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Azure is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm with over $650 million under management. We invest in early stage technology companies that are at the forefront of a transformative opportunity for growth. We have invested in and served as trusted advisors to some of the most successful and important technology companies created in the last decade including VMWare (NYSE: VMW), Bill Me Later (acquired by eBay), Calix (NYSE: CALX), Top Tier (acquired by SAP) and World Wide Packets (acquired by Ciena) and have helped to generate billions of dollars of value in these companies for our entrepreneurs and investors. The Azure team is recognized for industry thought leadership, a broad network of powerful industry relationships and a unique professional investment approach to venture investing. We passionately support our portfolio companies with active guidance in all key aspects of team building, strategy, operations and governance.
OVERVIEW:VISIONWe look for emerging companies with entrepreneurs that have the vision, passion and discipline to transform an industry. RELATIONSHIPSAs key advisors and investors to many of the most successful technology companies of the last 20 years we have established enduring relationships with hundreds of important technology industry executives and entrepreneurs. We work actively with members of this broad Azure network to provide key value-add to our portfolio companies such as: customer introductions, team and board recruitment/enhancement, technology, business development, sales and marketing partnerships, investment and acquisition. TRUSTED ADVISORSWe believe that successful venture-backed companies are built upon trusted relationships among venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. In all of our investments we endeavor to be the go-to advisor for the management team and the most active board member, especially outside monthly board meetings. Azure partners support portfolio companies with active guidance in all key aspects of team building, strategy, operations, forecasting, planning, fundraising, governance and realization. RESEARCHIndependent of an investigation of any particular company, Azure's team conducts ongoing primary research projects into specific sub-sectors of importance in technology. These projects are specifically designed to help us create and update our investment roadmap, target specific new investment opportunities, and increase our domain knowledge. Our research also benefits our portfolio companies by helping them to identify the most promising market opportunities and partnerships for them to pursue. Our research process is iterative, because we regularly share our interim findings with trusted industry participants and solicit their feedback. Therefore, we are continuously presenting and being challenged on both our data and our conclusions. INVESTMENTSWe actively look for emerging companies as well as venture spinouts and restructurings that are at an inflection point of a market opportunity. Our geographic focus is across all of North America, with approximately 50% of our investments being outside of the Bay Area. Our investment pace is highly selective and has averaged 4 to 6 new investments per year. REALIZATIONWith category defining outcomes 5 times in the last decade, Azure has realized successes through our strategy of investment selection and active guidance to help our management teams build large and sustainable businesses. As venture investors we recognize that over 80% of our successful investments are likely to be acquired by strategic partners and we therefore believe it is critical to start planting the seeds for an eventual outcome early on in the company’s lifecycle. |
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THE AZURE NETWORK:As key advisors to many of the most successful technology companies, the Azure partners were able to establish enduring relationships with hundreds of important technology industry participants. These relationships led directly to the creation of our first fund, and they now form the basis of a powerful Azure Network, which includes entrepreneurs, seasoned technology executives, senior IT professionals and others who have deep industry knowledge. |