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Frederick Ghahramani

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Frederick Ghahramani
File:Frederick ghahramani.png
Alma materSimon Fraser University
(Electronic Engineering)
Occupation(s)Founder of airG Inc.
CEO of Just10
Chairman of BrainTest Ltd.
Years active2000–present
Board member ofairG 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

  1. ^ "Entrepreneur donates $1 million to fight anti-terror law C-51" (XBRL). CBC Radio. October 14, 2015.
  2. ^ Aberle, Katherine (September 6, 2001). "SFU STUDENTS ADVANCE TO FINAL ROUND IN NEW VENTURES BC COMPETITION". Simon Fraser University News. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Engineers Seek Top Prize" (XBRL). Simon Fraser News. September 6, 2001.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Lewis, Rob (February 8, 2011). "Vancouver's airG - the world's largest mobile social network". Tech Vibes. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  6. ^ "airG Claims 20 Million Users of Mobile Social Networking Services". Cellular News. October 16, 2007. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  7. ^ "airG Inc. Visiting company at MWC 2015" (XBRL). Government of Canada Trade Commissioner Service. February 12, 2014.
  8. ^ "Meet airG, The Mobile Social Network You've Never Heard Of That's Ten Times Bigger Than Foursquare" (XBRL). Business Insider. February 3, 2011.
  9. ^ "Top employers for young people" (XBRL). Canadian HR Reporter. June 3, 2010.
  10. ^ Press, Jordan (June 1, 2010). "Full list of Top 50 Employers". The Globe & Mail.
  11. ^ Luckow, Diane (October 18, 2001). "Engineering students win $50,000". Simon Fraser University News. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  12. ^ "2001 Competition Winner" (XBRL). New Ventures BC. September 27, 2001.
  13. ^ "Frederick Ghahramani and Vincent Yen win BDC's Young Entrepreneur Award" (XBRL). BDC Bank of Canada. October 18, 2005.
  14. ^ "BDC to honour young Canadian entrepreneurs for outstanding accomplishments" (XBRL). The Globe & Mail Globeinvestor.com. October 18, 2005.
  15. ^ Menu Systems
  16. ^ Phone Control Service
  17. ^ Phone Audio)
  18. ^ Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
  19. ^ University of OttawaCanadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic
  20. ^ McQuigge, Michelle (October 14, 2015). "Tech founder donates $1 million of own money to overturn Bill C-51". Toronto Star.
  21. ^ Yanyu, Liang (October 14, 2015). "企業家擬捐100萬 圖推翻新反恐法". Sing Tao Daily.
  22. ^ Jaune, Marie (October 14, 2015). "Un homme d'affaires promet 1 M$ pour lutter contre C-51". TVA Nouvelles.
  23. ^ Murphy, David (June 3, 2008). "airG Helps Kids with Mobile Ad Space". Mobile Marketing Magazine.
  24. ^ Kids Help Phone