SEMICON West leaves Bay Area for Phoenix semiconductor boom
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SEMICON West is taking over downtown Phoenix this week. Photo: Courtesy of SEMICON West
The nation's largest semiconductor conference is ditching the Bay Area for the first time in more than three decades for Phoenix.
Why it matters: SEMICON West's relocation shows Phoenix is no longer a hopeful contender but an emerging heavyweight in the global semiconductor race.
- Plus, the conference will attract the C-suites of the largest semiconductor companies in the world — companies that could decide to expand into Phoenix's chips landscape.
State of play: SEMICON West runs Tuesday through Thursday at the Phoenix Convention Center.
- The event will feature 63 sessions with 580 speakers and daily summits with executives from major companies, including Amkor, Intel and Taiwan Manufacturing Semiconductor Co., said Joe Stockunas, president of SEMI Americas, the trade organization behind SEMICON West.
The intrigue: Phoenix's debut as host has garnered heightened interest — attendance is expected to hit 40,000 people, a nearly 50% jump from last year. And the number of exhibitors spiked by 45%, Stockunas told Axios.
- Conference attendees are utilizing 27 Valley hotels, Visit Phoenix president and CEO Ron Price told us.
How it happened: Stockunas said SEMI wanted to expand beyond San Francisco and considered multiple locations, including Austin, Texas, and San Jose, California, but Phoenix was an obvious choice because "it's attracted the most [chips] investment … quite honestly, ever in the history of the industry," he said.
What they're saying: Greater Phoenix Economic Council interim CEO Thomas Maynard said the conference is a "dream scenario."
- He said his team has been going to SEMICON West for years to pitch Phoenix as a relocation and expansion destination, but now the companies will be able to see "the momentum of what we've been trying to sell all these years."
By the numbers: Since 2020, Arizona has seen more than 60 semiconductor companies expand or relocate in the state, representing a $205 billion investment, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority.
What we're watching: Stockunas told us developing talent is the "No. 1 concern" for the industry, so SEMI is using the conference to grow interest in the sector.
- The organization held a "semiconductor day" at ASU late last month and is offering free SEMICON West attendance for students.
- The organization also partnered with the Arizona Science Center to open an immersive semiconductor exhibit for 7th-12th graders. It will stay open until January 2026.
The bottom line: "We take a very long view on workforce development," Stockunas said.
What's next: SEMICON West has agreed to return to Phoenix in 2027 and 2029, going back to San Francisco in the even years.