• Investment led by Alignment Growth reinforces Kings League’s world-leading position in creator-led sports
• Funding will power international growth through organic expansion and select M&A

BARCELONA, Spain and NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2026 — Kings League, the creator-led sports competition founded by Gerard Piqué, today announced a $63 million investment round led by Alignment Growth, a U.S.-based media and entertainment investor, with participation from existing shareholders.

Since its launch in Spain in 2023, Kings League has established itself as a global phenomenon in creator-led sports. The brand’s formula – seven-a-side soccer reimagined for the digital age, with teams and competitions led by superstar streamers, content creators and soccer legends including Lamine Yamal, Neymar Jr. and Kaká, and “gamified” rules that guarantee action-packed, unpredictable matches – has driven massive online engagement and redefined how younger generations engage with sport.

The investment will support Kings League’s next phase of growth, aimed at expanding the Kings League and Queens League platforms globally, including launching in the U.S. This follows Kings League’s 2025 launch of new regional leagues in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and the MENA region, and a new national team World Cup tournament.

Over the course of 2025, Kings League generated 150 million livestreaming hours watched and more than 13 billion impressions across official social channels, consolidating its position as one of the most-watched sports properties on digital platforms globally.

Gerard Piqué, Kings League’s Founder and Chairman – now an entrepreneur following a stellar career in professional soccer with FC Barcelona, Manchester United, and Spain – said: “Kings League has become a global movement, built natively for the digital generation. Alignment Growth brings exceptional media and entertainment experience, and our partnership will help us continue to grow, bring the Kings League experience to new audiences, and explore diversification into new sports.”

Djamel Agaoua, CEO of Kings League, added: “We have proven that our model works at scale. This funding allows us to accelerate our expansion, continue innovating the format and explore strategic M&A opportunities that support our long-term vision. The ambition is clear: to build the leading global platform for creator-led sports and entertainment.”

Kevin Tsujihara, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Alignment Growth who joined the Board of Kings League, said, “Our investment in Kings League reflects our conviction that digitally native sports properties are uniquely positioned to capture powerful, long-term growth as younger audiences shift how they discover and engage with sports. Gerard, Djamel, and the entire Kings League team have built a truly innovative and global platform combining the world’s most popular sport with a creator-aligned business model and we are thrilled to partner with them on this next phase of expansion.”

To date, Kings League has raised more than $160 million in total funding, supporting its rapid global rollout and the development of an ecosystem that now includes seven regional Kings League men’s competitions, two regional Queens League women’s competitions, and two annual World Cup tournaments, for clubs and national teams. The platform has attracted blue-chip brand partners including adidas, Fortnite, Netflix, Spotify, and Visa, as well as major broadcast and streaming partners such as DAZN and ESPN/Disney+.

About Kings League
Created by football icon and entrepreneur Gerard Piqué, Kings League is a global sports-entertainment phenomenon reimagining the world’s most popular sport for the next generation. Combining elite football with the energy of the creator economy, Kings League blends fast-paced, seven-a-side action with gamified rules inspired by streaming and gaming culture—delivering a format built for modern audiences. Teams are fronted by leading streamers, content creators, and football legends, creating a unique fusion of sport, digital entertainment, and fan-focused storytelling. Since its breakout launch in Spain in 2023, Kings League has grown into a worldwide ecosystem, with competitions established across Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, MENA, Mexico, and Spain. It has expanded into the women’s game with its Queens League competitions and established two annual World Cup international tournaments, for clubs and national teams. For more information, visit https://kingsleague.pro.

About Alignment Growth
Alignment Growth is a private markets specialist investor in the global Media & Entertainment industry, investing behind high-conviction themes and partnering with category-leading companies and entrepreneurs. Our team’s deep industry expertise, operator experience, and direct access to global media, entertainment, tech, and capital markets leaders enable us to identify, access, and unlock differentiated value alongside our partners. For more information, visit: www.alignmentgrowth.com.

Press Contacts:

Kings League
Núria Picas – [email protected] 
Kevin McCullagh – [email protected] 

Alignment Growth
Emily Claffey / Kate Gorgi
FGS Global
[email protected] 

SOURCE Alignment Growth

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 3, 2026 — L’ATTITUDE Ventures, the largest Latino-focused early-stage venture capital firm investing in Latino(a) entrepreneurs, closed 2025 with a strong record of supporting visionary founders and expanding its portfolio impact. Guided by its 2025 theme, “Empowering Visionaries,” the firm demonstrated its ongoing commitment to nurturing innovative businesses and amplifying diverse leadership in venture capital.

