GSA Silicon Series Luncheon | Boston Speakers

David Aronoff

David is a General Partner at Flybridge Capital Partners whose investment interests and experience include the semiconductor, enterprise systems, and security sectors. He currently represents the firm on the boards of Blackwave, CHiL Semiconductor, Sand9, and VidSys and was previously a director at MOBIVOX (acquired by SabSe).

Prior to joining the firm in June 2005, David spent nearly a decade focusing on early-stage investing at Greylock Partners where he led several of the firm's successful investments in the communications and systems markets. During his time at Greylock, he built a strong investment track record including investments in Akara (acquired by CIENA), Cimaron (acquired by AMCC), e-Dial (acquired by Alcatel), Ikanos (IPO), Sandburst (acquired by Broadcom), SiTera (acquired by Vitesse), Xedia (acquired by Lucent) and Xros (acquired by Nortel).

Prior to Greylock, David held management roles at Chipcom, an enterprise network equipment vendor where he led development efforts in Ethernet bridges, switches and routers. While working full-time on his MBA, David co-founded the Attitude Network (acquired by TheGlobe.com), an Internet content startup with the top two game sites of the day, HappyPuppy.com and GamesDomain.com. Earlier in his career he held technical positions at Bell Labs where he developed secure network systems.

David holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Vermont, cum laude and with college honors, an MS in Computer Engineering from the University of Southern California, and an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School.

David serves on advisory board for the University of Vermont's College of Engineering, the board of trustees of the Rashi School, the board of directors of the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston and as a corporator for Lyndon Institute.

David's blog, the diary of a Geek VC, can be found at www.geekvc.com.

Andrew Diston

Andrew Diston is the Head of Cambridge Consultants Global Medical Technology Practice with laboratories and staff in Cambridge, UK and Boston, MA. He is also a Commercial Director of Cambridge Consultants and a member of its senior management team.

He joined the Signal Conversion Group at Cambridge Consultants in 1985 as an analogue electronic engineer and subsequently became a founder member of Data Conversion Systems -a Cambridge Consultants Spin-off Company dedicated to developing and manufacturing high performance Analogue to Digital Converters. He returned to Cambridge Consultants at the end of 1988 as an electronic engineer specializing in the design of analogue circuits, mixed signal ASICs and systems. Andrew has been manager of both the Product Development and Wireless Business units. Andrew was the founding Managing Director of Cambridge Consultants Inc. - our US laboratory base in Boston MA.

He is an experienced project manager of multidisciplinary product development and has extensive experience of the healthcare industry: His project experience includes

-The development of next generation wireless medical telemetry system for Philips Medical. Andrew has led a long-term strategic partnership with Philips Medical during which Cambridge Consultants DECT technology has been developed as a hospital based telemetry solution.

-The development of ASICs for next generation patient monitoring equipment. The mixed signal ASIC uses advanced CMOS circuit design combined with CCL's proprietary XAP2 embedded microcontroller to give a very low cost implementation of the measurement section of a patient monitor.

-The development of a novel pace-maker. Andrew led the team at Cambridge Consultants responsible for the specification and development of a multi-ASIC system solution with embedded micro-controller.

-The development of a blood-glucose meter with a cassette of test strips.

-The development of a novel cardiovascular diagnostic system. The system uses a disposable catheter and re-usable instrumentation to detect the presence of arterial disease.

-The development of Unipath's Persona(R) and ClearPlan Easy Fertility Monitor - an opto-electronic biochemical assay strip reader for a consumer health-care product. ClearPlan Easy won a Medical Design Excellence Award in 1999

-Development of next generation Air Traffic Control (ATC) Radios. Andrew has been responsible for Cambridge Consultants long relationship with the world's leading ATC radio manufacture during which we have developed the first commercial implementations of multi-mode radios.

While at Data Conversion Systems, Andrew led a program to develop an advanced ADC product for application in airborne radar. Prior to joining Cambridge Consultants he worked for Sinclair Research, where he worked on the development and mass production of a miniature television.

