Resume
Ira S. Machefsky
253 E. Palisade Ave. Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5785 (O) ira@machefsky.org 917-584-7172 (M)
Strengths: Business-oriented technologist, investor, senior analyst and consultant with
25+ years experience in IT systems. Broad technical knowledge base and background in
many areas ranging across hardware and software. Deep business background in high
tech private equity investing, with correlative technical and analytic skills in due
diligence analysis, intellectual property (IP) analysis and technology commercialization.
Significant background experience in: emerging technologies, the Internet, electronic
commerce, open source software, firewalls, anti-virus software, information and network
security, networking and network management, enterprise software, storage systems and
storage management software, desktop, mobile and server systems. Established history of
working successfully with “the best and the brightest” to develop and commercialize
leading-edge technologies; a quick study on new technologies. Sought after speaker and
often-quoted commentator on computer industry trends and developments, especially in
areas of Internet technology, security and electronic commerce.
Summary of Skills
Operating Systems Experience: MS-DOS, MS-Windows 2000 / NT / ME / 98 / 95,
UNIX, Open Source operating systems, Linux, Solaris, VAX/VMS.
Hardware: PCs, mini-computers, PC and Unix servers, peripherals – storage area
networks (SAN), network attached storage (NAS), disks, tapes, workstations, routers,
firewalls.
Software Applications: Web applications, XML applications, Java, .Net, open source
applications, Web application security, anti-virus (AV) software, anti-spam software,
Web content filtering, application security, network security, intrusion detection and
intrusion prevention systems, wireless security, public key infrastructure (PKI),
cryptography, network management and monitoring, scientific/data visualization and
imaging, electronic payment applications and gateways, logistics and supply chain
software, databases.
Legal Experience: Over 15 years’ experience working with Fortune 500 companies,
research universities and venture capital groups and their legal counsel to develop and
analyze intellectual property (IP) research and development licensing agreements, patents
and related documents.
Management Experience: Board member of four privately held high tech companies.
Advisor to two venture capital funds and their portfolio companies.
Employment History
1998 – Present: Partner, Odeon Capital Partners (www.odeoncapital.com)
General partner at Odeon Capital, a $115 million private equity fund focusing on early and middle
stage technology start-ups. Partner chiefly responsible for performing technology evaluations and
due diligence on IP, emerging technologies, new products and their related markets, especially in
the areas of enterprise software, networking, storage systems, information security and e-
commerce. Responsible for sourcing and negotiating deals, creating their financial structure and
finding co-investors. Active in directing strategy and resolving problems of portfolio companies,
sitting on or advising Boards of Directors and management of portfolio companies. Former
Director on 4 corporate boards.
1996 – 1998: Vice President and Senior Analyst, Giga Information Group (Forrester)
Oft-quoted analyst, consultant, speaker and writer of note on e-commerce, networking and
information security products, technologies, companies, markets and emerging trends in the
Internet. Principal analyst responsible for directing, developing and communicating Giga’s
positions on electronic commerce and information security products and markets. Lead consultant
to clients in Global 500 companies on e-commerce and information security product and market
decisions. Consultant to leading and start-up industry vendors on competitive positioning, product
strategies, directions, and rollout plans.
1994 – 1996: Product manager and business development manager for Internet security and
electronic commerce products; Internet Business Group, Digital Equipment Corp.
Developed and implemented strategy for commercializing research technologies in Digital’s R&D
labs to become a family of security products for Digital's new Internet Business Group, with
special emphasis on a family of Firewalls and VPNs for the Internet. Developed business plans
and competitive analysis for these new products and markets. Conducted business development
and consummated deals with major 3rd party vendors. Developed and implemented pricing
strategy, market positioning and announcement/rollout plans.
1984 – 1994: Manager West Coast University Research Program, Digital Equipment Corp.
Manager for all of Digital's research activities at West Coast schools with special emphasis on two
strategic research universities, Stanford and UC Berkeley. Managed research relationships with
universities and faculty; identified promising faculty, new technologies and research projects to
fund; created and managed process for funding, licensing, and developing university technology
and intellectual property. Responsible for technology transfer, licensing, contract, and intellectual
property issues for each project.
Research and technology management responsibilities covered many areas with top researchers,
including: semiconductor design and manufacturing, computer architecture, broadband networks,
routers and network switches, distributed systems, storage systems and devices, MEMs, GUIs and
3D visualization systems, virtual reality systems, object and relational data bases, and
programming environments. Managed research investments totaling over $50 million during this
period. Commercialization and technology transfer successes included the startup of Cisco
systems, MIPS Computer, Illustra Software, and contributions to Xwindows and numerous other
Digital development efforts.
Other Activities:
2000-Present: Reviewer for National Science Foundation’s (NSF) SBIR/STTR
Program
Reviewer and evaluator of R&D proposals for NSF’s SBIR/STTR program (NSF’s small business
research and commercialization program) with a particular emphasis on networking, software and
information security projects; presenter at 2002 NSF SBIR/STTR research conference in Puerto
Rico on topic of technology commercialization, raising capital and future of the venture capital
industry.
1982-1984: Product Marketing Manager, Large Systems Marketing, Digital Equipment
Corp.
Product marketing manager for Digital’s new 36-bit systems (DECsystem-10 and 20):
Responsible for product requirements, market positioning, competitive analysis, pricing, and
announcement plans.
1980-1982: Technical Marketing Engineer, Laboratory Data Products, Digital Equipment
Corp.
Provide pre-sales and post-sales support to sales force and customers in scientific market.
Responsible for sales presentations, performing competitive benchmarks and analysis, application
porting and technical sales training.
1978-1980: Technical Support Engineer, Large Computer Group, Digital Equipment Corp.
Provide maintenance and customer support services for operating systems and system utilities in
Digital’s Large Computer Group. Go on-site to resolve difficult customer service problems .
1975-1978: System administrator, software programmer and software project leader,
University of Chicago Medical School
System and application programmer, project leader and system administrator for advanced R&D
project to automate the scanning and diagnosis of Pap smears using digital imaging and AI
technologies.
Education:
PhD Candidate (ABD), University of Chicago, 1975 Philosophy
MA, University of Chicago, 1972 Committee on General Studies in the Humanities
BA, University of Chicago, 1969 Committee on the Study of Ideas and Analysis of
Methods