One of the most successful Indian entrepreneurs in the U.S. is Naveen Jain, CEO and co-founder of Intelius, Inc. Launched in January of 2003, Jain’s Bellevue-based company offers products and services extending from people search and list management to HR background checks. It also has one of the best ID theft protection products available, IDWatch.
In March 1996, prior to Intelius, Jain established InfoSpace. After the initial public offering (IPO) that took the company to Nasdaq, Intelius amassed a total of 24 acquisitions. Jain also worked for Bill Gates’ Microsoft Corporation as a senior executive. He was responsible for the development of several significant project. In fact, he still holds patents for a number of groundbreaking operating systems and applications-related technologies.
Jain established Intellius to help provide consumers and businesses with predictive intelligence by integrating both information business and e-commerce, or info-commerce. Using the company’s services and products, consumers can simply perform background checks on childcare providers, blind dates, new “friends” on the phone, coaches, healthcare workers, as well as reunite with family and friends. Corporations can check and monitor the background of job applicants to ensure that they are best person for the job. Apartment owners can perform tenant screening.
Intelius also offers identity-related data for consumers; one that actively detects and prevents ID theft.
While many companies are cutting back on charitable acts because of the present state of the economy, Intellius has helped various community-based non-profit organizations, donating nearly $210,000. The company is also actively supporting organizations like Kairos Society and Student Achievement Advocacy, which help bring together and develop young entrepreneurs. In addition, the company has also established a significant donation meant to financially assist students pursuing education in business, computer science, and engineering at the University of Washington.