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Research Outline
Prepared for Brian M. | Delivered February 1, 2020
Fastest Unicorn Exits - Enterprise Software Startups
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Goals
To determine the fastest ($1b+) exit for enterprise software startups.
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Early Findings
Virtustream
Virtustream
is an enterprise cloud computing management software provider for enterprise customers, IT service providers and government agencies.
The startup launched in
2008
and was acquired by EMC in
May 2015
.
Inc reported that Virtustream sold for
$1.2 billion
.
Virtustream remains
active
today and counted Heinz, Kawasaki and
L
e
x
m
a
r
k
among its enterprise customers.
The company was included in Inc's list of "
13 Tech Companies
Sold for More Than $1 Billion".
Skype
While Skype is primarily a telecommunication tool, it also offered an enterprise versions called
Skype for Business
.
Skype for Business allowed
businesses
to call, send instant messages, hold online meetings, and share files.
According to Pitchbook, Skype was the
4th fastest
company to achieve a unicorn exit by 2015.
It only took
26 months
for Skype to achieve a
$2.5 billion exit
in October 2005 through merger and acquisition.
It followed in the wake of other
unicorn exits
such as YouTube (21 months), Juno Therapeutics (24 months), and Oculus VR (24 months).
Sourcefire
Sourcefire
provides cybersecurity services to enterprise IT infrastructures.
It was launched in
2001
and was acquired in
July 2013
.
Cisco bought the startup for
$2.7 billion
.
The company remains
active
today and services companies in the healthcare, financial, manufacturing and energy industries among others.
Sourcefire was included in Inc's list of "
13 Tech Companies
Sold for More Than $1 Billion".
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