Fortitude Research and Marketing has launched Guidant, a groundbreaking technology platform that allows families to purchase cemetery property and related services entirely online—a first for the deathcare industry.

While digital transformation has already reshaped sectors like travel, finance, and healthcare, cemetery property sales have remained one of the few major consumer transactions confined to in-person meetings. Guidant changes that with a patented, fully digital system that combines interactive mapping, inventory management, and secure e-commerce functionality to bring transparency and convenience to an industry long defined by tradition.

A New Chapter for Cemetery Commerce

Developed by Fortitude Research and Marketing, Guidant is the first platform to digitize direct cemetery property transactions—a process historically dependent on offline consultations with sales representatives. Now, families can browse available plots, compare options, and make purchases directly from cemetery websites in a streamlined, self-service experience.

According to Fortitude, 35% of consumers say they would buy cemetery property online if given the option. Guidant meets that growing demand while helping operators modernize their sales and customer engagement.

“For too long, cemetery property sales have been one of the last major purchase categories still tied to a completely offline process,” said George Owens, Founder of Fortitude Research and Marketing, which incubated Guidant. “Guidant changes that. It brings transparency, convenience, and accessibility to families—while empowering cemetery operators to grow in a digital-first world.”

Transforming an Industry Rooted in Tradition

The platform’s patented architecture integrates geospatial mapping, real-time inventory control, and intuitive checkout tools, enabling cemeteries to present property details in an interactive, consumer-friendly way. Each implementation can be customized to align with a cemetery’s brand and pricing model, while maintaining compliance with local and state regulations.

The first live deployment of Guidant launched at Brooklawn Memorial Park in Portland, Maine, a partner of Milestone Funeral Partners, which operates funeral homes and cemeteries across multiple northeastern states.

“We’re proud to be the first to bring Guidant’s technology to market,” said Mike Martel, President of Milestone Funeral Partners. “This platform makes it easier for families to make informed, meaningful decisions—and it gives our locations a new way to reach people where they are. Guidant represents the kind of innovation our profession has needed for years.”

Scaling Innovation Across North America

With 11 additional partner locations in pre-launch, Guidant is entering an active growth phase. The company is now seeking seed investment to accelerate expansion, build out its engineering team, and support widespread adoption across North America.

Owens emphasizes that this isn’t just about technology—it’s about evolving an industry to meet modern expectations while preserving its integrity.

“This isn’t just a digital tool,” he said. “It’s the foundation for how the next generation of cemetery commerce will operate—built with respect for tradition and the innovation needed for the future.”

Bringing Deathcare Into the Digital Age

Guidant’s introduction marks a significant milestone for the deathcare profession, bridging the gap between human compassion and technological progress. By digitizing one of the last untouched areas of commerce, it sets a precedent for how even the most traditional industries can embrace transformation without losing their human touch.

As Fortitude Research scales Guidant’s reach, cemeteries and funeral homes are poised to enter a new era of digital empowerment, where data-driven insight meets empathy-driven design—helping families make some of life’s most important decisions with confidence and clarity.

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Brandi AI™, a leader in enterprise AI visibility and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), has launched the Brandi Agency Partnership Program, a global initiative aimed at empowering digital marketing, PR, content, and branding agencies to turn AI visibility into a profitable new service offering.

As Generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity reshape online discovery, traditional web traffic is shrinking. Users aren’t scrolling for answers—they’re asking AI directly. For brands, this means that being cited by AI models is fast becoming as critical as ranking on Google once was.

“Buyers aren’t scrolling, they’re asking questions and trusting AI’s answers,” said Leah Nurik, Co-Founder and CEO of Brandi AI. “Our program empowers agencies to help clients become the brands AI cites—proving impact, strengthening positioning, and unlocking new revenue streams.”