Throughout the year, L’ATTITUDE Ventures deployed over $64 million in capital and grew its portfolio to 35 companies, supporting entrepreneurs across technology, AI, fintech, and consumer products. Among the notable investments, AllSpice.io, a San Francisco-based collaboration platform for hardware engineering teams founded by Valentina Ratner and Kyle Dumont received $2.8 million from the firm’s Fund II. The firm also invested $2.5 million into Mapped, an El Segundo, California-based AI-powered platform transforming how data is harnessed across physical spaces. L’ATTITUDE also co-led a $5 million Series A for InOrbit.AI, a Mountain View, California-based robot fleet orchestration platform, and invested $1.5 million in Nibbles, an Austin-based fintech company offering AI-powered pet insurance solutions.

L’ATTITUDE’s portfolio companies achieved significant milestones in 2025. Nopalera, a San Antonio-based multimillion-dollar Latina-owned beauty brand, expanded internationally into Mexico, Australia, and the Middle East. Nopalera and several portfolio companies from New York and California, including Cleverman, Omnitron, and Mavida Health, shared their growth stories at Velocity in Los Angeles during Hispanic Heritage Month, an event designed to accelerate impact and highlight the growing influence of the U.S. Latino consumer cohort.

The firm’s leadership received recognition for its impact on the venture ecosystem and Latino communities. Co-Founder Sol Trujillo was named to the TIME100 Philanthropy List, joining global leaders such as Melinda French Gates, Prince William, and Michael Bloomberg, for his decades-long commitment to advancing Latino economic opportunity. General Partner Laura Moreno Lucas was honored in the Profiles in Diversity Journal 2025 Latino & Hispanic Leadership Awards and published Latinas in VC, a guide spotlighting 31 accomplished female investors and providing strategies, insights, and stories from women breaking into venture capital.

L’ATTITUDE Ventures also strengthened its visibility and industry presence through high-profile events and partnerships. During New York City’s Tech Week, the firm collaborated with Colectivo and Cherryrock Capital to host the Latino VC Leadership Event, spotlighting Latino leadership and fostering discussions on inclusive capital and innovation. The firm concluded its capital deployment period in Q3, shifting focus to driving portfolio growth and creating liquidity for investors while continuing to identify opportunities that align with its mission.

Closing out the year, Trujillo was featured as a speaker at an Axios Live event in early December. During the interview, he discussed the importance of supporting Latino businesses, the shifting U.S. economy, and the role of AI in shaping future opportunity.

“We invest in the fastest-growing segment in the United States—Latino founders,” said Trujillo. “If you want to go where the growth is, you should be investing in these founders.”

About L’ATTITUDE Ventures
With over $100 million in assets under management, L’ATTITUDE Ventures is the largest Latino early-stage venture capital fund investing in technology-first visionary entrepreneurs. The fund provides capital, support, connections, and visibility to empower founders building the next generation of innovative companies.

Led by Co-Founder and Managing Partner Sol Trujillo, and supported by partners Oscar Munoz, Laura Moreno Lucas, and Pete Amaro, the team brings together experienced investors, proven entrepreneurs, and global Fortune 100 executives to create value beyond capital.

For more information, visit https://lattitudeventures.com. 

Media Contact:
Marie Lazzara
JJR Marketing
630-400-3361
[email protected]

SOURCE L’ATTITUDE Ventures

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 3, 2026 — Ares Interactive, a game developer and publisher, today announced a $70 million Series A raise led by General Catalyst, with participation from founder and executive chairman Niccolo de Masi. The round represents one of the largest early-stage investments in a game company in recent years and will support Ares Interactive’s vision to build a next-generation, cross-platform free-to-play game company.

Anchored by its studios 7th Inning (San Francisco) and Swift Games (Berlin), Ares pairs veteran game-making expertise with AI-enabled development, marketing, and live-ops workflows. This will allow their teams to iterate faster, scale content efficiently, and respond to player feedback in real time.

Ares Interactive is led by a veteran team of game industry leaders. It’s also supported by an advisory board spanning platforms, publishing, and free-to-play, including Chris Akhavan (former CRO, Glu), Matt Fischer (former VP, Head of Worldwide App Store, Apple), Andrew Stalbow (former CEO, Seriously Digital), and Kent Wakeford (former COO, Kabam).

