International Airlines Group (IAG), Shell, Groupe ADP, LanzaTech, and Mitsui make additional investments to support LanzaJet’s growth and commercial deployment of its proprietary Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) technology

CHICAGO, Feb. 19, 2026 — LanzaJet, Inc., a leading next-gen fuels technology company and fuels producer, today announced the first close of an overall $135 million target equity investment round, at a $650 million pre-money enterprise valuation. The round is co-led by IAG and Shell, with participation from Groupe ADP, LanzaTech, and Mitsui – all existing shareholders who are expanding their investment in LanzaJet’s growth and operations at LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels in Soperton, Georgia, USA – the world’s first fully integrated, commercial-scale ethanol-to-fuels plant. The continued investment from these industry leaders underscores strong confidence in the future of sustainable aviation fuel and LanzaJet’s proprietary ATJ technology. The financing will support existing and future commercial deployments of its ATJ technology, allowing LanzaJet to capitalize on its deep portfolio of global opportunities.

Separately, LanzaJet was previously awarded a substantial grant from the UK Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF) to accelerate development of its Project Speedbird, a major SAF biorefinery in Teesside, United Kingdom. The first close of the equity round and the grant together provide LanzaJet with $47 million in capital.

“We’re at a pivotal moment at LanzaJet. At the end of 2025, we announced that we fully operated and produced ASTM on-spec fuels at LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels – marking both the world’s first production of jet fuel using ethanol as a feedstock at a commercial-scale plant, and the first non-oil-based scalable renewable solution compatible with today’s aircraft. The decision by our existing investors to lead this fundraising round reaffirms their conviction in our technology and sends a strong signal to the entire industry that LanzaJet is committed to unlocking new value for ethanol, creating opportunity for economic development, and defining the future of fuels for transportation,” said Jimmy Samartzis, Chief Executive Officer of LanzaJet.

As part of this funding round, LanzaJet is entering into an innovative multi-year tolling structure at its LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels facility. Under the tolling agreements, LanzaJet will use a low carbon, waste-based ethanol produced domestically in the U.S., along with renewable natural gas from a regional plant, to produce low carbon SAF and renewable diesel fuel. The tolling structure provides LanzaJet with secured feedstock supply and guaranteed offtake of all production at the plant.

In conjunction with this round, LanzaJet optimized its ownership and governance structure to enable effective and efficient decision-making, support its growth, and position the company to attract future investors.

ADVISOR

Perella Weinberg is serving as exclusive financial advisor to LanzaJet.

ABOUT LANZAJET

LanzaJet is a leading alternative fuels technology provider with patented ethanol-based alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) technology. LanzaJet is impacting economic development, energy security, decarbonization, and national security by accelerating the production and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other alternative fuels. LanzaJet is supported by investors and funders including Airbus, All Nippon Airways, Breakthrough Energy, International Airlines Group, Groupe ADP, LanzaTech, Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, Mitsui & Co., MUFG, Shell, Southwest Airlines, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the UK Department for Transport. LanzaJet has been recognized for its impact by TIME, Fortune, MIT, Reuters, S&P Global, and many others. Further information is available at: https://www.lanzajet.com/

SOURCE LanzaJet, Inc.

Surpassing $400M+ saved for property owners, Ownwell expands money-saving resources amid nationwide property tax crisis 

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 19, 2026 — Ownwell, the national property tax expert modernizing an outdated industry for U.S. property owners, today announced new Series B financing to help fuel continued product developments and serve homeowners across the nation. The Series B round totals $50 million, bringing the company’s total to $74 million. It includes $30 million in equity led by Alpha Edison and Mercato Partners, with participation from Intuit Ventures, Left Lane Capital, First Round Capital, Long Journey Ventures, PROOF Fund, Wonder Ventures, as well as $20 million in debt financing from Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC. Following Ownwell’s tremendous growth in 2025, the funding further solidifies the company as a leader in property tax savings, and arms homeowners with the tools they need to combat skyrocketing homeownership costs. Alongside this funding announcement, Ownwell has also introduced a National Appeals Packet, further simplifying the appeals process for consumers nationwide.  

“Homeownership is at a tipping point in America. So many people are unable to afford a home, and those that own property can barely keep up with the three primary costs of ownership: property taxes, mortgage payments, and home insurance,” said Colton Pace, CEO and Founder of Ownwell. “Investment firms and big real estate companies have lawyers and experts who know the ins and outs of local policies to earn large savings. We’re bringing that same expertise to the average homeowner, with the click of a button. With this funding and our national expansion, we’ll help millions more homeowners and secure savings for the people who need it most.”

