Altira Group and Aramco Ventures lead funding to accelerate ongoing enterprise growth and company expansion with NEA, KDT, and Activant

SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2025 — Arkestro, the premier Predictive Procurement Platform accelerating enterprise spend transformation, today announced a strategic investment totaling $36M. The investment was led by Altira Group and Aramco Ventures, with participation from existing investors NEA, KDT, and Activant. The investment will accelerate Arkestro’s ongoing innovation in AI-powered procurement technology, advancing its mission to help enterprises unlock hidden savings, reduce supply chain risk, and drive operational efficiency—empowering procurement teams to focus on strategic, high-impact initiatives.

Arkestro’s Predictive Procurement Platform leverages AI, behavioral science, and game theory to accelerate procurement cycles, enhance supplier collaboration, and drive an average of 18.8% cost savings on every $1M of spend. By integrating Arkestro’s patented three sciences: Negotiation Science, Supplier Science, and Process Science, the platform empowers procurement teams to proactively shape procurement outcomes rather than react to supplier quotes. Through their investment, Altira Group and Aramco Ventures support Arkestro’s global growth efforts and recognizes its predictive procurement technology’s ability to reduce risk and enhance supply chain resilience.

“Arkestro cuts through the noise with a pragmatic application of AI technology that gives procurement experts superhuman-like capabilities and reinforces their role as a strategic lever for the enterprise,” said J.P. Bauman, Partner at Altira Group, who has joined Arkestro’s board of directors. “Our seven leading oil & gas partners—together with our co-investors at Aramco Ventures—represent hundreds of billions in procurement spend annually. We’re proud to support Arkestro’s leadership and scaling across the energy and broader industrial markets.”

“Aramco Ventures invests in disruptive technologies that redefine industries, and Arkestro’s Predictive Procurement Platform is doing just that,” said Bruce Niven, Executive MD and Head of Strategic Venturing at Aramco Ventures. “Arkestro’s approach is transforming procurement into a proactive, strategic function that delivers measurable financial impact. We’re excited to support their growth and help drive the next generation of supply chain innovation.”

“This strategic investment from Altira Group and Aramco Ventures is a testament to the growing demand for predictive procurement technology that leverages AI and behavioral science to transform supply chain processes,” said Rob DeSantis, CEO and Co-Founder of Arkestro. “Procurement teams today are navigating increasingly complex, global challenges, yet legacy processes continue to slow decision-making and leave cost savings untapped. With Altira Group and Aramco Ventures’ support, we will expand our capabilities and bring predictive procurement transformation to even more enterprises looking to drive profitability and resilience in their supply chains. Arkestro enables procurement teams to serve as a revenue-driving function of the business rather than a cost center, and we’re excited to extend our impact even further with this investment.”

In the past year, Arkestro has rapidly expanded its customer base, with industry leaders—including Fortune 500 manufacturers, energy companies, and global supply chain organizations—using its Predictive Procurement platform to accelerate decision-making, strengthen supplier partnerships, and maximize cost savings.

About Arkestro

Arkestro’s Predictive Procurement Platform accelerates enterprise spend transformation to unlock trapped savings and reduce risk, enabling teams to influence significantly more spend. By combining AI and game theory with Arkestro’s patented three science technology,  Negotiation Science, Supplier Science, and Process Science, procurement teams can improve win rates while strengthening supply chain agility. Trusted by Fortune 500 companies across industries, Arkestro shifts traditional procurement to become a proactive, results-driven function—eliminating inefficiencies, optimizing negotiations, and enhancing supplier collaboration.

Arkestro has been recognized for its industry leadership, including being named a Sample Vendor for Autonomous Sourcing, Autonomous Procurement, and Supplier Discovery in Gartner’s 2024 Hype Cycle, and a Top Tech – Sourcing provider in the Fall 2024 SolutionMap. Learn more at www.arkestro.com.

About Altira Group

Altira Group is a Denver-based venture capital firm that has invested in advanced technology solutions across the energy and industrial value chain for over 28 years.  In partnership with its Fund VII oil & gas company limited partners, Altira enables the next generation of industrial technologies—driving innovation across digital, automation, and core operations.  Beyond capital, Altira actively partners with entrepreneurs to scale their businesses, while also providing direct customer access, real-world validation, and collaborative go-to-market support through its strategic industry relationships.  This differentiated model compresses adoption cycles, enhances company resilience, and delivers stronger investment outcomes.  Learn more at www.altiragroup.com.

