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{{short description|British Internet entrepreneur (born 1963)}}
{{For|the basketball player|Danny Wagner}} {{About||the basketball player|Danny Wagner|the data scientist|Dan Wagner (data scientist)}}

{{Paid contributions|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2013}} {{Use British English|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox person {{Infobox person
|name = Dan Wagner | name = Dan Wagner
|image = File:Dan Wagner - UK Tech Entrepreneur.jpg | image = File:Dan - November 13 2007.jpg
| caption = Wagner in 2007
|birth_name = | birth_name = Daniel Maurice Wagner
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|7|28|df=y}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|7|28|df=y}}
|birth_place = ], ], England | birth_place = ], ], England
|death_date = | death_date =
|death_place = | death_place =
|death_cause =
⚫ | known_for = ], ]
|nationality = British
⚫ | occupation = Businessman
⚫ |known_for = MAID/Dialog, ], ], ], Rezolve
⚫ | website = {{URL|www.brightstation.com|brightstation.com}}
⚫ |occupation = Businessman
⚫ |website = {{URL|www.brightstation.com|brightstation.com}}<br>{{URL|twitter.com/realDanWagner|Twitter}}
}} }}


'''Daniel Maurice Wagner''' (born 28 July 1963) is a British Internet entrepreneur. He is best known for creating one of the first internet online information platforms in 1984, its subsequent 95% share price drop in 2000 when the dot com bubble burst,<ref name="Wray">{{cite news|title=Portraits of the dotcom entrepreneurs|first=Richard|last=Wray|newspaper=The Observer|date=13 March 2010|accessdate=28 June 2014|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/mar/14/portraits-dotcom-entrepreneurs-bubble-burst}}</ref> and for being the Founder/CEO of ], where he raised in excess of $200 million of funding<ref name="ftalphaville.ft.com">{{Cite web|url=http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/03/04/2155301/so-how-much-was-powa-technologies-really-worth?|title=So how much was Powa Technologies really worth?|website=ftalphaville.ft.com|access-date=2016-03-17}}</ref> before it went into administration within 30 months in early 2016.<ref name="ft.com"></ref> '''Daniel Maurice Wagner''' (born 28 July 1963) is a British Internet ]. He created MAID, one of the first online information platforms in 1984.<ref name="Dan Wagner Profile"/><ref name="Wray">{{cite news|title=Portraits of the dotcom entrepreneurs|first=Richard|last=Wray|newspaper=The Observer|date=13 March 2010|access-date=28 June 2014|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/mar/14/portraits-dotcom-entrepreneurs-bubble-burst}}</ref> He was later the founder and CEO of ], ATTRAQT, ] and most recently, Rezolve.


==Early life== ==Early life==
Wagner was born in ], ] on 28 July 1963.<ref name=mtoday>{{cite web|author=Andrew Davidson |url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/andrew-davidson-interview-dan-wagner-youthful-founder-maid-proprietor-bright-station-may-proven-techno-prophet-slammed-press-flash-self-promoter/article/408089 |title=The Andrew Davidson interview: Dan Wagner |publisher=Management Today |date=2001-04-01 |access-date=2017-01-16}}</ref> He was educated at ] but expelled when he was 13, before attending several schools, ending up at ], London.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gale |first=Adam |url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/i-went-five-schools-two-half-years-dan-wagner-powa-technologies/article/1359923 |title=How did Powa's Dan Wagner do in his exams? |publisher=Management Today |date=2015-08-13 |access-date=2017-01-16}}</ref>
Wagner was born in ], ].{{Citation needed|date=June 2014}} He is the youngest of two children of John and Yaffa Wagner. His father was a managing director at BMW.<ref name="one"/> He was educated at ] and ], London.{{Citation needed|date=June 2014}}


