Florida Semiconductor Engine Inaugural Conference Recap
Posted on: September 24, 2025
On August 28, we welcomed more than 250 guests to our inaugural conference. This landmark event brought together industry and government leaders, innovators, and educators to explore Florida’s growing role in the global semiconductor ecosystem.
The day highlighted the state’s commitment to advancing semiconductor manufacturing, research, and workforce development while fostering collaboration across business, academia, and government.
Keynote Summaries
See what our outstanding keynote speakers had to say about the future of the semiconductor industry:
Dr. Ronald Piccolo
Dr. Ronald Piccolo, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Semiconductor Engine, opened the conference by sharing the mission and vision of the Florida Semiconductor Engine.
He noted that the Engine’s objectives are clear: job creation, workforce development, and sustained economic growth. At its core, the Engine exists to foster collaboration across the region, coordinating, convening, and leveraging assets to position Florida as a leader in semiconductor innovation.
Don Fisher
Don Fisher, Osceola County Manager and FSE Board Chairman, shared NeoCity’s transformation, fueled by more than $300 million in investments and major federal grants. He highlighted education initiatives like NeoCity Academy (ranked #2 in Florida and #34 nationally) and the Osceola Prosper program, which launched in 2022.
The program provides free tuition at Valencia College and Osceola Technical College for all high school graduates in Osceola County, helping the community rise from #64 to #3 nationally in post-secondary enrollment.
Dr. Michael Peeters
Dr. Michael Peeters, VP of R&D Connectivity at imec, underscored Florida’s role as imec’s U.S. hub and spoke on the urgent challenges of AI’s soaring energy demands, advanced packaging, and sustainable data centers.
He highlighted NeoCity’s pioneering work to shrink data centers to a “shoebox size,” a breakthrough that could reduce environmental impact while advancing global innovation.
Jason Mahon
Jason Mahon, Deputy Secretary of Economic Development at the Florida Department of Commerce, reinforced the state’s long-term vision. He noted that Florida has invested $380 million in workforce education, helping the state climb to #3 nationally in semiconductor establishments while achieving the fastest-growing GDP in the nation for three consecutive years.
With 34% of graduates holding STEM-related degrees, thanks to powerhouse institutions like UCF, USF, UF, and Valencia College, Florida is uniquely positioned to attract semiconductor jobs and companies as the U.S. seeks to strengthen domestic production.
Jackie Janning-Lask
Jackie Janning-Lask, CEO of the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium, emphasized innovation for national security and MMEC’s mission of moving ideas “from lab to fab.” She described how partnerships with industry and academia accelerate technology, while also championing STEM education as key to future leadership.
Panel Highlights
Our panels highlighted Florida’s strategic advantage and how supporting our workforce pipeline is key to Florida’s growth in the Semiconductor Industry.
Industry Voices on Advanced Packaging
A panel of business leaders, including Dr. David Shahin from Northrop Grumman, Dr. Brad Ferguson from SkyWater Technology, Alan Huffman from L3Harris, Chris Guice from Austin Commercial, and Jeremy Adams from Micross Components, explored advanced packaging as a strategic differentiator for Florida, emphasizing on opportunities to establish the U.S. as a provider of cutting-edge packaging technologies.
Panelists discussed the impact of the CHIPS and Science Act, academic partnerships, and the need to inspire the next generation of STEM talent. Panelists also highlighted Florida’s unique strategy to focus on specialty electronics and niche markets, rather than competing with other states for high-volume wafer production and fabrication.
Academic Leaders on Workforce
A panel of academic leaders turned the spotlight on workforce and research. Dr. David Arnold, President of UF’s Florida Semiconductor Institute, set a bold target of growing Florida’s semiconductor workforce from 18,000 to 23,000 jobs by 2030, while Dr. Kathleen Plinske, President of Valencia College, emphasized how the growing semiconductor industry has all the talent and resources it will need, especially in terms of a technical skilled workforce, right here in Osceola County.
Dr. Sylvia Thomas, VP for Research and Innovation of USF, spoke to the essential role of semiconductors in AI, healthcare, and everyday life, and stressed the unique K through PhD academic pipeline available in Florida. Dr. Alexander Cartwright, President of UCF, showcased programs that pair students with small businesses, building both technical and entrepreneurial skills to sustain long-term growth.
