Daily business news: funding, M&A, launches
23 stories: 4 legal cases, 4 product launches and 2 leadership changes. Newest first, times in UTC.
Leadership ·
Smallest AI appointed Siddharth Sharma President of BFSI India to lead banking partnerships and voice AI deployment after its $21 million funding round.
Legal & Disputes ·
Rosen Law Firm is investigating potential breaches of fiduciary duties by Monolithic Power Systems directors and officers.
Incidents ·
Pearson MyLab resolved 504 Gateway Timeout errors that hit Revel and third-party LMS access from October 26, with systems confirmed fully operational.
Product Launches ·
MG launched the IM6 electric SUV in Brazil in two versions, priced from R$ 368,990, with up to 752 hp and 400 km of certified range.
Product Launches ·
Creative Biolabs launched integrated veterinary therapeutic antibody research services covering proteomic target discovery.
Partnerships ·
MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian says Netflix remains a long-term partner and would consider a cross-promotional MMA event with Scott Coker's Ki MMA.
Expansion ·
Pulse Locating added two STG HDV vacuum excavation trucks to its Perth fleet, bringing it to seven units that combine locating, supervision and excavation.
Business ·
F3 Uranium granted 1,550,000 stock options at C$0.10 and 1,150,000 restricted share units to employees and consultants.
Product Launches ·
Google Photos 7.97 rolls out a customizable Collections tab with a Pinned section, carousels and a reorderable grid for Android users.
Regulation & Approvals ·
Avalyn Pharma's warrant lock-up ends October 27, 2026, after 181 days, freeing holders from a 180-day restriction tied to its April Nasdaq listing.
Partnerships ·
Cohesity's cloud rebuild is now validated for IBM's Terraform Self-Managed, letting teams restore cloud applications from code and backup after an attack.
Legal & Disputes ·
Robbins LLP filed a class action against UP Fintech Holding over alleged unlicensed cross-border securities business in China and RMB411 million in penalties.
Leadership ·
Michelle Hooper, Searchlight Pictures' EVP of Marketing, is leaving the studio after two decades that produced 21 Best Picture Oscar nominations and 49 wins.
Funding ·
Forward Deployed raised $1 million from Innovation Victoria and Swinburne University to develop and validate its DINGO chemical threat detection platform.
Legal & Disputes ·
Dexus Capital Investors Limited must pay about $30 million under an indemnity, with appeals set for 30 November to 2 December 2026.
Business ·
AIICO Insurance paid N68.1bn in 2025 claims and pays about N2.1bn monthly in annuity benefits to more than 28,000 retirees across Nigeria.
Funding ·
Omnichat raised a US$10 million Series A led by Openspace Capital to scale its Omni AI Agents platform and expand globally.
Expansion ·
CocoLove added four beverage distributors in Florida and California and launched CocoLove Chocolate, as monthly online gross sales rose about 1,813%.
Research & Clinical Trials ·
HUTCHMED will co-host a Nov. 5 webcast with Citigroup on Phase III savolitinib data in MET-driven lung cancer, featuring SANOVO and SAFFRON trial insights.
Product Launches ·
Reebok co-founder Joe Foster and social entrepreneur Wayne Elsey released From Reebok to Reuse, a $19.99 paperback, with a virtual launch on October 29.
Mergers & Acquisitions ·
Distribution Solutions Group closed its GradeEight Holdings purchase, adding 270 Winzer franchisees and 190 associates to its MRO distribution network.
Legal & Disputes ·
Globe Life disclosed $7 million in excess Medicare Supplement claims tied to a CMS processing delay, and shares fell over 8% as an investigation opened.
Business ·
Qatar Islamic Bank was named the Safest Islamic Bank in Qatar and third in the GCC by Global Finance, with nine-month net profit of QR3,525.2 million.