Helping Agencies Monetize AI Visibility

The Brandi Agency Partnership Program equips agencies with the data, analytics, and intelligence tools to help clients achieve measurable AI visibility. Using Brandi’s GEO platform, agencies can audit and optimize how frequently a brand is mentioned or cited in AI-generated answers—and then implement strategies to improve performance across generative engines.

According to Brandi, 78% of agency clients lack the visibility signals that drive discovery in AI-generated responses, creating a massive opportunity for agencies to fill the gap. Early adopters of Brandi’s platform are already packaging GEO audits, citation tracking, and AI-ready content optimization as premium retainer services, boosting both client retention and agency profitability.

Bringing GEO into the Marketing Mainstream

The partnership program is already gaining traction among top-tier digital, PR, and content firms across North America and Europe. These early adopters are leveraging Brandi’s intelligence layer to integrate GEO into their service portfolios—delivering quantifiable results for clients while expanding their own margins.

Brandi’s framework is designed for flexibility across multiple disciplines:

• Digital marketing agencies can merge GEO analytics with SEO to provide comprehensive visibility reporting.

• PR firms can link earned media placements to AI citation share, proving deeper influence in generative responses.

• Branding agencies can refine messaging based on real buyer prompts and queries drawn from Brandi’s data.

• Content studios can use prompt-level insights to optimize articles, videos, and assets for machine readability and authority.

Unlocking Measurable ROI in a Generative-First Market

By joining the Brandi Agency Partnership Program, agencies gain access to exclusive financial incentives, co-marketing opportunities, referrals, and early access to new GEO features. Partners also receive platform training, success management, and strategic support to scale their GEO service offerings.

“Brandi AI looks beyond search ranking to tailor visibility and insights for GenAI app users,” said Jason English, Director and Principal Analyst at Intellyx. “Optimizing GEO not only boosts AI visibility but also strengthens SEO authority and natural search presence.”

“Our early agency partners are using Brandi to transform how they measure and deliver success in a generative-first market,” added Nurik. “They’re expanding their retainer value, improving margins, and redefining what innovation looks like for marketing services firms.”

Redefining the Future of Brand Discovery

As AI-driven search becomes the new front door for digital discovery, Brandi’s Agency Partnership Program positions agencies to lead the transformation. With Generative Engine Optimization emerging as the next evolution of SEO, agencies that adopt Brandi’s tools early are poised to define how brands stay visible—and relevant—in the age of AI-powered answers.

The Brandi Agency Partnership Program is now open to qualified agencies worldwide. Interested firms can learn more and apply via Brandi AI’s website.

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Netcore Cloud, a leading agentic marketing platform, has announced three senior appointments aimed at accelerating its international expansion and advancing its leadership in Agentic AI-driven marketing innovation.

The company has appointed Vassil Mladjov as Senior Vice President of Agentic AI and Strategy, Deepthi Nagarajan as Vice President of Marketing, and Sourabh Mahajan as Senior Vice President of Sales. Collectively, the new executives bring more than five decades of experience in scaling SaaS businesses, driving go-to-market excellence, and leading digital transformation initiatives.

Mladjov will lead Netcore Cloud’s global AI roadmap, spearheading the integration of Agentic AI to deliver personalized, one-to-one marketing experiences at scale. “Netcore isn’t just participating in the Agentic AI revolution—it’s poised to lead it,” said Mladjov. “We’re embedding intelligent agents across every stage of marketing execution, helping marketers not just use AI, but grow with it.”

Joining from Freshworks and IBM, Deepthi Nagarajan takes over as VP of Marketing, overseeing product, brand, and customer marketing for Netcore Cloud and Netcore Unbxd. She will focus on strengthening the company’s global positioning and customer engagement strategy. “With more than 6,500 customers already seeing success from our platforms, I’m excited to expand Netcore’s global footprint and elevate customer experiences,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sourabh Mahajan, previously with MoEngage, AppsFlyer, and InMobi, assumes the role of SVP, Sales. With nearly two decades in AdTech and MarTech, Mahajan will lead revenue growth and global sales strategy. “Netcore has been at the forefront of agentic marketing innovation,” Mahajan noted. “I’m thrilled to help scale this next phase of growth.”

