Innovation

Tower Semiconductor Announces $3 Billion Japan Expansion With METI Support

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Tower Semiconductor announced a strategic dual-track capacity expansion in Japan with support from the Government of Japan. The expansion will increase the company’s capabilities in 300mm Silicon Photonics, Silicon Germanium, and advanced packaging.

Catalyst Bancorp Completes Acquisition Of Lakeside Bancshares, Creating A $620 Million Community Bank Across Southwest Louisiana

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Catalyst Bancorp, the parent company of Catalyst Bank, has completed its acquisition of Lakeside Bancshares, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Lakeside Bank, effective July 14, 2026. Lakeside shareholders received $19.58 per share in cash, representing $41.1 million in aggregate consideration. The deal was announced in April 2026.

Almonty Expands Sangdong Tungsten Offtake Agreement With Global Tungsten & Powders To $490 Million In Contracted Annual Revenue

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Almonty Industries, a leading global producer of tungsten concentrate, announced it has entered into an amendment to its long-term offtake agreement with Global Tungsten & Powders, a member of Austria's Plansee Group, covering tungsten concentrate produced from Phase I of the company's Sangdong Mine in South Korea. The amendment extends the term of the agreement by six years, increases total contracted volumes by 40%, and improves the pricing payable to Almonty on all contracted volumes by approximately 6.3%.

State Affairs Raises $70 Million To Advance Policy And Regulatory Intelligence Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

State Affairs announced $70 million in total funding to accelerate its AI-powered intelligence platform for policy and regulatory markets. Investors in the funding include Founders Fund, Khosla Ventures, Tru Arrow Partners, Alumni Ventures, Marcus Brauchli, Alex Mather and Adam Hansmann, and Richard Sarnoff. Brauchli is the former Executive Editor of The Washington Post and former Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal; Mather and Hansmann founded The Athletic; and Sarnoff is Chairman of Media, Education and Entertainment at KKR.

Flex Raises $70 Million Series B1 To Launch Flex Global, An AI-Native Private Banking Platform For HNW Business Owners Worldwide

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Flex, a San Francisco-based AI-native private banking platform for high-net-worth business owners in the middle market, has raised a $70 million Series B1 led by Halo Fund, the investment platform co-founded by Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth owner and Qualtrics founder Ryan Smith and Accel general partner Ryan Sweeney. Portage Ventures, Wellington, Crosslink Capital, 53 Stations, Titanium Ventures, Spice, Florida Funders and others also participated. The round comes just months after Flex's $60 million Series B in December 2025 and brings total equity raised to $180 million and total capital including debt to $300 million. Annualized revenue has grown 3x since the December round, and Flex is now at a nine-figure annualized revenue run rate with more than $10 billion in annualized total payment volume, growing roughly 4x year over year.

ZeroEyes Announces $10 Million Investment In AI R&D, Plans To Hire 100-Plus Philadelphia-Area Veterans

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

ZeroEyes, creators of a multi-analytics weapons-detection and threat-intelligence platform, announced a planned $10 million U.S. investment in AI and machine-learning research and development. The investment includes a commitment to hiring more than 100 veterans in Southeastern Pennsylvania over the next 24 months to fill roles including Technical Program Managers, MLOps Engineers, and AI Solutions Specialists. The company made the announcement at Senator Dave McCormick's 2026 Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, held at Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Mighty Therapeutics Secures Up To $150 Million To Advance Mitochondrial Targeted Medicines

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Mighty Therapeutics announced the closing of transactions securing up to $150 million in non-dilutive growth and equity capital. The financing is designed to support the company’s commercial and clinical development plans for a new class of medicines targeting mitochondrial dysfunction.

410 Medical Secures $12 Million In Growth Financing To Scale LifeFlow Commercial Expansion And Next-Generation Device

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

410 Medical, a North Carolina-based medical device company focused on advanced resuscitation technologies for emergency and critical care, has completed an oversubscribed $12 million financing round. Orlando Health Ventures led the round, with participation from Hatteras Venture Partners, Ballad Health, OSF Healthcare, Rex Health Ventures, CU Healthcare Innovations Fund, Sarnova, Catalyst by Wellstar, Tampa General and a new undisclosed strategic investor. The capital will be used to scale commercial operations and support the launch of a next-generation LifeFlow infuser planned for 2027.

