TSMC to Open Munich Chip Design Center in Q3

According to reports, Paul de Bot, General Manager of the European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (ESMC)—a joint venture led by global foundry giant TSMC—announced at the TSMC 2025 Technology Symposium Europe that the TSMC Munich Design Centre is set to launch in the third quarter of 2025.

The Munich Design Centre is designed to support ESMC's upcoming wafer fabrication operations, focusing on serving European chip design companies. “This initiative aims to help European customers develop high-density, high-performance, and energy-efficient chips,” said de Bot, emphasizing applications in automotive, industrial, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Back in August 2023, TSMC formally partnered with leading European semiconductor firms—Bosch, Infineon, and NXP Semiconductors—to establish ESMC in Dresden, Germany. Once regulatory approvals and conditions are met, TSMC will hold a 70% equity stake, while the other three companies will each hold 10%.

With combined investments from shareholders, loans, and strong backing from the European Union and the German government, the total investment in ESMC is expected to exceed €10 billion. Construction of the wafer fab began in August 2024, with production slated to commence by the end of 2027. The facility will manufacture 12-inch wafers using TSMC's 28/22nm and 16/12nm process technologies, targeting a monthly output of 40,000 wafers. The new fab is also expected to create approximately 2,000 high-tech jobs in the region.