“These appointments mark a significant milestone as we strengthen our leadership bench to drive global excellence and innovation,” said Kalpit Jain, Group CEO of Netcore Cloud. “With Vassil, Deepthi, and Sourabh onboard, we’re well-positioned to lead the era of Agentic Marketing.”

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Increditors, a global post-production powerhouse, has launched its embedded video team model aimed at helping U.S. marketing leaders produce content at scale. The model promises to eliminate vendor chaos, cut production delays, and maintain creative consistency—all without expanding internal headcount.

Redefining Video Production for the Marketing Era

The new offering allows brands to produce YouTube videos, product promos, and social content at enterprise speed and quality. By embedding senior editors, animators, AI artists, and creative leads directly into client workflows, Increditors delivers an experience that blends the agility of an in-house team with the expertise of a full-service production house.

“We built our embedded model so marketing teams wouldn’t have to juggle vendors or do extra post-work,” said Mohammad Mahmoudilari, Founder of Increditors. “Our clients collaborate with a world-class team that feels like an extension of their brand.”

A Fully Managed Creative Model

Unlike traditional post-production agencies that rely on scattered freelancers or multi-vendor setups, Increditors takes a fully managed approach. The company handles every aspect of content creation—research, ideation, editing, color grading, VFX, and animation—under one roof.

This structure ensures predictable timelines, consistent output, and a seamless creative process. It’s a setup designed for marketers under pressure to deliver more video content faster while maintaining brand integrity.

Proven Experience and Data-Driven Creativity

Increditors has delivered over 1,700 projects globally, working across corporate videos, motion graphics, product explainers, and TikTok animations. Drawing from insights gained through hundreds of YouTube channels and international campaigns, the team applies data-backed creative strategies that drive performance and ROI.

Their secret lies in pairing creative storytelling with production efficiency—helping marketing teams increase video output without sacrificing quality or authenticity.

A Scalable Future for Brand Storytelling

As video continues to dominate digital marketing, brands are shifting from one-off campaigns to continuous storytelling. Increditors’ embedded team model aligns with that trend, allowing organizations to scale video production sustainably.

The company’s offering spans YouTube editing services, 2D and motion animation, and dedicated video teams, positioning it as a go-to creative partner for marketing leaders navigating the content-heavy digital landscape.

Increditors isn’t just offering post-production—it’s redefining how marketing teams create, collaborate, and scale in the AI-driven era of brand storytelling.

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Local businesses in Mooresville, North Carolina, can now enhance visibility across Google Search, Maps, and emerging AI search platforms like AI Overviews (AIOs) and Search Generative Experience (SGE). Online Advantages offers a free Local SEO analysis via onlineadvantages.net or by calling (704) 734-9909.

“Search is evolving faster than ever, and local businesses deserve strategies that evolve with it,” said Matt Maglodi, Founder of Online Advantages. “Our Mooresville Local SEO program blends a decade of experience with today’s AI-powered search tools to help business owners grow smarter and stay ahead.”

AI Meets Local SEO

Online Advantages combines traditional SEO fundamentals with AI Search Optimization (AISO) to ensure businesses appear first in both conventional search results and AI-driven discovery engines. This dual approach positions local businesses to capture nearby customers and generate qualified leads efficiently.

The program leverages the latest AI search tools, preparing businesses for Google’s AI Overviews and Search Generative Experience, which are quickly becoming primary discovery channels for buyers.

Bridging Classic SEO and AI Innovation

With over 15 years of experience, Online Advantages has built a methodology that integrates data-driven insights with real-world testing. This approach addresses the challenges local businesses face as search engines increasingly prioritize AI-driven results over traditional rankings.

Maglodi observed that even well-optimized sites were losing visibility because they were unprepared for AIO and SGE formats. The result is a comprehensive modernization of local SEO services.

