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      <p>
        Peloton, the connected fitness equipment manufacturer, announced that it has agreed to acquire Precor, the fitness equipment company, for USD 420 million. The deal is expected to close in early 2021.
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  </ul>
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      <p>
        &nbsp;Peloton plans to gain US manufacturing capabilities, increase research and development, and enhance its commercial offering following the acquisition. It also plans to manufacture connected fitness products before the end of 2021. Precor will run as a business unit within Peloton with the completion of the deal.&nbsp;
      </p>
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  </ul>
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    <li>
      <p>
        Peloton is a connected fitness equipment manufacturer that offers bikes and treadmills to its members and produces exercise video content. It provides users with the option to take on-demand workout classes led by instructors from home as well as live-streamed classes in a group setting.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
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  <p>
    <a href="https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/peloton-to-buy-precor-in-company-s-largest-ever-acquisition-1.1539836">
      BNN Bloomberg
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
    <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/peloton-signs-agreement-to-acquire-precor-301197115.html">
      PR Newswire
    </a>
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    <b></b>
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Connected Fitness

Peloton to acquire Precor

Technologies bringing about a new reality

Extended Reality

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 <p>The partnership between Microsoft and Meta has resulted in an Xbox-themed Meta Quest VR headset. Designed with gaming immersion in mind, the limited-edition headset will be bundled with Xbox controllers and a Game Pass. This is in-line with Meta's strategy to make its Quest VR operating system accessible to third-party hardware providers.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> Microsoft’s hardware initiatives in the XR sector have largely been limited to its HoloLens 2 mixed reality headset, tailored toward enterprise applications and the army. The move represents a shift in efforts toward the consumer market, backed by the Quest’s history of being a prominent consumer-focused headset.</p>

Microsoft collaborates with Meta for limited edition Xbox-inspired Meta Quest VR headset

<div>
 <p>Meta announced that its 'Meta Horizon OS' mixed reality operating system can now be used by third-party manufacturers. Asus, Lenovo, and Microsoft's Xbox are the first companies to be announced to create devices using this software.</p>
 <p>Asus and Microsoft’s Xbox are creating a gaming-specific headset, whereas Lenovo’s product will focus on entertainment, productivity, and learning. However, the release of these devices may take a few years.</p>
 <p>The main features of the Meta Horizon OS include technologies for tracking the eyes, face, hands, and body, along with high-resolution passthrough. Notably, the passthrough feature allows users to visualize their surroundings while using the virtual or augmented reality headset.</p>
</div>

Meta opens up its Horizon OS for third-party device makers: Asus, Lenovo, Microsoft join

Pet ownership is at an all time high in the United States and the pet care economy is booming.

Pet Care Tech

<div>
<p>Chubb is set to acquire pet insurance provider Healthy Paws from Aon plc. The acquisition price remains undisclosed. Healthy Paws, established in 2009, provides pet insurance and claims management to over half a million dogs and cats in the US. Chubb aims to use Healthy Paws' well-established brand and large customer base to expand in the pet insurance market.</p>
</div>

Chubb to acquire Healthy Paws to expand reach in pet insurance market

New insurance models are disrupting a centuries-old industry with a focus on personalization and convenience.

Neo Insurance

<div>
 <p>Chubb has reached an agreement to acquire Healthy Paws, a pet insurance provider, from its current owner, Aon plc. The amount involved in the deal has not been revealed. Healthy Paws, established in 2009, provides insurance coverage and manages claims for over half a million dogs and cats across the United States. The acquisition will enable Chubb to further its penetration in the pet insurance sector, taking advantage of Healthy Paws' well-established brand and extensive customer base.</p>
</div>

Revolutionizing construction with sustainable practices to build faster

Prefab Tech

<div>
 
 <p>The Canadian company Nexii, known for manufacturing prefabricated buildings, is being acquired for USD 3 million by a consortium directed by its own senior management and several Canadian entities. The company had previously filed for creditor protection due to financial issues.</p>
 <p>The buying consortium, already informed about Nexii's operations, plans to continue working on existing contracts and maintaining the company's operations post-acquisition. Additionally, an extension of the creditor protection has been requested by the court-appointed monitor to facilitate the transaction process.</p>
 <p>From the sale, a percentage of assets, including some contracts, will be excluded by the company. Nexii is currently in talks with a number of interested parties for the acquisition of these remaining assets.</p>
 
</div>

Nexii acquired by senior management-led consortium of buyers for USD 3 million

Empowering efficiency, visibility and collaboration throughout supply networks

Supply Chain Tech

<div>
 <p>Descartes Systems Group, a supply chain software vendor, has bought Aerospace Software Developments (ASD), an Irish firm with expertise in custom and regulatory compliance solutions, for a total of USD 61 million.</p>
 <p>ASD is based in Dublin and offers its logistics service providers and shippers with customs declaration software products. The firm also provides RFID solutions enabling the air logistics community to track assets.&nbsp;</p>
 <p>Through the purchase of ASD, Descartes plans to boost its product range by incorporating ASD's Irish customs domain knowledge and its sophisticated multi-country customs technology platform. Additionally, combining ASD's RFID-based solutions with Descartes' CORE BLE real-time tracking platform should result in advantages for the airline community.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> During the recent past, Descartes Systems Group has been enhancing its product offerings. Earlier, in April 2024, the company <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/28473"> launched </a> Descartes MacroPoint FraudGuard to enhance freight security. The new solutions added to its portfolio through the acquisition would further strengthen its product portfolio.</p>

