Agentic AI, Defense Tech, and Industrial Automation Propelling the Sector

SAN FRANCISCO, June 10, 2025 — Venture Capital (VC) investment in frontier technology is up 47% year-over-year, according to the latest report from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank. AI-driven demand for compute power, VC-backed defense innovations, and rapid growth in industrial automation are driving record-setting growth for the sector. 

“Within the innovation economy, frontier tech bears the brunt of supply chain challenges,” said Jack Garza, Head of SVB Frontier Technology. “However, despite economic uncertainty and potential tariffs, the sector is showing significant growth as VCs indicate strong enthusiasm for leveraging frontier tech for fundraising.”

SVB defines frontier technology as cutting-edge technology powered by innovation or scientific advances, enabling the convergence of hardware and software. Sub-sectors include compute infrastructure, aerospace and defense, industrial automation, mobility, and immersive technology. Utilizing proprietary data and insights, the Future of Frontier Technology 2025 Report unpacks the current fundraising landscape, sector trends, and key growth areas within the sector.

Key findings from the report include:

• VC Fundraising in Hardware at 10-Year High: A third of fundraising dollars went to hardware-focused VC funds, representing the highest share in a decade and up from 20% in 2021.
• VCs Gaining Ground in Emerging Sectors: Total VC investment in defense and aerospace surpassed $4 billion in 2024 and is on track to hit $12 billion by the end of 2025.
• AI and Robotics Integration Dominating Budgets: VCs are strengthening their AI compute and hardware investments. With generative AI adoption gaining significant traction, investment in industrial robotics is also increasing.
• Defense Innovation Gaining More Support: Since 2019, annual VC investment in defense technology exceeded the annual budget for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), indicating a notable shift in defense innovation funding.
• Frontier tech unicorns are raising: More than 50% of frontier tech unicorns have raised funding in the last two years.

Learn More

To read the complete Future of Frontier Technology 2025 report, click here: Future of Frontier Technology 2025 Report

Silicon Valley Bank is a leader in providing market insights on sectors across the innovation economy. For the complete library of Silicon Valley Bank’s signature reports, please visit Market Research Industry Trends & Insights | Silicon Valley Bank (svb.com)

About Silicon Valley Bank
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank, is the bank of some of the world’s most innovative companies and investors. SVB provides commercial banking to companies in the technology, life science and healthcare, private equity, and venture capital industries. SVB operates in centers of innovation throughout the United States, serving the unique needs of its dynamic clients with deep sector expertise, insights, and connections. SVB’s parent company, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA), is a top 20 U.S. financial institution with over $200 billion in assets. First Citizens Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at svb.com

SOURCE Silicon Valley Bank

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 10, 2025 — Colorado ONE Fund, the venture capital arm of ONE Funds dedicated to advancing critical technologies, today announced a seed-stage investment in HighGround, a pioneering platform that accelerates access to the complex U.S. government market for startups, investors, and technology companies.

HighGround addresses the challenges of navigating government procurement by offering a modern, cloud-based platform that streamlines how to unlock the government marketplace. By reducing barriers, HighGround empowers investors and operators to win faster and more efficiently.

“HighGround is tackling one of the most promising—and often overlooked—markets in the U.S. economy,” said Kevin O’Neil, CEO of ONE Funds. “Their platform unlocks significant market potential for dual-use and defense-adjacent technologies while enhancing national security and competitiveness.”

HighGround’s headquarters at Catalyst Campus in downtown Colorado Springs positions the company at the heart of government innovation and technology development. The seed investment will support team growth, feature enhancements, and onboarding of the first cohort of users. Currently in closed beta, HighGround is working with key partners across the government-facing venture and technology ecosystem.

“Partnering with Colorado ONE Fund validates our mission to build a smarter, faster path into the government market,” said John Price, CEO and Co-Founder of HighGround. “Their investment accelerates our vision of transforming how technology companies and investors access this high-potential space.”

About HighGround
HighGround is a SaaS platform designed to help investors and operators seamlessly access and succeed in the U.S. government market. By simplifying compliance, procurement, and market entry, HighGround unlocks growth opportunities across defense, infrastructure, health, and science. Learn more at www.highground.market.

