Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Yum! Brands

In 2014, a Sri Lankan delegate proposed dedicating a day for developing vocational skills for the world’s youth to the United Nations General Assembly. It was eventually passed and is celebrated annually on July 15.

In that same nation, Pizza Hut’s Youth Enablement Program (YEP) provides youth and people with disabilities with professional development, vocational education and industry-recognized credentials that prepare participants for careers in the quick-service restaurant industry. By reducing barriers to transportation and housing costs, the program helps participants successfully transition from training to employment, with nearly all graduates securing jobs after earning their certification.

YEP is just one of the ways parent company Yum! Brands is feeding the futures of the next generation.

Building pathways to employment

For many young people, their biggest challenge isn’t ambition; it’s access to opportunities. Across its global system, Yum! Brands is helping bridge that gap through Food & Futures, its community impact strategy. By investing in programs that build practical workplace skills, leadership capabilities and real-world experience, the company is helping young people prepare for meaningful careers while strengthening the communities it serves.

One example is in the United Kingdom, where KFC’s Hatch program helps young people build workplace skills, grow their confidence and train for their first job through paid work experience. Delivered in partnership with the KFC Youth Foundation, the program provides access to a dedicated youth worker, employability training and support in entering the world of work.

For participant Zee, Hatch helped turn months of unsuccessful job searching into a role with KFC and has since advanced to team leader.

“Through Hatch, I learned teamwork, communication skills and how to understand people and deal with problems,” Zee said. “Now as a team leader, I have added responsibility and am learning how to handle more heightened situations.”

Building confidence through new experiences

Developing skills isn’t only about preparing for work. It’s also about giving young people the chance to discover new interests, express themselves and build confidence.

In Thailand, KFC’s Bucket Search program helps youth who did not complete high school  reconnect with education while developing workforce-ready skills and exploring future career pathways. Through a partnership with WAVS by Warner Music Thailand, participants also create and perform original music, serving as a creative outlet and communication skills builder.

In partnership with the California Restaurant Foundation and Arizona Restaurant Association, Habit Burger & Grill is investing in future talent through ProStart. Together, they provide high school students with mentorship from Habit chefs, hands-on culinary and restaurant management experiences, and opportunities to develop technical, leadership and teamwork skills while connecting with industry professionals and competing for scholarships to support their future careers.

Jenna Barada earned top honors at this year’s CA ProStart Cup. As part of her award, Barada spent a day in Habit’s Innovation Kitchen, where she experienced how new menu ideas are developed.

Developing tomorrow’s leaders

Building skills early also creates opportunities that extend well beyond a first job.

Through the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence at the University of Louisville, students from any academic discipline can earn an undergraduate certificate in Franchise Management, developing practical business, leadership and entrepreneurial skills while gaining real-world insights into one of the world’s most successful business models.

The Taco Bell Foundation’s Community Grants program also supports nonprofit organizations that help young people build academic, financial and career readiness skills. Family & Consumer Science teacher Kris Campion, who received a recent grant to purchase updated culinary equipment and classroom resources, said, “Having modern, efficient appliances allows students to safely learn essential culinary techniques, practice food safety and build confidence in the kitchen. It also increases efficiency in our classroom, so we can expand the skills students are able to master.”

Investing in youth skills every day

This World Youth Skills Day, Yum! is proud to celebrate the franchisees, nonprofit partners, restaurant team members and youth who are expanding opportunities and building brighter futures. While this work takes place daily, it’s important to devote a day to its recognition because its impact can last a lifetime.

Yum! Brands

In 2014, a Sri Lankan delegate proposed dedicating a day for developing vocational skills for the world’s youth to the United Nations General Assembly. It was eventually passed and is celebrated annually on July 15.

In that same nation, Pizza Hut’s Youth Enablement Program (YEP) provides youth and people with disabilities with professional development, vocational education and industry-recognized credentials that prepare participants for careers in the quick-service restaurant industry. By reducing barriers to transportation and housing costs, the program helps participants successfully transition from training to employment, with nearly all graduates securing jobs after earning their certification.

YEP is just one of the ways parent company Yum! Brands is feeding the futures of the next generation.

Building pathways to employment

For many young people, their biggest challenge isn’t ambition; it’s access to opportunities. Across its global system, Yum! Brands is helping bridge that gap through Food & Futures, its community impact strategy. By investing in programs that build practical workplace skills, leadership capabilities and real-world experience, the company is helping young people prepare for meaningful careers while strengthening the communities it serves.

One example is in the United Kingdom, where KFC’s Hatch program helps young people build workplace skills, grow their confidence and train for their first job through paid work experience. Delivered in partnership with the KFC Youth Foundation, the program provides access to a dedicated youth worker, employability training and support in entering the world of work.

For participant Zee, Hatch helped turn months of unsuccessful job searching into a role with KFC and has since advanced to team leader.

“Through Hatch, I learned teamwork, communication skills and how to understand people and deal with problems,” Zee said. “Now as a team leader, I have added responsibility and am learning how to handle more heightened situations.”

Building confidence through new experiences

Developing skills isn’t only about preparing for work. It’s also about giving young people the chance to discover new interests, express themselves and build confidence.

In Thailand, KFC’s Bucket Search program helps youth who did not complete high school  reconnect with education while developing workforce-ready skills and exploring future career pathways. Through a partnership with WAVS by Warner Music Thailand, participants also create and perform original music, serving as a creative outlet and communication skills builder.

In partnership with the California Restaurant Foundation and Arizona Restaurant Association, Habit Burger & Grill is investing in future talent through ProStart. Together, they provide high school students with mentorship from Habit chefs, hands-on culinary and restaurant management experiences, and opportunities to develop technical, leadership and teamwork skills while connecting with industry professionals and competing for scholarships to support their future careers.