About Aramco Ventures

Aramco Ventures is the corporate venturing arm of Aramco, the world’s leading fully integrated energy and chemical enterprise. Headquartered in Dhahran with offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, Aramco Ventures’ strategic venturing programs invest globally in start-up and high growth companies with technologies of strategic importance to its parent company, Aramco, primarily supporting its operational decarbonisation, new lower-carbon fuels businesses, and digital transformation initiatives. Aramco Ventures also operates Prosperity7, the company’s disruptive technologies investment program. For more information, please visit www.aramcoventures.com.

Arkestro Press Contact:
Tiffani Lee-Zhang
[email protected]

SOURCE Arkestro

As enterprises rush to deploy AI, Openlayer helps ensure these systems are evaluated and
accountable before and after launch.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2025 — Today, Openlayer, a unified platform for evaluation and governance of AI systems at the enterprise level, announced a $14.5 million Series A round, led by Race Capital with participation from NXTP, KPN Ventures, Mindset, Y Combinator, Quiet Capital, and Telefonica. The company will focus the new investment to expand enterprise-grade product capabilities and scale go-to-market efforts across key industries and global markets.

“The rate of AI adoption is accelerating rapidly, with teams integrating AI into more mission-critical aspects of their business,” said Gabriel Bayomi, CEO and cofounder of Openlayer. “When enterprises deploy AI, there’s no room for error, especially in customer-facing applications. A single failure can erode trust, disrupt lives, or lead to legal and reputational fallout. That’s why robust evaluation, observability, and governance aren’t optional – they’re foundational to responsible AI deployment.”

In the current AI climate, companies need the tooling and processes to build and deploy applications reliably. Explosive growth is an incredible opportunity, but moving too fast without proper governance can have serious consequences to a business and the end users of these applications. Openlayer gives enterprises a unified platform to take their AI applications from prototype to production, delivering speed while also ensuring accuracy by spotting and guarding against any weakness.

“Openlayer’s development velocity has been among the fastest in our portfolio – growing nearly 5x in 2024 and on pace to match that this year,” said Chris McCann, Managing Partner at Race Capital. “Their platform is becoming essential for enterprises that need to move fast without compromising reliability in their AI infrastructure.”

Founded by Gabriel Bayomi, Rishab Ramanathan, and Vikas Nair, Openlayer provides a unified platform that supports AI teams across the entire development lifecycle—from early experimentation to production deployment. Designed for both traditional machine learning and emerging GenAI systems, Openlayer enables teams to address everything from data-quality issues to complex model evaluation and governance, all within a single workflow.

“Openlayer has a world-class engineering team that ships new integrations and features every week,” said Dror Avrilingi, Head of QE, Data & AI Studios at Amdocs. “On top of that, the platform is built for collaboration, and even non-technical stakeholders can easily participate in helping ensure products are delivering on their intended promise.” 

Openlayer is the only native unified platform for ML and LLM evaluation, offering true multimodal testing, real-time monitoring, and automated governance that fits seamlessly into enterprise workflows. For more information, visit https://www.openlayer.com/

About Openlayer
Built for enterprise teams deploying everything from traditional ML to Generative AI, Openlayer helps organizations test, monitor, and govern their AI systems with confidence. Founded by Gabriel Bayomi, Vikas Nair, and Rishab Ramanathan, Openlayer is trusted by enterprise companies to operationalize safe, reliable, and responsible AI. For more information, please visit https://www.openlayer.com/. 

SOURCE Openlayer

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., May 14, 2025 — Dynamo Ventures announced the close of its third fund at $54 million, more than tripling the size of its inaugural fund. The raise underscores Dynamo’s focus on supporting early-stage founders who are reimagining the way the world’s goods are made, moved, and monetized — across supply chains, logistics, and the foundational industries that power the global economy.

The milestone coincides with another significant development: a secondary transaction that provided early liquidity to LPs in Dynamo’s $18 million Fund I (2016). Kline Hill Partners acquired a significant stake in the fund, creating returns over 4x and signaling strong conviction in Dynamo’s portfolio. The transaction unlocked value for investors who backed the firm over eight years ago, with overall performance placing the fund in the top decile of its vintage. While secondaries once signaled distress, they’ve now become a core part of the venture liquidity playbook. According to PitchBook, 71% of exit dollars in 2024 came from secondaries.

