Pulse 2.0

OpenAI Confirms Deployment Company Launch With More Than $4 Billion Backing, Acquires AI Consulting Firm Tomoro

Angelini Pharma: $4.1 Billion Catalyst Pharmaceuticals Acquisition Expands Rare Disease And U.S. Market Presence

Omada Identity: Interview With Field Strategist Paul Walker About Provider of Solutions for Identity Management and Access Governance

HealthScape Advisors Acquires PayerAlly To Strengthen Pharmacy Benefit Management Advisory Capabilities

Coursera Completes Combination With Udemy To Create Massive Skills Platform

Colorado School Of Mines Launches $10 Million Venture Fund II To Back Deep Tech Startups

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:31 PM

Colorado School of Mines has announced Mines Venture Fund II, a $10 million seed-funding platform that will invest in technology startups founded by Mines alumni, faculty, and students, with a $5 million commitment from the State of Colorado including funding from the Colorado Venture Capital Authority. The fund aims to invest in approximately 40 companies over the next four years, focusing on deep tech opportunities in energy, critical minerals, AI, quantum technologies, health, and space exploration.

Fortegra Appoints Iwan Röpcke As Chief Executive Officer Of Belgium Operations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:31 PM

Fortegra Group, a global specialty insurer, has appointed Iwan Röpcke as Chief Executive Officer of its Belgium operations. Röpcke brings more than 25 years of insurance industry experience spanning broking, commercial leadership, and executive management across the Benelux and broader European markets.

Fifth Dimension Raises $26 Million Series A To Scale AI Decision Intelligence Platform For Real Assets

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:30 PM

Fifth Dimension, the decision intelligence platform built for the real assets industry, has raised $26 million in a Series A funding round led by HV Capital, with participation from Prudence, Mercia Ventures, MMC Ventures, and AFG Partners, and continued support from Speedinvest, Seedcamp, and Anthemis Group. The capital will accelerate expansion across the United States, already 70% of the company's revenue, and into Asia Pacific, where Fifth Dimension has opened a Singapore office.

Bruin Capital Acquires Minority Equity In Matchroom Sport To Accelerate Global Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:26 PM

Bruin Capital has agreed to take a minority equity interest in Matchroom Holdings, forming a strategic alliance between one of the world's largest independent sports media and promotional businesses and a leading specialist in scaling global sports platforms. The Hearn family will retain majority ownership, with Eddie Hearn serving as Group Chairman and Barry Hearn as Founder and President. Financial terms were not disclosed. Bruin will join Matchroom's board of directors.

Circle Internet Group Launches $222 Million ARC Token Presale

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:24 PM

Circle Internet Group, the New York-based stablecoin and digital payments company, reported total revenue and reserve income of $694 million for the first quarter of 2026, a 20% increase year-over-year. USDC in circulation reached $77.0 billion at quarter end, representing 28% growth, while USDC onchain transaction volume surged 263% to $21.5 trillion. Adjusted EBITDA grew 24% to $151 million, though net income from continuing operations declined 15% to $55 million as higher stock-based compensation and increased investment weighed on the bottom line.

NexTier Bank To Acquire Riverside Bank Of Dublin In Deal Creating $3.1 Billion Community Bank

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:22 PM

NexTier, the holding company of NexTier Bank, N.A., and Riverside Bank of Dublin have entered into a definitive agreement whereby NexTier will acquire Riverside in a transaction that will create a tri-state community bank with total assets exceeding $3.1 billion. The agreement was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, shareholder approval from Riverside, and other customary closing conditions.

ABB Invests $200 Million Across Europe To Expand Medium-Voltage Manufacturing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:21 PM

ABB has announced a $200 million investment in its medium-voltage manufacturing capabilities across Europe over the next three years, aimed at expanding production capacity, accelerating the transition to next-generation power distribution technologies, and strengthening supply for customers modernizing their power infrastructure.

Robo.ai Acquires Neurovia For $100 Million To Build AI Machine Economy Infrastructure

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:19 PM

Robo.ai has announced an agreement to acquire 100% of the equity interest in Neurovia AI Limited, a technology company specializing in data processing and compression, for a total consideration of $100 million in an all-stock transaction. The deal is structured entirely through the issuance of Robo.ai Class B ordinary shares, with all issued shares subject to a complete lock-up for the first three years following closing and a gradual vesting schedule over the subsequent five years, resulting in a total lock-up period of eight years.

Sony Semiconductor Solutions And TSMC Sign Deal To Form JV For Next-Generation Image Sensors

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:18 PM

Sony Semiconductor Solutions and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to form a strategic partnership for the development and manufacturing of next-generation image sensors, including plans to establish a joint venture in which Sony will be the majority and controlling shareholder.

n8n Valuation Doubles To $5.2 Billion As SAP Makes Strategic Investment And Embeds Platform Into Joule Studio

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:27 AM

n8n, the AI orchestration platform, has announced a strategic investment from SAP alongside a multi-year commercial partnership that more than doubles the company's valuation to $5.2 billion from $2.5 billion secured less than a year ago. Under the commercial agreement, n8n's workflow automation platform will be embedded natively within Joule Studio, SAP's agent-building environment within SAP Business AI Platform, marking n8n's arrival as enterprise AI infrastructure for one of the world's largest software companies.

