, productivity can take a hit. Newer laptops with additional AI capabilities can provide a speed boost that helps workers accomplish more with their time and get ahead in fast-paced environments.

2. What are the key takeaways from the whitepaper?
In hands-on testing by PT, the “Zen 5” AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 processor-powered Dell Pro 14 Copilot+ PC delivered faster on-device image processing, productivity application performance, and CPU multi-core performance than the “Zen 4” AMD Ryzen 5 230 processor-powered HP ProBook 4 G1a 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 8 AI PCs. The most significant differences were in speed to complete local AI tasks, which the report attributes in large part to superior NPU performance from the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 processor.

3. How can these results benefit end-users and decision-makers?
With faster performance, end-users like Nicole—the hypothetical worker in the report—can complete their everyday work faster and spend more time figuring out her most challenging projects, ultimately increasing her company’s and her team’s productivity. For decision-makers, stronger performance from high performers like Nicole can translate directly into improvements in their bottom line.

4. How did PT conduct testing on the PCs?
PT used a range of benchmarks and testing tools to compare performance for day-to-day tasks, office productivity work, and AI and other resource-intensive workloads. PT uses rigorous testing methodologies to mirror how real users work. Explore the complete methodologies, as well as hardware/software disclosures, at https://facts.pt/42CmbCq.

5. What benchmarks and testing tools did PT use in this report?
To measure performance, PT used industry-standard Cinebench 2024, the Procyon Office Productivity Benchmark, MLPerf Client, Geekbench AI, and Procyon AI Computer Vision benchmarks. PT also used the MobileMark 30 benchmark to assess battery life on the Dell Pro 14.

Learn more
Get the full story at https://facts.pt/8rtGZMw or the check out the key highlights at https://facts.pt/nnWfsQR.

About Principled Technologies, Inc.
Principled Technologies, Inc. is the leading provider of technology marketing and learning & development services.

Principled Technologies, Inc. is located in Durham, North Carolina, USA. For more information, please visit www.principledtechnologies.com.

Sharon Horton
Principled Technologies, Inc.
press@principledtechnologies.com
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CKT earns its sixth CRN MSP 500 recognition, honored in the 2026 Pioneer 250 for innovative managed IT and cybersecurity leadership.

DENVER, CO, UNITED STATES, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Common Knowledge Technology (CKT), a Denver-based managed IT and cybersecurity services provider, announced today that it has been named by CRN^®, a brand of The Channel Company, to the Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250 category for 2026. CKT has once again been recognized as a top managed service provider in North America, marking the sixth time the company has been named to the prestigious CRN MSP 500 list.

CRN’s annual MSP 500 list recognizes leading managed service providers across North America that deliver innovative services designed to enhance operational performance, strengthen cybersecurity, and maximize the return on technology investments.

“The companies on our 2026 MSP 500 list are redefining what exceptional managed services look like, helping organizations of every size stay agile, maximize their IT investments and scale with confidence,” said Jennifer Follett, VP of U.S. Content and Executive Editor, CRN, The Channel Company. “These are the innovators who stay ahead of customer needs and deliver transformative services that free businesses to focus on what they do best and accelerate their success.”

Common Knowledge Technology (CKT) was selected for its forward-thinking approach to managed services, combining strategic IT planning, advanced cybersecurity frameworks, and AI-informed solutions to help organizations operate more securely and efficiently. With more than two decades of experience, CKT continues to differentiate itself by making complex technology accessible and strategically valuable for business leaders across industries including architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, nonprofit, and professional services.

“The role of an MSP is rapidly evolving, and we believe the future belongs to providers who combine innovation with strategic leadership,” said Peter Horewitch, CEO of Common Knowledge Technology. “We are investing heavily in AI integration, proactive security models, and scalable cloud architectures that don’t just support businesses; they accelerate them. Recognition on CRN’s MSP 500 list reinforces that our forward-thinking approach is helping redefine what modern managed services should look like.”

The MSP 500 list highlights organizations that are driving measurable impact within the IT channel. These MSPs enable businesses to navigate evolving technology challenges while maintaining agility and fiscal responsibility.

The 2026 MSP 500 list is featured online at crn.com/msp500.

