Archives 2026

India today is ready to move out and settle in another city for better opportunities. However, house shifting has been, and still remains, stressful for many customers. This is because India’s unstructured logistics industry leaves customers worried about damaged goods, delayed deliveries, and a lack of accountability. But this scenario is slowly shifting credit to NoBroker Packers and Movers, who are transforming the sector with a strong customer-first promise. Their motto ‘100% Damage & Delay Protection. Any Damage. Any Delay. We Pay.’ stands by their quality service, transparent pricing and responsible shifting, which is making relocation more predictable and worry-free.

Backed by 10+ years of trusted relocation services, NoBroker Packers and Movers has completed 15 Lakh+ successful movements and earned a 4.8/5 rating from 8.9 Lakh+ customer reviews. With 99.30% of shifts completed with 0 damage & delay and 100% complaint resolution, the platform demonstrates consistent service delivery and complete resolution of customer issues. Today, NoBroker Packers and Movers operates in 100+ cities and 1,5000+ localities, bringing organised and professional house-shifting services to customers at their doorstep.

NoBroker Packers and Movers, reshaping the Indian logistics industry, is a clear example that businesses don’t need to chase fancy ideas or ‘game-changing innovation’. They simply need to understand market gaps and customer pain points and address them. NoBroker addressed ambiguous operating models, standardized inconsistent pricing, improved vehicle utilization, and, most importantly, increased transparency by providing real-time order visibility to its users.

NoBroker Packers and Movers’ successful initiative to reshape relocation services and a structured logistics approach has also received national recognition. The company has won the CII Industry Transformation Award for Logistics & Supply Chain (Startup Category, 2025) for organising and modernising the relocation ecosystem, and the BW Supply Chain Award for Best Collaborative Supplier Partnership(2025) for building logistic-tech that is transforming India’s fragmented packers and movers sector. These rewards are just one aspect of reinforcing NoBroker Packers and Movers’ operational excellence in relocation services. Another is thousands of positive reviews from genuine customers across India.

In a sector where customers have long been plagued by fears of damaged goods and asset losses, NoBroker Packers and Movers’ 100% Damage & Delay Protection sets a new benchmark for accountability. If belongings are damaged or delivery is delayed beyond the committed timeline, customers are compensated. This NoBroker commitment changed the segment and gained the customer’s trust, turning a stressful process into a dependable experience.

Relocation is not just about moving goods; it is about moving homes, memories, and essentials that matter. NoBroker Packers and Movers is redefining what a reliable shifting experience should look like. When NoBroker says, “Any Damage. Any Delay. We Pay.” It is a promise backed by the performance and trust of millions of customers.

LTM, the Business Creativity partner to the world’s largest enterprises, has been recognized as a Leader in the ‘Overall’ market segment in the NelsonHall NEAT Evaluation for GenAI & Process Automation in Banking 2025.

In the NEAT framework, Leaders are vendors that demonstrate high capability relative to peers in delivering immediate client benefit while also meeting future client requirements. The recognition positions LTM among the top-performing vendors evaluated for their ability to deliver both immediate business impact and long-term innovation capability in GenAI and process automation services for the banking sector.

The evaluation highlights LTM’s depth of experience in financial services, which accounts for a large portion of its overall revenues, and its focused investments in GenAI, agentic AI, and process automation capabilities delivered through its BlueVerse™ platform. LTM has digital agents dedicated to manage GenAI and process automation services, supporting banking clients across consumer banking, commercial banking, capital markets, and financial industry service providers.

“Banks today are moving beyond experimentation and are focused on operationalizing AI at scale. Our recognition as a Leader in the Overall segment reflects our ability to help clients generate immediate value while building future-ready AI frameworks. Through BlueVerse™ and our expanding library of composable agentic solutions, we are enabling banks to improve compliance, hyper-personalization, payment processing, and operational efficiency in a responsible and scalable way,” said Harsh Naidu, Senior Vice President, Banking and Financial Services, LTM.

