SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--While in the line for the coffee urn at PC Forum, I overheard a young CEO talking about his company.
Apparently, after it became known that Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers was interested in investing in the outfit, another venture capital firm, the chief executive said, chartered a private jet to come visit the company to get in on the funding round. "A private jet," he repeated.
The 1990s are back, or at least a shade of them, if you judge by the chatter at the conference here. (PC Forum is owned by CNET Networks, publisher of News.com.)
Two years ago, two young guys with an idea could have more easily raised funds by standing on a bucket and pretending to be robots. Now, investors will fly across the country to discuss doling out cash on the strength of a hunch.
Cat