NextFlex Names Dr. Daniel Gamota Executive Director

NextFlex, America’s Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute focused on additive microelectronics manufacturing for novel applications and complex integrated systems, announced the appointment of Dr. Daniel Gamota, a well-known and experienced manufacturing and technology executive, to lead NextFlex into its next chapter as executive director, effective Sept. 1, 2024.

Dr. Gamota succeeds Dr. Malcolm Thompson, the inaugural executive director of NextFlex.

Established in 2015 in San Jose, CA, NextFlex is a public-private partnership supported by the U.S. Department of Defense under a Cooperative Agreement with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and is part of the Manufacturing USA network.

“On behalf of NextFlex, I’m delighted to announce Dr. Gamota’s appointment to lead the NextFlex Manufacturing Innovation Institute into its next phase. Having been an active and long-standing member of NextFlex through his role at Jabil, Dr. Gamota consistently demonstrates his strategic support for the mission of the Institute and its members and partners,” said Dr. Robert Smith, Boeing executive technical fellow, and chair of the NextFlex Governing Council.

“Hybrid electronics technology is at a critical inflection point – as it increasingly is integrated into volume manufacturing for both commercial and defense applications, it’s more important than ever that NextFlex continues to align the manufacturing ecosystem and accelerate the growth of the workforce of tomorrow,” added Dr. Smith.

Dr. Gamota has more than 25 years of experience leading large organizations such as Jabil, where he served as VP, and Motorola, where he served as director and fellow of the technical staff, both of which industrialized innovative products and deployed advanced microelectronics manufacturing operations to international high volume production sites.

He is recognized for leading R&D and collaborative innovation teams spanning semiconductor foundry (middle end of line and backend of the line), semiconductor assembly, packaging & test, complex integrated systems assembly, and printed circuit board assembly operations.

Dr. Gamota has a strong record being awarded and leading several multi-member microelectronics systems solutions development programs (DARPA, NIST ATP, etc.). He is a member of the SEMI Board of Industry Leaders, University of Michigan MSE External Advisory Board, and San Jose State University Engineering Industry Advisory Council, providing strategic technology, market, and workforce development guidance.

Also, Dr. Gamota is active in and has chaired committees developing microelectronics guidelines, standards, and roadmaps for IEEE, iNEMI, IPC, IEC, A*STAR, and SEMI.

Dr. Gamota was elevated to a NextFlex Fellow, IEEE Fellow, and was named a Dan Noble Fellow at Motorola for his contributions and leadership in microelectronics design, materials, packaging, processes, manufacturing, assembly, and testing. He earned a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

“I am excited to lead NextFlex as it evolves to become an engine for product industrialization and commercialization of a portfolio of innovations, a pipeline for talented workforce, and a strategic partner to volume manufacturing services providers and OEMs. NextFlex has the foundational tenets – talent, funding, programs, operational structure, and facility – to ensure it continues to be globally recognized as the nexus for Hybrid Electronics innovation,” said Dr. Gamota.

“I believe that NextFlex must continue to demonstrate agility in navigating the multidimensional complexities impacting the Electronics Manufacturing Ecosystem: workforce, supply chain resiliency, sustainability, and technology innovation. I also look forward to leading the NextFlex community as it continues to foster strong collaboration with Ecosystem members that represent diverse industry, academic, and government groups driving key enabling R&D topics.”

Dr. Gamota’s appointment marks the beginning of NextFlex’s tenth year of operations. During this time, NextFlex has grown its membership to more than 210 organizations, managed over $400 million in 240 technology and manufacturing development projects, served more than 25,000 students around the country with its education and workforce development programs, established three regional U.S. nodes in Massachusetts, Missouri, and New York, outfitted an end-to-end pilot scale design, prototype and manufacturing facility in Silicon Valley, and produced annual technology and manufacturing roadmaps to guide and de-risk investment for the member community.