Despite the fact that it was its controlling shareholder, Kubota Co, that did the deal with Apple Computer Inc on Stardent Inc’s Application Visualisation System, it is Stardent itself that it is to spin off the software operation as a new company in Concord, Massachusetts, to be called AVS Inc. A key reason for the spin-off is that Stardent is not in a position to raise new money, something that should come easier to a free-standing AVS, which will start life with 11 major companies offering the Visualisation System. Stardent will continue to optimise its workstations to run the System. The new AVS will start life with 25 employees, and Stardent chief William Poduska as chairman. A president is sought.
