Innovation

Squire Acquires HintonBurdick To Expand Intermountain West Footprint

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:37 PM

Squire, one of Utah’s fastest-growing and nationally recognized accounting firms, has announced its acquisition of regional CPA firm HintonBurdick. The deal, which becomes effective January 1, 2026, significantly expands Squire’s geographic presence and strengthens its position as one of the largest CPA firms in Utah. HintonBurdick operates offices across Utah, Arizona, and Nevada, giving the combined organization a broader reach and deeper service capabilities throughout the Intermountain West.

Versant Expands Free-to-Watch Portfolio With Acquisition of Free TV Networks

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:34 PM

Versant has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Free TV Networks in a deal that will expand the company’s entertainment footprint and strengthen its presence across free, ad-supported distribution channels. The transaction, announced on December 4, 2025, comes as Comcast prepares to spin off Versant as an independent public media company in early 2026.

Govstream.ai: $3.6 Million Seed Funding Raised To Accelerate AI Native Permitting For U.S. Cities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:33 PM

Govstream.ai has secured a $3.6 million Seed round to expand its AI-driven permitting platform, designed to help local governments process development applications more efficiently and shorten approval timelines. The Seattle-based company intends to shrink permitting cycles from months to weeks and ultimately to days by unifying chats, emails, voice interactions, plans, and workflows into a single conversational system.

Smartleaf Asset Management Doubles Assets Under Management To Surpass $6.75 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:31 PM

Smartleaf Asset Management has reported a significant expansion of its outsourced portfolio management business, announcing that its assets under management have climbed past $6.75 billion. The milestone marks a substantial increase from $3.75 billion a year earlier, and highlights accelerated industry adoption of outsourced rebalancing and tax optimization solutions.

V2X Wins $980 Million IDIQ Contract To Support Global Warfighter Test Systems

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:30 PM

V2X secured a major government award with its position on the Automated Test Systems Division’s Multiple Award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract issued by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Warner Robins Air Force Base. The agreement, valued at up to $980 million across its ordering period, will enable V2X to provide comprehensive lifecycle support for Automated Test Systems that underpin mission readiness for military aviation and global defense operations.

Watts Water Technologies Completes Acquisition Of Saudi Cast To Expand Middle East Footprint

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:29 PM

Watts Water Technologies has completed its acquisition of Saudi Cast, a Riyadh-based manufacturer of cast iron and stainless steel drainage solutions, marking a strategic expansion for the global water technology company across Saudi Arabia and key Middle Eastern markets.

Regnology Completes Major Acquisition Of Wolters Kluwer’s Finance, Risk And Regulatory Reporting Business

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:27 PM

Regnology has finalized its acquisition of Wolters Kluwer’s Finance, Risk, and Regulatory Reporting business, marking one of the company’s most significant expansion moves and further strengthening its position as a global regulatory technology leader.

The Baldwin Group And CAC Group Announce $1.026 Billion Merger To Form Publicly Traded Insurance Broker

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:26 PM

The Baldwin Group has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with CAC Group in a transaction valued at $1.026 billion upfront, creating what is expected to become the largest majority-colleague-owned, publicly traded insurance brokerage firm in the United States.

Harvey: $160 Million At $8 Billion Valuation Raised For Advancing AI Tech For Legal Pros

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:24 PM

Harvey has secured a significant funding milestone with a $160 million investment round, valuing the company at $8 billion. Andreessen Horowitz led the financing and follows a recent investment from EQT, further broadening Harvey’s base of prominent backers. Additional new investors include WndrCo and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., joining returning supporters Sequoia, Kleiner Perkins, Conviction, and Elad Gil.

Curvestone AI: $4 Million Seed Funding Closed To Scale Reliable Automation For Regulated Industries

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 11:00 PM

Curvestone AI has secured $4 million in seed funding, led by MTech Capital, with participation from Boost Capital Partners, D2 Fund, and Portfolio Ventures. The investment marks a significant milestone for the London-based company as it accelerates efforts to bring dependable, end-to-end AI automation to financial services, legal, and insurance teams.