“In a market where traditional exits via IPOs and M&A remain sluggish, we’ve embraced creative avenues to generate liquidity,” said Santosh Sankar, General Partner at Dynamo Ventures. “This secondary sale not only validates the strength of our first fund, featuring four fund returners, including unicorns, but also reflects our responsibility to build for the long haul while returning cash to our earliest backers.”

“We’re pleased to provide an interim solution to Dynamo Ventures and its investors, unlocking liquidity for their dedicated pool of limited partners who have supported the firm’s talented team for nearly a decade,” said Chris Bull, Managing Director at Kline Hill Partners. “We believe Dynamo’s portfolio, which includes some very promising assets, is well-positioned to realize its full potential.”

Amid shifting global trade dynamics and growing pressure on legacy infrastructure, Dynamo’s $54 million Fund III arrives at a pivotal moment and launches at a time when innovation in the physical economy has never been more urgent. Rather than chasing hype cycles, Dynamo focuses on sectors where digitization is overdue — manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and commerce infrastructure. The firm brings deep operational expertise and a global network to the table, backing companies like Stord (omnichannel fulfillment and eCommerce technology), Sennder (digital freight brokerage), Gatik (autonomous middle-mile delivery), and Raft (AI-powered freight forwarding operations) that are modernizing the movement of goods and redefining how industries operate at scale.

“We’ve always believed that the supply chain is more than trucks and warehouses—it’s the industrial backbone of the global economy,” said Jon Bradford, Managing Partner. “This fund gives us the firepower to keep backing the most ambitious and relentless founders reimagining how goods move.”

Madelyn O’Farrell has been promoted to Principal in Fund III, recognizing her instrumental role in the firm’s sourcing, selection, and stewardship efforts. The team also welcomes Bola Adegbulu, a seasoned founder and investor, as a Principal.  Bola will complement the team with his experience in incubating and investing at the inception stage in AI native businesses.

Dynamo Ventures

Dynamo Ventures is a pre-seed and seed-stage venture capital firm investing in startups building the future of the industrial economy Dynamo backs relentless founders reimagining how the world makes, moves, and monetizes the world’s goods. Since launching in 2016, Dynamo has built a global network and portfolio of category-defining companies in both North America and around the world. The firm is headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Press Contact:
Kathy Osborne
607-434-2065
[email protected]

SOURCE Dynamo Ventures

HOUSTON, May 14, 2025 — Persona AI, a leader in embodied artificial intelligence, today announced it has closed its oversubscribed pre-seed funding round, raising $27 million. This substantial investment will accelerate the development and deployment of Persona’s humanoid robot platform, engineered for demanding tasks in shipbuilding and industrial manufacturing. Designed to address critical labor shortages and enhance workplace safety, Persona’s robots will support supply chain resiliency in economically vital global industries. Persona AI has already signed an agreement with HD Hyundai, the global leader in shipbuilding, to deploy humanoid robots into shipyards, with initial delivery expected within 18 months.

Founded in 2024 by robotics veterans Nic Radford (CEO), Jerry Pratt (CTO), and Jide Akinyode (COO), Persona will deliver purpose-built humanoid robots for physically demanding environments, combining industrial-grade precision and human-like dexterity. The robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) business model eliminates the need for large upfront capital investments from clients.

We’re deeply grateful to our investors, not just for capital, but for their conviction in a bold vision,” said Radford. “These partners understand the scale and transformative potential of humanoid robot labor. This level of commitment reflects the magnitude of the opportunity and a trust in what we’re pursuing which we don’t take lightly.”

“In the field of humanoid robotics, Persona stands out for tackling the most challenging problems in industrial labor,” said Shankar Gupta Boddu, Unity Growth General Partner. “Their mission goes beyond automation, they’re working towards building a safer and more efficient workplace.”

Mike Loretz, General Partner at Tides Ventures, added, “We’re proud to back Persona pushing the boundaries of humanoid robotics. Their early traction with global leaders like HD Hyundai signals massive opportunity, and we’re excited to support their bold industrial automation vision.”

