Allink Biotherapeutics conclut des tours de table supplémentaires de 47 millions de dollars de la série A pour accélérer les programmes cliniques et le développement de nouvelles plates-formes

  • L’entreprise a obtenu 47 millions de dollars grâce à l’extension de la série A menée par Legend Capital et Meituan Long-Z Investment, avec un fort soutien de la part de nouveaux investisseurs et de soutiens existants.
  • Des produits destinés à l’avancement de deux programmes de conjugués anticorps-médicaments (ADC) différenciés et hautement compétitifs dans le cadre d’essais de phase I à l’échelle mondiale
  • Le financement permettra de poursuivre le développement de plateformes ADC et d’anticorps multispécifiques afin de remédier aux limites critiques des thérapies biologiques existantes.

SHANGHAI, 16 décembre 2025 — Allink Biotherapeutics, Inc. (AllinkBio), une société de biotechnologie en phase clinique qui se concentre sur le développement de conjugués anticorps-médicaments (ADC) avancés et de thérapies à base d’anticorps multispécifiques pour l’oncologie et l’immunologie, a annoncé aujourd’hui la conclusion réussi de ses tours de table supplémentaires de la série A pour lever 47 millions de dollars US. Ces tours supplémentaires ont été dirigés par Legend Capital, qui soutient déjà l’entreprise, et par le nouvel investisseur Meituan Long-Z Investment, suivis par d’autres investisseurs importants, anciens et nouveaux, tels que Lanchi Ventures, Yuanbio Venture Capital, 5Y Capital, Lapam Capital, Runzhang Venture Capital, etc.

Avancement du développement clinique mondial de deux produits de premier plan

Les tours supplémentaires de la série A contribueront à faire progresser le développement clinique mondial des deux programmes phares de la société, qui présentent des avantages concurrentiels distincts. ALK201, un ADC ciblant le FGFR2b susceptible d’être le premier et le meilleur de sa catégorie, a démontré des signes d’efficacité encourageants dans plusieurs types de tumeurs avec un profil d’innocuité favorable, ce qui soutient son développement en tant que traitement de base pour les tumeurs solides surexprimant le FGFR2b. Parallèlement, les premières données cliniques concernant ALK202 ont apporté un soutien préliminaire au potentiel de l’ADC bispécifique EGFR/cMET en tant que traitement de base dans le cancer du poumon non à petites cellules. En outre, le programme est étendu à l’évaluation clinique d’un éventail plus large de types de tumeurs et de populations de patients définis par des biomarqueurs.

AllinkBio a commencé à développer les deux produits cliniques principaux par le biais d’une stratégie guidée par les biomarqueurs, conçue pour démontrer l’efficacité dans un large spectre de tumeurs solides. À court terme, la société prévoit de lancer des études de bithérapie afin d’explorer plus avant le potentiel thérapeutique des deux produits dans des populations de patients de première ligne plus larges. Ces initiatives permettront d’accélérer la préparation des essais pivots pour ALK201 et ALK202 tout en établissant un profil différencié dans leurs indications cibles respectives.

Augmenter les capacités des plates-formes de nouvelles technologies

Au-delà de sa technologie ADC, AllinkBio met en place une plateforme propriétaire d’engagement de cellules T masquées (TCE) afin de développer l’application des TCE pour les tumeurs solides. En matière d’immunologie, la société développe un portefeuille de médicaments candidats anticorps bi- et multispécifiques de premier ordre. Ancrés dans une conception biologique rationnelle, ces programmes ont pour objectif de fournir des solutions de nouvelle génération aux populations de patients mal desservies par les normes de soins actuelles.

« Nous apprécions sincèrement le soutien décisif et continu de nos investisseurs dans un délai aussi court », a déclaré Hui Feng, Ph.D., fondateur et directeur général d’AllinkBio. « Grâce à ce soutien, nous avançons avec une feuille de route clinique claire pour accélérer nos principaux programmes. Au-delà des deux programmes phares, notre moteur de découverte est pleinement activé, prêt à fournir une nouvelle vague de médicaments candidats innovants qui génèreront de la valeur supplémentaire dans un avenir prévisible. »

« Notre soutien continu se justifie par notre confiance dans l’efficacité de l’équipe d’AllinkBio et dans sa solide stratégie de développement », a déclaré Tan Hong, directeur général de Legend Capital. « L’avancement clinique rapide de ses deux principaux produits compétitifs constitue déjà une validation solide de la plateforme ADC de la société et présente une valeur significative. Nous attendons avec impatience les résultats cliniques à court terme et nous nous réjouissons de voir d’autres programmes innovants émerger de ses plates-formes de découverte. »