About Common Knowledge Technology (CKT): Founded in 2003, Common Knowledge Technology (CKT) is a Denver-based premium value managed service provider delivering personalized, high-quality IT and cybersecurity solutions to small and mid-sized organizations. Built on the belief that technology should be understandable and accessible, CKT offers strategic IT planning, proactive support, cybersecurity services, cloud solutions, and technology coaching. With long-standing client relationships and a highly experienced team, CKT helps organizations eliminate complexity, strengthen security, and leverage technology as a catalyst for growth. Learn more at here: https://www.ck-tek.com/

About The Channel Company: The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the world’s top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit thechannelco.com.

© 2026 The Channel Company, Inc. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sara Golinski
Common Knowledge Technology
+1 303-226-9073
email us here
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The acquisition brings Komerz’s global commerce platform and Pathformance’s measurement valued in the hundreds of millions and charting a path to unicorn status

MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Komerz Ltd., a global commercial growth company operating at the intersection of marketing, commerce, and distribution, announces the acquisition of Pathformance, a leading marketing measurement and attribution firm.

The acquisition values Komerz at $330 million post-deal and marks a significant strategic milestone in the evolution of how brands drive, measure, and scale growth in an increasingly fragmented marketing and commerce ecosystem.

The acquisition brings together Komerz’s end-to-end commerce and market-entry platform with Pathformance’s proven expertise in unified measurement and attribution, creating one of the industry’s most comprehensive, outcome-driven operating models for growth.

Together, the combined entity is designed to help brands with global ambitions move beyond siloed marketing metrics and disconnected execution toward a single, accountable system that directly links marketing investment to revenue impact across digital, retail, and marketplace channels.

As marketers face mounting pressure to justify spend, navigate data fragmentation, and demonstrate tangible commercial outcomes, the integration of Pathformance positions Komerz to deliver a fundamentally different value proposition. Marketing is measured, activated, and optimized within the same commercial system, eliminating the traditional divide between insight and execution.

“Pathformance was built to solve one core problem for marketers: understanding what truly drives incremental growth,” said Elizabeth Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Pathformance. “Joining Komerz allows us to take that capability to a much broader client base and embed our measurement and attribution expertise directly into commerce execution. Together, we can help brands move from fragmented performance signals to clear, confident decisions that translate into real commercial impact.”

Chris Bedford, Chief Operating Officer of Pathformance, added, “For us, this is about enabling commerce without complexity. Too often, brands are forced to choose between building brand equity and driving performance. With Komerz, we can help brands grow without separating brand from performance, bringing clarity, accountability, and simplicity to how growth is measured and delivered.”

The acquisition significantly strengthens Komerz’s ability to support global and high-growth challenger brands as they expand across borders, channels, and retail environments. Komerz works with leading consumer brands across major categories including FMCG, beverages, electronics, personal care, and lifestyle, helping them accelerate growth through an end-to-end commercial system anchored to measurable results.

“Clients increasingly demand unified, transparent insights that inform smarter marketing and drive commercial impact,” said Siddharth Shankar, Global Chief Operating Officer of Komerz Ltd. “Pathformance’s proven methodology enhances our ability to deliver these insights at scale and with precision. This integration elevates the value we offer by transforming data into decisive action across retail, digital, and marketplace channels. Komerz is building the Commercial Growth O/S for the world’s most ambitious brands.”

Mr. Shankar brings to Komerz a strong track record of building and scaling global commerce platforms, having previously led the growth of a multi-billion-dollar consumer portfolio to a successful exit. At Komerz, he has been instrumental in shaping the company’s Commerce-as-a-Service model, designed to help brands globalize faster by breaking traditional barriers between marketing, distribution, logistics, and measurement.

With this acquisition, Komerz accelerates its ambition to stand alongside the world’s most influential consulting, marketing, and technology firms by offering clients not just strategy or execution, but a fully integrated commercial growth system that is accountable to outcomes.

About Komerz
Komerz is a commercial growth operating system that unifies strategy, marketing, data, sales, and omnichannel distribution. Powered by AI, the Komerz OS helps ambitious consumer brands move faster, enter markets with confidence, and convert demand into measurable sales. With a global footprint spanning mature and emerging markets, many leading multinational organisations trust Komerz to scale and grow their long tail brands. komerz.co.uk

About Pathformance
Pathformance helps advertisers overcome fragmented data, misaligned strategies, and unclear measurement by unifying both measurement and activation across marketing efforts using best in class measurement point of sale data. This proven capability is what has helped Pathformance earn a place on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies for four consecutive years. Pathformance has measured 500+ brands, evaluated the impact of 27 billion impressions, assessed $260 million in media budgets, and generated $1.9 billion in incremental sales for clients. By delivering standardized, actionable insights, Pathformance enables teams to make smarter decisions and drive real growth pathformance.com

Media Contact
Michelle Whelan
Michelle@komerz.ai

Elizabeth Johnson
Pathformance Technologies Inc.
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LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — it.com Domains, the global registry redefining how businesses and individuals establish their online presence, today announced that it has acquired the is.art domain zone from .ART Registry, the leading domain registry for the global arts community, and has launched the first stage of the is.art social handle service, designed to give artists and creatives a unified, recognizable digital identity.



