10 things in tech you need to know today
Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Friday. Sign up here to get this email in your inbox every morning.
Have an Amazon Alexa device? Listen to this update by searching "Business Insider" in your flash briefing settings.
- Bumble went public. The app's shares surged upon opening on the Nasdaq, giving Bumble a market cap of over $8 billion.
- Exclusive: Bumble's IPO turned Whitney Wolfe Herd into a self-made billionaire. Wolfe Herd, 31, also rang the Nasdaq opening bell with her 1-year-old son in her arms.
- Pinterest's stock price rose on rumors of a Microsoft acquisition. Pinterest shares rose 5% on Thursday after a Financial Times report revealed Microsoft tried to buy the social media firm.
- Clubhouse is under fire for asking for your contact book. The practice is ethically dicey, since it may expose people to harassers or other toxic acquaintances.
- Protesters vandalized Robinhood's headquarters. Robinhood security said people threw dog feces and harassed its guards, Menlo Park PD told Insider.
- Robinhood is opening 2 new offices. The firm is opening new offices in New York and Seattle.
- Uber will consider accepting bitcoin. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told CNBC: "Just like we accept all kinds of local currency, we are going to look at cryptocurrency and/or Bitcoin in terms of currency to transact."
- Exclusive: Public.com is raising $200 million at a $1.5 billion valuation. Tiger Global is leading the major funding round into the Robinhood competitor.
- Clubhouse is hiring. The company behind the app, Alpha Exploration Co., only has about a dozen employees but plans to double headcount with its $100 million in funding.
- Exclusive: How tech investor DN Capital landed an $8 billion winner with Auto1. DN Capital invested in the user car marketplace in 2013, and stuck with it through to IPO earlier this month.