John Collison and Patrick Collison, founders of Stripe, on Feb. 12, 2016.
Pamela Littky—CPi Syndication

Tech companies of all stripes shoveled in billions during the pandemic, as work and commerce moved ever more online. But Stripe, an e-commerce start-up that makes software for businesses to accept online payments, saw one of Silicon Valley’s most notable COVID-19 bumps. Founded in 2010 by brothers Patrick and John Collison, the company charges roughly 3%, plus 30¢, for each credit-card transaction processed with its software. In March, the company announced that it had raised $600 million in additional funding, almost tripling its valuation—making Stripe the highest-valued U.S. startup.

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