This session is part of the Highland 2007 Summer Startup school curriculum, which is designed to expose Summer Entrepreneurship entrepreneurs and teams to various aspects of the company creation process. Ash Dahod shares his lessons learned and advice in building successful organizations.

Ashraf M. Dahod is a co-founder of Starent Networks and has served as a director and President and Chief Executive Officer since August 2000. Prior to founding Starent, in 1996, Mr. Dahod co-founded NetCore Systems, Inc., a producer of large-scale, high performance switching products, which was acquired by Tellabs, Inc. in 1999. In 1988, Mr. Dahod co-founded Sigma Network Systems, Inc., a provider of multi-layer, multi-protocol switching systems, and continued to serve in a senior management position with Sigma Network Systems after it was acquired by Standard Microsystems Corporation in 1992. In 1981, Mr. Dahod founded Applitek Corporation, which developed the first cable modem. Applitek was later renamed LANCity and was acquired by Bay Networks, Inc., which was subsequently acquired by Nortel Networks.