Kamran Elahian (born in 1954) 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.
A veteran entrepreneur with over 29 years of experience in the high-tech industry. Kamran has 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; PlanetWeb (’96) acquired by MTI in 2009; Centillium Communications (’97) IPO at $700M valuation/achieved market cap of over $4B; Actelis Networks (’99) a broadband communications systems company; Informative (’99) failed; Entopia (’99) failed; Greenfield Networks (’01) acquired by Cisco Systems in 2006.
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.
He is Chairman Emeritus of Relief International-Schools Online, a humanitarian non-profit agency 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.
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.
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.