Hi. It’s Brady here to start off your week.
On the surface, Faraday Future and Tesla have a lot in common. They’re both named after scientists who made significant contributions that shape how we use electricity today. They both set out to make consumer electric vehicles. They both had designs for massive production facilities in Nevada. And, since last week, they’re both listed on the Nasdaq.
The similarities end there. Faraday Future’s Nevada plant never moved beyond its blueprints, while Tesla’s Gigafactory employs thousands and has been operational since 2016. Faraday’s founder, Jia Yueting, went from being a billionaire to going through bankruptcy proceedings in 2019, while Elon Musk is the richest or second wealthiest person on the planet, depending on whose rockets have blasted off on a given day.
There’s a lot to unpack in Faraday Future, from Jia’s likening of Apple to Nazis, to the company’s dealings with Evergrande, a real estate conglomerate that has its own EV arm but is also the world’s most indebted developer. Someday, someone will make a documentary series about this EV maker, which still can’t mass-produce its cars.
Anyway, by going public in the US, Faraday Future just gained a fresh USD 1 billion as a lifeline. Jia may no longer own any shares in the company he founded, but Faraday is hanging on.
Daily Roundup
- From vaccines to food: Indian startups charge up their drones for trials as the government relaxes rules.
- Zomato makes a stellar public debut, its market cap hits INR 1 trillion.
- Didi’s Nasdaq stumble fueled another ride-hailing market grab in China.
- Amazon Web Services maps out a new strategy for China.
- INCE Capital closes USD 600 million fund for early-stage consumer tech.
- Cybersecurity provider XDR Sec gains new financing from Sequoia Capital China.
- Group discount dining platform Bangbangqiang raises seven-figure funds.
- Singapore’s GIC leans more on private markets as returns rise.