The company launches with an $8 million pre-seed round of financing led by Upfront Ventures, with participation from Unlock Venture Partners, Mucker Capital, and Genius Ventures. Outer Spaces was founded by serial entrepreneur Jiake Liu, designer Terry Lin, and CTO Robin Liao, the creators behind the direct-to-consumer outdoor living brand Outer. Together, they bring a combined background in engineering, product design, and consumer brand-building to residential energy.

Invisibly Powerful. Beautifully Structural.

With integrated solar, invisible battery storage, and multiple configurations, OS1 creates endless possibilities for gathering, working, cooking or recharging outside, all while powering the home. Its solar pavilion generates energy overhead, while the power deck houses ultra-thin battery storage beneath a finished outdoor deck. Together, they create an outdoor structure that produces power through the day and can provide backup power.

Until now, residential solar has been designed as industrial equipment: panels attached to the roof, exposed batteries occupying space in a garage or along an exterior wall. The technology has advanced considerably but the way it looks and the way it fits into people’s lives has not. Thoughtful design is what’s been missing.

“The land and sunlight outside our homes are two of our most valuable, yet underutilized resources. At the same time, the technology needed to generate and store energy at homes already exists,” said Jiake Liu, co-founder and CEO of Outer Spaces. “We believe power should do more than run a house. It should expand how you live in it. Rather than asking homeowners to compromise the appearance and safety of their homes, we’re giving them more livable space that also powers it.”

The first Outer Spaces systems will be available beginning in 2027, starting in Southern California and select markets. Homeowners will configure and order their system online, and the company will also sell through solar installers, builders, landscapers, developers and designers. Pricing will be announced in early 2027.

Homeowners can register today at www.outerspaces.co to receive updates on launch pricing and request priority scheduling in the initial installation markets, ahead of general availability. Installers, builders, developers, and designers interested in carrying the system can apply to the company’s partner program at the same address.

The first product will be offered in two sizes, 12 feet by 12 feet and 12 feet by 24 feet, adding 144 or 288 square feet of finished outdoor living space that can be used in multiple ways: as an outdoor living room, dining area, kitchen, office, gym or wellness space. Configurations will offer 2.4 TO 5.3 kilowatts of solar generation and between 15 and 60 kilowatt-hours of battery storage, enough to offset a meaningful share of a household’s daily electricity use and to keep the home running through an outage.

Configure Online. Assemble on Site.

Designed as a modular product that is simple, precise and predictable to install – rather than a custom construction project – the system requires minimal to no excavation. Designed for rapid on-site assembly, OS1’s innovative architecture significantly reduces installation complexity compared to traditional outdoor construction, with no concrete pouring or lumber cutting, and minimal noise, after which a licensed electrician connects the energy system to the home.

Built like Infrastructure. Feels Like Home.

“People care how their homes look, yet the solar industry has asked them to stop caring,” said Terry Lin, co-founder and chief design officer of Outer Spaces. “We approached residential energy as an architectural and consumer-design challenge to create a space people would want in their backyard.”

“Having personally gone through a painfully slow and expensive backyard deck construction project and solar installation, I wish Outer Spaces had existed,” said Kevin Zhang, General Partner, Upfront Ventures. “Thrilled to back Jiake and Terry again in this new vision: they have invented a beautiful, flexible backyard space that provides seamless home energy independence, and the best part is it doesn’t require full construction crews and lengthy permitting.”

Outer Spaces will use the funding to build the team and pursue channel partnerships. 

The company will show the system publicly for the first time at RE+ 2026, November 16–19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, West Hall — Booth #W17153.

About Outer Spaces

Outer Spaces imagines a future where every backyard powers better living.  We are creating a new category beyond the walls of home: residential solar and battery storage built into the structure of an outdoor living space. OS1, our solar pavilion and power deck system, pairs on-site solar generation with invisible battery storage and multiple configurations, creating endless possibilities for gathering, working, cooking, training, or recharging outside – all while powering the home. Designed for rapid on-site assembly, OS1’s innovative architecture significantly reduces installation complexity compared to traditional outdoor construction, giving installers, developers, and designers an alternative to conventional rooftop arrays and wall-mounted battery packs. Outer Spaces was founded in 2025 by Jiake Liu, Terry Lin, and Robin Liao, the founders of outdoor living brand Outer, and is based in El Segundo, Calif. Learn more at www.outerspaces.co.

