TEK IMAGE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF
Infectious disease spread is increasingly common due to travel, human-animal contact, and climate trends.
Experts shared the emerging diseases they're most concerned about and how to prevent them.
This article is part of "IDWeek," a series on one of the leading conferences for infectious-disease experts.
It's been more than 10 years since the 2014 Ebola epidemic, when the often-fatal viral infection spread from remote villages in Central Africa, leading to the world's largest outbreak since the virus' 1976 discovery.
Today, we may be less prepared than we previously were for emerging infectious disease outbreaks, said Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an internal medicine expert who specializes in infectious disease, during her presentation at the annual IDWeek conference for professionals and students in the field.
Infectious disease outbreaks are a mounting global health challenge, despite decades of innovation in vaccines and diagnostics. Today, public-health experts are documenting a growing number of emerging infectious diseases, including antibiotic-resistant E. coli, dengue fever, and Candida auris fungus.
An emerging infectious disease is a novel infection that has appeared for the first time, like COVID-19, or one that previously existed and re-emerged, and is spreading rapidly — either in terms of the number of cases, or because it's popped up in a new area, according to the World Health Organization.
While diagnostic technology and surveillance methods have improved to catch more of these emerging diseases, climate trends, increased human-animal interaction, global travel, and antibiotic resistance — when germs evade antibiotics, thereby making infections, complications from routine surgeries, and cancers more difficult to treat— have contributed to harder-to-treat and more easily spread infections, Kuppalli said during her IDWeek presentation on emerging infectious diseases.
She went on to say that following the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for the prevention of infectious disease outbreaks decreased, as tends to be the case after most complex outbreaks. "Money tends to go away when an outbreak is over, but more consistent funding for prevention is needed," Kuppalli said.
To better understand the current state of infectious diseases and how to prevent their spread, Business Insider asked experts to share the emerging infections they want the public to know about, and what can be done to prevent and treat them.
Carbapenem-resistant E. coli (CREC)
What it is: This bacterium is an antibiotic-resistant strain of E. coli, which is part of a healthy human's gut makeup but can also cause infections, said Dr. Yohei Doi, an internal medicine doctor and an IDWeek chair representing the Infectious Disease Society of America.
It spreads through hand-to-hand contact, infected wounds, and feces containing the bacteria. In rare but reported cases, carbapenem-resistant E. coli has spread between animals and humans, sometimes without the animals or humans showing typical signs of infection, such as diarrhea, urinary tract infections, or pneumonia.
Who's at risk: Though antibiotic-resistant E. coli is not a risk for normally healthy people, those who are sick and recovering in healthcare facilities are at an increased risk of infection, as per the CDC website.
Children under 5, adults over 65, and travelers also have an increased risk of infection.
Challenges to prevention and treatment: Doi said that antibiotic-resistant E. coli produces an enzyme called NDM that breaks down carbapenem antibiotics, an injectable treatment for life-threatening bacterial infections such as pneumonia, gangrene, severe urinary tract infections, and endocarditis.
This particular medicine is usually "very potent and generally reserved for the sickest patients," but is increasingly shown to be ineffective for treatment, Doi said.
Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)
What it is: NTMs are microbes commonly found in soil and water, some of which can cause lung infections.
People can catch this infection when they come into contact with NTM in their homes or outside, Idowu Olawoye, a microbiologist, bioinformatician, and postdoctoral research associate at Western University in Ontario, told Business Insider. "In your pool, in your garden, just anywhere you think of, they're literally there," he said.
Who's at risk: NTMs can make anyone ill, but they're more likely to affect people with existing lung conditions such as asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, or bronchiectasis, as well as people with a weakened immune system or those who are elderly.
Common symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, weight loss, and fatigue.
Challenges to prevention and treatment: Some NTM strains that commonly make people sick, such as Mycobacterium avium complex, are slow-growing — taking around 10 to 20 days to grow a detectable colony in a human sample in a lab setting — which makes them hard to study and diagnose.
Olawoye said that he is worried about the rise of NTMs because they are resistant to several antibiotics, making them hard to treat. "They have lots of antimicrobial resistance genes, and they can undergo or develop mutations that also prevent drugs from working," he told Business Insider.
"It was discovered in the 1980s, and it's been around but not really known. But all of a sudden we've seen increasing cases," Olawoye said.
Who's at risk: Mgen is passed on through vaginal or anal sex without a condom, and can cause nongonococcal urethritis, inflammation of the urethra, in men, and cervicitis, inflammation of the cervix, in women. Left untreated, Mgen can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy in women. It is not known if Mgen causes long-term health problems in men.
Challenges to prevention and treatment: Mycoplasma genitalium is becoming more resistant to antibiotics typically used to treat it, making it harder to contain than before, according to the CDC.
Symptoms — like aches and pains in the eyes, bones, or muscles, nausea, vomiting, and rashes — tend to start two weeks after someone has been bitten. According to the CDC, most people typically recover from the infection after a week.
Who's at risk: People in high-risk areas such as Central and South America, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands have a greater risk, since there are more infected mosquitos and higher transmission rates.
Challenges to prevention and treatment: Dengue is a prime example of climate-fueled infectious disease spread, Doi told Business Insider. "As the climate changes, we will see infections that were confined to the tropics and subtropics move up poleward," he said.
Kuppalli noted that recent cases of local dengue fever transmission have been reported in California, Texas, Hawaii, and Arizona.
"These are infections that we didn't have to consider in the US before," Doi said.
Currently, there's no cure for dengue fever, and treatment focuses on managing symptoms and preventing complications. The best way to avoid getting dengue fever is to avoid mosquito bites. There's also a vaccine available for children between the ages of 9 and 16 who live in high-transmission areas and previously had the disease.
Candida auris fungus (C. auris)
What it is: Candida auris is a type of yeast that is spread through surface contact — typically via equipment, bed rails, and door knobs in medical facilities. When it spreads in the body, it can lead to skin and ear infections and, in severe cases, bloodstream infections, as per the CDC website.
It's an emerging threat due to a new species of the fungus, which has popped up over the last decade and is resistant to typical treatment methods like antifungal drugs, Doi said.
Who's at risk: C. auris mostly spreads among people with weakened immune systems who are in medical settings, like hospital patients and nursing home residents, said Doi.
It can spread through breathing tubes, feeding tubes, and catheters, so patients who require these medical devices have an increased risk of infection, the CDC website says.
Challenges to prevention and treatment: Often, someone can have this fungus on their skin without realizing it, according to the CDC.
Since treatment options for C. auris fungus are limited, mortality rates are high once someone is severely infected.
Aspergillus
What it is: Derived from mold, Aspergillus is a fungus that spreads via airborne spores and can lead to the disease aspergillosis.
It can cause a range of symptoms from mild to severe, including coughing, shortness of breath, congestion, headaches, fatigue, and coughing up blood. Mild symptoms are more common than severe ones, as per the CDC website.
Notably, the majority of people inhale this invisible-to-the-eye fungus every day and remain healthy.
Who's at risk: Typically, people don't become severely ill after inadvertently inhaling Aspergillus fungus. However, people with weakened immune systems or chronic lung health problems are more susceptible to extreme sickness. Those who have undergone organ or stem cell transplants are also at risk of severe infection, according to the CDC.
Challenges to prevention and treatment: Doi said that the global widespread use of fungicides in agriculture is likely driving the spread of Aspergillus, which is commonly treated with antifungal medication.
This particular fungus has become largely resistant to the most commonly used antifungals in humans, making it increasingly difficult to treat, Doi said.
How to treat and prevent emerging infectious diseases
To better manage infections with medicines that are available, patients and clinicians should work together — especially when it comes to antibiotic treatments, said Doi. "Using them wisely protects everyone and helps preserve the medicines that have saved more lives than almost any other medical advance," he told Business Insider.
On a systematic level, Kuppalli said that more funding is needed to improve prevention strategies, such as surveillance-data sharing among countries and improved access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments in areas where these resources may be limited, resulting in a greater likelihood of an outbreak.
Finally, if someone has symptoms that they believe could be signs of an infectious disease, Kuppalli said to contact the CDC immediately.
Courtesy of Yasser Salem; Noam Galai / Getty Images
Yasser Salem has become Zohran Mamdani's bridge to New York's business elite.
The McKinsey alum and Ayn Rand fan hopes to turn corporate skeptics into partners.
He told Business Insider that he has met with over 70 CEOs to discuss their key concerns.
Yasser Salem is not the sort of guy you'd expect to drop everything to get a socialist elected. When we met, he wore a white button-down, a tweed sport coat, and a baseball cap with a camouflage American flag on it that said "Husband, Daddy, Protector, Hero."
There's no irony in his choice of hat. A McKinsey and Saudi Public Investment Fund alum who ran his own investment firm, the 43-year-old father of five is a fan of Ayn Rand and her brand of free-market individualism.
Salem is now selling Zohran Mamdani's democratic socialist vision in New York City's boardrooms. In September, he launched OneNYC, a pro-Mamdani PAC that's raised nearly $400,000 from donors like Andrew Milgram, CEO of Marblegate Asset Management.
While the PAC has spent money on ads — including $53,000 on a TV spot — Salem said its true goal is to act as a connective tissue between New York's business world and a populist candidate whose ascension is one of the year's top political stories.
Salem's outreach follows months of condemnations of the candidate by Wall Street's elites like JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Pershing Square head Bill Ackman, and Third Point hedge fund boss Dan Loeb. Billionaire corporate leaders have been spending big in a last-ditch effort to elect Andrew Cuomo.
Since Mamdai's surprise 12-point primary win, Salem said, the business community has been more willing to engage with the candidate. Salem has chatted with more than 70 CEOs, roughly 30 of whom head large corporations, he said. Most conversations have been with the finance, insurance, and real estate industries, but about a third have been with tech CEOs, he said.
Ralph Schlosstein, the Democrat chairman emeritus of Evercore and a cofounder of BlackRock, described OneNYC to Business Insider as "a noble effort to bridge the gap" between Mamdani, who is not well known to business leaders, and "those in the business community who are passionate about the success of the city."
For his part, it has been reported that Mamdani has been on a charm offensive, meeting with tech executives and New York power brokers, including Dimon and Brooklyn developer Jed Walentas.
Mamdani is listening to his critics, Salem said. He announced last week that he would keep on NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch if elected, to the chagrin of his most progressive supporters. This came after a "resounding, resounding recommendation" from business leaders, Salem said.
Under rules governing PACs, Salem and OneNYC are not allowed to directly coordinate with the candidate, but he believes that there are more opportunities for partnership ahead. OneNYC is organizing a New York business advisory council that would be willing to advise a potential Mamdani administration, including Milgram and Kevin Ryan, a prolific venture investor of AlleyCorp who helped found Business Insider.
Kathy Wylde, CEO of the Partnership for New York City, told Business Insider in an email that Salem is "building the infrastructure" to give business leaders "seats at the table" if Mamdani wins. She said that her nonprofit group, which represents the interests of some of the city's biggest corporations, has connected Salem with "individual leaders to hear their ideas and concerns."
If the polls are correct, Salem says CEOs they've invited have "indicated that they're ready to join immediately after the election."
From McKinsey to Mamdani
Salem, a son of Egyptian immigrants who was raised in Manhattan, said the idea for the PAC came the night of Mamdani's primary landslide, while he was celebrating at the campaign's official watch party.
He thought that if an NYU Stern and Harvard Business School graduate could join a bunch of progressive activists, maybe he could find some common ground between New York's business leaders and a Mamdani mayoralty.
It was an unlikely revelation for someone whose résumé is packed with corporate strategy experience, not political organization. After a few banking internships, Salem's career took off with consulting powerhouse McKinsey, where he said he helped build infrastructure for the Saudi kingdom's response to the MERS virus in 2014. He also spent a year with Saudi Arabia's nearly $1 trillion Public Investment Fund, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund.
When Mamdani announced his run in late 2024, Salem was running Hira Ventures, his own small private advisory and investment firm, which built a Brooklyn-based urgent care clinic and a COVID-testing business during the pandemic.
As he grew his businesses, he also expanded his network of New York's business and political power players.
When Salem first got a call late last year to meet Mamdani through a politically connected friend, he turned it down, he said. He was "in the middle of a deal, very busy." He also saw Mamdani polling at 1% and thought Mamdani "either doesn't know what he's saying isn't achievable, which is a problem, or he knows what he's saying isn't achievable, and that's even a bigger problem."
As Mamdani's poll numbers and Instagram followers continued to rise, Salem decided he was judging the campaign like a consultant — expecting a five-year plan with milestones and metrics. But Mamdani wasn't offering a step-by-step blueprint; he was setting a vision.
By laying out big goals, such as "an affordable New York for all," Salem said, Mamdani could be creating the energy and momentum to make change possible.
Selling CEOs on a socialist's vision
When Salem set up OneNYC, he saw a way to get business leaders to "disregard distracting noise," and set out to use his experience. "When you're a seven-year vet at McKinsey, your day-to-day is to talk to CEOs, right?" Salem said.