“This round validates our vision, our approach, and the team behind it,” said Mike DeLaet, President of Ares Interactive. “Ares Interactive brings together rare operating experience and the discipline to build for the long term, as our leadership team has a long history of developing, scaling, and operating hit free-to-play games for some of the most successful publishers in the industry. In a market where many companies are pulling back, this financing gives us the ability to lean in, grow thoughtfully with exceptional partners, and invest in building games we have always wanted to make, creating experiences and communities that will keep players coming back for years to come.”

“We believe Ares Interactive is uniquely positioned to build enduring hit gaming franchises by leveraging the power of AI workflows,” said Erin Schaefer, COO at General Catalyst. “The team combines deep operational experience with a clear creative vision and a disciplined, long-term approach to game development. From our first conversations, it was clear they are building with players at the center, and we’re excited to support them as they scale.”

Ares Interactive is already operating successful live games, led by Heroes vs Hordes, the company’s flagship title, which has surpassed 13 million installs to date. The ultimate survival roguelike RPG has earned strong player ratings and reviews, demonstrating Ares’ focus on polish, fun-first design, and excellence in live operations.

Next up, Ares will launch Baseball Hits 26, a game designed by baseball fans for baseball fans, featuring officially licensed professional baseball players. Additional game announcements are planned for 2026.

[Link to Press Kit] 

About Ares Interactive
Founded in 2024, Ares Interactive is a privately held, next-generation, cross-platform free-to-play game developer and publisher with studios in San Francisco (7th Inning) and Berlin (Swift Games). Built by veteran leaders from some of the most respected names in interactive entertainment, the company brings deep experience shipping, scaling, and operating hit free-to-play games. Ares is focused on creating player-loved experiences designed to grow into long-running franchises and on operating live titles led by its flagship game, Heroes vs Hordes. For more information, visit the Ares Interactive website or LinkedIn.

SOURCE Ares Interactive

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Feb. 3, 2026 — SonoVascular, Inc., a clinical stage medical device company focused on transforming the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) with its SonoThrombectomy™ System, has completed the first close of its $6 million Series A preferred stock financing. Harbright Ventures, based in Cary, NC, is serving as lead investor, and Robert Ross, Founding Partner at Harbright, has joined SonoVascular’s Board of Directors. The SonoThrombectomy System is an ultrasound facilitated, thrombolytic enhanced thrombectomy system that utilizes microbubble-mediated cavitation as a core mechanism of action. This System is designed to treat blood clots more safely and effectively than today’s thrombectomy solutions and provide a single session, standalone cathlab-based procedure, with maximum clot reduction, and no blood loss or vascular trauma.

SonoVascular has successfully treated ten patients in South America in its First-In-Human (FIH) study for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Its SonoThrombectomy System achieved a complete 100% Marder score (clot) reduction in all cases as adjudicated by an independent core lab, with no device-related adverse events. Follow-up at both 30-days and 6-months confirmed significant and sustained improvements from baseline in Post-Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS) severity scores, including Villalta, revised Venous Clinical Severity, and Numeric Pain Rating Scale scores. The initial results suggest the SonoThrombectomy System has the potential to redefine how clinicians approach clot management, offering a transformative alternative to today’s standard of care.

Dr. Lisandro Carnero-Vidal, Principal Investigator and Vascular Surgeon at Clínica La Sagrada Familia in Buenos Aires, Argentina, said “There is currently no ideal device for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis, as existing technologies carry inherent trade-offs, including blood loss and risk of valvular or endothelial injury. In this First-In-Human feasibility study, the SonoThrombectomy System demonstrated a favorable safety profile and consistent procedural performance in patients with deep vein thrombosis,” Dr. Carnero-Vidal added, “All ten patients were treated successfully, with no device-related serious adverse events and sustained clinical improvement through six-month follow-up. While these findings are preliminary, they support further clinical evaluation of intravascular sonication as a therapeutic approach intended to preserve venous valves and endothelium without blood loss.”

“SonoVascular has the rare combination of breakthrough technology and the experienced leadership necessary to redefine the standard of care in VTE,” said Robert Ross of Harbright Ventures. “We led this round because SonoVascular is solving the ‘trade-off’ problem that has plagued DVT treatment for years – achieving total clot reduction without the typical risks of blood loss or vessel damage. With exceptionally strong FIH results, we believe this system is well-positioned to become the new standard of care. Equally important, SonoVascular’s solution will ease the burden on ICU capacity, saving hospitals and patients time and money.”

