Tech News
The Future of Semiconductors Forum 2024: Charting the Course of Electronic Chip Manufacturing and Design in Saudi Arabia
The third edition of the Future Semiconductors Forum 2024 will be held in Riyadh, hosted by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The event, scheduled for June 5-6, 2024, at the Garage Innovation District in Riyadh, aims to promote the domestic production of electronic chips and boost the digital economy within Saudi Arabia.
This forum will gather esteemed policymakers, industrial pioneers, experts, and scholars in semiconductor technology. Notable participants include Shuji Nakamura, a Nobel laureate in Physics for his development of blue/green LEDs and violet laser diodes, alongside Kang Wang, who holds a professorship in electrical engineering and computer science and serves as Co-Director of the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering at UCLA and a Professor of electrical engineering at Raytheon Company. Also in attendance will be Steven P. DenBaars from the University of California – Santa Barbara, renowned for holding more than 190 US patents and co-founding the Institute of Engineering Electricity and Electronics alongside four photonics and electronics companies.
Umesh Mishra, the Dean of the College of Engineering at UCSB, joins the list of distinguished participants, as do Ross Jatou, President of the Semiconductor at Alat Company, Dr. Naveed Sherwani, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Rapid Silicon Company, co-designer of Intel microprocessor algorithms and Intel Award winner, and Professor Goutam Chattopadhyay, a research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology.
Dr. Munir Eldesouki, the President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, stated that the forum reflects the goals and priorities set by HRH Prince Mohamed bin Salman, the Crown Prince, and Prime Minister, in the field of research, development, and innovation. It also plays a significant role in advancing the digital economy in the Kingdom. He emphasized that the event is organized by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), which serves as a national laboratory and hub for innovation. Its purpose is to enhance the research, development, and innovation system, expedite technological advancements, and promote the localization of technologies.
Dr. Tony Chan, President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) commended the Semiconductors Future Forum for its accomplishments in the first and second editions. He noted that the new edition offers promising opportunities to enhance the digital economy, advance research cooperation between various entities, and exchange knowledge about best practices in the electronic chip industry by bringing together the most prominent local and international entities under one roof.
The forum’s purpose is to raise awareness about the significance of localizing the electronic chip industry and its contribution to the growth of the digital economy in the Kingdom. It also aims to explore potential opportunities for localizing this crucial industry to make the Kingdom a key player in the electronic chip sector. Additionally, the forum seeks to promote research collaboration and sharing best practices in semiconductor development and manufacturing.
Over two days, the forum will delve into various subjects to outline the semiconductor industry’s future trajectory in the Kingdom by exploring the semiconductor value chain, from raw materials to finished microchips. Additionally, it will examine the application of this cutting-edge technology in areas like space exploration, quantum technologies, 6G communications, electric vehicles, and integrated sensors to enable smart cities.
The third edition of the forum will announce significant initiatives that bolster Saudi Arabia’s standing in the global semiconductor arena, drive transformation in the Middle East, cultivate talent in this vital sector, and address industry challenges to spur economic growth. The forum’s agenda includes various scientific activities such as lectures, panel discussions, research posters, and an accompanying exhibition for global companies to showcase the latest semiconductor development and manufacturing developments.
The forum’s third edition has a strategic partnership with the Research, Development, and Innovation Development Authority and Alat Company. It is sponsored by leading local and international institutions and companies such as Ajlan & Brothers Holding, Synopsys, Siemens, Rapid Silicon, Oxford Instruments, Trysl Tech, Joule, EpicSemi, and International Semiconductor Executive Summits.
Tech News
Vertiv expands Manufacturing and Testing Capacity at Tognana Campus near Padua
Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, today announced investments to expand chiller manufacturing and integrated testing capabilities at its Tognana campus near Padua. The company expects to double chiller production capacity in the region by the end of 2026 and complete a new large-scale testing laboratory in early 2027. The growth is also creating additional career opportunities across the campus. The site serves as one of Vertiv’s principal centers for cooling technology development, bringing together research and development, product management, manufacturing, and a Customer Experience Center, where customers and consultants can participate in witness testing of a broad range of cooling technologies across the thermal chain under real-world operating conditions.
