Innovation

BTG Pactual Completes M.Y. Safra Bank Acquisition

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

BTG Pactual announced it has completed its acquisition of M.Y. Safra Bank, a transaction first announced in June 2024 that gives the Latin American investment bank a U.S. banking license and adds a federally regulated banking platform to its long-standing U.S. presence.

Berry Fertility: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Irene Alvarado About the Future of Fertility Care

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

Berry Fertility is a modern technology platform designed to elevate the fertility care experience. It equips patients with accessible, education-forward tools that guide them throughout their fertility journey. It supports clinicians with AI-enhanced workflows and smart automations that reduce administrative burden and streamline time-intensive tasks. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Berry Fertility co-founder and CEO Irene Alvarado to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Exotec: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Romain Moulin About The Warehouse Robotics Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

Exotec develops warehouse robotics and automation solutions that combine hardware (robots) and software to optimize storage, retrieval, and order fulfillment operations. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Exotec co-founder and CEO Romain Moulin to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Hawaiian Airlines Unveils $600 Million Kahu’ewai Hawai’i Plan To Upgrade Airports And Aircrafts

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

Hawaiian Airlines has announced a more than $600 million, five-year investment program aimed at modernizing airport infrastructure across Hawaiʻi, improving digital and operational technology, and refreshing key elements of its onboard experience, while expanding community and sustainability initiatives in the islands.

Teads Names Dani Cushion As Chief Marketing Officer

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

Teads has appointed Dani Cushion as chief marketing officer, naming the former Innovid marketing leader to oversee the company’s global marketing organization as it expands its omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet.

Campbell Lutyens Names Patrick Schneider As Managing Director And MENA Senior Executive Officer

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

Campbell Lutyens has appointed Patrick Schneider as a Managing Director in its Distribution practice and as Senior Executive Officer for the firm’s activities in the Middle East and North Africa, strengthening its local leadership as it expands advisory work across the region. Schneider will be based in Dubai and will support the continued buildout of Campbell Lutyens’ primaries, secondaries advisory, and GP capital advisory strategies with Middle East-based clients and partners.

Flutterwave Acquires Mono To Expand Open Banking Infrastructure Across Africa

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

Flutterwave has acquired Mono, an open banking infrastructure provider focused on African markets, as the payments company moves to deepen bank-based and authenticated payment capabilities across the continent. The deal positions open banking as a core part of Flutterwave’s strategy to support alternative payment methods beyond traditional card rails, with an emphasis on verified, locally relevant payment flows and stronger trust layers for merchants and financial partners.

Jacobs To Buy Remaining Stake In PA Consulting For £1.216 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

Jacobs has reached an agreement to acquire the remaining shares of PA Consulting that it does not already own, taking full ownership of the innovation and transformation consultancy. The transaction is designed to deepen Jacobs’ push into higher-value advisory and transformation work, including artificial intelligence-driven programs, while strengthening its ability to serve clients across the full asset lifecycle.

Alchera X: Interview With President & CEO Michael Plaksin About The Visual AI Tech Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

Alchera X is an AI tech company that is engaging in the development and distribution of products involving: visual artificial intelligence (AI), AI data, facial recognition, augmented reality, wildfire detection, healthcare solutions, and more. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Alchera X’s President and CEO, Michael Plaksin, to learn more about the company.

Gnani.ai: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Ganesh Gopalan About The Speech And Conversational Solutions Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 5, 2026

Gnani.ai develops AI-driven speech and conversational automation solutions for enterprises. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Gnani.ai co-founder and CEO Ganesh Gopalan to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Plaud Unveils Wearable AI Notetaker NotePin S And Plaud Desktop

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 4, 2026

Plaud has introduced Plaud NotePin S, an upgraded version of its wearable AI notetaker, and launched Plaud Desktop, a dedicated desktop app designed to capture and summarize online meetings without meeting bots. Based in San Francisco, the company said the two releases extend Plaud’s “conversation intelligence” across the full spectrum of how professionals meet today—face-to-face, on calls, and in virtual meetings.

