Belkin

Founded in 1983 by Chet Pipkin and Steve Bellow in Hawthorne, California, Belkin International emerged from a garage startup focused on manufacturing computer-to-printer cables for the emerging personal computer market, achieving first-year sales of $178,000. Named as a contraction of the founders' surnames 'Bellow' and 'Pipkin,' the company capitalized on Pipkin's UCLA-era observations of the growing need for connectivity solutions in local computer shops. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, Belkin evolved from its cable origins to become a global consumer electronics powerhouse with over 1,350 employees across 20+ countries and sales exceeding $1 billion by 2015. Through strategic expansion including the 2013 acquisition of Cisco's Linksys brand for home networking solutions, Belkin established itself as a leading manufacturer of mobile and computer connectivity devices, wireless chargers, power banks, surge protectors, and smartphone accessories. In September 2018, Belkin was acquired by Foxconn Interconnect Technology for $866-886 million and now operates as an independent subsidiary, continuing its four-decade legacy of innovation under executive chairman Chet Pipkin and CEO Steve Malony while serving consumers worldwide with products designed to make every day extraordinary through superior connectivity solutions.