Archives

HubSpot To Buy AI-Based Conversation Intelligence Platform Frame AI

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

HubSpot has agreed to buy Frame AI, an AI-based conversation intelligence platform. Frame AI’s technology transforms unstructured data, such as emails, calls, meetings, and conversations, into real-time insights and actionable recommendations, enabling businesses to anticipate customer needs and deliver exceptional experiences.

Element451: AI-Based Student Engagement Platform Company Raises $175 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Element451, a leading AI-based student engagement platform transforming higher education recruitment and retention, announced a strategic investment from PSG. The funding aims to position the company to meet the growing demand for AI-based student engagement solutions in higher education and other learning-based settings.

Rivery: Interview With Head Of Product Marketing Ariel Pohoryles About The Data Integration Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Rivery is a company that simplifies data integration for businesses of any size to build strong, secure, and unified data infrastructures, bringing together over 200 fully managed data services into a single platform. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Rivery’s Head Of Product Marketing Ariel Pohoryles to learn more about the company.

Connexa Capital: Interview With Managing Partner Jonathan Beda About The Venture Firm

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Connexa Capital is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage companies with strong business fundamentals and sustainable growth strategies. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Connexa Capital managing partner Jonathan Beda to learn more about the firm.

System Two Security: $7 Million Raised To Bring A New Level Of AI To Detection Teams

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

System Two Security - a cybersecurity startup built on an AI agent foundation that advances Detection Engineering - announced it raised $7 million in funding led by Costanoa Ventures, with participation from security-focused investor Runtime Ventures and The Hive and Webb Investment Network. The round was also joined by individual investors, including technology veterans Scott McNealy (former CEO of Sun Microsystems), Frederic Kerrest (co-founder of Okta), Ash Devata (CEO of GreyNoise), and others. System Two aims to help security teams deal with advances in attack sophistication and frequency due to attackers adopting GenAI.

AI Studios: Interview With Founder & CEO Eric Seyoung Jang About The Realistic AI Avatar Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

AI Studios is a leading company in artificial intelligence, providing innovative solutions that enhance human interaction and media content creation. Pulse 2.0 interviewed AI Studios founder and CEO Eric Seyoung Jang to learn more about the company.

Keragon: Interview With Co-Founder Conno Christou About The HIPAA-Compliant Automation Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Keragon is known as a rapidly-growing, AI-powered and HIPAA-compliant automation platform for healthcare. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Keragon co-founder Conno Christou to learn more about the company.

Crossed: Interview With Co-Founder & CEO Manny Manzel About The Geolocation Networking Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Crossed is a platform that leverages geolocation technology to facilitate serendipitous encounters, enabling users to cross paths with like-minded individuals in their vicinity. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Crossed co-founder and CEO Manny Manzel to learn more about the company.

Obra Capital: First CLO Offering Closed For $403.75 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Obra Capital, an asset management firm with a specialized approach to alternative investing, announced the final closing of its inaugural Collateralized Loan Obligation offering (CLO). Obra CLO 1 - at over $400 million in size, further diversifies Obra’s strategies in alternative assets and structured credit and underscores its ongoing commitment of providing various strategies aimed at delivering long-term value for investors.

Norton Rose Fulbright: Kessar Nashat Named As US Co-Head of Corporate, M&A and Securities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright announced the appointment of New York partner Kessar Nashat as its US Co-Head of Corporate, M&A and Securities. And he joins Dallas partner Scarlet McNellie in this leadership role, which she has held for more than five years.

Playgama: HTML5 Game Platform Company Raises $3 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Playgama, a game tech platform designed to give HTML5 developers access to the whole web market at once, has raised $3 million in a funding round led by The Open Platform (TOP) and s16vc. The round is also backed by FJ Labs, The Games Fund, TON Ventures, and Kirill Eves, CEO and Founder of Unlimit.

GROWL: Connected Fitness Company Raises $4.75 Million (Seed)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Connected fitness company GROWL emerged from stealth to launch a groundbreaking product: a boxing bag transformed into a personal, at-home boxing & fitness coach. And GROWL’s product reveal is backed by $4.75 million in seed funding from a notable group of investors, including lead investor Skip Capital, along with Kima Ventures, Teampact Ventures, and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane.

MakersHub: Accounts Payable Company Raises $7 Million (Additional Seed)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

MakersHub, a next-generation accounts payable platform for data-driven businesses and their accounting partners, announced it has raised an additional $7 million of Seed funding. QED Investors and TTV Capital led the round, which brings MakersHub’s total funding to $11.5 million.

PhotoniCare: Medical Device Company Raises $4.6 Milloin

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

PhotoniCare - a medical device company dedicated to delivering innovation to frontline care that demonstrably enhances patient outcomes - announced that it has secured $4.6 million in Series B funding, formed a manufacturing partnership with Gentex Corporation for its FDA-cleared OtoSight Middle Ear Scope, and finalized the relocation of its headquarters from Champaign, Illinois to Grand Rapids, Michigan. The new funding is the first close in an expected $9 million round.

NetBird: €4 Million Raised For Developing Open-Source Network Security Solution

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

NetBird, a Berlin-based company developing an open-source network security solution, has raised €4 million in seed funding. The funding round was co-led by InReach Ventures and existing investor Nauta, with participation from Antler and a grant from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, showcasing support from both private and public institutions.

