Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 17, 2026

Eric Hahn

Eric Hahn is an American business executive who founded an early e-mail-based groupware company called Collabra Software in 1992. Netscape acquired Collabra in 1995, and in 1997 Hahn became Netscape's CTO.

Last revised
Jun 17, 2026
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≈ 1 min
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Eric Hahn
Born (1960-03-19) March 19, 1960
Alma materWorcester Polytechnic Institute
OccupationBusiness executive
Known forFounder of Collabra Software
Founder of Proofpoint, Inc
Co-founder of Lookout Software
Children2

Eric Hahn (born March 19, 1960) is an American business executive who founded an early e-mail-based groupware company called Collabra Software in 1992. Netscape acquired Collabra in 1995,12 and in 1997 Hahn became Netscape's CTO.3

Hahn received his bachelor's degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute4 in 1980.56 He returned in 1999 to give the commencement address and receive an honorary doctorate.4

Hahn founded Proofpoint, Inc in June 2002 which became a publicly traded company in April 2012, and later went back to a private company in 2021.7 He also co-founded Lookout Software, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2004.8910

Hahn and his wife, Elaine, live in Palo Alto, California, and they have two sons, Evan and Jeremy.4

References

References

  1. "COMPANY NEWS; NETSCAPE AGREES TO BUY COLLABRA SOFTWARE". The New York Times. 1995-09-22. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
  2. Quinn, Michelle (1995-09-22). "Netscape to Acquire Collabra Software". SFGATE. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
  3. "Netscape's Chief Technology Officer to Leave". Los Angeles Times. 1998-06-02. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
  4. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (1999-04-09). "Technology Innovator Eric Hahn is WPI's Commencement Speaker". Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Archived from the original on 2006-09-13. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
  5. Ray Bert; Alan Earles; Bonnie Gelbwasser; Joan Killough-Miller; Roger N. Perry Jr.; Ruth Trask (October 1996). "Ten Lives Changed: Eric Hahn '80". WPI Journal. Archived from the original on 2008-08-07. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
  6. "WPI Alumnus Eric Hahn Featured in Spectrum, the Magazine of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)". October 2007.
  7. "Sunnyvale security business Proofpoint to go private in $12.3B deal". Silicon Valley Business Journal. 2021-04-26. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
  8. Joris Evers (2004-07-16). "Microsoft Scoops Up Search Company". PC World. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
  9. "Microsoft buys search company Lookout". NBC News. 2004-07-16. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  10. "Microsoft acquires e-mail search technology". Network World. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
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