Convio was founded in April 1999 in Austin, Texas by CEO Vinay Bhagat and CTO David Crooke.

Bhagat, who worked as director of e-commerce at Trilogy Software prior to founding Convio, began envisioning an Internet solution for nonprofits while working as a consultant and volunteer to multiple nonprofit organizations. From his experiences working the phones for public radio pledge drives to helping a group of nuns in Hong Kong raise money for an AIDS hospice, Vinay recognized a common need among nonprofits for a more efficient, effective way to raise money and support. Knowing that many organizations lack the internal resources needed to automate their own solutions, he set out to leverage his experience in e-commerce to create an affordable, effective solution.

In the spring of 1999, Bhagat teamed up with Dr. David Crooke - an old Cambridge University friend and colleague at Trilogy - to make his vision a reality. By November 1999, the team secured a substantial round of funding from Austin Ventures, one of the nation's leading venture capital firms.

Convio has spent the last year building an advanced technology platform to fundamentally change the way that nonprofits and membership organizations market and fundraise. The company has grown to over 65 professionals, drawing on over 400 years of collective experience in the Internet and Enterprise software industry, and extensive work experience in and with nonprofit organizations. Our team members include individuals who have worked as development officers and executive directors at local, regional and national nonprofit organizations, and individuals who have consulted to nonprofit and political organizations.