Startup from former Seagate CEO working on smaller chips

The Silicon Valley veteran has joined the board of Vertical Circuits, a start-up that has come up with a technique for cramming large amounts of flash memory into a tight space. By using Vertical Circuits’ technology, device makers can fit lots of high-speed memory into their products and leave more room for bigger displays and larger batteries.

“The thing that has stunned me is how much a Dell or Apple will pay for thinness,” Mr. Watkins said. “There’s a big difference for them between 2mm and 1mm on some of this stuff.”