Waymo ordered "up to" 82,000 vehicles in 2018. Today, it has "well over 600." John Krafcik, the former auto industry exec who took over Google's self-driving car project in 2015, is stepping down as CEO of Waymo. Waymo, which spun off as a separate Alphabet subsidiary in 2016, accomplished a lot during Krafcik's 5.5-year tenure. … Continue reading Waymo CEO John Krafcik steps down
Entrepreneurship
MrBeast’s management company, Night Media, has a new venture fund that’s backed by creators
MrBeast’s management company is getting into the venture business. Night Media, the six-year-old, Dallas-based multimedia talent management company, is closing a debut fund with $20 million in capital commitments from the powerful family-friendly online influencers it manages, along with other social media stars. The idea, says Night Media CEO Reed Duchscher, is to write initial … Continue reading MrBeast’s management company, Night Media, has a new venture fund that’s backed by creators
If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?
New research suggests personality has a larger effect on success than IQ. Science doesn’t have a definitive answer, although luck certainly plays a role. But another key factor is personality, according to a paper Heckman co-authored in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He found financial success was correlated with conscientiousness, a personality trait … Continue reading If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?
Mark in the Middle
In 2020, Facebook would be roiled by a global pandemic, internal protests over racial injustice, a deeply polarizing election, and the ongoing threat of multiple state and federal investigations into antitrust and privacy. But on the morning of July 16th, Mark Zuckerberg found his workforce asking for something else: their missing office snacks. A major … Continue reading Mark in the Middle
The Fall of Travis Kalanick Was a Lot Weirder and Darker Than You Thought
In 2017, before the investor lawsuits and the federal investigations, before the mass resignations, and before the connotation of the word “Uber” shifted from “world’s most valuable startup” to “world’s most dysfunctional,” Uber’s executives sat around a hotel conference room table in San Francisco, trying to convince their chief executive officer, Travis Kalanick, that the … Continue reading The Fall of Travis Kalanick Was a Lot Weirder and Darker Than You Thought
How ‘Lean In’ Feminism Created Elizabeth Holmes and the Toxic Ladyboss
In recent years, the corporate world has given rise to a new figure: the Ladyboss. The Ladyboss is usually white. She is usually young. She is usually pretty. She pays lip service to promoting diversity and equality in the workplace, even though it’s hard not to notice that there are very few people of color … Continue reading How ‘Lean In’ Feminism Created Elizabeth Holmes and the Toxic Ladyboss
Stockwell, the AI-vending machine startup formerly known as Bodega, is shutting down July 1
Stockwell AI entered the world with a bang but it is leaving with a whimper. Founded in 2017 by ex-Googlers, the AI vending machine startup formerly known as Bodega first raised blood pressures — people hated how it referenced and poorly ‘disrupted’ mom-and-pop shops in one fell swoop — and then raised a lot of money. But ultimately, it … Continue reading Stockwell, the AI-vending machine startup formerly known as Bodega, is shutting down July 1
Cruise lays off 8% of workforce amid COVID-19, puts resources toward engineering
Cruise, the self-driving car subsidiary of GM that also has backing from SoftBank Vision Fund, automaker Honda and T. Rowe Price & Associates, is laying off nearly 8% of its more than 1,800-member workforce today as it tries to reduce costs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The layoffs will affect employees in Cruise’s product, marketing and … Continue reading Cruise lays off 8% of workforce amid COVID-19, puts resources toward engineering
The intersection of small business, tech and our financial system is more important than ever
The nation is rooting for our 30 million small businesses. They employ more than half of the country and create most net new jobs, and 80% of them have less than 60 days cash on hand. The world has never experienced dislocation of labor and business activity at this scale and speed. We applaud Congress … Continue reading The intersection of small business, tech and our financial system is more important than ever
Tesla’s furlough calls begin with delivery and sales taking a hit
Tesla started Friday to furlough its sales and delivery workforce — with the least experienced employees bearing the brunt of the action — days after a companywide email announced salary cuts and reductions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several employees, who work in sales and delivery and spoke to TechCrunch on condition of anonymity, reported … Continue reading Tesla’s furlough calls begin with delivery and sales taking a hit
