Tomas Okmanas
{{Short description|Lithuanian businessman & entrepreneur}}
{{like resume|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}{{Infobox person
| name = Tomas Okmanas{{Cite web|title=Leadership at Nord Security|url=https://nordsecurity.com/leadership|access-date=2024-12-17|website=Nord Security|language=en}}
| image = Tomas Okmanas 2 by Augustas Didzgalvis.jpg
| image_size = 220px
| alt =
| caption = 2022
| birth_name = Tomas Okmanas
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age |df=yes|1987|11|05}}
| birth_place = Vilnius, Lithuania
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| education = Vilnius University
Mykolas Romeris University
| known_for = Tesonet; Nord Security; NordVPN
| title = co-founder of Tesonet and Nord Security
}}
File:Tomas Okmanas by Augustas Didzgalvis.jpg
Tomas Okmanas (born November 5, 1987) is a Lithuanian tech entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of several global startups. He is best known as the co-founder and co-CEO of Nord Security, a global cybersecurity company that provides a popular VPN service NordVPN.
Okmanas focuses on bootstrapping and leveraging technology to grow businesses in multiple different industries.{{Cite web |title=Tomas Okmanas |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/authors/tom-okman/ |website=World Economic Forum}} As the co-founder of Tesonet house of brands, he built a diverse investment portfolio. It currently includes a web intelligence collection platform Oxylabs, a hosting provider Hostinger, and a cybersecurity company Surfshark. All three were listed among the fastest-growing European companies by The Financial Times.{{Cite news |date=2024-03-01 |title=FT 1000: the eighth annual ranking of Europe's fastest-growing companies |url=https://www.ft.com/ft1000-2024 |access-date=2024-12-02 |language=en-GB}} Hostinger was also named the fastest-growing brand in its market.{{Cite web |author1=James Capell |date=2024-05-30 |title=Hostinger becomes the world's fastest growing web hosting company |url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/website-hosting/hostinger-become-the-worlds-fastest-growing-web-hosting-company |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=TechRadar |language=en}} Tesonet is a shareholder at Šiaulių Bankas, one of the biggest banks in Lithuania,{{Cite web |date=2021-12-23 |title=Tesonet announces agreement to invest in Siauliu Bankas |url=https://tesonet.com/newshub/tesonet-announces-agreement-to-invest-in-siauliu-bankas/ |website=Tesonet}} where Okmanas currently holds a seat on the supervisory board.{{Cite web |title=Bank's Supervisory Council |url=https://www.sb.lt/en/about/structure/supervisory-council |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Šiaulių bankas |language=en}}
In 2022, Okmanas entered the sports industry as a part-owner of EuroLeague team BC Žalgiris.{{Cite web |title=Tesonet invests in Zalgiris Kaunas |url=https://tesonet.com/newshub/tesonet-invests-in-zalgiris-kaunas/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Tesonet |language=en}} In 2024, he expanded his ownership by acquiring the BC London Lions.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-19 |title=London Lions announce new ownership and Zalgiris partnership |url=https://basketnews.com/news-210712-london-lions-announce-new-ownership-and-zalgiris-partnership.html |website=Basket News}}
Through Tesonet, Okmanas is also a venture-capital investor in various industries, including gaming, adtech, AI, retail, and deep tech.{{Cite web |title=Tom Okman investor portfolio, rounds & team |url=https://map.startuplithuania.lt/investors/tom_okman |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=map.startuplithuania.lt |language=en}} He is also a Limited Partner in several venture capital funds, including Creandum, Plural, and Moonfire.{{Cite web |last=Novakova |first=Natalie |date=2023-10-09 |title=Tech Wrap Oct. 9: Lithuanian VC Leads Pre-seed Round of Germany-based Climate Tech Startup, Estonian VC Firm Backs AI-based Content Moderation Platform |url=https://icebreaker.media/tech-wrap-oct-9-lithuanian-vc-leads-pre-seed-round-of-germany-based-climate-tech-startup-estonian-vc-firm-backs-ai-based-content-moderation-platform/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Icebreaker |language=en-US}}
