Semiconductor, Hardware & Networking Industry Experience
Our experience in various hardware-related fields, either as consultants, entrepreneurs, or employees in the industry, includes the following:
Semiconductor Equipment
Developed the business plan and pitch deck to help a semiconductor equipment startup raise financing for a new radiation source for producing advanced semiconductors.
Graphics Systems Vendor
Advised founders on raising first equity capital, including business plan preparation, investor presentations, and product strategies. The company successfully raised financing.
Analog Gate-Array ICs
As interim Chief Operating Officer, stabilized operations and led launch of 3rd generation products while CEO focused on raising new investment capital.
Semiconductor Industry
Prepared long-range forecasts for the semiconductor industry and its demand for silicon wafers. These forecasts were the basis for long-range investments in new manufacturing facilities by MEMC, then the world’s largest manufacturer of silicon wafers for the semiconductor industry.
Graphics Workstation
Founded graphics workstation company to serve high performance visual simulation and location-based entertainment markets. Sold PCs with custom graphics adapters offering Silicon Graphics performance at PC prices. Developed OpenGL libraries to support customer application development.
Optical Telecommunications Equipment
Founded — and developed a business plan, financial forecast, investor presentation, and supporting materials for — a startup that created a new signal processing technology for optical computing and telecom applications. Secured venture capital funding as well as SBIR contracts.
Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment
Prepared initial financial plans for Applied Photonics Research, Inc., a manufacturer of specialty cleaning equipment, based on proprietary ozone technology, for use in the fabrication of integrated circuits.
Semiconductor Manufacturing Supplies
Wrote business and financial plans for California Quartzware Corporation, which was developing a revolutionary concept for making the quartz boats which hold integrated circuit wafers during the fabrication process.
Optical Telecommunications Equipment
Developed a business plan, financial forecast, investor presentation, and supporting materials for a startup that developed new polymer-based optical components for telecommunication applications.
RISC Microprocessor
Led efforts to develop market launch for industry’s first RISC microprocessor in parallel with first tape-out. Landed engagement with large MNC resulting in first commercial sales when prototypes were ready.
Cellular Service Divestiture
Prepared private placement documents, including market research, financial modeling and operating plans to support MBO of Asian operations from leading US cellular service provider.
Society for Information Displays
As Executive Director, led restructuring of headquarters operations, cutting operating budgets for international non-profit, while improving member services.
Semiconductor Business Acquisition
Prepared the plan for the possible acquisition of MEMC, then the largest supplier of silicon wafers to the semiconductor industry, by a private group led by former MEMC senior executives.
Japanese IC Vendor
As VP of Marketing for US operations, led major restructuring and streamlining initiatives, resulting in sales increase of over $400M in 3 years. Reorganized into strategic business units and refocused sales networks to improve customer service.
PC Completion Chip-Sets
As CEO, successfully raised capital and launched chip-sets to serve the 386SX platform from Intel. Won several design wins in Far East leading to use in production systems from PC industry leaders. Sold company to Taiwanese PC company.
Semiconductor Business Sale
Planned and managed all financial aspects of the divestiture of Monsanto Corporation’s LED device and gallium-arsenide materials business units. Divestiture included major manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Malaysia, and a worldwide marketing effort. Final price exceeded Board approval by approximately 10%.
Gate-Array Commercial Launch
As VP of Sales & Marketing, led commercial launch of industry’s highest pin count and densest gate count arrays. Pioneered first gate array logic synthesis tool suite to support user designs for major companies in the computer and workstation segments. Company bought by Japanese gate-array company.
Network Security
Developed a business plan, financial forecast, and investor presentation for Global Gateway, a provider of secure gateway solutions for VPNs and other applications. The company has developed several proprietary technologies that enable secure, efficient, and inexpensive transmission of data over next generation networks.
Microprocessor Development Systems
As division GM of MNC, led development, manufacturing and marketing of customer development systems for micros and digital signal processors. Developed proprietary operating systems and compilers.
Optical Components
Held COO and VP of sales and marketing positions with a venture backed optical components startup, turning around poor performance and leading the technology development and introduction of first commercial product.
Optical Telecommunications Infrastructure
Developed a business plan, financial forecast, investor presentation, and supporting materials for a startup that created a new fiber-optic transmission technology for optical telecommunication applications.
Mobile Devices
Led the development and launch of a product that created the Palmtop PC category. Activities included market research to decide product configuration, strategic relationship with leading software companies for operating system and built-in applications, marketing and business development plan development, and worldwide launch coordination.
Customer-Centric Microcontrollers
Led efforts to develop customer-specific microcontrollers and firmware for Sony, Canon, and Matsushita. The shift to OEM-developed firmware improved customer product cycle times and project profitability in a traditionally very aggressive fast-turnaround, high-volume, low-margin commodity business.
Custom ASIC Development
Collaboratively developed the business plans and mass-market financials for individual ASIC development projects. Further led the technical design, development, verification, tape-out, and post-production QA for these projects, which recently have included a Bitcoin mining ASIC and a mixed-signal system for a 10-to-1 improvement of DSL over twisted pair.
Optical Telecom Equipment
Created market launch strategy for an all optical switch and long-haul optical transport network using Raman amplifiers for a venture-backed optical networking startup. A leading service provider acquired the company.
Analog Building Block ICs
As interim VP of Marketing, led marketing and marketing communications efforts for an early leader in analog building blocks, leading to its divestiture and sale to US-based market leader.
Data Networking Equipment
Developed the business plan and managed the market launch of carrier class high-density edge access router targeted at ISPs. Company acquired by a leading telecommunications equipment vendor.
Graphics Chip-Set Vendor
As interim VP of Sales & Marketing, led restructuring and commercial re-launch of graphics chip-sets for notebook PC market.
OLED Flat-Panel Displays
As division GM, led commercial sales efforts for new FPD technology aimed at cellular phone applications.
Note: Some items reflect experience gained prior to joining Cayenne Consulting. Cayenne does not offer services that require licensing or registration with the NASD or other authorities.
Read testimonials from our semiconductor, hardware, and networking clients.
Why Choose Cayenne? Nine Great Reasons!
Get Investors To Notice
Most entrepreneurs can’t get investors to
return their calls. A majority of our clients secure meetings with potential funders. Our team’s efforts have contributed to over $4.3 billion in financing!
Avoid Costly Mistakes
We know what works, and, more importantly, what doesn’t. A single mistake can get render your plan unfundable. We wrote the original and often-cited article on Why Business Plans Don’t Get Funded.
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Funding is a binary event: either you succeed or you fail. If you fail, most investors won’t give you a second chance. Learn about the pros and cons of various approaches to developing business plans.
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Ongoing Support
We don’t stop when the business plan is complete. We have a talented team ready to help you implement it as well, either on a retained basis as interim members of your founding team or on a project basis, as needed.
Semiconductor, Hardware & Networking Business Plan Consultants
Our team of industry specialists includes the following consultants:
Paul Fiorello
Business plan consultant in San Francisco, CAPaul is a serial entrepreneur with 30 years experience in new venture creation. He was Founder or Co-Founder of three companies that successfully raised a cumulative $33 million in...
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Daniel Hall, MBA, MSE
Business plan consultant in San Francisco, CADan is a technology industry executive with over 25 years of organizational leadership, emerging growth, turnaround, sales, and marketing experience in both Fortune 100 and start-up environments....
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Shyam Jha, MBA
Business plan consultant in Tucson, AZAs a consultant and mentor to entrepreneurs, Shyam has created business plans, financial models, and pitch decks for startups in robotics and drone transport, medical devices, consumer...
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