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Wicks Business Information Acquires VentureOne from Reuters, Enhancing its Leadership Position in the Venture Information Market
For Release: September 24, 2001
Contact: Douglas J. Manoni, Wicks Business Information (203) 255-4990
David Witherow, VentureOne Corporation (415) 538-2606
Wicks Business Information Acquires VentureOne from Reuters, Enhancing its Leadership Position in the Venture Information Market
Fairfield, CT, September 24, 2001 - In a deal that will combine two major providers of private equity and venture capital information services into a new powerful media business, Wicks Business Information, LLC has agreed to acquire San Francisco-based VentureOne Corporation from Reuters Group PLC.
VentureOne (www.ventureone.com), through its VentureSource database, is the leading provider of in-depth information about venture capital investing in young technology companies around the world. VentureOne publishes a daily venture industry update, in addition to various annual and quarterly periodicals. It also organizes market-leading venture capital conferences in the U.S. and Europe.
Wicks will combine VentureOne with its Asset Alternatives division, whose flagship newsletter, The Private Equity Analyst, is the authoritative voice of the private equity and venture capital markets. Asset Alternatives (www.assetnews.com) also publishes five other venture capital and private equity newsletters, and produces directories, conferences, research reports and Internet products. Wicks acquired Asset Alternatives in September 2000.
"We are combining the deep database publishing expertise of VentureOne with the more traditional publishing know-how of Asset Alternatives to create a powerful, integrated information company that will serve our venture capital and private equity customers more effectively than ever," said Douglas J. Manoni, Wicks' President and CEO.
David Witherow, President of VentureOne, will continue in his current role with the company. "I am very excited about this merger, which combines VentureOne's world-class research on the venture capital industry with Asset Alternatives' exceptional editorial capability and unparalleled expertise in the broader private equity universe. This combination will result in more content in our VentureSource database, and even better conferences and editorial content," said Mr. Witherow.
The expanded customer base of the combined businesses will be more appealing to advertisers and sponsors who want to reach market leaders in the venture capital and private equity industry. This combination provides financial service companies with a powerful platform for delivering their message to precisely the audience of decision-makers that they need to reach," said Steven Galante, the founder of Asset Alternatives and Chairman of Wicks' newly expanded division.
The merger will enhance the presence of the combined businesses in the hotbeds of venture capital markets of the world. Asset Alternatives is based in the Boston suburb of Wellesley, MA, which lies astride the Route 128 "technology belt." VentureOne has offices in San Francisco and London. All three offices will be staffed to support the expanding operations of the combined businesses.
The purchase of VentureOne is Wicks' eighth acquisition since it was established in July 1999 as an affiliate of The Wicks Groups of Companies, L.L.C., a New York private equity investment firm. Folio: magazine recently named Wicks Business Information as one of the 40 fastest-growing information companies. The Wicks portfolio also includes Investment Advisor and Treasury & Risk Management magazines, and the Briefings and Georgetown Publishing Group of professional development newsletters.
Wicks Business Information, based in Fairfield, CT, concentrates on growth by acquisition and development of business magazines, newsletters, conferences, trade shows, Internet services and specialized information products serving the financial industry and the general business sector. Additional information is available at www.wicksbusinessinfo.com.
The Wicks Group of Companies, L.L.C. (www.wicksgroup.com) invests in communications, information and media businesses.
Wicks Business Information, LLC
363 Reef Road
Fairfield, CT 06430 |
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