Jenna Barada earned top honors at this year’s CA ProStart Cup. As part of her award, Barada spent a day in Habit’s Innovation Kitchen, where she experienced how new menu ideas are developed.

Developing tomorrow’s leaders

Building skills early also creates opportunities that extend well beyond a first job.

Through the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence at the University of Louisville, students from any academic discipline can earn an undergraduate certificate in Franchise Management, developing practical business, leadership and entrepreneurial skills while gaining real-world insights into one of the world’s most successful business models.

The Taco Bell Foundation’s Community Grants program also supports nonprofit organizations that help young people build academic, financial and career readiness skills. Family & Consumer Science teacher Kris Campion, who received a recent grant to purchase updated culinary equipment and classroom resources, said, “Having modern, efficient appliances allows students to safely learn essential culinary techniques, practice food safety and build confidence in the kitchen. It also increases efficiency in our classroom, so we can expand the skills students are able to master.”

Investing in youth skills every day

This World Youth Skills Day, Yum! is proud to celebrate the franchisees, nonprofit partners, restaurant team members and youth who are expanding opportunities and building brighter futures. While this work takes place daily, it’s important to devote a day to its recognition because its impact can last a lifetime.

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Chris Wagner and Brian Nichols

Key takeaways

• AI adoption is accelerating across the workplace, and leaders need a practical way to evaluate tools as they change, especially when teams move at different speeds.
• AI security affects cloud environments, on-premises systems, and legacy platforms, making governance critical.
• A repeatable review process can help organizations balance innovation and risk before yesterday’s approved tool becomes today’s exposure point.

Artificial intelligence can create meaningful workplace value, but organizations need a security model that keeps pace with how quickly the technology changes.

Many companies are under pressure to adopt AI quickly. Business teams want efficiency. Technology leaders want momentum. Executives don’t want to fall behind competitors. At the same time, security teams need confidence that new tools, platforms, and AI-enabled capabilities won’t create avoidable risk.

As AI tools become more accessible, powerful, and closely connected to company systems and data, watch for that tension to increase.

A tool might have new features, integrations, data-handling practices, or vulnerabilities just months after passing review. Leaders need a governance rhythm, not just a one-off approval process.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Why does AI adoption require a different security rhythm?
• What AI security risks need attention as tools evolve?
• How can leaders review AI tools after approval?
• Where do cloud, on-premises, and legacy systems change the risk equation?
• How can leadership structure AI security ownership?
• When is outside support useful for AI security planning?

Why does AI adoption require a different security rhythm?

AI adoption is moving faster than traditional technology review cycles.

Employees test new tools quickly, vendors release new capabilities, and platforms expand into broader business workflows with little friction, and that pace changes the security conversation.

One-time approvals don’t give leaders long-term visibility into how that tool performs, what data it touches, or how its risk profile changes over time. A better approach to AI governance includes recurring review, clear ownership, and a way to evaluate whether tools still fit the organization’s risk tolerance.

This challenge isn’t only technical.

AI adoption affects:

• Data governance
• Vendor management
• Productivity
• Regulatory exposure
• Cybersecurity

Support innovation while including awareness of risk by encouraging security teams to work with finance, operations, IT, and business leaders in order to make AI decisions.

What AI security risks need attention as tools evolve?

AI risk can show up in several places at once. Some concerns relate to the tool itself. Others relate to how employees use it, how vendors manage data, or how AI-enabled capabilities interact with existing systems.

Areas to review as AI use expands

• Data exposure. Identify whether employees may enter confidential, customer, employee, intellectual property or regulated data into artificial intelligence tools.
• Vendor security. Review how providers store, process, retain and use company data, including whether inputs may train models.
• Access and identity. Evaluate whether tools connect to company applications, cloud environments, code repositories or sensitive files.
• Model and output risk. Consider whether outputs could introduce errors, bias, security weaknesses or unsupported decisions.
• Shadow AI. Create visibility into tools used outside formal procurement, security or technology review.
• Changing functionality. Track product updates, integrations and feature changes that could alter the original security assessment.

AI affects the threat landscape. As AI-enabled tools improve, attackers may use them to identify weaknesses, generate messages, automate reconnaissance, or quickly test systems. Similar capabilities can identify risk earlier, but that advantage hangs on preparation, governance, and response discipline.

How can leaders review AI tools after approval?

AI security works best when approval is a first step, not the end of a checklist. A recurring review process helps leaders confirm whether tools still align with business needs, data policies, cybersecurity expectations, and regulatory requirements.

• Three practices can improve that process:
• Set review intervals based on risk.
• Track major vendor and product changes.
• Connect AI oversight to existing security, privacy, and vendor management processes.

High-risk tools may need more frequent review, especially when they process sensitive data, connect to business systems, support customer-facing workflows, or influence decisions. Lower-risk tools may still need periodic checks, particularly when vendors add new features or update terms.

A practical review process can include a current inventory of approved AI tools, owners for each tool, permitted use cases, data restrictions, integration details, renewal dates, and review history. This gives leaders a clearer view of where AI is already in use and where additional controls may be needed.

Where do cloud, on-premises, and legacy systems change the risk equation?

Cloud environments and legacy technology pose distinct AI security challenges. Companies using major cloud platforms may benefit from the security investments, monitoring capabilities, and rapid updates that those providers bring to their environments.

Even then, cloud security remains shared. Internal teams still need to configure access, monitor usage, protect data, and understand how AI tools interact with cloud workloads.