Wagner dropped out of school when he was sixteen years old to work as a shop assistant for entrepreneur ] at ].<ref name="one"/> Afterwards he joined an advertising agency, WCRS, as an account executive. There he came up with the idea of creating databases of records about businesses as a resource for marketing professionals.<ref name="one">{{cite news|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8777fd1e-1915-11e2-af4e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz35JsfdYgS|title=Dan Wagner - Lone Ranger with a Mass Target|first=Andrew|last=Bounds|newspaper=Financial Times|accessdate=28 June 2014|date=24 October 2012}}</ref> Wagner dropped out of school when he was sixteen years old to work as a shop assistant for entrepreneur ] at ].<ref name="one"/> Afterwards he joined an advertising agency as an account executive. There he came up with the idea of creating databases of records about businesses as a resource for marketing professionals.<ref name="one">{{cite news|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8777fd1e-1915-11e2-af4e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz35JsfdYgS|title=Dan Wagner - Lone Ranger with a Mass Target|first=Andrew|last=Bounds|newspaper=Financial Times|access-date=28 June 2014|date=24 October 2012}}</ref>


==Career== ==Career==
⚫ ===MAID/Dialog===
⚫ After Wagner left his job at the advertising agency,<ref name="one"/> he founded the online information company MAID (''Market Analysis Information Database'') in 1984. The company grew quickly<ref name="Dan Wagner Profile">{{cite news|title=He floated his first company for £120m, aged 31. Now Powa CEO Dan Wagner says the UK doesn't get tech|date=14 October 2013|first=Shruti|last=Tripathi|url=http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/famous-entrepreneurs/he-floated-his-first-company-for-120m-aged-31-now-powa-ceo-dan-wagner-says-the-uk-doesnt-get-tech/6526.article|access-date=28 June 2014|archive-date=4 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404042438/http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/famous-entrepreneurs/he-floated-his-first-company-for-120m-aged-31-now-powa-ceo-dan-wagner-says-the-uk-doesnt-get-tech/6526.article|url-status=dead}}</ref> and obtained a 26 percent market-share.<ref name="one"/> According to ''The Observer'' he was "one of the first people to realise the benefits of packaging electronic information and data for scientists, librarians and other specialists."<ref name="Wray"/> The company went public on the stock market in 1994 and was renamed to Dialog.<ref name="one"/> It was also listed on ] in 1995.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/maid-seeks-50m-on-nasdaq-1602505.html|title=MAID seeks £50m on NASDAQ|newspaper=The Independent|date=11 August 1995|first=Mathew|last=Horsman|access-date=28 June 2014}}</ref> Wagner became known for becoming a CEO of a public company in his 20s<ref>{{cite web|title=He floated his first company for £120m, aged 31. Now Powa CEO Dan Wagner says the UK doesn't get tech|url=http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/famous-entrepreneurs/he-floated-his-first-company-for-120m-aged-31-now-powa-ceo-dan-wagner-says-the-uk-doesnt-get-tech/6526.article|access-date=21 March 2016|archive-date=4 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404042438/http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/famous-entrepreneurs/he-floated-his-first-company-for-120m-aged-31-now-powa-ceo-dan-wagner-says-the-uk-doesnt-get-tech/6526.article|url-status=dead}}</ref> and for presiding over the company's share price decline in the ] in 2000. Subsequently, it was nicknamed by the city and a number of publications as 'Dial-a-dog'.<ref name="elevenss">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/dec/18/dan-wagner-venda-internet-business|newspaper=The Guardian|title=Dan Wagner: from dotcom Dial-a-dog to Venda vendor|first=Simon|last=Goodley|date=17 December 2011|access-date=28 June 2014}}</ref>