Mamdani's platform — free city buses, a rent freeze, and higher taxes on millionaires — has rattled New York's business elite. Executives warn his tax plan could drive wealth and jobs out of the city, while real-estate leaders say a rent freeze would squeeze landlords and stall repairs.
At an event on Wednesday, Home Depot cofounder Ken Langone said: "New York is on the verge of making a monumental mistake."
Andrew Milgram, the Marblegate founder who donated $50,000 to a pro-Cuomo PAC before the primary and $50,000 to OneNYC when it launched, was convinced to support Mamdani because of the way his affordability message resonated with New Yorkers, calling him the "messenger of the moment."
Milgram said it's obvious Salem "starts with a pretty tall order," but agreed that the idea "that we can generate real change in this city for the benefit of all" has some business leaders willing to think outside the box.
Inside Salem's conversations
Mamdani's loudest critics have threatened that if he wins, the city's tax base will flee. A poll from Victory Insights, a right-leaning polling firm, reported that more than a quarter of New York City residents would consider leaving if Mamdani won.
Salem doesn't think that will be the case.
"Early on, I heard almost zero about taxes, which I found fascinating," Salem said about his conversations with CEOs.
Schlosstein said that many of his peers would be willing to pay more if they felt the difference in quality of life.
"A good number of those who are higher income are prepared to pay somewhat higher taxes in order to have a more successful city," Schlosstein said.
Salem said that CEOs have highlighted three major concerns: Mamdani's lack of experience, public safety plans, and fears that his housing affordability program would backfire.
Salem explained that a potential Tisch appointment showcases that Mamdani will put "capability" over "ideology," helping allay concerns around his lack of experience or his plans for public safety.
Some proposals, like free childcare, were easy for business leaders to understand. Others, like free buses, have required his background in advising to help people grasp the idea.
Buses were selected because eliminating fares could also speed them up by cutting boarding time. Salem often cites a study by Charles Komanoff, the policy architect of New York's congestion pricing laws, which found that free buses would run 12% faster, cost just $600 million in lost fares, and bring nearly $1.5 billion in economic benefits.
Salem says he hasn't embraced socialism but has shed a "purist approach" to capitalism over the last five years, partially driven by price-gouging among his competitors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He tries to get CEOs to see beyond labels and focus on practical differences.
"It's like, guys, I am a big fan of Ayn Rand, I've read all of her work," he said. "We have a problem with labels. My position is that as business leaders, you have the added responsibility of distinguishing between labels and the actual meaning of the words."
Navan just barrelled through a government shutdown to notch its long-awaited IPO.
The travel and expense management company grabbed one of the biggest IPO raises of the year.
We calculated what Navan's biggest shareholders and board members' stakes are worth after the IPO.
After years of a rebrand, delayed IPOs, and pandemic whiplash, Navan's early investors are finally getting their reward.
The corporate travel and expense management platform debuted on the Nasdaq on Thursday at $25 per share, in the middle of its expected range, raising $923 million at a $6.2 billion valuation.
It's the largest company to test the IPO waters during the government shutdown. The shutdown has prompted some other companies to delay their public listings, including consumer group Unilever's spinoff of its Magnum Ice Cream unit.
Navan is taking advantage of a new exception by the Securities and Exchange Commission, however — shortly after the IPO market came to a sudden halt earlier this month, the SEC said new listings would automatically go into effect without SEC review 20 days after companies set an IPO price range.
That bet may be pressuring the company's stock, which opened on Thursday below its IPO price at $22 per share and continued to trade down throughout the day, closing at $20 per share. Navan has also faced some investor concerns that it's not yet profitable.
Navan's $6.2 billion IPO valuation is a step down from its all-time high at $9.2 billion in 2022, continuing this year's trend of down round IPOs.
Navan, which was formerly known as Trip Actions, has faced several setbacks since its founding. The company raised its first round of funding in 2015 at a $4.5 million valuation from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Group 11, Oren Zeev, Raaid Hossain, and Zeev Ventures.
By early 2020, Navan was recording revenue of around $100 million. However, that figure plummeted to nearly zero during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But the IPO market soon ground to a halt, and investors had to wait two more years for a payday. Now they can finally celebrate.
"I'm really happy to return capital to the investors," said Dovi Frances, founding partner of Group 11, whose initial investment came from its first institutional fund. That investment will return the entire fund three times over, the sort of early bet that can define a venture capitalist's reputation for picking early winners. "For the first time in my career, fundraising will no longer be an issue," Frances said.
We used Navan's share price at Thursday's market close, $20, to determine the value of its major shareholders' and board members' stakes after the listing. Since Navan opened down from its IPO price, we excluded additional shares issued by the company that Navan's underwriters could sell to help balance IPO demand.
Here's what those stakes are worth after Navan's IPO.
Lightspeed Venture Partners, an investor:
Arif Janmohamed, a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Lightspeed Venture Partners
Lightspeed owns nearly 50 million Navan shares, or about 20% of the company after its IPO.
The VC firm first invested in Navan in its 2015 seed round. Lightspeed invested in every subsequent round through Navan's $300 million Series G in 2022, which valued Navan at $9.2 billion.
Lightspeed's portfolio has enjoyed a number of tech IPOs, including social media company Snap and buy now, pay later platform Affirm. It's also betting on top AI startups, including Anthropic and Glean.
Lightspeed partner Arif Janmohamed sits on Navan's board of directors. Per Navan's S-1, he controls about 5.3 million shares of the company for voting purposes.
Lightspeed didn't sell any shares in Navan's IPO.
At a $20 share price, its stake is now worth about $1 billion.
Zeev Ventures, an investor:
Zeev Ventures owns about 37.3 million shares of Navan, or about 15% of the company after its IPO.
The early-stage VC fund, run by solo GP Oren Zeev, first funded Navan in its 2015 seed round. The firm continued to invest through Navan's Series G.
Zeev first backed Navan's cofounders in 2013, writing a check for their first venture together, StreamOnce. He now sits on Navan's board of directors.
He invested in Navan himself twice, at its seed round and its Series B, according to PitchBook. According to Navan's S-1, he owns about 57,000 Navan shares individually, which are part of the 37.3 million listed as belonging to Zeev Ventures and related entities.
Zeev Ventures' backers include Peter Thiel and university endowments. The firm has invested in companies including clothing brand Bonobos and edtech company Chegg.
Zeev also established a children's trust that holds about 5.3 million shares of Navan. JPMorgan serves as its independent trustee. The trust sold 200,000 shares in Navan's IPO, valued at $5 million at a $25-a-share IPO price, and making the trust's remaining stake worth about $102 million after Navan's IPO.
Zeev Ventures didn't sell any shares in Navan's IPO. At a $20 share price, the firm's remaining stake is worth about $747 million.