Orum Therapeutics Names Chad May As Chief Scientific Officer

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 4, 2026

Orum Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing degrader-antibody conjugates (DACs), has appointed Chad May, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer, bringing more than two decades of oncology and immunology R&D experience spanning antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), T-cell engagers, and next-generation therapeutic platform development.

McCormick Takes Majority Control Of McCormick de Mexico With $750 Million Purchase

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 3, 2026

McCormick & Company announced it has completed the acquisition of an additional 25% ownership interest in McCormick de Mexico from Grupo Herdez, increasing McCormick’s ownership in the joint venture to 75% and giving it a controlling stake in the business.

Pinnacle And Synovus Complete Merger To Form $117 Billion Regional Bank

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 3, 2026

Pinnacle Financial Partners (now trading on the New York Stock Exchange under “PNFP”) has completed its previously announced merger with Synovus Financial, creating a combined regional banking company with an estimated $117.2 billion in assets as of September 30, 2025. The combined organization is operating as a single bank holding company under the name Pinnacle Financial Partners, marking the close of a transaction the companies first announced on July 24, 2025.

Ooma Completes Acquisition of Phone.com For About $23.2 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 3, 2026

Ooma, which provides a smart communications platform for businesses and consumers, said it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Phone.com, a cloud-based business communications provider focused on small and mid-sized organizations. The deal closed for approximately $23.2 million in cash, subject to customary working capital adjustments.

Lee Enterprises Announces $50 Million Strategic Equity Investment, Board Transition, And CEO Retirement

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 3, 2026

Lee Enterprises announced it has entered into a definitive stock purchase agreement for a $50 million strategic equity investment in its common stock, a transaction the company framed as a board-directed effort to strengthen its balance sheet, improve its capital structure, and reset leadership and governance as it moves into what it called its next phase.

NeoGenomics Adds Diagnostics Executive Jack Kenny To Board

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 3, 2026

NeoGenomics has appointed diagnostics and laboratory services veteran John P. “Jack” Kenny to its Board of Directors, adding a senior commercial and operating leader as the company positions itself for what it describes as emerging opportunities in next-generation cancer testing. Kenny fills a seat vacated by Alison Hannah, MD, who is rotating off the board after more than a decade of service.

Berkshire Hathaway Completes $9.7 Billion Acquisition Of OxyChem From Occidental

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 3, 2026

Berkshire Hathaway announced it has completed its acquisition of OxyChem from Occidental for $9.7 billion, subject to customary post-closing purchase price adjustments, bringing a large-scale U.S.-based chemical producer into Berkshire’s group of operating businesses.

Hyatt Completes $2 Billion Sale Of Playa-Owned Resort Real Estate To Tortuga

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 2, 2026

Hyatt Hotels announced it has closed the sale of the owned real estate portfolio it previously acquired from Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. to Tortuga Resorts for approximately $2.0 billion, completing what the company described as a fully asset-light transaction for the Playa portfolio.

Moto Finance Raises $1.8 Million Pre-Seed To Develop Blockchain-Powered Savings Account And Visa Infinite Credit Card

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 2, 2026

Moto Finance, a New York-based fintech startup, has raised $1.8 million in pre-seed funding from Cyber Fund and Eterna Capital to develop a blockchain-powered platform that combines a high-interest savings account with a premium credit card offering.

Credicorp’s BCP To Acquire Helm Bank USA For $180 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 2, 2026

Credicorp announced its Peruvian banking subsidiary, Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP), has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Helm Bank USA for $180 million, subject to customary price adjustments at closing. The transaction is intended to expand Credicorp’s cross-border banking capabilities for clients with financial needs spanning Latin America and the United States.

OceanFirst To Acquire Flushing Financial In $579 Million All-Stock Merger

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 2, 2026

OceanFirst Financial and Flushing Financial Corporation have agreed to combine in an all-stock merger that would create a regional bank with approximately $23 billion in assets across New Jersey, Long Island, and the New York City metro area, while also bringing in a $225 million strategic equity investment from Warburg Pincus.

BigBear.ai Finalizes $250 Million Acquisition Of Ask Sage

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 2, 2026

BigBear.ai announced it has completed its acquisition of Ask Sage for $250 million in cash, adding a secure generative AI platform designed for deployment, orchestration, and agentic capabilities in defense, intelligence, and other highly regulated environments.

