• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
NewslettersTerm Sheet

When startup exits aren’t such good news

Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 17, 2021, 10:35 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

This is the web version of Term Sheet, a daily newsletter on the biggest deals and dealmakers. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.

An exit—in which a company is sold—is often hailed as a celebratory event.

There’s practically a formula at this point: A Medium blog post announces the acquisition, noting how both companies have the same shared mission and smaller companies will benefit from the larger’s network. Party popper emojis, of course, are a must. And indubitably, financial terms cannot be disclosed.

The lack of details on financials in particular raises a nagging question: Are all of these exits worthy of celebration? Here’s a commentary piece from Aron Solomon, head of strategy and chief legal analyst for Esquire Digital, diving into the issue of what he calls ‘fauxquisitions’. Sometimes, the startup has sold for a lower valuation. At other points, it’s sold to a company with a bad culture. Sometimes, this takes the form of an acquihire, and in more sinister cases, the acquisition is made to kill the product. The tech giants are certainly known for this.

“I like to call this kind of transaction a fauxquisition because while it looks like an acquisition from the outside, it doesn’t smell or feel like one. It’s the bowl of plastic ramen in the shop window that always looks so good but, well, yeah. 

Of course, acquisitions can have ulterior motives. Milk and Sparrow, both acquired by Google, are good examples of the concept. In the former, its founder was essentially brought on to play a key role in Google’s then-new VC structure. In the latter, it was an acquisition to straight-up kill what many users felt was a product far superior to Google’s. However, smaller fauxquisitions happen every day.

….The investors in the company that was acquired might think they can sleep better at night, but now, instead of owning a larger percentage of a company they invested early in, they own a very small percentage of a much larger company whose internal cracks are evident to anyone in the building.” Read more.

In this age of decacorns and record startup funding, it’s easy to gloss over the fact that not all startups are doing great—nor are the ones that are doing great necessarily making the right decisions for their long-term success when it comes to dealmaking.

Lucinda Shen
Twitter: 
@shenlucinda
Email: 
lucinda.shen@fortune.com

Jessica Mathews compiled the IPO and SPAC sections of this newsletter.

VENTURE DEALS

- Commure, a health-tech startup, raised about $500 million across two rounds, per Business Insider. The deal values the business at $3.5 billion. Human Capital and Greenoaks Capital led the round.

- Avalanche, a blockchain focused on speed and low transaction costs, raised $230 million. Polychain and Three Arrows Capital led the round and was joined by investors including R/Crypto Fund, Dragonfly, CMS Holdings, Collab+Currency, and Lvna Capital.

- Whatnot, a Marina del Rey, Calif.-based live streaming marketplace, confirmed it raised $150 million in Series C funding valuing it at $1.5 billion valuation. Investors included Andreessen Horowitz, YC Continuity, and CapitalG, as well as Golden State Warriors player Andre Iguodala, YouTube influencer Logan Paul, Doordash Product and Business Helper Gokul Rajaram, and Instacart president Nilam Ganenthiran.

- Spring Health, a New York City-based mental health company, raised $190 million in Series C funding. Kinnevik led the round and was joined by investors including The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Tiger Global, Northzone, RRE Ventures, Rethink Impact, Work-Bench, William K Warren Foundation, SemperVirens, Able Partners, and True Capital Ventures, valuing it at $2 billion

- Tradesy, a Los Angeles-based peer-to-peer marketplace for pre-owned luxury fashion, raised $67 million in funding. John Doerr’s Foris Ventures led the round.

- Mynd, an Oakland, Calif.-based single-family rental properties company, raised $57.3 million in funding from QED Investors.

- Elevian, an Allston, Mass.-based biotech company focused on age-related diseases, raised $40 million in Series A funding. Prime Movers Lab led the round.

- Tyk, a London-based API management company, raised $35 million. Scottish Equity Partners led the round and was joined by investors including MMC Ventures.

- Elodie Games, a gaming startup, raised $32.5 million in Series A funding. Galaxy Interactive and a16z led the round.

- Caresyntax, a Boston-based startup aimed at reducing deaths from surgery-related complications, raised $30 million from investors including BlackRock and ProAssurance.

- Kolide, a Boston-based endpoint security platform, raised $17 million in Series B funding. OpenView Partners led the round and was joined by investors including Matrix Partners.

- Coinfirm, a London-based regtech for digital currencies raised $8 million in Series A funding. SIX Fintech Ventures and FiveT Fintech led the round and was joined by investors including  MiddleGame Ventures, Mission Gate, and CoinShares.

- Roboflow, a Des Moines, Ia.-based startup, raised $20 million in Series A funding. Craft Ventures led the round.

- LayerZero, a New York City-based interoperability protocol for decentralized applications, raised $6.3 million in Series A funding. Binance Labs and MulticoinCapital led the round and was joined by investors including SinoGlobalCapital, Defiance, DelphiDigital, RobotVentures, Spartan, Hypersphere Ventures, ProtocolVentures, and GenBlockCapital.

