The company was spun off from the silicon carbide (SiC) research and development activities at Mississippi State University (MSU). The company was founded in July 2000 by Drs. Jeff Casady and Mike Mazzola, both professors from MSU involved in SiC development. SemiSouth began full-time operations in May 2001 and incorporated in January 2002. To ensure that SemiSouth remained a high-growth emerging company, they acquired key semiconductor industry executives to help pave the road for the future.

As a spin-off, SemiSouth retained exclusive rights to SiC intellectual property developed at MSU. The company is focused on developing, manufacturing, and marketing quality high-performance electronic materials and components based on the semiconductor SiC, an emerging semiconductor technology known to have very significant advantages for high-power and/or harsh-environment applications. Along with the ongoing government programs, the company is leveraging the experience and know-how to provide SiC epiwafers and custom components to commercial customers utilizing its pilot production facility. The company is expanding its facilities and capacity for expected high-volume production from these customers.