The Series A round will fund achievement of two important milestones during 2026: (i) secure FDA approval for a U.S. based Peripheral Venous pivotal study; and (ii) conduct a FIH study for Pulmonary Embolism treatment. 

The SonoThrombectomy System is intended to provide better outcomes for millions of patients suffering from DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT is a condition that occurs when blood clots form in the deep veins of the leg, restricting blood flow back to the heart and causing pain and swelling. Additionally, if part of the clot breaks off, it can travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, causing a PE which can be life threatening. To treat these conditions, the SonoThrombectomy System delivers ultrasound energy and microbubbles directly to the clot through the RESONATOR® Catheter, inducing microbubble-mediated cavitation, which mechanically breaks down the clot. A low dose of thrombolytic drug (tPA) is infused in combination with the microbubbles through the catheter to further improve clot treatment. The System is designed to treat DVT and PE more safely and effectively, and at a lower cost to the health care system than currently approved therapies.

About Venous Thromboembolism
As many as 900,000 VTE events occur each year in the United States.¹ One-third to one-half of people who have a DVT will have long-term complications caused by damage to the valves in the vein called post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS).² In some cases, PTS symptoms can be so severe that a person becomes disabled. If part of the clot breaks off, it can travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE). PE can be life-threatening, with 10-30% of individuals dying within one month of diagnosis.³

About Harbright Ventures
Harbright Ventures is an early-stage venture capital/private equity firm that focuses on investing in and supporting high-growth, innovative companies across a range of sectors. The firm emphasizes disruptive innovation that can have positive impacts on people and the planet, partnering with entrepreneurs to provide not only capital but strategic guidance and connections to help companies scale. Its investment focus is early-stage and growth opportunities across sectors including medical technology, industrial tech, clean/green technology, and B2B SaaS.

For more information, visit www.harbrightventures.com

About SonoVascular, Inc.
SonoVascular’s SonoThrombectomy™ System is a novel and highly differentiated ultrasound facilitated, thrombolytic enhanced thrombectomy system to treat venous and arterial thrombosis. The system utilizes microbubble-mediated cavitation as a core enabling mechanical mechanism of action to more safely and effectively treat VTE. It is a cathlab-based solution designed to maximize the reduction of clot burden, eliminate blood loss and vascular trauma, and harness the benefit of low dose/duration thrombolytic without bleeding risks. SonoVascular is headquartered in Chapel Hill, NC. The SonoThrombectomy System is an investigational device and has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

Learn more at www.sonovascular.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact:

SonoVascular, Inc.
Daniel Estay
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
[email protected]

¹ Gregson J, Kaptoge S, Bolton T, et al. Cardiovascular Risk Factors Associated With Venous Thromboembolism. JAMA Cardiol. 2019;4(2):163–173. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2018.4537. 
² Wendelboe AM, Campbell J, McCumber M; Bratzler D; Ding K, Beckman M, Reyes N; Raskob G. The Design and Implementation of a New Surveillance System for Venous Thromboembolism using Combined Active and Passive Methods. American Heart Journal. 2015.
³ American Lung Association; https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pulmonary-embolism/learn-about-pulmonary-embolism#:~:text=Pulmonary%20embolism%20affects%20around%20900%2C000,that%20travel%20to%20the%20lungs

SOURCE SonoVascular, Inc.

Funding will accelerate Pasito’s mission to eliminate manual work across insurance and benefits operations, powering carriers, brokers, financial institutions, and employers with AI-native workflows from quote to claim

NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2026 — Pasito, the AI-native workspace for group health, life, and retirement benefits, today announced it has raised $21 million in Series A funding. The round was led by global software investor Insight Partners, with participation from Y Combinator and insurance-focused MTech Capital.

Pasito is building agentic AI infrastructure that powers the next generation of benefits operations. Its workspace converts unstructured plan and employee census data into a unified data layer, replacing manual plan building and enabling end-to-end automation across sales, quoting, marketing, enrollment, support, and claims.

“Carriers and brokers are buried in operational debt, and employees pay the price through higher costs and fragmented, confusing experiences,” said Pauline Roteta, Founder and CEO of Pasito. “Pasito replaces that broken infrastructure with a centralized AI workspace and agents that automate the hardest work—accurately, transparently, and at scale.”

