Innovation

Candela: $32 Million Raised To Scale Electric Ferry Production

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Candela announced that it has raised €30 million ($32 million) in its largest funding round to date to scale production of its electric ferries and accelerate the commercialization of its hydrofoiling technology. The company said the new capital will be used to expand manufacturing capabilities, strengthen its global supply chain, and support entry into additional international markets as demand for its vessels continues to grow.

Google DeepMind: Strategic Leadership Expanded As Jasjeet Sekhon Joins From Bridgewater

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Google DeepMind has appointed Jasjeet Sekhon as Chief Strategy Officer, marking a significant leadership addition as the company intensifies its efforts to advance artificial general intelligence and scale its impact across research, commercialization, and policy.

Hosted.ai: $19 Million Raised To Transform GPU Infrastructure Economics

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Hosted.ai announced it has raised $19 million in seed funding to advance its mission of making AI infrastructure more efficient, accessible, and cost-effective for service providers, developers, and enterprises. The round was led by Creandum, with participation from Repeat VC and existing investors including People Ventures, Z21 Ventures, Golden Sparrow, Hersir Ventures, and Tekton.

Logitech Promotes Yalcin Yilmaz To Chief Commercial Officer

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Logitech announced the appointment of Yalcin Yilmaz as Chief Commercial Officer, effective April 1, 2026. He succeeds Quin Liu, who is stepping down after 16 years of global leadership with the company.

Vena Group: $141.5 Million Battery Deal Signed With InCommodities For Australia Project

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Vena Group has signed a long-term battery storage agreement with Danish energy trading company InCommodities for the Bellambi Heights Battery Energy Storage System in New South Wales, Australia, in a deal valued at approximately A$200 million, or about $141.5 million.

Ezra: $3.2 Million Raised By Voice AI Recruiting Platform To Rebuild Hiring Around Conversations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Ezra, a voice AI interviewing platform focused on transforming hiring through structured voice conversations, announced it has raised $3.2 million in seed funding. The round was co-led by Penny Jar Capital and LMNT Ventures, with participation from a16z Speedrun and Telegraph Hill Capital.

Datavault AI: Acquisition Of NYIAX To Expand AI-Driven Data And Digital Asset Exchanges

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Datavault AI announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire NYIAX, a blockchain-based trading platform operator, in a move aimed at combining AI-driven data monetization capabilities with institutional-grade market infrastructure.

Perplexity: Comet For iOS Launch And Perplexity Health Debut Expand AI Into Browsing And Healthcare

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Perplexity has announced two major product developments, launching its Comet AI browser for iOS while also introducing Perplexity Health, signaling a broader push to embed AI across both everyday internet use and specialized domains like healthcare.

Raymond James Financial Names Kirk Bell President Of Independent Contractor Division

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Raymond James Financial has appointed Kirk Bell as president of its Financial Services Independent Contractor Division, effective April 1, marking a key leadership transition within the firm’s private client group.

Games2gether: $4.9 Million Raised For Community-Driven Game Development Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

games2gether, a player-centric co-creation platform spun out of Amplitude Studios, announced it has raised €4.5 million, approximately $4.9 million, in a Series A funding round led by Griffin Gaming Partners.

Findem: AI Talent Platform Acquires Glider AI To Deliver Hire-Ready Candidates

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Findem announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Glider AI, a skills validation platform, in a move aimed at creating an end-to-end AI-powered hiring solution that delivers verified, hire-ready candidates.

Paraform: $65 Million Raised For Agentic Hiring Platform Expanding AI-Driven Recruiting

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Paraform announced that it has raised a Series B round, bringing its total funding to $65 million as it looks to scale its AI-powered recruiting platform and expand its network of recruiters and customers. The round was led by Scale Venture Partners, with participation from Felicis, A* Capital, and Liquid 2 Ventures, as well as a group of prominent technology leaders, including executives and founders from Palantir, Canva, YouTube, Stripe, Shopify, and Uber.

Meadow Memorials: $11 Million Raised For Digital Funeral Planning Platform Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Meadow Memorials announced that it has raised $11 million in Series A funding, led by Lachy Groom and Haystack, as the company continues building a national brand in the deathcare industry.

Ringtime: €1.8 Million Raised To Automate Blue-Collar Hiring Conversations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Ringtime, a recruitment technology platform focused on blue-collar hiring, has raised €1.8 million in funding to scale its automation-driven approach to candidate engagement. The round was led by Volta Ventures, with participation from Syndicate One, JK Invest, NewSchool.vc, and Allusion.be.

Alsco Uniforms: Acquisition Of Linen And Laundry Services Provider Advanced Linen Service Expands California Presence

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Alsco Uniforms announced that it has acquired Advanced Linen Service, a regional provider of uniform and linen services across California’s Bay Area, Central Valley, and Monterey Bay. The transaction is aimed at strengthening Alsco’s footprint across Northern and Central California while enhancing service capabilities for customers in the region.

DHL Group Expands North America Logistics Infrastructure To Support Data Center Growth

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

DHL Group announced a major expansion of its North America data center logistics infrastructure, adding 10 dedicated warehouse sites totaling more than 7 million square feet of capacity. The facilities are expected to go live in 2026 and are designed to support hyperscale and colocation data center operators as global demand for AI and cloud infrastructure accelerates.

