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By Dr. Adam He, director of Industry Research and Consulting, SEMI China

In June 2014, the State Council of China issued the “National Guideline for the Development and Promotion of the IC Industry,” to support the domestic semiconductor industry. The document addresses development targets, approaches, and measures. It has echoed strongly across the semiconductor industry and attracted global attention due to the ambitious development targets and sizeable support for a national IC industry investment fund.

What’s new?

(1) The Ambitious Development Target

According to the Guideline, the China IC industry revenue should reach RMB350 billion in 2015, and maintain a CAGR of more than 20 percent through 2020. In other words, 2020 revenues are expected to reach US$143 billion, which is 3.5 times that of the US$40.5 billion in 2013. (Note: China IC Industrial revenue refers to the total IC companies’ sales revenue within China, including IC design companies, foundries, IDMs and OSAT companies.)

SEMI--Adam He--for China article

 

Technical and product targets in each segment of the IC industry are clearly defined in the Guideline. The major targets of each segment are listed below.

  • IC manufacturing: mass production for 32/38 nm process shall be realized by 2015 and 16/14 nm process shall be realized by 2020.
  • IC design: certain key technologies (e.g. mobile smart terminal, network communication) shall approach international first-tier level by 2015, and other strategic technologies shall achieve international leading edge by 2020.
  • IC packaging and test: revenue from mid-end to high-end technologies shall be more than 30% of total revenue by 2015, and key technologies shall achieve international leading edge by 2020.
  • Material: 12-inch silicon wafers produced in China shall be ready for use in device production by 2015, and enter global supply chain by 2020.
  • Equipment: 65-45nm key equipment manufactured in China shall be used into production line by 2015, and enter global supply chain by 2020.

(2) National IC Industry Investment Fund Establishment

The manner of industry support has markedly changed from previous policies. The new policy will be adopted with a market-based approach and implemented through national IC industry investment funds to support industry development.

As of December 16, 2014, the latest information indicates that ordinary share-raising for a national IC industry investment fund has been completed and RMB 98.72 billion (US$ 15.9 billion) has been raised. Preferred shares amounting to RMB 40 billion (US$ 6.5 billion) will be further issued in the first quarter of 2015, accumulating to more than RMB130 billion (US$ 21 billion).

Meanwhile, local IC industry investment funds have been established by the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Hefei. Of these, Beijing took the lead in establishing a fund in June 2014, totaling RMB 30 billion (US$ 4.8 billion). It is structured as a “fund of funds” and two sub-funds. One sub-fund, supporting for IC manufacturing and semiconductor equipment, is managed by CGP Investment (the “fund of funds” is also managed by CGP); the other sub-fund, supporting IC design and packaging, is managed by Hua Capital.  In addition, the Shanghai IC industry fund, named Shanghai Summitview Capital IC information industry merger fund, totaling RMB10 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) was established in November 2014.

The total government funds are estimated to reach to US$100 billion with the implementation of local industry funds.

What will happen?

It is anticipated that the new policies will exert a significant influence on the semiconductor ecosystem in China.

China’s semiconductor industry will be dramatically expanded given the scale of industry equity funds that are leveraged by government investments. The existing semiconductor industry in China is estimated to have more than 10 percent of global fab capacity and more than 20 percent of global packaging capacity. The new investments will contribute to a powerful expansion in China-based capacity and create a stronger and more globally prominent semiconductor industry in China.

Secondly, the investment and merger activity in the semiconductor industry in China has been very dynamic and will continue to be so with the new investment funds. These newly established national and local IC industry investment funds will not only directly focus on the Fab and IC design companies, but also stimulate the IC industry merger and acquisition activity in and outside of China. For example, shortly after its establishment, Hua Capital (the investment company of IC design and packaging sub-fund of Beijing IC industry fund) proposed to buy Omnivision with Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology Investment Co. Ltd.

