Overlord Labs, a fabless semiconductor company developing battery intelligence solutions for compute-intensive, battery-powered devices, has appointed former Texas Instruments executive David Heacock and former Acting Secretary of the U.S. Army Robert M. Speer to its Board of Directors.
The appointments come as Overlord Labs moves from semiconductor tape-out to first silicon for its flagship GENESIS™ Battery Intelligence IC. The company said engineering samples of the chip, based on its proprietary Silicon × Algorithm Architecture, are expected later this month, paving the way for customer sampling and platform validation.
Heacock brings more than three decades of experience in battery management semiconductors, including leadership roles at Texas Instruments Incorporated (Nasdaq: TXN). His career began at Benchmarq Microelectronics, a battery management semiconductor company later acquired by Unitrode and subsequently Texas Instruments.
During his tenure at TI, Heacock led the integration of the company’s $6.5 billion acquisition of National Semiconductor and later served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of TI’s Silicon Valley Analog Group before retiring in 2017.
Overlord Labs said Heacock’s experience in taking battery management technologies from architecture development through high-volume production will support the company as it scales GENESIS beyond initial silicon validation.
The company is targeting growing demand for advanced battery management solutions as computing workloads increasingly move to edge devices. Battery-powered systems, including AI-enabled devices, industrial equipment and portable computing platforms, require improved power efficiency, thermal management, safety and operating life.
Overlord Labs said traditional fixed-function battery management integrated circuits (ICs) are not designed for the requirements of newer intelligent devices. Its Silicon × Algorithm Architecture aims to integrate battery intelligence directly into semiconductor hardware, providing manufacturers with a more adaptable platform for managing power systems.
Speer joins the board with experience spanning defence operations, financial management and organisational governance. He served nearly 28 years in the U.S. Army, including leadership roles with the 82nd Airborne Division and a Defence Agency operation.
In 2004, Speer was tasked with establishing financial controls over $18.6 billion in Iraq reconstruction funding. He later served as a managing director at PwC, leading the firm’s Defence and Army business.
Speer was subsequently confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller. In January 2017, he was among a small group of senior Pentagon officials asked to remain during the presidential transition, serving as Acting Secretary of the Army.
Overlord Labs said Speer’s experience managing financial discipline and operational complexity will strengthen board oversight as the company moves towards commercialisation.
“Dave has spent his career solving the exact problem we’re built to solve; at a scale few people ever get to. Bob has dedicated his career to establishing financial rigor within complex entities facing significant operational strain,” said Richard Nicholson, Co-Founder and CEO of Overlord Labs.
Carlos Rodriguez, Co-Founder and COO of Overlord Labs, said the appointments come at a critical stage as GENESIS transitions from laboratory development to manufacturing and commercial deployment.