Organizations with significant on-premises infrastructure or legacy platforms face different challenges. An older system with less visibility, fewer modern controls, and more complicated patching requirements can be vulnerable. If AI-enabled security tools make vulnerability discovery easier, legacy platforms can attract more scrutiny from both defenders and attackers.

Security planning at companies with legacy platforms should focus on reducing unknowns. Start by improving asset inventory, identifying critical systems, reviewing exposed services, tightening access, and prioritizing remediation for systems that support essential operations.

Visibility is a top priority. Without a clear picture of which technologies exist, where sensitive data resides, and which systems have the greatest business impact, AI-related risk becomes harder to manage.

How can leadership structure AI security ownership?

AI governance works best when ownership is clear. The risks don’t rest with a single person or team, so leadership should bring the right perspectives together. Technology leaders can help assess how tools fit into existing systems. Security leaders can evaluate controls, monitoring and exposure. Data leaders can guide the classification and use of information. Finance leaders can help weigh value, investment and accountability.

Strong AI security programs bring those perspectives together. A cross-functional governance group can start with evaluating use cases and approving tools, and then set data rules, review vendor risk, and monitor how AI adoption changes over time.

Governance questions leaders can use

• Which AI tools are approved for business use?
• Who owns each tool and its risk review?
• What data can employees use with each platform?
• Which systems does each tool connect to?
• How often do approved tools get re-reviewed?
• What changes trigger a new security assessment?
• Who monitors employee adoption and shadow AI?
• How are security concerns escalated and resolved?

Clear ownership reduces confusion when AI initiatives move beyond experimentation. It can speed decision-making when teams know who approves tools, who reviews risk, and who updates controls when circumstances change.

When is outside support useful for AI security planning?

Some organizations have mature security teams, established vendor review processes, strong cloud controls, and clear AI governance. Others are still building the structure needed to adopt AI with confidence.

Outside support can help with assessing current AI use, building governance processes, reviewing tool risk, improving cloud or legacy security posture, or aligning business goals with cybersecurity requirements.

It can also help leaders translate fast-moving AI questions into practical decisions that fit the organization’s risk tolerance.

AI adoption will continue to change how people work, how companies manage data, and how attackers search for weaknesses. Organizations that create repeatable governance now will be better positioned to capture AI’s value while maintaining a clearer view of security risk.

Interested in learning more? Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist.

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Chris Wagner and Brian Nichols

Key takeaways

• AI adoption is accelerating across the workplace, and leaders need a practical way to evaluate tools as they change, especially when teams move at different speeds.
• AI security affects cloud environments, on-premises systems, and legacy platforms, making governance critical.
• A repeatable review process can help organizations balance innovation and risk before yesterday’s approved tool becomes today’s exposure point.

Artificial intelligence can create meaningful workplace value, but organizations need a security model that keeps pace with how quickly the technology changes.

Many companies are under pressure to adopt AI quickly. Business teams want efficiency. Technology leaders want momentum. Executives don’t want to fall behind competitors. At the same time, security teams need confidence that new tools, platforms, and AI-enabled capabilities won’t create avoidable risk.

As AI tools become more accessible, powerful, and closely connected to company systems and data, watch for that tension to increase.

A tool might have new features, integrations, data-handling practices, or vulnerabilities just months after passing review. Leaders need a governance rhythm, not just a one-off approval process.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Why does AI adoption require a different security rhythm?
• What AI security risks need attention as tools evolve?
• How can leaders review AI tools after approval?
• Where do cloud, on-premises, and legacy systems change the risk equation?
• How can leadership structure AI security ownership?
• When is outside support useful for AI security planning?

Why does AI adoption require a different security rhythm?

AI adoption is moving faster than traditional technology review cycles.

Employees test new tools quickly, vendors release new capabilities, and platforms expand into broader business workflows with little friction, and that pace changes the security conversation.

One-time approvals don’t give leaders long-term visibility into how that tool performs, what data it touches, or how its risk profile changes over time. A better approach to AI governance includes recurring review, clear ownership, and a way to evaluate whether tools still fit the organization’s risk tolerance.

This challenge isn’t only technical.

AI adoption affects:

• Data governance
• Vendor management
• Productivity
• Regulatory exposure
• Cybersecurity

Support innovation while including awareness of risk by encouraging security teams to work with finance, operations, IT, and business leaders in order to make AI decisions.

What AI security risks need attention as tools evolve?

AI risk can show up in several places at once. Some concerns relate to the tool itself. Others relate to how employees use it, how vendors manage data, or how AI-enabled capabilities interact with existing systems.

Areas to review as AI use expands

• Data exposure. Identify whether employees may enter confidential, customer, employee, intellectual property or regulated data into artificial intelligence tools.
• Vendor security. Review how providers store, process, retain and use company data, including whether inputs may train models.
• Access and identity. Evaluate whether tools connect to company applications, cloud environments, code repositories or sensitive files.
• Model and output risk. Consider whether outputs could introduce errors, bias, security weaknesses or unsupported decisions.
• Shadow AI. Create visibility into tools used outside formal procurement, security or technology review.
• Changing functionality. Track product updates, integrations and feature changes that could alter the original security assessment.

AI affects the threat landscape. As AI-enabled tools improve, attackers may use them to identify weaknesses, generate messages, automate reconnaissance, or quickly test systems. Similar capabilities can identify risk earlier, but that advantage hangs on preparation, governance, and response discipline.

How can leaders review AI tools after approval?

AI security works best when approval is a first step, not the end of a checklist. A recurring review process helps leaders confirm whether tools still align with business needs, data policies, cybersecurity expectations, and regulatory requirements.