Media Contact: 
Tim Turpin, CodePR
[email protected]

SOURCE Outer Spaces

The round is led by Duration Ventures, with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Draper Associates, the GTMfund, Alumni Ventures, and strategic investment from Zoom. Avarra’s AI Avatar platform helps humans master and scalably execute complex sales processes 50% faster than traditional approaches. Accelerating both revenue and customer satisfaction.

SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 6, 2026 — Avarra today announced a $17 million Series A following a year in which the company grew ARR more than 400% YOY and expanded from sales training simulations into a full avatar platform for go-to-market teams.

Most AI companies selling into revenue organizations are betting that automating routine processes will increase sales productivity. Avarra is betting on the opposite. Durable competitive advantage in GTM doesn’t come from completing routine tasks quickly, it comes from reliably and scalability executing complex sales processes involving sophisticated products and deep industry knowledge. The Avarra platform captures the expertise required to effectively run these complex processes from leaders and experts and then upskills GTM teams by deploying AI avatars that use this expertise to develop every team-member, accelerate every deal and amplify coverage to every customer.

Avatars prep reps before calls, join live deals to answer questions a rep can’t, and meet buyers on the website at 2am. Because the same avatars handle both the internal and the customer-facing work, people and avatars are running one playbook. Change the play and it updates universally.

Customers like Elastic, Masimo, Proofpoint, Netskope, and Owner.com report ramp time cut roughly in half, meaningful lifts in win rate, and, with this new release, expert coverage will extend across accounts that previously had none. Multiple enterprise customers have deployed Avarra to scale their sales playbook to more than a thousand GTM professionals at their company.

The loop then closes on the other end. Every session, practice run and live call feeds signal back to leadership, showing which behaviors are landing with buyers and which are not. For most revenue leaders, that answers a question they have never been able to answer: when the number misses, was the play wrong, or did the team simply not run it properly?

Avarra runs natively on Zoom and Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom had this to say, “Revenue teams are the engine that drives businesses forward, and Avarra has built a distinctive platform that combines the power of AI with the unique human touch critical to what they do. Zoom Ventures seeks to support AI-native companies that strategically align with our goals of driving important innovation forward. We are delighted to be part of their next chapter of growth.”

Blake P. Sallé, the Chief Revenue Officer at Proofpoint had this to say. “As Proofpoint has accelerated our growth in data security and AI, we needed a way to get every seller confident talking about all our new capabilities. Avarra gives our reps a place to practice those conversations and get coached until they’ve nailed it. We’ve seen sellers improve 33% from their first attempt to their final one, with better objection handling, value narrative and discovery after coaching.”

Alongside this groundswell of support for the platform, contracted ARR from mid-market and enterprise customers grew 698% year over year, and sales teams now complete more than 10,000 AI coaching and role-play sessions on Avarra each week.

“I backed the Avarra team at seed, and the past year has proved the thesis” says Arif Janmohamed, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Duration Ventures. “AI avatars working collaboratively with humans can dramatically scale GTM team productivity driving both revenue growth and customer satisfaction. When we started Duration Ventures, leading this round was one of the first things we wanted to do because we believe Avarra is defining the future of work.” 

“The ability for AI to automate mundane tasks is well documented, but we see the real power of AI in upskilling how people execute complex, collaborative, high-value processes,” says Avarra CEO, David Knight. “Every sales leader wants their team to sell the way they would. We capture how teams actually win. Then every rep, CSM and line leader gets their own avatar coach on their own schedule, and an avatar expert sitting next to them on every live deal. The companies winning with AI aren’t replacing their people. They’re investing to make their people irreplaceable.”

While at Owner.com, their CRO Kyle Norton built and deployed over 100 custom sims using Avarra, “The biggest behavior change Avarra has unlocked is for sales reps to own their own development more. They’re no longer reliant on just their sales manager as their source of practice.”

