Pulse 2.0

SK Hynix Raises $26.5 Billion In Record US Listing As AI Chip Demand Supercharges Investor Appetite

Micron Raises Planned U.S. Investment To More Than $250 Billion Through 2035

Cableteque Raises $6 Million Seed To Bring AI-Powered Digital Operating System To The $100 Billion Wire Harness Industry

Meta Launches Muse Spark 1.1, A Multimodal Reasoning Model Built For Agentic Tasks

Lyzr AI Raises $100 Million Series B After Its Own AI Agent SivaClaw Fielded 130‑Plus Investors And Generated $400 Million In Interest

Mistral AI Launches Robostral Navigate, An 8B Robotics Model That Steers Robots With A Single Camera And Plain‑Language Commands

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:41 AM

Mistral AI has released Robostral Navigate, its first dedicated robotics navigation model and a key step in the French startup’s push into “physical AI” for factories, warehouses and industrial automation. Robostral Navigate is an 8‑billion‑parameter vision‑language‑action model that takes images from a single RGB camera plus a plain‑language instruction and moves a robot through complex environments, without relying on LiDAR, depth sensors or multi‑camera rigs.

Paradigm Raises $1.2 Billion Fourth Fund To Back “Technical Frontier” Startups Across Crypto, AI And Robotics

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:39 AM

Paradigm, the frontier technology investment firm best known for its large crypto funds, has raised its fourth fund: a $1.2 billion venture vehicle to invest in what it calls the “technical frontier,” spanning crypto, artificial intelligence, robotics and other emerging sectors. Co‑founder Matt Huang said that the capital is fuel to back “the most ambitious builders at the frontier of technology” at a time when markets are more cautious but institutional appetite for deep‑tech remains strong.

Kaon AI Raises Series B To Build A Vertically Integrated “Customization Engine” For AI‑Native Entertainment

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:26 AM

Kaon AI, a generative AI platform and research lab building interactive entertainment experiences, has closed a Series B round backed by B Capital, Redpoint Ace, Goodwater Capital and DCM. The funding, whose size is undisclosed but reported by Variety and others to be around $60 million, will fuel Kaon’s push to define a new content engine for the generative AI era, built on long‑horizon, hyper‑personalized narratives rather than static recommendations.

OpenAI’s AGI Deployment Chief Fidji Simo Steps Down From Full‑Time Role Amid Ongoing Health Battle

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:20 AM

Fidji Simo, one of OpenAI’s top executives and the company’s CEO of AGI deployment, is stepping down from her full‑time role and will become a part‑time advisor after an extended medical leave. Simo announced the move in a post on X, saying a “severe exacerbation” of a chronic neuroimmune illness she has lived with for seven years made clear that the road to recovery would be “much longer and more complex” than anticipated and that she needed to focus on it fully.

Apple Commits Over $30 Billion To Broadcom To Produce More Than 15 Billion U.S.-Made Wireless Chips And Expand Fort Collins Fab

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:48 AM

Apple has signed a new multiyear agreement with Broadcom to design and produce custom silicon components and advanced wireless connectivity technologies for a wide range of Apple products, in a deal expected to exceed $30 billion. The commitment, announced from Cupertino, will lead to the production of more than 15 billion chips manufactured in the United States and support hundreds of American jobs, as Apple works with the administration and domestic suppliers to build an end‑to‑end silicon supply chain in the U.S.

Oratomic Raises $300 Million Series A To Build Fault‑Tolerant Neutral‑Atom Quantum Computers Straight To ‘Endgame’

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:46 AM

Oratomic, a Pasadena‑based quantum computing startup founded by leading neutral‑atom and fault‑tolerant quantum researchers, has raised a $300 million Series A round to accelerate development of a utility‑scale, fault‑tolerant quantum computer. The financing, announced in the company’s Series A blog post, was co‑led by ARCH Venture Partners, Spark Capital and Khosla Ventures, with participation from Bezos Expeditions, Index Ventures, General Catalyst, Lowercarbon Capital, Bain Capital, Formation, Nebular, David and Scott Aaronson, Les Kohn, Baiju Bhatt, Infleqtion, Genius Ventures, 7i Capital and Global Frontier Investments.

