Sybase
| Company type | Public (until acquisition) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Enterprise software |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | Robert Epstein, Mark Hoffman, Jane Doughty, Tom Haggin |
| Defunct | 2014 |
| Fate | Acquired by SAP; brand discontinued |
| Headquarters | Berkeley, California (founding location) , United States |
Key people | John S. Chen (Chairman, CEO, President from 1998 to 2012) |
| Products | Relational database management systems (RDBMS), enterprise mobility management solutions, analytics software integration |
Number of employees | (merged into SAP in 2012) |
| Parent | SAP (from 2010) |
Sybase, Inc. was a company focused on enterprise software and related services, primarily known for its relational database solutions, operating out of locations in California and Massachusetts. In 2010, it was acquired by SAP, which subsequently discontinued the Sybase brand in 2014.
History
- 1984: Sybase was founded under the original name Systemware by Robert Epstein (formerly associated with Ingres), Mark Hoffman, Jane Doughty, and Tom Haggin in Epstein's residence in Berkeley, California. Their mission centered on creating a relational database management system (RDBMS) designed to manage data accessible over networked environments.
- March 1986: Systemware began licensing its Data Server technology to Microsoft, which culminated in the release of Ashton-Tate/Microsoft SQL Server version 1.0 in May 1989.
- May 1991: The company adopted the name Sybase, moving away from its original Systemware identity.
- January 1998: Sybase revealed financial irregularities within its Japanese operations, where executives had artificially increased profits through undisclosed side agreements. This led to restatement of earnings for late 1997 and dismissal of the responsible executives following a class-action lawsuit.
- November 1998: Leadership changes saw John S. Chen appointed as Chairman, CEO, and President.
- 2007: Sybase achieved annual revenues exceeding $1 billion.
- March 2009: A partnership with SAP was formed to offer SAP Business Suite applications on mobile devices such as iPhone, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry platforms.
- May 2009: Sybase enhanced its analytics by integrating MicroStrategy business intelligence software with its Sybase IQ database server.
- September 2009: Collaborating with Verizon, Sybase delivered enterprise mobility management solutions through Verizon’s Managed Mobility Solutions program utilizing Sybase’s device management technology.
- May 2010: SAP publicly announced an agreement to acquire Sybase for approximately $5.8 billion.
- July 2010: The acquisition was finalized, making Sybase a fully owned subsidiary of SAP.
- October 2012: Sybase’s workforce was completely merged into SAP’s organization. On October 31, John S. Chen stepped down after a 15-year tenure leading the company.