In addition, the new policies will also promote marketization development and global cooperation beyond previously implemented investment activities. In the 1990s, the Chinese government established two semiconductor production lines directly through National Engineering Project 908 and 909. In the beginning of the 21st century, SMIC was co-established by state-owned enterprises and an entrepreneurial team. Now, relying on the new capital, the Chinese government is going to support the industry development through equity funds, which is in line with the marketization reform philosophy of the new government and places investors and entrepreneurs at center stage in implementing industry growth. Experienced investors and entrepreneurs with international vision will lead China’s semiconductor industry to a broader global cooperation.

How should international companies respond?

China IC industry investment funds will likely drive market share gains for China players and also more buyout offers from China. Therefore, it is increasingly critical for international companies to consider their strategy and cooperation objectives with China’s semiconductor industry in the light of a huge application market and a dynamic industry ecosystem.

The first step is to better understand China. Companies need to recognize that China is not only the largest semiconductor market — and not just a manufacturing base with a cost advantage. The most important point is that China’s economy and semiconductor industry is changing dramatically, and this will affect the global semiconductor industry ecosystem. Second, China is a diversified economic body, with the developed metropolitan areas such as Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen, and the to-be-developed middle and west regions.  Each of these regions will offer specific opportunities for companies in the semiconductor supply chain.

To participate in China’s industry ecosystem, it is essential to establish connections with the stakeholders in China, such as government, customers, suppliers, and even competitors, and to seek opportunities in cooperation and development through mutual understanding and engagement.

During SEMICON China 2015 (March 17-19), SEMI China will host the Tech Investment Forum-China 2015 on March 18. The Tech Investment Forum has already become an important platform between investment and pan-semiconductor industry in China. This year, Mr. Wenwu Ding, the CEO of China National IC Investment Fund will give a keynote speech. There will also be a session where startup companies can pitch to venture investors for project funding.

SEMI China’s Industry Research and Consulting team provides market research, supply chain surveys, investment site evaluations, and partner matching services (visit www.semi.org.cn/marketinfor/exclusive.aspx) or visit the SEMI Industry Research and Statistics website at www.semi.org/en/MarketInfo.

The recent restructuring by major global lighting companies will allow LED makers to raise capital for investments in 2015. According to “Top Lighting and LEDs Trends for 2015,” a new white paper issued by the IHS, last year’s restructuring could lead to improved margins for leading companies, along with the potential for lower product prices for consumers.

“For the big three lighting suppliers, the road was bumpy: all of them recorded falling revenue in the first three quarters of 2014,” said William Rhodes, research manager of lighting and LEDs at IHS Technology. “Industry watchers are now looking to see if these giants of the lighting industry can turn the tide in 2015.”

Following are 10 predictions for the lighting and LED industry for 2015, from the IHS technology research team:

1. China—the LED dragon—will continue to grow. The coming year could be pivotal for the global LED industry, given the growing market share of Chinese LED companies throughout the value chain. “In order to compete with international companies and maintain their growth, Chinese vendors must overcome negative perceptions of product quality that continue to plague them, even while they maintain their low pricing,” Rhodes said.

2. The sky is the limit for cloud-based smart lighting. The market for cloud-based smart lighting is unlikely to gain market share in 2015, because public knowledge of companies offering solutions remains limited; however, increased marketing of cloud-based smart lighting could gain mindshare in 2015, positioning the market for future growth.

3. Changing fortunes for lighting companies expected in 2015. The reorganization of the top three lighting manufacturers could turn them into pure-play lighting companies focused on dynamic markets, which would offer greater growth potential. The restructuring will also allow LED makers to raise capital for further investment, and will also let them reduce the hierarchal burden associated with being part of a large conglomerate. “Changes in the corporate structure, could lead to improved margins for the companies, and possibly lower-priced products for consumers,” Rhodes said.

4. Li-Fi, a brighter way to communicate. Visual light communication (LI-Fi) is a new and emerging technology, but implementations of pilot projects, along with greater media interest, is forecast for 2015. “It will be interesting to see how many commercial projects are announced this year, and on what scale,” Rhodes said.

