Next Gen Consulting

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  • HomeEssentials Raises INR 70 Cr Pre-Series B to Transform India’s Home & Kitchen Market

    Gurgaon, Feb 26: HomeEssentials, India’s fastest-growing D2C brands for home and kitchen essentials, has raised a 70Cr in Pre-Series B funding round. The round was led by 360 ONE Asset, with participation from their existing investor – India Quotient. The capital infusion will primarily be directed towards expanding the company’s omnichannel presence and deepening its product portfolio in kitchen and home improvement.

    Founded in 2024 by brothers Tanishq Jain and Divyam Jain in Gwalior, HomeEssentials has rapidly disrupted the unorganized home products market. The brand was born from a simple insight: Indian homes deserve functional, aesthetic, and affordable solutions that go beyond basic utility. With a “design-first” approach to everyday items—from airtight storage to ergonomic loose furniture Home Essentials is bridging the gap between expensive luxury brands and unbranded utility items and aspires to become a destination for all things home and kitchen.

    In just under two years since inception, the company has grown from a small-town operation to a nationwide brand, serving over a million customers. Alongside the rapid growth, the brand has maintained strong unit economics with a focus on profitability. The company is also rapidly increasing its offline presence and plans to have 20 stores by this year spread across the country.

    Mr. Sumit Jain, Senior Fund Manager, 360 ONE Asset

    “HomeEssentials is redefining a large fragmented category with aesthetic and functional products, and are creating a leading home and kitchen destination-play in India. Tanishq and Divyam have demonstrated exceptional execution skills, building a capital-efficient business that resonates deeply with the aspirational Indian consumer. We are excited to become partners in their scaling journey, as they build India’s most loved Home & Kitchen brand.”

    Madhukar Sinha , Partner , India Quotient

    We backed HomeEssentials early on as Tanishq and Divyam identified a clear gap in the Indian market for home utilities that seamlessly blend smart functionality with premium aesthetics at affordable price. Their rapid growth speaks for itself. We are excited to see them leverage this new round to expand their catalogue and reach millions more customers across the country

    Tanishq Jain, Co-Founder & CEO of Home Essentials, shared his excitement, 

    “At HomeEssentials, our vision is to become the ultimate destination for thoughtfully designed home and kitchen essentials. The strong response to our experiential stores validates our belief that customers seek products that are both highly functional and beautifully crafted. With the continued support of India Quotient and the backing of 360 ONE Asset in this phase of growth, this capital enables us to expand from a strong online presence into thoughtfully designed physical stores across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, accelerating our journey to build a nationwide retail footprint.”

    Divyam Jain, Co-Founder & CMO, added 

    “Winning D2C plays in India are ones that not only have a deep understanding of the young consumer’s aspirational needs but also strong control over supply chain backend, omnichannel presence and razor sharp product experience. We want to be not only India’s most loved Home and Kitchen brand, but also an operating organization at the cutting edge of performance and efficiency – 360 One Asset and India Quotient are great partners in our journey of excellence.”

  • Hosts 4th BIG Impact Awards in Mumbai

    Feb, 26: BIG FM, largest single brand radio network in India hosted the 4th edition of BIG Impact Awards Mumbai. Celebrating most inspiring entrepreneurs, business leaders and changemakers under one roof, the event was held at Sahara Star, Mumbai. The event was graced by Chief Guests Ashish Shelar, Minister of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra and Ritu Rajesh Tawde, Mayor of Mumbai who felicitated the winners with the prestigious BIG Impact Trophy.

    In line with its philosophy of recognizing conventional excellence while celebrating progressive impact, BIG Impact Awards 2026 have redefined traditional benchmarks of achievement. Curated by BIG FM, the awards honor the indomitable spirit of Mumbai, felicitating leaders who have not only built successful enterprises but have also contributed meaningfully to the city’s growth and community development. Spanning across multiple categories including Auto, Real Estate & Allied, Hospitality, Health & Wellness, Education, Fashion, Lifestyle and more, the BIG Impact Awards highlighted stories of determination and excellence across sectors.

