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According to a report from MoneyDJ, citing Nikkei, Japanese foundry Rapidus launched its 2nm pilot production line on April 1. As reported by Tom’s Hardware, the company has begun adjusting its equipment in preparation for wafer test production that will begin later this month. Nikkei further highlights that Rapidus expects to complete its prototype chips (samples) by July 2025.
The Nikkei report, citing President Atsuyoshi Koike, notes that the company anticipates gaining a clearer picture of its customers within the year. Koike also stated that some degree of validation for the prototype chips is expected to be possible between mid- and late July, as indicated by the report.
The factory’s production capacity suggests that the number of customers will remain in the single digits, as noted by Koike in the report.
Japanese Government Increases Financial Support for Rapidus
Meanwhile, according to MoneyDJ, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced on March 31 that it will provide additional financial assistance to Rapidus in fiscal year 2025, with subsidies of up to JPY 802.5 billion (roughly USD 5.4 billion).
The report from MoneyDJ also points out that prior to this announcement, the Japanese government had already provided JPY 920 billion in support to Rapidus. With this new round of funding, total subsidies will reach JPY 1.7225 trillion. In addition, Japan’s national legislature is reviewing a bill to provide further support. If approved, the government will invest an additional JPY 100 billion in the second half of 2025.
However, to achieve mass production of 2nm chips by 2027, Rapidus estimates it will need about JPY 5 trillion in funding. Despite the government’s additional JPY 800 billion in aid, there remains a funding gap of roughly JPY 3 trillion, as noted by MoneyDJ.
Additional Initiatives and Progress at Rapidus
Furthermore, as indicated by TechNews, citing Tom’s Hardware, one of Rapidus’s key advantages compared to established foundry giants such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel is its fully automated advanced packaging capability, which is expected to significantly shorten the production cycle for designs requiring advanced packaging. However, at present, Rapidus only offers pilot production of semiconductor wafers and has not yet begun providing testing or packaging services.
Earlier this year, according to a report by MoneyDJ, citing Nikkei, U.S. semiconductor giant Broadcom is expected to become a customer of Rapidus’s 2nm chips. If Broadcom verifies the performance of the chip samples, Rapidus will reportedly be commissioned for production.
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(Photo credit: Rapidus)
