Compaq Chairman and Tech Pioneer Ben Rosen Dies at 93

Ben Rosen, a technology pioneer and longtime chairman of Compaq Computer Corp., died on August 23, 2026, at the age of 93. He was a central figure in the early personal computer industry, notably facilitating the introduction between Steve Jobs and Morgan Stanley, the firm that took Apple Computer Inc. public in 1980.

In 1981, Rosen co-founded Sevin Rosen Funds, which provided critical early financing to influential companies such as Electronic Arts, Lotus Software, and Silicon Graphics. He led Compaq as chairman from 1982 to 2000, guiding the company to become the world's leading PC manufacturer during the 1990s before its 2002 acquisition by Hewlett-Packard.

Beyond the PC market, Rosen co-founded Rosen Motors Corp. in 1993 to develop hybrid-electric vehicles. He was also a prominent philanthropist, supporting the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and serving as chair of the Board of Trustees for the California Institute of Technology.