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Perplexity has introduced Perplexity Computer, a new AI system designed to unify frontier models into a single, general-purpose digital worker capable of creating and executing entire workflows.

Gambit Security has emerged from stealth with $61 million in Seed and Series A funding to help enterprises strengthen resilience across their entire technology stack. The capital was raised in under 12 months from Spark Capital, Kleiner Perkins, and Cyberstarts.

Harper Insure, an AI-native commercial insurance brokerage, announced it has raised $47 million in combined seed and Series A funding to expand its technology-driven approach to commercial insurance. The company said the round marks the largest publicly disclosed Series A ever raised by a Black founder.

The World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation has invested RM155.6 million, or $40 million, in Malaysia-based Zetrix AI Berhad to support the expansion of digital public infrastructure services in Malaysia and emerging markets across ASEAN and beyond.

Worldline announced the strategic sale of its Indian payment activities to BillDesk as part of a broader effort to sharpen its focus on core European payment operations and streamline resource allocation.

Sinergy Flow, a climate tech company focused on long-duration energy storage (LDES), has closed a €7 million late-seed funding round to accelerate the development and commercialization of its flow battery technology.

Allica Bank, a digital bank focused on small and medium-sized businesses, has raised $155 million in a Series D funding round to accelerate its growth in the UK, deepen investment in its technology platform, and begin international expansion. The round was backed by Ventura Capital, GLG, Sona AM, and existing investors TCV and Blue Owl. The majority of the funding consists of common equity, alongside a portion of new additional Tier 1 equity capital. The investment values Allica at close to $1.2 billion.

Kash, a social-native prediction market platform, announced it has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding as it looks to embed tradable prediction markets directly into social media feeds, beginning with X.

Profound announced it has raised a $96 million Series C at a $1 billion valuation, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. Existing investors Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Saga VC, South Park Commons, and Evantic also participated in the round.

Astelia, an AI-native cybersecurity platform founded by leaders of Israel’s National Red Team, has raised $35 million in combined seed and Series A funding to expand its AI-driven exposure management capabilities. The round was led by Index Ventures and Team8, with participation from Holly ventures. The company is already working with dozens of customers, including leading Fortune 500 companies.

Jeh Aerospace is a software-driven manufacturing company that provides high-precision aerospace and defense components—specifically aerostructures and aero-engine parts—using AI and robotics to accelerate supply chain production for global customers. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Jeh Aerospace founder and CEO Vishal Sanghavi to learn more.

Spirit AI has raised $280 million to scale the deployment of its general-purpose embodied models, as the industry shifts toward Scaling Law-driven VLA architectures. The funding comes from a diverse group of global financial and strategic investors and supports the company’s push to expand large-scale physical AI systems trained on real-world data.

Avisi Technologies, a clinical-stage ophthalmic medical device company, announced the closing of a $10.7 million Series A financing round to advance development of its investigational VisiPlate glaucoma treatment and support its pivotal SAPPHIRE clinical trial. The round was led by MedVenture Partners, with participation from new investors Sherpa Healthcare Partners, SNBL-Gemseki, SBI US Gateway Fund, Golden Seeds, and OneOneFive. Existing investors, including Good Growth Capital, Accanto Partners, Life Sciences Greenhouse Investment, and Quaker Capital Investments, also participated. As part of the financing, Justin Fukuyama, MS, MBA, Partner at MedVenture Partners, has joined Avisi’s Board of Directors.

NationGraph, an AI-native intelligence platform for businesses selling to government agencies, announced it has raised $18 million in Series A funding led by Menlo Ventures, with participation from Perplexity’s Fund, XYZ Venture Capital, Reach Capital, and angel investors. The round, which closed in Q4 2025, brings the company’s total funding to $22.5 million.

Prophet Security, a provider of Agentic AI solutions for security operations, announced strategic investments from Amex Ventures and Citi Ventures to accelerate adoption of its Agentic AI SOC Platform. The funding is aimed at helping security operations center teams respond to threats faster and with greater accuracy as cyberattacks grow in speed and complexity.