Ownwell’s 2025 survey of 2,500 U.S. homeowners found that 74% of homeowners are worried about increasing property taxes, but only 22% have ever appealed their property tax bill. This lack of appeals is due in part to overly complicated and confusing property tax laws. Ownwell combines local property tax expertise with innovative technology to help make the property tax appeal process simpler, more affordable, and more transparent. Ownwell’s proprietary technology streamlines property tax appeals, automating complex steps and analyzing millions of local records to surface the strongest case. Across its main service areas — Texas, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, California, Washington, New York — Ownwell manages the appeal end‑to‑end with no upfront fees and delivers an 86% success rate with average annual savings of $774 per customer. The company offers its primary product, the property tax appeal service, in addition to tax bill management, mortgage, home insurance, energy savings, and bill reductions.

In an effort to bring property tax appeal service to homeowners outside of its main service areas, Ownwell’s National Appeals Packet is now available. Using AI, proprietary data, and the same tax logic from Ownwell’s experts, homeowners receive a digital personalized, ready-to-file appeal packet. The Packet includes step-by-step filing instructions, information on where and how to file, deadlines and requirements along with the supporting evidence and valuation data needed for a successful appeal. Customers can leverage Ownwell’s technology to generate, review, and refine evidence before submitting.

Recently, the company surpassed more than 1 million appeals processed, and has saved its customers millions in property taxes. Ownwell is unlocking appeals for hundreds of thousands of homeowners who historically never participated in the system — demonstrating its ability to expand markets, not just serve them. In Texas, the company processed appeals for over 200,000 properties whose owners did not protest in 2024. Ownwell operates on a win-contingency revenue model, taking an industry-low rate of 25% of any savings it earns for homeowners. 

“Intuit’s mission is to power prosperity around the world, and we’re proud to support Ownwell as they deliver on that same promise for homeowners,” said Selina Troesch, Principal, Intuit Ventures. “Property tax appeals are notoriously complex, but Ownwell has built a true ‘done-for-you’ experience that brings simplicity and transparency to property taxes. We’re excited to partner with a team that is using AI-powered, purpose-built technology to create a trusted, holistic, money-saving platform for homeowners.”

Ryan Sanders, Managing Director at Mercato Partners says, “We look for companies that don’t just participate in markets, but redefine them. Ownwell has turned a notoriously opaque, manual, labor-intensive process into a high-growth digital platform. By leveraging AI to solve a universal pain point for homeowners, they are scaling a category-defining business that we are proud to back.”

For more information regarding Ownwell’s extensive product offerings and National Appeal Packet, visit www.ownwell.com. To learn more about Ownwell Commercial, its property tax appeals service for investors and commercial real estate owners, please visit www.ownwell.com/commercial.  

To view the media kit for all visual assets, click here.

About Ownwell
Ownwell is a leading property tax monitoring and appeal services provider, dedicated to helping homeowners, property owners, and investors reduce their property tax expenses. By combining industry expertise with innovative technology, Ownwell simplifies the property tax appeal process, empowering property owners to take control of their financial well-being. Ownwell also helps homeowners save money by identifying qualifying exemptions and reducing other homeownership costs, such as internet bills and insurance. For more information, please visit: www.ownwell.com

SOURCE Ownwell

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2026 — Soundcore Capital Partners (“Soundcore”), a New York–based private equity firm, is pleased to announce the successful final close of Soundcore Capital Partners Fund III LP (together with its affiliated entities, “Fund III” or “the Fund”) with $450 million of capital commitments and total demand in excess of its self-imposed hard cap.

Fund III includes 117 limited partners (“LPs”) across 12 countries, underscoring the breadth of Soundcore’s international investor base. The Fund received strong support from Soundcore’s existing LP base and attracted new institutional investors. Fund III investors include a diverse mix of insurance companies, public and corporate pension plans, endowments, foundations, single‑ and multi‑family offices, fund‑of‑funds, investment consultants, asset managers, and high‑net‑worth individuals. Soundcore believes the breadth and diversity of LP participation highlights confidence in the firm’s performance, discipline, and differentiated buy‑and‑build value creation model.

Fund III represents a 28.6% increase in LP commitments from Fund II, which closed at $350 million, reflecting a testament to Soundcore’s long‑term discipline and consistency. In a display of strong alignment with its LPs, Fund III includes a $25 million commitment from Soundcore’s General Partner, representing 5.6% of commitments to the Fund. In an effort to establish more diversification over Fund II which contains six portfolio companies, Soundcore is targeting nine total platform creations in Fund III.

