Innovation

VestGen Launches Retirement Services Division, Expanding National Platform For Supporting Plan Sponsors

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

VestGen Wealth Partners, a national wealth management firm focused on advisor succession and client continuity, has announced the launch of VestGen Retirement Services, a new division aimed at redefining how retirement plan sponsors manage fiduciary oversight, participant engagement, and long-term wealth outcomes.

senswork: Interview With CEO & Managing Director Roman Rieger About The Automation Innovation Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

senswork is a Germany-based company specializing in turnkey machine vision, inspection, and optical measurement systems for industrial manufacturing. Pulse 2.0 interviewed senswork CEO and Managing Director Roman Rieger to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Crusoe: $1.375 Billion At $10 Billion Valuation Raised To Advance Future Of AI Infrastructure

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

Crusoe, known as “the AI factory company,” announced the initial close of its $1.375 billion Series E funding round, valuing the company at over $10 billion. The oversubscribed round was co-led by Mubadala Capital and Valor Equity Partners, with participation from a broad group of investors including NVIDIA, Founders Fund, Fidelity Management & Research Company, T. Rowe Price, Tiger Global Management, Salesforce Ventures, Franklin Templeton, Lowercarbon Capital, and StepStone Group. Additional participation from funds managed by Blue Owl is expected in a subsequent closing.

Partners Group Exiting Minority Stake In Apex Logistics In $4 Billion Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

Partners Group, one of the world’s largest private markets investment firms, announced that it has agreed to sell its 24.9% stake in Apex Logistics to majority shareholder Kuehne+Nagel, one of the leading global logistics companies. The deal values Apex at more than $4 billion in enterprise value. It represents a complete exit for Partners Group on behalf of its clients, generating a strong return since its initial investment in 2021. The deal is expected to close in 2025, pending customary approvals.

Lightspeed Commerce: Interview With President JD Saint-Martin About The Cloud-Based Commerce Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

Lightspeed Commerce is a technology company that offers a cloud-based commerce platform targeted at merchants in retail, hospitality (restaurants/bars), and related industries. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Lightspeed Commerce president JD Saint-Martin to gain a better understanding of the company.

Darwin AI: $15 Million Series A Raised For Advancing Responsible AI Adoption In Government

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

Darwin AI, a leading platform enabling governments to adopt artificial intelligence safely, responsibly, and at scale, announced the close of a $15 million Series A funding round led by global software investor Insight Partners, with participation from existing investors UpWest and Resolute Ventures.

Piper Sandler Buying MENA Growth Partners To Expand In Middle East

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

Piper Sandler announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MENA Growth Partners, an Abu Dhabi–based merchant bank. The acquisition will establish Piper Sandler’s strategic investment banking hub in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, significantly strengthening its presence across the Middle East.

Findhelp Buying Uno Health For Benefit Enrollment And Social Care Coordination

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

Findhelp, a leading social care technology company, has announced its acquisition of Uno Health, a digital enrollment platform specializing in government benefits. The combination establishes the first fully integrated platform capable of managing eligibility, enrollment, recertification, and social service coordination through one longitudinal record—modernizing how millions of Americans access essential programs like Medicaid and SNAP.

GammaTime: $14 Million Closed To Launch Micro-Drama Streaming Platform for U.S. Audiences

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

GammaTime, a Hollywood-backed micro-drama streaming startup, announced a $14 million seed round to launch the first premium short-form entertainment platform designed for American audiences. The funding round was led by vgames and Pitango, with participation from Alexis Ohanian, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Traverse Ventures. The company was founded by Bill Block (former CEO of Miramax), Slava Mudrykh (former Google Gaming executive), and Alex Montalvo (former Quibi executive).

Generation Lab: $11 Million Seed Round Raised To Advance Adoption Of SystemAge Longevity Diagnostic

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

Generation Lab, a pioneer in longevity science, announced the completion of an $11 million seed funding round, bringing its total funding to $15 million and placing it among the top 1% of all startup seed raises. The funding round was led by Accel, with participation from Samsung Next, Zone2, Aoki Labs (founded by EDM artist Steve Aoki), Build Your Legacy Ventures (founded by NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo), and Markham Valley Ventures (founded by actor Simu Liu).

Cascade Services Buying East Coast Mechanical To Expand Florida Presence

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

Cascade Services, a leading residential services platform specializing in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical solutions, announced its 10th acquisition in Florida—and 13th overall—with the purchase of East Coast Mechanical (ECM) from Air Pros Solutions. The acquisition marks another significant step in Cascade’s growth strategy to expand its footprint across the Gulf States and strengthen its network of home service providers.

ASUENE USA Completing Acquisition Of Iconic Air To Enhance Leadership In Carbon And Methane Tracking

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

ASUENE, a leading global climate-tech company, announced that its U.S. subsidiary, ASUENE USA, has completed the acquisition and integration of Iconic Air, a U.S.-based SaaS company specializing in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions monitoring and methane leak detection. This acquisition strengthens ASUENE’s foothold in the North American market and significantly enhances its data-driven decarbonization capabilities, particularly across the oil and gas sector.

super{set}: Interview With Founding General Partner Tom Chavez About The Startup Builder

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

super{set} is a company builder specializing in data and AI-native software companies, meaning they focus on businesses built from the ground up around data and artificial intelligence. Pulse 2.0 interviewed super{set} founding general partner, Tom Chavez to gain a deeper understanding of how they operate.

Apriority: $2.3 Million Raised To Improve Debt Management Through AI And Automation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 24, 2025

Apriority Financial, an AI-based debt optimization platform, announced a $2.3 million seed round led by Techstars, Valhalla, Bridge, CAN, Illini Angels, and Keiretsu. The company has also joined the Techstars & Samvid Economic Mobility Accelerator, signaling a new phase in its mission to turn debt from a financial burden into a pathway for wealth creation.