Sponsorship Will Boost Technology Advancements to Support Smart Society

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Renesas Electronics America is sponsoring FIRST® (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science & Technology) to motivate and inspire the next generation of engineers, which will help to further develop innovation and technological advancements in a Smart Society.

As part of a multi-level sponsorship of FIRST, Renesas employees will work with the more than 2,400 FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) teams around the country serving as mentors and volunteers for the next generation of innovators. Each Renesas-sponsored FRC team will include one or more Renesas employees as a mentor. Renesas will also provide components for the FIRST Kit Of Parts (KOP), the design kit used by student teams to create robots intended for specific games as part of the 60 regional FRC® events scheduled for 2013.

The alignment with FIRST will allow Renesas to help support students as they gain real-world experience by providing access to industry-leading components and technology tools along with the "know how" Renesas employees can bring to the local teams.

"Supporting FIRST is a natural alliance for Renesas Electronics, and it is an extension of our commitment to enable a smart society by empowering a new generation of engineers," said Peter Carbone, Vice President Marketing, Renesas Electronics America.

"These generous contributions from Renesas, the world's leading MCU supplier, will help to make it possible for us to turn the FIRST vision of inspiring young people's interest and participation in science and technology into a reality," said Frank Merrick, Acting Director of FRC. "With its investment in developing future engineers, Renesas sets an example the semiconductor industry can follow."

Dean Kamen, President of DEKA Research and the Founder of FIRST, will speak at Renesas Electronics DevCon 2012 on Wednesday, October 24, 2012, and Renesas has invited students from the Los Angeles and Southern California areas to showcase their robots on the DevCon tradeshow floor, Booth #16.

About DevCon 2012

DevCon 2012 (October 22-25 in Orange County, California) will be a four-day event encapsulating an environment of valuable technical information exchange which will include personalized direct and interactive access to Renesas' technology experts and partners from around the world. There will be hundreds of hours of lectures and hands-on labs on an array of technologies and application topics as well as discussion forums. This year, DevCon will highlight technologies that are enabling a Smart Society. To register and obtain the latest Renesas DevCon details and activities, visit www.RenesasDevCon.com, follow @RenesasAmerica on Twitter or join the DevCon community on Facebook.

About Renesas Electronics America

Renesas Electronics America Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), the world's number one supplier of microcontrollers and a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions including microcontrollers, SoC solutions, and a broad range of analog and power devices. In the Americas, Renesas Electronics America markets and sells industrial-type active-matrix LCD modules from NLT Technologies, Ltd., a global leader in innovative display technologies. More information about the products offered by Renesas Electronics America can be found at http://am.renesas.com.

About FIRST®

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from three out of every five Fortune 500 companies and nearly $15 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC® ) for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC® ) for Grades 7-12; FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL® ) for Grades 4-8; and Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL®) for Grades K-3. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.