Launched as an internal venture of US AMD
Synergy in semiconductor glass substrate business
Accelerating global expansion of post-process business
SKC is investing in the U.S. semiconductor packaging startup ‘Chipletz.’
On the 11th, SKC announced that it will participate in Chipletz’s Series B funding round and secure approximately 12% equity. The exact shareholding will be finalized upon the closing of Chipletz’s Series B funding. Both companies have agreed not to disclose the investment amount.
Semiconductor packaging is a post-process that organically connects chips with different functions, such as central processing units (CPUs) and DRAM. It is emerging as a key factor determining chipset performance. Through this investment, SKC will further accelerate the global expansion of its semiconductor post-processing business. Previously, in 2021, SKC established Absolix, an investor in semiconductor glass substrates, and completed the first phase of its production facility by the end of this year.
Chipletz was launched in 2016 as a corporate incubator (CIC) within the global semiconductor company AMD in the U.S., and spun off as an independent company in 2021 after about five years. It possesses comprehensive capabilities in advanced semiconductor substrate architecture design, technology development, and networking with major clients. AMD and Taiwan’s ASE, the world’s largest semiconductor post-processing outsourcing company (OSAT), are investors and shareholders in Chipletz.
Brian Black, CEO and founder of Chipletz, is a semiconductor packaging engineer with over 20 years of experience at Intel and AMD. He is regarded as a leading authority in next-generation semiconductor packaging technologies essential for artificial intelligence (AI) computing, such as ‘3D packaging,’ which connects multiple heterogeneous chips in a three-dimensional structure. The company’s co-founder Michael Su, CTO, and Senior Vice President Mike Alpanos, along with other executives and employees, are also experts with extensive experience in semiconductor packaging.
SKC established Absolix in 2021 and is promoting the world’s first commercialization of semiconductor glass substrates for high-performance computing. Packaging semiconductors with glass substrates can significantly increase chipset data throughput while reducing power consumption by half, making it a ‘game changer’ in this market. SKC is currently constructing the first phase of its production facility in Georgia, USA, with completion targeted by the end of the year.
Through this investment, SKC will build a strong partnership with Chipletz in the semiconductor packaging field. By combining SKC’s glass substrate production capabilities with Chipletz’s design technology, architecture, related technologies, and customer network base, they plan to establish a differentiated ‘semiconductor packaging solution ecosystem.’ The two companies will also collaborate on research and development and respond to the U.S. Semiconductor Industry Support Act.
As the semiconductor industry reaches the limits of miniaturization to increase capacity, the importance of the packaging market, which integrates multiple chips and connects them for smooth operation, is growing. SKC, expanding its high-value-added semiconductor front-end component business such as CMP pads and blank masks through its investor SK Npulse, has significantly strengthened its future packaging business foundation with the commercialization of semiconductor glass substrates, the acquisition of packaging test equipment company ISC, and now the investment in Chipletz.
An SKC official said, “With this strategic investment in Chipletz, which possesses world-class packaging architecture technology, we have further strengthened our competitiveness in the semiconductor materials and components business. By combining SKC’s core technology and manufacturing capabilities with Chipletz’s packaging design expertise, we will become a ‘game changer’ in the semiconductor post-processing market.”
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