Chasing Dreams May Be The Next Sleeper Hit For Venture Capitalists
A lot of startups are pitching ways to put us to sleep lately. In response, investors are perking up and writing big checks. Call it Big Sleep. 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. [ CrunchBase ]
Alibaba to Lead $1 Billion Funding for Chinese Food Startup
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and its financial services affiliate plan to lead an investment round of at least $1 billion in Ele.me, one of the largest players in a crowded Chinese food-delivery service arena, people familiar with the matter say. [ Bloomberg ]
Mark Zuckerberg gets his Harvard degree after dropping out 12 years ago
10 Hiring Hacks For Nailing Culture FitFrom New York’s Top Tech Recruiters
Peloton is now a unicorn because of the spinning class craze
Have you ever taken a class at SoulCycle? Or better yet, Flywheel? Spinning has turned out to be a big business, and there’s one brand that’s been gaining traction in the at-home fitness space. Peloton’s $2,000 bikes have developed a cult following, mainly because of its live-streamed classes, which are offered as an added subscription and can be displayed on the bike screen. [ Tech Crunch ]
Target Is Said to Invest $75 Million in Bedding Startup Casper
Airbnb says it helped travelers save $12 million last Memorial Day weekend
In an all-too-familiar Airbnb fashion, the home-sharing company has released a report touting how great it is. Airbnb says it helped travelers collectively save $12 million on Memorial Day weekend last year by offering them accommodations in homes versus hotels. This is based on Airbnb’s analysis of hotel prices versus Airbnb prices last Memorial Day weekend in 14 cities and seven common tourist destinations. In San Francisco, for example, the average hotel room rate last Memorial Day weekend was $199, compared to an average room rate of $145 on Airbnb.
[ Tech Crunch ]
Lyft Courts Uber’s High-End Clientele With Black Car Service
Cyber Giant Tanium Raises $100 Million, CEO Defiant About Company Culture
Tanium is a bit like the Uber of cyber-security companies. The California startup is good at what it does, commands an eye-popping valuation, and is led by a mercurial CEO whose aggressive tactics sometimes rub people the wrong way. And like Uber, Tanium is taking its time going public. On Thursday, the company announced it is raising $100 million through the sale of common stock, which it will use to repurchase shares from one of its founders and to provide liquidity for early employees. [ Fortune ]
Zuckerberg tells Harvard we need a new social contract of equal opportunity
The Tech Industry’s Missed Opportunity: Funding Black Women Founders
This is a tale of two tech startups. The first is a messaging app that allows a user to send a one-word greeting to a friend and nothing more. There is no messaging functionality, filtering features, or ability to provide a longer message. In time, it will come to send notifications for followers, with the message, “Yo,” and a link. [ FastCompany ]
How these Australian scaleups are investing in company culture
The Future Of Work (May) Come To You Courtesy Of Bloomberg Beta
Last July, Bloomberg Beta, the venture capital arm of Bloomberg L.P., announced a $75 million fund in its attempt to fuel the technologies behind “the future of work.” It’s been nearly a year since Bloomberg Beta announced its edict to shape how we work. So how much of the future can $75 million fund? Let’s find out. [ CrunchBase ]
How Silicon Valley is trying to topple Trump — beginning with a special election in Montana