    Adding to the glamour and energy of the evening, the ceremony also saw the presence of noted personalities from the Indian entertainment industry including Boman Irani, Esha Deol, Chitrangada Singh, Rajat Bedi, Shehnaaz Gill, Medha Rana, Ashnoor Kaur, Rithvik Dhanjani, Nandish Kumar Sandhu, Harman Baweja, Vishal Jethwa, Shiv Thakare and many more. The show was hosted by BIG FM RJs- RJ Dilip, RJ Vrajesh, RJ Rani and RJ Sahil, who set the tone of the event.

    Marking the occasion, BIG FM also launched Season 5 of its flagship IP, Main Bhi Finance Minister, with a compelling panel discussion featuring distinguished voices from across industries. The panel included Nidarshana Gowani, Anupama Agrawal, Vanita Keswani, Soumini Sridhara and Heli Daruwala who shared their insights on financial empowerment and wealth creation.

    Speaking of the occasion, Ashit Kukian, CEO, BIG FM, shared,

    “BIG Impact Awards reflects what drives cities like Mumbai, the power to create meaningful change. It is truly inspiring to witness the spirit of entrepreneurship and impact that this platform celebrates. We are proud to honour the businesses and changemakers who continue to push boundaries, create opportunities and contribute to the city’s growth. I congratulate all the winners and look forward to strengthening this platform across more cities in the coming year.”

    The event was co-powered by LIC Housing Finance, Mahindra and Mahindra, joining as a Drive-in Partner, along with other sponsors. With Mumbai setting the tone for the year, the BIG Impact Awards will soon expand their footprint internationally to Malaysia. In the coming months, the awards will also travel to key Indian cities, including Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati and Kolhapur, further strengthening BIG FM’s commitment to celebrating impact-driven entrepreneurship across the country.

  • Stanford Seed Opens Applications for 2027 South Asia Program

    New Delhi, 2026: Stanford Graduate School of Business has opened applications for the Seed Transformation Program in South Asia, its flagship 10-month leadership program for CEOs and founders of established enterprises. Designed for founders and leaders of growth-stage companies with annual revenue between USD 300K–15M (equivalent to approximately: INR 2.7 – 135 Crore), the program focuses on scaling businesses, strengthening leadership teams, and driving long-term impact in emerging markets.

    Stanford Seed partners with entrepreneurs in emerging markets to build thriving enterprises that transform lives. Since its launch, Seed has worked with more than 1,500 entrepreneurs worldwide, with participants collectively securing over USD 2 billion in capital and adding $1.7 billion in revenue to local economies after completing the program.

    Stanford Seed will host in-person information sessions across South Asia in March and April, giving prospective participants the opportunity to learn about the program, hear from graduates, and meet the Seed team. Sessions are scheduled for Hyderabad (Tuesday, 12 March), Coimbatore (Friday, 13 March), Kochi (Monday, 16 March), Pune (Friday, 27 March), Colombo (Wednesday, 1 April), Kolkata (Tuesday, 7 April), Kathmandu (Thursday, 9 April) and Indore (Thursday, 16 April). The Seed Transformation Program blends in-person learning with online modules and practical assignments, delivered by Stanford GSB faculty, experienced facilitators, and local experts. Participants work closely with a carefully selected peer group, applying Stanford frameworks directly to their businesses while maintaining day-to-day operations. Two intensive in-person weeks are held in Chennai, India, in January and June. The program emphasizes strategic clarity, financial discipline, leadership development, and execution excellence.

    The Seed Transformation Program is designed for founders ready to scale with purpose and confidence,” said Harish Arnezath, Regional Director of Stanford Seed South Asia. “We equip business leaders to create ownership-driven cultures that sustain systemic growth, moving beyond founder-driven models to enterprises built for scale, anchored by a powerful peer tribe that accelerates the journey.

