Ritu Raj Explained

Honorific Suffix:Ritu Raj
Occupation:Entrepreneur
Known For:Founder and CEO of Avasta, OrchestratorMail, Objectiveli and Wag Hotels

Ritu Raj is an entrepreneur based in California. Raj is the founder of Avasta, OrchestratorMail and Objectiveli, as well as Wag Hotels, a chain of luxury hotels for dogs and cats.

Education and early career

Ritu Raj graduated from Kirori Mal College at Delhi University, and worked for IT consulting firms in Delhi before moving to the US in 1994.[1] Upon his arrival in the US, he worked for a small startup, AT Systems, and was later an executive with TMP Worldwide.[2]

Chapter 2/Avasta

In 1999, Raj founded Chapter 2, an application service provider (ASP) that supports the business applications for companies as an outsourcing company running the companies' existing networks.[3] The company based its name on the idea that chapter one of the internet was web site hosting, with chapter two being business application hosting.[4] In 2000 the company secured $9.5 million in funding.[5] That year they also opened offices that provided back-office operations, security management and call center operations services.[6] As of 2001, the company had raised $50 million from investors.[7] That year Chapter 2 was renamed Avasta - a name based on the Sanskrit word "vasta," meaning "to stand and remain" - in order to reflect the company's new services.[8] In 2003, Avasta was acquired by NaviSite.[9]

Wag Hotels

Following Avasta, Raj was a partner with the information technology consulting firm Accenture. He was away from home and his dog frequently.[10] [11] This was the inspiration behind his venture Wag Hotels, a California-based line of luxury hotel for dogs and cats.[12] [13] [14] In 2005, Wag opened its first location in West Sacramento.[15] [16] [17] The company also operates Wag Store, a hotel-affiliated store.[18] In 2007, Wag opened a location in San Francisco.[19] In June 2007, the company also bought a stake in the Modesto-based pet quarterly publication, Wag Magazine.

Other Ventures

In 2010, Raj co-founded OrchestratorMail, and serves as the company's CEO.[20] An application that works on top of an existing user's email platform, OrchestratorMail organizes email into a set of categories.[21] Users then use this differentiation to determine what emails to reply to first.[22]

From 2011 to 2012, Raj was an Entrepreneur in Residence at Spring Ventures, LLC, a venture capital firm in San Francisco.[23] While there, he helped launch SideCar, a ride-sharing app that connects drivers with people looking for rides.[24] In exchange, passengers can give drivers a financial donation.[25] The apps were initially banned, however new regulations have since allowed them to operate.[26]

In 2012, Raj co-founded Objectiveli with Jonathan Yankovich. Objectiveli is a web application designed for companies to set and manage objectives and goals and track the outcomes in real-time.[27]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Doley, Kunal (February 8, 2008). "Owners not allowed in doggie hotel". Mail Today, p. 16-17.
  2. Web site: BizSpark Online . BizSpark Startup of the Day - OrchestratorMail - BizSpark Featured Startups - Site Home - TechNet Blogs . Blogs.technet.com . 2011-06-27 . 2013-10-02.
  3. Web site: Rogers . Amy . Avasta Not ASP, But Outsourcer . Crn.com . 2013-10-02.
  4. Web site: Chapter 2 Launches ASP Hosting Service - InternetNews . InternetNews. . 2013-10-02.
  5. Web site: Chapter 2 Raises $9.5 Million - InternetNews . InternetNews. . 2000-07-06 . 2013-10-02.
  6. Web site: Rohde . David . 'Chapter 2' hosting is for ASPs, start-up says . Networkworld.com . 2000-07-18 . 2013-10-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140426232217/http://www.networkworld.com/news/2000/0718edgechapter2.html . 2014-04-26 .
  7. Web site: Edward Cone . Same Game, New Name . Eweek.com . 2001-02-12 . 2013-10-02.
  8. Web site: Chapter 2 Becomes Avasta - InternetNews . InternetNews. . 2001-02-12 . 2013-10-02.
  9. Web site: Avasta, Inc. - Company Profile by Insideview . Insideview.com . 2013-10-02.
  10. Web site: Wag Hotels sniffs out Oakland location - San Francisco Business Times . Bizjournals.com . 2013-10-02.
  11. Web site: Luxury hotel caters to pampered pets - Houston Chronicle . Chron.com . 2007-05-10 . 2013-10-02.
  12. Web site: New Dog Hotel Opens in San Francisco . Dogchannel.com . 2013-10-02.
  13. Web site: Bay Area is next frontier for West Sacramento-based Wag Hotels - Sacramento Business Journal . Bizjournals.com . 2007-01-28 . 2013-10-02.
  14. Web site: Interview with Objectiveli founder and CEO Ritu Raj . DoesWhat . 2012-10-09 . 2013-10-02.
  15. Web site: For lapdogs of luxury - Sacramento Business Journal . Bizjournals.com . 2005-11-13 . 2013-10-02.
  16. Bonilla, Rachel (August, 2007). "The Suite Life". Bark Magazine, p. 59-62.
  17. May, Meredith (June 17, 2007). "SF's Best Friend". San Francisco Chronicle, p. A8.
  18. Web site: Nancy Davis Kho, Special to The Chronicle . Pets in America have $40 billion spent on them by doting owners . SFGate . 2007-10-09 . 2013-10-02.
  19. Web site: Meredith May . S.F.'S BEST FRIEND / Where pooches outnumber kids, impassioned, doting owners and hounds dressed to the canines treat all days like dog days . SFGate . 2007-06-17 . 2013-10-02.
  20. Web site: Ritu Raj . Ability Success Growth . 2011-09-29 . 2013-10-02.
  21. Web site: Corporations can increase productivity by bringing efficiency and collaboration to email communication | Management Innovation eXchange . Managementexchange.com . 2011-06-22 . 2013-10-02.
  22. Web site: OrchestratorMail - Bringing Structure and Clarity to Email Communication - Michael Sampson on Making Collaboration Work . Currents.michaelsampson.net . 2011-06-07 . 2013-10-02.
  23. Web site: Spring Ventures . BuzzSparks.org . 2011-11-10 . 2013-10-02.
  24. News: A Ride Home That's Not a Taxi, Maybe . Joshua Brustein . New York Times . March 29, 2013 . 1 October 2013.
  25. Web site: New Sidecar App Turns Strangers' Cars Into Cabs - Digits - WSJ . Blogs.wsj.com . 2013-06-12 . 2013-10-02.
  26. Web site: Farivar . Cyrus . California finally legalizes Lyft, SideCar, and other rideshare app firms . Ars Technica . 2013-09-19 . 2013-10-02.
  27. Web site: Interview With Ritu Raj - Manage Goals With Objectiveli . Killerstartups.com . 2012-09-14 . 2013-10-02.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ritu Raj".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.