Shelly Henry - Most Visionary Global CEOs in 2025

The semiconductor world is entering a oncein-a-generation transformation. Just as the computer revolution reshaped industries in the 80s and 90s, artificial intelligence is now redefining how silicon itself is conceived, built, and scaled. Few leaders understand this shift as deeply as Shelly Henry, CEO of Moores Lab AI. Over the past 25 years, he has worked on some of the most ambitious technologies of our time—from creating Microsoft’s first Holographic Processing Unit for HoloLens, to advancing quantum computing, to leading large-scale server and AI chip programs that fueled Azure’s growth. Each role added a new layer to his perspective on what’s possible. Today, as CEO of MooresLabAI, he is driving a bold vision to democratize chip design and accelerate silicon development worldwide. In an exclusive conversation with TradeFlock, he reflects on his journey, leadership, and the mission shaping his company’s future.

What inspired you to start MooresLabAI, and what milestones defined your journey?

I have spent more than 25 years in the semiconductor world, building 18 chips for products like Xbox, HoloLens, quantum computers, servers, and AI systems. Each one took about 14 months, 200 engineers, and an enormous cost. That rhythm hadn’t really changed in two decades. At some point, I thought, this has to be different. When AI began to mature, I saw the chance. Our goal was to reduce the 14-month cycle to four months, making chip development far cheaper and more accessible. That matters most for startups. They may not have infrastructure, but they have bold ideas. And when you lower the barriers, innovation takes off. Co-founding MooresLabAI after years at Microsoft marks a turning point for me. Chip design had always been painfully manual, and I knew AI could change that. When we launched VerifAgent, it cut verification time by 85 percent and sped up silicon schedules sevenfold. That was the moment we knew it worked. Since then, pilots with Fortune 500s and scrappy startups alike have reinforced our mission: faster, cheaper, more accessible silicon.

How did your Microsoft experience shape your vision, and what mindset shift was required for a startup?

At Microsoft, I was lucky to work on technologies like HoloLens and quantum computing. Those experiences taught me two things. First, bold ideas demand fearless execution. Second, breakthroughs happen when disciplines collide. “That mindset inspired MooresLabAI,” and I often say, “because just as HoloLens reimagined how we interact with computers, we wanted to reimagine how silicon itself is built.” But moving from big tech to a startup required unlearning. At Microsoft, I had a vast ecosystem around me. Even small moves had enormous backing. At MooresLabAI, every decision could decide survival. The shift was treating risk not as fear, but as fuel. Instead of optimizing mature systems, I had to build brand new ones where agility and customer obsession mattered more than process.

What skepticism did you face, and how did you overcome it?

When we first pitched AI-driven chip automation, the pushback was instant. People said, LLMs hallucinate, verification’s too complex, quality will suffer. And honestly, I get that. Chip design is brutal. One mistake can cost millions. So we didn’t argue, we proved. Pilots showed 90-plus percent productivity gains, saved hundreds of engineering hours, and caught bugs long before tape-out. By keeping EDA tools in the loop, we stripped away hallucinations and produced compile-ready, human-grade engineering. That mix of trust and results turned skeptics into believers.

What excites you most at MooresLabAI, and what global impact do you foresee?

Right now I’m most excited about how we’re
expanding beyond VerifAgent into a full suite
of AI-driven platforms for silicon. VerifAgent
began with IP-level verification and is scaling
to full SoC verification. But that’s just the
start. The roadmap includes modules that
can take a chip from its very first architecture
specification all the way to silicon validation.
The ripple effects are huge. Faster AI
accelerators, more affordable electronics, and
rapid progress in industries from automotive
to space all become possible. For me, the
bigger picture is democratization. I want small,
ambitious teams anywhere in the world
to have the same ability to design silicon as
tech giants. That is how the next wave of
innovation begins.

I want small, ambitious teams anywhere in the world to have the same ability to design silicon as tech giants. That is how the next wave of innovation begins.

How do you see your role evolving, and what lessons guide you?

I started my career as an engineer at Arm, working on tiny parts of large chips. Over time, I became a project lead and then a manager, which gave me a broader view of the whole process. At Microsoft, I worked on products like Xbox and HoloLens and saw how an idea could evolve into a finished product in the hands of millions. “That gave me the confidence to start MooresLabAI, because building a company is the same journey: you take an idea and turn it into something real.” The difference now is that nothing is already in place. As an entrepreneur, I’m building both the product and the processes from scratch. It’s harder, but it’s also more exciting. My role is to guide that journey with conviction, agility, and a relentless focus on customers. Along the way, I’ve also seen technologies rise and fall. The biggest lesson is that no force has reshaped this industry like AI. It reminds me of the computer revolution of the 80s and 90s. Back then, no one imagined computers would touch every job. AI is following that same path. Soon, it will be inseparable from chip design. That belief drives me every day.