Jump to content

User:Benperlmutter94/sandbox

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
< User:Benperlmutter94
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Benperlmutter94 (talk | contribs) at 01:05, 4 December 2018. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Susan Akbarpour
Susan Akbarpour in 2018
BornJuly 26, 1968
Mashad, Iran
EducationFerdowsi University (B.S.) Stanford Graduate School of Business (M.S.)
Occupation(s)entrepreneur, journalist, investor, and public speaker
Known forCo-Founder and CEO of Mavatar Technologies
SpouseFaraj Aalaei
Children3 (1 by birth, 2 by marriage)

Susan Akbarpour (Persian: سوسن اكبرپور ) is an Iranian-American entrepreneur, journalist, investor, and public speaker. She is the co-founder and CEO of Mavatar Technologies, the developer of the mCart omnichannel commerce platform. The mCart platform lets customers create cloud-based marketplaces as-a-service and lets users create shoppable content for user-generated advertising and influence marketing.

She is also a partner at Canduo Ventures, a founding board member of IMA Executive Council, and a contributing writer to the Forbes Agency Council.

Early Life and Education

Akbarpour was born and raised in Mashhad, Iran.[1] Both of her parents died when she was a teenager, which left her to care for her two younger brothers and the family business at a young age.[1]

In 1993, Akbarpour graduated with a B.S. in French language and literature from Ferdowsi University in Iran.[2] Akbarpour later attended the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she received an M.S. in Management in 2010.[3] During the 2009-2010 school year, Akbarpour was the chair of the Sloan Fellows endowment.[4] Akbarpour is a member of the Stanford Business School Alumni Association.[5]

Career

Journalism in Iran

After graduating from university, Akbarpour began working as a journalist at Khorasan, an Iranian daily newspaper where both of her parents had worked.[2] Akbarpour has discussed the many barriers that she had to overcome working as a woman in the society of post-Revolutionary Iran.[2][6][7] While working at Khorasan, the International Journalism Festival selected her as the Iranian national “Interviewer of the Year” from more than 12,000 journalists.[1]

Early Media and Technology Ventures

Akbarpour immigrated to the United States in 1997.[8] She settled in the Bay Area, where she continues to live.[6]

Soon after arriving in the United States, Akbarpour founded Iran Today, a newspaper for Iranian Americans in both Persian and English.[9] Iran Today had a monthly circulation of 25,000 copies a month in 2000.[9]

In December 2000, Akbarpour founded Silicon Iran, a quarterly magazine for Iranian-Americans in the technology industry.[2] Akbarpour founded Silicon Iran with her brother Cyrus, an electrical and software engineer.[10] In 2003, Silicon Iran had a circulation of 7,200 individuals and 400 corporate subscribers.[2] Silicon Iran later rebranded as Teksia, which offered networking and support to other ethnics groups including Japanese Americans, Indian Americans and Chinese Americans.[11] Teksia continued to publish the Silicon Iran quarterly magazine.[11] Teksia hosted the International Technology Forum (ITF), a conference that brought together the technology leaders of various ethnic communities and people interested in networking with these groups.[12] The ITF hosted events in Silicon Valley, at MIT, and in Barcelona in collaboration with Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and US Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona.[11][7][13][14][15][16]

In 2004, Akbarpour also founded Linkore, a “venture catalyst firm.”[11] Linkore provided services to businesses, including executive search, event planning, and marketing strategy. Linkore advised more than 50 startups.[17]

Mavatar Technologies

Akbarpour co-founded Mavatar Technologies in 2011 with Brom Mahbod.[18] Mavatar is an enterprise software company and the developer of the mCart commerce product.[18] Akbarpour conceived the platform’s concept while performing graduate research at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.[1][19] mCart plans to use the mCart token, an ERC-20 Ethereum-backed cryptocurrency, to pay influencers for the sales that they drive within the mCart platform.[20][21]

Mavatar raised over $4 million through angel investors and the private sale of an initial coin offering beginning December 2017.[22][21]

Other Business Activities

Akbarpour is a partner at venture capital firm Candou Ventures.[23] Candou invests in communications, semiconductors, biotech, software, and e-commerce companies.[23]

Akbarpour is an advisor and board member of the blockchain transaction company Trustroot.[24] She also sits on the board of directors at the Internet Media Association International Executive Council and VOMax Corporation.[25][26]

