Mr. Eric Swildens, CTO
Speedera Networks
http://www.speedera.com/

Friday, October 1
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm 
Library Rotunda (4th floor of Library)

Reception to follow at 3:00 pm

Title
=====

Some Ways to Turn $10 Thousand into $10 Millon or More

Abstract
========

Eric is founder and CTO of Speedera Networks, a Silicon Valley company  
that delivers a large chunk of the Internet. As Speedera became  
successful, it also became the target of a large amount of patent  
litigation. Although unable to comment on the specific cases involving his  
company, Eric will talk about what patents are, how they are filed and how  
they are currently used. He will also be able to answer any questions  
about how companies are started in Silicon Valley including what a  
founding team should look like, raising money or how a company grows from  
garage to office complex and beyond.

Biographical Information
========================

Eric Swildens graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a B.S. 
in computer science in 1990. Eric then held a succession of increasingly  
challenging positions in software development. In 1996 he founded  
Microline Software in Sunnyvale, California, which developed user  
interface software. A year later Eric oversaw the purchase of Microline  
Software by Blaze Software and continued to design software for them until  
1998 when he joined Resonate, where he oversaw the development of Linux  
software. In 1999 Eric, with two co-founders, created Speedera Networks, a  
web-based content delivery company, where he continues to serve as Chief  
Technical Officer. While at Speedera, Eric has been granted five patents  
for his software.  Eric is well known in Silicon Valley as a high-tech  
entrepreneur and software developer.