Over the past half century, the semiconductor technology landscape has been evolving rapidly, underpinning the digital transformations we witness across the various spheres of life today. Sometimes referred to as integrated circuits or microchips, semiconductors are the backbone of modern electronics. In devices of every type, from simple gadgets to complex systems like computers, cars and household appliances, semiconductors have led to them being smaller or faster or more reliable. More inconspicuously, semiconductors are now enabling innovations in healthcare to flourish.

One company, imec, stands as a vanguard in this area. Their work promises to enable smart health concepts such as precision medicine and genomics to be brought within everyone’s reach, resulting in personalized treatments with better outcomes and lower costs. Joining the latest episode of the “Ideas to Innovation Season 3” podcast from Clarivate is Peter Peumans, Chief Technology Officer - Healthcare Technologies and Senior Fellow at Belgium-based imec. He and Ed White of Clarivate discuss how innovations in semiconductors led imec to be named one of 36 companies in this year’s Innovators to Watch report from Clarivate. The report – guided by Ed in his role as vice president and principal analyst for IP and Innovation Research at Clarivate –identifies organizations that demonstrate both exceptional potential and above-the-bar innovation excellence.