Andreessen Horowitz, an investor:
Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz, sits on Navan's board of directors.
CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images
Andreessen Horowitz owns about 25.4 million Navan shares, or around 10% of the company after its IPO.
The Silicon Valley mega-firm made its first investment into Navan in November 2018, leading the company's $154 million Series C round. That raise brought Navan's valuation to over $1 billion. A16z continued to invest through Navan's 2022 Series G.
A16z cofounder and general partner Ben Horowitz sits on Navan's board of directors.
A16z didn't sell any stock in Navan's IPO. At a $20 share price, its remaining stake is worth about $508 million.
Greenoaks Capital, an investor:
Neil Mehta, founder of Greenoaks Capital.
Greenoaks Capital
Greenoaks Capital owns about 14.3 million Navan shares, or 5.8% of the company after its IPO.
The San Francisco-based tech investment firm first backed Navan in June 2020. Greenoaks led a $125 million funding round that Navan framed as a "convertible-to-IPO financing," meaning investors in the deal issued Navan debt that would convert to equity at the time of its IPO.
Greenoaks also led Navan's Series F fundraise the following year at a $7.25 billion valuation.
In all, Greenoaks invested $115 million into Navan, according to a source familiar.
The firm didn't sell any shares in Navan's IPO.
At a $20 share price, its remaining stake is worth about $286 million.
Ilan Twig, cofounder and CTO:
Navan cofounder and CTO Ilan Twig.
Harry Murphy/Sportsfile for Web Summit via Getty Images
Twig owns about 12.7 million shares of Navan, or about 5.1% of the company after its IPO.
Twig started Navan in 2015 alongside CEO Ariel Cohen, citing a history of frustration with outdated corporate travel tools. It was their second venture together — the two had cofounded social enterprise software company StreamOnce in 2012, which they sold to Jive Software the following year.
As CTO, Twig leads Navan's product development and engineering teams. While Twig and Cohen own a smaller portion of the company's overall shares compared to its largest investors, they're the only two parties to hold Class B shares, meaning they have greater voting power and maintain more control over the company's ultimate direction.
Twig sold exactly 1 million shares in Navan's IPO. At Navan's $25 IPO share price, that sale would've netted him $25 million.
At a $20 share price, his remaining stake is worth about $255 million.
Ariel Cohen, cofounder and CEO:
Ariel Cohen, cofounder and CEO of Navan.
Navan
Cohen owns about 10.2 million Navan shares, or about 3.7% of the company.
Cohen met his cofounder, Twig, in the early 2000s at the Israeli software company where they both worked, Mercury Interactive, which was acquired a few years later by HP.
Cohen moved to the US in 2009, three years after Twig. He was working at Jive Software in 2012 when he started the company with Twig, which Jive Software would eventually acquire.
Cohen said in a blog post co-authored with Twig on Thursday about Navan's IPO that they built Navan with AI embedded at the business's core. He and Twig wrote that its generative AI investment has paid off, allowing Navan to provide personalized trip options to reduce booking times and help travelers make faster last-minute changes to their itineraries.
Cohen sold about 900,000 shares in Navan's IPO. At a $25 IPO share price, that sale would've netted him $22.5 million.
At a $20 share price, Cohen's remaining stake is worth about $185 million.
Premji Invest, an investor:
Sandesh Patnam, managing partner at Premji Invest.
Premji Invest
Premji Invest owns 8.6 million shares of Navan, or about 3.4% of the company after its IPO.
Premji led Navan's Series G fundraise, according to the firm. Navan didn't disclose the lead investor in the equity portion of the Series G at the time of the raise.
Sandesh Patnam, Premji's managing director, joined Navan's board of directors at its Series G. At Premji, he's led investments into several companies that reached IPOs or big acquisitions, including business planning platform Anaplan, subscription management company Zuora, and enterprise spend management company Coupa, which all went public, as well as analytics company Looker, which Google acquired for $2.85 billion, and corporate software company Apttus, which Thoma Bravo acquired for $1.85 billion.
Premji didn't sell any shares in Navan's IPO.
At a $20 share price, its remaining stake is worth about $171 million.
Einat Klopfer Cohen, Ariel Cohen's ex-spouse:
Klopfer Cohen owns 6.9 million Navan shares, or 2.5% of the company after its IPO.
It's unclear how long Klopfer Cohen and Ariel Cohen were married. According to public records, they were divorced in December 2023. Klopfer Cohen is a marriage and family therapist in the Bay Area.
Klopfer Cohen is included in the S-1 as a significant selling shareholder. She sold about 680,000 shares in Navan's IPO, which would've come out to $17 million at the $25 IPO price.
At a $20 share price, her remaining stake is worth about $125 million.
Group 11, an investor:
Dovi Frances is the founding partner of Group 11, a venture capital firm based in Los Angeles.
Group 11
Group 11 and its founding partner, Dovi Frances, own about 6.1 million shares, or 2.4% of Navan.
Frances personally invested in Navan's seed round in 2015 at $14.5 million valuation.
The next year, he doubled down in the company's Series A at a $40.1 million valuation via the first fund Group 11 raised from outside investors.
Frances' bet proved to be a home run, returning the entire fund more than three times over.
The firm also invested in a later round out of its third fund, more than tripling its initial position.
"They were talented founders, and also second-time founders, which we typically gravitate towards," Frances said of his decision to invest. "They are also Israeli, and that was part of the thesis of the fund. 90% of all of my deals are with Israeli-related founders and teams."
Group 11 wasn't included in Navan's S-1, as the company's filing didn't include shareholders with a stake of less than 5% who aren't represented on Navan's board and who didn't sell shares in the IPO. The firm shared the size of its stake with Business Insider.
At a $20 share price, Frances and Group 11 are sitting on a stake worth around $122 million.
H. Barton Asset Management, an investor:
H. Barton Asset Management owns 3.1 million Navan shares, or 1.2% of the company after its IPO.
The firm is helmed by Harrison Barton, the private equity investor and former offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers.
In 1999, the year after he left the NFL, Barton began investing in venture capital through his fund-of-funds Champion Ventures, later renamed HRJ Capital, which he cofounded alongside another former professional football player, Ronnie Lott.
After HRJ Capital was acquired by Capital Dynamics in 2009, Barton started H. Barton Asset Management to invest in early-stage tech companies.
Barton sold 121,635 shares in Navan's IPO, which at a $25 share price would've netted his firm about $3 million.
At $20 a share, his remaining stake is worth about $60 million.
Michael Sindicich, president:
Michael Sindicich, president of Navan.