    Program graduates receive a certificate from Stanford Graduate School of Business and become members of the global Seed Transformation Network, gaining access to Stanford Seed Network benefits and ongoing learning opportunities. Applications are now open and will close 1 May 2026. To learn more, register for an information session,

  • Detectives, Killers, and Edge-of-Your-Seat Action: Crime Shows You Can’t Miss on Prime Video

    Detectives, Killers, and Edge-of-Your-Seat Action: Crime Shows You Can’t Miss on Prime Video

    Crime thrillers are everywhere these days, from edge-of-your-seat investigations to dark, twisted mysteries that keep you guessing. Whether you love brilliant detectives, dangerous secrets, or stories where every clue matters, the genre has never been more bingeable. And for those looking to stream the best of the best, Prime Video has it all with Crime on Prime: standout series and gripping originals that make it easy to dive into some of the most thrilling cases from around the world.

    Cross

    Cross returns with Aldis Hodge stepping back into the mind of Alex Cross, a detective who doesn’t just solve crimes, he lives them. This time, he’s chasing a vigilante targeting powerful billionaires, turning the hunter into the hunted in a high-stakes game where morality gets murky, and danger hits close to home.

    56 Days

    Swiftly following the pulse-pounding escapades of Alex Cross comes the new series 56 Days, where love moves fast… and death moves faster. Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia play a couple swept up in a whirlwind romance, until a decomposing body surfaces and the fairytale fractures. As timelines collide and secrets unravel, one question lingers like a shadow: was this love, or was this something far more dangerous?

    Young Sherlock

    The game is very much afoot with Young Sherlock, a bold new take on the world’s most famous detective. Before the legend, before Baker Street, there was a young mind learning to outthink a world full of lies. With a conspiracy stretching far beyond the obvious, Sherlock’s first case proves that brilliance is both a gift and a burden.

    Scarpetta

    In Scarpetta, Nicole Kidman steps into the precise, unflinching shoes of Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner who speaks for the dead. Every incision reveals a truth someone tried to hide. But this time, the case isn’t just professional, it’s personal. And the deeper she digs, the closer the past comes calling.

    Cheekatilo

    Closer home, Cheekatilo pulls listeners and viewers into the mind of Sandhya, a determined true crime podcaster played by Sobhita Dhulipala, when her intern’s mysterious death sparks more questions than answers. What begins as curiosity becomes a dangerous descent into Hyderabad’s darkest secrets. Because sometimes, chasing the truth means stepping straight into the shadows.

    Daldal

    Adding to the intensity is Daldal, set in Mumbai, with Bhumi Pednekar starring as DCP Rita Ferreira, a Crime Branch officer drawn into the pursuit of a cold-blooded killer. As the investigation deepens, Rita must confront not only the brutality of the crimes but also the emotional and psychological toll of the case.

    Together, these stories highlight the enduring appeal of crime thrillers, where every case reveals more than just a culprit, and every investigation uncovers something deeper about those involved. With a diverse mix of global and Indian narratives, Crime On Prime offers a compelling collection of mysteries that invite viewers into worlds shaped by suspense, secrets, and the relentless pursuit of truth.

  • Africa’s Green Economy Summit 2026 Charts a Course from Vision to Viability

    The gathering is built on a singular premise, that Africa’s environmental challenges are, in fact, its greatest economic opportunities

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Feb 26– The Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES) 2026 opened its doors in Cape Town today, marking a pivotal moment in the continent’s economic trajectory. Convening a powerful coalition of policymakers, financiers and innovators, the summit signals a decisive shift from conceptual ambition to concrete, bankable action in the pursuit of a sustainable African future.

    Under the banner of “From Ambition to Action: Scaling Opportunities in Africa’s Green and Blue Solutions,” AGES 2026, proudly sponsored by Sanlam Investments, is not merely a forum for discussion but a catalyst for deal-making and partnership. The gathering is built on a singular premise, that Africa’s environmental challenges are, in fact, its greatest economic opportunities.

