Highlights of the Week (Mar 12, 2021)

This week of March was a positive week as COVID cases continue to decline and more stimulus is coming for businesses and households, one year after WHO declared a pandemic and the nation shut down. Meanwhile, Japan marked a decade after the giant March 11, 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami left 20,000+ dead and caused a catastrophic triple meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Elsewhere, we recognized:

• March 8 was International Women’s Day. To recognize and acknowledge that women founders and leaders continue to lag behind their male counterparts in funding and VC attention, we published a report on funding for underrepresented companies. Recap our stats in this preview.
• As Beeple sells its first NFT at the Christie’s auction, we take a look at what an NFT is as well as its potential for creators and artists. Read more.
• Revisit the nostalgia behind the first online communities, and how they have evolved from BBS to Clubhouse to Discord. Dive deeper.
• While we know that Amazon has had a successful 2020 as a result of everyone moving their shopping online with the pandemic, a surprising number of startups that buy up successful Amazon sellers are also worth millions (one of them is worth $5BN!). Find out more.

PSA: Signaling the beginning of spring, don’t forget to spring forward your clocks this Saturday night (ie, Sunday at 2 AM) as Daylight Savings comes to a welcomed start.