« L’équipe d’AllinkBio associe un état d’esprit international à une exécution de premier ordre, établissant un rythme remarquable dans le domaine des ADC », a déclaré Xuejing Guo, directeur général et responsable des soins de santé chez Meituan Long-Z Investment. « Nous sommes profondément impressionnés par le potentiel de sa plateforme technologique et nous sommes ravis d’aider l’équipe à traduire ces innovations originales en un impact mondial, afin de proposer des traitements qui changeront la vie des patients dans le monde entier. »

À propos d’AllinkBio

Fondée en 2023, AllinkBio est une société de biotechnologie au stade clinique qui se consacre à la découverte et au développement d’ADC différenciés et d’anticorps multispécifiques pour l’oncologie et l’immunologie. En s’appuyant sur une synergie de capacités de plates-formes innovantes et une efficacité exceptionnelle en matière de recherche et développement, l’entreprise a rapidement fait progresser deux candidats ADC vers des essais cliniques mondiaux de phase I. AllinkBio s’engage à faire progresser l’innovation en matière d’ADC et d’anticorps multi-spécifiques afin de transformer la vie des patients dans le monde entier.

CONTACT : [email protected]

COMEUP 2025 Concludes Successfully, Showcasing Three Days of Global Innovation Under the Theme “Recode the Future”

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 16, 2025 — The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and the Korea Startup Forum (KSF) announced that COMEUP 2025, Korea’s flagship global startup festival, successfully concluded after a three-day run from December 10 to 12 at COEX in Seoul.

Now in its seventh year, COMEUP 2025 was hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, overseen by the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), and co-organized by the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association. Held under the slogan “Recode the Future,” this year’s event highlighted how startups are redefining the future of industries through technological innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Centered on the three core themes of Deep Tech, Global, and Entrepreneurship, COMEUP 2025 featured a wide range of programs including exhibitions, conferences, IR pitching sessions, and open innovation initiatives, further strengthening collaboration and exchange across the global startup ecosystem.

COMEUP 2025 welcomed participants from 46 countries, marking its largest global presence to date. The event brought together a diverse group of startup founders, investors, large enterprises, and government officials from Korea and abroad, creating a highly dynamic environment for exchange and collaboration. In particular, a total of 3,447 investment and business matchmaking meetings were successfully completed through a combination of online matchmaking platforms, pre-arranged 1:1 meetings, and on-site investor booth consultations, earning strong recognition as a practical platform for expanding global business opportunities.

COMEUP 2025 introduced meaningful upgrades across its overall program structure compared to previous years. Conference sessions were reorganized around clearly defined daily themes aligned with the three core pillars of deep tech, global expansion, and entrepreneurship. In line with the festival’s slogan, stages and sessions were designed with a future-oriented approach, significantly enhancing audience engagement.

Another notable change was the first-ever joint organization by the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association, which strengthened collaboration across the private startup ecosystem. This shift led to a stronger focus on inviting global VCs, CVCs, and accelerators, expanding opportunities for concrete investment discussions and strategic partnerships. Pre-arranged and open 1:1 meetings, investor booths, and sessions linked to venture investment briefings played a key role in helping startups secure tangible business opportunities.

Expanded side events also drew strong interest. Programs such as Startup Autobahn Korea 2025, Challenge! K-Startup Grand Finale, TIPS Scale-up Bridge, and a senior venture roundtable enriched the overall program and encouraged broader participation from companies and institutions. Programs designed for the general public were also strengthened, including the COMEUP Docent Tour, a B2C-focused COMEUP Flea Market, and pitch sessions by university startup teams, further broadening public engagement.

One of the most significant achievements of COMEUP 2025 was the expansion of international participation. A total of seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, and Canada, operated national pavilions to showcase their startup ecosystems and technologies. Australia and Sierra Leone joined the festival for the first time, further expanding COMEUP’s global network. Startup ecosystem stakeholders from across continents actively took part in IR pitching, conferences, networking sessions, and exhibitions, significantly increasing the density of global exchange.

Beyond technology trends and global collaboration, COMEUP 2025 placed a strong emphasis on spreading entrepreneurial values across society and industry. Newly introduced this year, the “Future Founder” program spotlighted the next generation of entrepreneurs and aspiring founders. Through student startup presentations, mentoring sessions, and talks by Gen Z founders, the program underscored the importance of nurturing entrepreneurial talent as a foundation for future national competitiveness.