“LTM’s services for GenAI and automation in banking enable clients to utilize a portfolio of AI-enabled tools and industry-specific solution kits to transform their business. Its BlueVerse™ AI ecosystem provides intelligent agents, modular architecture, and AI governance to enable clients to quickly compose and deploy AI solutions,” said Andy Efstathiou, Program Director for Banking, NelsonHall.

NelsonHall noted LTM’s strengths in building an ecosystem of pre-built AI agents trained on industry-specific data, its AI-enabled compliance tools for monitoring and risk management, and its portfolio of proprietary IP and partnerships supporting emerging AI technologies.

About LTM

LTM — a Larsen & Toubro Group Company — is an AI-centric global technology services company and the Business Creativity partner to the world’s largest enterprises. We bring human insights and intelligent systems together to help clients create greater value at the intersection of technology and domain expertise. Our capabilities span integrated operations, transformation, and business AI — enabling new ways of working, new productivity paradigms, and new roads to value. Together with over 87,000 employees across 40 countries and our global network of partners, LTM* owns outcomes for our clients, helping them not just outperform the market, but Outcreate it. Read more at LTM.com.

*Company name change from LTIMindtree Limited to LTM Limited is currently pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.

About NelsonHall

NelsonHall is the leading global analyst firm dedicated to helping organizations understand the ‘art of the possible’ in digital operations transformation. With analysts in the U.S., Europe, and India, NelsonHall provides buy-side organizations with detailed, critical information on markets and vendors (including NEAT assessments) that helps them make fast and highly informed sourcing decisions. And for vendors, NelsonHall provides deep knowledge of market dynamics and user requirements to help them hone their go-to-market strategies. NelsonHall’s analysis is based on rigorous, primary research, and is widely respected for the quality and depth of its insight.

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Kindred Labs today announced a strategic partnership with IPX (formerly known as LINE FRIENDS), the globally recognized character brand LINE FRIENDS, BT21, ZO&FRIENDS and more.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303835585/en/

 

LINE FRIENDS characters, now living across your devices with Kindred.

Through the partnership, Kindred Labs and IPX will create AI-powered companion experiences that bring expressive character personalities into everyday digital life through responsive, emotionally resonant interaction.

The companions are being designed in a new form factor: a persistent character presence that lives on top of your screen, showing up in the flow of everyday moments, from desktop and mobile to emerging surfaces like smart glasses over time. Beyond personality and expression, these companions are being built to function as powerful personal assistants, designed to become a primary way people use AI throughout their day, expressed through a friendly and familiar presence.

Planned to launch in April 2026 globally excluding China, the partnership aligns with the 15th anniversary of LINE FRIENDS’ iconic character BROWN, introducing a new way for fans to connect with BROWN in daily life.

The partnership was negotiated by Beanstalk, a division of CAA Brand Management, which represents IPX as its interactive licensing agent.

Quote

“The primary way people will experience their personal AI will be through something they genuinely love seeing every day. I can already imagine the delight fans will have when BROWN start showing up in their daily lives, like this familiar presence you’re happy to see. We’re taking these characters into a whole new paradigm, one that brings us closer to why we love them in the first place.”

Max Giammario, CEO, Kindred Labs

About Kindred Labs

Kindred Labs is the character-powered AI network built on Sei, bringing officially licensed iconic IP to life as a constant, emotionally intelligent presence by your side. Kindred is among the world’s fastest-growing AI companion startups, with over 8 million users on its waitlist.

To learn more about Kindred labs, visit www.kindredlabs.ai and follow @kindred_AI on X.

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University Living, the global student housing managed marketplace, today announced the release of its 2026 UK Student Accommodation Outlook, presenting structured market findings on rising costs, sustained high occupancy, and widening supply gaps across major UK university cities.

The release adds a data-led perspective to the growing pressure in the UK student housing market, at a time when international enrolment remains strong but purpose-built accommodation supply remains constrained.

