With a mission to accelerate AI in data centers and high performance computing (HPC) applications, XConn Technologies (XConn) is focused on innovations that power next-generation memory technology. The company is the industry’s first to deliver a hybrid switch supporting both CXL 2.0 and PCIe Gen5 on a single chip. Privately funded, XConn is setting the benchmark for data center interconnects with scalability, flexibility and performance.
Here we learn more from XConn CEO Gerry Fan on the career journey that has brought him to this moment and how XConn is shaping the future of the AI-powered world.
Career Journey: Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career, especially one that shaped your leadership approach at your current company?
My career has always been about diving deep into challenges and finding meaningful solutions. It started with firmware development—working on that fine line between hardware and software. I loved the problem-solving aspect, but one project really sticks out as a defining moment for me.
I was working on DVD chip design, and at first, it seemed pretty straightforward: fix the firmware, improve the performance, and we’re good to go. But as we got into the weeds, it became clear that no amount of software tweaking was going to fix some of the limitations baked into the hardware. It was a bit of a wake-up call—one of those moments where you realize, ‘If I really want to solve this, I need to go deeper.’ That realization pushed me toward chip design, where I could address problems at the root level.
From there, I developed a deep appreciation of the complex challenges that come with designing hardware for AI and high-performance computing. XConn was a natural next step. Now, I get to take everything I’ve learned over the years and apply it to building smarter, more sustainable solutions for data centers, balancing between cutting-edge innovation and the impact it has—making things better, more efficient, and more sustainable. And honestly, working with a team that shares that same passion and watching its growing adoption because of all of our hard work keeps me coming into the office day after day.
Career Path: What initially brought you to this specific career path, and how did it lead to your role in this company?
My career path began in firmware engineering, where I worked on drivers for 2D and 3D graphics chips. However, I found myself drawn to the tangible nature of hardware, leading me to pivot into chip design, where I could address issues at their root and create solutions that work from the ground up.
As my career progressed, I became more focused on efficiency—how we use resources, how we design systems, and how we solve problems at scale. One thing that’s clear is how much waste exists in today’s data centers. Memory utilization, for example, is shockingly low—only about 30 to 40 percent. Most of the time, memory just sits there, using massive amounts of energy to cool these systems, even when they’re essentially idle.
That kind of inefficiency really pushes you to think differently. XConn is addressing these challenges head-on, creating solutions that aren’t just faster but also smarter and more sustainable. It’s about building systems that maximize performance without wasting energy or resources, and adoption is catching on! For me, building this team was the perfect opportunity to take everything I’ve learned and channel it into solving some of the most pressing problems in tech today.
Company Differentiation: What makes your company stand out from competitors in the market? Can you share an example that highlights this?
At XConn, we’re revolutionizing how the industry tackles one of modern computing’s biggest challenges: the memory bottleneck. The rapid rise of AI and HPC applications is driving an unprecedented demand for memory bandwidth, pushing data center architectures to their limits. But this challenge goes beyond performance—it’s about sustainability.
Consider this: data centers already consume enormous amounts of power, not only to process workloads but also to cool underutilized systems. Now, factor in the explosive growth of AI and HPC, and the energy demands skyrocket. This isn’t just a technical hurdle—it’s an environmental imperative. Without forward-thinking solutions, data centers risk becoming major contributors to global warming.
That’s where XConn shines. We’re not just evolving technology—we’re reimagining it. Powered by Compute Express Link™ (CXL™) technology, our composable memory solutions offer unparalleled capacity and bandwidth while dramatically improving power efficiency. CXL empowers CPUs, GPUs, DPUs, FPGAs, and other accelerators to seamlessly share and pool memory resources. This eliminates overprovisioning and drives smarter, more sustainable utilization.
The impact is game-changing. Our innovative approach enables customers to meet diverse demands with lower latency, reduced energy consumption, and unparalleled performance. This flexibility and efficiency set XConn apart, offering benefits our competitors simply can’t match.
Product Innovation: Are you working on any exciting new products or projects? How do you think this innovation will positively impact your customers?
Today, we’re making significant strides in advancing our hybrid CXL 2.0 and PCIe Gen 5 switch technology. This cutting-edge product enables seamless memory pooling and sharing, optimizing memory usage for AI and HPC applications. By addressing memory bandwidth constraints, we’re transforming areas like drug discovery, climate modeling, sustainability efforts and natural language processing. We are thoroughly enjoying how the product is accelerating the system design process and becoming the interconnect at the core of systems and solutions developed across the CXL ecosystem including Samsung, Montage, Micron, MemVerge and many more.
Adding to this momentum, XConn has joined the Ultra Accelerator Link™ (UALink™) Consortium as a Contributor member. The newly established UALink Consortium is dedicated to creating an industry-standard high-speed interconnect, designed to scale up communications between AI accelerators and switches with unmatched low latency and high bandwidth for AI workloads in data center environments.
XConn’s participation in the UALink Consortium builds on the success of our “Apollo” switch—a groundbreaking 256-lane CXL and PCIe switch fabric architecture that has redefined scalability and flexibility in data center interconnect solutions. With this large-radix architecture, we are uniquely positioned to shape UALink’s high-performance interconnect, addressing the growing demands of AI and HPC workloads while driving innovation across the industry.
Success Insight: What was the tipping point for your company’s recent success? Was there a change in strategy or approach that others might learn from?
As for all new innovations, you must solve a problem and hope others see your product solves their problem, too. For XConn, our recent success came from our strategic decision to focus on hybrid interconnect technology, blending CXL and PCIe in one platform. This shift allowed us to address both legacy and next-generation system requirements simultaneously, making our technology highly appealing to a wide range of customers (and solving many of their problems). By aligning this innovation with the growing need for sustainable and high-performance computing, we’ve positioned ourselves at the forefront of the interconnect revolution.
Challenges and Lessons: Can you share a significant challenge your company faced and how you overcame it? What key lesson did that experience provide?
One significant challenge we faced was convincing the industry of the value of adopting CXL technology when PCIe remains widely entrenched. To overcome this, we developed a hybrid switch that delivered the benefits of both standards, enabling an easier transition. I had to remind myself that for all of us, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The key lesson was the importance of listening to customer pain points and creating solutions that bridge the gap between current and future needs. This adaptability has been critical to our growth.
Leadership Impact: In just a few words, what differentiates your leadership role from others in the company? What impact does this have on company culture or product success?
My leadership is driven by precision, vision, and collaboration. I focus on fostering a culture of innovation where teams are empowered to tackle complex challenges with creativity and purpose. This approach not only inspires our products but also ensures our employees feel connected to the company’s mission of creating sustainable technology solutions.
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