Agency eyes semiconductor industry

Saratoga County organization looks to attract more firms, businesses to the area

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Saratoga County’s economic development agency is ramping up efforts to grow the semiconductor industry locally.

Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership and the Dallas-based Global Semiconductor Alliance are joining forces to attract more firms and business, in this field, to the area.

By working together, the Partnership can connect to 400 Alliance member companies around the world, with a goal of attracting them to Saratoga County.

“We do business across 35 countries that combine for more than 75 percent of industry revenues,” said Shrikant Lohokare, Alliance global vice president and executive director, North America. “Every activity we do is on a global scale.”

The Alliance board is comprised of executives from top semiconductor companies such as Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Infineon, TSMC, Samsung and Spreadtrum.

The Prosperity Partnership took over as Saratoga County’s designated economic development agency in 2014.

“The semiconductor industry is in a real growth mode, fueled by other industries such as automotive,” President Martin Vanags

said. “We have a tremendous opportunity here in Saratoga County to take advantage of this growth. We do that by creating these alliances, making people aware of our assets and by rolling out the red carpet.”

Alliance President and co-founder Jodi Shelton is one of the key speakers scheduled for the second annual Saratoga County Prosperity Summit on Thursday, at Saratoga Springs City Center. The theme of this year’s event “The Next Wave of Opportunity for Saratoga County.”

Shelton will discuss factors driving the semiconductor industry. Rick Whitney, CEO of M+W Americas, will present “Resurgence of U.S.-based Electronics Manufacturing: What it Means to the Capital Region,” and Carol Jenkins, chief analytics officer, OutMatch, will present “Using Predictive and Actionable Workforce Analytics to Build a WorldClass Team.”

There will also be two panel discussions. They are:

• “Smart Cities: How Infrastructure, the Internet of Things and Big Data Intersect to Drive Next-Generation Communities.” Panelists are Chris Covell, president, SmartWatt Energy; Tony Civitella, CEO, Transfinder; Saratoga Springs Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan; and Chris Meyer, of Whiteman Osterman + Hanna, LLP.

• “Building the Ecosystem – What a Technology Startup Needs to be Successful.” Panelists are Peter Kalish consultant and SCORE Mentor; Nick Mesiti, patent attorney and partner at Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C.; Phil Wilton of Strategic Global Group; and John Schneiter of Free Form Fibers.

Vanags said the Prosperity Partnership also has plans for a Next Wave Center, a new facility that will provide short-term flex space as a landing pad for companies working with GlobalFoundries. It will also provide a place for those firms to grow business relationships in the region.

An announcement is expected soon about the Next Wave Center’s location, Vanags said.

Thursday’s Prosperity Summit, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., is open to the public. The fee is $40.

For more information and to register, go to: saratogapartnership.org.