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Jonathan Lazarus has demonstrated success as a senior operating leader, entrepreneur and innovator. He was an integral part of the Microsoft Windows® success story and later ran, mentored and invested in dozens of successful technology startups. His career has included notable tenures as a key executive at firms like Kiha Software, Microsoft and Ziff Davis; board of director positions at public and private companies; and rich and extensive experience with startup companies that delivered significant returns to investors including Academic Systems, DataChannel, ELEKOM, NetGravity, Vision Solutions and ZD-TV.
During his eclectic career, Jon has founded and helped launch dozens of new businesses driving billions in revenue, as well as hundreds of millions in profit leading to IPOs, successful mergers and acquisitions and shareholder returns. In addition, he initiated Microsoft’s developer programs, created the Windows logo, established key leadership brand positions for businesses (like Microsoft Windows), and served as a key advisor to industry luminaries including Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
Most recently, from 2008 through 2010, Mr. Lazarus served as founder and CEO of Kiha Software Inc. which developed aroMobile, an intelligent mobile experience that uses semantic technology and cloud based processing to facilitate better email handling, connected contacts, smarter calendar and improved browsing. He recruited the team, guided development, and drove the carrier and OEM relationships that brought product from inception to its current beta release to thousands of customers.
Beginning in 2003, Mr. Lazarus began advising Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, in a variety of areas. In 2006, Mr. Lazarus joined Vulcan Capital, the investment arm of Mr. Allen’s Vulcan Inc. as a Senior Advisor assisting with a number of portfolio companies. Among others, he served on the board of directors of Evri Inc. which enables the discovery of information without search.
In his eleven years with Microsoft Corporation, as part of the executive staff, he helped build high performance teams, guided personnel development and implemented successful partnerships. Notably, as Vice President of Systems Strategy, his efforts fostered the creation of tens of thousands of commercial software applications and thousands of hardware products for Windows. He developed the strategies for and managed the marketing, branding and product launch events from Windows 3.0 to Windows 2000. He set new standards for marketing software products and services to enterprises, developers and consumers.
After leaving Microsoft, Mr. Lazarus has invested and guided the development of dozens of new companies with a number of notable successes. Working with leading venture capital firms, including Accel Partners, Allen & Company, Azure Capital Partners, Hummer Winblad, Global Retail Partners, Ignition Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and Vulcan Capital, he has served on the boards of directors or as an advisor to more than thirty technology companies.
Prior to joining Microsoft, Mr. Lazarus held executive positions with A.C. Nielsen, American Broadcasting Companies and Ziff Davis Publishing Company where he developed PC Magazine and PC Week. He has B.S. in Communications from Temple University.
Mr. Lazarus lives in Seattle and is the proud father of three children.