Pulse 2.0

Sealed Air To Be Acquired By CD&R In $10.3 Billion Buyout

PayPal And KKR Sign New Agreement For Up To €65 Billion In European Buy Now Pay Later Receivables

Artios: $115 Million Series D Raised To Advance Late-Stage DDR Oncology Pipeline

Sakana AI: ¥20 Billion Series B Raised To Advance Sustainable AI In Japan

Ancient Makes Strategic Investment In Superyacht Leader Burgess

AKA Foods: $17.2 Million Closed To Launch Secure AI Platform For Food Innovation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:03 AM

AKA Foods has closed a $17.2 million seed funding round led by noted AI entrepreneurs Alex and Michael Bronstein, marking the official debut of AKA Studio, a secure AI system designed to accelerate and modernize product development for global food companies. The financing represents a notable early investment in a platform that aims to redefine how food is researched, formulated, and commercialized by integrating organisational knowledge, sensory evaluation, and advanced AI assistants into a unified environment.

Walker & Dunlop Arranges $192 Million Refinance For Cortland Multifamily Portfolio

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 8:58 AM

Walker & Dunlop has arranged $192,068,000 in refinancing for a four-property, 1,137-unit multifamily portfolio owned by Cortland Partners and located across Miami, Dallas, and Denver. The financing was secured through Freddie Mac and executed by Walker & Dunlop Capital Markets, led by Senior Managing Director Stephen Farnsworth and his team.

Intellect Acquires Zaptic To Enhance AI-Powered Quality Management

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 8:51 AM

Intellect has announced its acquisition of the UK-based Connected Frontline Worker platform, Zaptic, in a move that significantly expands its global operations and strengthens its AI-powered Quality Management System capabilities. The deal brings together two complementary technologies aimed at unifying quality, safety, and frontline execution for manufacturers in Food and Beverage, consumer goods, and other regulated sectors.

Lone Star Funds Completes Acquisition Of Multi-Asset UK Real Estate Portfolio From St. James’s Place

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 8:49 AM

Lone Star Funds has finalized the purchase of a substantial multi-asset real estate portfolio from St. James’s Place and its Property Unit Trust and Life and Pensions Trust, marking one of the firm’s notable property acquisitions this year. St. James’s Place was advised by Invesco Real Estate, which managed the disposition process on its behalf.

No Barrier: $2.7 Million Raised To Expand Real-Time Medical Interpretation Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 8:38 AM

No Barrier, a fast-growing healthcare AI company focused on eliminating language barriers in clinical settings, has raised an oversubscribed Seed Round of $2.7 million led by A-Squared Ventures, Esplanade Ventures, Rock Health Capital, and Fusion. The new funding will support broader deployment of the company’s real-time, compliant medical interpretation technology across hospitals, clinics, and specialty care environments.

Lili Expands FDIC Insurance To $3 Million And Raises High-Yield Business Savings Rate To 4% APY

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 8:33 AM

Lili, a New York-based SMB banking platform, has significantly expanded its financial protections and savings options for business customers by increasing its FDIC insurance coverage to $3 million through its partner bank, Sunrise Bank, while also introducing a new tiered high-yield structure that boosts the APY on higher balances to 4.00%. The upgraded insurance level represents a significant jump from its previous $250,000 offering and provides business owners with twelve times the national standard coverage.

Parseur: Interview With Co-Founder & CTO Sylvain Josserand About The Document-Processing Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 8:30 AM

Parseur is a document-processing platform that automatically extracts structured data from emails, PDFs, and other documents. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Parseur co-founder and CTO Sylvain Josserand to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

TotalEnergies Buys 50% Stake In €10.6 Billion Flexible Power Portfolio To Deepen Gas To Power Integration Across Europe

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 8:30 AM

TotalEnergies has signed an all-stock transaction with Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH) valued at €10.6 billion, marking one of the company’s most significant strategic moves in the European power market. The deal involves acquiring 50% of EPH’s flexible power generation platform, which includes gas-fired and biomass plants, as well as battery assets, across Italy, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, and France. The agreement forms a fifty-fifty joint venture that will expand TotalEnergies’ presence in flexible electricity generation and accelerate the company’s Integrated Power strategy.

Talkdesk: Interview With VP Of Healthcare And Life Sciences Patty Hayward About The Customer Experience Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 8:00 AM

Talkdesk is a global cloud contact center and customer experience platform that utilizes AI to help businesses enhance customer interactions and improve service efficiency. Talkdesk is leading a new era in customer experience with Customer Experience Automation (CXA), a new category and platform designed to automate the full complexity of modern customer journeys. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Talkdesk's Vice President of Healthcare and Life Sciences, Patty Hayward, to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

The LegalTech Fund Closes $110 Million Second Fund As Legaltech Investment Surges

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 7:38 AM

The LegalTech Fund has closed its second fund at $110 million, marking a significant milestone for the only venture firm exclusively focused on legal technology. The new vehicle is nearly four times the size of its inaugural $28.5 million fund. It comes at a time when the $1 trillion global legal services market is undergoing rapid transformation driven by artificial intelligence, workflow automation, and regulatory evolution.

