A New Type of Semiconductor Company | Scott White, Pragmatic
Scott White, Co-founder & Former CEO of Pragmatic Semiconductor
Podcast Episode Description:
What does it take to build and scale a new type of semiconductor company? In this week’s podcast, Chris Reichhelm speaks with Scott White, co-founder and former CEO of Pragmatic Semiconductor, one of the UK’s leading advanced materials companies. Scott shares insights from a 14-year journey, including the dynamics of building a founding team, raising over $400m in semiconductor startup funding, and growing the organisation to over 300 people.
Scott discusses the creation of Pragmatic’s first fab and scaling production to meet global demand. He also reflects on the pivotal role of strategic technology partners in driving adoption and enabling growth, as well as the importance of knowing when to pass the baton of leadership.
This episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone navigating the complexities of scaling a Deep Tech company or exploring the transformative potential of advanced materials in the semiconductor industry.
Key Topics:
Building and scaling a new type of semiconductor company.
Raising over $400m in semiconductor startup funding.
Addressing the challenges of semiconductor fab construction.
Insights into the transformative potential of advanced materials.
The pivotal role of strategic technology partners.
Navigating global demand in the semiconductor industry.
Growing an organisation to over 300 people.
Lessons from 14 years of leadership in the semiconductor sector.
Knowing when to pass the baton of leadership.
Chapter Notes:
00:00 - Introduction to Scott White and Pragmatic Semiconductor: Scaling a new type of semiconductor company.
05:00 - Founding the team: Building the right mix of technical and business expertise.
10:00 - Early funding milestones: Raising $400m in semiconductor startup funding.
15:00 - Pragmatic’s first fab: Challenges in semiconductor fab construction.
20:00 - Strategic partnerships: Driving adoption through collaboration.
28:00 - Scaling production: Meeting global demand for advanced materials.
35:00 - Organisational growth: Growing a team to over 300 and maintaining company culture.
42:00 - Leadership reflections: The importance of knowing when to pass the baton.
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