# Erik Goldman

> Erik Goldman is the founder and CEO of Sfara, a Hoboken, New Jersey company that turns an ordinary smartphone into a safety and collision-detection platform using on-device AI and sensor data. A connected-vehicle pioneer, he co-founded Hughes Telematics in 2006, grew it to more than 1,000 employees and roughly $250M in revenue, and saw it acquired by Verizon in 2012, where he served as Group President of Verizon Telematics. At Sfara he is building AI that detects crashes at all speeds, suppresses false positives, and speeds emergency response and insurance claims for automakers, insurers, fleets and wireless carriers.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at Sfara
- **Organizations:** Sfara, Verizon Telematics, Hughes Telematics, Autotech Ventures
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** MBA, University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business, M.S., Electrical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- **Known for:** Co-founded Hughes Telematics in 2006 and grew it to more than 1,000 employees and roughly $250M in annual revenue., Led Hughes Telematics through its acquisition by Verizon in 2012 and served as Group President of Verizon Telematics., Founded Sfara, whose patented AI turns a smartphone into a mobile safety and collision-detection platform.

## Career timeline

- **2006** — Co-founded Hughes Telematics, a connected-vehicle pioneer, serving as President.
- **2012** — Hughes Telematics acquired by Verizon; Goldman becomes Group President of Verizon Telematics.
- **2013** — Founds Sfara to build smartphone-based safety and collision-management technology.
- **2021** — Sfara raises a $11.5M Series B (total funding $16.5M), backed by investors including Verizon.
- **2026** — Continues as CEO of Sfara, expanding crash-detection AI partnerships with automakers, insurers and fleets.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Hughes Telematics in 2006 and grew it to more than 1,000 employees and roughly $250M in annual revenue.
- Led Hughes Telematics through its acquisition by Verizon in 2012 and served as Group President of Verizon Telematics.
- Founded Sfara, whose patented AI turns a smartphone into a mobile safety and collision-detection platform.
- Built crash-detection technology adopted by strategic partners including a major German automaker, Bosch and CCC.
- Pioneered industry-leading false-positive suppression so partners can trigger emergency services and insurance FNOL with confidence.

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Continues as founder and CEO of Sfara in Hoboken, NJ, growing its AI crash-detection platform across automotive, insurance and fleet partners.

## Links

- Website: https://sfara.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikgoldman
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/sfara_co
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/sfaracompany

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/erik-goldman
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-17