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Domain: sequoiacap.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to sequoiacap.com.
Comments · 9
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Re:It seems to me...
Given that Google's initial search technolgy seems to have come out of nowhere and that Google had secretive high government clearance contacts from day one, I think the more likely scenario is the NSA rolling up to Larry and Sergi and saying "we need public sector lovable geek mascots to hide behind while we monitor the population's activities. You two seem suitable and have the right profiles. Here's some search tech, and we'll set you up with the right venture capital connections. No go profile everybody."
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Re:Big companies!
One massive multinational corporation working with another. Why should I be excited about this? Is this news? Is this a good thing?
You should be afraid.
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Re:So who are Sequoia?
They're a top tier VC in Silicon Valley. More info is on their web site.
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Re:Meeting VCs
Sorry, replied in the wrong spot.
Take a look at http://www.sequoiacap.com/ and http://www.usvp.com/ for two examples. If you can't figure out how to contact a VC from there, you have larger problems to deal with. I don't see any references on either site to "ethnics only, no whites".
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Re:Writer is clearly mis-informed
Wonder what this means for Lindows. Can MR run a SIP phone business as well as Lindows? The story I heard about the funding of MP3.com was classic dot-com mythology, though it is evidently true:Monday: Sequoia Capital: Hello Michael, we are interested in seeing your business plan. Can you send it to us? We would like to review it and fly down to talk to you on Wednesday.
MR: Oh, OK, I'll send it to you. (Feverishly writes up 2 page plan.)
Sequoia calls back later in the afternoon: Michael, you don't have to send us the plan, we will be down there tomorrow. How do we get to your office?
MP3.com funded a few days later...
Check out the quote.
That has apparently not happened with Lindows. Does this mean MR sees a better opportunity with SIP phones? That is, a better opportunity to get funded again? I wouldn't be too surprised. Looks like the Red Hat, SuSE, IBM (Try saying "We are going to compete with IBM" to a VC with a straight face.) are taking the Linux mindshare. Otherwise one would have expected Lindows to have announced a deal with a VC by now.
Expect him to attract lawsuits and press coverage
This one will be something to watch.
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Google Isn't ImmuneGoogle will start adding similar revenue-generating ideas, or their financial backers will start demanding changes.
Two-thirds of Google's revenue is from ads. They are opening new sales offices (e.g. Germany), but slowing down tech hiring. That suggests they are betting on increasing ad revenue at a time when their competitors have decided that ads alone can't sustain search-engines. Google's techie hiring cutback also suggests that they don't think additional software R&D can help them grow as much as investing in non-tech areas. [Estimates I've seen of Google's revenues are US$30M - $70M a year, with their CEO saying that makes them just about profitable.]
Worse for Google, they hold few patents for their basic technological advantage, and their infrastructure (including their huge database) could be rebuilt in a few weeks by a cash-rich M$. The only protection they have against Teoma et al is their staff -- but loyalty can be bought. (Google uses options to encourage employees to stay. If the options cease to look promising, some people will leave.)
Another problem facing Google is their staff itself. 50 of their 250 employees are PhD's. That means they have lots of valuable technical knowledge, but it also means that 50 of their highest-paid employees have a collective 0 years experience in business planning. Consider that their senior management lacks a CFO at all, and is loaded with CS doctors who tend (like normal geeks) to want to work on "cool" things instead of profitable ones.
Google's proud of its lack of advertising -- but don't they also lack the marketing that would produce such advertising? Look at two of recent new products: the USENET database (cool, but what good does it do for *Google*?), and the shopping-catalog database (a possible money source...but very risky, requiring licensees to share their revenue stream and catalog-shoppers to change their habits.)
Being private means Google can avoid stockholder demand for quick profits...sort of. Their only source of funds is two VC firms, since the founders had little money of their own. The two firms [1][2]-- each of whom has a seat on Google's board -- will eventually demand return on their $25 million investment. Remember, the folks who gave Google its money want to see profits, and have *lots* of experience in tweaking start-ups to generate them.
Don't get me wrong -- Google's great;Brin & Page deserve copious kudos & cash. However, I'm watching for some danger signs:- Lots of new "Sales" or commission-based positions at company
- An exodus of employees. (With their high retention rate, "exodus" might mean 10 people.)
- Research efforts into non-Linux infrastructure.
- A lot of new product offerings that target consumers directly.
- A removal of one (or both) founders from day-to-day operations.
- More parterships with content producers.
- Another level of financing (demonstrating VC belief that they can grow.)
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Interesting comments about VA LinuxI don't know if all of this is true or not, but the original post is here.
