Bird lays off nearly a third of its staff during coronavirus pandemic
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Bird is laying off about 30 percent of its staff in response to the financial uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic. The layoffs, which were first reported by TechCrunch, are the first major staff cuts by a scooter startup since the pandemic first hit — but they are likely not to be the last.
The news comes after most of the major scooter sharing startups have said they would reduce or eliminate service in most major markets in response to the coronavirus pandemic. According to a memo from Bird CEO Travis VanderZanden published by TechCrunch, the layoffs were needed to ensure the company stays solvent until the end of 2021.
Laid off employees will be provided...