Christopher G. Hipp, whose groundbreaking work with a supercompact computer helped companies vastly increase their computer power in a business world that is demanding more and more of it, died Tuesday while cycling in Palo Alto, Calif. He was 47 and lived nearby in Redwood City.

Mr. Hipp, who was a semi-professional cyclist, died after collapsing during a morning ride along Sand Hill Road, the well-known Silicon Valley thoroughfare lined by venture capital companies, said his partner of 15 years, Lorraine Sneed, who lived with Mr. Hipp.

She said an autopsy was being performed, adding that he had taken blood thinners to prevent clots and that it was thought he might have died of an embolism.

Mr. Hipp’s major technological contribution involved blade servers, which have in the last decade become a popular computer workhorse for businesses. The compact servers give companies substantially more computer power while using significantly less space, and some blade designs consume far less power than traditional servers.