With the growing demand for thermal systems to support high-density AI applications, Vertiv is focused on increasing manufacturing operations and new production processes at the Tognana site to support regional and global chiller capacity. The company is also investing in a new integrated testing laboratory for large-scale chillers, to validate their integration with liquid cooling systems under high-density load conditions and extreme temperature ranges. The expanded capability is intended to help customers validate thermal performance under expected site conditions and deploy increasingly complex cooling systems with greater speed and confidence.
“AI is driving thermal demands that didn’t exist two years ago, with higher densities, faster deployment demands, and no room to compromise on reliability,” said Giordano Albertazzi, CEO of Vertiv. “The expansion at Tognana puts us further ahead with more manufacturing capacity, integrated testing, and advanced thermal management systems built for current and future generations of silicon. This investment reinforces our position at the front of the curve.”
Vertiv has maintained a longstanding presence at the Tognana site since the 1960s, building on the legacy of brands such as Vertiv™ Liebert® and Vertiv™ Hiross, pioneers in precision cooling. Today, the campus serves as one of Vertiv’s principal European centers for data center thermal management, integrating innovation, manufacturing, testing, and customer engagement capabilities. Together with the Castel Guelfo facility near Bologna, it forms one of Vertiv’s main European technology hubs. Bologna and Tognana are also Vertiv Academy sites, providing training programs for technicians, partners and industry professionals. They are part of a network of 30 training centers and academies worldwide, of which 15 are based in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
“The expertise of our Tognana teams is central to Vertiv’s ability to support increasingly complex cooling requirements,” said Sam Bainborough, vice president, thermal business at Vertiv in EMEA. “By expanding manufacturing, integrated testing and our local talent base, we are strengthening the campus’s role in serving customers across EMEA and other global markets while creating skilled opportunities in the region.”
Tech News
OPTRO LAUNCHES ‘OPTRO PARTNER CONNECT’ TO POWER GLOBAL GRC ECOSYSTEM GROWTH

Optro (formerly AuditBoard), the leading AI-powered GRC Intelligence Platform empowering enterprises to transform risk into opportunity, has announced the formal launch of Optro Partner Connect. The new partner program offers partners flexible ways to go to market, a comprehensive suite of enablement, certification, technical, and co-marketing support, and a clear, predictable path to expand into new markets, deepen their service offerings, and drive lasting customer outcomes.
Optro Partner Connect replaces legacy frameworks with a modular design centered around distinct partner tracks, initially launching with Advisory Partners and Solution Providers, and a transparent tier structure in which benefits grow as partners do. Because benefits are tiered, partners will know exactly what they can access and unlock at each stage of their journey with Optro. Supporting every partner is a dedicated Partner Center of Excellence (PCoE): a team solely focused on partner success that guides firms through onboarding and ongoing “everboarding,” helping partners reach their first wins sooner and maintain a clear line of sight on their next stage of growth.
“Partners are a critical growth engine for Optro, and Optro Partner Connect ensures our ecosystem’s experience matches the enterprise-grade quality of our platform,” said Scott Whitlock, Global VP of Alliances and Channels at Optro. “By moving away from transaction-only metrics and adopting a holistic evaluation of capacity and competency, we are giving our partners a clear blueprint to build highly profitable services practices around our GRC Intelligence Platform.”
A differentiator of the program is Optro’s roadmap to weave an AI layer throughout the partner experience to give partners back time and help them win by automating repeatable manual tasks, surfacing real-time co-sell guidance in the field, and personalizing each partner’s onboarding so they can spend less time on administration and more time on value creation.
Key Program Highlights At-A-Glance
- Flexible Tracks & Engagement Models: Partners choose how they go to market across the Advisory and Solution Provider tracks, referring, selling, or servicing with a transparent tier structure, a flexible legal framework, and recognized status as they grow. Financial and servicing incentives reward that momentum, and a services-rich platform offers eligible partners room to build a high-value practice across the full customer lifecycle — from implementation and advisory through managed services.
- Enablement, Expertise, and Market Presence: A comprehensive benefits suite spanning role-based training and certification, deep technical and co-sell support, and co-branded marketing resources. Beyond a searchable partner directory that helps customers find them, qualified partners have a path to build their own solutions, integrations, and accelerators with Optro — turning their expertise into valuable IP.
