HQ Trivia and Vine co-founder Colin Kroll found dead of suspected overdoseColin Kroll, the 35-year-old co-founder and CEO of the HQ Trivia app, has been found dead of an apparent drug overdose in his apartment, TechCrunch has confirmed. A spokesman for the NYPD told us that a female called 911 for a wellness check on Kroll’s apartment and he was found dead inside at 08:00 hours today. Research over 15K+ Venture Capital Investors on our platform. Ten pieces of friendly VC advice for when someone wants to buy your companyI’ve been fortunate to have been part of half a dozen exits this year, and have seen the process work smoothly, and other times, like a roller coaster with only the most tenuous connection to the track. Here are ten bits of advice I’ve distilled from these experiences in the event someone makes you an offer for your startup. [ Tech Crunch ] Research over 15K+ Venture Capital Investors on our platform. Mark Zuckerberg-backed edtech startup Byju's raises US$540M in fresh fundingByju’s, the most popular edtech startup in India, has scored US$540 million as part of a mammoth funding round led by South African internet conglomerate Naspers Group. Also joining the round are the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and private equity giant General Atlantic. This deal brings the Bangalore-based company’s valuation to US$3.6 billion. Byju’s will use the fresh capital to build new products and also aggressively expand
in international markets. Research over 15K+ Venture Capital Investors on our platform. WeWork Opens a Startup Incubator
WeWork has opened a startup incubator called WeWork Labs. WeWork Labs will open in Portland, Ore. next month. The program offers support for startups such as mentoring, education and talent development. The startups also get access to WeWork’s global network. Google has
submitted the plans for its huge development in Mountain View, Calif. The internet giant is providing a range of housing options in an affluent area where the cost of houses and apartments is extremely high. Google has plans to build new homes on its own land, of which 20 percent will qualify as affordable housing. Betterment is partnering with a company backed by Shaq to help gig economy workers manage their finances
Research over 15K+ Venture Capital Investors on our platform. Zymergen lands $400 million more, led by SoftBank Vision Fund, for its genetically altered microbesZymergen, a five-year-old company that manufacturers molecules for a wide array of uses and industries, has closed on $400 million in Series C funding led by one of its earlier investors, the SoftBank Vision Fund. Even in a world where triple-digit million-dollar rounds have become de rigueur, the amount stands out, as does the company, which occupies a 301,000-square-foot campus in Emeryville, Calif. and has been growing like gangbusters. How? By engineering yeast and
bacterial strains for outfits across the pharmaceutical, food and agricultural, specialty chemical and electronics industries. [ Tech Crunch ] State Of Startups Welcome to State of Startups, the annual survey where hundreds of venture-backed founders speak frankly about what it's like running a technology startup today. Over four years of State of Startups, we've collected 2,700+ submissions and nearly 150,000 data points, creating the industry's largest dataset on the founder and startup experience. This year's survey of 529 founders dives into mainstay questions on the fundraising climate, exit environment and the challenges of operating a startup. We also introduced questions on everything from the impact of Softbank's Vision Fund to the challenges of being a parent in the tech industry. [ First Round] Research over 15K+ Venture Capital Investors on our platform. Distinguished VCs back wholesale marketplace Faire with $100M at a $535M valuationA slew of venture capitalists known for high-profile exits — Kirsten Green of Forerunner Ventures, Keith Rabois of Khosla Ventures, Alfred Lin of Sequoia Capital and Alex Taussig of Lightspeed Venture Partners — have invested in Faire (formerly known as Indigo Fair), a 2-year-old wholesale marketplace for artisanal products. [ Tech Crunch ] Amsterdam-based e-scooter startup dott raises €20 millionAmsterdam-founded e-scooter startup dott has landed €20 million in a funding round co-led by EQT Ventures and Naspers, with participation from Axel Springer Digital Ventures, DN Capital, Felix Capital, FJ Labs, U-Start Club, and angel investors. The company will use the cash injection to launch a pilot version of its shared e-scooters and e-bikes at the Station F hub in Paris and later expand across Europe. [ tech.eu ] Research over 15K+ Venture Capital Investors on our platform. Niantic reportedly raising $200M at $3.9B valuationPokémon Go creator Niantic is raising a $200 million Series C at a valuation of $3.9 billion according to a report from Katie Roof at the WSJ. The round is expected to be led by IVP with participation from Samsung and aXiomatic Gaming. [ Tech Crunch ] Research
over 15K+ Venture Capital Investors on our platform. How Uber Makes MoneyUber is the quintessential two-sided marketplace, but the real mechanics and drivers of its business are poorly understood. We look at where Uber makes money, where it spends it, and what profitability looks like. As one of the fastest-growing and most controversial startups to ever come out of Silicon Valley, Uber has always upset expectations. [ CB Insights ] Nine jobs George: Osborne adds new role at venture capital firmGeorge Osborne has added a ninth job to his already bulging portfolio, joining his brother’s Silicon Valley venture capital fund. The former chancellor and current editor of London’s Evening Standard newspaper has been appointed as an adviser to 9Yards Capital. [ The Guardian ] Starting a Startup After Business School - Reham Fagiri and Kalam Dennis of AptDecoE886: Leila Janah Samasource reduces poverty in Africa, trains in AI & future tech to earn 400% moreE886: Samasource Founder & CEO Leila Janah is reducing poverty by training people in Africa in AI & future technologies to earn 400% more; shares her LXMI organic skincare products, the rewards & challenges of running two startups, raising VC, & the profitable art of doing more with less |