About ONE Funds
Founded in 2023, ONE Funds focuses on impact investing in the defense sector. With a unique ecosystem, ONE Funds connects defense technology innovators with government leadership, applying a strategic consortium model to grow small businesses. Boasting 250 years of cumulative defense experience, ONE Funds invests in aerospace and national defense technologies to deliver strong returns while advancing critical security innovations. As part of ONE Funds, Colorado ONE Fund partners with the Colorado Venture Capital Authority (VCA) to back early-stage, high-impact technologies supporting national defense. Learn more at www.onefunds.com.

German Nunez  
Managing Director 
[email protected]

SOURCE ONE Funds

NEW YORK and PROVIDENCE, R.I., June 10, 2025 — Wealthbox, the #1-rated CRM software platform for financial advisors, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement for a $200 million strategic majority investment from Sixth Street Growth, the growth investing business of leading global investment firm Sixth Street. The partnership marks a major milestone in Wealthbox’s evolution and positions the company to further scale its operations, accelerate product development, and expand its footprint across the wealth management industry.

The investment from Sixth Street Growth reflects the firm’s strong conviction in Wealthbox’s management team, its modern and intuitive product, and a forward-looking roadmap that includes the development and rollout of innovative AI features designed to drive advisor productivity and firm-wide efficiency. The funding underscores the company’s strong position in the independent advisor market, its expanding opportunity in adjacent wealth-tech categories, and strategic trajectory upmarket to larger RIA firms and enterprise broker-dealers.

“This partnership with Sixth Street is a defining moment for Wealthbox,” said John Rourke, CEO and Co-founder of Wealthbox. “We’ve spent years building a modern, elegant CRM that advisors truly enjoy using. With Sixth Street’s backing, the new funding will allow us to move faster than ever to extend our leadership in the market and deliver even more value to advisory firms of all sizes.”

This investment will enable a new chapter of growth. Wealthbox plans to accelerate product development, expand integrations across the advisor tech stack, and deepen its enterprise capabilities to meet the needs of increasingly complex advisory firms.

“Wealthbox’s platform combines user-friendly simplicity with powerful capabilities, underpinned by a deep commitment to customer satisfaction, and we believe that it offers a valuable, advisor-centric CRM solution for the wealth management channel,” said Michael McGinn, Partner at Sixth Street and Co-Head of Sixth Street Growth. “We are pleased to partner with Wealthbox to support its next phase of innovation.”

As part of the transaction, Michael McGinn, as well as Paul Dodd, Operating Partner, and Alex Goodman, Principal at Sixth Street Growth, will join Wealthbox’s Board of Directors.

Frontier Growth—Wealthbox’s existing investor—will retain its position in the company by rolling over a substantial portion of its equity into the recapitalization.

Wealthbox will continue to operate under its current leadership team, with management also reinvesting meaningfully, underscoring their long-term commitment to the business and its future trajectory.

About Wealthbox
Wealthbox, owned by Starburst Labs, Inc., is a leading CRM platform for financial advisors, known for its intuitive design, powerful features, and seamless integrations. Thousands of advisory firms use Wealthbox daily to manage client relationships, streamline operations, and grow their businesses. Learn more at www.wealthbox.com.

About Sixth Street Growth
Sixth Street Growth makes investments in mid- and late-stage technology companies. The Sixth Street Growth team partners with founders and management teams to provide differentiated capital solutions to accelerate organic and inorganic growth. Sixth Street Growth is the dedicated growth investing platform of Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm with over $100 billion in assets under management and committed capital. Sixth Street has invested over $10 billion in more than 70 companies through its Growth franchise since inception. For more information, visit www.sixthstreet.com/growth, and follow Sixth Street on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Wealthbox

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 10, 2025 — ARCOS® LLC, the leading field operations and workforce management solution provider for utilities and critical infrastructure industries, today announced a new strategic growth investment from Bain Capital. The partnership will support a variety of growth and product innovation initiatives across the business. Terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

ARCOS is the only field workforce management system designed for utilities that integrates data from disparate systems of record to provide field workers and central operations real-time situational awareness, enabling them to safely and efficiently perform the full spectrum of field operations to manage both planned and unplanned field operations.  ARCOS’ AI-enabled software solutions are leveraged by customers from Fortune 150 energy companies to municipal utilities to power and transform their field management operations. 

