View

View Inc., a SoftBank-backed smart glass manufacturer, laid off approximately 170 employees, representing about 23% of its workforce, as part of drastic cost-cutting measures. The Silicon Valley startup, which went public via SPAC in 2020, is facing severe financial distress, having lost hundreds of millions in recent years and warning it lacks funds to cover upcoming obligations. Struggling with massive losses and a stock price below $1, the company is also at risk of Nasdaq delisting. These layoffs, reported in early April 2023, aim to extend its financial runway while it seeks additional funding to survive.

View, a 13-year-old dynamic glass company based in Milpitas, California, has conducted layoffs affecting an unspecified number of employees, including at its plant in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as reported in April 2020. While the exact scale of the job cuts is not disclosed, former employees cited the pandemic as the reason, with one noting the company "really cleaned house," impacting several long-time staff. View, which had raised $1.1 billion from SoftBank's Vision Fund in 2018, operates in the building materials and green technology industry, focusing on energy-efficient glass for commercial real estate. The layoffs reflect broader challenges during the COVID-19 crisis, though the company's total workforce and percentage affected remain unclear.