Comparison of the entrepreneurial journey made by Skype and Groupon Essay

Comparison of the entrepreneurial journey made by Skype and Groupon - Essay Example Microsoft Corporation most recently acquired the company in 2011. It has operated as their wholly owned subsidiary system since then. However, the licensing and operations of the software continue to be provided by Skype Technologies (Markovich and Krieger, 2010). The company is a limited liability company. Skype was originally developed to offer voice over IP services (VOIP) from the first release in 2003. This provided users a means to make calls over the internet, computer to computer or from computer to telephone at reduced call rates. The company also offers services such as calling landline/mobile phones to and from Skype by offering a Skype Number to their users. The services offered are the main source of Skype’s revenue. Groupon is a globally known e-commerce marketplace, which connects millions of their subscribers with local merchants. This is done by offering a range of business activities, travel opportunities, sales of goods and services in more than 47 countries. The company was launched in November 2008 in Chicago. By October 2010, the company had over 35 million users (registered). Andrew Mason created the original idea behind Groupon. Groupon, Inc. is the world’s largest online coupon provider currently. Both companies have received numerous takeover offers but not all have responded the same.