The numbers are in and the exit market for venture-backed startups in the US improved dramatically in 2006. VentureOne data show that significant M&A exits were more numerous and sizable than the previous year.
The top ten in 2006 ranged from $1.65 billion to $375 million versus a range of $527 million to $280 million in 2005. And the 40th largest M&A exit of a US-based venture-backed start in 2006 was worth $150 million versus just $67 million in 2005.
Here are the 2006 details including the startup's name, purchase price, acquirer's name, VCs involved:
1) YouTube - $1.65 billion - Google - Sequoia Capital
2) Flarion Technologies - $600 million - Qualcomm - Bessemer Venture Partners, Charles River Ventures, Cisco
3) Xspedius Communications - $580 million - Time Warner Telecom - Meritage Funds, Thermo Capital Partners; others
4) Healthfield - $454 million - Gentiva Health Services - Patricof & Co.; many others
5) CorSolutions - $445 million - Matria Healthcare - CrossBow Ventures; many others
6) Corus Pharma - $419.5 million - Gilead Sciences - MPM Capital; many, many others
7) Mobile 365 - $417 million - Sybase - Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Institutional Venture Partners, Mayfield; others
8) LANDesk - $400 million - Avocent - Blueprint Ventures, Intel Capital, Vector Capital, vSpring Capital, WestBridge Ventures
9) GlycoFi - $400 million - Merck & Co. - Borealis Ventures, Boston Millennia Partners, Peninsula Equity Partners; many others
10) Wily Technology - $375 million - CA International - Accel Partners, Focus Ventures, Greylock Capital, Peninsula Equity Partners
One thing I find striking about the list is that by my count, only half of the companies on the list received backing from what most would consider to be top-tier venture firms. Another thing is how exceptional the YouTube exit really was. Finally, just as they did last year, life sciences startup sales accounted for four of the ten biggest VC-backed M&A exits.
Tags: m&a, vc, venture+capital
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