Startups Raise Over $37.5M, Investors Raise Over $4.6B for New Funds, and Over $54B in M&A

Venture Capital

• Blaize: AI computing firm specializing in edge solutions, secured $106M led by Bess Ventures and Franklin Templeton.

• Thintronics: Electronic materials startup, raised a $23M Series A led by Maverick Capital and Translink Capital.

• Backflip: Proptech startup, secured $15M in Series A funding led by FirstMark Capital.

• Turnkey: Provides wallet infrastructure for crypto developers, raised a $15M Series A from Lightspeed Faction and Galaxy Ventures.

• X Shore: Electric boat startup, raised $9.1M from existing shareholders.

• Log10: Develops a platform for building and scaling LLM-powered applications, raised $7.2M in seed funding led by TQ Ventures and Quiet Capital.

• Indigitall: Spanish SaaS startup for personalized digital communications, secured $6.6M in Series A funding from Data Point Capital, GoHub Ventures, and Adara Ventures.

• BioIntelligence Technologies: Focuses on reducing waste in industrial bioprocesses, raised $5M led by Amplify Capital.

• Klineo: French digital health startup, raised a $2.2M seed round from BPI.

Private Equity

• Skydance Media: In talks to merge with Paramount Global, offered a $3B cash infusion to the combined entity, valued at $8.6B, to support the merger.

• Reinold Geiger: The billionaire owner of L’Occitane International, proposed a $6.4B take-private deal for the skincare company.

• Ono Pharmaceutical: Set to acquire cancer drugmaker Deciphera Pharmaceuticals for $2.4B.

• UMB Financial: Agreed to acquire Heartland Financial USA in an all-stock transaction worth approximately $2B, potentially the largest regional bank deal this year.

• Fulton Financial: Plans to sell a $2B investment securities portfolio from recently acquired Republic First.

• Blackstone: Secured a $1.6B cash deal to acquire Hipgnosis Songs Fund, outbidding Apollo-backed Concord.

• TotalEnergies: Competing for AES Brasil Energia in a deal valued around $1.1B against contenders such as China Three Gorges and Auren Energia; AES seeks about $1.4B for its Brazilian assets.

• Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan: Discussing the sale of its $200M stake in Aspenleaf Energy, valued at $800M.

• SES and Intelsat: Renewed merger talks to potentially form a global satellite giant.

• Barry’s Bootcamp: Exploring strategic options including a potential sale, aiming for a valuation exceeding $700M.

• Tether: Acquired a majority stake in US brain implant firm Blackrock Neurotech, valued at $350M, for $200M.

• MM Warburg: Evaluating strategic alternatives including a possible sale amidst involvement in Germany’s tax scandal.

IPO

• Puig: Spanish beauty/cosmetics firm targeting a $15B valuation for its IPO set for Friday.

• Viking: Cruise operator aiming to raise up to $1.33B at a $10.8B valuation in an expanded US IPO.

• Carlyle: Collaborating with JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley to explore an IPO or sale of aircraft maintenance provider StandardAero, with a potential valuation around $10B, including debt.

• Coca-Cola: Planning a dual IPO of its African bottling operations in Amsterdam and Johannesburg next year, targeting a valuation over $8B.

• Spinneys: High-end supermarket chain in Dubai expecting to price its IPO at the upper range to raise $375M.

• Impossible Foods: Vegan food brand setting sights on a listing, capital increase, or sale by 2027.