5. Is lighting poised for a quantum leap? As quantum-dot LEDs (QD-LEDs) still have some challenges to overcome, the market will not likely to see vast quantities of commercially available products by 2015 or 2016; however, in the medium to longer term, QD-LEDs could kill off the OLED display market and cause deep disruption to the lighting industry as a whole.”QD-LEDs still have some challenges to overcome, but we might see a very small amount of commercially available products by the end of 2015,” Rhodes said.

6. OLED luminaires, and where to purchase them. Mass-market adoption of OLED lighting is not projected to occur in 2015, but retailers will likely start to offer a premium range of OLED luminaires, which undoubtedly will help create more interest in the overall OLED market in the coming year.

7. LED filament bulbs: incandescent beauty with an LED twist. LED filament lamps, which combine the benefits of LED lamps with the familiar design of incandescent bulbs beloved by traditionalists, are now starting to match other LED offerings, in terms of efficiency, price and color-rendering capabilities. “Ultimately it will be up to consumers to decide if filament bulbs will have their time in the limelight in 2015,” Rhodes said.

8. Packaged LED industry is moving downstream and getting smarter. Smart lighting is another way for companies to attempt to add value and improve profit margins. As the LED lighting market moves downstream with modules and light engines, incorporating smart lighting sensors and controls will be a key trend in 2015.

9. Is your streetlight all that it seems? In the coming year, a couple of smart street lighting pilot projects (e.g., incorporating electric vehicle charging or mobile phone masts into the luminaires) are expected to start moving to larger city-wide installations. “with developments in new technology, as well as the ever-expanding phenomenon of the Internet of Things (IoT), the role that street lights play in our world is set change completely,” Rhodes said.

10. Automotive applications driving optoelectronic components market. With LED headlamp penetration increasing, gesture control getting increasing interest, and hybrid and electric vehicles sales continuing to grow; 2015 will be a lucrative year for the optoelectronic components suppliers who focus on the automotive industry.

The SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) opened yesterday with the theme “Riding the Wave of Silicon Magic.” The sold-out conference of the industry’s C-level executives highlighted favorable forecasts in the year’s first strategic outlook for the global microelectronics manufacturing industry.  The underlying drivers for growth and the next wave emerging from the Internet of Things (IoT) were discussed from several perspectives.

Opening keynoter Scott McGregor, president and CEO of Broadcom, traced the history of the industry’s more than 50 years of exponential improvements in silicon speed, power and design since Moore’s Law in 1965.  McGregor sees the next wave of Silicon Magic as a $15 trillion opportunity that will provide ubiquitous, nonstop, seamless high-speed connectivity.  Still, McGregor believes that three key issues challenge the industry’s growth.   First, patent reform, as patents are the foundation of the innovation economy and the global patent system does not meet today’s industry realities. Second, interoperability and standards, as IoT is raising the stakes for data privacy and security.  Finally, STEM education, as in the future, all businesses will be tech businesses.

In the Economic Trends session, presenters took on both macroeconomic and detailed industy-specific forecasts:

  • Nariman Behravesh, senior economist at IHS, presented the macroeconomic view of 2015 and the global implications brought on by the sharp drop in oil prices.  IHS predicted that the U.S. will grow in the 2.5-3.0 percent range in 2015 while other regions will be mixed: the European recovery will be slow, Japan’s economy will regain weak momentum, and China growth will continue to slow, but remain stronger than most. 
  • Mario Morales, VP at IDC, presented the 2015 semiconductor outlook. IDC saw the semiconductor market grow 7 percent in 2014 and projects 3.8 percent growth in 2015. Market growth will be led largely by automotive and industrial segments. 
  • Andrea Lati, principle analyst for VLSI Research, presented the 2015 semiconductor equipment outlook.  VLSI saw semiconductor equipment sales coming in at 17 percent growth in 2014 and forecasts 8 percent growth in 2015. VLSI noted the top 7 chipmakers accounted for 71 percent of spending in 2014 (vs. 56 percent in 2010). VLSI sees the consolidation driving an industry that has smaller cyclic peaks and is settling into a moderated two-year cycle cadence with fewer players having less incentive to individually make a market share grab.” 

