Rapidus Builds Global Design Ecosystem Around Planned 2nm Foundry
The new CORE framework brings together 17 initial design partners, including Cadence, Synopsys and Wipro, as Rapidus expands the EDA, IP and engineering support needed to attract advanced-chip customers.
Japan’s Rapidus has launched a global semiconductor design ecosystem aimed at helping customers develop advanced chips for its planned 2nm manufacturing platform, strengthening the company’s preparations for commercial production and its efforts to attract foundry customers.
The new framework, called the Rapidus Collaborative Open Rapid Ecosystem (CORE), is intended to bring together capabilities spanning semiconductor research, electronic design automation (EDA), intellectual property, chip design and manufacturing. Rapidus said closer integration across these areas has become increasingly important as advanced semiconductor development grows more complex.
As the first initiative under CORE, Rapidus has established Design Solution Associates, bringing together 17 semiconductor design companies from Japan and overseas. The participating businesses will work as a link between customers and Rapidus, providing design expertise and development resources to help companies move advanced chips from initial concepts towards manufacturing.
The group includes major semiconductor design and technology companies such as Cadence Design Systems, Synopsys and Wipro, alongside a wider range of design partners. By combining their capabilities, Rapidus aims to provide customers with broader access to the tools and expertise required to develop products for leading-edge process technologies.
The initiative also addresses a key challenge facing Rapidus as it builds its foundry business. Manufacturing capacity alone is not enough to secure customers at advanced nodes, where access to proven design tools, IP and engineering support can play a significant role in determining whether chip developers can successfully bring products into production.
Rapidus plans to expand CORE beyond its initial group of design partners by incorporating additional EDA, IP and semiconductor ecosystem companies. The broader strategy is designed to establish an end-to-end development environment around its 2nm manufacturing ambitions, covering the path from research and chip design through to production.
For Japan, the initiative adds another layer to efforts to rebuild a competitive domestic advanced-semiconductor industry. By developing a design ecosystem alongside its manufacturing infrastructure, Rapidus is positioning its planned 2nm foundry not simply as additional production capacity, but as a platform capable of supporting customers throughout the advanced-chip development cycle.
