UPS Delivers Capital
Resources for entrepreneurs.
National -- To most people, UPS means package delivery. In the
future, however, small-business owners may begin to think venture
capital when they hear the name, thanks to the multimillion-dollar
Strategic Enterprise Fund the company recently established.
The fund's managers can invest up to $2 million in a single
company that offers a service or product of strategic interest to
UPS. This could include businesses in the fulfillment aspect of
e-commerce, digital conversion, bar-coding technologies and
alternative delivery methods, to name a few.
Eligible companies should be in the early stages of development
but shouldn't be start-ups, and should have a product ready to
go to market. There also should be some revenue coming into the
firm, but the venture does not need to be profitable.
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UPS expects to take an equity interest in each company, to be
negotiated on a case-by-case basis. The mail industry giant will
also typically ask for a seat on the board of directors or request
the right to visit board meetings. UPS officials expect their
relationship with the company to last from three to six years and
envision exit strategies that might include issuing IPOs or
implementing an internal or external buyout.
Interested firms in the continental United States and Canada
should submit a business plan and a statement explaining why their
product has a strategic relevance to UPS. For more information on
the UPS Strategic Enterprise Fund, call (404) 828-7082.
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