Key Findings from the 2026 UK Student Accommodation Outlook

• Over 7,00,000 international students are currently enrolled in UK universities, with London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Bristol among the most in-demand destinations. (Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency – HESA, 2024)
• Average annual student accommodation cost in London stands at approximately £13,600, with prime locations commanding significantly higher rents. Rental benchmarks across major UK cities have risen consistently since 2021, with no material reversal in pricing trends. (Source: University Living Market Data, 2025)
• Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) occupancy in prime locations consistently exceeds 97%, with many properties in high-demand cities fully booked by spring, months before the September intake cycle. (Source: Cushman & Wakefield UK Student Accommodation Report, 2025)
• A structural and widening gap persists between total student enrolment and available PBSA beds in several Tier-1 university cities, limiting late-stage availability and reducing pricing flexibility for families booking closer to intake. (Source: University Living Market Research, 2025)

The findings indicate that accommodation planning is no longer a post-admission step but an increasingly strategic part of the international study decision process.

Commenting on the release, Saurabh Arora, Co-Founder & CEO, University Living, said:

“Accommodation planning works best when it is treated as part of the admission process, not a separate task to handle later. Families who start early have more options, better pricing, and a clearer picture of what their child is moving into.”

Implications for International Families

With premium properties in cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol booking out months in advance, early accommodation planning has become critical for securing both availability and value. Beyond headline rent figures, families must account for security deposits, advance rental payments, and currency conversion costs when transferring funds from overseas. These additional components significantly influence the overall cost of studying in the UK.

What to Look for When Booking Accommodation from Abroad

• Ensure property details can be independently verified
• Avoid payment requests outside formal booking systems
• Confirm a signed tenancy agreement before transferring funds
• Review deposit terms and cancellation clauses carefully
• Begin the accommodation search several months before intake

Booking through verified platforms with documented agreements and structured payment systems provides families with transparency and a formal paper trail prior to student arrival.

University Living works with verified accommodation providers near major UK universities, offering transparent listings, secure booking systems, and pre-arrival support for international students relocating from overseas. The full 2026 UK Student Accommodation Outlook is available upon request.

Kinaxis® Inc. (TSX:KXS), a global leader in supply chain orchestration, today announced that Blaine Fitzgerald, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), has advisedof his intention to step down from his role to pursue a new career opportunity with a private company outside the supply chain software space. A search will begin for a new CFO immediately. Fitzgerald remains with the company as CFO through May 8, following the company’s first quarter 2026 earnings call, to support a smooth transition.

“We are grateful for Blaine’s leadership and contributions over the past six years. He has played a key role in strengthening our financial foundation, building out the financial leadership team, and advancing our AI strategy. Thanks to the depth and capability of our Senior Leadership Team, we remain well-positioned for continued success as we begin the search for our next finance leader,” said Razat Gaurav, Chief Executive Officer, Kinaxis. “We wish Blaine every success as he embarks on his next chapter.”

“During my time at Kinaxis, we’ve accelerated growth, achieved record profitability, and built strong business momentum. Under Razat’s leadership, the company will continue to seize the opportunities ahead in supply chain orchestration and AI, which made this a difficult personal decision,” said Blaine Fitzgerald, Chief Financial Officer. “I want to thank the Senior Leadership Team, past and present, for their partnership and for the unique Kinaxis culture we’ve built together. I am also grateful to our shareholders, analysts, and the broader investment community for their support over the years. It has been a privilege to be part of this journey.”

About Kinaxis
Kinaxis is a global leader in modern supply chain orchestration, powering complex global supply chains and supporting the people who manage them. Our powerful, AI-infused supply chain orchestration platform, Maestro, combines proprietary technologies and techniques that provide full transparency and agility across the entire supply chain — from multi-year strategic planning to last-mile delivery. We are trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today’s volatility and disruption. For more news and information, please visit kinaxis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” or similar expressions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, general economic and market conditions, industry trends, competitive developments, technological change, customer demand and adoption, the ability to attract and retain key personnel, and other risks described in Kinaxis’ most recently filed Annual Information Form and Management’s Discussion and Analysis available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and Kinaxis undertakes no obligation to update or revise them except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Kinaxis Inc.