The round was co-led by Unity Growth and Tides Ventures, with participation from Mirae Asset Group, Invicta Growth, Fathom Fund, Embedded Ventures, Wave Function Ventures, Zero Infinity Partners, dConstruct Technologies, Goose Capital, SGH, Sound Media Ventures, Kalea Ventures, K50 Ventures, Cofounder Ventures, Tola Capital, SGA Capital, and Olive Hill Ventures, and K2 Global.

According to Morgan Stanley, the market for humanoid labor could reach $3 trillion in the US alone, driven by advancements in AI and the global demand for intelligent automation that mirrors human capabilities.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Katherine Garcia
Director of Executive Affairs
[email protected] 

SOURCE Persona AI Inc

New investment accelerates Cohere’s reach into broader clinical workflows and reinforces its market leadership in prior authorization transformation

BOSTON, May 14, 2025 — Cohere Health^®, the leader in clinical intelligence solutions for health plans and risk-bearing providers, today announced it has raised $90 million in Series C funding. The round was led by Temasek, with continued support from Deerfield Management, Define Ventures, Flare Capital Partners, Longitude Capital, and Polaris Partners. This new investment brings Cohere’s total funding to $200 million.

The new investment will accelerate Cohere’s next phase of growth, scaling the Cohere Unify^™ platform, expanding into new clinical use cases, and deepening investment in its AI-powered product portfolio. Cohere Unify enables critical collaboration points between health plans and providers, and modernizes utilization management (UM) by personalizing provider workflows and optimizing engagement through real-time performance data. Together, these capabilities lay the foundation for Cohere’s broader vision of transforming clinical decision-making.

“Our mission has always been simple: to help people receive the right care at the right time, in the right place, and with the right value,” said Siva Namasivayam, CEO and co-founder of Cohere Health. “This funding is a catalyst to drive Cohere’s growth, expanding our industry-leading UM expertise into new use cases, scaling our operations, and allowing us to continue to transform how plans and providers collaborate to deliver care in ways that truly differentiate us.”

As AI’s role in healthcare continues to draw scrutiny, Cohere’s clinician-led model and responsible AI-first approach ensure that clinical expertise remains at the core of every solution the company develops. This strategy underpins the company’s commitment to innovation, accuracy, and accountability, offering a responsible and transparent model for healthcare automation. Cohere’s platform delivers measurable administrative and clinical efficiencies to streamline the authorization of pending services, reducing provider friction, accelerating time to care, and ultimately helping improve outcomes for health plan members. The platform’s precision clinical insights mean up to 90% of requests can be auto-approved, helping providers spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients, and allowing for deeper collaboration between physicians and health plans on critical cases.

“Since the founding of the company, we have believed Cohere’s approach to AI is distinctive because it brings real clinical intelligence to the table,” said Michael Greeley, Co-Founder & General Partner at Flare Capital Partners. “As the pioneer of the clinical intelligence category, they are not just digitizing an outdated system — they have reimagined prior authorization from the ground up to fundamentally change how clinical decisions are made by facilitating how plans and providers collaborate and incorporate best clinical evidence and guidelines. They have achieved an impressive 93% provider satisfaction rating and have dominated this category. The platform is well-positioned to serve other areas of the healthcare ecosystem. It has been gratifying to watch the company scale, and we are excited to continue our support for Cohere’s next chapter.”

Over the past year, Cohere Health expanded its client base, strengthened its executive leadership team, and deepened platform adoption across the healthcare sector. The company currently processes more than 12 million prior authorization requests annually for more than 600,000 providers nationwide. Additionally, Gartner, LinkedIn, and KLAS have recognized Cohere’s contributions to advancing clinical intelligence, healthcare automation, and collaboration, reflecting its growing influence and sustained innovation in the field.

Looking ahead, Cohere is committed to leading healthcare in places where clinical insight drives decision-making with transparency, responsibility, and a steadfast focus on improving member care.

About Cohere Health
Cohere Health is a clinical intelligence company delivering AI-powered prior authorization solutions that streamline access to quality care by improving collaboration between physicians and health plans. Cohere works with nearly 600,000 providers and processes over 12 million prior authorization requests annually. Its AI auto-approves up to 90% of requests for millions of health plan members. Cohere has been recognized in the Gartner^® Hype Cycle^™ for U.S. Healthcare Payers, named a Top 5 LinkedIn^™ Startup in 2023 and 2024, and is a three-time KLAS Points of Light award recipient.

