Pulse 2.0

Brookfield To Acquire Aypa Power From Blackstone For $7 Billion

AMD And Anthropic Partner On 2-Gigawatt AI Infrastructure Deployment And Up To $5 Billion Investment

telli Raises $15 Million Seed Round Led By Redalpine For AI-Powered Customer Operations

Michaels Launches Ask Mike AI Shopping Assistant Built With Google Cloud Gemini

J.Crew Appoints Stacey Levitt As Executive Vice President Of eCommerce And Digital Experience

Foundation Robotics And AMD Partner To Power Phantom Humanoid Robots For Industrial And Defense Applications

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 3:22 PM

Foundation Future Industries, also known as Foundation Robotics, has entered a strategic collaboration with AMD to train and operate its Phantom humanoid robots using AMD computing technologies.

Etched Raises $300 Million At $10.3 Billion Valuation To Scale AI Inference Hardware

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 2:40 PM

Etched has raised $300 million in new financing at a $10.3 billion valuation to increase production and customer deployments of its purpose-built artificial intelligence inference systems. The financing was led by Sequoia Capital, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Jane Street, Diffusion and SK Hynix. Etched described the transaction as the highest valuation achieved by a Sequoia-led Series C financing.

Take Profit Trader: Interview With CEO James Sixsmith About Futures Trading And Trader Access

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 2:39 PM

Take Profit Trader is a futures evaluation and proprietary trading firm that gives traders a straightforward path to accessing the markets through its Test, PRO, and PRO+ tiers. The company has built its model around fast payouts, transparent rules, trading education, and access to live market trading. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Take Profit Trader CEO James Sixsmith to learn more.

BP To Sell Austrian Mobility, Convenience, And EV Charging Businesses To Volenergy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 2:32 PM

BP has agreed to sell its mobility, convenience and electric vehicle charging businesses in Austria to Volenergy AG as part of its effort to simplify its portfolio and strengthen its balance sheet.

Warrenton Oil Company Appoints Dana Moloney As CEO

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 2:30 PM

Warrenton Oil Company has appointed Dana Moloney as Chief Executive Officer, continuing the Missouri-based company's longstanding tradition of family leadership.

GE Vernova Backlog Reaches $176 Billion As Power And Electrification Demand Accelerates

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 2:29 PM

GE Vernova's backlog reached $176 billion during the second quarter of 2026 as demand for gas turbines, grid equipment, data center infrastructure, and long-term services continued to increase.

Schneider Electric Launches Upgraded Charge Pro Commercial EV Charging System In The U.S.

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 2:27 PM

Schneider Electric has introduced an upgraded version of its Charge Pro Level 2 commercial electric vehicle charger in the United States, adding software, connector and deployment capabilities designed for property owners, workplaces and fleet operators.

DVC: Interview With Managing Partners Marina Davidova And Nick Davidov About The AI-First Venture Capital Firm

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:59 PM

DVC is a Bay Area-based venture capital firm backing early-stage AI startups. In just four years, seven companies in its portfolio have reached unicorn status. DVC was an early backer of Perplexity, Etched, Thinking Machines Lab, Rhoda AI, and Higgsfield. Pulse 2.0 sat down with DVC co-founders and managing partners Marina Davidova and Nick Davidov to learn more about their distinctive approach to venture capital.

Francisco Partners Raises $21 Billion Across Flagship And Agility Funds

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:55 PM

Francisco Partners has closed $21 billion in capital commitments across its eighth flagship fund and fourth Agility fund, completing the largest fundraising effort in the technology investment firm's history.

Bregal Sagemount To Acquire Majority Stake In ATOZ Services

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:54 PM

Bregal Sagemount has agreed to make a strategic growth investment in ATOZ Services, becoming the majority shareholder of the Luxembourg-based fund services platform. ATOZ Group and existing investor ICG will retain minority interests following the transaction.

Cirrus Logic Receives Scottish Enterprise Grant For Smart Energy Technology Development

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:52 PM

Cirrus Logic has received a research and development grant from Scottish Enterprise to develop a next-generation smart energy technology platform and expand its engineering activities in Scotland. The amount of the grant was not disclosed.

Abstract Raises $25 Million To Expand Composable AI-Powered Security Operations Platformabstract

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:50 PM

Abstract has raised $25 million in funding to expand its composable security operations platform as enterprises seek alternatives to traditional security information and event management systems. The round was co-led by Cheyenne Ventures and AVP, with participation from Olive Hill Ventures. Existing investors Crosslink Capital and Rally Ventures also joined the financing. The investment brings Abstract's total funding to nearly $50 million.

IBM To Acquire HRL Laboratories To Expand Quantum Computing, Sensing And Materials Research

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:49 PM

IBM has signed a definitive agreement to acquire HRL Laboratories, a research and development company jointly owned by Boeing and General Motors. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Empery Digital Invests $20 Million In Cardinal Data Power For An 8% Stake

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:48 PM

Empery Digital has invested $20 million in Cardinal Data Power, acquiring an approximately 8% ownership interest in the developer of large-scale powered data center campuses.

