Yes, I like LinkedIN, and am one of the very early users, from the early days before social networks become trendy. Simply because, unlike some of the more fashionable networks, I actually found it useful for business.

But is it worth One Billion Dollars?  Apparently it is - if you ask Bain Capital Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Greylock Partners, and Bessemer Ventures, who just invested a whopping $53M  with the even more whopping $1B valuation.  $53 million is a decent exit for some startups - but LinkedIN has about $100M in annual revenues.  Still, I really wonder what kind of stratospheric exit (IPO) valuation the current investors expect.

Or perhaps Kara Swisher is right:

Why go public when you can just pretend?

Exactly.

Update (6/18):  In celebration of entering the Billion-Dollar Club, LinkedIn is down.

Tags: ipo, LinkedIn, Social Networking, Social Networks, Startups, valuation, vc investment, venture Capital

Venture capitalists have been pouring money into “clean technology” companies - $2.2 billion in 2007, an increase of 46% over 2006. Why are VCs making so many long-term, capital-intensive bets? Which technologies will be world-changing, and which will be duds?

In living proof that there is life outside the Palo Alto / Menlo Park proximity, SVASE will host a VC Panel on investing in Green Tech tomorrow at the Crow Canyon Country Club, in Danville, CA.  (A very green venue for a Green Event).

The panelists are:

• Marianne Wu, Partner, Mohr Davidow Ventures
• J. Christopher Moran, Vice President, General Manager, Applied Ventures
• Paul Chau, Partner, WI Harper
• Peter Henig, Managing Partner, Greenhouse Capital Partners
• Mark Harris, Relationship Manager, Silicon Valley Bank

Agenda:
6-6:30 pm: Networking and Hors D’oeuvres
6:30-8 pm: Panel discussion and Q/A

For details see the SVASE site, or head straight to registration.

See you there!

Tags: entrepreneurship, Startups, SVASE, vc investment, venture Capital