The initial release enables users to register personalized is.art domains — such as yourname.is.art—that function as redirect handles, pointing to an existing website or selected social and portfolio platforms. Designed to be simple, accessible, and artist-friendly, this first phase offers artists, students, and creatives an easy way to establish a professional digital identity without the complexity of traditional domain management.

Users can register up to three is.art handles for free, with optional paid handles also available. There are no subscriptions and no renewals. Each handle redirects to one of a curated list of trusted platforms, including major social media, portfolio, and creative app services. While hosting, email, and DNS management are not included at this stage, users can change where their is.art handle points at any time within the supported services.

The launch responds to growing demand within the arts community for flexible and scalable digital identity tools. As online visibility becomes increasingly essential, is.art aims to support creatives in presenting their work clearly and connecting with audiences and opportunities worldwide.

Unlike conventional domains, is.art is purpose-built for artistic use cases. Future phases will introduce additional features optimized for portfolio presentation and creative practice, further expanding how artists and cultural workers can use is.art as part of their digital presence.

Andrey Insarov, CEO of it.com Domains, echoed this enthusiasm, stating, “At it.com Domains, we’ve seen the power of third-level domains in helping businesses and individuals carve out their unique spaces online. We are committed to utilizing the best practices and technological developments we’ve gained from the successful launch of the .it.com domain zone to develop and scale this unique initiative. With the is.art service, we’re excited to bring new opportunities to the artistic community, providing a comprehensive solution that not only includes a distinctive domain name but also a ready-made platform for showcasing their work. We believe this will be a game-changer for aspiring artists and creatives looking to make their mark on the web.”

“.ART has always been committed to providing artists with tools that enhance their visibility and showcase their work in the digital world,” said Ulvi Kasimov, Founder and CEO of .ART. “We are very happy that it.com Domains will bring their expertise and experience to support the next generation of creatives. The is.art initiative is more than just a domain — it is a flexible gateway for artists to establish their digital identity today and grow it further as new tools are introduced.”

The is.art service is designed to be a cost-effective option, particularly appealing to students, emerging artists, and hobbyists who are just starting to build their online presence. By offering this easy handle that redirects to popular artist and social platforms, it.com Domains aims to give creatives a professional, memorable, and accessible digital identity.

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About it.com Domains

The company, it.com Domains LLC, is the official operator for the .it.com domain registry offering domains under the .it.com suffix, e.g., yourname.it.com. It is also a Registry Services Provider (RSP) in the coming round of new gTLDs planned by ICANN for 2026.
Headquartered in London, it.com Domains is committed to promoting the adoption and trusted use of the *.it.com domain space worldwide. https://get.it.com

Media Contact

press@it.com

About .ART

Launched in 2016 through an exclusive agreement with UK Creative Ideas Ltd and ICANN, .ART began as a pioneering domain registry and is actively evolving its mission to become the definitive digital archive for all art and cultural objects. With over 700,000 domains registered in 170+ countries, .ART serves a diverse community of creatives, artists, museums, businesses, and brands passionate about the arts.

Setting the standard for digital identity in the art world, .ART offers cutting-edge registry infrastructure built on the reliability and stability of current internet technologies while also leveraging Web3 and Blockchain innovations. Utilizing its patented “Digital Twin” process, the new ID.art platform offers credentialing and a suite of services that empower creatives to digitize, promote, and monetize any object—be it physical or digital. ID.art and the acquisition of HUG in late 2024 establish .ART Registry as a leading online gallery for artistic talent.

Operating from international offices in London, Beijing, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C., and supported by a robust network of global Ambassadors, .ART is steadfast in its commitment to merge technology and art on a global scale. A portion of .ART’s revenue actively supports philanthropic initiatives, including the Art Therapy Initiative to promote the healing powers of art. Learn more at www.art.art. Register .ART domains at www.get.art or any domain name registrar such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, and others.

Media Contact

Jeff Sass, CMO, .ART Registry
jeff@art.art
(970) 367-7277

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