Professional networking site LinkedIn raised $53 million in fourth round funding yesterday from Bain Capital Ventures and other existing investors. The latest round values the Mountain View, California-based company at over $1 billion, claims its CEO Dan Nye. Read the Reuters report. That is still a long way from the $15 billion Facebook was valued at last year when Microsoft invested $240 million in the social networking startup. But it’s okay. I’m sure the LinkedIn guys aren’t complaining. Check out the company’s blog and the video interview with the new investors. And does anyone have stats on LinkedIn’s member base in India? While you’re at it, send along the numbers for Facebook as well.
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The discrepancy between FB and LI valuations is quite interesting. Are the valuations inadvertent reflections of the intuitive belief we have in the ‘loose ties’ effect in networks?