The tech world moves fast, and sometimes it feels like you need a crystal ball to keep up. But instead of looking into the future, we’re looking at the people shaping it. This year’s ‘Innovators Under 35’ list highlights some seriously bright minds who are already making big waves. These folks aren’t just talking about what’s next; they’re building it, often with huge companies like Intel, AWS, and Microsoft backing their ideas. It’s pretty inspiring to see how they’re tackling everything from AI to complex infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
- The pace of technological change is speeding up, making it hard for older business models to keep up.
- Companies that can adapt quickly and connect their work directly to results will do better.
- Leaders like Raejeanne Skillern and Lakecia Gunter are helping businesses make sense of complex tech like AI and cloud.
- New groups, like the TechArena Advisory, are forming to offer practical advice from people who have actually built big tech businesses.
- Innovations in areas like AI infrastructure and quantum computing are creating new opportunities and challenges for businesses.
1. Raejeanne Skillern
Raejeanne Skillern is a name that comes up a lot when you talk about scaling tech businesses, especially in the cloud and data center space. With about 30 years in the industry, she’s seen a lot of changes, from the early days of silicon to the complex cloud solutions we have now. She’s known for taking big companies, like Intel and Flex, and really growing their cloud operations, sometimes into businesses worth billions.
What’s interesting is how she talks about the current tech scene. With AI exploding, especially things like LLMs, she sees a huge need for leaders who can make sense of all the new tech and turn it into a clear plan. It’s not just about having the tech; it’s about figuring out how to use it to actually make money and grow. She points out that companies are struggling to balance needing to be efficient right now with needing to be flexible enough to keep up with all the AI advancements.
Skillern also emphasizes the importance of how companies sell and market their products. She thinks that connecting marketing and sales teams, and using personalized approaches, is key to meeting customers where they are. It sounds like she’s all about making sure the strategy actually leads to real business results.
She’s also involved in a few boards, like Jabil, which shows she’s still very active in the business world. It seems like her focus is on helping companies figure out the best way to grow in this fast-moving tech environment, especially with all the new AI opportunities popping up.
2. Lakecia Gunter
Lakecia Gunter is someone who really knows how to grow businesses, especially in the tech world. She used to be the Chief Technology Officer for Microsoft’s Global Partner Solutions. Think about that – she was right in the middle of one of the biggest partner networks out there, helping them make billions of dollars and figure out how to sell AI stuff. She’s got a knack for connecting what products do with how much money they make, not just in one place, but all over the world.
Her career shows she can take big ideas and actually make them work. She’s led big changes at places like Microsoft and Intel. It’s all about getting the technology, the partners, and the sales plans lined up so things like cloud computing and AI can really take off. She’s not just about the tech itself, but how it turns into real business success.
Right now, Lakecia is involved in a few different things:
- She’s an independent director for IDEX Corporation.
- She advises Responsive.io.
- She’s part of the Georgia Tech Advisory Board.
- And she even has her own podcast called ‘ROAR with Lakecia Gunter’, where she talks about leadership and growth.
She’s also been featured in articles, talking about how companies can actually put new technology into practice, which is a big challenge these days with how fast things are changing. Lakecia’s experience is all about bridging the gap between having cool tech and making real money from it.
3. Allyson Klein
Allyson Klein is making some serious waves in the tech world. She’s the founder and CEO of TechArena, a company that helps other tech businesses figure out their next move. Before starting her own thing, Allyson spent a good chunk of time leading marketing and communications for big names like Micron and Intel, specifically in the datacenter and edge computing areas. That kind of experience is pretty hard to come by.
She’s got a knack for taking big ideas and turning them into actual plans that get things done. This skill has been super important for TechArena’s work with clients in the tech sector since it kicked off in 2022. It’s no surprise her work has picked up a bunch of awards, including some from the Stevies and dot comms. Just this year, she was even named Tech Female Founder of the Year by the Global Business Tech Awards. Pretty impressive stuff.
Allyson also used to teach entrepreneurship at Portland State University, so she’s got that teaching bug too. On top of running TechArena and her advisory work, she hosts a podcast called "In the Arena." It seems like she’s always got multiple projects going, but she handles it all. It’s cool to see leaders like her who have been recognized by places like the MIT Technology Review for their innovative thinking.
4. Kelly Raskovich
Kelly Raskovich, serving as the Executive Editor for Tech Trends, has a unique perspective on the fast-moving world of technology. She’s been watching how quickly things change, noting that the time it takes for new ideas to become mainstream is shrinking a lot. This means companies that used to just make small improvements step-by-step are finding it hard to keep up with those that are always learning and adapting.
