Press Releases

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., June 1, 2017 – SkyWater Technology Foundry announced that it has promoted Gregg Damminga to Vice President of Foundry Services. In his expanded role, Damminga will oversee the planning, production control and industrial engineering for all the company’s foundry customers.

Following the March 2017 acquisition of the Cypress Semiconductor Corp.’s 200mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Minn. by SkyWater, Damminga continued on to serve as Director of Foundry Engineering. In the role he held since 2006, Damminga and his team were responsible for developing novel silicon-based semiconductor, MEMs, superconducting and photonics processes for Cypress customers. Additionally, he was a  principal driver behind the formation and expansion of the Cypress’ Specialty Foundry Business Unit — a key business growth area for the newly-formed SkyWater.

“The facilities’ specialty foundry capabilities are one of the key differentiators for SkyWater and offer a critical service for any company bringing new and innovative products to market,” said SkyWater CEO Gary Obermiller. “Gregg’s expertise and intimate knowledge of the facility and our team’s capabilities will be instrumental in growing our customer engagements and advancing the ‘Technology Foundry’ concept.”

According to Damminga, the concept of a Technology Foundry simplifies the realization of complex products by helping customers design, build, and scale wafer-based products leveraging the automation and sophistication of a full-scale semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.

“The Technology Foundry concept is an exciting prospect and uniquely positions SkyWater to assist innovators bringing new products to market,” said Damminga. “In my new role, I embrace the prospect of bringing this concept and its promise of faster time-to-market to fruition for our customers in the Internet of Things, medical, photonics and superconducting industries.” A semiconductor chip veteran, Damminga has more than 30 years of experience within the industry. During his career, he has held individual contributor and management positions in Process Engineering and Development, Equipment Maintenance, Manufacturing, Planning and Production Control, Purchasing, Human Resources, and Training. He began his career at Texas Instruments before working at STMicroelectronics and TSMC before joining Cypress Semiconductor in 2006.

Damminga holds MS and BS degrees with highest distinction in Materials Science from Northwestern University. While at Northwestern, Damminga was a two year starter for the Wildcat football team and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. A resident of Eagan, Minn., Damminga is also the co-owner with his wife Debbie of Twin Cites Barbell, a private gym specializing in Powerlifting.

About SkyWater Technology Foundry

SkyWater is a U.S.-based technology foundry specializing in the development and manufacturing of a wide variety of semiconductor based solutions. As a globally recognized, DMEA accredited Trusted facility with advanced development capabilities co-located with volume production, SkyWater has the ability and flexibility to innovate to any scale with a wide array of special materials. Our roots go back to the pioneers of computing technology and as such SkyWater offers what most foundries cannot: decades of technology innovation experience. Reach out to see how SkyWater can help revolutionize your product. To learn more, visit www.skywatertechnologyfoundry.com.

SkyWater Company Contact: Ross Miller | 952.851.5063 | ross.miller@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

BLOOMINGTON, MINN. (May 1, 2017) – SkyWater Technology Foundry announced that it has expanded its sales team with the addition of Paul Chopelas as Senior Director of Sales. In his role with the U.S.-based technology foundry specializing in the development and manufacturing of semiconductor-based solutions, Chopelas will be responsible for managing SkyWater’s relationships with new and existing customers.

Formed following the March 2017 acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor Corp’s 200mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Minn., SkyWater is uniquely positioned to support government and private new product development. As the most-advanced DMEA-trusted, independent U.S.-based and owned semiconductor foundry currently in operation, Skywater is ideally situated to assist innovators in IoT, medical, photonics, and superconducting applications bring new products to market.

A 30-year veteran of the semiconductor and software industry with a long history of leveraging commercial innovations for government and military customers, Chopelas has a proven record of managing and developing customer relationships as well as the expertise necessary to help customers solve their system engineering challenges using SkyWater’s advanced technologies and capabilities. Chopelas will report to Michael Moore, executive vice president of Sales and Marketing.

“SkyWater is unique in our ability to continue to support Cypress customers while building new opportunities in other industries, businesses and markets, it is truly an exciting opportunity we have in front of us.” said Moore. “Paul’s expertise and the relationships he has built during his 30-years in the industry are going to be tremendously valuable as we forge the future for SkyWater.”

Throughout his career, Chopelas has held various sales roles with some of the semiconductor industry’s most recognized companies including Cypress Semiconductor, California Cobham Semiconductor Solutions (formerly Aeroflex), Mercury Systems, Inc., Achronix Semiconductor, AGTEK Development, Bay Microsystems and Actel Corporation (now Microsemi). Most recently, Chopelas was Vice President of Development for the start-up Nebbiolo Technologies in Milpitas, Calif. In this role, he led the go-to-market strategy and aggressive growth plan for a company and was responsible for building the sales channel and developing strategic ecosystem partnerships.

