GRANTS PASS, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mark R. Templeton, 57, of Los Altos, the managing director of venture capital firm Scientific Ventures and the former co-founder and President of Artisan Components, died Sunday July 17 in a tragic accident while kayaking with friends on the Rogue River in Oregon, according to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Department.
Mr. Templeton was a highly respected venture capitalist in Silicon Valley who used his background as an engineer to foster scientific advancement. In his capacity as a director and board member of numerous tech companies and organizations, he was instrumental in driving growth in the intellectual property market through a combination of technical and business innovation.
After studying engineering at Boston University and working as a software engineer in the integrated circuit industry for a number of years, Mr. Templeton co-founded Artisan Components Physical IP in 1991, where he served as president and CEO. Artisan Components quickly became the industry standard for implementing complex SoC (system on a chip) design.
In 2004, Artisan Components was acquired by ARM Holdings, the world’s leading semiconductor intellectual property supplier, where Mr. Templeton served for a number of years as North American President and Chief Strategy Officer.
At the time of his death, Mr. Templeton was managing director of Scientific Ventures, an investment and advisory firm specializing in the application of science and technology to new business concepts. He also served on the boards of numerous technology companies and organizations.
He was an avid kayaker who traversed the Russian River, Lake Tahoe, various lakes around Bear Valley and the Pacuare River in Costa Rica.
The family wishes to express their gratitude to the Josephine County Community for their efforts and support, particularly the sheriff, the Josephine County Search and Rescue, and the river guides who led the trip.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.