Key Takeaways
- Diosdado "Dado" Banatao, a renowned semiconductor engineer and entrepreneur, passed away on December 25, 2025, at the age of 79.
- Banatao’s innovations helped reduce the cost and expand the reach of personal computers, making them more accessible to the general public.
- He co-founded several key Silicon Valley companies, including Chips and Technologies and S3 Graphics, and made significant contributions to the development of semiconductors.
- Banatao was also a devoted philanthropist, supporting education and innovation through various institutions, including the Philippine Development Foundation and the Banatao Family Filipino American Education Fund.
- His legacy continues to impact the tech industry, with his work embedded in millions of machines and his institutions supporting future generations of engineers and entrepreneurs.
Introduction to Dado Banatao’s Life and Work
Diosdado "Dado" Banatao, a pioneering semiconductor engineer and entrepreneur, passed away on December 25, 2025, surrounded by family and friends. He was 79 years old, just five months shy of his 80th birthday. Banatao’s death was caused by complications from a neurological disorder that developed later in his life. Despite not being a household name, Banatao’s work had a profound impact on the tech industry, particularly in the development of personal computers. His innovations helped reduce the cost and expand the reach of PCs, making them more accessible to the general public.
From Humble Beginnings to Engineering Success
Banatao’s journey to success began in the farming town of Iguig, Cagayan, where he grew up in humble circumstances. His father was a farmer, and his mother worked as a housekeeper. Banatao recalled walking barefoot to reach his elementary school and was largely supported by scholarships throughout his education. He attended Ateneo de Tuguegarao High School and later moved to Manila for university studies, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering from the Mapúa Institute of Technology. Banatao’s academic excellence earned him a cum laude graduation, and he later moved to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.
Building a Career in Engineering and Entrepreneurship
In the United States, Banatao worked as an engineer at Boeing, where he gained valuable experience in large-scale systems design and disciplined engineering methods. This training laid the foundation for his later work in semiconductors. Banatao rose to prominence during the personal-computer boom as a co-founder of Chips and Technologies, where he developed highly integrated chipsets that consolidated multiple PC functions onto fewer components. This innovation reduced manufacturing costs and improved performance, making PCs more affordable and reliable. He later co-founded S3 Graphics, a leading supplier of graphics accelerators in the 1990s, as graphical user interfaces and multimedia became standard.
Investing in the Future of Technology
Beyond his operating companies, Banatao co-founded Tallwood Venture Capital, a Menlo Park–based firm focused on early-stage semiconductor and deep-technology investments. He also devoted himself to education and innovation, co-founding the Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev), which administers scholarships and mentoring for Filipino students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the United States, the Banatao family established the Banatao Family Filipino American Education Fund, a scholarship program administered through the Asian Pacific Fund. This program provides financial support to California students of Filipino heritage pursuing STEM degrees.
A Lasting Legacy in the Tech Industry
Banatao’s influence extends beyond his own companies, with his name institutionally linked to CITRIS and the Banatao Institute, a multi-campus University of California collaboration supporting interdisciplinary research and technology translation. In the Philippines, the University of the Philippines has acknowledged donations supporting engineering education through professorial chairs and academic programs under the Dado and Maria Banatao Institute framework. He also supported entrepreneurship through the Asian Institute of Management, which operates the AIM–Dado Banatao Incubator. Despite his significant contributions to the tech industry, Banatao maintained a low public profile, preferring to focus on rigor, execution, and long-term impact over visibility.
A Measured Presence and a Lasting Impact
Colleagues recall Banatao’s engineer’s focus on solving problems and reducing barriers, leaving behind systems that will continue to work quietly long after his name is no longer attached to them. He is survived by his wife, Maria Banatao; their children; and grandchildren. Banatao’s legacy serves as a testament to the power of innovation and education, inspiring future generations of engineers and entrepreneurs to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible. His work may not always be visible, but its impact will be felt for years to come, a reminder of the enduring influence of Dado Banatao’s contributions to the tech industry.