Irwin Mark Jacobs

Irwin Mark Jacobs
Born	October 18, 1933 New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Cornell University Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Occupation	Engineer, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
Known for	Co-founder of Qualcomm, CDMA technology
Spouse	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.

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.

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.

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.

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.