Team Odisha Discusses State’s Tech Transformation in Silicon Valley Conclave

Palo Alto, July 27 : The Government of Odisha delegation held discussions with senior leadership of semiconductor companies and VC firms, attended a major deep-tech roundtable, and interacted with the youth of the Silicon Valley. 

In the first discussion of the day, the delegation met with Mr. Yin Chang, SVP, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE). ASE, one of the largest Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) providers globally and a primary architect of Heterogeneous Integration (HI) – the technology that integrates separately manufactured components into a higher-level assembly, has presence across East and Southeast Asia, including Taiwan, China, Japan, Malaysia, Korea, and Singapore. 

The delegation provided details of Odisha’s industrial ecosystem to the company team and highlighted the generous incentives that are on offer under different policies. Impressed by the potential of Odisha and by their interaction with the delegation, the company will submit a detailed proposal and send a team to Odisha for evaluation. 

The delegation today also attended a deep-tech roundtable where over 40 leading CEOs and CXOs representing a wide array of fields such as IT, Venture Capital, electronics and semiconductors, robotics, and AI/ML were present. These also included top executives from companies such as Meta, Google, Dell, Intel, Sony, Amazon AWS, Falcon X, and pioneering Silicon Valley startups. 

In an illuminating and insightful discussion, the delegation briefed the attendees on Odisha’s remarkable transformation across many sectors, its technological advancements, and successful integration of technology into governance. The attendees appreciated the efforts of Government of Odisha and offered their enthusiastic support in establishing a robust semiconductor and AI/ML ecosystem in the state. 

During a round of back-to-back focused meetings, the delegation met with Ms. Huma Abidi, General manager and Senior Director of AI Software Products & Engineering, Intel; Dr. Rado Danilak, CEO and Cofounder, Tachyum which is developing the world’s first universal processor; Mr. Babu Mandava, CEO, 3D Glass Solutions which makes supply chain components including antennas, baluns, filters, inductors, capacitors and couplers; Mr. BV Jagadeesh, Managing Partner, KAAJ Ventures, a firm specializing in early stage investment with technology companies; Dr. Shailesh Mehta, Co-founder, Granite Hill Capital Partners which invests in technology start-ups and India related opportunities; and Mr. Jack Gudej, President and CEO, Numem which develops memory chips and provides software soltions.

As a noteworthy commitment, Ms. Huma Abidi, exemplifying the spirit of partnership and social responsibility, offered her steadfast support to initiatives directed towards the education of rural and tribal girls through personalized AI and ML tutoring. 

At the end of these meetings, the delegation engaged with the youth of the Silicon Valley in an interactive session titled “The Metamorphic Odyssey of Odisha”.

During the session, the delegation highlighted Odisha’s remarkable transformation under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble CM Shri Naveen Patnaik. They shed light on advancements made across various sectors, including infrastructure, education, healthcare, tourism, and IT. 

The attendees, with many having Indian and Odia roots, were greatly enthused after hearing about Odisha’s truly metamorphic Odyssey. The session sparked conversations about potential collaborations and opportunities for the Silicon Valley youth to connect with their roots and contribute to Odisha’s vibrant growth story. The delegation was delighted to witness the deep commitment for the state among the diaspora. 

In another highlight of the day, the Silicon Power Group is all set to open a Rs 1,000 crore 150mm Silicon Carbide manufacturing facility in Odisha through its Indian subsidiary RiR Power Electronics. Many of the important advancements of today in power devices, photodetectors and waveguides are being enabled by silicon carbide (SiC) wafers at 150mm. 

The visit to Silicon Valley has strengthened the ties between Odisha and the global tech community, creating partnerships and collaborations that will further accelerate the state’s growth and augment its development journey.