Mariner Adding $878 Million In AUM Through Acquisitions

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Leading national financial services firm Mariner announced it has acquired Sarasota, Florida-based Atlas Financial and Newport Beach, California-based Newport Advisory in a pair of deals that will bring the firm a combined total of approximately $878 million in assets under management.

BridgePort Financial: Nikki Bell Named As SVP Of Operations And Service

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Nikki Bell has been hired as Senior Vice President of Operations and Service at BridgePort Financial Solutions, a registered investment advisor (RIA) firm serving fee-only independent advisors with a range of holistic solutions. Reporting to Managing Director Eddie Rollins, Bell will be managing the firm's operational functions, with a focus on streamlining BridgePort's advisory platform. And he will also work closely with BridgePort leaders to drive the development and implementation of new platforms and offerings to further support the firm's expanding network of fee-only advisors.

Eldridge Industries Launching Asset Management And Insurance Holding Firm

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Eldridge Industries announced it is launching Eldridge, an asset management and insurance holding company with approximately $74 billion in assets under management. And Eldridge will be wholly owned by Eldridge Industries and consist of two divisions: Eldridge Capital Management and Eldridge Wealth Solutions.

Orion: Chris Shutler Named As Head Of Strategy

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Orion, a transformative wealthtech solutions providor for financial advisors and the enterprise firms that serve them, announced the appointment of Chris Shutler, CFA, as Head of Strategy.

Triton Debt Opportunities: Over €1 Billion Raised For Fund III

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Triton Debt Opportunities (TDO) - the opportunistic credit arm of European investment firm Triton - announced the final close of its third fund (TDO III) over its €1 billion fundraising target. TDO III is 40% larger than its predecessor fund, which closed at €744 million in October 2020.

Concurrent Investment Advisors Reaches $9.7 Billion In Assets Under Management

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Concurrent Investment Advisors - a leading multi-custodial hybrid registered investment adviser (RIA) - announced it has reached $9.7 billion in assets under management with the addition of six new advisors and additional support staff.

Interpublic Buying E-Commerce Platform Intelligence Node

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Interpublic Group announced the acquisition of Intelligence Node, a leading e-commerce intelligence platform renowned for its data accuracy and global reach. This strategic move significantly enhances Interpublic’s commerce capabilities, offering clients real-time product and market intelligence to understand shopper trends, drive sales growth, and optimize performance in the dynamic digital marketplace.

Qi Biodesign: Genome Editing Company Completes $75 Million In Total Funding

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

Qi Biodesign, a biotechnology company developing next-generation genome editing technologies, announced the completion of its Series A funding round. The company has now raised a total of $75 million across its Seed, Series Pre-A, and Series A stages.

Bounce Insights: AI-Based Market Research Company Secures $4.5 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 9, 2024

AI-based market research platform Bounce Insights announced that it has raised a $4.5M round led by ACT Venture Capital. Also joining the round are Irrus Investments, Enterprise Ireland, Digital Irish Venture Fund, alongside industry veteran Ian Kiernan (MRops). The angel investors involved in Bounce’s $1.2 million raise in November 2022 include Anne Heraty (Cpl Resources), Gareth Lambe (Meta, Medihive), David Shackleton (OpenBack, Ding), and Michael Dwyer (Pigsback).

Soda Health: Health Tech Company Raises $50 Million (Series B)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 8, 2024

Soda Health - a health tech company enhancing the use of benefit dollars to improve health outcomes and reduce inequities - announced a $50 million Series B financing. General Catalyst led the round with additional capital from former Humana CEO Bruce Broussard and participation from existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, Define Ventures, Qiming Venture Partners USA, and SVB Capital. And Caitlin Donovan of General Catalyst has joined Soda Health’s board of directors.

Voicing.AI: Strategic Investment From LTIMindtree

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 8, 2024

LTIMindtree USA - a wholly owned subsidiary of LTIMindtree, a global technology consulting and digital solutions company - announced a partnership, including a strategic investment in next-generation startup Voicing.AI.

Allworth Financial Onboards $500 Million Ryan Wealth Management Team

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 8, 2024

Allworth Financial announced the acquisition of Ryan Wealth Management, an RIA firm with offices in Yuba City, California, and Spokane, Washington. This partnership strengthens Allworth’s presence in the California and Pacific Northwest markets while further expanding the firm’s expertise in retirement and investment advisory services.

Why SageView Is Buying $400 Million Retirement Plan Consulting Company OnTrack 401(k)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 8, 2024

SageView Advisory Group—one of the nation's leading independent RIA firms—announced it has acquired OnTrack 401(k) of Frederick, Maryland. OnTrack 401(k), which has $400 million in Assets Under Advice (AUA), provides retirement plan consulting services to over 90 institutions.

ICV Partners: Lloyd Metz & Zeena Rao Named As Managing Partners

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 8, 2024

ICV Partners announced that Lloyd Metz and Zeena Rao have been named as Managing Partners.

Sage: $35 Million (Series B) Secured For Transforming Senior Living Operations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 8, 2024

Sage, a leading operations management platform for senior living, announced it raised $35 million in Series B funding, led by IVP and with participation from Friends & Family Capital and PLUS Capital. Existing investors Maveron, Goldcrest Capital, Distributed Ventures, and ANIMO Ventures also participated.