⚫ In 1997, Wagner agreed a deal to license search technology (InfoSort) to ] of Japan<ref>{{cite web|title=Dialog signs multi million deal with Fujitsu|url=http://www.cbronline.com/news/dialog_signs_multi_million_deal_with_fujitsu}}</ref> which was hailed by Prime Minister ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/134331|title=Blair Hails New Dialog/Fujitsu Alliance - InternetNews.|website=www.internetnews.com|access-date=26 January 2018}}</ref>
⚫ ===Dialog===
⚫ Wagner quit his job at the ad agency<ref name="one"/> and founded the online information company MAID ('''''M'''arket '''A'''nalysis '''I'''nformation '''D'''atabase'') in 1984, when he was 21 years old.<ref name="two"/> The company grew quickly<ref name="Dan Wagner Profile">{{cite news|title=He floated his first company for £120m, aged 31. Now Powa CEO Dan Wagner says the UK doesn't get tech|date=14 October 2013|first=Shruti|last= Tripathi|url=http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/famous-entrepreneurs/he-floated-his-first-company-for-120m-aged-31-now-powa-ceo-dan-wagner-says-the-uk-doesnt-get-tech/6526.article|accessdate=28 June 2014}}</ref> and obtained a 26 percent market-share.<ref name="one"/> According to ''The Observer'' he was "one of the first people to realise the benefits of packaging electronic information and data for scientists, librarians and other specialists."<ref name="Wray"/> The company went public on the stock market in 1994 and was renamed to Dialog.<ref name="one"/> It was also listed on ] in 1995.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/maid-seeks-50m-on-nasdaq-1602505.html|title=MAID seeks £50m on NASDAQ|newspaper=The Independent|date=11 August 1995|first=Mathew|last=Horsman|accessdate=28 June 2014}}</ref> In August 1995, Wagner earned £36 million in two days after a 300 percent increase in share values, prompted by a partnership with ].<ref name="two">{{cite news|title=How to make pounds 36m in 48 hours|first=Mathew|last=Horsman|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/how-to-make-pounds-36m-in-48-hours-1595710.html|accessdate=28 June 2014|date=11 August 1995|newspaper=The Independent}}</ref> Wagner became known for becoming a CEO of a public company in his 20s<ref>{{cite web|title=He floated his first company for £120m, aged 31. Now Powa CEO Dan Wagner says the UK doesn't get tech|url=http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/famous-entrepreneurs/he-floated-his-first-company-for-120m-aged-31-now-powa-ceo-dan-wagner-says-the-uk-doesnt-get-tech/6526.article|accessdate=21 March 2016}}</ref> and for presiding over the company's share price decline in the ] in 2000. Subsequently, it was nicknamed by the city & a number of publications as 'Dial-a-dog'.<ref name="elevenss">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/dec/18/dan-wagner-venda-internet-business|newspaper=The Guardian|title=Dan Wagner: from dotcom Dial-a-dog to Venda vendor|first=Simon|last=Goodley|date=17 December 2011|accessdate=28 June 2014}}</ref>


At a photo shoot ahead of the MAID ] Wagner wore a ] ] and this "flamboyant" attire was blamed for reducing the value of the company's shares by 10&nbsp;p.&nbsp;In 1997 the share price of Dialog dropped 95 percent.<ref name="three">{{cite news|url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/features/1214475/dan-wagner-maybe-im-not-best-person-run-public-company/|title=Dan Wagner: 'Maybe I'm not the best person to run a public company.'|date=2 October 2013|newspaper=Management Today|first=Gabriella|last=Griffith}}</ref>
⚫ In 1997, Wagner agreed a deal to licence search technology (InfoSort) to ] of ]<ref>{{cite web|title=Dialog signs multi million deal with Fujitsu|url=http://www.cbronline.com/news/dialog_signs_multi_million_deal_with_fujitsu}}</ref> which was hailed by Prime Minister ].<ref></ref>


===Venda Limited===
Share values in Dialog dropped 95 percent<ref name="two"/> during the dot-com crash<ref name="Dan Wagner Profile"/> and the company was sold to Thomson for $500 million in 2000.<ref name="Dan Wagner Profile"/> His choice of attire (a Donald Duck waistcoat) to a media photocall ahead of the MAID IPO was considered responsible for reducing the value of shares by 10p.<ref name="three">{{cite news|url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/features/1214475/dan-wagner-maybe-im-not-best-person-run-public-company/|title=Dan Wagner: 'Maybe I'm not the best person to run a public company.'|date=2 October 2013|newspaper=Management Today|first=Gabriella|last=Griffith}}</ref> The sale occurred primarily to relieve the debt burden incurred when the company acquired Knight-Ridder Information in 1997.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/1999/jun/27/observerbusiness.theobserver17|newspaper=The Observer|title=Dialog beset by demons of debt|accessdate=28 June 2014|date= 26 June 1999}}</ref>
In April 2001, Wagner founded Venda as one of the first cloud based, enterprise class commerce platforms using the technology assets from ] as the foundation for the offering.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/02/business/international-business-fashionmallcom-swoops-in-for-the-boocom-fire-sale.html|title=INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Fashionmall.com Swoops In for the Boo.com Fire Sale|first=Andrew Ross|last=Sorkin|date=2 June 2000|via=query.nytimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Boo.com spent fast and died young but its legacy shaped internet retailing|date=16 May 2005|first=Richard|last= Wray|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/may/16/media.business|access-date=16 May 2005}}</ref> He bought the ] assets for just £250,000 after they had invested over £70 million in the platform and operations.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bright Station to Buy Assets From Failed Retailer Boo.com|date=30 May 2000|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB959690790810301224}}</ref>