• Three practices can improve that process:
• Set review intervals based on risk.
• Track major vendor and product changes.
• Connect AI oversight to existing security, privacy, and vendor management processes.

High-risk tools may need more frequent review, especially when they process sensitive data, connect to business systems, support customer-facing workflows, or influence decisions. Lower-risk tools may still need periodic checks, particularly when vendors add new features or update terms.

A practical review process can include a current inventory of approved AI tools, owners for each tool, permitted use cases, data restrictions, integration details, renewal dates, and review history. This gives leaders a clearer view of where AI is already in use and where additional controls may be needed.

Where do cloud, on-premises, and legacy systems change the risk equation?

Cloud environments and legacy technology pose distinct AI security challenges. Companies using major cloud platforms may benefit from the security investments, monitoring capabilities, and rapid updates that those providers bring to their environments.

Even then, cloud security remains shared. Internal teams still need to configure access, monitor usage, protect data, and understand how AI tools interact with cloud workloads.

Organizations with significant on-premises infrastructure or legacy platforms face different challenges. An older system with less visibility, fewer modern controls, and more complicated patching requirements can be vulnerable. If AI-enabled security tools make vulnerability discovery easier, legacy platforms can attract more scrutiny from both defenders and attackers.

Security planning at companies with legacy platforms should focus on reducing unknowns. Start by improving asset inventory, identifying critical systems, reviewing exposed services, tightening access, and prioritizing remediation for systems that support essential operations.

Visibility is a top priority. Without a clear picture of which technologies exist, where sensitive data resides, and which systems have the greatest business impact, AI-related risk becomes harder to manage.

How can leadership structure AI security ownership?

AI governance works best when ownership is clear. The risks don’t rest with a single person or team, so leadership should bring the right perspectives together. Technology leaders can help assess how tools fit into existing systems. Security leaders can evaluate controls, monitoring and exposure. Data leaders can guide the classification and use of information. Finance leaders can help weigh value, investment and accountability.

Strong AI security programs bring those perspectives together. A cross-functional governance group can start with evaluating use cases and approving tools, and then set data rules, review vendor risk, and monitor how AI adoption changes over time.

Governance questions leaders can use

• Which AI tools are approved for business use?
• Who owns each tool and its risk review?
• What data can employees use with each platform?
• Which systems does each tool connect to?
• How often do approved tools get re-reviewed?
• What changes trigger a new security assessment?
• Who monitors employee adoption and shadow AI?
• How are security concerns escalated and resolved?

Clear ownership reduces confusion when AI initiatives move beyond experimentation. It can speed decision-making when teams know who approves tools, who reviews risk, and who updates controls when circumstances change.

When is outside support useful for AI security planning?

Some organizations have mature security teams, established vendor review processes, strong cloud controls, and clear AI governance. Others are still building the structure needed to adopt AI with confidence.

Outside support can help with assessing current AI use, building governance processes, reviewing tool risk, improving cloud or legacy security posture, or aligning business goals with cybersecurity requirements.

It can also help leaders translate fast-moving AI questions into practical decisions that fit the organization’s risk tolerance.

AI adoption will continue to change how people work, how companies manage data, and how attackers search for weaknesses. Organizations that create repeatable governance now will be better positioned to capture AI’s value while maintaining a clearer view of security risk.

Interested in learning more? Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist.

When SailGP arrived in New York City this summer, fans witnessed some of the fastest racing on water. But behind every race is another high-performance operation that makes the championship possible: the global logistics network that moves teams, boats, and equipment from one venue to the next.

As Global Smart Logistics Partner of SailGP, DP World helps keep the championship moving around the globe — transporting race-critical assets and supporting infrastructure while demonstrating how technology, precision, and collaboration can drive operations on and off the water.

Watch the video to go behind the scenes at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix, where DP World hosted its inaugural Smart Series. The event brought together customers, partners, and industry leaders to explore the connections between elite sport and modern supply chains.

Inside the Smart Series

Throughout the discussions, one theme stood out: whether you’re competing for a championship or managing a global supply chain, success depends on turning data into action.

Experts shared how AI, advanced analytics, and real-time dashboards are helping organizations make faster decisions, improve productivity, and continuously optimize performance. SailGP teams rely on these tools to gain competitive insights during every race, while DP World applies many of the same principles to help customers build smarter, more resilient supply chains.

The video also highlights the often-unseen effort required to stage a global sporting championship. While fans focus on the water, an enormous logistics operation works behind the scenes to ensure that every boat, container, and piece of equipment arrives safely and on schedule at each stop on the global championship calendar. That ability to orchestrate complex global movements is at the heart of what DP World delivers every day for customers around the world.

Perhaps the strongest parallel between SailGP and supply chains is teamwork. Winning on the water requires seamless coordination between sailors, engineers, data specialists, and support crews. Likewise, successful supply chains depend on countless people working together behind the scenes to keep global trade moving efficiently.

More Than a Sports Sponsorship

DP World’s partnership with SailGP reflects a broader strategy of partnering with world-class sporting organizations that embody innovation, precision, and operational excellence.

In addition to SailGP, DP World is the Official Logistics Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team, helping transport race-critical freight around the world, and a Worldwide Partner of the Ryder Cup, where it supports one of golf’s premier global events. Across every partnership, the objective is the same: showcasing how smart logistics creates the foundation for high performance – whether on the racecourse, the golf course, or throughout global supply chains.

Watch the video above to hear directly from the leaders, customers, and innovators who joined DP World in New York to discuss the future of smart logistics — and see how the technologies shaping elite sport are transforming global supply chains.

When SailGP arrived in New York City this summer, fans witnessed some of the fastest racing on water. But behind every race is another high-performance operation that makes the championship possible: the global logistics network that moves teams, boats, and equipment from one venue to the next.

