Michael Hughes’s success wasn’t exactly kismet. He struggled with dyslexia as a child in Wales and then launched his business, LoopUp, in 2003 — moments after the first dot-com bubble burst. But a mix of foresight into the conference call market, tenacity, and serendipitous connections led him to where he is today. As co-CEO of LoopUp, Michael has helped more than 5,000 organizations in 100+ countries move their global communications into the cloud via Microsoft Teams telephony. The company went public on the London Stock Exchange in 2016.
With all of his success, Michael never forgot his British roots nor the chance bit of networking that ultimately launched LoopUp (He secured the company’s very first investment from a friend of a friend’s husband at a blackjack table in Las Vegas.) To build further connections, he helped launch GBx in 2016, a private, not-for-profit network of British entrepreneurs, investors, and senior tech executives in the Bay Area. He also sponsors entrepreneurial trips to the Bay Area for students from Imperial College and the Royal College of Art to bridge the gap between nascent entrepreneurs in the UK and Silicon Valley. “Michael’s efforts have significantly contributed to the development of entrepreneurial talent and the exchange of innovative ideas between the UK and the Bay Area,” explains Steve Flavell, MBA ’97. In fact, Michael was honored as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2017 by Her Majesty the Queen.
Michael’s influence has spread beyond Britain, as well, through the Silicon Valley Internship Programme, which he co-founded in 2013. SVIP connects newly graduating software engineering students with tech companies for one-year internships in Silicon Valley. SVIP has supported students from 35 countries, helping them generate social and financial impact in their communities through innovation. Two fellows from SVIP have sold companies for over $150 million each, and fellows have founded more than 40 other companies, one of which recently reached unicorn status. Steve shares, “Michael has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in the tech industry, and his contributions have significantly impacted the entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
