Investors in Internet portal designer and content aggregator Synacor Inc. probably knew it was coming, but that probably didn't make the company's IPO withdrawal Tuesday any easier to swallow.

The company, which filed in August 2007 to go public, cited unfavorable (read "toxic to IPOs") market conditions.
Synacor's products and services allow cable multiple system operators, or MSOs, Internet service providers and other broadband operators to customize portals to their own brands and to deliver premium content. Deutsche Bank Securities, Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., Thomas Weisel Partners LLC and Canaccord Adams were set to underwrite the offering. 

Born from the merger of two struggling dot-com companies (Chek.com and MyPersonal.com) in 2001, the company raised more than $40 million from a long list of investors including North Atlantic Capital, Mitsui & Co. Technology Investment Group, Crystal Ventures, Advantage Capital Partners, Walden International, Intel Capital, Seed Capital Partners and Rand Capital SBIC LP.

Many of these backers have stuck with the company for years, through various changes of business plan, rounds and recaps. Looks like a bit more patience is in order. -- Olaf de Senerpont Domis

See Synacor profile from Renaissance Capital's IPOhome.com
See Synacor's S-1 from SEC.gov