Tuesday, October 7, 2008

TA Associates completes $60M e-Rewards funding

By Mass High Tech Staff

Global private equity firm TA Associates has closed a $60 million minority investment in invitation-only online research panel provider e-Rewards Inc.

E-Rewards offers opinion panels, where participants can earn rewards from partner companies, while companies get feedback on effective marketing and brand loyalty techniques. Thus far, panelists can earn e-rewards from such companies as Continental Airlines, Borders, Air France KLM, Macy’s, Northwest Airlines, US Airways and Hilton.

Online research surveys have grown because of the fewer phone, in-person and direct mail survey methods, according to Harry D. Taylor, principal at TA Associates.

Dallas-based E-Rewards was founded in 1999 and today has 300 employees in offices in Dallas, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Seattle.

Boston-based TA Associates, founded in 1968, is a private equity and buyout firm that operates offices in Boston, London and Menlo Park, Calif. The firm has a $12 billion capital management budget, with investments in more than 380 companies. TA Associates focuses on growth and buyouts in the technology, health care, business, consumer and financial services sectors.

TA Associates has invested in more than 60 software companies, including BMC Software Inc. (NYSE: BMC), Cadence Design Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CDN) and McAfee Inc. (NYSE: MFE).