The Sontag Innovation Fund and the Yuvaan Tiwari Foundation join Two Bear Capital to support FYR’s growing oncology portfolio and expanded focus in neuro-oncology and neurodegeneration

MISSOULA, Mont., Sept. 24, 2025 — FYR Bio, a biotechnology company leveraging extracellular vesicles (EVs) to create an end-to-end solution for new precision medicine tools, today announced it has closed a new $8 million round of funding. The Sontag Innovation Fund (a venture subsidiary of The Sontag Foundation) and the Yuvaan Tiwari Foundation join long-standing investor Two Bear Capital. Proceeds will accelerate FYR’s continued expansion in oncology and added emphasis in neuroscience, including neuro-oncology and neurodegeneration.

“This financing enables us to scale what our partners value most: high-quality, blood-based insights that guide decisions in hard-to-access diseases,” said Chris Booth, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of FYR. “We are expanding our neuro-oncology and neurodegeneration programs while actively growing our general oncology portfolio with existing and new partners.”

“The Sontag Innovation Fund invests in technologies with the potential to materially improve outcomes for people with brain cancer,” said Scott Davis, PhD, Managing Director, The Sontag Innovation Fund. “FYR’s ability to enrich tumor and brain-derived EV signals from a simple blood draw and translate those signals into clinically actionable biomarkers is strongly aligned with our mission. We’re especially excited to support their continued growth in neuroscience and neuro-oncology.”

“FYR has combined chemistry innovations with advanced AI analytics to turn complex biology into reliable, usable data,” said Avery Sonnenberg, PhD, Principal at Two Bear Capital. “Their platform is scaling across solid tumors and also unlocks CNS applications where clean, noninvasive signals are notoriously hard to capture. We’re excited to support the natural expansion of their platform into neuro-oncology and neurodegeneration alongside continued growth in oncology.”

“For children with aggressive brain tumors, progress has been far too slow. Our foundation is committed to backing bold science that can change that reality,” said Parvati Tiwari, President and Co-Founder of the Yuvaan Tiwari Foundation. “FYR’s EVO platform provides a non-invasive way to gain early insights and better guide treatment decisions—ultimately leading to improved outcomes for patients. We are proud to support this work and help advance its potential in neuro-oncology.”

Recent progress in brain cancer and neurodegeneration
Over the past year, FYR has expanded their CNS-focused collaborations and matured their clinical datasets. In brain cancer, FYR reported data showing that their blood‑based, AI‑enabled technology can distinguish adult malignant gliomas from healthy controls, with 100% specificity and 89% sensitivity (AUC of 0.99), using a panel of proteins measured from brain-derived EVs. These findings were presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuro‑Oncology (SNO) and have the potential to support various high‑value unmet needs in neuro‑oncology, such as disease monitoring. In neurodegeneration, FYR is advancing Parkinson’s disease biomarker programs aimed at patient stratification and objective pharmacodynamic readouts in longitudinal samples; FYR’s Parkinson’s work was recently featured in Inside Precision Medicine.

About FYR Bio
FYR Bio (FYR Diagnostics Inc) is revolutionizing the ability to dynamically observe disease and treatment response to produce better biomarkers, trials, drugs and outcomes. FYR’s EV-Omics (EVO) platform leverages its proprietary technology, SPARCs™, to enrich for extracellular vesicles from diseased cells and enable assessment of cellular proteins and nucleic acids with just a peripheral blood sample. Utilizing AI-enabled multiomic insights, EVO unravels the complexity of disease mechanisms, thereby informing potential diagnostic and treatment options. The unparalleled view provided by FYR’s multiomic approach can transform personalized patient care, from screening through therapy selection and monitoring. For more, visit fyr.bio.

