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Spencer Fane LLP has expanded its Real Estate Practice Group with the addition of Cori A. Rosen as a partner in its New York office. Rosen brings experience advising real estate owners, developers, property managers, and other industry participants on human rights compliance, federal litigation, and complex commercial real estate disputes.

Windward, a maritime artificial intelligence company headquartered in London and Washington, D.C., has acquired Azimut.ai, a maritime visual intelligence company, expanding its ability to monitor vessel activity through proprietary optical sensors. The acquisition introduces an additional sensing layer to Windward's multi-source intelligence platform, helping government and commercial customers identify vessels operating without conventional tracking signals.

Empirical Security is a cybersecurity company developing custom security models specific to each enterprise, designed to give security teams predictive capabilities that help them identify and prioritize vulnerabilities based on their likelihood of exploitation. Its platform combines global threat intelligence with infrastructure, assets, and telemetry unique to each organization to help security teams understand where attackers are likely to target. The company's flagship products, Foundation and Radiant, are designed to move cybersecurity teams beyond traditional vulnerability scoring toward predictive risk modeling. Empirical Security was co-founded by Ed Bellis, Michael Roytman, and Jay Jacobs, who bring experience in vulnerability management, data science, and exploit prediction. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Empirical Security Co-Founder and CEO Ed Bellis to learn more about the company's origins, predictive security technology, recent funding, enterprise adoption, and its vision for transforming exposure management.

Wonder Group, Inc. has confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a proposed initial public offering (IPO) of its Class A common stock. The announcement marks a step toward a potential public market listing, although the company has not established a timetable for completing the offering.

Zipline, an autonomous drone delivery company headquartered in South San Francisco, has raised $1.5 billion in financing at a $21.5 billion post-money valuation. The funding round was led by Paradigm, WCM Investment Management, and Layer Global, with participation from Valor Equity Partners, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Uber, Tiger Global, J.P. Morgan, ARK Invest, and Salesforce Ventures.

Troutman Pepper Locke has expanded its Private Equity and Investment Funds Practice Group with the addition of Jennifer Gullotti East as a partner in Washington, D.C. East joins from Kirkland & Ellis, bringing experience in structuring, negotiating, forming, and managing private investment funds, including multibillion-dollar infrastructure and credit strategies.

Detyens Shipyards has received an $11.41 million Military Sealift Command contract for a midterm shipyard availability involving the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Robert F. Kennedy.

Clark Construction Group has received a $9.47 million modification to its U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contract for design-build construction of a Department of Veterans Affairs health care center at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp. has received a $9.9 million U.S. Air Force task order supporting Royal Australian Air Force C-130J electronic warfare capabilities.

Sullivan & Cromwell has appointed Ryan Shores as a partner and Co-Head of its Antitrust Group, strengthening the international law firm's capabilities in complex antitrust litigation, merger reviews, government investigations, and competition-related disputes.

Vestmark, a provider of wealth management technology and outsourced investment services, has announced a strategic partnership with Allspring Global Investments, an independent asset management firm with approximately $603 billion in assets under advisement. The collaboration will help registered investment advisors (RIAs) create and manage personalized, tax-aware investment portfolios at scale.

Genworth Financial has announced a planned executive leadership transition under which President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas J. McInerney will retire effective December 31, 2026. The company's Board of Directors expects to appoint current Chief Financial Officer Jerome Upton as President and CEO, effective January 1, 2027.

Churchill Downs, a gaming, racing, and entertainment company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, has appointed Michael Tucker to its Board of Directors. Tucker brings more than 30 years of investment management experience, including extensive involvement in businesses operating across sports, entertainment, and leisure.

Gevo, a developer of low-carbon fuels and renewable energy technologies, has appointed K'Lynne Johnson to its Board of Directors, effective November 4, 2026. Johnson brings more than three decades of executive leadership experience across sustainable technologies, specialty chemicals, global manufacturing, research and development, and corporate transformation.

KLX Energy Services Holdings, a provider of oilfield services to onshore oil and natural gas producers, has appointed Franklin S. Edmonds Jr. and E. Dirk Hallen as independent directors.

