Dado Banatao, Silicon Valley Pioneer and Champion of Filipino Innovation, Passes Away at 79

MANILA, Philippines — Diosdado “Dado” Banatao, one of the most influential Filipino figures in global technology and a quiet force behind the Philippines’ deep tech and AI future, passed away on Christmas Day. He was seventy nine.

Banatao died peacefully at Stanford University, his alma mater, following complications from an undisclosed neurological disorder. His family confirmed his passing through a public message, sharing that while they mourn his loss, they find comfort in spending his final Christmas with him and knowing that his long fight is over.

A technologist, entrepreneur, mentor, and builder of systems, Banatao’s legacy stretches far beyond Silicon Valley. His work laid foundations that power modern computing, artificial intelligence, and digital innovation today.

From Iguig to the World

Born in the farming town of Iguig, Cagayan, Banatao rose from humble beginnings to become a global technology pioneer. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Mapua Institute of Technology, then went on to Stanford University, where he completed his master’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science.

In Silicon Valley, Banatao helped shape the modern computer. He was instrumental in developing the first ten megabit Ethernet CMOS chip, system logic chipsets for the IBM PC XT and AT, early graphics accelerator chips, and the local bus architecture that dramatically improved computer performance. These innovations later became essential building blocks for high speed computing, data processing, and eventually, artificial intelligence systems.

Building Companies, Enabling Innovation

Banatao co founded Mostron in nineteen eighty four, followed by Chips and Technologies, a graphics adapter company acquired by Intel for around four hundred thirty million dollars. In nineteen eighty nine, he founded S3 Graphics, which pioneered Windows accelerator chips and local bus technology. By nineteen ninety three, S3 Graphics became the third most profitable technology company in the world.

In two thousand, Banatao shifted to venture capital, founding Tallwood Venture Capital. Through this firm, he invested heavily in semiconductor technologies that now underpin AI chips, machine learning hardware, and advanced computing systems used globally today.

Helping Shape AI and Deep Tech in the Philippines

While Banatao spent decades in Silicon Valley, he never turned his back on the Philippines.

Through the Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev), Banatao actively helped prepare Filipinos for the age of artificial intelligence, advanced computing, and deep technology. PhilDev provides scholarships, mentorship, industry exposure, and access to world class STEM education for Filipino students both in the Philippines and abroad.

Many of PhilDev’s scholars and startup founders now work in AI research, data science, semiconductor engineering, and technology driven enterprises. Banatao believed that Filipino talent was never the problem. What the country needed, he often said, was access, opportunity, and exposure to cutting edge technology.

In two thousand seventeen, the Asian Institute of Management honored him by launching the AIM Dado Banatao Incubator, a program that has since helped launch more than seventy Philippine startups. Several of these startups operate in AI, fintech, data platforms, and emerging technologies critical to the country’s digital transformation.

An institute in the United States also bears his name, the Banatao Institute at the University of California’s Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society, focused on technology for social impact.

A Legacy Beyond Titles

Often called the “Bill Gates of the Philippines,” Banatao never chased celebrity. His influence came through systems built, people mentored, and opportunities quietly opened for the next generation.

Former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima once said Banatao believed deeply in Filipino talent, stressing that excellence was already there. The missing piece was access to world class education and tools.

Banatao received numerous honors, including the Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Ernst and Young and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, recognizing his contributions to technology, entrepreneurship, and society.

NEWS AI PH Perspective

As artificial intelligence reshapes industries, education, and national competitiveness, Dado Banatao’s work stands as proof that Filipinos belong at the highest levels of global innovation.

His life reminds us that AI is not just about machines, algorithms, or chips. It is about people, education, and creating pathways so talent can rise.

Dado Banatao did exactly that. For Silicon Valley. For the Philippines. And for generations still building the future.