===Attraqt===
According to ''The Daily Telegraph'', after the sale of Dialog, he "vowed to step out of the spotlight."<ref>{{cite news|title=Wagner composes his return to public stage|date=10 December 2007|publisher=The Telegraph|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2820952/Wagner-composes-his-return-to-public-stage.html|accessdate=28 June 2014}}</ref>
In 2003, Wagner co-founded Attraqt - an ] software company - with CEO Andre Brown.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Duke |first1=Simon |date=13 July 2014 |title=Dotcom veteran returns with shopping software listing |work=London Times |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dotcom-veteran-returns-with-shopping-software-listing-khhrjz3bsdd |access-date=29 September 2022}}</ref> Wagner served as the company’s chairman until June 2016.<ref name="FTShubber">{{cite news |last1=Shubber |first1=Kadhim |date=16 June 2016 |title=After all that Powa, another departure for Dan Wagner |publisher=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/a2cfc443-1435-3d75-8907-dab36bc74eeb |access-date=23 March 2022}}</ref> He took Attraqt public on ] in August 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffith |first1=Gabriella |date=14 Aug 2014 |title=Wagner gets his ducks in a row with latest IPO |publisher=City A.M. |url=https://www.cityam.com/wagner-gets-his-ducks-row-latest-ipo/ |access-date=29 March 2022}}</ref> and left as chairman in 2016.{{r|FTShubber}}

===Venda Enterprise e-commerce===
Wagner founded ] in 1998 pioneering the concept of delivering software via ]. Venda was the first ] enterprise class e-commerce platform.<ref name="Dan Wagner Profile"/> Venda Inc is provider of e-commerce software originally built using technology from the defunct company ].<ref name="five">{{cite news|title=Venda's Dan Wagner to launch website venture|first=Richard|last=Tyler|date=13 June 2010|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/7824994/Vendas-Dan-Wagner-to-launch-website-venture.html|accessdate=28 June 2014|publisher=The Telegraph}}</ref> Venda today runs many of the largest UK and international retail e-commerce sites and was sold in July 2014 to US leading ] software company ].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.internetretailer.com/2014/07/17/netsuite-buys-e-commerce-software-vendor-venda|publisher=Internet Retailer|title=NetSuite buys e-commerce software vendor Venda|first=Allison|last=Enright|date=17 July 2014}}</ref>

===ATTRAQT PLC===

] is a U.K. based organization that provides search and merchandising services to online businesses through a cloud-based Software As A Service (SaaS). It was founded in 2003 to facilitate sales growth for online retailers by focusing on conversion rates and the use of traditional creative merchandising techniques in the online environment. The company's SaaS platform, Freestyle Merchandising, gives retailers control over how products are merchandised on their e-commerce sites.

In 2014, ATTRAQT became available for trading on the ] of the London Stock Exchange,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://startups.co.uk/dan-wagner-founded-attraqt-raises-1-25m-in-aim-ipo|title=Dan Wagner founded Attraqt raises £1.25m in AIM IPO|first=Ryan|last=Platt|date=20 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Attraqt Group plc First Day of Dealings|url=http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail.html?announcementId=12056113|website=www.londonstockexchange.com|accessdate= 8 November 2014}}</ref> with an initial market capitalisation on Admission of approximately £10.3m,<ref>{{cite web|title=Online Merchandiser ATTRAQT To Float On AIM|url=http://www.lse.co.uk/AllNews.asp?code=elu9r2k7&headline=Online_Merchandiser_ATTRAQT_To_Float_On_AIM|work=lse.co.uk|date=14 August 2014|accessdate=8 November 2014}}</ref> based on a price of 50 pence per Ordinary Share on Admission.

