SHANGHAI, June 30, 2025 — On June 30th, Beijing time, Unisound, a pioneer in the industrialization of AI technologies in China and a portfolio company of Qiming Venture Partners, has successfully debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Unisound (SEHK:9678) was issued at HK$205.00 per share, with a market capitalization of HK$14.545 billion.
Qiming Venture Partners has been a long-standing investor in Unisound, first participating in the company’s Series A funding round in 2013. Over the past decade, Qiming has continued to support Unisound through its Series B and D1 rounds.
Founded in 2012, Unisound is an AI company specializing in the conversational AI products and solutions for daily life and healthcare-related applications in China. Its business centers on empowering customers, including insurance providers and over 100 hospitals, with user-centric AI solutions that enhance operational efficiency and support better decision-making.
Leveraging a solid infrastructure, Unisound has advanced its R&D and productization capabilities. In 2019, the company launched UniCore, its first BERT-based large language model, which functioned as the initial core algorithm model of its central technology platform, UniBrain. In 2023, Unisound introduced UniGPT, UniBrain’s new core algorithm model—a 60-billion-parameter large language model with generative multilingual and multimodal capabilities that enables human-machine interaction through dynamic reasoning and cross-modal data processing.
“This IPO represents strong market recognition of China’s AI technology commercialization and a meaningful step forward in the industrialization of AI technology,” said Dr. Huang Wei, Co-Founder and CEO of Unisound. “We will continue to invest in core AI infrastructure and model development, cultivate talent, and strategically expand globally to bring our advanced technologies and products to the international markets.”
“As an early investor in Unisound, we are delighted to have witnessed its remarkable leap from technological exploration to a successful IPO,” said Duane Kuang, Founding Managing Partner of Qiming Venture Partners. “Unisound’s listing marks a new chapter for the company and highlights the significant progress in the industrialization of AI in China. We look forward to seeing Unisound continue to push the boundaries of innovation, accelerate talent acquisition and development, and showcase the strength of Chinese AI companies. At Qiming, we remain committed to supporting companies like Unisound that combine deep technological expertise with strong commercial vision and long-term growth potential.”
About Qiming Venture Partners
Qiming Venture Partners was founded in 2006. Currently, Qiming Venture Partners manages eleven US Dollar funds and seven RMB funds with $9.5 billion in capital raised. Since our establishment, we have invested in outstanding companies in the Technology and Consumer (T&C) and Healthcare industries at the early and growth stages.
Since our debut, we have backed over 580 fast-growing and innovative companies. Over 210 of our portfolio companies have achieved exits through IPOs at the NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX, Shanghai Stock Exchange, or Shenzhen Stock Exchange, or through M&A or other means. There are also over 80 portfolio companies that have achieved unicorn or super unicorn status.
Many of our portfolio companies are today’s most influential firms in their respective sectors, including Xiaomi, Meituan, Bilibili, Zhihu, Roborock, UBTech, WeRide, Insta360, Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals, Tigermed, Zai Lab, CanSino Biologics, Schrödinger, APT Medical, Sanyou Medical, AmoyDx, Berry Genomics, SinocellTech, Yuanxin Technology, Insilico Medicine, Medilink Therapeutics, LaNova Medicines, Zhipu, StepFun, among many others.
Third fund taps into a $7.5 trillion dollar market opportunity to provide solutions for modern families
LOS ANGELES, June 27, 2025 — Halogen Ventures, Jesse Draper’s venture capital firm focused on early stage startups with a woman on the founding team, is announcing today the close of a third fund at $30 Million. With this fund, Halogen will prioritize investments in the $7.5T Future of Family category with a focus on childcare, while continuing to invest in female founded companies who are innovating and solving global problems across industries.
Halogen Ventures team (from top left to top right) Jennifer Kwan Mandelbaum, Ashley Balla, Jesse Draper and Adriana Gadala-Maria Ochi
“We’re investing in the Future of Families because it’s a massive and untapped opportunity. Childcare is broken in the United States – options and schooling is completely unaffordable for children under the age of 6 for 99% of society. This leads to neglect, kids falling into the foster care system and as over 70% of the incarcerated today went through our foster care system, something needs to change here. Not only is this a massive business opportunity, but it’s also imperative that we do something differently in childcare,” states Jesse Draper, Founding Partner of Halogen Ventures. “There are over 80 million families in the United States alone and yet Venture Capital has overlooked this market. We are both deeply passionate and data driven about this space and believe there are a wealth of high potential opportunities that will help parents and families at scale.”
