- Daniel Schall is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Black Semiconductor, bringing more than 13 years of expertise in graphene photonics, semiconductor fabrication, and advanced computing technologies. Black Semiconductor is developing breakthrough graphene-powered connectivity technology that enables thousands of chips to communicate as one system, helping unlock the next generation of AI-scale computing.
- Black Semiconductor develops Integrated Graphene Photonics (IGP™), a breakthrough technology platform that natively integrates electronics and photonics on the same wafer using graphene in a single CMOS-compatible manufacturing flow. Founded in Germany in 2020, the company has grown to 140 professionals from 30 nationalities while pursuing a bold vision to inspire the world to rethink computing through faster, more scalable, and energy-efficient chip connectivity.
- Graduating mit Auszeichnung (with distinction), Daniel earned a Dr.-Ing. in Electrical Engineering from RWTH Aachen University with specialization in graphene optoelectronics and silicon photonics. An earlier mit Auszeichnung (with distinction) degree in Microelectronics and Automation Engineering from Hochschule Darmstadt established the scientific foundation for technologies that integrate photonics and electronics on a single semiconductor platform.
- More than 13 years as a researcher and group leader at AMO GmbH provided Daniel with deep expertise in silicon photonics, electro-optical devices, and semiconductor fabrication. That experience enabled him to unite researchers, engineers, investors, industry leaders, and strategic partners behind a vision to build an entirely new semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem around graphene photonics.
- Daniel recognized that the biggest bottleneck in computing had shifted from inside the chip to the connections between chips long before the challenge became widely understood across the industry. His leadership positioned Black Semiconductor to overcome the bandwidth, latency, and energy limitations of copper interconnects through integrated photonic communication.
- Rather than viewing graphene’s limitations in transistor applications as a setback, he recognized an opportunity hidden within its unique optical properties. That insight led to the development of Black Semiconductor’s IGP™ platform, delivering up to 100 times greater system scalability than conventional copper-based interconnects while reducing power consumption, complexity, and cost.
- Few entrepreneurs attempt to build an entirely new semiconductor manufacturing category, yet FabONE stands as Daniel’s boldest industrial undertaking to date. Designed as the world’s first scalable 300mm facility for graphene-enabled photonic-electronic integration, the project is establishing a manufacturing capability that does not exist anywhere else in the industry.
- Daniel strengthened Black Semiconductor’s strategic position through the acquisition of Applied Nanolayers BV in 2025, now operating as Black Semiconductor Netherlands. The move secured critical graphene manufacturing expertise, wafer-scale process capabilities, and greater control over the material foundation required for future volume production.
- Strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Exyte are transforming years of pioneering research into industrial reality. With facility completion targeted for 2026, pilot production planned for 2027, and volume manufacturing envisioned for 2029, Black Semiconductor is steadily advancing toward commercialization at scale.
- Daniel’s journey demonstrates the power of combining scientific excellence, entrepreneurial courage, and relentless execution. His example reminds innovators, professionals, and leaders that breakthrough industries are created by those willing to challenge accepted limits, rethink computing from first principles, and pursue possibilities others consider impossible.
**Excerpts from June 2026 interview with Daniel Nenni of SemiWiki.
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