Awards
GSA recognizes semiconductor companies that have demonstrated excellence
through their success, vision, strategy and future opportunities in the
industry at its Awards Dinner Celebration. It is an honor to be selected
as a nominee and an even more distinguished achievement to win a GSA Award!
Click here to view Past Winners.
Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award
GSA is pleased to announce Dr. John Hennessy, president of Stanford University, as the 2010 Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award recipient. Dr. Hennessy is one of the leading pioneers and innovators in computer architecture during the last 25 years. In the early 1980s, Dr. Hennessy led research teams focused on RISC-based computing. RISC-based CPU cores have also been instrumental in enabling fabless semiconductor companies to provide feature-rich products using single and multiple embedded CPU cores in ever increasingly complex System-on-Chips (SOCs).
John L. Hennessy joined Stanford’s faculty in 1977 as an assistant professor of electrical engineering. He rose through the academic ranks to full professorship in 1986 and was the inaugural Willard R. and Inez Kerr Bell Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from 1987 to 2004. From 1983 to 1993, Dr. Hennessy was director of the Computer Systems Laboratory, a research and teaching center operated by the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science that fosters research in computer systems design. He served as chair of computer science from 1994 to 1996 and, in 1996, was named dean of the School of Engineering. As dean, he launched a five-year plan that laid the groundwork for new activities in bioengineering and biomedical engineering. In 1999, he was named provost, the university’s chief academic and financial officer. As provost, he continued his efforts to foster interdisciplinary activities in the biosciences and bioengineering and oversaw improvements in faculty and staff compensation. In October 2000, he was inaugurated as Stanford University’s 10th president. In 2005, he became the inaugural holder of the Bing Presidential Professorship.
A pioneer in computer architecture, in 1981 Dr. Hennessy drew together researchers to focus on a computer architecture known as RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer), a technology that has revolutionized the computer industry by increasing performance while reducing costs. In addition to his role in the basic research, Dr. Hennessy helped transfer this technology to industry. In 1984, he cofounded MIPS Computer Systems, now MIPS Technologies, which designs microprocessors. In recent years, his research has focused on the architecture of high-performance computers.
Dr. Hennessy is a recipient of the 2000 IEEE John von Neumann Medal, the 2000 ASEE Benjamin Garver Lamme Award, the 2001 ACM Eckert-Mauchly Award, the 2001 Seymour Cray Computer Engineering Award, a 2004 NEC C&C Prize for lifetime achievement in computer science and engineering and a 2005 Founders Award from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Sciences, and he is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Association for Computing Machinery, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
He has lectured and published widely and is the co-author of two internationally used undergraduate and graduate textbooks on computer architecture design. Dr. Hennessy earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Villanova University and his master’s and doctoral degrees in computer science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Private Company Awards
Outstanding Revenue Growth by Private Semiconductor Company Award
The top five private semiconductor companies (in terms of growth percentage)
that doubled revenue over eight consecutive quarters, may be eligible to receive
an award for their outstanding financial performance. Due to confidentiality,
private companies submitted their ballots directly to a designated consulting
firm to determine which companies doubled revenue. GSA does not receive a copy
of financial data within submissions. Up to five companies are eligible to
receive this award.
Criteria:
- Company must be a semiconductor company* (Fabless or IDM).
- Company must be private held.
- Company must be generating $2 million revenue in quarter ending Sept. 2008.
Winners:
- Apexone Microelectronics
- Fulcrum Microsystems, Inc.
Start-Up to Watch Award
The GSA Start-Up to Watch Awards Committee, which is comprised of members of
the Emerging CEO Council, venture capitalists and select serial entrepreneurs in
the industry, selects the winner of the Start-Up To Watch award by identifying
the semiconductor company that demonstrates the potential to positively change
its market or the semiconductor industry in general through the innovative use
of semiconductor technology or a new application for semiconductor technology.
Criteria:
- Company must be a semiconductor company (Fabless or IDM).
- Company must have introduced its first product within the last 3.5 years
(between January 1, 2007 and June 30, 2010).
- Company must have demonstrated initial market success by achieving a minimum
of $5 million of cumulative product revenue (i.e., cumulative product revenue
since market introduction).