Media Contact
Kat Long
308.627.6897
[email protected]

SOURCE Cohere Health

Founder-led biotech company launching the next generation of renewable proteins in the U.S., backed by American industrial leaders and strategic capital.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 14, 2025 — Nortian, a biotech company pioneering the production of ultra-pure collagen through a proprietary, vertically integrated process, today announced it has raised $41 million in a landmark funding round—one of the largest in the collagen space—to launch its U.S. manufacturing operations and accelerate commercialization.

The round was led by AJ Hollander, one of the world’s largest hide processors and traders, which brings unmatched scale and security in hide sourcing, processing over 10,000 hides daily across five U.S. facilities. Additional participation came from Hubbard Ingredients, the owner of Integrated Proteins, a Midwest-based supplier to the global animal protein industry; XPTO, the family office of XP Inc.’s founding partners; and several prominent family offices from Texas and the Midwest. Together, these investors bring deep operational expertise and industrial alignment, ensuring Nortian is positioned for long-term growth and supply chain resilience.

With a post-money valuation of $100 million, Nortian is now poised to activate its state-of-the-art U.S. manufacturing hub — the largest in the country —  in St. Joseph, Missouri. The production facility spans over 90,000 square feet on a 24-acre site, with an initial capacity of 600 tons per month and plans to scale up to 1,000. The project is expected to create 138 new jobs in the region, supporting local economic development alongside national production goals. Nortian’s proprietary process transforms hides—typically discarded in the meat industry—into highly purified collagen with 99% purity and 98% protein concentration, among the highest in the global market. In doing so, the company is also tackling a longstanding environmental challenge: animal waste. By reclaiming and upgrading this byproduct, Nortian is creating a scalable model for upcycling animal byproducts into high-value ingredients, bridging industrial food systems with modern biotech to drive impact across health, nutrition, and manufacturing.

“Eighty percent of collagen sold in the U.S. is still imported, often with limited quality control,” said Andre Albuquerque, Nortian’s Founder & CEO. “We’re building the most advanced and reliable high-protein ecosystems in the world. Fully made in the U.S. and optimized for next-generation health and nutrition.”

Nortian’s U.S.-first strategy is tightly aligned with today’s economic and policy climate. With tariffs on imported collagen, rising consumer demand for local manufacturing, and strong federal and state incentives, the company is uniquely positioned to meet demand for performance collagen across nutrition, beauty, and pharmaceuticals.

Before founding Nortian, André Albuquerque built and sold Suplax, one of the largest supplement contract manufacturing companies in Latin America. He later founded an ingredient manufacturing company, which was acquired by an investment fund in 2024. With over a decade of experience in the food, supplements, and ingredients sectors — Albuquerque brings a proven track record of scaling category-defining businesses. Nortian’s leadership team includes alumni from Morgan Stanley, UBS, and leading biotech companies, and is supported by a board of seasoned operators and strategic investors.

“Nortian combines American manufacturing muscle with biotech-level precision,” said Benjamin Ganz, Founding Partner of AJ Hollander. “This team knows how to scale, and they’re doing it with the right partners, in the right place, at the right time.”

The global collagen market is expected to nearly double from $9.8 billion in 2023 to nearly $20 billion by 2030, fueled by growing demand across the wellness, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Nortian’s collagen is engineered with targeted amino acid enhancements to support performance, recovery, and overall bioavailability. Early testing indicates benefits on par with whey protein, with broader functional applications and a cleaner, more traceable sourcing model.

For additional information, please contact [email protected]

About Nortian

Founded in 2024, Nortian is a U.S.-based biotechnology company pioneering the production of ultra-pure collagen from hide through a proprietary, vertically integrated process. Designed for use across the supplements, food, and pharmaceutical industries, Nortian’s ingredients meet the highest standards of purity and performance. With industrial operations in Missouri, the company is proudly built in America and positioned for global scale.

