Dag Kittlaus

Dag Kittlaus is a Norwegian-born entrepreneur and technology executive best known as the co-founder and former CEO of Siri Inc., the company that created the Siri intelligent assistant. He played a pivotal role in the development of voice technology and its integration into mainstream consumer electronics, leading the company until its landmark acquisition by Apple Inc. in 2010. Following his work at Apple, Kittlaus has been active in venture capital, startup advising, and new ventures in artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

Early life and education

Born in Stavanger, Norway, Kittlaus developed an early interest in technology and business. He pursued his higher education at the Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen, where he earned a Siviløkonom degree. Seeking broader experience, he later moved to the United States to attend the University of Michigan, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. His academic background combined with a growing fascination with emerging software and mobile technology set the stage for his future career in Silicon Valley.

Career

Kittlaus began his professional career at the Norwegian telecommunications giant Telenor, where he held various positions in strategy and business development. He subsequently moved to the United States, working for Motorola in Chicago as a director of product management and innovation, focusing on early mobile internet services. His entrepreneurial journey began in earnest when he co-founded a venture capital-backed startup called Fuzzmail, an early web-based email service. This experience led him to Silicon Valley, where he joined the venture capital firm VantagePoint Capital Partners as an entrepreneur-in-residence, scouting for groundbreaking technology investments.

Siri and voice technology

In 2007, Kittlaus co-founded Siri Inc. with Adam Cheyer and Tom Gruber, after acquiring the core technology from the SRI International CALO project, a DARPA-funded artificial intelligence initiative. As CEO, Kittlaus led the company's vision to create a revolutionary voice-activated assistant for mobile devices. The Siri application launched on the Apple App Store in 2010, quickly gaining attention for its advanced natural language processing capabilities. In a defining moment for the industry, Apple Inc. acquired Siri Inc. in April 2010, with Kittlaus joining Apple to help integrate the technology into the iOS ecosystem. The assistant debuted as a marquee feature of the iPhone 4S in 2011, fundamentally altering human-computer interaction and sparking a new era of virtual assistant competition from Google, Amazon, and Microsoft.

Later ventures and investments

After leaving Apple in late 2011, Kittlaus took a hiatus before returning to entrepreneurship. He co-founded and served as CEO of Viv Labs, a next-generation artificial intelligence platform aimed at creating a global intelligent system for third-party developers, alongside former Siri colleagues Adam Cheyer and Chris Brigham. Viv Labs was acquired by Samsung Electronics in 2016 and formed the core of the Bixby digital assistant. Kittlaus has since been an active angel investor and advisor, focusing on deep technology startups. His investments and advisory roles span diverse fields, including biotechnology companies like Neuralink, space exploration firms, and other AI-driven ventures, maintaining his position as a influential figure in the technology industry.

Personal life

Kittlaus is married to Ragnhild S. Kittlaus, and the couple has three children. He maintains strong ties to both his native Norway and his adopted home in the United States, often participating in the Scandinavian entrepreneurial community. An avid supporter of technological advancement for societal benefit, he is also known for his interest in space colonization and longevity research. Kittlaus splits his time between Palo Alto and Norway, engaging in public speaking and mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Category:Norwegian businesspeople Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:Technology company founders