Pulse 2.0

Disney Makes $1 Billion Investment In OpenAI As Companies Sign Licensing Agreement For Sora

IBM Buying Confluent In $11 Billion Deal

Loops AI: Funding Raised From a16z Speedrun To Advance Agentic Commerce Platform

Valinor Raises $13 Million To Advance AI-Driven Patient Selection For Clinical Trials

Beyond Now Secures Majority Investment From Bregal Milestone To Advance AI-Driven Growth

Cision Acquires Trajaan To Expand AI-Based Search Intelligence Across Its Platforms

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:25 AM

Cision, a global provider of consumer and media intelligence solutions, has acquired Trajaan, an industry-leading search intelligence platform, to accelerate Cision’s artificial intelligence and data strategy. The acquisition deepens Cision’s ability to deliver predictive insights by combining search behavior, conversational intelligence, and generative AI analytics across its product ecosystem.

Fried Frank: Saif I. Shah Mohammed Named As Partner In DC Office

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:23 AM

Fried Frank has expanded its Asset Management M&A capabilities with the addition of Saif I. Shah Mohammed as a partner in the firm’s Washington, DC office. Mohammed brings more than 15 years of corporate transactional experience and joins the firm’s market-leading Asset Management M&A Practice, further strengthening its depth in GP-led and sponsor-focused transactions.

Goodwin Expands London Technology M&A Practice With Partner Hire Emmie Jones

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:19 AM

Global law firm Goodwin has expanded its London Technology M&A practice with the addition of Emmie Jones, who is joining the firm as a partner in its London office. The hire strengthens Goodwin’s European technology platform and deepens its capabilities, advising technology companies, founders, and investors on complex domestic and cross-border transactions.

Prudent Growth Partners Acquires Baker Cypress Marketplace

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:16 AM

Prudent Growth Partners, a private equity real estate firm headquartered in Chapel Hill and Charlotte, North Carolina, has completed the $5.75 million acquisition of Baker Cypress Marketplace, a 47,364-square-foot retail shopping center located in Houston, Texas. The transaction further expands the firm’s Texas retail footprint. And it aligns with its strategy of acquiring well-located, community-serving retail assets that offer durable cash flow and long-term value creation.

Paul Weiss Adds Nicholas Schwartz, Mark Adler, And Julie Ann Lamm As Partners

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:10 AM

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison has expanded its New York-based Finance Group with the addition of Nicholas Schwartz, Mark Adler, and Julie Ann Lamm as partners, further bolstering the firm’s capabilities in complex debt and leveraged finance matters. The trio joins the firm from their prior practice and will be part of the Finance Group within the Corporate Department.

Mercer Onboards $1 Billion Firm Glass Jacobson Wealth To Expand Mid-Atlantic Presence

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:55 AM

Mercer Advisors has acquired Glass Jacobson Wealth Advisors, a Maryland-based wealth management firm overseeing approximately $1 billion in assets under management, strengthening its presence across the Mid-Atlantic region and expanding its footprint throughout the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. corridor.

DXP Enterprises Buys Pump Solutions To Deepen Presence In Water And Wastewater Market

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:45 AM

DXP Enterprises has completed the acquisition of Pump Solutions, a Texas-based distributor and service provider focused on the water and wastewater industry, further strengthening DXP’s national footprint in the sector and deepening its presence in its home market of Texas.

Curebound Invests $8.5 Million In Translational Cancer Research And Awards $1 Million Cure Prize

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:41 AM

Curebound has awarded $8.5 million in new funding to support 23 cancer research studies, including a $1 million Cure Prize, as the San Diego-based philanthropic organization continues to expand its investment in translational and collaborative cancer research programs across the United States.

Universal Corporation: $1.4 Billion Credit Facility Refinancing Completed To Expand Liquidity And Financial Flexibility

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:39 AM

Universal Corporation announced that it had completed a significant refinancing transaction by entering into a new bank credit agreement establishing a $1.4 billion senior unsecured credit facility. The new agreement replaces the company’s prior $1.15 billion senior unsecured credit facility.

Accenture Invests In Ryght AI To Accelerate Agentic AI–Driven Clinical Research And Trial Execution

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:36 AM

Accenture has made a strategic investment in Ryght AI, a platform provider focused on modernizing how clinical research is designed and executed across the life sciences industry, as enterprise demand for agentic AI continues to accelerate in drug development and clinical trials.

