The second edition of Xinyx UNLOCKED 2024, the highly anticipated national competition designed to promote integrated circuit (IC) design and semiconductor innovation, concluded today with the announcement of this year’s winner and the confinement of lifetime achievement awards to Diosdado “Dado” Banatao and Dr. Teresita Fortuna.
Xinyx UNLOCKED 2024, hosted by Xinyx Design at the Tanghalang Haribon, Insular Life Corporate Center in Alabang, brought together the brightest undergraduate engineering minds from universities across the Philippines to showcase cutting-edge ideas aimed at revolutionizing the tech industry.
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Xinyx UNLOCKED 2024 – A National Call To Action
This year’s theme “From Problems to Possibilities: Building Tomorrow’s Cities Today” emphasized the capability of homegrown innovation to address urban challenges and drive the future of the high-technology industry.
More than just a platform for students to display their talents, Xinyx UNLOCKED 2024 is part of their broader mission to address the national engineering gap and encourage more young Filipinos to pursue careers in microelectronics and IC design.
The Philippines faces a looming shortage of 128,000 semiconductor professionals by 2028 — a goal that Xinyx, along with industry partners, is committed to supporting through initiatives like UNLOCKED.
“Unlocked is a national call to action,” said Charade Avondo, President of Xinyx Design. “We designed this competition not only to identify top talent but also to create a sustainable ecosystem where students, industry leaders, and educators can collaborate to close the talent gap and ensure the Philippines remains competitive in the global semiconductor market.”
ALSO READ: Xinyx Unlocked: Ensuring the Future of Engineering
Xinyx UNLOCKED 2024 – Recognizing Excellent and Collaboration
In addition to the competition, UNLOCKED 2024 featured a variety of activities that underscored the collaboration needed between industry, academia, and government to secure he future of the semiconductor industry. These included panel discussions, the IC Design Olympics, and an exhibition showcasing the work of last year’s finalists.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the prestigious Philippine IC Design Award to Diosdado “Dado” Banatao and Dr. Teresita Fortuna for their contributions to the advancement of semiconductor innovation and education in the country.
Dado Banatao, a technopreneur and Silicon Valley pioneer, revolutionized personal computing by developing the first PC chipset and graphics accelerator chip, innovations that laid the groundwork for modern microprocessors and computers.
Through his venture capital firm and initiatives in the Philippines, he has consistently supported Filipino startups and young engineers, fostering an environment where technology and talent can thrive.
Dr. Teresita Fortuna has been a driving force in microelectronics education in the Philippines. As the former Regional Director of DOST-NCR and the current College Administrator of Colegio de Muntinlupa (CDM), she has championed the integration of IC design and microelectronics into the engineering curricula, leading efforts to develop state-of-the-art facilities at CDM.
Her initiatives have enabled students to access cutting-edge EDA (Electronic Data Automation) tools and brought together industry, government, and academia through the creation of the Muntinlupa Innovation and Design (MIND) Hub, a facility designed to maximize educational resources for microelectronics and drive innovation.
Government Support and Call for Action
While Unlocked seeks to bridge the gap between academia and industry, a whole-of-nation approach is crucial for achieving the Philippines’ semiconductor goals. Xinyx Design called the government to reinforce the efforts of industry and academia by implementing policies that support workforce development, research funding, and talent retention.
“Additionally, the government can play a more active role in promoting Electronics Engineering as a viable and attractive career path. By investing in the marketing and promotion of this field as early as the grade school level and beyond, the Philippines can position itself as a global hub for semiconductor talent, driving innovation and making a lasting impact on global society” said Ms. Avondo.
For more information, visit Xinyx Design’s website.
