the investors (venture capitalists) in qxl:
QXL has benefited from our association with some of the leading venture capitalists in Europe.
Apax Partners Ventures, the international investment group for growth companies, announced an investment of $12 million in QXL in February, 1999.
Apax invests primarily across five sectors internationally - IT, Telecoms, Biotech/Healthcare, Media and Speciality Retailing - in early stage, expansion and buy-outs. It has a team of 95 equity investment professionals in eleven offices across Europe, the US (operating as Patricof & Co), Israel and Japan. 70 of these professionals are in Europe. Founded independently in Europe in 1971 and in the USA in 1969, the firm came together in 1977. Apax Partners now manages over $3.5 billion on behalf of leading institutions around the world. Investments in the IT sector include Eyretel, the Virgin Fast Track 100 winner, Computacenter, Demon Internet, Autonomy and Dr Solomon's Software.
In June, 1999, QXL closed over $30 million in private equity financing. Group Arnault, the primary investor, is the private holding company of French businessman Bernard Arnault.
Group Arnault has emerged as one of the most active Internet and e-commerce investors in the U.S. and Europe. Its investments already include portfolio participations in public companies such as @home and cisco, as well as strategic stakes in more than 20 start-ups and fast growing companies such as among others: Datek Online Holdings, the fourth largest online brokerage; 1-800 Flowers, a flower and gift website; Planet Rx, which markets pharmaceutical and health care products over the Internet; Webvan, the premier grocery website; e-loan, a leading provider of on-line mortgages; and icollector, the online auctioneer. Group Arnault also recently joined forces with leading UK retailer Kingfisher PLC to launch libertysurf, the leading Internet access service in France. And LVMH recently announced the introduction of sephora.com, to be launched in September, which promises to be the pre-eminent prestige beauty products site on the Internet.
Kappa IT Ventures, founded in 1998, is a venture capital group specialising in high growth IT companies in Europe and USA.
The Kappa IT fund invests in start-ups to pre-IPO companies, aiming to add value and expertise as well as investment. In addition to finance, Kappa IT can provide hands-on consulting and entrepreneurial advice as well as industry contacts.
Kappa IT Ventures was founded in 1998 by Hans Botho von Portatius and Keith Gruen, both experienced investors and entrepreneurs in the IT industry.
Net Partners is the first Venture Capital fund in Europe to be focused on financing start-up and early stage Internet initiatives.
The Net Partners fund concentrates on European electronic commerce, information services and the entertainment sectors. It also covers the European expansion of US initiatives. The founding partners of the company are Michele Appendino and Fausto Boni. The company also has venture partners across Europe including Spain/Portugal, UK, Scandinavia, Germany, Italy and France.
ViventuresIt was founded by the Vivendi group and 15 major investors in France, Europe and North America. Viventures invests in start-up companies that are driving innovative projects in the Internet and the telecommunications industry.
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