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Created page with "{{SHORTDESC:American engineer, co-founder of Qualcomm (born 1933)}} {{#seo: |title=Irwin Mark Jacobs |title_mode=append |keywords=Irwin Mark Jacobs, Irwin Jacobs Qualcomm, Irwin Jacobs biography, Irwin Mark Jacobs Arisepedia, Irwin Mark Jacobs Wikipedia, who is Irwin Jacobs, Qualcomm founder |description=Irwin Mark Jacobs is an American electrical engineer and co-founder of Qualcomm, the global wireless technology company. He is known for pioneering CDMA technology and c..."

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{{SHORTDESC:American engineer, co-founder of Qualcomm (born 1933)}}
{{#seo:
|title=Irwin Mark Jacobs
|title_mode=append
|keywords=Irwin Mark Jacobs, Irwin Jacobs Qualcomm, Irwin Jacobs biography, Irwin Mark Jacobs Arisepedia, Irwin Mark Jacobs Wikipedia, who is Irwin Jacobs, Qualcomm founder
|description=Irwin Mark Jacobs is an American electrical engineer and co-founder of Qualcomm, the global wireless technology company. He is known for pioneering CDMA technology and contributing significantly to mobile communication and digital innovation.
|image=Irwin Mark Jacobs.png
|image_alt=Irwin Mark Jacobs at a public event
}}
{| class="infobox" style="width: 22em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; border-spacing: 0px; background-color: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid #aaa; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: larger; padding: 5px 0;" |Irwin Mark Jacobs
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 0; background-color: #f9f9f9;" |[[File:Irwin Mark Jacobs.png|center|200x300px]]
|-
| style="width: 30%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Born'''
| style="width: 70%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |October 18, 1933<br>New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.
|-
| style="width: 30%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Nationality'''
| style="width: 70%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |American
|-
| style="width: 30%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Alma mater'''
| style="width: 70%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |Cornell University<br>Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
|-
| style="width: 30%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Occupation'''
| style="width: 70%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |Engineer, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
|-
| style="width: 30%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Known for'''
| style="width: 70%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |Co-founder of Qualcomm, CDMA technology
|-
| style="width: 30%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Spouse'''
| style="width: 70%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |Joan Jacobs (deceased)
|}

'''Irwin Mark Jacobs''' (born October 18, 1933) is an American electrical engineer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, best known as the co-founder of '''Qualcomm Incorporated'''. He pioneered the development of CDMA wireless technology, which became the foundation for modern mobile communication systems. Jacobs also served as chairman and CEO of Qualcomm until 2005 and played a crucial role in making the company a global leader in telecommunications.<ref>https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/uc-presidential-medal-awarded-irwin-jacobs-and-late-wife-joan</ref>

== Early Life and Education ==

Born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Jacobs graduated from '''Cornell University''' with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1956. He earned his master's and doctoral degrees from the '''Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)''' by 1959. He began teaching at MIT and later joined the '''University of California, San Diego (UCSD)''' in 1966, where he helped establish the university's engineering program.<ref>https://www.twincities.com/2019/09/19/irwin-jacobs-reportedly-owed-millions-of-dollars-before-death/</ref>

== Academic and Entrepreneurial Beginnings ==

In 1968, Jacobs co-founded '''Linkabit Corporation''' with Andrew Viterbi. The company focused on satellite encryption and digital communication technologies. Linkabit was a stepping stone to Jacobs’ most transformative venture—'''Qualcomm'''.<ref>https://www.salk.edu/news-release/salk-institute-mourns-the-loss-of-philanthropist-joan-jacobs/</ref>

== Qualcomm and CDMA Innovation ==

Jacobs co-founded '''Qualcomm''' in 1985 in San Diego. The company introduced '''Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)''', a digital wireless technology that revolutionized mobile communications by allowing multiple calls to be transmitted over the same frequency band. CDMA became a global standard, and Qualcomm emerged as a dominant player in wireless chipsets, R&D, and technology licensing.

== Leadership and Legacy ==

Jacobs served as Qualcomm's CEO until 2005 and as chairman until 2009. Under his leadership, Qualcomm grew into a multi-billion dollar enterprise with widespread influence across the telecom, IoT, and AI industries. Qualcomm’s chips and technologies are used in billions of mobile devices worldwide.<ref>https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/new-yorker-turned-san-diego-philanthropist-joan-jacobs-legacy-lives-on-after-her-death</ref>

== Philanthropy ==

Jacobs and his late wife Joan have donated hundreds of millions of dollars to causes including:
* '''Jacobs School of Engineering''' at UCSD
* '''San Diego Symphony'''
* '''Salk Institute for Biological Studies'''
* '''UCSD Health System'''

They joined '''The Giving Pledge''' in 2010, committing to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

== Awards and Honors ==
* '''National Medal of Technology and Innovation''' (1994)
* '''Marconi Prize''' (2011)
* '''IEEE Medal of Honor''' (2013)
* '''Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy''' (2015)
* Elected to the '''National Academy of Engineering'''

== Personal Life ==
Jacobs was married to Joan Jacobs, with whom he had four sons. The couple was well-known for their joint philanthropic efforts in education, the arts, and scientific research.<ref>https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2024/oct/02/best-2024-heavenly-hall-underground/</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacobs, Irwin Mark}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American electrical engineers]]
[[Category:American technology chief executives]]
[[Category:Qualcomm people]]
[[Category:Cornell University alumni]]
[[Category:MIT alumni]]
[[Category:American philanthropists]]
[[Category:American company founders]]

[[en:Irwin Mark Jacobs]]

Irwin Mark Jacobs - Revision history