Descartes Systems Group acquires Aerospace Software Developments for USD 61 million to strengthen customs compliance solutions

<div>
 <p>Boll &amp; Branch, a company specializing in luxury home goods, has launched a new service called Origin Track. This platform allows customers to trace the full history of their bedding products, from their raw material origins to their final forms. This service reflects their commitment to transparency and sustainability.</p>
 <p>Customers can access this feature on the Boll &amp; Branch website, where they can input the unique lot number found on their product tags and get insights into the creation and journey of their products. The service provides information about the place of creation, the crafters involved, and the journey of the item from farm to home.</p>
 <p>By offering this service, Boll &amp; Branch aims to cultivate deeper engagement with its customers and provide them insight into the company's supply chain decisions. The ultimate goal is to give customers not just a product, but a product with a known and traceable backstory.</p>
 <p>The company values ethical sourcing and sustainability, offering a range of products such as bedding, bath towels, and other home textiles, all made from natural fibers that uphold high environmental and ethical standards​.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> As companies strive to build sustainable and transparent supply networks, origin tracing has become an important feature of supply chain operations. During the recent past, companies like <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/28375"> Circular </a> and <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/27744"> Sojo industries </a> have been working on new solutions for organizations to help their customers trace the origins of the raw materials of products.</p>

Boll & Branch Launches Origin Track to Trace bedding manufacturing process

<div>
 <p>SAP, a global enterprise applications leader, announced new AI upgrades to its supply chain solutions aimed to improve the manufacturing sector's productivity, efficiency, and precision. </p>
 <p>The key features of these solutions include AI-powered insights for optimizing supply chain decisions, simplified product development through natural language queries, detection of equipment anomalies via smart device sensor data, and improved field response using real-time traffic data and machine-learning models.</p>
 <p>According to SAP, these enhancements will result in improved supply chain labor productivity, decreased supply chain planning costs, and reductions in inventory carrying costs and stock turnover rates. Further, these solutions will enhance business agility and intelligence, boosting operational efficiency and making supply chains more resilient.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Earlier, in January 2024, SAP <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/25552"> launched AI-driven </a> predictive demand planning capabilities tailored to the retail Industry. The goal was to provide businesses with an all-encompassing view of their customers and data analysis, which, in turn, can lead to informed decision-making.</p>

SAP enhances AI capabilities in supply chain solutions to transform manufacturing sector

Longevity Tech

<div>
 
 <p>Rubedo Life Sciences has raised USD 40 million in Series A funding, led by Khosla Ventures and Ahren Innovation Capital. Other participants include Hevolution, R42, Modi Ventures, Cerigo Investments, Shanda Group, Refactor Capital, LongeVC, and Italian Angels for Growth (IAG). This brings the total funds raised by the company to USD 53.5 million.</p>
 <p>The company plans to use the investment to take its lead therapeutic candidate, RLS-1496, into Phase 1 trials for chronic atopic dermatitis and chronic psoriasis.</p>
 <p>Rubedo Life Sciences, based in California, is a biopharmaceutical firm. It focuses on creating new ways to target senescent cells that contribute to age-related diseases. Using its Alembic drug discovery platform, the firm has identified druggable targets for therapeutic development aimed primarily at combating age-related pathologies.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Prior to this, in February 2023, the company received USD 1.45 million in grant funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to support the R&amp;D of a pharmacological regenerative treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis targeting senescent lung stem cells.</p>

Rubedo Life Sciences raises USD 40 million in Series A funding to support the clinical trials of lead candidate RLS-1496

Leveraging personal data for custom-fit diagnosis and treatment

Precision Medicine

<div>
 
 <p>SynOx Therapeutics has raised USD 75 million in a Series B funding round, bringing its total funding to approximately USD 119 million. The round was led by Forbion and HealthCap, with new investor Bioqube Ventures also participating.</p>
 <p>The funds will be utilized to generate Phase 3 clinical and CMC data for emactuzumab, a monoclonal antibody developed by SynOx. Emactuzumab targets Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumour (TGCT) and is potentially a leading CSF-1(R) inhibitor in its class.</p>
 <p>In previous TGCT clinical trials, emactuzumab has shown promising results. It achieved an objective response rate (ORR) of 71% and demonstrated tumor shrinkage, sustained efficacy, and improvements in functional capacity.</p>
 <p>SynOx Therapeutics, a biotech research firm focusing on TGCT therapies, was founded in November 2020. The company acquired exclusive global rights to emactuzumab from Roche under a licensing agreement.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Prior to this, in August 2022, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) granted orphan medicinal product designation to emactuzumab for treating TGCT, including both localized and diffuse forms of the disease.</p>

All Updates

Microsoft collaborates with Meta for limited edition Xbox-inspired Meta Quest VR headset

Meta opens up its Horizon OS for third-party device makers: Asus, Lenovo, Microsoft join

Chubb to acquire Healthy Paws to expand reach in pet insurance market

Chubb to acquire Healthy Paws to expand reach in pet insurance market

Nexii acquired by senior management-led consortium of buyers for USD 3 million

Descartes Systems Group acquires Aerospace Software Developments for USD 61 million to strengthen customs compliance solutions

Boll & Branch Launches Origin Track to Trace bedding manufacturing process

SAP enhances AI capabilities in supply chain solutions to transform manufacturing sector

Rubedo Life Sciences raises USD 40 million in Series A funding to support the clinical trials of lead candidate RLS-1496

SynOx Therapeutics raises USD 75 million in Series B funding to produce Phase 3 clinical and CMC data for emactuzumab