Venture Capital

NAVER: Clone Labs Receives Investment For AI User Intent And Decision Prediction Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

NAVER D2SF, the corporate venture capital arm of NAVER, announced an investment in Clone Labs, an AI startup developing technology designed to predict user intent and automate decision-making on behalf of users. The company is building what it describes as a “User Model,” an AI system that records and analyzes users’ computer and agent usage patterns in real time to anticipate next actions and execute them autonomously.

Convective Capital: $85 Million Raised For Disaster Resilience Fund II

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

Convective Capital announced the closing of its $85 million Fund II, expanding the firm’s investment focus from wildfire technology into the broader disaster resilience market. The fund will back startups building technologies designed to protect critical physical infrastructure and systems from growing climate and disaster-related risks.

Matador Resources: $1.1 Billion Delaware Basin Expansion Through Federal Lease Sale

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

Matador Resources Company announced the successful acquisition of 5,154 net undeveloped acres in the core of the Delaware Basin as part of the Bureau of Land Management oil and gas lease sale held this week. The Dallas-based company said the acquisition represents a strategic $1.1 billion expansion of its asset base in Southeast New Mexico.

REPS: $23.6 Million Raised For Road Energy Production Technology

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

An Austrian clean energy startup called REPS has raised $23.6 million to scale a technology platform that converts the kinetic energy generated by trucks and other vehicles into electricity, according to Forbes. The company’s system is designed to be installed beneath roads at locations where vehicles naturally brake, capturing and converting energy that would otherwise be wasted into usable power.

Clouted: $7 Million Raised To Rethink Marketing For Artists, Brands, And Creators

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

Clouted has raised $7 million to build a platform that helps artists, brands, and creators automate and scale their marketing and content distribution. The announcement was shared by CEO and co-founder Justin Gorriceta-Banusing, who explained that the company aims to reduce the burden creators face in managing both content production and audience growth.

Antler: £25 Million Commitment From British Business Bank For UK Fund II

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

The British Business Bank announced a £25 million cornerstone commitment to Antler’s UK Fund II, marking the Bank’s first commitment to Antler and reinforcing support for ambitious founders and innovators across the UK.

iA Financial Group: $500 Million Offering Announced For Unsecured Subordinated Debentures

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

iA Financial Group announced an offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of 4.158% fixed/floating unsecured subordinated debentures due May 26, 2036.

Sentinel Global: Interview With Founder & Managing Partner Jeremy Kranz About The VC Firm

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

Sentinel Global is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm that invests in enterprise technology founders developing AI, blockchain, and open computing architectures to reshape global markets. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Sentinel Global founder and managing partner Jeremy Kranz to learn more.

Starfighters Space: $17.5 Million Raised To Accelerate STARLAUNCH Commercial Space Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

Starfighters Space announced a $17.5 million strategic equity investment led by global institutional investors as the company advances development of its STARLAUNCH airborne launch platform and broader commercial space operations.

Qurie: €2.2 Million Raised For Electrocaloric Refrigeration Systems

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

Qurie, a Freiburg-based startup developing next-generation electrocaloric cooling systems, has secured €2.2 million in Seed funding. The round was jointly backed by HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Technology Transfer Fund TT49, and Aepikur GmbH.

Prelude: $20 Million Series A Raised To Build The Onboarding And Trust Layer For The AI Age

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

Prelude, a company building onboarding and trust infrastructure for the AI era, announced it has raised $20 million in Series A funding led by 20VC, with participation from existing investors Singular, Seedcamp, Deel, and FDJ UNITED Ventures.

Engine Room: Growth Investment From Red Iron Group To Expand Life Science Finance Capabilities

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 22, 2026

Red Iron Group announced a strategic growth investment in Engine Room, a finance and accounting partner focused on venture-backed life science companies. The investment is intended to support organizational expansion, enhance service capabilities throughout the client life cycle, and increase the use of technology and AI to improve client outcomes. Engine Room will continue operating independently under its existing brand and leadership structure.