Pasito’s core AI agents deliver 98% accuracy in plan construction, compared to an industry average of 74%, according to LIMRA, eliminating hundreds of hours of manual work per group. Built on this core agentic layer, Pasito offers pre-configured engagement agents that generate benefits guides, microsites, highlight sheets, personalized recommendations, plan comparisons, sales materials, customer support answers, translations, and omnichannel communications—turning weeks of work into minutes.

The company has seen rapid adoption across the benefits ecosystem. Top customers include carriers such as Reliance Matrix and New York Life, leading consultants like OneDigital and Daybright Financial, as well as retirement advisors and recordkeepers. Over the past year, Pasito has scaled ARR 50x, expanded deployments across thousands of employers, and become a foundational operating platform for some of the largest carriers and brokerages in the U.S.

“Pasito is doing for insurance and group benefits what AI-first companies have done for the legal industry,” said Alexandra Lundin, Vice President at Insight Partners. “They’ve built an AI-native workspace that re-architects how work gets done in an industry that urgently needs modernization. We look forward to partnering with them in this next chapter.”

The new funding will allow Pasito to:

• Invest in engineering to scale its core agentic infrastructure and expand AI automation across additional product lines and workflows
• Grow its forward-deployed teams, working directly with carriers, brokers, employers, and other market participants to automate custom, high-value workflows with AI
• Expand sales and marketing to meet enterprise demand and broaden distribution across the benefits ecosystem

“Pauline and her team are applying AI to automate what has forever been a manual, error-prone process done by insurers and brokers: Producing employee benefits product information and configuring processes — from quoting to claims — for companies’ benefits workflows” said Brian McLoughlin, Partner at MTech Capital. “We’re excited to be part of their team.” 

Over time, Pasito will continue to empower clients to build proprietary AI agents directly within its workspace, launch fully white-labeled experiences, and extend automation across the full benefits lifecycle.

About Pasito

Pasito is the AI-native workspace for group health, life, and retirement benefits. By structuring unstructured insurance and benefits data and powering agentic workflows across the benefits lifecycle, Pasito enables carriers, brokers, financial institutions, and employers to eliminate manual work, improve accuracy, and deliver modern, compliant, and personalized benefits experiences at scale.

About Insight Partners

Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of June 30, 2025, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 875 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has a global presence with leadership in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insight’s mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on X @insightpartners.

About MTech Capital

MTech Capital is a leading venture capital firm investing in AI-driven companies transforming the insurance and financial services landscape. MTech focuses on early-stage innovation across North America and Europe and is backed by some of the world’s largest insurance companies. Rooted in decades of fintech, venture capital, and insurance investment banking experience, MTech Capital is a hands-on partner for founders looking for unmatched industry networks and expertise.

SOURCE Pasito

• Showcasing ‘Control Tower 2.0’: Incorporating patented AIoT technology for hyper-precise visibility and intelligence across the entire logistics process.
• Proven Technology: Secures third investment round (Series B-2) within just four years of establishment.
• Confidence in Innovation: Offering immediate on-site PoC opportunities for attendees to experience logistics transformation.

SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 3, 2026 — Willog (https://willog.io/en), a leading provider of AIoT-based supply chain intelligence solutions, announced today that it will participate in Manifest 2026, the world’s largest logistics tech conference held in Las Vegas from February 9 to 11. At the event, Willog will unveil its next-generation supply chain management solution, ‘Control Tower 2.0,’ for the first time.

Alongside this product launch, Willog announced the successful closure of its Series B-2 funding round. This marks the company’s third successful investment round in just four years, following Series A in 2021 and Series B in 2023. This achievement serves as a significant validation of Willog’s sustained growth and differentiated technological capabilities in the competitive global market.

Introducing Control Tower 2.0: The Evolution of Visibility

The ‘Control Tower 2.0,’ debuting at Manifest 2026, is an integrated management solution that covers the entire supply chain—from warehouse storage to domestic and international transport. Its core strength lies in providing seamless, end-to-end visibility based on high-precision data collected via Willog’s proprietary, patented IoT sensor devices.

Going beyond simple location tracking, Control Tower 2.0 delivers true ‘Logistics Intelligence.’ The solution utilizes advanced algorithms to precisely analyze critical environmental variables collected by sensors, including temperature, humidity, shock, tilt, and light. By predicting potential issues in advance and analyzing historical data to prevent future risks, Willog provides enterprises with actionable results, supporting cost reduction and strategic optimization.

