Japan’s Rapidus Teams Up with 17 Firms to Win Customers for 2nm Chips
Japan’s $15bn state-backed chipmaker, Rapidus, still lacks a named production customer ahead of its planned 2027 launch in Hokkaido.
October 7, 2026 - 8:55 am
Credit: Rapidus
Rapidus has signed agreements with 17 chip design firms, including Synopsys, Cadence (US), Infosys (India), and Dai Nippon Printing and Toppan (Japan), according to Jiji Press. These partners will assist clients in designing chips compatible with Rapidus’s manufacturing process, ultimately aiming to secure orders. However, as of now, Rapidus has not announced a single firm that has placed an order.
Finding customers is the primary challenge for the company, as noted by Nori Chiou, investment director at White Oak Capital, in a Reuters analysis. While the partnerships represent a step forward, they do not guarantee real orders.
Atsuyoshi Koike, Rapidus’s CEO, expressed confidence in strong demand for their advanced chips, stating that the company is ready to support one more maker of 2nm chips. Rapidus plans to commence chip production for clients at its Hokkaido facility in April 2027.
Despite facing competition from established foundries like TSMC, Samsung, and Intel, Koike assures that their operations will run smoothly. However, analysts caution that launching a new plant and achieving profitability are significant challenges.
Looking ahead, Rapidus targets an Initial Public Offering (IPO) by March 2032, potentially listing in the US and establishing US production facilities, as suggested by Daishiro Yamagiwa, who leads the ruling party’s chip group in parliament.