The VAR Guy isn’t suggesting that open source companies will launch initial public offerings (IPOs) anytime soon. But a lengthy chat with an open source guru — call him Pele — got our resident blogger brainstorming a bit. Here are three open source companies that could test the IPO waters over the next couple of years.
1. SugarCRM: The obvious choice. The VAR Guy has blogged about SugarCRM multiple times. Once Sun Microsystems acquired MySQL and dashed hopes for a MySQL IPO, The VAR Guy immediately turned his attention to SugarCRM.
The fast-growing CRM provider has the perfect business model. Whether customers want on-site or on-demand software, SugarCRM is ready to help. CEO Jonathan Roberts has said that SugarCRM hopes to launch an IPO within a year or two, assuming the company doesn’t get acquired.
2. Digium: The leading provider of Asterisk-based IP PBXes. Hot company that one source suggests will double its revenue this year. Sorry, folks, The VAR Guy can’t give out Digium’s actual revenue figures. In fact, he hasn’t confirmed the figures with Digium. But word on the street is Digium is on a role [correction: roll]. Big time.
A recent global distribution deal could allow Digium to prove that the world is flat — and running on open source.
3. Alfresco: Alas, Alfresco wasn’t on The VAR Guy’s radar when our resident blogger hyped 10 can’t miss open source companies for 2008. Big mistake. The VAR Guy hears Alfresco’s annual revenue grew more than 300 percent. And big companies — several of which are Fortune 500 players — are using Alfresco’s content management system.
IPOs tomorrow? Nope. But if those three companies remain independent, they could represent the open source industry’s best hope for long-term IPOs.
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Tags: Alfresco | Digium | Initial Public Offering | MySQL | SugarCRM
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2008 IPOs? No way. 2009? Depends on the US economy. By 2010, I think all three of these will be public or acquired.
s/role/roll/
Alas, that’s what happens when The VAR Guy blogs at dawn. Thanks for the correction, foo.