Courtesy of William J. Warner

Curiosity Expert: William J. Warner

Founder, Avid Technogy, Inc., Wildfire Communications, Inc. and CoFlow Investing, LLC

• William J. Warner on Vimeo
• Bill Warner's Blog
• CNN Pinnacle
• LinkedIn Profile
• Avid History Interview
• Follow William J. Warner on Twitter!

Bill Warner is the founder of Avid Technology, Inc. and Wildfire Communications, Inc., FutureBoston, Inc, and CoFlow Investing, LLC. Avid (Nasdaq: AVID) makes video, audio and film editing systems that make, manage and move media. In 1993, Mr. Warner won an Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the development of the Avid Media Composer. In 1999, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Avid with the Oscar® for its success in transforming the editing process in filmmaking. Mr. Warner accepted the award and was shown on the worldwide telecast. Wildfire developed an innovative electronic secretary that used speech recognition to manage one's phone calls and messages. Wildfire was sold to Orange, PLC. in 2000. Since 2000, Warner has shared his time between work with non-profits, and a focus on helping entrepreneurs.

In addition, Mr. Warner is an active Boston "Super Angel" who invests in ten or more early stage technology startups per year. In the last year alone, Mr. Warner has made about 12 investments in small, very early stage companies. Mr. Warner is also working on a book about entrepreneurship called Intention and Invention. It explores how to optimize the connection between what drives an entrepreneur, and how they go about making inventions that spring from that drive. Mr. Warner has been a long-time trustee of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, and has taught classes for entrepreneurs through that organization. In 2008, Warner created and co-chaired the MassTLC Innovation 2008 unConference. In 2011, the conference was held at the Hynes Conventions center and had 800 attendees.

Mr. Warner attended MIT and received a BSEE degree in 1980. Mr. Warner grew up in Millburn, NJ, and is an avid cyclist and photographer.

BACKGROUND:

Over the years, Mr. Warner has started these companies:

• 1975 - Bionic Control Corporation - Designed environmental control systems for people with disabilities. Turn lights on/off, change TV channels just using your own ability to whistle.
• 1980 - New England Handcycles - Manufactures hand-pedaled cycles
• 1987 - Avid Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVID) - Makes video, audio and film editing systems. Public company.
• 1992 - Wildfire Communications, Inc. - Designed first speech-based electronic secretary - Sold to Orange in 2000
• 1999 - FutureBoston, Inc. - Non profit - designs high-resolution mapping systems that combine past/present/future maps as layers. City of Boston uses the technology.
• 2002 - Warner Research, LLC - Ran the Collaboration Space at Warner Research (until 2008) - shared space for entrepreneurs.
• 2006 - Move With Freedom, Inc. - Non-profit focussed on open-source designs of mobility tools for those with disabilities.
• 2010 - CoFlow Investing LLC - Investments in early stage startups.