The semiconductors industry global supply chain is undergoing major transformations due to several recent and current events such as the COVID pandemic, the US-China technology trade war, and the Ukrainian war. As a result, several important dynamics have emerged and may prove highly valuable in enabling countries of the MENA region to put themselves on the map of this industry if such countries manage to act fast and smart. Indeed, the world is moving from a globalization model that has prevailed for decades to a model where manufacturing is more regional and distributed. Many players are starting to establish regional manufacturing facilities in contrast to depending on the Far East and specifically China as the World’s major manufacturer of electronics. This is driven by geopolitical reasons as well as security of supply chain and avoiding its disruption as has been the case in recent years. In addition, one important reason to move manufacturing facilities to regions closer to big markets is to minimize the cost of transportation and its negative impact on the environment. On the design side, many global players are looking for talent around the world to augment their resources and their ability to develop and produce new products in time. Such global companies will establish Offshore Design Centers (ODCs) wherever they find critical mass of talent that they can tap into.

Egypt has made significant strides in developing its semiconductor industry in the last two decades and this has been recognized by the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) by launching a local Chapter of the GSA in Egypt in June 2022. This talk will present the Egyptian semiconductor ecosystem, how this industry emerged in Egypt and its strategy for the future. The talk will also present a holistic approach for accelerating the development of this industry in the whole MENA region in an integrative and collaborative manner.

Being a technological backbone of digitization Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) is conducting research in the areas of Microsystems, Sensor Systems, Power Electronics, Intelligent Wireless Systems and Embedded Systems. Key industry players, science and research are brought together by SAL for significant expertise and know-how. The Microsystems and Sensor Divisions at SAL are committed to the development of beyond state-of-the-art tech­no­lo­gies for novel micro-elec­tro­me­cha­nical systems (MEMS) and sensor devices. The core competences and interdisciplinary skills of SAL employees expand the boundaries of current technologies contributing to innovation and groundbreaking ideas. Close colla­bo­ra­tion with our indus­trial and scien­tific part­ners has a great impact on the creation of cutting-edge tech­no­logy from design and proof-of-concept to product proto­types.

Power conversion systems are all around us and they are responsible, for example, for converting the AC power coming from the grid to a continuous power (DC) to charge-up batteries. Or, they convert high voltage DC (e.g. 48V) to a low voltage DC (e.g. 5V or 1V) needed to run electronics.

Any power conversion needs to be performed effectively so energy (and thus money) is not wasted in heat.

GaN-based power transistors have proven to outperform standard Si-based transistors in both AC-DC and DC-DC applications thus representing the next generation of power switching devices. GaN-based power conversion systems are more efficient, more compact and lighter than to what is possible with traditional Silicon devices.

The GaN’s power device market is booming and yet we believe that their penetration was so far limited due to a restricted supply of GaN device production at a competitive price point and in mass volume.

In this talk, we will present Innoscience’s 8-inch GaN-on-Si e-mode technology and how we tackled the two points above by building up two large 8-inch fabs fully dedicated to the (mass) production of GaN-on-Si power devices.

We will also discuss that to bring GaN power devices into mainstream high-volume end-products, including mobile phones, only a true integrated device manufacturer with high volume 8-inch internal manufacturing fully focused on GaN is necessary.

We will conclude the talk by giving an overview of applications where Innoscience’s GaN devices (InnoGaNTM) have been used and the benefit of using InnoGaNTM transistors instead of traditional Silicon devices.

Constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV), step-charging, and DC charging are common methods for charging lithium-ion batteries, but result in damage to the batteries, lowering cycle life and charge speed. Much of this damage occurs due to non-uniform current density on the electrode surfaces, which causes electrolyte degradation, dendrites, and lithium plating. Therefore, there is a need for innovation in battery charging methods to address the limitations of existing charge technologies. New charging algorithms that adjust charging to maintain maximum current uniformity can provide much faster charging of batteries while simultaneous extending battery cycle life.

