With many pundits projecting a nearly doubling of semiconductor industry annual revenue to $1 trillion by as soon as 2030, SEMICON West 2023 was squarely focused on the growth opportunities ahead as well as challenges the industry needs to overcome to reach that milestone. The event, North America’s premier exhibition and conference for the microelectronics supply chain, featured a CEO Summit keynote program that zeroed in on laying the path to industry growth by strengthening supply chain resilience and growing the talent pipeline. The program also focused on the critical industry push for net zero carbon emissions.
The excitement at SEMICON West was palpable and the turnout reflected the charged atmosphere: attendance at the event in San Francisco jumped 37% from the previous year, as Joe Stockunas, President of SEMI Americas, pointed out in a wrap-up video interview with Silicon Semiconductor editor Phil Alsop.
With the intense industry focus on the U.S. CHIPS Act spurring domestic semiconductor manufacturing growth, Stockunas highlights the participation of representatives from the CHIPS Program Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce at the show. Michael Schmidt, Director of the CHIPS Program Office, provided an update on available federal funding, program priorities, forecasts of new chip fabs expected from the CHIPS Act incentives, and he and his team met with company representatives to answer questions.
Stockunas also discusses the success of the program’s robust Sustainability and Workforce Development activities and looks ahead to next year’s SEMICON West and the future location rotation with Phoenix, Arizona.
SEMI has prepared a SEMICON West 2023 Post-Show Report that offers a deep dive into attendees and their areas of expertise and interests. The report also shares highlights of the CEO Summit executive panels and keynotes, programs, smart initiative and workforce development activities, the FLEX Conference, Test Vision Symposium, new show features and awards.
Julie Rogers is director of SEMI Americas Marketing.