Belkin

While attending UCLA, Chet Pipkin, who was spending his time in local computer shops, saw the growing need for cables that would connect personal computers to new printers being released for home use.{{cite web |title=Belkin International: Chet Pipkin |website=NPR |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419145527/https://www.npr.org/2019/05/10/722148754/belkin-international-chet-pipkin |archive-date=2023-04-19 |url-status=live |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/05/10/722148754/belkin-international-chet-pipkin}} In the early 1980s, Chet Pipkin founded Belkin in his parents' home in Hawthorne, California, to manufacture computer cables for the new personal computer and tech accessory market.[https://www.dailybreeze.com/2011/08/08/south-bays-chet-pipkin-may-be-the-most-famous-tech-mogul-to-come-from-hawthorne/ Daily Breeze] Pipkin began to sell computer-to-printer cables to local computer shops. As Pipkin's cable connector sales grew in Southern California, he recruited assembly help from his machinist father, brother, and a handful of friends. In 1982, Pipkin left his university studies to focus on expanding the business.{{Cite news |date=1997-03-17 |title=Fastrack |work=Los Angeles Business Journal |url=https://labusinessjournal.com/news/1997/mar/17/fastrack/ |access-date=2020-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603172032/https://labusinessjournal.com/news/1997/mar/17/fastrack/ |archive-date=2019-06-03}}

On January 1, 1983, Pipkin moved into a professional workplace and hired his first full-time employees. Belkin performed its cable manufacturing in the United States, which gave the company a fast turnaround for customers. In 1985, in addition to U.S. manufacturing, Belkin began contracting Asian factories to increase production for a global market. In the 1990s, Belkin added surge protectors and USB storage devices to its product line.{{cite web|author=Javier Panzar|title=How I Made It: For wealthy tech entrepreneur, a timely connection|website=Los Angeles Times |date=25 January 2015 |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-chester-pipkin-20150125-story.html}} In the early 2000s, Belkin expanded its product line to accommodate smartphone and tablet users with hardware accessories including chargers and connector cables.[https://www.ft.com/content/ef31354e-bdfe-11e8-94b2-17176fbf93f5 Financial Times]

In 2012, Belkin launched the WeMo brand to produce smart home products. In March 2013, Belkin acquired Cisco Systems' Home Networking Business Unit, including the Linksys brand and product line.{{Cite news|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2031036/linksys-brand-name-survives-as-belkins-takes-over-from-cisco.html|title=Linksys brand name survives as Belkin takes over from Cisco|author-first1=Stephen|author-last1=Lawson|date=17 March 2013|work=PCWorld|access-date=2018-03-27|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/24/3912908/belkin-buys-linksys-home-router-unit-from-cisco|title=Belkin buys Linksys home router business from Cisco, giving it 30 percent of the market|work=The Verge|access-date=2018-03-27}} By 2015 the company had 1,350 employees and sales of more than $1 billion. In 2016, Belkin, in a joint venture with water solutions company Uponor, formed Phyn, a home water management tech brand.{{cite web |url=http://labusinessjournal.com/news/2017/aug/28/wealthiest-angelenos-29-chet-pipkin/ |title=Wealthiest Angelenos: 29. CHET PIPKIN |author= |date=August 28, 2017 |website=www.labusinessjournal.com |publisher=LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL|access-date=26 June 2018 |quote=Wealthiest Angelenos: 29. CHET PIPKIN}} In September 2018, Belkin was purchased by Foxconn Interconnect Technology, a Taiwanese multinational electronics firm and the largest provider of electronics manufacturing services, for $886 million.{{cite web|last1=Woodhouse|first1=Alice|title=Foxconn unit to buy Belkin International for $866m|url=https://www.ft.com/content/5b8f59b6-314e-11e8-b5bf-23cb17fd1498|publisher=Financial Times|access-date=27 March 2018}}{{cite web|last1=Coldewey|first1=Devin|title=Foxconn buys peripheral maker Belkin for $866M|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/26/foxconn-buys-peripheral-maker-belkin-for-866m/|website=TechCrunch|date=27 March 2018 |access-date=27 March 2018}} Belkin now operates as an independent subsidiary, and the Linksys business is a separate subsidiary of Foxconn Interconnect Technology and Fortinet.