BluePill: $6 Million Seed Round Raised To Launch AI Consumer Twins For Instant Market Insights

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 7:36 AM

BluePill has raised $6 million in seed financing to accelerate the rollout of its AI consumer-insights platform, which uses digital twins of real audiences to help brands test new products, campaigns, and creative concepts in minutes. The round was led by Ubiquity Ventures with participation from Pioneer Square Labs and Flying Fish Ventures.

KKR Backs Chandra Asri Group With $750 Million Financing For Esso Singapore Acquisition

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 7:06 AM

KKR has provided a $750 million bespoke financing package to Chandra Asri Group to support the company’s expansion strategy and its acquisition of ExxonMobil’s Esso-branded retail fuel station network in Singapore. The investment was arranged by KKR Capital Markets and funded through KKR’s private credit and insurance platforms, marking a major boost for one of Southeast Asia’s most prominent integrated energy, chemicals, and infrastructure companies.

Sofinnova Partners: €650 Million Raised For Capital XI Fund To Accelerate Early-Stage Healthcare Investments

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 7:04 AM

Sofinnova Partners has closed its latest flagship fund, Sofinnova Capital XI, at €650 million, surpassing its original target and marking one of the firm’s most significant raises to date. The close brings Sofinnova’s total capital raised across its platform to €1.5 billion over the past year, reinforcing its position as one of Europe’s leading life sciences venture capital firms.

Hummink: €15 Million Raised To Advance Micronic Precision Printing For Next-Generation Electronics

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 6:54 AM

Hummink has raised €15 million in new funding to accelerate the global deployment of its micronic precision printing technology, positioning the Paris-based deep-tech company as a pivotal player in the future of semiconductor and advanced display manufacturing. The round was co-led by KBC Focus Fund, Cap Horn, and Bpifrance, with historic backers including Elaia Partners, Sensinnovat, Beeyond, and the French Tech Seed fund, managed by Bpifrance on behalf of the French government as part of France 2030. The European Innovation Council Fund also participated.

Inocras: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Jehee Suh About The Bioinformatics-Led Whole Genome Insights Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 6:45 AM

Inocras is a bioinformatics-led company redefining precision health through whole-genome data and proprietary analytics. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Inocras co-founder and CEO Jehee Suh to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Ghanem: $7.1 Million Raised From Al-Romaih Group To Advance Fractional Ownership Expansion In Saudi Arabia

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 6:42 AM

Ghanem, a Riyadh-based digital real estate investment platform specializing in fractional ownership solutions, has secured USD 7.1 million in new funding from Al-Romaih Group. The investment marks a significant step forward for one of the Kingdom’s most active emerging real estate technology players, as it works to expand investor access to institutional-grade property opportunities.

Palatine Growth: Michael Ginn Joins As Investment Director

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 6:40 AM

Palatine Growth Credit has expanded its Manchester-based team with the appointment of Michael Ginn as Investment Director. The hire strengthens the firm’s regional Growth Credit Fund, which launched in 2024 and focuses on providing non-dilutive capital to high-growth entrepreneurial companies across the United Kingdom.

Obello: $8.5 Million Seed Round Raised To Accelerate AI-Driven Creative Production For Leading Global Brands

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:35 AM

Obello, a San Francisco-based AI graphic design platform founded by design leaders behind global brands such as Apple, DoorDash, Nike, Netflix, and Instagram, has raised $8.5 million in new seed funding led by Obvious Ventures. The round included continued participation from Baukunst as well as contributions from AVV and Preview Ventures, bringing the company’s total funding to $9.5 million.

CHAOS: €2 Million Closed To Accelerate AI-Driven Expansion Across Europe’s Real Estate Market

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:33 AM

CHAOS, a Helsinki location intelligence company focused on transforming real estate decision-making through AI, has closed a €2 million funding round to expand its platform across the Nordics and the DACH region. The round included continued backing from its largest investor, Swedish investment company Nidoco, along with participation from Finnvera, the State of Finland’s specialized financing institution.

