Rapidus secures $1.7 billion from Japan’s government and private investors for 2nm chip production — company says it is in active discussions with more than 60 potential customers

Rapidus, a state-backed chipmaker in Japan, has secured $1.6 billion in funding from the Japanese government and private companies like Sony and Toyota to advance its 2nm chip production at its IIM-1 foundry. The government will initially hold a 10% voting share with the potential to take majority control if needed. Rapidus aims to start mass production in 2027 and is already in talks with over 60 potential customers for AI, robotics, and edge computing chip designs. The company has made technical progress, showcasing 2nm transistors and plans to scale up to 25,000 wafer starts per month within a year.