Wind Rises 2005

Chapter 571 Xiaozha’s decision

The next day, in the large conference room of Facebook headquarters, Zuckerberg looked at all the board members with a gloomy face, waiting for them to finish reading the documents in their hands.

That's right, yesterday's statistical report was all distributed to them at this moment.

The board members present here are basically investors from previous rounds of Facebook, especially one of the big guys, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

The big bosses all looked at the documents in their hands, and the expressions on their faces were extremely exciting.

In fact, everyone knew about Twitter's desperate counterattack before, but no one expected that Facebook would be surpassed one day, and it would happen so quickly.

You know, not long ago, Microsoft just invested $2.4 million in Facebook.

And just in the past few months, Zuckerberg has continued to raise funds and has been working hard to complete the last share of Series C financing.

However, with the strong rise of Twitter, the original C round of financing of US$5 million has become somewhat out of reach.

The total financing amount is still 4 million US dollars short of 1000 million US dollars, let alone a gap of [-] million US dollars.

Thanks to the current global financial crisis, otherwise Facebook’s Series C financing window would not be closed and it would have become a laughing stock in the venture capital circle.

Zuckerberg said that he was also helpless. Several investment institutions that had originally had intentions and had basically reached an agreement have chosen to wait and see.

In particular, TriplePoint Capital, which had previously promised to invest US$1 million in Facebook using a debt investment model, actually reneged on its decision half a month ago. The reason for the feedback was that the investment risk had suddenly increased sharply.

He is really an investor's mouth and a liar. He was so angry that Xiao Zha almost rushed to the other company's company and pointed at the nose of a certain big boss and cursed him.

All the investors here are well aware of this situation.

Although Facebook's financing was blocked and they knew that the culprit was the blue bird, no one paid much attention to it before today.

After all, Facebook has nearly $[-] million in hand, so it can be considered wealthy.

Who would have thought that in just one or two months, the situation would take a shocking turn, and Twitter would be on the verge of overtaking Facebook.

This terrible situation does not give people any time to react. By the time everyone knows about it, it seems that there is no way to save it.

Then the battle for the king of the social circuit will soon be completely decided?
Where did this go? None of the investment tycoons thought it would end like this, let alone that they would be the losers.

Now, everyone couldn't sit still.

What was originally a sure-win capital game is about to bring tens of millions or even over [-] million U.S. dollars in return for everyone. How can it be like this?

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was the calmest. He asked unhurriedly: "Zach, if you called everyone here today, you must have already had a countermeasure. Let's talk about it quickly!"

If there is no countermeasures for such an instigation of troops and people, then he can really consider dismissing Xiao Zha.

As a shareholder of Facebook and an agent of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer is very confident in this and he definitely has this appeal on the board of directors.

"That's right, I called everyone here just to discuss this matter."

Zuckerberg nodded and responded to the question head-on. He just wanted to pass a resolution on the board of directors to solve the current crisis.

As it turned out, he had just made the sale, and the other investor couldn't wait any longer.

"Then stop inking and tell me!"

The speaker's name was Reid Hoffman, and he was an extraordinary person.

Not only is he a well-known angel investor in Silicon Valley, but he is also an entrepreneurial tycoon himself.

As a Greylock fund partner, LinkedIn co-founder and executive president, and former Paypal executive vice president, there is no need to be too polite to Zuckerberg.

The key point is that Reid Hoffman did not invest in Facebook alone, but with his old partner Peter Thiel.

Peter is the co-founder and former CEO of Paypal, and is also a well-known angel investor.

The two, like many key executives who came out of Paypal, remain close to each other.They even gave their group a name - "Paypal Gang".

Once they encounter a good project, everyone will often share resources with each other and invest together.

There is a saying circulating in the global venture capital circle that the most powerful "Paypal gang" in the history of Internet entrepreneurship has made up half of Silicon Valley.

Zuckerberg was just a poor student when he started his business, and he was nothing in front of the two "Paypal gang" bosses.If they hadn't invested in the angel round, Facebook wouldn't be where it is today.

Therefore, when faced with Reid Hoffman’s question, Xiao Zha did not dare to neglect at all and hurriedly answered: “I want to lower Facebook’s valuation and complete Series C financing as soon as possible.

And at this final stage, I want to do my best to raise another US$2 million to complete the next important plan. "

"What, lower the valuation?"

At this time, all the investment tycoons were no longer calm and shouted out one after another.

If according to what Zuckerberg said, the value of their previously invested shares would have been greatly discounted before they could double in value.

How can everyone accept this? Thinking about it, I feel that the student Xiaoza in front of me has gone crazy.

Zuckerberg knew that people would react this way, so he patiently explained: "Guys, you already know the situation.

There is not much time left for Facebook. If there is not enough funds to implement the next step of the plan, then all of us will lose everything. "

"What exactly are you going to do? You might as well tell me first!" The person speaking this time was an Asian woman, and she was also a capital tycoon who had just invested in the latest round.

Although this person is not well-known in the US venture capital circle, his background in Hong Kong is legendary.

Because this female investor is named Zhang Weiwei, one of the founders of Victoria Harbor Investment, and her partner is Zhou Kaixuan, the boss of Victoria Harbor Investment.

You must know that Victoria Harbor Investment is an investment fund established under Xiangjiang Lao Li Tou, and Zhou Kaixuan is Lao Li Tou's confidante.

And Zhang Weiwei is not simple either. Her cousin is Mr. Dong, the first chief executive of Xiangjiang.

就在2007年11月，维港投资刚刚给Facebook投了6000万美金。而在今年3月，又追加了6000万美元。

It can be said that in the Series C financing alone, Victoria Harbor Investment invested a total of US$1.2 million in Facebook.

The two female bosses were so generous that they shocked countless big names in the venture capital circle, and this was not their only achievement.

So despite the fact that Xiangjiang Lao Litou seems to be wilting on the surface, in fact he is making a fortune in silence.

Behind countless giant companies, the old Li family has invested and held shares, and their influence and wealth are simply not something ordinary people can know.

No matter how old or young you are, they are all younger brothers.

After listening to Zuckerberg's statement, as the person in charge of Victoria Harbor Investment, Zhang Weiwei naturally wanted to understand Facebook's specific plans.

Otherwise, the investment of US$1.2 million is still hot, and there is no reason why it would be discounted for no reason in an instant.

Zuckerberg paused and then explained with a wry smile: "The plan is very simple. I want enough money to acquire Twitter."

"Shit, what are you thinking about? That's impossible!"

Someone finally got impatient and started yelling curse words without saving face for Xiao Zha.

After all, Twitter is now at its peak, and its founders and investors are not fools, so how could they agree to your acquisition?

Zuckerberg shook his head and continued to explain: "Don't worry, I haven't finished speaking yet.

Of course I know it's impossible to acquire Twitter, but I might as well give it a try. If it succeeds, everyone will be happy.

After all, it is a financial crisis now, and no company has difficulty raising funds.

Even if the other party doesn't agree, it doesn't matter. What I really intend to acquire is not Twitter, but Zynga.

Haven't you noticed that I didn't call Mark Pincus here today?

If we can win over this guy's company, we can unilaterally stop cooperation with Twitter and transfer the services of "Farmville" and "Plants vs. Zombies" to the Facebook website.

In that case, wouldn't our crisis be easily solved?

As long as this plan can be realized, I am willing to do whatever it takes, and I hope you can understand my painstaking efforts. Everything is for Facebook to win this war. "

Xiao Zha spoke earnestly about his decision, because he had no way out.

(End of this chapter)