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

A Nvidia employee uses PlanGrid on the construction site for the chipmaker's new headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif.

Software Startups Take On Digital Laggard: Construction

By Cory Weinberg · Jun 28, 2017 7:02am PDT · 3 comments

Tracy Young was building a new hospital in the Bay Area as a project engineer in 2011 when construction spending hit its lowest point in a decade. As her friends got laid off, Ms. Young left her job to help start PlanGrid, a software company that digitizes blueprints for construction workers to view on tablets and smartphones so they can track... Tracy Young was building a new hospital in the Bay Area as a project engineer in 2011 when...

Color Genomics CEO Othman Laraki at The Information's San Francisco Subscriber Summit last October. Photo by Julie Mikos.

To Boost Demand for Genetic Tests, Color Genomics Strikes Corporate Deals

By Hannah Natanson · Jun 27, 2017 10:01am PDT · 2 comments

On an overcast February day in Santa Clara, Nvidia employees gathered around long tables decked with jars of mints in rainbow wrapping to learn about their newest company perk—getting their genes tested for cancer markers.Nvidia is one of more than 40 companies, also including Snap, Salesforce, Visa and the Sacramento Kings, that have... On an overcast February day in Santa Clara, Nvidia employees gathered around long tables decked...

Wilmington, Delaware. Photo by Getty Images.

Tech Startups Find Ways to Shield Key Information

By Alfred Lee · Jun 27, 2017 7:01am PDT · 2 comments

Here is the latest innovation being pursued by some Silicon Valley startups: finding ways to disclose less information in their publicly filed company charters.A small but growing number of private tech companies are asking lawyers to find ways to move information out of their founding documents, and away from the eyes of journalists and other... Here is the latest innovation being pursued by some Silicon Valley startups: finding ways to...

Binary's former partner Justin Caldbeck with the remaining partner, Jonathan Teo. Photo by Peter DaSilva.

Investors Moving to Pull Out of Binary

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 26, 2017 7:01pm PDT · 2 comments

Binary's former partner Justin Caldbeck with the remaining partner, Jonathan Teo. Photo by Peter DaSilva.

Investors Moving to Pull Out of Binary

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 26, 2017 7:01pm PDT · 2 comments

A group of major investors behind Binary Capital were pushing late Monday to withdraw funding commitments for the venture firm, which has been caught up in a controversy over unwanted and inappropriate advances made to seven Silicon Valley women by Binary co-founder Justin Caldbeck. Cancellation of funding commitments would prevent Binary from... A group of major investors behind Binary Capital were pushing late Monday to withdraw funding...

A visitor in front of the Uber stand at the 2016 Mobile World Congress in Shanghai. Photo by The Associated Press.

Uber Left China, but Its Influence Lingers

By Juro Osawa · Jun 26, 2017 7:02am PDT

When Uber agreed to sell its China arm to local rival Didi Chuxing last August, many China-based employees of the U.S. company were suddenly left with little to do. They were cut off from U.S. headquarters but not quite part of Didi yet.Then headhunters started calling. When Uber agreed to sell its China arm to local rival Didi Chuxing last August, many China-based...

Caldbeck Resigns From Binary Capital

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 25, 2017 10:09pm PDT

Justin Caldbeck, co-founder of Binary Capital, resigned Sunday in the wake of a growing scandal over the venture capitalist’s treatment of women with whom he had business dealings.Mr. Caldbeck, 40, was accused by six women of unwanted and inappropriate advances while discussing business. The allegations were first reported by The... Justin Caldbeck, co-founder of Binary Capital, resigned Sunday in the wake of a growing scandal...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: On Metrics & Building What Your Competitors Can’t Measure

By Sam Lessin · Jun 25, 2017 12:30pm PDT

Sriram Krishnan, formerly of Snap and Facebook, joins to discuss how metrics impact your destiny as a company and how to set good metrics to drive organizations. We talk in particular about building on metrics your competitors have trouble valuing, and ads measurement. Sriram Krishnan, formerly of Snap and Facebook, joins to discuss how metrics impact your destiny...

Reid Hoffman. Photo by Bloomberg.

Venture Capitalists, Tech Leaders Back ‘Decency Pledge’

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 24, 2017 8:18pm PDT · 2 comments

Reid Hoffman. Photo by Bloomberg.

Venture Capitalists, Tech Leaders Back ‘Decency Pledge’

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 24, 2017 8:18pm PDT · 2 comments

More than a dozen venture capitalists have pledged their support for a proposal aimed at confronting sexual harassment and other inappropriate behavior by venture capitalists toward women in the tech industry.The proposal, dubbed the “Decency Pledge,” was suggested by Greylock partner Reid Hoffman on Friday, in response to reporting... More than a dozen venture capitalists have pledged their support for a proposal aimed at...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 24, 2017 8:01am PDT · 1 comment

Good Morning!There can only be one explanation for the volume of leaks coming out of Uber: employees misunderstood the company’s decision to allow tips. Good Morning!There can only be one explanation for the volume of leaks coming out of Uber:...

Uber's Chief Technology Officer Thuan Pham, center, with fellow engineers.

How Uber’s Top Engineer Saved His Job

By Amir Efrati · Jun 23, 2017 5:41pm PDT · 2 comments

As Uber struggles to rebuild its management team and board, its leaders are snuffing out internal fires too. One of the biggest: turmoil within its 2,000-person engineering team, the center of Susan Fowler’s now famous sexual harassment and bullying allegations.In the hotseat is CTO Thuan Pham, who Ms. Fowler said failed to act on her... As Uber struggles to rebuild its management team and board, its leaders are snuffing out internal...

The Information’s 411 — Where Does Uber Go from Here?

