Blackboard for sale?
According to a Reuters report, Blackboard may be seeking a buyer. The D.C.-based ed software company’s largest shareholder, Providence Equity Partners, is looking to run an auction for the company that could sell it for as much as $3.4 billion, the report says. The private equity firm has hired Bank of America and Deutsche Bank to run the auction, according to Reuters. Read more in Reuters. — Kyle Alspach
This DC startup office will make you feel like a kid again
Surprise Ride's mission is all about curating monthly packages of games, activities and puzzles for kids. That might be why the office feels an awful lot like a giant toybox. We took a look inside the startup's office to see how the creators of so much entertainment for kids manage to have fun at work. Check out the full tour in our latest Office Envy story here.
Twitter beat earnings expectations but growth is slow
Twitter (TWTR) beat analyst expectations for its Q2 earnings and revenue. Twitter reported revenue of $502 million and earnings of 7 cents per share, beating the projected $481 million and earnings of 4 cents per share. The company's stock price was trading up afterward, but investors still aren't happy about the rate of growth. Check out our take on the earnings here.
A DC startup offers $20,000 to boost college video creativity
Stock audio and video provider VideoBlocks announced a new grant to help give colleges access free access to its subscription-based content. The Reston, Va.-based startup launched its Digital Media Action Grant to not only boost its profile but to help college students be creative without violating copyright. The startup will give two $10,000 grants to researchers working in digital creative media who, using VideoBlocks' own content, are expanding the digital media field. Read more in the VideoBlocks announcement here.
The DC companies that know how to appreciate employees
Trivia nights, company trips and scholarship funds are just some of the ways that D.C. companies work to show how much they appreciate their employees. Those are the kinds of companies nominated in this year's Coolest Companies Competition. The winners will be announced at this year's DC Fest, but check out Brittany Gellerman's roundup of how some of the nominees make sure their employees come to work with a smile in this slideshow here.