This message is mirrored by other customers like Darrel Mitchell who is the Director of WW Field Enablement at Netskope. “With Avarra, our sellers practice high-stakes conversations before they’re in front of a customer. They rehearse with realistic AI buyers, get scored feedback right away and improve with each attempt, while managers coach to what the transcripts show.”

“Every enterprise is now figuring out how its people and its AI learn from each other. The core idea behind Avarra is to capture the expertise that lives inside a company and put it to work across the whole team, human or AI.” says Guru Chahal, Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. “We backed David and the team at seed, and since then Avarra has seen strong enterprise traction. We believe this is a category-defining platform in the making, and we’re delighted to double down.“

“AI’s real power isn’t replacing people, it’s helping them scale their impact“, says Andy Tang, Partner at Draper Associates. “Nowhere is that clearer than in institutional knowledge and training.

The funding will go toward engineering and go-to-market hiring, and toward expanding the customer-facing side of the platform.

Avarra is available today at avarra.ai, where visitors can talk to an expert avatar in real time.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Avarra.ai

New capability enables marketers to extend existing paid media investment across Connected TV, online video, audio, and SmartMail

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 6, 2026 — fullthrottle.ai^®, a pioneer in first-party data media solutions and AdTech operating systems, today announced the launch of Last Mile Audiences, a new capability that enables marketers to identify households that have already engaged with paid social, paid search, and other supported signals and activate those audiences across additional media channels.

Paid search and paid social are widely regarded as performance marketing tactics, yet they don’t always bring the outcome home. These campaigns generate valuable signals of consumer interest, but when an engaged consumer does not immediately convert, much of that opportunity can remain within the platform where the interaction originated. With Last Mile Audiences, fullthrottle.ai^® now allows marketers to create outcomes from the interest generated in those channels. Last Mile Audiences enables marketers to build on that initial investment by transforming engagement signals into first-party addressable household audiences available for activation within the fullthrottle.ai^® platform.

Marketers can then reach those same households across CTV, online video, audio, and direct mail, extending the customer journey beyond the original search or social interaction without rebuilding audiences across multiple platforms.

“Search and social are incredibly effective at generating intent, but a click or engagement doesn’t necessarily mean someone is ready to buy at that moment,” said Amol Waishampayan, co-founder of fullthrottle.ai^®. “Last Mile Audiences give marketers a way to capitalize on the investment they’ve already made by identifying those engaged households and continuing the conversation across additional channels. Instead of starting over with a new audience, marketers can use that existing intent to help move consumers closer to conversion.”

Last Mile Audiences will now be automatically surfaced within the fullthrottle.ai^® Audience Library and can also be recommended by the company’s AI Media Agent as marketers build campaigns, eliminating the need for a separate audience-building process.

Additionally, the launch introduces rolling household windows, giving marketers greater control over when they reach their desired audiences. Households are segmented into four discrete windows based on their most recent activity: 0–30 days, 31–60 days, 61–90 days, and 91–120 days. Marketers can select or combine windows based on the typical consideration period for a particular product or service, enabling media strategy and messaging to better reflect where consumers may be in the buying cycle.

For example, an advertiser in home services may prioritize households that demonstrated interest within the past 30 days, while an advertiser selling a product with a longer consideration cycle may activate audiences across several windows. The discrete windows also enable marketers to differentiate audiences based on recency and tailor their media strategy accordingly.

Last Mile Audiences is available now within the fullthrottle.ai^® platform.

About fullthrottle.ai^®

fullthrottle.ai^® is the AdTech Easy Button for the mid-market, combining AI-enabled identity resolution, omnichannel campaign automation, and outcome-based measurement into one seamless platform. With no reliance on cookies, the platform delivers 85%+ audience match rates and SafeMatch^® attribution, paired with an intuitive platform interface. fullthrottle.ai^® empowers agencies, media companies, brands, and publishers by transforming website visitors into addressable households and activating first-party audiences across channels like CTV, video, audio, display, and direct mail. Trusted by more than 6,000 businesses nationwide, fullthrottle.ai^® helps marketers simplify AdTech and turn data into tangible growth. For more information, visit www.fullthrottle.ai.

