CB Insights - dethroning Tiger

Hi there, 

A lot of ink has been spilled on Tiger Global’s investment pace, but what about the investor that took the #1 spot in Q3’21? 

Sequoia Capital China backed 96 companies in the third quarter — more than Tiger Global. 

Nearly all of Sequoia Capital China’s deals (92%) in Q3 unsurprisingly went to China-based companies, and the majority (60%) were early-stage (seed or Series A) deals. 

With China’s regulatory crackdown on its tech sector, was Sequoia China “buying the dip” or adhering to Buffett’s maxim of “being greedy when others are fearful”? It certainly was a huge quarter for the fund.  

And it’s not alone — China saw deals blow past the 2,000 mark for the first time as investors piled into the region. 

In Q4’21 so far, however, Sequoia Capital China’s pace has dipped below Tiger — but both continue to be going at breakneck speed to finish the year strong.

More than avocado toast
 

As millennials head deeper into adulthood and make more money, the personal finance space is adapting to their unique money management attitudes. 

For example, 78% of millennials use mobile banking, and finance companies are aligning their services to reflect these preferences.

From investing to budgeting, here’s how millennials are disrupting personal finance — and how startups and incumbents are responding.

Close shave

Edgewell Personal Care — the owner of Schick razors — has acquired women’s razor maker and personal care brand Billie for $310M. P&G had attempted to purchase the startup in January 2020 before the FTC blocked the deal. 

Big beauty is looking to indie brands — and ramping up acquisitions — to experiment in newer markets and nascent trends. See 13 other trends shaping the beauty industry here.

Networking is open for attendees of Future of Health (Dec 8-9, online).
 

Did you know that some of our analysts will also be available for you to meet on our networking platform? This is a rare opportunity for you to connect and ask questions on a 1:1 basis.
 

And if you register before 9 am EST on Monday, December 6, you can still be included in our special pre-event speed networking taking place later that day.
 

Don't miss out. Register here and save 25% with code meetings.

Bitcoin network > PayPal in quarterly volume

The Bitcoin network processed an estimated average of $489B per quarter in 2021 — over $150B more than PayPal. 

Could the Bitcoin network one day process as much volume as companies like Mastercard or Visa? Our friends at Blockdata dig into this question here.

Road blocks 
 
GM is a titan in the automotive industry, with annual revenue of over $120B. 
 
But as electric vehicles gain market share and well-funded startups develop autonomous and connectivity tech, GM and other auto incumbents are facing numerous headwinds. 
 
We look at how companies are unbundling GM — and the automotive industry at large — in this analysis. 

Get energized

Renewables tech funding is on pace to reach almost $8B in 2021.

We analyzed the 200+ renewables tech companies that were funded in the past year to see the sectors where proven founders and management teams are focusing their time.

From tidal power to renewable fuels, here’s where 10 of the strongest renewables management teams are innovating.

Bloomberg. Lizette Chapman (@lizette_chapman) uses the CB Insights State Of Blockchain Q3’21 report and quotes CBI senior analyst Chris Bendtsen to cover crypto funding trends. 

WIRED. Aarian Marshall (@AarianMarshall) looks at the ultrafast delivery space, quoting CB Insights intelligence analyst Jackie Tubbs and citing CBI research.

New York Times. Ephrat Livni (@el72champs) reports on crypto funding and references CB Insights data.
 

P.S. We’re looking for a backend engineer. Check out the role here. 

Client-Exclusive Research

[Financial Services]
State of wealth tech. Funding to wealth tech startups cooled in Q3’21 but remains elevated compared to previous years.
 

[Healthcare]

Betting on magic. We dive into the psychedelics space, discussing the sector’s market drivers, emerging themes, and key implications.
 

[Industrials]

Green fuel. From green hydrogen production to engineering hydrogen-powered trucks, these 130+ companies are paving the way for a more sustainable future.