Additional sessions focused on social value creation also garnered attention. These included discussions on climate-tech solutions addressing the climate crisis, trend analysis sessions led by Gen Z entrepreneurs, and talks exploring the life of founders from a family perspective. Major startup competitions such as the COMEUP Stars 2025 Final Pitch, the Challenge! K-Startup 2025 Grand Finale jointly hosted by 10 government ministries, and the K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC) Demo Day for foreign startups further highlighted the full spectrum of the startup ecosystem—from early-stage founders to globally scaling ventures.

COMEUP 2025 will be available for on-demand viewing through the festival’s official YouTube channel. 

SOURCE KOREA STARTUP FORUM

Global Startup Festival COMEUP 2025 Ends Successfully, Highlighting Investment, Collaboration, and the Future of Innovation

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 16, 2025 — The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and the Korea Startup Forum (KSF) announced that COMEUP 2025, Korea’s flagship global startup festival, successfully concluded after a three-day run from December 10 to 12 at COEX in Seoul.

Now in its seventh year, COMEUP 2025 was hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, overseen by the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), and co-organized by the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association. Held under the slogan “Recode the Future,” this year’s event highlighted how startups are redefining the future of industries through technological innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Centered on the three core themes of Deep Tech, Global, and Entrepreneurship, COMEUP 2025 featured a wide range of programs including exhibitions, conferences, IR pitching sessions, and open innovation initiatives, further strengthening collaboration and exchange across the global startup ecosystem.

COMEUP 2025 welcomed participants from 46 countries, marking its largest global presence to date. The event brought together a diverse group of startup founders, investors, large enterprises, and government officials from Korea and abroad, creating a highly dynamic environment for exchange and collaboration. In particular, a total of 3,447 investment and business matchmaking meetings were successfully completed through a combination of online matchmaking platforms, pre-arranged 1:1 meetings, and on-site investor booth consultations, earning strong recognition as a practical platform for expanding global business opportunities.

COMEUP 2025 introduced meaningful upgrades across its overall program structure compared to previous years. Conference sessions were reorganized around clearly defined daily themes aligned with the three core pillars of deep tech, global expansion, and entrepreneurship. In line with the festival’s slogan, stages and sessions were designed with a future-oriented approach, significantly enhancing audience engagement.

Another notable change was the first-ever joint organization by the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association, which strengthened collaboration across the private startup ecosystem. This shift led to a stronger focus on inviting global VCs, CVCs, and accelerators, expanding opportunities for concrete investment discussions and strategic partnerships. Pre-arranged and open 1:1 meetings, investor booths, and sessions linked to venture investment briefings played a key role in helping startups secure tangible business opportunities.

Expanded side events also drew strong interest. Programs such as Startup Autobahn Korea 2025, Challenge! K-Startup Grand Finale, TIPS Scale-up Bridge, and a senior venture roundtable enriched the overall program and encouraged broader participation from companies and institutions. Programs designed for the general public were also strengthened, including the COMEUP Docent Tour, a B2C-focused COMEUP Flea Market, and pitch sessions by university startup teams, further broadening public engagement.

One of the most significant achievements of COMEUP 2025 was the expansion of international participation. A total of seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, and Canada, operated national pavilions to showcase their startup ecosystems and technologies. Australia and Sierra Leone joined the festival for the first time, further expanding COMEUP’s global network. Startup ecosystem stakeholders from across continents actively took part in IR pitching, conferences, networking sessions, and exhibitions, significantly increasing the density of global exchange.

Beyond technology trends and global collaboration, COMEUP 2025 placed a strong emphasis on spreading entrepreneurial values across society and industry. Newly introduced this year, the “Future Founder” program spotlighted the next generation of entrepreneurs and aspiring founders. Through student startup presentations, mentoring sessions, and talks by Gen Z founders, the program underscored the importance of nurturing entrepreneurial talent as a foundation for future national competitiveness.

Additional sessions focused on social value creation also garnered attention. These included discussions on climate-tech solutions addressing the climate crisis, trend analysis sessions led by Gen Z entrepreneurs, and talks exploring the life of founders from a family perspective. Major startup competitions such as the COMEUP Stars 2025 Final Pitch, the Challenge! K-Startup 2025 Grand Finale jointly hosted by 10 government ministries, and the K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC) Demo Day for foreign startups further highlighted the full spectrum of the startup ecosystem—from early-stage founders to globally scaling ventures.

COMEUP 2025 will be available for on-demand viewing through the festival’s official YouTube channel. 

SOURCE KOREA STARTUP FORUM

MEQ Solutions lands $23m from Insight Partners to redefine how value is created in the $1 trillion global red-meat trade

MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 15, 2025 — MEQ Solutions has secured A$23 million (US $15 million) in Series A funding from global software investor Insight Partners to accelerate the rollout of its solutions and scale its mission to become the global authority in objective measurement of red-meat quality and yield. The funding will strengthen MEQ Solutions’ operations, expand its team and deepen collaboration with partners in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and the United States – unlocking value, consistency and trust from paddock to plate.