About The Sontag Innovation Fund
The Sontag Innovation Fund is a wholly-owned venture subsidiary of The Sontag Foundation, one of the largest private funders of brain cancer research in the United States. The Sontag Innovation Fund invests in early stage and innovative technologies with the potential to drive cures and improve the quality of life or life expectancy for brain cancer patients. sontagfoundation.org/innovation-fund

About the Yuvaan Tiwari Foundation
The Yuvaan Tiwari Foundation was established in 2021 by Parvati and Satya Tiwari to honor the legacy of their son Yuvaan (Yuvi). At age two, Yuvi was diagnosed with an aggressive and fatal brain tumor called diffuse midline glioma (DMG). Yuvi fought DMG bravely for seven months. The Yuvaan Tiwari Foundation accelerates high-impact research to find a cure for DMGs and other fatal pediatric brain cancers, while supporting patients and families along their journey. ytfoundation.org

About Two Bear Capital
Founded in 2019 by Mike Goguen, Two Bear Capital is a venture capital firm investing in breakthrough solutions to complex and critical problems. The firm primarily focuses on early founder-led companies with disruptive technology and life sciences innovations. With its unique approach to venture capital, Two Bear Capital’s vision is to build enduring, high-impact businesses that benefit society while delivering for investors. Two Bear Capital has offices in Menlo Park, San Diego, Boston, and New York, with its home base in Whitefish, Montana. For more, visit twobearcapital.com.

Media Contact
FYR Diagnostics Inc
1121 E Broadway St.
Missoula, MT 59802
[email protected]

SOURCE FYR Diagnostics

New capital will accelerate the rollout of QCAD, Canada’s fully-reserved, audit-ready stablecoin, to meet growing demand for compliant, 24/7 cross-border payments and digital capital markets.

TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2025 – Stablecorp, a leading Canadian financial technology company building bank-grade digital asset infrastructure, today announced the successful closing of ~$5 million CAD in a strategic financing round. Stablecorp, who earlier this year, announced its previous round led by Coinbase Ventures, is dedicating this follow-on investment to accelerating the mainstream adoption of QCAD, and scaling its associated digital money infrastructure.

The round, led by FTP Ventures, was comprised of both existing shareholders as well as new investors. “This financing is a powerful validation of our vision to build the foundational rails for the future of finance in Canada,” said Fred Pye, Founder of FTP Ventures. “We think that digital dollars represent the most efficient payment rail ever devised, and this investment will accelerate our efforts to ensure Canadians and Canadian businesses can fully benefit from the speed, efficiency, and global access of a modern, digital economy.”

Stablecorp’s flagship product, QCAD, is a digital currency fully backed 1:1 by Canadian dollar reserves. These reserves are held in an arms-length trust with an independent trustee and are subject to daily transparency reports and monthly third-party attestations. This structure is designed to provide the highest standard of security and transparency, facilitating mission-critical applications such as on-chain foreign exchange, instant global payments, and innovative capital market solutions.

“This is another important step in scaling QCAD for the benefit of all Canadians” said Stablecorp CEO, Kesem Frank. “It is imperative that Canada takes its place as a significant and strategic market for the growth of the digital asset economy, and our development of a trusted and compliant Canadian dollar stablecoin is a critical piece of that puzzle. Our backing by industry majors signals a shared vision for a multi-currency, easy to access, and regulated digital financial system.”

About Stablecorp

Stablecorp is a Canadian financial technology company dedicated to building bank-grade blockchain infrastructure. Its mission is to bridge the best of regulated finance with the innovation of next-generation financial technologies. The company’s flagship product, QCAD, is engineered to bring the benefits of digital currency such as speed, efficiency, and ease of usage, to the mass market with the highest standards of security, transparency, and compliance.

For more information, visit stablecorp.ca

SOURCE Canada Stablecorp Inc.

Funding led by Forerunner Ventures accelerates the impact of AmplifyMD’s AI-enabled multispecialty virtual care platform, enabling health systems to enhance clinical access and operational efficiencies across any care setting.

LOS GATOS, Calif., Sept. 24, 2025 — Building on accelerating traction with health systems nationwide, AmplifyMD, the leading integrated virtual care solution, today announced a $20M Series B funding round.

The raise, led by Forerunner Ventures with participation from F-Prime, Greylock, Tau Ventures, and strategic partner Memorial Hermann Health System, will accelerate AmplifyMD’s AI-driven platform capabilities and advance sustainable clinical coverage for hospitals under pressure to do more with less.