Elio Raises $21 Million Led By Innovation Endeavors And Xora For AI-Directed Sensors

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:36 PM

Elio has raised $21 million to develop sensors that allow artificial intelligence systems to determine what information should be captured in real time. The funding round was led by Innovation Endeavors and Xora, with participation from Kevin Weil and Scribble Ventures. Existing investors UpWest and Resolute Ventures, which led Elio's previous round, also participated.

Prosper Medical Raises $16 Million Led By FUSE For AI-Powered Concierge Primary Care

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:30 PM

Prosper Medical has raised $16 million to expand its AI-powered concierge primary care platform and physician network. The financing was led by FUSE, with participation from Aurum Partners, Better.vc, Cal Innovation Fund, Fluent, Latitude Capital, Knoll Ventures and WTI.

Alphabet Reports $109.9 Billion In Q1 2026 Revenue As Google Cloud Growth Accelerates To 63%

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:17 PM

Alphabet reported revenue of $109.9 billion for the first quarter of 2026, representing a 22% increase from the prior-year period and the company's 11th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth.

Apollo And San Jose Earthquakes Launch AI-Powered Go-To-Market And Jersey Sleeve Partnership

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:10 PM

Apollo has entered a multiyear partnership with Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes that combines a jersey sleeve sponsorship with the deployment of Apollo's artificial intelligence-based go-to-market system across the club's commercial operations.

TotalEnergies Reported $6 Billion Adjusted Net Income And $9.8 Billion Cash Flow In Q2 2026

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:09 PM

TotalEnergies reported adjusted net income of $6.03 billion for the second quarter of 2026 as higher oil prices, refining margins and trading performance offset lower production and weaker results from its liquefied natural gas business.

Northrim BanCorp To Acquire PBCO Financial In $167.3 Million All-Stock Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:07 PM

Northrim BanCorp has agreed to acquire PBCO Financial Corporation in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $167.3 million, expanding the Alaska-based community bank into Oregon.

Optus Financial And M&F Bancorp Agree To More Than $105 Million Merger

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:06 PM

Optus Financial Corporation and M&F Bancorp have signed a definitive merger agreement that will combine two of the United States' longest-established Minority Depository Institutions.

Jusfy Raises $15 Million Series A Led By Quona Capital

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:05 PM

Jusfy has raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Quona Capital to expand its AI-native operating system for legal professionals in Brazil. The round also included Thomson Reuters Ventures, The LegalTech Fund, Maya Capital, SaaSholic, Spectra, Fluent Ventures, Endeavor, FJ Labs and other investors.

NewEdge Expands Envestnet Partnership To Add $800 Million Structured Note Strategies To Unified Managed Accounts

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:04 PM

NewEdge Capital Group has expanded its partnership with Envestnet to make NewEdge Investment Solutions' structured note strategies available through unified managed accounts.

Chime Launches Commission-Free Investing And Managed Portfolios With No Account Minimums

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:57 PM

Chime has launched Chime Invest, an investment platform that allows members to buy U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds or use professionally managed portfolios directly through the Chime app.

Macquarie Group Names Greg Ward CEO As Shemara Wikramanayake Retires In November 2026

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:56 PM

Macquarie Group has appointed Greg Ward to become Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer following the retirement of Shemara Wikramanayake, subject to receiving the necessary approvals.

Naval Postgraduate School Brings NVIDIA DGX GB300 AI Supercomputer Online

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:49 PM

The Naval Postgraduate School has commissioned an NVIDIA DGX GB300 supercomputer to expand artificial intelligence research, education and mission-focused technology development at the U.S. military's graduate university in Monterey, California.

KFC Global Appoints Maria Cacciapuoti As Chief Operations Officer

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:48 PM

KFC Global has appointed Maria Cacciapuoti as Chief Operations Officer, effective September 1, 2026. Cacciapuoti will report directly to KFC Global CEO Scott Mezvinsky and lead the company's global operations function.

U.S. And Saudi Arabia Sign 30-Year Multibillion-Dollar Civil Nuclear Agreement

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:47 PM

The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a 30-year civil nuclear cooperation agreement that would give American companies a central role in developing the kingdom’s nuclear energy program, according to The WSJ.

BusinessNext Raises $40 Million From ServiceNow Ventures At $700 Million Valuation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:45 PM

BusinessNext has raised $40 million in a Series C funding round from ServiceNow Ventures, valuing the Indian banking software company at approximately $700 million, according to Reuters. Through the investment, ServiceNow acquired roughly a 5% interest in BusinessNext. The companies will also form a strategic partnership focused on expanding and governing artificial intelligence tools used by financial institutions.

Advyzon Launches Embedded Agentic AI Platform For Wealth Management Firms

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 12:41 PM

Advyzon has launched Advyzon AI, an embedded agentic intelligence system designed to help financial advisory firms analyze information, coordinate workflows and execute tasks across the company’s wealth management platform.