EY Names Astera Labs Co-Founders Global Entrepreneur Winners for Advancing AI Data Center Connectivity

EY Names Astera Labs Co-Founders Global Entrepreneur Winners for Advancing AI Data Center Connectivity

(IN BRIEF) Jitendra Mohan, Sanjay Gajendra and Casey Morrison, co-founders of Astera Labs, have been named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2026 at a ceremony in Monaco. Selected from nearly 5,000 program participants, including 58 winners from 46 countries and regions, the Astera Labs founders became the fourth winners from the United States in the award’s 26-year history. The award recognizes their role in building Astera Labs from a Silicon Valley garage startup into a major AI infrastructure company focused on software-defined connectivity solutions for AI data centers. Founded in 2017, the company overcame early challenges around technical standards, talent, ecosystem readiness and funding before becoming a trusted partner for major technology companies. Astera Labs now has more than 1,000 employees across 13 global offices, a $54 billion market capitalization and a 120% compound annual growth rate since 2022. Following its IPO in 2024, the company continues to support the AI era by addressing connectivity, bandwidth and performance challenges in data center infrastructure. EY said the founders were recognized for their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact.

(PRESS RELEASE) MONACO, 29-May-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — EY has named Jitendra Mohan, Sanjay Gajendra and Casey Morrison, co-founders of Astera Labs, as the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2026 winners. The global award was presented during a ceremony at Monaco’s Salle des Etoiles, where the Astera Labs founders were selected from nearly 5,000 participants in the program, including 58 national and regional winners from 46 countries and regions. Their recognition marks the fourth time entrepreneurs from the United States have received the global title in the award’s 26-year history.

The award highlights the growth of Astera Labs, a company founded on the belief that advanced connectivity is essential to unlocking the full potential of artificial intelligence. Before launching the business, Mohan, Gajendra and Morrison worked together at a leading global semiconductor company, where they identified bandwidth and performance bottlenecks as critical barriers to the next phase of AI innovation.

In 2017, the three founders left their established roles to create Astera Labs, starting from a Silicon Valley garage with a focus on purpose-built, software-defined connectivity solutions for AI data centers. The company faced early challenges around technical standards, talent recruitment, ecosystem readiness and funding, but built momentum through customer focus, innovation and technical execution.

Astera Labs has since grown into a major AI infrastructure company and trusted technology partner. Today, it has more than 1,000 employees across 13 global offices, a market capitalization of $54 billion and a 120% compound annual growth rate since 2022. Following its IPO in 2024, the company continues to support the AI era by developing connectivity technologies designed to improve data center performance and enable future industrial transformation.

Janet Truncale, EY Global Chair and CEO, said AI is transforming the world at an unprecedented pace and requires forward-looking leaders able to respond to complex global challenges. She said Mohan, Gajendra and Morrison have shown strategic risk-taking, bold decision-making and adaptability, while also demonstrating a strong commitment to social responsibility and long-term impact.

Jitendra Mohan, CEO and co-founder of Astera Labs, said receiving the recognition was a privilege and described the EY program as an inspiring opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs and judges. He noted the company’s growth from a team of 10 in 2018 to more than 1,000 employees today.

Sanjay Gajendra, President, COO and co-founder of Astera Labs, said entrepreneurs are builders and that the recognition carries particular meaning given the commitment and sacrifices involved in building a company. He said Astera Labs remains focused on helping communities, people and infrastructure harness the potential of AI.

Casey Morrison, CPO and co-founder of Astera Labs, said the founders set out to build something meaningful and create a positive impact. He described the company’s journey from three engineers in a garage to a public company helping build the foundation of the AI era as deeply humbling.

The EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year program recognizes entrepreneurs who are shaping the future, supporting economic growth and addressing global challenges. The 2026 winners were selected by an independent panel of judges based on entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact. This year’s judging panel was chaired by Asif Ramji, Founder and CEO of Venture Worx.

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SOURCE: Ernst & Young