BRAVE, the radically human supply-side platform (SSP) built for precision, performance, and transparency, today (2nd February, 2026) announced the launch of its inaugural list: "The Class of 2026: 10 Rising Ad Tech Stars." This definitive list honours the technical architects, yield engineers, and operational leaders who are rebuilding the open web in an era of agentic AI and privacy-first identity. Selected by BRAVE team members, the Class of 2026 represents a fundamental shift in industry leadership.
Now I feel I have found a new stable status quo for how I reason about where we are and where we are going. I'm doubling down on code generation, file systems, programmatic tool invocation via an interpreter glue, and skill-based learning. Basically: what Claude Code innovated is still state of the art for me. That has worked very well over the last few months, and seeing foundation model providers double down on skills reinforces my belief in this approach.
Every December, roadmaps get locked, budgets get approved, and board decks are polished until everything looks precise and under control. Underneath, many CTOs and VPs are still working with partial visibility. They have a feel for their teams, but not a reliable view of how work moves through the system, how AI is really changing delivery, or where time and money actually go.
Leapsome is the AI-powered people platform revolutionizing HR for modern teams. Leapsome drives HR excellence and empowers high-performing teams by automating, connecting, and simplifying every HR process across the employee lifecycle - from onboarding and performance management to engagement and development. Built with ease of use in mind, our platform ensures high adoption by employees, managers, and People teams alike.