The Briefing by Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

Get smarter about the day’s news in tech, media and finance by following Silicon Valley’s most-read executive newsletter.

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Recent Editions

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins. Photo by Bloomberg.

Cisco Had Talks to Acquire Cloud Startup Turbonomic

By Kevin McLaughlin · Aug 23, 2017 4:26pm PDT · 1 comment

Cisco Systems recently had talks about the possible acquisition of Turbonomic, a startup that sells cloud management software. The acquisition of Turbonomic would give Cisco an edge over rivals like Hewlett Packard Enterprise in automation technology, which is becoming increasingly important for companies running applications in data centers and... Cisco Systems recently had talks about the possible acquisition of Turbonomic, a startup that...

Snapchat app is seen on an iPhone. Photo by AP

Will Snap’s Bet on the Cloud Pay Off?

By Tom Dotan · Aug 23, 2017 7:00am PDT · 9 comments

When Snap disclosed earlier this month that its server bills, on a per user basis, rose in the second quarter, it reignited a longstanding question about whether the company can scale up its business while relying on public cloud services run by Google and Amazon Web Services.Snap revealed that the amount it paid out to these services jumped 10%... When Snap disclosed earlier this month that its server bills, on a per user basis, rose in the...

Source: Second Measure; Chart by Mike Sullivan

Stitch Fix Keeps Steady Share of Monthly Customers

By Cory Weinberg · Aug 22, 2017 10:27am PDT

Subscription retailer Stitch Fix has kept customers coming back for personalized boxes of clothes at a steady clip over the last three years, according to new data. That stability could be a good omen as the company prepares to go public, although investors also might be hoping Stitch Fix over time can increase the percentage of customers that... Subscription retailer Stitch Fix has kept customers coming back for personalized boxes of clothes...

An Uber self-driving car. Photo by Flickr/Zombieite

Uber Weighed Changes to Autonomous Vehicle Unit

By Amir Efrati · Aug 22, 2017 7:00am PDT

An Uber self-driving car. Photo by Flickr/Zombieite

Uber Weighed Changes to Autonomous Vehicle Unit

By Amir Efrati · Aug 22, 2017 7:00am PDT

Uber recently debated internally whether to partner with a carmaker on self-driving car development, as a way of reducing costs and improving the prospects for its two-year old development effort, said a person with knowledge of the situation.The internal discussions were prompted by an unidentified carmaker approaching Uber this summer about... Uber recently debated internally whether to partner with a carmaker on self-driving car...

Art by Matt Vascellaro

The Big Interview

Opendoor Searches for ‘Mainstream’ Success

By Cory Weinberg · Aug 21, 2017 10:01am PDT · 3 comments

Opendoor CEO Eric Wu is straightforward about one of his company’s competitive shortcomings: It isn’t typically giving home sellers the best deal. That’s something Opendoor is trying to remedy as it plans its first significant expansion. Opendoor, a richly funded startup that runs a service for people to sell their houses... Opendoor CEO Eric Wu is straightforward about one of his company’s competitive...

Art by Matt Vascellaro

Subscriber Survey

Silicon Valley’s Favorite Dealmakers

By Serena Saitto · Aug 21, 2017 7:01am PDT · 2 comments

For the second year in a row, Goldman Sachs was overwhelmingly the favorite choice of investment bank in our subscriber poll. Not only would more subscribers pick Goldman to handle their company’s IPO than any other firm, but Goldman bankers were nominated more often as favorites than those from any other firm.In both categories, Morgan... For the second year in a row, Goldman Sachs was overwhelmingly the favorite choice of investment...

Art by Mike Sullivan,.

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Aug 19, 2017 8:01am PDT

Good Morning!The White House has fired so many people lately it almost seems like they’re “pivoting to video. Good Morning!The White House has fired so many people lately it almost seems like they’re...

The Information’s 411 — Tech CEOs Seeking Councils

By Tom Dotan · Aug 18, 2017 1:31pm PDT

The Information’s 411 — Tech CEOs Seeking Councils

By Tom Dotan · Aug 18, 2017 1:31pm PDT

Amir and Tom talk about why some tech CEOs were late to leave Trump's business councils. Also how Lyft has gained market share from Uber in some cities and how Softbank's mad spending has upended tech. Amir and Tom talk about why some tech CEOs were late to leave Trump's business councils....

Art by Matt Vascellaro

Why Uber Should Pay Congestion Charges

By Eran Shir · Aug 18, 2017 7:00am PDT · 8 comments

We live in a world marching straight toward gridlock. In 2007, the share of people living in cities crossed 50% for the first time. By 2050, more than 66% of humanity will live in urban areas. At the same time, the number of cars sold keeps rising. In just the last decade, there has been a 40% jump, to more than 93 million vehicles sold... We live in a world marching straight toward gridlock. In 2007, the share of people living in...

Illustration by Scotty Reifsnyder.

How SoftBank Is Reshaping Global Tech

By Juro Osawa and Shai Oster · Aug 17, 2017 9:02am PDT · 5 comments

Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank is making a splash in Silicon Valley with its bid for a stake in Uber. But the Japanese company, propelled by its $93 billion Vision Fund, is already reshaping the global tech landscape and challenging U.S. giants.One key battleground is India, where SoftBank and its Chinese ally Alibaba are backing local startups... Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank is making a splash in Silicon Valley with its bid for a stake in...

Shiva Rajaraman. Photo by Shiva Rajaraman.

WeWork Hires Apple Executive to Oversee Products

By Alfred Lee · Aug 17, 2017 6:01am PDT · 2 comments

WeWork has hired Shiva Rajaraman, a prominent tech executive who most recently served a short stint at Apple, as chief product officer. The hiring is aimed at boosting WeWork’s efforts to improve and expand its digital products.WeWork wants to add functions to the app that its tenants use for everything from job and event postings to... WeWork has hired Shiva Rajaraman, a prominent tech executive who most recently served a short...

