TSMC strain + $40M for chip tool startup
Broadcom execs warn TSMC is hitting capacity limits as AI demand soaks up fabs — and a Microsoft‑backed Norwegian startup, Lace, just raised $40M to build next‑gen chipmaking equipment aimed at easing those bottlenecks. That combo tightens foundry risk and spotlights new equipment players trying to unclog the pipeline. ( )
Natarajan Ramachandran, director of product marketing for Broadcom’s Physical Layer Products division, told reporters he would have described TSMC’s capacity as “infinite” a few years ago and that recent expansion plans running through 2027 have nonetheless left supply conditions tight in 2026. (finance.yahoo.com) Ramachandran flagged shortages beyond wafers, specifically calling out laser components and printed circuit boards as “definite” constraint areas, and said lead times for some PCBs have stretched to roughly six months. (thestar.com.my) He said customers are moving toward multi‑year deals to secure volume, noting a trend of three‑to‑four‑year commitments that echoes Samsung’s shift to three‑to‑five‑year contracts with major clients. (theoutpost.ai) Lace, headquartered in Bergen, Norway, attracted a round led by Atomico with participation from Microsoft’s M12, Linse Capital, SETT and Nysnø, signaling strategic investor interest in alternative equipment pathways. (eu-startups.com) The startup is developing helium‑atom‑beam lithography that replaces optical light with a focused beam of helium atoms and says the approach can pattern features an order of magnitude smaller than current tools, a claim covered in recent reporting. (thenextweb.com) Since its founding about two years ago, Lace has raised roughly €51.7 million in total and is positioning itself among a wave of startups offering non‑optical lithography options that proponents say could diversify the equipment stack used by advanced foundries. (eu-startups.com)
