Stephen Messer (entrepreneur)

The second child of two entrepreneurs, Messer was born in Westchester, New York. He attended Horace Greely High School in Chappaqua, New York. From the time he was 14, he worked in the family real estate business.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

Messer earned a BA degree with dual majors in Government and Law as well as History from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and was made a member of Phi Alpha Theta (the National History Honor Society). Messer earned a JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City.{{cite web|title=Columbia Business School Biography for Stephen Messer|url=https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smaskey/dste/mentors-advisors/stephen-messer/|publisher=Columbia Business School|accessdate=4 November 2013}}

Messer began his career as the assistant director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) from 1995 to 1996 working with Columbia Business School professor Eli Noam.{{cite web|title=Bloomberg Businesslike Executive Profile for Stephen D. Messer|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=1132630&privcapId=3777945&previousCapId=122917&previousTitle=SALESFORCE.COM%20INC|publisher=Bloomberg Businessweek|accessdate=3 November 2013}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} While at CITI, Messer covered Cybercommunications (the Internet), the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and other key mass media issues of the time.{{cite web|last=Tibbling|first=Sarah|title=An Angel in New York: Stephen Messer|url=http://www.alleywatch.com/2013/09/an-angel-in-new-york-stephen-messer/#|work=19 September 2013|publisher=Alley Watch|accessdate=2 November 2013}} Messer has remained an affiliated research fellow at CITI and is a regular speaker at Columbia Business School on topics ranging from electronic commerce to emerging technologies.{{cite web|last=Romano|first=Francesca|title=Stephen Messer of CCM to discuss analytics at Columbia Business School|url=http://www.collectivei.com/2011/04/stephen-messer-of-ccm-to-discuss-analytics-at-columbia-business-school/|work=13 April 2011|publisher=Collective[i]|accessdate=2 November 2013}}

In 1996, Messer recognized the Internet's enormous potential, and with his sister, Heidi Messer,{{cite book|last=Kidder|first=David|title=The Startup Playbook: Secrets of the Fastest-Growing Startups from Their Founding Entrepreneurs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iyAbTjqVXgkC&q=stephen+messer+linkshare&pg=PA209|year=2012|publisher=Chronicle Books, LLC |isbn=9781452105048 |accessdate=2 November 2013}} set out to create an online distribution network that would allow websites to monetize their traffic through performance based links.{{cite web|last=Rojas|first=Javier|title=Return Leaders: Heidi Messer, Founder, LinkShare|url=http://seekinggrowth.typepad.com/blog/2013/07/return-leaders-heidi-messer-founder-linkshare.html|work=2 July 2013|publisher=Seeking Growth|accessdate=2 November 2013}} Messer recruited Cheryl Ho and Horace Meng to help he and his sister create LinkShare Corporation.{{cite news|last=Mendels|first=Pamela|title=Brother-Sister Team a Rarity in Silicon Alley|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/library/cyber/digimet/102097digimet.html|work=20 October 1997|publisher=The New York Times|accessdate=2 November 2013}}

The company initially faltered, landing only 15 clients in its first year despite the Messers' extensive efforts. By year three, though, it regained its footing and took off, with 150 businesses signing up to take advantage of this new revenue concept.{{cite web|last=Udhaw|first=Kumar|title=Stephen Messer and Heidi Messer: Stick to your Knitting, Success doesn't Come Overnight!|url=http://www.successstories.co.in/stephen-messer-and-heidi-messer-stick-to-your-knitting-success-doesnt-come-overnight/}} Messer served as chairman and CEO of LinkShare until its sale in 2005 to Rakuten Inc. for $425 million. In 2006, Messer exited the company, which was later renamed Rakuten LinkShare.{{cite web|last=Peters|first=Kurt|title=Founders Stephen Messer and Heidi Messer leave LinkShare|url=http://www.internetretailer.com/mobile/2006/02/09/founders-stephen-messer-and-heidi-messer-leave-linkshare|work=9 February 2006|publisher=Internet Retailer|accessdate=2 November 2013}}

Messer was awarded patents around the concept of affiliate marketing.{{cite web|title=Data processing system for integrated tracking and management of commerce related activities on a public access network US 5991740 A|url=http://0-www.google.com.library.ccbcmd.edu/patents/US5991740|work=23 November 1999|accessdate=2 November 2013}} The first of these patents, which covered a cookie-less way of tracking commission information, was covered in the NY Times.{{cite news|last=Hansell|first=Saul|title=As Patents Multiply, Web Sites Find Lawsuits Are a Click Away|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/11/business/as-patents-multiply-web-sites-find-lawsuits-are-a-click-away.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm%29|work=11 December 1999|publisher=The New York Times|accessdate=2 November 2013|date=11 December 1999}}

In 2008, Messer co-founded Cross Commerce Media with his sister Heidi Messer and Tad Martin.{{cite web|title=Founded by Business Leaders, Built by World Class Scientists and Developers|url=http://www.collectivei.com/about/|publisher=Collective[i]|access-date=2 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210183714/http://www.collectivei.com/about/|archive-date=10 February 2014}}{{cite news|title=Big Brother: The Big Data Revolution Gets Personal|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/video/big-brother-how-big-data-means-big-business-sxaQJxSSRdSqSyubeAWo~Q.html|work=19 March 2013|publisher=Bloomberg TV|accessdate=3 November 2013}} He currently serves on its board of directors as the company's vice chairman.{{cite web|title=Collective[i] Leadership, Management Team Biography Listings|url=http://www.collectivei.com/management/|publisher=Collective[i]|access-date=2 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312212257/http://www.collectivei.com/management/|archive-date=12 March 2014}}

In 2014, Messer was awarded three patents in conjunction with Collective[i]'s data analytics network. He is noted as a co-inventor for patent #8,713,076{{Cite web| url = http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8713076.PN.&OS=PN/8713076&RS=PN/8713076| title = United States Patent, 8,713,076, Providing a multi-tenant knowledge network| date = April 29, 2014| accessdate = January 16, 2015| website = US Patent & Trademark Office, Patent Full Text and Image Database| last = | first = }} and patent #8,825,716,{{Cite web| url = http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8825716.PN.&OS=PN/8825716&RS=PN/8825716| title = United States Patent, 8,825,716, Providing a multi-tenant knowledge network| date = September 2, 2014| accessdate = January 16, 2015| website = US Patent & Trademark Office, Patent Full Text and Image Database| last = | first = }} "Providing a Multi-Tenant Knowledge Network", as well as patent #8,825,618,{{Cite web| url = http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,825,618.PN.&OS=PN/8,825,618&RS=PN/8,825,618| title = United States Patent, 8,825,618, Methods and systems for enhanced data unification, access and analysis| date = September 2, 2014| accessdate = January 16, 2015| website = US Patent & Trademark Office, Patent Full Text and Image Database| last = | first = }} "Methods and Systems for Enhanced Data Unification, Access, and Analysis".

Messer is also co-founder of World Evolved,{{cite web|last=Levin|first=Robert|title=Evolving as an Entrepreneur: Hiring, Getting Advice, and Finding Time|url=http://www.nyreport.com/leadership/articles/77156/evolving_as_an_entrepreneur_hiring_getting_advice_and_finding_time?page=0,0|work=20 September 2010|publisher=NY Report|accessdate=3 November 2013}} a platform for global investment and expansion, an adviser to Industry Ventures,{{cite web|title=Entrepreneur Week Biography for Stephen Messer|url=http://www.entrepreneurweek.net/speakers/view/speakers-stephen-messer|publisher=Entrepreneur Week|accessdate=3 November 2013}} Tribeca Venture Partners,{{cite web|title=Tribeca Venture Partners Biography for Stephen Messer|url=http://tribecavp.com/dvteam/stephen-messer/|publisher=Tribeca Venture Partners|accessdate=3 November 2013}} Massive Incorporated (acquired by Microsoft), Loyaltylab{{cite web|title=InsideView, Loyalty Lab, Inc. Company Listing|url=http://www.insideview.com/directory/loyalty-lab-inc|publisher=InsideView|accessdate=3 November 2013}} (acquired by Tibco), and Netplenish.{{cite web|title=AngelList NetPlenish Company Listing|url=https://angel.co/netplenish|publisher=AngelList|accessdate=3 November 2013}} Additionally, he is an investor in numerous start-up ventures such as DODOcase, the space satellite company Spire,{{Cite web|url = https://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/07/29/microsatellite-company-spire-raises-25m-rocket-lab-unveils-new-rocket/|title = Nanosatellite Company Spire Raises $25M, Rocket Lab Unveils New Rocket|date = July 29, 2014|accessdate = February 14, 2015|website = The Wall Street Journal|publisher = Dow Jones & Company, Inc.|last = Gage|first = Deborah}} and Lifebooker.{{cite news|last=Shontell|first=Alyson|title=The 30 Most Valuable Startups In New York|url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/The-30-Most-Valuable-Startups-In-New-York-2323225.php|work=3 October 2011|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|accessdate=3 November 2013|date=3 October 2011}} He is a director with Edison Partners.{{Cite web|url = http://www.edisonpartners.com/edison-director-network/stephen-messer|title = Edison Director Bio for Stephen Messer|date = |accessdate = February 20, 2015|website = Edison Partners|last = |first = }} Messer has sat on or currently sits on the boards of Cross Commerce Media, d/b/a Collective[i], LifeBooker LLC, and Vente (acquired by Experian). Messer is active in the Silicon Alley start-up community and is an avid cyclist and yoga practitioner.{{cite web|title=TheBizDen 2012 BizSummit at New York Institute of Technology|url=https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150659436258742|publisher=Social Media News NY|accessdate=3 November 2013}}

In 2004, Messer was named as a finalist for the American Business Awards.{{cite web|title=List of 2004 Individual Finalists|url=http://www.stevieawards.com/pubs/awards/70_1392_8200.cfm|work=2004|publisher=The American Business Awards|accessdate=3 November 2013}} In 2005, Messer was awarded the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the New York Region.{{cite web|title=Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Hall of Fame |url=http://eoyhof.ey.com/SearchHallofFame.aspx |publisher=Ernst & Young |access-date=3 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061007110611/http://eoyhof.ey.com/SearchHallofFame.aspx |archive-date=October 7, 2006 }} Messer was selected by the Silicon Alley Reporter as one of the top 100 executives in Silicon Alley in 2008.{{cite web|last=Kafka|first=Peter|title=LAST CALL For Silicon Alley 100 Submissions|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/2008/9/last-call-for-silicon-alley-100-submissions-vote-now|work=23 September 2008|publisher=Business Insider|accessdate=3 November 2013}}

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Category:21st-century American inventors

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