About Us
The Global Catalyst Foundation is a private foundation established by the principals of Global Catalyst Partners, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm.
Its mission is to improve peoples’ lives through the effective application of information technologies.
The Foundation initiates and supports innovative projects worldwide to improve education, alleviate poverty, promote social tolerance and celebrate diversity.

Who We Are

Kamran Elahian
As an Innovation Catalyst, Kamran advises various governments on the needed transition from fossil based economies to sustainable innovation economies. In the past, as a global high-tech entrepreneur, he co-founded ten companies, produced 6 exits, 3 of them Unicorn IPOs with a total market cap of over $8B. For 15 yrs., he was Chairman of Global Catalyst Partners, a global VC firm ($350M under management) with investments in the U.S., Japan, China, India, Israel and Singapore.Underlying his vision for global philanthropy is the conviction that modern Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can be instrumental in dissolving barriers between nations and bridging the social and political differences among people. This vision was reflected in Schools-Online, a nonprofit he co-founded in 1996 to connect the world, one school at a time (6400 schools in 36 countries were provided with computers and access to the Internet) and merged with Relief International in 2003; Global Catalyst Foundation, co-founded in 2000 to improve lives through effective education and empowerment of the youth (with special emphasis on young women) using the leverage of ICT, and UN-GAID, a United Nations global forum that promotes ICT in developing countries where he served as Co-Chairman (2009-2011). Additional information may be found on www.KamranElahian.com.

Art Schneiderman

Mr. Schneiderman has been involved with the following companies from their earliest stages: Centillium Communications, Cirrus Logic, CyberMedia, Ikanos Communications, Kalpana, Inc., Linear Technology Corporation, NeoMagic Corporation, Quantum Corporation, Sagent Technology, Inc., and Silicon Graphics.
Mr. Schneiderman received his undergraduate degree from Beloit College, Beloit, Wisconsin, and his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Koji Osawa
Koji Osawa, Ph.D. has extensive experience in investment and management of high-tech companies in Asia and the United States. Dr. Osawa was at Mitsubishi Corporation for 14 years, starting in 1985, and served as division manager, Mitsubishi International Corporation (Palo Alto office), 1993 through 1999. He was responsible for business development with Silicon Valley companies in the areas of semiconductors, communications, and software. During this period, he invested in several private companies and venture capital funds. He arranged a wide range of business agreements between these private companies and prominent Japanese and Asian companies, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars of business. Dr. Osawa also served as general manager of MC Silicon Valley, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corp., and has been responsible for managing a U.S. investment fund since 1998.
Dr. Osawa received his BS in electronics from Keio University, Japan, and his Ph.D. in engineering from Tohoku University, Japan.

Vijay Parikh

He received his BSEE from the Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences in India and MBA from the University of Michigan.

Zohre Elahian

Previously, she also served on the board of directors of Relief International for over 8 years working on various developmental and humanitarian projects in countries such as Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and many other countries. Prior to her humanitarian activities, she co-managed a successful private business for 15 years. Ms. Elahian holds an M.A. in Anthropology. In 2009, Zohre received the Unsung Heroes of Compassion Award and a special blessing from his Holiness, The Dalai Lama.