In 2024, the combined workforce across all his ventures was 3,200 people.{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://tesonet.com/about/#:~:text=We%20are%203,200+%20experts%20working%20across%20various%20products,%20specializing%20in%20programming,%20marketing,%20product%20development,%20sales,%20design,%20and%20communications. |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Tesonet |language=en}}
Early life
Okmanas was born and raised in Vilnius. He earned a bachelor's degree in history at Vilnius University and later earned a master's degree in e-business management at Mykolas Romeris University.{{Cite web|last=Gewirtz|first=David|title=Meet NordSec: The company behind NordVPN wants to be your one-stop privacy suite|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/meet-nordsec-the-company-behind-nordvpn-wants-to-be-your-one-stop-privacy-suite/|access-date=2021-08-09|website=ZDNet|language=en}}
Career
Okmanas founded Tesonet together with Eimantas Sabaliauskas in 2008.{{Cite web|last=March 2020|first=TechRadar Pro 31|date=2020-03-31|title=Moving the VPN industry forward: a Q&A with NordVPN|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/moving-the-vpn-industry-forward-a-qanda-with-nordvpn|access-date=2021-08-09|website=TechRadar|language=en}} After trying 34 various projects and ideas, from computer games to web hosting solutions, they finally focused on network security, business hosting, and big data solutions.{{Cite web|date=2017-10-30|title=The Story of Tesonet {{!}} We are Tesonet|url=https://tesonet.com/culture/the-story-of-tesonet/|access-date=2021-08-09|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Okmanas: If We Want More Unicorns, We Need to Invest in Youth Education and the Modernisation of Spaces|url=https://www.vu.lt/en/news-events/news/9096-okmanas-if-we-want-more-unicorns-we-need-to-invest-in-youth-education-and-the-modernisation-of-spaces|access-date=2021-08-27|website=Vilnius University|language=en-gb}} Both individually and through the Tesonet accelerator, Okmanas invested in more than 50 different projects and ventures.{{Cite web|last=March 2020|first=TechRadar Pro 31|date=2020-03-31|title=Moving the VPN industry forward: a Q&A with NordVPN|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/moving-the-vpn-industry-forward-a-qanda-with-nordvpn|access-date=2021-08-09|website=TechRadar|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-08-06|title=Pixevia Scoops $1.18 Million to Develop AI-based Smart Retail Store|url=https://aithority.com/computer-vision/pixevia-scoops-new-funding-to-develop-ai-based-smart-retail-store-concept/|access-date=2021-08-27|website=AiThority|language=en-US}} He is actively involved in mentoring new ventures in the Lithuanian startup ecosystem and has taken part in launching a new association aimed at the growth of active Lithuanian startups.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-30|title=Tesonet - Accelerating the digital future and innovation {{!}} We are Tesonet|url=https://tesonet.com/culture/tesonet-accelerating-the-digital-future-and-innovation/|access-date=2021-08-09|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Lithuania hopes for new unicorns this year|url=https://www.delfi.lt/a/83182615|access-date=2021-08-27|website=DELFI|language=en}}
In 2012, Okmanas co-founded the VPN service company NordVPN. He contributed to the development of the solution, significantly reducing the time required for TCP packets to travel between the client, the VPN server, and their ultimate destination.{{Cite web |date=2020-03-31 |title=Moving the VPN industry forward: a Q&A with NordVPN |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/moving-the-vpn-industry-forward-a-qanda-with-nordvpn |access-date=2021-08-09 |website=TechRadar |language=en}} Okmanas is listed as one of the inventors of this method in the US patent office database.{{Cite patent|title=Multi-part TCP connection over VPN|gdate=2020-02-04|country=US|number=11050587|assign=360 IT UAB|inventor1-last=Norbutas|inventor1-first=Emanuelis|inventor2-last=Okmanas|inventor2-first=Tomas|inventor3-last=Briedis|inventor3-first=Marijus}}
In 2017, Okmanas co-founded Nord Security, an umbrella company for several cybersecurity solutions both for clients and businesses, like NordVPN, NordLayer, and NordPass. However, a near-future vision for Nord Security, according to Okmanas, is to have one app that users could forget about after its activation: it would cover all the important areas of consumer security in the background.
