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The Polaris Mission
In 1996, Jon Flint, Terry McGuire, and Steve Arnold founded
Polaris Venture Partners. Their vision was to identify and
invest in exceptional entrepreneurs and operating companies
with innovative and disruptive ideas, the skills necessary
to become market leaders, and a passion for success. Since
its inception, Polaris has believed that diversification across
company stage and across industries is the key to outstanding
long-term results for the firm's limited partners.
Our Investment Strategy
Diversification is the cornerstone of Polaris' investment
strategy. We invest in seed, early stage, and high growth
middle market companies. Early stage efforts focus on information
technology and life sciences companies. Middle market investments
focus on businesses in technology, healthcare, digital media,
ecommerce, consumer products and services, and business service
sectors. As the lead or co-lead investor in virtually all
of our portfolio companies, we take an active, long-term role
in helping them develop into successful, market-leading companies.
Our Target Markets
Early Stage: Our early stage efforts are focused on
information technology and life sciences. Within the information
technology sector, Polaris has invested in companies developing
Internet and broadband infrastructure, enterprise software
products, e-commerce products and services, digital media,
entertainment and consumer software, network hardware, and
network software. In the life sciences sector, the firm has
invested in companies developing medical devices, pharmaceuticals,
genomics, proteomics, drug delivery, medical services, and
consumer products and services.
Middle Market: Our private equity efforts are focused
on high growth middle market companies in industries including
technology, healthcare, digital media, consumer products and
services and business services. The firm's investments include
minority growth equity investments, recapitalizations with
liquidity, and leveraged buyouts.
Our Operating Approach
At Polaris we provide more than capital. We add value to the
companies in which we invest by actively partnering with each
entrepreneur and management team to help propel their ideas
into market leading businesses.
As part of the support we provide our portfolio companies,
we recruit and attract employees at all levels. We identify
and structure strategic partnerships. We raise additional
equity and debt financing. And, we're available 24/7 to help
solve problems, identify opportunities, and detect "land
mines." At the same time, we know the difference between
being a coach and a player. We respect the individuality and
inspiration that drive the entrepreneurs in whom we invest.
We also take a long-term view of our partnerships. We know
that building a successful company takes time. In partnering
for the life cycle of companies, we provide access to Polaris'
expertise and network at all stages of a company's development
and across all strategic areas of the business.
Our Network
Polaris-backed companies become part of a network of high-level
venture capital, private equity, operating, and entrepreneurial
experts. Polaris-backed companies gain access not only to
Polaris' extensive resources, but also to the resources of
our extended network of advisors including senior executives
of public and private businesses, established thought leaders
in academia, and preeminent faculty and practitioners at hospitals,
labs and R&D facilities of the country's leading universities.
These outstanding individuals provide the companies we back
with expertise in areas such as market dynamics, business
development, R&D, financial and strategic planning, mergers
and acquisitions, and more.
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