Benioff’s COVID-19 plan: Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff tweeted out an eight-point plan he urged other tech CEOs to follow in response to the coronavirus crisis. He urged other industry leaders to agree to a 90-day no-layoff pledge. The company has also donated $1.5 million to help San Francisco respond to the pandemic. [Business Insider]
Tech gives back: The hospitality and retail industries are among the hardest hit by the economic fallout of the pandemic, but many SF tech companies are stepping up to attempt to soften the blow for these vulnerable groups. We reached out to Retail Zipline and HoneyBook to find out how they are responding in these uncertain times. [Built In SF]
The world’s laboratory: A new San Francisco Chronicle column from Owen Thomas is urging the city and its tech community to step up and serve as “the world’s laboratory” in the fight against COVID-19. “The city has all the tools the world needs to fight the coronavirus pandemic,” he tweeted. “To mobilize its innovators, we must let go of outdated attitudes about tech.” [SF Chronicle]
Airbnb providing housing to COVID-19 responders. Airbnb just announced a new global initiative where it is encouraging hosts to opt in to offer free or subsidized housing to healthcare workers and first responders fighting the pandemic. The company’s goal is to house 100,000 people through the initiative, which it already piloted in Italy and France. The company is waiving its fees for these bookings. [Airbnb]
TP delivered via drone. In some lighter coronavirus-related SF tech news, Ian Chen was obeying the city’s shelter-in-place mandate but needed toilet paper, so his friend (David Chen, aerial intelligence company Skycatch’s head of R&D) sent him a roll via a drone. Because sparing a square is so last year. [Mashable]
Underwood joins Obvious Ventures. Former Slack chief product officer April Underwood just announced she’s joined the Obvious Ventures team as a venture partner. Obvious was co-founded by Twitter co-founder Ev Williams. [TechCrunch]
Brex buys three SF startups. Fintech startup Brex just snatched up three local startups for its portfolio. The companies are blockchain company Neji, video experiences provider Compose Labs and software company Landria. Acquisition prices were not disclosed by the company. [Crunchbase News]