Jai Journay, VP of Marketing, [email protected]

SOURCE FullThrottle Technologies

Extends Firm’s Trade Services Platform

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Oct. 6, 2026 — Bertram Capital (“Bertram”) announced today its investment in Percopo Coatings Company, LLC (“PCC” or the “Company”), a leading provider of coatings and restoration services for commercial, industrial, and institutional structures across the Southeastern United States. PCC represents the fifth platform investment in Bertram’s Ignite fund. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

PCC was founded in 2003 by Mike and Victoria Percopo and is headquartered in Longwood, FL. The Company has built a reputation among general contractors, developers, and facility owners for quality and speed to self-perform across multiple trades, eliminating the need for clients to manage multiple contractors.

 “We are proud to partner with Bertram to accelerate our next phase of growth and continue building on more than two decades of expertise, craftsmanship, and client relationships,” said Mike Percopo, Founder and CEO of PCC. “The team at Bertram demonstrated a clear understanding of our business, our people, and the standards we hold ourselves to. With the added digital capabilities of Bertram Labs, we believe we can further strengthen our operations and better serve our clients across the South.”

PCC delivers painting, coatings and restoration solutions for commercial, institutional, hospitality, aviation, education, and government customers, with recognized project work spanning airports, resorts, theme parks, schools, and federal buildings.

“As backers of several scaled platforms across the trades, we appreciate the deep industry knowledge, relationships, entrepreneurial spirit, and grit required to operate a successful business in these categories,” said Zack Bassi, Vice President at Bertram Capital. “Mike and Victoria have worked tirelessly to establish PCC as a household name in painting and specialty coatings with discerning GCs, developers and facility managers. We look forward to supporting PCC’s next phase of growth with the assistance of Bertram Labs, our in-house technology team.”

Bertram would like to recognize the teams at Cook M&A, led by Arnis Kins, and Ashurst Perkins Coie, led by Blake Schell, for their efforts in making this partnership possible. PCC is actively pursuing acquisition and partnership opportunities that expand the Company’s geographic footprint and bring additional high-quality operators into the platform. Interested business owners may contact our partnerships team directly at [email protected].

Percopo Coatings Company, LLC

Founded in 2003 and based in Longwood, FL, Percopo Coatings Company (PCC) specializes in interior and exterior painting, coatings, waterproofing, seamless flooring, sandblasting, fireproofing/intumescent coatings, and restoration services for industrial, commercial, and institutional structures. PCC is trusted by clients including major airports, resort and hospitality operators, school districts, and federal agencies across the Southeastern United States. For more information, visit www.pccusa.com.

About Bertram Capital

Bertram Capital is a private equity firm targeting investments in lower middle-market companies. Since its inception in 2006, the firm has raised over $4.0 billion in capital commitments. In addition to providing strategic growth capital, Bertram Capital seeks to leverage proprietary processes and services, Bertram High-5℠ and Bertram Labs, to empower its portfolio companies to unlock their full potential.

Bertram High-5℠ is an operationally focused value-creation strategy that includes management augmentation, operational initiatives, complementary acquisitions, sales and marketing improvements, and technology integration. The cornerstone of this strategy is Bertram Labs, its in-house technology team, which drives growth through digital marketing, e-commerce, big data and analytics, application development, and platform optimization.

Bertram Capital V focuses on control investments in business services, consumer, and industrial sectors with EBITDA above $7.5 million. Bertram Ignite I focuses on both control and non-control investments in similar sectors, with a minimum EBITDA of $3 million.

For more information, visit www.bcap.com.

Media Contact
David Hellier
[email protected]

SOURCE Bertram Capital

First Projects Announced: ‘The Plug’ and Season Two of ‘self!’ as IWP prepares to open in early 2027

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 6, 2026 — Itibari-Waynne & Partners (IWP), the agentic financing platform for creator-led projects, and VYRE Network are kicking off their partnership with the launch of content created exclusively for VYRE Business News Global (VBNGtv), VYRE’s free streaming business channel.

With IWP officially opening for business in the first quarter of 2027, they are inviting creators, investors, lenders, vendors and apprentices to get a headstart where projects meet capital right now. Join their “Reserve Your Spot Today!” campaign today and Plug In to gain first access to funding.

