What Apple could do with its 100+ Billion

Dollars

By Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal

The facts

• Apple has 100+ US$ Billion (approx. Rs.500,000 Crores) cash, sitting in its treasury, comprising its retained profits.

• Apple is further adding approx 1 US$ Billion (approx. Rs. 5000 Crores) a week to its cash pile since Dec 2011 as retained profits.

Apple proposes

To dividend out and buy back 45 Billion US$ worth of cash and stock from its treasury over the next 3 years.

My question is

Can Apple do better than this?

I propose : iVC!

From its 100+ Billion US$ treasure chest, Apple starts a Venture Capital Fund called ‘iVC’ with a 1 Billion US$ corpus.

Why iVC would work

• Apple excels in design, material sciences, logistics, manufacturing, supply chain management, store designs, software, hardware, communications, etc, etc, etc.

• Is there anything that Apple does not do well?

• Apple INSPIRES entrepreneurs. Very few VCs do!

Why iVC is a win-win for Apple

• In the next 3 years, net of payouts, Apple will have approx. 150+ Billion US$ in its banks. So 1 Billion US$ won’t be missed**assuming that it loses the entire 1 Billion US$!.

• When investments are made without ‘expectations’, they usually perform the best****wisdom gathered from the ages.

There will be enormous Entrepreneur ‘pull’ for iVC

• Ask any Entrepreneur:

- If she would ‘like’ to get funded by Apple?

- I guess you know the answer!!!

• This ‘entrepreneur fervor’ will guarantee ‘deal flow’ into iVc!!

A Billion US$ could...

• Could mean 1000 Companies, each getting 1 Million Dollars startup capital!

• The balance cash for the startups could come from the 1000s of VCs who will line up* to invest in these Companies *like the line we see outside Apple stores when a new iPad is released.

• Apple could probably single-handedly create another 1000 Apples of the future!

A small issue - an elegant solution?

• 65% of Apple’s current 100 Billion US$ are held overseas. This money is not being brought back into the USA for tax efficiency purposes.

• Imagine if ‘iVC’ could be started up in say the 50 countries that matter most to Apple! That would do lots of justice to the locked money held there, and inspire local entrepreneurs!

Long term patience = Investment ethos

• Who can teach Apple the value of patience and building a Company for the long run?

• That ‘waiting philosophy’ could work wonders in supporting these invested entrepreneurs who need to take their time to grow their awesome Companies.

Funding Pitch

Could just be “Would Steve build this?”

Operating Role

• Depending on the Entrepreneur's perspective, iVC could play an active or inactive role in operations.

• The Apple Company could provide instant testing grounds for so many new ideas (without the entrepreneur’s fear of being cheated or compromised)!

It’s all about Karma

• Steve Jobs created a legacy and a bank of Karma that has its share of positive and negative hues.

• iVC would liberate Apple and Steve Jobs forever.

• This would be true Nirvana for Apple and Steve Jobs!

The Me-Slide!

I can easily be reached!

e-mail - alok@rodinhood.com

FB - facebook.com/rodinhood

Twitter - @rodinhood

Blog - rodinhood.com

Personal Social Network -

therodinhoods.com

Thank You!