Fusion-io develops new method for data storage

Published: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 8:32 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 

Fusion-io's founders, David Flynn and Rick White, believe in Walt Disney.

Specifically, they agree with what Disney said of trying to get funding to open Disneyland: "I could never convince the financiers that Disneyland was feasible, because dreams offer too little collateral."

Similarly, Flynn and White personally financed the start-up of their Salt Lake-based firm, working in donated offices and taking little salary and benefits.

Why do it? Well, Flynn and White also are followers of Harvard Business School professor and Utah native Clayton Christensen. In his 1997 book, "The Innovator's Dilemma," Christensen coined the term "disruptive technology" to refer to a new technology that unexpectedly displaces an existing one.

Flynn and White believe that Fusion-io's technology will change the way data storage systems are designed and used. Their belief got them through that first year and helped them move past angel investors who were too worried about the risks of bringing an entirely new storage solution to market.

Story continues below

Eventually, Flynn and White found an angel who believed in them. And their faith and patience have begun to bear fruit as the company now boasts more than 100 employees, including Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak, Fusion-io's full-time chief scientist.

Industry perceptions are changing, too, with more than 400 Fortune 2000 companies enjoying the ability of Fusion-io to radically improve performance of I/O (input-output) devices while also cutting capital, operating and power costs.

Sounds a lot like Disneyland.

Recent comments

Fusion-io is the latest example of Utah as a center for technology...

sac | July 1, 2009 at 1:31 p.m.

Related content
previousnext

Latest comments

Hall's legacy measured today

Can someone please tell me which top 10 team Max has won? I hope the Jeff...

Obama and GOP differ over job aid

The old recipie for good economy is to just cut taxes to spur investment and...

Letters: Respectful gesture

Respect? Why show respect for another human being who's opinions and...

The problem is, Sarah Palin ist not a competent politician. She begs to be...

BYU's old uniforms?

Please do tell which of his facts were stupid? Your best ever got smocked at...

Korver's return hits snag

Honestly. Kyle cannot be moved with the contract. I would rather see CJ<...

So many conclusions, based on false assumptions, so many haters, with...

Jazz share in win over Bulls

If Carlos continues to play like this instead of hearing "boo" at ESA, maybe...

BYU's old uniforms?

With all that tradition they can't seem to compete on the national stage....

A.I. return would not surprise

Hint: You notice (like I predicted) no mention of any Jazz interest in...

Advertisements