The global red-meat market is worth more than US $1 trillion annually, feeding billions of people and supporting economies from Australia to the United States. Yet it remains one of the few global supply chains still dependent on subjective grading and manual inspection.

In an industry long defined by intuition and approximation, MEQ Solutions is creating an entirely new category of measurement and verification for red meat. Its suite of technologies, including MEQ Probe, MEQ Camera, MEQ Live, and MEQ Insights, utilises advanced AI models and proprietary imaging to provide real-time data on quality, yield, and eating attributes, spanning from live animals to finished products.

MEQ Camera recently became the first video-based technology certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for beef grading, a world-first milestone that cements MEQ Solutions’ role as a global benchmark for objective measurement.

This innovation positions MEQ Solutions at the forefront of Australia’s emerging AI-commercialisation story. The company exemplifies how Australian-built technology can lead globally in transforming complex, legacy industries through applied artificial intelligence.

Beyond efficiency, MEQ Solutions is creating new commercial models that can transform how value is recognised and shared. Processors can deliver verified brand-premium products, optimise yield and reduce waste. Producers receive clear, objective feedback that supports more accurate payments based on demonstrated quality rather than estimated risk. Brands can enhance consumer trust with verified quality and provenance insights, and use this data to link consumer needs with supply-chain decisions. MEQ Insights, the company’s data platform, powers this ecosystem by converting objective measurement into meaningful commercial intelligence.

“As we build deeper relationships, more opportunities are emerging to collaborate and unlock new value across supply chains,” said Remo Carbone, Founder and CEO of MEQ Solutions.

“Insight’s investment will enable us to further support our partners and grow our teams to capture the opportunity in front of us, with a particular focus on operational excellence. We’re installing truth infrastructure for the red-meat industry, creating value, consistency and trust across the chain.”

“MEQ Solutions is well-positioned to be a category-defining company transforming how value is measured and shared in one of the world’s largest industries,” said Connor Guess, Vice President at Insight Partners. “Its combination of hardware, software and AI-driven analytics represents the next frontier for transparency, traceability and performance in food production. We’re excited to back Remo and team in this next chapter of growth.”

MEQ Solutions is commercially deployed across three continents and is now scaling rapidly.

About MEQ Solutions

MEQ Solutions is the only company in the world that objectively evaluates red meat quality and yield. This unique position makes us the global authority in understanding how meat performs, and how value is created, from live animal to carcase to consumer.

We combine world-leading science with an integrated suite of technologies that deliver real-time, objective data at every point of the supply chain. Processors, producers, feedlots and brand programs use MEQ to optimise carcase outcomes, improve eating quality, reduce variability and build trust with consumers.

With commercial operations across Australia, New Zealand and North America, MEQ is setting a new global standard. We’re moving the sector from subjective grading to objective measurement, unlocking consistency, profitability and transparency for the people who feed the world.

About Insight Partners
Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of June 30, 2025, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 875 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has a global presence with leadership in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insight’s mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on X @insightpartners.

SOURCE MEQ Solutions

Axion Raises $37M Series B to Power the Future of American Manufacturing

NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2025 — Axion, the pioneering AI platform for manufacturing product quality, today announced a $37 million Series B funding round led by Salesforce Ventures with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners, Schneider Electric Ventures, and other existing investors. Axion’s platform, combining domain-specialized AI algorithms with human-in-the-loop problem solving workflows, serves as the operating layer underpinning America’s manufacturing revival.

Fortune 500 manufacturers face growing pressure to release sophisticated, innovative products while maintaining exceptional quality standards. Companies across industries – including data centers, automotive, aerospace, medtech, and consumer electronics – rely on Axion to make this possible.

Teams use Axion’s proprietary intelligence platform to ensure superior product quality by detecting the earliest warning signals of emerging issues that could impact their customers. By addressing problems swiftly, manufacturers improve uptime, enhance customer experience, and significantly reduce warranty costs. Importantly, Axion shifts quality from reactive to proactive, closing customer feedback loops and unifying data sets to enable manufacturers to ideate and develop the next generation of products, driving innovation across their entire product suite.

“Axion gives manufacturers the power to detect and solve customer issues faster than ever before,” said Daniel First, CEO and founder of Axion. “With new investments from Salesforce Ventures and Schneider Electric Ventures, we’re building the foundation for manufacturers to bring innovative products to market that customers love.”

