Poizner, Steve – Headshot

Steve Poizner

Fmr. SVP & GM, Emerging Businesses, Qualcomm

Steve Poizner has been a successful high tech entrepreneur for over 30 years, founding and running three successful, disruptive companies Strategic Mapping, SnapTrack, and EmpoweredU.

Currently, Mr. Poizner serves as Co-Founder & CEO of a company in STEALTH mode (GNSS/GPS space).

Steve has also devoted 10 years to public service. In 2001, Poizner served as a White House Fellow in the National Security Council. Starting one week before the September 11, 2001 attacks, Poizner helped develop a new homeland security plan.

Passionate about education, Poizner founded the California Charter Schools Association in 2003. In 2004, he spent one year as a volunteer, teaching 12th grade American Government, where he was selected “Rookie Teacher of The Year” at Mount Pleasant High School.. He later authored a New York Times Best Selling book, Mount Pleasant, that described the experience of a Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned public school teacher.

In 2006, Poizner was elected California Insurance Commissioner, one of only 8 positions elected statewide, where he oversaw the 4th largest insurance market in the world.

Most recently, Poizner served as SVP and GM, Emerging Businesses for Qualcomm.

In 2014, Poizner was inducted into the Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame.