Innovation

Spotify Introduces Audiobook Recaps to Help Listeners Reengage With Stories

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:53 AM

Spotify has launched Audiobook Recaps, a new feature designed to help listeners easily return to audiobooks after a period of time away. The tool provides short, tailored audio summaries based on each user’s most recent listening point, offering a quick refresher without requiring them to relisten to earlier chapters.

Google Launches Cameyo To Modernize Enterprise Computing And Bridge The Legacy App Gap

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:51 AM

Google introduced Cameyo by Google, a new Virtual App Delivery solution designed to help enterprises modernize their end-user computing environments while maintaining access to essential legacy applications. The launch comes as organizations increasingly embrace web-first strategies, even though half of the applications they rely on today remain client-based. With IT leaders reporting that enabling end users to leverage AI on the endpoint is a top priority over the next year, the need for a bridge between traditional software and modern web infrastructure has become increasingly urgent.

LendingPoint: New Capital Secured To Accelerate Growth

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:45 AM

LendingPoint announced a new round of capital financing that will support a major expansion of its technology platform, product suite, and customer reach as it prepares for accelerated growth in 2026. The AI-driven consumer credit and loan servicing company stated that the investment, which includes participation from both existing and new investors, will enhance its ability to scale while advancing its long-term strategy.

American Community Lending Secures $17.5 Million To Accelerate Bridge Lending Growth

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 10:05 AM

American Community Lending announced the closing of its inaugural $17.5 million investment-grade corporate note financing, marking a significant capital milestone for the Dallas-based real estate bridge lender. The new funding will support expanded lending operations and fuel continued portfolio growth as the Company deepens its presence in commercial real estate construction financing.

Rage Biotech: Monash University Spin-Off Raises A$29 Million Series A To Advance RNA Therapeutics Toward Clinical Trials

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:53 AM

RAGE Biotech, a Monash University spin-off, has secured A$29 million in Series A financing to accelerate the development of its next-generation RNA-based therapeutics for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. The investment represents a significant milestone for the company as it advances its lead program, RB042, toward first-in-human clinical studies targeting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related inflammatory lung conditions.

Forza Invests In KitchenSync And Helps Secure $10 Million Credit Facility

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 9:51 AM

Forza Holdings announced a series of strategic investments in KitchenSync, a provider of artificial intelligence-powered financial reporting and back office software supporting the restaurant and hospitality sectors. The Newport Beach-based structured and specialty private financing firm confirmed both a debt investment and a convertible note investment in the company, deepening a partnership that has expanded significantly in recent months.

Merck To Buy Cidara Therapeutics In $9.2 Billion Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 5:25 AM

Merck announced a significant expansion of its infectious disease pipeline through a definitive agreement to acquire Cidara Therapeutics for approximately $9.2 billion in cash. The agreement will bring Cidara’s late-phase antiviral candidate CD388 into Merck’s portfolio as the company advances its strategy to broaden its development programs through science-driven transactions.

Vistara Growth: $321 Million Fund V Closed For Growth Stage Tech Companies

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:59 PM

Vistara Growth has completed the final close of its fifth structured capital fund at $321 million, marking a significant milestone in its tenth year of providing flexible financing solutions to technology companies in North America.

CoRun.ai: $3.5 Million Seed Funding Closed For Transforming Fleet Operations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:57 PM

CoRun.ai, a fast-growing artificial intelligence company focused on transforming fleet operations, has raised $3.5 million in seed financing to advance its platform for real-time performance and profitability analytics. The round was led by Access Capital Management alongside Silicon Valley angel investors and established logistics executives. The investment values the company at $17.5 million and strengthens its ambition to make efficiency measurable and profitability predictable across the transportation sector.

Virometix: $15 Million Funding Completed To Advance V-212 Clinical Program And Next-Generation Synthetic Vaccines

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:55 PM

Virometix has closed a $15 million financing round from its existing shareholders, marking a significant step forward for the Swiss biotechnology company as it accelerates the development of its fully synthetic vaccine pipeline. The investment will drive continued progress on V-212, the company’s lead serotype independent pneumococcal vaccine candidate now in Phase I clinical evaluation, while also supporting broader enhancements to its Synthetic Virus Like Particle platform.

