“Dell Computer has joined the group of big-name computing
companies that have taken an equity investment in Linux distributor
Red Hat, but it won’t likely be the last.”
“It’s the first time Dell has invested in a private firm, said a
Dell spokesman, though he declined to reveal the monetary value of
the investment.”
“This is also the first investment from Direct Invest, a
recently formed private investment division at Dell. Headed up by
former Dell treasurer Alex Smith, Direct Invest will work with
venture capital firms to seek out private investments, said another
Dell spokesman. Initially, Direct Invest will focus on
opportunities in electronic commerce and storage technology, among
other areas.”