Since its launch in 2019, AmplifyMD has established itself as the clear leader in delivering seamlessly integrated multispecialty virtual care across any clinical setting, through its EHR-integrated, AI-enabled platform and integrated clinical network covering 15+ medical specialties.

“AmplifyMD isn’t just enabling telehealth—it’s reimagining how health systems leverage their clinical resources,” said Eurie Kim, Managing Partner at Forerunner. “Their automation-first approach to virtual care workflows delivers immediate efficiency gains and lays a  foundation for sustainable models hospitals can rely on for years to come.”

AmplifyMD transforms fragmented data and limited provider capacity into coordinated, systemwide coverage. The platform brings essential patient information to the point of care and uses intelligent distribution to extend providers across multiple sites and departments. The impact: faster consults, higher productivity, reduced patient transfers, improved revenue cycle outcomes, and smarter use of resources—helping health systems deliver consistent, high-quality care whenever and wherever it is needed.

“At Memorial Hermann, we look for innovation that addresses challenges in a fundamentally different way,” said Feby Abraham, Executive Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer. “AmplifyMD stands out because it combines AI-enabled workflows with on-demand specialty coverage, creating a scalable model that expands access, improves quality, and lowers costs.”

AmplifyMD’s platform is producing meaningful outcomes at scale, including:

• 52% reduction in TeleStroke operational costs
• 2x increase in TeleHospitalist cross-cover consults per shift
• Outpatient specialty care wait times cut from months to days

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen just how transformational our solutions can be,” said Meena Mallipeddi, CEO and Co-founder of AmplifyMD. “Health systems using our platform, and when needed, our physician network across 15+ fields, are proving it’s possible to deliver care that is faster and more sustainable, with less strain on existing resources.”

With this new investment, AmplifyMD plans to scale to meet a broader set of needs for its health system partners, enabling hospitals and care organizations to turn virtual coverage into a sustainable advantage. This new capital will also accelerate AmplifyMD’s development of AI and clinical workflow capabilities, enable deeper strategic partnerships across its health system footprint, and fuel long-term care delivery transformation across the country.

About AmplifyMD:

AmplifyMD is redefining how health systems deliver services with an EHR-integrated multispecialty virtual care platform and national physician network that transform fragmented access into scalable coverage models. Already powering 300+ programs, AmplifyMD uses AI-enabled automation and streamlined workflows to expand capacity, optimize physician utilization, and enable health systems to deploy new coverage models at scale across any service line or setting.

Media Contact:
Mary Miller
Senior Director of Marketing
[email protected]

SOURCE AmplifyMD

Investor confidence is fueled by remarkable interim clinical trial results for its drug, ST-001 nanoFenretinide™, showing 100% disease control at higher dose levels.

DETROIT, Sept. 24, 2025 — SciTech Development, Inc., a clinical-stage oncology company advancing its innovative nanotechnology-enabled cancer drug, today announced the successful close of its Convertible Note Round #3 (CNR 3) at $5.5 million. The round, which officially closed on September 5, 2025, surpassed its original $3.0 million target by $2.5 million.

The strong investor response is driven by extraordinary interim results from SciTech’s lead drug candidate, ST-001 nanoFenretinide™ (ST-001), which is currently being evaluated in clinical trials for T-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (T-cell NHL) across nine prestigious cancer centers.

“This has truly been a breakout year for SciTech,” said Earle Holsapple, CEO of SciTech Development. “The oversubscription of our CNR 3 underscores the confidence investors place in our science, our market position, and the transformative potential of ST-001. We are deeply grateful to both new and returning investors for their belief in our mission and support as we advance into the next phase of our trials.”

Recent Clinical Highlights

• ST-001 has achieved an unprecedented 100% Disease Control Rate at the highest dose levels to date, with all patients demonstrating either stable disease, partial responses, or showing a clear trajectory toward complete responses.
• Several patients have already experienced confirmed partial responses, marking a critical step on the path toward potential complete responses.
• ST-001 nanoFenretinide has demonstrated efficacy in both early- and late-stage cancer patients, reinforcing its broad therapeutic potential.
• Along with this documented clinical activity at therapeutic doses, the trial has confirmed ST-001 safety, validating the strength of the underlying science behind the drug.
• Importantly, most patients report minimal side effects and have chosen to remain in the trial because of the positive impact on their health and quality of life.