Several presenters discussed the Internet of Things (IoT) and offered that the IoT provides an unprecedented growth opportunity — and understanding just what IoT is, at this stage, a challenge.  The lively session featured Frank Jones, VP and GM at Intel, David Ashley, VP of Customer Value Chain Management at Cisco Systems, Shawn DuBravac, chief economist and director of research at the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), and Martin Reynolds, managing VP and fellow at Gartner.

Among the insights in the IoT session, Jones stressed that with all the IoT hype, it’s critical to demonstrate business value. Working with partners, he cited emerging IoT examples such as: saving 43 percent in time with an integrated “Smart Parking Solution” and improvements to Intel’s own factories with fab personnel defining a process step predictive maintenance tool (sensors and analytics) that saved $9 million per year.  Ashley made the point that with $19 trillion for the IoE at stake, the supply chain, including economic trends (labor wage inflation, government policy, shrinking life cycles) and ecosystem (supplier consolidation, visibility, consumer-driven technology) need to be addressed.  DuBravac focused on how everyday objects are becoming smarter and more connected and said that the key to technology should be what is meaningful as opposed to what is possible.

Days 2 and 3 at ISS will delve deeper into the underpinnings of the industry.  Technology and manufacturing insights will be discussed with presentations from:  TSMC, Altera, XMC, Intel, Honeywell, Micron, imec, ASE, IBM, Lux Research, Illumina, Cypress, Boing, and McKinsey.  A “Silicon Magic” panel will wrap up the conference with Intel, Lam Research, JSR, TSMC, and Qualcomm. The SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) examines global economic, technology, market, business and geo-political developments influencing the semiconductor industry.

The Internet of Everything, cloud computing/big data and 3-D printing are the three technologies most likely to transform the world during the next five years, according to IHS Technology.

“We know that technology has the capability to change the world: from the Gutenberg printing press to the steam engine to the microchip,” said Ian Weightman, vice president, research & operations, IHS Technology. “But how can we determine which technologies are likely to have the greatest potential to transform the future of the human race? What is the process to distinguish among the innovations that will have limited impact and those that will be remembered as milestones on the path of progress? How can you tell the difference between the VHS and Betamax of tomorrow’s technologies?”

“To answer these questions, IHS Technology gathered its leading experts representing the technology supply chain from electronic components to finished products across applications markets ranging from consumer, media, and telecom; to industrial, medical, and power. These experts were asked to nominate and vote for their top 10 most impactful technologies over the next five years.”

The top three technologies were: 3-D printing in third place; cloud computing/big data at No. 2; and the Internet of Everything coming out on top.

Manufacturing moves to next dimension with 3-D printing

Also called additive manufacturing, 3-D printing encourages design innovation by facilitating the creation of new structures and shapes, and allows limitless product complexity without additional production costs. It also greatly speeds up time to market by making the idea-to-prototype cycle much shorter.

Total revenue for the 3-D printing industry is forecast to grow by nearly 40 percent annually through 2020, when the aggregated market size is expected to exceed $35.0 billion, up from $5.6 billion in 2014.

Cloud computing/big data brings metamorphosis to computing and consumer markets

The cloud has become a ubiquitous description for on-demand provisioning of data, storage, computing power and services that are touching nearly every consumer and enterprise across the globe. Together with data analytics and mobile broadband, the cloud and big data are poised to reshape almost every facet of the consumer digital lifestyle experience and dramatically impact enterprise information technology (IT) strategies, while creating new opportunities and challenges for the various nodes in the entire information, communications and technology (ICT) value chain.

The cloud is transformational in the business landscape, changing the way enterprises interact with their suppliers, customers and developers.

The big data and data analytics segment is a separate but related transformational technology that harnesses the power of the cloud to analyze data for disparate sources to uncover hidden patterns, enable predictive analysis and achieve huge efficiencies in performance.