Since launching Fund III Soundcore has already established five platform investments in the Fund—Heartland Paving Partners, US Dock & Door, TreeServe, TrussPoint, and Reliable Energy Partners. The Fund is more than 40% deployed to date with 28 acquisitions completed. Soundcore expects to launch three additional platforms this year, while continuing to execute on organic and inorganic initiatives across the Fund’s five existing platforms. To date, across Fund III, Soundcore has acquired companies generating $544 million in revenue and $95 million in EBITDA, reflecting the team’s disciplined approach to sourcing, underwriting, and executing transactions.

Since inception, Soundcore has completed 113 acquisitions, representing $1.8 billion in total enterprise value and completed eight platform exits. The firm currently has over $700 million in assets under management.

“We are extremely grateful for the trust and partnership of our investors, both longstanding and new, who supported us from around the world,” said Jarrett Turner, Founder & Managing Partner of Soundcore. “We believe the enthusiasm for Fund III—far exceeding our cap—reflects the durability of our strategy, our commitment to disciplined growth, and the value we strive to deliver to our investors, founders, and management teams.”

“Fund III marks an important milestone in Soundcore’s evolution,” said Arthur Zuckerman, Chief Operating Officer & Partner. “We have remained focused on backing founder‑owned essential services businesses and building what we view as market‑leading platforms through operational enhancements, targeted add‑on acquisitions, and scalable infrastructure. We’re proud of what our team and our partners have accomplished to date—and even more excited for what lies ahead.”

Soundcore continues to seek to differentiate itself through its direct‑to‑founder sourcing engine, collaborative approach, and commitment to helping business owners preserve their legacy while accelerating growth. The firm’s strategy centers on acquiring what it views as recession‑resilient companies in fragmented industries where Soundcore believes it can add meaningful value through professionalization, technology enhancement, procurement efficiencies, and strategic expansion.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as fund formation counsel for Fund III.

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security or of any fund or account that Soundcore Capital Partners manages or offers.

About Soundcore

Soundcore Capital Partners was founded in 2015 by Jarrett Turner and is based in New York, NY. Soundcore is a thesis-driven private equity firm that specializes in buy-and-build investments in the lower middle-market that are headquartered in the United States and Canada. Soundcore has completed 113 acquisitions across fourteen platforms and focuses primarily on business & outsourced services, industrial services, specialty manufacturing, and value-added distribution sectors. For more information, please visit www.soundcorecap.com and visit Soundcore on Linkedin. 

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Olt
[email protected]
(212)-812-1432

SOURCE Soundcore Capital Partners

New infusion of capital will be used to meet the funding needs of graduate schools and their students

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 19, 2026 — Ascent, a leading provider of innovative financial products and student support services, today announced the successful close of its Series C funding round. Federal policy shifts that cap the amount of federal loans available for education are driving more students toward private lenders to help cover their tuition bills. The private student loan need is projected to double to $26B over the next three years, and Ascent is positioned to support these students looking to pursue their educational goals. The round was led by a global asset manager and provides the capital Ascent needs to grow its leadership team, scale its unique education financing platform and expand into critical new education verticals.

Ascent has built significant momentum to meet this demand, establishing partnerships with more than 2,300 institutions and training providers, resulting in a 30% increase in loan originations year over year. Over the last decade, Ascent has disbursed over $1.5 billion in education loans to more than 168,000 families through its diverse suite of traditional college loans, including cosigned and non-cosigned options, and its industry-leading outcomes-based financing.

“At Ascent, we’ve always believed that a student’s potential shouldn’t be limited by their current financial circumstances, but rather fueled by their future success,” said Ken Ruggiero, Co-Founder and CEO of Ascent Funding. “As federal policies shift and traditional funding gaps widen, our mission to offer financing for traditionally overlooked and underserved individuals and families so they can gain access to post-secondary education and build a foundation for durable economic mobility has never been more important. This new capital will allow us to double down on our goals, providing students with the funding they need to invest in their future.”

Ascent is grounded in delivering innovative financing alongside a culture of respect, dignity, and personalized financial education and support, equipping students with the tools and confidence to succeed. This funding allows Ascent to continue to bring innovative products to students:

• Graduate Outcomes Based Loan Product — As federal policy shifts make graduate school harder to access, many qualified learners are at risk of being left behind. Ascent is committed to changing that through its continued focus on Outcomes Based Lending and bringing this solution to graduate students by evaluating each student’s expected post-graduation earning potential, not just their current credit profile, to offer loans that they can afford to pay back post-graduation.
• Aviation Loan Program — Flight training tuition and expenses often exceeds $100,000 and are frequently ineligible for federal aid, leaving aspiring pilots with limited financing options. Ascent’s Aviation Loan program is designed around early-career aviation pathways, evaluating students based on expected starting income rather than current credit history or cosigner access. The initiative builds on Ascent’s established track record supporting skilled trades such as electrical lineworkers, welders, and healthcare professionals.
• Grad School Loan Calculator — A proprietary interactive digital tool that provides immediate clarity on the cost of advanced degrees. The calculator allows students and financial aid officers to model the total cost of attendance and the need for private student loans vs. federal loans, helping borrowers assess funding needs against future earning potential rather than traditional credit constraints.

