Semiconductor IP News and Trends Blog

It’s Beyond HOT at ES Design West Next Week

There are two famous parties in the EDA world. The Denali Party by Cadence, of course. I’m afraid you missed that one for this year—it is always on the Tuesday of DAC. The second one is the HOT Party organized by Jim Hogan’s Heart of Technology, along with the ESD Alliance and SEMI. Historically, this has been on the first day of DAC but this year it is on the first day of ES Design West, which is co-located with SEMICON West. As you probably know, but just in case not, DAC itself will be co-located with SEMICON West next year, so both take place 19th to 23rd July 2020.

HOT, or Heart of Technology, was created by Jim several years ago when he realized that many deserving charities are just not very good at doing what we do without too much difficulty. As he told me last year:

HOT started in 2007, at the depths of the recession, when a lot of people were struggling. I’d previously given money to San Jose State (my alma mater) but decided that maybe prioritizing getting people food was more important. I also realized that a lot of good causes, such as the food banks, were just not well equipped to put on significantly sized events. But the EDA and IP industries do it all the time. I knew lots of marketing people in the EDA and IP industries who knew the ropes, plus I knew lots of musicians, including myself, to provide the entertainment. In that sense, HOT is a sort of “charity accelerator”.

In addition to the ESD Alliance, SEMI, and Team Hogan, this years party is sponsored by Burr-Forman, eSilicon, Silvaco, Breker, Harvest Management, Methodics, OneSpin, Pulsic, Sage DA, Big Kahuna Productions, ChipEstimate, DeepChip, Mod, and SemiWiki.

The SEMI Foundation

This year’s HOT Party benefits the SEMI Foundation, a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to support education and career awareness in the field of high technology. SEMI High Tech U is a three-day program for high school students to put STEM skills to use during hands-on workshops. The Foundation focuses on gender parity, diversity and under-served communities and High Tech U has impact data that shows HTU students complete college at a rate nearly four times higher than the national average. All profits from this HOT Party fundraiser will go directly to the SEMI Foundation.

The party is free of charge, however, a suggested charitable donation of $20.00 to the SEMI Foundation, collected onsite, is requested. Additional donations are most welcome, of course.

How to Get In

The party is included in your registration for ES Design West. But you have to select “Heart of Technology Party” on the A La Carte items page of the form. When you pick up your badge for ES Design West you will be given a ticket to the party.

If you registered for ES Design West but not yet the HOT Party then go back into the ES Design West registration, log in with your existing badge number, then select the Heart of Technology Party on the À la Carte Items page of the form.

Party Details

Without more ado, here is the information you need to know. It will be Tuesday, July 9th from 5.30pm to 10pm at John Colins Lounge (and yes, that is the correct spelling, with just one L) which is 138 Minna Street. Minna is one of those half block streets that only San Francisco locals know without looking at a map, in this case between Mission and Howard. The lounge itself is on Minna between 2nd and 3rd Street, sort of around the back of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The MC for the evening will be Cadence’s Sean O’Kane, who also moonlights as my videographer most weeks for the video version of Sunday Brunch. He will get things moving at 5.30pm, and will be raffling off all sorts of prizes through the evening, such as a Bose Soundlink, Ring Doorbell, Oculus VR Headset, and Sports Basement Gift Cards.

From 5.30pm to 7.30pm will be a cocktail and appetizer reception. At 7.30pm there will be a raffle presentation (I’m don’t know what they will be raffling) by Jim along with Leslie Tugman, who is SEMI’s VP of Global Workforce Development.

It seems to be de rigeur at all events these days, so there will be a photo booth so no antics need go unrecorded.

Music for the evening will be provided by three bands. First, the Methodics Trio, playing “smooth and groovy jazz”. I assume they’ll be playing during the initial reception. Then, Jim Hogan and friends. Normally he plays electric-guitar-based rock but this year it is billed as an “Acoustic favorite sing-a-long with Jim and special guests” so I’m guessing no electric guitars this time.

Finally, time for the electric guitars to get turned on with Dead Sea Fish. They play “Classic Rock from the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s as well as a few “fishified” originals.” If you want to know more about them, see their Facebook page where you will find that:

The Dead Sea Fish is a Guitar based powerhouse that was founded over 7 years ago by 5 friends that have known each other for over 30 years (and played together way back in High School)!! FISH ON!!

More Details

Summer in San Francisco is famous for being cold…but it will be HOT on Minna Street…Beyond Hot, in fact.

Full details are on the HOT website.