RBC Wealth Management–U.S. has appointed Shawn Bernhard as Complex Director for its Texas South region, expanding the firm's leadership team responsible for supporting financial advisors and wealth management operations across Texas and Louisiana.

RadNet, a provider of diagnostic imaging services and AI-powered healthcare technology, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ONRAD, a radiology services company specializing in teleradiology and hospital-based physician staffing.

Michigan State University has received a $10 million philanthropic commitment from alumni John and Becky Duffey to support its football program and planned improvements to Spartan Stadium. The contribution will benefit FOR SPARTA, the university's $1 billion athletics fundraising initiative, and adds to the couple's decades-long history of supporting Michigan State's academic and athletic programs.

Rutgers University–Newark has launched a new Innovation Lab through its Institute for Data, Research and Innovation Science (IDRIS), establishing a dedicated space for interdisciplinary collaboration in artificial intelligence, data science, and emerging technologies. The facility is designed to bring together students, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals to address complex challenges affecting urban communities and society.

Pliant, a Berlin-based financial technology company specializing in modular business-to-business payment solutions, has raised $80 million in Series C funding to accelerate its international expansion and develop payment infrastructure for artificial intelligence agents. The oversubscribed financing was led by Seaya Nova and Speedinvest, with participation from Illuminate Financial, Motive Partners, and Molten Ventures.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has secured approximately $3 billion in dual-tranche credit facilities guaranteed by SACE, Italy's export credit agency, to strengthen commercial cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Italy. The financing is designed to expand procurement opportunities for Italian businesses supplying goods and services to PIF and its portfolio companies.

NFS Capital, an independent equipment finance company headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, announced the closing of a $250 million warehouse credit facility with Fifth Third Bank, National Association. The transaction establishes a new banking relationship and expands NFS Capital's funding resources to support continued growth across its diversified equipment financing portfolio.

Kalepa, an artificial intelligence technology company focused on the insurance industry, has raised $75 million in Series B funding at a $470 million valuation. The round was led by Updata Partners, with participation from existing investors IA Ventures and Inspired Capital.

Arena.io, an AI-powered workforce intelligence and talent matching platform, has secured $4.5 million in financing to expand its workforce mobility solutions, strengthen partnerships with public-sector and educational organizations, and accelerate product development. Investors participating in the financing include World Education Services (WES), former U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Devoted Health Co-Founder Todd Y. Park, Mindy Munger, the Sherman Family Foundation, the France-Merrick Foundation, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, and existing investors.

Nyquis, a San Francisco-based company developing high-resolution monitoring technology for electrical infrastructure, has raised $6.3 million in seed funding co-led by Gigascale Capital and South Park Commons. Additional investors include Allison Pickens Ventures, Friale, Sovereign's Capital, Pioneer Fund, Script Capital, and Lost Coast Ventures.

Fact Base, a Tokyo-based software company developing digital solutions for small and medium-sized manufacturers, has raised approximately $28.8 million in Series D financing to accelerate international expansion and strengthen its manufacturing technology platform.

Shinka, a Dublin-based advertising technology company developing programmatic mediation solutions for digital out-of-home and connected television advertising, has raised €1.9 million ($2.2 million) in seed funding. The financing was led by a group of Irish angel investors, with additional backing from Enterprise Ireland.

Billd, an Austin, Texas-based provider of working capital financing for commercial construction subcontractors, has secured a $100 million credit facility from Victory Park Capital (VPC), a Chicago-based alternative investment firm specializing in private credit and asset-backed finance.

Beacon Holdings, a Toronto-headquartered technology investment company focused on acquiring and operating established software businesses, has secured a $50 million strategic investment from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments).

Humble Robotics, a San Francisco-based developer of autonomous electric freight vehicles, has raised $51 million in Series A funding to advance its approach to commercial freight transportation. The financing was led by Obvious Ventures, with participation from existing investors Eclipse, Energy Impact Partners, and others. The round brings Humble Robotics' total funding to $75 million less than one year after its founding.