Kelly points out that the old way of doing things, where you had plenty of time to get it perfect, just doesn’t work anymore. The companies that will do well in the future might not be the ones with the fanciest tech. Instead, they’ll be the ones brave enough to rethink how they do things, not just automate them. They’ll need to be disciplined about making sure every investment actually helps the business and be quick enough to act before opportunities disappear.
Innovation builds on itself, and the gap between those falling behind and those leading the pack gets bigger and bigger, really fast. How you react to all this change decides which side of that gap you end up on. Kelly’s role at Tech Trends puts her right in the middle of these discussions, helping to make sense of the rapid shifts and what they mean for businesses trying to stay ahead.
5. Deanna Oothoudt
Deanna Oothoudt is making waves in the AI space, particularly with her work on agentic AI. She recently presented some exciting advancements at VAST Forward 2026, a conference focused on pushing the boundaries of what AI can do. It’s pretty cool to see how these technologies are evolving and finding new applications.
Oothoudt’s focus on agentic AI means she’s working with systems that can act more independently, making decisions and taking actions to achieve goals. This is a big step from earlier AI models that mostly just processed information. Think of it like moving from a calculator to a personal assistant that can actually do things for you.
Her presentation highlighted how these advanced AI systems are becoming more capable and versatile. It’s not just about theoretical possibilities anymore; it’s about practical implementation and expanding the reach of AI across different fields. The work she’s doing is definitely shaping the future of how we interact with and benefit from artificial intelligence. You can find more details about the event and the topics discussed on the VAST Data website.
6. Lesya Dymyd
Lesya Dymyd is making waves in the tech world, particularly when it comes to keeping our massive data centers cool. She’s a Business Developer at CESQ, and she’s been talking about some pretty big ideas.
Her focus is on bridging the gap between older cooling methods and the massive energy demands of today’s AI boom. Think about it: all these powerful AI systems need a ton of electricity, and that generates a lot of heat. Dymyd’s work looks at how we can handle that heat efficiently, especially in the context of the "gigawatt era" of AI.
She’s been presenting on "The Thermal Wall: Bridging the Gap Between Legacy Cooling and the AI Gigawatt Era." This isn’t just some abstract concept; it’s about practical energy solutions for data centers. It’s a complex problem, but someone’s got to tackle it, right?
Here are some key areas her work touches upon:
- Energy Efficiency: Finding ways to use less power to cool down equipment.
- Scalability: Making sure cooling solutions can grow as AI demands increase.
- Sustainability: Developing methods that are better for the environment.
It’s pretty impressive stuff, and it’s definitely something we’ll be hearing more about as technology continues to advance. You can find more about her presentation and the energy solutions she’s discussing at CESQ’s energy solutions.
7. Jensen Huang
Jensen Huang, the CEO of NVIDIA, has been making some serious waves lately, especially with his take on AI. He’s been pretty vocal about how AI is moving beyond just training models to actually doing productive work.
Huang argues that AI needs to ‘think’ and ‘do’ to be truly useful, and that means a lot more inference. He pointed out that AI has to read, reason, and then act, all of which rely heavily on inference.
To back this up, NVIDIA has been rolling out new tech. They’ve introduced things like the Vera CPU, which they say is the first of its kind, and a new storage platform called CMX. The idea is to build the right infrastructure for AI that can handle complex tasks, not just training.
It sounds like Huang believes we’re at a turning point where AI is finally ready to contribute in a more tangible way. It’s a big claim, but with NVIDIA’s track record, it’s definitely something to watch.
8. Intel
Intel, a long-standing giant in the semiconductor world, is facing a dynamic shift in the tech landscape, particularly with the rise of AI. While they’ve historically dominated the CPU market, the industry is now seeing new players and architectures emerge, especially for AI-specific workloads. It’s not just about raw processing power anymore; it’s about how efficiently that power can be used for tasks like AI inference and agentic workloads.
Intel is actively working to adapt its strategies to meet these evolving demands. They’re investing heavily in next-generation architectures and manufacturing processes to stay competitive. The company understands that the future of computing, especially in AI, requires a more nuanced approach than just pushing clock speeds higher. This includes focusing on performance-per-watt, which is becoming a major bottleneck for data centers looking to scale AI operations.
Here are some key areas Intel is focusing on:
- Advanced Process Technologies: Continuing to push the boundaries of silicon manufacturing to enable more powerful and efficient chips.
- AI-Specific Hardware: Developing specialized processors and accelerators designed to handle the unique computational needs of artificial intelligence.
- Ecosystem Partnerships: Collaborating with other companies to build out the infrastructure and software necessary for widespread AI adoption.
