Berlin-based TechBehemoths rebuilt its platform around the EXO Score, AI profile summaries and free verification, after surveying 715 firms and 2,000+ buyers.

BERLIN, Germany

TechBehemoths, the Berlin-based B2B platform that connects companies with IT service providers, has launched TechBehemoths 2.0, a full rebuild of its marketplace. The new version ranks providers with a score that cannot be bought, adds AI-written profile summaries that point out weaknesses as well as strengths, and gives every listed company free verification. It went live on 15 October for the 62,900+ companies listed on the platform across 143+ countries.

The release has been in business development for five years and is the largest in the company’s history. Its feature set was shaped by a survey TechBehemoths ran in December 2025 among 715 IT companies in 43 countries and more than 2,000 buyers in 17 countries.

The market it targets is crowded. A company looking for a software developer, a design studio or a marketing agency faces thousands of options, and it is often unclear how the directories that list them decide who comes first. For providers, especially smaller firms outside the biggest markets, getting noticed by the right buyer is hard.

“Buyers kept telling us the same thing: there are thousands of IT companies out there and almost no way to tell the good ones apart,” said Marcel Sobieski, founder of TechBehemoths. “We wanted to build the opposite of a noisy directory. A place where the rules are public, they’re the same for everyone, and a company’s work does the talking.”

A score with no price tag
At the centre of the release is the EXO Score, a rating built from 21 metrics across six categories, including reviews, awards, portfolio and profile completeness. The score determines where a company appears in search results, listing pages and filters.

Next to the score, buyers now see an AI-generated summary of each profile. It sets out what the evidence supports and where it is thin, and compares the company with others in the same city on profile strength, pricing, number of services and years in business. A separate summary condenses a company’s reviews, including those imported from other platforms.

“There is no price tag on the EXO Score. Paid plans buy visibility, they don’t buy a better score,” Sobieski said. “And the AI summaries tell buyers what’s missing on a profile, not just what’s good. Some companies won’t love that at first. But it’s the only kind of summary a buyer will actually trust.”

What changes for providers
For IT companies, the update brings a redesigned company profile and portfolio, review imports from Google, Trustpilot, Clutch and other platforms, and a unified inbox that collects messages, project opportunities and platform updates in one place. Every plan, including the free one, supports up to 10 team members per profile.

Verification, shown as a blue badge, is free and done once. On the platform’s new interactive map, unverified companies are hidden by default. Each profile also shows which team member manages it and when they were last online, a signal intended to help buyers avoid unresponsive vendors. A monthly position report shows companies where they rank in each location and for their key services.

What changes for buyers
Buyers can filter providers by location, services, hourly rate, reviews, awards and verification, browse them on the map, keep shortlists and saved searches, and contact a company from any page on the platform. A project brief tool lets a buyer describe a project once and receive up to five free quotes within an hour.

“I’m often evaluating implementation partners and software development teams that can deliver measurable outcomes,” Alexandru Panfil of Romanian software company Qualysoft wrote in a review of the platform. “TechBehemoths.com is one of the few platforms that consistently helps me move from ‘we need a partner’ to a credible shortlist fast.”

How it makes money
TechBehemoths stays free for both sides. Company profiles cost nothing, and the platform takes no commission from buyers or providers on the projects it helps start. Revenue comes from two paid visibility tiers, CORE and PRO. CORE companies appear above free listings with a full profile card; PRO companies sit in a featured section at the top of listing pages for their cities, countries and services. Positions inside each tier rotate, so every company in a plan gets the same chance to be seen, and prices are set per country according to local market demand.

Paid plans also unlock profile statistics, a profile without competitor suggestions, and a monthly allowance of project brief unlocks with buyers’ direct contacts, which the company presents as a bonus on top of the plan rather than its core.

“Enzo Ferrari used to say he sold engines and threw in the cars for free. We sell one thing, the spotlight, and everything else comes free,” Sobieski said. “Reviews, scores, verification and awards are earned the same way by everyone, whether they pay us or not. That line doesn’t move.”

Providers who have used the platform say the approach works. “Having tested multiple directory platforms, TechBehemoths truly stands out as one of the best and most effective catalogs on the market today,” wrote Roman Herashchenko of UK agency Sasquatch Digital. Lizaveta Artsyman of German software company Instinctools wrote that TechBehemoths “has significantly boosted our visibility, connected us with high-quality leads, and facilitated valuable partnerships.”