In June 2016 Wagner retired from his position as Chairman of ATTRAQT plc, ATTRAQTs shares increased in value 21% on the news to 34.5p.<ref>{{cite web|title=After all that Powa, another departure for Dan Wagner|url=http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/06/16/2166501/after-all-that-powa-another-departure-for-dan-wagner/}}</ref>

===Aigua Media===
In 2007, Wagner acquired, through his Bright Station incubator, several fashion blogs from Shiny Media into a business entity called Aigua Media.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6056391/Shiny-Medias-fashion-blogs-saved-by-investor.html|publisher=The Telegraph|title=Shiny Media fashion blogs saved by investor|first=Sarah|last=Masson|date=19 August 2009|accessdate=28 June 2014}}</ref>


===Powa Technologies=== ===Powa Technologies===
⚫ In February 2016, the ] reported that the company had missed payments to staff and third parties,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a8466886-d489-11e5-829b-8564e7528e54.html|title=Powa Technologies missed staff and contractor payments|website=Financial Times|access-date=26 January 2018}}</ref> two years after raising substantial sums in investment. On 19 February 2016, Powa Technologies went into administration.
In 2007 he also founded ], an e-commerce business based on ]'s small business solution, but with additional services for in-store and mobile point of sale and software for mobile payments called ] and PowaPOS, formerly known as mPowa. Wagner introduced PowaTag in 2014, after receiving more than $100 million in funding.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/1283690/LAUNCHPAD-Dan-Wagner-launches-PowaTag-retail-app/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH|newspaper=Management Today|title=Dan Wagner Launches PowaTag Retail App|first=Rachel |last=Savage |date= 4 March 2014|accessdate=28 June 2014}}</ref> Users of the service can make purchases using QR codes, ]s and ]s.<ref name="Dan Wagner Profile"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/10674323/Retail-revolution-will-be-PowaTag-ged.html|publisher=The Telegraph|title=Retail revolution will be PowaTag-ged|date=4 March 2014|first=Rebecca|last=Burn-Callander|accessdate=28 June 2014}}</ref>


⚫ After the collapse of Powa Technologies, a series of articles by The Financial Times and the BBC called into question several claims that had been made by Wagner during his tenure as CEO. Powa's self-proclaimed 2014 valuation of $2.6 billion was investigated and ] concluded that £75 million was a more accurate figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/03/04/2155301/so-how-much-was-powa-technologies-really-worth?|title=So how much was Powa Technologies really worth?|website=ftalphaville.ft.com|access-date=2016-03-17}}</ref> Most of the partners that Wagner claimed had signed deals with Powa were found to have instead signed non binding ] that did not carry any obligations.<ref name=letters>{{cite web|author=Finance |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/powa-technologies-most-1200-powatag-deals-were-letters-of-intent-2016-2 |title=Powa Technologies: Most 1,200 PowaTag deals were 'letters of intent' - Business Insider |publisher=Uk.businessinsider.com |access-date=2016-03-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/03/10/2156030/would-you-have-invested-in-powa/|title=Would you have invested in Powa?|website=ftalphaville.ft.com|access-date=2016-03-17}}</ref> In response to the criticism, Wagner told Business Insider in August 2016, "Regarding the LOIs, they were contracts committing the merchants to use Powa technology adhering to the terms and conditions published on the Powa website."<ref name=letters/>
In June 2014, Powa acquired Hong Kong based ] in a shares-only deal valuing the combined entity at $2.6 billion.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"></ref><ref></ref> The UK Prime Minister ] praised Wagner for creating jobs.<ref></ref><ref></ref> However the merger saw a large number of UK employees have their employment terminated.<ref></ref> In December 2015 Wagner announced Powa had signed a deal with ] that would give Powa access to China UnionPay's 1.3 billion customers. China UnionPay sent a cease-and-desist letter after Wagner was quoted as saying 'We've trumped Apple Pay', pointing out "As matter of fact...our company has not yet established any business relationship with your company".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35112364|title=Shopping tech firm Powa in major Chinese Joint Venture|website=bbc.com|access-date=2015-12-16}}</ref><ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35860814|title=Powa: The start-up that fell to earth}}</ref>


