NetManage

In 1990, before the internet was a household utility, Israeli engineer Zvi Alon founded NetManage in Cupertino, California. The company tackled a fundamental problem of the time: getting Windows PCs to connect to the internet. Its core product was a TCP/IP stack, a crucial piece of software that Windows 3.1 lacked, making NetManage one of the first and essential providers of internet connectivity and networking software. The company went public via an IPO on September 21, 1993, and its products, like the Chameleon software suite, became vital for many of the Fortune 500 companies. This early success positioned NetManage as a high-growth leader, and by 1995, its revenues had soared. However, the landscape shifted dramatically when Microsoft released Windows 95, which included its own native TCP/IP support, rendering NetManage's primary product obsolete overnight. Facing this existential threat, NetManage pivoted. The company leveraged its expertise and capital to acquire numerous companies, shifting its focus to enterprise solutions. It developed and acquired products like RUMBA and OnWeb, which helped large corporations connect to legacy mainframe systems and modernize their old applications for the web. This strategy allowed the company to navigate the post-dot-com bust years. In June 2008, NetManage was acquired by the British software company Micro Focus International for approximately $73.3 million, marking the end of its journey as an independent pioneer of the early internet era.