News: Microelectronics
11 September 2020
Navitas gains Lip-Bu Tan as advisor and investor
Navitas Semiconductor Inc of El Segundo, CA, USA says that Lip-Bu Tan, founder & chairman of Walden International, founding managing partner of WRVI Capital, and CEO of Cadence Design Systems Inc, has joined it as a strategic advisor and investor.
Founded in 2014, Navitas introduced what it claimed to be the first commercial gallium nitride (GaN) power ICs. The firm says that its GaNFast power ICs integrate GaN power field-effect transistors (FETs) with drive, control and protection circuits to enable 3x faster charging in half the size and weight. Tier-1 OEMs including Lenovo, Xiaomi, OPPO and NVIDIA have adopted GaNFast power ICs for their next-generation smartphone, tablet and laptop chargers.
“Lip-Bu is a pioneer in technology investment, with rich experience and an impressive track record of investing in, supporting and helping semiconductor companies navigate and create extraordinary growth and market leadership,” comments Navitas’ CEO Gene Sheridan. “His deep industry influence, insights and connections will accelerate Navitas’ market and financial success,” he believes.
“Navitas is the leader in the fast-charging GaN power semiconductor field,” comments Tan.
Tan currently serves on the boards of directors of Cadence, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Schneider Electric and SoftBank Group. He serves on the board of trustees and the School of Engineering Dean’s council at Carnegie Mellon University, is a member of the College of Engineering advisory board at University of California Berkeley, the board of Global Semiconductor Alliance, and a member of The Business Council and Committee 100. He is the recipient of the 2016 GSA Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award.
Tan gained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics at Nanyang Technical University in Singapore in 1978, followed by a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering at MIT in 1981, then a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco in 1983.