OpenAI Launches Up To $2 Million Research Grant Program Focused On Mental Health Safety

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:59 PM

OpenAI announced a major new funding initiative that will award up to $2 million to support independent research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and mental health, marking one of the organization’s most significant external safety investments to date. The program, which is now accepting applications through December 19, 2025, seeks to generate new insights, resources, and evaluation tools that can strengthen both OpenAI’s internal safety work and the broader field.

HCA Healthcare Provides $4.8 Million Gift To Support Launch Of Pepperdine University School Of Nursing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:58 PM

HCA Healthcare has committed $4.8 million to Pepperdine University to help launch its new School of Nursing within the College of Health Sciences, marking a significant investment to expand the nursing workforce amid ongoing nationwide shortages.

PermitFlow: $54 Million Series B Raised To Expand AI Workforce For Construction Industry

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:58 PM

PermitFlow, a rapidly growing construction technology company, has raised $54 million in Series B funding to accelerate its AI platform designed to solve some of the industry’s most persistent bottlenecks. Accel led the round with participation from Kleiner Perkins, Felicis, Initialized Capital, Altos Ventures, Y Combinator, and several existing investors. The funding marks a significant milestone for the New York-based company as it scales its suite of AI agents that streamline pre-construction and compliance workflows for builders nationwide.

Scholastic Generates $401 Million Through Major Sale-Leaseback Transactions Of Headquarters And Distribution Center

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:56 PM

Scholastic Corporation announced binding agreements to complete two significant sale-leaseback transactions involving its New York City headquarters at 555–557 Broadway and its primary distribution center in Jefferson City, Missouri. The combined transactions are expected to generate $401 million in net proceeds, which the company plans to allocate to key financial priorities, including debt reduction and share repurchases.

EIT: €70 Million Initiative Launched To Expand STEM Innovation And Strengthen University Collaboration

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:33 PM

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology has announced a major €70 million call to strengthen STEM education, expand innovation capacity, and bolster the future European workforce. The new call, launched under the EIT Higher Education Initiative, marks the largest funding round in the programme’s history and introduces closer cooperation between EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities and the European Universities alliances.

Verkada Secures $5.8 Billion Valuation Following CapitalG Investment

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:29 PM

Verkada announced that Alphabet’s independent growth fund, CapitalG, has led a new investment that values the company at $5.8 billion, marking a $1.3 billion increase since its Series E financing earlier in the year. The new funding arrives as Verkada surpasses $1 billion in annualized bookings, highlighting accelerating enterprise demand for AI-enabled physical security and building operations technology.

Imper.ai: $28 Million Closed To Advance Real-Time Defense Against AI-Driven Impersonation Threats

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:27 PM

Imper.ai has launched with $28 million in funding as it seeks to establish a new standard for real-time defense against AI-driven impersonation and social engineering attacks. The round was led by Redpoint Ventures and Battery Ventures, with participation from Maple VC, Vessy VC, and Cerca Partners. The funding will support Imper.ai’s efforts to scale its platform and expand its presence across industries facing surging identity-based cyber threats.

Lumia Security: $18 Million Seed Funding Raised To Advance Product Development

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:24 PM

Lumia Security has officially emerged from stealth mode after securing an $18 million seed funding round led by Team8, with additional participation from prominent security leaders, New Era Capital Partners, and members of the broader cybersecurity community.

EnergyHub Acquires Resideo Grid Services To Expand Virtual Power Plant Capabilities For Utilities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:20 PM

EnergyHub has acquired Resideo Grid Services in a strategic deal that significantly strengthens its position in the rapidly expanding Virtual Power Plant market. The deal, announced in New York, combines two major players in distributed energy resource management at a time when utilities are looking for unified platforms capable of orchestrating millions of devices at the grid edge as electricity demand accelerates.

Kraken Acquires Backed To Advance Expansion Of Tokenized Equities Through xStocks

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:18 PM

Kraken has reached an agreement to acquire Backed Finance AG in a deal that significantly expands the cryptocurrency platform’s presence in the fast-growing market for tokenized real-world assets. The acquisition brings the issuer of xStocks, one of the industry’s most widely used tokenized equity frameworks, directly into Kraken’s ecosystem and positions the company to accelerate issuance, trading, and settlement across global markets.

