Malaysia unveils six locally designed chips at Selangor semiconductor summit
In brief
- Malaysia showcased six chips at the Selangor AI & Semiconductor Summit on October 16, 2026.
- Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park companies developed all six chips.
- RM300 million (about $74 million) in estimated yearly sales potential, Crypto Briefing reported.
- Government targets 110 local chip firms and 300,000 to 500,000 tech jobs.
- Arm Ltd collaboration gives access to IP to speed up chip design.
Six chips, four markets
So what did Malaysia actually show? The six chips target artificial intelligence, automotive technology, satellite systems and drone operations, per Crypto Briefing's report on the summit. The outlet put their combined estimated sales potential at RM300 million (about $74 million) a year.
That's an estimate, not booked revenue.
Three designs were named. SkyeChip's MARS1000 is built for edge-AI applications (edge AI means running artificial intelligence directly on a device rather than sending data off to a remote data center). MaiStorage's aiDAPTIV+ covers storage solutions. SiliconX's FPGA is being touted as Southeast Asia's first homegrown FPGA, aimed at industrial and automotive use. An FPGA, or field-programmable gate array, is a chip that can be reconfigured after it leaves the factory.
From packaging to IP
Malaysia has spent roughly half a century assembling chips for other companies. The new lineup is meant to change where the country sits in that chain, moving it from assembly and packaging toward design and ownership of the intellectual property itself.
The launch is part of Malaysia's broader National Semiconductor Strategy. Under that plan, the government aims to establish 110 high-value local semiconductor companies, and it's targeting between 300,000 and 500,000 tech-related jobs over the next few years, according to Crypto Briefing.
Those are targets. They aren't results yet.
The Arm link
A key piece of the strategy is a collaboration with Arm Ltd for access to intellectual property. The partnership's stated aim is to speed up the chip design process (which is the part of the business Malaysia hasn't owned during its decades as an assembly hub). For a country that's trying to grow its own design houses, that access to IP is the tool it's leaning on to shorten the path.
Frequently asked questions
What does Malaysia's National Semiconductor Strategy aim to achieve?
According to Crypto Briefing, the government aims to establish 110 high-value local semiconductor companies. It's also targeting between 300,000 and 500,000 tech-related jobs over the next few years. The six chips shown at the Selangor summit are part of that strategy.
What applications do Malaysia's six new chips target?
The six chips target artificial intelligence, automotive technology, satellite systems and drone operations. Named examples include SkyeChip's MARS1000 for edge AI, MaiStorage's aiDAPTIV+ for storage, and a SiliconX FPGA aimed at industrial and automotive use.
What is an FPGA?
An FPGA, or field-programmable gate array, is a chip that can be reconfigured after it leaves the factory. SiliconX's FPGA is being touted as Southeast Asia's first homegrown version, aimed at industrial and automotive use.
