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Archive for the ‘Venture Capital’ Category

More IPO candidates – Fortinet, Qualys, NetQoS and BigFix may be filing.

Posted in Board Of Intellectual Capital, Business models, Economy, Investments, Market research, Technology, Venture Capital, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 26, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Reading an analysis over the 4 IPO´s this year – OpenTable, Mead Johnson Nutritional, Bridgepoint Educational and Changyou – I came across some new speculations regarding possible IPO´s this year. We covered this topic yesterday as well.

Here is some excerpts from a Wall Street Journal article.

“In particular, the debut of network software firm SolarWinds Inc. last week showed there’s “appetite for untested, unproven, unknown names out there,” says Brenon Daly, a senior financial analyst at The 451 Group.

However, Mr. Daly cautions that few tech newcomers can match the financial strength of SolarWinds, which generated strong revenue and net-income growth in the first quarter, even as many more-established technology companies reported declines.

But he said there could be strong interest in companies such as closely held computer-security outfit Fortinet Inc.; security risk and compliance service provider Qualys Inc.; network performance software company NetQoS Inc., and systems and security management firm BigFix Inc.

A Fortinet spokesman said the company is considering an IPO, as well as other options, but has no definitive plans at this point. A Qualys spokesman said the firm wants to prepare for an IPO by the fall of 2010. NetQoS said it had no immediate plans to go public, “but all options are on the table.”

It continues…

“Another area to watch in the 12 to 18 months is smart-grid technology, which allows for more efficient power distribution, based on where and when demand and supply exist, says Trip Chowdry, managing director of equity research at Global Equities Research.

On her radar screen is closely held DS2, a company based in Spain that provides power-line communications semiconductors.

In the next three years, some cloud computing and enterprise-level mobility technology firms could also be ready for IPOs, she added.

For now, though, the tech environment “continues to be challenging. Investors should look for companies who have a very sticky customer base,” she says.”

Read the full article here.

Please comment on other candidates and I will seek out some info on the topic.

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CleanTech IPO candidates – Tesla, Silver Spring Networks, and possibly Solyndra will go public by the first quarter of next year!

Posted in Board Of Intellectual Capital, Business models, Intellectual capital, Investments, Market research, Strategy, Venture Capital, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 25, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Here is some optimistic news on the economic crisis blues – Steve Westly goes out on a limb and predicts some IPO´s on the CleanTech sector horizon.

The story is by way of Reuters.

“Initial public offerings as of late have been about as common as celebratory banquets for Wall Street bankers. Last week, however, after some nine months of an IPO drought, two venture-backed startups, software maker SolarWinds and online restaurant reservation system OpenTable, broke the mold and went public. Neither was a cleantech firm, but the news was a positive sign for cleantech investor Steve Westly, managing partner of Menlo Park, Calif.-based venture firm The Westly Group. Westly tells us he sees a changing appetite for companies going public, and he predicts that venture-backed cleantech IPOs will happen by early 2010.

“I’ll go out on a limb -– Tesla, Silver Spring Networks, and possibly Solyndra will go public by the first quarter of next year,” he said in an interview. “I say this because all three of these companies in 2008 did between $10 million and $15 million in revenue, and in 2009 they will do over $150 million. When a company has 10x growth, that is a company you can take public.” The Westly Group has invested about $50 million into cleantech startups, including some $5 million in electric car maker Tesla. It has not backed smart grid startup Silver Spring Networks nor thin-film solar manufacturer Solyndra.”

The article concludes:

“Stephen Simko, solar analyst for Morningstar, still thinks it will be difficult for a solar company to IPO in this market. Solar panel supply far outstrips demand today, and financing for projects is difficult to access. “If lending thaws and the U.S. solar market starts to rise that will lead to the conditions necessary for companies to improve profit and that might lead to IPOs,” he said. “But only the best of breed will be considered.” Solyndra declined to comment for this article.