“When we announced this partnership, the goal was to bring capital and content together on one network. Today that becomes real,” said David Hill, CEO of VYRE Network. “VBNGtv viewers get exclusive programming about business and capital, and creators get a direct line to IWP’s financing platform.”

‘The Plug’: First Proven Project

Debuting this fall, ‘The Plug’ is a video podcast series hosted by Grammy Award-winning producer Bruce Waynne, Founder and CEO of IWP, and Itibari Zulu, President of IWP and Chief Investment Officer of VYRE. It features long-form conversations with entrepreneurs, financiers, investors and entertainers about access to capital, ownership and building a company.

Named after PLUG, IWP’s dedicated funding agent, the series puts IWP’s model in front of the audience it serves: creators seeking funding, investors and lenders seeking vetted deals, and vendors and apprentices seeking funded work.

‘The Plug’ is also the first project financed under IWP’s model and serves as its proof of concept. The model layers risk protection with identifiable repayment sources; depending on the transaction, up to 80% of financing may be supported by insurance-backed credit enhancements, government incentives, tax credits, minimum guarantees, presales and distribution commitments.

‘self!’: IWP Helps Fund Second Season

IWP is contributing funding for Season Two of the successful VBNGtv original series, ‘self!‘ which stands for Self-Empowerment Lessons Flourished. The recorded presentation-style talks provide an open-door look at how influential business leaders have elevated their companies to the next level.

The highest viewed episode from the first season featured a candid account from Itibari Zulu, who reveals how he found motivation and transformed it into a successful career in the financial services industry for over two decades. Watch this ‘self!’ episode now: ‘Itibari Zulu – Understanding the 4 Phases in Business’ 

“‘self!’ gave me the chance to share my story,” adds Zulu. “Season Two is about helping more people tell theirs, and that’s what IWP was built to do: put capital behind the people doing the work.”

Both ‘The Plug’ and ‘self!’ can be streamed for free at VBNGtv.com, the VYRE app, and on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung and LG Smart TVs, iOS and Android.

About IWP
IWP is an agentic financing platform that provides the infrastructure layer for entrepreneurs, powered by PLUG, its dedicated funding agent. www.iwp.fund

About VBNGtv
VBNGtv is a capital markets media engine and global streaming business channel showcasing small-cap and micro-cap companies, business leaders and brand partners.

About VYRE Network
VYRE is a vertically integrated media and entertainment technology company that helps creators, studios and brands distribute, finance, market and monetize premium content worldwide.

Media Contact:
Tammy Lynn, Spotlight PR Company
310-867-1952 / [email protected] 

SOURCE Itibari-Waynne & Partners (IWP)

BOSTON, Oct. 6, 2026 — Second Avenue Capital Partners (SACP), a Schottenstein affiliate and leading provider of asset-based loans and structured financing solutions, announced today that it has provided an $8,000,000 Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility to IT’SUGAR, one of the world’s largest specialty candy retailers. The new facility supports IT’SUGAR’s working capital needs and provides incremental liquidity to drive growth.

Founded in 2006, IT’SUGAR operates over 100 locations throughout the United States and Canada. With one of the most expansive confectionery assortments in specialty candy retail, the company offers an immersive shopping experience through a curated product mix and an entertainment-first approach. In addition to its established store and e-commerce channels, IT’SUGAR recently launched a wholesale business that expands the distribution of its branded and differentiated merchandise.    

“IT’SUGAR was created to satisfy a universal sweet tooth through a variety of bold and iconic merchandise you can’t find anywhere else,” said Ryan Nelson, CEO of IT’SUGAR. “As we pursue growth across both new and existing channels, it is essential to have a financing partner that understands merchandising, execution, and our broader strategic priorities, and SACP was the clear choice when we decided to establish a new lending relationship.”

“IT’SUGAR has done a remarkable job building brand awareness through distinctive product lines and engaging customer experiences,” said Andrew Prunier, Founding Member and Head of the Portfolio Team at SACP. “The leadership team has a strong track record of creating dynamic shopping environments, capitalizing on trends, and leveraging partnerships with leading brands to offer differentiated products. Our partnership provides IT’SUGAR with greater flexibility to invest in productive inventory and execute strategic initiatives.”