Public Intellectual Work

Speaking

Akbarpour has spoken at more than 50 conferences across the United States about topics such as cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology, and advertising.[6][27][28] These conference appearances include presentations about blockchain in advertising at UCLA and RampUp's 2018 San Francisco and Chicago conferences, a presentation about blockchain and Hollywood at HITS Fall 2018, and a panel discussion about making investment in cryptocurrencies safer at the 36th Annual Monetary and Trade Conference at Drexel University.[28][27][29]

Media

Akbarpour regularly appears on television news programs to discuss blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and advertising. She has appeared on CBS Los Angeles, Fox Business’ Varney & Co., Comedy Central’s The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, Good Morning Lala Land, and other programs.[30][31][32][33]

Akbarpour has been profiled in print media publications. She was featured on the cover of Insights Success magazine’s “30 Most Influential Entrepreneurs to Watch 2018” issue in October 2018.[6] She was also profiled in SFGate and the Silicon Valley Business Journal.[9][11]

Writing

Akbarpour has written articles about blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and startup innovation. She is a contributing writer to the Forbes Agency Council, where she writes about blockchain and digital commerce.[3]

Akbarpour is also an advocate for changed government policy towards startups and blockchain. She has published an op-ed about the need to reenact net neutrality regulations in Silicon Valley.[34] She has also written an academic paper about creating a clearer regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies that will be published in the Drexel Institutional Investor Journals during the first quarter of 2019.[6]

Advocacy for Women in Tech

Akbarpour is an advocate for increasing the representation of women in the technology industry. She is a member of Stanford Women on Boards and is a prestige member of Watermark, a non-profit organization that is a community of executive women.[35][36] Akbarpour has written and spoken about how blockchain can empower female entrepreneurs in the technology sector.[37][35]

Mavatar sponsored and hosted a series of workshops in Mavatar’s Redwood city office in 2015 and 2016 for their Silicon Valley community of Women Who Code.[38]

Awards and Recognition

  • Member of the "30 Most Influential Entrepreneurs to Watch 2018" by Insights Success magazine in their October 2018 issue.[39] Akbarpour was also featured in the magazine's cover story for that month.[6]
  • One of the "100 Most Influential Women in Silicon Valley" by Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2016.[40]

Personal Life

Akbarpour is married to fellow entrepreneur and investor Faraj Aalaei.[23] They have one daughter together and two sons from Faraj’s previous marriage.[10] The family resides in Atherton, CA.