Driving Product Excellence and Improved Customer Experience
Axion’s human-in-the-loop AI platform helps manufacturers detect customer issues earlier, fix them faster, and build products the world loves. It delivers concrete results in weeks and removes costly efforts to establish root causes of issues, which can take months and severely impact customer trust. This transforms how manufacturers ensure product quality by:

  • Improving product uptime and reliability for end customers
  • Reducing warranty costs by millions, through proactive issue detection and resolution
  • Accelerating root cause analysis by 85% on average

“Axion’s quality intelligence creates a powerful feedback loop that connects product performance directly to customer satisfaction, empowering teams to build better products, improve customer experiences, and drive meaningful business outcomes,” said Paul Drews, Managing Partner at Salesforce Ventures. “We’re excited to support Axion as they help manufacturers turn quality into a strategic advantage.”

A Unified Approach to Solving Customer Issues
Salesforce Ventures’ investment in Axion will serve as a network multiplier, immediately opening new possibilities for manufacturers to unify their customer problem-solving operations through the Salesforce ecosystem and beyond. Many of Axion’s Fortune 500 customers already rely on Salesforce Data Cloud and Salesforce Service Cloud, creating natural integration opportunities that connect customer outcomes to product enhancements.

“The synergy between Axion, Salesforce Ventures, and the Salesforce ecosystem is transformative for our mutual customers,” added First. “Manufacturers can now have a more holistic, integrated approach to solving customer problems. This unified approach helps companies like Cummins and SharkNinja not only build better products, but also deliver exceptional customer experiences when issues do arise.”

Supporting Innovation
“The best manufacturers compete on product quality and customer experience,” said James Ezhaya, VP Power Products Quality & Sustainability at Schneider Electric. “Axion gives quality teams the insights they need to ensure every product meets the highest standards, increasing uptime and reducing warranty costs.”

“In medical devices, product quality directly impacts patient outcomes and lives,” said Kiran Kuppuswamy, Vice President of Quality at Medtronic. “Axion can identify potential quality issues with unprecedented speed and accuracy, helping us maintain the rigorous standards required while accelerating our time to market.”

Accelerating the Future of Customer-Centric Engineering
The funding will enable Axion to expand its AI capabilities, accelerate product development, and support more manufacturers in their pursuit of delivering high-quality, reliable products.

“We’re giving manufacturers the clarity and confidence to build world-class products,” added First. “By helping companies like Medtronic and Daikin understand their customers’ top issues, their teams can bring to market the next generation of products that customers love.”

For more information, please see our announcement blog.

About Axion
Founded in 2021, Axion is the first AI-powered customer quality intelligence platform that integrates human expertise into every workflow. Axion helps manufacturers build high-quality products by detecting, investigating, and resolving issues before they impact customers. Trusted by leading global manufacturers, Axion delivers measurable ROI through improved product uptime, enhanced customer experience, and reduced warranty costs. For more information, visit www.axion.com.

Media contact
[email protected]

SOURCE Axion Ray

Skyblue Analytics Announces Strategic Investment Round to Expand Global Coverage

Round Participation Led by Key Industry Experts and Regional Players

Funding to Drive AI Expansion Effort and Further Regional Coverage

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, Dec. 15, 2025 — Skyblue Analytics (“SBA”), a fintech infrastructure company modernizing the way brokers, banks, and financial institutions build investment platforms, today announced a strategic funding round led by key partners including Merchant Seven (“M7”), A3 Mercados, Matba Rofex, PrimaryX and Draper Angels LATAM. The funding will accelerate Skyblue’s mission to enable any financial institution to become a fintech in weeks, not years.

“These partnerships go far beyond capital,” explained Sebastian Musso, Founder and CEO of Skyblue Analytics. “They represent a collective belief that LATAM can leapfrog a decade of slow progress and that Skyblue Analytics is the infrastructure partner to make this seismic change happen.”

While the U.S. fintech market has rapidly evolved, the LATAM financial sector remains close to a decade behind in infrastructure modernization. SBA’s front-end solutions and infrastructure teams bridge that gap by allowing regional and global financial institutions to integrate multi-market trading, analytics, and portfolio tools in record time.

“Modernization of client portals, applications, and trading toolkits should be something teams enjoy upgrading, not a painful process that can take months or years and millions of dollars in investment,” added Musso. “We are changing that today.”

This year, the company has gone beyond LATAM with the expansion into Europe and the US, adding high performance trading apps, and prop trading groups to their technology portfolio. In Argentina, Skyblue achieved a major milestone by co-developing a next-generation investment platform with A3 Mercados subsidiary (Primary), which now powers over 75+ retail brokers in the country.

