Blake Krikorian

1967 - 2016

Blake Krikorian

August 18, 1967 - August 3, 2016

Blake Krikorian, much-beloved technology entrepreneur and co-founder of Sling Media, died from natural causes on August 3 after a surfing session in Pacifica, CA. He was 48.
Blake grew up in Mountain View, CA, where he attended Mountain View High School. He then attended UCLA where he was a member of the UCLA water polo team and earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering.
Blake started his career in technology at General Magic, the pioneering company delivering pre-Internet connected services and communication through a touch screen tablet. He later went on to co-found Mainbrace Corporation (acquired by BSQUARE in 2000) and id8 Group, which advised global leaders on matters of digital media and connected devices.
In 2004, Blake co-founded Sling Media with his brother Jason. Sling Media created the Slingbox, which pioneered the concept of "place shifting," allowing users to watch their TV over the Internet on phones and other personal devices. Sling Media was honored with an Emmy award for the company's significant contributions to the field of digital media. The company was acquired by Echostar in 2007.
Blake also founded R2 Studios, a home automation company acquired by Microsoft in 2013. After the acquisition, Blake headed Microsoft's interactive entertainment business as a corporate Vice President within the XBox business unit.
Blake served on the board of many successful companies, including Amazon, FreeWheel, Clicker and Play Studios.
Beyond his formal affiliation with prominent companies, however, Blake was friend and advisor to countless entrepreneurs. He was known throughout the Valley as being generous with his time and advice, driven by his passion for great products and their ability to delight consumers. He was considered one of the tech world's most insightful entrepreneurs when it came to the intersection of media and technology.
Blake loved pets and wildlife, photography, movies, classic cars, and emerging technology products such as drones and virtual reality. In recent years, Blake became an avid stand-up paddle boarder, spending countless hours navigating the waves and the marine life of Northern and Southern California.
Blake is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of twenty six years, Cathy and their two daughters, Lauren and Emma. He is also survived by his brothers Jason and Adam, and his parents Joyce and Gary.
There is a memorial scheduled for August 27 at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga at 3:00PM. It is open to the public. The family strongly encourages attendees to wear beach and casual attire.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to two charitable organizations: David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and the California Wildlife Center in Malibu, CA.