If pops are hard to vet, and IPO pricing remains an art-science hybrid, what measuring stick can we use to decide when an IPO did well, versus gains so steep that it probably could have raised a bit more in its flotation? Read More
Epic! raises $8 million to keep kids reading in a digital age
The makers of Epic!, one of many apps jockeying to become a “Netflix for books,” have raised $8 million in a round led by Reach Capital, the education-specialized venture firm. Additional investors in the Series C included: TransLink Capital, Rakuten Ventures, Menlo Ventures, WI Harper, Brighteye Ventures and Innovation Endeavors. Epic! at its core is an on-demand, digital… Read More
CrowdJustice, the crowdfunding platform for public interest litigation, raises $2M and heads to U.S.
CrowdJustice, a startup that brings crowdfunding to “public interest” litigation, has raised $2 million in seed funding for U.S. expansion. Read More
Naspers gobbles up another food delivery startup with $80M round for Swiggy
Naspers has taken a bite out of yet another food delivery startup, with its commitment to lead and $80 million investment in the Indian online ordering and food delivery startup, Swiggy. The global internet and entertainment conglomerate has invested in several online food ordering and delivery companies worldwide including the Brazilian company iFood, and in Mexico, SinDelantal. Earlier… Read More
Where are the rest of the tech IPOs?
When Snap went public in early March, it opened up the floodgates after what had been a stagnant period for tech IPOs. The warm investor reception for the Snapchat parent helped pave the way for MuleSoft, Alteryx, Elevate, Okta, Netshoes, Yext, Cloudera and Carvana, which all debuted in March or April.
But then in May we only had Appian. And June isn’t expected to be a strong month… Read More
Spotify settles lawsuits, adds board members as it gets ready to go public
Spotify made a few moves this week that could put them in a better position to join the stock market. On Thursday, it was revealed that the company added four people to its board of directors. The music streaming startup has brought on former Disney COO Tom Staggs; Padmasree Warrior, a Cisco vet who runs an electric car business; Shishir Mehrotra, YouTube’s former head of product… Read More
Chasing dreams may be the next sleeper hit for venture capitalists
After decades spent funding technologies tailored to deprive us of sleep (see: streaming video, gaming, social networks and 24/7 online shopping), the venture capital industry has decided to direct its considerable capital reserves at helping us get more shut-eye. Read More
Reid Hoffman, Bill Gates, Sam Altman invest $30 million in Change.org
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman announced today that he’s making a big bet on Change.org, the site for social justice petitions. Hoffman is leading a $30 million round, with other investors including big names like Bill Gates and Y Combinator president Sam Altman.
“Change.org, the global hub for collective action, is a crucial democratizing force in this era of growing civic… Read More
KidPass raises $5.1 million for its children’s activity subscription service
KidPass, a monthly membership program that gives parents access to a variety of kid-friendly activities across their city, has raised $5.1 million in Series A funding, the startup reported this week. Currently live in New York, the new funds will allow the service to expand to new markets including L.A., San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Chicago. The round was… Read More
Snap said to leverage discounts to drive growth
After a painful first quarter miss, Snap is looking to avoid the same fate in the current quarter. According to Digiday, Snap, the parent company of the popular social app Snapchat, is working to drive new and increased business ahead of the end of its second quarter. To do so, the company is said to be cutting deals. Read More