Key Features of Mooresville Local SEO Services

• AI Search Optimization (AISO): Enhances visibility in AI-generated search results.

• AI Overview (AIO) Visibility: Ensures prominence in Google’s AI summary panels.

• Search Generative Experience (SGE) Readiness: Prepares sites for Google’s evolving interface.

• Custom Strategies: Every plan is built using competitor intelligence, real data, and advanced tracking.

Unlike template-based providers, Online Advantages focuses on measurable ROI and sustainable visibility. Businesses gain a competitive edge today and maintain discoverability as AI-driven search matures.

Empowering Local Businesses to Compete

The Mooresville Local SEO service enables small and mid-sized businesses to leverage enterprise-grade AI tools. By merging proven SEO methods with AI search insights, Online Advantages ensures clients can compete with major brands in both traditional and AI-powered search environments.

“Our goal is to equip local businesses with the tools and insights needed to be found anywhere customers search,” said Maglodi. “We’re bringing AI-ready SEO strategies to Main Street businesses.”

Local businesses ready to increase their visibility across Google, Maps, and AI platforms can request a free Local SEO analysis at onlineadvantages.net or call (704) 734-9909 to speak directly with a strategist.

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Caylent, an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner, has acquired Trek10 Inc., also an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner. The move expands Caylent’s managed services portfolio and strengthens its ability to deliver full-lifecycle AWS solutions. The acquisition is supported by Gryphon Investors, Caylent’s private equity firm. Lazard served as exclusive financial advisor to Trek10.

“This combination establishes the most comprehensive dedicated AWS services partner in the industry,” said Lori Williams, CEO of Caylent. “By uniting Trek10’s CloudOps platform with Caylent’s agentic delivery model, organizations gain a single partner for AI-era AWS services.”

Shared AWS Expertise and Leadership

The combined company brings unmatched AWS strategy and engineering capabilities across migration, modernization, data analytics, generative AI, and DevOps. Caylent is a six-time AWS Partner of the Year, while Trek10 holds specialized credentials in AWS IoT, Travel & Hospitality, and Retail Competencies.

This alliance positions the company to deliver exceptional client value, explore expanded markets, and potentially grow into EMEA regions.

End-to-End AWS Journey Support

The acquisition enables Caylent to provide consulting, engineering, and managed services across the entire AWS lifecycle:

• Forward Deployed Strategy: Partnering with customers to define cloud-first strategies, operating models, and measurable business outcomes.

• Agentified Migration & Modernization: Accelerating migration and data modernization with AI automation, Caylent Accelerate™ IP, and proven frameworks.

• Custom Product Innovation: Building machine-learning platforms, serverless applications, and AI solutions with integrated product strategy and engineering expertise.

• Managed Services: Maintaining enterprise-scale AWS environments via Trek10’s CloudOps platform, offering 24/7 monitoring, 15-minute response times, and continuous optimization.

“Joining forces with Caylent unlocks extraordinary opportunities for our customers,” said Shane Fimbel, CEO of Trek10. “Combining Caylent’s agentified services with Trek10’s CloudOps expertise provides one partner for every stage of the AWS journey—from strategy to AI-driven operations.”

The acquisition underscores Caylent’s commitment to AWS excellence, delivering AI-powered speed, software-like scalability, and continuous optimization to help organizations transform on the cloud.

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Cengage, the higher education division of Cengage Group, has unveiled Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: A Business Perspective. This new course integrates MindTap learning tools with AI-powered video assignments, providing students foundational AI skills and workforce readiness.

According to the Cengage Group 2025 Graduate Employability Report, only 51% of recent graduates felt they had sufficient AI skills for the jobs they applied for. Additionally, research shows 92% of instructors and 83% of students agree that AI literacy is essential, with 84% of students emphasizing AI skills as critical for future employment.