IHS forecasts that global enterprise IT spending on cloud-based architectures will double to approximately $230 billion in 2017, up from about $115 billion in 2012.

The Internet of Things becomes the Internet of Everything

The world is in the early stages of the Internet of Things (IoT)—a technological evolution that is based on the way that Internet-connected devices can be used to enhance communication, automate complex industrial processes and generate a wealth of information. To provide some context on the magnitude of this evolution, more than 80 billion Internet-connected devices are projected to be in use in 2024, up from less than 20 billion in 2014, as presented in the attached figure.

While the IoT concept is still relatively new, it is already transforming into a broader model: the Internet of Everything (IoE). The metamorphosis covers not just the number of devices but envisages a complete departure from the way these devices have used the Internet in the past.

Most of the connected devices in place today largely require direct human interaction and are used for the consumption of content and entertainment. The majority of the more than 80 billion future connections will be employed to monitor and control systems, machines and objects—including lights, thermostats, window locks and under-the-hood automotive electronics.

Other transformative technologies identified by IHS Technology analysts were:

  • Artificial intelligence
  • Biometrics
  • Flexible displays
  • Sensors
  • Advanced user interfaces
  • Graphene
  • Energy storage and advanced battery technologies

2015-01-12_Connectable_Devices

With new cost-sensitive semiconductor devices driving capacity demand, 200mm wafer size and currently existing (legacy) fabs are seeing a renaissance,  SEMI completed a thorough study of the secondary fab equipment market to identify the market size and to capture key trends and issues impacting this industry segment. SEMI interviewed and surveyed integrated device makers (IDMs) and foundries. Companies were asked to provide information pertaining to the acquisition of previously installed tools for 150mm, 200mm, and 300mm manufacturing. The SEMI Secondary Fab Equipment Report is new, unique coverage for the industry. The report contains 26 pages and 29 figures and charts. The target audience is expected to be companies serving the secondary fab equipment supply chain, IDMs and foundries, and other industry analysts who need data to benchmark and analyze this market.

The semiconductor industry is maturing where annual double-digit fab capacity additions are less frequent, and the industry is spending in the range of $30 billion per year in new fab equipment. Investment in “legacy” fabs is important in manufacturing semiconductor products, including the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) class of devices and sensors, and remains a sizeable portion of the industries manufacturing base:

  • 150mm and 200mm fab capacity represent approximately 40 percent of the total installed fab capacity
  • 200mm fab capacity is on the rise, led by foundries that are increasing 200mm capacity by about 7 percent through to 2016 compared to 2012 levels
  • New applications related to mobility, sensing, and IoT are expected to provide opportunities for manufacturers with 200mm fabs

Out of the total US$ 27 billion spent in 2013 on fab equipment and US$ 31 billion spent on fab equipment  in 2014, secondary fab equipment represents approximately 5 percent of the total, or US$ 1.5 billion, annually. For 2014, 200mm fab investments by leading foundries and IDMs resulted in a 45 percent increase in spending for secondary 200mm equipment. Foundries are estimated to represent half of the 200mm equipment spending in 2014.

In developing the report, SEMI interviewed and surveyed IDMs and foundries. Direct spending input was obtained from 28 companies, and estimates were made for another 12 companies based on known capex plans, quarterly financial statements and transcripts, and capacity investment trends tracked by the SEMI World Fab Forecast database. The focus of the new report is on secondary fab equipment spending; secondary test equipment and assembly and packaging equipment were not included in this study. To order the report, visit www.semi.org/en/node/53676. For information on all SEMI Market research reports, visit www.semi.org/en/MarketInfo. For information on SEMI, visit www.semi.org

GLOBALFOUNDRIES, a provider of advanced semiconductor manufacturing technology, and Linear Dimensions Semiconductor Inc., a semiconductor company specializing in low power analog and mixed signal integrated circuits, today announced that they are working together to manufacture a 14-channel programmable reference from Linear Dimensions for multiple markets including IoT (Internet of Things) sensor and wearable device applications.