“Our new and returning investors are motivated by the exceptional interim trial results we’ve delivered and the proven strength of our team,” said Andrew Stumpf, CFO of SciTech Development. “This investment enables us to continue to advance clinical development in both T-cell NHL and Small Cell Lung Cancer, while building a strong foundation for our future pipeline.”

About SciTech Development, Inc.
SciTech Development is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company committed to advancing the next generation of cancer treatment. Leveraging its proprietary nanotechnology drug-delivery platform, the company has developed ST-001 nanoFenretinide™, a first-in-class drug currently in clinical trials for T-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. With its patented design and proven potential, ST-001 may be applicable across a broad range of additional cancers, offering hope for more effective and accessible treatment options.

Investor Relations

For more information, contact David Schaffer at [email protected] or visit www.scitechSDP.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied due to factors including clinical trial outcomes, regulatory decisions, competitive developments, and funding availability.

SOURCE SciTech Development, Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 24, 2025 — Belfort, a KU Leuven spin-off building the future of encrypted compute, today announced the close of its $6 million seed round to bring encrypted data processing into practical, real-time use. The round was led by deep-tech specialist Vsquared Ventures, with participation from Anagram, Protocol VC, Inovia Capital, Syndicate One, Prototype, Credibly Neutral, and high-profile angel investors including Jeff Dean (Google’s Chief Scientist) and Naval Ravikant. The funding will enable Belfort to double its team, advance product development, and support early enterprise pilots across its San Francisco and Leuven offices.

In July, it was revealed that a UK Ministry of Defence breach had exposed nearly 19,000 Afghan nationals and intelligence personnel, triggering an emergency response estimated at £7 billion (nearly $10 billion). Such incidents highlight the need to protect data not just at rest, but also while it is being processed. Belfort’s hardware accelerator, the first purpose-built for encrypted compute, makes it possible to process data directly in encrypted form, eliminating exposure to servers, cloud providers, or insiders with privileged access. By removing the long-standing performance barriers of encrypted computation, Belfort makes large-scale deployment practical. Already available on AWS Marketplace, its technology can be applied across blockchain, finance, healthcare, and government operations.

“AI is transforming everything, but the infrastructure to keep sensitive data and models secure hasn’t caught up,” said Michiel Van Beirendonck, Co-Founder & CEO of Belfort. “Encrypted compute is the answer, but without hardware acceleration, it doesn’t scale. The company that solves that could become the next billion-dollar player.”

Belfort’s technology builds on years of research from KU Leuven’s COSIC lab, from the group of Prof. Ingrid Verbauwhede, Co-Founder & Chief Scientist of Belfort and global authority in cryptographic hardware. Co-founders Michiel Van Beirendonck and Furkan Turan developed the underlying breakthroughs, and are joined by Laurens De Poorter, former crypto VC at Kraken Ventures and strategist at Google[x]. Their work has been supported by major European Research Council grants and by participating in a competitive U.S. government contract with DARPA.

About Belfort: Belfort accelerates encrypted compute to make it practical at scale, ensuring data can be processed without ever being decrypted. A spin-off from KU Leuven’s COSIC lab, Belfort has offices in San Francisco and Leuven. belfortlabs.com

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2780696/Belfort.jpg

SOURCE Belfort

Follow-on to Series B brings total to $50M as company expands AI-powered recall and mobile service platform

ST. PETERS, Mo., Sept. 24, 2025 — BizzyCar, the leading provider of AI-powered recall management solutions for dealerships, today announced it has raised $20 million in a follow-on to its Series B funding round. The round was led by existing investor Dealer Tire, with participation from new investor FM Capital, bringing total funding to more than $50 million.

