About Naeem

Naeem Zafar is a member of the faculty of Haas Business School at the University of California Berkeley, where he teaches Entrepreneurship and Innovation as part of the MBA program. Naeem is a serial entrepreneur, having started his own business at the age of 26 and gone on to launch or work at six startups.

Naeem was the president and CEO of Pyxis Technology Inc., Silicon Design Systems, and Veridicom, a Bell Labs spinoff that invented the silicon fingerprint sensors found on most laptops. Naeem has held senior marketing and engineering positions at several companies, including Quickturn Design Systems, which had an IPO in 1993.

Entrepreneurs at all stages of the startup process have come to rely upon Naeem’s mentoring, from the earliest-stage idea through funding and implementation.

Naeem is also a speaker known for his fun, interactive, positive, and friendly style. He has lectured on business, innovation, and entrepreneurship in China, Japan, India, Turkey, Brazil, Pakistan, Colombia, the Netherlands, the UK, and Singapore. He enjoys getting to know his audience before and after presentations and delivers his expertise through consulting, advising, keynote speeches, coaching programs, and workshops. Naeem works frequently with the U.S. State Department to promote innovation and entrepreneurship around the world and was invited to the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington, D.C.

Naeem has written numerous books on entrepreneurship that not only motivate the reader, but also give specific and practical advice on topics critical to startup success. His laser-focused titles provide help with marketing, fundraising, market research, and legal and financial essentials.

Naeem graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the Brown University in Rhode Island and later earned a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Testimonials

"..Invaluable, on-the-money advice..."

"Succinct, compelling, profound - this book is invaluable with full on-the-money advice that would have been priceless when I was starting my last company. It could take a lifetime to learn what Naeem lucidly summed up in just a few dozen pages. It's a must read for any entrepreneur!"

-Slavik Zorin Founder and CEO Synchrony Systems, New York

"Clear guidance based on knowledge gained by experience"

"Many of us believe that one day we will start our own companies. But what do you need to know before you take that irreversible step of quitting your job? Naeem Zafar's 7 Steps to a Successful Startup is just what the new entrepreneur needs. Providing clear guidance based on knowledge gained by experience! I commend this book to all who consider launching themselves on this exciting journey."

- Jerome S. Engel Executive Director Lester Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, UC Berkeley

"Insightful and practical"

"I have been with five startups in my career mostly as VP of engineering and I clearly see that having followed Naeem's advice would have changed the fate of these companies that I was involved with - very insightful and practical. Excellent!"

- Dr. Bulent Erbilgin VP of Engineering, SS8 Networks, California