Alexander Muse

Alexander Muse is an American internet entrepreneur who has founded several internet companies including LayerOne, ShopSavvy, Architel, and ViewMarket (among others). His most recent endeavor, Sumo Ventures, invests in early-stage startups.

Early life and education

Muse was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. a carrier-neutral colocation and interconnection services provider based in Dallas, in 1999. In November 2000 the firm was wiring the elevator shaft and an entire floor of the Univision Center in Dallas, Texas, with fiber-optic cables and telecommunications switches as what Muse called "an optical service provider."

The company filed for bankruptcy in 2001, but, with a team of investors, Muse was able to buy the company out of bankruptcy on September 12, 2001.

Also in 2001, Muse co-founded (with Scott Ryan) Architel, an information services technology company based in Dallas. The United States Patent Office granted Muse and his co-founders two key patents related to ShopSavvy (No. 20130297390 and No. 20130297464) in 2013.

In 2011, ShopSavvy raised money in a funding round led by Facebook co-founder, Eduardo Saverin. At that time, the app had accrued around 20 million downloads and Muse had facilitated thousands of partnerships with businesses like Walmart, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Target, and others. Muse held several roles at ShopSavvy including CEO and Executive Chairman. The company would eventually be sold to Purch in 2015 for an undisclosed amount of money.

In 2014, Muse co-founded (with Robert Bennett) ViewMarket, a collection of online lifestyle brands like CultureMap, Courtem, RSVP, and others. ViewMarket purchased CultureMap in April 2015. In June 2016, Muse sold Architel to Centre Technologies and founded a venture fund called Sumo Ventures. At its outset, the business had plans to invest in between 100 and 150 companies, most of which were early-stage companies. At Sumo Ventures, Muse's father, Ralph Muse, and his sister, Caroline Branch, serve as venture partner and CFO respectively. and has been credited as one of the earliest proponents of the startup community in Dallas, having helped organize events such as BarCamp, Dallas Startup Weekend, and Dallas Startup Happy Hour. He is a member of the board of trustees for the Dallas Historical Society.