Archives

Octopus Deploy: AI Pulse Report Warns Of Senior Developer Shortage As AI Reshapes Hiring And Productivity

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Octopus Deploy has released its 2026 AI Pulse Report: AI adoption and its impact on developer productivity, finding that while AI tools are delivering measurable productivity gains for software teams, they are also accelerating a structural shift in junior hiring that could result in a senior developer shortage within the next three to five years.

Palo Alto Networks To Acquire Koi To Establish Agentic Endpoint Security

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Palo Alto Networks announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Koi, a company focused on Agentic Endpoint Security, in a move designed to address what it describes as a growing AI-driven security gap across enterprise endpoints.

Substantial Group To Be Acquired For £2 Billion By InfraVia, Liberty Global And Telefónica

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

InfraVia Capital Partners, Liberty Global, and Telefónica have agreed to acquire Substantial Group for £2 billion through their existing joint venture, nexfibre, in a move designed to create a scaled wholesale challenger in the UK broadband market.

Cherry Bekaert Acquires LA-Based CPA Firm RKE

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Cherry Bekaert announced it has acquired the business of Richardson Kontogouris Emerson LLP, a public accounting and advisory firm serving clients since 2006.

Pine Environmental Services Acquires Terratech

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Pine Environmental Services announced the acquisition of Terratech Environmental Equipment & Supplies, expanding its presence in the Arizona environmental market.

Edward Jones Expands Fixed Income And Overlay Management Capabilities Through Moment Relationship And Natixis Acquisition

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Edward Jones announced a new relationship with Moment, a fixed income trading and portfolio management platform, along with the completion of its acquisition of Natixis Investment Managers’ Overlay Management Services capabilities. The moves are designed to strengthen the firm’s technology and service infrastructure and expand its ability to deliver personalized, tax-optimized portfolio solutions at scale.

SGT Capital Closes Artificial Intelligence Co-Investment Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

SGT Capital announced the successful closing of its SGT Capital Artificial Intelligence (AI) Co-Investment Fund, which was 25% oversubscribed. The fund expands the firm’s strategy of investing in market-leading data analytics, cybersecurity, and med-tech companies, while responding to rising institutional investor demand for exposure to AI-driven business models.

Circuit: $30 Million Raised For Manufacturing And Service AI Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Circuit, an Austin-based company building a purpose-built AI platform for manufacturing and service organizations, announced it has raised $30 million from individual investors in one of Texas' largest angel rounds. The funding comes as manufacturers contend with increasing product complexity and a growing skills gap driven by retirements and workforce shortages.

99 Kids Holdings Raises $5 Million Series A To Relaunch THE 99 Superhero Franchise

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

99 Kids Holdings Co., a dual Canada–UAE entertainment company, announced it has closed a $5 million Series A funding round led by Exponential Ventures to reboot THE 99, the comic book and animated franchise that introduced Islam-inspired superheroes based on universal values when it first launched in 2006.

Pharmacelera Raises €6 Million To Expand In U.S. And Advance Quantum-AI Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Pharmacelera, a deep tech company applying Quantum Mechanics and Artificial Intelligence to drug discovery, announced it has closed a €6 million investment round to accelerate its expansion into the United States and further develop its proprietary platform.

Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Pennsylvania-Based B&W Insurance Agency

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced that it has acquired B&W Insurance Agency, Inc., a Washington, Pennsylvania-based insurance firm. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Vanguard Renewables Acquires E-Z Recycling To Expand Midwest Footprint

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Vanguard Renewables, a national leader in organics recycling and renewable energy production, announced the acquisition of E-Z Recycling, a Minnesota-based food and beverage waste recycling company. The deal strengthens Vanguard Renewables’ presence in the Midwest and adds critical depackaging capabilities to its expanding anaerobic digestion network, further enabling the conversion of food waste into renewable energy.

Dentons Appoints New Sector Leaders To Strengthen Client-Focused Strategy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Dentons has appointed a new slate of Global Sector Leaders as part of its strategy to further align its capabilities with client needs across industries worldwide. The appointments, made by the Firm’s Global Management Committee, are designed to deepen industry expertise and enhance collaboration across its international platform.

Gibson Dunn Expands Business Restructuring Practice With Addition Of Leo Plank

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Gibson Dunn announced that it will further strengthen its Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group and expand its European presence with the appointment of Leo Plank as a partner in the coming months.

O’Melveny Expands Executive Compensation Team With Thomas Asmar

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

O'Melveny & Myers announced that experienced corporate adviser Thomas Asmar has joined the firm’s Silicon Valley office as a partner in its Tax Practice and a member of the Executive Compensation Group, strengthening the firm’s West Coast capabilities and expanding its national bench of corporate practitioners.

