Pulse 2.0

Microsoft And OpenAI Sign New $135 Billion Partnership Agreement

American Water And Essential Utilities Merging In $63 Billion Deal

Sequoia Capital: $950 Million Closed For New Venture Funds

Harbor Compliance Acquiring CorpoMax To Improve International Presence

Octopus Capital: £60 Million Raised To Expand UK Care Home Strategy

ForSight Robotics: Interview With Co-Founder, President, And Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Nathan About Revolutionizing Ophthalmology With Surgical Robotics

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:39 PM

ForSight Robotics is a surgical robotics startup specializing in ophthalmologic surgery. Their flagship offering is the ORYOM Platform, a hybrid intraocular robotic system designed to perform delicate eye surgeries—initially cataract operations—with high precision, consistency, and scalability. Pulse 2.0 interviewed ForSight Robotics’ co-founder, President, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joseph Nathan MD, MSc, to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Axonic Insurance: $210 Million Equity Investment Raised From LuminArx And Deutsche Bank

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:36 PM

Axonic Insurance, a global annuity and insurance platform and subsidiary of Axonic Capital, has secured a $210 million preferred equity investment led by LuminArx Capital Management, with participation from Deutsche Bank. The strategic capital will enable Axonic Insurance to expand its global footprint, enhance product innovation, and strengthen its technology and servicing infrastructure.

Nordic: Interview With SVP Of Transformation And Innovation Services Kevin Erdal About The Strategic Solutions Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:28 PM

Nordic provides clients with KLAS-recognized solutions, including strategic advisory, managed services, digital and cloud initiatives, implementation and support, staffing, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) services. Nordic’s team provides specialized expertise to help hospitals and health systems optimize their operations and technology, driving efficiency and supporting clinical transformation in an evolving healthcare environment. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Nordic SVP of Transformation and Innovation Services Kevin Erdal to gain a deeper understanding of the company.

Uluu: A$16 Million Series A Raised For Scaling Seaweed-Based Plastic Alternative

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:26 PM

Uluu, an Australian startup developing sustainable materials from seaweed, has raised A$16 million in Series A funding to build a demonstration plant and advance its mission to replace fossil fuel-based plastics with natural biodegradable alternatives. The round was led by German growth investor Burda Principal Investments, with participation from Main Sequence, Novel Investments (the family office of one of the world’s largest textile groups), Startmate, and a consortium of impact and family investors including Fairground and Trinity Ventures.

Michigan State University: Spartan Ventures Creation Approved For Expanding NIL Opportunities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:20 PM

Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees has approved an Affiliation Agreement authorizing President Kevin Guskiewicz to establish Spartan Ventures, a new non-profit, tax-exempt corporation designed to advance and support the university’s athletic department. The initiative marks a significant modernization of MSU Athletics, positioning the university to operate at the forefront of the rapidly evolving collegiate sports landscape.

PatientNow Buying AI Growth Engine Recura to Accelerate Practice Expansion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:14 PM

PatientNow, a leading provider of practice management and growth technology for aesthetics practices, has announced its acquisition of Recura, an AI-powered growth engine designed to help medical practices enhance client acquisition, conversion, and retention. The deal marks a significant step forward in PatientNow’s mission to help its customers drive consistent revenue growth through intelligent automation and connected digital infrastructure.

Recess: $30 Million Series B Closed And Kyle Thomas Named As President And Co-CEO

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:10 PM

Recess, a pioneer in the relaxation beverage category, has raised $30 million in Series B funding and appointed industry veteran Kyle Thomas as its new President and Co-CEO. The round was led by CAVU Consumer Partners, with participation from Rocana, Midnight Ventures, Torch Capital, Doehler Ventures, KAS Venture Partners, Vanquish, and Craig Kallman.

Hoop.dev: Seed Funding Raised For Advancing Secure Application Delivery For Developers And AI

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:05 PM

Hoop.dev, a secure access platform designed to eliminate friction in application delivery, announced a seed funding round led by Venture Guides with participation from Y Combinator. The funding will help the company scale its platform, expand its team, and accelerate innovation at the intersection of developer productivity, security, and AI.

