Bill Karagounis

About Bill Karagounis

I am a Board Advisor, Fractional CTO and Private Equity Technology Partner with 20+ years of experience leading global technology organizations, driving enterprise-scale AI adoption, and creating measurable value for investors and portfolio companies.As a former Microsoft Product Executive and now CEO & Co-Founder of Xhilon (PrivateAI), I bring deep expertise across Generative AI, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, compliance, and large-scale system optimization. My career spans launching new products at Microsoft, scaling startups, and guiding boards and CEOs through technology-driven transformation.Private Equity EngagementI work with private equity firms and portfolio leadership to- Conduct technology due diligence during acquisitions- Design and execute value creation plans (VCPs) that accelerate growth and margins- Lead interim or fractional CTO roles to stabilize, scale, or modernize technology platforms- Drive M&A integration, carve-outs, and digital transformation in portfolio companiesLeadership & Advisory- Fractional & Interim CTO – Hands-on leadership for SaaS, deep tech, and PE-backed companies in scaling and turnaround phases- Board & Strategic Advisor – Governance, innovation strategy, and risk oversight in AI, cybersecurity, and cloud adoption- Startup Mentor – Product strategy, GTM execution, and technical due diligence for AI-first venturesIndustry Focus- Private Equity Portfolio Companies- Regulated Industries (Healthcare, Finance, Defense, Government)- High-Growth SaaS & AI StartupsThought LeadershipSpeaker at Microsoft Build, AI for Government Summit, and Global CTO Roundtable, with published work on AI readiness, secure deployment, and system performance engineering. Holder of multiple patents in AI workload distribution, web application resiliency, and system performance optimization.SpecialtiesFractional CTO | Private Equity Tech Due Diligence | Value Creation Plans | M&A Tech Integration | Generative AI Systems | Cloud Sovereignty & Compliance | Cybersecurity | SaaS & Enterprise AI Deployment | Board Governance & Risk

Experience

1. Co-founder and CEO

   Xhilon

   Aug 2024 — Present · Seattle, WA, US

   Building enterprise-ready Generative AI platform with data sovereignty and compliance at the core, serving Forbes Global and PE-backed clients.

Education

• University of Washington

  Audio Engineering

• UNSW

  BSc, Computer Science, Organic Chemistry

• Stanford University

  Postgraduate, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning

• Stanford University

  Postgraduate, Technical Fundamentals of Generative AI

Skills

• Go-to-Market Strategy
• Agile Methodologies
• Leadership
• Management
• IT Strategy
• Cloud Computing
• Product Marketing
• Microsoft Technologies
• Architecture
• Program Management
• Project Management
• Operating Systems
• Windows
• Strategy
• Enterprise Software
• Enterprise Architecture
• Windows Server
• Software Engineering
• Partner Management
• Memory Management
• Software Project Management