Ten principles
Alongside the release, TechBehemoths published ten principles it says will not change, among them “Awards are won, never sold”, “Same rules for everyone. No exceptions.” and “Zero commission. Not from the buyer, not from the service provider.” Its annual TechBehemoths Awards, which every listed company enters at no cost, open for 2026 in November.

“Our job is simple to describe and hard to do: make good companies easy to find and hard to fake,” Sobieski said. “Everything in 2.0 is built for that.”

Availability
TechBehemoths 2.0 is available now at techbehemoths.com. All existing companies keep their profiles, reviews and awards. CORE and PRO are available with an early-adopter offer at checkout for a limited time.

About TechBehemoths
TechBehemoths is a B2B platform that helps companies find and compare IT service providers, from software development and design to digital marketing. Operated by Mobiteam GmbH in Berlin, it lists 62,000+ companies in 140+ countries and is visited by 2 million+ potential buyers a year. Company profiles are free, rankings are based on merit, and the platform takes no commission. More at techbehemoths.com.

Media Contact Details
Cristina Lungu
TechBehemoths
Email: Send Email
Website: techbehemoths.com

NEW YORK, NY, October 20, 2026

An exclusive conversation with AV CommonEdge founder Alden Voss on the Fifth Strategy Cycle, investment communities, and the next generation of personal investment intelligence

Published: October 2026

When we arrived at Alden Voss’s office on the day of the interview, he had just finished an internal strategy meeting.

The conference room door was still partially open. Several team members were walking out, carrying research materials and discussing the final points from the meeting.

When Alden returned to his office, he did not appear to be preparing for a formal interview. He did not rearrange his desk or create a carefully staged setting.

Instead, what remained on the table was a computer screen displaying live market data, a cup of coffee that had already gone cold, and several pages of handwritten strategy notes filled with comments and revisions.

The host noticed one of the pages covered with arrows, corrections, and handwritten observations, and jokingly asked:

“Did EdgeMirror generate these notes too?”

Alden Voss smiled.

“AI can help us process a lot of things. But at least for now, the messy handwriting next to my coffee is still mine.”

The simple answer immediately relaxed the atmosphere.

And in many ways, that response reflects one of the ideas AV CommonEdge has consistently emphasized:

Artificial intelligence can expand human research capabilities, but it does not mean surrendering human judgment entirely to machines.

After a brief conversation, we officially began the interview inside Alden’s office.

Interviewer:

Hello everyone. I’m your host, XXX.

Today, we are visiting the office of Alden Voss, founder and Chief Strategy Officer of AV CommonEdge.

Over the past period of time, whether it has been the EdgeMirror investment intelligence system, the series of strategic initiatives launched throughout 2026, or the currently ongoing Fifth Strategy Cycle, AV CommonEdge has attracted increasing attention within the investment community.

What makes this company particularly interesting is that it appears to be attempting to bring together professional investment research, artificial intelligence, and a long-term investor community into one integrated ecosystem.

Alden, thank you very much for joining us today.

Alden Voss:

Thank you. It is great to have you here.

Actually, your timing is pretty good. The meeting we just finished was focused exactly on our current strategy and the next phase of EdgeMirror.

So yes, the desk is a little messy today.

Interviewer:

I actually think that makes it more authentic.

When I first walked in, what stood out was not a technology founder preparing for a camera interview.

It looked more like the office of someone who had just stepped away from an investment strategy discussion.

Now, there are many different ways people describe AV CommonEdge.

Some view you as an AI investment technology company.

Others see you more as a professional investment research organization.

And some people only discovered the company because of the strategy cycles you launched this year.

So if someone is hearing about AV CommonEdge for the first time today, how would you explain what kind of company this really is?

Alden Voss:

If we define ourselves simply as an “investment firm” or an “AI company,” I think both descriptions are incomplete.

What AV CommonEdge is truly trying to do is connect professional investment experience, market research, data, and artificial intelligence — and gradually make capabilities that historically belonged mostly inside institutional investment firms understandable and accessible to everyday investors.

Our core philosophy has never changed:

Shared insights. Personal advantage.

What we share are research frameworks, data, historical experience, and tools.

But the advantage created from those resources should ultimately belong to each individual investor.

Interviewer:

I looked into your background before this interview.

You have spent more than three decades in financial markets, working across equity research, institutional trading, portfolio execution, risk management, and investment committees.

In other words, you are someone who actually had access to the advantages that traditional financial institutions provide.

So I find this question very interesting:

After spending so many years inside that system — and after achieving your own professional success — why not simply continue using those advantages for yourself?