“It’s time for LATAM to modernize their financial technology stack,” said Pierce Crosby, Founder and Managing Partner at Merchant Seven. “Together with Skyblue, we are pushing to develop the next-gen platforms and enabling LATAM investors to access all of the U.S. equity market through a single integration.”

Skyblue has created an ecosystem of three core technologies designed for speed, scalability, and intelligence for all of its customers:

  1. Multi-market integration: Seamless connectivity across U.S. and Latin American exchanges and brokers.
  2. White-label platforms: Fully customizable web, mobile, and desktop experiences deployable within weeks, with similarly world-class backend infrastructure.
  3. AI-enabled investment platforms: The first B2B solutions in the region that integrate conversational AI, capable of answering complex questions such as, “Which assets contributed most to my portfolio this week?” or alerting users to events like upcoming earnings.

In addition to these core components, Skyblue is also developing proprietary AI trading agents which allow clients to trade directly through natural language and voice prompts. Such a new model has yet to be seen in LATAM, and will move customer adoption much faster than previous desktop platforms. Customers can quickly chat with their AI agent to place trades, check portfolios, and more.

About Skyblue Analytics

Skyblue Analytics (www.skyblueanalytics.com) builds the technology backbone for modern financial institutions in LATAM. Through plug-and-play integrations, white-label platforms, and AI-powered investment tools, Skyblue Analytics empowers brokers, banks, and fintechs to deliver world-class user experiences faster than ever before. Founded in Uruguay and Argentina, Skyblue is redefining the future of digital finance in LATAM — one integration at a time.

Media Contact:
Press Office – Skyblue Analytics
[email protected]
www.skyblueanalytics.com

SOURCE Merchant Seven

Octane Raises $100M in Series F Funding Round

Equity Financing to Drive Continued Growth, Innovation, and Market Expansion

NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2025Octane® (Octane Lending, Inc.®), the fintech revolutionizing the buying experience, announced it has closed its Series F funding round of $100 million in equity capital. The raise includes new equity capital to be used for growth initiatives as well as amounts to be used for secondary share transfers.

The capital builds on Octane’s strong originations growth and enables the Company to further accelerate market penetration and deepen its product offering, positioning the Company even more favorably for long-term success. The Series F raise attracted a mix of returning and new investors; Valar Ventures led the round with participation from Upper90, Huntington Bank, Camping World and Good Sam, Holler-Classic, and others. Prior to the Series F, Octane had raised $242 million in total equity funding since inception, including its Series E, which closed in 2024.

“Building on our strong foundation, this capital allows us to move more quickly on key initiatives that will further differentiate us in existing markets and speed up our entrance into new ones,” said Jason Guss, CEO and Co-Founder of Octane. “We’re grateful to our existing investors for their continued support and belief in our vision, as well as to new investors for their partnership. We look forward to strengthening these relationships as we expand our offerings and unlock the full potential of financial products for merchants and consumers.”

“One of the investing lessons of the past two decades is that the best tech companies can compound for far longer than expected,” said James Fitzgerald, Founding Partner of Valar Ventures. “Octane’s unique offering supports dealers and OEMs with software and financing solutions unavailable elsewhere. We expect Octane to continue to take market share — both in its existing markets and in those it’s only begun to enter — for a very long time. We are excited to continue backing this team and to partner with them for another decade, or longer.”

“It’s been impressive to watch Octane’s execution in becoming a clear leader in the powersports market,” said Billy Libby, Managing Partner at Upper90. “Now the company is scaling its proprietary underwriting engine and end-to-end technology platform as it expands into new markets and helps dealers grow their profits and deliver better financing experiences to consumers. Few public or private companies are growing as rapidly — and profitably — as Octane, and we’re excited to be part of their continued growth.”

Thus far in 2025, Octane has launched a myriad of new products and technology enhancements, including groundbreaking updates for both merchants and consumers. Notably, Octane strengthened its industry-leading financing portal to provide even faster, easier customer acquisition and closing processes for merchants, helping them reach more buyers and increase profitability. At the same time, customers can access simplified payment options, expedited question resolution, and increased flexibility within the Customer Portal.

Since its founding in 2014, Octane has originated over $7 billion in loans through its in-house lender Roadrunner Financial®, Inc., issued more than $4.7 billion in asset-backed securities, and has sold or committed to sell $3.3 billion of secured consumer loans since December 2023. The Company grew originations by more than 30% from Q3 2024 to Q3 2025 and is GAAP net income profitable. Octane works with 60 original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner brands and serves markets worth a combined $150 billion with its innovative technology solutions and fast, easy financing experience.

About Octane:
Octane® is revolutionizing recreational purchases by delivering a seamless, end-to-end digital buying experience. The Company unlocks the power of financial products for merchants and consumers in multiple industries, including powersports vehicles, RVs, boats, personal watercraft, and outdoor power equipment.