Navan
Sindicich owns about 1.2 million Navan shares, or 0.4% of the company after its IPO.
Sindicich was appointed Navan's president in March. He began as a senior executive in Navan's sales department in 2016 and worked his way up the ranks over the years, serving from April 2023 until this March as the CEO of Navan Expense, the company's expense management platform.
Before Navan, Sindicich led sales teams at Apptimize, acquired by Airship, and cofounded the financial brokerage Hurley Brothers.
Sindicich sold about 230,000 shares in Navan's IPO. At $25 a share, that sale would've netted him about $5.8 million.
At $20 a share, his remaining stake is worth about $20 million.
Michael Kourey, board director:
Kourey owns about 61,000 shares of Navan, or roughly .02% of the company after its IPO.
Kourey has a long history in executive finance and auditing roles, most recently serving as Dialpad's CFO from 2021 until this February. He joined Navan's board of directors in November 2024 as its audit committee chair.
Before Dialpad, Kourey briefly served as Okta's CFO in early 2021, where he'd sat on the board of directors for five years. He was also the CFO of software company Vlocity, acquired by Salesforce in 2020; the CFO of customer experience management company Medallia; and a partner at Khosla Ventures.
His earliest win came at Polycom, where he joined as the conferencing tech maker's seventh employee. He stayed there for 20 years, serving as Polycom's CFO for 15 years and leading the company through its 1996 IPO.
In addition to his role on Navan's board, he also sits on the boards of Medable, Illumio, Ohalo, Dialpad, and Cribl.
Kourey didn't sell any shares in Navan's IPO. At a $20 share price, his remaining stake is worth about $1.2 million.
Clara Liang, board director
Liang owns about 57,000 shares of Navan, or about .02% of the company after its IPO.
Liang leads global strategic operations at fintech startup Stripe. She joined Navan's board of directors in 2022.
She's known Cohen and Twig for over a decade, having spent three years as the chief product officer of Jive Software, the then-public tech company that bought Cohen and Twig's first startup, StreamOnce.
Liang has also held product leadership roles at Airbnb and IBM. She currently sits on SoFi's board of directors.
She didn't sell any shares in Navan's IPO.
At a $20 share price, Liang's remaining stake is worth about $1.1 million.
Elon Musk and Donald Trump have had a tumultuous relationship over the years.
The two traded barbs during Trump's first term but became political allies during the 2024 election.
After a brief falling out, Musk and Trump's feud is thawing.
Elon Musk and Donald Trump are inching closer to each other after an on-again-off-again relationship over the years.
The world's richest person and the two-time president of the United States weren't always close, but became singular political allies, with Musk calling himself "first buddy" following Trump's 2024 victory and donating more than $200 million toward pro-Trump super PACs.
At the beginning of Trump's second term, Musk was frequently seen on the president's side and served as the de facto head of theWhite House DOGE office.
In June 2025, Trump and Musk's relationship blew up after Musk criticized Trump's signature "Big Beautiful Bill." Musk even threatened to start his own political party. While Trump threatened to "destroy" Musk's companies.
Tensions have cooled since then. Musk and Trump shook hands at Charlie Cook's memorial service in September, a reunion that Musk and the White House proudly shared on social media. In October 2025, Trump said he had a "good" relationship with Musk.
"I like Elon, I've always liked him," Trump said.
Here's how the two billionaires reached this point.
November 2016: Musk says Trump is 'not the right guy' for the job
"I feel a bit stronger that he is not the right guy. He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States," Musk said.
The billionaire added that Hillary Clinton's economic and environmental policies were the "right ones."
December 2016: Musk appointed to Trump's advisory councils
Donald Trump on Tuesday escalated his feud with Elon Musk in a series of Truth Social posts belittling the billionaire.
Evan Vucci/AP Photo
After he won the presidency, Trump appointed Musk to two economic advisory councils, along with other business leaders like then Uber CEO Travis Kalanick.
Musk received criticism for working with the controversial president, but he defended his choice by saying he was using the position to lobby for better environmental and immigration policies.
"You have to give him credit," the former president said, referring to Tesla becoming more valuable than Ford and General Motors. "He's also doing the rockets. He likes rockets. And he's doing good at rockets too, by the way."
Trump called Musk "one of our great geniuses" and likened him to Thomas Edison.
May 2020: Trump backs up Musk in feud with California's COVID-19 rules
Elon Musk meets Donald Trump at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S. May 30, 2020.
REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
As the pandemic gripped the US in early 2020, Musk clashed with California public-health officials who forced Tesla to temporarily shut down its factory there. Trump voiced his support for Musk.
"California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW," Trump tweeted in May 2020. "It can be done Fast & Safely!"
"Thank you!" Musk replied.
May 2022: Musk says he would reinstate Trump's Twitter account
Musk called the ban a "morally bad decision" and "foolish to the extreme" in an interview with the Financial Times. Twitter kicked Trump off its platform following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
The Tesla billionaire has called himself a "free speech absolutist," and one of his key goals for taking Twitter private was to loosen content moderation.
July 2022: Trump calls Musk a 'bullshit artist'
Former US President Donald Trump speaks during a "Save America" in Anchorage, Alaska on July 9, 2022
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
In July 2022, Trump took aim at Musk, saying the businessman voted for him but later denied it.
"You know [Musk] said the other day 'Oh, I've never voted for a Republican,'" Trump said during a Saturday rally in Anchorage, Alaska. "I said 'I didn't know that.' He told me he voted for me. So he's another bullshit artist."
Days later, Musk tweeted that Trump's claim was "not true."
July 2022: Musk says Trump shouldn't run again
Elon Musk co-founded PayPal after his startup X.com merged with Peter Thiel's Confinity.
"I don't hate the man, but it's time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset. Dems should also call off the attack – don't make it so that Trump's only way to survive is to regain the Presidency," he tweeted.
He continued: "Do we really want a bull in a china shop situation every single day!? Also, I think the legal maximum age for start of Presidential term should be 69." Trump is 76 years old.
July 2022: Trump lashes out
Former President Donald Trump gives the keynote address at the Faith and Freedom Coalition during their annual conference on June 17, 2022, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Seth Herald/Getty Images
Soon after, Trump went on the offensive, posting a lengthy attack on Musk on Truth Social.
"When Elon Musk came to the White House asking me for help on all of his many subsidized projects, whether it's electric cars that don't drive long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere, without which subsidies he'd be worthless, and telling me how he was a big Trump fan and Republican, I could have said, 'drop to your knees and beg,' and he would have done it," Trump said in a post that criticized two of Musk's ventures, Tesla and the rocket company SpaceX.
"Lmaooo," Musk responded on Twitter.
