SemiUS (now Natcast) Announced as Future Operator of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC)

November 8, 2023

The Board of Trustees is excited to announce the incorporation of a new nonprofit entity, named Natcast, to operate the future research and development consortium known as the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC). The NSTC is a key part of CHIPS for America’s research and development program established at the Department of Commerce through the CHIPS and Science Act to secure and extend U.S. technological leadership into the 21st century.

The NSTC will be a public-private consortium authorized and funded through the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to serve as the focal point for research and engineering throughout the semiconductor ecosystem, advancing and enabling disruptive innovation to provide U.S. leadership in the industries of the future. Natcast will work closely in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce and other agencies to develop and implement a wide variety of programs to fulfill the mission of the NSTC consortium.  More information on the Department of Commerce’s vision and strategy for the NSTC can be found here: CHIPS for America: A Vision and Strategy for the National Semiconductor Technology Center (nist.gov).

Early planned activities at Natcast will include hiring a Chief Executive Officer and an executive team, establishing a membership structure for the consortium, and developing a timeline for the sequencing of program activities, which are expected to commence in 2024.

“Natcast is a purpose-built entity that intends to build a world-class team who can execute the strong vision of a new center for semiconductor innovation in the United States,” said Jim Plummer, board chair and the John M. Fluke Professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University.  “The new trustees are excited to get started.”

“CHIPS for America is pleased to see such quick movement by the Natcast Trustees to incorporate a nonprofit organization and start operations,” said Lora Weiss, director of CHIPS for America’s Research and Development Office.  “We look forward to partnering with this outstanding team to build and operate a new research, development, and innovation resource for the nation.”