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Sense Neuro Diagnostics, a pioneering venture dedicated to transforming emergency neurocritical care, has successfully utilized over $17 million in funding. This funding will accelerate the development and commercialization of the company’s flagship device, NeuroHawk, a system designed for the rapid detection and monitoring of strokes and traumatic brain injuries.

bp has committed to a new venture in the US offshore region, underscoring the area’s critical role in the company's long-term global strategy. The firm has reached a final investment decision for the Tiber-Guadalupe project in the Gulf of America, marking the approval of its second new production platform in the area in under two years. This substantial commitment further solidifies the Gulf of America as a cornerstone of bp's upstream development plans.

B2B Stars operates as an AI-native B2B database, offering comprehensive analytics on over three million U.S. and Western European companies. The platform provides free search access to a vast online directory, verified B2B reviews, and a corporate reputation score database. Pulse 2.0 interviewed B2B Stars CEO Raffaele Apostoliti to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Arctos, a private investment firm specializing in providing customized growth and liquidity solutions, has made a significant announcement regarding the launch of its new business division, Arctos Capital Markets (ACM). This division is specifically designed to identify and link qualified high-net-worth investors with exclusive opportunities in professional sports franchise ownership.

Stirling Square Capital Partners (a renowned pan-European private equity firm specializing in growth investments) and KKR (a global investment firm known for its diverse portfolio and strategic investments) have jointly announced a significant growth investment in Infobric. Infobric stands out as a leader in providing software solutions tailored for the construction industry, addressing various operational challenges faced by contractors and subcontractors alike. With this new investment, KKR will acquire a substantial stake in the company, complementing the existing majority ownership held by Stirling Square and the management team of Infobric.

Notion Capital, a leading VC firm in Europe, has recently announced the successful closing of its newest growth fund, Notion Capital Opportunities III SCSp, at $130 million (€114 million). The fundraising reflects the ongoing resilience and vibrancy of the European tech sector, which continues to attract significant investment.

Corient, one of the largest and fastest-growing national wealth advisory firms, has announced the acquisition of Bristlecone Advisors, a registered investment advisory firm based in Bellevue, Washington, which manages approximately $2 billion in assets.

Berkshire Hathaway and Occidental Petroleum have entered into a definitive agreement for Berkshire Hathaway to acquire Occidental’s chemical division, known as OxyChem, in an all-cash transaction valued at $9.7 billion, with adjustments to the purchase price reflecting standard industry practices. This agreement is subject to customary purchase price adjustments that are typical in large transactions of this nature.

Norton Rose Fulbright is expanding its business practice group with the strategic addition of corporate finance partner Chip Gage, who will be based in the Dallas office. This move aligns with the firm's commitment to enhancing its transactional practices and underscores its proactive response to the growing demand for expert counsel in leveraged and acquisition finance, particularly among middle-market private equity clients seeking tailored financial solutions.

INVL Private Equity Fund II, known as one of the largest private equity funds in the Baltic region and managed by the Invalda INVL Group, has officially entered into an investment agreement with POLMED. This strategic partnership also includes the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and Accession Capital Partners (ACP). POLMED stands out as one of the largest private providers of multi-profile medical services in Poland, with a significant presence in the healthcare sector.

Blackstone has announced that Kimberly Kim will be joining the firm as a Senior Managing Director. In her new role, she will lead the APAC Insurance Institutional Client Solutions division for Blackstone Credit & Insurance (BXCI). This position has been created specifically to support the firm’s strategic initiative of expanding its footprint in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which is becoming increasingly vital for its business growth.

Andrea Traversone has recently been appointed as the Managing Partner at Jolt Capital, which is in conjunction with the firm announcing its initial commitments for Jolt Capital V. One of the first significant contributions comes from the European Investment Fund, which has invested €260 million, setting a strong foundation for the fund's future endeavors.

Apollo has officially launched Apollo Sports Capital (ASC), a dedicated investment venture that will provide innovative capital solutions tailored to the expansive global sports and live events ecosystem. For this initiative, Al Tylis, a highly experienced sports investor and executive with a distinguished background, has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of ASC. Joining him in leadership are Apollo Partners Rob Givone and Lee Solomon, who will serve as co-portfolio managers, and Sam Porter, who has taken on the role of Chief Strategy Officer.

AURELIUS has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire the EMEA metering business from SIX Swiss Exchange-listed Landis+Gyr for an enterprise value of $215 million. Xylem, a leading global water solutions company, has also entered into a definitive agreement for AURELIUS to acquire the assets of its water and heat metering business outside North America.

Monterro, known as one of the largest B2B software investors in the Nordics, has launched two new funds, named M5 and G2, which together total €1.725 billion. This new round of fundraising has more than doubled Monterro's assets under management, bringing the total to €3.1 billion.