Bizay Raises $55 Million Series D As Global Mass‑Customization Marketplace Hits Profitability And $100 Million Revenue

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:27 AM

Bizay, a Lisbon‑based mass‑customization technology and e‑commerce marketplace serving small and midsize businesses across 50 countries, has raised a $55 million Series D round led by Índico Capital Partners. The new capital comes as Bizay expects to surpass $100 million in revenue this year while delivering its first profitable year, a milestone the company’s backers highlight as proof that a large global marketplace can be scaled with “absolute economic discipline.”

Super.com Raises $65 Million Series D At $1.2 Billion Valuation To Scale AI‑Powered Savings For Everyday Americans

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:23 AM

Super.com, a savings “super app” aimed at everyday Americans, has raised a $65 million Series D round led by TPG at a $1.2 billion valuation. The new capital will fund AI‑driven product development and the expansion of its Super+ membership as the company surpasses $200 million in net revenue and reports more than $1 billion in direct savings returned to customers since 2016.

EDX Markets Raises $76 Million Series C To Scale Institutional Digital Asset Infrastructure

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:20 AM

EDX Markets, a digital asset technology firm that operates an institutional‑only trading venue paired with a central clearinghouse, has closed a $76 million Series C funding round led by Japanese financial conglomerate SBI Holdings. The capital will be used to expand EDX’s trading, clearing and settlement capabilities, accelerate product development and scale its global operations as institutional demand for regulated digital asset infrastructure continues to rise.

M1X Global Raises Seed Funding Led By Paradigm, Bringing Total To $8.5 Million To Scale On‑Chain Sovereign Debt Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:16 AM

M1X Global, a sovereign financial infrastructure and technology company building blockchain‑based public‑sector instruments, has closed an oversubscribed Seed round led by Paradigm, bringing its total funding to $8.5 million just 14 weeks after its public launch and angel raise. Breed VC joined as a strategic participant in the round, which follows a $3 million angel raise backed by investors including former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan and Cumberland Labs CEO Tama Churchouse. The new capital will support continued development of M1X’s platform and the institutional rollout of USDM1, which the company describes as the first USD‑denominated, fully secured sovereign bond issued natively on a public blockchain and collateralized 1:1 by short‑duration US Treasuries.

7‑Eleven Books $349 Million Profit From Higher US Gasoline Prices Even As Drivers Buy Less Fuel

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:14 AM

7‑Eleven's US convenience‑store business generated roughly $349 million in profit from the surge in gasoline prices last quarter, even though Americans bought less fuel by volume. The figure, disclosed in earnings from Japanese parent Seven & i Holdings, accounted for nearly half of the company’s total operating profit of about 105 billion yen (around $650 million) for the quarter ended May 31.

Bank Of America Reportedly Reverses Course And Extends $520 Million Credit Line To OpenAI

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:07 AM

Ultra Clean Names Veteran Finance Executive Michael Keogh As CFO To Support “UCT 3.0” Growth Strategy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:02 AM

Ultra Clean Holdings, a leading supplier of critical subsystems and ultra‑high‑purity services to the semiconductor industry, has appointed Michael Keogh as Chief Financial Officer, effective August 5, 2026. Keogh will succeed outgoing CFO Sheri Savage and report directly to CEO James Xiao as the company executes its UCT 3.0 strategy focused on scaling capacity, ramp readiness and operational excellence for AI‑driven wafer fab equipment demand.

Adaptive Insurance Raises Additional $5 Million To Scale AI‑Driven Specialty Climate Products And Invoice Financing Capacity

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:55 AM

Adaptive Insurance, a specialty managing general agent (MGA) and insurtech focused on climate resilience, has closed an additional $5 million financing round from new and existing investors to accelerate development and distribution of its AI‑driven specialty insurance products. New investors in the round include IAG Firemark Ventures, Sunna Ventures, Room & Pillar and Connecticut Innovations, joining existing backers Congruent Ventures, Seraphim Space and private stakeholders.

