• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Exclusive

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

NewslettersTerm Sheet

How the struggle to get a flight refund helped grow this buzzy ‘robot lawyer’

Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 23, 2020, 10:42 AM ET

This is the web version of Term Sheet, Fortune’s newsletter about deals and dealmakers. Sign up here.

Tried to cancel a flight in the past couple of months? The customer service was no doubt a nightmare.

Look to your right. Now look to your virtual left. Yours is an experience shared by many, if not most, as the pandemic has upended routines and left a spate of unwanted gym memberships, boarding passes, and concert tickets in its wake.

The struggle of getting a full refund has translated into growth for DoNotPay, the buzzy “robot lawyer” that, for a $3 a month subscription, helps customers parse through legalese to win refunds for cancelled flights or break up with their nearest sports club. 

DoNotPay announced today that investors led by Coatue Management closed on a $12 million Series A round in a mere two weeks over Zoom. Other investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, Felicis Ventures, and Day One Ventures participated, valuing the startup at about $80 million.

At its core, DoNotPay uses bots, hinging on the standardization of terms and conditions as well as laws, to send emails and letters to companies or government bureaus on behalf of the consumer, allowing it to expand into data privacy, robocallers, and even medical bills. The company has seen its user base surge several fold, from 10,000 to 20,000 subscribers before the coronavirus to over 50,000, says CEO and founder Joshua Browder.

As I wrote in my report on its Series A round, DoNotPay arbitrages the disconnect between what consumers know about their legal rights (often very little), and what companies tell them (sometimes even less). One example: Airline travelers complained early on about receiving vouchers instead of full refunds when the pandemic grounded flights indefinitely. Citing rules from the Department of Transportation that require airlines to issue refunds on nonrefundable fares, even in the event of a delay, DoNotPay sends messages via bots directly to the airline calling for full repayments.

Investors are betting the company’s fortunes will last beyond the pandemic: “There will always be consumer problems in the world for DoNotPay to solve,” says Matt Mazzeo, partner at Coatue. Read my full story here.

A SPAC whale: Hedge fund titan Bill Ackman is raising the largest SPAC, or special acquisition purpose company, ever. As a reminder, so-called SPACs raise proceeds through an IPO to acquire another company, with the amount raised representing a fraction of the actual value of the acquired company. Ackman’s Pershing Square Tontine Holdings could raise as much as $6.5 billion, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

Which… leaves a pretty small universe of companies it could try to take public. The company’s filing cites some potential candidates. Specifically, it points to “large, high-quality, private family-owned companies” and “private equity portfolio companies” whose cash flows have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus. Perhaps the most interesting of all is that the filing also cites “mature unicorns” as a potential target. Ackman is known for investing in profitable companies. This also isn’t his first blank check rodeo: Pershing Square a co-sponsor of Justice Holdings, a SPAC that acquired Burger King for $1.4 billion in cash in 2012.

Lucinda Shen
Twitter: @shenlucinda
Email: lucinda.shen@fortune.com

VENTURE DEALS

- Indigo Ag, a Boston-based agtech startup, raised $300 million in Series F funding, per Axios. Investors include Riverstone Holdings,Flagship Pioneering, and Alaska Permanent Fund. Read more.

- Cedar, a New York-based patient engagement and financial technology company, raised $77 million in Series C funding. Andreessen Horowitz led the round. JP Morgan also provided $25 million in debt. Read more.

- Swile, a French-based employee rewards and benefits company, raised €70 million in Series C funding. Index Ventures led the round and was joined by investors including Bpifrance and Idinvest.

- Somatus, a McLean, Va.-based kidney care company, raised $64 million in Series C funding. Longitude Capital led the round and was joined by investors including Optum Ventures, Deerfield Management Company, Blue Venture Fund, Flare Capital, and Town Hall Ventures.

- Canva,  a Sydney-based design platform, raised $60 million in funding valuing it at $6 billion. Investors included Bond, General Catalyst, Sequoia Capital  China, Felicis Ventures and Blackbird Ventures .

- Immuta, a Maryland-based data privacy startup, raised $40 million in Series C funding. Intel Capital led the round. Read more.