October 2022: Trump cheers Musk's Twitter deal but says he won't return
Following Musk's official purchase of Twitter in October 2022, Trump applauded the deal.
"I am very happy that Twitter is now in sane hands, and will no longer be run by Radical Left Lunatics and Maniacs that truly hate our country," he said. He added that he likes Truth Social better than other platforms, echoing comments from earlier this year in which he ruled out a return to Twitter.
Musk later joked about the potential of welcoming the former president back to his newly acquired platform.
"If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if Trump is coming back on this platform, Twitter would be minting money!," the Tesla CEO tweeted in October 2022.
May 2023: Musk hosts Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' glitchy debut
Musk and other right-leaning voices in Silicon Valley initially supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis ended 2022 as Trump's best-positioned primary challenger. In November 2022, as DeSantis was skyrocketing to acclaim, Musk said he would endorse him. In March 2023, after enduring Trump's attacks for months, DeSantis prepared to make history by formally announcing his candidacy in an interview on Twitter.
The initial few minutes were a glitchy disaster. Trump and his allies ruthlessly mocked DeSantis' "Space" with Musk and venture capitalist David Sachs. DeSantis' interview later proceeded, but his campaign was dogged for days with negative headlines.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk looks into his phone as his livestreams a visit to the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas.
John Moore/Getty Images
September 2023: A Trump-style border wall is needed, Musk says
Musk live-streamed a visit to the US-Mexico border on Twitter, which he had rebranded as "X." Musk offered his support for one of Trump's signature immigration policies.
"We actually do need a wall and we need to require people to have some shred of evidence to claim asylum to enter, as everyone is doing that," Musk wrote on X. "It's a hack that you can literally Google to know exactly what to say! Will find out more when I visit Eagle Pass maybe as soon as tomorrow."
March 2024: Trump tries to woo Musk, but the billionaire says he won't give him money.
Trump tried to woo Musk during a meeting at the former president's Mar-a-Lago resort. According to The New York Times, Trump met with Musk and a few other GOP megadonors when the former president's campaign was particularly cash-strapped. After the Times published its report, Musk said he would not be "donating money to either candidate for US President."
July 2024: Musk endorses Trump after the former president is shot
Musk said he "fully endorsed" Trump after the former president was shot during a political rally ahead of the Republican National Convention. Musk's endorsement marked a major turning point in his yearslong political evolution from an Obama voter. Days later, it would come to light that Musk pressed Trump to select Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate.
Trump announced Vance as his vice presidential pick at the Republican National Convention.
The ticket, Musk wrote on X, "resounds with victory."
August 2024: Trump joins Musk for a highly anticipated interview
Trump, who ended the Republican National Convention primed for victory, stumbled after Biden abruptly dropped out of the 2024 race. He and his allies have struggled to attack Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the Democratic presidential nominee.
Amid Harris' early media blitz, Trump joined Musk on a two-hour livestream on X that garnered an audience of over 1 million listeners. The conversation covered topics ranging from a retelling of Trump's assassination attempt to illegal immigration to Musk's potential role with a government efficiency commission.
In August, Trump began to suggest that he "certainly would" consider adding Musk to his Cabinet or an advisory role. The Tesla CEO responded by tweeting an AI-generated photo of himself on a podium emblazoned with the acronym "D.O.G.E"—Department of Government Efficiency.
"I am willing to serve," he wrote above the image.
September 2024: Musk says he's ready to serve if Trump gives him an advisory role
In September 2024, Trump softened the possibility that Musk might join his Cabinet suggestion of Musk joining his Cabinet. However, he also said that Musk could "consult with the country" and help give "some very good ideas."
Musk later expressed enthusiasm about the news.
"I can't wait. There is a lot of waste and needless regulation in government that needs to go," he wrote on X.
He later added that he "looked forward to serving" the country and would be willing to do with without any pay, title, or recognition.
October 2024: Musk speaks at Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania
Elon Musk spoke at Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Musk joined Trump onstage during the former president's rally, hosted on October 5 in the same location where Trump survived an assassination attempt in July 2024. Musk sported an all-black "Make America Great Again" cap and briefly addressed the crowd, saying that voter turnout for Trump this year was essential or "this will be the last election."
"President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution," Musk said. "He must win to preserve democracy in America."
The next day, Musk's America PAC announced that it would offer $47 to each person who refers registered voters residing in swing states to sign a petition "in support for the First and Second Amendments."
By October, the PAC had reportedly already spent over $80 million on the election, with over $8.2 million spread across 18 competitive House races for the GOP.
The Tesla CEO later told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he might face "vengeance" if Trump loses the election.
November 2024: Trump wins the presidency and names Musk his administration
President-elect Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have been nearly inseparable since the election, going to social and political events together.
Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Musk was by Trump's side on election night at Mar-a-Lago, helping celebrate his victory.
Nearly a week after his 2024 presidential election win, Trump announced that Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy were chosen to lead a newly minted Department of Government Efficiency (or DOGE, as Musk liked to call it, in reference to the meme-inspired cryptocurrency Dogecoin).
"Together, these two wonderful Americans will pay the way for my Administration to dismantle the Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies," Trump said in a statement.
Outside of administrative duties, Musk's presence at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club was so constant that Trump joked he couldn't "get rid of him."
"Elon won't go home," Trump told NBC News jokingly
The pair's close relationship grew into a more personal friendship. Musk was seen attending Trump's Thanksgiving dinner and on the golf course with Trump and his grandchildren, where Kai Trump said he achieved "uncle status."
December 2024: Trump reaffirms he will be the next President, not Musk
Trump dismissed concerns that Musk would be running the country, adding in a barb that the billionaire couldn't even be in charge if he wanted to, since he was born in South Africa.
"No, he's not going to be president, that I can tell you," Trump said in December 2024. "And I'm safe. You know why? He can't be? He wasn't born in this country."
Trump's comments came after Musk flexed his influence to help shut down a bipartisan emergency spending bill earlier that month. Some Republicans questioned why Trump hadn't been more active in derailing the bill, and Democrats baited the President-elect on social media with posts about Musk "calling the shots" and taking on the role of a "shadow president.
January 2025: Musk and fellow billionaires celebrate Trump's inauguration
Elon Musk spoke onstage during an inauguration event at Capital One Arena.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Trump was sworn into office on January 20. Several tech leaders were in attendance, including Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and Google's Sundar Pichai. The "first buddy" was also front and center for Trump's inauguration.
Musk took the stage to celebrate at an inauguration event at the Capital One Arena, where he sparked accusations over a gesture he made that some said resembled a Nazi salute. Musk denied the allegations.
"Hopefully, people realize I'm not a Nazi. Just to be clear, I'm not a Nazi," he said during an interview with Joe Rogan.
