Rapidus Secures Funding for 2nm Chips
Japanese semiconductor firm Rapidus Corporation announced it has secured 267.6 billion yen in funding from the Japanese government and private companies. The strategic funding is intended to advance the company from its R&D phase to the mass production of 2-nanometer logic semiconductors by 2027.
This new funding is part of a larger Japanese national strategy to reclaim a leading position in the global semiconductor market, a spot it hasn't held since the 1980s. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) is driving this revival, aiming to triple domestic semiconductor sales to 15 trillion yen by 2030. This initiative is seen as crucial for Japan's economic security and its competitiveness in fields like AI and quantum computing. Rapidus was established in August 2022 with backing from eight major Japanese companies, including Toyota, Sony, and SoftBank. The recent funding round saw contributions from 32 private companies, such as Canon, Fujitsu, and Honda, alongside significant government investment. This public-private partnership underscores a coordinated national effort to re-establish advanced chip manufacturing on Japanese soil. The company is focusing on 2-nanometer technology, which promises significant leaps in performance and energy efficiency over current chips. Chips at this scale can pack 50 billion transistors onto a space the size of a fingernail. This advancement is critical for next-generation AI, data centers, and autonomous systems. To achieve its ambitious goals, Rapidus has formed strategic international partnerships. A key collaboration is with IBM for the joint development of 2nm node technology, with Rapidus engineers working alongside IBM researchers in Albany, New York. The company has also partnered with the Belgium-based research hub Imec. The global race for 2nm chip production is fierce. Industry giant TSMC has already started mass production of its 2nm chips in late 2025, while Samsung also plans to begin production in 2025. Rapidus is building its new manufacturing facility in Chitose, Hokkaido. The company aims to have a pilot production line running in 2025 and is targeting mass production of 2nm chips in 2027. Following that, Rapidus has its sights set on producing even more advanced 1.4nm chips.
