News & Analysis

Notes from the frontline – Simon Cook, DFJ Esprit

Though a fraction of the size of its US counterpart, European venture in 2008 was potentially the best performing private equity market in the world, writes Simon Cook.

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As the world has focused on the deafening roar of economies beginning to stall and credit markets crumble, European venture capital has been quietly making significant returns.

Sun Microsystems started the strong record of success for European venture this year when it acquired MySQL for $1 billion. Then AOL spent $1 billion acquiring two UK start-ups, teen social network Bebo and affiliate marketing company Buy.at.