KOR Protocol Raises $7.5 Million Series A To Build AI‑Era Clearinghouse For Creative Assets

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:51 AM

KOR Protocol, a London‑based platform building what it describes as a “creative asset clearinghouse,” has raised $7.5 million in a Series A round at a $100 million valuation. The funding is led by crypto‑native fund 1kx and Blockchain Capital, with participation from existing backers including Republic Crypto, Sfermion, Animoca Brands, Solana, Avalanche, Alumni Ventures, SevenX and other strategic investors across digital assets, entertainment and emerging technology.

Savi Security Raises $7 Million Seed And Launches AI‑Native App To Protect Families From Digital Scams

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:49 AM

Savi Security, a Los Angeles‑based consumer technology company focused on AI‑powered scam protection, has launched Savi, an iOS and Android app designed to screen calls, messages and digital communications before users engage, and has raised 7 million dollars in seed funding to accelerate development of its behavioral AI platform. The seed round is led by Acrew Capital, with participation from Magnify Ventures, TTCER and Resolute Ventures.

Octozi Raises $3 Million Seed To Bring Agentic AI Into Clinical Trial Data Operations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:46 AM

Octozi, a New York City-based artificial intelligence company that automates clinical development workflows for pharmaceutical sponsors, has raised 3 million dollars in seed funding. Surface Ventures led the round, with participation from Remarkable Ventures, building on a prior strategic investment from the venture arm of Swiss pharmaceutical company Debiopharm. The capital will be used to expand Octozi’s agentic AI platform and deepen its integrations with clinical systems used by pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech companies.

Handspring Raises $19 Million Series B To Scale Evidence‑Based Youth Mental Health Care Nationwide

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:44 AM

Handspring Health, a virtual mental health clinic providing evidence‑based care to children, adolescents, young adults and their families, has raised $19 million in Series B financing to support national expansion of its care model. RPS Ventures led the round, with participation from new investor Angelini Ventures and continued backing from Cobalt Ventures, NextView Ventures, nvp capital, Hyde Park Angels, Cornucopian Capital, and others. The funding brings Handspring’s total capital raised to $37 million and reflects growing conviction among payers and investors in the company’s clinically rigorous, cost‑effective approach.

Bidbus Raises $15 Million Series A To Make Used‑Car Selling A Real‑Time Dealer Auction

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:42 AM

Bidbus, a Los Angeles–based marketplace that lets verified car dealers bid against each other for consumer‑owned vehicles, has raised a $15 million Series A round to scale its model beyond its initial markets. The funding is led by Ibex Investors, an early‑stage mobility‑focused fund, with participation from Mucker Capital, FJ Labs, Motley Fool Ventures, Data Point Capital, Walter Ventures and strategic angels including Yossi J. Levi (Car Dealership Guy), Ryan Steingard, Gregory Kirber and Antonio Davila.

Gladstone Investment Acquires DHE Computer Systems

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:40 AM

Gladstone Investment Corporation, a publicly traded business development company focused on lower-middle-market buyouts, has acquired DHE Computer Systems, a Centennial, Colorado–based full‑service technology solutions provider. Gladstone Investment structured the deal using a combination of debt and equity financing, consistent with its strategy of backing founder‑ and management‑owned businesses through both capital and long‑term partnership.

Flutterwave Raises Funding From Circle Ventures

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:36 AM

Flutterwave has announced a strategic investment from Circle Ventures and the addition of USDC settlement across its platform, as part of a broader push to embed stablecoins into the payment infrastructure serving businesses across Africa. The move extends Flutterwave’s existing model- connecting banks, cards, mobile money, and local payment systems via a single platform—into digital dollars and blockchain-based rails, with the aim of delivering faster settlement, lower costs, and greater access to global liquidity.

Perfect Corp. Agrees To $2‑Per‑Share Going‑Private Merger Led By Founder Alice Chang

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:25 PM

Perfect Corp., a New York Stock Exchange–listed AI and augmented reality software company serving the beauty, fashion, and creative industries, has entered into a definitive merger agreement to go private in a transaction valuing its ordinary shares at $2.00 per share in cash. The deal is structured as a merger between Perfect and ProjectNY, a Cayman Islands company controlled by founder and chairwoman Alice H. Chang, with ProjectNY merging into Perfect, which will survive as a privately held entity.

