Innovation

Q.ANT: Series A Funding Expanded To $80 Million Following Duquesne Family Office Investment

By Amit Chowdhry ● Nov 1, 2025

Q.ANT, a Stuttgart-based deep-tech company pioneering photonic processing for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC), has expanded its Series A funding round to a total of $80 million following an additional investment from Duquesne Family Office, the investment firm of Stanley F. Druckenmiller.

Whatnot: $225 Million Series F At $11.5 Billion Valuation Raised For Live Shopping Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Nov 1, 2025

Whatnot is a US-based e-commerce company launched by Grant LaFontaine and Logan Head that has a mission of to build a community-driven marketplace where buyers and sellers can shop, sell, and connect. The company recently announced it raised $225 million in Series F funding at a valuation of $11.5 billion. The funding round was co-led by DST Global and CapitalG, with participation from our new investors Sequoia Capital and Alkeon Capital and returning investors Greycroft, Andreessen Horowitz, avra, and BOND.

Harbor Compliance Acquiring CorpoMax To Improve International Presence

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

Harbor Compliance, a leading provider of compliance solutions for businesses and nonprofits, has announced the acquisition of CorpoMax, a Delaware-based Company, strengthening its international presence and expanding its service portfolio to serve French-speaking entrepreneurs worldwide.

Octopus Capital: £60 Million Raised To Expand UK Care Home Strategy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

Octopus Capital has announced a £60 million investment into its Octopus Healthcare Strategy, marking a significant step in its mission to enhance and expand the UK’s care home sector. The funding round includes £58 million from LGPS Central (LGPSC) and an additional contribution from Knight Frank Investment Management, further strengthening Octopus Capital’s position as one of the leading investors in the UK’s healthcare infrastructure.

ForSight Robotics: Interview With Co-Founder, President, And Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Nathan About Revolutionizing Ophthalmology With Surgical Robotics

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

ForSight Robotics is a surgical robotics startup specializing in ophthalmologic surgery. Their flagship offering is the ORYOM Platform, a hybrid intraocular robotic system designed to perform delicate eye surgeries—initially cataract operations—with high precision, consistency, and scalability. Pulse 2.0 interviewed ForSight Robotics’ co-founder, President, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joseph Nathan MD, MSc, to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Axonic Insurance: $210 Million Equity Investment Raised From LuminArx And Deutsche Bank

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

Axonic Insurance, a global annuity and insurance platform and subsidiary of Axonic Capital, has secured a $210 million preferred equity investment led by LuminArx Capital Management, with participation from Deutsche Bank. The strategic capital will enable Axonic Insurance to expand its global footprint, enhance product innovation, and strengthen its technology and servicing infrastructure.

Nordic: Interview With SVP Of Transformation And Innovation Services Kevin Erdal About The Strategic Solutions Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

Nordic provides clients with KLAS-recognized solutions, including strategic advisory, managed services, digital and cloud initiatives, implementation and support, staffing, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) services. Nordic’s team provides specialized expertise to help hospitals and health systems optimize their operations and technology, driving efficiency and supporting clinical transformation in an evolving healthcare environment. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Nordic SVP of Transformation and Innovation Services Kevin Erdal to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Uluu: A$16 Million Series A Raised For Scaling Seaweed-Based Plastic Alternative

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

Uluu, an Australian startup developing sustainable materials from seaweed, has raised A$16 million in Series A funding to build a demonstration plant and advance its mission to replace fossil fuel-based plastics with natural biodegradable alternatives. The round was led by German growth investor Burda Principal Investments, with participation from Main Sequence, Novel Investments (the family office of one of the world’s largest textile groups), Startmate, and a consortium of impact and family investors including Fairground and Trinity Ventures.

Michigan State University: Spartan Ventures Creation Approved For Expanding NIL Opportunities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees has approved an Affiliation Agreement authorizing President Kevin Guskiewicz to establish Spartan Ventures, a new non-profit, tax-exempt corporation designed to advance and support the university’s athletic department. The initiative marks a significant modernization of MSU Athletics, positioning the university to operate at the forefront of the rapidly evolving collegiate sports landscape.

PatientNow Buying AI Growth Engine Recura to Accelerate Practice Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

PatientNow, a leading provider of practice management and growth technology for aesthetics practices, has announced its acquisition of Recura, an AI-powered growth engine designed to help medical practices enhance client acquisition, conversion, and retention. The deal marks a significant step forward in PatientNow’s mission to help its customers drive consistent revenue growth through intelligent automation and connected digital infrastructure.

Recess: $30 Million Series B Closed And Kyle Thomas Named As President And Co-CEO

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

Recess, a pioneer in the relaxation beverage category, has raised $30 million in Series B funding and appointed industry veteran Kyle Thomas as its new President and Co-CEO. The round was led by CAVU Consumer Partners, with participation from Rocana, Midnight Ventures, Torch Capital, Doehler Ventures, KAS Venture Partners, Vanquish, and Craig Kallman.

Hoop.dev: Seed Funding Raised For Advancing Secure Application Delivery For Developers And AI

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

Hoop.dev, a secure access platform designed to eliminate friction in application delivery, announced a seed funding round led by Venture Guides with participation from Y Combinator. The funding will help the company scale its platform, expand its team, and accelerate innovation at the intersection of developer productivity, security, and AI.

Innocap: Strategic Investment Raised From Bain Capital As Assets Surpass $100 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Oct 31, 2025

Innocap Investment Management, a leading Dedicated Managed Account (DMA) platform serving institutional investors, announced a strategic growth investment from Bain Capital Tech Opportunities as it surpasses $100 billion in platform assets. The partnership is designed to accelerate Innocap’s next phase of growth and enhance its technology-driven service model that helps institutions structure, access, and monitor alternative investment portfolios.