Dado Banatao facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diosdado P. Banatao
Banatao on a 2021 stamp of Philippines
Born	(1946-05-23) May 23, 1946 (age 79) Iguig, Cagayan, Philippines
Citizenship	Philippines
Alma mater	Stanford University (MSEECS) Mapúa Institute of Technology (BSEE) Ateneo de Tuguegarao Malabbac Elementary School
Occupation	Founder & Managing Partner of Tallwood Venture Capital, CEO of Ikanos Communications, Chairman of Philippine Development Foundation
Known for	single-chips, PHY chips
Board member of	T-RAM Semiconductor, Inc., Inphi Corporation, Alphion Corporation, Sirf Technology Inc., Quintic Corporation, Wilocity Ltd., Integrated Micro-Electronics
Spouse(s)	Maria Cariaga
Parent(s)	Salvador and Rosita Banatao

Diosdado P. Banatao (born May 23, 1946) is a Filipino engineer and entrepreneur. He is famous for creating important computer parts. These include the first 10-Mbit Ethernet chip, which helps computers connect to networks. He also made the first main logic chips for early IBM personal computers. Plus, he developed one of the first chips to make computer graphics faster. He has started three successful technology companies.

Diosdado Banatao's Early Life

Diosdado Banatao was born on May 23, 1946, in Iguig, Cagayan, Philippines. His father, Salvador, was a rice farmer, and his mother, Rosita, was a homemaker.

Banatao's story is often called a "rags to riches" tale. When he was a child, he walked barefoot on a dirt road to get to Malabbac Elementary School. He then went to Ateneo de Tuguegarao for high school. After that, he studied Electrical Engineering at the Mapúa Institute of Technology. He graduated with honors.

After college, he had many job offers but chose to join Philippine Airlines as a pilot trainee. Later, he worked for Boeing in the United States. There, he helped design the Boeing 747, a large airplane. This gave him a chance to stay in the U.S. He then earned his master's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Stanford University in 1972. While studying, he joined the Homebrew Computer Club. This is where he met famous computer pioneers like Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

After getting his master's degree, Banatao worked for several tech companies. At Commodore International, he designed the first calculator that used a single 16-bit microprocessor chip. In 1981, while at Seeq Technology, he created the first 10-Mbit Ethernet chip. This chip was very important for computer networking. He also helped create the main logic chips for IBM's early personal computers. He also invented the "local bus" concept, which made computer graphics much faster.

Banatao's Career in Technology

Starting New Companies

In 1984, Banatao and his partner Francis Siu started a company called Mostron. They began with half a million US dollars. Mostron made computer motherboards, which are the main circuit boards inside computers.

In 1985, he co-founded Chips and Technologies. This company made special chips for IBM's PC-XT and PC-AT computers. These chips helped the computers work better. The company quickly became very successful, earning $12 million in its first four months. After less than two years, the company became public, meaning its shares could be bought and sold by anyone.

In 1989, Banatao started his third company, S3 Graphics, in Santa Clara, California. S3 Graphics focused on making computer graphics much better. They did this by creating a special "graphic accelerator chip." This was possible because of Banatao's invention of the local bus. S3 Graphics also became a public company, raising $30 million. By 1996, S3 Graphics was a leader in the graphics chip market. In the same year, Chips & Technologies was sold to Intel for about $300 million.

In 2000, Banatao started his own company called Tallwood Venture Capital. He used $300 million of his own money to help other new technology companies grow. He also sold another company for over $1 billion, even though it had fewer than 20 employees. Banatao was also involved with SiRF, a company that helped make GPS technology available for everyday use after the U.S. government allowed it.

In 2010, Banatao became the CEO of Ikanos Communications.

Helping Others Through Philanthropy

Diosdado Banatao also helps many people, especially in the Philippines. Through his Dado Banatao Educational Foundation, he gives scholarships every year. These scholarships help smart Filipino students who want to study engineering and technology. He also chairs the Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev). This group helps young Filipinos go to school and reach their full potential.

In California, his Banatao Filipino American Fund helps high school students of Filipino heritage. It supports them if they want to go to college to study engineering. He also built a computer center at his old elementary school in Iguig. This made it the only public school in the Philippines with such a modern computer network.

Awards and Recognitions

Diosdado Banatao has received many awards for his work and contributions.