Scripta Therapeutics: $12 Million Closed To Advance Biology-First Drug Discovery Targeting Transcription Factor Activity

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:54 PM

Scripta Therapeutics, an Oxford-based techbio startup developing disease-modifying drugs that alter transcription factor activity, has emerged from stealth with the announcement of a $12 million seed round. The financing is co-led by Oxford Science Enterprises and Apollo Health Ventures, with additional participation from AlbionVC, YZR Capital, Parkwalk Advisors, and support from Oxford University Innovation.

Zilch: Over $175 Million Closed To Advance Global Growth And Expand Consumer Payments Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:50 PM

Zilch, a London-based consumer payments platform, announced that it has raised more than 175 million dollars in a combined debt and equity round as it moves into the next major phase of its expansion. KKCG led the round, with participation from BNF Capital and several additional strategic investors, and also included an expansion of the company’s securitization facility, led by Deutsche Bank.

FNZ: $650 Million In Funding Raised To Advance Global Wealth-Management Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:48 PM

FNZ has raised $650 million in fresh equity from its existing institutional shareholders, marking one of the company’s most significant capital infusions in recent years as it continues expanding its position in the global wealth-management market. The new funding will reinforce FNZ’s long-term business plan, strengthen its balance sheet, and support ongoing investments in technology, talent, and product development.

Maybern: $50 MIllion Series B Raised To Build AI-Based Operating System For Private Capital

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:20 PM

Maybern has secured $50 million in Series B funding to accelerate its effort to build a next-generation operating system for private funds as the global alternatives market expands toward $16 trillion. The new round brings the company’s total capital raised to $76 million and was led by Battery Ventures, with participation from Primary Venture Partners, Human Capital, MetaProp, Grafton Street Partners, Camber Creek, and Friends & Family Capital.

Clairity: $43 Million Series B Raised To Advance FDA-Authorized AI Platform For Breast Cancer Risk Prediction

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:20 PM

Clairity, the Boston-based precision health company developing AI-driven risk prediction tools from standard medical imaging, has raised $43 million in Series B funding to accelerate commercialization of its flagship product and expand into new disease areas. The round was led by ACE Global Equity and Santé Ventures, with additional participation from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and several new investors.

T-Therapeutics: Series A Extended To $91 Million As It Advances First-In-Class Bispecifics Toward The Clinic

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:17 PM

T-Therapeutics has expanded its Series A financing to a total of $91 million after securing an additional $32 million from new and existing investors. The Cambridge-based biotechnology company, which develops next-generation T cell receptor therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune disease, said the new capital will strengthen efforts to advance its pipeline of first-in-class TCR CD3 bispecifics into clinical development.

Loosid Secures New AWS Funding To Expand SAM AI Into Global Enterprise Sobriety Support

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:16 PM

Loosid has received a new round of funding from Amazon Web Services as the company accelerates the enterprise rollout of SAM AI, its AI-powered Sobriety and Addiction Mentor designed to provide around-the-clock support for employees, treatment centers, and corporate wellness providers. The investment follows Loosid’s partnership with Innovative Solutions, an AWS Premier Tier Partner that helped secure two rounds of AWS funding to scale SAM AI on AWS infrastructure.

Treble Peak And NewVest Form Partnership To Expand Access To Passive Private Market Index Products

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:12 PM

Treble Peak has formed a strategic partnership with NewVest, a move that aims to expand investor access to passive private market index products. The partnership brings NewVest’s suite of passive private equity index offerings onto the Treble Peak platform, allowing investors to access diversified private market exposure through a streamlined digital process.

Litmus: New Strategic Funding Raised To Advance Expansion Of Industrial Edge Data And AI Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:09 PM

Litmus has secured a new round of strategic investment led by Insight Partners, with additional participation from Munich Re Ventures, marking a significant step forward for the industrial data platform as it continues expanding its edge and AI capabilities.

American South Capital Partners: $60 Million First Close Secured For Third Affordable Housing Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:07 PM

American South Capital Partners has reached a significant milestone with the first close of its newest affordable housing investment vehicle, American South Real Estate Fund III, raising $60 million toward its $500 million target. The firm, a joint venture between SDS Capital Group and Vintage Realty Company, continues to accelerate its mission of expanding affordable and workforce housing across the Southern United States.

