EE Entrepreneurs

Interview with Raza Khan of Semtech on optical data transmission using PAM4.

Dr. Sujit Banerjee arrived in the U.S. from India wanting to make a difference. And now, this CEO of Monolith Semiconductor(part of Littelfuse Inc.)has done just that starting with the release of a 1200V, ultra-low on-resistance SiC MOSFET. As one of the wide-bandgap frontrunners in the power semiconductor space, what place does Silicon Carbide hold in energy efficiency applications now and in the future? Listen to the guy who crossed continents to make a difference and is doing it.

The more you learn about Harwin Plc CEO Damon de Laszlo, the more you recognize that crossing multiple disciplines with an intensity of fascination, emotion, and dedication is not only his approach to life but his approach to business. From chairman of the Economic Research Council to chairman and co-founder of the Bradshaw Foundation to a major shareholder in a Hungarian wine company to the director and founder of a multitude of companies, de Laszlo career spans decades, disciplines, and interests. Listen to how this industrialist approaches running a successful, privately-owned interconnect and PCB hardware firm combining lessons of the past with visions of the future.

When Dianne Kibbey obtained her undergraduate degree, she constituted fifty percent of the total number of women in her computer science graduating class. Now, as the Global Head and VP of Community and Social Media at Newark element14, Dianne is becoming yet another powerful driving force promoting opportunities for women in technology. Learn how and where she draws the energy, support and inspiration to speed up that movement.

Passion for an idea, a product, and getting that product to market — all hallmarks of an entrepreneur. But the reality of bringing that innovation to life often requires skillsets that aren't necessarily a core competency of even the best of them. Enter entrepreneur and president of Master Electronics, Jamil Nizam, and a new Master subsidiary, Seed River. Nizam formed Seed River to assist entrepreneurs, start-ups, and early-stage companies bring their innovations to market. With 32 years of experience, Nizam has obviously beaten the odds with Master Electronics and its divisions — and he wants others to beat the odds, too. Hear how his experiences and a culture of family and mentorship brought him to a "Seed River".

It’s called the widow maker for a reason as Dr. Marie Johnson experienced when her 41-year old, seemingly healthy husband died suddenly from Coronary Artery Disease or CAD — the number one killer among both men and women. And predicting a heart attack using standard risk factors is generally insufficient. Learn how Dr. Johnson went from tragedy to innovation to launching AUM Cardiovascular with CADense, a non-invasive acoustic and ECG device designed to help physicians detect physiological and pathological heart murmurs.

Leading the charge for energy efficiency designs through unique power conversions systems is less of a power play for this CEO and President than it is a way of life. Power Integrations' Balu Balakrishnan has followed an entrepreneurial path lined with seemingly distracting detours but which eventually led to new innovations in power conversion. And he seems to get a charge out of it — even when he talks about those times he was wrong.

Engineer (and SPCA advocate) Santiago Gutierrez was looking for a way to exercise his dog while Santiago worked long hours as an engineer at a semiconductor company. Since he couldn’t find anything, he invented something — the GoBone. This electronic “smartbone” incorporates algorithms that learn about your dog’s specific play patterns, helping to keep your pet mentally and physically active whether you are with your dog or not. Learn how Gutierrez took his passion for dogs and engineering and set about to take a big bite out of the new Smart Pet market.

Transphorm's CTO and Founder Dr. Umesh Mishra started his first company in 1996 developing GaN LEDs and transistors. This IEEE David Sarnoff Award winner for “The Development of Gallium Nitride Electronics” is passionate about the economic prospects of GaN — and even more passionate about how the efficient power conversion enabled by GaN can lead to better living in a cleaner world.

The brain of an engineer with a tumor and no technology in sight to completely remove it. A terrible thing to waste and a completely unacceptable situation for engineer entrepreneur Avi Yaron. Four surgeries and an invention later, this Joy Ventures CEO and founder of more than a couple of companies — and the chairman of several others — is on a quest to more closely connect science and emotion for better wellness. Listen in as we discover how desperation became a catalyst for inspiration for his startups and for the desire to support other startups willing to exploring "neuro wellness".

BioLert Ltd.’s actionable seizure alert system is the brainchild of inventors and serial entrepreneurs with expertise in healthcare, IT, medical devices, mobile technology, and software. In this inaugural podcast of EE Entrepreneurs, we talk with BioLert CEO and engineer Debasish “Ron” Nag about the technology behind the BioLert system, and how his 30-year technology career and passion for innovation inspired a startup focused on improving people's lives. To learn more about BioLert, go to www.bio-lert.com.

EEWorld Online editor Aimee Kalnoskas offers a quick recap of what to expect from this new podcast series from WTWH Media, LLC. Go ahead, click!