"Yes...the former errand boy cum Sr. VP of Linux Promotion and SEC investigation was indeed the one who wrote the business plan that got them funding from Sequoia Cap, the same company that brought you Webvan.com. He promise them hype, and that is what he is good at. With Chris Dibona (last week he was still pushing VA's vaporware..do they still sell anything??) as his henchmen, the 2 basically hired every Linux developer in existence...promised them the moon and then fired them. In addition, they tried to malign and defame other Linux companies because that is how they do business. They even manage to destroy the quaint Silicon Valley Linux Group (SVLUG) into the hype machine that is VA LUG!"
"In the midst of all this, they forgot they needed to make money to pay the pension holders back for the IPO. Instead, JTH cashed 100MM out, without it being listed in Yahoo insider. Dibona bought a fancy new house and car, Larry has cashed $35 MM out, according to Yahoo insiders..."
"Yes, Marc Merlin, SVLUG's current president, even became a doomed VAer...Hall, Dibona and Augustin tried in their glory to create the "VA Linux machine." If you were not with them (and their overhyped IPO scheme to rob pension holders of money) then they would use eveything in their power, including the once neutral Slashdot.org or their fake news site, Newsforge to destroy you. If there is enough interest in this board, I will create a website, with facts to substatiate all statements made here...with even more facts on hypster of Hall, Dibona, & Augustin...please reply to post if you are interested..."
"Linux will never die because the foresight of RMS and Linus but VA must surely. If Linux is to ever win the server, desktop market...heck... the hearts of computer users all around the world, then the people behind the scene must be highly ethical and deserving of success."
"That being said, John T. Hall was fired, and is now hyping another start-up, writing another biz plan for Sequoia Cap, so more pensions can lose money."
"Tell these guys how you really feel directly at:"
John T. Hall
289 Fernando Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94306
ceo@sse.stanford.edu
650-494-0818Chris Dibona
dibona@dibona.com
(He is the Linux Evangelist from day 1 since VC funding...basically selling Linux out)and of course Larry...lma@valinux.com
also, email:
leone@sequoiacap.com
moritz@sequoiacap.com -
Interesting comments about VA LinuxI don't know if all of this is true or not, but the original post is here.
"Yes...the former errand boy cum Sr. VP of Linux Promotion and SEC investigation was indeed the one who wrote the business plan that got them funding from Sequoia Cap, the same company that brought you Webvan.com. He promise them hype, and that is what he is good at. With Chris Dibona (last week he was still pushing VA's vaporware..do they still sell anything??) as his henchmen, the 2 basically hired every Linux developer in existence...promised them the moon and then fired them. In addition, they tried to malign and defame other Linux companies because that is how they do business. They even manage to destroy the quaint Silicon Valley Linux Group (SVLUG) into the hype machine that is VA LUG!"
"In the midst of all this, they forgot they needed to make money to pay the pension holders back for the IPO. Instead, JTH cashed 100MM out, without it being listed in Yahoo insider. Dibona bought a fancy new house and car, Larry has cashed $35 MM out, according to Yahoo insiders..."
"Yes, Marc Merlin, SVLUG's current president, even became a doomed VAer...Hall, Dibona and Augustin tried in their glory to create the "VA Linux machine." If you were not with them (and their overhyped IPO scheme to rob pension holders of money) then they would use eveything in their power, including the once neutral Slashdot.org or their fake news site, Newsforge to destroy you. If there is enough interest in this board, I will create a website, with facts to substatiate all statements made here...with even more facts on hypster of Hall, Dibona, & Augustin...please reply to post if you are interested..."
"Linux will never die because the foresight of RMS and Linus but VA must surely. If Linux is to ever win the server, desktop market...heck... the hearts of computer users all around the world, then the people behind the scene must be highly ethical and deserving of success."
"That being said, John T. Hall was fired, and is now hyping another start-up, writing another biz plan for Sequoia Cap, so more pensions can lose money."
"Tell these guys how you really feel directly at:"
John T. Hall
289 Fernando Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94306
ceo@sse.stanford.edu
650-494-0818Chris Dibona
dibona@dibona.com
(He is the Linux Evangelist from day 1 since VC funding...basically selling Linux out)and of course Larry...lma@valinux.com
also, email:
leone@sequoiacap.com
moritz@sequoiacap.com -
Re:I expect more from /.
Hmmm. "Soulhuntre." Could that possibly be the same "Soulhuntre" who Lisa and Shannon say served as their "Daddy" for a time and who wrote the bittersweet essay on training submissives on the-estate.com ?/
Well, now let's see. The writer of the piece lives at "the estate," as well as their primary "talent" and web designers. Gosh, a fully functioning goth-BDSM website team? Kleiner-Perkins and Sequoia Capital are going to be beating down some doors in the New Jersey area!