Joi + Blokes Acquires HerMD To Form One Of The Largest Virtual Women’s Health Platforms

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:16 PM

Joi + Blokes, a Nashville-based virtual clinic specializing in menopause, longevity, and optimal healthspan, has acquired HerMD, a nationally recognized provider of evidence-based care in menopause, sexual health, and hormonal wellness. The transaction brings together two influential organizations to create one of the most expansive virtual specialty care ecosystems for women in the United States ahead of 2026.

Guide Technologies Expands With Acquisition Of Agility

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:13 PM

Guide Technologies has strengthened its position in the manufacturing software and supply chain technology sector with the acquisition of Agility, a Cleveland-area consultancy known for its expertise in manufacturing systems, logistics solutions, and Infor XA services.

Osaic Expands With Addition Of $705 Million True Wealth Advisors And $104 Million Soundview Financial

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 6:24 PM

Osaic, one of the nation’s largest providers of wealth management strategies, has continued its rapid expansion with the addition of two substantial independent advisory firms: True Wealth Advisors, which oversees more than $705 million in client assets, and Soundview Financial Group, which manages approximately $104 million.

Move Concierge Expands Community Intelligence Capabilities With Acquisition Of LiveBy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 6:12 PM

Move Concierge has acquired LiveBy, a leading provider of hyperlocal neighborhood intelligence, further strengthening the company’s data-driven support for real estate professionals and homebuyers. The acquisition enhances Move Concierge’s ability to deliver an integrated experience that spans neighborhood exploration through the whole move-in process.

Rithm Capital Finalizes Acquisition Of Crestline To Expand Asset Management Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 6:05 PM

Rithm Capital has completed its acquisition of Crestline Management, marking a significant step in the firm’s plan to expand its global alternative asset management capabilities. The deal strengthens Rithm’s ambition to build an integrated and diversified platform that serves both institutional and private wealth investors with a broader suite of investment strategies.

PROG Holdings To Buy Purchasing Power In $420 Million Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 6:00 PM

PROG Holdings has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Purchasing Power in a transaction valued at $420 million in cash, marking one of the company’s most significant expansion moves in recent years. The acquisition is set to broaden PROG Holdings’ reach across employer channels and deepen its access to near-prime and below-prime consumers seeking transparent and flexible payment options.

Bridgepoint Reinvests In Brevo Following New €500 Million Funding Round

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 5:12 PM

Bridgepoint has reinvested in customer engagement software company Brevo as part of a new €500 million financing round that lifts the Paris-based business to unicorn status for the first time. The transaction marks a pivotal moment in Brevo’s evolution, reflecting both its rapid revenue expansion and its broadened global footprint.

Freenome And Perceptive Capital Merging In $330 Million SPAC Deal Backed By $240 Million PIPE

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 5:08 PM

Freenome Holdings and Perceptive Capital Solutions have agreed to merge in a transaction that will take the cancer-detection company public and provide approximately $330 million in fresh capital, assuming no redemptions. The deal includes a $240 million private investment in public equity led by Perceptive Advisors and RA Capital, alongside participation from several leading healthcare investors. Upon the closing of the transaction, PCSC will redomicile as a Delaware corporation and be renamed Freenome, Inc., with its shares expected to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol FRNM.

Castelion: $350 Million Series B Closed To Advance U.S. Hypersonic Weapons Production

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 5:00 PM

Castelion has raised $350 million in Series B financing to scale the domestic production of affordable hypersonic weapons, advancing one of the Pentagon’s highest modernization priorities. The Series B round was led by Altimeter Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners, with additional participation from Lavrock Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, First In, Space VC, Cantos, BlueYard, Avenir, Champion Hill, and Interlagos.

OTR Therapeutics: $100 Million Series A Raised To Accelerate Global Drug Development

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 4:43 PM

OTR Therapeutics has emerged from stealth with the closing of a $100 million Series A financing that strengthens the company’s strategy to advance early scientific innovation into globally deployable therapies. The funding round, completed in June 2025, was backed by True Light Capital, LAV, Pfizer Ventures, and Sirona Capital.