Italy Enters the Era of 2 Nanometers! Chips-IT Foundation Signs Strategic Agreement with Japan

Cooperation between Italy and Japan in the semiconductor sector takes a new step with the signing of two agreements between the Chips-IT Foundation and two key players in the Japanese technology ecosystem: Rapidus Corporation and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). The agreements were announced in Rome during the institutional meeting between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The agreement with Rapidus concerns the design of integrated circuits intended for the 2-nanometer production process developed by the Japanese company. According to the communication, the Chips-IT Foundation will create microchip designs that will subsequently be manufactured by Rapidus and validated at the Italian facility. The goal is to verify technological solutions and concepts for transfer to future industrial applications.

For the Italian foundation, this represents a significant opportunity from an applied research perspective, as it allows access to one of the most advanced production platforms currently under development in the global semiconductor landscape. Rapidus, founded in 2022 and based in Tokyo, is indeed engaged in the creation of a national supply chain dedicated to the design and production of next-generation logic semiconductors, aiming to strengthen Japan's industrial competitiveness in a sector considered strategic.

Meanwhile, the second agreement involves AIST and focuses on chiplet technologies. The project includes research and development activities dedicated to systems composed of multiple specialized chips, designed separately and then integrated within the same package. This architecture is gaining increasing relevance in the semiconductor industry as it allows for the combination of different functions and production nodes, reducing development times and costs compared to traditional monolithic chips.

According to the parties involved, the collaboration aims not only at the development of new technological solutions but also at the definition of industrial standards for chiplet-based systems in the coming years. Commenting on the initiative, the Director of the Chips-IT Foundation, Carlo Reita, highlighted how the agreements represent an opportunity to consolidate the foundation's international presence and promote collaboration between complementary expertise in the semiconductor sector.

Chips-IT Foundation, an Italian public-private foundation focused on research in the field of chips, is the first national industrial research center dedicated to the design of integrated circuits and semiconductors. The foundation, supervised by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy and also participated in by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of University and Research, operates mainly from its offices in Pavia and Bologna. It currently employs over 60 people, with expected growth to about 100 employees by the end of 2026.

It is worth mentioning that both Stellantis and EssilorLuxottica work closely with the Chips-IT Foundation for the development of chips in their respective fields of interest.