Boompop: $41 Million Secured To Advance Adoption Of AI-Based Corporate Events Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:05 PM

BoomPop has raised $41 million in new funding to expand its AI-powered platform, which helps companies design, book, and manage in-person events at scale. Wing VC led the round with participation from Atomic, Acme, Four Rivers, Thayer Investment Partners, the Fund of Operators Guild, Gaingels, and individual backers including Alex Rodriguez, Brian O’Malley, Dane Glasgow, Christopher Payne, and several Silicon Valley founders. The funding package includes sixteen million dollars in debt and credit provided by Silicon Valley Bank.

Blackstone: Franck Petitgas Named As Vice Chairman For Europe

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:02 PM

Blackstone has announced a significant leadership addition with the appointment of Franck Petitgas as Senior Managing Director and Vice Chairman for Europe, a newly created role that will take effect in January 2026.

Diameter Capital Raises $4.5 Billion For Third Dislocation Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 5:02 PM

Diameter Capital Partners has closed its third dislocation fund with $4.5 billion in new equity commitments, exceeding the initial hard cap and reinforcing strong global investor confidence in the firm’s credit-focused strategy.

CVC Expands Secondaries Platform With Launch Of Global Credit Secondaries Business

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:58 PM

CVC has launched a dedicated global credit secondaries platform, marking a significant expansion of its CVC Secondary Partners strategy as the firm moves deeper into the rapidly growing credit secondaries market. The initiative represents an important new chapter for the global private markets manager, as it strengthens its position across private equity and private credit liquidity solutions.

StepStone Private Wealth Solutions Launches New $750 Million Evergreen Private Equity Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:57 PM

StepStone Group has introduced its newest private markets investment vehicle with the launch of the StepStone Private Equity Strategies Fund. This evergreen interval fund has already attracted more than $750 million since its debut in September.

ECN Capital To Be Acquired For C$1.9 Billion In All Cash Transaction

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:54 PM

ECN Capital announced that it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement to be acquired by a newly formed acquisition entity controlled by an investor group led by Warburg Pincus. The all-cash agreement values ECN Capital at approximately C$1.9 billion, providing an immediate liquidity event for shareholders as the company prepares to transition to private ownership.

Lative: $7.5 Million Raised To Advance AI-Driven Sales Planning Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:35 PM

Lative has secured $7.5 million in new funding as the company accelerates development of its AI-powered sales planning and decision intelligence platform while expanding its go-to-market presence. The round was co-led by Act Venture Capital and Senovo VC with participation from Elkstone, Enterprise Ireland, WestWave Capital, Handshake Ventures, and Shuttle. Companies such as Seismic, Intercom, Aiven, Avalara, and Version 1 are already using Lative to replace fragmented spreadsheets and outdated planning models with a unified, real-time intelligence platform.

Teamshares To Go Public Through Live Oak V Merger Backed By $126 Million PIPE Financing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:32 PM

Teamshares announced plans to become a publicly listed company through a merger with Live Oak Acquisition Corp V in a transaction that is expected to accelerate the company’s scale as one of the largest tech-enabled acquirers of small and medium-sized enterprises in the United States.

Backflip Secures $10 Million Corporate Equity Investment And Launches Tech-Enabled Asset Manager

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:30 PM

Backflip announced a significant corporate milestone with the formation of its tech-enabled asset management subsidiary and the completion of a $10 million corporate equity raise as the real estate FinTech platform moves to expand its presence across the residential investment landscape. The Austin-based company, which provides technology and capital solutions to residential real estate investors, said its new subsidiary, Backflip Asset Management, now manages approximately $175 million in assets under management.

ElectronX: $30 Million Series A Raised To Launch First U.S. Regulated Direct-Access Power Derivatives Market

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 3:49 PM

ElectronX has secured a $30 million Series A round to accelerate the launch of its U.S.-regulated direct-access power derivatives market, advancing its goal of providing more precise financial tools for managing increasingly volatile electricity markets. The round was led by returning seed investor DCVC, with participation from XTX Markets, Five Rings, NGP, GTS, and JACS Capital. Previous investors, including Innovation Endeavors, Systemiq Capital, Equinor Ventures, and Shell Ventures, also joined the funding.