Skype is finally free — eBay settles with Skype co-founders, clearing way for buyout
EBay has settled with the founders of Skype, clearing up some nasty lawsuits that had stood in the way of a Skype acquisition. Now the Internet phone company to be sold to a consortium of investors that includes Skype’s co-founders.
Private equity firm Silver Lake Partners… Continue Reading
Nice timing: Netbook OS startup Jolicloud raises $4.2M
Jolicloud, the company created by Netvibes founder Tariq Krim to build an operating system for netbook computers, just announced it has raised $4.2 million in a first round of venture funding.
As you may have heard, Google announced last night that it’s preparing Chrome OS, its… Continue Reading
Skype cofounders seeking $266M for their Atomico Ventures fund
Skype cofounders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis are raising $266 million for their new fund, Atomico Ventures, within the year. This timeline — expedited by placement agent Probitas Partners — requires limited partners to provide a minimum of $13.3 million.
Based on Grand Cayman island (a… Continue Reading
Roundup: Adobe’s product launches, Joost, eBay-Skype charge, and more
Here’s an (updated) summary of the latest action:
–Adobe launches online-offline media player, and Share. Other applications launch using Adobe’s AIR
–Microsoft launches Office Live WorkSpace
–Joost officially launches its online TV service
–Skype makes earn-out. EBay takes $1.43 billion impairment charge for Skype, and co-founder Zennstrom steps down.
–Facebook… Continue Reading
The new video players: Kyte, DimDim
There are a ton of “video player” companies out there, and they’re starting to blur.
It takes a lot to impress these days. A video player in 2007 should be able to upload any video file — from your desktop or from the Web —… Continue Reading
Weatherbill, weather insurance company, raises round
We recently pointed to Weatherbill, a weather insurance company. It has since launched, with funding from New Enterprise Associates and Index Ventures.
A number of other indivduals have invested, including del.icio.us founder Joshua Schachter, Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom (through his Atomico fund) and Howard Morgan (idealab… Continue Reading
Jott raises $1 million to covert voice from mobile phone into text
Jott Networks is a new Seattle startup that allows anyone with a cell phone to convert their voice into text and have it delivered via e-mail. See John Cook’s story here.
It has raised $1 million in seed funding from Ackerley Partners, Draper Richards and a… Continue Reading
The Venice Project — a Skype for TV
The Skype co-founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom signed an accord with eBay when their company was acquired.
Under that accord, they can not use Skype peer-to-peer technology to launch another business in the telephony area. So that leaves video.
And once you’ve got entrepreneurship in your… Continue Reading