Why choose the much harder path of trying to give these capabilities to ordinary investors?

Frankly speaking, that seems like a more complicated mission.

Alden Voss:

(Alden pauses for a few seconds, looks down at the notes on his desk, and speaks more slowly.)

Early in my career, I also believed investment ability was mainly about individual judgment.

If you researched more, understood markets better, and made better decisions, then naturally you had an advantage.

But the longer I worked in the industry, the more I realized that it was not that simple.

After experiencing research, trading execution, portfolio management, risk systems, and investment committees, what I truly saw was this:

The strongest advantage of professional institutions has never been that one person is exceptionally intelligent.

The real advantage is the entire infrastructure built around that person.

When an opportunity appears, someone researches the company.

Someone verifies the data.

Someone challenges the original investment thesis.

Someone evaluates portfolio risk.

And someone compares the current situation with decades of historical market experience.

There is an entire system supporting the decision.

But when an individual investor goes home after work, they are usually alone.

They have to be the researcher.

The portfolio manager.

The risk officer.

And sometimes even their own biggest emotional risk.

That is not a balanced system.

Alden Voss:

Later in my career, I started asking myself another question:

If it took me more than thirty years to accumulate this experience, does it have to remain only inside my own mind?

If one day I stop trading, stop working, or step away from the industry, does all of that experience simply disappear with me?

Around 2020, that question became stronger.

We began thinking:

If we cannot completely replicate an institutional investment system for ordinary investors, can we at least use education, data, technology, and artificial intelligence to gradually share parts of that capability?

Then we discovered something else.

Even highly experienced investors repeat mistakes in similar market environments.

That led to another question:

If after completing a trade we cannot clearly reconstruct why we made that decision, what exactly remains from that experience?

That was where the idea of Trade Memory began to emerge.

Media Contact Details
AV CommonEdge
Email: Send Email
Website: avcommonedge.com

Jackie Barikhan of Summit Lending demonstrates how alternative-documentation P&L mortgages can help qualified California homeowners refinance luxury properties without personal tax returns. A recent $3.5 million Rancho Mirage refinance overcame complex appraisal challenges, improved the borrower's credit score by 54 points, and reduced monthly mortgage payments by more than $1,600.

Rancho Mirage, California, 10, October, 2026

As California luxury homeowners explore alternatives to traditional mortgage refinancing, Jackie Barikhan, a California jumbo mortgage specialist with Summit Lending and founder of MyLenderJackie.com, is highlighting a recently completed $3.5 million Rancho Mirage luxury home refinance as an example of how specialized financing can help borrowers navigate complex mortgage challenges.

The transaction involved a highly upgraded mid-century modern single-family residence in Rancho Mirage, near Palm Springs. The property presented unusual appraisal challenges, while the homeowner’s credit profile and income documentation requirements called for a customized financing strategy.

Through a Profit & Loss (P&L) mortgage program that did not require personal tax returns, combined with a successful rapid credit rescore, Barikhan helped the borrower secure a new interest rate in the 6% range and reduce monthly mortgage payments by more than $1,600.

Why Luxury Homeowners May Need Alternative Mortgage Solutions

California’s luxury housing market includes distinctive properties that do not always fit traditional lending scenarios.

Custom-built homes, architecturally significant residences, and extensively renovated properties may present challenges when appraisers must identify comparable sales.

For self-employed borrowers and business owners, another challenge can arise when traditional mortgage underwriting relies heavily on taxable income reported on personal tax returns.

Business owners may have substantial cash flow while also claiming legitimate business deductions that reduce their reported taxable income.

Alternative-documentation mortgage programs can provide another financing option for qualified borrowers whose financial circumstances do not fit conventional underwriting requirements.

These programs include bank statement mortgages, Profit & Loss loans, asset-based qualification, and other specialized financing solutions.

A $3.5 Million Mid-Century Modern Property With Limited Comparable Sales 

The Rancho Mirage transaction involved a highly upgraded mid-century modern residence valued at approximately $3.5 million.

Located in the greater Palm Springs area, Rancho Mirage is known for its luxury desert estates and distinctive architectural properties.

However, finding appropriate comparable sales for an extensively upgraded mid-century modern home can be difficult.

The property’s unique design, improvements, and quality required careful consideration during the valuation process.

For homeowners refinancing luxury properties in Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, Indian Wells, and Palm Desert, specialized lending experience can be particularly valuable when property characteristics complicate the appraisal process.

A 54-Point Credit Score Improvement Helped Secure Better Mortgage Pricing

The borrower’s initial qualifying credit score was 718.

