托尼?法德?tīng)枺何覟槭裁匆袾est賣(mài)給谷歌
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????Nest Labs是硅谷炙手可熱的新創(chuàng)企業(yè)，融合了蘋(píng)果的設(shè)計(jì)風(fēng)格和互聯(lián)網(wǎng)產(chǎn)品理念，而且還低碳。之前普遍認(rèn)為這家公司將在2014年或2015年上市，并有報(bào)道稱(chēng)Nest正在籌集1.5億美元的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)投資，其估值約為20億美元。本周三的消息打破了人們?cè)鹊牟聹y(cè)，Nest已經(jīng)和股東之一谷歌達(dá)成協(xié)議——后者將以32億美元現(xiàn)金收購(gòu)前者全部資產(chǎn)。 ????Nest為什么要賣(mài)？這對(duì)其的未來(lái)有有何影響？在收購(gòu)消息宣布后，《財(cái)富》編輯馬上對(duì)Nest的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人兼首席執(zhí)行官托尼?法德?tīng)栠M(jìn)行了專(zhuān)訪(fǎng)。以下為部分節(jié)選： ????《財(cái)富》：你為什么會(huì)選擇把公司賣(mài)掉？ ????法德?tīng)枺捍蠖鄶?shù)公司有兩種出路：要么獨(dú)立發(fā)展，要么聯(lián)合其他公司的力量，被吸納到一起。谷歌的收購(gòu)為我們勾繪出了一個(gè)充滿(mǎn)希冀的未來(lái)前景：收購(gòu)后我們可以享有大公司的全部資源，同時(shí)保有Nest未來(lái)的獨(dú)立性。 ????這就是打動(dòng)了Nest管理團(tuán)隊(duì)的點(diǎn)。我們中的大多數(shù)都曾在大公司任職過(guò)，明白大公司的規(guī)模有助于在全球開(kāi)展生意。對(duì)我們來(lái)說(shuō)，與其費(fèi)時(shí)費(fèi)力地搞區(qū)別不大的基礎(chǔ)建設(shè)，遠(yuǎn)不如專(zhuān)注于產(chǎn)品和服務(wù)上，產(chǎn)品和服務(wù)正是我們所最為擅長(zhǎng)的。這樣我們能加速發(fā)展。在面對(duì)接下來(lái)被我們稱(chēng)為“智能家居”的產(chǎn)品浪潮之時(shí)，可以一直站在前列。 ????你是什么時(shí)候開(kāi)始和谷歌接觸進(jìn)行洽談的？ ????我們開(kāi)始接觸是在2011年2月，一次極其偶然的機(jī)會(huì)讓我們遇見(jiàn)謝爾蓋（谷歌聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人之一——譯注）。從那以后，Nest和谷歌一直保持緊密聯(lián)系，相互學(xué)習(xí)。雙方第一次正式建立關(guān)系是谷歌風(fēng)投參與了Nest的B輪融資，之后他們又進(jìn)行了一輪投資。這是一次愉快而充滿(mǎn)驚喜的合作。 ????去年夏天，當(dāng)我們正在計(jì)劃發(fā)展更多技術(shù)合作伙伴一類(lèi)關(guān)系的時(shí)候，谷歌方面詢(xún)問(wèn)我們它還可以做些什么。我們當(dāng)時(shí)擱置了這一問(wèn)題，因?yàn)槟菚?huì)兒公司正在忙于新產(chǎn)品Nest Protect的發(fā)貨。 但當(dāng)我們尋求新一輪的投資時(shí)，谷歌開(kāi)始提出它的收購(gòu)計(jì)劃。我們所有的選擇都擺在眼前，但最終決定和錢(qián)沒(méi)有關(guān)系。其他投資者們提出來(lái)的基本上都是空頭支票。我們這么做是考慮到了公司規(guī)模，以及依賴(lài)谷歌的實(shí)力我們可以更快地推出二代產(chǎn)品。 ????當(dāng)谷歌提出它的收購(gòu)計(jì)劃時(shí)，你是否試圖聯(lián)絡(luò)過(guò)其他有意向的收購(gòu)者？ ????我們的目標(biāo)是擴(kuò)展視野。有多少家公司有這個(gè)實(shí)力呢？我是要給自己搬個(gè)新家，而不是賣(mài)掉舊車(chē)。 ????好吧，讓我們說(shuō)的更具體些：你是否嘗試過(guò)和蘋(píng)果公司達(dá)成交易？ ????這個(gè)問(wèn)題恕我不便討論。 ????你覺(jué)得蘋(píng)果公司還會(huì)在它的網(wǎng)上商店銷(xiāo)售Nest的產(chǎn)品嗎？ ????我們擁有十分熱情且忠誠(chéng)的iOS用戶(hù)和安卓用戶(hù)。我們并不會(huì)像蘋(píng)果和谷歌那樣進(jìn)行競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。將我們從蘋(píng)果零售店中移除、減少iOS客戶(hù)的選擇，這是蘋(píng)果的權(quán)利，對(duì)我們來(lái)說(shuō)沒(méi)有意義。我們十分珍惜自己和蘋(píng)果的關(guān)系，就在今天我還收到了許多身在庫(kù)比蒂諾（蘋(píng)果總部所在地）的蘋(píng)果員工們的祝福信息。 ????對(duì)你來(lái)說(shuō)，谷歌具備如摩托羅拉、谷歌眼鏡等硬件專(zhuān)長(zhǎng)這一點(diǎn)有多重要？ ????這一點(diǎn)很重要，但不僅是關(guān)于硬件，還有軟件、服務(wù)等其他方面。Nest也不僅是三者之一，我們會(huì)在硬件、軟件、服務(wù)這三個(gè)方面綜合發(fā)展。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)） ????譯者：王曉彤?? |
????FORTUNE -- Nest Labs is on of the hottest companies in Silicon Valley, combining the Internet-of-things with Apple-style design and an ability to reduce carbon consumption. It was widely believed to be an IPO candidate for either 2014 or 2015, with reports that it was in talks to raise another $150 million in venture capital at around a $2 billion valuation. ????Until today, when the company agreed to be acquired by Google (GOOG) -- an existing shareholder in the company -- for $3.2 billion in cash. ????So why