The Future of Families market is currently valued at $7.5 trillion and is expected to grow significantly as family life dynamics continue to evolve over the next decade and beyond. Since the global pandemic, women have lost more than $800 billion in income and more than 64 million jobs globally due to the childcare crisis. With childcare costs increasing year over year, over 40% of families in the U.S. struggle to find childcare solutions. Studies show the crisis is getting worse and it’s taking a toll on families. Even the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory on the mental health and well-being of parenting in America. While the United States is ahead in many things, we have fallen behind the Nordic Countries, France, Canada and beyond in childcare. No society can survive without proper support of families.
Halogen’s third fund will focus on meeting the unmet needs of the modern family by investing in five core verticals: Childcare, Education/EdTech, FamTech (Family Technology), Child & Youth Services, and the Digital Workplace.
Draper raised this fund alongside her partners Ashley Balla and Jennifer Kwan Mandelbaum. Other key team members include Adriana Gadala-Maria Ochi and Julia Richter. Limited Partners in Halogen’s Fund Three include: The State of Alabama (Innovate Alabama), Fenwick’s Fund of Funds, Candace Nelson (Founder of Sprinkles), Gingerbread Capital, Mike Evans (Founder of Grubhub) and Lanyon Advisors.
Draper founded Halogen Ventures in 2015 after recognizing startups with women founders were one of the most overlooked and high-potential investment opportunities of our time. Since then Draper has demonstrated there is no lack of deal flow from female founders who are innovating and tackling world-changing problems. Halogen portfolio companies include Everlywell’s at-home health testing (val $3.5B), Babylist ($1B GMV), Flex the top selling brand in sustainable period care ($24.8B market), HopSkipDrive (over 1M safe trips to and from schools), Upwards leadership in childcare solutions ($520B market), Dacora, the first female founded electric vehicle, Metropolis (AI powered mobility and parking provider) among other leading consumer technology and B2B solutions. Halogen’s 75 portfolio companies include five unicorns and have created over $15B market value and are100% female founded.
About Halogen Halogen Ventures is an early stage venture capital fund focused on consumer technology companies with a female in the founding team. The Halogen team brings deep expertise and experience in understanding consumer and B2B trends and behavior and identifying entrepreneurs who will innovate and solve problems at scale. General Partner Jesse Draper is a 4th generation venture capitalist, and advocate for investing in women, one of Marie Claire’s ‘Most networked women in America’. Halogen has invested in over 75 early stage deals including Everlywell, Babylist, HopskipDrive, Metropolis, Flex, ThisisL. (acquired by P&G), Squadapp (Acquired by Twitter) and Eloquii (acquired by Walmart). For more information, please visit HalogenVC.com.
GOTHENBURG, Sweden, June 27, 2025 — Minesto, leading ocean energy developer, is heading a consortium of four that has been awarded a total of 25 MSEK grant funding from Swedish Energy Agency to build a complete microgrid installation in the Faroe Islands. Minesto collaborates with microgrid technology provider Capture Energy, Faroese utility company Sev and IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute to demonstrate a unique tidal-based microgrid solution that provides baseload power.
The project is built on a partnership with technology leader in microgrid management Capture Energy. By integrating Minesto’s tidal power plants with Capture Energy’s microgrid capability, a significant global market for autonomous power plants and island-mode grid can be accessed. Minesto’s existing customer Sev will play a key role in the project as an advanced user of microgrids and on feasibility work related to local commercial installations to come. IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, will provide expert analysis on the environmental footprint of the solution.
The total consortium project budget over two years is 56 MSEK, whereof 25 MSEK is grant funding from Swedish Energy Agency.
The project will deliver a complete product offer for a microgrid installation with integrated battery storage to offer a stand-alone base-load power plant to an island mode user. The microgrid offer addresses the global market for clean, reliable, and affordable renewable energy for remote and off-grid customers that are currently dependent on fossil fuels or have a shortage of electricity supply.
A complete microgrid installation:
The microgrid system will be built, commissioned and operated at Minesto’s current production site in Vestmanna based-on existing infrastructure and environmental permits.
The Minesto tidal power plant used in the project will be an upgraded and customized Dragon-class tidal power plant.
Non-grid connected islands in the Faroes are the first targets for commercial deployment, the project includes installation preparations such as site assessment and environmental risk assessments.
The project starts in August and will deliver a complete microgrid in 2026.
“The global multibillion-Euro microgrid business is a vital parallel track to build-out of larger Dragon Farms (multimegawatt arrays) based on the same Dragon-class systems. This new partnership with Capture Energy makes it possible for us together to offer turn-key microgrid tidal power generation to local customers in need of renewable base-load energy,” said Dr Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto.
