Michael Serbinis
{{short description|Canadian entrepreneur, engineer and angel investor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Michael Serbinis
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| image = Mike Serbinis.jpg
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|10|28}}
| birth_place = Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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| alma_mater = Queen's University (BS)
University of Toronto (MS)
| occupation = Founder and CEO, League Inc.
| children = 3
}}
Michael Serbinis (born October 28, 1973){{Cite web |last=Davidson |first=Andrew |date=September 2, 2012 |title=Looking for a fight, Amazon? |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/looking-for-a-fight-amazon-5snhbvph359 |work=The Sunday Times}} is a Canadian businessman based in Toronto, Ontario.
While a student, Serbinis worked for Microsoft on routing algorithms.{{Cite news|url=https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/top-1000/inside-the-kobo-deal-that-netted-indigo-165-million/article4256906/?ref=https://www.theglobeandmail.com&page=all|title=Inside the Kobo deal that netted Indigo $165-million|date=2012-06-28|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=2018-08-17|language=en-GB}}
He later helped found the cloud-based document storage network company DocSpace. In December 2009, Serbinis co-founded Kobo Inc., a digital reading company. In 2014, Serbinis launched League, a digital health and wellness benefits platform.{{Cite news|url=https://betakit.com/mike-serbinis-gives-all-in-lesson-for-startup-founders-at-techto/|title=Mike Serbinis gives "all-in" lesson for startup founders at #TechTO|work=BetaKit|access-date=2018-08-17|language=en-CA}} Along with being a co-founder, he is chief executive officer.
Personal life
Serbinis was educated at Sherwood High School in Hamilton, Ontario. He did his bachelor's degree at the Queen's University at Kingston and master's at the University of Toronto.{{additional citation needed|date=August 2024}} He is married and has three children..
Career
= Microsoft =
= Zip2 =
Serbinis worked alongside Elon Musk at Zip2. Zip2 primarily provided and licensed online city guide software to newspapers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.editorandpublisher.com/columns/zip2-plays-up-national-network-card/|title=Zip2 Plays Up National Network Card – Editor & Publisher|website=www.editorandpublisher.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-17}} It was eventually sold to Altavista for $300 million.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/17/business/compaq-buys-zip2-to-enhance-altavista.html|title=Compaq Buys Zip2 to Enhance Altavista|last=Napoli|first=Lisa|work=The New York Times |date=17 February 1999 |access-date=2018-08-17|language=en}}
= DocSpace and Critical Path =
Serbinis then helped found a cloud-based document storage network company called DocSpace. Two years after DocSpace was launched, San Francisco-based Critical Path Inc. agreed to acquire it for $530 million.
In 2001, Serbinis was appointed Chief Technology Officer of Critical Path. Critical Path was a provider of messaging services, working in partnerships with mobile operators, telecommunications companies, ISPs, and enterprises.
= Indigo and Kobo =
in 2006, Serbinis joined Indigo, where he was the Chief Information Officer until 2008.
In 2009, Serbinis co-founded Kobo Inc., a digital reading company based in Toronto, Canada. In January 2012, Kobo was acquired by Japanese e-commerce conglomerate Rakuten for $315 million.Following the acquisition, Serbinis continued as CEO until 2014.{{Cite news |date=2022-02-01 |title=Mike Serbinis locks in winning formula for digital health company League - and secures US$95-million funding led by global backers |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-mike-serbinis-locks-in-winning-formula-for-digital-health-company/ |access-date=2024-04-16 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}}{{Cite news |date=2017-10-16 |title=League's expansion to offering insurance was a 'bet-the-company' moment |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/league-created-a-one-stop-shop-for-health-services-plus-insurance/article36590748/ |access-date=2024-04-16 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}}
= League Inc. =
In 2014 Serbinis launched League Inc., a digital health and wellness platform for advanced healthcare consumer experiences. Along with being a co-founder, Serbinis is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. In 2016, League raised a US$25 million Series A. In June 2017, League expanded its platform into the US.{{Cite web|url=https://techvibes.com/2017/07/05/vanguards-michael-serbinis-is-in-a-league-of-his-own|title=Diversity, Balance and Big Dreams: Michael Serbinis is in a League of His Own|website=Techvibes|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-17}} In July 2018, League raised a US$41.7 million Series B.{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/24/league-raises-62m-series-b-to-fix-corporate-health-care-benefits/|title=League raises $47.1M Series B to fix corporate health care benefits|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2018-08-17|language=en-US}} In February 2022, the company raised $95 million in Series C funding led by TDM Growth Partners and Workday Ventures.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web|url = https://www.thestar.com/business/2014/11/12/kobo_founder_launches_healthcare_start_up.html |title = Kobo founder launches health-care start up |date = 12 November 2014 |website = Toronto Star}}
{{Kobo}}
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Category:Businesspeople in online retailing
Category:Businesspeople from Ontario
Category:Canadian people of Greek descent
Category:Canadian technology chief executives
Category:Chief information officers
Category:Chief technology officers
Category:Indigo Books and Music people
Category:People from Hamilton, Ontario