2020 Semiconductor Foundry Landscape Update!

2020 Semiconductor Foundry Landscape Update!
by Daniel Nenni on 11-15-2019 at 6:00 am

When I first started working with the foundries 25 years ago I would have never imagined that I would make a career out of it, which I most certainly have. Fortunately, I recognized early on that not only are the foundries the cornerstone of the semiconductor ecosystem, they are also a very important economic bellwether, absolutely.… Read More


Is the ASIC Business Dead?

Is the ASIC Business Dead?
by Daniel Nenni on 11-11-2019 at 10:00 am

We covered the ASIC business in Chapter 2 of our book “Fabless: The Transformation of the Semiconductor Industry” using VLSI Technology and eSilicon as shining examples. Neither of which now exist. The ASIC business model was a critical steppingstone in the transformation of the semiconductor industry. Many systems companies… Read More


WEBINAR: Which ASIC Manufacturing Method is Right for You?

WEBINAR: Which ASIC Manufacturing Method is Right for You?
by Daniel Nenni on 11-11-2019 at 6:00 am

Minimizing ASIC production costs is the goal of every company. The problem is that this requires extensive knowledge. You must understand the technical intricacies and the financial implications of multiple activities like wafer production, packaging and QA activities such as electrical tests.

Generally, the more your company… Read More


The New SemiWiki Job Board!

The New SemiWiki Job Board!
by Daniel Nenni on 11-09-2019 at 6:00 am

As a very experienced semiconductor job seeker/employer the most important lesson I have learned in 35 years is that getting the first interview is not so much WHAT you know as WHO you know. Networking really is the key to career success and SemiWiki 2.0 is all about networking, absolutely.

In fact, that is one of the reasons why I became… Read More


Intel CEO Update Q4 2019

Intel CEO Update Q4 2019
by Daniel Nenni on 11-04-2019 at 6:00 am

Bob Swan started as interim CEO in June of 2018 and took the full-time CEO job in January of 2019. I was a vocal critic of the previous CEO Brian Krzanich (BK) and really felt he was not fit to serve. As it turns out I was right. It is not just the CEO himself, but also the people that he surrounds himself with. BK surrounded himself with the… Read More


Samsung 2019 Technology Day Recap!

Samsung 2019 Technology Day Recap!
by Daniel Nenni on 11-01-2019 at 6:00 am

Samsung is a complicated company with a VERY long history. We attempted to capture the Samsung Experience in chapter 8 of our book “Mobile Unleashed: The Origin and Evolution of ARM Processors In Our Devices”. If you are a registered SemiWiki member you can download a free PDF copy in our Books section.

Here is the chapter 8 … Read More


TSMC Update Q3 2019 Absolutely!

TSMC Update Q3 2019 Absolutely!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-25-2019 at 6:00 am

This will be a combination of the recent TSMC quarterly report, a look back at Cliff Hou’s keynote at the most recent TSMC conference, and conversations on SemiWiki.com. There has been a lot of press on this but of course the most important points are being missed. Semiconductors are complicated and getting more so, absolutely.… Read More


WEBINAR REPLAY: ClioSoft Facilitates Design Reuse with Cadence® Virtuoso®

WEBINAR REPLAY: ClioSoft Facilitates Design Reuse with Cadence® Virtuoso®
by Daniel Nenni on 10-23-2019 at 10:00 am

In September, ClioSoft gave a SemiWiki webinar titled, Reusing Your IPs & PDKs Successfully With Cadence® Virtuoso®. I was happy to be the moderator of this webinar, having had the chance to work with ClioSoft’s team over many years. The webinar was informative while also being very time efficient. I think it is important for… Read More


WEBINAR: PAVE360 Validating Autonomous Vehicle Behavior

WEBINAR: PAVE360 Validating Autonomous Vehicle Behavior
by Daniel Nenni on 10-21-2019 at 6:00 am

Siemens Mentor recently announced PAVE360™, a very cool comprehensive pre silicon simulation environment. Autonomous cars are very popular here in Silicon Valley and quite safe on the highways since the average speed is 25mph (horrible traffic). In the city you need autonomous parking unless you want to waste precious time … Read More


The New Silvaco CEO is SURGING!

The New Silvaco CEO is SURGING!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-18-2019 at 6:00 am

One of my great pleasures in the semiconductor industry is meeting the people who have brought us to where we are today, at the forefront of modern life. One of those people is Babak Taheri, now CEO of Silvaco who I spent time with yesterday. Babak started in semiconductors around the same time I did 30+ years ago. He has a PhD in EECS and… Read More