The microgrid market – a strategic market for Minesto
The total addressable microgrid market for tidal powerplants is estimated at 300 billion EUR. The market spans across small kW installations to multimegawatt installations. Minesto will be able to offer its tidal energy kites for large arrays also into this area without modifications, thus contributing to volumes and step-in business opportunities.
“The microgrid business has significant strategic value for Minesto. It is in itself a substantial global market and it also offers market entry projects with new commercial partners to create confidence in our unique technology and to speed up collection of local data for environmental permitting and certification,” said Dr Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto.
The Faroe Islands, like many remote island communities, face unique challenges in energy production and consumption. The islands are dependent on imported fossil fuels, making them vulnerable to price fluctuations and supply disruptions. At the same time, the islands possess vast untapped marine energy resources, especially tidal energy, that could offer a sustainable and locally sourced solution to meet growing energy demands.
“This award from the Swedish Energy Agency adds vital financial support and recognition to Minesto’s commercial agenda,” Martin Edlund concludes.
For additional information please contact: Cecilia Sernhage, Chief Communications Officer +46 (0)735 23 71 58 [email protected]
The information in this press release is such that Minesto AB (publ) shall announce publicly according to the EU Regulation No 596/2014 on market abuse (MAR). The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 14:55 CEST on 27 June 2025.
Jan Jedryszek to engineer nanodevice connecting biological cells to digital systems
GREENWICH, Conn., June 27, 2025 — O’Shaughnessy Ventures LLC (OSV), an investment firm that empowers creators, has awarded a $100,000 O’Shaughnessy Fellowship to Jan Jedryszek, a Ph.D. student based in Bavaria, Germany.
2025 O’Shaughnessy Fellow, Jan Jedryszek
Jedryszek will use the fellowship to engineer a proof-of-concept nanodevice capable of monitoring and transmitting the internal conditions of individual cells at a molecular level. This moonshot research lays the groundwork for ultimately connecting biological cells to the internet, with potential applications in real-time health monitoring, advanced diagnostics and biological computing.
Jedryszek is pursuing his doctorate at the Technical University of Munich through the prestigious Max Planck School Matter to Life program. His research investigates how cells share information to develop into complex organisms, and how to engineer synthetic materials to communicate and self-organize like living systems. He holds a master’s degree in molecular systems chemistry and engineering from Heidelberg University and a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from Jagiellonian University. Previously, Jedryszek contributed to bio-mining technology research at the European Space Agency.
OSV’s founder and CEO, Jim O’Shaughnessy, commented, “The convergence of biology and digital technology is one of the most promising frontiers in science today. Jan’s work represents the kind of boundary-breaking research that excites us most at OSV.”
“Being selected for this fellowship is truly humbling—especially alongside such brilliant, creative and dedicated people,” said Jedryszek. “It’s an honor and a responsibility to live up to the spirit of their work. This is a rare opportunity to work on a moonshot idea, turning ambitious science into practical technology. I intend to make the most of this opportunity.”
About the O’Shaughnessy Fellowships Program
Launched in 2023, the O’Shaughnessy Fellowships program discovers and empowers the world’s boldest creatives, builders and researchers. Fellows receive a $100,000 grant and gain access to OSV’s network of founders, investors and experts.
OSV will award 12 fellowships in 2025. Applicants will also be considered for the O’Shaughnessy Grants program, which provides 20 additional $10,000 grants to promising innovators.
Jedryszek is the tenth fellow announced in 2025. More information about previous fellows is available at OSV’s website.
Applications for the fellowships are now closed and will reopen on Jan. 1, 2026. Individuals interested in learning more can do so via OSV’s website.
About O’Shaughnessy Ventures
OSV is a creative investment firm that empowers creators to bring their ideas to life. Founded by Jim O’Shaughnessy, a pioneer in quantitative investing, founder of O’Shaughnessy Asset Management, and author of five books, OSV aims to provide financial support and to partner in growing the next life-changing creative ideas.
OSV combines Jim’s deeply rooted interest in all things art, science, investing and technology with his long-held desire to establish scenarios designed to help promising creators and their inspiring ideas succeed, regardless of age, location, job history or level of education. For more information, visit OSV’s website.
