Exploring Rapidus with Henri Richard: Insights on Experience and Ecosystem

Rapidus Design Solutions, the US arm of Rapidus Corp., a Japanese startup, is making significant strides in the semiconductor industry. The company, led by Richard who has a wealth of experience in the field, is building a cutting-edge 2nm foundry. Rapidus has been established to collaborate with equipment partners and customers to drive innovation and progress in chip manufacturing.

One of the key motivations behind Rapidus is a Japanese government initiative to bring chip manufacturing back to the forefront for national strategic reasons. This ambitious task is expected to be complex, time-consuming, and costly, with no guarantees of success. However, Richard remains optimistic about the project, stating that everything is proceeding according to plan.

Rapidus has received substantial financial support from the Japanese government, allowing the company to break ground at its chosen site for the wafer fab in Chitose City, Hokkaido. The facility, named IIM-1 (Innovative Integration for Manufacturing), is a crucial step towards realizing Rapidus' vision of producing 2nm logic semiconductors.

With a workforce of over 200 employees, Rapidus has deployed a significant number of them to collaborate with IBM researchers at the Albany Nanotech Complex in New York. This partnership aims to develop the necessary technologies for the production of 2nm semiconductors, leveraging IBM's semiconductor intellectual property.

As the development progresses, Rapidus plans to transfer the testing processes from Albany to Hokkaido in 2026, with production slated to begin in 2027. The company's focus on innovation and collaboration sets it apart in the competitive semiconductor landscape, positioning it as a key player in the industry's future.