Drew Perkins

A serial entrepreneur, Drew has been at the forefront of technology innovation for more than three decades. Drew's latest company, Mojo Vision, is inventing the future of computing. Invisible Computing. Information when you need it, unobtrusive, without burying your head in a device or screen, connecting with others at a glance, anytime, anywhere, and all while looking like you. Gainspeed, his previous startup, changed the game for cable operators and was acquired by Nokia in the summer of 2016. Drew co-founded Infinera Corporation in 2001 and served as Infinera's CTO until 2012. Infinera developed the first optical system based on large-scale photonic integrated circuits. Infinera established itself as the technology leader of the worldwide long-haul telecom market and did a successful IPO in 2007. Before Infinera, Drew was co-founder and CTO of metropolitan telecommunications service provider OnFiber Communications, a startup that brought high-bandwidth fiber-based data services to small and medium-sized businesses in major metro areas nationwide. OnFiber was acquired by Qwest Communications. In 1998, Drew co-founded Lightera Networks, which developed the CoreDirector optical switching platform. Lightera was acquired by Ciena Corporation for more than $500 million in 1999. Drew made several important contributions to the early development of the Internet and was lead author of the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), technology that enabled computers to access the Internet over circuit-switched telephone lines. Drew has held various roles in industry standards bodies and research organizations including the IETF, IEEE, OIF, ATM Forum and Internet2. Drew's interests outside of work include technology education for the next generation of innovators. He has endowed the Drew D. Perkins Professorship in Advanced Networking and Communications at Carnegie-Mellon University.