In November 2016, ''The Daily Telegraph'' reported Powa's administrators were examining payments made to offshore vehicles linked to Wagner and his associates.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/11/12/powa-technologies-payments-investigated-by-administrators/|title=Powa Technologies payments investigated by administrators|first=Ben|last=Martin|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=12 November 2016|access-date=26 January 2018|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> In November 2016, the newspaper '']'' reported that Wagner was to enter into legal proceedings against a former Powa directors and investors, accusing them of colluding to force the company into administration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityam.com/252672/powa-play-dan-wagner-ready-legal-battle-former-director-ben|title=Powa play: Dan Wagner in legal battle over collapse of fintech unicorn|first=Emma |last=Haslett|date=1 November 2016|website=cityam.com|access-date=26 January 2018}}</ref>
⚫ In February, 2016, the FT reported Powa technologies had missed payments to staff and third parties,<ref></ref> two years after raising $175m investment, despite the investment, Powa was said to still be 'pre-revenue'. On 19 February 2016, Powa Technologies went into administration and appointed Deloitte as administrators.<ref name="ft.com"/>


In December 2017, the Times reported the High Court had dismissed Wagner's application to set aside a statutory demand for the repayment of a $2 million loan from former Powa director Ben White. White and Wagner subsequently settled all claims in a private agreement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/legal-stand-off-over-powa-loans-is-settled-78xmc5vx0|title=Legal stand off over Powa loans is settled|date=2 April 2019|website=thetimes.co.uk}}</ref>
⚫ After the collapse of Powa Technologies a series of articles by ''The Financial Times'' and the BBC called into question several claims that had been made by Dan Wagner during his tenure as CEO. Powa's self-proclaimed 2014 valuation of $2.6 billion was investigated and '']'' concluded that £75 million was a more accurate figure.<ref name="ftalphaville.ft.com"/> Shortly before the collapse, ] had valued the business at $18 billion.<ref name="City AM"></ref><ref name="The Times"></ref> Most of the partners that Wagner claimed had signed deals with Powa were found to have instead signed ] that did not carry any obligations.<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/03/10/2156030/would-you-have-invested-in-powa/|title=Would you have invested in Powa?|website=ftalphaville.ft.com|access-date=2016-03-17}}</ref> In response to the criticism, Dan Wagner told Business Insider in August 2016, "Regarding the LOIs, they were contracts committing the merchants to use PowaTag for the charges specified on the rate card and adhering to the terms and conditions published on the Powa website."<ref></ref>


===Rezolve=== ===Rezolve===
In 2017, Wagner founded mobile commerce platform Rezolve.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kleinman |first1=Mark |title=Colourful tech founder Wagner eyes vindication with $750m Rezolve fundraising |url=https://news.sky.com/story/colourful-tech-founder-wagner-eyes-vindication-with-750m-rezolve-fundraising-12247578 |access-date=22 March 2022 |agency=Sky News |date=16 March 2021}}</ref> Under Wagner, Rezolve developed a tool that allowed smartphone users to scan items in print and TV ads and purchase them, or request more information.<ref name="WSJRamkumar">{{cite news |last1=Ramkumar |first1=Amrith |title=Mobile Commerce Platform Rezolve Reaches $2 Billion SPAC Deal to Go Public; Rezolve says its platform lets consumers make physical ads and products instantly shoppable by pointing their phones |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/mobile-commerce-platform-rezolve-reaches-2-billion-spac-deal-to-go-public-11639740602?mod=itp_wsj |access-date=22 March 2022 |publisher=Wall Street Journal |date=17 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Peter |title=Dan Wagner snatches another shot at glory |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dan-wagner-snatches-another-shot-at-glory-jk80mnmsm |access-date=25 March 2022 |publisher=The Sunday Times |date=23 June 2019}}</ref> The ] noted Rezolve’s function was similar to PowaTag, but Wagner told Business Insider he didn't use ] that didn’t belong to him.<ref name="FTShubber2">{{cite news |last1=Shubber |first1=Kadhim |title=Entrepreneur uses assets of failed Powa as basis of retail tech venture |url=https://www.ft.com/content/b96c54e8-69dc-11e6-a0b1-d87a9fea034f |access-date=22 March 2022 |publisher=Financial Times |date=26 Aug 2016}}</ref>
In early 2016, following the administration of Powa, Wagner is believed to be working on a new technology start-up called Rezolve <ref>{{cite news|url=http://uk.businessinsider.com/powa-technologies-dan-wagner-plots-comeback-with-rezolve-2016-4|publisher=Business Insider|title=Dan Wagner plots comeback with rezolve|date=20 April 2016|first=Oscar|last=Williams-Grut}}</ref>

