Innovation

Heritable Agriculture: $5 Million Gates Foundation Grant Secured To Build Climate-Resilient Crops For Smallholder Farmers

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Heritable Agriculture, an AI-driven crop improvement company spun out of Google X, has secured a $4.98 million grant from the Gates Foundation to develop a new initiative aimed at accelerating climate-resilient crop development for smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries.

Decagon: $250 Million Series D At $4.5 Billion Valuation Raised For AI-Based Customer Experience Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Insigneo Teams With Karta To Launch Global Charge Card For International Clients With U.S. Assets

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Insigneo, an international wealth management firm headquartered in Miami, announced a partnership with fintech startup Karta to launch a co-branded global charge card for high-net-worth international clients holding U.S.-based assets. The companies said the agreement gives Insigneo exclusive rights as the first wealth management firm to offer a co-branded charge card with Karta, positioning the launch as part of Insigneo’s broader push to add new tools and services tailored to cross-border clients.

CMA CGM And Stonepeak Form United Ports JV In $2.4 Billion Terminal Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

CMA CGM Group and infrastructure investment firm Stonepeak have agreed to form UNITED PORTS LLC, a U.S. joint venture designed to acquire 10 major CMA CGM operated port terminals around the world. Under the agreement, Stonepeak will invest $2.4 billion for a 25% minority stake, while CMA CGM will hold 75% and retain full operational control of the terminals.

SimonMed Launches Longevity Division And Rebrands Around AI-Enabled Preventive Imaging

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

SimonMed Imaging has introduced an updated brand and launched SimonMed Longevity, a new division centered on AI-enabled preventive care and longevity screening. The initiative marks what the company described as the next phase of its evolution as a national diagnostic imaging provider, expanding emphasis beyond traditional diagnostics to include earlier risk identification and preventive support powered by artificial intelligence.

Celona: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Rajeev Shah About The 5G And LTE Networking Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Celona provides an integrated, cloud-native private 5G networking platform designed to help enterprises easily deploy and manage secure, high-performance wireless connectivity for mission-critical applications. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Celona co-founder and CEO Rajeev Shah to learn more.

Cloud Capital: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Ed Barrow About The Financial Tech Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Cloud Capital is a financial technology platform that helps CFOs and finance teams forecast, manage, and reduce cloud infrastructure spend through automated, risk-free commitments. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Cloud Capital co-founder and CEO Ed Barrow to learn more.

Patchworks: Interview With CEO Jim Herbert About The No-Code Integration Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Patchworks is a no-code/low-code integration platform (iPaaS) that helps eCommerce and retail businesses automate and manage data flows between systems like their storefront, ERP, WMS/3PL, finance, and other back-office tools. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Patchworks CEO Jim Herbert to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

LoyaltyLion: Interview With CEO Charlie Casey About The Loyalty Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

LoyaltyLion is a data-driven eCommerce loyalty and engagement platform that helps online brands build customized rewards (and referral) programs to increase customer retention and repeat sales. Pulse 2.0 interviewed LoyaltyLion CEO Charlie Casey to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Stellular Bio: Series 1 Financing Closed To Advance Regenerative Biologic For Sjögren’s Dry Eye

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Stellular Bio, which is developing Platelet-derived Regenerative Biologic (PRB) therapeutics, announced it has closed its Series 1 financing round to support advancement of its lead candidate, STLR-201, toward clinical testing as a treatment for Sjögren’s disease dry eye.

CraniUS Therapeutics: $20 Million Series B Raised To Advance NeuroPASS Platform For Targeted Brain Drug Delivery

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

CraniUS Therapeutics announced it closed a $20 million Series B financing to accelerate development of NeuroPASS, a fully implantable, skull embedded platform intended to bypass the blood brain barrier and enable targeted drug delivery and monitoring in the brain.

Guardian Payroll Services: Interview With President Matt Taylor About The Business Management Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Guardian Payroll Services provides customizable, technology-driven payroll, human resources, and tax compliance solutions that combine automated systems with dedicated personal support to help businesses streamline employee administration. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Guardian Payroll Services President Matt Taylor to learn more.

NexAIoT: Interview With CTO Dr. Hoe Seng Ooi About The Smart Manufacturing Solutions Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

NexAIoT provides Industry 4.0 smart-manufacturing solutions—combining industrial PCs, IoT automation/edge computing, and enterprise data-integration software with consulting and implementation services to help factories digitize and operate more efficiently. Pulse 2.0 interviewed NexAIoT CTO Dr. Hoe Seng Ooi to learn more.

Minovia Therapeutics: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Dr. Natalie Yivgi-Ohana About The Biotech Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Minovia Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech developing mitochondria-based cell therapies—using its Mitochondrial Augmentation Technology (MAT) to transplant healthy mitochondria into cells to treat diseases driven by mitochondrial dysfunction, including rare genetic mitochondrial disorders. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Minovia Therapeutics co-founder and CEO Dr. Natalie Yivgi-Ohana to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Rainbow Weather: $5.5 Million Seed Funding Raised To Expand AI Powered Hyperlocal Forecasting App

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Rainbow Weather, a climate tech startup focused on ultra-accurate short-term forecasting, has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to accelerate development of its consumer app and expand into business customers. The company said the financing included a syndicate of investors led in part by Yuri Gurski, founder and president of Flo Health.

