Innovation

Applied Ventures Investing In VVDN Technologies: Details

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 25, 2024

Applied Ventures (the venture capital arm of Applied Materials) announced a growth equity investment in VVDN Technologies, one of the leading India-based electronics product design, software, and manufacturing companies. This strategic growth funding from Applied Ventures will enable VVDN to expand the R&D of next-generation semiconductor technologies and electronic products and solutions.

unybrands Raises Series B Funding Round To Scale E-Commerce Businesses

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 25, 2024

unybrands, an integrated platform built to scale e-commerce businesses on and off Amazon, recently announced that it closed its largest acquisition to date in an all-cash deal.

Blackbird Health: Neuroscience-Led Youth Mental Health Provider Company Raises $17 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 25, 2024

Blackbird Health - a neuroscience-led and technology-backed youth mental health provider - announced it raised $17 million in series A funding. And the funding round was led by Define Ventures and included participation from Frist Cressey Ventures and GreyMatter. Blackbird has raised nearly $23 million to date.

Strata Clean Energy: $559 Million In Financing Secured For 1GWh Battery Energy Storage Project in Arizona

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 25, 2024

Strata Clean Energy - a leading developer, owner, and operator of renewable energy projects - announced it has closed on a $559 million financing for the construction and ownership of the Scatter Wash battery storage complex. And the 255MW/1,020MWh storage facility broke ground on January 18 and is expected to be operational by April 2025.

Varana Capital Announces First Close Of Chai10x Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 25, 2024

Varana Capital - an asset management platform specializing in venture capital, private equity, and public markets - announced the successful first close of its Chai 10x Fund. With over $20 million secured and over $10 million of additional commitments, this marks the largest first closing for emergency Israel funds to date.

CLARA Analytics Raises Funding From Nationwide Ventures

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 25, 2024

CLARA Analytics and Nationwide are deepening their current partnership as CLARA received an investment from Nationwide Ventures, the investment arm of the insurance and financial services company. And Nationwide’s investment comes from its $350 million investment fund. CLARA raised $64 million, including its recently announced Series C.

Abridge: Clinical Documentation AI Leader Raises $150 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 25, 2024

Abridge - a leader in generative AI for clinical documentation - announced an additional $150 million investment, utilizing momentum from their product’s rapid uptake among health systems nationwide. This funding round comes just fourth months after their $30 million Series B, and is one of the largest funding rounds made to date in generative AI for healthcare.

ARInsights Buying The Wind Communications Agency: Details

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

ARInsights - a provider of the market-leading SaaS platform for managing analyst relations (AR) and B2B influencer relations programs - announced the acquisition of The Wind Communications Agency, a premier, full-service analyst relations services firm and consultancy. Through this acquisition, ARInsights expands its ServicePlus AR operational services to now address companies' full spectrum of AR needs.

Orkes: $20 Million Raised To Scale Distributed Systems

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

Orkes - a company with a platform that offers the fastest way to scale distributed systems - announced it has raised $20 million in new funding. Nexus Venture Partners led this latest funding round with participation from existing investors Battery Ventures and Vertex Ventures US. And Nexus Managing Director Abhishek Sharma led his firm’s investment and will be joining the board.

Conservation Labs Raises $7.5 Million To Decode Audio Data Into Actionable Insights For Reducing Carbon Emissions

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

Conservation Labs - an artificial intelligence (AI) company that developed a groundbreaking platform that decodes audio data into actionable insights in the built environment to reduce carbon emissions and energy and water usage - announced that it had raised a $7.5 million Series A funding round. This funding round was led by RET Ventures’ Housing Impact Fund and included the participation of Sustain VC.

Insamo Raises $12 Million To Pioneer The Discovery Of Membrane-Permeable And Orally Available Cyclic-Peptides

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

Insamo - a biotechnology company pioneering the discovery of membrane-permeable and orally available cyclic peptides - announced $12 million in seed capital from Playground Global, venBio, and MRL Ventures Fund (MRLV). Sahsen Ventures, BEVC, Civilization Ventures, and Axial Ventures also participated in the recent financing.

ArcLight Capital Partners Affiliate Buying Clean Energy Future Lordstown

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

An affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners announced it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire 100% of the equity ownership interests in Clean Energy Future Lordstown. Lordstown owns and operates a highly efficient 940 MW combined cycle gas-fired power facility based in Warren, Ohio. The financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

Why Zonda Is Buying BDX

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

Zonda - a leading provider of data-driven housing market solutions for the home building industry - announced it had acquired Builders Digital Experience (BDX), which includes NewHomeSource.com (the largest new construction home listings platform in the U.S.) and Envision, a leading new home design platform.

Charger Investment Partners Acquiring SBG: Details

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

Charger Investment Partners announced it has partnered with management to complete the acquisition of SBG Holdings, a leading manufacturer of consumables and highly specialized equipment used in the maintenance, conversion, and placement of polished concrete flooring.

HealthSnap: Remote Patient Monitoring And Chronic Care Management Company Raises $25 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

HealthSnap - a Miami-based Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Chronic Care Management (CCM) solution for healthcare providers - announced its Series B financing totaling $25 million.