This transaction highlights SACP’s expertise in providing tailored financing solutions to consumer-facing brands navigating an evolving marketplace. By leveraging extensive industry expertise and a collaborative approach, SACP helps clients achieve their immediate goals while laying a strong foundation for sustained, long-term success.

About Second Avenue Capital Partners – Second Avenue Capital Partners, LLC, a Schottenstein affiliate, specializes in asset-based loans for the broader retail and consumer products industry. Serving middle-market companies, SACP leverages the experience of retail operators, product merchants, and lenders to deliver customized capital solutions. A unique merchant perspective allows SACP to recognize and unlock value in assets that other capital providers often overlook or do not understand. The firm’s tailored financial solutions are a vital resource for clients seeking capital to effectuate strategy and achieve financial objectives. Learn more at sacp.com.

About IT’SUGAR – IT’SUGAR is one of the largest specialty candy retailers, with over 100 locations in North America. IT’SUGAR provides a sweet & humorous escape from everyday life. Known for its absurd sugar innovations that celebrate lighthearted rebellion, IT’SUGAR aspires to a future where everyone has access to the pure joy that comes from indulging in a world with fewer restrictions and more SUGAR. For more information, please visit www.itsugar.com.

SOURCE Second Avenue Capital Partners, LLC

– Series B financing led by Alta Partners with participation from Series A co-leads Venrock and Foresite Capital, new investor J. Wood Capital and others –

– K-1728 is designed to selectively inhibit both kinase domain and helical domain PI3Kα mutations while sparing wild-type PI3Kα –

– Phase 1 patient dosing expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 –

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 6, 2026 — KymaThera, a biotechnology company developing next-generation precision medicines for genetically defined diseases, today announced the closing of an $80 million Series B financing led by Alta Partners, with participation from Venrock, Foresite Capital, J. Wood Capital and others. Proceeds from the financing will primarily support the advancement of K-1728, KymaThera’s investigational, oral, pan-mutant selective PI3Kα inhibitor. This financing follows the Series A, co-led by Foresite Capital and Venrock in 2024, and brings KymaThera’s total capital raised to more than $100 million.

KymaThera is initially developing K-1728 as a monotherapy and in combination regimens for HR+/HER2- breast cancer, where substantial unmet need remains despite available therapies, and as a monotherapy for PI3Kα-driven vascular malformations. Vascular malformations are serious, often debilitating conditions for which systemic treatment options remain limited. The company expects to initiate patient dosing in a Phase 1 study in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the financing expected to fund development through initial clinical proof-of-concept.

“I invest in people, and KymaThera has assembled an outstanding team with deep experience in drug discovery and development,” said Bob More, Partner at Alta Partners. “Drug development is hard, and great people find ways to solve hard problems. Rob and his team have the experience, scientific rigor and determination to take on an important challenge with K-1728, and I’m thrilled to support them as they advance the company and move the program into the clinic.”

“PI3Kα is one of the most important, well-validated, and heavily pursued disease drivers in oncology, but its therapeutic potential has been constrained by wild-type PI3Kα-mediated toxicity and incomplete coverage of clinically relevant mutations,” said Rob Kania, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of KymaThera. “Our drug design objective from the outset was to address these limitations. K-1728 possesses class-leading potency with helical mutant selectivity windows wider than any reported to date. This financing, backed by an exceptional syndicate of leading life sciences investors, gives us the resources to rapidly advance K-1728 into the clinic and pursue its potential across cancer and vascular malformations.”

In preclinical and IND-enabling studies, K-1728 demonstrated potent activity against both kinase and helical domain PI3Kα mutations, driving tumor regressions at low, once-daily doses in models harboring both mutation classes. K-1728 also demonstrated a wide preclinical therapeutic window between exposures associated with deep tumor regressions and those associated with hyperglycemia. These data support a differentiated pan-mutant profile and the advancement of K-1728 into clinical development.

