Innovation

Premier Lacrosse League Raises $100 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 30, 2026

The Premier Lacrosse League announced that it has closed a $100 million Series E financing round. The round was led by Ares and Joe Tsai and represents the largest capital raise in the history of professional lacrosse. The financing also includes a subsequent minority equity investment from ESPN. Additional investors include actor, writer, and producer Glen Powell; Wrexham A.F.C. co-chairman, actor, and producer Rob Mac; country music singer and songwriter Warren Zeiders; and actor Tony Cavalero.

OpenClaw Launches iOS And Android Apps For Agentic AI Assistants

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

OpenClaw announced the release of standalone apps for iOS and Android, bringing its agentic AI assistant to the App Store and Google Play.

Meta Opens WhatsApp Username Reservations Ahead Of Broader Launch

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Meta announced that WhatsApp is introducing usernames as a new privacy-focused feature that lets people connect without sharing their phone numbers.

Merck And ADAP Crisis Task Force Reach Agreement To Expand IDVYNSO Access

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Merck announced an agreement with the ADAP Crisis Task Force to help state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs provide access to IDVYNSO for eligible people living with HIV.

Why Cardinal Midstream Is Selling Delaware Basin Assets To San Mateo For $752 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Cardinal Midstream Partners and EnCap Flatrock Midstream announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to sell Cardinal’s Delaware Basin assets to San Mateo Midstream for $752 million.

Faraday Future Raises 2026 Shipment Target To 2,000 Units After June Robotics Momentum

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Faraday Future Intelligent Electric shared a weekly business update from founder and global CEO YT Jia, highlighting growth in its embodied AI robotics business and plans to raise its full-year shipment target.

Greenland Resources Receives Final Approval For $7 Million Canadian Government Contribution

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Greenland Resources announced that the Government of Canada has signed an agreement for a $7 million non-repayable contribution through Natural Resources Canada’s Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration program.

Why Martin Marietta Is Combining With Lhoist North America In $13.5 Billion Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Martin Marietta Materials announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to combine with Lhoist North America in a $13.5 billion cash-and-stock transaction.

Saab Receives $4.84 Billion Order For Three A26 Submarines From Poland

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Saab announced that it has signed a contract with the Polish State Treasury Armaments Agency for the production and delivery of three A26-type submarines.

X Square Robot Surpasses $2.8 Billion Valuation After Four Consecutive Financing Rounds

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

X Square Robot announced the closing of four consecutive financing rounds, culminating in a Series C that brought its valuation to more than $2.8 billion.

Mattamy Homes Expands Tampa Presence With Pasco County Land Acquisition

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Mattamy Homes announced the acquisition of 145 homesites in Verona, a new master-planned community in central Pasco County, Florida. The land transaction closed on June 5, 2026, and home sales are expected to begin in summer 2027.

Why SandRidge Energy Is Buying Cherokee Play Assets For $65 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

SandRidge Energy announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire certain producing assets and leasehold interests in the Cherokee Play in the Mid-Continent region.

GenerativeX Raises $4 Million Series A To Scale Forward Deployed Engineer Model

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

GenerativeX announced that it has closed a $4 million Series A funding round led by Nissay Capital. The round included participation from Salesforce Ventures, Angel Bridge, DeepCore, and SMBC Venture Capital.

Elevance Health Foundation Invests $5.8 Million To Expand Behavioral Health Access

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Elevance Health Foundation announced nearly 40 new behavioral health grants totaling $5.8 million. The grants are designed to help more people access mental health and substance use disorder services across the United States.

Simplicity Acquires Benefit Planning

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Simplicity Group announced the acquisition of Benefit Planning, a Chicago-based insurance agency focused on serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

AMR Clinical Acquires ClinOhio Research Services

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

AMR Clinical announced that it has acquired ClinOhio Research Services, a multi-therapeutic clinical research site based in Columbus, Ohio. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Korn Ferry To Acquire AMS For $1.1 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Acima: Interview With EVP Tyler Montrone About The Lease-To-Own Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Acima provides lease-to-own (LTO) financing options, allowing consumers to acquire big-ticket items such as furniture, electronics, and appliances from thousands of retailers without needing traditional credit. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Acima Executive Vice President Tyler Montrone to learn more.

Titl: Interview With Co-Founders Ori Ohayon And Tory Ricalis About The Proptech Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Titl is a proptech platform that automates real estate title verification and property data monitoring using AI and blockchain technology to streamline property transfers and prevent fraud. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Titl co-founders Ori Ohayon and Tory Ricalis to learn more.

Deck: Interview With Founder & CEO Yves-Gabriel Leboeuf About The AI-Based Data Infrastructure Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Why Redwood AI Is Buying Quantum.IQ

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Redwood AI announced that it has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire Quantum.IQ Technologies. The agreement follows Redwood’s previously announced May 28, 2026 update regarding the proposed transaction.

Facebook Reintroduces Creator Studio With AI-Powered Tools

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

Facebook announced the reintroduction of Facebook Creator Studio with new AI-powered tools designed to help creators manage content, track insights, engage with audiences, and grow their presence on the platform.

East Range Group Announces Strategic Partnership With Norwest

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

East Range Group announced a strategic partnership with Norwest, a venture capital and growth equity firm.

UChicago-Backed Third Coast Foundry Opens San Francisco Startup Hub

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 29, 2026

The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation celebrated the official launch of Third Coast Foundry, a new San Francisco-based innovation hub designed to connect Midwest university-backed startups with Bay Area investors, partners, and customers.

CU Boulder And Columbia Researchers Find Seaweed-Based Ingredient Can Help Turn Dirt Into 3D-Printed Walls

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 28, 2026

University of Colorado Boulder researchers found that a seaweed-based ingredient used in foods like ice cream could make natural earthen materials such as clay and sand easier to 3D-print into durable structures. The discovery could help turn construction waste into lower-impact building materials.

Google Adds Connected AI Tools For Student Learning And Test Prep

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 28, 2026

Hybar Raises $1.1 Billion To Build Second Sustainable Steel Rebar Mill

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 28, 2026

Hybar announced that it has raised $1.1 billion to build a second technologically advanced and environmentally sustainable scrap metal recycling steel rebar mill in northeast Arkansas.

Polymarket Annualized Revenue Surpasses $1 Billion After U.S. Exchange Launch

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 28, 2026

Polymarket’s annualized revenue has surpassed $1 billion, according to CNBC. The milestone comes about six weeks after the prediction market platform lifted the waitlist for its U.S. exchange, which operates separately from its international decentralized finance platform.

Imagion Biosystems Raises AU$3.75 Million To Advance MagSense Phase 2 Trial

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 28, 2026

Imagion Biosystems announced that it has secured firm commitments for AU$3.75 million, or about US$2.59 million, in new capital.

Orthogonal Raises $4.3 Million Seed Round For AI Agent Discovery And Payments Infrastructure

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 28, 2026

Orthogonal announced that it has raised $4.3 million in seed funding to build discovery, orchestration, and payments infrastructure for AI agents.