Notícias

Semiconductors - A Knowledge Industry for the 21st Century

13 March | 2.30pm

The semiconductor industry continues to be a fundamental driver of technological progress, enabling advancements in communications, computing, automotive, IoT and many other applications.

Despite rapid scaling in digital design, analog-digital circuit integration has remained remarkably stable over the years, with core applications shaping its evolution. As analog design typically lags a few technology nodes behind digital counterparts, new architectural approaches such as chiplets are emerging as a game-changer—allowing efficient heterogeneous integration of analog, RF, and digital components while optimizing power, performance, and cost.

The presentation is structured into 4 parts: I – Historical evolution, technology trends, and industry impact; II – System-on-Chip (SoC) Paradigm & Integration Trends; III – Analog & Mixed-Signal Design; IV – The role of universities and career opportunities in the semiconductor industry.

Whether you are a student or researcher, this talk will offer valuable insights into the enduring principles of semiconductor design, the evolution of System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures, and the transformative potential of chiplets in analog-digital integration. Discover why knowledge and innovation—not just transistor scaling—are at the heart of the semiconductor industry’s future!

 

SHORT BIO

Prof. José Epifânio da Franca, PhD in Electrical Engineering at Imperial College, London. Full Professor at the Technical University of Lisbon, entrepreneur and business executive. Co-founder and Chairman and CEO of CHIPIDEA (1997–2007), Board Member of NASDAQ listed MIPS Technologies (2007–2008), non-executive Board Member of Banco Espirito Santo (2008–2011) and Non-Executive Member of several tech-based start-up companies, both in Portugal and abroad. CEO of Portugal Ventures (2012–2015) and member of the National Council of Entrepreneurship and Innovation since 2012. Former State Secretary of Education (1991–1992).

Today, Dr. Franca maintains wide-ranging interests and activities in academia, in business, and in support of young entrepreneurs and their emerging startups. Entrepreneurship and Innovation are now at the heart of his academic activities at IST, and, by invitation, also at other Universities in Portugal. He shares his business and management experience as Senior Advisor to the CEO of Vision-Box, world leading border control company based on biometric and facial recognition ID, where he is also a Board Observer, and also Mentor of CEOs in very early-stage startups. He has several institutional roles in the high-tech R&D and industrial sectors, namely Chairman of the Advisory Board of INESC mn, Member of the Business Advisory Board of Instituto de Telecomunicações, and Member of the Advisory Board of Monolithic Power Systems, a leading NASDAQ-based semiconductor company also with offices in Portugal. In the investment industry, Dr. Franca is a Member of the Supervision Committee of Conexo Ventures, the venture capital arm of Spain’s Buenavista Equity Partners, and Operating Partner at Keensight Capital, a leading European growth buyout investor.

 

+info and registration: https://interfaces.fe.up.pt

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