Svein-Egil Nielsen, former CTO of Nordic Semiconductor, joins Nanopower as chair of the board

Nielsen will support the next stage of Nanopower Semiconductor's growth, drawing on his experience of scaling Nordic Semiconductor to global success.

Kristiansand, NORWAY, Feb. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanopower Semiconductor AS has appointed ex-Nordic Semiconductor Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Svein-Egil Nielsen as the chair of its board of directors. Nanopower is a Norwegian fabless semiconductor manufacturer of the nPZero power-saving IC that reduces the power consumption of battery-powered applications by up to 90%.

Nanopower CEO Tore Irgens Kuhnle said: 'We are thrilled to welcome Nielsen as the new Chair of our Board of Directors. His extensive track record and deep expertise in the semiconductor industry make him an invaluable addition. With his leadership, we are poised to accelerate both our commercial success and product innovation.'

Svein-Egil Nielsen spent almost 20 years at Nordic Semiconductor, including 11 years as CTO after having also been the Sales & Marketing Director.  Nielsen helped lead Nordic's growth to a global leading company with more than $500m in annual sales and a broad portfolio of products.

Nielsen said: 'I am really excited to join Nanopower because I can see the combination of a unique product and  a talented team all pulling in the same direction.'

The appointment signifies Nanopower's ambition to expand globally as it commences production of its nPZero power-saving integrated circuit. Nanopower is set to start supplying samples of nPZero to customers this quarter and is accepting orders for its nPZero evaluation board.

Founder and departing chairman, Odd Harald Hauge, is very satisfied with being succeeded by Nielsen: 'Svein-Egil Nielsen brings exactly the right competence and a clear sense of mission about the difference that Nanopower can make to the world.' Odd Harald Hauge will continue on the board of Nanopower.

Svein-Egil Nielsen's appointment as non-executive chair of the board is effective immediately.

About Nanopower
Nanopower was founded based on the invention of the low-power nPZero technology in 2017. In 2019, it started the development of a dedicated IC to create a scalable solution that would have a real impact. Its first prototype and system were taped out in 2020 and 2021, proving both functionality and low power capabilities. The first samples of the nPZero IC ship to customers in 2025.

Nanopower Semiconductor AS is a limited liability company incorporated in Norway, with operations and offices in Kristiansand, Norway, and Porto, Portugal. 

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SOURCE Nanopower