PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

Social Capital Hedosophia is looking to raise $500 million for a new blank check company, Bloomberg writes. A SPAC means a kind of blank check company solely forged for the purpose of taking companies public without going through the entire IPO process or identifying an acquisition target.

Investments 60

Investments Securities Marketing Technology 60

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

Real estate platform Opendoor is set to go public via a merger with blank-check company Social Capital Hedosophia II in a deal that will value the combined company at $4.8 investor Ian Osborne are co-founders of the blank-check company or special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), one of the many they run. Palihapitiya and U.K.

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) 69

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Healthcare Valuation Banking 69

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

As with all SPAC mergers, the process would consist of a merger with a blank-check company like Ackman's. Stripe was in talks earlier this year with Bill Ackman , billionaire and SPAC investor, about possibly going public, as PYMNTS reported previously. However, Ackman told media at the time that Stripe wasn't “mature enough” to go public.

Valuation 117

Valuation Startups eCommerce Sales 117

PYMNTS

JUNE 26, 2020

Blank Check Companies Set Sights On Unicorns. Bill Ackman, in one case, is aiming to raise $3 billion for an initial public offering (IPO) of his blank check company. PYMNTS talks with Investec about how banks can improve this lack of trust by securing the areas in which clients input their private data. .

Banking 92

Banking Financial Data Manufacturing Economics 92

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 7, 2020

Social Finance (SoFi), a San Francisco-based online lending startup, is holding talks about selling to a blank-check acquisition company, Reuters reported, to help it debut on the stock market. The news reveals CEO Anthony Noto 's aspirations to go public after he succeeded SoFi Co-Founder Mike Cagney in 2018.

Startups 107

Startups Cash Management Finance Currencies 107

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 4, 2020

A former Uber executive is planning to launch a $250 million initial public offering (IPO) for a blank check company whose advisors include billionaire Eric Schmidt, an ex- Google CEO, IPO Edge reported. Emil Michael filed an S-1 prospectus on Friday (Oct. 2) for DPCM Capital Inc. ,

Securities 103

Securities Technology Planning Marketing 103

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

The term means a "blank check" acquisition fund without development plans, merging with a private company wanting to go public. Mobile game platform Skillz is looking to go public, and a partnership with Flying Eagle Acquisition Corp. could help it do so, according to a company blog post.

Planning 87

Planning Entertainment 87

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 16, 2020

Combining with a blank-check company has become an increasingly popular way for closely held companies to raise capital for expansion. Bridgetown Holdings, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), is reportedly mulling a deal with Tokopedia, the Indonesian online shopping company.

Technology 96

Technology Sales Banking Retail 96

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

The company is exploring options including a sale or going public via a merger with a blank-check acquisition company that could put its value at around $1 billion, the report stated. Boxed , the U.S. online wholesale retailer sometimes called “Costco for millennials,” is seeking a buyer, Reuters reported.

eCommerce 82

eCommerce Valuation Sales Retail 82

PYMNTS

AUGUST 28, 2020

We have deep dives on retail’s digital D2C shift, blank-check companies, and DoorDash’s IPO plans. The Specs on SPACs – And Why Blank-Check Firms Get Backing. It’s the end of another week and the end of a busy month. The PYMNTS Weekender is here to catch you up on the latest payments and commerce news.

Retail 83

Retail Planning Pharmaceutical eCommerce 83

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 18, 2020

Bloomberg based the report on unnamed sources, writing: “Nextdoor might also go public through a direct listing or by merging with a blank-check firm, and a transaction may happen before the end of next year, one of the people said.”.

Benchmarking 79

Benchmarking Valuation Investments 79

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 16, 2020

Acamar’s website said that the blank-check company was “formed with the intent of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses.”.

Forecasting 83

Forecasting Retail Sales Investments 83

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 7, 2020

Because investors buy into SPACs before any such deal has taken place, SPACs are often known as “blank-check companies.” Investors give them a “blank check” of money to do an acquisition after the fact. The enthusiasm for SPACs has been significant in 2020.

