Plasma Beyond Fusion: Powering Next Generation Semiconductor Manufacturing & Materials
NYC-2026 HEADLINE Upcoming

Plasma Beyond Fusion: Powering Next Generation Semiconductor Manufacturing & Materials

Presented by SOSV PTC
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (ET)

About This Event

Plasma, the fourth state of matter, is best known as the key technology behind the promise of fusion energy. But plasma is quickly becoming one of the most important…and misunderstood..forces shaping the future of semiconductor manufacturing and advanced materials.

As AI pushes the semiconductor industry to new extremes, plasma is stepping in to do what traditional lithography and wet chemistry increasingly cannot.

As part of NY Deep Tech Week, SOSV’s HAX is hosting a conversation that brings together world leaders in plasma — spanning plasma physics and chemistry, semiconductor manufacturing, and venture investing. They'll explore how the technology is evolving inside fabs, why it’s unlocking entirely new classes of 2D and post-silicon materials, and how we can accelerate commercialization of these breakthroughs in the U.S.

Speakers:

  • Faran Nouri: Former Senior Partner at Natcast, General Partner at America’s Frontier Fund, and VP & Managing Director at Lam Research; Expert in semiconductor tech with experience as an entrepreneur, investor, and board member
  • Yevgeny Raitses, Ph.D: Distinguished Research Fellow at Princeton Plasma Physics Lab (PPPL); Expert in 2D materials and experimental plasma physics with 200+ publications spanning plasma thrusters, plasma–surface interactions, plasma-based synthesis and processing of nanomaterials, cross-field discharges, and plasma diagnostics.
  • Gilroy Vandentop, Ph.D: Former VP & Director of Corporate University Research at Intel Labs; Expert in novel materials, manufacturing tech, and partnerships; Ph.D in Physical Chemistry
  • Moderated by Susan Schofer, Ph.D: Partner at SOSV and Chief Science Officer at HAX, PhD in Chemistry with 20 years experience translating deep tech innovation from lab to market

This event is sponsored by PTC__: Built on a trusted product data foundation, and embedded in the tools and workflows customers already use every day—PTC’s AI empowers customers to unlock more value across the entire product lifecycle.

Speakers

Susan Schofer

Susan Schofer

Partner & Chief Science Officer · HAX

moderator

Susan Schofer is a Partner at SOSV global venture capital firm and serves as Chief Science Officer at HAX, the world’s premier venture program accelerating early stage hard tech startups. She works with new startups via early stage investment, defining key milestones and go-to-market strategies, and is responsible for scientific oversight and building capabilities to support portfolio companies. Prior to joining HAX, Susan served as SVP Business Development for Modern Meadow and a member of the executive leadership team for over 7 years, developing new sustainable materials inspired by leather without any animals, where she led product, partnership, and go-to-market strategy and execution from early ideation through to commercialization. Before that, Susan spent 10 years in Silicon Valley working in roles spanning R&D, product development, product management, and business development for Amyris, a pioneer in synthetic biology, and Symyx Technologies, utilizing proprietary high-throughput robotic workflows to accelerate polymer and material discovery and development. Susan also worked as an analyst for management consulting company Mitchell Madison Group. Her passion is working closely with scientific and technical innovation to craft product and business strategy and partnering with founders and the broader ecosystem to implement and commercialize solutions to make a positive impact on people and planet. Susan was an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at Stockholm and Uppsala Universities, where she worked to develop catalyst systems for artificial photosynthesis. She holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Caltech and an Sc.B. in chemistry from Brown.

Faran Nouri

Faran Nouri

Advisor · xLight

Faran Nouri has been a semiconductor technologist, entrepreneur, investor, and board member. Prior to Natcast, she was a General Partner at America’s Frontier Fund and a Vice President at Lam Research. She was a founding member of Lam Capital, where she established the fund and guided its investment portfolio, leading to multiple exits through IPOs and acquisitions. Before her venture career, Faran spent two decades in the semiconductor industry, developing commercially successful products at both startups and Fortune 500 companies. She has been an invited speaker and panelist, board member, served on several technical committees, authored more than 60 peer-reviewed papers, and holds 26 patents.

Yevgeny Raitses

Yevgeny Raitses

Principal Research Physicist · Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Yevgeny Raitses is a Principal Research Physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). His research focuses on plasma physics, particularly plasma thrusters, sheaths, and discharges relevant to electric propulsion and plasma processing. He has authored numerous publications on these topics and serves as an adjunct professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

G

Gilroy Vandentop

Former VP & Director of Corporate University Research · Intel Labs

Former VP & Director of Corporate University Research at Intel Labs; Expert in novel materials, manufacturing tech, and partnerships; Ph.D in Physical Chemistry

What to Expect

Panels Fireside Chat Networking Drinks

Relevant Industries

AI & Machine Learning Semiconductors Nuclear & Fusion Manufacturing & Hardware Advanced Materials Energy Storage

Who Should Attend

Founders & CEOs Executives / C-Suite Venture Capital Engineers Scientists Researchers & PhDs
1 registered
Capacity: 120
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Host

Supriya Agarwal
Supriya Agarwal