- Sequin, a San Francisco-based debit card geared at women, raised $5.7 million in seed funding. Matrix Partners, Y Combinator, Scribble Ventures, IDEO, Thomvest, Commerce VC, and Carrie Schwab invested.

- OnLoop, a New York City-based performance review and feedback company, raised $5.5 million. MMV and Square Peg Capital led the round and were joined by investors including Hustle Fund.

PRIVATE EQUITY

- CVC Capital Partners agreed to acquire a stake in CFGI, a Boston-based accounting advisory firm, valuing it at $1.9 billion.

- Compusoft Group, a portfolio company of TA Associates, acquired Access Information Technologies, a maker of software for the door and window industry. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

- Mason Wells acquired KDV Labels and I-Graphics, Milwaukee-based maker of adhesive labels, digital labels, and unsupported film labels. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

- Vision Innovation Partners acquired Ophthalmic Associates, a provider of eye care services with five locations in Western Pennsylvania. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

EXIT

- RealPage, a portfolio company of Thoma Bravo, acquired G5 Search Marketing, an Oregon-based digital marketing company, from PeakEquity Partners. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

OTHER

- Invesco is in talks to merge with the State Street Corp's asset-management business, per the Wall Street Journal.

- MediaLab.A acquired the Genius Media Group, a music annotation company, for $80 million, per Bloomberg. Investors include Detroit Venture Partners, a16z, and Initialized Capital.

IPO

- Immix Biopharma, a Los Angeles-based oncology drug company, filed for an initial public offering. The company reported a net loss of 1.1 million in 2020 and has yet to post revenue.

- Keter Group SA, an Israeli garden and household product manufacturer, filed for an initial public offering in the U.S. The company posted $1.5 billion in revenue in 2020 and a loss of $90.5 million. BC Partners backs the firm.

- IHS Holding Limited, a London-based mobile communications infrastructure developer, filed for an initial public offering in the U.S. The company posted $1.4 million in revenue in 2020 and reported a loss of approximately $323,000. Wendel, Emerging Capital Partners, Mobile Telephone Networks in the Netherlands, and Korea Investment Corporation back the firm.

F+FS

- Warburg Pincus, the New York City-based private equity investor, is seeking to raise $16 billion, per Reuters, for its next flagship fund.

PEOPLE

- Shore Capital Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, named Brad Morehead as partner and head of the firm’s business services fund.

About the Author
Lucinda Shen
By Lucinda Shen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Newsletters

What Marianne Lake’s exit from the race to succeed Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan tells us about women’s leadership
NewslettersMPW Daily
What Marianne Lake’s exit from the race to succeed Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan tells us about women’s leadership
By Emma HinchliffeJune 26, 2026
2 days ago
Exclusive: Framework Ventures raises $400 million for fourth fund as firm expands beyond crypto
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Exclusive: Framework Ventures raises $400 million for fourth fund as firm expands beyond crypto
By Ben WeissJune 26, 2026
2 days ago
MacBook Neo laptop computers during an Apple event in New York on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Photo: Adam Gray/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Apple loses its iron grip on pricing power
By Andrew NuscaJune 26, 2026
2 days ago
Two former governors launch a bipartisan coalition to confront the coming AI jobs shock
NewslettersCEO Daily
Two former governors launch a bipartisan coalition to confront the coming AI jobs shock
By Diane BradyJune 26, 2026
2 days ago
Exclusive: Hera raises $27 million to tackle the unpaid caregiving that falls on daughters of the sandwich generation
NewslettersMPW Daily
Exclusive: Hera raises $27 million to tackle the unpaid caregiving that falls on daughters of the sandwich generation
By Emma HinchliffeJune 25, 2026
3 days ago
VivaTech entrance in Paris.
NewslettersEye on AI
Europe’s AI wake-up call: Cybersecurity threats, sovereignty fears, and a growing demand for ROI dominated VivaTech
By Beatrice NolanJune 25, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
20 hours ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
3 days ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
4 days ago
The 33-year-old executive Satya Nadella is trusting to fix Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant
AI
The 33-year-old executive Satya Nadella is trusting to fix Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant
By Sebastian HerreraJune 27, 2026
21 hours ago
The end of Putin’s regime will spring from war spending chaos, former central bank advisor says, amid military mutiny threat and fuel-shortage brawls
Europe
The end of Putin’s regime will spring from war spending chaos, former central bank advisor says, amid military mutiny threat and fuel-shortage brawls
By Jason MaJune 27, 2026
12 hours ago
Big Short legend Steve Eisman says everyone is buying the wrong AI stocks
Investing
Big Short legend Steve Eisman says everyone is buying the wrong AI stocks
By Shawn TullyJune 27, 2026
22 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.