- A Strategic Voice for Optro: Through continuous feedback loops and a formal Partner Advisory Board, invited partners can participate in roadmap and go-to-market strategy discussions, helping to impact the future of connected GRC alongside Optro’s leadership rather than just delivering it.
“Our collaboration with Optro helps us transform how our clients handle audit and compliance,” said Adam Pajakowski, Principal at Crowe. “Through this new partner program, we can continue to help companies move away from outdated, manual processes. We look forward to expanding our work together and continuing to drive great results for our joint clients.”
“We’re excited about the launch of Optro Partner Connect and the added structure it brings to an already strong collaboration,” said Andrew Struthers-Kennedy, Global Lead, CAE Solutions, Protiviti. “The program introduces clearer alignment, more formal recognition, and a scalable framework for how we work together, which we believe will help drive greater consistency and impact as both organizations continue to grow.”
Optro Partner Connect formally goes live today. Comprehensive program briefs, regional guides, and deal registration resources are now available to active partners via a unified, updated partner portal. To learn more or apply to join Optro Partner Connect, visit optro.ai.
Tech News
DXC INTRODUCES DXC PRIVATE CLOUD+, BRINGING GREATER CONTROL, SECURITY, AND FLEXIBILITY TO ENTERPRISE CLOUD
DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC), a leading enterprise technology and innovation partner, has announced that its DXC Private Cloud+ is now generally available. The solution delivers public cloud–like flexibility and pricing while maintaining full control over sensitive data and workloads. Powered by Dell Technologies infrastructure like servers, storage, and cyber resilience solutions and operated by DXC OASIS, DXC’s intelligent orchestration platform, Private Cloud+ helps organizations innovate more easily while still meeting strict requirements for data security, compliance, and sovereignty, at a time when enterprise cloud strategies are rapidly evolving.
As governance, security, data sovereignty, and industry-specific requirements become just as critical as scale, global organizations across industries are moving beyond a single-cloud approach and building multi-cloud portfolios that offer greater choice and control. In this environment, Private Cloud+ adds a powerful new option—combining the economics and agility of hyperscale with the control of private cloud, while providing a unified platform to connect data centers, integrate with public clouds, and prepare for AI workloads.
“Customers across industries from manufacturing to transportation, insurance and more want hyperscale economics, flexibility, and AI-readiness in a true hybrid environment, one that works across what they already run and the public clouds they depend on. Until now, they’ve had to compromise. Private Cloud+, powered by Dell and operated by DXC OASIS, ends that trade-off and enables them to be ready as AI workloads increase,” said Chris Drumgoole, President, Global Infrastructure Services, DXC.
Hosted in DXC’s data centers and orchestrated by DXC OASIS with a Human+ approach, Private Cloud+ supports the full range of enterprise workloads, including VMs, containers, data, backup and resiliency, and private AI. The result is a single environment where customers can reduce technical debt, strengthen security, and move faster from idea to production, supported by consumption-based economics that simplify financial planning.
Private Cloud+ is offered in three editions, enabling enterprises to choose the deployment model that matches their workload, tenancy, and compliance needs:
- Core: a multi-tenant private cloud with the full Private Cloud+ feature set on consumption-based pricing
- Dedicated: a single-tenant environment for customers requiring full isolation of compute, storage, and data sovereignty
- Government: a hardened edition with advanced security controls, operated by cleared domestic personnel, for government agencies and regulated industries
“Enterprises are juggling sensitive workloads, modernization, and AI, all at once. Many are looking for infrastructure that handles it natively, without bolt-ons. That’s exactly what we built with Private Cloud+, with DXC OASIS removing the operational burden so customers can focus on innovation,” said Benjamin Greene, Director, Global Infrastructure Services, Private Cloud, DXC.
DXC and Dell have collaborated for over 25 years, jointly serving more than 2,000 customers worldwide. DXC is a Titanium Black partner in the Dell Technologies Partner Program. Private Cloud+ is a DXC Fast Track solution, focused on AI-fueled capabilities and automation that drive exponential growth.
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