Experience-Centric Booth & Live Demos

Willog has designed its booth at Manifest 2026 not just as a display, but as an experience-centric space where visitors can tangibly feel the solution’s value. Attendees can get hands-on with the physical lineup of Willog’s diverse IoT sensor devices. Furthermore, the experience zone will feature vivid live demos showing exactly how Control Tower 2.0 visualizes real-world data and derives meaningful insights.

Exclusive On-Site Offer: Free PoC Program

A key highlight of Willog’s presence is the on-site Proof of Concept (PoC) program. Willog is offering a complimentary opportunity for qualified booth visitors to deploy its IoT devices and Control Tower solution directly into their actual logistics operations. This initiative allows potential clients to verify technological effectiveness in their specific environments and experience data-driven logistics innovation with zero financial burden.

This Series B-2 investment serves as market validation of Willog’s vision for the digital transformation of supply chains, said a spokesperson for Willog. The PoC opportunity we are offering at Manifest 2026 is an expression of Willog’s strong confidence in its technology. It will serve as a moment for global customers to truly experience logistics innovation through practical intelligence.

For more information on Willog’s participation in Manifest 2026 and to schedule a pre-meeting, please visit the official event page at https://event.willog.io/.

About Willog

Willog is a premier AIoT-based supply chain solution provider that goes beyond simple location tracking to ensure transparency and predictability across the entire logistics process. Utilizing proprietary, patented IoT devices, Willog accurately collects not only real-time location data but also critical environmental metrics affecting cargo integrity, including temperature, humidity, shock, tilt, and light exposure.

This collected data is analyzed using proprietary algorithms specialized for specific logistics domains, allowing the system to predict potential disruptions and proactively prevent risks based on historical patterns. This enables real-time comprehensive monitoring of all logistics assets, including moving cargo and goods stored within facilities. By forecasting and managing every stage of the supply chain, Willog empowers enterprises to optimize their logistics strategies while minimizing costs and risks.

Recognized for its technological prowess, Willog continues its rapid growth trajectory, having successfully secured Series B-2 funding recently, following Series A in 2021 and Series B in 2023. The company was also honored with a Presidential Citation at the ‘2025 Venture Business Promotion Merit’ awards in South Korea. Currently, Willog is accelerating its global expansion through its U.S. subsidiary.

SOURCE Willog

Followed by the development and regulatory milestone payment of USD 3 million in July 2025, Insilico received an additional milestone payment of USD 5 million from Menarini Group after first-in-patient dosing in a Phase 1 trial of MEN2501, highly differentiated small molecule KIF18A inhibitor in development for chromosomally unstable solid tumors designed using Insilico’s generative AI engine.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 3, 2026 — Insilico Medicine (“Insilico”), a clinical-stage, generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven biotechnology company, today announced that it has received USD 5 million from Menarini Group (“Menarini”) as an additional milestone payment, following the completion of first-in-patient dosing in a Phase 1 study of MEN2501, which was licensed to Menarini in January 2025. MEN2501 (previously known as ISM9682) is a highly differentiated small molecule inhibitor of kinesin KIF18A motor protein with potent activity in cancers with chromosome instability.  

As part of a strategic collaboration to accelerate the development and delivery of transformative cancer therapies, the asset was subsequently licensed to Stemline Therapeutics, Inc. (“Stemline”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Menarini Group, with the combined value of the agreements exceeding USD 550 million. Pursuant to the partnership, both parties actively advanced the program transition and subsequent development activities. Following IND approval for this program, Insilico received the first development and regulatory milestone payment of USD 3 million in July 2025.

“The program rapidly advanced into a Phase I clinical trial and successfully completed first patient dosing, fully demonstrating Menarini and Stemline’s exceptional agility and clinical expertise,” said Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, Founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine. “This milestone shows our shared commitment to delivering innovative therapies for cancer treatment. We are proud to further strengthen our partnership and encouraged to see AI-discovered drug candidates reaching such a critical stage, bringing us closer to providing novel treatment options for patients worldwide.”

“Getting the first patient dosed in our MEN2501 Phase 1 study is a meaningful milestone that underscores how quickly promising science can move forward through focused clinical execution,” said Elcin Barker Ergun, CEO of the Menarini Group. “We value our partnership with Insilico as we translate AI-enabled discovery into clinical programs, with the goal of bringing new, transformational treatment options to patients facing aggressive cancers.”