The company is also paying close attention to how advanced packaging techniques can help integrate different components and improve overall system performance. This is especially important as AI models become more complex and require massive amounts of data to be processed quickly. Intel’s ability to integrate multiphysics analysis into its design flow is seen as critical for enabling these advanced packaging solutions, helping to manage thermal and electromagnetic effects that become more dominant in smaller, denser chips. They are working to ensure their designs are not just powerful but also practical for real-world deployment, aiming to reduce late-stage design issues and optimize power consumption. This focus on integrated design and analysis is a significant step in their ongoing efforts to lead in the AI era, building on decades of experience in silicon innovation.
9. AWS
Amazon Web Services, or AWS, continues to be a major player in the cloud computing space, and their influence on AI infrastructure is undeniable. They’ve been working on making their platform more accessible and powerful for AI workloads, which is pretty important given how much AI is taking over everything these days.
AWS is really focused on providing the building blocks for AI development. Think of it like this:
- Providing the foundational compute power: This includes their EC2 instances, especially those with powerful GPUs, which are essential for training and running complex AI models. They’re always updating these to keep up with the latest hardware.
- Offering managed AI services: Services like Amazon SageMaker aim to simplify the entire machine learning lifecycle, from data preparation to model deployment. This means developers don’t have to be infrastructure wizards to get AI projects off the ground.
- Developing specialized AI tools: Beyond general compute, AWS has services for specific AI tasks, like natural language processing (Amazon Comprehend) and image analysis (Amazon Rekognition).
The company’s strategy seems to be about abstracting away the complexity so more people can build with AI. They’re not just selling raw computing power; they’re packaging it into solutions that address real business problems. This approach helps companies of all sizes experiment with and deploy AI without needing massive, specialized IT teams. It’s a big deal for making AI more mainstream.
10. Microsoft
Microsoft continues to be a major player in the tech world, constantly pushing boundaries and shaping how we work and play. They’ve been busy lately, especially with their cloud services and AI advancements. It feels like every other day there’s a new update or a partnership announced that changes things up.
One area where Microsoft is really making waves is in hybrid work solutions. They’re integrating their tools with hardware from other companies to make collaboration smoother. Think about how much easier it is now to jump into a meeting or share documents, even when everyone’s in different places. This focus on connecting people is a big deal for the future of work.
They’re also heavily invested in artificial intelligence, which is showing up in a lot of their products, from Windows to their cloud platforms. It’s not just about making things faster; it’s about making them smarter and more intuitive. It’s pretty interesting to see how AI is being woven into everyday tools.
Microsoft also makes an effort to connect with the broader tech community. They participate in various industry events, offering opportunities to connect with relevant companies and discover the newest technological advancements. It’s a good way for them to stay in tune with what’s happening and what’s next.
Looking Ahead
So, that’s a wrap on our look at the innovators under 35 who are really shaping things in 2026. It’s pretty clear that the pace of change isn’t slowing down anytime soon, especially with things like AI popping up everywhere. These folks aren’t just thinking about the next big thing; they’re actually building it, often in ways that make the old ways of doing things seem a bit slow. It’s inspiring to see how they’re tackling big challenges and figuring out new paths forward. Hopefully, seeing their work reminds us all that even with all the rapid shifts happening, there’s a lot of potential for smart ideas and hard work to make a real difference. The future is being built right now, and these innovators are definitely leading the charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the ‘Innovators Under 35’ for 2026?
The ‘Innovators Under 35’ for 2026 are a group of talented individuals recognized for their groundbreaking work and leadership in technology. These leaders are shaping the future across various fields like AI, cloud computing, and data centers, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
What makes these innovators stand out?
These individuals are highlighted because they are not just using new technologies, but they are also redesigning how businesses operate to keep up with the fast pace of change. They focus on connecting their work to real business results and act quickly to make a difference before opportunities disappear.
How is technology changing so rapidly?
Technology is advancing incredibly fast, especially with AI. The time it takes for new ideas to become common is shrinking. This means companies need to learn and adapt constantly, rather than making slow, step-by-step improvements.
Why is agility important for businesses today?
Agility, or the ability to move and adapt quickly, is crucial because the tech world is changing so fast. Businesses that can learn continuously and change their strategies on the fly are the ones that will succeed. Those that stick to old ways might fall behind.
What role do companies like Intel, AWS, and Microsoft play?
Companies like Intel, AWS, and Microsoft are major players in the technology world, providing the essential infrastructure and services that enable innovation. Leaders from these companies, along with others, are part of this group because they are driving advancements in areas like AI and cloud computing.
How can understanding these innovators help us?
Learning about these innovators can inspire us and show us how to navigate the fast-changing tech landscape. It reminds us that everyone faces these rapid changes, and by working together and adapting, we can all help shape what comes next in technology and business.