“When we made our Series A investment in KymaThera, we saw an experienced team with a rigorous scientific approach to building differentiated medicines against highly validated targets. K-1728, internally discovered and wholly owned by KymaThera, is an impressive result,” said Michael Rome, Ph.D., Managing Director at Foresite Capital. “What the team has accomplished in just two years has strengthened our conviction in both their approach and their ability to execute, and we are excited to continue supporting the company as it enters the clinic,” said Mariana Mihalusova, Ph.D., Partner at Venrock.

About K-1728

K-1728 is an investigational, oral, pan-mutant selective PI3Kα inhibitor designed to potently inhibit disease-driving kinase and helical domain mutations while sparing wild-type PI3Kα. KymaThera designed K-1728 using its structure-based drug discovery capabilities to address limitations of earlier generations of PI3Kα inhibitors. Preclinical studies have demonstrated antitumor activity across multiple PI3Kα-mutant models and a differentiated preclinical therapeutic window. KymaThera plans to develop K-1728 across PI3Kα-mutant cancers and vascular malformations.

About KymaThera

KymaThera is a biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing precision medicines against well-characterized targets that drive human disease. KymaThera applies a proprietary structure-based drug design platform built on the team’s decades of drug discovery experience to create differentiated small-molecule therapeutics where scientific precision can achieve meaningful improvements over current therapies. KymaThera’s lead program is advancing K-1728 to treat PI3Kα-mutant cancers and vascular malformations. KymaThera is also advancing earlier-stage discovery programs against additional validated disease targets.

For more information, visit kymathera.com and engage with us on LinkedIn.

Investor and Media Contact

Juniper Point
[email protected]
858-914-1962

SOURCE KymaThera

The fund was significantly oversubscribed amid strong investor demand for LS Power’s differentiated strategy

NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2026 — LS Power, a leading development, investment, and operating company focused on the North American power and energy infrastructure sector, today announced the successful closing of LS Power Equity Partners VI (Fund VI) with total fund commitments of approximately $6 billion.

Launched in January 2026, Fund VI was oversubscribed and fully allocated against its hard cap by July, which was well in excess of its initial $4 billion target. Investor demand was driven by LS Power’s longstanding track record of delivering attractive realized returns across multiple market cycles.

Fund VI will invest in assets, platforms, and companies in the renewables, conventional generation, energy storage, distributed energy resources, and other critical energy infrastructure spaces. The fund is already being deployed, with a commitment of approximately $1.7 billion for investments associated with LS Power’s pending acquisitions of what will form a 5-gigawatt platform of gas-fired generation assets from Constellation Energy across the Mid-Atlantic (PJM) and Texas (ERCOT) power markets.

“This fundraise is a strong endorsement of the team, strategy, and platform we have built at LS Power over more than three decades,” said Paul Segal, CEO of LS Power. “Our approach has always been to anticipate the evolving needs of the U.S. power and energy system and invest behind them with discipline. Fund VI gives us greater capacity to pursue those opportunities while maintaining the selectivity that has guided us over the years.”

“Meeting America’s growing need for reliable, affordable power requires more than capital,” said Darpan Kapadia, COO of LS Power. “Our hands-on development and operating experience across generation, transmission, and other energy infrastructure informs how we underwrite investments, execute complex transactions, and improve the assets and businesses we own. That combination gives us flexibility to pursue opportunities across technologies, geographies, and market environments.”

David Nanus, President of LS Power Equity Advisors, said, “We believe that the scale of the opportunity has never been greater, and our team has never been stronger. We are grateful to our investors for their trust and continued support. We look forward to deploying Fund VI behind compelling opportunities where LS Power’s capital, capabilities, and industry relationships can help our counterparties achieve their objectives while creating value for our investors.”

Fund VI attracted commitments from some of the world’s leading pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, asset managers, foundations, endowments, family offices, and private wealth investors, among others. The fund received strong support from LS Power’s existing investors and investment consultants and expanded the firm’s global investor base into new markets. LS Power’s previous Fund V, which raised $2.7 billion in commitments in 2024, is fully deployed. Across its flagship funds and other investment partnerships, LS Power has raised approximately $19.8 billion of equity commitments since inception.

Evercore Private Funds Group, Leader Capital Markets, and Magenta Capital Services acted as global placement agents and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP served as fund counsel.

