Manoj Saxena

Tech Investor. Board Member. Serial Entrepreneur. Racing Enthusiast.

Manoj Saxena is a founding General Partner of The Entrepreneur’s Fund IV where he oversees investment and growth in the Cognitive and Cloud Computing space. Saxena is a serial entrepreneur and most recently was IBM’s General Manager for the Watson Division.   At TEF, Saxena focuses on identifying, investing, and scaling cloud-centric software companies in the Cognitive Computing space and aligned with the IBM Watson Cloud ecosystem. Saxena is also a Special Advisor to IBM senior leadership where he focuses on operationalizing IBM’s $100m Watson Cloud Ecosystem Fund and making side-by-side investments with the TEF IV fund. He is interested in meeting entrepreneurs and technologists with original ideas, and executives with strong track records and can be reached at [email protected].   Before joining TEF, Saxena was General Manager, IBM Watson where his team built the world’s first cognitive systems in Healthcare, Financial Services, and Retail. He received the IBM Chairman’s award for Watson commercialization and helped with the formation of Watson Business Group in January 2014 with a $1B investment from IBM.   Prior to IBM, Saxena successfully founded, scaled, and sold two venture-backed software companies within a five year span. Webify, an emerging leader in industry-specific SOA middleware, which was acquired by IBM in 2006, and Exterprise, a business process collaboration company, purchased by Commerce One in 2001. Saxena holds two U.S. patents for web services technologies.   He currently serves on several boards including the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, San Antonio Branch, Communities In Schools, and the Saxena Family Foundation.   Saxena holds a masters degree in business administration from Michigan State University, and a masters in management sciences from the Birla Institute of Technology & Science in Pilani, India.  

Board Member at Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, San Antonio Br

December 2011 - Present | Texas

The Federal Reserve System is the central bank of the United States. It was founded by Congress in 1913 to provide the nation with a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system.

Vice President, Industry & Cloud Business Solutions at IBM

August 2010 - August 2011

Led worldwide strategy, market development, and investments for the IBM Industry and Cloud Business Solutions group. Member, IBM Council for Innovation Leadership.

Vice President and Global Solutions Leader at IBM

August 2007 - July 2010

Led the multi-billion dollar Global Business Solutions and Software Assets Group within IBM Global Services.

CEO & Founder at Webify (Acquired by IBM)

April 2002 - July 2006

Founded and led Webify as it's Chairman and CEO until its acquisition by IBM in August 2006.

Senior Vice President at Commerce One

April 2001 - March 2002

Led the Industry Solutions, Marketing, and Business Development functions for Commerce One. Led integration post the acquisition Exterprise by Commerce One.

CEO & Founder at Exterprise (Acquired by Commerce One)

June 1998 - March 2001

Founded and led Exterprise as it's CEO until its acquisition by Commerce One in March 2001.

Business Unit Manager at 3M

June 1990 - April 1998

Led the Telecom Network Apparatus Business Unit within 3M Telecom.

General Manager, IBM Watson Solutions at IBM

August 2011

Lead the IBM Software Division responsible for the commercialization of a new class of Analytics and Big Data business solutions based on the IBM's transformative Watson technology. Member of IBM’s Integration and Values team – a group of senior IBM executives selected by the IBM CEO to provide guidance on various strategic issues and transformational projects to drive improved cash flow, profit and earnings per share.

Michigan State University

1988 – 1990

MBA

Birla Institute of Technology and Science

1982 – 1986

MMS

Concentration: Industrial Engineering, Management

Auto racing, complicated mechanical watches, making markets and building business around disruptive technology.