Detroit Manufacturing Systems Completes Acquisition Of Android Industries And Avancez

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:34 AM

Detroit Manufacturing Systems has completed its previously announced acquisition of Android Industries and Avancez, formally establishing a new global manufacturing and assembly company operating under the name Voltava. The newly formed entity is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and is wholly owned by Bruce Smith, who will serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Bluespring Wealth Partners Closed Nine Acquisitions In 2025, Adding Over $6 Billion in Client Assets

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 2:54 PM

Bluespring Wealth Partners has capped a milestone year with the completion of nine acquisitions in 2025, bringing more than $6 billion in additional assets under management onto its platform and reinforcing its position as a leading acquirer in the hybrid registered investment advisor space.

FHLBank Pittsburgh Approves $90.2 Million In Affordable Housing And Voluntary Grant Funding

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 12:38 PM

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh announced that its Board of Directors has approved a combined $90.2 million in housing-related funding for 2025, allocating $61.3 million through its Affordable Housing Program and an additional $28.9 million through its voluntary housing grant initiative. The funding is expected to support 75 housing projects and help create or preserve 1,823 homes for very low-income, low-income, and moderate-income individuals and families across the region.

ALM Ventures Launches $100 Million Fund To Back Humanoid Robots And Embodied AI

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 12:37 PM

ALM Ventures has announced the launch of ALM Ventures Fund I, a $100 million early-stage venture capital fund dedicated to investments in humanoid robots, embodied AI, and spatial intelligence. Based in Silicon Valley, the firm is targeting seed and pre-seed opportunities as it seeks to build concentrated early ownership positions in what it views as one of the most transformative technology categories of the coming decade.

Everli Global Secures $10 Million Financing Ahead Of Planned Public Listing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 12:23 PM

Everli Global, a Palella Holdings company and the parent of Italy-based online grocery marketplace Everli S.p.A., has secured a $10 million loan facility as part of its previously announced Business Combination Agreement with Melar Acquisition Corp I. The financing represents a significant milestone for the company as it advances toward an expected public listing in the first quarter of 2026.

Allonnia: Over $20 Million In Series A Extension Closed To Advance Critical Materials Biotechnology

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 12:21 PM

Allonnia, a Boston-based bio-ingenuity company focused on improving mineral recovery while reducing environmental impact, has raised more than $20 million in a Series A extension round. The financing was led by Viking Global Investors, Bison Ventures, General Atlantic, BHP Ventures, and Pivotal Capital Partners, bringing the company’s total funding to more than $100 million.

EpilepsyGTx Secures $33 Million Series A To Advance Single-Dose Gene Therapy For Focal Refractory Epilepsy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 11:50 AM

EpilepsyGTx, a biotechnology company focused on developing gene therapies for refractory epilepsy, has raised $33 million in a Series A financing to advance its lead program, EPY201, into first-in-human clinical trials. The funding will support Phase 1/2a studies designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the therapy in patients with focal refractory epilepsy, a severe form of epilepsy that does not respond to existing treatments.

Bobyard Raises $35 Million Series A To Expand AI-Driven Construction Estimating Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 11:47 AM

Bobyard, an artificial intelligence platform focused on transforming how contractors perform construction takeoffs and estimates, has raised $35 million in a Series A financing round led by 8VC. Additional participants in the round include Pear VC, Primary Venture Partners, Tishman Speyer, RXR, Caffeinated Capital, and Merrick Ventures.

Crisp Raises $26 Million In Series B1 Funding To Scale Vertical AI For Retail And Supply Chains

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 11:44 AM

Crisp has closed a $26 million Series B1 financing round to accelerate the expansion of its vertical artificial intelligence solutions for the retail industry. The round was led by Paine Schwartz Partners, with participation from Blue Cloud Ventures, FirstMark Capital, Cox, DNX, Prologis, and Wellington Management. The financing brings Crisp’s total capital raised since its founding in 2017 to $127 million.