Philanthropy

Akbarpour and Aalaei are active philanthropists. They are donors to the Persian Center in Berkeley and are members of the Founders’ Circle of the Freedom Sculpture.[41][42] Akbarpour and Aalaei are fundraisers and advocates for the Iranian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC), a bipartisan political action committee that supports Iranian Americans who run for office and advocates for candidates that support Iranian-American interests.[23] Aalaei was a founder of IAPAC.[23] Akbarpour and Aalaei also serve on the board of the Iranian American Contribution Project and the Iranian Scholarship Foundation.[23] The couple has also made significant contributions to Moms Against Poverty, the Pars Equality Center, and the Hoover Institution.[43][10][44]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Drake, Mackenzie (2015-03-04). "A Woman's Strength". SharpHeels. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  2. ^ a b c d e Schmidt, Kathryn (2003-07-17). "Magazine publisher aims to reach Iranian-American tech audience". www.parstimes.com. Retrieved 2018-11-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  3. ^ a b "Susan Akbarpour, Official Member of Forbes Councils". Forbes Councils. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  4. ^ "Susan Akbarpour, Co-Founder & CEO, Mavatar". www.vbprofiles.com. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  5. ^ "Susan Akbarpour - Impact18". Impact18. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Susan Akbarpour: mCart, Make the world Shop-able". Insights success. 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  7. ^ a b Caldwell, Douglas (2001-01-22). "First Amendment, Farsi style". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-26. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  8. ^ Ekiel, Erika Brown (2015-08-20). "Susan Akbarpour: "I Want to Change the Way People Shop"". Stanford Graduate School of Business. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  9. ^ a b c Workman, Bill (2000-12-01). "Iranian Paper Offers Fresh Voice / San Jose woman publishes ethnic newspaper". SFGate. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  10. ^ a b c Weiner, Yitzi (2018-05-18). ""CEOs Can Never Call In Sick" 5 Leadership Lessons With Susan Akbarpour, CEO of Mavatar…". Thrive Global. Retrieved 2018-11-22. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  11. ^ a b c d e Mullins, Robert (2004-05-02). "Publisher Adds to Her Success". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  12. ^ "International Technology Forum (ITF) (iLoop Mobile)". Mobile Marketing Association. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  13. ^ Yahyanejad, Mehdi (2003-10-06). "IRANIAN TECHNOLOGY FORUM". freethoughts.org. Retrieved 2018-11-26. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  14. ^ "Iranian Technical Forum To Be Held AT MIT". www.payvand.com. 2003-07-16. Retrieved 2018-11-26. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  15. ^ EFE (2007-11-29). "Impulsor Silicon Valley avisa que capital riesgo ha de aportar más que dinero". El Economista. Retrieved 2018-11-26. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  16. ^ "Silicon Valley busca en Barcelona proyectos tecnológicos para invertir". El Economista. 2007-11-26. Retrieved 2018-11-26. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  17. ^ Beach, James (2015-06-15). "LegalShield's President James Rosseau, A New Way to Shop Susan Akbarpour & Veteran's Stories Rosemary O'Brien". schoolforstartupsradio.com. Retrieved 2018-11-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  18. ^ a b Robinson, Bill (2013-06-25). "Online Shopping Made Easy -- It's (All) About Time!". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  19. ^ Timoner, Ondi (2014-06-19). "Data-Driven Simplified Shopping: New Women 3.0". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  20. ^ Just, Janine (2018-03-01). "Mavatar Announces ICO Presale Launch of the First Blockchain-based shoppable content publishing platform and Marketplace Platform as-a-service". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2018-11-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  21. ^ a b "mCart Protocol (mCart) - ICO rating and details". ICObench. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  22. ^ "Mavatar Investors". Crunchbase. Retrieved 2018-11-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  23. ^ a b c d e f Memarian, Jahandad (2017-12-18). "Faraj Aalaei on Serial Entrepreneurship and Re-Invention". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  24. ^ "About | Trustroot". Trustroot. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  25. ^ "International Executive Council (IEC)". International Executive Council (IEC). Retrieved 2018-11-26. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  26. ^ "Executive Profile - Susan Akbarpour". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2018-11-28. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  27. ^ a b "Susan Akbarpour, Mavatar". Media & Entertainment Services Alliance. Retrieved 2018-11-22.
  28. ^ a b RampUp Chicago (2018-08-29), Susan Akbarpour on Blockchain, retrieved 2018-11-22
  29. ^ "36th Annual Monetary and Trade Conference: Cryptocurrencies in the Global Economy - Global Interdependence Center". Global Interdependence Center. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  30. ^ KCAL9 News on Sunday. "This New Platform May Help You Get Those Red Carpet Looks You Love". losangeles.cbslocal.com. Retrieved 2018-11-22. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ Fox Business (2018-08-16), Would regulating bitcoins drive more money to the US?, retrieved 2018-11-22 {{citation}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  32. ^ The Opposition w/ Jordan Klepper (2018-05-31), War on Men - Silicon Valley's Oppressed Men - The Opposition w/ Jordan Klepper, retrieved 2018-11-22
  33. ^ GOOD MORNING LALA LAND (2018-11-16), Mavatar, retrieved 2018-11-22
  34. ^ Akbarpour, Susan (2018-10-10). "Op-Ed: Will Loss of Net Neutrality Prevent Next Generation of Technological Innovation? | San Jose Inside". www.sanjoseinside.com. Retrieved 2018-11-22. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  35. ^ a b Weiner, Yitzi (2018-07-26). "Meet The Women Of The Blockchain: Susan Akbarpour, CEO and co-founder of Mavatar Technologies". Medium. Retrieved 2018-11-22.
  36. ^ "Join Our Watermark Leadership Circles". www.wearewatermark.org. Retrieved 2018-11-22. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  37. ^ Akbarpour, Susan (2018-03-01). "Three Reasons Why Innovation Hubs Should Embrace ICOs". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-11-22.
  38. ^ "Python Hack Club". Meetup. Retrieved 2018-11-22.
  39. ^ "The 30 Most Influential Entrepreneurs to Watch 2018". Insights Success. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  40. ^ Evans, Kate (2016-04-08). "Mavatar Technologies' Susan Akbarpour | Women of Influence 2016". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-27. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  41. ^ "Donors". The Persian Center. Retrieved 2018-11-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  42. ^ "Donor's Wall". The Freedom Sculpture. Retrieved 2018-11-22. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  43. ^ "Thank You Sponsors" (PDF). Moms Against Poverty. Retrieved 2018-11-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  44. ^ "Hoover Institution 2008 Report" (PDF). Hoover Institution. Retrieved 2018-11-28. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Benperlmutter94/sandbox&oldid=871883045"