The investment comes as BizzyCar reaches a major milestone: dealerships using the platform have now generated more than $250 million in incremental revenue. This growth is fueled by expanded market penetration, with BizzyCar adding more than 100 rooftops per month, and ongoing product suite enhancements. Together, these advances demonstrate the company’s ability to help dealerships capture missed opportunities, strengthen customer relationships, and drive profitability through proactive service engagement.

BizzyCar also benefits vehicle owners by ensuring recalls are addressed quickly and conveniently. By proactively notifying consumers of open recalls and streamlining scheduling and repairs, the platform helps keep vehicles safe and enhances the overall experience.

BizzyCar’s platform includes AI-powered tools for recall outreach, retention, and service department optimization, as well as mobile service. By the end of 2025, nearly 1,000 dealers will be using the company’s mobile service platform. Dealers often see more than 10 times return on investment, while also increasing appointment volume, improving customer retention, and running service operations more efficiently.

“At many of our dealerships, nearly a third of the appointments we complete are from customers who hadn’t been to the store in more than two years,” said Ryan Maher, Founder and CEO of BizzyCar. “Dealerships face growing pressure to turn service visits into lasting customer relationships. Our AI-driven platform helps them win back lost customers, strengthen retention, and run service departments more efficiently. This funding allows us to expand what works, enhance our product suite, and help service departments become a true engine of growth for dealerships.”

“Recalls have long been one of the most painful, outdated processes in automotive,” said Chase Fraser, Founding Partner at FM Capital. “BizzyCar is reinventing that experience, streamlining it in a way that benefits dealers, OEMs, and customers. We’re excited to back a team that is reshaping such a critical part of the ownership journey.”

The new funding will support continued AI-led product development, expansion of the platform’s capabilities, and scaling operations to meet growing dealer demand.

For more information on BizzyCar, visit: https://www.bizzycar.com/.

About BizzyCar

BizzyCar is an AI-driven, automated Service Recall and Mobile Service Management Platform for auto dealers. It leverages the most accurate recall data available to identify vehicles with open recalls and utilizes artificial intelligence to proactively schedule appointments for customers to bring their vehicles into the dealership or have service completed through mobile and valet offerings. BizzyCar helps dealerships win back lost customers, increase retention, and drive incremental service revenue while making vehicle ownership safer and more convenient. For more info, visit www.bizzycar.com.

About Dealer Tire

Dealer Tire was formed out of a family business that was founded in 1999 by the then owners of the former Mueller Tire & Brake, a Cleveland-based retail chain founded in 1918. Today, Dealer Tire’s core business manages replacement tire and parts programs for more than 20 automotive OEMs in the U.S. and China. It serves nearly 9,000 automotive dealerships from 40 distribution centers across the U.S. Dealer Tire’s enterprise also includes leaders across the automotive reconditioning, ecommerce and vehicle protection & warranty industry segments through its family of companies. For more information about Dealer Tire, visit www.dealertire.com.

About FM Capital

FM Capital is a venture firm focused on transforming transportation. We partner with entrepreneurs to advance cleaner, safer, and more efficient movement of people and goods — while also reimagining the customer and dealer experience in vehicle sales and service. Our proprietary sourcing process delivers high-quality deal flow while our hands-on engagement with management teams helps drive long-term portfolio performance. FM Capital is led by industry veterans with deep operational and investment expertise across the automotive and mobility landscape. More information is available at www.fmcap.com.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Laurie Halter
Charisma! Communications
503-816-2474
[email protected] 

SOURCE BizzyCar

Supported successful recent private financing rounds for portfolio companies totaling approximately $725 million year-to-date

Helped oversee Shoulder Innovations $75 million IPO on NYSE

Enhanced strategic advisory and leadership capabilities

PORTOLA VALLEY, Calif. and BOSTON, Sept. 24, 2025 — Lightstone Ventures today highlighted recent progress across its portfolio of innovative biotechnology and medical device companies, and further enhanced its leadership team. 

