THE IDEA BEHIND SEMICON DESERT

The semiconductor industry runs on precision, speed, and trust — but building for it takes more than factories. It takes people who can see problems early, move fast, and work across borders.

Semicon Desert exists to help those people start.

We don’t build fabs; we build founders. And we do it from a region that already understands what resilience looks like — the desert.

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT

Most startup programs teach founders how to pitch. We teach them how to build — with tools, mentors, and partners tied directly to the semiconductor world.

Our programs start with real industry needs, not hypotheticals. We connect universities and companies on both sides of the border, turning technical curiosity into projects, projects into prototypes, and prototypes into startups that matter.

HOW WE WORK

We operate like a workshop, not a conference. Everything we run — from challenges to training — is built around collaboration and fast iteration.

Founders learn by doing: designing, testing, and solving real problems with guidance from engineers, professors, and industry experts who’ve done the work themselves.

When a team shows promise, we don’t hand them a certificate; we help them reach the next stage — whether that’s a prototype, a pilot, or a first customer.

THE REGION WE SERVE

We start in Sonora, right next to Arizona’s booming semiconductor corridor. Together, this cross-border region has the talent, energy, and proximity to power the next wave of semiconductor innovation.

Our role is to make that connection real — to give global companies reasons to look south, and local founders reasons to build for the world.

OUR VISION

A self-sustaining, cross-border startup ecosystem that fuels the global semiconductor industry with new talent, new ideas, and new companies.