    “Ambition lights the path, but it does not pave it. To transform our economies and uplift our communities, we must move beyond rhetoric to robust execution,” said Lerato Mbele, Summit Moderator. “This summit is a marketplace of ideas where we connect visionaries with investors, ensuring that Africa’s green transition is not just sustainable, but also scalable and profitable.”

    The strategic focus of this year’s agenda is underpinned by compelling data. The summit is shining a spotlight on the blue economy, a colossal yet often under-leveraged asset that already injects nearly $300 billion annually into the continent’s GDP and sustains 46 million livelihoods through fisheries, tourism and logistics. Simultaneously, the green economy, with agriculture and renewable energy at its core, is projected to unlock a staggering $10 trillion in global business value over the next decade, positioning Africa to generate an estimated 300 million new jobs for its burgeoning youth population.

    These are not distant prospects, but immediate frontiers for investment and innovation.

    Echoing this sentiment, the Honourable Naren Singh, Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, addressed delegates with a call for holistic progress. “Our journey towards a low-carbon future must be defined by a fundamental truth: sustainability is a three-legged stool, balancing the health of our planet, the prosperity of our people and the creation of shared value,” he stated. “By investing in our natural capital, we are investing in the most resilient infrastructure of all our communities.”

    Over the next two days, the summit floor will be a hive of activity. Attendees will engage in high-level interactive sessions, witness live project pitches from Africa’s most promising green entrepreneurs, and participate in curated networking forums designed to fast-track collaboration and knowledge transfer.

    AGES 2026 is more than an event, it is a declaration that Africa is ready to build a future where economic resilience and environmental stewardship are the same.

  • Odisha State Museums: Budget Push, Preservation Efforts and the Road Ahead

    Odisha’s 2026–27 state budget has placed renewed emphasis on cultural preservation, with major announcements centered on heritage conservation, museum development and digitization initiatives. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, while presenting the budget in the state Assembly, proposed the establishment of a world-class Shree Jagannath Museum and Library in Puri, reinforcing the government’s stated priority of preserving and propagating Jagannath culture.

    A World-Class Museum in Puri

    • The proposed museum in Puri will complement the historic Shree Jagannath Temple, one of India’s most revered 12th-century shrines. With an allocation of ₹1,000 crore for initiatives linked to Jagannath culture, the project aims to:
    • Create a global-standard museum and research library
    • Digitally connect devotees through the ‘Samarpan’ digital hundi platform
    • Restore the spiritual and architectural heritage of the Gundicha Temple
    • Undertake conservation work at Emar Mutt, Pramod Udyan and Raghunandan Library
    • Prepare a detailed inventory of the Ratna Bhandar ornaments

    This initiative signals a broader shift toward integrating heritage conservation with tourism development and digital accessibility.

    Condition of Odisha’s Existing Museums

    Odisha houses several state-managed museums that preserve its rich maritime, tribal, artistic and archaeological heritage. However, many institutions face infrastructural and modernization challenges.

    1. Odisha State Museum, Bhubaneswar

    The Odisha State Museum holds valuable collections of palm-leaf manuscripts, sculptures, inscriptions, coins and folk art. While it remains a key cultural institution, sections of the museum require upgraded galleries, improved lighting, climate control systems and digital cataloguing facilities. The budget allocation of ₹10 crore for maintenance of galleries is a step toward modernization.

    2. Odisha State Maritime Museum, Cuttack

    Located at Jobra in Cuttack, the Odisha State Maritime Museum highlights Odisha’s ancient maritime trade links across Southeast Asia. Recent maintenance activities, including work on its aquarium facility, indicate ongoing infrastructural needs. Although operational, the museum requires technological upgrades, interactive displays and enhanced visitor services to meet contemporary standards.

