ezcater EzCater Reaches Unicorn Status With $150M Funding Round Online business catering marketplace ezCater raises $150 million at a $1.25 billion valuation, achieving unicorn status. The company plans to briefly celebrate before continuing its rapid growth.
vlocity Vlocity Reaches $1 Billion Valuation After $60 Million Series C Vlocity secures $60 million in Series C funding, pushing its valuation to $1 billion. The startup builds industry-specific CRM solutions on top of the Salesforce platform across five major verticals.
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.
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.
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.
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.
artificial intelligence Why Critics Misjudge the American AI Initiative's Actual Impact Despite complaints about a lack of new government funding, the American AI Initiative holds value as a strategic vision because private sector investment is driving the industry forward.
coral capital Coral Capital Raises $45 Million Fund to Boost Japanese Startups The former 500 Startups Japan team launches an independent $45 million fund called Coral Capital to back early-stage Japanese startups. The new fund closes quickly and continues the team's mission to shift Japan's risk-averse corporate culture.
artificial intelligence Why Critics Misjudge the American AI Initiative's True Impact Despite complaints about a lack of new government funding, the American AI Initiative holds value as a strategic vision because private sector investment in artificial intelligence is already skyrocketing.
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.
gwyneth paltrow Celebrity Founders Face VC Skepticism Despite Star Power, Say Summit Speakers Gwyneth Paltrow reveals at the Upfront Summit that her fame brought initial meetings but also extra rejections while raising venture capital for Goop. Meanwhile, major funding rounds for Clover Health and Clutter highlight a busy week in startup finance.
hims Men's Wellness Startup Hims Reaches Unicorn Status With $100M Raise Digital health startup Hims officially joins the unicorn club after securing $100 million in new funding at a $1 billion pre-money valuation. The company expands its direct-to-consumer offerings with its recently incorporated women's brand, Hers.