Ascent’s growth is anchored by a team that understands both the complexity of student financing and the real lives behind every application. With this new funding, Ascent is announcing several leadership appointments to support its next phase of growth: 

• Ryan Gray, has been appointed Co-President and will oversee Finance, Capital Markets, Credit & Analytics, Technology, Operations and Human Resources.
• Tristan Fleming, has been appointed Co-President and will lead Sales & Marketing, Product, Impact, and Legal & Compliance.

“Ryan Gray and Tristan Fleming have been instrumental to Ascent’s growth for the last 10+ years and are widely respected leaders in education finance,” said Ruggiero. “Their new roles position Ascent to accelerate innovation, bring new products to market faster, and respond to the evolving needs of students and schools.”

Along with a strong team of more than 120 professionals headquartered in San Diego, Ascent will continue to differentiate itself from traditional lenders by partnering closely with institutions and families, combining flexible financing with practical financial wellness support. This relationship-driven approach enables Ascent to scale across diverse markets while advancing our mission to increase borrower income by $10 billion by 2028, as well as remain focused on serving credit-invisible borrowers who are often overlooked by traditional credit models.

TD Securities served as exclusive placement agent for Ascent on the Series C financing, and Cooley served as legal advisor to Ascent. For more information about Ascent’s innovative financing and student success initiatives, visit ascentfunding.com.

ABOUT ASCENT
Ascent is a leading provider of innovative financial products and wrap-around student support services that enable more students to access education and achieve academic and economic success. Everything Ascent offers is designed by leading industry professionals and with advanced technology and innovation to increase every student’s ability to plan, pay, and succeed. Ascent’s rare Outcomes-Based Loan provides funding to credit-invisible borrowers who generally do not benefit from traditional credit. Ascent products also include: Cosigned Loans, Solo Loans, Career Loans, Parent Loans, Graduate Loans, Access Loans, Enterprise Loans and Impact Loans.  For more information, visit www.ascentfunding.com.

SOURCE Ascent

Tim Draper and family bring worldwide attention to founders from Hawaii’s startup ecosystem and the Asia Pacific region at EMW 2026.

HONOLULU, Feb. 19, 2026 — Blue Startups announced that Meet The Drapers, the globally recognized startup pitch show, will film a live episode at East Meets West 2026, taking place April 8 to 9, 2026 on Oahu, Hawaii. The live filming will feature founders pitching directly to the Draper family, bringing unprecedented global visibility to Hawaii and the Asia Pacific innovation ecosystem.

Meet The Drapers is watched by millions worldwide and is known for launching early-stage companies onto the global stage. Its inclusion at East Meets West marks a milestone moment for Hawaii’s tech community, positioning the islands as a true bridge between East and West for entrepreneurship, capital, and innovation.

“We are proud to bring Meet The Drapers to East Meets West,” said Chenoa Farnsworth, Managing Director of Blue Startups. “Filming Meet The Drapers in Hawaii highlights the powerful innovation coming out of this region. This is more than a show. It is a platform that elevates founders, attracts global capital, and puts Hawaii’s startup ecosystem on the world stage.”

The live filming will be joined by Tim Draper, founder of Draper Associates and the Draper Venture Network, who will also serve as a keynote speaker at EMW 2026. Draper is one of the most influential venture capitalists globally, with early investments in Tesla, SpaceX, Coinbase, Skype, and Robinhood.

Founded in 2014, East Meets West is Hawaii’s premier tech conference retreat and is now entering its 12th year. The event has connected more than 4,500 attendees, 750 startups, 450 speakers, and 150 venture capitalists across Asia, Hawaii, and the mainland U.S. EMW 2026 will feature two days of programming, with the Summit at Ko’olau Ballrooms and the Conference at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Founders selected to pitch during the live Meet The Drapers filming will gain direct access to top tier investors and global exposure rarely available outside major tech hubs. This opportunity reinforces EMW’s mission to create meaningful connections and long-term impact across borders and generations.

Early Bird tickets for East Meets West 2026 are now on sale at emwhawaii.com.

About East Meets West

East Meets West is Hawaii’s premier tech conference retreat, hosted by Blue Startups since 2014. Each year, EMW connects entrepreneurs, investors, and global thought leaders on the island of Oahu to network, get inspired, and build collaborations across the Pacific. https://www.emwhawaii.com/.

