Bio
Jeff Kleck, Ph.D., is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University and a prominent figure in the Silicon Valley tech venture community. As an established technology and software entrepreneur, he has successfully guided several ventures from concept to becoming market leaders, even taking them public on the NASDAQ. Jeff's leadership roles have included Founder, CEO, and Chairman, shaping these ventures into influential commercial entities.
Currently serving as a Senior Partner at Elevens, Jeff is instrumental in leveraging the expertise of some of the foremost AI minds globally to accelerate breakthrough ventures across multiple sectors. His commitment to advancing technology extends to his role as a Special Government Expert (SGE) for the United States Government, where he acts as a Senior Advisor, identifying and delivering advanced technology for national security. Jeff's previous role as a Highly Qualified Expert (HQE) involved directing transformative and strategic capabilities, promoting the adoption of innovative commercial technologies to enhance national security.
Jeff's involvement in academia is extensive, having served as a visiting scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory, as well as an Adjunct Professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). His formal education spans various engineering, medical applied science, and technology disciplines, earning a Ph.D. in Biomedical Physics from UCLA, an MS in Engineering Management from Stanford University, an MS in Nuclear Engineering from Texas A&M University, and a BS in Nuclear Engineering from the same institution.
In addition to his contributions at Stanford and Elevens, Jeff has taken on significant roles for the Vatican. Currently, as the Dean of Academics at Catholic Institute of Technology (CIT), he orchestrates cross-disciplinary initiatives, harmonizing theoretical foundations with real-world applications and fostering a culture of innovation. Simultaneously, Jeff serves as the Chairman of Entrepreneurship and Technology Commercialization at CIT, leading the charge in blending academic excellence with practical innovation and overseeing programs that fuse entrepreneurial principles with cutting-edge technology for holistic education.
Jeff is also actively engaged in various ventures, including his role as Chairman of Open Power & Energy Network (OPEN), where he is dedicated to shepherding OPEN toward achieving a sustainable future by seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technologies and best practices, renewing the global climate through accessible power and energy solutions. Additionally, Jeff supports Playground Global, a premier hard tech venture capital firm, as a Friend of Playground.
With a wealth of experience and a commitment to driving innovation, Jeff Kleck continues to shape the landscape of technology, academia, and entrepreneurship.
Reference
Catholic Institute of Technology - https://catholic.tech
Elevens - https://www.elevens.ai
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-kleck-a000299/
OPEN - https://openpowerenergy.net
Playground - http://playground.vc