Redbud VC: $25 Million Raised For Fund II To Back ‘Outsider’ Founders

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Redbud VC has announced the close of its $25 million Fund II, marking a significant step up from its $5 million inaugural fund and underscoring growing investor confidence in its strategy of backing founders from non-traditional backgrounds.

Oasis Health Partners Acquires Premier Health To Expand Independent Primary Care Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Oasis Health Partners announced it has acquired Premier Health, a healthcare administrative services organization specializing in revenue cycle management and practice operations, as part of its strategy to build a leading platform for independent primary care.

Veza Manufacturing Acquires Tornik Mexico Facility To Expand Global Footprint

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Veza Manufacturing, a manufacturer of wire and cable harnesses and electromechanical assemblies, announced the acquisition of Tornik, LLC’s manufacturing operations in Tijuana, Mexico, marking a strategic expansion of its global footprint.

QHP Capital: $1.1 Billion Continuation Vehicle Raised For Azurity Pharmaceuticals

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

QHP Capital has closed a $1.1 billion single-asset continuation vehicle to support its portfolio company Azurity Pharmaceuticals, providing liquidity to existing investors while positioning the business for continued long-term growth.

Hammacher Schlemmer: Acquisition By Stores.com To Revive Legacy Innovation Retail Brand

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Stores.com announced it has acquired Hammacher Schlemmer, a 178-year-old retail brand historically known for introducing innovative consumer products to the U.S. market. The acquisition is led by a leadership team that previously built and operated Woot.com, signaling a renewed focus on product discovery and experiential retail rather than discount-driven commerce.

Treville Capital Group: $500 Million Raised For Inaugural Capital Solutions Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Treville Capital Management announced the final close of its inaugural Capital Solutions Fund, securing more than $500 million in total commitments, including co-investments, from a broad base of institutional investors such as insurance companies, asset managers, foundations, and family offices.

A1R Water: $83.5 Million PIPE Investment Upsized Ahead Of Public Listing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

A1R water and Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. III announced an increase in their previously disclosed PIPE investment, bringing total commitments to approximately $83.5 million. The financing supports the companies’ planned business combination and reflects growing investor demand tied to A1R water’s early commercial traction in the United States.

Health Universe: $6 Million Raised For AI Agent Platform In Healthcare

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Health Universe, an enterprise AI platform focused on automating complex healthcare workflows, announced it has raised $6 million in seed funding, bringing its total funding to $9.5 million. The round was led by Kleiner Perkins and follows a 2023 pre-seed backed by Susa Ventures, Twelve Below, and Oncology Ventures. The company plans to use the new capital to accelerate adoption across academic medical centers, health systems, and life sciences organizations.

Verily: $300 Million Raised By Precision Health AI Company To Advance Platform Strategy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Verily announced a $300 million investment round to accelerate its precision health AI strategy, marking a significant step in the company’s evolution as it scales its platform for research and care applications. The funding round was led by Series X Capital, with participation from Alphabet, UCHealth, the University of Colorado Anschutz, and other investors. As part of the transaction, Alphabet will remain a significant minority investor but will no longer hold a controlling stake in the company.

Cloaked: $375 Million Raised For Privacy And Security Platform Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Cloaked, a consumer-first privacy and security company, announced it has secured $375 million in Series B funding and growth financing led by General Catalyst and Liberty City Ventures, with participation from a broad group of investors including Lux Capital, Human Capital, Marquee Ventures, Fifth Growth Fund, NFL Players Association, LG Technology Ventures, Assurant Ventures, and DuckDuckGo. The funding will support the company’s mission to make data privacy the default and accelerate the development of AI-driven protections.

Terramed Real Estate Solutions: $9.27 Million Acquisition Of Palm Beach Equine Clinic Property In Florida

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Terramed Real Estate Solutions, a real estate group focused on healthcare properties across veterinary, ophthalmology, and fertility sectors, announced it has completed the $9.27 million acquisition of the Palm Beach Equine Clinic property in Wellington, Florida. The deal adds one of the world’s most prominent sport-horse veterinary hospitals to Terramed’s growing portfolio.

Paw Prosper Acquires Onlinepethealth To Expand Rehabilitation Education And Community

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Paw Prosper, an animal health and wellness platform focused on supporting pets through injury, recovery, and aging, announced it has acquired Onlinepethealth, a global continuing education and professional development platform for veterinary rehabilitation professionals.

PADO: $6 Million Raised For Data Center Energy And Workload Optimization Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

PADO AI Orchestration, an energy orchestration SaaS platform backed by LG NOVA, announced it has raised $6 million in seed funding to expand its AI-powered solutions for data centers. The round was led by NovaWave Capital, an LG NOVA-supported fund, and will support product development and global market expansion, particularly targeting mid-market colocation data centers.

Genstore: Interview With Co-Founder & President Junwei Huang About The Conversational E-Commerce Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Mar 20, 2026

Genstore is an AI-native, conversational e-commerce platform that allows users to instantly create, manage, and scale online stores through specialized AI agents, reducing the need for technical skills, manual setup, and multiple third-party tools. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Genstore co-founder and President Junwei Huang to learn more.