Panel Discussion: Addressing MEMS Commercialization Challenges and Opportunities in Uncertain Times

Session details:

The significant (approximately 70% strongly or somewhat in agreement) consensus of opinions from a recent study^[1] conducted by the moderator has indicated that MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) appeared to have transitioned from the growth phase of its life cycle and has entered its mature phase. Several industry market studies project MEMS to grow at a CAGR in the high single digits for the next several years…a far cry from earlier times which experienced strong double-digit growth.    

However, the MEMS industry continues to move forward at innovating in a number of application and technology sectors. As a result, new approaches to business strategies will need to be adopted to best accommodate and exploit this life cycle change and exploit these new applications and technologies.

Barriers to the successful commercialization of MEMS continue to exist as established by the 26th annual MEMS Commercialization Report Card Study^[2]. These areas of challenge are becoming exacerbated by the recent administration’s decisions on reducing/cancelling the funding of research, enacting challenges to foreign born professionals and grad students and the levying of significant import duties on trading partners whose products are critical to manufacturing, new product development and creating uncertainty and subsequently negatively affecting the overall health of the industry.

The panel discussion will address some of these more significant challenges …and on the brighter side…recommended strategies for overcoming these challenges as well as for capturing new opportunities including the embracing of AI for MEMS.    

^{[1] R. Grace, MEMS-A Mature Technology?:  Fact or Fiction, Final Report, June 2025
[2] R. Grace, The 2024 MEMS Industry Commercialization Report Card Study, Final Report, June 2025}