In January 2021, Pipkin stepped down from his role as CEO of Belkin to become the Executive Chairman of the Board. Senior Vice President and General Manager Steve Malony was announced as the new CEO.[https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2021/01/07/belkin-founder-chet-pepkin-steps-down-as-ceo.html L.A. Biz]

Belkin is headquartered in El Segundo, California. Previously, the head offices were in the neighboring southern California cities of Playa Vista, Hawthorne, and Compton. The company has offices in Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.{{Cite web |title=Barracuda (NYSE: CUDA) - email addresses & email format • Tomba |url=https://tomba.io/company/barracuda.com |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=Tomba |language=en}}

From its founding in 1983 until 2012, the Belkin logo was simply the name Belkin.[https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/december-2011/wolff-olins-designs-new-belkin-brand-identity/ Design Week] In 2009, Belkin pledged to reduce 25 percent of the company's worldwide electricity consumption by 2017, and by 2018, Belkin had 37 percent reduction worldwide. Belkin made efficiency upgrades, including solar panels, EV charging stations in company parking lots, and motion sensor lighting in offices and distribution centers.[https://www.bintelligence.com/blog/2020/9/8/the-56-names-in-sustainability-you-should-know-in-2020 Business Intelligence Group] In 2024, Belkin announced an aim to be 100 percent carbon neutral across its business by 2030.{{cite web |title=Belkin Aims At 100 Percent Carbon Neutrality By 2030 |url=https://www.socaltech.com/belkin_aims_at___percent_carbon_neutrality_by__3_/s-0083939.html |website=SoCal Tech |access-date=12 June 2024}}

In 2013, Belkin purchased Linksys, a Cisco network hardware company that specializes in wireless connectivity. As of 2021, the Linksys business is now a subsidiary of Foxconn Interconnect Technology and Fortinet.

In 2016, Phyn, a home water management tech brand, was created by Belkin in a joint venture with water solutions company Uponor. In 2021, Uponor sold its stake in the venture to Belkin.{{cite web|author=Coco Huang|title=Water Tech Companies Are Springing Up in LA|date=11 October 2020 |url=https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2020/oct/12/water-tech-companies-springing-up-los-angeles/}}{{cite web |title=Uponor sells its share in the joint venture Phyn |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/08/13/2280593/0/en/Uponor-sells-its-share-in-the-joint-venture-Phyn.html |website=Global News Wire |access-date=31 May 2024}}

In February 2024, Belkin introduced Future Ventures, a product category focused on content creation, spatial computing, artificial intelligence, and robotics.{{cite web |title=Belkin Introduces Future Ventures Division for Further Product Innovation and New Category Creation |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/belkin-introduces-future-ventures-division-170000821.html |website=Yahoo Finance |access-date=31 May 2024}}

Between May 2013 and the end of the 2014 season, Belkin sponsored a Dutch professional cycling team, Belkin Pro Cycling Team. Belkin stepped in after the team formerly known as Rabobank lost their headline sponsor.{{cite web |title=Blanco Pro Cycling team to be sponsored by Belkin |website=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419145518/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-23029737 |archive-date=2023-04-19 |url-status=live |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-23029737}}

Belkin is involved in the local Compton community through the ASAP (Advanced Surveillance and Protection Plan) program with the LASD (LA County Sheriff's Department) and the Everybody Wins reading program. Belkin supports Susan G. Komen for the Cure to fight breast cancer through its pink ribbon iPod cases that have helped raise $350,000 for the organization.{{cite web | url =http://www.popgadget.net/2009/09/belkin_acessori.php |title=Belkin Accessorizes for a Good Cause}} In 2007, Belkin made a holiday donation to the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative.

Belkin is a founding partner and an industry partner with Da Vinci Schools, a network of charter schools with the goal of "hands-on learning," to prepare students for college and careers. In 2015, Belkin began the Belkin Internship program for the Da Vinci Extension program in which Da Vinci students gain career experiences in their community.[https://www.davincischools.org/schools/da-vinci-extension/ Da Vinci Schools]

Belkin markets a range of cables for electronic devices, including charging cables, data cables, audio/video cables, cable adapters, and network cables.

At its 1983 founding, Belkin focused on cables and connectors for printers and modems. In 1984 its Hamlet cable was the first to connect the Apple IIc computer's serial port to Centronics port printers.{{Cite magazine |last=Linzmayer |first=Owen W. |date=December 1984 |title=Apple cart; using a parallel printer with the IIc, an RGB interface, a speed-up card, and the problem with modems. |url=https://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n12/205_Apple_cart_using_a_paral.php |access-date=2025-01-31 |magazine=Creative Computing |page=205}} In the 1990s it prioritized surge protectors and USB-based products. In 2008, Belkin pivoted toward smartphone usage and designed new products for the smartphone accessory market.

