John Kibarian on business model
From John Kibarian: Make Sure You’re Asking the Right Questions · · EE Times
“One of the things Luchio taught me early on was to spend as much time on your business model — how you're going to charge for it — because what you choose to charge (and not to charge) shapes what you become; if you just look at social media, they don't charge users, they sell ads, which means you're the product and society has seen both positives and negatives from that choice.”
On , John Kibarian, Co-Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at PDF SOLUTIONS INC, spoke about business model during John Kibarian: Make Sure You’re Asking the Right Questions on EE Times.
About John Kibarian
John Kibarian, co-founder, president, CEO, and director of PDF Solutions, has been discussing the company's role in semiconductor manufacturing analytics and the use of AI to improve efficiency. In a December 2025 interview, Kibarian stated that the industry's tools operate at 60 to 80% efficiency and that using AI could unlock approximately $140 billion in value. He described PDF Solutions as providing an analytics platform for the semiconductor industry, with around 370 customers, that analyzes yield, operational efficiency, reliability, and quality. Kibarian also discussed the importance of collaboration in the industry, stating that a new model of cooperation is essential for the industry to keep pace with demand and complexity. In a February 2026 podcast, Kibarian reflected on his journey from his PhD thesis on automatic diagnosis of yield learning to co-founding PDF Solutions. He emphasized the importance of business model decisions, stating that "what you choose to charge and what you choose not to charge" shapes a company. He also noted that he wished he had been more ambitious earlier in his career, saying he "assumed too small of what the business could be." In a 2025 earnings call, PDF Solutions reported record revenue and reaffirmed guidance for 21-23% revenue growth for the year.