“The Lightstone team, together with our partners at the many innovative biotech and medtech companies that we are proud to support, have achieved meaningful milestones this year that we want to recognize,” said Mike Carusi, Managing Partner at Lightstone Ventures. “So far in 2025, we have seen our portfolio companies close approximately $725 million in private financing rounds, alongside premier investors who share our vision of breakthrough therapies for patients in need across many therapeutic areas. We were also delighted to announce Shoulder Innovations’ successful public listing on the NYSE, adding to the list of IPOs and M&A events for some of Lightstone’s most impactful portfolio companies. Our focus remains on partnering with visionary founders to build impactful companies that transform novel ideas into commercially viable products.”

Key Financing Highlights Through September 2025

• FIRE1 – $120 million Series B round closed in January 2025
• Trotana Therapeutics – $52.5 million Series A round closed in February 2025
• Atsena Therapeutics – $150 million Series C round closed in April 2025
• Allay Therapeutics – $57.5 million Series D round closed in June 2025
• Shoulder Innovations – $40 million Series E round closed in March 2025; $40 million convertible notes financing led by Fidelity Management & Research Company closed in July 2025; and initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under ticker “SI” closed on July 31, 2025
• Apreo Health – $130 million Series B round closed in August 2025
• Reprieve Cardiovascular – $61 million Series B round closed in August 2025
• ProVerum – $80 million Series B round closed in August 2025

 “Lightstone has recently enhanced our team with the addition of Martin Seidel, Ph.D., joining as an Advisor. He brings deep expertise in R&D and business development, offering insights that will be valuable across our portfolio companies,” said Christina Isacson, Ph.D., Partner at Lightstone Ventures. “Additionally, Lightstone Partner Caroline Gaynor was recently elected Chair of the IVCA, the representative body for venture capital and private equity firms in Ireland. We are delighted for her appointment to such a prominent position in our industry, highlighting her leadership, vision, and dedication to advancing innovation from our Dublin office.”

“I’m honored to have been elected Chair of the Irish Venture Capital Association,” said Caroline Gaynor, Partner at Lightstone Ventures. “As Ireland continues to nurture world-class founders and innovative businesses, I look forward to working with my colleagues across the venture community to support entrepreneurs, foster growth, and strengthen the Irish ecosystem.”

Key Leadership Team Announcements Through September 2025

• In January 2025, H. Martin Seidel, Ph.D., was appointed as an Advisor to Lightstone Ventures. Dr. Seidel has extensive experience advancing clinical candidates and structuring strategic partnerships across the biotech industry, and advises Lightstone’s biopharmaceutical team on deal sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of IFM Therapeutics where he has led multiple successful exits, and previously held senior roles at Novartis, including Global Head of Business Development and Licensing for the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR).
• In August 2025, Caroline Gaynor, Partner at Lightstone Ventures, was elected Chair of the Irish Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (IVCA). Her role involves identifying and advocating for public policies that strengthen the Irish venture and entrepreneurial ecosystem, helping ensure funding is available for high potential Irish companies.

About Lightstone Ventures

Lightstone Ventures (“LSV”) is a global venture capital firm investing in biotech and medtech companies pioneering big ideas poised to transform patient outcomes. LSV was founded in 2012 to empower visionary entrepreneurs with the resources and operational guidance necessary to bring their innovative therapeutics and technologies to the patients who need them most. LSV’s investment team has led deals resulting in over 40 acquisitions and initial public offerings over the last two decades. The firm has offices in Boston, Mass., Portola Valley, Calif., and Dublin, Ireland.

For more information, please visit www.lightstonevc.com

Media Contact

Argot Partners
[email protected]

SOURCE Lightstone Ventures

LONDON and NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2025 — Signal AI, the leading global risk and reputation intelligence platform, today announced that Battery Ventures, a global, technology-focused investment firm, has agreed to lead a significant growth-equity investment in the company.

Founded in 2013 by CEO David Benigson, Signal AI pioneered the application of AI for identifying overlooked corporate risks within unstructured data. Entrusted by C-Suite clients at more than 650 enterprises, Signal AI serves all major sectors globally, including blue-chip brands like Diageo, NetApp, Volvo, Bloomberg, Uber and more.

