Astera Labs co-founders Jitendra Mohan, Sanjay Gajendra and Casey Morrison from the United States were named winners of the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year awards on Thursday in Monaco.
Astera Labs creates purpose-built, software-defined connectivity solutions designed specifically for artificial intelligence (AI) data centres. The company today has over 1,000 employees across 13 global offices, a $54 billion market cap, and has recorded a 120 per cent compound annual growth rate since 2022.
“To be alongside entrepreneurs who have built lasting legacies, while also shaping what comes next, means a great deal,” said Jitendra Mohan, chief executive and co-founder of Astera Labs.
“From a team of 10 in 2018 to over 1,000 today, we’re proud to be part of such a powerful global entrepreneurship community,” he added.
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Astera Labs’ win makes them the fourth winner from the United States in the award’s 26-year history. They were selected from among nearly 5,000 programme participants that included 58 winners across 46 countries and regions competing for the global title.
Among these other nominees was Ireland’s representative Edward McCloskey, founder of Louth-based company WaterWipes and last year’s winner of Ireland’s national EOY awards.
WaterWipes is marketed as a gentler, chemical-free alternative to conventional baby wipes. They manufacture three million packs of wipes each week in two cleanroom production sites in Drogheda, with the company now employing nearly 400 people across Europe, the US and Australia. Its products are now on sale in 50 countries.
McCloskey also owns Boyne Valley Group, the company behind brands such as McDonnells, Chivers, Erin soup, Don Carlos, Brillo, Killeen, Homecook, Lakeshore, Lifeforce and Kinetica Sports Nutrition.
Janet Truncale, EY global chair and chief executive said: “As AI continues to transform our world at an unprecedented pace, it requires forward-thinking leaders who can meet the moment.”
“Jitendra, Sanjay and Casey have done just that, visionaries with the determination to not only face today’s complex global challenges, but to shape how we emerge from them with confidence,” she added.
