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Finally, a big IPO
In a year void of major IPO headlines, Adobe’s $20B acquisition of Figma is getting banner treatment.
Entrepreneurs celebrated yet another college dropout turned multibillionaire. Analysts debated the financials—some likening it to mega deals like GM’s 2016 $1B purchase of autonomous car company Cruise—and whether Adobe overpaid to preserve the moat.
Figma’s big-name VC backers peeled rubber to the bank to cash in on the deal. Meanwhile, its users were left wondering how much more they’ll pay now that a three-horse race is down to two.
A win for E2E collaboration
Just about everyone seems to agree the deal is a win for end-to-end (E2E) design collaboration, which is having its moment in the sun even as dark clouds loom over other arenas. Product design remains a hot field for tech talent.
Design, overall, continues to rank as a hot sector, as consumers and businesses depend more and more on tools that make digital worlds more intuitive and appealing.
More than a dozen design startups have 27 companies pulled just under $2B in funding over the past year—and many of them are hiring.
See our list: 20 Fast-Growing Companies Hiring Product Designers
Trending in tech
Electrifying America
The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act is energizing founders and funders of sustainable tech companies. None more so than EV companies. They’re eager to get those funds into consumers’ hands to support buying EVs and at-home EV chargers.
The outlook was already looking good pre-bill, as companies prepare release dozens of new models this year. Many of these new offerings will be SUVs or larger. IHS predicts that 1 in 20 American buyers this year will pick a fully electric vehicle.
With electric rising to cultural prominence, electric scooter manufacturers, charging station developers, and others are drafting off the success of EVs.
See our list: 12 Fast-Growing Electric Vehicle Startups Hiring Now
Investors ease up on Web3
In a move playing out across many sectors, investors are easing up somewhat on funding Web3.
For job seekers with Web3 skills, there’s still plenty to be optimistic about. Considering VCs pumped north of $10B per quarter into the space in recent years, there are plenty of well-funded companies seeking top talent.
There’s also the macros: From cryptocurrency and NFTs to the metaverse, we are seeing Web3 elements becoming more and more a part of daily life. This puts Web3 engineers firmly in the driver’s seat of a burgeoning space.
See our list: Web3 Engineers: These Hot Startups Want to Hire You
Is B2B the place to be?
In a tough consumer economy, tech companies that help other companies succeed stand out.
The global business software and services market size is valued at $430B and is expected to double by 2030 as businesses seek out technology to run more efficient and sophisticated operations.
Companies are perfecting tech solutions to just about every aspect of running a business, following the lead of trailblazers like Dropbox, Evernote, and Slack, which all invaded office environments on their way to unicorn success.
See our list: 5 Top Enterprise Companies Hiring Today
News Briefs
- AICrete, a Richmond, Calif.-based platform for creating “cleaner” concrete, raised $4M in a seed funding led by Clear Ventures and VoLo Earth Ventures.
- DoorLoop, a Miami-based rental property management software company used in over 100 countries, raised a $20M Series A led by Alpine Software Group.
- TrovaTrip, a Portland, Oregon-based travel planning and booking platform that lets creators host and monetize their own adventures, raised a $15M Series A led by Madrona.
- Brelyon, a San Mateo, Calif.-based maker of display technology enabling access to the metaverse, raised a $15M Series A led by Lockheed Martin Ventures and E14 Fund, with participation from LG Technology Ventures.
Hot startups hiring now