About Blue Startups

Blue Startups is a nationally recognized venture accelerator ranked as a Top 20 U.S. program by TechCrunch. With deep expertise in tech and an extensive network across Asia and North America, Blue Startups serves as a central hub for Hawaii’s innovation ecosystem. https://www.bluestartups.com/.

Media Contact

David Holt
[email protected]
(808) 551-1346

SOURCE Blue Startups

Managing Partner of Gatemore, Liad Meidar, appointed as Chair of the Board of the AI-powered codebase intelligence technology company

SEATTLE and NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2026 — Adronite (the “Company”), a provider of full-system, AI-powered, codebase intelligence technology, today announced completion of a $5 million Series A funding round, led by Gatemore Capital Management (“Gatemore”). Liad Meidar, Managing Partner of Gatemore, has been appointed Chair of Adronite’s Board of Directors.

Technically differentiated and readily deployable, Adronite’s AI-powered platform is the only solution in the market that can ingest a codebase of any size into its context understanding engine. Unlike conventional developer tools that operate on individual files, snippets, or isolated vulnerabilities, Adronite analyzes entire codebases end-to-end, allowing customers to reason over millions of lines of code across modern and legacy environments in a single, unified view. At its current iteration, the Adronite platform supports more than 20 programming languages and is not constrained by traditional context-window limitations. The system also produces deterministic, explainable outputs, enabling teams to improve software at scale.

The Adronite platform combines deep structural understanding of entire codebases with a strong emphasis on data security, privacy, and deployment in regulated environments. It includes fully on-premises, private cloud and air-gapped private network settings, ensuring that proprietary and classified code never leaves the organization’s control. The platform is LLM-agnostic, language-agnostic, and deployment-agnostic, allowing customers to operate locally and securely without data exfiltration.

This combination of full-system understanding, scalability, and security positions Adronite to support organizations in analyzing and improving even their most complex and sensitive software systems.

The current investment will support continued product development and commercial expansion as the Company scales deployments across regulated and complex enterprise environments.

“Software systems at large organizations are expanding rapidly in both scale and complexity, making a full-system view difficult to attain—let alone to implement changes safely and effectively,” said Edward Rothschild, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Adronite. “Adronite gives teams true visibility into how their software actually works as a system, so they can secure, modernize, and evolve it without introducing unacceptable risk. With the new investment, we are excited to accelerate product development and commercialization.”

Adronite also announced the appointment of Liad Meidar as Chair of the Board, effective immediately. Liad is an experienced chair and non-executive director with a proven track record of supporting growth companies through periods of scale and transformation. He is the Founder and Managing Partner of Gatemore Capital Management, a principal investor with a highly engaged and concentrated approach across public and private markets. Notably, Gatemore is a lead investor in Factorial, a leader in solid-state battery technology, where Liad Meidar has served on the board since 2021.

Since founding Gatemore in 2005, Liad has led investments across multiple sectors and currently serves on the boards of several portfolio companies, including GSE Worldwide (Chairman), Factorial Energy, Malibu Life Holdings (LSE: MLHL), and SurvivorNet.

“Adronite’s codebase-level intelligence, combined with its security-first deployment model, positions the Company to become foundational infrastructure for some of the world’s largest and most complex software environments. Since its founding in 2023, Adronite has gained meaningful commercial traction and is actively engaged with large-scale, global enterprises, with purchase orders secured and initial commercial deployments expected to commence in Q1 2026,” said Liad Meidar, Chair of the Board of Adronite. “We have played leading roles in a number of growth companies and strongly believe Adronite has the potential to be a category winner in a very large addressable market.”

About Adronite

Founded in 2023, Adronite is a full-system, AI-powered platform with codebase intelligence technology that enables organizations to understand, secure, and safely evolve large, complex software systems. With no context-window limitations, the platform is LLM-agnostic, language-agnostic, and deployment-agnostic, producing deterministic, explainable outputs that support security analysis, modernization, and active remediation at scale. Adronite’s platform has a strong emphasis on security, privacy, and deployment in regulated environments, including fully on-premises, private cloud and air-gapped private network settings.

https://adronite.com

About Gatemore Capital Management

With offices in New York and London, Gatemore Capital Management is a principal investor with a highly engaged and flexible approach across public and private markets, focused on special situations and growth opportunities. Founded in 2005 by Managing Partner Liad Meidar, Gatemore maintains a deliberately concentrated portfolio, committing capital and attention to a select number of targeted opportunities where close partnership with management teams and stakeholders can deliver substantial value for businesses as well as investors.

