• April opened with one of the largest technology IPOs ever when Spotify went public, gaining a $29.5 billion valuation. Spotify’s listing was unusual because it was a direct listing and offered shares without the help of a bank for underwriting purposes.
  • Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the trip to Capitol Hill for his first ever appearance before Congress in the wake of exposed privacy concerns stemming from user data harvested without explicit permission by Cambridge Analytica.
  • After years of war and high tension, the leaders of North Korea and South Korea convened in Seoul, South Korea. The meetings focused on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the first steps towards peace negotiations. Additionally, this marked the first ever visit to South Korea by a North Korean leader.
  • Optimism surrounding the media streaming giant Netflix soared after the company announced their first quarter earnings. The company saw big increases in subscribers and slightly beat out revenue estimates – all in the face of rising competition from Disney and Amazon.
  • Impossible Foods, a company that makes meat directly from plants, has seen plans for rapid expansion as the addition of a $114 million convertible note has raised total investments to nearly $400 million. The company’s staple food, the award winning Impossible Burger, can now be found in more than 1,000 restaurants across the entire United States

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