- Competition is unique in the industry, connecting startups with expertise, capital, and visibility
- With this year's event, the Venture Competition will have awarded $1 million to fuel the next wave of deep tech startups
The big picture: As artificial intelligence drives new levels of complexity in chip manufacturing, innovation in semiconductor technology has become a critical enabler. This year, Lam Capital—Lam Research’s venture arm—will host its fourth Lam Capital Venture Competition to bring together industry leaders, academic pioneers, top tier VCs and CVCs, key players from Lam, and visionary startups focused on building practical AI solutions for semiconductor technology.
This year’s theme is Accelerating Innovation: Building the AI Backbone, highlighting how AI and semiconductor technologies drive and strengthen one another.
- The competition is one part of Lam’s overarching goal of increasing velocity in the industry and drive innovation with increased speed and efficiency.
Why it matters: The Lam Capital Venture Competition is the only pitch competition with a monetary award focused exclusively on the semiconductor industry.
- It provides early‑stage startups with both capital and exposure in a highly specialized and technical market.
- Founders can engage directly with investors who have deep semiconductor expertise.
Lam Capital invests in companies addressing high‑impact challenges, from semiconductor manufacturing systems to AI chips and Industry 4.0 technologies. Teams will compete live on May 21, 2026, pitching their companies to a panel of industry financial and strategic venture capital judges.
“The Lam Capital Venture Competition has helped develop the kind of innovation our industry needs—from wafer dicing with lasers to ultrasonic wafering techniques that prevent waste to energy-efficient chips that can process data directly in memory,” says Audrey Charles, SVP, Lam Corporate Strategy and Advanced Packaging. “By connecting these breakthrough ideas with deep technical expertise and investment, the competition helps move promising technologies toward real‑world impact.”
Watch the video to hear directly from previous winners. Then share with your friends and colleagues!
Credibility and a Fast Track to Industry Impact
The winning entry will be offered a $250,000 investment from Lam Capital. Participants cite other substantial benefits to taking part in the Lam Capital Venture Competition:
- Direct access to top-tier institutional and corporate venture capital investors, as well as technology and industry leaders from Lam and beyond.
- Actionable feedback on both technology and business strategy.
- Increased visibility with the broader venture and semiconductor community.
- Opportunities to build long‑term connections across the semiconductor industry.
What they’re saying: “Since we launched in 2019 our global events have become a cornerstone of Lam’s innovation culture,” says Kevin Chen, head of Lam Capital. "With this year’s competition, will will have reached $1 million in funding to fuel the next wave of breakthrough deep tech startups.”