Pete Rodriguez brings a rare mix of experience to venture investing, having worked as a public-company CEO, a startup CEO, a CMO, and a GM, on top of a background that spans Caltech chemical engineering, an MSEE, an MBA, and Naval War College training, which led to his retirement as a Naval Reserve Commander. He also stands out for pairing each startup with a senior partner for long-term, hands-on support, pushing chip companies to build complete solutions rather than standalone components, and lending his experience to national semiconductor policy groups like PCAST and the American Semiconductor Innovation Coalition.
About their Fund
Silicon Catalyst is the only accelerator focused exclusively on the global semiconductor industry, giving startups working on chips, chiplets, materials, silicon photonics, MEMS, sensors, life science, and quantum access to a semiconductor-specific stack of foundry access, EDA tools, IP, packaging, and testing worth millions of dollars, plus a 24-month incubation program, strategic partners like TI, Arm, and NXP who help select and work with startups, and its own investment arms, Silicon Catalyst Angels and Silicon Catalyst Ventures. It operates this model through localized programs in the UK, EU, Israel, Japan, Australia, and Malaysia, connecting local startups to Silicon Valley networks and mentors, and has built an ecosystem that has engaged with over 1,500 semiconductor startups, admitted more than 150, and facilitated over $150 million in in-kind support, $600 million in venture investment, and $100 million in grants.















.jpeg)







.jpeg)











































































.png)
























































































































.jpeg)









.jpeg)




















































