“Now more than ever utilities face increased strain on their grids as they address rising energy demands, climate change impacts, the integration of renewable energy sources and the replacement of aging infrastructure,” said Paul Bernard, CEO of ARCOS. “We are excited to continue to drive the digital transformation of the utility industry with our expanding suite of AI-powered, modern and mission-critical field operation solutions.” ARCOS’ recent acquisition of Clearion expands its capabilities into adjacent areas such as vegetation and asset management, strengthening its position as the most comprehensive field operations and workforce management platform for utilities. The partnership with Bain Capital will support continued investment in key products like Mobile Workbench, enhancing field crew productivity, while also enabling continued inorganic growth to further expand ARCOS’ platform capabilities.

“ARCOS provides an essential platform for modernizing how utilities respond to increasingly complex operational demands — from extreme weather to grid modernization and workforce constraints,” said Matt Evans, Partner at Bain Capital. “We are thrilled to partner with Vista and the ARCOS team to further accelerate innovation and build on the Company’s clear leadership in field operations technology during this next phase of growth. This investment is designed to provide a flexible capital solution to support ARCOS in further scaling its mission-critical impact.”

“ARCOS has established itself as a vital technology platform for the utilities and critical infrastructure industries by providing easy-to-use digital tools that help organize, automate and optimize their customers’ complex and variable field service operations,” said Martin Taylor, Co-Head of Vista’s Foundation Fund and Senior Managing Director. “We look forward to building on this momentum with Bain Capital and further strengthening ARCOS’ commitment to product and operational excellence.”

About ARCOS LLC
ARCOS provides innovative field workforce management solutions that help utilities and other critical infrastructure industries manage people, work, and assets in a single platform. ARCOS enables utilities to quickly mobilize personnel for blue and grey sky work, manage native and non-native crews in a single system, and accelerate operations with field mobility tools that deliver real-time situational awareness and significant productivity improvements. More than 200 utilities rely on ARCOS to advance safety, reduce field costs, and improve response times and customer satisfaction. To learn more, visit https://www.arcos-inc.com. Follow @ARCOS on LinkedIn.

About Bain Capital
Founded in 1984, Bain Capital is one of the world’s leading private investment firms. We are committed to creating lasting impact for our investors, teams, businesses, and the communities in which we live. As a private partnership, we lead with conviction and a culture of collaboration, advantages that enable us to innovate investment approaches, unlock opportunities, and create exceptional outcomes. Our global platform invests across five focus areas: Private Equity, Growth & Venture, Capital Solutions, Credit & Capital Markets, and Real Assets. In these focus areas, we bring deep sector expertise and wide-ranging capabilities. Our Special Situations team focuses on capital solutions opportunities that provide companies flexible capital that meets their specific needs, coupled with deep operational, strategic and financial value-add capabilities. We have 24 offices on four continents, more than 1,850 employees, and approximately $185 billion in assets under management. To learn more, visit www.BainCapital.com. Follow @Bain Capital on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).

About Vista Equity Partners
Vista is a global technology investor that specializes in enterprise software. Vista’s private market strategies seek to deliver differentiated returns through a proprietary and systematic approach to value creation developed and refined over the course of 25 years and 600+ transactions. Today, Vista manages a diversified portfolio of software companies that provide mission-critical solutions to millions of customers around the world. As of December 31, 2024, Vista had more than $100 billion in assets under management. Further information is available at vistaequitypartners.com. Follow Vista on LinkedIn, @Vista Equity Partners, and on X, @Vista_Equity.

Media Contact:
Jenn Pratt
404.655.2273
[email protected]

SOURCE ARCOS

CHICAGO, June 10, 2025 — Moderne Ventures is pleased to announce its spring 2025 Passport Class. Moderne Ventures is a strategic venture capital and growth equity firm investing in disruptive technology companies across Enterprise SaaS, AI, Robotics, Deep Tech, Sustainability, Data, and Digital Transaction Management. The Moderne Passport Program is an intensive six-month industry immersion program providing its participants with education, exposure, insight, and relationships to drive customer growth.

