Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Toba Capital (3rd nomination)


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was delete. Editors free to redirect if desired. Daniel (talk) 21:49, 9 February 2023 (UTC)

Toba Capital
AfDs for this article:


 * – ( View AfD View log | edits since nomination)

Fails WP:NCORP, WP:CORPDEPTH, WP:ORGIND UPE. Routine funding, investment news, PR, press-releases. FailsWP:SIRS   scope_creep Talk  20:55, 2 February 2023 (UTC)
 * Note: This discussion has been included in the deletion sorting lists for the following topics: Companies and California. Shellwood (talk) 20:59, 2 February 2023 (UTC)
 * Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Finance-related deletion discussions.  Spiderone (Talk to Spider) 22:27, 2 February 2023 (UTC)


 * At best, Redirect to Vinny Smith.  Use WP:ORGCRIT.  Insufficient references have all four attributes: (1) significant coverage, (2)  independent, (3) reliable, (4) secondary source.  Vinny Smith may be smart, rich, and famous, but that doesn't confer notability on his private holding company. WP:INHERITORG Nor do the companies he invested in.  A substantially similar discussion is being held about NantWorks Rhadow (talk) 22:48, 2 February 2023 (UTC)


 * Delete - per WP:PROMO and WP:NCORP, and the source review below. My search for sources has also not found substantial independent support for notability. A redirect could be created after deletion of this WP:BROCHURE. Beccaynr (talk) 23:41, 4 February 2023 (UTC)


 * Smith moves on after grueling battle with Dell (The Orange County Register, 2013) - background on Smith unrelated to the company, an interview with Smith that includes a mention of what he generally plans to invest in the company and what the company recently invested in, more background unrelated to the company, and "Toba Capital's Alteryx investment is typical of the type of company he’s interested in," with one-sentence description of Alteryx. This does not appear to be substantial coverage of the company per WP:CORPDEPTH and it is dependent on statements by the founder per WP:ORGIND.
 * With Toba Capital, Vinny Smith suddenly emerges as a player in the venture industry (The Mercury News, 2013) - announces Smith plans to invest in the company, has also been investing in various startups, rarely grants interviews, background unrelated to the company, a CEO is looking forward to working with the company, and an explanation from Smith for the name of the company.
 * Dell sells its majority stake in Smarsh to investment fund Toba Capital (The Oregonian, 2013) - trivial coverage of an announced a capital transaction per WP:CORPDEPTH, and a substantial part is based on statements from a Toba associate and another related party.
 * Tech investor Peter Thiel ups stake in Lystable (The Telegraph, 2015) - "The second round of funding, which also includes cash from Toba Capital, the San Francisco-based venture fund" and "Steve Goodman, partner at $500m fund Toba Capital and founder of job searching tool Bright, which was bought by LinkedIn for $130m, will join Lystable as an adviser" are the only mentions of the company, so this is not WP:CORPDEPTH.
 * Cloudant raises $12m in Series B funding (Boston Globe, 2013) - trivial coverage of an announced capital transation that appears to be dependent on statements from a company without independent coverage per WP:ORGIND.
 * Orange County Business Journal sources - the About Us page includes, "Presented in a lively and accessible format, the Business Journal is required reading for Orange County executives, managers and professionals—written in an up-tempo, breezy style that reveals the drama, excitement and fun in business." There are seven OCBJ sources: 7 sentences about the company related to announced annual financial results for several companies; 10 sentences about the company related to announced annual financial results for several companies; brief announcement of a capital transaction 2 3; interview with Smith, his wife, background on Smith, 3-sentence overview about the company, interview with a related party, two more sentences about the company, more about Smith and according to Smith; announced capital transaction with superficial background and dependent coverage.
 * There are also three Socialtech.com sources, and this website looks like a press-release generator, e.g. that fails WP:ORGIND at minimum.
 * The remaining sources seem similar or worse in quality, independence, and/or depth.


 * Beccaynr (talk) 23:41, 4 February 2023 (UTC)


 * Delete - Great analysis of the references. I searched off-Wiki and found plenty about its investments, but nothing in-depth about the firm itself. --CNMall41 (talk) 08:10, 5 February 2023 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.