Playground Global is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in deep tech and assists startups with software, hardware, machine learning, marketing, talent and design.[1][2][3] The company was founded in 2015 by Andy Rubin, Peter Barrett, Matt Hershenson and Bruce Leak.[4] Playground offers startups support with engineering, distribution, manufacturing and financing in exchange for equity.[3]
In May 2019, Playground returned Rubin's investment and removed him from management, following reports of sexual misconduct alleged to have occurred in 2013 while Rubin was an executive at Google.[5] His smartphone company, Essential Products, remained under the Playground umbrella.[6] The next month, Laurie Yoler joined as Playground's first female general partner; she was already serving on the boards of Bose, Tesla and Church & Dwight, among others.[7] Rubin's Essential Products company failed in February 2020, prompting a rebuild of Playground Global.[7][8]
Significant investmentsedit
Playground Global has raised $800 million across two funds,[9] starting with $300 million in 2015 from its limited partners including Google, HP, Foxconn, Redpoint Ventures, Seagate Technology and Tencent, among others.[3][4] This was followed by $500 million raised during Fund II in 2016.[10][7]
In June 2015, Playground Global was part of a $20.5 million series A funding round for Nervana Systems, an AI software company acquired by Intel in 2016.[11] In 2017, Playground Global backed Owl Labs, a conferencing devices company, with $1.3 million in seed money.[12][13] In December 2017, Playground Global led a seed round of $5.7 million for FarmWise to commercialize its automated weeding robot and to continue building autonomous systems which can harvest food for farmers.[14][15] Playground's Bruce Leak also joined their board of directors.[16] In March 2018, Playground Global led a $35 million funding round for Relativity Space, a startup that develops small launch vehicles with the use of 3-D printing technologies. Playground's Jory Bell joined Relativity's board.[17] In November 2018, Playground Global led a $30 million Series B Funding round for RapidSOS, an emergency response data provider.[18]
"Andy Rubin's Playground wants to let anyone make the next big gadget". The Verge. 9 February 2016. from the original on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
"How one moonshot VC approaches investing in the COVID-19 era". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
^Glaser, April (2017-05-19). "Andy Rubin's design lab Playground is finally bringing products to market". Vox. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
^ abcWakabayashi, Alistair Barr And Daisuke. "Android Creator Andy Rubin Launching Playground Global". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
^ ab"Andy Rubin Unleashed Android on the World. Now Watch Him Do the Same With AI". WIRED. from the original on 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
^"Disgraced Google Exec Andy Rubin Quietly Left His Venture Firm Earlier This Year". BuzzFeed News. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
^Hollister, Sean (2019-10-11). "Andy Rubin has left his own incubator — but he's still in the building". The Verge. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
^ abcPrimack, Dan. "Building a new Playground Global, after Andy Rubin". Axios. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
^Primack, Dan; Fried, Ina (February 12, 2020). "Android founder's next phone company goes bust". Axios. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
^Schubarth, Cromwell (February 18, 2020). "Playground Global unveils new VC days after Andy Rubin's Essential powers down". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
^"Andy Rubin's Playground Ventures is raising another $15M". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
^Fried, Ina (2016-08-09). "Intel is paying more than $400 million to buy deep-learning startup Nervana Systems". Vox.
^Goode, Lauren (2017-06-21). "Andy Rubin-backed Owl Labs just launched a robotic video conference camera". The Verge.
^O'Brien, Kelly J. (May 9, 2017). "Andy Rubin-backed Owl Labs launches, but tech is still a mystery". www.bizjournals.com.
^"Playground is betting big on robots". TechCrunch.
^"Funding Snapshot: Farming Equipment Startup FarmWise Gathers $5.7 Million in Seed Round". Wall Street Journal. 2017-12-20. ISSN 0099-9660.
^"Relativity closes $35 million Series B round". SpaceNews. 2018-03-27.
^"RapidSOS, an emergency response data provider, raises $30M as it grows from 10K users to 250M – TechCrunch". 6 November 2018.