The LND1114 is a 14-channel reference designed to meet the tuning needs of emerging IoT sensors and Wearable applications.  The LND1114 is available in QFN-3×2.2mm form factor, and is the world’s smallest programmable multi-channel reference product.  With a typical drift of only 13uV after 10 years at 70C, low temperature drift and an initial accuracy of 0.2%, the LND1114 is ideally suited for precision sensor biasing.

“GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ advanced process and development capabilities have allowed Linear Dimensions to engineer an analog non-volatile tuning solution ideally positioned for emerging wearable and portable IoT sensor applications,” said David Schie, CEO of Linear Dimensions.   “Devices such as wearable health and fitness products, cell phones, consumer cameras, media players and headsets are increasingly integrating multiple single and multi-function sensors to offer added functionality.  These multiple sensors all require specific biasing and tuning to operate correctly.  The LND1114 is a revolutionary new way to bias and tune precision devices because it offers multiple channels with unparalleled accuracy and flexibility, in a smaller footprint just a fraction of the size of existing solutions.’

“As sensor based applications proliferate, and wearables become more popular in the market, technologies that enable such devices become extremely important,” said Gregg Bartlett, senior vice president of product management at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “We will continue to provide differentiated technology platforms from 350nm to 28nm that our customers can use for innovative products in the rapidly growing IoT and wearable markets.  By partnering with Linear Dimensions we have been able to leverage our world-class analog processing capabilities to offer tuning and biasing performance that has not previously been available in such a small form factor.”

GLOBALFOUNDRIES has a solid track record of providing semiconductor technologies to a variety of market segments including mobility, industrial, automotive and computing. In mainstream technologies, GLOBALFOUNDRIES offers modular platforms on technology nodes from 180nm to 40nm on both 200mm and 300mm wafers, with additional process modules such as analog, power management, radio frequency (RF), embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS).

Wafer volume production for Linear Dimensions’ 14-channel programmable floating gate reference program is expected to start in Q3 2015 in GLOBALFOUNDRIES manufacturing facility in Singapore.

SEMI today announced a “Call for Papers” for SEMICON West, North America’s premier microelectronics event, to be held July 14-16 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, Calif. The “Call for Papers” includes the Semiconductor Technology Symposium and the popular TechXPOT programs. Presentation abstracts are due March 20, 2015.

SEMICON West 2015 will be attended by nearly 27,000 semiconductor and related microelectronics industry professionals and feature more than 60 hours of technical sessions, led by the most informed and influential experts in the world. For 2015, SEMICON West will feature two “Generation Next” Pavilions — a new concept in topic-based engagement, which will connect exhibits, technical sessions, and networking events to current, critical industry topics, engaging exhibitors and visitors in an immersive exhibition experience.  In addition, the “standing-room only” success of the SEMICON West TechXPOT programs prompted the creation of the Semiconductor Technology Symposium (STS) at the 2014 event.

In 2015, the STS program continues with programs on leading-edge chip manufacturing held in a classroom setting with reserved seating adjacent to the show floor in the North Hall of Moscone Center. STS will offer technology trends, developments and new technology information in the areas of advanced materials and processing, lithography, metrology, 450mm, advanced packaging, and 3D-IC.  Test Vision 2020, the leading semiconductor test conference focusing on ATE and high-volume manufacturing, is part of the STS program in Moscone Center.

TechXPOT programs in the Moscone Center North and South Halls will continue focusing on special topics in semiconductor manufacturing, and adjacent and related microelectronics technologies.

