Portfolium

Portfolium was founded in 2014 in San Diego by Adam Markowitz.{{cite web | url=http://timesofsandiego.com/business/2014/07/21/five-questions-san-diego-startup-portfolium/ | title=Five Questions for a San Diego Startup: Portfolium | publisher=The Times of San Diego | date=July 21, 2014 | accessdate=August 16, 2015 | author=Jennewein, Chris}}{{cite web | url=http://www.xconomy.com/san-diego/2015/01/28/portfolium-reinvents-the-resume-rolls-out-app-for-job-seekers/ | title=Portfolium Reinvents the Resumé, Rolls Out App for Job Seekers | publisher=xconomy | date=January 28, 2015 | accessdate=August 16, 2015 | author=Bigelow, Bruce}} Markowitz was unable to stand out and get hired by employers after numerous interviews, leading him to create a portfolio with the projects and activities he participated in while at UC San Diego, ultimately landing him a job working on NASA's space shuttle program.{{cite web | url=http://www.entrepreneuronfire.com/podcast/adam-markowitz-interview-of-theportfolium-and-john-lee-dumas-of-entrepreneur-on-fire/ | title=290: Adam Markowitz Of thePortfolium | date=6 August 2013 | publisher=entrepreneuronfire.com | accessdate=August 18, 2015}}{{cite web | url=https://portfolium.com/about | title=About | publisher=Portfolium | accessdate=August 18, 2015}} He then went on to create a prototype social networking platform, in which users would have the ability to create media-rich resumes with their academic projects and activities.

The company was accepted into Evonexus' accelerator 4-month Evostart program in San Diego.{{cite web | url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2014/sep/16/evonexus-demo-day-startups-graduate/ | title=Startups venture out of Evo nest | work=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=September 16, 2014 | accessdate=August 16, 2015 | author=Harvey, Katherine P.}} The company raised $900,000 in a seed funding round in the summer of 2014, exceeding by more than three times their initial goal of $250,000. Investors included Tech Coast Angels, Taner Halicioglu of Keshif Ventures among others.{{cite web | url=http://www.socaltech.com/portfolium_raises_9______in_seed_funding/s-0056228.html | title=Portfolium Raises $900,000 In Seed Funding | publisher=socaltech.com | date=July 31, 2014 | accessdate=August 16, 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://sdbj.com/news/2015/feb/06/san-diego-tech-coast-angels-set-record-investment-/ | title=San Diego Tech Coast Angels Set Record Investment Year in 2014 | publisher=San Diego Business Journal | date=February 6, 2015 | accessdate=August 17, 2015}} Portfolium was among the 15 winners of a $10,000 prize from the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, in order to enhance the company's potential global expansion.{{cite web | url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jun/30/export-brookings-institution-edc-economy-jobs/ | title=Cash coming to companies that export | work=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=June 30, 2015 | accessdate=August 19, 2015 | author=Horn, Jonathan}}

Portfolium first reached the alumni association of Markowitz's alma mater, UC San Diego, where he received a positive feedback.{{cite web | url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2013/Dec/18/start-up-business-building/ | title=Relationships and perseverance key to entrepreneurs' business-building | work=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=December 18, 2013 | accessdate=August 18, 2015}} The company then secured a partnership agreement with California State University San Marcos, allowing the registration of the university's student and alumni population to Portfolium.{{cite web | url=http://tech.co/portfolium-partnerships-evonexus-2015-01 | title=Credibility is Key for Portfolium's Partnerships | publisher=Tech Cocktail | date=January 16, 2015 | accessdate=August 16, 2015 | author=Schmidt, Will}} The company also signed a contract with the University of California school system to power accounts for students and alumni across all 9 undergraduate campuses. Another partnership was secured with California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA.{{cite web | url=http://mustangnews.net/cal-poly-launches-portfolium-network/ | title=Cal Poly launches Portfolium network | publisher=Mustang News | date=April 19, 2015 | accessdate=August 19, 2015 | author=Mobley, Lindsy}} Under that deal, university students were populated into their own exclusive network within Portfolium, with access to further features, such as intergroup communication and the ability to link work within the group. Prior to signing with Portfolium, some Cal Poly students tested other ePortfolio solutions in a benchmark study where Portfolium was ultimately chosen as the unanimous winner.

Portfolium's online platform is an academic-oriented social networking service, mainly targeting university students and recent graduates.{{cite web | url=http://www.sandiegobusiness.org/category/tags/portfolium | title=Portfolium: the MetroConnect company connecting job seekers and employers globally | publisher=San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation | date=August 12, 2015 | accessdate=August 19, 2015}} Users can showcase their work by uploading media files such as images, PDFs, videos and other media files onto their profiles.{{cite web | url=http://www.rescuecom.com/blog/index.php/business/startups/rescuecom-speaks-to-daniel-marashlian-about-how-portfolium-helps-students/ | title=RESCUECOM Speaks to Daniel Marashlian about How Portfolium Helps Students | publisher=Rescue.com | date=August 13, 2014 | accessdate=August 18, 2015}}{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryancraig/2015/07/29/e-portfolios-competency-marketplaces-for-colleges/2/ | title=E-Portfolios: Competency Marketplaces For Colleges | work=Forbes | date=July 29, 2015 | accessdate=August 19, 2015 | author=Craig, Ryan}} Portfolium has attracted graduates from a wide variety of majors, but engineers and other STEM students understand and utilize the features of the platform the quickest. This was attributed to the fact that its founder was an engineer himself and, when originally designed and marketed, it was done so having the needs of engineers in mind. A mobile iOS application was made available on Portfolium, with which users could apply for jobs by putting their academic work in front of hiring managers by hashtaging the desired employer's name.{{cite web | url=http://tech.co/portfolium-ios-launch-2015-01 | title=Portfolium Makes Moves Into the Mobile Space | publisher=Tech Cocktail | date=January 28, 2015 | accessdate=August 19, 2015 | author=Schmidt, Will}} Apart from the United States, Portfolium's platform is available to students from Spain, Mexico and Argentina as of August 2015. Employers who have utilized Portfolium in the hiring of students and recent graduates include SpaceX, Qualcomm, and Boeing.

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://portfolium.com/ Portfolium website]

Category:2013 establishments in California

Category:American social networking websites

Category:Companies based in San Diego

Category:Internet properties established in 2013