In This Issue
DSP Solutions
Mixed-Signal and Analog
Teamwork
App Report
News Briefs |
TI pegs $100M for DSP developmentTexas Instruments has dedicated $100 million to a venture capital fund to accelerate market development of digital signal processing (DSP), the key technology behind the digitization of electronic end equipment. The investment is the largest venture fund ever directed at this rapidly growing market. TI will target investments in companies designing the next wave of DSP applications, particularly start-ups seeking initial funding. TI Ventures is a limited partnership with Hambrecht & Quist, a venture capital, investment banking and securities brokerage firm with headquarters in San Francisco. TI is the sole limited partner; Hambrecht & Quist manages the fund as the general partner. "As the world leader in digital signal processing solutions, it is vital to Texas Instruments that the best minds in the industry are pushing the envelope on DSP applications," TI President and CEO Tom Engibous said in his keynote speech at the recent DSP World trade show in San Diego. "We want to engage with the most innovative people and companies, and we are willing to put the money behind this effort." Within the last several years, the market for digital signal processors has grown at more than 40 percent per year, significantly outpacing the growth of the overall semiconductor industry. The worldwide market for DSPs and related mixed-signal/analog chips is projected to grow more than 10 times to about $50 billion during the next 10 years. According to the market research firm Forward Concepts, TI is the leader in the DSP market with about a 45 percent market share. Market analyst Dataquest shows TI as the No. 2 supplier in the diverse mixed-signal/analog market. DSP Solutions enable the applications driving digitization in today's society by converting analog signals into digital data. The fast-growing markets for DSPs include digital cellular phones, high-speed modems for Internet access, PC and dedicated video-conferencing equipment and high-performance mass storage disk drives for personal computers and work stations. Future applications likely will include portable video-phones, network processing, devices for natural language speech control of personal computers, ultra-high speed modems for Internet access (ADSL) 100 times faster than today's modems, image processing for personal digital cameras and video rate processing for digital video via the Internet, satellite and cable. "DSP is the glue of the three converging industries -- computers, consumer and communications," said Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts. "We believe the demand for DSPs will explode because the market is coming from several different end markets. The wireless communications, digital motor control, automotive and even health care industries are all using DSP solutions. We expect the market to grow to more than $3.1 billion by the end of this year." Companies interested in submitting business plans to this fund should contact TI Ventures at 415-439-3975 or send e-mail to tiventures@hamquist.com.
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