ola Ola Electric Reaches Unicorn Status After $250M SoftBank Investment Ola Electric secures $250 million in a Series B round from SoftBank, reaching a $1 billion valuation to expand India's electric vehicle infrastructure. The funding supports the country's ambitious goal to convert 40% of its fleet to electric by 2026.
tech industry Disappointing IPOs and Antitrust Scrutiny Highlight Turbulent Tech Year A look back at 2019 reveals a turbulent year for the tech industry, marked by failed public offerings and increasing antitrust scrutiny. Major startups struggle to maintain their valuations as investor confidence wavers.
softbank SoftBank Vision Fund Faces Investor Hesitation for Planned Sequel Key backers of SoftBank's massive $100 billion Vision Fund reportedly plan to skip or limit their contributions to a proposed second fund. These investors now prefer to make late-stage deals directly rather than paying management fees to SoftBank.
softbank SoftBank Breaks Industry Rules by Funding Multiple Rival Startups SoftBank's massive Vision Fund routinely ignores the traditional venture capital rule against backing direct competitors. This aggressive strategy distorts market dynamics and puts startup founders in difficult negotiating positions.
softbank SoftBank Shares Plunge 14% Amid Uber's Disappointing Market Debut SoftBank Group experiences a significant drop in its own stock value after Uber prices its initial public offering at the low end of its expected range. The Japanese conglomerate loses out on a planned $3 billion paper profit as its massive stake in the ridesharing giant falters.
boston dynamics Boston Dynamics Highlights Box-Moving Handle Robot Ahead of SpotMini Launch Boston Dynamics reveals a purpose-built box-moving robot called Handle and announces its first-ever acquisition as it pushes toward commercial production of the SpotMini quadruped.
uber Uber Spins Out Self-Driving Unit ATG After $1 Billion Investment Uber separates its unprofitable Advanced Technologies Group into a standalone entity after securing $1 billion from Toyota, Denso, and SoftBank. The strategic move improves Uber's financial outlook ahead of its massive public offering.
uber Uber Files S-1 for NYSE Debut in Potential $120 Billion IPO Uber releases its official IPO prospectus to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "UBER." The ride-hailing giant reports $11.27 billion in 2018 revenue and prepares for a May public debut following Lyft's recent market entry.
klook SoftBank Vision Fund Leads $225M Investment in Travel Platform Klook Hong Kong-based travel activities platform Klook raises $225 million in a Series D plus round led by SoftBank's Vision Fund. The company plans to leverage this new capital and SoftBank's ecosystem to expand its global reach and partner with other major startups.
venture capital Major Venture Firms Abandon Traditional VC Rules to Become Registered Investment Advisors Top venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz are restructuring as registered investment advisors to bypass strict investment limits. This shift allows them to invest beyond traditional startup equity and explore crypto, public markets, and secondary transactions freely.
brain corp Brain Corp Unveils Autonomous Delivery Robot for Retail and Factory Floors Brain Corp introduces AutoDelivery, a proof-of-concept delivery robot that tows carts and features an interactive touchscreen for workers. The San Diego startup plans a full commercial launch next year after debuting the technology at the ProMat show.
uber Uber Seeks Up to $1 Billion for Self-Driving Unit Ahead of IPO Uber negotiates a massive funding round for its autonomous vehicle division, aiming for a valuation up to $10 billion. The deal helps boost the company's public image as it prepares for its initial public offering.
softbank SoftBank's $5B Latin America Fund Backed by Record Venture Growth SoftBank's new $5 billion innovation fund for Latin America aligns with a massive surge in regional venture capital, which more than doubles to $1.14 billion in 2017 and continues to climb.
wework WeWork Lays Off 300 Employees in Routine Performance Review WeWork cuts roughly 300 jobs, or 3 percent of its global workforce, as part of a standard annual performance review.
softbank SoftBank Faces Backlash Over Chaotic Strategy As Pinterest and Lyft Prep IPOs Limited partners voice concerns over the SoftBank Vision Fund's chaotic decision-making and inflated valuations, raising ethical questions for portfolio startups. Meanwhile, Pinterest and Lyft take steps toward highly anticipated public offerings.