“Moderne is a generalist investor with vertical expertise. We are intentionally looking for breakthrough technologies that can transform our core industries – real estate, insurance, finance and sustainability – and expand beyond them to capture larger venture returns,” said Constance Freedman, Founder and Managing Partner of Moderne Ventures. “This latest Passport cohort brings innovations ranging from AI-powered security to revolutionary recycling and data intelligence platforms.”

The Moderne Passport program hosts companies of all stages – in this cohort, companies range from Seed to Series B and have raised over $158M+ in aggregate of funding with collective valuations of $472M+. The companies are:

• Acres (acres.com) – (Fayetteville, AR): Comprehensive land intelligence for smarter investments, seamless expansion and efficient transaction management
• Keyway (keyway.ai) – (New York, NY): Sophisticated, domain-specific AI for multifamily market intelligence, revenue management and document workflow automation
• Moii (moii.ai) – (Troy, MI): AI-powered video analytics transforming security cameras into intelligent vision assets—optimizing operations, mitigating risks and delivering real-time actionable insights
• Rejig.ai (rejig.ai) – (San Francisco, CA): An AI-powered marketing agent delivering revenue-ready social content, ensuring compliance and growing brands without costly marketing teams
• Trashie (trashie.io) – (New York, NY): Get rewarded for getting rid of junk. Send Trashie unwanted stuff, earn TrashieCash, shop smarter.

“We’re proud to welcome our 22nd Passport cohort, having supported over 150 companies through the program. Moderne helps companies break into complex industries by providing targeted access to potential customers, strategic capital and real-time feedback from our network of leading operators. By tapping into our deep relationships with industry partners, we help companies unlock new distribution channels and accelerate meaningful growth,” said Carolyn Kwon, Head of Platform at Moderne Ventures.

Moderne Ventures accepts Passport applications on a rolling basis with the next class launching in the fall.

About Moderne Ventures

Moderne Ventures is a strategic, multi-stage Venture Capital firm with a 17-year track record, generating top tier returns across five funds. Moderne is a generalist investor with vertical expertise focused on emerging technologies like Enterprise SaaS, AI, Robotics, Data, Sustainability, and Digital Transaction Management particularly where they can apply to both Moderne’s core industries and expand beyond them to address multitrillion dollar markets and have the potential to deliver outsized returns. 

Moderne’s ‘secret sauce’ is bringing Customers to its Portfolio Companies. Moderne runs both its Funds and its proprietary Industry Immersion Program, the Moderne Passport, designed to foster innovation, partnership and growth between industry partners and emerging technology companies. Moderne has built an extraordinary network of over 1,500 executives and corporations within multitrillion-dollar industries ripe for innovation and disruption including real estate, finance, insurance, and sustainability and programmatically connects its portfolio to its industry network through the Moderne Passport to help generate growth for the portfolio and outsized returns to investors.

Moderne has invested in over 150 companies across five funds, and has built a stellar track record as a lead investor in companies like DocuSign, ICON, Proof, Caribou, Porch, Trust & Will and Xeal.

CONTACT: Carolyn Kwon, [email protected]

SOURCE Moderne Ventures

Significant milestone in the progress of Wheatland Solar Project in Indiana which is on track for completion in early 2026

MIAMI, June 10, 2025 — Origis Energy, one of America’s leading renewable energy and decarbonization solution platforms, today announced the successful financial closing of the Wheatland solar project with MUFG, one of the 10 largest financial groups in the world.

The portfolio financing package supports two major Origis Energy projects. The Wheatland Solar project in Knox County, Indiana, will provide 150 MWac of solar capacity and is slated for completion in the first half of 2026. It is supported by a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with CenterPoint Energy. Meanwhile, the Optimist Solar + Storage project in Clay County, Mississippi, will deliver 200 MWac of solar power and 50 MW 4HR of energy storage. This project is expected to be operational by early 2026 and is supported by a PPA with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The Optimist portion of the MUFG deal closed in late 2024. Origis Energy serves as the developer, owner, and operator for both projects.

“Origis Energy is excited to have achieved this financing milestone on Wheatland Solar with MUFG and other financing partners. We continue to see unprecedented growth in demand for electricity and look forward to completing this project for CenterPoint and its customers,” said Vikas Anand, Chief Executive Officer of Origis Energy.