Andrew graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge with a degree in Electrical Sciences. He was sponsored throughout his undergraduate course by the MoD (PE) and he spent periods working at RAE Farnborough and RSRE Malvern. Andrew serves on the Board of Directors of MassMEDIC, the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council, he is a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and is a Chartered Engineer.

Cliff Hirsch

Cliff Hirsch is the founder and publisher of Semiconductor Times, an industry-leading newsletter focused on emerging semiconductor companies and technologies. Since launching the newsletter in 1997, he has analyzed more than 1,500 semiconductor-centric startups. Cliff spent the earlier years of his career in the semiconductor industry, where he has held engineering, sales and marketing leadership positions with companies such as AMD, Cypress Semiconductor and Alliance Semiconductor.

Cliff has served as an advisor and speaker for the Global Semiconductor Alliance, Semiconductor Venture Fair, Dow Jones MicroVentures conference and TIE's Semiconductor & Manufacturing Forum. Hirsch also writes the "On The Fabless Horizon" column for the GSA, is an L.P. in several venture capital funds, and is the founder of the New England Semiconductor Council. Cliff is a graduate of Cornell University, with BSEE, MSEE, and MBA degrees.

Cliff Hirsch

Cliff Hirsch is the founder and publisher of Semiconductor Times, an industry-leading newsletter focused on emerging semiconductor companies and technologies. Since launching the newsletter in 1997, he has analyzed more than 1,500 semiconductor-centric startups. Cliff spent the earlier years of his career in the semiconductor industry, where he has held engineering, sales and marketing leadership positions with companies such as AMD, Cypress Semiconductor and Alliance Semiconductor.

Cliff has served as an advisor and speaker for the Global Semiconductor Alliance, Semiconductor Venture Fair, Dow Jones MicroVentures conference and TIE's Semiconductor & Manufacturing Forum. Hirsch also writes the "On The Fabless Horizon" column for the GSA, is an L.P. in several venture capital funds, and is the founder of the New England Semiconductor Council. Cliff is a graduate of Cornell University, with BSEE, MSEE, and MBA degrees.

Karen Lightman

Karen Lightman became MEMS Industry Group (MIG) managing director in June 2007. Formerly director of special projects, Karen played a pivotal role in launching MIG in January 2001. Karen is active on the worldwide MEMS conference circuit as a keynote speaker andpanelist promoting MIG's role as the leading trade association advancing MEMS across global markets. Karen manages the operations of MIG; spearheads strategic growth; and oversees sales, public relations, marketing and outreach. Karen plays a critical role in creating the content for all MIG and MIG-partner conferences, events and programming. She is instrumental in establishing and maintaining partnerships with other international organizations to advance the MEMS industry.

Karen joined MIG from Carnegie Mellon University's Center for Economic Development where she was senior policy analyst. Prior to Carnegie Mellon, Karen was senior associate at Cleveland Tomorrow, a public-private partnership, and before that, she was a program associate with the Ford Foundation.

Karen has a BA from the University of Vermont (UVM) and a MS in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. Karen is aboard member of the National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh; secretary for her UVM alumni class; mentor at UVM's Honors College; and volunteers at the Environmental Charter School at Frick Park. Karen and her family reside in Pittsburgh, PA.

Patrick O'Doherty

Patrick (Pat) O'Doherty is vice president of the Healthcare Group at Analog Devices, Inc. In this role, Mr. O'Doherty directs ADI's product development and marketing strategies for signal processing technologies that enable the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of human conditions.

Mr. O'Doherty is a frequent speaker on technology-related healthcare topics at industry events. Since joining the company in 1981, he has held a number of roles in engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and product line management with responsibility for core analog products and ASSPs (application-specific standard products). Mr. O'Doherty earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from University College Cork in Ireland and a master's degree in business administration from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mike Perlmutter

Mike is president of Skylight Navigation a company working with inertial sensors, inertial navigation systems, positioning technologies, satellite and Wi-Fi based location systems for underwater, land, air and space applications. In addition, Mike is working in several start-up companies that are attempting to produce commercial products incorporating MEMS sensors and optical fiber.

