Rim Semiconductor Company (fka RSMI)

[jarsch501]

I do not know what the terms would have been nor can we be reasonably certain a VC like Sequoia would have even taken up on the offer. They get 20 companies a day asking for an investment.

As for Google, it was pre-IPO.

There is some good info on their website about they do and look for. Here are a few things I find to be interesting:


Initial Involvement

We do not want ownership or control of a company. Great investments usually occur when the founders and management of a company are the majority owners. All of our best investments have been in companies where we were minority shareholders.


Post Investment Participation

Our post investment role can range from intensive involvement to a far more detached role once the company is mature. In an early stage company we tend to be involved with key hiring decisions, major changes of strategic direction, company positioning and financings. We hold a board seat with most of our companies, but not all. When the company's management asks us to stay involved, we do. In some cases we have remained directors of companies for over ten years. We provide assistance when requested or needed. We do not want to run companies.

How Much We Invest

We invest any amount from $50,000 to $10 million.


How Many Proposals We Get

Every day we hear about twenty new ideas. We try to review every idea.


How Many Investments We Make

Recently we have made between 8 and 12 new investments a year. We also make between 12 and 15 follow-on investments a year in companies already within our portfolio.

http://sequoiacap.com/process/stepone.asp

As you can see, IF Sequoia actually invested into NV, it would have been a huge boost of confidence let alone a seal of approval of their technology. Unfortunately, that approval is really lacking right now.

We got the funding people wanted, finally, but just 3 months ago when we possibly could have had it over 2 years ago. We could have subtracted the amount of dilution during that time period wasted on other S, G & A expenses.

Bill's proposition with Sequoia should have been considered a bit more seriously than the company did.

Of course, it all depends on the technology anyways.........