    3. District and Thematic Museums

    Several district-level and thematic museums across Odisha face common issues:

    • Limited funding for upkeep
    • Shortage of trained museum professionals
    • Lack of digitization of collections
    • Minimal public engagement and outreach programs

    Central Scheme for Museum Development: Objectives and Scope

    The broader national scheme for museum development aligns closely with Odisha’s current initiatives. The scheme aims to provide financial assistance for:

    Objectives

    • Setting up new museums at regional, state and district levels
    • Strengthening and modernizing existing museums
    • Digitizing art objects and creating online catalogues
    • Capacity building and training of museum professionals

    Scope

    Financial assistance covers museums managed by Central and State Governments, societies, autonomous bodies and trusts. The scope includes:

    • Museums with collections of antiquities, numismatics, paintings, ethnology, textiles and crafts
    • Online Virtual Museums
    • Theme-based museums
    • Virtual Experiential Museums (VEM)
    • Projects of National Importance

    Monitoring Mechanism

    Museums receiving assistance must report annual visitor footfall for five years after project completion. A Project Monitoring Committee under the Ministry periodically reviews progress to ensure effective implementation.

    Steps Toward New Museums in Odisha

    The proposal for a Shree Jagannath Museum reflects a strategic cultural vision. Discussions around new museums in Odisha increasingly focus on:

    1. Digitization and Virtual Access
    2. Creating online archives and virtual walkthroughs to attract global audiences.
    3. Experiential and Theme-Based Museums
    4. Developing immersive storytelling spaces around Jagannath culture, maritime history and tribal heritage.
    5. Capacity Building
    6. Training curators, conservators and archivists in modern museum management practices.
    7. Public-Private Partnerships
    8. Involving trusts, academic institutions and autonomous bodies to strengthen governance and funding.
    9. Tourism Integration
    10. Linking museums with pilgrimage and heritage circuits to boost visitor engagement and revenue.

    The Way Forward

    Odisha stands at a critical juncture in cultural infrastructure development. While existing museums preserve invaluable heritage, many require modernization to remain relevant and engaging. The proposed Jagannath Museum in Puri could serve as a benchmark for future museum projects in the state—combining tradition, technology and tourism.

    If effectively implemented, the new initiatives may transform Odisha into a leading cultural hub, where heritage preservation coexists with digital innovation and global outreach.

  • Epson Installs Monna Lisa 64000 at Priyadharshini Designs

    Bengaluru, Feb 26: The Indian textile industry is witnessing a rapid shift toward digital printing as manufacturers seek shorter production cycles, greater design flexibility, consistent quality, and more sustainable processes.

    Epson India today announced the installation of its 64-print head Monna Lisa 64000 digital textile printer at Priyadharshini Designs, Karur. This is the first installation of this printer in India with advanced pigment ink technology. This installation reinforces the growing adoption of high-capacity digital textile printing in the country.

    Priyadharshini Designs, a renowned supplier to exporters in the home d?cor textile segment, is an existing Epson customer and has been successfully using the Monna Lisa 8000 for the past three years. Building on its experience with Epson’s print quality, consistency, operational efficiency and post-sales support, the company has now invested in the Monna Lisa 64000 to significantly enhance production capacity, improve turnaround times, and better serve growing demand.

    Digital textile printing enables on-demand production, reduced water and chemical consumption, and faster response to global export markets, making it increasingly critical for home d?cor, fashion, and industrial textile segments. As a global innovator in digital textile printing, Epson is further strengthening this transformation with its Monna Lisa digital textile printers. The Epson Monna Lisa series is recognised for its exceptional colour precision, production reliability, and advanced pigment ink technology, enabling manufacturers to achieve industrial-scale productivity while advancing more sustainable, resource-efficient production.

    “Our experience with the Monna Lisa 8000 gave us the confidence to invest in Monna Lisa 64000. The printer delivers consistent colour, reliable production, and the flexibility we need for export markets. With Epson’s strong product performance and post-sales support, we have enhanced efficiency and grown our business with confidence,” said Selvaraj Dhivakar, Owner, Priyadharshini Designs.