Tempus Realty Partners Announces $42.1 Million In Arkansas Acquisitions For Tempus Evergreen Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Tempus Realty Partners, an Arkansas-based real estate investment firm, announced the acquisition of two properties totaling approximately $42.1 million for its perpetual-life investment vehicle, Tempus Evergreen. The acquisitions include five buildings spanning 336,242 square feet across roughly 22.5 acres in North Little Rock and Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Moonfare Surpasses €4 Billion In AUM After Strong Half-Year Inflows

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Moonfare announced that it has surpassed €4 billion in assets under management, marking a major growth milestone for the global private markets platform and investment firm.

Diodes To Acquire ElevATE Semiconductor For $250 Million, Expanding Analog And Mixed-Signal Portfolio

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Diodes announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ElevATE Semiconductor in an all-cash transaction valued at $250 million. ElevATE is a fabless semiconductor company based in San Diego, California, that specializes in integrated circuits for the Automated Test Equipment industry, designing low-power, high-density solutions aimed at delivering the lowest possible cost of test.

Singularity Raises $80 Million Series A At $400 Million Valuation To Deploy Air Defense At Scale

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Singularity emerged from stealth with an oversubscribed $80 million Series A financing at a $400 million valuation. The company is focused on deploying low-cost air defense systems at scale for the U.S. and its allies. The round was led by Khosla Ventures and Felicis. Seed investors AE Ventures and NEA also participated, along with Long Journey, Harpoon, Menlo Ventures, Y Combinator, Decisive Point, New Vista, Sunflower, and Soma.

TerraFirma Raises $115 Million To Scale Semi-Autonomous Construction Robotics For Critical Infrastructure On Earth And Beyond

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

TerraFirma, an Austin-based tech-enabled, vertically integrated construction company founded by former SpaceX engineers, has raised approximately $115 million, including a $100 million Series A led by Kleiner Perkins, with participation from Bain Capital Ventures, Glade Brook Capital Partners, BANNER VC, Saga Ventures, Trust Ventures, Definition, PEAK6, Magnetar Capital and Ravelin Capital. Angel investors include founders, executives and engineers from SpaceX, Anduril, Base Power, Shinkei and Hadrian. The funding will support expansion of TerraFirma's engineering, manufacturing, operations and construction teams, and the continued development of its semi-autonomous heavy equipment systems.

Feathery Raises $30 Million In Series A To Scale AI Operating And Decisioning System For Financial Services

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Feathery, the AI operating and decisioning system for financial services, announced that it has raised $30 million in total funding, including its recently completed Series A, from Portage Ventures, Index Ventures, Allstate Strategic Ventures, Clocktower Ventures, Erie Strategic Ventures, and Bain Capital Ventures. The company is one of the fastest-growing AI platforms for financial services, serving more than 300 firms across insurance and wealth management.

Chai Discovery Raises $400 Million Series C To Advance AI-Driven Molecular Design

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Chai Discovery announced a $400 million Series C financing to accelerate the development and deployment of its AI-driven molecular design platform. The round valued Chai Discovery at $3.8 billion. It was led by Index Ventures alongside Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, and Dimension. New investors in the round included Bain Capital Ventures, Battery Ventures, Baillie Gifford, BDT & MSD, Sapphire Ventures, Avra Capital, and other notable investors. Existing investors Thrive Capital, OpenAI, Oak HC/FT, Menlo Ventures, General Catalyst, Glade Brook, Avenir, Lachy Groom, and Yosemite also participated.

FMG Expands Board As Platform Surpasses 80,000 Financial Professionals

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

FMG announced the appointment of three independent directors and one board observer to its Board of Directors as the company continues expanding across the financial services market.

Nitin Seth: An Interview With The Author And Entrepreneur About His New Book ‘Human Edge in the AI Age’

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Nitin Seth is a technology entrepreneur, corporate leader, and bestselling author who is the Co-Founder and CEO of Incedo, a U.S.-based digital and AI transformation services firm. Recently, Seth wrote a new book called Human Edge in the AI Age. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Seth to learn more.

Edge Focus: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Elliott Lorenz About The Private Credit Firm

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Edge Focus is a technology-enabled private credit firm that utilizes machine learning and AI to analyze credit risk, underwrite loans, and manage portfolios. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Edge Focus co-founder and CEO Elliott Lorenz to learn more.