February 2025: The White House says Musk isn't running DOGE
Elon Musk is undoubtedly the face of DOGE. It remains clear who exactly is running it.
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
Though Musk quickly became the face of the DOGE effort, White House court filings said he had "no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself."
In the February 2025 filing, Musk was described as a senior advisor to Trump with "no greater authority than other senior White House advisors." Officials also called him a "special government employee."
Trump told reporters they can call Musk "whatever you want."
The White House later named Amy Gleason, who previously worked for US Digital Service, as the acting DOGE administrator.
March 2025: Trump buys a Tesla and calls out protesters
Trump and Musk sit inside a red Tesla Model S in front of the White House.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Musk's companies struggled to escape the almost daily DOGE-related news cycles.
In March, Trump stepped in to defend Musk's electric car company, with Teslas on the South Lawn of the White House. Trump later wrote that he'd purchased a Tesla to show support for Musk.
"The Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World's great automakers, and Elon's 'baby,' in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for," he wrote on Truth Social.
April 2025: Musk announces he's stepping back from DOGE
Elon Musk said DOGE isn't going anywhere and may run through the end of Trump's term in 2028.
Samuel Corum via Getty Images
Three months into DOGE's mission to reshape the federal workforce, Musk announced that he would be stepping back from the effort. He broke the news during an underwhelming Tesla earnings call, where earnings per share were down 71% year over year.
"Starting next month, I will be allocating far more of my time to Tesla," Musk said during the call. He added that "the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency" had been completed.
At the time, Musk said he would keep spending one or two days each week on governmental duties, so long as Trump wanted him to do so.
May 2025: Musk says he'll be spending less on politics, criticizes the Republican agenda, and announces he's leaving government for good
Elon Musk gave a video interview at the Qatar Economic Forum on Tuesday.
Bloomberg
By May 2025, Musk started to step back from his overall political activity. The world's richest person also said he had "done enough" in terms of political contributions.
Musk told a reporter that he "probably did spend a bit too much time on politics," and that he'd "reduced that significantly in recent weeks."
His retreat didn't last long. Musk took a decidedly more critical tone regarding the overall Republican agenda. In an interview with CBS in late May, he said he wasn't pleased with Trump and House Republicans' "big beautiful" spending bill.
"I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decrease it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk said.
On May 28, 2025, Musk cut ties with DOGE and the Trump administration. Under federal law, special government employees can't serve more than 130 days a year. Musk left shortly before that deadline.
June 2025: Musk and Trump escalate attacks, after Tesla CEO delivers sharp rebuke against the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Musk spoke out against Trump's spending bill.
ALLISON ROBBERT/AFP via Getty Images
Days after stepping away from his job in the White House, Musk delivered his harshest criticism yet of the GOP spending proposal called the "Big Beautiful Bill."
"I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore," Musk wrote on X on June 3. "This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it."
Musk began to dig up old tweets from Trump, including one where the president said in 2013, "I cannot believe the Republicans are extending the debt ceiling—I am a Republican & I am embarrassed!"
Musk quote-tweeted it with the message, "Wise words," taking a dig at Trump's very different stance on the debt ceiling today.
Trump first shot back with a softer/more diplomatic response, saying that the CEO and he "had a great relationship," but he wasn't sure if it would continue.
The tone soon took a sharp turn after Trump threatened on the same day to terminate the federal contracts that Musk's companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, rely on, and Musk began to take credit for Trump's 2024 electoral victory.
In response to Trump's threat to cancel the government contracts, Musk said on X that he'd immediately decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which provides NASA transport to and from the International Space Station.
Trump and Musk continued their back-and-forth throughout the month.
"He's a smart guy. And he actually went and campaigned with me and this and that," Trump told Fox News in late June. "But he got a little bit upset, and that wasn't appropriate."
"They will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth," Musk wrote on X.
July 2025: Trump threatens Musk but later says he wants his companies to do well
Trump discusses Elon Musk outside the White House.
Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images
Trump responded on July 1 on Truth Social, suggesting that DOGE could be turned on its former chief.
"Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE," he wrote.
Musk followed up with more posts on X proclaiming his opposition to the spending bill.
Trump responded on Truth Social that he was "saddened" to see Musk go "completely 'off the rails,'" essentially becoming a "TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks." Trump added that third political parties have never succeeded.
Late in the month, Trump said that even though his signature domestic plan slashes EV subsidies, he's not out to hurt Musk's bottom line.
"Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon's companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large-scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This is not so! I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before!"
Trump's statement came a day after the White House appeared to suggest that federal agencies shouldn't contract with Musk's xAI.
September 2025: Trump and Musk reunite to remember a conservative icon
Trump and Musk reunited at Charlie Kirk's memorial service that was held at the Arizona Cardinal's stadium in Arizona.
Ross D. Franklin/AP
Trump and Musk were seen for the first time since their public falling out at the memorial service for conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and a host of other top White House officials joined together in Arizona to pay tribute to Kirk, who was killed while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Musk and the White House later posted photos of the meet-up on X.
Trump said that Musk came over "to say hello."
"I thought it was nice, he came over, we had a little conversation," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after the memorial service. "We had a very good relationship but it was nice that he came over. "
Musk had previously said that the White House had invited him to an exclusive dinner for tech CEOs but was unable to attend.
October 2025: Trump gives a relationship status update
Trump said he and Musk had a "good" relationship and called their brief feud "a stupid moment."
"He had a bad spell, he had a bad period. He had a bad moment," Trump told reporters when asked about their relationship. "It was a stupid moment in his life, very stupid. I'm sure he'd tell you that. But I like Elon, and I suspect I always will."
The Tesla CEO still has beefs elsewhere. In late October, Musk called Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy a "dummy" amid a spat over who would lead NASA.
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Some of the best gifts for your coworkers can help enhance their workspace.
Amazon; Uncommon Goods
It can be tricky to figure out what to get a coworker as a gift, and the purchases often end up being generic or last-minute, but this doesn't have to be the case. You spend a good chunk of your time each year with your coworkers, so there's a chance you know them (and what they might enjoy) better than you think.
The best gifts for coworkers are thoughtful, unique, or simply useful. They can enhance the workspace or be something fun, like a candle or food-related item, that a colleague can bring home. From mini desk fridges to lunch containers, here are some of the best gifts you can get your coworkers. Everything is under $50, so there's an option for every budget.
The 34 best gifts for coworkers, all $50 or under:
This mini-fridge cooler is a lifesaver for coworkers whose food or drinks are always being taken in the office. It can store up to six 12-ounce sodas and can double as a skincare cooler.