The collaboration between Insilico and Menarini has continued to expand since its inception. Prior to MEN2501, in January 2024, Insilico announced that it entered into an exclusive global license collaboration with Menarini for MEN2312, a novel KAT6 inhibitor for breast cancer and other oncology indications, with the combined value of the agreements exceeding USD 500 million. The MEN2312 program has progressed smoothly into clinical development, and Insilico has received early development milestone payments.

In addition to the collaboration pipelines, Insilico has extensive experience in AI-driven oncology, drug discovery and development. The company has established a robust oncology pipeline that targets multiple cancer indications, leveraging both moderately novel and well-established mechanisms. Among its most promising assets, the potential best-in-class pan-TEAD inhibitor ISM6331 and the MAT2A inhibitor ISM3412 are both undergoing global, multicenter Phase I clinical trials.

Harnessing state-of-the-art AI and automation technologies, Insilico has significantly improved the efficiency of preclinical drug development, setting a benchmark for AI-driven drug R&D. While traditional early-stage drug discovery typically requires an average of 4.5 years, Insilico has nominated 20 preclinical candidates from 2021 to 2024, with an average timeline—from project initiation to preclinical candidate (PCC) nomination—of just 12 to 18 months per program, with only 60 to 200 molecules synthesized and tested in each program. 

About Insilico Medicine 

Insilico Medicine is a pioneering global biotechnology company dedicated to integrating artificial intelligence and automation technologies to accelerate drug discovery, drive innovation in the life sciences, and extend healthy longevity to people on the planet. The company was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on December 30, 2025, under the stock code 03696.HK.

By integrating AI and automation technologies and deep in-house drug discovery capabilities, Insilico is delivering innovative drug solutions for unmet needs including fibrosis, oncology, immunology, pain, and obesity and metabolic disorders. Additionally, Insilico extends the reach of Pharma.AI across diverse industries, such as advanced materials, agriculture, nutritional products and veterinary medicine. For more information, please visit www.insilico.com

SOURCE Insilico Medicine

Financial services firm Edward Jones announces investments in financial wellness solutions through its venture capital arm, Edward Jones Ventures. Here’s what you need to know:

• Edward Jones Ventures is investing in AI-powered financial planning tools to help simplify estate settlements, long-term care planning, equity compensation, and business ownership.
• The need for more sophisticated, technology-enabled solutions is even more critical with the great wealth transfer well underway.
• As Edward Jones Ventures enters its second year, these investments are part of building an innovation ecosystem that’s bringing real solutions and driving value for clients.

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 3, 2026 — Edward Jones Ventures is entering year two with investments in tech platforms that drive its mission to inspire and accelerate solutions promoting financial fulfillment across North America.

• The portfolio now includes 15 companies with 10 active commercialization efforts underway, and to date, more than 70% of the firm’s U.S. financial advisors have been engaged through pilots and other activities.

Why it matters: A $124 trillion wealth transfer is underway according to Cerulli Associates (The Cerulli Report, 2024), and client needs are growing more complex. Edward Jones Ventures is helping to transform the industry, offering a flexible model to engage with innovators on solutions that give financial advisors more ways to help clients achieve financial fulfillment.

New Edward Jones Ventures’ investments streamline financial milestones for clients and financial advisors:

• Alix, an estate settlement platform, combines AI-driven automation with a human-led settlement team to guide families through the administrative, tax and legal steps that follow a loss. The platform automates document collection, deadline tracking and task prioritization, while trained settlement specialists handle complex judgment calls and coordinate with financial advisors so families receive both speed and care.
• Brillian empowers financial advisors to deliver value for business owner clients by integrating business advisory and personal financial planning. As the first consolidated solution of its kind, Brillian helps business owners save time, increase cash flow and maximize enterprise value.
• Grantd, an AI-driven equity compensation guidance and education platform, simplifies equity grants, delivering faster insights, actionable strategies, and smarter tax planning.
• As previously announced, Waterlily, an AI platform, uses over 500M datapoints to predict client long-term care events and optimize funding plans through self-funding, insurance and annuity products, from discovery through coverage.

What makes Edward Jones Ventures unique?
Edward Jones Ventures offers multiple ways to engage – investing strategically in emerging technologies, incubating new businesses and piloting solutions that enhance client service and practice team efficiency.