Media Contact: Ena Gong O’Shaughnessy Ventures LLC (917) 355-7420 [email protected]
Veteran entrepreneurs codify winning methods from dozens of successful companies, providing AI tools and capital for the next generation of entrepreneurs
NEW YORK, June 27, 2025 — Audos, which finds and develops everyday entrepreneurs to build million-dollar AI businesses, today announced $11.5 million in combined Pre-Seed and Seed funding led by True Ventures with participation from Offline Ventures, Bungalow Capital, and prominent individuals including Bjarke Ingels, Leila Zegna, Niklas Zennstrom, and Mario Schlosser. In the past year Audos has already helped entrepreneurs launch hundreds of AI applications now being used by customers. A majority of the funds are earmarked for new entrepreneurs.
Founded in 2024 by Henrik Werdelin and Nicholas Thorne, the founders of venture studio Prehype—behind successful brands like BarkBox, Ro, and Managed By Q —Audos helps solo entrepreneurs quickly turn their expertise into business opportunities through a unique combination of AI tools, human support, and capital.
“In the past year, we’ve helped entrepreneurs launch hundreds of AI applications like wine tasting from Michelin-starred sommeliers, meal-planning, dating, Bible study, and customized post-partum fitness,” said Nicholas Thorne, Co-founder of Audos. “Our system simplifies the creation of AI agents that can interact with customers almost anywhere. These agents represent the future of entrepreneurship—they run 24/7, scale expertise quickly, and deliver personalized experiences without the traditional overhead. As entrepreneurs grow, our AI continuously identifies new opportunities and automates expansion, enabling systematic growth.
Audos’ Program focuses on four key pillars:
The Million-Dollar Business Model: A codified methodology from successful entrepreneurs to identify promising everyday entrepreneurs and match their unique expertise with viable AI business opportunities using a proprietary framework that aligns personal strengths with business opportunity. The result is a focus on founder-market fit, profitability, sustainability, and solving real problems from day one
Rapid Market Validation Through Doing: Helping entrepreneurs offer real services immediately instead of just testing concepts, handling technical implementation and customer acquisition so entrepreneurs can focus on relationships.
The Audos Program: An all-in-one system combining human expertise with AI tools. Based on success patterns from the founders’ dozens of successful start-ups, the program helps entrepreneurs discover their business concept, identify and target customers, and create AI applications that operate 24/7 across multiple channels. The program’s agentic capabilities unlock a business’s potential through features including automated customer service, actionable insights, autopilot functions, and strategic iterative updates based on growth opportunities and customer data.
Aligned Capital & Support: A model where Audos succeeds only when entrepreneurs succeed, providing flexible financing capital, support, and shared upside within a community of founders. The approach provides day-one resources with no personal risk through a revenue-sharing system, allowing entrepreneurs to grow at their own pace.
“We’re witnessing a remarkable shift in how technology enables entrepreneurship,” said Henrik Werdelin, co-founder of Audos. “While 60% of Americans want to be entrepreneurs, traditional barriers—time, funding models, expertise, and complex technology—keep most sidelined, even those with valuable skills and strong work ethic. We’re supporting a new generation where entrepreneurs anywhere can leverage AI to build profitable businesses aligned with their expertise and interest.”
“What makes Audos truly special is their bold reimagining of what it means to be an entrepreneur today,” said Tony Conrad, Partner at True Ventures. “Henrik and Nicholas have unlocked a powerful opportunity in the space between small business financing and traditional venture capital—one that opens the door for creators, builders, and founders with different skill sets. By leveraging AI, their platform empowers a new generation to build high-revenue, sustainable businesses without sacrificing independence or vision. We’re inspired by their mission to reimagine entrepreneurship and shape a future where anyone with ambition, an idea, focus and passion can thrive.”
Anyone can start building their new AI business today here.
About Audos
Audos finds and develops everyday entrepreneurs to build million-dollar AI businesses. We help them turn their expertise into business opportunities and provide them proven tools and capital to launch their concepts quickly to real customers. Our program simplifies the creation of AI agents that operate across multiple channels—removing technical barriers so founders can focus on strategy and relationships. Founded in 2024 by serial entrepreneurs Henrik Werdelin and Nicholas Thorne, Audos is headquartered in New York with a distributed global team, and is backed by some of the world’s leading entrepreneurs and VCs, shaping the next era of AI-driven entrepreneurship.
NEW YORK, June 27, 2025 — Gensmo, the groundbreaking AI-powered fashion agent, is changing the way how people find their personal style by making fashion discovery easier, smarter, and more fun. With its innovative Try-On feature, users can see outfits on their own digital avatars in real-time—making it simple to go from idea to outfit.
