Managing Dir
DreamIt Ventures
Mark Wachen is the Managing Director of DreamIt NYC, one of the world's leading startup accelerator programs. Wachen is also the Managing Director and Founder of Upstage Ventures, a firm that advises and invests in consumer internet and interactive marketing companies. Wachen is a Board member of Optify and OrderGroove, and has worked with a variety of other companies including ChaiLabs (acquired by Facebook), SeatGeek, YouNow, Thumb, GameChanger, STELLAService, RJMetrics, and CatchAFire. Prior to Upstage, Wachen was the CEO of Optimost, the company that pioneered multivariable testing and optimization on the internet. Wachen founder Optimost in 2001 and served as its CEO up until its acquisition by Interwoven in November 2007. Prior to Optimost, Wachen worked for seven years at Sony. Wachen was Vice President of Online Ventures for Sony Music, where he directed many online initiatives, including Sony Music's investments in Spinner (acquired by AOL for $300 million), and the launch of the Sony Music Online Website in 1994. Wachen graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.