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 famous Filipino inventor and businessman. He is known for his important work in the world of computers and technology. He helped create some of the first key parts inside personal computers.

He developed the first 10-Mbit Ethernet chip. This chip helped computers connect to networks. He also created the first system logic chipset for early IBM PC-XT and PC-AT computers. Plus, he made one of the first chips to speed up graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for personal computers.

Banatao also started several successful technology companies. These include Mostron, Chips and Technologies, and S3 Graphics.

The Early Life of Diosdado Banatao

Diosdado Banatao was born on May 23, 1946, in Iguig, Cagayan, Philippines. His father, Salvador, was a rice farmer. His mother, Rosita, took care of their home.

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. For high school, he attended the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Tuguegarao.

After high school, he studied Electrical Engineering at the Mapúa Institute of Technology. He graduated with honors.

Moving to the United States

After college, Banatao decided to work for Philippine Airlines as a pilot trainee. Later, he joined Boeing, a big airplane company. At Boeing, he worked as a design engineer on the new Boeing 747 airplane in the United States.

While in the U.S., he got a chance to stay and study more. He earned his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Stanford University in 1972. He also joined the Homebrew Computer Club. There, he met famous computer pioneers like Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

Early Inventions

After getting his master's degree, Banatao worked for several technology companies. These included National Semiconductor, Intersil, and Commodore International. At Commodore, he designed the first calculator that used a single 16-bit microprocessor chip.

In 1981, he made a big breakthrough at Seeq Technology. He developed the first 10-Mbit Ethernet chip. This chip was important for how computers communicate over networks. He also helped create the first system logic chip set for IBM's early personal computers. He also invented the local bus concept and one of the first chips to make computer graphics faster.

Diosdado Banatao's Career

Starting New Companies

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

In 1985, Banatao co-founded Chips and Technologies. This company created the important system logic chip set for IBM's PC-XT and PC-AT computers. The company quickly became very successful. It earned $12 million in its first four months. After less than two years, the company became public, meaning its shares could be bought and sold.

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

In 2000, Banatao started his own investment firm called Tallwood Venture Capital. He invested $300 million of his own money into this company. He later sold another company for over $1 billion, even though it had fewer than 20 employees. He also played a role in SiRF, which helped make GPS technology available to everyday people after it was no longer a secret military technology.

In 2010, Banatao became the CEO of Ikanos Communications.

Helping Others Through Philanthropy

Diosdado Banatao also believes in giving back. In the Philippines, his Dado Banatao Educational Foundation 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). Through PhilDev, he helps young Filipinos go to school and reach their full potential. He also helps Filipino-American high school students in California. His Banatao Filipino American Fund supports them if they want to study engineering in college.

Banatao even 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 achievements.