Samir Arora

Samir Arora is the Chairman of Information Capital LLC, a venture capital fund. Information Capital, based in Woodside, California, invests in leading-edge big idea companies in consumer publishing, media & technology that help change the lives of millions of people.

Over the last 20 years, Arora has been focused on 3 things- building & launching emotive consumer brands; identifying and developing solutions that cross the chasm and change the lives of millions of people; and building and leading passionate teams of people to achieve success to create wealth.

Arora is currently leading the team at Glam Media, Inc.- a privately held company in Silicon Valley and New York.

Prior to that, Arora was the Chairman of Emode/Tickle, Inc, which was sold to Monster in June, 2004 Tickle was a leading consumer website with over 42 million registered users (72% women) that grew in 5 years to a Media Metrix ranked top-20 destination site.


Prior to Tickle, Arora was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NetObjects, Inc, since its inception in November 1995 to 2001. An industry veteran, Arora has more than ten years of experience as chairman and chief executive officer including running a NASDAQ public traded company, and over 20 years of management experience in computers, software, communication, entertainment and enterprise markets

Arora was recognized by CNET as Web Innovator of the Year, as someone who has “helped shape the Web, create the term “Web Site” and create the first Web Site building product“ and also was named IIA’s Entrepreneur of the Year.


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Background:

NetObjects was ranked by Softletter 100 as one of the top 100 software companies, as the top 500 Media companies by NewMedia 500, and one of Fortune Magazine’s 25 Very Cool companies. It’s products won over 100 awards including InfoWorld’s Analysts Choice award, Windows Magazine’s Top Win 100 award, Business Week award and Internet World’s Industry Award. Over 10 million users and over 1 million merchants built over 20 million websites and 1 million e-commerce solutions using NetObjects.

Arora has been a frequent speaker at industry conferences and has spoken at Internet World, PC Forum, and at financial conferences such Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and H&Q. He has been involved with several category-defining internet, software and enterprise products including NetObjects Matrix, NetObjects Fusion, NetObjects Collage, 24 Hours in Cyberspace, Rae Assist, Desktop Publishing and Design, Languages and Fonts, Kanjitalk, HyperCard, 4th Dimension and the Macintosh System. Arora has been frequently interviewed by major publications such as Business Week, Red Herring, Upside, Wall Street Journal, New Yorker, and Fortune Magazine and by major news broadcast networks such as CNN, CNBC, and Bloomberg.

From 1992 to 1995, Arora was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rae Technology, a spin-off from Apple Computer, which pioneered browser-based information-navigation applications.

Prior to founding Rae Technology, Arora worked at Apple Computer, where he held key positions in business marketing, business development, and application software. While at Apple, Arora worked in emerging technology directions for information navigation, media, and communications in the Office of the Chairman. At Apple in 1986, Arora started working on the concepts of Information Navigation and Browsing-based Applications, precursors to what are now known as Web sites. Arora holds eleven U.S. patents, including nine design and two utility patents.


Arora has attended INSEAD business school in France and executive education at Harvard Business School, holds a diploma in sales and marketing from the London Business School, studied filmmaking and production at the Brooks Institute, and electrical and electronic engineering at BITS.



Arora lived in Paris while working at Apple from 1989-1991 and since then has been an avid fan and follower of the Fashion and Design industry. While in Paris, Arora was introduced to work of Gianni Versace (became a fan instantly) and following that  to the designer- and the amazing art and passion of the fashion world opened up for him. Over the years, Arora has developed deep relationships with the key brands and keeps an active interest in the style-forward, luxury brands retail development and fashion media publishing markets.




Arora has been active in the entertainment industry in the past, having participated in more than 30 theatre and television productions, including Jesus Christ Superstar (1975-76), Tommy (1978), Kidstuff (1979), Death of an Anarchist (1980), and The Day of Atonement (1981). Arora has written 2 plays- The Pinnacle (1982) and The Vulture Stooped Low (1984), two musicals- The Wall (1981) and Stronger than Superman (1984) and has directed and produced 4 plays, written 2 plays and one musical. Arora is an accomplished photographer with a published portfolio of editorial, fashion and portraiture work.



Arora’s work along with Clement Mok and Dave Kleinberg has shaped user interface and information design over the past 15 years. He pioneered the term Information Architecture- creating a structure and organization of Web Sites. Designs and products based on these ideas have received several awards such as Communication Arts Award of Excellence, Induction at the Smithsonian Institution, and the IDSA’s Industrial Design Gold Excellence Award.

Arora is a certified Body Therapist (AISI) and has studied Body Work, Ida Rolf’s Structural Integration, Moshe Feldenkrais’ Functional Integration, Trigger Point, Berry Method, Trager Work, and Dub Leigh’s Zentherapy

Arora's recreational interests include the arts, aikido, zazen, chado, kaiseki kyo-ryori, iyengar yoga, health, food, travel, scuba diving, cross-country skiing, biking, film, photography, flying and sailing. Arora is a strong supporter of women’s rights and an advocate for education. Arora is the Chairman of  Glam Media, Inc, the Chairman of Information Capital LLC, is on the Board of Trustee of TheatreWorks, is the Chairman of the not-for profit organization IZII; was the Chairman of Tickle, Inc., on the board of Youth Mentor Network for high school girls, Rick Smoan’s Amercia 24-7; is an avid collector of contemporary art and ceramics, and actively supports the community, schools and the arts in the Bay Area, New York & Kyoto. Detailed Background...