Innovation

Donna: $4.8 Million Raised To Advance Global Expansion Of Agentic AI Assistant For Field Sales Teams

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Donna, a fast-growing AI platform built for field sales professionals, has secured $4.8 million in new funding to expand internationally and strengthen its position in the sales enablement market. The new capital, announced in Ghent on December 3, 2025, was led by Frontline Ventures with participation from Pitchdrive, Fortino Capital, WeLoveFounders, Syndicate One, New School, Everywhere Ventures, and several experienced angel investors.

Pegasus Airlines To Acquire Czech Airlines And Smartwings In €154 Million Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Pegasus Airlines has reached an agreement to acquire Czech Airlines and its subsidiary Smartwings for €154 million, marking one of the most significant cross-border airline acquisitions in Europe this year. The deal includes the purchase of both companies and their associated receivables. Completion remains subject to regulatory approvals and additional transfer conditions.

Eikona: $5 Million Seed Round Raised To Advance GenAI-Driven Adaptive Marketing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Eikona, a Tel Aviv–based generative AI startup focused on lifecycle marketing, has raised a $5 million seed round to bring a new reinforcement learning–powered approach to A/B testing and automated content optimization. The round was led by StageOne Ventures with participation from Crescendo Venture Partners, Wix Ventures, and Clarim Ventures, as well as several industry and academic angel investors.

Qunnect: Interview With CEO Noel Goddard About The Quantum Networking Hardware Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Factorial Capital: $25 Million Fund II Closed To Advance Investments In Frontier AI Startups

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Factorial Capital has closed Fund II at $25 million as the New York-based early-stage venture firm expands its model of backing technical founders building at the edge of what emerging AI technologies now make possible.

Marshall University Expands Digital Engagement With InScribe Partnership

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Marshall University has launched a new partnership with InScribe Education to enhance connection, engagement, and resource accessibility for its online undergraduate students. The university will integrate InScribe’s digital community platform into its Marshall Online programming as part of a broader initiative to provide students with a unified, supportive digital ecosystem.

Holly Ventures: $33 Million Cybersecurity Fund Launched

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Holly Ventures has officially launched its debut $33 million cybersecurity fund, introducing a solo-led model that gives early-stage cyber founders direct access to the firm’s decision-makers and a concentrated, high-value support network. The San Francisco-based fund, created by former YL Ventures Senior Partner John Brennan, is positioned as an alternative to significant platform funds that often emphasize capital scale or broad AI narratives over hands-on founder engagement.

Nu Quantum: $60 Million Series A Raised To Accelerate Quantum Networking Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Nu Quantum has secured a landmark $60 million Series A round, the most significant financing ever completed by a pure-play quantum networking company and the largest quantum-focused Series A in the United Kingdom. Led by National Grid Partners with participation from Gresham House Ventures and Morpheus Ventures, the oversubscribed round also included continued backing from Amadeus Capital Partners, IQ Capital, Ahren Capital, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, East Innovate, NSSIF, and Sumitomo’s Presidio Ventures.

Sketch Development Services: Interview With Founder & CEO John Krewson About The Consultancy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Sketch Development Services is a consultancy that helps organizations improve how they build and deliver software using Agile, Lean, and DevOps practices. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Sketch Development Services founder and CEO John Krewson to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

ID-Pal Expands Compliance Capabilities With Acquisition Of KYB Provider NorthRow

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

ID-Pal has announced a significant expansion of its global compliance and identity verification platform with the acquisition of Know Your Business specialist NorthRow. The deal strengthens ID-Pal’s ability to provide a unified solution for Know Your Customer, Know Your Business, and Anti-Money Laundering requirements for organisations across Europe, the UK, and the U.S.

HotHouse Therapeutics: £2.9 Million Raised To Launch AI-Driven Plant-Based Drug Discovery Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

HotHouse Therapeutics has emerged from stealth with £2.9 million in pre-seed funding to advance an AI-enabled plant bioengineering platform that aims to transform how modern medicines are discovered and manufactured. The Norwich-based startup secured investment from SynBioVen, Start Codon, UKI2S, Twin Path Ventures, Wren Capital, multiple angel investors, and an Innovate UK grant.

n‑Tier: Interview With Founder & CEO Peter Gargone About The Zero-Code Data Management Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

n‑Tier is a financial-technology company that provides a configurable, zero-code data-management and regulatory-reporting platform to help financial firms monitor, validate, and remediate data accuracy and completeness across critical business processes. Pulse 2.0 interviewed n‑Tier founder and CEO Peter Gargone to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

University Of Texas Team Advances 3D Printing Technology With DARPA Backing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have launched a major initiative to transform semiconductor manufacturing through a new 3D printing technique designed to speed production, increase efficiency, and reduce environmental impact.

Findem Acquires Getro To Launch Intelligent Job Post And Expand Agentic Hiring Capabilities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Findem has acquired Getro and unveiled its Intelligent Job Post product, a move that the company says positions it at the forefront of AI-driven recruiting. The acquisition brings together Getro’s extensive network relationship platform with Findem’s expert labeled data infrastructure in an effort to shift hiring from passive applicant collection to proactive talent delivery.

Outpost24 Acquires Infinipoint To Expand Identity Security

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Outpost24 has acquired Infinipoint, marking a significant move into the rapidly growing Zero Trust Workforce Access market and strengthening its identity security business. The deal brings together Outpost24’s exposure management and authentication capabilities with Infinipoint’s expertise in device identity, posture validation, and secure workforce access.

