Eli Zelkha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eli Zelkha
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Zelkha at a panel discussion on Ambient Intelligence
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Elias Zelkha
May 4, 1950 Tehran, Iran
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| Died | January 8, 2017 (aged 66) Woodside, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Colgate University, Stanford University |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, professor |
| Known for | Ambient Intelligence |
Elias "Eli" Zelkha (May 4, 1950 – January 8, 2017) was a smart Iranian-American inventor and businessman. He was known for creating the idea of ambient intelligence. This is a world where technology is all around us, helping us without us even noticing.
Eli Zelkha passed away on January 8, 2017. He was 66 years old and lived in Woodside, California.
Contents
Eli Zelkha's Story
Early Life and Education
Eli Zelkha was born in 1950 in Tehran, Iran. He moved to the United States in 1967. He went to Colgate University and studied International Relations. Later, he also studied at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Building New Companies
Eli Zelkha was a very active entrepreneur. He started or helped to start five different companies. These companies included Kandahar Designs, Palo Alto Ventures, Livewall, Euro-Profile/i-Profile, and Vemm Brazil.
He also worked at a company called Tandem Computers. There, he helped create new plans and projects. One special project was a partnership with Steven Spielberg's Starbright Foundation. This foundation helps seriously ill children.
Inventing Ambient Intelligence
In 1998, Eli Zelkha led a team that came up with a big idea. This idea was called "ambient intelligence." His team included Simon Birrell, Clark Dodsworth, Doug Randall, and Brian Epstein. Simon Birrell also helped coin the term.
The idea was first shown to the public on June 22, 1998. Roel Pieper from Philips presented it at a conference. Since then, ambient intelligence has become very important. Many of the world's top technology companies use this idea. Companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and IBM use it in their plans.
Teaching and Sharing Knowledge
Eli Zelkha also loved to teach. He taught at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. There, he shared his knowledge about starting businesses. He also taught about venture capital and business strategies.
He gave lectures on topics like "The Art of Failure." He also spoke about "Corporate and International Venture Capital." Eli Zelkha was also a guest lecturer at the Stanford University School of Engineering. He taught about how to plan for the future when things are uncertain.
