Twitter, under the guidance of its new owner Elon Musk, has made its first-ever acquisition. The social media giant has reportedly bought the burgeoning job search startup Laskie, as confirmed by multiple reports from Bloomberg and Axios. This is the first known investment move made by Twitter since Musk took the reins.
Founded in 2021, Laskie, a San Francisco-based firm, emerged as an innovative solution for job seekers and employers, billing itself as a “dating app” for the employment market. The platform’s ability to offer “precision matches” between job seekers and employers was one of its key selling points.
Chris Bakke, one of Laskie’s founders and CEO, is a notable figure in the startup scene, having previously sold Interviewed, another of his entrepreneurial ventures, to Indeed back in 2017. Laskie was acquired for an undisclosed sum in a deal comprising both cash and stock, with the total amount reported to be in the “tens of millions,” according to unnamed sources in the news report.
Laskie CTO and cofounder Daniel O’Shea, in a blog post, stated that job seekers using Laskie proceeded with over 80% of the matches recommended by the company. The startup, free for job seekers, monetized its services by charging employers a percentage of the hired employee’s first-year salary.
Following the acquisition announcement, Laskie’s website was taken offline, displaying a message: “The Laskie platform is no longer available.”
This acquisition comes amid a backdrop of tumultuous changes at Twitter. Musk’s tenure has been marred by a slew of controversies, including Twitter’s failure to pay landlords and suppliers, leading to temporary eviction of employees in Singapore and office janitor layoffs. Twitter has also undergone a name change to “X” under Musk’s leadership.
This acquisition also aligns with Musk’s vision of transforming Twitter into an “everything app” that includes payments and is the first major deal of this new era. Just a few days back, Twitter announced the appointment of former NBCUniversal executive Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter, who is set to take over in six weeks.
Twitter has yet not announced the acquisition.