“We are proud to have partnered with Origis on this financing. It is a testament to our strong relationship and MUFG’s commitment to supporting the development of renewable energy projects across the country,” said Patrick Klein, Managing Director on the Project Finance Americas team at MUFG. “Supporting our clients’ development projects and business goals is one of the tenets of our bank. We relish the opportunity to be a part of the Optimist and Wheatland projects that will provide clean and affordable power while creating jobs and economic opportunities in the region.”

MUFG was Coordinating Lead Arranger, Green Loan Coordinator and Administrative Agent, and participating banks included: Associated Bank, CoBank, National Bank of Canada and NatWest, as Joint Lead Arrangers, and Amalgamated Bank and Siemens Financial Services as Lenders.

Latham & Watkins represented Origis Energy in the Wheatland transaction, with Taft Stettinius serving as Local Counsel. Milbank, LLP acted as MUFG’s counsel, with Dentons serving as MUFG’s Local Counsel.

More information is available about the projects here:
Optimist Solar + Storage https://origisenergy.com/project/optimist-solar-storage/
Wheatland Solar https://origisenergy.com/project/wheatland-solar/

About Origis Energy
Origis Energy is accelerating the transition to a carbon-free future by Reimagining Zero^SM. As one of America’s leading renewable energy and decarbonization solution platforms, the company continues to expand and reimagine its contribution to the world’s net-zero goals. Origis Energy puts customers first to deploy a wide range of sustainable solutions for grid power generation, performance optimization, and long-term operation of solar and energy storage plants across the U.S. Learn more at OrigisEnergy.com.

About MUFG and MUFG Americas
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is one of the world’s leading financial groups. Headquartered in Tokyo and with over 360 years of history, MUFG has a global network with approximately 2,100 locations in more than 50 countries. MUFG has nearly 160,000 employees and offers services including commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, and leasing. The Group aims to be “the world’s most trusted financial group” through close collaboration among our operating companies and flexibly respond to all the financial needs of our customers, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world. MUFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York stock exchanges.

MUFG’s Americas operations, including its offices in the U.S., Latin America, and Canada, are primarily organized under MUFG Bank, Ltd. and subsidiaries, and are focused on Global Corporate and Investment Banking, Japanese Corporate Banking, and Global Markets. MUFG is one of the largest foreign banking organizations in the Americas. For locations, banking capabilities and services, career opportunities, and more, visit www.mufgamericas.com.

SOURCE Origis Energy

NEW YORK, June 10, 2025 — CRH Ventures, the venture capital unit of CRH, has led a Series A investment in VODA.ai, with participation from L-Stone Capital.

Founded in 2017, VODA.ai’s platform helps utilities to manage aging water infrastructure by providing AI-driven predictive analytics to assess pipe condition and risk across transmission, distribution, and collection systems. To date, the Boston-based company’s proprietary platform has analyzed over one million miles of pipe across 26 U.S. states and six countries, enabling utilities to prioritize the protection of critical infrastructure and efficiently allocate resources.

“This investment expands CRH’s existing smart water management solutions and represents a significant step forward in our mission to support technologies that make infrastructure smarter, more resilient, and more sustainable,” said Eduardo Gomez Mendoza, Head of CRH Ventures. “VODA.ai is a standout innovator in AI-driven asset management that can play a critical role in helping utilities around the world to deliver safe, reliable and clean water to the communities they serve.”

The investment will support VODA.ai’s growth, expand its R&D capabilities, and accelerate innovation to better serve municipal utilities and private water operators worldwide. It builds on a commercial partnership announced earlier this week between VODA.ai and Oldcastle Infrastructure, CRH’s leading water infrastructure business in North America, which will enhance market access and collaboration opportunities.

“CRH brings more than capital – it brings global reach, deep infrastructure expertise, and a shared vision for innovation,” said George Demosthenous, CEO of VODA.ai. “We’re excited to work together to scale our impact and help utilities make smarter, data-driven decisions.”

“This investment in VODA.ai reflects CRH’s commitment to supporting transformative solutions that address the world’s most pressing infrastructure challenges,” added Jason Jackson, President, Oldcastle Infrastructure. “We’re excited to support its next phase of growth.”

