Kamran Elahian
Encyclopedia
Kamran Elahian is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Global Catalyst Partners, an international, multistage, technology-oriented venture capital
firm. GCP has invested in leading-edge technology companies in the U.S.
, China
, Japan
and Israel
. Kamran serves on the boards of Actelis Networks, Beceem Communications, iKoa and SoundHound.
A veteran entrepreneur
with over 29 years of experience in the high-tech industry. Kamran has co-founded 10 companies: CAE Systems (’81) acquired by Tektronix
for $75M; Cirrus Logic
(’84) IPO
at $150M valuation/achieved market cap of over $3.5B; Momenta (’89) failed; NeoMagic
(’93) IPO at $300M valuation/achieved market cap of over $600M; PlanetWeb (’96) acquired by MTI
in 2009; Centillium Communications (’97) IPO at $700M valuation/achieved market cap of over $4B; Actelis Networks (’99) a broadband communications systems company; Informative (’99) failed; Entopia (’99) failed; Greenfield Networks (’01) acquired by Cisco Systems in 2006.
He is also Chairman and Co-Founder of Global Catalyst Foundation. Global Catalyst Foundation is a private foundation established by the principals of Global Catalyst Partners. Its mission is to improve peoples' lives through the effective application of information technologies
.
Kamran is Co-Chair of UNGAID, The Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development (GAID) is a United Nations
global forum that comprehensively addresses cross-cutting issues related to ICT in development.
He is Chairman Emeritus of Relief International-Schools Online, a humanitarian non-profit agency that provides emergency relief, rehabilitation, development assistance, and program services to vulnerable communities worldwide. Schools-Online is a non-profit public charity organization with the goal to bring the Internet
to disadvantaged schools in the world (to-date 6,400 schools in over 36 countries); founded by Kamran in 1996 and merged with Relief International in 2003.
Kamran received a BS in Computer Science, a BS in Mathematics (at the age of twenty) and a Masters of Engineering degree in Computer Graphics from the University of Utah
.
In December 2006, The Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award which recognizes individuals for their exceptional contributions to drive the development, innovation, growth and long-term opportunities for the fabless semiconductor
industry was presented to Kamran.
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
firm. GCP has invested in leading-edge technology companies in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Kamran serves on the boards of Actelis Networks, Beceem Communications, iKoa and SoundHound.
A veteran entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
with over 29 years of experience in the high-tech industry. Kamran has co-founded 10 companies: CAE Systems (’81) acquired by Tektronix
Tektronix
Tektronix, Inc. is an American company best known for its test and measurement equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and video and mobile test protocol equipment. In November 2007, Tektronix became a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation....
for $75M; Cirrus Logic
Cirrus Logic
Cirrus Logic is a fabless semiconductor supplier specializing in analog, mixed-signal, and audio DSP integrated circuits . They are presently headquartered in Austin, Texas. Their audio processors and audio converters are found in many professional audio and consumer entertainment products,...
(’84) IPO
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
at $150M valuation/achieved market cap of over $3.5B; Momenta (’89) failed; NeoMagic
NeoMagic
NeoMagic Corporation is a fabless semiconductor company and supplier of low-power audio and video integrated circuits for mobile use...
(’93) IPO at $300M valuation/achieved market cap of over $600M; PlanetWeb (’96) acquired by MTI
MTI
MTI may stand for:* MTI, Message Type Indicator.* MTI Consulting, a consulting firm based in Bahrain.* MTI Consultancy, Machwuerth Team International Group, a consultancy based in Germany.* Magyar Távirati Iroda, a Hungarian news wire agency....
in 2009; Centillium Communications (’97) IPO at $700M valuation/achieved market cap of over $4B; Actelis Networks (’99) a broadband communications systems company; Informative (’99) failed; Entopia (’99) failed; Greenfield Networks (’01) acquired by Cisco Systems in 2006.
He is also Chairman and Co-Founder of Global Catalyst Foundation. Global Catalyst Foundation is a private foundation established by the principals of Global Catalyst Partners. Its mission is to improve peoples' lives through the effective application of information technologies
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
.
Kamran is Co-Chair of UNGAID, The Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development (GAID) is a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
global forum that comprehensively addresses cross-cutting issues related to ICT in development.
He is Chairman Emeritus of Relief International-Schools Online, a humanitarian non-profit agency that provides emergency relief, rehabilitation, development assistance, and program services to vulnerable communities worldwide. Schools-Online is a non-profit public charity organization with the goal to bring the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
to disadvantaged schools in the world (to-date 6,400 schools in over 36 countries); founded by Kamran in 1996 and merged with Relief International in 2003.
Kamran received a BS in Computer Science, a BS in Mathematics (at the age of twenty) and a Masters of Engineering degree in Computer Graphics from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
.
In December 2006, The Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award which recognizes individuals for their exceptional contributions to drive the development, innovation, growth and long-term opportunities for the fabless semiconductor
Semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...
industry was presented to Kamran.