Frederick Ghahramani
Frederick Ghahramani | |
---|---|
File:Frederick ghahramani.png | |
Alma mater | Simon Fraser University (Electronic Engineering) |
Occupation(s) | Founder of airG Inc. CEO of Just10 Chairman of BrainTest Ltd. |
Years active | 2000–present |
Board member of | airG Inc. Just10 Braintest Ltd. |
Frederick Ghahramani is a Canadian technology entrepreneur, engineer, and privacy advocate.[1] He studied electronics engineering at Simon Fraser University,[2][3] and is based in Vancouver, Canada.
Career and awards
Ghahramani is the founder and Managing Director of airG Inc., also known as airGames and airGames Wireless[4] a Canadian software company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.[5] He formed the company in April 2000 with his university class mates Bryce Pasechnik and Vincent Yen.[3] In 2007, airG announced that it had more than 20 million customers globally.[6] In 2014, airG reported that it had reached 100 million customers in 40-plus countries, with its global product sales having exceeded $1 Billion.[7][8] airG has been recognized as one of the Top 50 Employers of young people in Canada.[9][10]
In 2001, Ghahramani was awarded the BMO Bank of Montreal First Place Prize in the first annual New Ventures B.C. Competition.[11][12]
In 2005, Ghahramani was awarded the Business Development Bank of Canada's Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.[13][14]
Ghahramani has been granted 3 United States Patents in the fields of mobile control systems and user interface design.[15][16][17]
Philanthropy and activism
In 2015, during the Canadian Federal Election Campaign, Ghahramani donated $1 million to groups fighting to repeal Bill C-51, Canada's controversial Government Spying & Anti-Terrorism Law Anti-terrorism Act, 2015. Initial recipients of Ghahramani's donation included The Canadian Journalists for Free Expression,[18] OpenMedia.ca, and the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law.[19][20][21][22] Ghahramani said the sweeping surveillance measures contained in Bill C-51 undermine some of the central Canadian values that prompted his family to immigrate to Canada leaving behind an oppressive totalitarian regime in Iran.
In 2008, Ghahramani announced a donation of $200,000 to Canadian charity Kids Help Phone, along with a partnership to assist the charity to promote and advertise its cause through several digital and mobile outreach campaigns.[23][24]
References
- ^ "Entrepreneur donates $1 million to fight anti-terror law C-51" (XBRL). CBC Radio. October 14, 2015.
- ^ Aberle, Katherine (September 6, 2001). "SFU STUDENTS ADVANCE TO FINAL ROUND IN NEW VENTURES BC COMPETITION". Simon Fraser University News. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ a b "Engineers Seek Top Prize" (XBRL). Simon Fraser News. September 6, 2001.
- ^ Thomson, Clive (August 30, 2002). "Are cellphones meant to save time -- or waste it? These days, mobiles re the new Game Boys". The Globe & Mail. Retrieved August 30, 2002.
- ^ Lewis, Rob (February 8, 2011). "Vancouver's airG - the world's largest mobile social network". Tech Vibes. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ "airG Claims 20 Million Users of Mobile Social Networking Services". Cellular News. October 16, 2007. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ "airG Inc. Visiting company at MWC 2015" (XBRL). Government of Canada Trade Commissioner Service. February 12, 2014.
- ^ "Meet airG, The Mobile Social Network You've Never Heard Of That's Ten Times Bigger Than Foursquare" (XBRL). Business Insider. February 3, 2011.
- ^ "Top employers for young people" (XBRL). Canadian HR Reporter. June 3, 2010.
- ^ Press, Jordan (June 1, 2010). "Full list of Top 50 Employers". The Globe & Mail.
- ^ Luckow, Diane (October 18, 2001). "Engineering students win $50,000". Simon Fraser University News. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ "2001 Competition Winner" (XBRL). New Ventures BC. September 27, 2001.
- ^ "Frederick Ghahramani and Vincent Yen win BDC's Young Entrepreneur Award" (XBRL). BDC Bank of Canada. October 18, 2005.
- ^ "BDC to honour young Canadian entrepreneurs for outstanding accomplishments" (XBRL). The Globe & Mail Globeinvestor.com. October 18, 2005.
- ^ Menu Systems
- ^ Phone Control Service
- ^ Phone Audio)
- ^ Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
- ^ University of OttawaCanadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic
- ^ McQuigge, Michelle (October 14, 2015). "Tech founder donates $1 million of own money to overturn Bill C-51". Toronto Star.
- ^ Yanyu, Liang (October 14, 2015). "企業家擬捐100萬 圖推翻新反恐法". Sing Tao Daily.
- ^ Jaune, Marie (October 14, 2015). "Un homme d'affaires promet 1 M$ pour lutter contre C-51". TVA Nouvelles.
- ^ Murphy, David (June 3, 2008). "airG Helps Kids with Mobile Ad Space". Mobile Marketing Magazine.
- ^ Kids Help Phone