    Epson Monna Lisa 64000 – Key Highlights

    • Industrial-Scale Productivity: Designed for high-volume textile production
    • PrecisionCore Printheads: High-speed printing with superior image clarity
    • Advanced Pigment Ink Technology: Supports compliance with OEKO-TEX? Eco Passport, GOTS 7.0, and bluesign? standards
    • Colour Consistency & Repeatability: Critical for export-oriented supply chains
    • 10L Bag-in-Box Ink System: Hot-swap capability for uninterrupted production
    • Automated Maintenance & Calibration: Built-in RGB camera and nozzle verification reduce downtime
    • Remote Monitoring: Enabled via Epson Cloud Solution PORT
    • Reduced Water & Chemical Usage: Supports more sustainable, resource-efficient textile production

    “The installation of the Monna Lisa 64000 at Priyadharshini Designs further strengthens the structural shift toward digital textile printing that delivers both productivity and sustainability. At Epson, we are committed to supporting our customers with advanced technologies and end-to-end solutions that enable scalable, profitable growth for our customers,”

    said Samba Moorthy, President, Epson India.

    Epson further supports customers through process consultation, profiling expertise, and access to its Textile Solution Center in Bengaluru, helping manufacturers maximise performance and scale with confidence.

  • GAIL India Limited Distributes Poshan Kits in Kota to Support Maternal Health

    GAIL India Limited Distributes Poshan Kits in Kota to Support Maternal Health

    Kota, Feb 26: GAIL India Limited continues its commitment to community well-being through its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives with the distribution of Poshan Kits to pregnant and lactating women at Kota, Rajasthan, on 24 February, 2026. The initiative was carried out under the guidance of Om Birla, Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha and Member of Parliament, Kota.

    The inaugural ceremony held at Kota marked a significant step towards strengthening maternal health, supporting safe pregnancies, and improving nutritional outcomes for newborns. The mega distribution event was graced by Shri Om Birla, Speaker, Lok Sabha, Shri Sandeep Kumar Gupta, CMD, GAIL, along with other officials from GAIL and esteemed dignitaries from the District Administration.

    Each Poshan Kit has been curated based on recommendations from nutritionists to ensure essential dietary support for mothers during pregnancy and lactation. The initiative underscores GAIL’s continued commitment to enhancing community health and combating malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable groups, reinforcing its dedication to sustainable and inclusive development.

  • Benin Tourism agency to join ITB Berlin 2026 to advance Benin’s international reach and tourism growth

    Cotonou, Feb 26 — Benin Tourism announces its participation in ITB Berlin, the leading trade show for the global travel and tourism industry, taking place March 3–5, 2026, in Berlin, Germany. Through this strategic presence, Benin aims to further strengthen its position as a forward-looking destination on the international stage by combining institutional visibility, industry engagement, market development of its tourism offering, and the promotion of its cultural identity. This participation builds on Benin’s recent presence at major international tourism events, following its participation in IFTM in Paris and FITUR in Madrid in recent months. It extends the country’s broader international outreach strategy to enhance Benin’s attractiveness, deepen relationships with travel industry stakeholders, and accelerate the commercialization of the destination across priority markets.

     ITB Berlin: A key international platform for promoting Destination Benin

    ITB Berlin is a must-attend event for any destination seeking to build a lasting position on the global tourism stage. Since 1966, the show has established itself as the world’s leading platform for the travel industry, and the 2026 edition will be especially significant as it marks the event’s 60th anniversary, taking place March 3–5 in Berlin under the theme, “Discover the stories behind 60 years of legacy.” With its structure organized both geographically (by destination) and by market segment (including adventure tourism, business travel, luxury travel, medical tourism, travel technology, and more), ITB offers a unique environment for visibility, strategic intelligence, and business development. The scale of the event underscores its importance: the previous edition brought together more than 170 countries and territories, 5,800 exhibitors, and nearly 100,000 trade visitors. Benin’s participation in 2026 is the result of long-term planning: after attending last year as an observer, Benin Tourism returns this year with a fully structured pavilion, building on preparatory work launched in 2025.