Tom Golisano Investing $100 Million In Two More Children’s Hospitals In Little Rock And Augusta

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 2, 2026

Philanthropist and Paychex founder Tom Golisano announced a $100 million investment to support two additional children’s hospitals, allocating $50 million each to Arkansas Children’s in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia. The gifts expand the Golisano Children’s Alliance to 12 member hospitals nationwide.

Axoniq: Interview With CEO & Board Member Jessica Reeves About Why Explainability Matters In AI

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 2, 2026

Axoniq, a company trusted by over 65,000 companies globally and with more than 70 million downloads, transforms how organizations develop AI native applications that seamlessly evolve and scale to meet tomorrow's business challenges. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Axoniq CEO and Board Member Jessica Reeves to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Mercantile Bank Completes Merger With Eastern Michigan Financial

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 1, 2026

Mercantile Bank announced it has completed its previously announced merger with Eastern Michigan Financial Corporation, combining two Michigan-based financial institutions with a stated focus on serving local households, businesses, and communities.

Mutares Signs Agreement To Sell Conexus To ATS

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 1, 2026

Mutares SE & Co. KGaA has signed an agreement to sell its portfolio company Conexus S.p.A. to ATS – Advance Technologies System S.r.l., a wholly owned subsidiary of Maximum Return System Group, as the firm continues to execute exits from its portfolio.

Innovation

BTG Pactual Completes M.Y. Safra Bank Acquisition

Berry Fertility: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Irene Alvarado About the Future of Fertility Care

Exotec: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Romain Moulin About The Warehouse Robotics Company

Hawaiian Airlines Unveils $600 Million Kahu’ewai Hawai’i Plan To Upgrade Airports And Aircrafts

Teads Names Dani Cushion As Chief Marketing Officer

Campbell Lutyens Names Patrick Schneider As Managing Director And MENA Senior Executive Officer

Flutterwave Acquires Mono To Expand Open Banking Infrastructure Across Africa

Jacobs To Buy Remaining Stake In PA Consulting For £1.216 Billion

Alchera X: Interview With President & CEO Michael Plaksin About The Visual AI Tech Company

Gnani.ai: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Ganesh Gopalan About The Speech And Conversational Solutions Company

Plaud Unveils Wearable AI Notetaker NotePin S And Plaud Desktop

Orum Therapeutics Names Chad May As Chief Scientific Officer

McCormick Takes Majority Control Of McCormick de Mexico With $750 Million Purchase

Pinnacle And Synovus Complete Merger To Form $117 Billion Regional Bank

Ooma Completes Acquisition of Phone.com For About $23.2 Million

Lee Enterprises Announces $50 Million Strategic Equity Investment, Board Transition, And CEO Retirement

NeoGenomics Adds Diagnostics Executive Jack Kenny To Board

Berkshire Hathaway Completes $9.7 Billion Acquisition Of OxyChem From Occidental

Hyatt Completes $2 Billion Sale Of Playa-Owned Resort Real Estate To Tortuga

Moto Finance Raises $1.8 Million Pre-Seed To Develop Blockchain-Powered Savings Account And Visa Infinite Credit Card

Credicorp’s BCP To Acquire Helm Bank USA For $180 Million

OceanFirst To Acquire Flushing Financial In $579 Million All-Stock Merger

BigBear.ai Finalizes $250 Million Acquisition Of Ask Sage

Tom Golisano Investing $100 Million In Two More Children’s Hospitals In Little Rock And Augusta

Axoniq: Interview With CEO & Board Member Jessica Reeves About Why Explainability Matters In AI

Mercantile Bank Completes Merger With Eastern Michigan Financial

Mutares Signs Agreement To Sell Conexus To ATS

TransDigm To Buy Stellant Systems For About $960 Million In Cash

Biobeat: $50 Million Series B Secured To Expand Commercialization Of Cuff-Less 24-Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring

CHAMP Titles: $55 Million Raised To Build Digital Systems For Motor Vehicle Agencies