As Global Smart Logistics Partner of SailGP, DP World helps keep the championship moving around the globe — transporting race-critical assets and supporting infrastructure while demonstrating how technology, precision, and collaboration can drive operations on and off the water.

Watch the video to go behind the scenes at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix, where DP World hosted its inaugural Smart Series. The event brought together customers, partners, and industry leaders to explore the connections between elite sport and modern supply chains.

Inside the Smart Series

Throughout the discussions, one theme stood out: whether you’re competing for a championship or managing a global supply chain, success depends on turning data into action.

Experts shared how AI, advanced analytics, and real-time dashboards are helping organizations make faster decisions, improve productivity, and continuously optimize performance. SailGP teams rely on these tools to gain competitive insights during every race, while DP World applies many of the same principles to help customers build smarter, more resilient supply chains.

The video also highlights the often-unseen effort required to stage a global sporting championship. While fans focus on the water, an enormous logistics operation works behind the scenes to ensure that every boat, container, and piece of equipment arrives safely and on schedule at each stop on the global championship calendar. That ability to orchestrate complex global movements is at the heart of what DP World delivers every day for customers around the world.

Perhaps the strongest parallel between SailGP and supply chains is teamwork. Winning on the water requires seamless coordination between sailors, engineers, data specialists, and support crews. Likewise, successful supply chains depend on countless people working together behind the scenes to keep global trade moving efficiently.

More Than a Sports Sponsorship

DP World’s partnership with SailGP reflects a broader strategy of partnering with world-class sporting organizations that embody innovation, precision, and operational excellence.

In addition to SailGP, DP World is the Official Logistics Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team, helping transport race-critical freight around the world, and a Worldwide Partner of the Ryder Cup, where it supports one of golf’s premier global events. Across every partnership, the objective is the same: showcasing how smart logistics creates the foundation for high performance – whether on the racecourse, the golf course, or throughout global supply chains.

Watch the video above to hear directly from the leaders, customers, and innovators who joined DP World in New York to discuss the future of smart logistics — and see how the technologies shaping elite sport are transforming global supply chains.

Some businesses become part of the season itself. The smell of caramel on the boardwalk. The satisfying thwack of a pickleball paddle. A jar of honey that tastes exactly like the neighborhood it came from. Summer has a rhythm, and the small businesses that define it work hard to make every visit feel effortless – whether it’s a first-timer or someone who’s been coming back for decades.

Behind the scenes, Comcast Business helps keep those moments running seamlessly, powering everything from connectivity and security to mobile payments and day-to-day operations. This summer, we’re spotlighting a handful of the millions of small businesses across the country that rely on Comcast Business to stay always on – each one bringing its own energy and story to the communities they serve.

Wissahickon Brewing Company | Philadelphia, PA

Wissahickon Brewing Company started with a Father’s Day gift: a homebrew kit that brought the Gill family together around a shared hobby. What began with small batches brewed in a kitchen eventually grew into a thriving Philadelphia brewery, coffee shop, and gathering place where neighbors, friends, and families come together. Even as the business has grown, the focus has remained the same: creating great beer, welcoming people in, and building something the community can be proud of.

Behind the scenes, a lot goes into making that experience feel effortless. Brewing beer is a process built on precision, with teams closely monitoring everything from temperature to fermentation to ensure every batch meets the same high standards. Comcast Business helps Wissahickon stay connected across its operations, powering the systems used to monitor tanks, collect production data, run point-of-sale systems, and keep everything moving smoothly throughout the day.

For many customers, Wissahickon is more than a brewery. It’s a place to watch a Philadelphia Eagles game, grab a coffee while catching up on work, celebrate a milestone, or simply spend time with friends. Reliable connectivity helps make all of that possible, giving the team the tools they need to focus on what matters most: creating a welcoming space that keeps people coming back.

Bluff City Pickleball | Bartlett, Tennessee

Bluff City Pickleball was built to be more than a place to play. When John and Leslie Daniel opened the first indoor pickleball clubs in the region, they set out to create a space that feels welcoming, personal, and part of people’s routines. It is the kind of place where members are greeted by name and feel like they belong.

That experience is intentional, and a lot of it comes down to technology. Reliable connectivity from Comcast Business means players can check in and hit the court within minutes. During the game, players capture highlights and share moments from the court. When the games wrap, the space transitions naturally into a place for remote work and virtual meetings – a flexibility that reflects how members use the club and one the Daniels have leaned into as the business has grown.

From reservations and payments to video and remote work, Bluff City Pickleball runs on a connected foundation. When technology works quietly in the background, the experience feels easy, and that is what keeps people coming back.

Rainy Day Bees | Seattle, Washington

Rainy Day Bees started with a simple but unexpected idea: you can keep bees in the city. What began as a single backyard hive for founder Peter Nolte has grown into a network of rooftop and neighborhood hives across Seattle and the Puget Sound region. Each jar of honey reflects the flowers and plants from a specific neighborhood, giving it a real sense of place and connection to the community.

A lot of that work happens on the move. Beekeepers are out every day checking hives in places you might not expect – logging updates from their phones that instantly appear in a custom portal for hive hosts. Instead of waiting weeks to hear how things are going, customers can see hive activity and health in real time, bringing a more transparent and hands-on experience to urban bee keeping. Fast reliable service from Comcast Business Mobile keeps the team connected in the field, whether they’re tracking hive health, coordinating routes, or running point-of-sale transactions at local farmers’ markets.

It’s a business built on being present – with the bees, with the neighborhoods and with the customers. Comcast Business helps make sure the technology is present too, wherever the work takes them.