Chopelas studied Computer Science from the University of California – Santa Barbara and has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from California State University – Long Beach.

About SkyWater Technology Foundry

SkyWater is a U.S.-based technology foundry specializing in the development and manufacturing of a wide variety of semiconductor-based solutions. As a globally recognized, DMEA-trusted facility with advanced development capabilities co-located with volume production, SkyWater has the ability and flexibility to innovate to any scale with a wide array of special materials. Our roots go back to the pioneers of computing technology and as such SkyWater offers what most foundries cannot: decades of technology innovation experience. Reach out to see how SkyWater can help revolutionize your product. To learn more, visit www.skywatertechnologyfoundry.com.

SkyWater Company Contact: Ross Miller | 952.851.5063 | ross.miller@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

Dr. Scott Nelson shares perspective on “IoT from beyond the Edge”

BLOOMINGTON, MINN. (April 19, 2017) – SkyWater Technology Foundry announced that its Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Scott Nelson, will be a featured presenter at the annual IoTFuse Conference (#iotfuse17). Held on April 21, 2017 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, IoTFuse is the largest community-run conference dedicated to the Internet of Things technology space.

In his presentation entitled “The View of the IoT from Beyond the Edge,” Nelson will share what the IoT looks like from the viewpoint of a semiconductor manufacturer and how that perspective can shape how solution developers today can leverage chip-level design for competitive advantage. He will also discuss how this point of view shaped the foundation for the concept of a Technology Foundry.

“While users and the cloud seem far away from the fab, the demand for data from things at the edge continues to grow which in turn drives the demand for semiconductors,” explains Nelson. “But Moore’s Law no longer dictates the path of technology roadmaps for the IoT and a new perspective working directly with solution developers is needed. A perspective that looks beyond the presumption that hardware is a commodity to the possibility that custom ICs are not only within reach but can be a critical strategic advantage solving vertical market challenges. This is where the concept of a Technology Foundry comes into play.”

According to Nelson, the concept of a Technology Foundry simplifies the realization of complex products by helping customers design, build, and scale semiconductor wafer-based technologies to full-scale manufacturing.

“In practice, the concept leverages the wealth of microelectronic fabrication technology created over the last fifty years to more rapidly develop new technologies including silicon photonics, DNA sequencing micro-fluidics, MEMs, and superconducting devices,” explains Nelson.

About Dr. Scott Nelson

As Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, Dr. Scott Nelson is responsible for leveraging SkyWater Technology Foundry’s technology expertise and offerings across a wide range of markets with a focus on IoT connected solutions, medical, superconducting, and silicon photonic devices. Scott has more than 25 years of experience leading technology and product development. Prior to joining SkyWater Technology Foundry, Scott worked for Logic PD, 3M and Honeywell. Nelson is a sought-after speaker and contributor on topics related to IoT. He holds a Ph.D. in applied and engineering physics from Cornell University, a doctoral minor in business administration from the Samuel Johnson School of Management at Cornell University, and a B.A. degree in physics and mathematics from St. Olaf College.

About IoTFuse

IoTFuse is a professional network of makers, innovators, and business leaders in the Internet of Things space. Based in Minneapolis, IoTFuse is the largest group of its kind in the United States. IoTFuse organizes the annual IoTFuse conference as well as monthly “user group” style meetings and a yearly IoT makeathon in October. To learn more about IoTFuse or to check out our calendar of events, visit www.iotfuse.com.

About SkyWater Technology Foundry

SkyWater is a U.S.-based technology foundry specializing in the development and manufacturing of a wide variety of semiconductor based solutions. As a globally recognized, DMEA-trusted facility with advanced development capabilities co-located with volume production, SkyWater has the ability and flexibility to innovate to any scale with a wide array of special materials. Our roots go back to the pioneers of computing technology and as such SkyWater offers what most foundries cannot: decades of technology innovation experience. Reach out to see how SkyWater can help revolutionize your product. To learn more, visit www.skywatertechnologyfoundry.com.

SkyWater Company Contact: Ross Miller | 952.851.5063 | ross.miller@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

Carrying forward Minnesota’s high-tech legacy, SkyWater Technology Foundry keeps 400 manufacturing jobs in the Twin Cities

BLOOMINGTON, MINN. (March 27, 2017) – SkyWater Technology Foundry has acquired Cypress Minnesota Inc., a 200mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Minn. from Cypress Semiconductor Corp. With funding from Oxbow Industries, a Minnesota based private equity firm and diversified holding company, the acquisition ensures the manufacturing facilities’ future and keeps 400 high-tech manufacturing jobs in Minnesota.