About CRH Ventures
CRH Ventures is the venture capital unit of CRH, a leading provider of building materials solutions. With access to CRH’s Venturing and Innovation Fund, CRH Ventures partners with and invests ambitiously and strategically in ConTech and ClimateTech start-ups across the entire construction value chain. For more information visit www.crhventures.com. 

About CRH
CRH plc (NYSE: CRH) is the leading provider of building materials solutions that build, connect and improve our world. Employing 80,000 people at over 3,800 operating locations in 28 countries, CRH has market leadership positions in North America and Europe. As the essential partner for transportation and critical infrastructure projects, complex non-residential construction and outdoor living solutions, CRH’s unique offering of materials, products and value-added services helps to deliver a more resilient and sustainable built environment. The company is ranked among sector leaders by Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating agencies. A Fortune Global 500 company, CRH’s shares are listed on the NYSE and LSE. For more information visit: www.crh.com.

About VODA.ai
VODA.ai is a Boston-based SaaS company that uses artificial intelligence to enhance decision-making for water utilities. Its platform provides detailed insights into the condition and risk of water and wastewater systems, enabling utilities to prioritize repairs and investments with confidence. Learn more at www.voda.ai.

About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure, A CRH Company, is a leading provider of infrastructure solutions for the water, communications, and energy markets. With an extensive network of manufacturing facilities and a focus on operational excellence, the company delivers innovative and sustainable products and services throughout North America. Utilizing scale, product breadth, and more than 50 years of engineering expertise, the company delivers products and services designed for wastewater treatment, stormwater management and drainage, access & cable management, telecom & fiber utilities, security walls, electrical C&I, and smart infrastructure. The Oldcastle Infrastructure team partners with municipalities, utilities, contractors, asset owners and engineers to build and maintain the critical infrastructure that powers and connects our communities. For more information, visit www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2706416/CRH_Ventures_Logo.jpg

SOURCE CRH Ventures

Appoints Tom Gillespie, former managing partner of In-Q-Tel, to lead the Fund, along with Rayfe Gaspar-Asaoka, former partner at Canaan Partners

SAN FRANCISCO, June 10, 2025 — Geodesic Capital today announced the first close of the Geodesic Alliance Fund, with $250 million in funding. The Geodesic Alliance Fund is a first-of-its-kind venture fund focused on advancing the U.S.-Japan Alliance by investing in technologies that enhance national security, economic resilience, and cross-border innovation.

The fund primarily targets early-stage U.S. startups in national security sectors like AI, space, cybersecurity, autonomy, and dual-use deep technologies, and provides more than just capital. Portfolio companies benefit from hands-on support, including strategic guidance, regulatory navigation, and introductions to customers, partners, and talent in Japan.

The Geodesic Alliance Fund builds on Geodesic’s established track record. Since 2015, the firm has raised nearly $1 billion across multiple funds, supporting high-growth U.S. companies such as Databricks, Netskope, Saronic and Scale AI, and helping them scale into Japan through a curated network of corporate, policy, and technical leaders.

“The Geodesic Alliance Fund is a new model for cross-border venture—where commercial success and strategic alignment go hand-in-hand,” said Ambassador John Roos, Founding Partner at Geodesic Capital and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan. “We believe the future of security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific depends on deeper U.S.-Japan technology cooperation—and we’re building the platform to make that happen.”

To lead the new fund, Geodesic Capital has appointed Tom Gillespie, formerly Managing Partner at In-Q-Tel, the strategic investment arm of the U.S. national security community. He will lead the Alliance Fund alongside Rayfe Gaspar-Asaoka, a deep tech investor and former partner with Canaan Partners, with support from the broader Geodesic team.

“I’ve spent the last two decades investing at the intersection of national security and innovation, while creating long-term value for investors,” said Tom Gillespie. “This fund presents a rare opportunity to scale that work internationally. Japan is stepping up its defense investments and innovation ambitions, and we’re excited to build the bridge between global startups and Japan’s strategic ecosystem.”

“Japan is one of America’s most capable and indispensable allies—especially in East Asia, where strategic stability depends on close cooperation in emerging domains like space,” said General John W “Jay” Raymond (Ret.), former Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force. “From satellite communications and space situational awareness to lunar exploration and commercial ventures, U.S.-Japan collaboration in space multiplies our capabilities and strengthens our resilience–aligning innovation, industry, and strategy across both nations and the broader Indo-Pacific.”

