SILICON VALLEY, Calif. and MALTA, N.Y., September 9, 2024 – GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF) and Silicon Catalyst, the world’s only incubator + accelerator focused exclusively on semiconductor solutions, today announced that GF has joined the incubator’s semiconductor startup ecosystem as a Strategic Partner and an In-Kind Partner (IKP). The partnership will provide innovative startups with access to GF’s differentiated platforms to speed the development and commercialization of next generation IoT, automotive and generative AI applications while anticipating future growth markets such as medical and quantum compute.
As a Strategic Partner, GF will work closely with Silicon Catalyst to recruit, evaluate and select early-stage startups seeking to participate in their program. As a member of the IKP ecosystem, GF will provide access to PDKs, MPWs, Foundation IP, and Reference Designs to accelerate time to market for approved, early-stage companies on GF’s 22FDX®, Silicon Photonics, and Gallium Nitride (GaN) platforms.
“Our long-standing partnership with GlobalFoundries has been instrumental in bringing our groundbreaking optical I/O solution to market,” said Mark Wade, CEO and Co-Founder at Ayar Labs, a Silicon Catalyst alumnus. “Collaborating with programs like Silicon Catalyst, combined with access to GlobalFoundries’ platforms, enables companies like Ayar Labs to focus on what we do best – pushing the boundaries of AI infrastructure to handle the growing size and complexity of AI models.”
“GlobalFoundries’ market leading differentiated essential chip technologies are rooted in innovation and collaboration,” said Gregg Bartlett, chief technology officer at GF. “By partnering with Silicon Catalyst, we will work with early-stage start-ups, giving us a first-hand view into emerging innovations, to push the boundaries of our differentiated technologies and deliver customized solutions that will give these companies a competitive edge as they go to market.”
“GlobalFoundries is committed to driving innovation and delivering differentiated technology solutions to their customers. We are delighted to have them join the Silicon Catalyst ecosystem,” said Pete Rodriguez, CEO at Silicon Catalyst. “Our partnership provides startups a unique opportunity to engage with GF and gain access to their differentiated, cost-effective solutions. This valuable collaboration promises to fuel a new cycle of semiconductor innovation, while helping new companies address the challenges in moving from idea to realization.”
Silicon Catalyst’s ecosystem includes over 350 semiconductor industry advisors, 14 Strategic Partners, seventy In-Kind Partners, an extensive investor network, and strong connections to major domestic and international academic institutions. The collaboration will provide GF access to deep and broad semiconductor industry insight.
Join the Silicon Catalyst team at the AI Hardware and Edge AI Summit, September 9 – 12 in San Jose, California, where three of Silicon Catalyst Portfolio Company CEO’s will be presenting during the technical sessions. Attendees are invited to visit the Silicon Catalyst booth at the AI Innovation exhibition area to learn more about the GF and Silicon Catalyst partnership and how it will enable semiconductor startups to build foundational solutions that support transformative sectors like AI, quantum compute, auto, and IoT.
About GF
GlobalFoundries (GF) is one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers. GF is redefining innovation and semiconductor manufacturing by developing and delivering feature-rich process technology solutions that provide leadership performance in pervasive high growth markets. GF offers a unique mix of design, development, and fabrication services. With a talented and diverse workforce and an at-scale manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GF is a trusted technology source to its worldwide customers. For more information, visit www.gf.com.
About Silicon Catalyst
“it’s about what’s next®”
Silicon Catalyst is the only incubator + accelerator focused on the Global Semiconductor Industry including Chips, Chiplets, Materials, IP and Silicon fabrication based Photonics, MEMS, Sensors, Life Science and Quantum. More than 1,200 startup companies worldwide have engaged with Silicon Catalyst and the company has admitted over 100 exciting companies. With a world-class network of mentors to advise startups, Silicon Catalyst is helping new semiconductor companies address the challenges in moving from idea to realization. The incubator + accelerator supplies startups with access to design tools, silicon devices, networking, and a path to funding, banking and marketing acumen to successfully launch and grow their company’s novel technology solutions. Over the past nine years, the Silicon Catalyst model has been proven to dramatically accelerate a startup’s trajectory while at the same time de-risking the equation for investors.
The Silicon Catalyst Angels was established in July 2019 as a separate organization to provide access to seed and Series A funding for Silicon Catalyst Portfolio Companies. SiliconCatalyst.UK, a subsidiary of Silicon Catalyst, was selected by the UK government to manage ChipStart UK, an early-stage semiconductor incubator funded by the UK government.
In February of this year, Silicon Catalyst Ventures (SCV) was launched to fund early-stage startups accepted into the incubator’s two year program. SCV has already made ten investments in Silicon Catalyst Portfolio Companies.
More information is available at www.siliconcatalyst.com, www.siliconcatalystangels.com, www.siliconcatalyst.uk, and www.sicatalystvc.com.