Prior to founding Skylight Navigation, Mike worked at Fibersense Technology, a company he co-founded in 1994 in a friendly spin-off from Northrop.

Fibersense was one of the world's leaders in advanced inertial navigation and stabilization technology. The company produced compact, solid-state fiber optic gyroscopes and MEMS based inertial measurement units found on many missile defense, optical payload, satellite and commercial applications throughout the world. In 2002 Fibersense was purchased by Northrop Grumman where Mike continued to work at the Navigation Systems Division as Director of Strategy and Planning until 2007.

Prior to founding Fibersense Technology Mike worked on the development of various gyroscopes at Raytheon and Northrop Grumman.

Mike immigrated to the United States in 1965 and entered MIT in 1969 where he was awarded three degrees in EE. Mike has published papers, given talks and authored patents on inertial sensors, GPS and navigation technology. Mike is an avid father and husband as well as an enthusiastic bicyclist, scuba diver, soccer player, hiker, skier, music lover and world traveler.

Louis Ross

Louis is President & CEO and also co-founder of Virtus Advanced Sensors. He is in charge of the global operations of Virtus, which includes Virtus` headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA in the United States, Virtus Japan KK (Tokyo) and Virtus Asia (Hong Kong). Prior to the establishment of Virtus, Mr. Ross also founded the Global Emerging Technology Institute (GETI) and currently acts as a Director and Advisor. In his position at GETI, Mr. Ross acted as an advisor to the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Asian Office of Aerospace Research & Development (AORD) and the International Technology Center- Pacific (ITC-PAC) Japan. regarding emerging technology (micro/MEMS/nanotechnology).

He is currently Chairman of the Global Semiconductor Alliance's MEMS Interest Group and is the Editor of the Commercialization section of IEEE Nanotechnology magazine. Mr. Ross has served as a Commercial Reviewer for the U.S. National Science Foundation's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding program for companies commercializing emerging micro and nanotechnologies.

Mr. Ross received a BA in Economics from Rollins College, and a Masters in Finance from Johns Hopkins University and has served as a Research Fellow at the University of Tokyo`s Graduate School of Law and Politics, Faculty of Law.

Kai Thomenius

Kai E Thomenius received his PhD degree from Rutgers University in Electrical Engineering and Physiology. He is currently a Chief Technologist in the Imaging Technologies Organization of GE Global Research in Niskayuna, NY. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Electrical and Computer Science and Engineering department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. Prior to joining GE, he has worked for several medical ultrasound companies in senior R&D roles and holds about two dozen patents for medical ultrasound scanners. Dr. Thomenius' current activities focus on development of instrumentation and applications for newly evolving imagers such as ultrasound scanners and other forms of bioinstrumentation. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and has received the Coolidge Fellowship of the GE Global Research.

Robert Tong

Robert Tong serves as vice president of ON Semiconductor's medical division. With more than two decades of experience in high-tech companies, Robert oversees the division's product development and customer relationship management. He was previously senior vice president of the medical business unit of AMI Semiconductor.

From 2000 to 2004, Robert served as President and CEO of Dspfactory, a successful start-up company acquired by AMI. While with Dspfactory, Robert was instrumental in signing customer agreements with the top digital hearing-aid manufactures around the world and leading Dspfactory to become the number one DSP standard product supplier. Recognized for technical innovation and global expansion under his leadership, he also successfully expanded the company's product line into new markets.

Prior to Dspfactory, Robert served as senior vice president of the space products business unit at COM DEV International Ltd., where he was responsible for the company's CDN $70 million business unit. He was also responsible for bringing COM DEV to China and establishing its first facility in Xian, China, as a joint venture with the space research institute of the Chinese government.

Robert earned his bachelors in electrical engineering from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and his masters in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo, Ontario. He also earned his MBA with honors from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.