Octane adds value throughout the customer journey: inspiring enthusiasts with the Octane Media™ editorial brands, including Cycle World® and UTV Driver®, instantly prequalifying consumers for financing online, routing customers to dealerships for an easy closing, and supporting customers throughout their loan with superior loan servicing.

Founded in 2014, Octane supports over 60 OEM partner brands and over 4,000 dealer partners, and has a team of 600 in remote and hybrid roles. Visit www.octane.co.

Octane® and Roadrunner Financial® are registered service marks of Octane Lending, Inc. Cycle World® and UTV Driver® are registered trademarks of Octane Media, LLC.

Octane Media Relations: Shannon O’Hara
[email protected]

Octane Investor Relations:
[email protected] 

SOURCE Octane

New Innovation Program to Strengthen Community Health Tech Economy in Northwest Arkansas

Pilot competition led by NXTUS, HTA fueled by $500,000 Walton Family Foundation Grant

WICHITA, Kan., Dec. 15, 2025NXTUS, Inc., along with HTA, today introduced HealthCatalyst NWA, a unique innovation program designed to expand growth opportunities for early-stage companies and make Northwest Arkansas a proving ground for technology tools addressing pressing needs in health and economic vitality.

The Walton Family Foundation awarded NXTUS a $500,000 grant to fund the HealthCatalyst NWA 2026 pilot program, aiming to close a critical gap in Arkansas’s innovation economy: too few pathways for the region’s nonprofits to access and implement the health- and community-tech tools offered by startups.

The program will help regional community partners and health care providers solve costly problems while ensuring the participating startups have critical market feedback and commercial traction to move their companies forward in Northwest Arkansas.

The HealthCatalyst NWA program will build on the success of the Kansas-focused NXTSTAGE Community Health and Vibrancy Pilot Competition, presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, which has prompted more than 77 health and economic vibrancy innovation projects since 2021.

“This unique program can help Northwest Arkansas continue to build its reputation and reality as a thriving region and a great place to grow a business,” said Mary Beth Jarvis, President and CEO of NXTUS. “HealthCatalyst NWA will pair local providers with leading innovators offering solutions for their most pressing challenges. With this, the region grows as a hub for promising technology tools, helping startups thrive and driving improved population health and economic-growth outcomes.”

“The Health Catalyst NWA program will be instrumental in connecting visionary startups with local healthcare and community partners,” said Yee-Lin Lai, Senior Program Officer, Walton Family Foundation. “By supporting NXTUS, we are investing in innovative solutions that will improve lives and expand the region’s entrepreneurial capacity.”

By using NXTUS’s proven model and HTA’s strong network of Arkansas partners, HealthCatalyst NWA will attract both Arkansas-based and global startups to scale innovative solutions.

“In addition to addressing community health challenges through funded and facilitated pilots, one goal of the HealthCatalyst program is to continue attracting talent to Northwest Arkansas,” said Jeff Stinson, Director of HTA. “Startup companies conducting pilot projects here will be required to maintain a presence here, which contributes to our ever-expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

To date, HealthCatalyst NWA community partners include Arisa Health, the Arkansas Department of Health, the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership, Community Clinic, Havenwood, Mercy, Our Blood Institute, Spring Creek Food Hub, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Washington Regional Medical System. These organizations represent a broad cross-section of healthcare providers and community-based organizations working to advance health and well-being in Northwest Arkansas.

Applications for startups to compete in HealthCatalyst NWA open January 1, 2026. In the spring, select contenders will be matched with community organizations to focus on the most promising collaborations. Pilot agreements will be finalized over the summer, with projects launching in the fall, placing startup staff on site in Northwest Arkansas to implement and scale their solutions. Pilot outcomes—including community impact, job creation, and service enhancements and expansions—will provide valuable insights into the impact and future value of the program to the region.

Learn More: https://hta.health/healthcatalyst-nwa
Apply Here: https://www.f6s.com/health-catalyst-nwa/ 

About NXTUS:
NXTUS, Inc helps entrepreneurs grow companies of significance. The organization works to connect startup founders with community resources, capital, and customers. NXTUS manages NXTSTAGE programs, which are aimed at connecting startups to mature businesses and regional partners looking to become customers for their innovations and to help accelerate the pace of innovation and startup growth in the region, as well as Accelerate Venture Partners, a fast-growing regional angel investor syndicate.

