November 17, 2011 – Marketwire — Semiconductor start-ups are forming at a slower pace in recent years, and venture capital firms are less willing to invest funds in these companies, says Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA), citing analyst firm Gartner. In light of this environment, SSIA announced 3 initiatives to support emerging fabless semiconductor companies.
At the annual SSIA Summit, 200 leaders of Singapore’s semiconductor industry discussed how the emerging semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore is affecting the global semiconductor industry. Growth of emerging Singapore semiconductor companies was one major theme of the event. Following the Summit, SSIA announced initiatives to strengthen Singapore’s semiconductor start-up environment:
1. SSIA will function as an advisor in semiconductor-focused company incubators.
2. SSIA will create an emerging company board, aimed at better meeting the needs of emerging semiconductor companies and facilitating coordination with established Singapore semiconductor companies.
3. The association will coordinate with Singapore government agencies, EDB on infrastructure support initiatives for emerging semiconductor companies.
Singapore combines strong universities and research organizations with regional foundries and test & assembly houses, the association notes, creating a "unique" ecosystem for launching fabless semiconductor companies. Established fabless names in Singapore include Broadcom, Marvell and MediaTek, and the country hosts $80 billion in fabless revenue.
SSIA’s goal is to encourage start-ups within this infrastructure, with the support of multi-national companies and the Singapore government, helping the semiconductor industry "grow stronger, and become more vibrant and supportive of growth and innovation," said Ulf Schneider, SSIA president. Also read: How fabless companies drive tech
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| Photo: SSIA president Ulf Schneider details plans to strengthen Singapore’s semiconductor startup environment at the recent SSIA Summit. |
Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA) includes members from IC design companies, manufacturers, fabless companies, equipment suppliers, photovoltaic companies, EDA and material suppliers, training and service providers, IP companies, research institutes and academia, as well as individual members. For more information, visit www.ssia.org.sg.
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