SOURCE Nortian

• Royal Canin a global leader in pet health nutrition and Mars biggest brand, is opening its largest dry pet food factory globally in Lewisburg, Ohio.
• The $450M investment is the single largest investment in a Royal Canin manufacturing site and will create up to 270 new jobs in the region.
• It is part of a larger $6B investment in U.S.-based manufacturing by Mars over the past five years.

MCLEAN, Va., May 14, 2025 — Mars, Incorporated, a global leader and maker of more than 40 beloved snacking, food and pet brands in the United States, including CESAR®, SHEBA®, M&M’S®, SNICKERS® and Ben’s Original™, is announcing the expansion of its U.S. Royal Canin® manufacturing capacity through the opening of a 450,000 square-foot facility in Lewisburg, Ohio. The $450 million site will create up to 270 new full-time jobs over the next five years united around a cat and dog-first culture and will produce enough dry pet food to feed 4 million pets annually. In the United States, Mars has a presence in 49 states, employs over 70,000 Associates and operates 37 factories in addition to veterinary clinics, labs and 14 global and regional offices.

Poul Weihrauch, CEO of Mars, Incorporated, said: “Our latest investment in Ohio is an important milestone in Mars ongoing commitment to U.S.-based manufacturing. Over the last five years, we invested over $6 billion in the U.S. and we plan to continue to grow our ability to supply the domestic market. The Royal Canin facility in Lewisburg provides an important opportunity to further Mars science-based innovation while supporting a community of people and pets that has long been a part of the Mars family.”

“The decision by Royal Canin and parent company Mars to locate in Ohio represents a significant vote of confidence in Ohio’s business environment, our talented, highly trained workforce and our outstanding quality of life,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “We are pleased that Royal Canin is locating in Lewisburg and we look forward to partnering with them as they succeed in Ohio, the heart of it all.”

The state-of-the-art facility uses standardized systems and process designs tested across Royal Canin facilities to replicate the brand’s precise nutrition. The site can manufacture the brand’s entire regional dry kibble portfolio, making it the largest dry pet food factory globally for the brand. The facility has also earned a Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, demonstrating a globally recognized sustainability achievement.

“The investment made into our Lewisburg site continues to represent the growth of the pet nutrition industry and the evolving needs of our pets and their owners,” said Daryn Brown, Regional President, Royal Canin North America. “We’re proud to expand and scale our capabilities to provide tailored nutrition to our North American market and continue expanding our presence within Lewisburg and Preble County.”

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED 
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $55bn family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including Royal Canin®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’S®, SNICKERS® and BEN’S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles — Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom — inspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

ABOUT Royal Canin®: 
Royal Canin® is part of the Royal Canin Division in the Mars, Incorporated group, and a global leader in Health Through Nutrition for cats and dogs fulfilling its Purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. Founded in 1968 by French veterinarian, Dr. Jean Cathary, Royal Canin® designs precise, science-based nutrition for cats and dogs available at pet specialty retailers and veterinary practices worldwide.

Over the years, Royal Canin® has pushed the limits of nutrition and knowledge in partnership with pet professionals, including breeders and veterinarians. Its unique business approach puts the nutritional requirements of cats and dogs at the heart of innovation. Pet’s age, lifestyle, size, breed, and sensitivities are studied through science and observation to produce diets that meet their specific needs.

Royal Canin® generates value not only for pets, but also for people and the planet. This means being mutually beneficial to the ecosystem, empowering Associates, building enduring relationships with stakeholders, and always thinking about how to ensure a viable future for generations to come.

To learn more about Royal Canin®, visit www.royalcanin.com.

Media Contact: 
Mary Jane McComiskey
[email protected]

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated

LONDON, May 14, 2025 — Vintage Investment Partners (“Vintage”), a global venture capital platform with $4.3 billion in AUM and founded in 2003, today announced the opening of its first European office in London and the appointment of Leyla Holterud as Partner to lead Vintage’s further expansion across the region.

Vintage has been actively investing in Europe for over a decade, backing leading venture funds and private tech companies, while facilitating cross–border investment and corporate innovation through its Fund of Funds, Growth, and Secondary investment strategies. Establishing a presence in London marks a key milestone in Vintage’s mission to invest in Europe’s best funds and companies, and serve as a strategic bridge across multiple venture ecosystems. This move comes at a time of renewed energy and ambition among European founders, as breakout companies emerge across the continent. Vintage is proud to support this next wave of growth.

