Tag: Intel

Intel literally puts the silicon in “Silicon Valley” and is the world’s largest and highest valued semiconductor chip maker based on revenue. In 1978, Intel engineers invented the x86 architecture, which has been adopted as the industry standard for manufacturing microprocessors. Intel architecture provides stability for hardware and software solutions throughout the value chain. Intel sells processors to computer system manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenova, Apple, and Samsung. As a result, Intel processors are found in most personal computers and other computing form factors. The engineers at Intel are the premier experts in their field and often have as many as 20 patents to their names.

Innovation is not a buzz word at Intel to be thrown around lightly.

Intel business leaders and engineer architectures developed processors for the Saturn V rocket that put man on the moon, and they continue to develop solutions that will eventually power smart cities and machine learning in the near future. If you stream Netflix, you are witnessing the power of an Intel Xeon processor in an Amazon server farm.

For my internship, I was assigned to the Client Computing Group (CCG). CCG is Intel’s largest group by revenue and sells Pentium, Celeron, and Core processors to large enterprises and consumers. My project was to find specific new use cases or markets for a technology called Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT). Intel AMT provides out-of-band manageability, or manageability even when the system is turned off or when the Operating System is failing, for enterprises to manage their IT systems more effectively. Intel AMT has been around for 10 years, and commands the highest product margin in the enterprise desktop and notebook space.  For business clients, Intel’s strategy has always been to drive sell-up to AMT Core i5/i7. This sell-up provides millions in incremental revenue each year for Intel’s Client Computing Group.

To discover new use cases, I first developed a business framework to filter and test new ideas. The first part of the framework addresses if there is a need for remote out-of-band manageability. Often times, most problems can be resolved in-band, or when the power is turned on. AMT is only value-added if the customer needs manageability out-of-band or when the system is in an off-state. Then I looked at the specific capabilities of Intel AMT (power control, remediation, virtual boot) and decided which use cases would require these specific capabilities. The most important criteria in this part of the framework was the probability of system failure. If a system has a very low probability of failure, there is not really a compelling reason to have out-of-band manageability because in the very rare event of failure, there is no financially compelling reason to invest in Intel AMT. Finally, I conducted market sizing to determine the total addressable markets and market segment shares for use cases that were selected from the framework. After I developed a market model, I was able to provide net present value ranges for my project recommendations by analyzing the amount of upsell and market segment share gain my recommendation would receive.

The finance intern coordinators in Oregon did a great job of planning and executing extracurricular activities for the interns. In addition to a host of happy hours and social events, the coordinators took the interns zip lining, hiking, and white water rafting. There were plenty of opportunities provided to interact and network with operations partners and finance leaders from each of the business units, including iCap, Intel’s venture capital firm.

Intel finance roles require developing business acumen and becoming a strategic thinker.

Finance supports the various business units in a way that is similar to how combat arms branches support maneuver units in the Army. As a field artillery officer I was always supporting an infantry commander two or three levels above my own grade. It was my job to understand their intent and provide recommendations based on my indirect fires capabilities.

This relationship and organization is nearly identical to how Intel finance supports their business partners. A finance manager or controller often supports a general manager or vice president that is much senior. The operations partners depend on finance leaders to provide unbiased financial analysis that represents the shareholder’s best interests.

Guest blogger: Army veteran and 2^nd year Olin MBA student Joe Langella

Photo courtesy of Flickr/summerfairy

Waking up to greet our last morning in Tel Aviv, we all packed our bags, shuffled to breakfast, and then loaded the bus to head up North. After an hour bus ride, we arrive at Yokneam, an area outside Haifa where we visit Given Imaging to speak with Rafi Nave, the senior vice president.

Here, we learn about the pillcam—a revolutionary substitute for the colonoscopy and other internal probing devices. The pillcam is swallowed—and takes pictures at a rate of up to 35 frames per second from within the body. After a patient swallows the pill-sized camera, the physician can view the trip of the camera from start to finish to check for cancer and other infections. This company is extraordinary because it has revolutionized the GI medical field.

Over 500,000 deaths a year are recorded annually from colon cancer, and this pillcam can detect cancerous nodes in early stages to prevent them on a wide scale rate. It also encourages more people who would normally be turned off by a tube going in his or her body to get inspected. The pillcam is currently manufactured in Israel, L.A., and Vietnam—but it is distributed in many more countries. Given Imaging is worth nearly 200 million dollars today, and looks to continue expanding.
From here, we traveled to a different, more rural part of Yokneam to meet some people from Wash U’s Yokneam Partnership. We were lead to a rural farm. Not knowing exactly where we were going but trusting our Israeli Yokneam Partners—we students trekked through an area of lush verdure, garden, and avocado and orange trees.

Through the mystery, we finally arrived at a home on the farm. The home of a man named Pinchas. Sitting down in his backyard surrounded by tall flowers and greenery, he began to tell us his story. Pinchas was in the army when he had to eject from his plane midflight. Landing in Syria he was taken captive for three years. In captivity, he was tortured. Both of his legs were broken along with his elbow and all of his ribs. He was left underground in a prison cell alone.

From behind a ruffled mustache, brimmed farmers hat, and jovial smile—he explained that today at age 70, he lives in this home with his wife. He extracts honey from beehives on his farm and spends time with his children and wife. He tells us he is a happy man full of appreciation for life, love, and his country. He teaches us to appreciate every breath, every breeze, and every delicious bite of food. He teaches us that freedom is internal and cannot be stripped from you if you won’t let it. If you can maintain your core values within your mind, you’ll always be free. In disjointed English he inspires our class and all of us left with a renewed understanding for happiness.
Afterward, we traveled still a bit more north toward Haifa for a meeting at Intel. First, we learn about what Intel does and how they create hardware memory chips that are crucial for computers, games, and phones. We learn about the intricate process that goes into creating just one chip—and the expenses, too.

We learn that in the construction room where the chips are made—workers dress up in what looks like full astronaut gear so as to maintain a perfectly clean environment so that not even a spec of dust tarnishes the piece of hardware. Afterward, we get a walking tour of the huge, beautiful facility that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. We see some of the places were the chips are made and organized. Although much of the intricacies of engineering the chips went over our heads, one thing we understood was that Intel is truly an amazing company.
Writing this post I’m seated on our bus. We are traveling to Jerusalem from our day in Haifa. Tonight we will get dinner and adjust to yet another new city. Another day, another city, another experience. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Adam – College of Arts & Sciences – Class of 2014, Boston