Gate Bioscience: $65 Million Series B Closed To Advance Oral Molecular Medicines Into Clinical Trials

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:32 AM

Gate Bioscience has closed a $65 million oversubscribed Series B financing round to accelerate the advancement of its emerging class of oral small-molecule medicines, known as molecular gates. The round brings the company’s total capital raised to $135 million, positioning the Brisbane-based biotechnology company to enter the clinic with programs targeting high-value inflammatory and neurological disease proteins.

Scorbit: Over $5 Million Seed Funding Raised As Beta Launch Accelerates Market Momentum

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:27 AM

Scorbit, a connected gaming platform merging physical arcade play with online community and competition, has closed a seed round totaling more than $5 million after achieving rapid traction in its beta phase. The round was led by Detroit Venture Partners, with participation from Grand Ventures, Weiser Family Office, Michigan Rise / Red Cedar, Invest Detroit Ventures, Eberg Capital, Ann Arbor SPARK Capital, Mudita Venture Fund II LLC, Precursor Ventures, Side Door Ventures, Wakestream, Gambit Ventures, and a broad mix of individual and angel investors.

Veritas Capital To Buy MetroStar In Major National Security Technology Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:21 AM

Veritas Capital has agreed to acquire MetroStar Systems, a Reston, Virginia–based provider of digital transformation and AI solutions serving U.S. Defense and National Security agencies. The acquisition, executed through affiliates of The Veritas Capital Vantage Fund, strengthens Veritas’ position within mission-critical government technology while positioning MetroStar for accelerated growth and expanded innovation.

Virometix: $15 Million Financing Raised To Advance Clinical Development Of Synthetic Pneumococcal Vaccine V-212

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:19 AM

Virometix AG has secured a $15 million financing round from its existing shareholders, marking a significant milestone for the Swiss biotechnology company as it accelerates the clinical and developmental progress of its lead synthetic vaccine candidate, V-212. The company, based in Schlieren and focused on next-generation fully synthetic vaccines, confirmed the raise as V-212 continues through its Phase I clinical evaluation.

ClickUp Expands AI Capabilities With Acquisition Of Qatalog

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:17 AM

ClickUp has acquired Qatalog, the AI-powered enterprise work platform backed by $25.4 million in funding, in a move that significantly accelerates ClickUp’s position in converged AI productivity software. The acquisition strengthens ClickUp’s strategy to unify work, data, and automation within a single platform, delivering what the company describes as a true Converged AI Workspace.

Karpowership: $400 Million In Oversubscribed Syndicated Portfolio Financing Closed

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:15 AM

Karpowership has completed a significant financial milestone with the closing of a $400 million syndicated facility for its affiliate Sea World Energy Holdings Limited. The Mauritius Commercial Bank served as the Sole Mandated Lead Arranger and Account Bank for the transaction, which represents the company’s first portfolio financing and a significant advancement in its long-term capital strategy.

BlackRock And ACS Creating €2 Billion Data Center Venture

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:12 AM

ACS Group and Global Infrastructure Partners (part of BlackRock) have announced a major joint venture that will create a global data center development and operations platform anchored by an initial 1.7 gigawatts of capacity. The 50-50 partnership combines ACS’s advanced engineering and construction capabilities with GIP’s global investment expertise to meet the rapidly increasing demand for large-scale, sustainable digital infrastructure.

MacKenzie Scott Donates Record $50 Million To Winston-Salem State University

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:04 AM

Winston-Salem State University has secured the largest single donation in its 133-year history with a new $50 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This commitment, which surpasses her previous $30 million contribution made in 2020, brings Scott’s total support for the university to an unparalleled $80 million. The scale of the investment positions WSSU among the nation’s most significant recent beneficiaries of philanthropic giving to historically Black institutions and public universities.

Legence Announces Acquisition Of Bowers In $475 Million Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:01 AM

Legence announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire The Bowers Group, a leading mechanical contractor based in Beltsville, Maryland. The deal represents a significant expansion of Legence’s mechanical capabilities across the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC metropolitan region while deepening its reach into the data center, technology, healthcare, and life sciences sectors.

Cisco To Buy NeuralFabric To Expand Enterprise AI Capabilities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 8:58 AM

Cisco announced its intention to acquire NeuralFabric, a Seattle-based provider of enterprise AI platforms, in a move designed to accelerate the company’s strategy for delivering domain-specific AI models and reinforce its position in the rapidly evolving enterprise AI market. The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of Cisco’s fiscal year 2026.

Chubb Unveils New AI Engine To Power Embedded Insurance Growth For Digital Partners

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 8:55 AM

Chubb announced the launch of a new AI-driven optimization engine within Chubb Studio, its global embedded insurance distribution platform. Revealed at the Singapore Fintech Festival, the new capability is designed to personalize insurance offerings at the point of sale, helping digital partners expand engagement, conversions, and revenue.