Nubank’s New Billionaire | Tesla Cofounder’s Boring Robots | Business Travel’s Decline

Plus: How a Sleepy Southern Chain Became One of the Pandemic's Top Performing Stocks

Good morning.

Capping off a record-breaking year for fintech funding and IPOs, Brazilian digital bank Nubank went public and turned one of its cofounders into a billionaire. We’re also looking into Tesla cofounder Ian Wright’s latest venture focused on rock-tunneling robots, and the decline of Americans’ appetite for business travel. Finally, don’t miss this story about one of the pandemic’s top performing stocks—the Little Rock, Arkansas-based, Dillard’s department store chain.

In The News Today

A truck partaking in a people smuggling operation in Mexico rolled over and crashed into a pedestrian bridge, killing at least 53 of those aboard the vehicle and injuring dozens of others.

The High Court in London ruled that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange may be extradited to the U.S., overturning a January ruling by a lower court.

Top Take-Aways

Brazilian digital bank Nubank’s IPO on the New York Stock Exchange valued the company at $45 billion, minting a three-comma fortune for cofounder Cristina Junqueira, who becomes the second woman in Brazil who’s currently a self-made billionaire.

Over at Nasdaq, it was software company HashiCorp’s turn to go public in a buzzing IPO. By the end of the first day of trading, shares closed at $85.19, a 6.5% increase from the IPO price, valuing the company at about $15 billion.

Former Apple engineer Cher Scarlett, who advocated for pay transparency at the tech giant, is no longer withdrawing her complaint against Apple with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming the company failed to meet its end of a settlement deal.

Ian Wright, one of Tesla’s five cofounders, is best known for developing electric cars and trucks over the past two decades. These days, he’s applying his engineering skills to develop rock-tunnelling robots to protect the utility grid from climate change and other threats.

Nearly four in 10 American business travelers (39%) say they will never go on another work trip, according to a new survey showing how the business travel segment of the industry is unlikely to recover from the pandemic any time soon.

The pilot episode of Sex And The City reboot And Just Like That caused a product placement headache for Peloton, as a character is seen suffering a fatal heart attack while riding its exercise bike [warning: the story contains spoilers].

Today's Must Read

In Case You Missed It

The Government of Gibraltar is joining the list of territories aiming to use blockchain technology to improve the distribution of social services and improve the efficiency of its operations. 

Tips You Can Trust

During a job interview, it’s best not to speak in absolutes. New research indicates that six words including “always,” “never,” and “impossible” are the most likely to cost you that new gig. 

Interviews, performance reviews and negotiations, can be high-stress situations. Consider these five tips to keep you cool. 

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