Investments and innovation - Born in the USA

Good morning. Welcome back from the Thanksgiving holiday. In today’s SemiSlice, we’re talking US investments and innovation and the impact the stateside, semiconductor focus is impacting the world.

We’re thankful you’re with us for another week.

BORN IN THE USA
Investments and innovation stateside

• California's Inmigration Rates Hit a New Low: According to the US Census Bureau, California has the lowest inmigration ratio of all states, with only 11.1% in 2021-2022. This contrasts with Texas, which had the lowest outmigration rate at 11.7%. A significant population shift occurred, with many people moving from California to Texas, Arizona, Florida, resulting in a net loss of 340,000 residents for California. Read more »

• University of Dayton Receives Grant to Boost Semiconductor Training: The University of Dayton has been awarded a $390,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The funding will be used to upgrade its nanofabrication cleanroom, enhancing student training for semiconductor chip production jobs. This initiative aligns with Intel's $20 billion investment in Ohio, which is expected to create 3,000 high-tech jobs. Read more »

• Colorado's Semiconductor Industry Revival: The CHIPS and SCIENCE Act of 2022 is revitalizing Colorado's semiconductor industry. Colorado Springs and Fort Collins are becoming major hubs, with significant investments from companies like Microchip Technology and Apple. The state's educated workforce and strategic location make it an attractive destination for semiconductor manufacturing so expect more news from CO. Read more »

• Michigan's Semiconductor Sector Expands: Silbond Corp., a subsidiary of Evonik, is expanding in Michigan, supported by a $900,000 grant. This expansion will enhance its production capabilities. Read more »

• ACM Research Opens New Facility in Oregon ACM Research has inaugurated a new facility in Hillsboro, Oregon, including offices, warehouse space, and a cleanroom/demonstration lab. Read more »

INTERNATIONAL
Around the world updates

• Qualcomm's Major Expansion in Ireland: Qualcomm is expanding its Cork operations through QT Technologies Ireland. This move, supported by the Irish government, will create up to 150 specialized jobs over the next four years. The Cork teams will focus on automotive and computing. Read more »

• Samsung's New Future Business Planning Unit: Samsung Electronics has established a new unit, Future Business Planning, to identify and invest in future growth areas. The new unit will explore opportunities in biotechnology, AI, and automotive electronics. Read more »

• US CHIPS Act's Impact on Asian Semiconductor Industry: The US CHIPS Act, with the explicit aim to revive domestic semiconductor manufacturing, poses challenges to the Asian semiconductor industry. The Act, along with subsidy programs from other countries, raises concerns about a potential oversupply and changing supply chain dynamics, especially regarding China's involvement. Read more »

• AI Drives Growth in Semiconductor Industry: The semiconductor industry saw a revenue increase of 8.4% in Q3 2023, driven by AI demand. Companies like NVIDIA and SK Hynix recorded substantial growth and lead charge. This surge is reshaping the industry's landscape, highlighting the influence of AI on technological advancements. Read more »

• R&D Investments Shape Semiconductor Industry's Future: A recent article on Yahoo! Finance provided insights into the R&D spending of the top 12 semiconductor companies. It highlights the industry's response to the global semiconductor shortage and the strategic investments being made by leading companies like NVIDIA, QUALCOMM, and AMD. Read more »