Exopaedia

Firmage, Joe

Joseph (Joe) Firmage is an American Internet entrepreneur and UFO researcher who co-founded several business ventures prior to and during the dot-com boom. He is best known for claiming to have been visited by an extraterrestrial being in his bedroom and his contributions to UFO related organizations and interests.

Firmage started his first company, Serius, in 1989 when he was 18 years old. Serius produced developer tools for object-oriented programming and was acquired by Novell in 1993 for $24 million. Firmage became vice president of strategic planning for Novell's NetWare division, but left in 1995 after a disagreement over Novell's strategy.

In 1995, Firmage co-founded USWeb, a Web design and consulting firm that grew rapidly through a series of acquisitions. USWeb went public in 1997 and merged with CKS Group in 1998. Firmage was initially announced as the CEO of the merged company, but he was pressured to step down after he revealed his belief in UFOs and aliens.

Firmage claimed that he had been visited by an alien in his bedroom in 1997, who communicated with him telepathically and told him to change the world. Firmage became fascinated by UFOlogy, remote viewing and alternative energy research. He wrote a manifesto called The Truth, which outlined his views on the origin and destiny of humanity, the nature of reality and the role of extraterrestrial intelligence.

Firmage also funded several projects related to his interests, such as the International Space Sciences Organization (ISSO), which aimed to study anomalous phenomena and advanced propulsion systems; the Academy for Future Science (AFFS), which explored the connections between science and spirituality; and Motion Sciences, which attempted to create a "world-changing" invention using "alien" technology.

Firmage has been criticized by skeptics and mainstream media for his unconventional beliefs and claims. He has also faced legal troubles, such as a lawsuit from a former USWeb employee who accused him of fraud and breach of contract; a tax evasion charge from the IRS; and a criminal charge for impersonating a police officer.

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