Technology Entrepreneur
Eugene, Oregon Area
- Current
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- CEO at Aquo
- CEO at Magnolia Ventures
- Past
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- Director at Genutec Business Solutions
- Founder; Director and President at Flyfone International, Inc.
- Consultant - Acting VP, Business and Legal Affairs at In-Sync Interactive
- Co-Founder; VP, Business Development and General Counsel at Rent.com, an eBay Company
- Legal Counsel at PageOne Business Productions
- Education
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- University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law
- University of California, Irvine
- Recommended
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4 people have recommended Michael - Connections
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114
connections
- Industry
- Internet
- Websites
Michael Taus’s Summary
President of Aquo, LLC, a design, software development and marketing consultancy.
President of Magnolia Ventures, a venture consultancy focused on building early-stage technology companies with business development, financing and market strategy.
Founder and executive of numerous startups, including Rent.com (acquired by NASDAQ:EBAY).
Marketing and business development client companies include Genutec, Electron Networks, Pacific Media Ventures, GreenlightJobs.com, JIST and In-Sync Interactive.
Early Stage investor in Internet Brands (NASDAQ:INET), HiMax, GoMed, Electron Networks and others.
Michael Taus’s Specialties:
Industry experience includes Search Engine Marketing, E-commerce, Software, RF/Wireless, VoIP/Telecom, New Media and Communications. A broad range of professional responsibilities including strategy, finance, operations, product development, marketing and corporate governance.
Michael Taus’s Experience
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CEO
Aquo
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
October 2003 — Present (5 years 10 months)
Aquo (www.aquo.com) catalyzes business growth using a combination of web design, software development and Internet marketing. This combination of skill sets allows growing businesses to find, acquire and manage new business opportunities. Aquo's client list includes notable film and TV production companies, national consulting firms and other professional institutions.
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CEO
Magnolia Ventures
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)
April 2001 — Present (8 years 4 months)
Magnolia (www.magven.com) is seed investor and venture consultancy that works closely with entrepreneurs and senior technology executives to define their business objectives, acquire needed resources and leverage their marketing potential. Services include venture finance, mergers and acquisitions, strategic relationships and marketing/communications initiatives.
Clients and portfolio companies include: Biglinx, Genutec, Electron Networks, Pacific Media Ventures, GreenlightJobs.com, JIST and In-Sync Interactive.
Early stage investments include HiMax, GoMed, Internet Brands (fka CarsDirect), Electron Networks, FlyFone and BigLinx. -
Director
Genutec Business Solutions
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Telecommunications industry)
August 2004 — February 2007 (2 years 7 months)
GenuTec (www.genutec.com), a market leader in converged Internet-Telco technology, is a business-to-business service provider, whose technology is designed to enhance an organizations marketing and customer service. GenuTec’s technology services have the ability to consolidate, enhance and distribute voice, e-mail, Web, and fax on a massive scale.
Genutec's enhanced communications technologies generate new sales for growing businesses, enables companies and organizations to stay in touch with customers and helps political candidates across the nation win elections.
The company began offering its technology in 2000 and currently services more than 2,500 clients in multiple industries throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and parts of Asia. -
Founder; Director and President
Flyfone International, Inc.
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Telecommunications industry)
October 2003 — April 2005 (1 year 7 months)
Founder of this Managed VOIP Services Provider, delivering services to customers in 60+ countries. Distribution model includes partnering with leading non-telcos international and through vertical associations.
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Consultant - Acting VP, Business and Legal Affairs
In-Sync Interactive
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Telecommunications industry)
August 2001 — August 2003 (2 years 1 month)
FCC licensee of the 218-219 MHz band developing proprietary wide-area mobile data network for industrial and government applications. Consulting covered several operational matters, including finance, business development, marketing and regulatory compliance.
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Co-Founder; VP, Business Development and General Counsel
Rent.com, an eBay Company
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; EBAY; Internet industry)
April 1999 — April 2001 (2 years 1 month)
Developed business model and execution strategy for the first and only e-marketplace for the rental housing industry.
Negotiated and secured $30 million in equity financings and strategic investments from Bank of America and seven of the country’s largest public apartment companies.
Negotiated key marketing and distribution alliances in both online and traditional media.
Lead counsel managing all internal and external legal activities, including transactional matters, securities, intellectual property (patent, trademark, licensing in and out), Internet and privacy, human resources, state brokerage regulatory and sweepstakes compliance. -
Legal Counsel
PageOne Business Productions
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Management Consulting industry)
February 1996 — December 1998 (2 years 11 months)
A division of Kellogg & Andelson (www.k-a.com).
Counseled and represented this technology incubator on business and legal matters. Portfolio companies included INVbank, ISPI, CDWorld, RadioWorld (NASD:RAWO), Cross Media Marketing (AMEX:XMM), United Raceways and GlobaLock.
Agreement drafting, review and negotiation associated with finance, securities, intellectual property (patent, trademark and licensing), human resources and SEC compliance.
Involved in the development of portfolio companies, including honing business models, defining and prioritizing goals, financing, partner engagements, M&A activity as well as sales and marketing development.
Michael Taus’s Education
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University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law
JD , Law , 1992 — 1995
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University of California, Irvine
BA , Psychology , June 1992
Additional Information
Michael Taus’s Websites:
Michael Taus’s Interests:
Internet, technology, entrepreneurship, social activism, music and scuba.
Michael Taus’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- job inquiries
- expertise requests
- business deals
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
