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Maria Heeter

Reporter

Maria Heeter is a venture capital reporter covering late-stage private startups, venture capital investors and IPOs. Before joining The Information, she covered real estate at Bloomberg News, led the student newspaper of the Claremont Colleges and reported on business and Covid-19 for The Sacramento Bee. In 2022, Heeter graduated with a degree in economics from Scripps College. Based in New York City, she can be reached at [email protected] or via Signal/Telegram at +1 (323) 917-1191.

Viral Patel, global head of technology investing for Blackstone Credit. Art by Clark Miller.

Venture Capital Startups

Blackstone Plans to Back Tech Startups in $2 Billion–Plus Lending Push

By Maria Heeter · Aug. 11, 2022 6:00 AM PDT · 1 comment

Private equity giant Blackstone is gearing up to make its first major push into lending to startups and technology companies—joining a corner of the debt market that’s quickly heating up. The firm expects to invest at least $2 billion in technology debt deals over the next few years, including venture debt, deals with... Private equity giant Blackstone is gearing up to make its first major push into lending to...

Startups Venture Capital

Upper90 Closes $180 Million Fund for Asset-Based Startup Lending

Aug. 5, 2022 · 4:59 PM PDT

The fund is the latest targeting debt-based financing for startups

Illustration by Jesus Escudero.

Venture Capital Startups

Debt Is Back for Startups Shut Out of IPO Market

By Maria Heeter · Aug. 5, 2022 6:19 AM PDT · 3 comments

Tech startups that had been eager to go public this year have been forced to put those plans on ice amid the market meltdown. With initial public offering conditions likely to remain tough at least through the end of the year, firms offering alternatives to equity raising are clamoring to help fill the gap. Direct lender Owl Rock Capital, which... Tech startups that had been eager to go public this year have been forced to put those plans on...

Art by Mike Sullivan.

IPOs Are a Year Away for Tech Startups, KKR Deal-Makers Say

By Maria Heeter · July 25, 2022 6:00 AM PDT · 1 comment

Art by Mike Sullivan.

Venture Capital Startups

IPOs Are a Year Away for Tech Startups, KKR Deal-Makers Say

By Maria Heeter · July 25, 2022 6:00 AM PDT · 1 comment

For tech startups that were eyeing going public this year, the market for initial public offerings has slammed shut—and the deal-makers looking to build out Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.’s equity capital markets business don’t see that changing anytime soon. In fact, they see the IPO window opening for tech startups in the... For tech startups that were eyeing going public this year, the market for initial public...

Esports Heavyweight FaZe Clan Goes Public in $725 Million SPAC Deal

July 20, 2022 · 1:06 PM PDT

The gaming company was previously valued at $1 billion

Activist Investor Elliott Management Takes Stake in Pinterest

July 14, 2022 · 3:51 PM PDT

Elliott holds a 9% stake in the social media company, according to a report

Miguel Fernandez. Photo courtesy of Capchase

Enterprise Startups

The Bank of SaaS Has $400 Million More to Lend

By Maria Heeter · July 13, 2022 5:00 AM PDT · 7 comments

Investor enthusiasm for cloud-software companies may have cooled from its heyday last year. But some investors think there’s money to be made in lesser-known startups. Capchase, a New York–based company that lends to early-stage software startups, has raised $400 million in debt from lenders including i80 Group. The two-year-old... Investor enthusiasm for cloud-software companies may have cooled from its heyday last year. But...

Illustration by Laurent Hrybyk

When Your SPAC Dreams Fail, a Financing of Last Resort

By Maria Heeter · July 6, 2022 3:08 PM PDT · 10 comments

Illustration by Laurent Hrybyk

When Your SPAC Dreams Fail, a Financing of Last Resort

By Maria Heeter · July 6, 2022 3:08 PM PDT · 10 comments

Several electric vehicle and mobility startups went public and raised money in the past two years by merging with special purpose acquisition companies. Now, as companies find it far more difficult to raise cash, they are turning to unusual methods. Scooter rental service Bird, electric truck maker Nikola and electric vehicle startup Canoo are... Several electric vehicle and mobility startups went public and raised money in the past two years...

E-commerce Startups

Klarna to Raise Cash at $6.5 Billion Valuation in Dramatic Down Round

July 1, 2022 · 11:59 AM PDT

The installment loan provider fetched a $46 billion valuation in June

Yoni Assia, chief executive officer of eToro Ltd. Photo: Bloomberg.

Startups Markets

EToro to Abandon Deal to Go Public via SPAC Merger

By Maria Heeter · June 30, 2022 1:48 PM PDT

Online brokerage EToro and the special purpose acquisition company that agreed to take it public are planning to let the deadline for their merger pass without closing the deal, according to a person familiar with the matter. EToro is joining other tech and media companies that have backed off SPAC deals that would take them public amid a tech... Online brokerage EToro and the special purpose acquisition company that agreed to take it public...

Venture Capital

Venture Firm Accel Closes $4 Billion Late-stage Fund

June 22, 2022 · 3:22 PM PDT

The fund will give capital to existing portfolio companies and newcomers

Illustration by Jesus Escudero.

Overvalued Tech SPAC Deals Face Looming Deadlines

By Maria Heeter · June 16, 2022 1:51 PM PDT

Illustration by Jesus Escudero.

Overvalued Tech SPAC Deals Face Looming Deadlines

By Maria Heeter · June 16, 2022 1:51 PM PDT

Tech companies that planned to go public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company are facing a fork in the road: They can list now at valuations that look pricey next to comparable public stocks and run the risk of a steep sell-off after their market debuts. Or they can scrap their deals and shop for financing elsewhere—say,... Tech companies that planned to go public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company...

Short-Video Platform Triller Scraps SeaChange Merger Plans, Plans Listing

June 14, 2022 · 2:00 PM PDT

The two companies said it wouldn't be possible to complete the merger before the June 30 deadline

Electric Vehicles Startups

EV Startup Electric Last Mile Solutions to Liquidate

June 13, 2022 · 10:58 AM PDT

The Michigan-based startup went public via SPAC in June 2021

Coatue, JPMorgan Consider Structured Equity Funds for Startups, Report Says

June 9, 2022 · 1:34 PM PDT

Venture Capital

Tiger Global Cuts Management Fees After Steep Loss

June 2, 2022 · 1:54 PM PDT

The investor’s hedge fund fell 14.2% last month as public holdings nosedived

Startups Venture Capital

Seatgeek Scraps SPAC Plans, Citing Market Volatility

June 1, 2022 · 4:02 PM PDT

Deal would have valued the combined sports SPAC and ticket platform at $1.35 billion

Startups Venture Capital

Fidelity Cuts Stripe and Reddit Valuations Amid Tech Stock Downturn

June 1, 2022 · 10:17 AM PDT

The mutual fund company also lowered its valuation of ByteDance and Instacart private shares.