Strategy

We believe that the next few years is an exceptionally attractive period for venture capital with the adoption of Internet technologies creating huge new disruptions. The Internet is powering consumers and businesses. We look for entrepreneurs who effectively take advantage of the convergence occurring in almost all areas of technology and believe this to be the long-term driver of exceptional opportunities. We actively invest in early-stage companies in Internet infrastructure, application software delivered as a service, communications, next generation wireless sectors and new media convergence. Investments in these sectors will drive tremendous returns for investors due to three primary trends:

First, the destruction of content & format boundaries. Broadband penetration has reached a critical mass, 82% of active Internet users in the US subscribe to broadband, enabling the efficient delivery and marketing of IP-based applications that was not economically viable in the 1990s and earlier this decade. Communications services deliver the reliable infrastructure upon which new platforms are built.  This trend drives the promotion and standardization of content creation and as importantly creates new requirements and increases the need for solutions to store and manage it.

Second, the consolidation of parallel communications infrastructures. Enterprises are moving beyond standardizing on a single platform or vendor by adopting open source and software-as-a-service models. This has allowed for massive investment in flexibility and efficiency. Companies developing products in today's environment can purchase or license "best of breed" components available at a fraction of the cost than in the past, allowing them to focus on developing their core business in a more capital efficient manner. Communications services deliver the reliable infrastructure upon which new platforms are built. 

Third, ubiquitous access. The always-on lifestyle has gone mainstream. Wireline and wireless communications, media and IT communities have recently coalesced around a number of technical standards for the secure and efficient delivery of applications and content over IP-based networks.  This convergence will result in interoperability between vendors and service providers in a way that has not been experienced in the past. Couple this with the billions of dollars invested by carriers in additional spectrum licenses and their need to monetize these assets will create many new investment opportunities.