Nominees:
- CHil Semiconductor, Inc.
- Netronome
- Parade Technologies, Ltd.
- SandForce, Inc. - winner*
- SiliconBlue Technologies Corporation
Most Respected Private Semiconductor Company Award
The industry's Most Respected Private Semiconductor Company award is designed to
identify the private company garnering the most respect of the industry in terms of
its products, vision and future opportunity. GSA's Awards Committee reviews all private
semiconductor companies, and the selected nominees and winner are based on the committee's
analysis of each company's performance and likelihood of long-term success.
Criteria:
- Company must be a semiconductor company (Fabless or IDM).
- Company must be privately held.
- Company must be shipping product and generating revenue greater than $20 million.
Nominees:
- Ambarella, Inc. - winner*
- Inphi Corporation
- SiGe Semiconductor, Inc.
Public Company Awards
Best Financially Managed Semiconductor Company Award
The Best Financially Managed Semiconductor Company Award is designed to evaluate
the financial health of the public fabless semiconductor companies based on a number
of financial metrics, such as return on investment, return on equity, inventory turns,
revenue, net income, days sales outstanding, cash per share, cash burn, gross profit
margin, operating margin and current ratio. GSA and financial analysts evaluate each
company against their peers, and the one with the best overall performance is
determined the winner.
Nominees:
- Altera Corporation - winner*
- Hittite Microwave Corporation
- QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies
Most Respected Public Semiconductor Company Awards
These awards are designed to identify the public companies garnering the most
respect of the industry in terms of their products, vision and future opportunities.
GSA's Awards Committee reviews the companies meeting the criteria below for each
award, and the selected companies are based on the Committee's analysis of each company's
performance and likelihood of success. On-line voting takes place to allow members of
the semiconductor industry, including semiconductor companies and partners to cast a
ballot for the public semiconductor companies they most respect.
Criteria:
- Fabless or Integrated Device Manufacturer (IDM)
- Public
- Minimum of $100 Million for 2009 sales
- Minimum of $250 Million Market Capitalization on 6/30/2010
- Cumulative Net Income over 4 Quarters (Q3'09,Q4'09,Q1'10,Q2'10) is Positive
- Stock price must not drop below $1 for 6 consecutive months on a U.S. exchange
Most Respected Public Semiconductor Company Award ($10 Billion+)
Nominees:
- Intel Corporation - winner*
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Semiconductor Division
- Texas Instruments, Inc.
Most Respected Public Semiconductor Company Award ($500 Million to $10 Billion)
Nominees:
- Altera Corporation
- Broadcom Corporation - winner*
- Xilinx, Inc.
Most Respected Emerging Public Semiconductor Company Award (up to $500 Million)
Nominees:
- Cavium Networks
- NetLogic Microsystems, Inc. - winner*
- Silicon Laboratories
Analyst Favorite Semiconductor Company Award
Semiconductor financial analysts from top-tier firms select their favorite
semiconductor company for this award. The analysts base their decision on historical,
as well as projected data, such as stock price, earnings per share, revenue
forecasts and product performance.
Barclays Capital Favorite Pick Nominees:
- Broadcom Corporation
- QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies - winner*
- Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. Favorite Pick Nominees:
- Avago Technologies
- Marvell
- SanDisk Corporation - winner*
Needham & Co. Favorite Pick Nominees:
- Atheros Communications, Inc. - winner*
- Cavium Networks
- Hittite Microwave Corporation
Regional Awards
As a global alliance, GSA introduced an award specifically for the
Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC)
regions. The awards will recognize a semiconductor company headquartered in
each respective region that clearly demonstrates the most strength when measuring
products, vision, leadership and success in the marketplace. GSA's APAC and EMEA
Leadership Councils will determine both the nominees and the winner.
Outstanding APAC Semiconductor Company Award
Nominees:
- MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
- Richtek Technology Corporation
- Spreadtrum Communications Inc. - winner*
Outstanding EMEA Semiconductor Company Award
Nominees:
- CSR plc
- Dialog Semiconductor - winner*
- Nordic Semiconductor
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