Monday, October 3, 2011

EMC said to be buying database startup Zettapoint

By James M. Connolly

Information technology infrastructure company EMC Corp. of Hopkinton (NYSE: EMC) is acquiring database optimization company Zettapoint Inc. of Concord and Or Yehuda, Israel, for about $10 million, according to a media report.

Israeli news website Globes reported that EMC would not detail the amount paid for the 15-person Zettapoint, which was founded in 2008, but said that sources place the price at $10 million.

An EMC spokesperson said in an email, "EMC has acquired some of the assets of Zettapoint and has hired some of its employees. This is another example of EMC’s ongoing approach to investing in or acquiring interesting technologies."

Zettapoint says that its software helps corporations optimize the performance and storage requirements of Oracle Corp. databases. The company said it is backed by JVP Studio, the seed-stage division of Jerusalem Venture Partners.

Zettapoint is led by CEO Steve Campbell, who worked in former Westborough minicomputer maker Data General Corp.’s manufacturing operations, and was an early employee with former engineering workstation maker Apollo Computers Inc. of Chelmsford. He joined Hewlett-Packard Co. through HP’s acquisition of Apollo, and later served with Scitex and Precise Software Solutions, and worked in investing and management consulting.