University Of Southern California Introduces Accelerated JD MBA Program

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

The University of Southern California has launched a new accelerated JD MBA program that brings together the academic strengths of the USC Gould School of Law and the USC Marshall School of Business.

Sysdyne Acquires Slabstack To Create AI-Powered End-To-End Platform For Construction Materials Producers

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

Sysdyne Technologies has acquired Slabstack, a move that creates what the company describes as the industry’s first unified, cloud native, AI powered ecosystem connecting pricing, CRM, sales, operations, dispatch, delivery and billing across the construction materials value chain.

University Of Utah Forms New Venture In Strategic Partnership With Otro Capital

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 11, 2025

The University of Utah has announced a major structural shift in the financial and operational model supporting its athletics programs, establishing a new entity called Utah Brands & Entertainment. The company, owned by the University of Utah Foundation, will manage and grow core commercial operations tied to athletics while enabling the university to adapt to emerging economic pressures driven by student-athlete revenue sharing and the rapidly changing landscape of college sports.

Fitz Gate Ventures: Third VC Fund Closed, Bringing AUM To About $70 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

Fitz Gate Ventures has closed its third venture capital fund, bringing the firm’s total assets under management to approximately $75 million as it continues to expand its early-stage investment activities across deep tech and other high-growth categories. The Houston-based firm secured Rice University’s Office of Innovation as one of its anchor investors, marking a notable institutional commitment during a challenging fundraising environment for emerging managers.

Tetra Tech: $500 Million USACE Contract For Environmental Remediation Services

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

Tetra Tech has been awarded a five-year, $500 million multiple award contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District to deliver comprehensive environmental engineering and technical services across the North Atlantic Division’s mission areas. The award enables the company to support projects within the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

Noovo: $2.2 Million Raised To Advance Manufacturing Expansion In Las Vegas

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

Noovo, a Las Vegas-based manufacturer of luxury Class B recreational vehicles, has secured a $2.2 million investment through the Nevada New Markets Jobs Act. The funding will enable the company to expand production capacity, add new manufacturing jobs, and accelerate the rollout of additional RV models from its Clark County headquarters.

Bright Power: Interview With EVP Andrea Mancino About The Renewable-Energy Solutions Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

Bright Power is an energy-efficiency and renewable-energy solutions firm that helps buildings reduce costs and emissions. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Bright Power Executive Vice President Andrea Mancino to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Xposure Music: $42.5 Million Raised To Advance Artist Financing And Catalog Investments

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

Xposure Music has raised $42.5 million in new debt and equity funding to scale its artist financing programs and expand its catalog acquisition efforts. The Montreal-based company, founded in 2021, operates a technology-driven platform that provides independent artists with access to capital, catalog valuation, and direct pathways to industry professionals.

xLight: $150 Million LOI Signed With U.S. Department Of Commerce To Advance Semiconductor Lithography

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

xLight has entered a Letter of Intent with the U.S. Department of Commerce for $150 million in proposed federal incentives intended to accelerate development of next-generation semiconductor lithography. The company announced the agreement on December 1, marking the first award issued by the Trump Administration’s CHIPS Research and Development Office. The move signals that advancing domestic lithography capabilities is a central priority in the administration’s broader effort to strengthen American semiconductor manufacturing.

PayJoy: $140 Million Debt Facility Secured To Advance Global Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

PayJoy has secured a $140 million corporate debt facility from funds managed by Neuberger Berman, marking a significant step in the company’s ongoing global expansion efforts. The financing deepens a partnership that began in 2022 with Neuberger’s Specialty Finance business and is designed to strengthen PayJoy’s capital structure while supporting key growth initiatives.

EquipmentShare: $2.75 Billion Credit Facility Secured For Construction Technology

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

EquipmentShare has closed a $2.75 billion senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility, marking a significant milestone in the company’s continued expansion within the construction technology and equipment rental sector. The new facility, led by Wells Fargo as administrative agent and primary lender, strengthens the Missouri headquartered company’s capital structure while extending debt maturity to 2030 and improving pricing terms.

New Mountain Net Lease Completes $493 Million Inaugural ABS Issuance

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

New Mountain Net Lease has finalized its first asset-backed securities transaction, marking a significant capital markets milestone for the New Mountain Capital-affiliated platform. The $493.4 million issuance, designated NMNL 2025 1, drew substantial interest from institutional investors and was meaningfully oversubscribed. Many participants had previously invested in other New Mountain-sponsored transactions, reinforcing their ongoing confidence in the firm’s approach to net-lease real estate.

CVC To Acquire Smiths Detection For £2 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

CVC has agreed to acquire Smiths Detection, the global security screening and threat detection company, in a £2 billion transaction. The deal marks one of the firm’s most significant recent corporate carve-outs and highlights its continued interest in aviation, defense, and critical infrastructure technologies. The transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2026. CVC will invest through CVC Capital Partners IX.

Canadian Venture Capital And Private Equity Association Appoints Benjamin Bergen As New CEO

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

The Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association has named Benjamin Bergen as its next chief executive officer, marking a significant leadership transition for the national organization representing private capital investors across Canada. Bergen will assume the role on January 5, 2026.

Rail-Flow: €12.5 Million Series A Raised To Advance AI Innovation And International Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 10, 2025

Rail-Flow has closed a €12.5 million Series A financing round to strengthen its transport management platform for rail freight and intermodal logistics. The round was led by Trill Impact and Bonsai Partners, with participation from Climentum Capital, several business angels, and existing backers Rethink Ventures and Futury Capital. The company said the investment will support its growth strategy, which focuses on scaling AI-driven capabilities, entering new markets, and enhancing platform stability.