https://gatemore.com

Contact:
Greenbrook
[email protected] 
+44 207 952 2000

SOURCE Gatemore Capital Management; Adronite

— Chugai Venture Fund and the Gates Foundation join new wave of institutional backing for breakthrough BEYOND discovery platform —

— BEYOND, an AI-driven drug discovery platform, aims to achieve drug-discovery superintelligence by simulating trillions of potential drugs per protein with an accuracy nearing laboratory experiments —

— Ten63, with support from the Gates Foundation, will develop affordable small molecules to address the global HPV pandemic by pursuing previously undruggable viral targets — 

DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 19, 2026 — Ten63 Therapeutics, an advanced AI drug-discovery company, today announced that it added strategic investment from new investors Chugai Venture Fund and the Gates Foundation, bringing the Company’s total funding to over $45M.

“We are very impressed with Ten63’s AI drug discovery platform and its ability to quickly and accurately simulate trillions of potential drugs,” said John Gustofson, President and Head of Chugai Venture Fund. “However, this is not just about making drug discovery faster. It’s about creating medicines for targets no one else can and designing better alternatives where existing drugs deliver inadequate results.”

The increased funding will fuel the advancement of Ten63’s proprietary computational drug discovery platform, BEYOND.  BEYOND is the world’s first Large Quantum Chemistry Model (LQCM), delivering precise quantum-mechanics level simulations that are orders of magnitude faster than other cutting-edge computational approaches. The company says BEYOND enables the pursuit of previously undruggable targets, which correspond to 80% of all proteins in the human body. Ten63 has multiple programs showing its platform can overcome previously intractable problems. One such program focuses on Myc, one of the most-studied oncogenes, which has long been considered undruggable and is believed to drive 70% of all cancers. Despite hundreds of attempts spanning 40 years, it remains elusive. With the mathematical breakthroughs behind BEYOND, Ten63 has Myc-targeting therapeutics in active development that surpass all previous attempts at Myc inhibition.

“AI not only accelerates drug discovery; it enables us to pursue high-impact targets in ways that were previously impossible. Many of the most important targets across multiple diseases are considered undruggable. These critical targets are data-poor and difficult to reach experimentally. Making them exceptionally difficult for traditional experimental screening and current AI techniques. They require a new approach,” said Marcel Frenkel, PhD, CEO of Ten63 Therapeutics.

Powered by BEYOND, the company is pursuing a pipeline of first- and best-in-class small molecules against some of the most impactful oncology targets. The company is focused on high-impact, but thus far undruggable or underdrugged disease targets.   

Frenkel continued, “By perfecting a simulation environment that enables AI to explore and learn from trillions of molecular possibilities, millions of times faster than physical methods, while retaining experimental-level accuracy, we are advancing towards superintelligence for drug discovery. At that point, we believe little will remain undruggable.”

New investors, the Gates Foundation and Chugai Venture Fund, RYSE, K5 Global, SF Holdings, Duke Capital Partners, Cape Fear BioCapital, Black Opal Ventures, and Panorama, joined Ten63’s existing syndicate, including Hatteras Venture Partners, Yosemite, Morpheus Ventures, Alexandria Venture Investments, and Draper Associates, in the latest funding round.

In connection with the financing, Mike Dial, Ph.D., Managing Director of Chugai Venture Fund, joined Ten63’s board of directors.

Coordinated Global Effort
In connection with the investment, Ten63 also received a grant from the Gates Foundation to support a global strategy to address one of the deadliest cancers worldwide: cervical cancer.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Some strains of HPV are high-risk and can lead to cancers, like cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancers. Each year, HPV causes cancer in more than 650,000 women and men. Early detection and treatment of precancerous cells can prevent this from happening. Ten63’s BEYOND platform is being used to develop cost-effective and safe treatments for HPV lesions worldwide by tackling the viral proteins that lead to cancer and have so far been undruggable.   

“The enthusiasm and momentum behind this new funding validates what we’ve believed from the beginning,” says Clay Thorp, Ten63 Chairman of the Board and General Partner at Hatteras Venture Partners “Ten63’s approach has the potential to transform not just cancer treatment, but the entire spectrum of drug discovery.”

