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.
b capital Eduardo Saverin's B Capital Reaches First Close of $406M for Second Fund Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin leads B Capital to a $406 million first close for its second fund, easily surpassing its initial $360 million debut. The venture firm leverages its BCG partnership to invest globally across various industries from its Southeast Asian base.
startups U.S. Startups Raise $30.8 Billion in Record Q1 Funding Surge U.S. startups collect $30.8 billion in Q1 2019, driven heavily by massive late-stage financings. Meanwhile, newly public companies like Lyft face early stock market turbulence.
lyft Lyft Debuts on Nasdaq With Strong Pop Despite Record Losses Lyft makes its public debut on the Nasdaq with a 21 percent pop in its opening price, valuing the ride-hailing company at $24 billion. The highly anticipated IPO sets the stage for upcoming gig economy offerings like Uber.
entrepreneur first Entrepreneur First Showcases 29 New Startups Across Europe Entrepreneur First hosts its eleventh Demo Day in London, featuring 29 newly formed startups from across Europe. The event follows a recent $115 million fundraise to back over 2,200 individuals in the next three years.
biotech Corporate Biotech Investors Double Down on Startup Funding in 2018 Corporate venture investors in the biotech sector participate in rounds valued at $8 billion in 2018, nearly doubling their 2017 totals. Corporate backers also sharply increase the funding amounts for rounds they directly lead.
general catalyst General Catalyst Launches Aggressive Seed Program With $25M Annual Commitment General Catalyst commits to investing at least $25 million annually in seed-stage startups, promising founders quick decisions and ongoing financial support.
andreessen horowitz Andreessen Horowitz Joins Peers With New San Francisco Office Venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz opens a San Francisco office later this year, ending its long-standing resistance to leaving Menlo Park.
instagram Instagram Co-Founders Say Lost Autonomy Is the Price of Massive Success Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger discuss their early startup struggles and explain why losing independence within Facebook shows Instagram actually won.
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.
sam altman Sam Altman Steps Down as Y Combinator President to Lead OpenAI Sam Altman is transitioning from Y Combinator president to chairman so he can become the CEO of OpenAI, leaving behind a massively expanded accelerator program.
venture capital Small Venture Funds Thrive and Multiply Amid Mega-Fund Dominance Despite the venture capital industry's tilt toward massive mega-funds, smaller U.S. funds raising under $100 million reach record numbers in 2018. These micro and nano funds target early-stage deals without directly competing for the same institutional capital as their larger counterparts.
waymo Waymo Sells Custom LiDAR Sensors Outside Autonomous Vehicle Market Waymo introduces its Laser Bear Honeycomb LiDAR sensor for robotics, security, and agriculture, challenging startups in a crowded industry.
elizabeth warren Venture Capitalists Push Back Against Warren's Big Tech Breakup Plan Silicon Valley investors and startup executives express skepticism over Elizabeth Warren's proposal to break up major tech monopolies, arguing that blocking acquisitions will ultimately harm startups and reduce market competition.
y combinator Y Combinator President Sam Altman Steps Down Amid Major Accelerator Shake-Up Sam Altman transitions from his role as Y Combinator president to chairman as the accelerator undergoes significant operational changes. The company is relocating its headquarters to San Francisco and expanding the size of its startup batches.