OpenAI - the pioneering artificial intelligence company known for introducing the world to the conversational tool ChatGPT - has reportedly seen its valuation surge to $500 billion, according to sources with Reuters. This figure was achieved following a transaction in which a group of current and former employees sold about $6.6 billion worth of their company shares.

Terakeet is a reputation management company that specializes in search and AI. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Terakeet co-founder and CTO Patrick Danial to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

BuildOps is a company that builds and sells an all-in-one operational software platform specifically designed for modern commercial contractors to manage their entire business, integrating field service management, project management, invoicing, and customer relationship management into a single cloud-based system. Pulse 2.0 interviewed BuildOps CEO Alok Chanani to gain a deeper understanding of the company. 

H.I.G. Capital, a leading global alternative investment firm that manages $70 billion in assets, has acquired the France Workwear business from Rentokil Initial.

Dentalcorp Holdings, recognized as Canada’s foremost network of dental practices and one of the fastest-growing in North America, has announced its intention to be acquired by funds linked to GTCR. This significant move is supported by key figures within the company, including its Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Graham Rosenberg, alongside President and CFO, Nate Tchaplia, and investment partner L Catterton. The acquisition is structured as an all-cash transaction, valuing Dentalcorp at approximately C$2.2 billion based on its equity and around C$3.3 billion when considering its enterprise value. 

Berkeley Partners, a private equity real estate investment manager with a concentrated focus on light industrial assets, has proudly announced the successful final closing of the Berkeley Partners Value Industrial Fund VI. This fund has secured a total of $610.5 million in equity commitments, including associated sidecar capital, which significantly exceeds its original fundraising target of $500 million. This achievement reflects strong investor confidence and the growing demand for light industrial properties.

Hughes & Company, a private equity firm with a focus on healthcare software and technology-enabled services, announced the closing of its second private equity fund, known as Hughes Growth Equity Fund II, L.P. This fund reached its hard cap of $260 million, surpassing its initial target of $200 million.

Perigon Wealth Management, an investment advisory firm with offices nationwide and approximately $9.3 billion in client assets, has announced the acquisition of Gitterman Wealth Management and Gitterman Asset Management.

Toyota Motor Corporation has recently announced the launch of a new strategic investment subsidiary called Toyota Invention Partners Co., Ltd. (TIP). This subsidiary is equipped with ¥100 billion, approximately equivalent to $670 million, to facilitate its operations. In addition to TIP, Woven Capital, which serves as Toyota’s growth-stage venture investment arm, has announced the establishment of Fund II. This new fund boasts financial backing of $800 million, equivalent to approximately ¥120 billion, matching the initial Fund I that was launched in 2021.

Global asset management firm Avenue Capital Group has announced the successful final closing of the Avenue Sports Fund, which has garnered over $1 billion in capital commitments. This substantial amount reflects strong investor confidence in the potential of the sports industry.

Verdane, an investment firm specializing in the European lower mid-market, announced the final closing of its latest fund, Verdane Freya XII, at its maximum hard cap of €2 billion. This achievement not only sets a record as the largest fund in Verdane's 22-year history but also elevates the total capital raised by the firm since its establishment to an impressive €9 billion.

Gemspring Capital Management, a leader in the middle-market private equity sector, announced the successful closing of its latest fund, Gemspring Growth Solutions II (GGS II). This new fund has achieved $1.1 billion in capital commitments. The fundraising for GGS II was completed in just three months and was oversubscribed, reaching its hard cap in its inaugural and final closing.

Nanofiber Quantum Technologies (NanoQT) is a company at the forefront of quantum computing, focusing on the innovative development of ultra-low-loss nanofiber cavity-QED (quantum electrodynamics) interconnects specifically designed for quantum processors. In a significant milestone, the company announced the successful first closing of its Series A financing round, securing $14 million in capital. The round was led by Phoenix Venture Partners (PVP) and included participation from Brevan Howard Macro Venture Fund. Additional backing came from existing investors: WASEDA University Ventures, Inc. (WUV), JAFCO Group Co., Ltd., Mirai Creation Fund III (managed by SPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd.), and Keio Innovation Initiative (KII).

Inspiren, a leader in AI-powered solutions that are redefining senior living, has announced it has raised $100 million in Series B funding. This financing round was led by global software investor Insight Partners, with participation from Avenir, Primary Venture Partners, Scale Venture Partners, Story Ventures, Third Prime, and Studio VC. With this new funding, Inspiren’s total funding now stands at $155 million.

Prelude Security, an endpoint protection platform, has recently announced an investment of $16 million. This funding round was led by Brightmind Partners and includes contributions from existing backers such as Sequoia Capital and Insight Partners. With this latest infusion of capital, Prelude’s total funding now stands at an impressive $45 million.