Innovation

Jason Kidd Joins Prep Network Board After Maple Park Partnership

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Prep Network, a youth sports platform spanning live events, subscription content, and collegiate athlete recruitment, has appointed two-time Hall of Famer and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd to its Board of Directors.

Balerion Space Ventures Backs Northwood Space In $100 Million Series B

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Balerion Space Ventures announced it has made a strategic investment in Northwood Space’s $100 million Series B financing round, framing the deal as a bet on the ground-layer systems that underpin every mission in orbit and an area the firm believes is becoming a binding constraint as launch cadence and satellite deployments accelerate.

Mesh: $75 Million Series C Raised At $1 Billion Valuation To Build A Universal Crypto Payments Network

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Mesh announced it has raised $75 million in a Series C round that values the company at $1 billion, positioning the crypto payments network as a bid to make digital assets easier to spend and settle across a fragmented ecosystem of wallets, exchanges, chains, and stablecoins. The company said the financing brings its total funding to more than $200 million.

Corning And Meta Strike Multiyear Deal Worth Up To $6 Billion To Speed US Data Center Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Corning and Meta Platforms have signed a multiyear agreement valued at up to $6 billion to accelerate the construction of advanced data centers in the United States to support Meta’s apps, technology roadmap, and AI initiatives. Corning will supply Meta with its latest optical fiber, cable, and connectivity products engineered for the density and scale requirements of next-generation AI data centers.

Brennan Investment Group Acquires 56,000-Square-Foot Industrial Facility Near CVG Airport In Sale-Leaseback

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Brennan Investment Group announced it has acquired a 56,000-square-foot light industrial facility on roughly five acres at 1010 Petersburg Road in Hebron, Kentucky, expanding its Midwest footprint in Cincinnati’s Airport submarket.

Brickanta: $8 Million Seed Funding Raised To Bring AI To Construction

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Brickanta, a Y Combinator-backed construction technology startup from the F25 batch, has raised an $8 million seed round as it builds what it describes as an AI-native operating system for the construction industry, according to a LinkedIn post from founder Linus B. Fahlander. Northzone led the financing, with additional participation from angel investors spanning both construction industry operators and AI founders.

Opendate: $14 Million Series A Closed To Build An Operating System For Independent Live Events

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Opendate, an all in one platform that combines booking, ticketing, and marketing for live events, has raised a $14 million Series A round led by High Alpha, with participation from existing investors. The company is positioning its software as a purpose built alternative for independent venues, promoters, festivals, attractions, and other operators navigating higher costs, tighter margins, and continued industry consolidation.

Summize: $50 Million Raised For AI Contract Lifecycle Management

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Summize, an AI Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) software provider, has secured a $50 million investment to fuel its next phase of growth, expand globally, and accelerate product development in AI-powered contract intelligence. The financing included participation from existing investors Maven Capital Partners and YFM Equity Partners, alongside new backers Kennet Partners and Federated Hermes Private Equity.

Gridline: $18.5 Million Series A Raised To Power Private Market Investing For The Wealth Channel

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Gridline, a turnkey alternatives management platform for advisory firms managing private market investments, has raised $18.5 million in Series A funding led by FINTOP. The company said the capital will be used to accelerate its effort to replace fragmented systems and manual workflows with a single integrated platform built for the operational demands of private market investing in the wealth channel.

SamanTree Medical: €20 Million Financing Raised From EIB

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

SamanTree Medical has secured €20 million in financing from the European Investment Bank to accelerate development and commercialization of its Histolog Scanner, a surgical imaging system designed to deliver rapid, high-resolution, histology-like images of excised tissue while patients remain on the operating table.

GoCanopy: €2.1 Million Seed Funding Closed To Build An AI Operating System For Institutional Real Estate Investors

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

GoCanopy, an AI-based platform positioning itself as a system of record for institutional real estate investment and asset management teams, has raised €2.1m in seed funding. The round was led by ISAI with participation from BNP Paribas Développement and Yellow, alongside angel investors including Andrew Baum, University of Oxford Emeritus Professor in Real Estate Investment, and Ludovic Jacquot, CEO of Batipart Europe and former chairman of EMEA Real Estate Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley.