Atsuyoshi Koike, CEO of Japan's rising semiconductor star Rapidus, said the company plans to launch a 2nm pilot factory in April 2025.
Since its inception, Rapidus has carried the hope of revival of the Japanese semiconductor industry. The company, which is jointly funded by Sony, Denso, Toyota, Kioxia, SoftBank, Tokyo Electric, NEC and other giants, has quickly become the focus of the industry with its strong financial strength and technical background. The goal is not only to make technological breakthroughs, but also to occupy a position in the global semiconductor market and inject new impetus into the sustainable development of the Japanese economy.
Rapidus' planned 2nm chip R&D and production facility in Hokkaido, Japan, is a key step for the company to achieve its goals. The plant will use state-of-the-art production technology and equipment to develop and produce semiconductor chips with 2nm process. The chips of this process will have higher performance, lower power consumption and smaller size, which is expected to bring revolutionary changes to future electronic products.
In order to achieve this goal, Rapidus has adopted an open and collaborative attitude in technology research and development. The company has established close cooperation with IBM in the United States and Imec in Belgium to jointly develop the 2nm process. This cross-border cooperation not only enables Rapidus to learn from international advanced experience and technology, but also brings more R&D resources and market opportunities to Rapidus.
Pictured: Rapidus will open a 2nm pilot factory
In addition, Rapidus is also actively forming an alliance with Canadian startup Tenstorrent to produce AI chips in 2nm process for its foundry. This partnership not only broadens Rapidus' reach, but also lays a solid foundation for its future growth.
The rapid development of Rapidus is inseparable from the support of the Japanese government. The Japanese government attaches great importance to the development of the semiconductor industry as an important pillar of the country's economic development. In order to promote the reshoring of the semiconductor manufacturing industry and the construction of an independent industrial chain, the Japanese government has provided a large amount of funding and policy support to Rapidus. According to reports, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to provide up to 590 billion yen in support to Rapidus in fiscal 2024 for its R&D and production activities.
With the opening of the Rapidus 2nm pilot manufacturing facility, the company will officially enter the mass production stage, bringing a new competitive landscape to the global semiconductor market. Although only Samsung and TSMC are currently the only companies in the semiconductor manufacturing field that have reached the sub-5nm process, Rapidus is expected to achieve mass production of 2nm chips in the next few years with its strong R&D strength and technical cooperation, becoming an important force in the global semiconductor industry.
Although Rapidus' business model is different from that of existing contract manufacturers, which focuses on providing cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, the demand for advanced node chips is growing rapidly. Industry analysts expect valuations in the 2nm and below market to grow from $80 billion to $150 billion. This presents a huge market opportunity for Rapidus.
