Judith Estrin - Business Career

Business Career

While at Stanford, Estrin worked with the research group headed by Vint Cerf, a computer science pioneer often called the "Father of the Internet". Cerf's team developed the TCP/IP specification which forms the underlying technology of the Internet.

After Stanford she worked at Zilog Corporation, where she contributed to the design of the Z8 and Z8000 microprocessors and led the team that developed one of the first commercial local area network systems called Z-net.

In 1981, Estrin co-founded Bridge Communications — a network router, bridges, and communications servers company. The company merged with 3Com in 1986. In 1988 she joined the founding team of Network Computing Devices (NCD) as Executive Vice President, later becoming President and CEO in 1993.

In 1995, she co-founded Precept Software, Inc., a developer of networking software company, and served as President and CEO until its acquisition by Cisco Systems in 1998, when she became its CTO and Senior Vice President of Cisco Systems until 2000.

In 2000, Estrin co-founded Packet Design, LLC, a networking technology company that spun out three venture backed start-ups, including Packet Design, Inc, on whose board she still serves. She served as Packet Design, LLC’s CEO until it was dissolved, distributing its assets to investors in late 2007.

Estrin has three times been named to Fortune magazine's list of the 50 most powerful women in American business. She was honored in 2002 with induction into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame.