StarGen
StarGen (Dolphin Interconnect Solutions) provides PCI Express adapter cards, switches, and eXpressWare software that deliver sub-microsecond low-latency networking for financial trading, defense/aerospace, database, HPC, and automotive ADAS customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersMarlborough, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What StarGen does
StarGen is the operating brand used by Dolphin Interconnect Solutions AS, a Norwegian-headquartered semiconductor and software company specializing in PCI Express (PCIe) switched interconnect solutions for computer and communications equipment. The company designs and sells a portfolio of PCIe adapter cards (NTB HBAs and host/target adapters), managed switches (8 to 24 ports, Gen3 through Gen5), and the proprietary eXpressWare software stack — including SuperSockets, SISCI shared-memory API, IPoPCIe, Device Lending, and Hot-Add — which delivers sub-microsecond latency and InfiniBand-class performance over standard PCIe cabling and backplanes across Linux, Windows, VxWorks, QNX, and RTX. An automotive-grade variant, eXpressDrive, extends the platform into ADAS with ASPICE-compliant and ASIL-targeted development.
The company serves five primary verticals: high-frequency financial trading (where it advertises 540 ns data delivery), embedded and defense/aerospace systems (Siemens, Philips, Sony, Boeing, Thales, Curtiss-Wright, Sun Microsystems), database clustering (MySQL Cluster acceleration, LINBIT/DRBD replication), HPC and AI/FPGA fabrics, and — most recently — automotive ADAS. It goes to market through direct enterprise field sales in the US and Europe, supported by regional resellers in France, the UK, Italy, China, India, Japan, and Korea, and validated partnerships with silicon and RTOS vendors including Microchip (Switchtec), QNX, Wind River, Samtec, and LINBIT. Founded in 1992 (StarGen Inc. was acquired in 2006), headquartered in Oslo with a US subsidiary in Dallas, and ISO 9001 / ISO 27001 certified, the company has been privately held since a 2016 management-led buyout and operates with 51–100 employees.
StarGen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- StarGen
- Legal name
- Dolphin Interconnect Solutions AS
- Website
- https://stargen.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- StarGen (Dolphin Interconnect Solutions) provides PCI Express adapter cards, switches, and eXpressWare software that deliver sub-microsecond low-latency networking for financial trading, defense/aerospace, database, HPC, and automotive ADAS customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
StarGen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Semiconductor Interconnect Solutions
- NAICS
- Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (3341)
- SIC
- Computer Communications Equipment (3576)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Network/Infrastructure Processors (Switching/Routing/SmartNIC DPUs) (HDAHAJAH)
Keywords
Where StarGen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marlborough
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
StarGen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Products: PCI Express adapter cards (MXH, PXH, IXH series) and switches (IXS600, MXS824, MXS924) sold as one-time hardware purchases. Products available directly from Dolphin or through resellers/distributors.
- Software Licensing (eXpressWare): Proprietary software licensed under DPSL (Dolphin Proprietary Software License). GPL-licensed open source drivers. LGPL-licensed user space SISCI API. License required per node for proprietary software.
- Professional Services: Installation support, application migration support, and 24/7/365 support with 1-hour response time for critical applications. DRBD support and consulting through LINBIT partnership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | TurboTest Evaluation Program |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Minimum Billing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
StarGen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
StarGen is a semiconductor company providing serial switched interconnect solutions for computer and communications equipment. Operating under Dolphin Interconnect Solutions, the company designs and sells PCI Express adapter cards, managed switches, and cables (PCIe 3.0/4.0/5.0 generations) along with the proprietary eXpressWare software suite for ultra-low-latency clustering, IO expansion, and shared memory communication.
Product overview
Dolphin Interconnect Solutions (operating as StarGen) provides a comprehensive PCI Express hardware and software ecosystem for high-performance computing clustering and I/O expansion. The core offering consists of eXpressWare, a complete PCIe software stack that includes SuperSockets (transparent Berkeley sockets acceleration), SISCI shared memory API, and Device Lending capabilities. This software operates across generations of Dolphin hardware: the PCIe 3.0 PX family (Broadcom switches), PCIe 4.0 MX family (Microchip Switchtec), and PCIe 5.0 products. Hardware products span adapter cards (NTB HBAs and Host/Target adapters in x4, x8, and x16 form factors), managed switches (8 to 24 ports), and comprehensive cable solutions. For automotive applications, eXpressDrive provides ASPICE-compliant software with functional safety features. The products target financial trading, embedded systems, databases, HPC, and defense/aerospace markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- eXpressWare: PCI Express software suite supporting Linux, Windows, VxWorks, RTX, and QNX operating systems.
- Dolphin Express
- SuperSockets
- eXpressDrive
Products and services
- eXpressWare PCIe Software Suite Complete PCI Express software suite enabling standards-based PCIe clustering, transparent Berkeley sockets acceleration, shared memory access, and device migration for enterprise and embedded customers building low-latency distributed systems.
- eXpressDrive Automotive PCIe Software Automotive-grade PCIe software stack with ASISCI API and ASPICE-compliant development process, designed for safety-critical ADAS, autonomous driving, and driver assistance systems on QNX and Linux with selected Intel and ARM SoCs.
- PCI Express 5.0 Adapter Cards (MXH530 / MXH532 / MXH570 / MXH572) PCIe 5.0 x16 NTB host bus adapters (HBAs) and host/target adapters for enterprise and embedded customers requiring 128 GT/s data rate PCIe interconnects over copper or fiber.
- Dolphin Express MX (PCIe 4.0 Adapter Cards and Switches) PCIe 4.0 x16 and x8 NTB host bus adapters, host/target adapters, PXIe modules, and the MXS924 24-port managed switch built on Microchip Switchtec PFX PCIe switches, serving enterprise clustering and I/O expansion applications.
- Dolphin Express PX (PCIe 3.0 Adapter Cards and Switches) PCIe 3.0 x8 and x16 NTB host bus adapters, host/target adapters, and XMC form factor adapters built on Broadcom/PLX switches, with the MXS824 24-port managed switch for cluster and I/O expansion deployments.
- MXS924 24-Port PCIe 4.0 Switch Rack-mounted 24-port PCIe 4.0 managed switch providing 32 GT/s non-blocking bandwidth per port with ultra-low latency for PCIe fabric clustering in HPC, defense, and financial trading deployments.
- MXS824 24-Port PCIe 3.0 Switch Rack-mounted 24-port PCIe Gen1/Gen2/Gen3 managed switch delivering 32 GT/s non-blocking bandwidth per port with ultra-low latency for multi-host PCIe cluster configurations.
- IXS600 PCIe Gen3 Switch 8-port 1U PCIe Gen3 managed switch providing 64 Gbps non-blocking bandwidth per port with 200ns port latency for transparent and non-transparent bridging deployments.
- PCIe Cables and Accessories Comprehensive cable and accessory portfolio covering copper and fiber PCIe interconnects from Gen3 through Gen5, supporting signal integrity and chassis-to-chassis scalability.
- Compact PCI Serial Products (MXC960 / MXC962 / MXC948) Compact PCI Serial switches and adapters combining NTB PCIe and Gigabit Ethernet switching for embedded computing and industrial applications.
- PXIe PCIe 4.0 Modules (MXP924 / MXP908 / MXP909) PXIe peripheral modules and switches supporting non-transparent and transparent bridging for PXIe test, measurement, and embedded instrumentation systems.
- PCIe Expansion Systems (eBox and Backplanes) COTS PCIe expansion chassis and backplane products for transparent host-target I/O cable adapter applications in defence, aerospace, and embedded systems.
- NVMe over PCIe Fabrics Solution Low-latency remote NVMe access solution over PCIe fabric, providing NVMe device lending and hot-add capabilities for disaggregated storage deployments.
- Reflective Memory Solution Multicast reflective memory solution delivering instantaneous and reliable single-source-to-multiple-end-node data distribution over PCIe for defence, aerospace, and real-time simulation customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 540 nanoseconds latency for financial trading applications
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use StarGen
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
StarGen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature5 records
StarGen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LINBITcoreLINBIT is the leading provider of DRBD technology and solutions. Partnership enables 60% performance improvement in DRBD storage replication over PCIe vs Infiniband/10GbE. Combined solution provides high-throughput low-latency environment for DRBD communication with consulting and support services.
- Curtiss-Wright Defense SolutionscoreCurtiss-Wright includes Dolphin ICS' eXpressWare PCIe Software Suite in their SBC and DSP modules to enable high-speed, low-latency PCIe fabric-based peer-to-peer communications in OpenVPX systems for naval, aerospace and ground defense customers.
- Microchip TechnologycoreAs a Design Partner, Dolphin builds on Microchip Switchtec PFX PCIe switching and bridging technology to deliver scalable PCIe fabrics, disaggregated I/O, and software-defined interconnect solutions validated for HPC, defense, and industrial applications. Dolphin leverages Microchip PCIe switches for eXpressDrive automotive solution.
- QNX Software SystemscoreQNX is a market-leading RTOS for safety- and mission-critical embedded systems in automotive, industrial, medical, and defense. Dolphin eXpressWare and eXpressDrive software are available for QNX with selected Intel and ARM SoCs interconnected by Microchip PCIe switches.
- Simula Research LaboratorycoreDolphin and Simula collaborate to research and develop software and hardware for advanced unified PCI Express networking solutions. Focus on integrating compute accelerators (GPUs, FPGAs, Intel Phi) and storage components with optimized PCIe networking stacks. Currently 3 master grade students and 1 PhD student working on the project. Supported by Norwegian Research Council.
- University of Oslo - Sure-AIcoreDolphin is a member of the Sure-AI national research center for more sustainable, risk-averse and ethical AI technologies. Activities supported by Norwegian Research Council. Dolphin contributes PCIe networking expertise for sustainable AI infrastructure.
- University of Oslo - SIRIUS ProjectminorDepartment of Informatics at University of Oslo leads a Center for Research-Driven Innovation (SFI) developing novel technologies to extract and exploit information from large data stores. Dolphin is a technology partner in the SIRIUS project.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
StarGen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cornelis Networks: Provider of high-performance HPC fabrics (Omni-Path successor) targeting scientific computing and AI clusters, directly competing with Dolphin for low-latency multi-host interconnects.
- Microchip Technology: Supplier of Switchtec PCIe switching silicon that Dolphin uses and designs around. Both companies co-develop PCIe fabric solutions; Microchip is also a strategic partner in Dolphin's eXpressDrive automotive offering.
- Samtec: High-speed interconnect (copper and optical) partner to Dolphin; Samtec FireFly and PCIe cable assemblies overlap directly with Dolphin's cable product line for chassis-to-chassis PCIe expansion.
- Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions: Embeds Dolphin's eXpressWare in its OpenVPX single-board computers and DSP modules for defense; also a peer in delivering integrated PCIe fabric solutions into aerospace/defense customers.
Broad incumbents
- Broadcom: Supplies PLX PCIe switches used in Dolphin's PX (Gen3) products and is a broad semiconductor incumbent across storage, networking, and PCIe switching silicon.
- TE Connectivity: Global connector and cable incumbent serving similar high-speed PCIe/data center markets, providing copper and fiber interconnect solutions that compete with Dolphin's PCIe cable portfolio.
- Intel (Networking / CXL): Intel is pushing CXL as the next-generation coherent interconnect and offers Ethernet/Omni-Path-adjacent networking IP; it competes indirectly as a future standard that could erode dedicated PCIe networking niches.
- Renesas (formerly IDT): IDT PCIe switches powered Dolphin's IX (Gen2) line; Renesas continues to serve PCIe switching markets and competes indirectly through merchant switch offerings.
- NVIDIA Networking (Mellanox): Mellanox InfiniBand and Ethernet adapters are the dominant low-latency cluster interconnect for HPC and AI; competes with Dolphin's PCIe fabric in trading and HPC use cases, though InfiniBand is a different physical layer.
Emerging players
- Ethernity Networks: Provides programmable networking silicon and software for low-latency Ethernet equipment; a smaller, emerging peer competing for the same low-latency cluster/edge markets Dolphin targets.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses2 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
StarGen social profiles
Digital presenceStarGen compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
StarGen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
StarGen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
StarGen subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
StarGen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
StarGen M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about StarGen
What does StarGen do?
StarGen is a semiconductor company providing serial switched interconnect solutions for computer and communications equipment. Operating under Dolphin Interconnect Solutions, the company designs and sells PCI Express adapter cards, managed switches, and cables (PCIe 3.0/4.0/5.0 generations) along with the proprietary eXpressWare software suite for ultra-low-latency clustering, IO expansion, and shared memory communication.
Is StarGen a public or private company?
StarGen is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was StarGen founded?
StarGen was founded in 1992. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is StarGen based?
StarGen is headquartered in Marlborough, United States, in the North America region.
How does StarGen make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Products are the primary driver. The others are software Licensing (eXpressWare) and professional Services.
Who are StarGen's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cornelis Networks, Microchip Technology, Samtec and Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions. Broad incumbents are Broadcom, TE Connectivity, Intel (Networking / CXL), Renesas (formerly IDT) and NVIDIA Networking (Mellanox). Ethernity Networks is listed as an emerging player.
Does StarGen have an API?
No public API is recorded for StarGen.
What industry is StarGen in?
StarGen's product category is Semiconductor Interconnect Solutions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAJAH, Network/Infrastructure Processors (Switching/Routing/SmartNIC DPUs). Its NAICS code is 3341 and its SIC code is 3576.