Highest Valued Venture Financing Ever?

Microsoft in talks to buy 5% of Facebook for $500M; $10B valuation.

There are only a handful of companies in Venturesource to have ever recieved a private round valuing them at higher than $1B post.

Here they are:    
1  Chorum Technologies Richardson, TX Communications & Networks: Fiberoptic Equipment & Photonics Out of Business
2  CoSine Communications Redwood City, CA Communications & Networks: Connectivity Products Publicly-held
3  Internet Brands El Segundo, CA Media/Content/Info.: Media, Content & Information  In IPO Registration
4  Tellium Oceanport, NJ Communications & Networks: Fiberoptic Equipment & Photonics Publicly-held
5  TradeOut.com Valhalla, NY Cons/Bus Services: Business Services (Not Financial) Out of Business
6  Zhone Technologies Oakland, CA Communications & Networks: Connectivity Products Acquired/Merged

I know Venturesource has mistakes, they are missing Procket Networks for example.  It's also funny to note, the two of these 6 companies are now out of business.  They did their rounds in early 2000.

Nonetheless, $10B is higher than any of the valuations these guys had.  This may mean that the facebook deal may be the highest valued venture deal of all time...

Comments

[Devrim Demirel]

Hi Baris,

Let's assume Facebook is completely sold at this valuation, and its owner decides to invest some $200k slices to web or other business startups. This evaluation, acquistion and decision would make it possible for Zuckerberg to invest in 50.000 businesses.

Just wondering your comments on this assumption: how would this effect the world of innovation?