Alon Cohen facts for kids
Alon Cohen is an inventor and entrepreneur from Israel. He was born in 1962. He is best known for helping to create the technology that lets people make phone calls over the internet. This technology is called VoIP.
Alon Cohen co-founded a company called VocalTec in 1989. This company was a pioneer in the VoIP industry. He also invented a special device called the Audio Transceiver. This invention made it possible to create internet phone products. Today, he holds several US patents for different communication technologies.
About Alon Cohen
Alon Cohen studied at Tel Aviv University. He earned two degrees there, one in business and one in electrical engineering. He also served in the Israel Defense Forces. He worked in the telecommunications part of the army.
Today, Alon Cohen lives in New Jersey with his wife and two sons.
His Work in Technology
In 1989, Alon Cohen and Lior Haramaty started VocalTec Communications Inc. They started the company in Herzliya, Israel. This company was a leader in the VoIP industry.
- VocalTec released the very first internet phone in February 1995.
- Alon Cohen invented the Audio Transceiver. This invention was key to making internet phone calls possible.
- VocalTec was the first company to offer internet voice technology around the world.
- In 1996, VocalTec became one of the first internet companies to offer its shares to the public.
After leaving VocalTec, Cohen started other companies like BitWine and RemoteAbility. He currently works as an Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Phone.com.
Alon Cohen 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. He also writes about technology and new ideas on his blog.
Awards and Recognition
Alon Cohen has received several important awards for his work:
- In 2005, he received the "VoIP Visionary Award" from Jeff Pulver's Pulvermedia.
- In 2015, he was given the VoIP Hall of Fame Award by TMCNET.
- In September 2005, a leading Israeli business newspaper, "The Marker", named him one of the "100 Most Influential Israelis" in the history of high technology.
Cohen also represented Israel in the United Nations. He helped with talks about creating global standards for VoIP technology. He holds five US patents for communication technologies. He also helped create more patents while working at VocalTec.