- BrightInsight, a San Jose, Calif.-based provider of a digital health platform for biopharma and medtech, raised $40 million in Series B funding. Insight Partners led the round and was joined by investors including New Leaf Venture Partners and Eclipse Ventures.

- Cazoo, a U.K.-based used car platform, raised £25 million in funding, valuing the firm at over $1 billion. Investors include Draper Esprit, DMG Ventures, and General Catalyst.

- Rasa Technologies, a San Francisco and Berlin-based maker of an infrastructure layer for conversational AI, raised $26 million in Series B funding. Andreessen Horowitz led the round and was joined by investors including the firm’s Cultural Leadership Fund, Accel, 468 Capital, Basis Set Ventures, and Mango Capital.

- Nylas, a San Francisco-based provider of communications APIs for developers, raised $25 million in Series B funding. 8VC and Round13 Capital led the round and was joined by investors including Spark Capital, ScaleUP, and Slack Fund.

- EasyKnock, a New York-based residential sale-leaseback company, raised $20 million in funding. Blumberg Capital and QED Investors co-led the round and were joined by investors including FJ Labs, Correlation, Moderne, 7BC and Interplay.

- Foldax, a Salt Lake City, Ut.-based heart valve maker, raised $20 million in Series D funding.

MemorialCare Innovation Fund led the round, with Angel Physicians Fund and Sayan Bioventures joining as new investors.

- Third Wave Automation, a Union City, Calif.-based machine learning and robotics company, raised $15 million in Series A funding. Innovation Endeavors led the round and was joined by investors including Eclipse Ventures, Homebrew VC, Toyota AI Ventures, and Heartland VC.

- Urjanet, an Atlanta-based utility account aggregator, raised $14.7 million in Series D funding. Investors include Equifax, Oak HC/FT, Pete Kight, Grotech Ventures and Correlation Ventures.

-  Celsius Network, London-based interest earning platform, raised $10 million in funding from Tether.

- Quidnet Energy, a Houston-based company storing water beneath ground under pressure, raised $10 million in Series B funding. Investors include Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Evok Innovations, Trafigura, and The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust.

- Armored Things, a Boston-based crowd intelligence software company, raised $7 million in additional seed funding. Will Ventures led the round and was joined by investors including Splunk, Glasswing Ventures, iNovia, and MassVentures.

- optimize.health, a Seattle-based healthcare platform for provider reimbursements, raised $3.5 million in seed funding from Bonfire Ventures.

- Todyl, a Denver, Colo.-based security, networking and compliance company for distributed workforces, raised $2.3 million in seed funding. Investors include TechOperators and Blu Venture Investors.

- Heka, a London-based employee benefits provider formerly known as GoSweat, raised £1 million ($1.3 million) in pre-seed funding. Playfair Capital led the round.

- Barion Payment, a Budapest-based payments firm, raised €2 million ($2.3 million). Financial Services Capital invested.

PRIVATE EQUITY

- Varsity Brands, a Dallas-based sports retailer backed by Bain Capital, raised $185 million from new and existing investors. 

- MHC Software, backed by Strattam Capital, acquired Ecrion Software, a Rockville, Maryland-based customer automation platform. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

- Intermediate Capital Group took a minority stake in Workhuman, a Framingham, Mass. and Dublin-based social recognition and performance management platform. The transaction values Workhuman at $1.2 billion.

- Appfire, backed by SilverSmith Capital, acquired Botron Software, a Bulgaria-based provider of tools for configuration management within Jira. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

- PDFTron Systems, backed by Silversmith Capital, acquired ActivePDF, a California-based provider of server-side PDF automation components. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

- Redwire, backed by AE Industrial Partners, acquired Made In Space, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based provider of space manufacturing technologies. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

OTHERS

- Invitae (NYSE: NVTA) acquired and ArcherDX, a Boulder, Colo.-based genomics analysis company for up to $1.4 billion. ArcherDX previously filed for an IPO.

- SoftBank Group is unloading part of its stake in T-Mobile U.S., the wireless carrier, in a $21 billion deal. Read more.

