Japanese chipmaker Rapidus is backed by more than $15 billion in government funding. [5, 7] It has partnered with 17 companies to help customers design semiconductors. [5, 7]
U.S. chip-design software leaders Synopsys and Cadence Design Systems are among the partners. [9] Rapidus plans to begin 2-nanometer chip production in the second half of fiscal 2027. [6] The collaboration aims to secure orders for that production.
The effort is a crucial part of Japan’s strategy to rebuild its semiconductor industry and challenge established leaders TSMC, Samsung and Intel. [4, 5, 7] Analysts say Rapidus’s key challenge is attracting enough commercial customers to make its advanced factory viable. They view the partnership as a critical step toward that goal. [4, 5]