Meet Gensmo: Your Fashion AI Agent for Every Wear
Ning Hu, Founder and CEO of Gensmo
Gensmo harmoniously helps users mix and match clothes, build looks, and find the right pieces that fit their budget and vibe. Whether it’s a $25 thrifted find or a designer jacket, Gensmo brings it all together in one smooth experience — no more juggling tabs or guessing sizes.
“Our goal is not to make people more productive,” says Ning Hu, Founder and CEO of Gensmo. “It’s about helping them feel good in what they wear and more sure about their own taste.”
Gensmo launched in December 2024, with a clear vision: to bring AI into fashion e-commerce in a real, useful way. The platform utilizes powerful AI models to transform your taste and inspiration into intelligent, shoppable recommendations. Whether you’re building a travel capsule wardrobe, prepping for a big day, or just browsing for fun, Gensmo helps make your choices easier and more you.
Built for style, backed by tech
Gensmo has raised over $60 million in seed funding, a sign that investors deeply believe in the company’s mission to bring real AI innovation to the fashion e-commerce world.
Gensmo is built by a team with deep experience in both AI and fashion. The founding team comprises serial entrepreneurs and former executives from internet giants, with backgrounds at prominent companies such as Google, Alibaba, and top AI research labs. Ning Hu herself was a tech lead for Mobile Search at Google and later VP at Alibaba. She has a PhD in AI from Carnegie Mellon University. The other co-founders bring experience from the fashion industry, making sure Gensmo never loses its style sense.
With offices in New York, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Seattle, the team works across fashion and tech hubs to stay close to trends and talent. Gensmo remains committed to pushing the boundaries of intelligent fashion discovery and enhancing human style.
Existing at the intersection of technology and human intuition, Gensmo’s AI Features Include:
Unified Interactive Flow: Gensmo seamlessly integrates fashion matching, search, virtual try-ons, and personalized vibe adjustments into one smooth session. Users can effortlessly compare, refine, and save favorite looks, blending AI-driven recommendations with their personal touch.
Hyper-Personalized Recommendations: Powered by deep learning, computer vision, and style preference algorithms, Gensmo creates personalized mood boards designed to ignite individual inspiration.
Virtual Try-on: Gensmo’s proprietary try-on model, trained on hundreds of thousands of looks, offers dynamic and realistic fashion visualizations. Extra outfit ideas after Try-On, because one look is never enough.
Vibe Imagine Feature: Harnessing advanced image-generation technology, this new feature lets users curate custom fashion aesthetics, and create fashion scenes that match their mood or trip vibe.
Integrated Shopping Experience: Seamlessly connecting users with a broad network of e-commerce platforms and independent boutiques. Buy what you love without extra steps.
AI as a Companion, Not Replacement
Gensmo is an AI-native company, built from the ground up to make fast, creative updates based on user needs.
Gensmo’s mission is rooted in a profound understanding of fashion as a profoundly human art form. While AI excels at structured tasks, fashion and beauty—shaped by culture, emotion, and personal experiences—are inherently subjective. At Gensmo, the guiding question for innovation is, “Can AI learn taste and understand beauty?” Therefore, dedicated AI models continuously evolve, learning from human choices and experiences.
“The future of fashion isn’t about AI replacing personal style. It’s about using technology to enhance individuality and empower users to express themselves confidently,” Ning emphasizes. “This balance is at the heart of Gensmo.”
While the company is still early, its community momentum is undeniable. In beta, it helped generate over 10 million style matches and indexed 100 million fashion products. On TikTok and Instagram, Gensmo’s community is taking off—with videos hitting over a million views, and thousands of outfit shares every day. More than buzz, users are sticking around. They’re using Gensmo to get outfit ideas, prepare for events, give thoughtful fashion gifts, and build confidence through clothing that reflects who they are.
Meet Gensmo: Your Fashion AI Agent for Every Wear, by visiting gensmo.com or downloading the app from the App Store or Google Play.
About Gensmo
Gensmo is an AI-native company with a radical belief: The future of fashion isn’t about what AI can do instead of you—it’s about what becomes possible when technology honors what only you can bring. Your eye for beauty. Your creative spark. Your human touch. These are not inefficiencies to be optimized away. They are the soul of fashion itself.
As the first AI fashion agent, Gensmo provides hyper-personalized recommendations, virtual try-ons, and immersive visual inspiration. Connecting to major e-commerce platforms and boutique retailers, Gensmo delivers a seamless fashion journey from inspiration to purchase. Under the leadership of CEO Ning Hu, Gensmo redefines style discovery with advanced AI, market foresight, and a commitment to celebrating personal beauty.
LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., June 26, 2025 — Incoco Capital, along with developers Tavros and Charney Companies announce that Madison Realty Capital, Kushner Companies, and OneIM have provided significant construction loan financing for its development of 24-19 Jackson Avenue and 45-03 23rd Street in Court Square, a 55-story skyscraper which will soon begin rising in Long Island City.
(Left to Right) Dov Barnett (Tavros), Colin Rankowitz (Tavros), Fa Park (Incoco), Nicholas Silvers (Tavros), Brian Lee (Incoco)
Rendering credit to FX Collaborative
Financed with $425 million in backing from Madison Realty Capital, a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm, along with $100 million from Kushner, a multi-generational real estate development and management firm, and OneIM, a global alternative investment manager and Kushner’s capital partner, the condominium will bring 636 new units to the already vibrant Long Island City neighborhood.
“We have successfully carried out numerous projects in New York in partnership with proven developers and global institutional investors, including Korea” stated Fa Park, Chairman and Founder of Incoco Capital. “We are also exploring EB-5 investment opportunities, given the project’s potential for job creation and broad economic impact.”
The project site was completed in 2022 when Incoco Capital acquired additional land from Japanese hotel chain Toyoko Inn for approximately $68.5 million, doubling the size of the original site, which had been assembled by Tavros and Charney since 2016.
The architectural design is being led by FX Collaborative, and the residential offerings will include a diverse mix of units, ranging from studios to one- to four-bedroom residences. In addition to offering a premier amenities package, Chelsea Piers Fitness will occupy the building’s podium for 30 years, and Whole Foods will do so for 15 years. Construction will begin in June 2025 and conclude in the spring of 2028.
“We’re very excited to commence construction on our Court Square building, which is set in a spectacular location with wide ranging views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the East River and its bridges,” said Nicholas Silvers, Founding Partner of Tavros. “This is an extremely exciting time for us, and we’re grateful to both Madison Realty Capital and to Kushner for sharing in this exhilarating project.”
“The opportunity to create new condos in one of the most electric neighborhoods in Queens has been a journey of perseverance, challenging work and vision, all supported by a world-class team of professionals, colleagues and of course, our financial partners,” said Sam Charney, Principal, Charney Companies. “Our dream is now becoming a reality, with construction beginning immediately.”
“We are pleased to provide financing to Tavros and Charney, repeat borrowers with significant experience delivering luxury projects across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, for a development that will bring affordable housing units in addition to a premier grocer and fitness experience to the already vibrant and diverse Long Island City community,” said Josh Zegen, Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Madison Realty Capital. “This transaction reflects Madison Realty Capital’s commitment to supporting best-in-class developments and providing innovative financing solutions to advance transformative projects throughout New York City.”
“The building is located at the nexus of Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, and the neighborhood is primed for a stunning new property,” said Matt Burrows, Managing Director, Kushner. “Tavros and Charney have a stellar record with projects such as The Dime in Williamsburg, The Jackson in LIC, and the five Gowanus Wharf residences currently in development. With the backgrounds and the reputations that the two developers share, we are confident that Court Square will be another well received and successful addition to the continuously evolving neighborhood.”
A hub for public transportation, Court Square is conveniently located near the 7, G, E, M, N, and R trains. Buses abound, with routes through Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. The Long Island Railroad is steps away, as are great restaurants for all wallet sizes, MoMA PS1 and other museums, parks and shopping.
About Incoco Capital: INCOCO, the inventor and manufacturer of the world’s first dry nail polish strips, has been employing innovative and proprietary technologies to transform the cosmetics market since the company’s launch in 2005. INCOCO’s Color Street brand launched in 2017, has grown into one of the most prolific direct selling companies in the Unites States, and was ranked 24th amongst direct selling companies globally in 2020. Now with a worldwide distribution channel and full cosmetic lineup, INCOCO aims to become a premiere and global cosmetic group.
Incoco Capital, a privately-owned real estate investment management and development firm. Currently, the firm is leading five large-scale development projects across New York City. www.incococapital.com
About Tavros: Tavros is a privately-owned real estate investment management and development firm. They invest on a discretionary basis, with a strong focus on New York City, and a global investor base of family offices, trusts, high net worth individuals, and institutions. Core to the Tavros discipline is the quality of its partnerships with tenants, investors, and lenders. As an owner and property manager, Tavros aims to ensure a positive experience for its tenants through attention to detail and a focus on quality of life.