Leyla Holterud Joins Vintage as Partner

A seasoned Venture Capital and Growth Equity investor, Leyla Holterud joins Vintage after nearly a decade at StepStone Group, where she most recently served as Managing Director, Venture Capital & Growth Equity. There, she led global investments across fund commitments, co–investments, and secondaries, with a focus on the EMEA region. Her earlier roles included investment positions at Morgan Stanley on the Alternative Investment Partners’ Private Equity team, and as an Equity Analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. She began her career at Citi in London.

Based in London, Leyla will spearhead Vintage’s European efforts, deepening relationships across the ecosystem, while continuing to identify, invest in, and support leading fund managers and private tech companies.

“I’m delighted to join Vintage Investment Partners, leading the European office, and further strengthening the connection between Europe’s tech ecosystem and Vintage’s outstanding global VC platform. After more than a decade investing in VC and Growth globally from London, I’m excited to double down on European tech and innovation -partnering with the market’s best funds, entrepreneurs, and LPs to help power the next wave of growth. Vintage’s global platform brings not just capital, but true partnership, connecting founders with insights, customers, and scale across markets,” Leyla shared.

“Leyla brings an exceptional combination of global and regional investment expertise in venture capital and growth equity. She is the ideal leader to scale our European platform and the bridges we have been building between Europe and the rest of the world for well over a decade,” said Asaf Horesh, Co–Managing Partner at Vintage.

“Leyla’s track record as a disciplined, thoughtful investor has earned her deep respect across the venture capital and growth equity ecosystems. The opening of an office in London under her leadership, highlights Vintage’s excitement regarding the opportunities in the region, and our plans to accelerate investments in European venture capital. In particular, we see significant opportunity to support CEOs, founders and fund managers through tailored secondary solutions, while also participating in direct investments into breakout companies at the growth stage, and also plan to further broaden our Value+ services we are offering to the market,” added Abe Finkelstein, Co–Managing Partner at Vintage.

About Vintage Investment Partners

Founded in 2003, Vintage Investment Partners is a global venture capital platform managing more than $4.3 billion across Fund–of–Funds, Secondary, and Growth–Stage strategies in the U.S., Europe, Israel, and Canada. Vintage is invested in many of the world’s leading venture funds and growth–stage tech startups and has exposure directly and indirectly to over 6,800 technology companies. Through Value+, its free–of–charge platform connecting venture–backed startups with corporations seeking innovation, Vintage has facilitated more than 300 pilots, purchase orders, and paid proof–of–concepts, generating over $200 million in revenue for startups.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2686583/Vintage_Investment_Partners_Leyla_Holterud.jpg

SOURCE Vintage Investment Partners

NVIDIA Founder & CEO Dr. Jensen Huang’s Iconic Leather Jackets Among Gala Highlights Fueling University’s Vision

HONG KONG, May 13, 2025 — A constellation of over 200 influential leaders from academia, industry and philanthropy converged last Saturday at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) for the spectacular inaugural Gala Dinner celebrating the official launch of the HKUST Foundation. The landmark event, a testament to the community’s profound commitment to future innovation and talent, successfully raised over HK$35 million. The remarkable sum, significantly boosted by the iconic leather jackets signed by Dr. Jensen HUANG, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA and a 2024 HKUST Honorary Doctor of Engineering, alongside his generous matching donations, will powerfully advance HKUST’s ambitious vision for nurturing world-class talent and pioneering groundbreaking innovation. 

Established under the University Council, the HKUST Foundation is envisioned as a vital bridge, uniting a community of supporters who share a common goal: to empower HKUST in its enduring mission to inspire, innovate, and transform. The Gala Dinner marked a pivotal moment, not only celebrating the new chapter but also strengthening existing alliances and forging new partnerships. These collaborations are crucial for enhancing the University’s cutting-edge teaching and research capabilities, while enriching our students’ educational and career pathways.

