Softbank
Car shoppers now have several new options to avoid long-term debt and commitments. Automakers and startups alike are increasingly offering services that give buyers new opportunities and greater flexibility around…
Udelv partners with H-E-B on Texas autonomous grocery delivery pilot
Autonomous delivery company Udelv has signed yet another partner to launch a new pilot of its self-driving goods delivery service: Texas-based supermarket chain H-E-B. The pilot will provide service to…
A91 Partners, a new VC fund from former Sequoia Capital India execs, closes $351M maiden fund
India’s growing number of startups now have one additional VC fund that will listen to their business ideas. A91 Partners, a new VC fund founded by former partners at Sequoia Capital…
Waresix hauls in $14.5M to advance its push to digitize logistics in Indonesia
Waresix, one of a handful of startups aiming to modernize logistics in Indonesia — the world’s fourth most populous country — has pulled in $14.5 million to grow its 18-month-old…
SoftBank Vision Fund partner David Thevenon is coming to Disrupt Berlin
SoftBank Vision Fund has single-handedly changed the game when it comes to tech startup investment. And that’s why I’m excited to announce that SoftBank Vision Fund partner David Thevenon is…
Sony is doubling down on the world of startup investment. The Japanese tech giant announced a new fund that is aiming to raise 20 billion JPY (around $185 million) to…
2018 was the year Didi Chuxing, the ride-hailing company that defeated Uber in China, vowed to put safety ahead of rocket-ship growth after two deadly passenger incidents. One way it…
It’s not easy to raise growth-stage capital in Latin America, but it’s getting easier. As startups begin to flourish in the region’s largest markets, available funding is evolving to suit…
Kabbage secures $200M to fuel its AI-based loans platform for small businesses
Kabbage, the AI-based small business loans platform backed by SoftBank and others, is adding more firepower to its lending machine: the Atlanta-based startup has secured an additional $200 million in…
Ola Electric becomes India’s newest unicorn with new $250 million investment from SoftBank
India’s Ola is further widening its lead over Uber in the nation — and getting the help it needs from their mutual investor. Ola Electric has raised $250 million from…
Softbank and Toyota-backed mobility venture gains five more automakers
MONET Technologies, a joint venture launched by Softbank and Toyota to provide on-demand mobility services eventually with an autonomous module bus, has five new partners. Five Japanese automakers including Isuzu…
Southeast Asia’s highest-capitalized startup is sitting on even more money from investors today after ride-hailing Grab announced it has raised $300 million from Invesco. The deal takes Singapore-based Grab $7.5…
The venture industry is likely to consolidate significantly in the next decade as funding confers greater advantage to large venture investors.
It was a historic day for Slack (NYSE: WORK). The workplace communication software juggernaut debuted on the New York Stock Exchange up 48% at $38.50 per share after reports emerged…
People familiar with Slack’s upcoming public offering share what to expect
Slack, the popular workplace messaging company, is expected to list on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday in the second major direct listing in the U.S. after Spotify introduced…
Enterprise healthcare platform Collective Health raises $205M led by SoftBank
SoftBank’s Vision Fund may be facing some challenges when it comes to restocking its massive reserves, but the firm famous for cutting big checks is leading a sizeable round for…
Domino’s serves up self-driving pizza delivery pilot in Houston
Domino’s really emphasizes its commitment to “innovation,” but even if it’s a marketing tactic, the global pizza brand does indeed walk the walk. Case in point: It’s launching a new…
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Why is Andreessen Horowitz (and everyone else) investing in Latin America now?
Investments by U.S. venture capital firms into Latin America are skyrocketing and one of the firms leading the charge into deals is none other than Silicon Valley’s Andreessen Horowitz. The firm that shook up Silicon Valley with potentially over-generous term sheets and valuations and an overarching thesis that “software is eating the world” has been…
Go-Jek doubles down on India with yet another talent acquisition
Go-Jek may be based in Southeast Asia, but the multi-billion-dollar ride-hailing firm continues to tap India for engineering talent. The Indonesia-headquartered firm announced today that it has acquired AirCTO, a…
Korean hotel platform Yanolja raises $180M at a valuation of over $1B
The travel tech industry has got another unicorn. Following the likes of Airbnb, OYO, Traveloka and Klook, Korea’s Yanolja said today it has closed a $180 million Series D round…
Recent headlines describe a world that might never see a Vision Fund II. Would it matter?
In this week’s newsletter: Bird gets acquisitive, Stripe puts on its VC hat and Thumbtack looks for new cash.
Unraveling the ‘Secrets of Sand Hill Road’ and the VC thought process, with Andreessen Horowitz’s Scott Kupor
Extra Crunch offers members the opportunity to tune into conference calls led and moderated by the TechCrunch writers you read every day. This week, TechCrunch’s Connie Loizos sat down with…
India orders Uber and rival Ola to electrify 40% of fleets by 2026
India is doubling down on its push to replace gasoline and diesel vehicles on its streets with environmentally friendly electric cars. The government plans to order ride-hailing firms such as…
China’s Didi kicks off expansion in Latin America with moves into Chile and Colombia
The wheels are turning on Didi Chuxing’s first major expansion in Latin America after the Chinese ride-hailing firm announced moves into Chile and Colombia to double its presence in the…
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The Stanford ties to Latin America’s startup renaissance
The houses along the tree-lined blocks of Josina Avenue in Palo Alto, with their big back yards, swimming pools and driveways are about as far removed from the snarls of traffic, sputtering diesel engines, and smoggy air of South America’s major metropolises as one can get. But it was in one of those houses, about…
Key Vision Fund investors are reportedly lukewarm on a second fund
SoftBank shook up the venture capital world with its unprecedented $100 billion Vision Fund, and the speculation continues around its follow-up. The fund hasn’t quite closed $100 billion — it…
In this week’s newsletter: CrowdStrike readies its IPO, Brex eyes a $2B valuation and SoFi lands a whopping $500M.
Slack narrows losses, displays healthy revenue growth
Slack posted first-quarter revenues of $134.8 million on losses of $31.8 million weeks ahead of its NYSE direct listing.
Kurly, a grocery e-commerce startup in Korea, closes upsized $113M Series D round
Kurly, a startup that operates a grocery delivery service in Korea, said today that it has closed an upsized Series D round that reached a total of $113 million. The…
