BRIDG Monthly Newsletter

BRIDG Monthly Newsletter | January 2018

From the CEO

Overwhelming is the best way I know how to describe CES 2018. Our partners at Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) – the global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chain for the micro- and nano-electronics industries – offered us a last-minute opportunity to occupy a corner of their pavilion, and we responded with enthusiasm. With more than 3,900 exhibitors, including over 900 startups, all focused on bringing new electronic devices to the consumer market, this record-breaking show was clearly THE place to be.

With a display featuring BRIDG and highlighting a growing and aspiring NeoCity, we had the opportunity to tell our story to a global audience composed of next-generation electronics and sensors innovators in every vertical market imaginable. One of the most consistent responses we received was one of shock and surprise as we talked about the emerging microelectronics R&D-focused fab capability in Florida. That reaction is best exemplified by my final contact at CES with the 74-year-old cab driver who drove me to the airport.

With the chance to tell our story one last time, the seemingly uninterested driver rolled his eyes and posed a cynical question, “Yeah, but where are you going to actually build the devices?” As soon as I reiterated that the fab was in Florida, the driver spun completely around in his seat (a scary moment since we were not in one of the autonomous vehicles popular at the show) and began to thank me! The rest of the ride was filled with the story of how he came to America as a business executive more than 40 years ago because it was the heart of technology and innovation, and how disheartening it was (particularly in the semiconductor segment) that our country allowed the development of new microelectronic devices to move offshore… The fact that he now knew of at least one effort to recapture that capability to “bring it back home” put a smile on his face as he continued to express his appreciation throughout the remaining ride. His reaction was like many we encountered from innovators who stopped by our booth and learned that we have this capability here in Central Florida.

The BRIDG team and I are very honored to be part of bringing the tremendous vision that our founding visionaries had to life! We made numerous contacts and will spend time over the coming months following up with the most strategic and closely aligned subset of those potential customers. Join us as we continue the journey and help us spread the word that, yes, we do in fact have an emerging microelectronics capability right here in Osceola County, Florida.

Chester Kennedy

CEO

HOT OFF THE PRESS

BRIDG and Siemens to Announce Partnership on January 25

Please stay tuned as BRIDG joins our visionary stakeholders—Osceola County, the University of Central Florida, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council—to announce details on our newest industry partnership with global technology company Siemens to develop Digital Twin solutions for the semiconductor industry. We look forward to sharing more good news with you soon.

FACILITY UPDATE

Kissimmee Utility Authority:

The Right Utility Providing the Right Services at the Right Time

The Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) recently announced plans to build a substation that supports up to 200 megawatts of electrical load at NeoCity. The new infrastructure will be located within the 500-acre technology district and cost approximately $20 million. It will use state-of-the-art technology capable of providing transmission level voltage services (69kV) to not only BRIDG but all of NeoCity.

The substation will be expandable to provide up to six transmission lines and accommodate a 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line capable of increasing the overall station capacity. Additionally, it will have a ring bus configuration to accommodate circuit breaker maintenance while maintaining service and line protection.

KUA owns, operates and manages the municipal electric system established by the City of Kissimmee in 1901. Compared to other municipally-owned electric utilities, KUA is the sixth largest utility in Florida and employs around 300 individuals who serve approximately 72,000 customers within the surrounding areas.

BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Kumar Patel

BRIDG is honored to have an esteemed group of individuals serving as advisors on our various boards. As we start off the new year, we look forward to introducing our members to you, starting with the Chief Technology Fellow of BRIDG's Technical Advisory Board, Dr. Kumar Patel.

Dr. Kumar Patel is the Founder, President and CEO of Pranalytica, a company specializing in high power Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) and applications. Pranalytica is the world leading designer and manufacturer of high power midwave infrared and longwave infrared QCLs for defense, homeland security, and commercial applications and sensor systems.

As inventor of the carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and Spin-Flip Raman lasers, Dr. Patel pioneered the use of these and other lasers to measure trace gases in difficult environments. He spent thirty-two years at AT&T (now Lucent Technologies) Bell Laboratories as Executive Director of the Physics Division and the Materials Research Division, and under his leadership, the company produced some of the most critical technologies for optical communications, including invention of the QCL.

Dr. Patel was elected to the National Academy of Science in 1974 and the National Academy of Engineering in 1978. In recognition of the CO2 laser's importance to the medical field, he was elected as an Honorary Member of the Gynecologic Laser Surgery Society in 1980. In 1985, he became an Honorary Member of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. In addition, he is a 1996 recipient of the National Medal of Science and was inducted into the US National Inventors’ Hall of Fame inducted in 2012.

Dr. Patel recently joined UCF CREOL as a part-time faculty member and earned the honor of University Distinguished Professor. His duties will include interacting with faculty members and students on research in the area of QCLs.

RECENT EVENTS / OTHER NEWS

Consumer Electronics Showcase (CES) 2018

Thanks to SEMI , BRIDG had the opportunity to participate as an exhibitor in SEMI’s Pavilion at CES this month. As one of the most important and influential technology events in the world, CES provides a significant platform to interact with companies involved in smart devices connected to the Internet of Things. We appreciate having opportunities to form relationships and build brand awareness leveraged through partnerships with organizations such as SEMI.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Government Microcircuit Applications & Critical Technology Conference (GOMACTech) – March 12-15, 2018

BRIDG will be participating as an exhibitor at GOMACTech . Established in 1968, the conference focuses on advances in systems being developed by the Department of Defense and other government agencies and has been used to announce major government microelectronics initiatives. If attending, please visit us at Booth #714. The BRIDG team will also be presenting a poster during the Power Electronics and Emerging Power Technologies Poster Session held at GOMACTech on March 15 from 10:30am-12:00pm in the Riverfront Exhibition Hall.

BRIDG is located at NeoCity in Osceola County, Florida.