GreaterThan Group: Simon Zhu Forms New Model Video Game Company To Build And Fund Elite Creative Studios

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:21 AM

GreaterThan Group, a new video game company founded by games industry veteran Simon Zhu, has launched with a mission to build, empower, and fund elite creative studios to develop what it describes as unforgettable interactive experiences. The Los Angeles-based company has already partnered with three founding studios led by prominent industry figures: Arcanaut Studios in Edmonton, led by Casey Hudson; BulletFarm in Los Angeles, led by David Vonderhaar; and MAGship in Tokyo, led by Masato Sakai.

Raven.io: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Roi Abitboul On Why AI Has Made CVE-Based Security Obsolete

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:01 AM

Raven.io provides a runtime application security platform that protects cloud-native applications by analyzing code behavior in real time to detect and block unknown attacks and supply-chain exploits without requiring instrumentation. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Raven.io co-founder and CEO Roi Abitboul to learn more.

Rogue Raises $2.5 Million Pre-Seed And Secures Launch In 2,800 Walmart Stores Nationwide

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:45 AM

Rogue, a Los Angeles-based high-protein snack company, has announced a $2.5 million pre-seed funding round led by Science Inc., with participation from Uncommon VC, Simple Food Ventures, and additional strategic investors. The capital will support inventory production for a national Walmart launch, expand creator and affiliate partnerships, hire across operations and retail, and prepare for broader wholesale distribution.

Ascensus Acquires AmericanTCS To Expand Retirement, Trust And Technology Services

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:45 AM

Ascensus has announced a definitive agreement to acquire AmericanTCS, a leading provider of retirement, trust and custody, and technology automation solutions. The transaction brings together two complementary organizations across the retirement services value chain and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Cellular Intelligence Acquires Global Rights To Novo Nordisk’s Clinical-Stage Parkinson’s Cell Therapy Program

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:44 AM

Cellular Intelligence has announced an agreement to acquire global rights to Novo Nordisk's clinical-stage cell therapy program for Parkinson's disease, with the intention of applying its proprietary AI platform to accelerate clinical development, manufacturing, and the path to commercialization. As part of the agreement, Novo Nordisk will make an equity investment in Cellular Intelligence and remain eligible for future milestones and royalties.

Lavish Enterprises Acquires Exclusive Rights To FleetPath

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:27 AM

Lavish Enterprises has announced a definitive agreement to acquire exclusive, perpetual, and irrevocable commercial rights to FleetPath, an AI-native operating system designed to unify the entire freight lifecycle for trucking carriers, brokers, shippers, and drivers inside a single intelligent platform. The Las Vegas-based holding company said FleetPath is built, operational, and approaching beta-stage deployment, with initial customer rollouts targeted as the platform enters beta.

Blackstone To Acquire Majority Stake In Greece’s Leading E-Commerce Marketplace Skroutz

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:26 AM

Blackstone has announced that funds managed by its private equity business have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Skroutz, the leading online marketplace in Greece, from CVC Capital Partners Fund VII. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Heaviside Industries Raises $28 Million Series A To Scale Autonomous Precision Munitions

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:25 AM

Heaviside Industries has emerged from stealth with a $28 million Series A funding round led by Interlagos, with participation from Menlo Ventures, Flume Ventures, Cantos, Anorak Ventures, and a group of defense-focused individual investors including Frank Finelli, former Partner and Managing Director at The Carlyle Group; Paul Dimitruk, Co-Founder and Senior Partner at Partners Capital; and Aaditya Devarakonda, former CEO of Dedrone. The Los Angeles-based defense company has been operating quietly since its founding in 2024, building a team of more than 50 engineers and operators across offices in Los Angeles and Oslo, Norway.

Cimpress Acquires SAXOPRINT And viaprinto From CEWE To Expand German Manufacturing Footprint

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:25 AM

Cimpress has signed a definitive agreement to acquire SAXOPRINT and viaprinto from CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA, adding two customer-focused brands to its PrintBrothers segment of upload and print businesses. The tuck-in acquisition will grow Cimpress' manufacturing capabilities in Germany and is expected to close in the first half of fiscal year 2027, subject to customary closing conditions including antitrust approval. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Rialtic And Exponential AI Announce Strategic Merger To Transform Healthcare Payment Accuracy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:24 AM

Rialtic, a cloud-based enterprise platform for healthcare payment accuracy, and Exponential AI, a leader in real-time healthcare AI decision intelligence, have announced a definitive agreement to merge, creating a unified platform designed to meet the evolving needs of healthcare payers and providers. The combined entity will offer a comprehensive product suite covering critical moments in the claim lifecycle, from prepay editing before a claim is paid to real-time decision intelligence during and around claims processing.

