Daniel 'Danny' Mark Lewin was an Israeli-American mathematician, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Akamai Technologies, renowned for his contributions to computer science and technology. Born in Denver, Colorado, he moved to Israel with his family at age nine, where he grew up and developed a strong interest in mathematics and physics. He served in the elite Israeli Defense Forces' Sayeret Matkal unit, gaining counter-terrorism experience. After military service, he earned a bachelor's degree from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and began a PhD in mathematics at MIT, focusing on algorithms and applied mathematics.

In 1998, while still a graduate student at MIT, Lewin co-founded Akamai Technologies with Tom Leighton, revolutionizing content delivery networks (CDNs) through innovative algorithms for efficient data distribution over the internet. His mathematical expertise was pivotal in developing Akamai's core technology, which addressed the 'flash crowd' problem of server overloads, enabling the company to go public in 1999 and become a major player in internet infrastructure. His entrepreneurial vision helped Akamai serve as the backbone for much of the web's traffic, supporting e-commerce, streaming, and global connectivity.

Tragically, Lewin was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to strike the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. It is widely believed he was the first victim of the 9/11 attacks, stabbed by hijacker Satam al-Suqami while attempting to resist the hijacking, given his military background. His death at age 31 cut short a promising career, but his legacy endures through Akamai's impact on the digital world and memorials honoring his bravery.