Managers

U.S. Visa Program for Skilled Workers Hits Quota, Just Days into Application Period

A popular U.S. visa program for skilled workers has hit its quota just days into the application period, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service said. The H-1B program has not reached its base cap of 65,000 so quickly since early 2008, before the economic crisis hit.

Fisker Automotive Fires Most Rank-and-File Employees

Fisker Automotive, the struggling, government-backed hybrid sports car maker, terminated most of its rank-and-file employees on Friday, in a last-ditch effort to conserve cash and stave off a potential bankruptcy filing, sources said.

Zynga Names John Doerr to Board in "Pivotal" Year of Transition

Zynga Inc has named John Doerr, a general partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, to its board, the online gaming company said Friday.

SEC Says Companies May Announce Key Data on Social Media

Regulators said on Tuesday that companies can use Twitter, Facebook and other social media to make key announcements as long as they tell investors which sites they will use.

Shell To Invest Several Hundred Million In Emerging Tech Companies

Shell said it will invest several hundred million dollars in emerging technology companies over six to eight years with the goal of finding innovations useful to the company’s operations. Target technologies include smarter exploration processes and enhanced extraction techniques. Shell’s corporate venturing arm, Shell Technology Ventures, will make investments.

Microsoft Cofounder Paul Allen is Opening an Investment Office in Silicon Valley

Paul Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corp, is opening an office in Silicon Valley to make new investments in emerging technology and internet companies.

Intel Capital Ranks as Most Active VC in February

The corporate venture arm backed eight deals in the month; Benchmark ranked second with seven deals

European VC Deals, Announced February 2013

A compilation of deals from France, Germany, United Kingdom and other European countries

Lawyering Like an Entrepreneur

A startup itself, Silicon Legal Strategy ponders its next steps as it caters to San Francisco’s early-stage companies

VCs on the Move: Sumeet Jain, Matt Turck and Others

Intel Capital lures Sumeet Jain from CMEA; Draper Triangle adds Will Indest; Matt Turch jons FirstMark; and other personnel moves