Who Is Federico Faggin? Age, Biography and Wiki
Born on December 1, 1941, Federico Faggin is celebrated as a prominent physicist, engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur. Widely known for his significant contributions to the fields of microelectronics and computer engineering, Faggin is particularly recognized as the co-creator of the first commercially available microprocessor, the Intel 4004. In 2025, he is 83 years old, continuing to share his extensive knowledge and experiences with the world. Faggin's journey is a testament to innovation, with a career that spans several decades in technology.
| Occupation | Computer Scientist |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 1, 1941 |
| Age | 83 Years |
| Birth Place | Vicenza, Italy |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country | Italy |
Popularity
Federico Faggin's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Details about Federico Faggin's physical attributes are often kept private, reflecting his preference for a personal life away from the limelight. As of 2025, specific height and weight metrics are not widely publicized. However, his emphasis on a healthy lifestyle is notable, as he continues to engage in speaking engagements and educational ventures.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Federico Faggin has maintained a private family life. He is known to have a close relationship with his family, although details regarding his dating status, including a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife, are not explicitly shared with the public. Faggin's focus has largely been on his professional endeavors rather than his personal relationships, but he values family deeply, often mentioning the support he receives from them during his career milestones.
Born in Vicenza, Italy, Federico grew up in an intellectual environment. His father, Giuseppe Faggin, was a scholar who wrote many academic books and translated, with commentaries, the Enneads of Plotinus from the original Greek into modern Italian. Federico had a strong interest in technology from an early age.
He attended a technical high school in Vicenza, I.T.I.S. Alessandro Rossi, and later earned a laurea degree in physics, summa cum laude, from the University of Padua.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Federico Faggin's net worth is estimated to be in the millions, primarily due to his significant contributions to the tech industry and various successful business ventures. While exact salary figures are not publicly available, Faggin has profited from his innovations in microprocessor technology and continues to earn from speaking engagements, consultancies, and intellectual property rights related to his inventions.
Career, Business and Investments
Federico Faggin's career is marked by groundbreaking achievements. After graduating with a degree in physics from the University of Padua in Italy, he moved to the United States, where his career took off at Fairchild Semiconductor and later at Intel. He led the development of the Intel 4004, the first microprocessor, revolutionizing computing and paving the way for the modern computer age.
Beyond Intel, Faggin has been involved in numerous entrepreneurial ventures, co-founding Zilog and developing several other influential technologies. His investments and business acumen demonstrate a keen understanding of market trends, making him a respected figure in technology entrepreneurship.
Federico Faggin (, ; born 1 December 1941) is an Italian-American physicist, engineer, inventor and entrepreneur. He is best known for designing the first commercial microprocessor, the Intel 4004. He led the 4004 (MCS-4) project and the design group during the first five years of Intel's microprocessor effort.
Faggin also created, while working at Fairchild Semiconductor in 1968, the self-aligned MOS (metal–oxide–semiconductor) silicon-gate technology (SGT), which made possible MOS semiconductor memory chips, CCD image sensors, and the microprocessor.
After the 4004, he led development of the Intel 8008 and 8080, using his SGT methodology for random logic chip design, which was essential to the creation of early Intel microprocessors.
He was co-founder (with Ralph Ungermann) and CEO of Zilog, the first company solely dedicated to microprocessors, and led the development of the Zilog Z80 and Z8 processors. He was later the co-founder and CEO of Cygnet Technologies, and then Synaptics.
Social Network
Federico Faggin maintains a relatively low-profile presence on social media. He primarily shares insights and updates related to his work rather than personal life highlights. However, he occasionally engages with followers on professional platforms, discussing innovations in technology and microelectronics. His contributions to forums and educational platforms show his dedication to nurturing the next generation of engineers and inventors.
The Intel 8008 was the world's first single-chip 8-bit CPU and, like the 4004, was built with p-channel SGT. The 8008 development was originally assigned to Hal Feeney in March 1970 but was suspended until the 4004 was completed.
It was resumed in January 1971 under Faggin's direction utilizing the basic circuits and methodology he had developed for the 4004, with Hal Feeney doing the chip design. The CPU architecture of the 8008 was originally created by CTC Inc. for the Datapoint 2200 intelligent terminal, in which it was implemented in discrete IC logic.
Education
Faggin earned his degree in physics from the University of Padua, which laid the foundation for his impressive career in technology. His academic background provided him with the theoretical knowledge that he later applied in practical settings, revolutionizing the tech landscape with his inventions.
In 2010, he received the 2009 National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the highest honor the United States confers for achievements related to technological progress. In 2011, Faggin founded the Federico and Elvia Faggin Foundation to support the scientific study of consciousness at US universities and research institutes.
In 2015, the Faggin Foundation helped to establish a $1 million endowment for the Faggin Family Presidential Chair in the Physics of Information at UC Santa Cruz to promote the study of "fundamental questions at the interface of physics and related fields including mathematics, complex systems, biophysics, and cognitive science, with the unifying t
heme of information in physics."
