People

Federico Faggin

Creator of the microprocessor

Federico Faggin led the team that created the Intel 4004, the world's first commercial microprocessor, then founded Zilog and designed the Z80.

Spectrum chip-designerspioneers 1941–

Overview

Federico Faggin’s fingerprints are on the foundations of computing. At Intel, he led development of the 4004—the first commercial microprocessor. Then he founded Zilog and created the Z80, the chip that powered the ZX Spectrum, MSX computers, and countless embedded systems. Two revolutionary processors from one engineer.

Fast facts

  • Born: December 1941 in Vicenza, Italy.
  • Education: University of Padua.
  • Intel years: 1970-1974, led 4004 and 8080 development.
  • Zilog: Co-founded 1974, designed Z80.
  • Later work: Synaptics (touchpad technology), Foveon (image sensors).
  • Recognition: National Medal of Technology (2010).

The Intel 4004

In 1971, Faggin’s team delivered the impossible:

  • Complete CPU on a single chip.
  • Originally designed for calculators.
  • Proved general-purpose computing could be miniaturised.

The 4004 wasn’t practical for computers—it was too limited—but it proved the concept. The 8008 and 8080 followed, establishing Intel’s processor dominance.

Creating Zilog and the Z80

Frustrated at Intel, Faggin left to build something better:

  • Z80 (1976): Software-compatible with Intel 8080 but more powerful.
  • Better interrupts: Easier to program.
  • More registers: More flexibility for developers.
  • Huge adoption: Became the standard 8-bit processor.

The Z80 powered:

  • Sinclair ZX80, ZX81, ZX Spectrum.
  • MSX standard computers.
  • CP/M business machines.
  • Countless arcade games and embedded systems.

Beyond processors

Faggin continued innovating:

  • Synaptics: Pioneered touchpad technology used in laptops.
  • Foveon: Developed advanced image sensor technology.
  • Shifted focus to consciousness research later in life.

Legacy

Faggin created the microprocessor and then improved on it. The 4004 launched an industry; the Z80 democratised it. Every ZX Spectrum game, every MSX program, every CP/M application ran on Faggin’s architecture.

See also