Through a targeted credit optimization strategy and rapid rescore process, Barikhan helped improve the qualifying score to 772.

That 54-point improvement helped the borrower access more favorable mortgage pricing.

Credit scores can significantly influence available mortgage terms, particularly in alternative-documentation and jumbo lending programs.

The Rancho Mirage refinance demonstrates how reviewing a borrower’s complete financial profile before finalizing mortgage terms can create opportunities for meaningful savings.

How P&L Mortgages Help Qualified Borrowers Refinance Without Tax Returns

One of the most important aspects of the transaction was the use of a Profit & Loss mortgage program.

Unlike traditional mortgage qualification methods that often rely on personal tax returns, certain P&L mortgage programs allow eligible borrowers to qualify using lender-accepted business financial statements and other supporting documentation.

These programs are sometimes described as stated-income-style mortgages, although modern alternative-documentation lending still requires verification of the borrower’s ability to repay.

P&L mortgage programs may be particularly useful for qualified self-employed individuals, entrepreneurs, independent contractors, and business owners whose taxable income does not fully reflect their financial capacity.

For luxury homeowners seeking a refinance without traditional tax-return documentation, these specialized programs can offer additional options.

More Than $19,200 in Annualized Mortgage Payment Savings

The completed Rancho Mirage refinance delivered measurable financial benefits.

Transaction highlights:

Location: Rancho Mirage, California
Property type: Highly upgraded mid-century modern single-family residence
Property value: Approximately $3.5 million
Loan purpose: Rate-and-term refinance
Mortgage program: Profit & Loss (P&L) alternative-documentation loan
Personal tax returns: Not required
Initial qualifying credit score: 718
Improved qualifying credit score: 772
Credit score improvement: 54 points
New mortgage rate: In the 6% range
Monthly payment reduction: More than $1,600
Annualized payment reduction: More than $19,200
The successful transaction illustrates how specialized mortgage structuring, credit optimization, and an understanding of luxury property valuation can work together to help qualified homeowners achieve their refinancing goals.

Why Specialized Mortgage Experience Matters

For borrowers with complex financial profiles or distinctive properties, finding the right mortgage solution often requires more than comparing interest rates.

Alternative-documentation lending can involve specialized income calculations, additional underwriting requirements, property eligibility considerations, and program-specific credit guidelines.

With more than 25 years of mortgage industry experience and over $500 million in closed loans, Jackie Barikhan focuses on helping California borrowers navigate these challenges.

Through Jackie Barikhan at Summit Lending – MyLenderJackie.com, Barikhan provides access to financing solutions for qualified homebuyers, homeowners, business owners, and real estate investors.

Her specialties include:

Jumbo and super-jumbo mortgages
Profit & Loss mortgage programs
Bank statement loans for self-employed borrowers
Stated-income-style and alternative-documentation financing
Asset-utilization and asset-based mortgages
DSCR investment property loans
Luxury home purchase and refinance financing
Cash-out and rate-and-term refinancing
Serving California’s Luxury Homeowners and Self-Employed Borrowers
Based in Huntington Beach, California, Barikhan serves qualified borrowers throughout the state, including Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Diego County, Riverside County, and the Coachella Valley.

Her service areas include Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, and surrounding California communities.

For homeowners who have been turned down by traditional banks, have complex income documentation, or own properties requiring specialized financing, exploring alternative mortgage programs may reveal additional options.

About Jackie Barikhan – Summit Lending
Jackie Barikhan is a California mortgage loan officer with Summit Lending, specializing in jumbo and super-jumbo financing, self-employed mortgage solutions, alternative-documentation loans, and complex luxury real estate transactions.

With more than 25 years of experience and over $500 million in closed mortgage transactions, Barikhan provides personalized financing solutions for California homeowners, business owners, and real estate investors.

Learn more about alternative-documentation mortgage programs at https://www.mylenderjackie.com.

To schedule a mortgage consultation, visit https://www.talkwithjackie.com.

Media Contact:

Jackie Barikhan

Summit Lending | MyLenderJackie.com

18281 Gothard Street, Suite 203

Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Phone: 949-600-0944

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.mylenderjackie.com

NMLS #914312 | CA DRE #01962240

All mortgage programs are subject to borrower qualification, credit approval, property eligibility, and underwriting guidelines. No-tax-return mortgage programs require acceptable alternative documentation. Payment savings reflect this specific transaction and are not guaranteed for other borrowers. Refinancing may involve closing costs, and extending a loan term can increase total interest paid.