Last fall, we began reporting on how Fidelity Investments published monthly valuation reports that included its private company stock holdings, which include such names as Dropbox, Pinterest, Snapchat and Uber. The existence of such documents seemed to surprise the companies and their other investors, and led many to speculate that startups would no longer allow Fidelity into their new deals. Even portfolio managers at Fidelity were said to be concerned about the backlash.
So much for that.
Health insurance startup Oscar Health is raising a massive new funding round led by Fidelity. Cybersecurity company Malwarebytes today announced a $50 million infusion from the mutual fund giant. Earlier this month, biotech startup Scholar Rock raised $36 million in a financing led by Fidelity. Syros Pharmaceuticals raised $40 million, with Fidelity participating as an existing shareholder. And that’s just over the first few weeks of 2016.
It seems that Fidelity’s cash ― and vote of confidence ― is more important to startups than the vagaries of its fair market valuation committee. Or at least it is for now.