Cohen & Gresser announced that Olga Ponomarenko has joined the firm’s London office as a partner, with Irina Bratishkina joining as an associate. The pair brings significant experience advising on complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions, co-investments, equity capital markets transactions, and broader strategic corporate matters.

Ropes & Gray announced that Lavinia Ralli has joined the firm as a partner in its London office, further strengthening its private capital capabilities across Europe and enhancing the depth of its transactional bench in one of the region’s leading financial centers.

Global law firm White & Case LLP has expanded its Global Mergers & Acquisitions practice with the addition of Airi Hammalov as a partner in New York, reinforcing the firm’s focus on cross-border dealmaking and transatlantic growth.

Heidi, a Melbourne-based healthcare AI platform, announced the launch of Heidi Evidence and the acquisition of UK-based clinical AI company AutoMedica as it expands beyond documentation into real-time clinical reasoning and communications. The company also introduced Heidi Comms, an AI partner designed to help healthcare teams manage patient calls, bookings, reminders, and follow-ups.

Joby Aviation, a California-based company developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, announced it has acquired Avionyx, an established aerospace software engineering firm, to support its aircraft type certification program with the Federal Aviation Administration.

CAPTRUST Financial Advisors announced that Suncoast Prosperity Advisors, a wealth management practice and division of Suncoast Equity Management based in Tampa, Florida, has joined CAPTRUST.

Power2X, a clean energy company focused on clean molecule projects and industrial decarbonization, announced it has acquired HyCC, a Netherlands-based large-scale green hydrogen project developer. The transaction strengthens Power2X’s position in clean fuels and feedstocks for industrial customers in the Netherlands and Germany as projects transition from early-stage development to large-scale delivery.

Haworth, a leading global manufacturer of commercial furniture and interior solutions, announced that it has acquired a majority shareholding in Tayco, a Toronto-based manufacturer of office furniture and case goods.

Relation Insurance Services announced it has acquired the assets of Thorn Creek Insurance Services, with the transaction taking effect on January 31, 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed.

LSI Industries Inc., a U.S.-based manufacturer of commercial lighting and display solutions, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Royston Group for $325 million, subject to a working capital adjustment. The deal includes $320 million payable in cash at closing and $5 million in LSI common stock, valued based on the February 19, 2026, closing price. 

Sentinel Global, a San Francisco-based multi-stage venture capital firm, announced a significant expansion of its senior investment team as it prepares for growth and a 2026 fundraising. The firm revealed that veteran investors Ethel Chen and Karan Sharma have joined founder and Managing Partner Jeremy Kranz, reuniting a leadership group that previously worked together and backed companies including Affirm, DoorDash, Airbnb, Chainalysis, Databricks, Zoom, Uber, Snowflake, and Coinbase before at the sovereign investment fund GIC.

Hamachi.ai, a regulatory-first, AI-powered Wealth Intelligence Platform built for investment advisors and asset managers, has announced a new integration with Orion’s Redtail Technology designed to bring compliant, context-aware artificial intelligence directly into advisors’ existing CRM workflows.

Amadeus has acquired SkyLink, an AI-first technology company headquartered in New York, as part of its strategy to accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence across the travel industry. The transaction strengthens Amadeus’ capabilities in orchestration and conversational automation, particularly within corporate travel.

Edward Jones has announced a new technology relationship with fixed income trading and portfolio management platform Moment and the completion of its acquisition of Natixis Investment Managers’ Overlay Management Services capabilities. The firm said the moves are designed to enhance its ability to deliver personalized, efficient, and holistic portfolio solutions at scale.

Banco Santander, the Spain-based global banking group, has unveiled a new strategic plan targeting more than €20 billion in annual profit by 2028, following its Webster deal and broader expansion efforts across key markets.