Detailed Bio can be found from my linkedIn.
Vincent Tao is currently Director of Local/Mobile Search, Virtual Earth and MSN at Microsoft Corporation. He is Founder and CEO of GeoTango International Corp., a software poineer of 3D web visualization and modeling technology. Prior to his start-up business venture, he held the eminent Canada Research Chair Professor at York University, Toronto, managing the York Geospatial Information and Communication Technology (GeoICT) Research Lab, one of the largest R&D settings in North America.
At Microsoft, Tao is responsible for global business and product strategy for Local Search and Mobile Search, Mapping and Virtual Earth in both consumer and enterprise offerings. He led a number of initiatives in software plus services for 2D/3D mapping and 3D Web, Location based services (LBS), Internet YellowPage, social networking, digital media and on-line advertising, oversaw the international market expansion, business development, engineering management. As an executive sponsor to the Microsoft’s int’l expansion program, built, from the ground-up, the Microsoft China business for on-line local search, mapping, Internet YP, and mobile search services; established the enteprise B2B marketing and sales business; oversaw the product strategies, biz development and go-to-market planning and execution. Launched the Virtual Earth services for both China and Taiwan, and secured major strategic partnership deals in Asian regions including China Telecom (China), China Central TV (CCTV) and Chong Hua Telecom (Taiwan).
Tao founded GeoTango in 2003 to commercialize his vision – 3D Geo-Web. Under his leadership, GeoTango developed and launched three unique software products, GlobeView™, SilverEye™ and SmartDigitizer™. Moreover, GeoTango has quickly built up its strong customer base and outstanding business reputation in the geospatial mapping sector. The company’s clients include organizations in defense, intelligence, homeland security, emergency response, telecommunications, municipalities, health, media, utilities and energy, and the United Nations. Tao was chosen, as one of Canada’s top innovators, to present GeoTango’s latest developments to Canada’s Members of Parliament in The House of Commons in November of 2004. GeoTango wass rated as one of the fastest growing software companies. In late 2005 GeoTango was acquired by Microsoft.
GlobeView™ technology has been featured on CNN, CBC, CTV, the Discovery Channel and the Globe and Mail, etc media. It is essentially a web-based 3D digital earth platform, where multiple platform mapping sources including satellite, aerial and ground images can be geo-referenced using a universal sensor model, and visualized and streamed over the Internet. GlobeView technology becomes a norm now as you all are familiar with Microsoft Virtual Erath, Google Earth etc.
Respected by his peers, Tao is an internationally renowned pioneer and innovator in multi-platform 3D mapping and Internet spatial visualization. He has published over 200 influential technical papers. He led the development of many licensable technologies, software systems and patents in 3D mapping, location-based services and Internet media services. Tao has been honored with 26 awards and distinctions for his achievements including the ASPRS Talbert Abrams Award, the Lockheed Martin Award, Alberta Young Innovator Award, and the SPIE NIKON International award. Geo-Informatics magazine (Vol. 14-5, May, 2002) called his accomplishment “the most innovative in geospatial industry”.
Tao is recognized entrepreneur, visionary and technology authority in the geospatial and ICT community. He is Executive Board member of International Society for Digital Earth, Chair of ASPRS Digital Photogrammetry committee (American Society for Geospatial Information and Imaging), Chair of ISPRS Working Group on Multi-Platform Sensing and Sensor Networks (International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing), Board Director of Urban Regional Information Systems Association Ontario, and Past President of the International Association of Chinese Professionals in GIS. Tao is also on the Board of Directors of several private companies.Tao has been the Canada-appointed U.N. technology advisor. Tao was nominated as Canada Top 40 Under 40, 2005 (National level award for the most accomplished individual that is under 40 years old).
