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January 17, 2002 — (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — Sphera Corporation (sphera.com), a developer of Web hosting
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automation and management software, announced today that it has raised an
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additional $5 million in the subsequent closing of its second round
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financing.
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This investment from Vision Capital and Bank of America Equity Partners
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brings the total raised in Sphera’s second round to $20 million, with the
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initial $15 million led by TLcom Capital Partners and Jerusalem Venture
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Partners with participation from Gemini Israel Funds.
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Hostingdirector, Sphera’s flagship product, automates Web hosting management
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for ISPs, IDCs and Web hosting providers. By automating Web hosting
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functions, Hostingdirector streamlines operations and reduces costs and
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enables end-customers to self-provision a range of Web, database and
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e-commerce applications.
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“Sphera’s technology addresses the growing need of the Web hosting industry
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for an automation platform that provides for both operational efficiency and
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increased revenue opportunities,” said Sven Lingjaerde, general partner,
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Vision Capital. “We believe in this market and in the way Sphera’s
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technology is positioned as the segment leader.” Lingjaerde will join
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Sphera’s board of directors.
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“Closing this additional $5 million given present capital market conditions
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from such leading American financial institutions as Vision Capital and Bank
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of America Equity Partners is a vote of confidence for Sphera’s Web hosting
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automation and management solution,” said Tamar Naor, Sphera’s CEO. “This
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funding, coupled with key account wins and strategic partnerships mark a
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strong start for Sphera in 2002.”
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Sphera recently announced strategic partnerships with IBM, to market
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Hostingdirector as part of IBM’s Blue Velocity program and with Microsoft in
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the co-development of Hostingdirector’s Windows 2000 version with the
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Microsoft Technology Center. Numerous hosting providers have joined Sphera’s
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client list including ISE and Interdominios in Europe, Jumpline and Via
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Networks in the US and IIJ in Japan.
