Tradex Technologies Inc.
IndustryB2B e-commerce
Founded1996; 28 years ago (1996)
FounderDaniel Aegerter
DefunctMarch 8, 2000; 23 years ago (2000-03-08)
FateAcquired by SAP Ariba
HeadquartersTampa

Tradex Technologies Inc. was a developer of Java-based B2B e-commerce software. It primarily operated in the industries of financial services, telecommunications, plastics, and foodservice. It offered a platform for vertical trading hubs, another for large enterprises, and a third for the distributor channel segment. The software used JavaBeans technology.

At the peak of the dot-com bubble in March 2000, SAP Ariba acquired Tradex for 19 million shares of Ariba stock, then worth $5.6 billion.[1]

The company received 60% of revenue from licensing its software, 30% from support services, and 10% from transaction fees. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone was the largest customer of the company and VerticalNet was also a customer.[2]

History

The company was founded by Daniel Aegerter as an Internet-based system for automating the purchase of computer peripherals for electronic publishing, which were distributed by his company, Dynabit.[2]

At first, in 1996, Tradex offered a wholesale marketplace for computer equipment, with 40 vendors offering 15,000 products.[3] In 1999, the company had 180 employees and 480 customers.[4]

In 1996, it received an award from the Gartner Group and InformationWeek as the best Internet B2B e-commerce solution.[5]

Revenues in 1998 were estimated to be less than $5 million.[6]

By September 1999, the company had raised $28 million from investors including Internet Capital Group, Sigma Partners, Apex Investment Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, First Analysis Corporation, Imlay Investments, and United Parcel Service.[6][2]

In 1999, it was negotiation a headquarters move to Atlanta. It also had offices in Boston, Dallas, Tampa, San Francisco, Washington D.C., London and Tokyo.[6]

In December 1999, Ariba announced the acquisition of Tradex for stock then valued at $1.86 billion.[4][7][8][9][10][11][12]

In January 2000, the company reached a reselling agreement with JD Edwards.[13]

On March 8, 2000, at the height of the dot com bubble, Ariba completed the acquisition.[1] Ariba shares had tripled since the announcement of the acquisition 4 months earlier and Tradex was therefore valued at $5.6 billion, making Daniel Aegerter a billionaire on paper.

References

  1. ^ a b "Ariba completes acquisition of Tradex; Enhances B2B eCommerce platform with addition of industry-leading marketplace solution; extends expertise in delivering B2B eCommerce solutions with addition of over 250 'marketplace specialists" (Press release). M2 Communications. March 2000.
  2. ^ a b c Moran, Susan (September 1999). "The Enabler". Business 2.0.
  3. ^ Quelch, John A. (July 2007). Readings in Modern Marketing. The Chinese University Press. ISBN 9789629962401.
  4. ^ a b "Ariba to expand Net market role with Tradex". CNET. January 2, 2002.
  5. ^ "TRADE'ex Announces 100% Pure Java Certification for Distributor & Market Maker" (Press release). Business Wire. July 23, 1997.
  6. ^ a b c Hubbard, Caroline (August 30, 1999). "Net firm trades Tampa for Atlanta". American City Business Journals.
  7. ^ "Ariba buys Tradex for $1.9B". CNNMoney. December 16, 1999.
  8. ^ "Ariba to Buy Tradex for $1.97 Billion". Los Angeles Times. Bloomberg News. December 17, 1999.
  9. ^ "Ariba FORM 8-K". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. December 16, 1999.
  10. ^ "Ariba buys Tradex for $1.86 billion". ZDNet. December 16, 1999.
  11. ^ "ARIBA BUYS COMPETITOR TRADEX". Advertising Age. December 16, 1999.
  12. ^ "Ariba, Tradex Deal Joins Internet Commerce Firms". Dow Jones & Company. December 16, 1999.
  13. ^ Grygo, Eugene (January 6, 2000). "J.D. Edwards Strikes Deal with Tradex". Computerworld.
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