LinkedIn, Zynga Founders’ SPAC to List Air-Taxi Firm Joby (1)

A blank-check company formed by LinkedIn Corp. founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga Inc. founder Mark Pincus agreed to merge with Joby Aviation as a means to take the air-taxi startup public.

Reinvent Technology Partners’ purchase of Joby values the combined company at $6.6 billion and is expected to provide about $1.6 billion in proceeds, the partners said in a statement Wednesday. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter and list Joby Aviation on the New York Stock Exchange.

Special purpose acquisition companies like Reinvent have been snapping up startups in alternative-energy transportation, many of them tied ...