Leading hardware companies detail expensive plans to woo start-ups

Compaq, HP, Sun and IBM will spend heavily to partner with promising Internet firms.

CNET News staff

Jan. 2, 2002 4:43 p.m. PT

latest developments

Feeling a new urgency to forge links with Internet firms before they hit the big time, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Sun and IBM all have unveiled costly plans recently to ally themselves with start-ups. Observers say the change marks a significant shift of power in the technology industry.

"They really have turned into technology venture capitalists."

- Giga Information Group analyst Brad Day

Hardware giants must compete for start-up partners
news analysis Hardware manufacturers IBM, Compaq, Sun Microsystems and Hewlett-Packard are setting aside colossal sums to attract start-ups and Internet companies.

Compaq unit zooms in on service providers-
Q&A In an interview with CNET News.com, Compaq Financial Services chief executive Irv Rothman says he sees a boon in the service provider market.

Compaq, HP, IBM vie for e-commerce niche
update The big server hardware makers are planning similar services: bankrolling start-ups and e-commerce firms through a combination of discounted products, product financing and joint-marketing help.

Hewlett-Packard spends big to woo start-ups
Less than two weeks after Sun announced a $300 million program to woo Internet start-ups, rival Hewlett-Packard has its own plan--and five times the funding