Syracuse University, 369 Link Hall

1:00 pm

L.C. SMITH COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & COMPUTER SCIENCE PRESENTS:

JIM AMBRAS ‘78
FOUNDER & C.E.O

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS:
LIFE ON THE INSIDE OF SILICON VALLEY TECH STARTUPS

After spending 18 years working for two Fortune 500 companies, Jim Ambras ‘78 made the leap to join an early stage Silicon Valley technology startup called Zip2. Three years later AltaVista bought the startup for $307M - the largest cash acquisition of an Internet company at that time. After working for three more Internet startups he decided to start his own - NotchUp. NotchUp is a new twist on executive recruiting where candidates get paid by hiring companies to interview with them.
Jim will talk about what it’s really like to work on the inside of an early stage Silicon Valley technology startup. He will also talk about how he personally financed and developed NotchUp.com, signed up 100,000 members, and received international press coverage before getting any venture funding.   

As Chief Executive Officer of NotchUp, a Silicon Valley technology startup, Jim Ambras oversees all aspects of the firm. Founded in 2007, NotchUp is an executive recruiting solution that allows leading corporations to connect with desirable professionals that have in-demand skill sets and proven track records of success. While still in invitation-only Beta, the site has attracted over 100,000 qualified professionals who are seeking new challenges in their careers. NotchUp has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fast Company, BBC Radio, USA Today, BusinessWeek and The New York Times.