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Global smartphone shipments are forecast to decline by around 7% year-on-year in 2026 according to Omdia’s latest outlook. This projection based on Q1 memory price assumptions, which indicate that pricing pressure and constrained supply will begin to ease in the second half of the year. The global smartphone market will face significant challenges in 2026 as tightening memory supply and elevated pricing place increasing cost pressures for vendors. Memory now accounts for a significantly larger share of the smartphone bill of materials (BOM), eroding vendor profitability, particularly in entry-level devices. Since 4Q25, smartphone manufacturers have already begun raising retail prices in order to maintain profit margins. However, sustained price increases are likely to weaken demand, particularly in price-sensitive emerging markets.

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Worldwide smartphone shipments forecast and growth, 2014 to 2026F

Further memory pressure and geopolitical volatility raise the risk of over 15% smartphone shipment decline in 2026

Downside risks to the forecast remain significant. If memory prices continue rising into the second half of 2026 due to tight supply and increasing AI server demand locking in production capacity, smartphone vendors will face further cost escalation across both entry-level and premium devices. At the same time, escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East could amplify macroeconomic volatility including higher energy prices, freight costs, and foreign-exchange instability, further weakening consumer upgrades in price-sensitive markets. Under this downside scenario, global smartphone shipments are expected to decline by more than 15% in 2026, potentially exceeding the 12% contraction recorded in 2022.

“Rising memory costs and macro headwinds are expected to impact smartphone demand unevenly across price segments,” said Zaker Li, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “Devices priced below $100 are forecast to decline by nearly 31% year-on-year in 2026, reflecting the severe margin pressure vendors face in ultra-low-cost segments, which are highly sensitive to even modest shifts in the macroeconomic environment. Smartphones in the $100–$399 range, which represent the core volume bands of the global market, are also expected to contract as rising memory prices push retail prices upward in price-sensitive markets. These segments are largely served by entry-focused vendors that rely heavily on LPDDR4X memory, operate with thin margins, and often have lower priority in the memory supply chain, leaving them more exposed to cost inflation and potential supply shortages. As a result, vendors concentrated in these price tiers are expected to face production constraints and shipment reductions, with many projected to experience double-digit declines in 2026.”

“In contrast, the premium segment is expected to remain relatively resilient despite rising component costs. Devices priced above $800 are forecast to grow by around 4% in 2026, supported by stronger brand positioning and greater pricing flexibility. Apple maintains a dominant presence in the high-end market and benefits from strong supply chain relationships and higher margins that help absorb component cost inflation. Samsung also benefits from vertical integration and internal semiconductor capabilities, which provide greater security of supply and priority access to key components. While Samsung still utilizes LPDDR4X in some models and faces similar cost pressures, its supply chain advantages reduce the risk of significant shortages.”

“The evolving cost environment is reshaping dynamics across the global smartphone supply chain,” added Li. “As entry-level smartphone demand weakens, suppliers of mid- and low-end components – including chipsets, camera modules, and other key parts – are likely to face declining orders and intensified pricing pressure. Vendors are already responding by simplifying product configurations and tightening BOM costs. At the same time, volatility in memory pricing is pushing brands toward shorter-term production planning and smaller order volumes, increasing operational pressure across the supply chain. Smaller ODMs and specialized component suppliers will also face growing consolidation risks as margins compress and demand becomes more concentrated among leading brands. In this environment, vendors will need to prioritize higher-value product innovation and disciplined production planning, while channel partners strengthen inventory management and demand forecasting to navigate slower replacement cycles and shifting consumer demand.”

ABOUT OMDIA

Omdia, part of TechTarget, Inc. d/b/a Informa TechTarget (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets grounded in real conversations with industry leaders and hundreds of thousands of data points, makes our market intelligence our clients’ strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.

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