==Business holdings==
Wagner operates his various business interests through Bright Station Ventures Limited registered in the Isle of Man. Bright Station Limited - another of Wagner's companies - is registered with ] the holding company's registered office was the same as that for ]. Its 2015 filed accounts show the company had in total £71,956 in assets and £66,784 owing to creditors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/04427603/filing-history |title=BrightStation Limited Filing History}}</ref>


==References== ==References==
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Latest revision as of 11:20, 9 December 2024

British Internet entrepreneur (born 1963) For the basketball player, see Danny Wagner. For the data scientist, see Dan Wagner (data scientist).
This article contains paid contributions. It may require cleanup to comply with Misplaced Pages's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. Please discuss further on the talk page.

Dan Wagner
Wagner in 2007
BornDaniel Maurice Wagner
(1963-07-28) 28 July 1963 (age 61)
Edgware, Middlesex, England
OccupationBusinessman
Known forVenda Inc, Powa Technologies
Websitebrightstation.com

Daniel Maurice Wagner (born 28 July 1963) is a British Internet entrepreneur. He created MAID, one of the first online information platforms in 1984. He was later the founder and CEO of Venda, ATTRAQT, Powa Technologies and most recently, Rezolve.

Early life

Wagner was born in Edgware, Middlesex on 28 July 1963. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood but expelled when he was 13, before attending several schools, ending up at University College School, London.

Wagner dropped out of school when he was sixteen years old to work as a shop assistant for entrepreneur Julian Richer at Richer Sounds. Afterwards he joined an advertising agency as an account executive. There he came up with the idea of creating databases of records about businesses as a resource for marketing professionals.

Career

MAID/Dialog

After Wagner left his job at the advertising agency, he founded the online information company MAID (Market Analysis Information Database) in 1984. The company grew quickly and obtained a 26 percent market-share. According to The Observer he was "one of the first people to realise the benefits of packaging electronic information and data for scientists, librarians and other specialists." The company went public on the stock market in 1994 and was renamed to Dialog. It was also listed on NASDAQ in 1995. Wagner became known for becoming a CEO of a public company in his 20s and for presiding over the company's share price decline in the dot-com crash in 2000. Subsequently, it was nicknamed by the city and a number of publications as 'Dial-a-dog'.

In 1997, Wagner agreed a deal to license search technology (InfoSort) to Fujitsu of Japan which was hailed by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

At a photo shoot ahead of the MAID IPO Wagner wore a Donald Duck waistcoat and this "flamboyant" attire was blamed for reducing the value of the company's shares by 10 p. In 1997 the share price of Dialog dropped 95 percent.

Venda Limited

In April 2001, Wagner founded Venda as one of the first cloud based, enterprise class commerce platforms using the technology assets from Boo.com as the foundation for the offering. He bought the Boo.com assets for just £250,000 after they had invested over £70 million in the platform and operations.

Attraqt

In 2003, Wagner co-founded Attraqt - an e-commerce software company - with CEO Andre Brown. Wagner served as the company’s chairman until June 2016. He took Attraqt public on AIM in August 2014. and left as chairman in 2016.

Powa Technologies

In February 2016, the Financial Times reported that the company had missed payments to staff and third parties, two years after raising substantial sums in investment. On 19 February 2016, Powa Technologies went into administration.

After the collapse of Powa Technologies, a series of articles by The Financial Times and the BBC called into question several claims that had been made by Wagner during his tenure as CEO. Powa's self-proclaimed 2014 valuation of $2.6 billion was investigated and FT Alphaville concluded that £75 million was a more accurate figure. Most of the partners that Wagner claimed had signed deals with Powa were found to have instead signed non binding Letters of Intent that did not carry any obligations. In response to the criticism, Wagner told Business Insider in August 2016, "Regarding the LOIs, they were contracts committing the merchants to use Powa technology adhering to the terms and conditions published on the Powa website."