IPOS

- nCino, a Wilmington, Mass.-based cloud-based software for financial institutions, filed to raise $100 million. It posted revenue of $138.2 million in the year ending Jan. 2020, and a loss of $27.6 million. Investors include Insight Partners (46.6% pre-offering), Salesforce (13.2%), and Wellington Management (9.5%). It plans to list on the Nasdaq as “NCNO.” Read more.

- F45 Training, a provider of group fitness classes backed by Mark Wahlberg, is in talks to go public by merging with SPAC Crescent Acquisition Corp., per Bloomberg. The company is expected to be valued at under $1 billion. Read more.

- Allegro, a Polish online auction site, is preparing for an IPO later this year that could value the business at about 10 billion euros ($11.2 billion), per Bloomberg. Cinven, Permira, and Mid Europa Partners back the firm. Read more.

EXITS

- Microsoft (MSFT: NASDAQ), acquired CyberX, a Boston, Mass.-based IoT security company. CyberX investors included Norwest Venture Partners and Qualcomm Ventures. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

- ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) agreed to acquire Sweagle, a Belgium‑based configuration data management company. Sweagle investors included xAnge Private Equity. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

- Lightyear Capital agreed to acquire an indirect controlling stake in Health Plan One, an online marketplace for Medicare insurance. from Peloton Equity and other individual investors.  Financial terms weren't disclosed.

F+FS

- Omega Venture Partners plans to raise $100 million for its first fund. Read more.

About the Author
Lucinda Shen
By Lucinda Shen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Newsletters

Professional businesswoman working at a desk while interacting with an AI assistant on a tablet screen. The scene shows a modern office environment with notebook, laptop, and digital tools, representing productivity, smart technology, and digital transformation in business. Ideal for concepts related to artificial intelligence, remote work, automation, business innovation, and modern office lifestyle.
NewslettersCFO Daily
CFOs could cut agentic AI costs up to 60% by fixing this overlooked data problem
By Sheryl EstradaMay 19, 2026
9 minutes ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in Oakland, California, on May 12, 2026. (Photo: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Musk v. Altman: That’s all, folks
By Andrew NuscaMay 19, 2026
2 hours ago
ESG may be fading—but moral leadership isn’t
NewslettersCEO Daily
ESG may be fading—but moral leadership isn’t
By Diane BradyMay 19, 2026
3 hours ago
Women’s representation on boards of directors falls below 30%—but there’s one bright spot
NewslettersMPW Daily
Women’s representation on boards of directors falls below 30%—but there’s one bright spot
By Emma HinchliffeMay 18, 2026
19 hours ago
US President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick looks on.
NewslettersCFO Daily
Trump’s new corporate playbook: Why the administration is taking equity stakes in companies like Intel
By Sheryl EstradaMay 18, 2026
24 hours ago
A panel on Gen Z workers sit alongside Fortune's Kristin Stoller at the Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit.
NewslettersFortune Workplace Innovation
AI in the workplace is stumbling. Fortune’s Workplace Innovation Summit will dive in to why
By Kristin StollerMay 18, 2026
24 hours ago

Most Popular

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
7 days ago
While Trump insisted the Iran war would end ‘soon,’ an account in his name was buying millions in oil, defense and gold
Economy
While Trump insisted the Iran war would end ‘soon,’ an account in his name was buying millions in oil, defense and gold
By Eva RoytburgMay 18, 2026
17 hours ago
Current price of oil as of May 18, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 18, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 18, 2026
23 hours ago
EXCLUSIVE: An hour in the Oval Office with the CEO-in-Chief, President Trump
Politics
EXCLUSIVE: An hour in the Oval Office with the CEO-in-Chief, President Trump
By Alyson ShontellMay 18, 2026
1 day ago
Spirit Airlines apologizes to all the Americans who can't afford any summer vacation flights as it shuts down
Travel & Leisure
Spirit Airlines apologizes to all the Americans who can't afford any summer vacation flights as it shuts down
By Rio Yamat and The Associated PressMay 18, 2026
23 hours ago
Mamdani's New York is coming to tax your private jet. Here's how to prepare
Personal Finance
Mamdani's New York is coming to tax your private jet. Here's how to prepare
By Greg RaiffMay 16, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.