About LS Power Equity Advisors

Since LS Power Equity Advisors, LLC’s inception in 2005, LS Power’s investment partnerships have raised approximately $19.8 billion of equity capital to invest primarily in power and energy infrastructure assets, platforms, and companies, drawing on LS Power’s investment, development, and operational capabilities to drive value. Investments have included the acquisition of more than 39,000 MW of power generation capacity, as well as assets and businesses that are meeting the growing needs of the energy expansion, including electric vehicle charging, demand response, microgrids, and renewable fuel platforms.

About LS Power

Founded in 1990, LS Power is a premier development, investment, and operating company focused on the North American power and energy infrastructure sector, with leading platforms across generation, transmission, and energy expansion solutions. Since inception, LS Power has developed or acquired more than 50,000 MW of power generation, including utility-scale solar, wind, hydro, battery energy storage, and natural gas-fired facilities. Through its transmission business, LS Power Grid, the company operates 7 transmission utilities and has built 780+ miles of high-voltage transmission, with another 400+ miles currently in construction or development. Over the years and across its investment partnerships, projects, and businesses, LS Power has raised more than $95 billion in debt and equity capital to support North American infrastructure. For information, please visit www.lspower.com.

Media Contact

Prosek Partners for LS Power
[email protected].

SOURCE LS Power

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 6, 2026 — Benchmark Energy II, LLC (“Benchmark” or the “Company”) announced today the closing of a senior secured financing providing for up to $47.5 million with Cibolo Energy Partners, LLC (“Cibolo”). Proceeds are dedicated to an operated, multi-well development program across Benchmark’s liquids-rich, oil-weighted Western Anadarko Basin position. Benchmark is majority owned by Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTG) and is a joint venture with McArron Partners and members of management.

“This financing enables us to accelerate development across our operated acreage footprint,” said Kirk Goehring, Chief Executive Officer of Benchmark Energy II. “Rig activity in the Western Anadarko is up sharply, led almost entirely by private operators. Well-level results today are much improved from a decade ago, driven by focus on the best rock, conservative spacing, and modern completions. This is our second transaction with the Cibolo team. They understand the basin and have been a strong partner across both, which made this a straightforward process.”

TenOaks Energy Advisors acted as exclusive financial advisor to Benchmark in connection with the financing.

About Benchmark Energy

Benchmark Energy II, LLC is a private oil and gas company focused on acquiring, producing, and developing operated assets in the Anadarko Basin. Benchmark and its affiliates operate over 150,000 net acres producing more than 8,700 barrels of oil equivalent per day across Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. The Company is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and is capitalized by Acacia Research Corporation, McArron Partners, L.P., and members of management.

www.benchmark-energy.com

About Cibolo Energy Partners

Cibolo Energy Partners, LLC is a private investment group specializing in alternative credit opportunities within the North American energy sector. Founded in 2016, Cibolo has built a strong reputation for successfully financing upstream and midstream companies. Focusing primarily on privately-negotiated investments in the lower-middle market, Cibolo’s team of investment professionals brings extensive expertise in both the financial and technical domains. Cibolo is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and is a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

www.ciboloenergy.com

About Acacia Research Corporation

Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTG) is a value-oriented acquirer and operator of businesses across public and private markets and industries including the industrial, energy and technology sectors where it believes it can leverage its expertise, significant capital base, and deep industry relationships to drive value. Acacia evaluates opportunities based on the attractiveness of the underlying cash flows, without regard to a specific investment horizon. Acacia operates its businesses based on three key principles of people, process and performance and has built a management team with demonstrated expertise in research, transactions and execution, and operations and management. Additional information about Acacia and its subsidiaries is available at www.acaciaresearch.com.

About McArron Partners

McArron Partners is the investment arm of the Jones family of Albany, Texas. McArron’s Chief Executive Officer is Jonny Jones, founder of Jones Energy and former Chairman of the Texas Oil & Gas Association and U.S. Oil & Gas Association. McArron deploys its capital in a mix of global public and private investments. The Jones family has supported energy entrepreneurs for more than five decades.

SOURCE Benchmark Energy