Steve Echtman
Entrepreneur
Steven Echtman is Founder and CEO of HearPlanet, the quintessential mobile location browser and largest audio guide in the world. Steven is an experienced Internet developer, media producer and marketing professional.
Prior to HearPlanet he founded Passinglane, a media production and Internet development company, which, in addition to launching interned properties for private clients, has counted among its clients: AIG, Motorola, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Microsoft, Grey Advertising, K-Swiss, Disney, AOL and Deutsch Advertising. Steven was broadcast producer at Grey Advertising where he oversaw mass media and interactive projects. He is on the Board of Directors of the non-profit, Challenge Day, a nationally acclaimed youth violence prevention program that has been featured on Oprah and has an upcoming series on MTV.
HearPlanet’s platform is built to accommodate media of all types on locations and exhibits anywhere on the planet, and instantly deliver this information to personal mobile devices, including cell phones, navigation devices, tablet computers, netbooks and more. The service connects people to the world around them without slowing them down. Driving, shopping or sightseeing, HearPlanet is the best way to find out what’s around while remaining immersed in the environment. With well over half a million users and content on hundreds of thousands of places, HearPlanet’s iPhone application is one of Apple’s most popular travel applications and it has been featured in Apple’s full-page ads in the national tabloids and on TV. The application has been favorably reviewed by major media, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, United Airlines, Manhattan Magazine, InStyle, Cnet, Fox Business News and Salon.com. HearPlanet won the award for best mobile company at Launch: Silicon Valley 2009.