By Tom Dotan · Jun 23, 2017 2:13pm PDT

Amir explains how Travis' flaws as a manager led to his undoing. Tom talks about Snapchat's latest map feature. Amir explains how Travis' flaws as a manager led to his undoing. Tom talks about...

Justin Caldbeck. Photo by Peter DaSilva.

Caldbeck Takes Leave of Absence From Binary

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 23, 2017 1:17pm PDT · 4 comments

Justin Caldbeck. Photo by Peter DaSilva.

Caldbeck Takes Leave of Absence From Binary

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 23, 2017 1:17pm PDT · 4 comments

Venture capitalist Justin Caldbeck is taking an indefinite leave of absence from his firm, Binary Capital, a spokesman for the firm said. The disclosure comes a day after The Information revealed that six women alleged he made inappropriate and unwanted advances to them.In a statement, Mr. Caldbeck said “The past 24 hours have been the... Venture capitalist Justin Caldbeck is taking an indefinite leave of absence from his firm, Binary...

Uber's former CEO Travis Kalanick. Photo by Bloomberg.

One More Lesson From the Downfall of Kalanick

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jun 23, 2017 7:02am PDT · 8 comments

One of the lessons some in the media have been quick to draw from the downfall of Travis Kalanick is the peril of unchecked power bestowed on startup founders. And, thus, they prescribe solutions like curbing founder voting rights and stepped up board involvement (which I have long advocated for a number of reasons.) But the argument that... One of the lessons some in the media have been quick to draw from the downfall of Travis Kalanick...

Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick

Travis Kalanick’s Power Dented but Not Gone

By Amir Efrati · Jun 22, 2017 7:39pm PDT

Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick, who quit as CEO on Tuesday, has told at least one person close to Uber’s board that he is planning to be directly involved in the search for his replacement. His prerequisites for the job, not surprisingly, resemble an executive in Mr. Kalanick’s own image. That could complicate the board’s CEO... Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick, who quit as CEO on Tuesday, has told at least one person close...

Binary Capital partner Justin Caldbeck. Photo by Peter DaSilva.

Silicon Valley Women Tell of VC’s Unwanted Advances

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 22, 2017 7:01am PDT · 9 comments

Half a dozen women working in the tech industry say they have faced unwanted and inappropriate advances from a well-connected Silicon Valley venture capitalist while discussing business. The allegations have come to light as the technology industry grapples with criticism over long-standing gender inequality and bias.The women say they faced... Half a dozen women working in the tech industry say they have faced unwanted and inappropriate...

Uber board director and shareholder Bill Gurley. Photo by Bloomberg.

Why Uber’s Investors Ousted Travis Kalanick

By Alfred Lee and Amir Efrati · Jun 21, 2017 10:54am PDT · 8 comments

Uber board director and shareholder Bill Gurley. Photo by Bloomberg.

Why Uber’s Investors Ousted Travis Kalanick

By Alfred Lee and Amir Efrati · Jun 21, 2017 10:54am PDT · 8 comments

The Uber power struggle that culminated in the resignation of CEO Travis Kalanick on Tuesday night was largely motivated by shareholders’ concerns that Mr. Kalanick wouldn’t be able to hire a “CEO-caliber” executive as chief operating officer who would stabilize the company and keep Mr. Kalanick in check, according to a... The Uber power struggle that culminated in the resignation of CEO Travis Kalanick on Tuesday...

Traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange when Snap went public in March. Photo by Bloomberg.

Pace of Tech IPOs Remains Muted Despite Strong Market

By Serena Saitto · Jun 21, 2017 7:02am PDT

The year started well for the U.S. market of technology initial public offerings. Unicorns like Snap and Cloudera went public with a pop. Stock indexes soared. Now, though, tech bankers and investors say that 2017 won’t be the boom year they expected it to be. But they are still hopeful things will turn around in coming months. “This... The year started well for the U.S. market of technology initial public offerings. Unicorns like...

Travis Kalanick. Photo by Bloomberg.

Uber’s Kalanick Out

By Amir Efrati · Jun 20, 2017 10:47pm PDT · 17 comments

Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick resigned as CEO Tuesday night after some of the company’s investors demanded in a private letter that he step aside after a multitude of controversies bogged down the company for months, according to a person briefed on the situation.The surprising twist comes a week after Mr. Kalanick said he would take a... Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick resigned as CEO Tuesday night after some of the company’s...

*1st generation Amazon Dot sold out July-August 2016; Source: Slice Intelligence

What Apple’s HomePod Is Up Against

By Mike Sullivan and Eugene Kim · Jun 20, 2017 10:01am PDT · 16 comments

Google has so far failed to make a dent in Amazon’s stranglehold on the voice-activated home speaker market, new data show. It highlights the challenge facing Apple, which is pricing its forthcoming HomePod devices well above similar devices.The data show that Amazon has done best with the cheapest version of its speaker, the $49 Dot.... Google has so far failed to make a dent in Amazon’s stranglehold on the voice-activated...

Grab CEO Anthony Tan. Photo by Bloomberg.

Uber’s Asian Rival Grab Speeds Up Expansion

By Juro Osawa and Shai Oster · Jun 20, 2017 7:01am PDT

Grab CEO Anthony Tan. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Big Interview

Uber’s Asian Rival Grab Speeds Up Expansion

By Juro Osawa and Shai Oster · Jun 20, 2017 7:01am PDT

While Uber struggles to cope with its management crisis, one of its biggest Asian competitors is embarking on an acquisition and hiring spree to expand its reach and market share. Singapore-based startup Grab, whose backers include Japan’s SoftBank and Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing, is looking to buy more companies and... While Uber struggles to cope with its management crisis, one of its biggest Asian competitors is...