Drew D. Perkins
Drew D. Perkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964 (age 59–60) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University (1986) |
| Known for | Founder of technology companies |
Drew D. Perkins (1964-) is a serial entrepreneur and is one of the lead authors of the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), an early internet technology that provided for access to the internet via the circuit-switched telephone system.[1][2]
Early life and education
Perkins was born in 1964. He received bachelor of science degrees in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University in 1986.[3]
Career
Entrepreneurial experience
Companies founded or materially developed by Perkins include:
- Gainspeed, which was sold to Nokia in 2016.[5] Since it was founded in 2012, Gainspeed raised $55 million in financing from investors including New Enterprise Associates, Andreessen Horowitz, Shasta Ventures, Technicolor, and Juniper Networks.[6]
- OnFiber Communications, which was sold to Qwest Communications for $107 million in cash in 2006.[7] Other owners of OnFiber Communications included Bear Stearns Merchant Banking (11%) and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (30%).[8]
- Lightera Networks, founded by Perkins in 1998 and acquired by Ciena in 1999 in exchange for 20.6 million shares in Ciena.[9]
- FORE Systems, where Perkins was the principal architect from 1993 to 1997.[3] The company was sold in 1999 for $4.5 billion.[10]
Investments
Perkins participated in a $5 million seed financing for RevUp Software in March 2016.[11]
Perkins participated in a $26 million Series B financing for Console Inc. in November 2015.[12]
References
- ^ Sun, Andrew (1999). Using and managing PPP. O'Reilly Media. ISBN 978-1-56592-321-8.
- ^ Bautts, Tony; Dawson, Terry; Purdy, Gregor N. (2005). Linux network administrator's guide. O'Reilly Media. ISBN 978-0-596-00548-1.
- ^ a b "The Drew Perkins Hot Seat". Carnegie Mellon University. May 25, 2004.
- ^ "Infinera Announces Drew Perkins to Step Down as CTO and Remain as Technical Advisor" (Press release). Infinera. December 21, 2011.
- ^ "Gainspeed to Be Acquired by Nokia" (Press release). Business Wire. June 9, 2016.
- ^ "Nokia Nabs Gainspeed". NewBay Media. August 1, 2016.
- ^ "Qwest Completes Acquisition Of OnFiber Communications, Inc" (Press release). CenturyLink. September 5, 2006.
- ^ "DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF ONFIBER, INC. TO QWEST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. June 19, 2006.
- ^ "Ciena to Acquire Lightera and Omnia". Los Angeles Times. Bloomberg News. March 16, 1999.
- ^ "GEC Agrees to Acquire FORE Systems, Inc. for $35 Per Share In Cash Transaction Valued in Excess of $4 Billion" (Press release). Business Wire. April 26, 1999.
- ^ "RevUp Announces Major Financing Update" (Press release). Business Wire. March 24, 2016.
- ^ "IIX Receives $26 Million in Series B Funding to Accelerate Global Growth" (Press release). GlobeNewswire. November 17, 2015.