LinkedIn - Very Likely to Start the Road to IPO | WaiBo 2.0

The Web2.0 bubble is forming, though it is much more cautious than the first Internet bubble. So which companies are actually making money now? - LinkedIn, a network based on social business services, is one of the answers.

"LinkedIn is a social networking site specifically designed for professionals. It has a good reputation in the business world. Company bosses can recruit employees through this site, while employees can use it to connect with others in their industry. Users can search and contact employees working at the same company or alumni from the same business school, thus expanding their personal networks. The site now has over ten million users. There are also corporate members, including all of the Global 500 companies." — Excerpt from: Sohu IT Channel

Similarly, questions about future development have repeatedly been put before LinkedIn. In a recent Newsweek interview, LinkedIn CEO Dan Nye did not deny the possibility of going public; in fact, he said it was "very likely." Dan said, "We are committed to building a company that can change the world. We believe we can do this best independently. We have strong advantages because our current profits are sufficient to support our growth." LinkedIn's profits may increase by 300% in 2007.

Perhaps pessimists still have lingering fears about the Internet bubble at the end of the last century, but this company, built on a solid foundation of rapid growth and huge profits, is worth paying attention to. Its revenue comes from real customer payments, rather than relying on advertising fees, which distinguishes it from about 95% of other online companies. In this world where everyone is using things for free, LinkedIn has a good product, so people will be willing to pay what is needed. When those companies that constantly burn money or have no other business model besides selling ads announce their IPOs, that's when we should really start worrying.