Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Venture Capital
• Ascendx Cloud, a London-based CRM startup, raised $60m led by Osprey Investors and Columbia Lake Partners. Go deeper
⚡️The Nuclear Co., a Lexington, Ky.-based nuclear energy developer, raised $51.3m in Series A funding. Eclipse led, joined by CIV, Goldcrest Capital, MCJ Collective, True Ventures, and Wonder Ventures. Go deeper
🚑 Dazos, a Boca Raton, Fla.-based software platform for behavioral health providers, raised $25m in Series A funding led by Radian Capital. Go deeper
⚡️Wi-Charge, an Israeli wireless power provider, raised $20m in Series C funding led by Standard Investments. Go deeper
• Graphiant, a San Jose, Calif.-based data network services provider, raised $19m led by Aramco's Wa'ed Ventures and stc Group's Tali Ventures. Go deeper
• Thndr, an Egypt-based retail investment platform, raised $15.7m led by Prosus Ventures, with participation from BECO Capital, JIMCO Capital, Endeavor Catalyst, and Y Combinator. Go deeper
⚡️LIS Technologies, an Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based laser tech developer, raised $11.9m from Innovating Capital. Go deeper
⚡️RoboForce, a Milpitas, Calif.-based robot developer for solar, mining, manufacturing and other sectors, raised $5m from undisclosed investors. Go deeper
• Theo Ai, a Palo Alto-based prediction platform for litigation, raised $4.2m in seed funding co-led by NextView Ventures and Collide Capital. theoai.ai
Private Equity
• Ares acquired a majority stake in Landscape Workshop, a Birmingham, Ala.-based grounds maintenance provider for commercial properties. Go deeper
• Ardurra Group, backed by Littlejohn & Co., acquired Cannon & Cannon, a Knoxville, Tenn.-based civil engineering firm. Go deeper
• KAG Canada, backed by OMERS Private Equity, acquired Canadian milk transporter Fisher Transport. Go deeper
• Tigertail Capital Partners, which backs Advantage Distribution Holdings, invested in Blue Ridge Global, an Atlanta-based supply chain planning company. Go deeper
• TriPost Capital Partners invested in Veleta Capital, a Los Angeles-based real estate private credit platform focused on multifamily and mixed-use assets. Go deeper
M&A
• Chesnara (LSE: CSN) is weighing a bid for HSBC's (LSE: HSBA) U.K. life insurance unit, per Bloomberg. Go deeper
• Nippon Steel plans to invest $14b in U.S. Steel, including $4b for a new mill, should the Trump administration greenlight its takeover bid, per Reuters. Go deeper
• Paramount Group (NYSE: PRGE), a U.S. landlord with a more than $2b market cap, said it's exploring strategic alternatives that could include a sale. Go deeper
Odds and ends
💊 The founder and former CEO of Prollenium Medical Technologies, a Canadian manufacturer of dermal fillers, is suing Prollenium, Panacea Holdings, and investor Archimed following his removal. Go deeper
Fundraising
⚡️The Arab Energy Fund and Stonepeak plan to invest $1b in energy infrastructure in the Middle East. Go deeper
• Eagle Merchant Partners, an Atlanta-based private equity firm, closed its second fund, Eagle Merchant Partners Fund II, with $415m. Go deeper
It's personnel
💊 Dashyant (Dash) Dhanak joined J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital as venture partner. He was previously chief scientific officer at Deciphera Pharmaceuticals. Go deeper
• Jessica Duran was promoted to COO at TSG Consumer Partners. She will continue to serve as CFO. Go deeper
• Ailyn Fun joined Altamont Capital Partners as a director and head of IR. She previously was with Altaris. Go deeper
• Yoichi Hori was appointed chairman and CEO of Subaru of America. Hori was GM of the CTO strategy office for Subaru Corp. of Japan. He succeeds Tadashi Yoshida, who was promoted to senior managing executive officer with Subaru Corp. Go deeper