Hippo Harvest Raises $30 Million Series C To Scale Robotic Organic Greenhouses And Launch Indoor‑Grown Spinach

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:23 PM

Hippo Harvest, a Pescadero, California–based leafy greens grower using robotics and machine learning–powered greenhouses to produce USDA‑certified organic greens, has closed a $30 million Series C round led by Cox Farms, North America’s largest greenhouse operator. The funding will support a 30‑acre expansion at a new Hollister, CA facility now in permitting, and the development of Hippo Harvest’s next‑generation robotic growing system, increasing growing capacity from 1 acre today and accelerating the commercialization of indoor‑grown spinach.

Amprion Secures Multi‑Million‑Dollar Non‑Dilutive Growth Investment From Decathlon Capital Partners

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:21 PM

Amprion, a diagnostics company focused on seed‑amplification testing for neurodegenerative disorders, has reached an agreement with Decathlon Capital Partners for a multi‑million‑dollar growth‑funding investment. The financing is structured as customized growth‑debt that offers flexible amortization while remaining non‑dilutive to existing shareholders and preserving management control, giving Amprion additional capital without issuing new equity.

Marker Raises $13 Million Seed Funding To Build An AI‑Native Word Processor

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:20 PM

Index Ventures has led a $13 million seed round for Marker, a London‑based startup developing an AI‑native word processor designed to support, rather than replace, the writing process. The funding round includes participation from LocalGlobe, Betaworks, Radical Ventures, Tiny VC and Otherwise Fund, along with angel investors such as the founders behind Google Docs, Slack and Hugging Face.

Aria Raises €7 Million Series A Extension And Secures €240M Invoice Financing Facility

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:17 PM

Aria, a Paris-based embedded invoice financing platform, has closed a new €7 million equity round, extending its Series A, and, in a separate transaction, opened a new financing facility providing close to €240 million in invoice financing capacity. The equity raise is led by 115K, the venture capital arm of La Banque Postale, with returning investor 13books Capital participating, while the financing facility is led by Nomura alongside Fost, Sienna Investment Managers and Montpensier Arbevel through dedicated vehicles.

Luffy AI Raises £8.1 Million Series A To Bring Neuroplastic AI Into Industrial Electric Motors

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:14 PM

Luffy AI, a UK-based startup developing “neuroplastic” AI for real-time adaptive control, has raised £8.1 million in a Series A funding round to accelerate deployment of its technology in industrial electric motors and other physical systems. The company argues that while AI has transformed language and image generation, it has yet to make a substantial impact in industry, despite electric motor systems accounting for roughly half of global electricity consumption.

EnergyX Secures $225 Million Strategic Investment From Eni To Advance Black Giant Lithium Project In Chile

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:11 PM

Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (EnergyX) has announced a $225 million strategic equity investment from Italian energy company Eni to support the development of Project Black Giant, a large-scale lithium brine and refining project in Chile’s Antofagasta Region. The transaction gives Eni a minority stake in the project and forms a central component of the funding needed to take Black Giant through full commercial development.

Mewburn Ellis Strengthens Patent Litigation Team With Addition Of Deborah Bould

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:46 PM

Mewburn Ellis has announced that Deborah Bould will join the firm as a Partner on 1 September 2026, bolstering its Engineering and Technology practice and further expanding its patent litigation capabilities across the UK and Europe. The move continues the firm’s strategy of building a contentious intellectual property offering capable of handling complex, multi-jurisdictional disputes, including those arising under the Unified Patent Court (UPC) regime.

Kirkland & Ellis Adds Real Estate Finance Partner Anthony Mongone

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:43 PM

Kirkland & Ellis has added Anthony Mongone, Jr. as a partner in its Real Estate Practice Group, enhancing the firm’s ability to advise on complex real estate finance and private credit transactions across the capital structure. The hire reflects Kirkland’s continued focus on expanding its real assets platform with practitioners who work at the intersection of commercial real estate, structured finance, and special situations.