In November 2016, The Daily Telegraph reported Powa's administrators were examining payments made to offshore vehicles linked to Wagner and his associates. In November 2016, the newspaper City A.M. reported that Wagner was to enter into legal proceedings against a former Powa directors and investors, accusing them of colluding to force the company into administration.

In December 2017, the Times reported the High Court had dismissed Wagner's application to set aside a statutory demand for the repayment of a $2 million loan from former Powa director Ben White. White and Wagner subsequently settled all claims in a private agreement.

Rezolve

In 2017, Wagner founded mobile commerce platform Rezolve. Under Wagner, Rezolve developed a tool that allowed smartphone users to scan items in print and TV ads and purchase them, or request more information. The Financial Times noted Rezolve’s function was similar to PowaTag, but Wagner told Business Insider he didn't use IP that didn’t belong to him.

References

  1. ^ Tripathi, Shruti (14 October 2013). "He floated his first company for £120m, aged 31. Now Powa CEO Dan Wagner says the UK doesn't get tech". Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  2. ^ Wray, Richard (13 March 2010). "Portraits of the dotcom entrepreneurs". The Observer. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  3. Andrew Davidson (1 April 2001). "The Andrew Davidson interview: Dan Wagner". Management Today. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  4. Gale, Adam (13 August 2015). "How did Powa's Dan Wagner do in his exams?". Management Today. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  5. ^ Bounds, Andrew (24 October 2012). "Dan Wagner - Lone Ranger with a Mass Target". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  6. Horsman, Mathew (11 August 1995). "MAID seeks £50m on NASDAQ". The Independent. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  7. "He floated his first company for £120m, aged 31. Now Powa CEO Dan Wagner says the UK doesn't get tech". Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  8. Goodley, Simon (17 December 2011). "Dan Wagner: from dotcom Dial-a-dog to Venda vendor". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  9. "Dialog signs multi million deal with Fujitsu".
  10. "Blair Hails New Dialog/Fujitsu Alliance - InternetNews". www.internetnews.com. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  11. Griffith, Gabriella (2 October 2013). "Dan Wagner: 'Maybe I'm not the best person to run a public company.'". Management Today.
  12. Sorkin, Andrew Ross (2 June 2000). "INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Fashionmall.com Swoops In for the Boo.com Fire Sale" – via query.nytimes.com.
  13. Wray, Richard (16 May 2005). "Boo.com spent fast and died young but its legacy shaped internet retailing". Retrieved 16 May 2005.
  14. "Bright Station to Buy Assets From Failed Retailer Boo.com". 30 May 2000.
  15. Duke, Simon (13 July 2014). "Dotcom veteran returns with shopping software listing". London Times. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  16. ^ Shubber, Kadhim (16 June 2016). "After all that Powa, another departure for Dan Wagner". Financial Times. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  17. Griffith, Gabriella (14 August 2014). "Wagner gets his ducks in a row with latest IPO". City A.M. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  18. "Powa Technologies missed staff and contractor payments". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  19. "So how much was Powa Technologies really worth?". ftalphaville.ft.com. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  20. ^ Finance. "Powa Technologies: Most 1,200 PowaTag deals were 'letters of intent' - Business Insider". Uk.businessinsider.com. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  21. "Would you have invested in Powa?". ftalphaville.ft.com. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  22. Martin, Ben (12 November 2016). "Powa Technologies payments investigated by administrators". The Telegraph. Retrieved 26 January 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  23. Haslett, Emma (1 November 2016). "Powa play: Dan Wagner in legal battle over collapse of fintech unicorn". cityam.com. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  24. "Legal stand off over Powa loans is settled". thetimes.co.uk. 2 April 2019.
  25. Kleinman, Mark (16 March 2021). "Colourful tech founder Wagner eyes vindication with $750m Rezolve fundraising". Sky News. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  26. Ramkumar, Amrith (17 December 2021). "Mobile Commerce Platform Rezolve Reaches $2 Billion SPAC Deal to Go Public; Rezolve says its platform lets consumers make physical ads and products instantly shoppable by pointing their phones". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  27. Evans, Peter (23 June 2019). "Dan Wagner snatches another shot at glory". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  28. Shubber, Kadhim (26 August 2016). "Entrepreneur uses assets of failed Powa as basis of retail tech venture". Financial Times. Retrieved 22 March 2022.

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