WASHINGTON, September 22 — The Semiconductor Industry Association has named Apple executive chair Tim Cook the 2026 recipient of the Robert N. Noyce Award, the chip industry’s highest honour. The association announced the selection on Tuesday, with the award to be presented at the SIA Awards Dinner on November 19, 2026, in San Jose, California.
The Noyce Award is given annually to a leader who has made outstanding contributions to the semiconductor industry. It is named for Robert N.
Noyce, co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel Corporation.
What the SIA said
Dr. Lisa Su, AMD chair and chief executive and 2026 SIA board chair, framed the selection around Cook’s advocacy for domestic chip production and advanced manufacturing. “Tim Cook has been a powerful advocate for U.S. semiconductor leadership and advanced manufacturing, driving extraordinary growth and strengthening the foundation for our industry’s future,” Su said in a statement. “We are proud to recognize Tim with the Robert N.
Noyce Award for his lasting contributions to technology and the semiconductor industry.” Cook became Apple’s executive chair in September 2026. He was named chief executive in 2011, having previously served as chief operating officer, where he oversaw worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple’s supply chain.
Before Apple he held leadership positions at Compaq and IBM. He holds an M.B.A. from Duke University, where he was a Fuqua Scholar, and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University.
Apple silicon and the supply chain
Under Cook’s leadership as chief executive, Apple launched a range of semiconductor-enabled devices that consumers worldwide depend on daily. The company’s silicon programme now spans Mac, iPhone and the wider product lineup. Cook said the award reflected the work of Apple’s engineering teams.
“This award is a testament to Apple’s extraordinary engineering teams, who have transformed what our users can achieve through the power and scalability of Apple silicon—from Mac to iPhone and across our product lineup,” he said in a statement. “We’re deeply committed to advancing semiconductor innovation right here in the U.S., and I look forward to joining our valued partners and industry leaders to celebrate breakthroughs that are shaping the future of technology.” The SIA is based at 1101 K Street NW Suite 450, Washington, DC 20005.
The association directs inquiries about the awards dinner and sponsorship opportunities to Sarah Ravi. What to watch next is the November ceremony itself, and whether Cook’s acceptance remarks add detail to Apple’s stated commitment to domestic semiconductor innovation.