Wolf & Company: Interview With Principal & Chief Growth Officer Michael Kanarellis About The Business Consulting Firm

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Wolf & Company is a certified public accounting and business consulting firm that provides clients with tailored advisory, assurance, and tax, services. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Wolf & Company Principal and Chief Growth Officer Michael Kanarellis to learn more.

1864 Fund Completes Deployment Of $10 Million Seed Fund Across Eight Companies

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

The 1864 Fund, a Nevada-based seed-stage venture capital fund affiliated with StartUpNV, announced that it has raised and invested its $10 million fund across eight companies.

Pine AI: Interview With CEO Stanley Wei About The Autonomous Digital Assistant Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Pine AI provides an autonomous digital assistant that completes real-world customer service tasks, such as making phone calls and sending emails, to help consumers handle bill negotiations, cancel subscriptions, and secure refunds. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Pine AI CEO Stanley Wei to learn more.

Prosperity Partners Receives Majority Growth Investment From Lightyear Capital

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Prosperity Partners, a Chicago-headquartered tax, client accounting and transaction support services firm, has announced a majority growth investment from Lightyear Capital, a New York-based private equity firm with approximately $8.1 billion in assets under management. Unity Partners, which invested in Prosperity in April 2023, will retain a minority position in the company. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Velocity Raises $38 Million Series A To Scale Enterprise Stablecoin Treasury And Settlement Infrastructure

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Velocity, a London-based stablecoin treasury and settlement platform founded in 2025, has raised a $38 million Series A led by Dragonfly and FirstMark, with participation from Activant Capital, Capital One Ventures, QED Investors, Coinbase Ventures, Wintermute Ventures and Ripple.

9fin: Former JPMorgan Executive Huw Richards Joins As Head Of Customer Partnerships

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

9fin announced that Huw Richards is joining the company as Head of Customer Partnerships, based in New York, in a newly created role designed to support customers navigating their own AI transformation efforts.

TYLsemi Raises $43 Million To Launch First Full-Stack Chiplet Platform For Custom AI Silicon

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

TYLsemi, a San Jose-based chiplet platform company, has emerged from stealth and closed an oversubscribed $43 million early-stage funding round to accelerate development of AI infrastructure silicon. The round was led by Matter Venture Partners with participation from Viola Ventures, GHOVC, Egis Technology and strategic investors across the global semiconductor and AI infrastructure ecosystem.

Zayo Announces Planned CEO Transition

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Zayo, the leading digital infrastructure network provider, announced a planned CEO transition, appointing former Verizon executive Sowmyanarayan Sampath as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2026. Sampath will succeed Steve Smith, who will retire as CEO following a tenure that established Zayo as the foundational backbone of the AI economy, and will continue to serve as a member of Zayo's Board of Directors.

Cognify Health Raises Seed Funding To Build Healthcare Platform For Youth Sports

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Cognify Health announced a seed funding round led by Game Changers Ventures. The company is building a healthcare platform for youth athletics, starting with concussion care.

Cribl Acquiring CardinalOps

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Cribl announced that it is acquiring CardinalOps, an agentic detection engineering company. The acquisition expands Cribl’s AI Platform for Telemetry into security operations.

Strata Decision Technology Acquires c. myers to Unite Strategic Planning, ALM, and FP&A for Financial Institutions

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Strata Decision Technology, a leading provider of enterprise performance management solutions for financial institutions, announced the acquisition of c. myers, a trusted advisory firm that has worked with more than 600 financial institutions over its 30-plus-year history. As part of the acquisition, Adam Johnson, CEO of c. myers, and the c. myers team will join Strata.

Guthrie AI Raises $4 Million Seed Funding To Scale Virtual Bid Assistant Platform For Glazing Contractors

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 14, 2026

Guthrie AI, a Philadelphia-based construction technology company that recruits, trains, and places Virtual Bid Assistants for glazing contractors, has raised a $4 million seed round led by Chicago Ventures. The funding will expand Guthrie AI's engineering team, deepen integrations with tools estimators already use, including Bluebeam, Outlook and Excel—and grow the platform that makes it easy for glazing contractors to hire, supervise and work with a trained bid assistant from day one.