About Zhura

Zhura was founded in early 2007 in the spirit of Web 2.0. With a clear understanding that Internet connectivity is ubiquitous and online storage and bandwidth are secure and plentiful, Zhura has taken aim at an underserved market - screenwriters.

The advantages of web-based applications are obvious - no software to install, no updates to keep track of, easy portability, and automatic off-site backup of data. Screenwriting, in particular, enjoys significant benefits from this architecture. By hosting the software online, we are able to offer easy and intuitive collaborative features. Users can work privately as they do today, collaborate with a few friends, or even collaborate with the entire web community. We automatically manage revision history and maintain a record of authorship. Also, by offering a web-based application, we can easily reach a diverse population of writers and build a dynamic community that is not possible with traditional screenwriting applications.

Many of the collaborative features we bring to scriptwriting are adopted from those that have been used in the software community for years. As engineers, we have a unique opportunity to introduce these tools to screenwriters and create new ones as our platform evolves. We are passionate about the creative process and it is our pleasure to bring some of this new technology to the screenwriting market.

Located in Boston, Massachusetts, Zhura employs innovators in software development, social networking, and Web 2.0. Our team has deep roots in start-up environments focused on Internet infrastructure technologies and consumer application software.

Founders

Eric MacDonald, President and CEO of Zhura
eric.macdonald@zhura.com

Zhura's founder, Eric brings more than 15 years of early-stage and founding experience at start-ups developing industry-changing technology. Turning his attention to Web 2.0 and the paradigm shift to software-as-a-service, Eric is excited to bring new collaborative features and web technology to the underserved performance writing market. Combining his technology and entrepreneurial experience, Eric is looking to transform the way screenwriting tools are used.

Before founding Zhura, Eric was Managing Partner of String Bridge Capital, a private investment company where he led several investments in early-stage private companies. Prior to that, Eric spent 10 years at technology companies where he was instrumental in helping each company dramatically change industry economics. As Director of Transport Hardware Development at Sycamore Networks, Eric led his development team to the successful deployment of an industry-leading technology. As a founder of Cadia Networks, Eric contributed to the success that resulted in the company's acquisition by Fore Systems. Eric holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Hampshire.

Orion Reblitz-Richardson, CTO and Vice President of Engineering
orion.richardson@zhura.com

A Zhura co-founder, Orion has more than 10 years of software development experience at pioneering consumer application companies in Boston and Silicon Valley. Using his expertise in software development, social networking, and Web 2.0 applications, Orion guides Zhura's technical direction and is responsible for the architecture and management of Zhura's technology infrastructure.

Prior to co-founding Zhura, Orion was CEO and CTO of Rakket, a company creating location-based applications for students to interact locally on campus. Before that, Orion was a Lead Developer at Seven Networks, where he worked with industry veterans now at Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. Prior to Seven, Orion worked at Tellme Networks (acquired by Microsoft) on voice recognition. Orion holds a bachelor's and masters degree from MIT in computer science, concentrating in artificial intelligence.