For the Semiconductor Technology Symposium and for TechXPOT sessions, SEMI is soliciting technical presentations in the following areas:

  • Advanced lithography/Advanced films
  • Advanced materials and processes
  • Contamination control for advanced materials
  • New and advanced metrology solutions
  • Interconnect challenges at sub-10nm
  • Substrates: Materials research beyond Silicon
  • Other process implications for manufacturing next-generation transistors
  • Accelerating and improving yield
  • Silicon Photonics
  • Disruptive compound semiconductor technologies
  • Manufacturing advanced power semiconductors
  • Improving Yield on Non-Planar ICs
  • Failure analysis
  • Advanced packaging
  • Design for packaging
  • Semiconductor test
  • Design for test
  • Application Level Testing
  • Technologies for Emerging Markets & Applications
  • What’s next in MEMS?
  • How manufacturing of IoT devices will impact IC fabrication
  • How IoT and 3D printing will be used in IC manufacturing in the future
  • Printed and flexible electronics
  • Packaging of MEMS and Sensors
  • SiP for Power and RF
  • Heterogeneous Integration for SiP and Modules

“There are many exciting challenges facing the industry today,” said Karen Savala, President of SEMI Americas. “We are pleased that SEMICON West continues to serve as the premier forum where industry leaders share their insight on these issues.”

SEMICON West 2015 “Call for Participants”:  Prospective presenters are invited to submit abstracts (maximum 500 words) on key industry issues and topics in the areas listed above for consideration. Presentations should focus on the latest developments and innovations in these technology areas, inclusive of supporting data. Submissions may be made online from the “Call for Participants” website at: www.semiconwest.org/Participate/SPCFP. The deadline is March 20.

“Generation Next” Pavilions (Advanced Substrate Engineering; Packaging): These two new Generation Next Pavilions will be held in conjunction with technical sessions (STS and TechXPOTs) at SEMICON West — addressing critical issues, challenges, and opportunities. For more information about exhibiting opportunities within these new Pavilions, contact Nick Antonopoulos at [email protected] or +1.408.943.6986.

Silicon Innovation Forum (SIF) “Call for Startups”:  SEMI will host its 3rd Annual Silicon Innovation Forum at SEMICON West 2015 and is now accepting early applications to participate. The Silicon Innovation Forum (SIF) provides a stage for new and emerging innovators, industry leaders, strategic investors, and venture capitalists to discuss the needs and requirements of the industry’s innovation engine. Participants will gain insights into technology, capital, partnership, and collaboration strategies necessary for mutual success. For more information, please email Ray Morgan, director of Outreach at [email protected].  SIF application: 2015 SIF Showcase Request for Participation. The deadline is March 20.

About SEMICON West

SEMICON West is the flagship annual event for the global microelectronics industry, showcasing the people, products, and technologies driving the design and manufacture of advanced microelectronics. SEMICON West attracts the world’s leading technology companies serving the microelectronics supply chain and the largest audience of influential buyers, industry leaders, decision-makers, technologists, analysts, and media of any industry event in North America. SEMICON West 2015 is projected to bring together more than 27,000 international attendees, more than 700 global companies, and feature more than 60 hours of technical, business, and networking programs. For more information, visit www.semiconwest.org.

North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.22 billion in orders worldwide in November 2014 (three-month average basis) and a book-to-bill ratio of 1.02, according to the November EMDS Book-to-Bill Report published today by SEMI.   A book-to-bill of 1.02 means that $102 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.

The three-month average of worldwide bookings in November 2014 was $1.22 billion. The bookings figure is 10.4 percent higher than the final October 2014 level of $1.10 billion, and is 1.7 percent lower than the November 2013 order level of $1.24 billion.

The three-month average of worldwide billings in November 2014 was $1.19 billion. The billings figure is 0.5 percent higher than the final October 2014 level of $1.18 billion, and is 6.8 percent higher than the November 2013 billings level of $1.11 billion.

“”With the rise in bookings, the book-to-bill ratio climbed above parity in November,”” said SEMI president and CEO Denny McGuirk. “”2014 has been a solid growth year for the semiconductor equipment market, and we expect the foundry and memory sector to continue leading investments in 2015.””

The SEMI book-to-bill is a ratio of three-month moving averages of worldwide bookings and billings for North American-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers. Billings and bookings figures are in millions of U.S. dollars.

