Venture Capital Firms

Run Windows on Your Mac: Parallels is Like Having a Computer in Your Computer

Parallels is a unique software company that creates software which allows you to run non Apple operating systems on your Mac computer. Any of the Parallels Desktop programs, the most recent being Desktop 3.0 and 4.0, make running a foreign operating system for a PC on your Mac simultaneously with the Mac OS X system. How does this work? It is very simple and user friendly. Parallels Desktop product line is basically a “virtual machine” which is a computer within a computer. Apple does have a far superior operating system and computer compared to the average PC, however, many Mac users run into a problem when they need a particular application that is only compatible with Windows. Here is where Parallels’ product comes in handy. As Parallels builds your virutal PC, you have several options to install Windows, Unix, Linux, or DOS. Windows in general is a very user unfriendly program to install on a regular PC, however, on a Mac with Parallels Desktop 4.0, the installation of Windows XP or Vista is so simple that even a child can do it. The Windows Express feature in Parallels Desktop is the easiest installation tool for Windows, which allows you to easily install Windows XP or Vista. These are the only two Windows systems that can be installed on your virtual machine using the Windows Express feature. For Windows 98, 95, 3.11, etc., the general installation method needs to be used in the virtual machine.

Windows Express is very easy. All you need to do with Windows Express is insert the Windows XP or Vista CD into your Mac’s CD/DVD ROM and let Windows Express do the work. Windows Express will prompt you to type in the Windows XP or Vista license key. After you do that, just sit back and let Windows Express do all the work. It’s like having a Windows technician inside your Mac working on your virtual computer. After Windows Express is done installing Windows on your virtual computer, you can then go onto your virtual machine and install Windows-compatible software on your virtual machine just as you would on a real PC. Furthermore, when you are finished with using Windows on your virtual machine you go to the Windows start button and go to “Turn off my computer” like in any other PC, but this will only turn off your virtual machine and not your Mac. Once Windows shuts down, your virtual machine will also close, like any other program on your Apple system.

Because Windows is prone to viruses, you do need to get an anti-virus program, like on a real PC, which Parallels also supplies. The only difference is that if a virus affects your virtual machine, the virus will only affect the Windows on your computer, not the Apple Mac OS X system.

Parallels has a great market with its Parallels Desktop line. With the advent of new Apple gadgets, such as the iPod, iPod Touch, and the iPhone, the Mac has been rediscovered and the need for Windows and Mac OS X integration is increasingly becoming more prevalent. In fact, the best thing for Parallels is that virtual machine software, like what Parallels provides, is growing in more popularity in the business world. Many people have a Mac, but at work they need software that is Windows compatible only – Parallels solves that problem with its virtual machine. Parallels products are also being used on the go in Mac Book and Mac Book Pro laptops for traveling business people.

Other Parallels products include the Parallels Work Station, which is for Windows and Linux machines and allows you to use both systems on one machine. This program can run up to five networks in the virtual machine.

Another program developed by Parallels is the Parallels Operations Automation. This program allows the user to increase user revenue, decrease operation costs, and shorten marketing time. This is a must have for server owners.

Parallels great technology has also won the company many awards. In 2006, Norway’s prominent computer magazine raved that Parallels Desktop program is great for Mac users, who can now run Windows on their Macs and calls the Parallels Desktop the product of the month.

In 2007, Parallels Virtuozzo won a prize in the Product Excellence Award because of the easy interface on these programs.

In January 2009, Parallels launched its Desktop 4.0.

Parallels was founded in 1999 with 900 employees and offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. Parallels has three people on its management team and they are Serguei Beslussov, CEO and chairman; Jack Zubarev, President; and Peter Bauert, COO. The company has seven people.

Mr. Boloussov is a driven entrepreneur with great success. Mr. Boloussov has 15 years of experience in creating startups, not only in the United States but in Europe and Asia as well. Mr. Boloussov graduated with honors from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology with a BS in Physics, an MS in Electrical Engineering, and a PhD in Computer Science.

Jack Zubarev is a cofounder of Parallels as well as the company’s current president and played a major role in building the company since its founding in 1999. Mr. Zubarev graduated from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology with a degree in Physics and Technology and Mathematics and then earned an MBA from the University of San Francisco.

Peter Bauert handles all the major administrative duties of Parallels, including finances, etc. Before coming to Parallels, Mr. Bauert held management positions at Sales Driver, which is now sold to Carlson. There he served as the company’s CFO and also worked at Cybergold as the Corporate Vice President. Mr. Bauert graduated from the University of Central Florida and Dartmouth College.

Investors of Parallels include Intel Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Insight Venture Partners.

Intel Capital is the vc arm of Intel and looks for entrepreneurs who have innovative technologies and good promise for generating high revenue. Other companies in Intel Capital’s portfolio include 3Leaf Systems, Inc., Adaptive Mobile, Adsit Media, and others.

With $1 billion under its management, Bessemer Venture Partners is a vc firm with long standing and has strong reputation throughout the United States. Some companies in BVP’s portfolio include Dayak, Goal.com, Goodmail, CPower, Diapers.com, and others.

Insight Venture Partners holds about $1.5 billion under its management and invests in innovative entrepreneurs in the software development industry. The company is based in New York and has a global base in the e-commerce industry. Some other companies in Insight’s portfolio include Acorn Systems, Arugs Software, ECI, Enigma, Automated QA, and others.

Parallels has one competitor, Nolio, which is based in Israel and employs 25 people. Nolio is a privately owned LLC with three people on its management team. Nolio has a line of products similar to the products of Parallels and one of Nolio’s best products is the Central Application Management, which simplifies the management of SaaS applications.

For more information of Parallels, click here.

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