• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
NewslettersTerm Sheet

What the departure of Fidji Simo says about Facebook—and the broader economy

Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 9, 2021, 11:02 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

This is the web version of Term Sheet, a daily newsletter on the biggest deals and dealmakers. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbofx. 

The departure of Fidji Simo from Facebook was a shock to the tech ecosystem.

Announcing plans to take over as the CEO of Instacart, the grocery delivery app fast approaching a potential IPO, Simo was a high-profile executive in the social media company with the potential to perhaps even take over one day as the chief executive of the company.

“Leaving behind the privilege of leading the Facebook app is very hard, and I would only do so for the chance to be part of building an epic company again,” the 35-year-old executive that oversaw everything from the news feed to the marketplace wrote on LinkedIn Thursday.

Instacart is no doubt a hard gig to pass on—the company has been supercharged by the pandemic and is one of the most valuable startups in the world as a result. But as Simo notes, so is the potential promise of moving up the ranks at a company that recently hit a $1 trillion valuation. 

So what does the departure of Simo say about Facebook? Well, that in the company, Zuckerberg is king. According to journalist Casey Newton over at Platformer, Simo’s relationship with the CEO was beginning to sour over concerns of slowing growth, with the company co-founder increasingly popping up to announce the launch of products like its Clubhouse-audio clone. A New York Times article that coincidentally released Thursday also reported on fraying ties between COO Sheryl Sandberg and Zuckerberg, with Sandberg’s own influence in the company waning. 

Zuckerberg is now the last founder-CEO in the big tech cohort. And he is not stepping back.

Simo’s exit comes at a time when the power dynamics within Facebook have been shifting dramatically. As my colleague, Emma Hinchliffe notes, Facebook’s former ad chief Carolyn Everson also left the company a month ago after a decade-long stint at the business. 

Yesterday, this newsletter alluded to the shortage of workers in the country as a result of the economy going back to in-person (which is also sparking a debate on unemployment benefits). Companies like McDonald’s are increasing wages in response. But it’s not just the hospitality industry that is struggling to keep up with the Great Return to Normal. Startups are flush with cash, with an insane 136 unicorns created in the second quarter alone per CBInsights, are all expanding rapidly and battling for a limited pool of talent. A startup founder I spoke to recently noted that he’s had to up pay packages for incoming employees.

It is, so to speak, a seller’s market. Don’t be surprised to see more trading of talent in tech and startup land—even at the highest levels.

RED HOT: For most employees, cybersecurity is this annoying, back-of-the mind issue—until the company gets hacked by a Russia-funded group. But it is a massive risk which makes it a red-hot industry. On Friday, Netskope announced that it raised $300 million at a $7.5 billion valuation—more than doubling its price tag from a year ago. This round, the company tells me, will likely be its last before an IPO. Read more.

Lucinda Shen
Twitter: 
@shenlucinda
Email: 
lucinda.shen@fortune.com

Jessica Mathews compiled the IPO section of the newsletter.

VENTURE DEALS

- Entrata, a Lehi, Ut.-based multifamily property tech provider, raised $507 million. Silver Lake, Qualtrics Founder Ryan Smith, and Vivint Smart Home Founder Todd Pedersen, led the round and were joined by investors including Dragoneer, Domo Founder and CEO Josh James.

- DealShare, an Indian social commerce company, raised $144 million. Tiger Global led the round.

Coda Project, a doc sharing startup, raised $100 million at a $1.4 billion valuation. Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board led the round.

- mmhmm, a San Francisco-based video platform, raised $100 million in Series B funding. SoftBank led the round and was joined by investors including Sequoia, Mubadala, and Human Capital.

- Twelve, a Berkeley, Calif.-based carbon conversion startup, raised $57 million in Series A funding. Capricorn Technology Impact Fund and Carbon Direct Capital Management led the round and were joined by investors including DCVC, Munich Re Ventures, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Breakout Ventures, and Evok Innovations.

- Didomi, a Paris-based user consent startup, raised $40 million in Series B funding. Elephant and Breega led the round.

- Made Renovation, a San Francisco-based bathroom renovation company, raised $23 million in Series A funding. Insight Partners led the round and was joined by investors including Base10 Partners, Founders Fund, and Felicis Ventures. 

- Otter, a New York City-based marketplace for parents to find childcare, $23 million in Series A funding. Sequoia Capital led the round.

- Lula, a Miami-based insurance tech company, raised $18 million in Series A funding. Founders Fund and Khosla Ventures co-led the round, and werewas joined by investors including SoftBank, Bill Ackman, Shrug Capital, Steve Pagliuca (Bain Capital co-chairman and Boston Celtics owner), and Tiny Capital’s Andrew Wilkinson. 

