Archives

Brightstar Capital To Buy 50% Stake In Arden University

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Private equity firm Brightstar Capital Partners has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 50% stake in Arden University. This investment is made in partnership with Global University Systems (GUS), the current owner of Arden.

NiCE To Buy Cognigy In $955 Million Deal For Boosting AI-Based Customer Experience

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

NiCE, a leader in AI-driven customer experience, has announced its agreement to acquire Cognigy, a prominent provider of conversational and agentic AI solutions. This acquisition aims to enhance AI-first customer service by integrating NiCE’s CXone Mpower platform with Cognigy’s advanced AI capabilities.

KKR: Metronet Acquisition Finalized, Forming JV With T-Mobile To Boost Fiber Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

KKR has completed its acquisition of Metronet, a leading independent fiber-to-the-home provider in the U.S., through a joint venture with T-Mobile. This deal integrates Metronet’s broadband infrastructure and operations, aiming to enhance fiber deployment in underserved markets.

Tyler Technologies Buying Emergency Networking To Support Public Safety Software

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Tyler Technologies has acquired Emergency Networking, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company specializing in cloud-native software for fire departments and EMS agencies. This acquisition enhances Tyler's public safety suite as all U.S. fire and EMS departments are required to transition from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) to the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) by January 1, 2026.

iA Financial Buying RF Capital Group In $597 Million Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

iA Financial and RF Capital Group announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement, under which iA will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of RF Capital for $20 per share in cash. This purchase price of $597 million includes a $370 million valuation for RF Capital's fully diluted equity and $227 million in financial obligations (revolving debt and preferred shares).

Treaty Oak Clean Energy: $300 Million Corporate Credit Facility Secured

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Treaty Oak Clean Energy, a US independent power producer (IPP), closed a $300 million senior secured credit facility to support its expanding renewable project pipeline of solar, wind, and battery storage.

BlinkOps: $50 Million Series B Raised For Advancing Cybersecurity Micro-Agents

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

BlinkOps announced that it has closed a $50 million Series B funding round, led by O.G. Venture Partners, with existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and Hetz Ventures participating, bringing the total funding to $90 million. Founded by Gil Barak and Zion Zatlavi, former Secdo founders acquired by Palo Alto Networks, BlinkOps' recent funding follows strong market demand after launching its Security Micro-Agent Builder earlier this year.

Ory: Interview With CEO Jeff Kukowski About The Modern IAM Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Ory Corp. is a software infrastructure provider that builds a global zero-trust network for humans, robots, devices, and software services. Ory focuses on Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions, making it easier and more secure for developers to build applications that handle user authentication, authorization, and access control. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Ory Corp CEO Jeff Kukowski to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Arbitrum Gaming Ventures: Interview With Founder Partners Rick Johanson And Dan Peng About Advancing Gaming Growth

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Arbitrum Gaming Ventures (AGV) is a strategic initiative launched by the Arbitrum DAO to accelerate the growth of gaming and entertainment on the Arbitrum blockchain platform. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Rick Johanson (Arbitrum Gaming Ventures Founding Partner and Vice President) and Dan Peng (Arbitrum Gaming Ventures Founding Partner and Vice President) to gain a deeper understanding of the initiative.

MA Family: Interview With Partner & COO Yury Molodtsov About The VC-Focused Communications Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

MA Family is a communications company specializing in technology and venture capital. Pulse 2.0 interviewed MA Family Partner and Chief Operating Officer Yury Molodtsov to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Tonic Security: $7 Million Raised For Transforming Exposure And Vulnerability Management

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Tonic Security, a cybersecurity startup that helps teams cut through noise and complexity, has launched from stealth with $7 million in seed funding. Hetz Ventures led the seed round, with support from Vesey Ventures and industry angels.

Cover Whale: $40 Million Growth Equity Raised From Morgan Stanley

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Cover Whale Insurance Solutions, an insurtech focused on connected commercial auto insurance secured $40 million from Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital. This funding will enhance technology, analytics, and product development, driving increased profitability.

Levine Leichtman Capital Buys Shipley Do-Nuts From Peak Rock Capital

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (LLCP), a middle-market private equity firm, has partnered with management to buy Shipley Do-Nuts from Peak Rock Capital.

Saothair Capital Partners: Acquisition Of AAI Completed

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Saothair Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused exclusively on investing in middle-market manufacturing and industrial companies, announced it has completed the acquisition of AAI from Halma Holdings through a newly formed affiliate.

PTAG: Acquisition Of Construct-X Completed

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

PTAG, a leading provider of project consulting, has completed its acquisition of Construct-X, a U.S.-based expert in Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) and Lean Project Delivery, as of June 30, 2025. Construct-X's tools, methods, and team now integrate with PTAG's Advanced Project Delivery platform to accelerate digital transformation and operational excellence.

HealthMark Group: Investment Raised From TA Associates

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

HealthMark Group, a provider of clinical information exchange solutions, announced a strategic investment from TA Associates to boost its growth and enhance healthcare data exchange using advanced technology. Management and Ridgemont Equity Partners will also hold ownership stakes, with TA as the new lead investor.