A Confluence of Visionaries
The event commenced with a warm welcome from HKUST Council Chairman Prof. Harry SHUM, President Prof. Nancy IP, and HKUST Foundation Chairman Prof. Albert IP, addressing the esteemed Partners and Board Members of the HKUST Foundation and all distinguished guests. The glittering assembly included luminaries such as Dr. LI Ning, Chairman of Viva Group; Dr. the Hon. Vincent LO, Founder and Chairman of Shui On Group and HKUST Honorary Court Chairman; Dr. the Hon. Henry TANG, Chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Board; Sir Gordon WU, Chairman and Director of Hopewell Holdings Limited; Dr. Adrian CHENG, Non-Executive Vice-Chairman of the New World Development Company Limited; Mr. YEUNG Fan, Vice-Chairman and General Manager of Glorious Sun Group, and renowned artist Mr. Kenny CHUNG Chun-To. Other senior leadership from HKUST, including Council Vice-Chairman Ms. Edith SHIH, University Treasurer Mr. Stephen YIU Kin-Wah, and Vice-President for Administration and Business and Acting Vice-President for Institutional Advancement Prof. TAM Kar-Yan and members of Council, were also present to mark the historic occasion.

Iconic Donation Pledge Ignites Generosity
A thrilling highlight of the evening was the charity auction and exclusive pledge sessions. Expertly helmed by Ms. JIN Ling, Christie’s first “Golden Mallet Award” auctioneer in China, the pledge featured three iconic leather jackets emblazoned with “HKUST” and worn by Dr. Jensen Huang and Prof. Harry Shum – two autographed by Dr. Huang (one featuring a personal message), and a third contributed by Prof. Shum. Other prized items included four rare red wines generously donated by Dr. The Hon. Henry Tang, and an exquisite ink wash painting by celebrated painter Ms. Yvonne CHOW Hau-Yee. All items found enthusiastic new owners and contributed to the night’s fundraising triumph.

Demonstrating his profound commitment to nurturing future innovators, Dr. Huang, through the Jen-Hsun & Lori Huang Foundation, magnanimously matched donations generated from his jackets with HK$10 million. This significant contribution will establish the HKUST Top Engineering Scholars Award, which is designed to recognize undergraduate students for exceptional academic performance, leadership, and impactful contributions to the university, as well as PhD students for pioneering research, innovation and academic excellence.

Voices of Vision and Gratitude
HKUST Council Chairman Prof. Harry Shum expressed profound gratitude to all the participants, “It is a distinct honor to celebrate this monumental milestone with our esteemed donors and partners, who share our vision for the future of education, innovation, and societal impact. From a coastal blueprint to a global innovation beacon, HKUST’s journey mirrors the power of partnership. The can-do spirit of our faculty, staff and students, as well as the steadfast support of our donors and alumni, have fueled transformative breakthroughs. Together, we are poised to make an even greater impact across Hong Kong, the Mainland, and the world.”

HKUST President Prof. Nancy Ip shared her heartfelt appreciation, “HKUST is where curiosity meets impact, where dreams are forged, boundaries are shattered, and breakthroughs are born. Over the last three decades, we have grown into a world-class institution ranked among the top 50 in the world. With the support from all generous donors here and from afar, we are nurturing pioneers who will lead the next wave of scientific and societal breakthroughs. This is just the beginning.”

HKUST Foundation Chairman Prof. Albert Ip remarked, “This event celebrates the Foundation’s impact and the enduring spirit of collaboration and philanthropy. My deepest thanks to the Organizing Committee, particularly Co-chairman Jennifer Cheng & Terry Tsang, both Council Members, Foundation Partners and Board members, and all patrons and sponsors for making this possible. As Dr. Jensen Huang commended HKUST as the “MIT of Asia“, I look forward to welcoming our 100,000-strong alumni base and all who believe in innovation without borders to join us in writing HKUST’s next chapter.”

An Evening of Memorable Performances and Unity
The Gala Dinner captivated attendees with an array of memorable performances. The University Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring renowned violinist and HKUST Honorary Fellow Ms. Jue YAO delivered a stunning opening. Later, a mesmerizing guzheng duet by Dr. Raymond CHAN and Prof. XU Lingzi blended traditional and contemporary artistry to thunderous applause. The evening culminated in a deeply moving moment as HKUST senior leadership and Foundation Board members led a rousing group rendition of the University Anthem, uniting all present in a powerful celebration of HKUST’s indomitable spirit and legacy.

The proceeds from this historic gala will be strategically channeled to advance HKUST’s future development through cultivating exceptional talent, spearheading pioneering research, and driving innovation-led initiatives.

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SOURCE The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology