Early Life
Robert J. Pera was born on March 10, 1978, in San Carlos, California. As a youth, he established a computer services company while in high school. Pera also played basketball in high school but had to take a year off due to a heart condition. He attended the University of California, San Diego, earning a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a B.A. in Japanese. He furthered his education at UC San Diego, completing a master's degree in electrical engineering with a focus on digital communications and circuit design.
Rise to Success
After graduating, Pera worked at Apple as a hardware engineer, where he tested Wi-Fi devices. He observed that Apple's Wi-Fi products were too costly for many users, sparking his idea to create more affordable, high-performance wireless equipment. In March 2005, Pera founded Ubiquiti Networks using $30,000 of personal savings and credit card debt. The company initially focused on providing internet access to underserved areas using existing Wi-Fi technology. Ubiquiti went public in 2011. In October 2012, Pera purchased the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.
Key Business Strategies
Pera's approach involves lean operations to ensure efficiency, a direct-to-customer sales model, and a strong emphasis on innovation. This enabled competitive pricing for high-quality products. Pera's focus on R&D has been a key factor in Ubiquiti's success. His strategy is to build a vertically integrated company, controlling all aspects of its product line, similar to Apple's approach.
Philanthropy
Pera supports the Grizzlies Foundation, a sports charity operating in Memphis.