Belkin produced its first stereo cables and speaker wiring in 2002. It markets audio products that are compatible with new technology and devices, including digital audio adapters, speakers and headphones.[https://9to5mac.com/2018/05/22/belkin-lightning-to-35mm-audio-cable/ 9to5 Mac] At CES 2019, Belkin announced the company's first headphones line, RockStar, for iPhone and Android devices. The first of the line provided headphones that are attachable to an iPhone Lightning port.{{cite web |title=Belkin readies new USB-C and Lightning headphones at CES 2019 |website=CNET |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516052528/https://www.cnet.com/news/belkin-readies-lightning-and-usb-c-headphones/ |archive-date=2021-05-16 |url-status=live |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/belkin-readies-lightning-and-usb-c-headphones/}} In 2020, Belkin released the Soundform True Wireless Earbuds and its first speaker, the Soundform Elite Hi-Fi Smart Speaker. The Soundform Elite was created in partnership with Devialet.[https://news.yahoo.com/belkin-introduces-next-generation-soundform-180000016.html Yahoo!] The speaker was named Best Smart Speaker on Rolling Stone{{'}}s Top Product Essentials of 2020.{{cite magazine |title=The Rolling Stone Essentials 2020 |date=2020-10-20 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419162455/https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/product-recommendations-lists/rolling-stone-essentials-top-products-2020-1071187/ |archive-date=2023-04-19 |url-status=live |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/product-recommendations-lists/rolling-stone-essentials-top-products-2020-1071187/}} In 2023, Belkin announced the SoundForm Inspire headphones and the SoundForm Adapt headphones. With the SoundForm Inspire, Belkin sourced feedback from children to engineer a design specifically suited to kids. Both headsets include wireless Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity.{{cite web |title=New sub-$100 Belkin SoundForm range offer big wireless features |url=https://www.gadgetguy.com.au/belkin-soundform-inspire-adapt-wireless-bluetooth-headphones/ |website=Gadget Guy |access-date=6 June 2024}}

Belkin also sells wall chargers, car chargers, charging stations, power banks, surge protectors, power strips, and wireless chargers for smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, laptops, computers, and other electronic devices. In 2016, Belkin released an iPhone-compatible adapter for simultaneous iPhone charging and headphone use.[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/belkin-introduces-lightning-audio--charge-rockstar-for-iphone-7-and-iphone-7-plus-300324973.html PR Newswire]

Belkin produced the world's first third-party MagSafe accessory.{{cite web |title=Third-party MagSafe accessories are about to look a lot nicer |url=https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/10/25/third-party-magsafe-accessories-are-about-to-look-a-lot-nicer |website=Apple Insider |access-date=25 June 2024}} In 2023, Belkin launched the BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with Qi2 and the BoostCharge Convertible Qi2 Wireless pad to stand. Smart circuitry detects the connected device for charging, while universal charging protocols such as USB-C, MagSafe, and Qi2 offer widespread compatibility. With Qi2, supported iPhones will be able to charge at up to 15W without Apple's specific MagSafe charging equipment.{{cite web |title=Belkin Debuts Qi2 Wireless Chargers, Thunderbolt 4 Hub and More |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2023/08/31/belkin-qi2-wireless-chargers/ |website=Mac Rumors |access-date=25 June 2024}}

Belkin produces secure KVM switches government-regulated certifications, designed to protect government and private enterprise data.{{cite web |title=How can secure KVM technology help eliminate security risks? |url=https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/07/29/secure-kvm-technology/ |website=Helpnet |access-date=12 June 2024}}

Belkin also produces device protection products under the Screenforce name. In 2023, the UltraGlass 2 was made available for sale.{{cite web |title=Protect iPhone 15's screen with tough new UltraGlass 2 |url=https://www.cultofmac.com/830976/protect-your-iphone-15s-screen-with-tough-new-ultraglass-2/ |website=Cult of Mac |access-date=12 June 2024}}

Future Venture launched its first products in 2024, the Auto-Tracking Stand Pro, and the Battery Holder for Apple Vision Pro.{{cite web |title=Belkin's New Future Ventures: Innovating Tomorrow! |url=https://www.trendygadget.com/belkins-new-future-ventures-innovating-tomorrow/ |website=Trendy Gadget |access-date=6 June 2024}}

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