DuracellEnergizer said:

IMO, instead of going with Ancient Aliens as an explanation behind the origins of hyperdrive technology, a SW equivalent of the Spacing Guild from Dune should have been created for the EU -- a third major power existing independant of the Republic/Empire and Rebel Alliance/New Republic which builds and maintains a monopoly on hyperdrive technology they sell to the other civilizations of the galaxy.

Pre-Republic humans or Duros inventing hyperdrives would have done the job for me.