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Kamran Elahian

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Kamran Elahian
کامران الهیان
Born1954
NationalityIranian American
OccupationEntrepreneur
SpouseZohre Elahian

Kamran Elahian(Template:Lang-fa) is an Iranian-American Entrepreneur who 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.

Early life and education

Kamran was born in Tehran in 1954. Kamran immigrated to the United States before the Iranian Revolution. 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.

Career

Global Catalyst Partners

A veteran entrepreneur with over 29 years of experience in the high-tech industry. Kamran 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; finally sold for less than $50m after investing hundreds of million in the company, PlanetWeb (’96) acquired by MTI in 2009 for less than $10m; Centillium Communications (’97) IPO at $700M valuation/achieved market cap of over $4B, sold for less than $15m; Actelis Networks (’99) a broadband communications systems company; Informative (’99) failed; Entropia (’99) failed; Gre field Networks (’01) - failed in 2006.

Global Catalyst Foundation

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.

Kamran is Chairman Emeritus of Relief International-Schools Online, a humanitarian Nonprofit organization 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.

Leadership, Mentorship and Social Impact

In 2013, Kamran was a mentor for Unreasonable at Sea, a technology business accelerator for social entrepreneurs seeking to scale their ventures in international markets. Founded by Unreasonable Group, Semester at Sea, and Stanford’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design.[1]

Recognition

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.

References