Siamak Taghaddos
Encyclopedia
Siamak Taghaddos is an Iranian-American
entrepreneur
known as the co-founder and CEO of virtual phone system provider Grasshopper and the supporting founder of National Entrepreneurs' Day.
, Iran
and emigrated to Boston
Massachusetts
in 1986. At the age of 16, while attending high school, Taghaddos founded PagerWholesale.com to provide pager
s to students online. He later sold the company for an undisclosed amount. In 2000 he founded GotVMail Communications while attending Babson College
in Wellesley Massachusetts
. In 2003 Taghaddos and his business partner launched a new telecommunications company under the same brand GotVMail which was rebranded to Grasshopper in 2007. Taghaddos is also the co-founder of Chargify, a subscription billing application.
named Taghaddos as one of top 5 entrepreneurs under 25.
In 2006 CNN
featured Taghaddos as part of the series “Young People Who Rock”, Entrepreneur Magazine
featured him as a young power player, and the Boston Business Journal
named in one of 40 Under 40 business leaders.
In 2007 Taghaddos became one of the youngest CEOs to be named to the Inc. 500, Inc. Magazine’s
list of 500 fastest-growing private companies in America and American Venture Magazine named him one of 40 under 40 young entrepreneurial leaders. He was also named by the United States Small Business Administration
the Massachusetts Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
In 2010 Taghaddos started a campaign to President Barack Obama
to a create National Entrepreneurs' Day on November 19. On November 15, 2010, the President officially recognized National Entrepreneurs' Day through a Presidential Proclamation
.
In 2011 Inc. Magazine
named Taghaddos to its annual 30 Under 30 top young entrepreneurs list.
Taghaddos has also been featured in several books including Young Upstarts by Donna Fenn, Entrepreneurship by William D. Bygrave and Andrew Zacharakis, Plugged in: the Generation Y guide to thriving at work by Tamara J. Erickson and Small Business Management: Launching and Growing Entrepreneurial Ventures by Justin G. Longencker.
in Wellesley, MA, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in entrepreneurship and marketing. While at Babson, he won the 2003 Business Plan Competition, and received both the 2003 Outstanding Student in Entrepreneurial Activities Award, as well as the 2002 Student Business of the Year Award.
Iranian-American
Iranian-Americans are Americans of Iranian ancestry or people possessing Iranian and American dual citizenship.Iranian-Americans are amongst the most highly educated groups in the United States...
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...
known as the co-founder and CEO of virtual phone system provider Grasshopper and the supporting founder of National Entrepreneurs' Day.
Life & Career
Taghaddos was born in TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and emigrated to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in 1986. At the age of 16, while attending high school, Taghaddos founded PagerWholesale.com to provide pager
Pager
A pager is a simple personal telecommunications device for short messages. A one-way numeric pager can only receive a message consisting of a few digits, typically a phone number that the user is then requested to call...
s to students online. He later sold the company for an undisclosed amount. In 2000 he founded GotVMail Communications while attending Babson College
Babson College
Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.- History :Babson College was founded by Roger Babson on September 3, 1919, as the Babson Institute. It was renamed "Babson College" in 1969...
in Wellesley Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. In 2003 Taghaddos and his business partner launched a new telecommunications company under the same brand GotVMail which was rebranded to Grasshopper in 2007. Taghaddos is also the co-founder of Chargify, a subscription billing application.
Awards and Highlights
In 2005 BusinessWeekBusinessWeek
Bloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
named Taghaddos as one of top 5 entrepreneurs under 25.
In 2006 CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
featured Taghaddos as part of the series “Young People Who Rock”, Entrepreneur Magazine
Entrepreneur Magazine
Entrepreneur is a publication that carries news stories about entrepreneurialism, small business management, and business opportunities. It is published by Entrepreneur Media Inc., headquartered in Irvine, California....
featured him as a young power player, and the Boston Business Journal
Boston Business Journal
The Boston Business Journal is a weekly, business-oriented newspaper published in Boston, Massachusetts. It is published by the American City Business Journals....
named in one of 40 Under 40 business leaders.
In 2007 Taghaddos became one of the youngest CEOs to be named to the Inc. 500, Inc. Magazine’s
Inc. (magazine)
Inc. magazine, founded in 1979 and based in New York City, is a monthly publication focused on growing companies. The magazine publishes an annual list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., the "Inc...
list of 500 fastest-growing private companies in America and American Venture Magazine named him one of 40 under 40 young entrepreneurial leaders. He was also named by the United States Small Business Administration
Small Business Administration
The Small Business Administration is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses...
the Massachusetts Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
In 2010 Taghaddos started a campaign to President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
to a create National Entrepreneurs' Day on November 19. On November 15, 2010, the President officially recognized National Entrepreneurs' Day through a Presidential Proclamation
Presidential Proclamation
A Presidential Proclamation is a statement issued by a President on a matter of public policy. They are generally defined as, "The act of causing some state matters to be published or made generally known...
.
In 2011 Inc. Magazine
Inc. (magazine)
Inc. magazine, founded in 1979 and based in New York City, is a monthly publication focused on growing companies. The magazine publishes an annual list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., the "Inc...
named Taghaddos to its annual 30 Under 30 top young entrepreneurs list.
Taghaddos has also been featured in several books including Young Upstarts by Donna Fenn, Entrepreneurship by William D. Bygrave and Andrew Zacharakis, Plugged in: the Generation Y guide to thriving at work by Tamara J. Erickson and Small Business Management: Launching and Growing Entrepreneurial Ventures by Justin G. Longencker.
Education
Taghaddos graduated Babson CollegeBabson College
Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.- History :Babson College was founded by Roger Babson on September 3, 1919, as the Babson Institute. It was renamed "Babson College" in 1969...
in Wellesley, MA, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in entrepreneurship and marketing. While at Babson, he won the 2003 Business Plan Competition, and received both the 2003 Outstanding Student in Entrepreneurial Activities Award, as well as the 2002 Student Business of the Year Award.