Kirkland & Ellis Expands With New Nashville Office

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Kirkland & Ellis, the world’s largest law firm by revenue, announced that it is opening a new office in Nashville, Tennessee, as part of its strategy to attract top legal talent and meet growing client demand.

Morgan Lewis Expands International Tax And Disputes Practice With Salim Rahim In Washington, DC

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Morgan Lewis has added Salim Rahim as a partner in its Washington, DC office, strengthening the firm’s global tax capabilities as multinational companies face increasing complexity in international tax rules and enforcement. Rahim joins from Baker McKenzie, where he most recently served as chair of the Americas tax practice group.

DLA Piper Hires IPO Partner Sherlyn Lau To Lead APAC Capital Markets In Hong Kong

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

DLA Piper has strengthened its Hong Kong capital markets bench with the hire of leading IPO and Equity Capital Markets specialist Sherlyn Lau as Head of Capital Markets and Corporate Finance, APAC.

AF Gruppen Acquires Majority Stake In Swedish Concrete Contractor

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

AF Gruppen is expanding its footprint in Sweden’s construction sector through a majority investment in a regional concrete specialist. AF Bygg Syd AB has signed an agreement to acquire 70% of the shares in H.A. Bygg Entreprenad AB, with the remaining 30% continuing to be owned by the company’s employees.

MyMiniFactory Acquires Thingiverse To Create Largest Creator-First Community

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

MyMiniFactory has acquired 100% of Thingiverse from Ultimaker, bringing together nearly 8 million users and forming what the company describes as the world's largest creator-first 3D printing platform. The transaction integrates Thingiverse into the SoulCrafted ecosystem, a movement centered on valuing, protecting, and sustainably funding human-made creative work.

Why Grab Is Buying Stash Financial For $425 Million Enterprise Value

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Grab recently announced it has signed definitive agreements to acquire 100% of the equity interest in Stash Financial, a U.S.-based digital financial services company, marking a significant expansion of its global financial services ambitions.

Latham & Watkins Expands Texas Litigation Practice With Taj Clayton And Scott Thomas

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Latham & Watkins announced that Taj Clayton and Scott Thomas have joined the firm as partners in its Complex Commercial Litigation Practice, further strengthening its litigation bench in Texas and nationwide. Clayton will also serve as Chair of the firm’s Litigation & Trial Department in Texas.

VB Spine To Acquire Exclusive Rights To Augmedics’ AR Navigation Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

VB Spine has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire exclusive rights to the xvision Spine System from Augmedics, adding augmented reality navigation to its enhanced visualization portfolio. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the coming weeks.

Exa Capital Acquires Clinical Workforce Management Platform StaffReady

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Exa Capital, a strategic long-term operator that acquires and holds enterprise software companies indefinitely, has announced the acquisition of StaffReady, a SaaS platform specializing in clinical workforce management for healthcare organizations.

Sitegeist Raises €4 Million Pre-Seed To Automate Concrete Renovation Across Europe

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Sitegeist, a Munich-based construction robotics startup, has raised €4 million in pre-seed funding to deploy automated, AI-enabled modular robots on construction sites and address Europe’s mounting infrastructure repair backlog. The round was co-led by b2venture and OpenOcean, with participation from UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators and angel investors including Verena Pausder, Lea-Sophie Cramer, and Alexander Schwörer, alongside additional strategic backers from the construction and robotics sectors.

National Fish And Wildlife Foundation Awards $3 Million Through Southeast Aquatics Fund To Restore Freshwater Habitats

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced $3 million in grants through its Southeast Aquatics Fund to restore aquatic habitats and support native freshwater species across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Rivage: €2.6 Million Pre-Seed Raised For Modernizing Payroll For Accounting Firms

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

France-based payroll software startup Rivage has secured €2.6 million in pre-seed funding in a round led by Partech, marking the company’s first institutional raise since its founding in July 2025.

Newron Pharmaceuticals Secures Up To €38 Million To Advance Phase III Evenamide Program

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Newron Pharmaceuticals has secured up to €38 million in gross proceeds through an agreement with a group of existing and new shareholders from Europe and Asia, strengthening its financial position as it advances the Phase III ENIGMA-TRS program for evenamide in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

Earthworks Industries Acquiring Minerals Recovery System IP And Appoints Chad McMillan As Strategic Advisor

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

Earthworks Industries announced it has entered into a binding memorandum of understanding dated February 10, 2026, to acquire 100% of the intellectual property for a minerals recovery system from Wokaura Art and Innovations Inc.

The Bland Company Raises $2.67 Million Pre-Seed Round To Replace Eggs In Food Manufacturing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 18, 2026

The Bland Company has raised a $2.67 million pre-seed round led by Initialized Capital, with participation from Entrepreneurs First, Alumni Ventures, Transpose Platform, Behind Genius Ventures, and Vento.