The only thing better than being essential to the global economy during a crisis? Having the cash to continue to out-innovate your suddenly impoverished competitors.
Here’s a stark example of how the global coronavirus pandemic affects America’s tech giants, versus how it affects pretty much everyone else.
On May 12, Alphabet Inc. subsidiary Waymo announced it had scored an additional $750 million to make self-driving cars a commercial reality, bringing its total external fundraising to $3 billion inside two months.
Then, on the 18th, The Wall Street Journal reported that Uber Technologies Inc. is cutting $1 billion in fixed costs. This included laying off roughly a quarter of its workforce and rethinking big, expensive bets—such as its