Company Info

Founded in 2008, Virtual World Computing is dedicated to the end-user′s Internet experience. Our mission is to take Internet security and privacy to a new level, while eliminating installation and configuration hassles for end users. Our Cocoon service adds virus protection, privacy, and spam–free email addresses to the everyday browsing experience of end users. With Cocoon’s built-in security and privacy features, you can browse the web with the lack of concern we all had the first time we used the Internet.

Executive Team

Jeff Bermant

FOUNDER & CEO

Jeff had the simple yet powerful idea of protecting his privacy and his computer by accessing the Internet through a browser running on a remote PC. The seed of that idea grew into Virtual World Computing and the Cocoon™ service. Jeff is an entrepreneur by nature. As the founder and President of Bermant Development Company, his firm own and operated some 1.2 million sq. ft. of R&D space. Since then, he’s worked with hundreds of companies in real estate, helping them find success. He has 30 years of experience financing and managing development projects and has developed three-quarters of a billion dollars in real estate ventures. Some of his most notable ventures have been with institutional companies such as Copley Real Estate Advisors, UBS, Aetna Life, Rockwood Capital and Eastgroup Properties. Jeff is a graduate with a BA from the University of Southern California.

Advisory Board

Aaron Emigh

Mr. Emigh is currently a co-founder of shopkick, which launched its flagship mobile service-in partnership with Best Buy, Macy’s, American Eagle and Simon Malls. It is the first program that gives consumers rewards and offers simply for walking into a store through an iPhone app and thus drives foot traffic to retailers. Prior to that Mr. Emigh was Executive Vice President and General Manager, Six Apart Ltd. A prolific technologist, Aaron has created networking, content discovery, storage, e-commerce, compression and multimedia products, and has conducted original research in security, vision, machine learning and operating systems. A frequent speaker on online security and privacy topics, Aaron serves with several public-interest organizations such as the US Department of Homeland Security Identity Theft Technology Council and the US Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force.

Jeff Carmody

Mr. Carmody has an extensive background in venture debt financing and is a co-founder of Agility Capital, LLC. Prior to that, he managed Sand Hill Capital’s southern California operations in addition to being responsible for Montecito Bank & Trust’s Venture Lending Group. Mr. Carmody is also active in the early stage financing community and was a Vice President and founding member of the Westlake Village/Santa Barbara Chapter of the Tech Coast Angels, a southern California-based angel investment capital group. Mr. Carmody is also a member of the Board of Advisors of the UC Santa Barbara Technology Management Program, has chaired the Advisory Committee for the Technology Council for the Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce. He is also an active member of the Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship at Santa Barbara City College and a panelist at many business plan competitions. Mr. Carmody is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Michael Ramsey

Former president and chief executive officer of Pacific Capital Bancorp and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. William served in senior management positions at Security Pacific National Bank and Bank of America. William is on the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, United Way of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Partners in Education, and El Adobe Corporation. He provides advice and guidance on banking and financial issues related to Cocoon payment card services.

David Schacht

Mr. Schacht joined Simon in 1997 as Director of Application Development. In July of 1999 he was promoted to Vice President of Information Services and named to his current position of Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer in February of 2000. He previously served as Senior Consultant with The Morley Group, and held several managerial positions with Resort Condominiums International for 12 years. Mr. Schacht has served on panels for several industry conferences hosted by the International Council of Shopping Centers, and Urban Land Institute. He currently is on the Board of Advisors for Hardin Geotech Industry, the CIO Executive Summit, and the Advisory Council for Realcomm. This year, Mr. Schacht is also a Co-Chair for the 2011 Realcomm Conference.