Limited Partners include prominent Japanese corporations and Japanese governmental institutions that are deeply aligned with Geodesic’s mission of advancing the U.S.-Japan relationship through technological innovation, while generating returns for investors. In addition, senior U.S. and Japanese advisors will support companies navigating commercial and governmental environments.

“This isn’t just a fund—it’s a platform for long-term strategic partnership,” added Rayfe Gaspar-Asaoka. “We’re bridging the next generation of U.S. early-stage, deep tech startups with a network of Japanese corporates, government leaders, and investors who are committed to building tomorrow’s global technology companies.”

The Geodesic Alliance Fund expects to announce its first investments later this year. Geodesic is currently accepting additional LP commitments and plans a final close in the coming year.

About Geodesic Capital
Geodesic Capital is a venture capital firm focused on bridging Silicon Valley and Asia through strategic technology investments. With nearly $1 billion under management and a decade of experience supporting U.S. startups and Japanese corporates, Geodesic helps founders scale globally while delivering strategic value to its partners. Founded by former U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos, the firm is uniquely positioned at the intersection of venture capital, national security, and cross-border collaboration.

Learn more at www.geodesiccap.com

SOURCE Geodesic Capital

• Series A Funding will be used to advance Mosanna’s nasal spray therapy through Phase 2 Clinical Trials
• Biotech veteran David Weber has been appointed CEO to lead the company through clinical development
• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects nearly 1 billion people globally, with the majority undiagnosed and underserved with current treatment options

STOCKHOLM, June 9, 2025 — EQT Life Sciences is pleased to announce that the LSP 7 fund has invested in Mosanna Therapeutics (“the Company”). The clinical-stage biotech company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is developing an easy-to-use nighttime nasal spray to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that aims to restore the body’s natural airway control. The financing was led by EQT Life Sciences and Pivotal bioVenture Partners, along with Forbion, Broadview Ventures and Norwest as co-lead investors. Returning investors included founding investor Forty51 Ventures as well as Supermoon Capital and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF).

“What sets Mosanna apart is its fundamentally different approach to sleep apnea, treating it as a neurological and muscular dysfunction rather than a purely mechanical issue” said Daniela Begolo, Ph.D., Managing Director at EQT Life Sciences, who will be joining the Board of Directors. “MOS118 is the first therapy with the potential to restore the body’s natural airway reflex with the simplicity of a nasal spray. MOS118 has the potential to dramatically improve adherence and outcomes in a patient population that has long been underserved.” 

OSA is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder, affecting an estimated 1 billion people globally. Left untreated, OSA is linked to serious health risks including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, depression and excessive daytime sleepiness – contributing to workplace and car accidents. Despite OSA’s prevalence, treatment has largely focused on mechanical solutions that are often uncomfortable and disruptive. 

Mosanna is pioneering a pharmaceutical solution for sleep apnea patients with MOS118, a nasal spray administered at nighttime that helps restore the body’s natural airway reflex. MOS118 targets the upper airway muscles that are responsible for maintaining airway patency. Research has shown that in OSA patients, the natural airway reflex becomes less active at night, leading to a loss of airway patency and the occurrence of apnea. The new funding will support the advancement of MOS118 through Phase 2 development while also supporting the expansion of Mosanna’s pipeline. 

Mosanna also appointed veteran biotech leader David Weber, Ph.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer to guide Mosanna’s next stage of growth. With more than 30 years of experience spanning drug development, capital formation and corporate strategy, Dr. Weber has led teams across both public and private life sciences companies. Dr. Weber was also appointed to Mosanna’s Board of Directors. 

“Mosanna is taking a truly transformational approach to sleep apnea treatment – offering a non-invasive, non-mechanical solution designed to seamlessly fit into daily life,” said Dr. Weber. “No one has sleep apnea while awake, because our bodies instinctively keep the airway open. Mosanna simply helps to restore this natural reflex during sleep – delivering a nasal spray alternative to invasive mechanical workarounds. With this funding, we’re accelerating development to bring this groundbreaking treatment to patients who desperately need better options.” 

Contact
EQT Press Office, [email protected] 

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

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