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Falcon Partners, LLC is a Seattle based private investment firm specializing in venture capital opportunities, with particular focus on the Internet, e-commerce and information technology markets. Founded by Michael J. Riccio, Jr, a successful private investor, entrepreneur and corporate advisor, Falcon Partners seeks to provide capital, management expertise, and strategic advisory services to emerging growth companies. The principals of Falcon Partners actively collaborate with portfolio companies as investors, board members and advisors and help to position these companies for success by defining strategy, making introductions to potential strategic partners and sources of later stage capital and structuring complex business alliances. The principals of Falcon Partners have considerable expertise in mergers and acquisitions, business development and sales, and fundraising activities.
The Firm's current investments include: Augmenix, Inc., Linqware, Inc., Marchex, Inc., NextPlane, Inc. and Verdiem Corp.
Prior to founding the Firm, Mr. Riccio served as Chief Operating Officer of Go2Net, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNET) until its acquisition by Infospace, Inc. (Nasdaq: INSP). As COO and a member of Go2Net's Board of Directors, Mr. Riccio had overall responsibility for Go2Net's strategic initiatives, including business development, corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, strategic investments and international business strategy. Mr. Riccio also led Go2Net's corporate venture group which co-invested with Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures in several Internet and e-commerce companies, including AskMe, Inc., Commtouch Software, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CTCH), Click2Learn, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLKS), FindWhat, Inc. (Nasdaq: FWHT) and National Discount Brokers, Inc. (acquired by Deutsche Bank).
After Go2Net's sale to Infospace, Mr. Riccio became Executive Vice President of Infospace, Inc. (Nasdaq: INSP), where he had overall responsibility for Infospace's Broadband Division focused on developing broadband services and applications for PC, TV and 2.5/3G wireless platforms. Mr. Riccio was instrumental in the development and launch of the first interactive TV service offered by Bloomberg Television and the execution of a number of strategic alliances with such companies as Microsoft, Verizon, Liberate and OpenTV.
Prior to joining Go2Net, Mr. Riccio was a corporate partner at Hutchins, Wheeler & Dittmar, a Boston based law firm where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions, private equity and corporate finance. Mr. Riccio served as principal outside counsel to Lycos, Inc. from the time of the company's founding in 1995. In this capacity, he worked closely with Lycos' senior management on its initial public offering and on many subsequent strategic transactions. Mr. Riccio also served as counsel to a number of private equity firms including CMG@Ventures, Highland Capital Partners, Summit Partners and Thomas H. Lee Equity Partners.
Mr. Riccio served as a founding partner of Xanthus Capital, L.P., a Seattle based investment firm focused on investments in emerging growth businessess, and managing partner of Vencor & Co., a Boston based investment firm focused on investing in Internet and e-commerce enterprises. He also served as interim Chief Executive Officer of Farecast, Inc., a developer of predictive pricing solutions for the travel industry acquired by Microsoft in 2008. Mr. Riccio began his career as an associate in the corporate department of Willkie, Farr & Gallagher in New York.
Mr. Riccio currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of NextPlane, Inc. His previous Board positions include Go2Net, Inc., National Healing Corp., Others Online, Inc. and Verdiem Corp.
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