CTI Acquires Data Conversion Laboratory To Expand Data And Information Management Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:17 AM

Cartridge Technologies has announced the acquisition of Data Conversion Laboratory, a provider of structured data and content transformation services with more than four decades of experience serving publishers, life sciences organizations, government agencies, defense contractors, and Fortune 500 enterprises. The acquisition accelerates CTI's strategy to build a comprehensive platform across the data and information management lifecycle. Financial terms were not disclosed.

MoonPay Acquires Dawn Labs And Launches AI Trading Agent Dawn CLI

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:16 AM

MoonPay, the global crypto payments network, has announced the acquisition of Dawn Labs, an applied research lab focused on artificial intelligence and financial markets, alongside the launch of Dawn CLI, an AI-native trading tool designed to convert plain-English strategy descriptions into fully autonomous trade execution. The move marks the latest step in MoonPay's broader push to build AI-native infrastructure for financial services.

Sony Music Publishing To Acquire 45,000-Song Catalog From Recognition Music Group

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:15 AM

Sony Music Publishing has announced an agreement to acquire the complete music rights portfolio of Recognition Music Group from funds managed by Blackstone, subject to customary closing conditions. The deal is structured in partnership with the investment venture launched earlier this year between GIC and Sony Music Group, focused on acquiring and growing high-quality music catalog assets across genres and international markets. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Integrated Partners Adds $850 Million Firm City Square Wealth Management To Expand Greater Boston Presence

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:13 AM

Integrated Partners, a national financial planning and registered investment advisory firm serving more than $25 billion in assets under advisement, has added City Square Wealth Management to its advisor network. The Charlestown, Massachusetts-based firm brings approximately $850 million in client assets and a 15-person team including six advisors and nine support professionals, deepening Integrated's footprint in the Greater Boston market as the firm approaches its 30th anniversary.

Osaic: $200 Million Firm Du Lac Wealth Services Onboarded

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:11 AM

Du Lac Wealth Services, a Cary, North Carolina-based wealth advisory firm, has joined Osaic, transitioning from LPL Financial and bringing approximately $200 million in client assets to one of the nation's largest providers of wealth management strategies. The move reflects Du Lac Wealth's strategy to access a more flexible platform and expanded resources as the firm pursues continued growth through its disciplined acquisition approach.

Optro Acquires AI-Native SOX Automation Platform Midship To Advance Agentic Audit Transformation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:09 AM

Optro, formerly known as AuditBoard, has announced the acquisition of Midship, an AI-native SOX automation solution backed by Y Combinator, in a move the company said represents a significant milestone in delivering the first and only agentic system of action for governance, risk, and compliance. The acquisition immediately delivers enterprise-grade AI agents to Optro's customers, automating up to 87% of SOX program management and freeing internal auditors to focus on strategic risk rather than administrative tasks. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Platinum Equity Completes Sale Of Unical Aviation To Satair Following Four-Year Transformation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:08 AM

Platinum Equity has announced the completion of its sale of Unical Aviation to Satair, an Airbus company, following a comprehensive four-year operational transformation program. The transaction includes Unical, a global aircraft parts and components supplier of Used Serviceable Material, and its subsidiary ecube Solutions, a global expert in aircraft storage, disassembly, and transition services. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Indie Semiconductor Acquires CMOS Image Sensor Product Line From Ams OSRAM For €40 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:08 AM

Indie Semiconductor has announced a definitive agreement to acquire the fabless CMOS image sensor group from ams OSRAM AG for total consideration of €40 million, comprising a €35 million cash payment at closing and a €5 million vendor-debt note issued by ams OSRAM. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and will be immediately accretive.

E.ON To Acquire UK Energy Supplier OVO To Add Four Million Customers

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:07 AM

E.ON has signed an agreement to acquire OVO, a UK energy supplier, in a move that would add approximately four million customers to E.ON's existing base of around 5.6 million in the United Kingdom. The acquisition further strengthens E.ON's position in one of Europe's largest energy markets and advances its strategy to develop and scale innovative energy solutions across the continent. The purchase price was not disclosed. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals including review by the UK Competition and Markets Authority, with closing expected in the second half of 2026.

SRS Distribution Completes Acquisition Of HVAC Distributor Mingledorff’s

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:05 AM

SRS Distribution, a subsidiary of The Home Depot, has completed the acquisition of Mingledorff's, a leading wholesale distributor of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, parts, and supplies serving residential and commercial customers through 42 locations across five states in the southeastern United States. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The agreement to acquire Mingledorff's was previously announced on March 24, 2026.