As part of the acquisition, the company will continue to manufacture wafers for Cypress under a multi-year supply agreement as well as provide engineering and manufacturing services for a wide range of global technology customers, including the U.S. government. As a result, production at the facility will remain uninterrupted and there will be no loss of jobs. Additionally, SkyWater is transitioning contract workers into full-time positions.

Uniquely positioned within the marketplace to support government and private new product development, SkyWater is the most-advanced DMEA-trusted , independent U.S.-based and owned semiconductor foundry currently in operation. Ideally situated to assist innovators in IoT, medical, photonics, and superconducting applications bring new products to market, SkyWater has the in-house expertise and production capabilities to develop to any scale with a wide array of special materials.

“With annual demand expected to exceed 5.4M wafers by 2019ii, companies are scrambling to build or add 200mm capacity to capitalize on demand generated by mobile and IoT technology,” said Dr. Scott Nelson, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President at SkyWater Technology Foundry. “At SkyWater we already have production online. Plus we offer what most foundries can’t – decades of technology innovation experience. With this acquisition, our employees have the opportunity to help this new technology foundry thrive and continue the tradition of quality U.S.-based manufacturing.”

Originally commissioned by Control Data Corporation in the 1980s, the facility has been a cornerstone of Minnesota’s high-tech community and under SkyWater will continue forward its legacy of innovation.

“SkyWater is unique in our ability to continue to support Cypress customers while building new opportunities for other industries, businesses and markets,” said Michael Moore, Executive VP of Sales and Marketing at SkyWater Technology Foundry. “It is an exciting opportunity we have in front of us.”

About SkyWater Technology Foundry

SkyWater is a U.S.-based technology foundry specializing in the development and manufacturing of a wide variety of semiconductor based solutions. As a globally recognized, DMEA-trusted facility with advanced development capabilities co-located with volume production, SkyWater has the ability and flexibility to innovate to any scale with a wide array of special materials. Our roots go back to the pioneers of computing technology and as such SkyWater offers what most foundries cannot: decades of technology innovation experience. Reach out to see how SkyWater can help revolutionize your product. To learn more, visit www.skywatertechnologyfoundry.com.

SkyWater Company Contact: Ross Miller | 952.851.5063 | ross.miller@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

MINNEAPOLIS, March 20, 2017 – SkyWater Technology Foundry today announced that its productionscale microelectronics wafer fabrication facility in Bloomington, Minnesota has been Accredited by the  Defense Microelectronics Activity, a branch of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) as a Category 1A  Trusted Foundry.

This accreditation enables SkyWater Technology Foundry to provide wafer fabrication, design, wafer  test, and broker services as a Trusted Supplier.

“The fact that this was accomplished within two weeks of the birth of the company demonstrates the  priority SkyWater Technology Foundry has put on this Accreditation and in serving the needs of the  DoD,” said Michael Moore, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This Accreditation  validates our security posture and it demonstrates the continued commitment of this site to serving the  microelectronics needs of the U.S. DoD.”

The business plan for SkyWater Technology Foundry incorporates the ability to address the growing call for U.S.-owned and U.S.-based suppliers of microelectronics at a time when more and more of the microelectronics supply chain is migrating to China and other Far East countries.

“SkyWater Technology Foundry plans to expand engagements with the U.S. DoD generally, and in particular is poised to meet the requirements of DoD Instruction 5200.44 which requires fabrication of mission-critical custom microelectronics components in a Trusted facility,” he said.  For more information about SkyWater Technology Foundry and to request information regarding foundry services, please contact Michael Moore at michael.moore@skywaterfoundry.com.

About SkyWater Technology Foundry

SkyWater Technology Foundry is a U.S.-based technology foundry specializing in the development and manufacturing of a wide variety of semiconductor based solutions. As a globally recognized, DMEA trusted facility with advanced development capabilities co-located with volume production, SkyWater  Technology Foundry has the ability and flexibility to innovate to any scale with a wide array of special materials. Our roots go back to the pioneers of computing technology and as such SkyWater Technology  Foundry offers what most foundries cannot: decades of technology innovation experience. Reach out to see how SkyWater Technology Foundry can help revolutionize your product.

SkyWater Company Contact: Ross Miller | 952.851.5063 | ross.miller@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com