Signal AI’s category-defining platform proactively detects emerging risks – ranging from regulatory to cyber to supply chain – across both unstructured and proprietary sources. The company’s insights empower multiple functions across Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies. With its proprietary AI-powered platform, Signal AI equips risk and communications leaders with predictive decision intelligence to preemptively monitor, measure, and manage their organization’s reputation and risk exposure.

By sourcing and analyzing billions of data points across news, regulation, social media, litigation and more, Signal AI enables clients to uncover emerging threats, benchmark their risk and reputation profile against peers, and take decisive action ahead of events that could impact stakeholder trust and enterprise value.

Executives across an array of industries rely on Signal AI’s insights. Examples include:

• A Hollywood streaming giant surfaces early warning signals about shifting content regulations in new markets, ensuring all productions and investments are compliant.
• A global retailer detects potential cyber breaches across social, news and dark web sources, patching vulnerabilities before hackers attack.
• A life sciences leader tracks political sentiment and Food and Drug Administration regulatory developments, amplifying the success of a blockbuster drug launch – while managing reputational fallout from a failed clinical trial.
• A global bank monitors geopolitical risks in real time, protecting billions in assets by adjusting exposure.
• The United Kingdom’s government continuously benchmarks reputational risk across agencies and programs, ensuring accountability and preserving the public’s trust.

Signal AI’s latest product launch, Ask AIQ, is the first agentic AI purpose-built for senior executives to query global risks, simulate scenarios and receive actionable intelligence in real time.

“Our AI platform started in a garage, and evolved to power the world’s most complex enterprises,” said Signal AI’s Benigson. “Partnering with Battery Ventures – a firm with a 40-year track record of innovation – will accelerate our global growth.”

Benigson continued, “With technological, operational and financial challenges emerging faster, every executive I meet is asking the same question: ‘What’s next, and how can I get ahead of it?’ Together with Battery, we aim to equip leaders with the deepest, most intuitive way to answer that question. In doing so, we can transform how the most sophisticated companies mitigate risk – and harness opportunity.”

“Signal AI has carved out a differentiated and, we feel, highly defensible market position at the intersection of AI, risk and enterprise software,” said Collier Searle, a principal at Battery who is joining Signal AI’s board. “We’re backing an exceptional team with a bold vision to become the central nervous system for risk-aware organizations.”

Dave Tabors, a Battery private equity partner who is also joining the company’s board, added, “Signal AI’s customer traction is extremely impressive and indicates, to us, that the company has hit upon a real pain point in terms of risk management for enterprises today – and that the company is delivering a much-needed, AI-powered solution.”

With its investment, Battery will hold a majority stake in Signal AI and will support the founder-led management team to lead the business in its next phase of growth. Existing investors Highland Europe, Mercuri and MMC Ventures will retain minority positions in the business.

The investment will enable Signal AI – which has already executed two successful acquisitions – to conduct strategic M&A that deepen data collection, sector expertise and AI research. The company plans to accelerate its risk intelligence product development, as well as expand its footprint across both the U.S. and Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Evercore served as exclusive financial advisor and Wilson Sonsini acted as legal advisor to Signal AI.

The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2025, subject to customary closing conditions and filings.

About Signal AI

Signal AI transforms external data from traditional and social media across 226 markets and 75 languages, providing companies with actionable insights designed to navigate enterprise risk, strengthen reputation, and fuel growth.

SOURCE Signal AI

The multi-million investment to lead strategic growth of portfolio

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2025 — The h.wood Group, the Los-Angeles-based, hospitality company known for creating some of the most exclusive and culturally influential nightlife and dining venues in the world, today announced the completion of a majority investment from DIAFA, a new Abu Dhbai-based luxury hospitality investment company. The latest funding round brings the brand’s valuation into the nine-figure range, accelerating momentum toward a projected half-billion valuation.

