Japan’s Rapidus Secures ‘Major’ American Customers for Its 2nm Process, Ramping Up the Race Against TSMC and Intel
Japan’s semiconductor ambitions continue to accelerate, with Rapidus announcing that it has already secured interest from major American customers for its upcoming 2nm “2HP” process. Competing head-to-head with the likes of TSMC, Samsung, and Intel, Rapidus is positioning itself as a serious player in the next generation of advanced chip manufacturing.
According to a report by Hokkaido Shimbun, Rapidus CEO Atsuyoshi Koike confirmed that several U.S. companies are preparing to use the company’s 2nm process for prototype products beginning next year. Among those already engaged, IBM and Tenstorrent have been highlighted as frontrunners, with the possibility of other major contracts on the horizon.
IBM’s involvement comes as little surprise. The company has been collaborating with Rapidus since 2022 on advanced semiconductor technologies and expanded its partnership in 2024 to include chiplet packaging for 2nm-generation semiconductors. IBM has long invested in research at the leading edge, and this cooperation not only provides Rapidus with crucial technological expertise but also ensures that IBM will be among the first to benefit from its 2nm process.
Perhaps the more intriguing development is the inclusion of Tenstorrent, led by veteran chip architect Jim Keller. Known for his pivotal roles at Intel, AMD, and Apple, Keller has built Tenstorrent into a firm centered on AI and RISC-V architectures, aiming to challenge incumbent players with innovative designs. The decision to align with Rapidus underscores Keller’s reputation for making unconventional moves, and it positions Tenstorrent to potentially leverage Japan’s 2nm capabilities for highly specialized AI and compute products.
The report also mentions that NVIDIA may be exploring a potential relationship with Rapidus, though this remains speculative at the moment. If true, it would represent an enormous validation of Rapidus’s potential to disrupt the semiconductor supply chain.
Rapidus unveiled its 2HP process last year, highlighting a roadmap designed to put Japan back on the global semiconductor map after decades of lagging behind Taiwan, South Korea, and the United States in cutting-edge nodes. The company expects to deliver process design kits (PDKs) to customers by Q1 2026, with mass production projected for late 2026 or early 2027. If achieved, this schedule would allow Rapidus to enter the 2nm market in lockstep with—or even ahead of—TSMC and Intel, both of which are targeting volume production around the same timeframe.
While the timelines are ambitious, CEO Atsuyoshi Koike stressed that Rapidus’s focus is not only on speed but on ensuring that its products are competitive and reliable. By securing IBM and Tenstorrent as early customers, Rapidus gains both credibility and real-world use cases that will test its 2nm manufacturing capabilities against the most demanding computing workloads.
The backing of Japan’s government, alongside partnerships with global technology leaders, has made Rapidus one of the most optimistic bets in the semiconductor industry. Positioned in Chitose City, Hokkaido, the company is not only advancing its 2nm process but also attempting to revive Japan’s legacy as a powerhouse in chip production. With AI demand skyrocketing and advanced node competition intensifying, Rapidus’s ability to attract top-tier American firms could be the catalyst it needs to firmly establish itself on the global stage.
If successful, Rapidus will not just compete—it may play a critical role in diversifying the semiconductor supply chain, reducing reliance on TSMC, Samsung, and Intel, and giving Japan renewed influence in the geopolitically sensitive chip industry.
Do you think Rapidus can realistically compete with TSMC and Intel at 2nm, or will its success depend entirely on support from early adopters like IBM and Tenstorrent?