“Rather than focusing on a specific platform, this product teaches students foundational AI skills like evaluating outputs and engaging meaningfully with technology,” said Nhaim Khoury, EVP and GM of Cengage. “It builds lifelong learning habits and resilience in a fast-moving tech environment.”

Interdisciplinary and Practical Learning

Authored by Corinne Hoisington and Mark Ciampa, the course blends theory and practice across computing, marketing, finance, humanities, and other disciplines. New AI-powered instant feedback and grading tools allow students to refine presentation and soft skills without additional instructor workload.

This interdisciplinary approach ensures students can critically evaluate AI outputs, collaborate effectively, and develop adaptable skills required in any career.

Workforce-Relevant, First-to-Market Offering

Cengage positions this course as a first-to-market solution, meeting the growing demand for AI literacy in higher education. The product provides instructors with ready-to-use tools and equips students with confidence, critical thinking, and adaptability to thrive alongside emerging technologies.

“This launch exemplifies Cengage’s leadership in AI product development and career-ready content,” Khoury added. “We’re empowering both instructors and learners to succeed in an AI-forward future.”

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In a move that signals the next chapter in workplace modernization, JumpCloud Inc. has joined forces with Google Workspace to unveil the Work Transformation Set — an integrated, AI-driven solution designed to streamline enterprise productivity, security, and IT management under a single contract.

The offering merges Google Workspace’s AI-powered collaboration tools with JumpCloud’s identity, device, and access management platform, creating a unified ecosystem for modern enterprises seeking agility and security. Available exclusively through Google Workspace, the package consolidates pricing, support, and contracts — cutting complexity and cost while delivering enterprise-grade efficiency.

A Shift Away from Legacy IT

For decades, enterprises have been trapped by legacy IT systems that stifle innovation and increase operational risk. The Work Transformation Set represents a sharp turn away from that past. By combining AI-enabled productivity tools with Zero Trust security architecture, Google and JumpCloud are giving IT teams a roadmap for the AI era.

"Enterprise IT and security teams are at a crossroads," said Greg Keller, co-founder and CTO of JumpCloud. "The combination of JumpCloud and Google Workspace provides a clear path forward — leveraging Google’s AI to drive deeper security, productivity, and value."

The AI and Zero Trust Advantage

At its core, the Work Transformation Set is built for flexibility and future-proofing. The integration brings several key advantages:

• AI-Powered Productivity: Google Workspace with Gemini enhances everyday workflows, from automated content creation to smarter data analysis and seamless meeting management.

• Zero Trust Security: JumpCloud’s AI-driven Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) platforms deliver advanced biometric MFA and secure access across devices and operating systems.

• Simplified IT Operations: By merging licenses and support under one contract, enterprises can reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) while streamlining procurement and compliance.

"Our customers need world-class AI, productivity, and collaboration — with best-in-class IT management," said Yulie Kwon Kim, VP of Product at Google Workspace. "Work Transformation Set delivers exactly that, helping businesses move beyond outdated technology and strengthen defense against evolving threats."

Real-World Impact: Fintech in Focus

Early adopters are already seeing results. Tamara, a fast-scaling fintech company, reports that the integrated solution has cut employee onboarding time by 70%, eliminated manual password resets, and ensured 100% device compliance.

"The seamless integration and powerful AI in Google Workspace, combined with JumpCloud’s unified management, have given us a secure, cloud-native foundation to scale at incredible speed," said Renjith Radhakrishnan, Head of IT Business Solutions at Tamara.

The Future of Enterprise Productivity

The Work Transformation Set marks a significant stride toward enterprise cloud maturity. In a landscape where hybrid work, security threats, and AI innovation converge, this collaboration reflects a growing industry shift: platforms that deliver holistic solutions rather than fragmented tools.

For businesses aiming to modernize their technology stack, the message is clear — the future of work isn’t about managing more tools; it’s about integrating smarter ones.

The Work Transformation Set from JumpCloud and Google Workspace is now available for enterprises looking to redefine productivity, security, and scalability in the AI-first era.

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