Sep. 16--Adobe Systems Inc.'s planned $1.8 billion acquisition of Utah's home-grown Omniture Inc. would be the largest high-tech deal in the state's history, eclipsing the $1.4 billion acquisition of WordPerfect by Novell Inc. in 1994.

Yet just as important as the money is what such a deal, if completed, says about the state of Utah's high-tech industry and what could happen afterward.

"This acquisition clearly shows Utah has companies and technologies that are of interest to large corporations," said Dinesh Patel, managing director of V-Spring Capital, a venture capital company with headquarters in Salt Lake City. "It speaks well of our entrepreneurs."

Adobe, the biggest maker of graphic-design programs, is offering to buy Omniture Inc. for $21.50 a share, a 24 percent premium over the Utah's company's closing price on Tuesday of $17.32.

Omniture produces software that measures and analyzes traffic to Web sites and helps companies improve their online marketing.

Omniture "has been one of the hottest companies in Utah over the past couple of years," said Richard Nelson, CEO of the Utah Technology Council, a professional organization for high-tech companies. "And I'm sure that we will be seeing some 'serial' entrepreneurs come out of that company and start up some new ventures that will help generate additional wealth for the state."

That is what happened after Patel, who founded Theratech Inc., successfully sold that company

and its medical drug-delivery technology to Watson Pharmaceuticals in 1999 in a deal worth $300 million. Patel went on to found V-Spring Capital and has since helped finance many budding entrepreneurs and their ventures.

Omniture CEO Josh James said the deal should prove a boost to Utah's high-tech sector, adding to its reputation for high-quality, profitable companies and attracting more venture capital for start-up companies.

He said venture capitalists will be attracted to the state not only because of Omniture but by other successful deals, such as one for Altiris, a software computer management company that was acquired by Symantec in 2007 in a deal worth around $1 billion.

"There are companies that have bene very successful here and been able to give a very good return for shareholders," James said. "In fact, Omniture should produce one of the largest returns in history for our venture capitalists."

Nelson noted that the latest count from his organization shows there are 5,562 high-tech companies operating in Utah employing approximately 66,000 Utahns and paying 58 percent above the average salary in the state.

steve@sltrib.com

Some of Utah's largest high-tech deals

1 -- Adobe Systems acquires Omniture, 2009, $1.8 billion

2 -- Novell acquires WordPerfect, 1994, $1.4 billion

3 -- Symantec acquires Altiris, 2007, $1 billion

4 -- Cephalon acquires Anesta, 2000, $340 million

5 -- Watson Pharmaceuticals acquires Theratech, 1999, $300 million

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