     A delegation structured around experience and commercialization

     For the 2026 edition of ITB Berlin, Benin Tourism has chosen to work alongside partners that reflect the growing strength of Benin’s tourism ecosystem, bringing together complementary stakeholders from across the value chain. The Benin pavilion will feature Benin Tours S.A., which is being mobilized to support the commercialization of Destination Benin and the structuring of its tourism offering, with the goal of expanding distribution opportunities and partnerships with international travel professionals. Alongside it, Ouidah Golf Club will highlight Benin’s potential across leisure, experiential tourism, and hospitality segments, while Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa, a flagship property, will showcase the rising quality of the country’s hospitality infrastructure and its ambition in the high-end travel segment. Together, these partners reflect a clear objective: to present in Berlin a destination that is not only inspiring, but also market-ready, programmable, and well-positioned for integration into international tour operators’ catalogs and travel offerings.

    A pavilion designed as a living showcase of Benin

     Beyond its institutional dimension and B2B engagement, the Benin pavilion will offer an immersive discovery experience designed to leave a lasting impression on visitors, spark the

    interest of travel professionals, and embody the full richness of Beninese hospitality. A dedicated tasting area will be set up to introduce visitors to flavors and products from Benin as part of a sensory storytelling approach to the destination. This tasting experience will play a central role in telling Benin’s story, highlighting the quality of its products, the diversity of its culinary traditions, and the refinement of its culture of hospitality. The goal is to give visitors a tangible first encounter with Benin through an experience that engages the senses and creates lasting recall. Conceived as a space for exchange, discovery, and projection, the pavilion will bring together the cultural, tourism, and commercial dimensions of the destination within a scenographic concept aligned with Benin’s positioning.

     An artistic and cultural program at the heart of the pavilion’s identity

     Benin’s presence at ITB Berlin will be brought to life through an ambitious artistic and cultural program designed as a central driver of differentiation, visibility, and appeal. The program is intended to make the Benin pavilion a vibrant, recognizable space deeply rooted in the country’s cultural expressions.

     In this spirit, Pépit’Arts will play a major role in the pavilion’s artistic and musical programming through the presentation of FAADJI, a percussion-based creation presented in formats tailored to visitor flow and the trade show environment. This performance concept will establish a strong sonic and stage presence, creating an experience that is immediately distinctive and memorable.

    The pavilion will also welcome Akonhoun Delidji, a cultural ensemble from Abomey renowned for its traditional dance performances, including Zinli and the Akonhoun dance. The sequences presented will highlight the expressive power, symbolic depth, and heritage significance of these dances, echoing the history of the Danxomè Kingdom and the imagery of strength, courage, and pride associated with the Amazons. Through this presence, Benin will deliver a powerful cultural performance that is identity-driven, visually striking, and fully aligned with the story it is bringing to the international stage.

     More broadly, these cultural performances will strengthen the identity of the Benin pavilion, showcase the country’s intangible cultural heritage, and affirm Beninese artistic creation as a core pillar of the national narrative presented in Berlin.

    A clear objective: elevating and selling Destination Benin

     Through its participation in ITB Berlin, Benin Tourism is pursuing a clear ambition: to combine international visibility with the market development of the destination. The trade show will provide a strategic platform to engage with tour operators, travel agencies, key industry influencers, specialized media, and institutional partners, while presenting a tourism offer that is more clearly defined, more competitive, and more distinctive.

    Benin’s participation in this major international event reflects a resolutely modern approach to destination promotion, one that goes beyond simply showcasing assets. It is an approach that builds connections, creates emotion, structures commercialization, and establishes a lasting brand image. By leveraging the complementarity between public and private stakeholders, and between hospitality, culture, and distribution, Benin is affirming its ambition to claim its full place in the global tourism conversation.

     Sindé CHEKETE, CEO of Benin Tourism, said: “Benin’s participation in ITB Berlin 2026 is part of a consistent strategy to strengthen our presence on the world’s leading tourism stages, following our participation in IFTM in Paris and FITUR in Madrid. It reflects our determination to steadily advance the visibility, credibility, and commercialization of Destination Benin. In

    Berlin, we will present a structured tourism offering, supported by complementary stakeholders from across our ecosystem, and a pavilion designed as a space for engagement, experience, and forward-looking dialogue.”

