US-listed computer maker IBM Corporation plans to acquire data storage company Storwize for $140m, according to an Israeli press report. Storwize has raised about $28m from Japan-based strategic investor Tokyo Electron Device and venture capital firms Sequoia Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Tenaya Capital and Tamares Group.
IBM has already agreed to buy Coremetrics, a US-based provider of online analysis software in which it had a joint venture. IBM formed the venture after selling its own SurfAid Analytics business to Coremetrics in 2006. No financial terms were disclosed but Coremetrics had raised about $167m from VCs Accel Partners, FTV Capital and Highland Capital Partners. Secondaries investor W Capital Partners also owns part of Coremetrics after it was understood to have bought out 3i Group’s holding taken when the UK-listed private equity firm led a $60m funding round in 2008.