Since 2020, Okmanas has been a member of the Forbes Technology Council.{{Cite web|title=Tom Okman|url=https://profiles.forbes.com/members/tech/profile/Tom-Okman-Co-Founder-Nord-Security/6ccbc79e-4588-419e-b3c7-5759ff2aaa54|access-date=2021-08-09|website=Forbes Councils|language=en}}
He is also a member of the board of trustees at the Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science, together with the eighth President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and other prominent Lithuanian figures.{{Cite web|title=Board of Trustees|url=https://www.tspmi.vu.lt/en/board-of-trustees/|access-date=2021-08-09|website=TSPMI}}
In 2023, together with Eimantas Sabaliauskas, Okmanas helped raise a million euros to Ukraine in an hour, and then doubled the donation.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-06 |title=Lithuanians raised €1m in one hour for Ukraine – and IT company doubled it |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1883782/lithuanians-raised-eur1m-in-one-hour-for-ukraine-and-it-company-doubled-it |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=lrt.lt |language=en}} For their philanthropy, Okmanas and Sabaliauskas were named National Patrons of Lithuania.{{Cite web |last=administrator |date=2024-06-13 |title=Tesonet Global Shareholders Named National Patrons for Donation to Ukraine |url=https://lithuania.lt/governance-in-lithuania/tesonet-global-shareholders-named-national-patrons-for-donation-to-ukraine/ |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=Lithuania |language=en-GB}}
As of 2024, Okmanas’ net worth is estimated to be €1.2 billion.{{Cite web |last=ELTA |date=2024-11-26 |title=The list of the richest people in Lithuania has been published: V. Germanas takes the 19th place |url=https://madeinvilnius.lt/en/business/Vilnius-market/announced-as-the-richest-person-in-Lithuania,-Sarasas-v-Germanas-takes-the-19th-place/ |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=MadeinVilnius.lt |language=en}}
Advocacy
Okmanas is a member of the board of directors of the Internet infrastructure coalition (i2Coalition).{{Cite web|title=Tom Okman|url=https://www.i2coalition.com/staff/tom-okman/|access-date=2021-08-09|website=i2Coalition|language=en-US}} This initiative ensures that those who build the infrastructure of the internet have a voice in public policy. In 2019, i2Coalition and six leading VPN service providers launched an initiative called VPN Trust Initiative (VTI).{{cite web | last=Castro | first=Chiara | title=Top VPN providers get recognized as secure and ethical products | website=TechRadar | date=2023-09-28 | url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/vpn/top-vpn-providers-are-recognized-as-secure-and-ethical-products | access-date=2024-09-14}} A year later, VTI released a set of VTI Principles to offer a comprehensive set of best practices for VPN providers. Speaking on behalf of NordVPN, a member of VTI, Okmanas stated that the release of VTI Principles and Standards sets the bar for the whole industry.{{Cite web|title=VPN Trust Initiative releases VPN principles for providers and users|url=https://securitybrief.asia/story/vpn-trust-initiative-releases-vpn-principles-for-providers-and-users|access-date=2021-08-09|website=securitybrief.asia|language=en}}
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okman, Tom}}
Category:Businesspeople in information technology
Category:Technology company founders
Category:Internet company founders
Category:Businesspeople in software
Category:21st-century Lithuanian businesspeople
Category:Lithuanian business executives
Category:Businesspeople from Vilnius