  • Lightrun Launches Industry’s First AI SRE With Live Dynamic Runtime Context

    NEW YORK, Feb 26 — Lightrun, a leader in software reliability, announced the industry’s first and only real-time AI SRE built on live, in-line runtime context. This allows AI agents and engineering teams to create missing evidence dynamically without redeployments, prove root causes with live execution data (“ground truth”), and validate fixes directly in live environments.

     The mass adoption of AI agents and coding assistants has accelerated code generation, outpacing reliability. This has shifted developer time from writing code to verifying and fixing issues, and moved the development bottleneck to runtime, where behavior is complex and often non-deterministic. As enterprises accelerate investment in AI-driven reliability and autonomous operations, this has created a market for AI SREs valued at billions of dollars.

     Despite this growth, most available ‘AI SRE’ tools are optimized for post-incident workflows and limited to relying on traditional, static telemetry that was already captured. When logs are missing, traces are incomplete, or execution context is unclear, teams are left to guess. Engineers are forced into long reactive cycles of redeploys, rollbacks, and manual validation.

     Lightrun’s AI SRE closes this gap by bringing live, code-level runtime context directly into the reliability loop. Lightrun has been recognized in the 2026 Gartner® Market Guide for AI Site Reliability Engineering Tooling.

     Instead of passively observing telemetry, the Lightrun AI SRE can safely interact with live systems via Lightrun’s patented Sandbox to create new evidence, test hypotheses, and validate outcomes against real execution behavior. This capability transforms AI SRE from a reactive post-incident advisor into a trusted, runtime-verified autonomous engineer that ensures reliability by design.

     Built on Lightrun’s Runtime Context engine, the AI SRE supports reliability across the entire SDLC, from proactive issue detection during development and testing (“peace time”) to autonomous investigation and remediation during live incidents (“war time”). It enables teams to understand how code truly behaves in runtime, close visibility gaps without redeploying, and resolve issues with confidence. Lightrun is designed for every team responsible for the behavior, reliability, or outcomes of running software.

     “Lightrun addresses a structural visibility gap in the emerging AI site reliability engineering workflows (SRE) market,” said Jim Mercer, Program Vice President, Software Development, DevOps, and DevSecOps at IDC. “By integrating dynamic instrumentation into SRE workflows, the company enables validation of root cause and remediation against live execution, reducing reliance on static, pre-instrumented telemetry and strengthening reliability across the software development lifecycle.”

     With Lightrun’s AI SRE, engineering and reliability teams benefit from:

    ●        Root cause analysis based on new evidence from live environments, without requiring prior instrumentation.

    ●        Runtime-validated code changes to eliminate guesswork and reduce rollback-and-redeploy cycles.

    ●        Live issue debugging in safe remote sessions with execution-level behavior inspections.

    ●        Dynamic telemetry to running systems to fill visibility gaps that traditional observability tools cannot address.

    ●        Reduced reliance on expensive war rooms, due to autonomous remediation and the ability to receive a code fix of incidents before escalating to a human.

    ●        Resilience to “unknown unknowns” introduced by multiple AI agents across the SDLC.

    Zahi Kapeluto, AVP Engineering, AT&T, stated, “Modern, AI-driven software reliability depends on connecting telemetry to real execution context. Without understanding how code behaves in live environments, alerts and metrics alone don’t tell the full story. Lightrun helps our teams close that gap by exposing runtime behavior directly, enabling faster investigation and more confident remediation.”

     “AI cannot resolve what it cannot see. Lightrun’s runtime context engine allows AI to see application behavior at a single line level of granularity, which positions us to streamline remediation for any software issues in real-time,” added Ilan Peleg, CEO of Lightrun. “Trusted by Fortune 100 companies and the largest enterprises in the world, Lightrun is proud to lead the way in making self-healing software a reality.”