A Japanese chip research organization announced that it would send 200 engineers and students to the United States over the next five years for advanced semiconductor research and development training. Rapidus Corporation, a Japanese domestic chip company, is among the organization’s members.
These trainees will be dispatched to Tenstorrent, a U.S. chip startup, to learn about AI chip design. The program is implemented by the Center for Leading-edge Semiconductor Technology, which was established in 2022 to advance cutting-edge chip technology.
This training program, lasting up to a year and a half, aims to enhance Japan’s expertise in the semiconductor field. Japan was once a leader in the chip industry, but its competitiveness has declined with the rise of strong competitors like South Korea and Taiwan.
In addition to Rapidus, the organization includes Japanese tech giant SoftBank and the University of Tokyo. Recruitment for the program is expected to begin by March next year.
Commissioned by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, the program is expected to receive up to 7.5 billion yen (approximately $49 million) in government funding over five years.