This presentation will provide conclusive electrochemical data showing how Iontra achieves double the charge speed and double the cycle life on today’s commercial cells with their proprietary, scalable charging technology that is implemented on charge control MCUs. Iontra has spent the past few years in stealth mode understanding how batteries want to be charged, then providing them with charging that results in minimal degradation, maximum cell health, faster charging, longer life, and lower temperature charging. Iontra is fresh off the back of a $38M Series B and moving toward further capital raises to support expansion of their technology for various industries including consumer electronics and electric vehicles.

ASPEED’s unique and patented image stitching algorithm, integrated on-chip, generates high-quality panoramic images in under 10ms. Besides, VIZZIO create 3D models of cities from aerial to indoor views using 2D satellite images and a patented deep learning AI pipeline, without the need for drones or complex surveying methods. We can model any city worldwide anytime, anywhere. We create real-time LIVE 3D digital twins of any physical place by combining ASPEED’s and VIZZIO’s special technologies.

The integration of these fusion technologies will lead to numerous innovative applications. The application of these technologies can also enhance the efficiency of government services through the provision of accurate information and faster service delivery. For instance, the government will have a comprehensive 3D models of all cities, enabling them to protect citizens more effectively. The affordability of these technologies will facilitate greater accessibility to immersive experiences of the cultures of GCC countries for a larger global audience, and enhance remote education by delivering a more interactive and superior learning experience compared to in-person education. Furthermore, the use of live and immersive real estate tours will provide busy, high net-worth global buyers with the ability to view properties and make informed bids in a streamlined and efficient manner.

Semiconductors are the backbone of modern electronics and have unique electrical properties that allow for the regulation of electricity flow, enabling the creation of sophisticated devices such as computer chips, transistors, and diodes. They are critical in shaping our digital world and driving technological advancements, from AI and IoT to autonomous vehicles and renewable energy. The semiconductor industry ecosystem is complex and involves chip manufacturers, equipment suppliers, material providers, design and software companies, with a constant need for innovation and R&D investments. The industry is highly competitive with major players vying for market share and technological dominance, yet the global semiconductor market continues to grow driven by increasing demand for electronics and the growth of the technology industry. The semiconductor industry is on track to go from a 500-billion-dollar industry to a trillion-dollar industry by 2030 or sooner, further emphasizing its importance and impact on the global economy.

The cutting-edge technology developed by ATLANT 3D revolutionizes the electronics, optics, and photonics industries through atomic-scale advanced manufacturing. ATLANT 3D develops the technology equipment, processes, and services and a new business model to enable innovation of new advanced electronics and functional applications without geographical restrictions and through the whole value chain from lab to fab. ATLANT 3D model of advanced manufacturing hubs – A- Hubs – will create a novel network-centric innovation ecosystem with a goal to speed up the development of critical micro and nanosolutions with faster go-to-market and simple or even impossible previous functionality. Vertical-oriented The vertical or geographically oriented A-Hub model can speed up innovation and create strong economic growth, or the geographically oriented A-Hub model can speed up innovation and create strong economic growth nevertheless of global reality.

The compact camera module (CCM) industry has a 35+ billion-dollar market size with close to 10% annual growth rate. Despite significant advances in the CCM for smartphones and digital cameras, including CMOS Image Sensor and lens manufacturing technologies, the opto-mechanics in the CCM is still based on the 150 year old voice coil motor (VCM) technology. The undesirable form-factor, high power consumption, low speed, low accuracy, and magnetic susceptibility of the VCM present bottlenecks for further advancement of the CCM. This presents an opportunity for the silicon-based MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) and micromanufacturing technologies to offer a more efficient, compact, and higher performing alternative solution with a multi-billion-dollar potential market.

In this talk a brief overview of the state of the CCM industry is presented followed by a discussion of the electromechanical aspects of the inner workings of a camera module. Emerging new technologies and companies developing such are introduced and challenges and opportunities for manufacturing such new MEMS products are discussed.

Plasma-Therm is a global manufacturer of advanced plasma processing equipment. Its tools and processes are used to support manufacturing needs in etch, deposition, rapid thermal processing, and plasma dicing technologies. The company serves the semiconductor and compound semiconductor industries in developing solutions for the wireless, power device, MEMS, photonics, advanced packaging, and data storage markets. With locations in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, Plasma-Therm meets the diverse needs of its customers with exceptional customer service.