Of course, it might not be any of these three startups that make headlines as the first cleantech IPO after the drought. First Wind, a wind energy developer, and lithium-ion battery maker A123 Systems both filed for IPOs in late 2008. While the filings don’t necessarily mean they will go public, it at least means executives at the firms have their eyes on that prize.”

Read the full article here.

Others covering this story includes: Earth2Teach and Business Insider.

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Facebook Turns Down Funding at $8 Billion Valuation

Posted in Board Of Intellectual Capital, boic, Business models, FaceBook, Gerbsman Partners, Investments, Market research, Social Networks, Strategy, Uncategorized, Venture Capital, Wireless 2.0, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 20, 2009| Leave a Comment »

I guess that the economic crisis only apply to some. Here is a report by way of Digital media Wire.

“Palo Alto, Calif. – Facebook, the online social network with more than 200 million members, earlier this month turned down funding that would have valued the company at $8 billion, the blog TechCrunch reported on Tuesday, citing a source “with direct knowledge of the proposed transaction.” The company reportedly turned down the $200 million in proposed funding because of a stipulation that would have required it to give up a board seat, with founder Mark Zuckerberg intent on keeping control of the board, according to TechCrunch.

The blog also reported that “investors are now being told the company expects $550 million in 2009 revenue,” well above previous projections of up to $400 million”

Read the full article here.

Related article can be found here: TechCrunch, Blogrunner, Social Median, Seeking Alpha, Dintz,

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Analyst forecasts 900% Android phone sales growth

Posted in Board Of Intellectual Capital, boic, Investments, Market research, Venture Capital, Wireless, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 12, 2009| 1 Comment »

If you look for growth opportunities, look no further say Strategy Analytics. With a 900% growth forecast, and Google support in the background – the mobile ecosystem will see some intriguing innovations shortly. With iPhone and AppStore showing the way, Android from Google may provide a business opoortunity for global opportunities for mobile developers.

Please also see our previous articles: “Android vs. iPhone: Why Openness may Not Be Best” and “Android to do what no one else managed!”

Hardware Register has more on this story:

“Android-based smartphones will ship in massive numbers this year – at least compared to last year’s total, market watcher Strategy Analytics has forecast.

In its latest report, the firm predicted that Android smartphone shipments will increase a whopping 900 per cent during 2009 over last year. Shipments of Apple’s iPhone will grow 79 per cent this year, SA said.

The Google-developed OS hasn’t featured on phones for as long as Apple’s handset has been on the market. Nonetheless, healthy support from “operators, vendors and developers” will continue to help increase Android’s adoption, SA said.

“A relatively low-cost licensing model, its semi-open source structure and Google’s support for cloud services have encouraged companies… to support the Android operating system,” said Neil Mawston, Director at Strategy Analytics.

The number of Android-based devices is certainly set to expand this year. Vodafone recently launched the world’s second Android phone in Blighty – the Magic. It’s also widely rumoured that Samsung will launch an own-brand Android phones this year.”

Read the article here.

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Crisis provide opportunity for “Angels”

Posted in Board Of Intellectual Capital, Investments, Venture Capital, tagged , , , , , , , on May 11, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Here is a excerpt from San fernando Business Journal, that provides som good news.

“We’re seeing at least a 50 percent increase in deals choosing us over VCs for various reasons,” says John Dilts, founder and president of Maverick Angels in Westlake Village. The group has 25 members who screen and invest in companies monthly.

The economy has forced many VCs to slow their investment pace and focus on existing companies that are not able to exit their portfolios because of the shuttered IPO window and weak acquisitions market, said Mark Heesen, president of the National Venture Capital Association, in the MoneyTree Report.

While many angels remain cautious, the downturn has resulted in higher quality entrepreneurs looking for early stage capital, says Dilts. Some have raised previous rounds of capital and developed their companies to the point of generating revenue.

Company valuations have also dropped, which is an appealing point of entry for angels. “As angels we’re seeing higher quality deals and lower valuations,” says Dilts. “We fill a unique void in the emerging growth finance universe. We provide speculative capital.”

Read the full article here.

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