Mark Cuban. Photo by Bloomberg.

Cuban Wants to Buy Back Broadcast.com Name for New Chat Venture

By Kevin McLaughlin · Aug 16, 2017 3:10pm PDT · 6 comments

Mark Cuban. Photo by Bloomberg.

Cuban Wants to Buy Back Broadcast.com Name for New Chat Venture

By Kevin McLaughlin · Aug 16, 2017 3:10pm PDT · 6 comments

Mark Cuban has taken steps to buy back the name of the firm that made him rich, Broadcast.com, so he can use it in his latest business venture, said a person familiar Mr. Cuban’s plans.The entrepreneur wants to build a Twitter-like conversational platform for people to use cryptocurrency tokens to pay to talk with public figures and other... Mark Cuban has taken steps to buy back the name of the firm that made him rich, Broadcast.com, so...

Source: Second Measure

Where Lyft Gained on Uber—and Where It Didn’t

By Amir Efrati and Mike Sullivan · Aug 16, 2017 7:01am PDT

Lyft’s share of the ride-hailing market has hit record levels in nearly 30 major U.S. cities in the past month, by dollars spent, according to new data. In the top 10 markets, Lyft’s highest share is 39.5% in San Francisco, and 33.5% in Los Angeles, according to Second Measure, which tracks credit card transactions.Overall, Lyft has... Lyft’s share of the ride-hailing market has hit record levels in nearly 30 major U.S....

Caption: Clockwise from top left: Jeremy Allaire, Brad Garlinghouse, Albert Wenger, Barry Silbert, Brian Armstrong, Fred Wilson, Olaf Carson-Wee, Tim Draper

Cryptocurrency’s Movers and Shakers

By Jon Victor · Aug 15, 2017 10:00am PDT · 11 comments

Who are the most influential people in cryptocurrency? Which startups or platforms are poised to change the fast-growing marketplace over the next year? To help our readers get a lay of the land in this often-opaque sector, we have put together profiles of individuals who have emerged as prominent figures in the digital currency arena. While our... Who are the most influential people in cryptocurrency? Which startups or platforms are poised to...

Marvin Kaplan and William Emanuel, President Trump's two nominees to the National Labor Relations Board, at the Senate hearing considering their nomination. Photo by AP.

Damore Faces Long Odds in Challenging Google on Firing

By Reed Albergotti · Aug 15, 2017 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

Former Google software engineer James Damore has become a favorite of conservative voices on the internet in the past week, since he was fired for writing a memo that blamed in part biological differences for women’s underrepresentation in software engineering. But his chances of winning a labor complaint and getting reinstated are clouded... Former Google software engineer James Damore has become a favorite of conservative voices on the...

Until it suspended operations, parking app Luxe let customers order a valet to pick up and park their cars in San Francisco and a few other cities. Photo by Mike Sullivan

Volvo in Talks to Acquire Luxe Assets

By Amir Efrati and Jessica E. Lessin · Aug 14, 2017 12:24pm PDT · 3 comments

Until it suspended operations, parking app Luxe let customers order a valet to pick up and park their cars in San Francisco and a few other cities. Photo by Mike Sullivan

Volvo in Talks to Acquire Luxe Assets

By Amir Efrati and Jessica E. Lessin · Aug 14, 2017 12:24pm PDT · 3 comments

Volvo, the Chinese-owned car brand, has been in talks to acquire the assets and intellectual property of Luxe, the recently suspended on-demand parking valet app, according to two people with knowledge of the pending deal.The purchase price and the components of the proposed deal couldn’t be learned. Luxe had a private valuation of more... Volvo, the Chinese-owned car brand, has been in talks to acquire the assets and intellectual...

Interactive by Mike Sullivan

The People Who Matter at Lyft

By Amir Efrati · Aug 14, 2017 7:02am PDT

Employees at Lyft have watched with glee in recent months as rival Uber suffers from an endless series of dramas. Lyft’s business, meanwhile, has moved in the right direction. The company’s market share has inched up versus Uber in several major cities, while its cost of acquiring new customers has fallen. An IPO is expected as soon... Employees at Lyft have watched with glee in recent months as rival Uber suffers from an endless...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Aug 12, 2017 8:02am PDT

Good Morning!HBO has the perfect sequel to “Game of Thrones”: Inside Uber’s Boardroom. Who knows who’ll have his head cut off next week? Good Morning!HBO has the perfect sequel to “Game of Thrones”: Inside Uber’s...

The Information’s 411 — Trouble in the Nap Pods

By Cory Weinberg · Aug 11, 2017 1:28pm PDT

Cory talks to Serena and Reed about the two biggest dramas of the week in Silicon Valley: Benchmark vs. Kalanick and Google's culture war. Cory talks to Serena and Reed about the two biggest dramas of the week in Silicon Valley:...

Google's campus. Photo by Flickr/Fotinakis.

The Problem With Former Googler’s Anti-Diversity Memo

By Jessica E. Lessin · Aug 11, 2017 7:01am PDT · 19 comments

Google's campus. Photo by Flickr/Fotinakis.

The Problem With Former Googler’s Anti-Diversity Memo

By Jessica E. Lessin · Aug 11, 2017 7:01am PDT · 19 comments

I have many thoughts about Benchmark’s surprise lawsuit against former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and what it says about the perilous state of governance at mega-private tech companies. But for now, I’m going to leave it at this: If there was ever any doubt about whom VCs work for, the lawsuit should clear it up. It’s their LPs,... I have many thoughts about Benchmark’s surprise lawsuit against former Uber CEO Travis...