Innocap: Strategic Investment Raised From Bain Capital As Assets Surpass $100 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Today at 1:02 PM

Innocap Investment Management, a leading Dedicated Managed Account (DMA) platform serving institutional investors, announced a strategic growth investment from Bain Capital Tech Opportunities as it surpasses $100 billion in platform assets. The partnership is designed to accelerate Innocap’s next phase of growth and enhance its technology-driven service model that helps institutions structure, access, and monitor alternative investment portfolios.

Lula Commerce: $8 Million Series A Raised For Advancing AI-Based Digital Transformation In Convenience Retail

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:52 PM

Lula Commerce, a leader in AI-powered e-commerce solutions for convenience retailers, announced it has raised an $8 million Series A funding round led by SEMCAP AI, with participation from Rich Products Ventures, GO PA Fund, NZVC, UP.Partners, Green Circle Foodtech Ventures, and Outlander VC. The new capital brings Lula’s total funding to over $16 million, positioning the company to meet growing digital demand across the $1 trillion U.S. convenience retail market.

Vesence: $9 Million Seed Funding Closed For Law Firm AI Agent Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:50 PM

Vesence, an emerging AI platform transforming how law firms work, announced it has raised a $9 million seed round led by Emergence Capital, with participation from Creandum, Y Combinator, and 20VC. The round also included angel investors Paul Graham, Anton Osika, and Jason Boehmig, underscoring strong early confidence in the company’s vision for precision-driven AI in legal workflows.

FrontlineIQ: $3.3 Million Seed Funding Closed For Building AI Coaching Platform For In-Person Sales Teams

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:49 PM

Montreal-based FrontlineIQ has officially emerged from stealth with an oversubscribed $3.3 million seed round to bring AI-powered sales coaching to millions of in-person sales professionals across North America. The funding round was led by AQC Capital with participation from strategic investors across retail, automotive, and financial services.

Forcura And Medalogix Rebranding As Mosai And Launches Unified Platform To Advance Home-Based Care Intelligence

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:40 PM

Following their merger earlier this year, Forcura and Medalogix have officially rebranded as Mosai, unveiling a unified technology platform designed to transform home-based care through connected intelligence.

Sparrow BioAcoustics: $10 Million Secured For Expanding U.S. Rollout Of Smartphone-Based Cardiac AI Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:38 PM

Sparrow BioAcoustics has raised $10 million in new financing to accelerate the expansion of its AI-driven cardiac assessment platform across hospitals in North America. The funding round was led by Killick Capital and Klister Credit, with participation from Pelorus VC, 98827 Newfoundland & Labrador Inc., and Brinex Capital.

Francisco Partners To Buy Jamf In $2.2 Billion Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:35 PM

Jamf, a leading provider of Apple device management and security solutions for enterprises, has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by global technology investment firm Francisco Partners in a transaction valued at approximately $2.2 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Francisco Partners will purchase all outstanding shares of Jamf common stock for $13.05 per share in cash, representing a premium of about 50% over the company’s 90-day volume-weighted average closing share price before September 11, 2025.

Resilience: $825 Million In Long-Term Financing Secured From Oak Hill Advisors

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:33 PM

Resilience, a technology-driven biomanufacturing company focused on broadening access to complex medicines, announced it has secured long-term debt financing of up to $825 million from Oak Hill Advisors (OHA). The funding would strengthen the company’s balance sheet and accelerate its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) strategy, particularly across its operations in Cincinnati and Toronto.

Sowell Management Partnering With Capital Connect To Bring M&A Advisory Services To Small Business Clients

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:32 PM

Sowell Management, a leading Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) with a nationwide network of financial advisors, has entered into a strategic partnership with Capital Connect to provide a comprehensive suite of M&A advisory and valuation services for small and medium-sized business clients.

Ares Direct Lending Secures $1.5 Billion For Specialty Healthcare Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:31 PM

Ares Management has raised approximately $1.5 billion for its dedicated specialty healthcare strategy under Ares Direct Lending, marking the final close of the inaugural Ares Specialty Healthcare Fund (ASH). The total includes anticipated leverage and represents a significant expansion of Ares’ investment activity across the healthcare sector.

BluWave: $14 Million Growth Investment Raised For Advancing AI-Driven Market Network for Private Equity Services

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:30 PM

BluWave, a leading market network platform serving the private equity ecosystem, announced the closing of a $14 million strategic growth investment led by Highmount Capital, with participation from HighSage Ventures and other investors. The funding will be used to advance BluWave’s AI and data intelligence capabilities, expand its network of service providers, and scale its go-to-market operations.