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) 64

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Valuation Finance Startups 64

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 21, 2020

The startup is looking to make its move soon, possibly by the end of the year, either through a direct listing or even through a blank-check firm, Bloomberg has reported. Facebook’s move comes as Nextdoor eyes plans to go public , with a potential valuation of $4 billion to $5 billion.

Valuation 80

Valuation Benchmarking Startups Planning 80

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 13, 2020

He said machine learning can help integrated cloud-based solutions achieve better payments flexibility and more efficiency through innovations such as immediately detecting blank or unrecognizable fields in forms.

Finance 72

Finance Leverage Banking Marketing 72

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 6, 2020

Clover Health , a tech-driven provider of Medicare Advantage insurance plans, plans to go public through a merger with a blank-check company called Social Capital Hedosophia, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Tuesday (Oct. The transaction, set to close in early 2021, values Clover at about $3.7

Healthcare 52

Healthcare Planning Investments Securities 52

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 7, 2020

The New York-based corporation, composed of eight experienced restaurant owners, is seeking to raise up to $230 million for a blank-check company, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Tastemaker Acquisition Corp. The document says it intends to sell 23 million shares at $10 per share.

Entertainment 82

Entertainment Investments Securities Marketing 82

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

Airbnb Rejects Blank-Check Offer To Go Public. has rejected investor Bill Ackman’s offer to merge with his newly formed blank-check company to go public, preferring a traditional initial public offer (IPO). Walmart Inc. has accelerated its rivalry with Amazon.com Inc. Walmart+ will be available in the U.S. Airbnb Inc.

Banking 70

Banking Retail eCommerce Leverage 70

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 16, 2020

You could go to eBay and buy a blank SIM card for any of the wireless carriers out there,” Ahmed Khattak , CEO and founder of prepaid cell carrier US Mobile , said during an interview with PYMNTS. Once you have that blank SIM card, all you need to do is convince the carrier to transfer a phone number to that same card, and that's it.

Leverage 71

Leverage Numbers Securities Accounting 71

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 29, 2020

There's been some interest in luxury goods companies from special interest acquisition companies (SPACs), or blank-check shell companies intended to take companies public without the IPO process as it normally goes. The study concluded that those buying luxury goods were seeking traits like diversity, inclusion and sustainability.

Retail 63

Retail Valuation Sales Securities 63

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 14, 2020

Maybe the toy train people could move some micro-shipments of blank puzzle pieces. Talk about supply chain issues. Yes, we know how that sounds. Visionary innovation often seems crazy. Playfulness, Prioritized. Going into the holiday 2020 season, there are 32 million children in the U.S. under the age of 14,” PYMNTS recently reported.

Profit and Loss 137

Profit and Loss Prioritization Transportation Retail 137

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 30, 2020

Iliad SA Founder Xavier Niel is teaming up with other investors to raise up to $360 million, or 300 million euros, to launch a blank-check company aimed at acquiring assets focused on sustainable and environmentally friendly consumer goods.

Valuation 62

Valuation Retail Planning Banking 62

PYMNTS

JUNE 29, 2020

IAC is what is known as a “blank check” merger company that trades financial assets for stakes in companies that will go public. (IAC) in exchange for approximately $380 million in Insurance Acquisition Corp. Class A stock, as well as plus an additional 6 million shares of other IAC stock.

