Wei Yen
Wei Yen | |
|---|---|
| Born | Taiwan |
| Occupation(s) | Innovator, business leader |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Contributions to computer graphics and consumer technology; founding ArtX, iQue, AiLive; leadership roles at Silicon Graphics, ATI Technologies, Acer Inc. |
Wei Yen () is a Taiwanese-American innovator and business leader recognized for his contributions to computer graphics and consumer technology. He established or guided companies such as ArtX, iQue, and AiLive, and held leadership or board positions at organizations including Silicon Graphics, ATI Technologies, and Acer Inc. Yen was instrumental in the creation of both hardware and software for multiple Nintendo consoles, notably the Nintendo 64, GameCube, and Wii.
Holding a doctorate in electrical engineering from Purdue University, Yen focused his studies on operating systems and artificial intelligence. Early in his professional journey, he collaborated with his brother David Yen on research concerning cache coherence in multiprocessor architectures.
Career
Yen started his career at Cydrome as director of software engineering, where he worked alongside his brother on the Cydra-5 mini-supercomputer project, which featured a VLIW ECL processor and a multiprocessor bus design.
Between 1988 and 1996, Yen served as senior vice president at Silicon Graphics (SGI). During this period, he led the development of OpenGL and acted as president of SGI’s subsidiary, MIPS Technologies. He played a significant role in "Project Reality," which ultimately became the basis for the Nintendo 64, focusing primarily on designing its graphics processing unit.
In 1996, Yen founded TVsoft (which was later renamed Navio), a company specializing in interactive television software. Navio merged with Oracle's Network Computer division and went public in 1999 under the name Liberate Technologies, achieving a peak market valuation of $12 billion.
During the late 1990s, Yen established ArtX, a semiconductor firm composed largely of former SGI engineers that developed the "Flipper" graphics processor for Nintendo’s GameCube. In 2000, ATI Technologies acquired ArtX for approximately $400 million, after which Yen joined ATI’s board of directors.
Also in 2000, Yen co-founded AiLive, which developed software tools for Nintendo's Wii Remote and Wii MotionPlus. In 2002, he co-established iQue, a collaborative venture with Nintendo aimed at distributing video game products within mainland China.
Yen later launched BroadOn, later rebranded as iGware, a cloud computing enterprise providing services to Nintendo consoles such as the Nintendo DS, Wii, and Wii U. Acer acquired iGware in 2011 for $320 million, renaming it Acer Cloud Technology; Yen continued as CEO and became Acer’s second-largest shareholder after founder Stan Shih.
He has also held board memberships at various technology firms including ATI, Acer, and MoSys.