“Designing the Future, Not Just Apps” — A Visionary Talk with Jessica Fan, Forbes 30 Under 30 Tech Leader and Founder of NovaForge

In a digital era shaped by disruption, Jessica Fan is setting a new standard for how software is imagined, built, and scaled.

A proud member of Forbes 30 Under 30 in Tech, Jessica is the founder of NovaForge, a platform that blends no-code development, AI-first thinking, and next-gen UX to give startups and enterprises an edge in building powerful, intelligent tools without traditional roadblocks.

We sat down with Jessica to unpack her journey, her vision for the future of tech, and why she believes the builders of tomorrow will need more than just code to thrive.

✦ Jessica, take us back to the beginning. What sparked NovaForge?

After working with several startups, I realized the same story repeated: brilliant ideas bottlenecked by slow development, high engineering costs, and rigid tech stacks. It frustrated me — not just because of the delays, but because great ideas were dying too early.

NovaForge was my response to that. It’s a no-code + AI product studio that helps founders launch smarter, faster, and with less technical friction. We don’t just build tools — we build leverage.

✦ What makes no-code such a game-changer right now?

The world changed. Speed is the new currency. And no-code is the only way to meet that demand at scale.

But it’s not just about speed — it’s about access. Designers, ops managers, even solo founders with zero engineering background are now launching apps, marketplaces, and automation systems that used to take entire dev teams. No-code levels the playing field. It democratizes innovation.

At NovaForge, we combine tools like Webflow, Xano, FlutterFlow, and integrate them with AI engines to build systems that are not just functional — but intelligent.

✦ How does AI come into play?

No-code gets you to MVP fast. But AI helps you build something that adapts, learns, and evolves.

We embed GPT-based modules, smart automations, and decision-making engines right into the products we deliver. Think of it like this: we don’t just build an app — we give it a brain.

One example — we built a customer onboarding system for a fintech company that automatically learns which features a user engages with, then adapts the experience in real time. Another: a recruitment tool that screens applicants with AI, not just for resumes, but for culture fit. That’s the power of embedded intelligence.

✦ What’s been your proudest use case?

One of my favorites was a digital healthcare startup that needed a HIPAA-compliant portal — fast. The budget was tight, the team had no developers, and the stakes were high.

We delivered a secure, scalable platform in under 30 days. It had real-time patient matching, AI-assisted form completion, and a dynamic care dashboard. They onboarded their first 500 users within the first month — and they did it without a single engineer on payroll.

Moments like that remind me why we do what we do.

✦ What do clients say after working with NovaForge?

The two most common reactions are: “This changed the game,” and “We thought this would take 6 months.”

But beyond speed, what resonates is the confidence they gain. We train every client to manage, modify, and scale their system independently. It’s about ownership. And when people realize they don’t need to rely on a developer for every change — it changes how they think. They move faster. They dream bigger.

✦ What’s next for NovaForge?

We're launching NovaOS, a full-stack framework for non-technical founders — think of it like “Shopify for SaaS.” Pre-built modules, AI-powered workflows, and one-click deployments.

We’re also investing heavily in community education — our “Builder Labs” are designed to help first-time founders, agencies, and even corporate teams learn how to prototype and scale ideas in weeks.

My vision is to make building smart digital products as easy as designing a slide deck.

✦ One last thing: what’s your message to future founders?

Don’t wait for permission. You don’t need to raise capital or hire an engineering team to get started anymore. The tools are here. The AI is ready. And the only thing missing is your idea and your decision to move.

We’re entering a golden age of creation. And it won’t be won by the most funded — but by the most fearless.

Jessica Fan isn’t just coding the future — she’s empowering others to shape it. Through NovaForge, she’s helping a new generation of dreamers, thinkers, and doers turn ideas into impact — at speed, at scale, and without compromise.