Dot-Com Bubble 2.0 Sparks Fears of Another Bust

(NEWSER) - Facebook’s recent deal to let employees sell some of their stock to private investors has sent Silicon Valley scrambling, as workers at other start-ups ask for similar deals, the Wall Street Journal reports. Start-ups rely on the promise of future stock sales to lure and retain talent, but with the market upheaval scaring most companies away from public offerings, employees are getting restless. More»

Former Googlers make ever-widening waves across Silicon Valley

(NEWSER) - In the past few years, Google has lost some serious firepower to the startup frontier, Luke Dittrich writes in Esquire. With self-styled Xooglers providing the brain power not only for two dozen or so startups, but for the venture-capital firms that fund them, it’s likely “the next big thing to come out of Google won't come out of Google at all.” More»

VC firm Kleiner looking for 'more fundamental innovations'

(NEWSER) - Today's launch of Web 2.0 Expo Berlin notwithstanding, there are hints that "second-generation" Web companies are losing appeal in the venture capital community -- or at least with prestigious Silicon Valley firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Digital Daily cites a KPCB partner who recently told a Silicon Valley journalist that he has "no interest in funding" such companies. More»

Venture capitalists are pouring money into social networking startups

(NEWSER) - The New York Times makes the rounds of venture capitalists and entrepreneurs and hears worry that another dangerous bubble is forming with tech startups. Because relatively young companies such as Groupon, Twitter, and Zynga have billion-dollar values, nobody wants to miss out on the next big thing—hence the flood of money into anything remotely connected to social networking. (Which explains why Groupon is able to turn up its nose at Google's offer of $6 billion.) More»

Company will raise $50 million this round

(NEWSER) - Twitter soared to $1 billion in valuation in its most recent round of venture capital funding, TechCrunch reports—up from $250 million in a round earlier this year. CEO Evan Williams shared the results with Twitter employees during a recent meeting. Sources say the company will raise about $50 million; it raised $35 million in the last round. This time, Insight Venture Partners is reported to be the primary investor in the startup. More»