venture_capital

Sparkle Grooming Secures $6M From Mars-Backed Companion Fund

Scottsdale, Ariz. – September 16, 2026 -- Sparkle Grooming Co. has raised $6 million in strategic growth financing led by Companion Fund, the venture capital vehicle managed by Digitalis Ventures in partnership with Mars Petcare, as the dog grooming franchise surpasses 600 licenses awarded to multi-unit partners in just 24 months.

Franchise pipeline expands to 600 licenses in two years

The Scottsdale-based company, which created what it calls the Quick-Service Pet Care (QSPC) category, currently operates 10 salons and plans to have at least 20 open by the end of 2026. More than 30 additional salon openings are planned for 2027, with the company continuing to court select multi-unit franchise partners in priority markets.

Anthropic Exec Headlines Connected Stack AI Summit, Backed by 21 VC Firms

San Francisco – – September 15, 2026 -- Twenty-one venture capital firms will co-host the second annual Connected Stack Enterprise AI Summit on September 10, 2026, at The Presidio Theatre, with Anthropic Head of Americas Kate Jensen delivering the keynote address.

Anthropic executive to discuss agentic ROI measurement with True Ventures partner

Jensen, who leads Anthropic's enterprise sales and partnerships across the Americas, will join True Ventures Partner Mike Montano for a session titled "Real ROI: How the Agentic Enterprise Measures What Matters."

Onix Raises $5M Pre-Seed Led by Alpha Edison for Expert-Owned AI

Montreal – September 14, 2026 -- Onix, the Montreal-based startup behind what it calls Personal Intelligence, has closed $5 million USD (roughly $7 million CAD) in pre-seed funding led by Los Angeles-based Alpha Edison, with participation from Garage Capital, Ride Home Fund, and strategic backers Jeremy Zimmer, co-founder of UTA, and JS Cournoyer, co-founder of Real Ventures.

Round size dwarfs typical Canadian pre-seed deals

According to the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, the raise is more than seven times the average Canadian pre-seed deal recorded in 2025 and exceeds the average Canadian seed round. U.S. investor participation in Canadian pre-seed deals fell from 23% in 2024 to 8% in 2025, making Alpha Edison's lead investment in a Canadian company a departure from that broader retreat.

43North Foundation Targets $5 Billion Buffalo Impact, Names New CEO

Buffalo – September 13, 2026 -- The 43North Foundation has set a target of converting its $100 million investment into $5 billion in economic impact for Buffalo over the next ten years, backed by a leadership transition that takes effect January 1, 2027.

Colleen E. Heidinger will become CEO, succeeding Sarah Tanbakuchi-Ripa

Heidinger, currently President of 43North and with the organization for more than a decade, was selected following a national search led by the Foundation's Board. Tanbakuchi-Ripa is completing her two-year commitment to the role, and both leaders will remain in their current positions through year-end to ensure a smooth handoff. Bill Maggio, Chairman of the 43North Foundation Board, credited Tanbakuchi-Ripa with building the strategy and Heidinger with the relationships to carry it forward.

TrueBridge Closes $508 Million Venture Secondaries Fund

Chapel Hill, N.C. – September 12, 2026 -- TrueBridge Capital Partners has closed its second dedicated venture secondaries fund, TrueBridge Secondaries II, L.P., with $508 million in commitments, more than double the size of its predecessor.

Fund more than doubles predecessor's $230 million haul from 2024

Secondaries II was oversubscribed and drew capital from new and existing investors, including foundations, endowments, pension funds, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals. It follows TrueBridge Secondaries I, which closed at $230 million in 2024 as the firm's first dedicated venture secondaries vehicle.

Cherubic Ventures Closes $68.88M Fund VI, AUM Tops $500M

Taipei – September 06, 2026 -- Cherubic Ventures has closed its sixth fund at $68.88 million, pushing total assets under management across its six funds past $500 million.

Fund VI's Portfolio Companies Have Already Raised Over $500 Million in Follow-On Capital

Despite being early-stage, Fund VI's backed startups have collectively secured more than $500 million in subsequent funding rounds. The fund continues the firm's focus on AI-native companies spanning infrastructure, developer tools, enterprise software, healthcare, physical AI and robotics.