VC Firms Try New Recruiting Tactics to Hire WomenVenture capital firms typically recruit new partners by turning to people who have prior connections to existing partners. But amid an intensified push to find more women, some firms are trying a different tack. Some VC firms are using executive search firms to identify qualified female candidates who may not already be known by the existing partners. Others said they had created internal programs that recruit young investors, including women, who could one day rise to partner. Several other firms reported that they had added their first female partners after spending time getting to know them to build a relationship with people outside their existing network of associates. [ The Information ] FanDuel CEO and co-founder Nigel Eccles is leaving to start an eSports companyFanDuel CEO and co-founder Nigel Eccles is leaving the company and stepping down from its board, where he was chairman. Eccles, who’s been CEO since the company’s founding in 2009, announced internally that he is leaving to start an eSports company. Monday is his last day. Eccles had been kicking around new startup ideas ever since FanDuel and DraftKings, rival fantasy sports sites, agreed to a merger late last year. Eccles was set to be the chairman of the new joint company but he was not going to be CEO. Hence the interest in starting something new. [ Recode ] SoulCycle's Julie Rice named WeWork's chief brand officerSoulCycle co-founder Julie Rice, who resigned from the spin startup in 2016, is joining WeWork as their chief brand officer. She'll focus on promoting community at the billion-dollar company. Why it matters: WeWork founder Adam Newman told Axios' Steve LeVine in October that one of his main goals is to help re-establish the notion of "lost community" — where for centuries residents of urban areas gathered in bars, cafes and open spaces to hash out the subjects of the day. Rice, who worked as a Hollywood talent agent in the 20 years prior to launching SoulCycle, will now spearhead the project. [ Axios ] 51 enterprise startups to bet your career on in 2018As we approach another holiday season and the year draws to a close, our thoughts will soon drift to our goals for 2018. For those thinking of moving on to a new job at an up-and-coming young company, we've compiled this list to help. All of these companies are "enterprise" startups, meaning they specialize in making tech for work and business use, a massive $3.7 trillion worldwide market. And all of them achieved milestones in 2017, setting themselves up for a successful 2018 and beyond. [ Business Insider ] Silicon Valley’s New Religion Is About As Serious As You’d ThinkIt’s almost decision time in the corporate comedy of errors between Uber and Google’s parent company, Alphabet. For 10 months, they’ve repeatedly embarrassed each other in a fight over self-driving car technology. Alphabet says that a key former engineer, Anthony Levandowski, took trade secrets from Alphabet to Uber as part of a $700 million acquisition. The dispute finally goes to trial next month, after a year’s worth of embarrassments that included a secret shredding session, a tour de force of “I don’t recalls” by Alphabet Chief Executive Officer Larry Page, and an entrepreneurial bromancethat helped cost Uber CEO Travis Kalanick his job. [ Bloomberg ] Investor Spotlight: First Round Capital, an early Uber backer that lives up to its nameOur debut VC edition of the Investor Spotlight focuses on First Round Capital, which is known in the venture world as the first institutional investor in Uber. We've used data from the PitchBook Platform to highlight First Round's investment strategy, notable portfolio companies, key exits and more. A peek inside Madrona’s ‘Pioneers’ angel investor group: VC firm creates feeder system to scout startupsWhat is an IPO pop and why do VCs hate it so much?The Future of Bike Sharing with Ofo Cofounder Yanqi Zhang and Anu HariharanHow Israeli women techies are opening doors for each other in Silicon Valley“Video Production in an Island Paradise” – a Bermudian Startup Rises'This was a fight worth having': NVCA goes to court for immigrant startup foundersPre-Seed Venture Aims To Help Startups Do More With LessY Combinator's Michael Seibel Explains Why Silicon Valley Will Be America’s Engine For GrowthFalse Competition - Why Defining Axes Of Competition MattersHow Sydney’s startup ecosystem is working to climb up the global rankingsBaidu's COO, Qi Lu Discusses AI with Daniel Gross |