Johnson’s Popcorn | Ocean City, New Jersey

Johnson’s Popcorn has been part of the Ocean City boardwalk since 1940. The recipe has never changed. Every batch is still hand mixed in copper kettles, right there on the boardwalk, filling the air with that unmistakable caramel smell. It is a tradition that people come back to year after year, drawn as much by the experience as the popcorn itself.

While the product has stayed the same, the business around it has evolved. As the team puts it, “Comcast didn’t keep us stuck in 1940.” Technology has helped them do things they never could before – launching a website, accepting credit cards, staying in touch with customers long after they’ve left the boardwalk. Fast, reliable connectivity keeps payments moving during busy summer days, helps the team manage operations in real time, and ensures communication stays seamless across the business.

From online orders to in-person transactions, Johnson’s Popcorn runs on a modern foundation while staying true to its roots. The caramel is still made exactly the way it was 85 years ago. The business around it is built for what today’s customers expect.

Nick’s Mini Golf | Maryland & Delaware

Nick’s Mini Golf has grown from a single course into eight locations across Ocean City, Maryland and the Delaware beaches, but its roots are grounded in a genuinely entrepreneurial story. Founder Nick started his first course in 2015 while still a sophomore in college, balancing classes while running the business on weekends alongside his family. Those early years shaped both the brand and the mindset behind it. Today, each location is designed to feel fresh and fun – from immersive dinosaur courses to a fully reimagined holiday-themed experience complete with lights, music, and visits from Santa.

Behind the scenes, that experience depends on everything running smoothly, especially during the peak summer season when the business has just a short window to make the most of heavy foot traffic. Fast, reliable connectivity from Comcast Business supports everything from payments and reservations to security and day-to-day operations across all locations. Quick transactions and seamless workflows help keep lines moving and give customers more time to enjoy the course. As the business has expanded into ropes courses and gem mining, a scalable network has made it easier to try new ideas without technology becoming a constraint.

For a business built on creativity and constant improvement, that kind of dependable foundation matters – not because it’s exciting, but because it never gets in the way.

Sun, Community, and the Business of Summer

A pickleball club in Tennessee. A honey operation across Seattle’s rooftops. An 85-year-old boardwalk institution in New Jersey, A mini golf empire built by a college sophomore. These businesses don’t look alike, operate the same way, or serve the same communities – but they share something essential. Each has become a fixture in the lives of the people around them.

When the technology behind the scenes works the way it should, owners aren’t thinking about systems or slowdowns. They’re thinking about the member who books the same court every Tuesday, the hive host who checks the portal before breakfast, and the family that makes Johnson’s their first boardwalk stop every summer. That’s what turns a small business into a seasonal tradition. And this summer, Comcast Business is proud to help power those traditions.

Some businesses become part of the season itself. The smell of caramel on the boardwalk. The satisfying thwack of a pickleball paddle. A jar of honey that tastes exactly like the neighborhood it came from. Summer has a rhythm, and the small businesses that define it work hard to make every visit feel effortless – whether it’s a first-timer or someone who’s been coming back for decades.

Behind the scenes, Comcast Business helps keep those moments running seamlessly, powering everything from connectivity and security to mobile payments and day-to-day operations. This summer, we’re spotlighting a handful of the millions of small businesses across the country that rely on Comcast Business to stay always on – each one bringing its own energy and story to the communities they serve.

Wissahickon Brewing Company | Philadelphia, PA

Wissahickon Brewing Company started with a Father’s Day gift: a homebrew kit that brought the Gill family together around a shared hobby. What began with small batches brewed in a kitchen eventually grew into a thriving Philadelphia brewery, coffee shop, and gathering place where neighbors, friends, and families come together. Even as the business has grown, the focus has remained the same: creating great beer, welcoming people in, and building something the community can be proud of.

Behind the scenes, a lot goes into making that experience feel effortless. Brewing beer is a process built on precision, with teams closely monitoring everything from temperature to fermentation to ensure every batch meets the same high standards. Comcast Business helps Wissahickon stay connected across its operations, powering the systems used to monitor tanks, collect production data, run point-of-sale systems, and keep everything moving smoothly throughout the day.

For many customers, Wissahickon is more than a brewery. It’s a place to watch a Philadelphia Eagles game, grab a coffee while catching up on work, celebrate a milestone, or simply spend time with friends. Reliable connectivity helps make all of that possible, giving the team the tools they need to focus on what matters most: creating a welcoming space that keeps people coming back.

Bluff City Pickleball | Bartlett, Tennessee

Bluff City Pickleball was built to be more than a place to play. When John and Leslie Daniel opened the first indoor pickleball clubs in the region, they set out to create a space that feels welcoming, personal, and part of people’s routines. It is the kind of place where members are greeted by name and feel like they belong.

That experience is intentional, and a lot of it comes down to technology. Reliable connectivity from Comcast Business means players can check in and hit the court within minutes. During the game, players capture highlights and share moments from the court. When the games wrap, the space transitions naturally into a place for remote work and virtual meetings – a flexibility that reflects how members use the club and one the Daniels have leaned into as the business has grown.

From reservations and payments to video and remote work, Bluff City Pickleball runs on a connected foundation. When technology works quietly in the background, the experience feels easy, and that is what keeps people coming back.

Rainy Day Bees | Seattle, Washington

Rainy Day Bees started with a simple but unexpected idea: you can keep bees in the city. What began as a single backyard hive for founder Peter Nolte has grown into a network of rooftop and neighborhood hives across Seattle and the Puget Sound region. Each jar of honey reflects the flowers and plants from a specific neighborhood, giving it a real sense of place and connection to the community.

