Steve Bird

San Jose, CA (USA)
Role(s):
Founder/Owner/Principal

Birdco_HDI, LLC

Find More Startups Startup
Location: San Jose
Industry: Engineering
Year Founded: 2008
Number Employees: 1-10 people
Business Stage: Creation/Idea
Entity Type: Limited Liability Company
Description: Hello, my name is Steve Bird. I have been involved with three successful startup companies to date. Below is a brief summary of these three. Following the summary, there is a description of a new startup company, Birdco_HDI. It will be based on a combination of next generation PCB technology and new PCB design techniques for optimizing the final result. This result would be known as “Large Format HDI” or LF-HDI. LF-HDI will be a competitive advantage to any industry segment such as, but not limited to, the telecommunications industry. Because LF-HDI this is not in practice today, the concept is to develop an intellectual property based licensing arrangement for all those who require it to keep pace with those who adopt it as Cisco already has. The model defines multiple sources of revenue. Experience: 1. PCA Design, Inc.(San Jose, CA) - CEO and Co founder in 1997. Printed Circuit Board Design Company This Company was a spin-off of HP where I had worked for 14 years as a hardware engineer. Became sole proprietor in 1996, brought sales up to $2.1M and sold to Continental Circuits, a PCB Fab Shop, of Phoenix in early 1998. Worked for HADCO and Sanmina, both conducted acquisitions of the previous company, during my employment contract. 2. Joined Andiamo Systems (San Jose, CA), 2000 - (Spin-off of Cisco Systems) as a mid level engineering manager overseeing several disciplines. Andiamo developed Storage systems for the telecommunications industry, integrating existing internet connectivity with improved storage. This is known as SAN, or Storage Attached Networking with the added feature of virtualization (forms the basis for cloud computing). Andiamo was sold to Cisco Systems in 2003. 3. PlanarMag Inc. (Sacramento, CA) - Joined PlanarMag as the in 2009 as the manufacturing manager. I am Responsible for developing Asian PCB suppliers as well as back end packaging services. PlanarMag’s technology is targeted to replace today’s hand wound transformers, chokes, inductors and baluns. This technology is widely accepted as the next generation magnetics for Cisco, Intel, Motorola, and HP to name a few. I am currently developing five suppliers in Taiwan to support PlanarMag’s efforts to ramp into high volume production. PlanarMag was sold to Tyco Electronics in September of 2010 and development continues. Business Proposal Brief: LF-HDI is not practiced in the industry because today’s hardware development teams are not sure of either the design or fabrication methodology. Steve has dedicated many years to the development of this technology, studying it from the prospective of H/W engineer, CAD Designer, PCB Fabricator, and Business Management. To do this study justice, Steve has rotated his career positions to occupy each one of the above chairs. Understanding both the engineering and business concepts has allowed Steve to write the strategy for the Cisco LF-HDI initiative. This included setting and testing unique design rules and PCB stackups, new component libraries, test vehicles, test strategies, and worldwide supplier qualifications. Steve them came back to R&D as a technical lead at ISBU, or Internet Systems Business Unit and implemented the engineering training program at Cisco University. Under Steve’s direction, the Cisco design team has more experience designing with LF-HDI technology than any other company in the world. The result; there is now a strict set of methodologies that lead to concrete density improvements, performance improvements, and cost reductions. I short; there is a new cost/performance ratio to be had through the use of LF-HDI. Here are some of the existing building blocks that form the foundation for the success of this new venture. 1. Intellectual Property Developed: Four patents applications covering ASIC pin outs, BGA escape patterns, test probe points and test probe location optimizer software. 2. Cross Licensing Agreement with Cisco: First draft of a cross-licensing agreement with Cisco systems complete stating the Birdco_HDI will have full rights to all intellectual property developed in return for Cisco’s unlimited access to current as well as future developments of LF-HDI by Birdco_HDI. 3. Fully Developed Training Program: Developed training manual for the purpose of training hardware and CAD engineers hw to design using LF-HDI. This is a source of revenue on its own or in support of a licensed customer. The manual outlines many worked examples including reducing a 26 layer design to 14 layers. 4. Fully Developed Test Methodology: US Patent granted, this strategy provides for both E-test and Signal Integrity based test probe insertion program. 5. Continuing Technology Roadmap: We will continue to develop LF-HDI technology for the purpose of providing our customers a competitive advantage. Areas of development include stacked microvias, escaping high pin count 0.8mm pitch BGAs, alternative high speed substrate materials, Type-3 PCB stackups, and SMT backplane connectors. We will break the 10GBit/s barrier. The business plan for Birdco_HDI, a minority-owned business, includes further details regarding the above building blocks as well as an explanation of the market size (new designs and re-designs for cost reduction), sources of revenue including technology licensing, and a complete staffing plan for design centers in the US and China for 24 hour coverage. The plan also outlines an equipment plan and complete financials for the first five years. When all goes according to plan, the breakeven time for the design centers will be within the first year. We are currently seeking a financial partner who can fund $2M US in exchange for an equity stake in the company. Help us properly deploy this technology to the industry and we will be very successful together. Thank you so much for your consideration. We would be happy to meet with you at any time. Steve Bird (Phone # removed)