For the first time in its 55-year history, SEMICON West moved out of the Bay Area and set up on the desert floor, and Arizona showed why the swap made sense. The marquee microelectronics trade show, held October 7–9 at the Phoenix Convention Center, brought global chipmakers, suppliers, researchers and policymakers to downtown Phoenix, turning the city into North America’s semiconductor crossroads for three days of deals, panels and plain-spoken problem solving.
Why Phoenix? The answer is visible in the skyline and in the supply-chain charts: massive investment, active fabs and a maturing ecosystem that stretches from research universities to parts suppliers and workforce training programs. State and regional leaders made their case loudly, arguing that Arizona’s pipeline of projects, people and incentives has put the state at the front of U.S. semiconductor growth since 2020.
A statewide push: leaders on the ground
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) was a conspicuous presence at SEMICON West, and ACA President & CEO Sandra Watson was one of the state’s visible advocates — underscoring how economic development, workforce and public-private partnerships coalesced to land the event. Watson and her team emphasized Arizona’s track record attracting more than 60 semiconductor expansions and the coordinated effort to prepare infrastructure and talent. Governor Katie Hobbs and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego also joined industry leaders and state officials in welcoming delegates and highlighting Arizona’s competitive advantages for chip manufacturing.
Industry leaders, including SEMI Americas president Joe Stockunas, framed the move as both symbolic and strategic. Stockunas has pushed to grow SEMICON West’s relevance and reach, and his leadership helped pivot the show to Phoenix as the region’s investment story accelerated. Public reporting around the show noted major expansions in exhibit space and attendance expectations, signaling one of the largest SEMICON Wests in decades.
Numbers that matter — and a local perspective
Attendance, booths and exhibitor numbers jumped dramatically: organizers projected thousands more attendees than last year and hundreds more exhibitors, making the Phoenix edition one of the largest shows in 20 years. Those public figures — and SEMI’s decision to return to Phoenix in future cycles — reinforced the message that the industry sees Arizona as more than a one-off host.
At the same time, Stockunas shared directly with In Business Magazine founder Rick McCartney, that this year’s event has seen a roughly 70% increase year-over-year in specific measures of activity. That local claim sits alongside published SEMI and media figures that describe strong growth (including multi-decade highs in exhibit expansion and double-digit increases in attendance); together they paint a picture of rapid momentum even if different sources use different metrics to measure it.
What this means for Arizona
Beyond the show floor, SEMICON West’s Phoenix debut had concrete, long-term implications: stronger supplier networks for Arizona fabs, a bigger platform for local startups and universities to showcase innovation, and more visibility for workforce programs designed to fill high-skilled manufacturing and engineering roles. State and local officials, including the ACA, used the moment to pitch further investment, highlight training pipelines and reassure partners about resources like water and logistics that industry executives often ask about.
Executives described impromptu meetings turning into letters of intent, and panels focused on practical bottlenecks — workforce, sustainability, and resilience — that must be solved if the U.S. is to reclaim more of the chip ecosystem. For many attendees, the Phoenix event is less about spectacle and more about outcomes: aligning capital, talent and policy to scale production. SEMI’s leadership framed it similarly — growth tempered by a long list of practical priorities the industry must address together.
Looking ahead
With SEMICON West slated to return to Phoenix in 2027 and 2029 under the rotating schedule, Arizona’s moment as a semiconductor hub looks durable. The combined message from public officials, industry leaders and the show itself was unmistakable: the investments are real, the talent pipeline is deepening, and Phoenix has earned a seat at the table where the future of microelectronics will be decided. For Arizona, the convention has been not just a win for a few days in October — it is a signal that the state will continue to be central to the nation’s semiconductor trajectory for years to come.
