By
SEPTEMBER 7, 2007
(Special to the Asian Journal)
The Ilocano Genius
Who Put Silicon Valley on the Map
THERE was a time when computers
advanced chip designs that helped put
were slow, complicated, and expensive
Silicon Valley on the map.” In 1997, he
that only the very rich, very techie, and
was honored with the prestigious Master
very patient could afford to have one.
Entrepreneur of the Year Award sponsored
When computers were improved, the
by Ernst & Young, Inc. Magazine, and
problem of linking up computers and
Merrill Lynch Business Financial Services.
communicate with one another came.
Today, the electrical engineer runs his
Still later on, computers could only handle
own Palo Alto firm, Tallwood Venture
data, and if you said you could produce
Capital. Prior to Tallwood, he was a venture
graphics and watch movies on your PC,
partner with the Mayfield Fund. He also
people would think you’re crazy.
served on the board of directors and as
Filipino American Diosdado “Dado”
chairman of several emerging companies,
Banatao helped changed all that. He
including Marvell Technology Group,
invented the first computer chip that
NewPort Communications (acquired by
dramatically enhanced the performance
Broadcom), and Cyras Systems (acquired
of today’s PC. The upgrade not only
by Ciena Corporation.
made faster computers but also more
With all his inventions, Banatao is just
affordable to millions of people. His chip
glad that the products of his genius
is now found in at least nine out of 10 PC
continue to benefit not only Silicon Valley
motherboards.
but also the Philippines and the rest of
It was also Banatao’s genius that
the world.
gave the world the video chip, the first Engineering and Computer Science from
The advice he gives ambitious engineers
graphic accelerator and the first Ethernet Stanford University.
is to pay attention to the market and
controller chip that enabled computers He quickly moved up in his career,
market needs. Creating an innovative
to link up and to communicate with one becoming a top design engineer
product that no one wants is a waste of
another. He practically put Silicon Valley for some well-known companies. At
time and energy.
on the map with his invention of the Seeq Technology, Banatao created a
“Because engineers are involved in the
chip set that significantly reduced the breakthrough technology by putting an
design of products, they are the backbone
complexity of the personal computer. Ethernet controller on a single chip.
of any company. Engineers that are good
Banatao has been blazing the trail in By the time IBM introduced the personal
at what they do eventually get promoted
the IT industry from Cagayan Valley to computer in the early 1980’s, Banatao was
to upper management. If you learn the
the Silicon Valley. He was born on May already deep in chip technology research
other aspects of your business, you will
23, 1946 and grew up in Barrio Malabbac, and experimentation. He immediately
just keep on moving up,” he says.
Iguig, Cagayan Vaalley. In his youth, the saw that the computer chip had to be
Now Banatao is among the most
place had no running water and electricity. redesigned to make it more compact and
prominent and wealthy Filipinos in the
His father was a farmer, and many of his cheaper to produce.
world, regularly advising the Philippine
friends never studied past grade school. He founded several companies in
government technology and science
Dado graduated cum laude with a Silicon Valley —Mostron, Chips and
issues.
degree in BS Electrical Engineering at Technologies and S3 Graphics. Under his
“It’s important that we develop a
the Mapua Institute of Technology in companies, Banatao developed the PC
passion for using technology to solve
the Philippines. He then pursued his motherboards, PC Chip sets (eventually
society’s biggest problems,” he says. “I
passion for flying by training to become acquired by Intel), high speed video and
believe technology can make an impact.”
a commercial airline pilot. A twist of fate graphic chips (S3 Graphics).
“Create something that is tangible, such
brought him to the US when Boeing Having become a legend in Silicon
as a product or service,” Banatao advises.
offered him an engineering job in 1968. In Valley, Banatao has consistently been in
“Whatever you do, do it passionately.”
the States, he took up an MS in Electrical Forbes’ Midas List for having “developed
(AJ).
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