Thad Langford, who guided Zave Networks through its 2011 acquisition by Google and now is actively involved with several other Kansas City startups, will present May 15 at the next installment of Kansas City’s Technology Entrepreneur Speakers Program (Tech ESP). The event will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Country Club Plaza offices of Polsinelli Shughart (700 W. 47th St., Suite 700).
People who plan to attend are asked to register beforehand. Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
From the Zave Networks acquisition to Langford’s Investment in Leap2 and his role as an AgLocal board member, Langford has become a familiar face here on SPN in recent months. But for those who are still looking to get up to speed on Langford, who’s also entrepreneur in residence at OpenAir Equity Partners, here’s more from the Tech ESP’s organizers:
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Most recently Thad served as the President & Chief Executive Officer of Zave Networks, an early stage technology venture dedicated to creating a service that closes the loop between online/mobile digital advertising and the sale of the product in brick and mortar retail stores. He redefined the go to market approach and grew the company to position Zave as the leading digital incentive platform provider. This led to Zave’s acquisition by Google in September of 2011.
Prior to his position at Zave, Thad led several different businesses during his eight year tenure at Sprint in the areas of wireless data, wireless wholesale and local services. Among his accomplishments, he rapidly grew Sprint’s wireless wholesale business unit which led the industry in the MVNO and M2M space. He also spearheaded business development efforts to forge partnerships in the wireless data space, culminating in industry-leading products and services in music, imaging, multimedia, gaming, location and content. In addition, he managed Sprint’s Innovation program to identify and commercialize disruptive products/services in areas such as mobile commerce and co-founded Sprint Nextel Ventures to invest in game changing start-up companies.
Thad is immersed in Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of several, rapidly developing technology start-up companies such as Leap2, AgLocal, and RealLife 101. In addition he is the Entrepreneur in Residence for OpenAir Equity Partners, a local a venture capital and private equity firm focused on the explosive growth of mobility and the industries impacted by wireless technology.
Presented by the Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Center, the Tech ESP is a series that features six presentations by technology business leaders from across the region (Milne is the third of those six). More on the Tech ESP, again from its organizers:
This series … highlights the region’s most innovative technology business leaders as they discuss ideas and opportunities for the future generation of entrepreneurs. Tech ESP highlights experiences, lessons learned and unique issues and challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the creation of a new enterprise.
Stay tuned to Silicon Prairie News for more coverage of the Tech ESP.
Disclosure: Silicon Prairie News is a media sponsor of the Tech ESP.
Credits: Photo of Langford from bizjournals.com.
