Fundings & Exits

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Startups want to change what you insure and how you insure it

 In an insurer’s ideal world, there’d be a profitable policy for every conceivable risk. Click once, and you’re covered. But in the real world, insurance hasn’t kept up with the changes of recent years. The millennial generation has entered adulthood intent on completing — online — any complex transaction in a couple of minutes. But insurance policies look… Read More

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Dear Floyd Mayweather, you’re why the SEC exists

 Dear Floyd Mayweather: While perusing Facebook, I chanced across your post drumming up interest in the upcoming Stox initial coin offering (ICO). I understand your motivations in wanting to diversify your portfolio of investments, but I caution that your actions are reckless and potentially financially damaging to you and your fans. Read More

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Mattress startup Purple merges with NY shell company in $1.1 billion deal

 Purple, a Utah-based mattress startup announced today it will merge with Global Partner Acquisition Corp (GPAC) in a deal that would value the company at $1.1 billion. Purple was already well on its way to that valuation when we got to take a sneak peak at operations at the company’s headquarters in the small town of Alpine, Utah and its giant factory an hour away in rural Grantsville… Read More

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Slack is raising a $250 million round at $5 billion valuation

 Enterprise messaging service Slack is raising a $250 million round at a $5 billion valuation, TechCrunch has confirmed. We’re hearing that SoftBank, Accel Partners and other existing investors participated.
The $250 million financing amount was reported by Bloomberg. Axios first had the names of the lead investors. Recode originally reported on a $500 million round last month, but… Read More

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A running list of every company backed by the $93B SoftBank Vision Fund

 When SoftBank announced the first close of its $93 billion Vision Fund back in May, it was hard to understand how the company would even manage to deploy so much capital in an already saturated ecosystem. For starters, it seemed like a good idea to keep a running list of all Vision Fund investments for reference. We will update this list on a regular basis. Read More

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For startups, VC funding is always in season

 We’ve entered the dog days of summer. For many, that means time on the beach, backyard barbecues and, if you’re like us, seeking out the blissful respite afforded by a solid air conditioning system. In the land of startups and venture capital, however, summer can mean something a bit different. Read More

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August Home raises another $25 million as it expands service partnerships for its smart locks

 When August Home raised its last big round nearly two and half years ago, the smart lock maker was targeting retail expansion. That’s still part of the plan for the company’s new $25 million Series C, but the real story of this latest round is increasing focus on its partnership program, August Access.  The service has already made some headway in the rental market, counting… Read More

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