About Ten63 Therapeutics
Ten63 is an advanced AI drug-discovery company that was a Duke and TTIC spin-out, headquartered in the Research Triangle in North Carolina. Ten63 is leveraging its BEYOND computational platform for generative chemistry to develop first- and best-in-class therapeutics. The company is advancing an internal oncology pipeline while pursuing select, strategic partnerships across multiple indications. For more information, visit https://www.ten63tx.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Chugai Venture Foundation
Chugai Venture Fund (CVF) is an investment firm dedicated to advancing transformative medicines in the life sciences industry. As a subsidiary of Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., CVF utilizes its parent company’s extensive expertise and global reach to assist in evaluating cutting-edge technologies. The CVF team searches for promising management teams and innovative medicines that can help patients feel better. The CVF mission is to assist entrepreneurs and teams in realizing their novel ideas, ultimately contributing to improving healthcare and society. By providing funding and access to valuable resources, CVF aims to foster a collaborative ecosystem that accelerates the development and commercialization of pioneering therapies and medical solutions.

SOURCE Ten63 Therapeutics

World-renowned immunologist strengthens scientific leadership and translational focus

BOSTON, Feb. 19, 2026 — Vie Ventures, a life sciences venture capital firm focused on autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases, today announced that Jeff Bluestone, PhD, has been named Managing Director, joining founders Steven St. Peter, MD, and Luke Evnin, PhD, who also serve as Managing Directors. Together with Lou DeGennaro, PhD, Senior Advisor, Vie’s leadership brings complementary expertise spanning venture capital, immunology, biotech company building, and patient-focused philanthropy.

Dr. Bluestone is a world-renowned immunologist and biotech leader whose work has helped define modern understanding of immune regulation, tolerance, and translational immunology. His career spans seminal academic discoveries, leadership of major translational research networks, and company building at the forefront of immune-based therapies.

Over several decades, Dr. Bluestone has played a central role in translating foundational immunology into approved medicines. Among his accomplishments, Dr. Bluestone defined key aspects of CD3 signaling and immune modulation, created teplizumab, the first FDA-approved therapy shown to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes, and informed therapies targeting T-cell co-stimulation and immune checkpoints. He previously served as founding Director of the Immune Tolerance Network, founding CEO of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and most recently co-founded and led Sonoma Biotherapeutics, a company focused on engineered regulatory T-cell therapies. Dr. Bluestone has also held senior leadership roles at the University of California, San Francisco, including Diabetes Center Director and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

“Jeff is a rare combination of scientific rigor, a translational medicine focus, and collaborative leadership,” said Steven St. Peter, MD, Founder and Managing Director of Vie Ventures. “Luke and I have each worked with Jeff in different professional contexts over many years, and we have tremendous respect for how he thinks about biology, patients, and risk. His decision to join Vie reflects a shared belief that the next generation of autoimmune therapies will require tighter integration between science, capital, and patient communities.”

“I have spent my career working at the intersection of discovery science, clinical translation, and patient need,” said Dr. Bluestone. “Vie Ventures brings those elements together in a way that is both scientifically ambitious and operationally disciplined. I am excited to join Steven and Luke in advancing a model designed to accelerate the development of innovative therapies by leveraging shared biology and collaborative insight.”

“Jeff’s career has been defined by translating deep immunology insights into real therapies for patients,” said Luke Evnin, PhD, Founder and Managing Director of Vie Ventures. “His experience building scientific organizations and guiding translational strategy strengthens Vie Ventures’ ability to identify and support companies that can make meaningful impact across multiple autoimmune conditions, particularly by focusing on shared biological drivers across indications.” Dr. Evnin concurrently serves as Chair of the Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF), where he has been a member of the Board of Directors for more than 25 years. Dr. Bluestone served on the SRF scientific advisory board for many years.

Vie Ventures works closely with a growing network of Strategic Collaborators—disease-focused nonprofit organizations that contribute scientific insight, patient perspective, and development expertise to help inform investment decisions and accelerate the path from discovery to patients—including the American Diabetes Association, Arthritis Foundation, Beyond Celiac, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, Food Allergy Fund, Immune Boost Capital / Arthritis National Research Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Psoriasis Foundation, Scleroderma Research Foundation, and the Sjögren’s Foundation.

About Vie Ventures
Vie Ventures is a life sciences investment firm operating at the intersection of venture capital and disease philanthropy. Vie Ventures invests alongside other leading venture capital investors and strategic partners in private biotech companies focused on advancing novel therapeutics for autoimmune disease and other disorders of the immune system, an area of significant unmet medical need. Our team leverages decades of experience, a proven track record in life sciences venture capital, a returns-oriented approach, and a network of strategic collaborators from across the biotech and disease philanthropy ecosystems to advance life-changing therapies and cures for patients. To learn more, visit vieventures.com

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SOURCE Vie Ventures

-Financing led by Forbion, joined by Sanofi and existing investors Medicxi, Pitango, and Atlantic Partners-

-Proceeds to advance vapendavir, a first-in-class therapeutic for the treatment of rhinovirus, the predominant cause of respiratory exacerbations in millions with COPD and other chronic lung diseases-

-Funds will allow initiation of the Phase 2b CARDINAL study evaluating the safety and efficacy of vapendavir in participants with COPD and rhinovirus infection in Q2 2026-

ATLANTA, Feb. 19, 2026 — Altesa BioSciences, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic lung diseases including COPD and asthma, today announced a $75 million oversubscribed Series B funding round led by Forbion, with participation from Sanofi and Altesa’s existing investors, including Medicxi, Pitango, and Atlantic Partners.

