IPs and TSMC

Fuelling the ambition to become a leading provider of chip design services and IPs i.e. in addition to the top post of pure play foundry, TSMC has acquired Ottawa’s memory IP start-up, Emerging Memories Technologies Inc. (EMT).  

 

EMT, a start-up with a relatively small group of memory technologists (and headed by 39 year old Sreedhar Natarajan) specializes in the design and licensing of leading-edge embedded memory technology in both bulk CMOS and SOI and was launched in 2004 when the memory design biz of Atmos Semiconductor was taken by Mosys. Many employees at Mosys moved to EMT – and now will move to TSMC.

 

As I noted in an earlier post on a similar topic in May this year - call it as seismic changes or consolidation, the chip manufacturing world is going through some upheaval.

2 Responses to “IPs and TSMC”

  1. Ang Chew Hoe Says:

    I would view the acquisition not as an consolidation since TSMC is not a major IP service provider. Rather TSMC vision is to be a one-stop integrated service provider from design enablement, maskshop, chip fabrication, sort, bump, package and final test. The strategy is no different from Google who transform from a pure play search service provider to a full integrated service including email photo, video, map, Google Earth, reader, calendar, applications.

  2. Meenu Says:

    Being a one stop integrated service provider (that leads to a query…. what is its major service? Foundry as of now) does provide the ammunition to facilitate further growth. TSMC, in collaboration with industry leaders, provides a very comprehensive IP portfolio. These IPs are checked against TSMC’s quality requirements and DFM standards. In fact, ARM and Virage, comprise the main memory IP providers in this list.

    The point is that with the blurring of the boundaries between customer, partner and competition, how much of a level playing field do the till now independent IP providers have…..

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