Early Life
Amnon Shashua was born in Ramat Gan, Israel, on May 26, 1960. From a young age, he showed a keen interest in computers, a field still in its early stages. He attended the ORT school in Givatayim for computer engineering. Shashua received his B.Sc. in mathematics and computer science from Tel-Aviv University in 1985. He earned his M.Sc. in computer science in 1989 from the Weizmann Institute of Science. He later earned a Ph.D. in brain and cognitive sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1993.
Rise to Success
Shashua's career took a pivotal turn in 1999 when he co-founded Mobileye, a company dedicated to developing systems-on-chip and computer vision algorithms for driving assistance systems and autonomous driving technology. The company quickly gained recognition and, in 2014, launched an IPO on the NYSE, becoming the largest Israeli IPO in U.S. history at the time. Mobileye was later acquired by Intel in 2017 for approximately $15.3 billion. In 2022, Mobileye went public again on the NASDAQ. Beyond Mobileye, Shashua co-founded OrCam Technologies in 2010, which develops AI-based assistive tools for the visually impaired. He also founded AI21 Labs in 2017, focusing on language models, and One Zero digital bank.
Key Business Strategies
Shashua's strategic vision has always been centered on innovation in AI and computer vision, using a single camera to enable safe and scalable driver assistance. This approach led Mobileye to partnerships with numerous automakers, integrating its technology into millions of vehicles. Shashua has also expanded his ventures into different sectors, with OrCam Technologies, leveraging AI to help those with visual impairments. Additionally, Shashua's establishment of a digital bank, One Zero, demonstrates his willingness to embrace new technologies and diversify his business interests.
Philanthropy
Shashua and his family are actively involved in philanthropy through the Shashua Family Foundation. Their charitable activities include support for small businesses through the WE-19 program, with a $35 million fund designed to support approximately 2,000 small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They have also funded scholarships at Tel Aviv University (TAU).