Seemplicity: Interview With Co-Founder & CPO Ravid Circus About The Exposure Management Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Seemplicity is an exposure management platform that consolidates security findings, prioritizes the most important risks, and automates remediation workflows by routing fixes to the right teams and tools. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Seemplicity co-founder and CPO Ravid Circus to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Sonos Unveils Amp Multi, A Multi Channel Streaming Amplifier Built For Larger Custom Home Audio Systems

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Sonos announced it is launching Sonos Amp Multi, a multi-channel streaming amplifier designed for professional residential integrators building more complex, multi-room audio systems. The company positioned the product as an expansion of the Sonos experience into larger homes and higher-channel-count installations, aiming to reduce installation friction while keeping day-to-day control simple for homeowners.

Google Brings AI Plus To The U.S. As Part Of A 35 Market Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2026

Google is expanding Google AI Plus into 35 additional countries and territories, including the United States, widening access to a lower-priced subscription that bundles premium AI capabilities across multiple Google products.

Reliance Global To Buy Controlling Stake In Enquantum

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Reliance Global Group announced it has signed a non-binding term sheet to acquire a controlling interest in Enquantum Ltd., positioning the proposed deal as the first transaction under a newly established subsidiary, EZRA International Group, that will target controlling stakes in high-tech businesses.

Wasserstrom Acquires Breckenridge Kitchen Equipment & Design

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

The Wasserstrom Company has acquired Breckenridge Kitchen Equipment & Design, a foodservice equipment and design firm headquartered in Huron, Ohio. The deal expands Wasserstrom’s capabilities in equipment project management and kitchen design, while extending its reach to a broader customer base.

INTX Insurance Software: Interview With CEO Robert Lewis About The Insurance Platform Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Pulse 2.0 spoke with CEO Robert Lewis about INTX’s global foundations, its expansion into the U.S. market, and how the company is gaining traction by challenging legacy insurance technology models.

Digi International Buys Particle For $50 Million To Boost Subscription ARR

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Digi International, a provider of mission critical Internet of Things connectivity products and services, said it has acquired Particle Industries, an edge to cloud application infrastructure provider for intelligent devices, in a move Digi expects to accelerate annual recurring revenue growth and strengthen what it calls its embedded as a service offering.

Charcuterie Artisans Opens Rhode Island Innovation Center And Invests $12 Million To Expand

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Charcuterie Artisans, the parent company of Creminelli, Daniele, Del Duca, and recently acquired La Quercia Cured Meats, has opened a new Innovation Center at its campus in Mapleville, Rhode Island, positioning the facility as a product-development and partnership hub as the company scales capacity across its U.S. footprint.

Vine Technology Solutions: Interview With Founder & Principal Donte Lewis About The Consulting Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Vine Technology Solutions is a technology consulting and managed services provider that offers transformative IT solutions, cybersecurity, and cloud services to government organizations, non-profits, and commercial businesses. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Vine Technology Solutions Founder and Principal Donte Lewis to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Nivaan Care: $7 Million Series A Raised To Scale Chronic Pain Management Platform Across India

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Sorin Investments has led a $7 million Series A financing round in Nivaan Care, backing the India-focused healthcare company as it scales a specialized, doctor-led platform to improve access to chronic pain treatment. Additional investors in this round include W Health Ventures, Endiya Partners, and Rebright Partners.

Trophy Design District Mixed-Use Asset Acquired In $72.5 Million Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

A partnership between Pebb Capital, Wharton Properties, Lane Capital Partners, and Sabal Investment Holdings has acquired Design 41, a fully stabilized mixed-use office and retail property in Miami’s Design District, for $72.5 million. The joint venture purchased the seven-story asset at 112 NE 41st Street from the privately held Norton family, marking the second South Florida mixed-use acquisition completed together by Pebb Capital and Sabal.

AdDaptive: Interview With Co-Founders Patrick Shea And Kevin O’Malley About The B2B Ad Provider

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Rently: Interview With Co-Founder Merrick Lackner About The Proptech Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Rently is a proptech company that helps rental housing operators (multifamily and single-family) run self-guided tours and smart access / smart home at their properties. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Rently co-founder Merrick Lackner to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Aerwave: Interview With CEO Ed Wolff About Next Generation Managed Wi-Fi for Multifamily Apartment Communities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

Aerwave delivers next-generation managed Wi-Fi for multifamily apartment communities, providing seamless, always-on, property-wide gigabit-speed internet backed by 24/7 support. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Aerwave CEO and board member Ed Wolff to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

M-Files Refreshes Global Partner Program To Boost Channel Growth And Customer Success

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 28, 2026

M-Files has rolled out a set of updates to its global partner program aimed at expanding partner revenue opportunities, strengthening enablement and support, and tightening coordination with the company’s field sales organization. The company said the enhancements are designed to help solution providers accelerate growth while delivering stronger outcomes for customers adopting context-enriched document management.