About Charney Companies: Founded in 2013, Charney Companies is a fully integrated real estate development, construction, brokerage, and management firm with a focus on developing, owning, and operating first-class residential and commercial real estate in the New York City Metro area. From ground-up construction to adaptive reuse and value-add repositioning, Charney plays an integral role in all aspects of the development process and leverages the expertise and experience of their principals to deliver superior products to the marketplace and best-in-class returns for their investors. Charney owns, operates, and is under construction on two million square feet throughout Brooklyn and Queens, and has won awards and accommodations from municipal organizations and media outlets for their work over the last 5 years. For more information, visit: https://charneycompanies.com/.
About Madison Realty Capital: Madison Realty Capital is a vertically integrated private equity firm focused on US-based commercial real estate private credit strategies. As of March 31, 2025, the firm, including its controlled affiliates (collectively, “Madison”), manages $23 billion in assets on behalf of a global institutional investor base. Since 2004, Madison has completed $66 billion of securities and non-securities real estate transactions largely through direct lending to a wide range of borrowers, acquiring non-performing loans and making preferred equity investments. Madison Realty Capital seeks to deliver value across every phase of the property lifecycle by providing customized financing solutions and strong underwriting capabilities that meet borrowers’ unique needs with speed and certainty of execution. To learn more, follow Madison Realty Capital on LinkedIn and visit www.madisonrealtycapital.com.
About Kushner: Kushner is a multi-generational real estate development and management firm headquartered in New York City. The company’s diverse portfolio encompasses residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, and industrial properties, with over 10,000 units currently under development and over 25,000 apartments under ownership across fourteen states. Kushner’s integrated team touches upon every step of the development and management process for its properties, creating an unparalleled and seamless experience for their tenants, team members, and partners.
About OneIM: OneIM is a global alternative investment manager that invests across the capital structure, in a range of asset classes, industries and geographies. The firm applies a flexible investment approach and focuses on creating long-term value working with exceptional partners and management teams. OneIM is sector agnostic and focuses on situations where it can leverage its cross-asset class expertise and capital base to achieve differentiated risk-adjusted returns. The firm was founded in 2022 and currently manages approximately $7 billion in assets. The team operates from offices in Abu Dhabi, London, Tokyo and New York. https://www.oneimgroup.com/
MIAMI, June 26, 2025 — The $1M pre-seed round, backed by Boost VC and Winklevoss Capital, will enable Castle to onboard forward-thinking SMBs to an automated bitcoin treasury solution.
Castle, a bitcoin treasury platform for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), announced today it raised $1 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round to accelerate its mission of making it seamless for businesses to protect and grow their wealth using bitcoin.
Castle Raises $1M to Bring Automated Bitcoin Treasury Solution to U.S. Businesses
The round was led by Boost VC, with participation from Winklevoss Capital, Park Rangers Capital, Epoch VC, and select angel investors. The funding will fuel platform development and scale onboarding efforts to reach SMBs nationwide, serving companies seeking an inflation-resistant, turnkey treasury solution.
“Most savings products used by small and medium businesses, despite being framed as high-yield, actually lose money after accounting for inflation. Business owners are waking up to this and deserve better,” said Stephen Cole, CEO of Castle. “Bitcoin, with its strictly limited supply, has been the best performing asset of the past decade and we’re excited to bring it to companies across America.””We see bitcoin as the world’s most powerful savings technology, and Castle is making it easy and accessible for small and medium businesses,” said Brayton Williams, Managing Partner of Boost VC. “The founders are veteran bitcoiners and tech leaders, combining a rare sense of mission and execution ability, and Boost VC is excited to support them.””Bitcoin is the ultimate store of value,” said Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. “Unlike fiat, it protects the value of your life’s work. Castle lives up to its name by helping businesses safeguard their balance sheet by automatically converting a portion of every sale into bitcoin.”João Almeida, CTO, said “By integrating with tools like QuickBooks, PayPal, Square, and Stripe, our platform gives businesses intelligent bitcoin exposure aligned with their operational requirements. Castle is built to be invisible so owners can focus on what they do best and know their bitcoin treasury will look the way they want.”
By dynamically suggesting strategies ranging from conservative to aggressive, Castle enables businesses to right-size their allocation according to their risk tolerance. Current customers span industries including restaurants, fitness, accounting, e-commerce, SaaS, fine art, real estate, and more.
Castle’s automation and integrations maintain the desired level of bitcoin exposure even in the face of challenges such as fluctuations in revenues, expenses, or overall holdings, through features such as:
Automated recurring allocations to bitcoin either as a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of revenue (e.g., 5%)
Setting thresholds on cash accounts to trigger automatic bitcoin purchases or sales, ensuring liquidity for operational expenses.