About HTA:
HTA is an innovation hub that builds collaborations between healthcare organizations, community partners, and early-stage companies to accelerate the adoption of transformative technologies and services in Arkansas. Through programs like HealthCatalyst, HTA connects innovative startup companies with community-based organizations to pilot and implement solutions that advance population health, health equity, mental health, environmental sustainability, and economic vitality. More information can be found at HTA.health.

Media Inquiries:
Elleigh Peters
+1-501-766-0633
[email protected]

SOURCE NXTUS, Inc.

Link Cell Therapies Launches with Vision of Advancing CAR-T Therapies in Solid and Liquid Tumors

Closes $60 Million Series A Financing Round Backed by New and Existing Investors

$92 Million Raised to Date Across Seed and Series A Financings

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Dec. 15, 2025 — Link Cell Therapies (“Link”), an oncology cell therapy company, today announced its official launch from stealth with a $60 million Series A financing that was led by Johnson & Johnson, through its corporate venture capital organization, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. , with participation from founding investors Samsara BioCapital and Sheatree Capital, as well as Wing Venture Capital and other new strategic and financial investors.

Link’s proprietary logic-gating technologies allow for safe targeting of multiple antigens that are co-expressed on cancer cells but do not overlap or only minimally overlap in their normal healthy tissue expression. This platform enables the creation of next-generation CAR-T therapeutics for solid and liquid cancers built upon an entirely new landscape of “clean” target pairs.

“We recognized that for most cancer types, particularly solid tumors, the promise of CAR-T therapies is limited by a dearth of cancer-specific targets and abundant expression of most solid tumor targets in normal vital tissue,” said Co-Founder Robbie Majzner, MD of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. “Link is advancing a technology that we developed while at Stanford University that allows for logic-gated CAR-T cell control. The Link-based CAR activates and kills target cells only when a combination of antigens is co-localized on the tumor, thereby bypassing normal tissues that express only one of those targets. We believe this approach will enable potent CAR-T therapies to attack a wide range of tumors while sparing healthy tissue.”

Link Cell Therapies Announces $92 Million Raised Across Seed and Series A Financings

The Series A financing, which follows a 2022 Seed Round led by Samsara and Sheatree, adds a number of strong financial and strategic investors to the syndicate, including JJDC, Inc, Bristol Myers Squibb, Kyowa Kirin, Wing Venture Capital, and Sherpa Healthcare Partners.

“It has been a pleasure to support Link Cell Therapies since its founding,” said Abraham Bassan, Member of the Link Board of Directors and Partner at Samsara BioCapital. “The team at Link has advanced a unique technology that could enable the development of multiple, impactful treatments for patients with cancer. I have been impressed with the team’s achievements and the progress on Link’s lead program and pipeline.”

Link’s Progress and Development Status

Link’s lead program, LNK001 for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (“RCC”), is on track for an Investigational New Drug (IND) application and initiation of dosing in a Phase I clinical trial in 2026. LNK001 targets two antigens that are uniquely and highly co-expressed in most RCC tumors. LNK001 is designed to enable tumor-specific efficacy while avoiding on-target, off-tumor toxicity that has limited prior experimental therapies targeting each individual antigen. 

Link’s second program being developed for colorectal cancer will target Development Candidate selection in 2026 and initiation of human clinical studies in 2027. The company has multiple additional CAR-T programs in earlier development in solid and liquid cancers that will be developed internally or through partnerships.

For inquiries and information, contact Link Cell Therapies at [email protected].

About Link Cell Therapies

Link Cell Therapies (“Link”) is a biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, California that was founded in 2022 by Robbie Majzner, MD and Crystal Mackall, MD at Stanford University. Link’s proprietary logic-gating technologies allow for safe targeting of multiple antigens that are co-expressed selectively on cancer cells, thereby reducing the risk of on-target, off-tumor toxicity. This enables discovery of an entirely new landscape of “clean” target pairs, and development of next-generation CAR-T therapeutics for solid and liquid cancers. Link’s team features industry-leading scientists collaborating with top-tier advisors and life science financial and strategic investors committed to improving outcomes for cancer patients. To learn more, please visit linkcelltx.com.

About Samsara BioCapital

Founded in 2017, Samsara BioCapital is a leading biotech investment firm focused on identifying opportunities across public and private markets. Samsara invests across the full spectrum from early-stage start-up to late-stage clinical assets with a focus on companies that will have a significant impact on patients and address high unmet medical needs. Samsara works with entrepreneurs and top-tier management teams that they believe will have a meaningful impact on innovative therapeutics. The Samsara team has deep expertise in biotech with significant experience working together prior to founding the firm. The team is led by Srinivas Akkaraju, who has over twenty-seven years of industry experience and has an MD and a PhD in Immunology from Stanford University.

SOURCE Link Cell Therapies