sell? And what does it mean for Nest's future? What follows is an edited transcript of an interview with Nest co-founder and CEO Tony Fadell, conducted shortly after the announcement: ????Fortune: Why did you choose to sell the company? ????Fadell: Most companies have 2 paths: They either can stay independent or they can join forces with another company and get absorbed into it. Google made a very strong pitch for how we could have all the resources of a large company while retaining the independence of a next-generation Nest. ????That's what sold the management team at the end of the day. Most of us have been inside of a large company before and understand what large company scale applied directly can do to help create a world-class business. For us to spend more time building non-differentiated infrastructure rather than focus on products and services -- which is what we do best -- doesn't make sense. This allows us to accelerate and stay in front of the coming wave of products for what we like to call the conscious home. ????When did you first start talking to Google? ????Well, we started in February 2011 when we met Sergey on an off-chance, and the company since then has been very keen about learning more and working together. The first formal relationship was when Google Ventures made its first investment in our Series B round, and then made its second investment -- which we were very, and pleasantly, surprised by. ????Then last summer when we were planning more tech partnership-type relationships, Google asked how it could do more. We put them on hold for a while because we had to ship our next product, the Nest Protect, but when we began entertaining our next round of funding Google started presenting its case for an acquisition. All of our options were on the table and, at the end of the day, it wasn't about the money. Investors were basically offering us blank checks. It was about the scale and being able to realize the second generation quicker. ????Once Google made its pitch, did you reach out to other potential acquirers? ????Our goal was about accelerating our vision, and how many companies are really in position to do that? I'm going to a new home, not selling a used car. ????Okay, more specifically: Did you discuss a possible deal with Apple (AAPL)? ????I'm not at liberty to discuss that. ????Do you believe Apple will continue to sell Nest products in its stores? ????We have incredibly passionate iOS users and incredibly passionate Android users. We don't compete with what Apple or Google does, so while to reduce choice to users by removing us from Apple retail stores would be their perogative, it doesn't make sense to me. We very much value our Apple relationship, and today I've gotten a lot of nice notes from people in Cupertino. ????How important to you was it that Google now has hardware expertise, from Motorola to Glass? ????It's important, but it's not just hardware. It's hardware, software and services... Nest isn't just bringing one of those three things, we're bringing all three of those. |
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