“Edward Jones Ventures has built an ecosystem of innovators, entrepreneurs and industry leaders who are coming together to drive meaningful value creation for our clients, practice teams and the industry as a whole,” said Greg Robinson, Head of Edward Jones Ventures.

Since launching in January 2025, Edward Jones Ventures has:

• Invested in impactful solutions, including financial wellness and education platform Addition Wealth, currently being rolled out to Edward Jones practice teams, and digital life insurance platform, Porch Software.
• Launched Aboon, a new, digital-first third-party administrator (TPA) built to make working with 401(k) plans faster, easier and more efficient, to clients of all Edward Jones financial advisors.
• Hosted its first annual Innovation Summit that convened 150+ innovators, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and venture capitalists in St. Louis.

“Together, we can accelerate solutions to real issues for real people faster than any of us could do alone, making it possible for more people to achieve financial fulfillment,” said Robinson.

What’s next for Edward Jones Ventures?
We’re always looking for the next opportunity to expand. Specific focus areas include technologies and solutions for aging well and longevity, navigating intergenerational wealth transfer, supporting business owners and simplifying taxes.

About Edward Jones
Edward Jones is a leading financial services firm in the U.S. and through its affiliate in Canada. The firm’s more than 20,000 financial advisors serve more than 9 million clients with a total of $2.5 trillion in client assets under care at the end of Dec. 31, 2025. Edward Jones’ purpose is to partner for positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. Through the dedication of the firm’s approximately 55,000 associates and our branch presence in 68% of U.S. counties and most Canadian provinces and territories, the firm is committed to helping more people achieve financially what is most important to them. The Edward Jones website is at www.edwardjones.com, and its recruiting website is www.careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. securities laws. You can identify forward-looking statements by words that predict or indicate future events which do not relate to historical matters. You should not rely on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the control of The Jones Financial Companies, L.L.L.P. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the Risk Factors discussed in The Jones Financial Companies, L.L.L.P.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as supplemented by its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and any current reports on Form 8-K. These forward-looking statements were based on information, plans, and estimates as of the date of this press release, and The Jones Financial Companies, L.L.L.P. does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, future events or other changes, except as required by law.

SOURCE Edward Jones

CLEVELAND, Feb. 3, 2026 — Graici, an AI data company today announced their Series A investment led by Santé Ventures. As part of the financing, Santé Founding Managing Director Dr. Joe Cunningham has joined Graici’s Board of Directors.

Graici has pioneered the Adaptive Data Wallet™ powered by a comprehensive data network that acquires, secures, and activates people’s whole-life data, the health, economic, and personal information that is essential for eligible individuals to acquire and maintain public benefits. Graici automates Medicaid renewals and redeterminations so that people maintain critical coverage while state governments and health plans receive verified intelligence to improve outcomes, reduce friction, and operate with greater effectiveness. Graici meets the priorities of our time: eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse while powering trust, precision, and progress for individuals and the systems that serve them.

“AI is one of the greatest innovations of the 21st century,” said Dr. Cunningham. “But solving healthcare’s most persistent challenges requires technology built by leaders who understand both the human stakes and the operational realities. I’ve worked with Steve McHale for 20 years, and he is one of the rare founders capable of delivering transformational impact at scale.”

Graici was founded by Steve McHale, who previously co-founded Explorys, a healthcare big data pioneer acquired by IBM. With Graici, McHale is building a new standard for intelligence grounded in consent, security, and accountable action.

“Whole-life data reveals what fragmented systems cannot,” said McHale. “Graici assembles and activates data agentically and ethically — so people get clarity and support at the speed of need, empowering institutions to serve with confidence and precision.”

About Santé Ventures

Santé Ventures is a healthcare and life sciences investment firm founded by doctors, scientists, and healthcare leaders. Using their extensive healthcare network to identify market dislocations, Santé seeks out disruptive technologies and entrepreneurs across the Biotech, Medtech, and Healthtech landscape to form and fuel the next generation of companies that are inventing the future of healthcare.

About Graici
Graici’s agentic AI builds secure, consent-based Adaptive Data Wallets™ by assembling whole-life data delivering intelligence and measurable results to individuals and the institutions that serve them. Graici’s patented resource matching powers systemic impact, built from the individual up

SOURCE UnifyWork, Inc. dba Graici