The EE Times 60 Emerging Startups list, first published in April 2004, has been updated to version 4.0 to reflect the latest corporate, commercial and technological conditions. Four Chinese companies namely Commit Inc., RDA Microelectronics, T3G Technology and VeriSilicon were added into version 4.0 of the EE Times 60 Emerging Startups list. Together with Analogix Semiconductor and Nanotech Corp., another two Chinese companies which had been chosen into version 3.0 list, there're six Chinese companies in this updated list.

Some companies have dropped off the list, otherwise known as the Silicon 60, because they have been acquired; some have moved to an initial public offering of shares; and others have moved beyond the list with the passage of time. As they have matured other, younger startups have been nominated to move off the EE Times radar list and onto the main list.

In version 4.0 of the EE Times 60 Emerging Startups list, editors have selected companies based on a mix of criteria including: technology, intended market, maturity, financial position and investment profile.
Startups on the Silicon 60 list include companies involved in semiconductors, fab equipment, packaging, foundry, materials, MEMS and EDA software that made an impression on EE Times editors. They are emerging companies to watch for a wide variety of reasons.