“There is nothing ‘common’ about the common cold for people with chronic lung disease,” said Altesa CEO Brett P. Giroir, M.D., former Assistant Secretary of Health and Acting FDA Commissioner. “This financing supports advancing clinical development of vapendavir for the treatment of rhinovirus infections, the leading cause of respiratory exacerbations in COPD and other chronic lung conditions. Vapendavir targets the cause of inflammation and exacerbations – the virus itself.”

The current Series B financing will support the CARDINAL study, a Phase 2b multinational randomized placebo-controlled trial that will enroll 900 COPD patients in the US and UK, following them and randomizing when they experience a rhinovirus infection. Dr. Katharine Knobil, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Altesa, and former CMO of GSK, will lead the investigation, expected to commence in Q2 2026. The CARDINAL study builds on Altesa’s recently completed rhinovirus Challenge Study in COPD patients, in which vapendavir improved upper and lower airway symptoms, reduced illness durations and inflammatory markers, and better maintained small airways lung function compared to placebo.

“Our trial’s objective is to demonstrate that treatment of rhinovirus respiratory infections can improve symptoms, hasten resolution of illness, and maintain quality of life, while potentially avoiding advanced medical interventions,” said Dr. Knobil. “For many COPD patients, even a simple cold can lead to an exacerbation, hospitalization, and worsening quality of life – vapendavir has the potential to change that trajectory.”

While the immediate focus is on COPD, vapendavir has potential for broader application in other high-risk respiratory populations, including people with asthma.

“We are honored to have Forbion as our lead investor, a global leader with an unmatched track record for developing companies and products across multiple therapeutic areas. In addition, Altesa will benefit greatly from the participation of Sanofi, given its ongoing expertise in COPD therapeutics,” said Dr. Giroir. “By focusing on the true medical need – patients most at risk for hospitalization, death, and long-term decline – we hope to radically improve outcomes and reduce overall healthcare burden.” 

“Rhinovirus-driven exacerbations represent one of the most significant and underserved drivers of morbidity in COPD and other chronic lung diseases,” said Jon Edwards, PhD, Forbion Partner. “Altesa’s vapendavir is a first-in-class approach that targets the underlying viral cause of these events, with the potential to meaningfully improve outcomes and reduce healthcare burden for millions of patients. We are proud to lead this financing and support the world class team Altesa has assembled as they advance vapendavir into the Phase 2b CARDINAL study.”

In connection with the financing Jon Edwards, Ph.D., will join the board and Moncef Slaoui, Ph.D., will transition from Board Member to Chair of Altesa’s Board of Directors, strengthening the company’s leadership as it advances vapendavir into late-stage clinical development.

About Vapendavir

Vapendavir is an oral medicine in development by Altesa BioSciences. Recently, Altesa announced that vapendavir improved symptoms, reduced duration of illness and viral load, and maintained small airway function in COPD patients experimentally challenged with rhinovirus. Vapendavir is now in late-stage clinical development, and if approved, has the potential to prevent up to 50% of COPD exacerbations, improve quality of life, and potentially save significant healthcare costs.

About the CARDINAL Study

The CARDINAL clinical trial is a Phase 2b multinational randomized placebo-controlled study in COPD patients experiencing rhinovirus infections that will enroll 900 people with COPD in the US and UK. The trial was designed to reflect real-world care models, proactively identifying and supporting those at greatest risk. Participants will be closely monitored over time and, upon development of rhinovirus infection, will be randomized to receive one of two doses of vapendavir or placebo. The trial’s primary objective is to assess improvement in respiratory symptoms using established patient-reported outcomes, with additional endpoints evaluating time to symptom resolution, quality of life, healthcare resource utilization, and lung function.

About Altesa BioSciences, Inc.

Altesa BioSciences is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, led by global experts in respiratory medicine and infectious diseases. We are dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic lung diseases, like COPD and asthma, by treating the principal cause of exacerbations and pathological inflammation – viral respiratory infections. In addition to advancing vapendavir, our lead medicine, we advocate for improved access to modern respiratory diagnostics and therapeutics in underserved communities. www.altesa.com

Media Contact: Peg Rusconi

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Altesa Biosciences Inc.