Report: European Founders Fund invests in Facebook?
A trio of German entrepreneurs-turned-investors may have invested in Facebook, TechCrunch wrote Tuesday.
The European Founders Fund, consisting of thirtysomething brothers Alexander, Marc and Oliver Samwer, has reportedly put out a "very brief press release" explaining that they have invested in the Palo Alto, Calif.-based social-networking site. An exact amount was not disclosed.
The investment firm was not immediately available for comment.
It's no secret that Facebook has been hunting for new investors ever since it was pegged with a whopping $15 billion valuation following Microsoft's famous purchase of a $240 million stake. Some of the rumors pertaining to potential investors, like a shadowy bit of gossip involving unnamed hedge funds, have turned out to be unsubstantiated.
According to the European Founders Fund's Web site, the brothers have already invested in a number of social-media ventures: business social network LinkedIn, the Second Life-based Anshe Chung Studios, and the German social network StudiVZ, which was acquired last year. Prior to becoming investors, the Samwers founded Alando (purchased by eBay) and Jamba (purchased by VeriSign).
The European Founders Fund does not appear to be affiliated with longtime Facebook investor The Founders Fund, spearheaded by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel.
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline.