Rarity PBC: $4.6 Million Seed Funding Raised For Advancing Gene Therapy For ADA-SCID

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 4:26 PM

Rarity PBC, a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to expanding access to transformative gene therapies for rare diseases, announced it has closed a $4.6 million seed financing round led by biotech investor Steve Oliveira, Head of Nemean Asset Management. The new funding will accelerate the development of Rarity’s lead program, a one-time autologous hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for adenosine deaminase severe combined immunodeficiency (ADA-SCID).

Bending Spoons To Buy AOL Following $2.8 Billion Debt Financing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:51 AM

Technology company Bending Spoons announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AOL from Yahoo, marking the next chapter for one of the internet’s most iconic brands. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of 2025, subject to customary regulatory and closing conditions.

BTS Software Solutions: Investment Raised From Blue Delta Capital Partners

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:26 AM

BTS Software Solutions (BTS), a veteran-owned technology and intelligence firm serving U.S. national security agencies, announced a new venture capital investment from Blue Delta Capital Partners, a growth-stage firm focused exclusively on the U.S. federal government services market.

CustoMED: $6 Million Secured For Scaling AI-Based 3D Printed Orthopedic Surgery Solutions

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:24 AM

CustoMED, a leader in AI-driven, surgeon-first orthopedic technologies, announced the successful close of a $6 million seed funding round. The round included participation from Longevity Venture Partners, Varana Capital, Flag Capital, the Israel Innovation Authority, a leading orthopedic implant company, and Avishai Abrahami, Co-founder and CEO of Wix.

GPT Industries Buys Integrated Rectifier Technologies For Expanding Global Corrosion Mitigation Capabilities

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:20 AM

Branford Castle Partners, a North America-focused private equity firm, announced that its portfolio company, GPT Industries, has acquired Integrated Rectifier Technologies (IRT), a leading Alberta-based manufacturer of transformer rectifiers and related products for the global cathodic protection industry. The deal marks GPT’s first acquisition since Branford Castle invested in the company through its Fund II.

Reseda Group And Maps Credit Union Buys Pocketnest For Advancing AI-Based Financial Wellness

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:14 AM

Reseda Group, a wholly owned credit union service organization of MSU Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU), has partnered with Maps Credit Union to acquire Pocketnest, an AI-powered financial wellness platform that leverages behavioral science and generative AI to deliver personalized, holistic financial guidance.

ADP Buys Pequity For Expanding Global Compensation Management Solutions

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:12 AM

ADP, a leader in HR and payroll solutions, has acquired Pequity, an innovative compensation management software company founded in 2019. The acquisition strengthens ADP’s compensation management portfolio and enhances its ability to serve the growing needs of mid-size, enterprise, and multinational clients.

Social Assurance Buying MindMixer For Enhancing AI-Based Civic And Community Engagement Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:11 AM

Social Assurance, a leading provider of marketing, communication, and compliance solutions for regulated industries, has acquired MindMixer, a pioneer in digital civic engagement platforms. The acquisition brings MindMixer back to its Nebraska roots and expands Social Assurance’s ecosystem of community engagement tools for schools, governments, and civic organizations. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

CleanSpark Acquires Land And Power To Develop AI Data Center In Greater Houston

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:10 AM

Bitcoin miner CleanSpark announced it has acquired rights to 271 acres of land in Austin County, Texas, along with long-term power supply agreements totaling 285 megawatts to develop a large-scale AI data center campus. This strategic move expands CleanSpark’s footprint into the Texas market, positioning the company at the center of high-performance computing (HPC) and AI infrastructure development.

Hercle: $60 Million Raised For Scaling Institutional Infrastructure For Global Money Movement

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:09 AM

Hercle, an institutional infrastructure company bridging stablecoins, digital assets, and cross-border settlement, announced $60 million in new financing. The raise includes a $10 million equity round led by F-Prime with participation from Fulgur Ventures and Exponential Science, alongside a $50 million credit facility to support the company’s rapid global expansion.

Helium 10: Interview With EVP And GM Zoe Lu About The E-Commerce Software Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 8:40 AM

Helium 10 is an e-commerce software platform that provides a suite of tools for sellers on marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and TikTok Shop to help them start, grow, and optimize their businesses. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Helium 10 Executive Vice President & General Manager Zoe Lu to gain a deeper understanding of the company.