Planning 98

Planning Sales Leverage Marketing 98

PYMNTS

JULY 28, 2020

CEO Brian Chesky said his firm had been approached about a merger with a blank-check acquisition company. The funds came after the startup’s international expansion into 28 nations and partnerships with more than 1,000 employers for its business wellness offering. We’re looking at everything,” Chesky said. “So,

Communication 61

Communication Securities Sales 61

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

IPOs in 2020 have lost some ground to new special purpose acquisition companies ( SPACs ), which are blank-check shell companies only formed to help startups achieve going public, at which time a reverse merger is performed with an existing company. Kakao Pay is the FinTech arm for Kakao Corp. ,

Startups 60

Startups Securities Finance Banking 60

PYMNTS

APRIL 16, 2020

Diamond Eagle is what’s called a “blank check company” that raised $400 million for DraftKings in an initial public offering last May. Shareholders for Diamond Eagle will vote on April 23, which will be a continued meeting from an earlier one postponed due to the pandemic.

Planning 58

Planning Technology 58

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 1, 2020

Iliad SA Founder Xavier Niel is working with other backers to raise as much as 300 million euros or $360 million to roll out a blank-check company aimed at buying assets geared toward sustainable and eco-friendly consumer products. Iliad’s Niel Teams Up To Launch Organic Foods SPAC In France.

Sales 57

Sales Valuation Investments 57

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

Earlier this week, there were reports that Airbnb rejected investor William Ackman’s offer to merge with his special purpose acquisition company (SPAC, sometimes known as a “blank check” company) to go public.

Transportation 86

Transportation Numbers Sales 86

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Separately, in a deal tied to a “blank check” company, Far Point said it had struck a $2.6 So far in 2020, mergers and deal-making in payments, specifically within digital payments and FinTech, are sizzling. The biggest one, so far, of course, has been Visa inking a deal to purchase FinTech firm Plaid for $5.3

Leadership 52

Leadership eCommerce Marketing 52

PYMNTS

AUGUST 7, 2020

listing of 2020, excluding blank-check companies, Reuters reports. “So, investors are being very cautious, very surgical and … if it’s not a rock-solid business model, they’re not really interested in buying at the IPO.”. Still, at an IPO price of $18, Rocket ranks as the third-largest U.S.

Valuation 64

Valuation Investments Planning Securities 64

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

He said today’s system dominated by big providers, third-party payers and invisible blank-check-style pricing isn’t working. “If

Healthcare 105

Healthcare Education Finance Retail 105

PYMNTS

JUNE 1, 2020

Issues in the past few weeks have included some people receiving the blank, inconspicuous envelopes the cards come in and throwing them away, not recognizing what they contain.

Treasury 52

Treasury 52

PYMNTS

JANUARY 16, 2020

To that end, Far Point Acquisition – which operates as a “blank check” company that focuses on financial technology deals – said on Thursday (Jan. The “blank check” concept focuses on pursuing mergers or acquisitions, and operating as “special purpose acquisition companies” to take those acquired firms public.

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) 40

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Currencies Investments eCommerce 40

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman said he’s had preliminary discussions with Airbnb and Stripe, among others, about helping them to go public through a merger with Ackman’s blank-check company. SPAC Investor Ackman In Limited Talks With Stripe For IPO. New Data: How Online Merchants Build Consumer Trust In The Digital 3.0

Planning 52

Planning Retail Marketing Sales 52

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2020

which is registered in the Cayman Islands, filed to raise the funds as a “blank check” company, a designation usually used for acquisitions or to execute business plans that are not being shared with potential investors. “We 16) filing with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). VG Acquisitions Corp.,

Entertainment 56

Entertainment Valuation Investments Planning 56

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 17, 2020

17), BarkBox, the subscription service that is focused on pet supplies, is merging with blank check form Northern Star Acquisition Corp. And so the question looms as to whether the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) will be the backdoor entry to the public markets. At this writing, and as reported in this space on Thursday (Dec.

Valuation 81

Valuation Investments Retail Sales 81

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 17, 2020

New York subscription startup BarkBox is merging with the blank-check company Northern Star Acquisitions Corp. The startup will use the new funds to accelerate the company’s open banking strategy, enabling merchants to transparently and quickly process instant payments. BarkBox To Go Public Via SPAC At $1.6 Billion Valuation.

Valuation 58

Valuation Startups Banking Retail 58