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Institute for Computer Research (ICR)

Up-Coming Special Event

SEMINAR ANNOUNCEMENT: The Deloitte Speakers Series

Hosted by: Centre for Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology

Title:             Creating a Technology-Based Company
By:                Michael Malcolm
                     Kaleidescape, Inc.

Date:            Tues March 24, 2009
Time:            11:30 am
Location:       University of Waterloo, Davis Centre, DC 1302

Abstract:
Around 25 years ago I left a tenured position on the faculty of University of Waterloo to try my hand at creating a startup. While that company failed, I got the bug and learned enough to go on to create three successful Silicon Valley companies. In the course of this journey I have learned many lessons, some of which I will attempt to teach. This talk will be aimed at the technologist or entrepreneur who wants to change the world by creating a great company.

Biography:
Michael Malcolm received a Ph.D. in computer science (numerical analysis) from Stanford University. He joined the faculty of computer science at University of Waterloo in 1973. He directed one of the most prominent research projects in Canada, created the Real-Time Programming course (CS452) and the "Train Lab," and founded the Software Portability Group. He pioneered synchronized message passing, log-structured file systems, and various other successful operating system concepts. He led the Waterloo project that developed the world's first portable operating system (Thoth).

After leaving University of Waterloo, Malcolm created Waterloo Microsystems, Inc. and served as its Chairman and CEO for five years. He spent another five years as a technical and business advisor to senior executives at Auspex Systems, Sun Microsystems, Quantum Corporation, Tandem Computers, and various venture capital firms in California.

Malcolm then founded three successful California-based companies: NetApp (NASDAQ:NTAP), Blue Coat Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:BCSI), and Kaleidescape, Inc. NetApp pioneered the concept of network-attached storage appliances, and is now recognized as the leading developer and manufacturer of these high-performance network filers. Malcolm served as president and CEO of NetApp until 1994. Blue Coat also created a new category: Internet caching and security appliances. Malcolm served as chairman and CEO of Blue Coat until 1999. Kaleidescape created the category of entertainment servers. Kaleidescape is the market leader for distributed systems that use storage servers and convergence audio/video players for storing movies and music on an array of disk drives and playing them anywhere in the home.