Biographical Note on Professor José Epifânio da Franca

José Epifânio da Franca was Professor of Electrical Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Innovation and a leading figure in the fields of semiconductors, technology-based entrepreneurship, and innovation policy. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he combined academic excellence with business leadership, public service, and lasting institutional impact.

After completing an internationally recognized PhD in Electronic Engineering at Imperial College London, he returned to Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), where, from 1986 onwards, he founded and led a research group in microelectronics and integrated-circuit design—the IST Integrated Circuits and Systems Group. This group became the foundation of his academic career, supporting sustained scientific output, the advanced training of engineers and researchers, and extensive international collaboration. During this period of intense academic activity, José Franca also served in the Portuguese Government as Secretary of State for Education, gaining direct experience of national education policy and public administration and deepening his understanding of the intersection between academia, government, and societal impact. Building on this strong academic and institutional foundation, José Franca achieved international recognition for his research in microelectronics and analog and mixed-signal circuit design, while also assuming leadership roles in academic governance and research strategy.

In the late 1990s, he founded Chipidea Microelectronics S.A., a pioneering semiconductor intellectual-property company that transformed academic knowledge into globally competitive industrial technology. As Chipidea grew into a leading global company, he made the considered decision to step away from his active academic responsibilities, convinced that research, teaching, and student supervision require a full-time intellectual commitment incompatible with the demanding and all-consuming responsibilities of leading a company. Following the company's successful international expansion and exit, he returned in 2007 to broader academic, advisory, and institutional activities at his Alma Mater, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST). From 2012 to 2015, as Founding Chairman and CEO of Portugal Ventures, appointed by the Portuguese Government, Professor Franca led a landmark phase of the country's efforts to promote technology-based entrepreneurship, consolidating public venture capital and launching the Ignition Program, which helped transform Portugal's startup and innovation landscape.

From 2016 onwards, Professor Franca served as an Operating Partner at Keensight Capital, one of Europe's leading growth buyout firms specializing in the technology and healthcare sectors. Following a relationship established during Keensight's investment in Chipidea, he worked closely with the investment team in evaluating new investment opportunities and developing the strategic direction of portfolio companies. His responsibilities also included executive advisory roles within portfolio companies, notably as Senior Advisor to the CEO of Vision-Box during an important phase of the company's international expansion. This work represented a continuation of his lifelong commitment to entrepreneurship, technology, and sustainable value creation through innovation. In the later years of his career, his activities focused on mentoring, venture capital, and investments in early-stage companies, as well as long-term strategy in the semiconductor and deep-tech innovation sectors, contributing to talent development, institutional strengthening, and European technological sovereignty. His career was marked by a rare combination of scientific rigor, business execution, public service, and a profound commitment to lasting impact and the legacy he left behind.

Upon turning 70 on January 2, 2025, José Franca became Professor Emeritus in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at IST, where, until the end of his life, he maintained his lifelong passion for engaging with and supporting students.