Positron AI: $51.6 Million Raised For Transforming GenAI With High-Performance Compute Systems

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Positron AI, a leader in American-made semiconductors and inference hardware, announced the closing of a $51.6 million oversubscribed Series A round, raising over $75 million this year. Led by Valor Equity, Atreides Management, and DFJ Growth, with additional support from Flume Ventures, Scott McNealy, Resilience Reserve, 1517 Fund, and Unless. This funding supports the deployment of Atlas and the rollout of second-generation products in 2026.

Stonepeak: European Renewable Land Aggregation Platform JouleTerra Launched

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Stonepeak, a leading alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure, has launched JouleTerra, a land aggregation platform for renewable energy sites across Europe. JouleTerra will acquire and lease land to renewable energy operators under long-term contracts, facilitating access to land they would otherwise need to procure and develop.

Fable Security: $31 Million Raised For Human Risk Management Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Fable Security, a human risk management platform, launched with $31 million in funding from Greylock Partners and Redpoint Ventures. It protects enterprises across industries by deploying targeted, risk-based interventions in real time, directly where employees work.

MapLight: $372.5 Million Series D Funding Raised For Developing Therapeutics For Central Nervous System

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

MapLight Therapeutics announced a $372.5 million oversubscribed Series D financing, co-led by Forbion and Goldman Sachs Alternatives, with participation from Sanofi, T. Rowe Price, Avego BioScience, and existing investors like Novo Holdings, 5AM Ventures, and Blue Owl.

Root Evidence: $12.5 Million Seed Funding Raised For Security Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Root Evidence, a cybersecurity startup specializing in evidence-based security, has raised $12.5 million in a seed round. The oversubscribed funding was led by Ballistic Ventures with Grossman Ventures and others. The investment aligns talented cybersecurity leaders behind Root Evidence's goal of providing solutions that turn digital risk into measurable business results.

Apera AI: Series A Raised For 4D Vision For Industrial Robotic Automation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Apera AI, a leader in 4D Vision for industrial robotics, has announced a successful, oversubscribed Series A round, which includes a new investment from BDC Capital and increased participation from existing investors.

Rapidise Launched With $4 Million Seed Raised To Build AI-Connected Devices

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

Napino Tech Ventures and Teksun Microsys launched Rapidise Technology with $4 million in seed funding to transform the design and manufacturing of AI-connected devices. Rapidise is an ODM that designs, prototypes, certifies, and manages full product lifecycles for startups, SMBs, and enterprises, allowing clients to focus on branding while Rapidise delivers turnkey solutions.

ArcSpan: $5.2 Million Raised For Publisher Audience Monetization Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

ArcSpan, a publisher-first monetization platform, has raised $5.2 million in a Seed Extension round to support its mission of helping digital publishers maximize revenue by transforming first-party data into high-performance audience solutions.

50 South Capital: Two Flagship Private Equity Funds Closed At Over $2 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

50 South Capital Advisors, part of Northern Trust Asset Management, announced the final closings of two flagship private equity funds, surpassing their fundraising goals. Private Equity Strategic Opportunities Fund V (PESOF V) closed with $1.2 billion, and Private Equity Core Fund XI (PECF XI) with $893 million, attracting investors from wealth, family offices, intermediaries, consultants, and institutions.

EQT And CPP Investments To Buy NEOGOV

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2025

EQT announced that EQT X and CPP Investments will acquire NEOGOV from funds managed by Warburg Pincus and Carlyle. Founded in 2000 and based in El Segundo, California, NEOGOV offers human capital management and public safety solutions to nearly 10,000 North American public sector organizations.

Dr. Tim Bertram: Interview With The CEO Of Regenerative Medicine Engine

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 29, 2025

North Carolina is continuing its leading position in the nation’s life sciences industry, especially in the rapidly advancing field of regenerative medicine. This past year, Regenerative Medicine Engine (RegenMed Engine), funded by the National Science Foundation and based in North Carolina, announced $2.5 million in grants. To learn more, Pulse 2.0 interviewed Dr. Tim Bertram, CEO of RegenMed Engine.

Dropzone AI: $37 Million Series B Raised For Developing SOC Analysts

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 29, 2025

Dropzone AI, a provider of AI-based Security Operations Center (SOC) analysts, has raised $37 million in a Series B funding round led by Theory Ventures, with participation from Madrona, Decibel Ventures, Pioneer Square Labs, and IQT. This funding validates Dropzone AI's solution, which enhances security for over 100 enterprises, including UiPath, Zapier, and Pipe.

Union Pacific And Norfolk Southern Merging In $85 Billion Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 29, 2025

Union Pacific Corporation and Norfolk Southern Corporation announced today a definitive agreement to merge, creating what is termed as America's first "transcontinental railroad." This historic deal, valued at about $85 billion for Norfolk Southern, looks to connect over 50,000 route miles across 43 states, linking nearly every corner of North America and approximately 100 ports.

IK Partners: €2 Billion Raised For Fourth Small Cap Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 29, 2025

IK Partners, a European private equity firm, has successfully closed its IK Small Cap IV Fund (IK SC IV) with €2 billion in commitments, surpassing its predecessor, IK Small Cap III, which raised €1.2 billion in 2021.