Industry |
Cable television Internet service provider IP Telephony |
---|---|
Founded | 1992 |
Founder | Indrek Kuivallik Peeter Kern |
Defunct | 2018 |
Headquarters | Tallinn, Estonia |
Parent | Elisa |
Website |
www |
Starman was an Estonian cable television and Internet service provider company founded in 1992 and located in Tallinn. Since December 2016, Starman Estonia is wholly owned by Elisa. [1] [2]
Starman was the largest cable television company in Estonia [3] and in the Baltic countries. [4]
Starman was founded in 1992 by Peeter Kern and Indrek Kuivallik. [5] Peeter Kern served as the company's CEO until his unexpected death in 2014. [6] [7]
In 2013, the Swedish investment company East Capital Explorer bought 51% of Starman's shares from the company's founders. [8]
In 2015 Starman bought the Lithuanian telecommunications company Cgates, with funds from the majority shareholder East Capital Explorer, [9] but the Lithuanian branch was again separated in a later acquisition.[ citation needed]
In March 2016, East Capital Explorer intended to sell its 63% share to American investment firm Providence Equity Partners for €81 million, [10] but Starman's minority shareholder Polaris Invest (owned by founder Indrek Kuivallik) used their pre-emptive rights to make the purchase instead. [1] [11] [12] In December 2016, Starman Estonia was wholly acquired by Finnish telecommunications company Elisa for €151 million; this deal did not include the Lithuanian branch. [1] [2] [13]
59°25′50.19″N 24°44′54.97″E / 59.4306083°N 24.7486028°E