April 26, 2024
playground, global, early, stage, venture, capital, firm, that, invests, deep, tech, assists, startups, with, software, hardware, machine, learning, marketing, talent, design, company, founded, 2015, andy, rubin, peter, barrett, matt, hershenson, bruce, leak, . Playground Global is an early stage venture capital firm that invests in deep tech and assists startups with software hardware machine learning marketing talent and design 1 2 3 The company was founded in 2015 by Andy Rubin Peter Barrett Matt Hershenson and Bruce Leak 4 Playground offers startups support with engineering distribution manufacturing and financing in exchange for equity 3 Playground Global LLCCompany typePrivateIndustryHardware Venture CapitalFounded2015HeadquartersPalo Alto CAKey peoplePeter BarrettMatt HershensonBruce LeakJory BellLaurie YolerWebsiteOfficial website In May 2019 Playground returned Rubin s investment and removed him from management following reports of sexual misconduct alleged to have occurred in 2013 while Rubin was an executive at Google 5 His smartphone company Essential Products remained under the Playground umbrella 6 The next month Laurie Yoler joined as Playground s first female general partner she was already serving on the boards of Bose Tesla and Church amp Dwight among others 7 Rubin s Essential Products company failed in February 2020 prompting a rebuild of Playground Global 7 8 Significant investments editPlayground Global has raised 800 million across two funds 9 starting with 300 million in 2015 from its limited partners including Google HP Foxconn Redpoint Ventures Seagate Technology and Tencent among others 3 4 This was followed by 500 million raised during Fund II in 2016 10 7 In June 2015 Playground Global was part of a 20 5 million series A funding round for Nervana Systems an AI software company acquired by Intel in 2016 11 In 2017 Playground Global backed Owl Labs a conferencing devices company with 1 3 million in seed money 12 13 In December 2017 Playground Global led a seed round of 5 7 million for FarmWise to commercialize its automated weeding robot and to continue building autonomous systems which can harvest food for farmers 14 15 Playground s Bruce Leak also joined their board of directors 16 In March 2018 Playground Global led a 35 million funding round for Relativity Space a startup that develops small launch vehicles with the use of 3 D printing technologies Playground s Jory Bell joined Relativity s board 17 In November 2018 Playground Global led a 30 million Series B Funding round for RapidSOS an emergency response data provider 18 References edit Andy Rubin s Playground wants to let anyone make the next big gadget The Verge 9 February 2016 Archived from the original on 2016 03 13 Retrieved 2016 03 15 How one moonshot VC approaches investing in the COVID 19 era TechCrunch Retrieved 2021 05 23 Glaser April 2017 05 19 Andy Rubin s design lab Playground is finally bringing products to market Vox Retrieved 2021 05 23 a b c Wakabayashi Alistair Barr And Daisuke Android Creator Andy Rubin Launching Playground Global Wall Street Journal ISSN 0099 9660 Archived from the original on 2016 03 10 Retrieved 2016 03 15 a b Andy Rubin Unleashed Android on the World Now Watch Him Do the Same With AI WIRED Archived from the original on 2016 03 15 Retrieved 2016 03 15 Disgraced Google Exec Andy Rubin Quietly Left His Venture Firm Earlier This Year BuzzFeed News 11 October 2019 Retrieved 2021 05 12 Hollister Sean 2019 10 11 Andy Rubin has left his own incubator but he s still in the building The Verge Retrieved 2021 05 12 a b c Primack Dan Building a new Playground Global after Andy Rubin Axios Retrieved 2021 05 23 Primack Dan Fried Ina February 12 2020 Android founder s next phone company goes bust Axios Retrieved June 23 2021 Schubarth Cromwell February 18 2020 Playground Global unveils new VC days after Andy Rubin s Essential powers down www bizjournals com Retrieved 2021 05 23 Andy Rubin s Playground Ventures is raising another 15M TechCrunch Retrieved 2021 05 23 Fried Ina 2016 08 09 Intel is paying more than 400 million to buy deep learning startup Nervana Systems Vox Goode Lauren 2017 06 21 Andy Rubin backed Owl Labs just launched a robotic video conference camera The Verge O Brien Kelly J May 9 2017 Andy Rubin backed Owl Labs launches but tech is still a mystery www bizjournals com FarmWise Raises 5 7m Seed Round for Vegetable Weeding Robot AFN 2017 12 19 Playground is betting big on robots TechCrunch Funding Snapshot Farming Equipment Startup FarmWise Gathers 5 7 Million in Seed Round Wall Street Journal 2017 12 20 ISSN 0099 9660 Relativity closes 35 million Series B round SpaceNews 2018 03 27 RapidSOS an emergency response data provider raises 30M as it grows from 10K users to 250M TechCrunch 6 November 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Playground Global amp oldid 1181970437, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
