Jacques Habra

Jacques Habra
Born (1974-01-09) January 9, 1974
Beirut
Alma mater University of Michigan
Website jacqueshabra.com

Jacques Habra is a Lebanese American technology entrepreneur, investor and thought leader. He is most known for founding WebElite, a web application technology agency in 1996. Habra is the founder and CEO of Noospheric, a startup consulting incubator based in Santa Barbara.[1]

Education and early career

Habra was born on January 9, 1974 in Beirut. A graduate of Hackett Catholic Central High School, Habra received his bachelor's degree with Honors in 1996 from the University of Michigan in English and Philosophy. Habra launched Web Elite during his senior year at the University of Michigan and sold the company in 2001 to a group of investors for an undisclosed sum.[2]

Career

In 1999, Habra purchased a 12,600 sq/ft commercial building (previously a movie theater) that he converted into an office space for Web Elite.[3] During Habra's leadership of Web Elite, the company pioneered online content management systems, online analytics systems, on the fly survey results, and off-line technology.[4][5]

Through WebElite, Habra created several technologies that were later adopted as mainstream Web tools[6] including one of the first content management systems (CMS) called the Auto-Mod Form, which allowed Web owners to modify content on their Web site without directly accessing servers or knowing any code. In 1999, Habra launched Unplugged, an application that allowed the use of a Web site without being connected to the Internet.[7]

In 2003, Jacques Habra joined Amer Zahr to co-found "OZ" - a night club in Ann Arbor with a middle eastern theme serving Hookahs.[8] Habra currently manages the incubator and consulting firm, Noospheric, where he develops and invests in early-stage companies. Through Noospheric, Habra has invested in TrackR (formerly Phone Halo) First Click,[9] SBClick, SelfEcho, and FreePropertyAlert.[10] Habra founded First Click in 2007 to provide online marketing services.[11]

Habra launched SelfEcho, a company, which develops technology to manage and improve well-being by tracking psychological metrics using smartphones; including the product Mobile Therapy, in 2013.[12]

Habra is an Adjunct Professor at Santa Barbara City College[13] and serves on several non-profit boards including the Arthritis Foundation Leadership Council, Westmont College Foundation Board,[14] MIT Enterprise Forum of the Central Coast,[15] and Mentorship Works.[16] Habra regularly speaks at technology and entrepreneurship conferences around the world.[17]

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "TrackR Raises $8.7M in Venture Capital Funding". TrackR Raises $8.7M in Venture Capital Funding. FINSMES. October 6, 2015. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ Student Uses Internet to Launch Business by Anita Chik published by The Michigan Daily in 1996
  3. ↑ Web Elite Keeps Clients on Top of the Latest Trends by Joel Smith published in Detroit News in 1999
  4. ↑ Web Elite Takes Over the Big Screen, by Max Stroman published in Costar on October 10, 2000
  5. ↑ Kosseff, Jeffrey (March 19, 2001). "Who's Who in Technology: Jacques Habra". Crain's Detroit Business.
  6. ↑ Aho, John E. (May 5, 2000). "Jacques Habra: Young Entrepreneur Influencing the World and the Web". Insider Business Journal.
  7. ↑ Firm Develops Off-line Web Hookup by Charles E. Ramirez published in The Detroit News in 2002
  8. ↑ Hookah and hip-hop at OZ by Roger Lelievre published in The Ann Arbor News in 2004
  9. ↑ Firm Puts Best Web site First by Stephen Nellis published in Pacific Coast Business Times on July 20, 2007
  10. ↑ Matt Mason’s FreePropertyAlert.com Aims to Provide Peace of Mind, by Gina Potthoff; published by Noozhawk on July 25, 2013
  11. ↑ First Click and the Fine Art of Web Marketing, by Brandon Fastman, in the Independent; published April 30, 2012; retrieved August 11, 2015.
  12. ↑ Can Data Transform Therapy, by Will Schmidt; published in Tech.Co on May 14, 2015
  13. ↑ Non Departmental Staff at SBCC, published by Santa Barbara City College in 2014
  14. ↑ Westmont Foundation Board Members, published by Westmont College in 2007
  15. ↑ MIT Central Coast Board Members by MIT Central Coast Forum
  16. ↑ About Mentorship Works, by Mentorship Works
  17. ↑ Sinovic, Steve (January 28, 2013). "Timely Awards". Santa Barbara News.
  18. ↑ Web Elite Chief is Year's Entrepreneur by Jeff Bennet published in Detroit Free Press on May 9, 2001
  19. ↑ "Web Elite CEO Wins Entrepreneurial Award". The Ann Arbor News. May 9, 2001.
  20. ↑ Entrepreneur of the Year Finalists, published by Crains Detroit Business on May 14, 2001
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