Defining maximum and minimum percentages that bitcoin should represent of overall holdings
“Bitcoin isn’t just for Silicon Valley and Wall Street, it’s also for Main Street,” Cole said “We believe all businesses will begin upgrading to bitcoin over the next 10 years, and those earliest to do so stand to benefit the most.”
With free sign-ups and no monthly fees, Castle makes an inflation-proof treasury solution available to SMBs. To sign up today, users can visit savewithcastle.com.
For media inquiries, users can contact 21M Communications at [email protected].
About Castle
Castle provides businesses with intelligent bitcoin treasury solutions, combining automation and seamless financial integrations to safeguard assets and foster long-term value creation. Learn more at savewithcastle.com
NEW YORK, June 26, 2025 — Niural, the first AI-native global PEO (Professional Employment Organization) for fast-growing companies, has raised $31 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Marathon Management Partners, with participation from existing investors M13, Inspired Capital, Newform Capital and several new strategic investors. Marathon’s Gokul Rajaram, an industry leader on the boards of Coinbase, The Trade Desk, and Pinterest, joins Niural’s board.
The funding will accelerate Niural’s AI capabilities and global expansion, furthering its mission to build an AI-native system of intelligence for CFOs of modern companies.
Solving the Fragmented Back-Office
Historically, the payroll industry has seen minimal innovation, operating on decades-old infrastructure and tax engines built in the 1980s. Traditional PEOs struggle to support today’s distributed teams, which forces growing companies to patch together multiple vendors. This fragmentation creates disjointed systems of record that prevent effective AI implementation, which requires access to a single source of truth.
Niural addresses this challenge for companies by introducing a fundamentally reimagined solution: the industry’s first end-to-end global PEO platform. Developed over several years, Niural’s platform features proprietary tax engines, integrated payments infrastructure, and EMMA—the industry’s first executional AI coworker. With Niural, customers:
save over 60 hours per month
reduce HR and foreign exchange costs by up to 50%, and
reduce payroll errors by 90%.
While Niural enters the market as a PEO, its capabilities extend across all CFO functions. “At its core, payroll is one of the most complex fintech challenges a company faces,” said Gokul Rajaram. “Niural has fundamentally rethought payroll by designing an AI-native fintech infrastructure from scratch which enables it to innovate and launch interrelated products faster than any platform I’ve seen at this stage. This creates immediate value for CFOs managing all money flows, positioning Niural as the primary vendor for scaling organizations.”
Niural was co-founded by seasoned entrepreneurs Nami Baral and Nabin Banskota. Nami Baral, CEO, previously founded Harvest, which introduced AI agents in the consumer financial technology space. Nabin Banskota, President, brings extensive financial leadership experience as a former CFO with deep expertise in global financial operations, risk management, and compliance.
“Niural sits at the intersection of powerful industry shifts – in AI-driven automation, global workforce distribution, and integrated financial operations,” said Nami Baral. “With agentic AI, Niural is converting a legacy system of records into a system of intelligence that companies can rely on for generations.”
Drawing from his extensive experience as a CFO, Nabin Banskota emphasized the practical value Niural offers: “As a former CFO, this is a dream come true for most finance folks that are hyper-focused on growth globally.” “Most companies that come to us start with our PEO product and end up replacing 3-6 different tools, which is very strong validation from our customer base.”
Niural has seen incredible traction with 700 percent ARR growth last year and a growing list of clients who are leaders in their field, such as Tensor, Polygon Labs, Mob Entertainment, Slingshot AI, and Karate.com.
“Niural has become a true extension of our team,” said David Kuhn, General Counsel at Karate.com. “We began with one product, but now rely on Niural’s entire suite of products globally. Their platform effortlessly manages multiple subsidiaries, complex payments, and extensive compliance requirements.”
About Niural: Niural is the first AI-native PEO platform built specifically to manage payroll, global compliance, and payment operations, featuring EMMA, an executional AI coworker that revolutionizes operational efficiency. Founded by repeat entrepreneurs Nami Baral and Nabin Banskota, Niural serves rapidly growing companies in SMB and mid-market segments. Niural empowers organizations to scale their HR & Finance operations effortlessly, domestically and internationally. For more information, visit https://www.niural.com.
About Marathon Management Partners: Marathon is a multi-stage investment firm that partners with founders who are obsessed with defining their categories across software and fintech. Founded by Gokul Rajaram, Michael Gilroy, Chase Packard, and Alex Gorgoni, Marathon combines deep operational and investment expertise with long-term capital to support companies from inception through scale. The firm has offices in New York, Menlo Park, and Los Angeles.