A lot of that work happens on the move. Beekeepers are out every day checking hives in places you might not expect – logging updates from their phones that instantly appear in a custom portal for hive hosts. Instead of waiting weeks to hear how things are going, customers can see hive activity and health in real time, bringing a more transparent and hands-on experience to urban bee keeping. Fast reliable service from Comcast Business Mobile keeps the team connected in the field, whether they’re tracking hive health, coordinating routes, or running point-of-sale transactions at local farmers’ markets.

It’s a business built on being present – with the bees, with the neighborhoods and with the customers. Comcast Business helps make sure the technology is present too, wherever the work takes them.

Johnson’s Popcorn | Ocean City, New Jersey

Johnson’s Popcorn has been part of the Ocean City boardwalk since 1940. The recipe has never changed. Every batch is still hand mixed in copper kettles, right there on the boardwalk, filling the air with that unmistakable caramel smell. It is a tradition that people come back to year after year, drawn as much by the experience as the popcorn itself.

While the product has stayed the same, the business around it has evolved. As the team puts it, “Comcast didn’t keep us stuck in 1940.” Technology has helped them do things they never could before – launching a website, accepting credit cards, staying in touch with customers long after they’ve left the boardwalk. Fast, reliable connectivity keeps payments moving during busy summer days, helps the team manage operations in real time, and ensures communication stays seamless across the business.

From online orders to in-person transactions, Johnson’s Popcorn runs on a modern foundation while staying true to its roots. The caramel is still made exactly the way it was 85 years ago. The business around it is built for what today’s customers expect.

Nick’s Mini Golf | Maryland & Delaware

Nick’s Mini Golf has grown from a single course into eight locations across Ocean City, Maryland and the Delaware beaches, but its roots are grounded in a genuinely entrepreneurial story. Founder Nick started his first course in 2015 while still a sophomore in college, balancing classes while running the business on weekends alongside his family. Those early years shaped both the brand and the mindset behind it. Today, each location is designed to feel fresh and fun – from immersive dinosaur courses to a fully reimagined holiday-themed experience complete with lights, music, and visits from Santa.

Behind the scenes, that experience depends on everything running smoothly, especially during the peak summer season when the business has just a short window to make the most of heavy foot traffic. Fast, reliable connectivity from Comcast Business supports everything from payments and reservations to security and day-to-day operations across all locations. Quick transactions and seamless workflows help keep lines moving and give customers more time to enjoy the course. As the business has expanded into ropes courses and gem mining, a scalable network has made it easier to try new ideas without technology becoming a constraint.

For a business built on creativity and constant improvement, that kind of dependable foundation matters – not because it’s exciting, but because it never gets in the way.

Sun, Community, and the Business of Summer

A pickleball club in Tennessee. A honey operation across Seattle’s rooftops. An 85-year-old boardwalk institution in New Jersey, A mini golf empire built by a college sophomore. These businesses don’t look alike, operate the same way, or serve the same communities – but they share something essential. Each has become a fixture in the lives of the people around them.

When the technology behind the scenes works the way it should, owners aren’t thinking about systems or slowdowns. They’re thinking about the member who books the same court every Tuesday, the hive host who checks the portal before breakfast, and the family that makes Johnson’s their first boardwalk stop every summer. That’s what turns a small business into a seasonal tradition. And this summer, Comcast Business is proud to help power those traditions.

GOLDEN, Colo., July 23, 2026 /3BL/ – The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), a $56-million technology program funded by Wells Fargo and co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), announced the recipients of a pool of $750,000 in philanthropic funding as part of its second Scalable Tech Track. Through its Scalable Tech Track, IN2 helps corporations, municipalities, universities, and nonprofit organizations pilot validated technologies that deliver operational efficiency and measurable business impact.

IN2 awarded funding to four organizations for pilot projects of innovative energy technologies with expert support from NLR researchers. From affordable housing to grid modernization, the winning projects address real-world energy demands and market challenges.

“These organizations are eager to deploy technology,” said Sarah Derdowski, the IN2 program manager. “This funding helps end-user companies implement innovative solutions into their portfolio of buildings and campuses with the expert support and siting from the lab, all while generating insights for others to follow.”

Awarded Pilots

• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) is focusing on integrating efficient building solutions into affordable housing for wildfire-impacted communities. With the pilot funding, Habitat LA will leverage three technologies to streamline their planning and building efforts and ultimately expand their capacity to address the growing housing burden in Los Angeles County.
• National Grid is exploring new approaches to enhancing the speed and flexibility with which energy demands connect to America’s constrained grid distribution infrastructure. Through this pilot project, National Grid will enable an automated connection study tool to connect new customers faster and improve speed-to-power lag times while maintaining safe and reliable service.
• WinnCompanies aims to utilize new data streams and automated controls to make multifamily housing more affordable and efficient. Through this pilot project, WinnCompanies will implement networked building controls across affordable housing properties to shift and shed electricity loads, lowering utility costs for residents.
• Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is partnering with the City of Tucson to build a more resilient microgrid-powered cooling center, which can ultimately save lives in the extreme heat of Pima County, Arizona. With their IN2 funding, TEP will pilot two new technologies including using artificial intelligence tools to quantify microgrid benefits and enhance overall system reliability.

“We are proud to embrace innovative solutions that can help wildfire-impacted families return home faster and strengthen the way affordable housing is delivered across Los Angeles County,” said Erin Rank, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. “By combining emerging technology with Habitat LA’s decades of housing expertise and deep community partnerships, we have an opportunity to accelerate recovery, reduce barriers to rebuilding and create a model that can serve communities facing housing challenges well beyond this disaster.”

