Alon Cohen facts for kids
Alon Cohen (born in Israel in 1962) is a very important inventor and business person. He helped start a company called VocalTec Inc. in 1989. He also helped invent something called the Audio Transceiver. This invention was key to creating "Voice Over Networks" products. These products eventually led to the VoIP industry. VoIP lets you make phone calls using the internet.
Alon Cohen holds several US patents for different communication technologies. A patent is like a special license that protects an invention. As of 2025, he is an Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Phone.com.
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About Alon Cohen
Early Life and Education
Alon Cohen earned two degrees from Tel Aviv University. He received an MBA (Master of Business Administration) and a BSC.EE (Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering). He got both degrees with high honors.
He also served in the Israel Defense Forces. This was part of their telecommunications group.
Family Life
Alon Cohen lives in New Jersey with his wife and their two sons.
Alon Cohen's Business Journey
Starting VocalTec Communications
In 1989, Alon Cohen and Lior Haramaty started VocalTec Communications Inc. They founded the company in Herzliya, Israel. VocalTec was a pioneer in the VoIP industry. This means they were one of the first companies to work with internet phone calls.
In February 1995, they launched the very first internet phone. Alon Cohen also invented the Audio Transceiver (U.S. Patent 5,825,771). This invention made it possible to create products that sent voice over computer networks. This technology was a big step for the VoIP industry.
VocalTec was the first company to offer internet voice technology worldwide. In 1996, it was one of the first internet companies to offer shares to the public (IPO) on NASDAQ.
Other Ventures and Current Role
After leaving VocalTec, Alon Cohen started and managed several other businesses. These included companies like BitWine and RemoteAbility.
Today, he works as an Executive Vice President and CTO at Phone.com. He often speaks at technology conferences. He also advises many companies and helps new businesses grow. He has even served as an expert in court cases about VoIP patents.
Alon Cohen also has a blog. On his blog, he shares his thoughts about technology and new inventions.
Awards and Special Recognition
Alon Cohen has received several important awards for his work. In 2005, he got the "VoIP Visionary Award" from Pulvermedia. In 2015, he received the VoIP Hall of Fame Award from TMCNET.
In September 2005, "The Marker" newspaper named him one of the "100 Most Influential Israelis." This list recognized important people in Israel's high-tech history.
Alon Cohen also represented Israel at the United Nations. He took part in talks for the ITU Study Group 16. This group worked to create and approve global standards for VoIP.
He holds five US patents for different communication technologies. He also helped write more patents while working at VocalTec.