Novity: $7.8 Million Closed To Optimize Maintenance Operations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

Novity - the provider of the TruPrognostics AI, a truly predictive maintenance AI for process industry clients - announced the successful closure of $7.8 million in financing. WERU Investment led the investment in a global consortium of investors including Myriad Venture Partners and METAWATER, Co., Ltd.

Why Delinea Is Buying Fastpath

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 24, 2024

Qloo: Cultural AI Company Raises $25 MIllion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 23, 2024

Qloo - a pioneer in cultural AI - announced it had secured $25 million in Series C funding, highlighting the significant contributions that the company continues to make to the rapidly evolving AI ecosystem. This funding round was led by AI Ventures, with participation from AXA Venture Partners, Eldridge, and Moderne Ventures.

Global X ETFs Names Ryan O’Connor As CEO

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 23, 2024

Global X ETFs - a New York-based provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) - announced the appointment of Ryan O'Connor as its Chief Executive Officer effective as of April 8, 2024. And O’Connor will oversee the firm's strategy, reinvigorating its product suite and leading Global X's talented, performance-driven team into a new, growth-focused era for the company.

Crow Closes Tenth U.S. Diversified Value-Add Real Estate Fund At $3.1 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 23, 2024

Crow Holdings - a leading national real estate investment and development firm - announced the final closing of Crow Holdings Realty Partners X, L.P. at $3.1 billion of commitments, with more than 70% of prior investors re-upping their investment in the flagship value-add fund series, and with significant participation from new investors that includes global banks, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, pension plans, family offices, high-net-worth individuals, etc.

Willkie Names Briony Pollard As Data Privacy Partner In London

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 23, 2024

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP announced that data privacy attorney Briony Pollard has joined the firm as a partner. She is based in the firm’s London office and is part of Willkie’s Privacy, Cybersecurity & Data Strategy practice group.

Nova Clean Energy Names Dylan Reeves As SVP of Commercial Operations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 23, 2024

Nova Clean Energy announced the appointment of Dylan Reeves as Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations. Reeves joins Nova from its controlling shareholder Bluestar Energy Capital where he has played a central role in BEC’s rapid growth as a member of the founding team, including its entry into the Australian market and the formation and growth of Nova Clean Energy. In his new role, Reeves will lead Nova’s M&A as well as procurement, construction, and asset management functions.

Cloyes Gear & Products Buying Automotive Tensioners: Details

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 23, 2024

Cloyes Gear & Products - the global leader and designer of mission-critical timing drive systems and components for the automotive aftermarket - announced the acquisition of Denton, Texas-based Automotive Tensioners Incorporated (ATI), a leading front-end accessory drive pulley and tensioner supplier to the automotive aftermarket.

Blue Wire Raises Growth Funding From Decathlon Capital Partners

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 22, 2024

Blue Wire (a media production and distribution company that allows independent podcasters to monetize their content) announced it has landed a growth funding package from Decathlon Capital Partners to support its expansion.

BridgeCare: Leading Data Infrastructure Platform For Early Care And Education Raises $10 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 22, 2024

BridgeCare - a leading data and technology infrastructure platform for early care and education - announced a $10 million investment from Avenue Growth Partners (Avenue), an early growth equity investor in category-leading vertical SaaS companies. And BridgeCare, a modern SaaS solution with customers in 14 states, will invest in innovation and services to advance the mission of supporting state and local governments in making the ECE system more equitable and effective for all.

Insight M (Kairos Aerospace): Aerial Methane Detection Company Raises $52 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 22, 2024

Kairos Aerospace - a leader in high-frequency aerial methane detection for the energy industry - announced the initial closing of its Series D funding at $52 million. The funding round was led by funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, with participation from Hartree Partners and existing investors DCVC, Climate Investment (an investment firm backed by 12 of the largest oil and gas companies in the world), and Energy Innovation Capital. Kairos will be rebranding as Insight M to align with its go-forward vision, a change that will officially launch later in Q1.

Why NowCerts Is Buying 20 Miles

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 22, 2024

Leading Insurance Agency Management system provider, NowCerts announced the acquisition of 20 Miles, a renowned Insurance Vertical CRM company. This strategic move further strengthens NowCerts' commitment to innovation and enhances its capabilities in serving the insurance industry.

Oula: Modern Maternity Care Clinic Company Raises $28 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 22, 2024

Oula (the first modern maternity care clinic combining the best of obstetrics and midwifery care) announced it raised a $28 million Series B funding round co-led by Revolution Ventures and Maverick Ventures, with participation from GV and existing investors, including the Female Founders Fund, 8VC, Alumni Ventures, and Great Oaks.

Why Podium Education Is Buying Untapped

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 22, 2024

Podium Education (the nation's fastest-growing experiential education company for universities) announced it has acquired Untapped, an all-in-one early career talent platform that connects students with top companies.

Partech: Africa II Fund Hits Final Close At Hard Cap At Above $300 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 22, 2024

Partech (a global technology investment firm) announced the final closing of its second Africa fund, Partech Africa II, at a hard cap of €280 million ($300 million). It also opened a new office in Lagos and is looking to hire more team members.