More about Forza-IBM Collaboration

Red Orbit published an interview with Mel Stinebaugh, vice president of administration for Pasadena-based Forza Silicon:

"The real key to the collaboration is we are working with IBM to help them develop their manufacturing process. We helped them test those processes to get them ready for mass production. We know IBM processes inside and out.

Each foundry has unique methods of manufacturing chips, and a chip designer who understands those methods will be more efficient.

If you as a customer of IBM wanted to have the IBM foundry build you a custom image sensor, we would be the best qualified people to either design it for you or help you with that design to make sure it was maximized to go through that process.

Forza's agreement with IBM is mutually beneficial. We help IBM with feedback from all the testing we do to keep their processes up to date. Putting "IBM preferred vendor" in the marketing material is a big boost for a small company like Forza."

Forza Silicon, founded six years ago, has 18 employees and is expected to increase its staff to 25 in early 2007, Stinebaugh said.