Agilent To Give Boost To Startups

Money is nice, but it's the least of what Agilent Technologiessays it will offer to companies backed by its new investment unit. The electronics testing and manufacturing company has set up Agilent Ventures to invest in early-stage optical, wireless communications, and life-sciences startups.

Agilent Ventures will shell out up to $100 million annually, with entrepreneurs getting anywhere from $2 million to $10 million each.

Maximilian Schroeck, the unit's managing director, says the money is just the icing on the cake. In addition to providing access to all of Agilent's technological resources and building joint-development partnerships with the startups, Schroeck says he plans to tap Agilent's own arsenal of venture-capital contacts to help get financial support for the companies down the line. Of course, the investments also give Agilent access to innovations early in the game.