Billings
(3-mo. avg)

Bookings
(3-mo. avg)

Book-to-Bill
June 2014 

$1,327.5

$1,455.0

1.10
July 2014 

$1,319.1

$1,417.1

1.07
August 2014 

$1,293.4

$1,346.1

1.04
September 2014 

$1,256.5

$1,186.2

0.94
October 2014 (final)

$1,184.2

$1,102.3

0.93
November 2014 (prelim)

$1,189.8

$1,217.1

1.02

Source: SEMI, December 2014

Daintree Networks has been named by CIO Review Magazine as one of the ’50 Most Promising Internet of Things (IoT) Companies 2014.’ The list features the best vendors and consultants providing technologies and services related to IoT. In the same issue, Daintree Networks CEO Danny Yu was featured as the ‘Entrepreneur of the Month,’ which highlights his career path and leadership of Daintree Networks to becoming a prominent player in the Enterprise-IoT market and top provider of wireless mesh networking solutions for smart buildings.

A distinguished panel comprised of CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, and analysts including the CIO Review editorial board determined the list of top companies at the forefront of tackling challenges in the Internet of Things market in the U.S. “We are happy to showcase Daintree Networks as a top IoT company due to the success of its ControlScope solution in advancing the IoT landscape for commercial entities,” said Harvi Sachar, publisher and founder, CIO Review. “Daintree’s dedication to true open standards-based solutions continues to break down adoption barriers and provides significant cost advantages to its customers. We’re excited to have them on our top IoT companies list, and to feature Daintree’s leadership, CEO Danny Yu, as the ‘Entrepreneur of the Month.'”

“We are honored to be recognized by CIO Review Magazine as one of the top ’50 Most Promising IoT Companies for 2014,'” said Danny Yu, Daintree Networks CEO. “This distinction reinforces the success of our Enterprise Internet of Things,(E-IoT) approach, which leverages our true open standards-based solutions to provide cost-effective wireless mesh networking for smart buildings. In addition, as ‘Entrepreneur of the Month,’ I appreciate the recognition, but the credit goes to the dedicated, forward-thinking employees of the company who are driving our explosive growth.”

Silicon Image, a provider of multimedia connectivity solutions and services, announced that Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. has made a $7 million strategic investment in Silicon Image’s new subsidiary, Qterics, for a 7% ownership interest.

Qterics will be focused on enabling a wide variety of solutions and services for Internet-enabled consumer products including TVs, mobile handsets, tablets, routers, home automation devices, white goods and more. Qterics is comprised of the UpdateLogic services business combined with other related Silicon Image assets, including software and other intellectual property (IP). Current UpdateLogic General Manager, Kurt Thielen, will assume the role of President of Qterics.

“Qualcomm is committed to enabling technologies that support our ‘Internet of Everything’ initiatives. Our strategic investment in Qterics further promotes IoE advancements, including the development of solutions utilizing the AllJoyn open source software framework of the AllSeen Alliance for a truly interoperable Internet of Everything,” said Michael Wallace, SVP and General Manager, Qualcomm Internet Services.

In addition to the investment, Qualcomm and Silicon Image will explore opportunities to collaborate on promoting the AllJoyn open source software framework and developing new Internet of Everything (IoE) services.

“Qterics provides a unique offering for ‘Internet of Everything’ devices that has been largely overlooked by other players in the IoE space,” said Camillo Martino, chief executive officer of Silicon Image, Inc. “As the Internet of Everything grows, the task of providing device management services to these connected devices in a secure manner becomes exponentially more difficult. Qterics solves these challenges in a very elegant way by leveraging its highly scalable worldwide computing resources in the cloud.”

The vast expansion of Internet-enabled devices enables new applications and services, but only if the devices can be properly managed. UpdateLogic (now Qterics) is a leading provider of device management and remote access services already deployed in tens of millions of consumer electronics devices such as TVs, set-top-boxes, and tablets – which form a significant part of the Internet of Everything today.