Kaleil Isaza Tuzman
Encyclopedia
Kaleil Isaza Tuzman is an entrepreneur, the chief executive officer and elected chairman of the board of KIT digital
, Inc., and managing partner of KCP Capital. Isaza Tuzman, started his career at Goldman Sachs.
Isaza Tuzman is best known as an entrepreneur
and co-founder of govWorks.com, subject of the 2001 documentary Startup.com
about the founding and bankruptcy of the company.
" and was sold to First Data Corp. for nearly $20 million. The journey from the founding days to the sale of the company was documented in a documentary “Startup.com
”, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001.
Soon after govWorks.com, Isaza Tuzman founded Recognition Group (later known as KIT Capital), a company aimed at providing exit strategies, financial restructuring and interim management for distressed companies. Among dozens of projects, KIT Capital managed the sale of Tigris Corp., a privately-held strategic sourcing and supply chain consultancy based in New York City, to Verticalnet, Inc. in 2004. In 2001 KIT Capital/Recognition Group took over KPE, a struggling web development subsidiary of Grey Global Group, where Isaza Tuzman took the role of the CEO and chairman and sold the company to Mobilocity, Inc. (which was subsequently sold to Agency.com) less than a year later.
In May 2005, Isaza Tuzman was brought in as the President of JumpTV, a small start-up that focused on delivering foreign Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) content. Under his leadership, the company grew to become a leading company in delivery of syndicated foreign television content over the Internet around the globe. In August 2006, Isaza Tuzman led the IPO of JumpTV with Morgan Stanley as the lead underwriter, which allowed the company to raise over $60 million, and additional $100 million in a secondary offering less than a year later. In late 2007, Isaza Tuzman sold a substantial portion of his shareholding interest in JumpTV in the public market, which subsequently floundered after his departure.
In late 2007, Isaza Tuzman purchased a controlling interest in ROO Group and became the company’s CEO and chairman of the board. After financial restructuring and key acquisitions ROO, an Internet video technologies company, became one of the leading end-to-end IP video providers under the new name of KIT digital
. KIT digital listed on the NASDAQ Global Market in August 2009 under the ticker "KITD".
In August 2008 KIT Capital, MNA partners and RiverRoad Ventures merged to form KCP Capital, a cross-border merchant bank.
and George W. Bush
.
, Inc.
Board Member, Nextivity, Inc.
Board Member, Believe Entertainment
Board Member, Soliya
Board Member, Vidunia
KIT digital
KIT digital is a global provider of end-to-end video management software and services. The company is headquartered in Prague, and maintains principal offices in Atlanta, Beijing, Boston, Buenos Aires, New York, Chennai, Cologne, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan,...
, Inc., and managing partner of KCP Capital. Isaza Tuzman, started his career at Goldman Sachs.
Isaza Tuzman is best known as an entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and co-founder of govWorks.com, subject of the 2001 documentary Startup.com
Startup.com
Startup.com is a 2001 documentary film that chronicles the dot-com start-up phenomenon and its eventual end. The film follows e-commerce website govWorks and its founders Kaleil Isaza Tuzman and Tom Herman from 1999-2000 as the Internet bubble was bursting.-Production:The film was made by...
about the founding and bankruptcy of the company.
Entrepreneurial Life
After graduating from Harvard University, Isaza Tuzman worked on Wall Street for 5 years at Goldman Sachs before launching govWorks, Inc., an Internet start-up along with his childhood friend Tom Herman. Isaza Tuzman as the company’s CEO was able to quickly raise $60 million in venture capital, however like many companies of the “dot com” era, govWorks, Inc. was negatively affected by the burst of the "dot-com bubbleDot-com bubble
The dot-com bubble was a speculative bubble covering roughly 1995–2000 during which stock markets in industrialized nations saw their equity value rise rapidly from growth in the more...
" and was sold to First Data Corp. for nearly $20 million. The journey from the founding days to the sale of the company was documented in a documentary “Startup.com
Startup.com
Startup.com is a 2001 documentary film that chronicles the dot-com start-up phenomenon and its eventual end. The film follows e-commerce website govWorks and its founders Kaleil Isaza Tuzman and Tom Herman from 1999-2000 as the Internet bubble was bursting.-Production:The film was made by...
”, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001.
Soon after govWorks.com, Isaza Tuzman founded Recognition Group (later known as KIT Capital), a company aimed at providing exit strategies, financial restructuring and interim management for distressed companies. Among dozens of projects, KIT Capital managed the sale of Tigris Corp., a privately-held strategic sourcing and supply chain consultancy based in New York City, to Verticalnet, Inc. in 2004. In 2001 KIT Capital/Recognition Group took over KPE, a struggling web development subsidiary of Grey Global Group, where Isaza Tuzman took the role of the CEO and chairman and sold the company to Mobilocity, Inc. (which was subsequently sold to Agency.com) less than a year later.
In May 2005, Isaza Tuzman was brought in as the President of JumpTV, a small start-up that focused on delivering foreign Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) content. Under his leadership, the company grew to become a leading company in delivery of syndicated foreign television content over the Internet around the globe. In August 2006, Isaza Tuzman led the IPO of JumpTV with Morgan Stanley as the lead underwriter, which allowed the company to raise over $60 million, and additional $100 million in a secondary offering less than a year later. In late 2007, Isaza Tuzman sold a substantial portion of his shareholding interest in JumpTV in the public market, which subsequently floundered after his departure.
In late 2007, Isaza Tuzman purchased a controlling interest in ROO Group and became the company’s CEO and chairman of the board. After financial restructuring and key acquisitions ROO, an Internet video technologies company, became one of the leading end-to-end IP video providers under the new name of KIT digital
KIT digital
KIT digital is a global provider of end-to-end video management software and services. The company is headquartered in Prague, and maintains principal offices in Atlanta, Beijing, Boston, Buenos Aires, New York, Chennai, Cologne, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan,...
. KIT digital listed on the NASDAQ Global Market in August 2009 under the ticker "KITD".
In August 2008 KIT Capital, MNA partners and RiverRoad Ventures merged to form KCP Capital, a cross-border merchant bank.
Government positions
Isaza Tuzman has served as a U.S. trade representative under presidents Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Executive Board Positions
Chairman of the Board, KIT digitalKIT digital
KIT digital is a global provider of end-to-end video management software and services. The company is headquartered in Prague, and maintains principal offices in Atlanta, Beijing, Boston, Buenos Aires, New York, Chennai, Cologne, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan,...
, Inc.
Board Member, Nextivity, Inc.
Board Member, Believe Entertainment
Board Member, Soliya
Soliya
Soliya is a nonprofit organization that uses internet technology to improve inter-cultural understanding between the "West" and the "Muslim World". Their core program is the Connect Program - a cross-cultural education program that directly connects university students in the US, Europe, Middle...
Board Member, Vidunia
Books
In 2005, Isaza Tuzman published a book The Entrepreneur's Success Kit: A 5-Step Lesson Plan to Create and Grow Your Own BusinessExternal links
- Forbes Executive Profile - Forbes.com
- Kaleil Isaza Tuzman's Appearance on Charlie Rose
- KCP Capital
- Startup.com: The Sequel - Forbes.com
- Second Act: ‘Startup.com’ Stars Reflect On Life A Decade Later - The Wall Street Journal
- Hulu IPO: Major test for Internet TV business - CNN Money
- KIT digital Buys 3 Video Companies for $77.2 Million - Bloomberg
- Roll ’Em Up! Video Back-End Company KIT Digital Buys KickApps, Kyte, Kewego - All Things Digital
- Exclusive: KIT digital Acquires KickApps, Kewego AND Kyte For $77.2 Million - TechCrunch
- Deal of the day: KIT digital expands - The Financial Times
- KIT buys ioko for $79.4m - The Register
- Kit Digital Ramps up Video Services with 1100 Customers As Revenue Doubles in 2009 - Beet.TV
- KIT Digital to Power Tribeca Film Festival Video Site - Beet.TV
- HOW TO: Monetize Your Site With Video by Kaleil Isaza Tuzman on Mashable.com