Ocampo family launches $100 million fund for RF, microwave and photonics research

By AI, Created 7:08 PM UTC, May 15, 2026, /AGP/ – Susan Ocampo has announced the John L. Ocampo Endowment Fund, a $100 million commitment to support research in RF, microwave and photonics engineering at leading universities. The fund is designed to back academic work, train future semiconductor engineers and extend John Ocampo’s influence on the compound semiconductor industry.

Why it matters: - The $100 million endowment is aimed at accelerating research that can move faster from university labs into commercial semiconductor products. - The fund is intended to help build the next generation of RF, microwave and photonics engineers at a time when demand for advanced communications technology remains high. - The commitment is described as one of the largest private funds ever created for RF/Microwave and Photonics engineering education.

What happened: - Susan Ocampo, co-founder of GaAs Labs LLC, announced the John L. Ocampo Endowment Fund on May 19, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. - The fund commits $100 million to support RF, microwave and photonics engineering research at leading academic institutions. - The endowment honors the late John Ocampo, a pioneer in the compound semiconductor industry.

The details: - Annual donations from the fund are intended to support professors and students working in RF/Microwave, Photonics and Semiconductor Engineering. - In the inaugural year, the fund awarded grants to research programs led by seven professors. - The supported institutions include Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Santa Clara University, University College Cork/Tyndall National Institute, University of California, Davis and University of Colorado Boulder. - John Ocampo co-founded Sirenza Microdevices and GaAs Labs, which acquired MACOM Technology Solutions in 2009. - John Ocampo’s work focused on advancing high-speed communications across cellular, satellite, aerospace and defense, and datacenter applications.

Between the lines: - The fund extends GaAs Labs’ role beyond investing in companies and into long-term academic philanthropy tied to semiconductor innovation. - The effort reflects a belief that U.S. and global competitiveness in communications hardware still depends on strong university research pipelines. - Susan Ocampo said the fund is meant to honor John Ocampo’s achievements while investing in the curiosity and technical excellence that shaped his career.

What’s next: - The endowment is expected to make annual university donations to support future research grants. - Additional universities and professors could receive support as the fund continues to deploy capital. - The family plans to use the fund to help inspire future semiconductor pioneers and push the boundaries of the technology.

The bottom line: - The Ocampo family is turning a major philanthropic commitment into a long-term bet on academic research as a driver of semiconductor innovation.