Marking a defining milestone for both The h.wood Group and DIAFA, this strategic alliance reflects a shared pursuit of excellence, setting the stage for a new chapter in luxury hospitality defined by innovation, refinement and cultural resonance. This strategic investment will empower The h.wood Group’s next phase of growth – from the unveiling of visionary new concepts to the evolution of its flagship destinations – while accelerating its expansion beyond the West Coast. Together, The h.wood Group and DIAFA are cultivating a new class of hospitality experiences that are not only globally coveted, but are architecturally, atmospherically and gastronomically unparalleled.

The vision of longtime friends and Los Angeles natives John Terzian and Brian Toll, The h.wood Group was founded in 2008 as a way for the consummate hosts and entrepreneurs to bring their high-end concepts and passion for service to life. Today, The h.wood Group is revered globally for its iconic portfolio of luxury nightlife and restaurant venues – including Delilah, The Nice Guy and The Bird Streets Club to name a few – with eight venues in Los Angeles, three across the country, two international outposts and more planned on the horizon.

With the original architects of the brand’s success still actively shaping its future, this next chapter of the brand’s evolution is defined by the enduring vision and exacting standards that have positioned The h.wood Group at the pinnacle of global luxury hospitality Their continued leadership ensures that the brand’s expansion is as intentional as it is ambitious, preserving the essence that makes each destination singular. Over the next year, The h.wood Group will introduce new concepts in key markets including Dallas, New York City, Miami and other major cities nationwide. This October, The h.wood Group’s modern-day supper club Delilah will make its Dallas debut, marking the fourth location for the beloved brand alongside its West Hollywood flagship, Miami and Las Vegas outposts.

The 2025 opening of Delilah Dallas will set the stage for first of several, highly anticipated new ventures for the group slated for 2026 and beyond which include the openings of Delilah New York and the expansion of The Nice Guy brand into Miami and Newport Beach. This funding will also enable The h.wood Group to further fortify their presence in the greater Los Angeles area with plans to unveil a new Japanese dining experience on Sunset Boulevard – located in what was formerly the group’s iconic nightlife outpost, Booty Bellows, which after 13 years as an LA staple, officially shuddered in January 2025 to make way for The h.wood Group’s next generation – and a new venue concept in Brentwood, alongside upgrades to existing flagships such as Delilah and the group’s opulent nightclub, Poppy.

“We are thrilled to team up with DIAFA to become its first official hospitality company,” said Brian Toll and John Terzian, co-founders of The h.wood Group. “When you think of The h.wood Group, you think of true luxury, and we’re honored to expand our footprint far beyond the West Coast as DIAFA ventures into the luxury hospitality space.”

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as financial advisor for The h.wood Group. Allen Matkins and Dechert served as respective legal advisors.

For more information about The h.wood Group, please visit https://hwoodgroup.com/ 

About The h.wood Group
The h.wood Group is a Los Angeles-based, hospitality and lifestyle marketing company with an iconic portfolio of luxury nightlife and restaurant venues. The vision of longtime friends and Los Angeles natives John Terzian and Brian Toll, The h.wood Group was founded in 2008 as a way for the consummate hosts and entrepreneurs to bring their high-end, thoughtful concepts and passion for service to life. From Delilah and The Nice Guy, to ĐiĐi and Harriet’s, The h.wood Group is responsible for some of the most iconic brands in the world. With eight venues in Los Angeles, three across the country, three new concepts slated to open within the next year and more planned on the horizon, The h.wood Group is rapidly expanding thanks to its multi-concept portfolio uniquely positioned to cater to different markets. This growth is guided by the brand’s core values – distinct design, exceptional service and palpable atmosphere – which combine to create extraordinary moments for every guest.

The h.wood Group experience is known well beyond the walls of their brick-and-mortar locations, through its work as one of the most reputable event producers in the world. With passions for art, fashion, sports and entertainment, The h.wood Group’s signature approach to service and storytelling unites brands, consumers and talent at some of the world’s most iconic cultural events including Coachella, F1 Las Vegas, Miami and Austin, amfAR Cannes, Art Basel and more. The h.wood Group offers corporate branding, catering, event production and marketing services at both private events and international pop-ups, reflecting and shaping popular culture on both local and global scales.

Website: https://hwoodgroup.com/
Instagram: @hwoodgroup
Press Contact: [email protected]

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