- Tise, a Norway-based second-hand items exchange, raised $11 million. VNW Global led the round.

- Talkshoplive, a Los Angeles-based livestream commerce company, raised $6 million in seed extension funding. Raine Ventures led the round and was joined by investors including Spero Ventures.

- Rootly, a maker of a Slack-based incident-response tech, raised $3.2 million in seed funding. XYZ Venture Capital led the round and was joined by investors including 8VC and Y Combinator,

- CodeBoxx, a company for learning coding, raised $2 million in seed funding. MadaLuxe Group invested.

PRIVATE EQUITY

- Ares Management acquired Resource Label Group, a Franklin, Tenn.-based manufacturer of pressure sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, from First Atlantic Capital and TPG Growth. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

- Audax Private Equity acquired a controlling stake in Solve Industrial Motion Group, a Charlotte, N.C.-based provider of power transmission components and industrial-grade bearings, from Incline Equity Partners. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.                     

- Brentwood Associates invested in L-Nutra, a Plano, Tx.-based provider of nutrition programs. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

- Intelerad Medical Systems, backed by Hg, acquired North Carolina-based Heart Imaging Technologies, a North Carolina-based provider of clinical workflow automation solutions. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

- Sovos, backed by Hg and TA Associates,  acquired Portugal-based companies PetaPilot, a e-accounting solutions supplier, and Saphety, a e-invoicing services provider to governments and companies. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

- Warburg Pincus and Tilia Holdings invested in Food Safety Net Services, a San Antonio, Tx.-based provider of laboratory testing services for customers in the food and beverage industry. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

EXITS

- Alphabet’s Google plans to acquire Pring, a Japanese payments startup for about $180 million to $270 million, per the Nikkei.

- Platinum Equity acquired Paramount Global Surfaces, a La Mirada, Calif.-based packaging company, from Linsalata Capital Partners. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

- KKR acquired Neighborly, a Waco, Tx.-based network of home services franchises, from Harvest Partners. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

- Novo Holdings invested in Availity, a health information network for payers and providers. 

IPOS

- Ottobock, a German artificial limb, is planning an IPO that could value it at €5 billion ($5.9 billion), per Reuters.

- Stripe, the San Francisco and Dublin-based digital payments company, has hired a law firm to make preparations for an IPO, according to Reuters.

- Orange County Bancorp, the holding company for Middletown, New York-based Orange Bank & Trust Company and investment management company Hudson Valley Investment Advisors, filed for an initial public offering.

PEOPLE

- Redpoint Venture, a Woodside, Calif.-based venture capital firm, named Github CTO Jason Warner as a partner.

About the Author
Lucinda Shen
By Lucinda Shen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Newsletters

What Marianne Lake’s exit from the race to succeed Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan tells us about women’s leadership
NewslettersMPW Daily
What Marianne Lake’s exit from the race to succeed Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan tells us about women’s leadership
By Emma HinchliffeJune 26, 2026
3 days ago
Exclusive: Framework Ventures raises $400 million for fourth fund as firm expands beyond crypto
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Exclusive: Framework Ventures raises $400 million for fourth fund as firm expands beyond crypto
By Ben WeissJune 26, 2026
3 days ago
MacBook Neo laptop computers during an Apple event in New York on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Photo: Adam Gray/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Apple loses its iron grip on pricing power
By Andrew NuscaJune 26, 2026
3 days ago
Two former governors launch a bipartisan coalition to confront the coming AI jobs shock
NewslettersCEO Daily
Two former governors launch a bipartisan coalition to confront the coming AI jobs shock
By Diane BradyJune 26, 2026
3 days ago
Exclusive: Hera raises $27 million to tackle the unpaid caregiving that falls on daughters of the sandwich generation
NewslettersMPW Daily
Exclusive: Hera raises $27 million to tackle the unpaid caregiving that falls on daughters of the sandwich generation
By Emma HinchliffeJune 25, 2026
4 days ago
VivaTech entrance in Paris.
NewslettersEye on AI
Europe’s AI wake-up call: Cybersecurity threats, sovereignty fears, and a growing demand for ROI dominated VivaTech
By Beatrice NolanJune 25, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
2 days ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
4 days ago
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
Success
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 28, 2026
19 hours ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
23 hours ago
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
Success
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
By Preston ForeJune 28, 2026
18 hours ago
Iran is forcing the U.S. into an escalation trap as a 'shadow war' over the Strait of Hormuz heats up that could kill the tenuous ceasefire
Politics
Iran is forcing the U.S. into an escalation trap as a 'shadow war' over the Strait of Hormuz heats up that could kill the tenuous ceasefire
By Jason MaJune 28, 2026
12 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.