To revitalize the domestic fabless ecosystem, Samsung Electronics and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups have joined hands to build a domestic system semiconductor ecosystem.

On the 27th, the Fabless Challenge was held at Tipstown in Gangnam. As part of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' 'BIG3 Innovation Field Startup Package' project, the Fabless Challenge, which supports the innovative growth of design-specialized companies in the system semiconductor field, will select five promising fabless companies and provide them with priority opportunities to produce MPWs at Samsung Electronics Foundry.

Samsung Electronics plans to provide 25 MPW services for 12 processes ranging from 5 to 130 nanometers through foundries, and the selected fabless companies will select the desired process and produce prototypes according to a monthly schedule until July of next year.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will support the necessary costs in the form of vouchers of up to 100 million won per company, and selected fabless companies can freely choose the field of use, such as design house, foundry, or post-processing, and produce.

The five fabless companies selected were DeepX Co., Ltd., Semibrain Co., Ltd., Skychips Co., Ltd., GLS Co., Ltd., and Raontech.

DeepX, which possesses AI semiconductor technology, plans to expand the level of artificial intelligence used in the cloud to smart home appliances and mobility through DeepX NPU, and plans to produce four AI semiconductor product groups, including the 5nm chip DXL1, at Samsung Foundry this year using the latest AI algorithm.



On this day, Kim Nok-won, CEO of DeepX, said in his congratulatory remarks, “As competition in AI semiconductor technology intensifies, domestic fabless companies have reached a turning point where they can expand,” and “If we fail to secure technology and create an ecosystem in AI semiconductors before 2030, it will be difficult to enter the global market.”He predicted, “I will cry.”

Semibrain, which develops a new concept of non-volatile neuromorphic semiconductors that cross the boundaries of memory and processors, has developed embedded flash memory based on an 8nm standard logic process, and CEO Song Seung-hwan said, “Through this MPW service, we plan to develop embedded flash memory IP at 28nm and expand to 14nm and 5nm in the future.”

GLS is a company developing low-power, low-latency wireless communication SoC chips for ultra-high-speed, short-range wireless video transmission, aiming to replace communication cables and connectors. Vice President Eun Ki-chan stated, "Our goal is to implement an ultra-high-speed, proximity-based 60GHz RF circuit that supports multi-display device interfaces and apply it to smartphones, AR, and VR."

SkyChips is developing a controller power supply system for IoT communications utilizing renewable energy, pioneering overseas markets. Lee Kang-yoon, CEO of SkyChips, a small fabless company with over 70 researchers, introduced the concept of "energy harvesting," stating, "Our goal is to harvest energy from lights and RF sources, enabling battery-free devices to be incorporated into products like Samsung home appliance remote controls."

Raontech is a fabless company developing microdisplays, and CEO Kim Bo-eun stated, “In the metaverse world, semiconductor-display will lead the paradigm.” Raontech aims to secure the global AR market through an 8,000 PPI SoD (System on Display) for ultra-light AR glasses.

CEO Kim emphasized, “The smart glass market is expected to gradually expand starting next year, and when hundreds of millions or billions of smart glasses are shipped, not only fabless companies but also foundries must be prepared.”

Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee Young said, “Although the conflict between large and small businesses in the industry has been sharp, it is especially meaningful that Samsung Electronics is participating in this competition and can support companies with potential.” He added, “Through the previous Fabless-Foundry Symbiosis Council, we were able to reflect the voices from the field in policy, and this competition is also a concretization of the ideas that came out of this process.”

Minister Lee continued, “From the field, fabless companies are confessing that they need ‘funds, manpower, and coexistence’ the most,” and, “Since close communication with foundry companies is important for system semiconductors, Samsung Electronics’ participation in the event is very meaningful for coexistence.”

Choi Si-young, President of Samsung Electronics Foundry Business Division, said, “Domestic system semiconductors are currently in a global“Since the competitiveness of fabless semiconductors is lacking, organic cooperation between fabless, foundry, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is necessary along with active support from the government,” he said, emphasizing, “We will do our best to strengthen the domestic system semiconductor ecosystem by strengthening cooperation with domestic fabless companies that face difficult conditions.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups is not only collaborating with Samsung Electronics to vitalize the fabless ecosystem, but is also providing a package of initial commercialization funds, R&D, loans, and guarantees to support startups. Considering the characteristics of fabless companies that require enormous initial funds, the support limit for operating funds has more than doubled from the existing 500 million won to 1 billion won.

In addition, since last year, a specialized semiconductor design course has been established at the National Meister High School (Gumi Electronic Technical High School), and 20 students have been employed at domestic fabless companies. It was also announced that two major universities plan to establish contract departments for system semiconductors this year.