A make-your-own hot sauce kit for the condiment lovers
Every office has a hot sauce lover, and this kit will give them the chance to make their own condiments. The kit guides people through making four hot sauces across the Scoville scale, so there's something for fans of every spice level.
These VHS coasters are perfect for your vintage movie-loving coworker. They're made from fiberboard wood and have a glossy satin finish, so they'll help protect desks from pesky liquid stains without sacrificing style.
The Rocketbook notebook has 42 reusable pages that wipe clean with a damp cloth when the owner uses a Pilot FriXion pen (included), so they can keep using the same notebook indefinitely. They can also send hand-written notes to Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, email, and more.
A stylish, on-the-go salad pod
Uncommon Goods
For the coworker who brings salad every day, this pod might help keep things from getting soggy. The jar-shaped salad container is leakproof and has a separate salad dressing compartment in the lid. Users can turn it on its side to easily mix and dig in when it's time to eat.
This mini desktop whiteboard allows your coworker to take quick notes and jot down reminders. It includes a marker tray, a spot to keep their phone, and lifts up for additional storage to help keep their desk organized.
A miniature vacuum to tidy their work desk
Amazon
ODISTAR Desktop Vacuum Cleaner, available atAmazonandWalmart
Whether they're a work-from-home warrior or back in the office, cleaning their workspace is probably low on their priorities list. That's why they'll likely appreciate this mini desktop vacuum cleaner from Odistar, as this clever desk accessory does the grunt work for them.
For the coworker whose handy mug is looking a little run-down, consider a monogrammed bistro tile mug. It will offer much-needed coffee shop vibes on those dreary Monday mornings.
If your coworker is always freezing, warm up their office environment with a ridiculously soft throw blanket. L.L.Bean's Wicked Plush Throw is one of our picks for the best throw blankets you can buy.
With themes like cats, crossword puzzles, trivia, and national parks, there's a daily calendar for everyone. These are also great conversation starters in the office.
A reliable phone case is an excellent gift, especially if your coworker is prone to dropping their device. This Commuter series case from Otterbox is one of our favorites. The brand sells options for a variety of phones, including models from Apple, Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and more. The case provides great protection with a light yet grippy build.
A gift card for a tasty lunch
A delivery person for Doordash rides his bike in the rain during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 13, 2020.
Treat your coworker to some delicious takeout with this DoorDash gift card. You can enter the amount you want to gift to keep it within your budget, and the DoorDash app also offers delivery options for groceries, pet supplies, and more.
To add a touch of color to your coworker's stationery, try these highly-rated gel pens. With smooth writing and bright ink, these pens brighten up any to-do list.
Select the box your gift comes in — like a "you rock" print — and then the gifts themselves. Options range from sea salt chocolates and mugs to bath bombs and photo stands.
Help your coworker celebrate a new title or decorate their desk with a beautiful, personalized acrylic desk plaque. There are 19 fonts and 16 designs to choose from, including floral patterns, granite styles, and even a plainer option.
If your coworker always brings their lunch from home (or always wants to bring their lunch from home), this stylish bento box will keep their lunch safe and fresh in the work fridge. It includes utensils, sauce jars, dividers, and made the cut on our guide to the best lunch boxes.
Etsy is a great place to shop for unique, handmade gifts, including this candle, which shows your best friend and teammate at work how much you appreciate them. Plus, you can customize it for an extra personal touch.
If they like to cook, they probably already know the merits of high-quality olive oil. A drizzle of Brightland olive oil adds a vibrant, zesty flavor to any dish. Plus, the bottle is designed to be displayed in their kitchen. Check out our full Brightland olive oil review.
Wireless earbuds to listen to their favorite tunes
These inexpensive earbuds are perfect for listening to music while working, at home, or on the go. They're also available in a bunch of fun colors, so you can pick just the right style for your coworker. Despite their low cost, these are some of the best wireless earbuds we've tested for the money.
Homesick candles are a great gift for pretty much anyone in your life. They're a nice acknowledgment of something important to someone else that you're likely to know, regardless of intimacy level. Plus, with a candle, your colleague will get to enjoy it for weeks to come.
A to-go sriracha sauce keychain for the hot sauce fiend of the office
This gift is perfect for the coworker best known for adding hot sauce to anything sweet, savory, or edible. It comes with two differently sized keychain containers.
A mental health check-in poster they can hang in their office
Any job can be incredibly stressful so a reminder for your coworker to check in on their mental health is a great gift. This poster is a perfect reminder that you can print and frame for their office or desk space.
A coffee flask that keeps hot drinks hot for 12 hours
It's often the most practical coworker gifts that make the best and longest impression, and this is one stellar candidate. The Hydro Flask is double-wall vacuum insulated and will keep their cold drinks cold for up to 24 hours, with hot drinks staying hot for up to 12. The brand makes some of the best water bottles we've tested.
This memory foam footrest is a great gift for anyone whose desk job is causing foot, hip, or knee pain. Its curved shape encourages a more natural sitting posture, which can alleviate pain and make a serious difference in posture and circulation.
These sweets are some of the best gifts on the list — simple, delicious, and more special than they look at first glance. Not only are these the same, delicious brownies Ben & Jerry's uses in its ice cream, but they're made at a B Corp that practices inclusive hiring and connects its employees with resources such as childcare, community gardens, and sustainability programs.
This essential oil diffuser is the perfect trick to get rid of the stuffiness and feeling confined at an office desk. This small humidifier adds moist air while the auto-color-changing LED lights soothe and enliven the space.
A charging stand for their desk to keep things organized
Grab a trendy, reusable shopping bag that's perfect for packing lunch, extra shoes, or a last-minute trip to the grocery store. This one folds up to about the size of a business card, and its signature version can easily hold 50 pounds of stuff. Check out our Baggu tote bag review.
Whether they're working from home or heading to the office every morning, this cold brew carafe is the perfect gift for helping them get their caffeine fix every day. It's so easy to use — all they have to do is mix coffee grounds and water, let it sit for eight hours, and they'll have five cups of delicious, rich brew to sip on.
After a long day of staring at their computer screen, this ice roller provides cooling relief. It's also the perfect way to perk up in the early mornings and a great gift for your skincare-loving work bestie.
Do yourself, your coworker, and your section of the office a favor with a Bob Ross chia pet. It will be a great conversation piece for as long as it lives.
Tools for a night off and the "Do Nothing" sloth card made by an independent artist
Pair the sloth "Do Nothing" card with a few relaxing accessories (like face masks) to gift a well-deserved night off to a coworker. Like all of Society6's collection, it's also made by an independent artist — making it a bit cooler than what you might pick up from CVS.