Kilo: $8 Million Seed Funding Closed To Accelerate Agentic Engineering Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 11:37 AM

Kilo Code, an open source coding agent focused on agentic engineering, has raised $8 million in seed funding as it looks to expand its platform and deepen adoption among software developers and engineering teams. The round was led by Cota Capital, with participation from Breakers, General Catalyst, Quiet Capital, and Tokyo Black. The company is based in San Francisco and launched earlier this year.

New Mexico DFA Expands Match Fund To $147 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 11:13 AM

New Mexico’s Department of Finance and Administration has secured an additional $72 million in funding following the implementation of Euna Grants, a cloud-based grants management platform developed by Euna Solutions. The expanded funding brings the total value of the New Mexico Match Fund to $147 million and reflects a significant increase in federal dollars leveraged through state investment.

ESO Fund: Interview With CEO Scott Chou About Stock Option Exercise Funding

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 11:10 AM

ESO Fund provides funding to help startup employees exercise their stock options. Pulse 2.0 interviewed ESO Fund CEO Scott Chou to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Medra Raises $52 Million Series A To Build Physical AI Scientists

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 11:04 AM

Medra, a San Francisco-based company developing what it describes as the world’s first platform for Physical AI Scientists, has raised $52 million in a Series A financing to accelerate the development of its autonomous laboratory technology. The round was led by Human Capital, with participation from existing investors Lux Capital, Neo, and NFDG, as well as new investors Catalio Capital Management, Menlo Ventures, 776, Fusion Fund, and others.

GrailPay: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Will Messina About The Payments Infrastructure Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 11:02 AM

GrailPay is a company that provides a payments infrastructure platform that enables fintechs, merchant-service payment providers, and financial institutions fully white-label and de-risked bank payments. Pulse 2.0 interviewed GrailPay co-founder and CEO Will Messina to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Ditto: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Adam Fish About The Edge-Native Data Infrastructure Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 11:00 AM

Ditto builds a mobile database with built-in peer-to-peer sync that keeps apps running and data consistent even without Wi-Fi, servers, or cloud connectivity. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Ditto co-founder and CEO Adam Fish to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Joy Parenting Club Acquires Heba Care To Expand AI-Based Parenting And Family Health Support

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 10:59 AM

Joy Parenting Club has acquired Heba Care, a digital health platform focused on supporting families navigating complex health and developmental needs, in a move that significantly expands Joy’s ambition to build the most comprehensive AI-powered parenting ecosystem. The transaction brings clinically validated care-coordination tools into Joy’s platform while accelerating the company’s mission to provide always-on, trusted guidance to parents worldwide.

Harness: $240 Million Series E At $5.5 Billion Valuation Raised To Advance AI Across Software Delivery

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 10:49 AM

Harness has secured $240 million in Series E financing as it accelerates its mission to bring artificial intelligence to every stage of software delivery that follows code creation. The round includes a $200 million investment led by Goldman Sachs and a planned $40 million tender offer with participation from IVP, Menlo Ventures, and Unusual Ventures, valuing the company at $5.5 billion.

Alphyn Biologics: $25 Million Series B Raised To Advance Dermatology Clinical Programs

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 10:45 AM

Alphyn Biologics, a clinical-stage dermatology company focused on developing first-in-class multi-target therapeutics for severe and common skin diseases, has closed a $25 million Series B financing round, twice oversubscribed. QCA Investment Group led the Series B round. It included participation from existing investors Angel Physicians Fund and Serial Stage Venture Partners, as well as a corporate fund, along with several new investors. The strong demand for the round reflects growing investor confidence in Alphyn’s proprietary Multi-Target Therapeutic Drug Platform and the potential of its lead candidate, Zabalafin Hydrogel, to address multiple underlying drivers of inflammatory and infectious skin diseases.

KVP International Buys SafePath-IVD To Expand Veterinary And Human Diagnostics Capabilities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 10:41 AM

KVP International has acquired SafePath Laboratories and IVD Research, collectively known as SafePath-IVD, strengthening its position in veterinary diagnostics while expanding capabilities across human health markets. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Gloat: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Ben Reuveni About The AI-Based Orchestration Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 8:30 AM

Gloat is the Work Orchestration Platform that closes the gap between AI investment and ROI by orchestrating AI agents, technology, and human expertise together. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Gloat co-founder and CEO Ben Reuveni to gain a deeper understanding of the company.