Goodbye 2020 - Q2 Edition

In the last week of 2020, we look back on the events and major activities of each quarter, with today’s issue covering the second quarter. April to June was a time of change globally. Aside from the biggest shift in history towards racial equality that sparked from the US but ignited the entire world’s support, it was also a time for the adoption of face masks and social distancing. 

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• Worldwide coronavirus cases hit 10 million+ in this quarter and face masks, including how to make one on your own became a new normal. The cases in the U.S. topped 2.6 million. 
• The Black Lives Matter movement erupted. The police-involved killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor became the fuel to a global uprising towards police brutality and racial injustice that spread across the world. 
• Murder hornets were spotted in Washington State for the first time but its news disappeared as quickly as they came. 
• SpaceX launched two NASA astronauts towards the International Space Station and is the first time in history for a commercial aerospace company to do so. The company has since received numerous funding. 
• Although in-person ceremonies were canceled, virtual graduations were held throughout the month of June in replacement.
• Throughout the three months, cities and states struggled with quarantine and shutdown restrictions. By the end of the quarter, many cities attempted to move back to a more ‘normal’ state with outdoor dining and the opening up of gyms, salons, and more.
• To coop with stay-at-home orders, working out shifted to working “in.” If you haven’t read our report yet, take some time to read about companies that have benefited from the at-home fitness movement. Read here. 
• Despite a new normal, PrivCo recorded over 1300 funding rounds in this quarter in the U.S. with many capital funding rounds by hard-hit businesses such as those by Macy’s and United Airlines. Other notable funding rounds include Waymo, Stripe, and Airbnb. 
• We also recorded over 750 M&As notably Lululemon acquiring Mirror, Amazon of Zoox, Facebook of Giphy, and Just Eat Takeaway of Grubhub.
• Notable IPOs of this quarter included Zoominfo, Vroom, and Nikola Motor.