The Startups for Sustainable Semiconductors Initiative
The third year of the Startups for Sustainable Semiconductors (S3) initiative - a mentorship program + pitch event is organized by semiconductor industry Corporate Venture Capitalists. The program runs January through July, when the finalists are invited to pitch live at SEMICON West.
Why Apply?
Gain mentorship from industry experts on how to translate and apply your tech to the semiconductor industry
Gain access to potential PoC and pilot partnerships with visibility across all major semiconductor players
Gain mentorship from CVCs for advice on pitching your tech to the semiconductor industry/VCs, Gain access to investment from both CVCs and VCs during the program and from the final pitch event
PR & other exposure opportunities associated with the program. Finalists to present at SEMICON West in July 2024 (San Francisco)
Who should apply?
Any and all startups, academics, and innovators of any form who have a unique idea that can help advance sustainability for the semiconductor industry, even if you have not yet applied your idea to the semiconductor industry! Improving sustainability in semiconductor manufacturing is a major challenge, and we need all hands on deck.
Campaign Focus for Year 3
- Direct air capture and treatment - including GHGs
- Emissions detection, reduction, and measurement SW & HW tools
- New process designs for decreased energy intensity
- Improved thermal management, including data center cooling
- Alternative energy sources
- Energy tracking and management software
- Liquid waste stream treatment, desalination, brine treatment, metals extraction, energy reduction processes for 100% water reuse
- PFAS collection, removal, and destruction
- Water measurement, planning & maintenance SW
Example materials: hydrogen, helium, rare earth elements, copper, ammonia, cobalt, metals, organics/inorganics
- Sourcing, mining & refinement of materials used in semiconductor manufacturing
- Sustainable processing, storing or shipping of materials, including on-site production
- Recycling and reuse methodologies
- Green hydrogen and/or hydrogen recycling
- Software/AI for sustainable chemicals + materials development
Listen to these Podcasts to Hear About the Program
Episode 1: What is the Startups for Semiconductor Sustainable Program - In this podcast Francoise von Trapp of 3D InCites, James Amano, Senior Director of EHS and Sustainability at SEMI, sheds light on the program, joined by 2022 SemiFinalists, Jon Herlocker, President and CEO at Tignis, Maher Damak, CEO and Co-Founder at Infinite Cooling, and Lester D'Cruz, Senior Director Product Management at ATONARP.
Episode 2: Waste Water, Gas Purification, and Circularity - James Amano, Senior Director of EHS and Sustainability at SEMI, joined three alumni from last year’s program for a podcast conversation with Francoise von Trapp of 3D InCites. Greg Newbloom, CEO and Co-Founder at Membrion; Ben Hernandez, Founder and CEO at NuMat Technologies; and Daniel Alvarez, Founder and CEO at Purity ReSource each discussed how their company’s solutions are helping the semiconductor industry achieve its sustainability goals and the boost in visibility they received from the program.
Episode 3: The Role of the Venture Capital Companies - Hear about the journey ahead for the semifinalists of the 2023 program. Read about it here. Hear from two of the VCs who make this program tick. They explain how they came up with the concept for a start-up pitch event, and how they collaborated with SEMI and VCs across the supply chain to make it happen, and the process and benefits of participating in the program.
Program Sponsors
We’re solving these challenges now, and we’re looking for innovative startups to help solve these major problems faster.
Further Information on Initiative
- Learn more from perusing articles and podcasts:
- General information on semiconductor sustainability challenges & opportunities: