slack Workplace Chat Giant Slack Surges 48% in Historic Direct Listing Debut Slack bypasses traditional IPO methods to launch directly on the NYSE, seeing its stock jump nearly 50 percent and pushing its market cap past $20 billion.
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.
slack Slack Posts $134.8 Million in Q1 Revenue Ahead of Direct Listing Slack reveals a 67% revenue increase in its first quarter as it prepares for a June 20 direct listing on the NYSE. The workplace messaging giant reports growing sales alongside ongoing losses ahead of its public debut.
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.
venture capital Venture Capitalists Pour Millions Into Disruptive Beverage Startups Venture capitalists are rapidly funding a new wave of beverage startups that aim to disrupt the traditional drink industry with wellness-focused and millennial-friendly alternatives.
uc berkeley UC Berkeley Leads Public Universities in Producing Funded Startup Founders A new Crunchbase News ranking highlights the top U.S. public universities that graduate the most founders of startups raising over $1 million. UC Berkeley holds a massive lead over runner-up UCLA, while successful programs span all regions of the country.
jawbone Jawbone Founder Raises $65 Million for New Health Data Startup Despite the spectacular billion-dollar failure of his previous company, Hosain Rahman successfully raises $65.4 million for Jawbone Health, a subscription service focused on preventative healthcare using continuous health data.
cannabis Venture Capitalists Pour Billions Into Booming Cannabis Tech Startups Venture capitalists invest heavily in cannabis-focused startups, putting $1.2 billion into the sector in the first half of 2019 alone. As state legalization expands and morality clauses fade, early investors position themselves for a projected $80 billion market.
seattle Seattle Tech Ecosystem Shows Growth Despite Lingering Challenges Seattle's startup scene experiences a surge in activity with new funding rounds, yet it still struggles to match the entrepreneurial culture and capital access of Silicon Valley.
food tech Corporate Food VCs Shift Focus Toward Healthier, Consumer-Friendly Startups Big food conglomerates are investing in startups that prioritize consumer desires like health and sustainability over traditional cost-saving measures.
zoom Video Conferencing Firm Zoom Prices IPO Above Range Reaching $9B Valuation Zoom prices its initial public offering above expectations at $36 per share, giving the profitable video conferencing company a $9 billion market cap. The strong demand highlights investor appetite for a rare tech unicorn that boasts rapid revenue growth and shrinking losses.
artificial intelligence Why Startups Are Bypassing Licensing to Build Full-Stack AI Companies Rather than selling AI technology to reluctant legacy businesses, startups are finding greater success by building complete, end-to-end services that bypass traditional industry players entirely.
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.
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.