Coinbase wants to keep politics out of the workplace. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong last week informed his employees that the popular cryptocurrency exchange will have a policy of “political neutrality” going forward — and that anyone unhappy with that change can take a severance package. He went on to describe the policy in a viral Medium blog post. The move has won some support in Silicon Valley, as well as some pushback from prominent names like Jack Dorsey at a time when many tech companies are being pushed to be more active amid the surging social justice movements of 2020. [The Verge]
Asana goes public. In the latest big-ticket SaaS IPO of 2020, workplace collaboration and planning platform Asana hit the NYSE in a direct listing under the ticker “ASAN” last week and saw its price soar 37 percent above its reference price of $21, bringing its valuation to some $4.4 billion. The platform reportedly has 1.4 million paid users from 82,000 companies. [The Street]
Uber’s former head of design talks UX. Shalin Amin helped make the ride-sharing app what it is today. Now, he’s moved on to the CXO role at Zumper, an apartment listing marketplace. We spoke with the influential designer about his experiences at Uber and what he hopes to build in his new role. [Built In SF]
Gusto is growing. Payroll startup Gusto announced last week that it is expanding beyond payroll by offering a slew of new features that comprise a more comprehensive wellness platform. Among these tools are a Wallet app that monitors users’ financial health, as well as a “Cashout” feature that essentially offers payday advances, and the offering of health reimbursement accounts to its customers. The company raised a $200 million Series D round last year and appears poised for additional growth. [TechCrunch]
Codi is helping SF residents rent out their homes to remote workers. As the pandemic’s era of forced-work-from-home now stretches beyond its sixth month across much of the country, many remote workers might be growing tired of their own four walls. Now, SF-based Codi is launching as a platform that will allow people to rent out their home as an alternative work space. You’ve gotta wonder if snacks are included. [SF Business Times]
Roam is a different kind of note-taking app. Roam is a networked note-taking app geared toward “knowledge work” including academia, project management and marketing. We spoke with Kyle Stratis, an active member of #RoamCult, the community that’s formed around the buzzy app. Roam recently raised a $9 million seed funding round at a $200 million valuation. [Built In SF]
