Monday, February 14, 2011

The Wal-Mart/Etsy/Facebook connection, Part One


Meet Jim Breyer, a perfectly nice guy who works for the investment team Accel Partners in the Silicon Valley. According to his corporate bio, Jim has been an investor in over thirty consumer internet, media and technology companies that have completed public offerings or successful mergers. Fortune Magazine named him the smartest investor in technology in 2010.
Jim is on the board of directors for Wal-Mart Corporation, where he's the Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee. Jim is also an investor and board member for Etsy.
Etsy is listed as one of Accel Partners' consumer internet and media clients, along with Facebook, Groupon, Kayak and more.
It seems that Accel Partners pairs businesses with venture captialists, and from there redefines business plans and company visions, with focuses on social and digital media.
According to their Crunchbase profile, Accel Partners re-invested in Etsy in August of 2010, with a Series E investment. Series investments are defined by letter as the rounds of stock offered during different rounds offered by a private company. In other words, Accel Partners, which had previously bought stock in Etsy, bought additional stock in Etsy in August of 2010.
So, a company that invests in Facebook also invests in Etsy.
Index Ventures also aquired stock in August, placing partner Danny Rimer on Etsy's board, along with Rob Kalin, Caterina Fake, Union Square Ventures Fred Wilson, and Accel's Jim Breyer.
Index Ventures is a Swiss venture capitalist firm, specializing in investments in information technology and life science companies. Etsy is listed on their online portfolio as well.
When did major Etsy changes begin, shifting it from your place to buy all things handmade to your place for social interaction? September?
More to follow on this.

5 comments:

  1. Coincidence? I think not.

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  2. Wasn't there a connection between Accel Partners and Temple St. Clair? I vaguely recall that company being mentioned during the Coralgate debacle. Maybe her hubby works/worked there? My brain power is limited today...

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  3. Well, I need to check on that. Thanks for the heads up. This is a twisted, complicated web, to be sure.

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  4. If you cannot run a company by your own established rules and you essentially kill off the main reason for its existence, why bother offering stock?

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  5. And now you can add the ebay and Paypal connection. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!
    http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y11/m02/i14/s04

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Dish the dirt here.