With the support of IN2’s pilot funding, Habitat LA plans to integrate three technologies: an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered proptech GIS and search platform, an AI site-planning and underwriting tool, and a mobile robotic micro-factory designed to help streamline the process of planning, building and delivering new homes. While the initiative will initially focus on supporting communities affected by wildfires, these technologies also have the potential to advance affordable housing solutions throughout Los Angeles County and Habitat networks in other regions.

A panel of judges selected these four winning organizations based on their feasibility, impact, pilot readiness, and dedication to knowledge sharing. Pilot projects will launch within six months, demonstrating the program’s focus on rapid results and actionable insights to advance adoption. Read more about the organizations and their projects on NLR.gov.

Five other organizations that were part of the Scalable Tech Track cohort did not receive funding this round but will join an “adoption-ready” network of Energy Champions to gain curated access to NLR and a community of peers committed to collaborative innovation. Energy Champions drive impact beyond funded pilots and foster progress across America’s energy ecosystem.

The National Laboratory of the Rockies is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, operated under Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308.

###

About the Innovation Incubator (IN2): 

The Innovation Incubator (IN2) is a $56 million dollar program funded by Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation and co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies. IN2 advances and de-risks energy solutions from concept to commercialization. Bridging the gap between high-potential startups and market adopters, IN2 fosters collaboration across a growing ecosystem—convening entrepreneurs, industry partners, and research experts. Through this networked approach, IN2 accelerates real-world implementation and scaling of impactful technologies in the built environment and infrastructure sectors, driving a more resilient, adaptable future. For more information, visit www.in2ecosystem.com.

IN2 Media Contact: 

Stacy Parker

303-630-2147

stacy.parker@nlr.gov

GOLDEN, Colo., July 23, 2026 /3BL/ – The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), a $56-million technology program funded by Wells Fargo and co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), announced the recipients of a pool of $750,000 in philanthropic funding as part of its second Scalable Tech Track. Through its Scalable Tech Track, IN2 helps corporations, municipalities, universities, and nonprofit organizations pilot validated technologies that deliver operational efficiency and measurable business impact.

IN2 awarded funding to four organizations for pilot projects of innovative energy technologies with expert support from NLR researchers. From affordable housing to grid modernization, the winning projects address real-world energy demands and market challenges.

“These organizations are eager to deploy technology,” said Sarah Derdowski, the IN2 program manager. “This funding helps end-user companies implement innovative solutions into their portfolio of buildings and campuses with the expert support and siting from the lab, all while generating insights for others to follow.”

Awarded Pilots

• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) is focusing on integrating efficient building solutions into affordable housing for wildfire-impacted communities. With the pilot funding, Habitat LA will leverage three technologies to streamline their planning and building efforts and ultimately expand their capacity to address the growing housing burden in Los Angeles County.
• National Grid is exploring new approaches to enhancing the speed and flexibility with which energy demands connect to America’s constrained grid distribution infrastructure. Through this pilot project, National Grid will enable an automated connection study tool to connect new customers faster and improve speed-to-power lag times while maintaining safe and reliable service.
• WinnCompanies aims to utilize new data streams and automated controls to make multifamily housing more affordable and efficient. Through this pilot project, WinnCompanies will implement networked building controls across affordable housing properties to shift and shed electricity loads, lowering utility costs for residents.
• Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is partnering with the City of Tucson to build a more resilient microgrid-powered cooling center, which can ultimately save lives in the extreme heat of Pima County, Arizona. With their IN2 funding, TEP will pilot two new technologies including using artificial intelligence tools to quantify microgrid benefits and enhance overall system reliability.

“We are proud to embrace innovative solutions that can help wildfire-impacted families return home faster and strengthen the way affordable housing is delivered across Los Angeles County,” said Erin Rank, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. “By combining emerging technology with Habitat LA’s decades of housing expertise and deep community partnerships, we have an opportunity to accelerate recovery, reduce barriers to rebuilding and create a model that can serve communities facing housing challenges well beyond this disaster.”

With the support of IN2’s pilot funding, Habitat LA plans to integrate three technologies: an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered proptech GIS and search platform, an AI site-planning and underwriting tool, and a mobile robotic micro-factory designed to help streamline the process of planning, building and delivering new homes. While the initiative will initially focus on supporting communities affected by wildfires, these technologies also have the potential to advance affordable housing solutions throughout Los Angeles County and Habitat networks in other regions.

A panel of judges selected these four winning organizations based on their feasibility, impact, pilot readiness, and dedication to knowledge sharing. Pilot projects will launch within six months, demonstrating the program’s focus on rapid results and actionable insights to advance adoption. Read more about the organizations and their projects on NLR.gov.

Five other organizations that were part of the Scalable Tech Track cohort did not receive funding this round but will join an “adoption-ready” network of Energy Champions to gain curated access to NLR and a community of peers committed to collaborative innovation. Energy Champions drive impact beyond funded pilots and foster progress across America’s energy ecosystem.

The National Laboratory of the Rockies is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, operated under Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308.

###

About the Innovation Incubator (IN2): 

The Innovation Incubator (IN2) is a $56 million dollar program funded by Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation and co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies. IN2 advances and de-risks energy solutions from concept to commercialization. Bridging the gap between high-potential startups and market adopters, IN2 fosters collaboration across a growing ecosystem—convening entrepreneurs, industry partners, and research experts. Through this networked approach, IN2 accelerates real-world implementation and scaling of impactful technologies in the built environment and infrastructure sectors, driving a more resilient, adaptable future. For more information, visit www.in2ecosystem.com.

IN2 Media Contact: 

Stacy Parker

303-630-2147

stacy.parker@nlr.gov