BlueArc, a US-based data storage device manufacturer backed by corporate venturing units of Chevron and Dell, was sold to Hitachi yesterday.
Terms were undisclosed, but news provider VentureWire said Hitachi had paid approaching $600m to acquire the company. This makes it the eighth venture-backed company acquired out of IPO registration since May, VentureWire added.
BlueArc had filed for an initial public offering in June. BlueArc raised about $220m from Chevron Technology Ventures, the corporate venturing division of oil major Chevron; Dell Ventures, which invests for computer maker Dell; and venture capital firms Meritech Capital Partners, Crosslink Capital, Wasatch Advisors, Morgenthaler Ventures, Weston Presidio, RWI Group, Celtic House Venture Partners, Parkmead Group and Fort Washington Capital Partners.
Its rounds include $20m raised in July last year, led by Investor Growth Capital (IGC), the growth capital of of Sweden-based investment company Investor AB; and $29m from private equity firm Morgenthaler Ventures, Chevron Technology Ventures and investment fund Wasatch Advisors.
The series E round, in June 2005, led by Meritech Capital Partners and Crosslink Capital raised $15m, while the series D round, in July 2003, also led by Meritech, and participated in by Crosslink and RWI Ventures, raised $47m.
Founded in 1998, BlueArc manufactures network storage devices, and primarily sold to businesses looking to store significant amounts of data.