Malaysia has launched six homegrown semiconductor chips designed for applications ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) and automotive systems to drones and satellites, marking a step forward in the country’s integrated circuit (IC) design capabilities.
The chips were unveiled on 16 October 2026 by Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin bin Shari and Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir at the AI Innovation Conference, AiSEM@Selangor 2026.
Developed by SkyeChip, MaiStorage, Silicon X, Alphaswift Industries, Infinecs Systems and Weeroc Space, the products include Malaysia’s first homegrown field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a chip that can be reprogrammed after manufacture.
The launch reflects Malaysia’s efforts to move beyond semiconductor manufacturing towards higher-value chip design and the development of homegrown intellectual property.
“The launch of these six new chips represent a new chapter exemplifying the prowess of Selangor’s young engineers to be at the forefront of technological development,” said Amirudin.
He added that the achievements should encourage a new generation of engineers to compete with leading talent across Asia and demonstrate Malaysia’s ability to create and design technologies that power the digital world.
“Malaysia has long been a key player in semiconductor manufacturing. The chips launched today show that Malaysian companies are also capable of high-value design work,” said Akmal Nasrullah. “This is in line with the National Semiconductor Strategy’s aim of moving the industry up the value chain. Our priority now is to scale this capability by developing more engineers, more companies and more homegrown intellectual property.”
Six Chips Designed for Different Industries
The six products target a range of applications, from running AI locally on devices to managing power in automotive electronics and satellites.
1. SkyeChip: MARS1000 Edge AI Processor
SkyeChip’s MARS1000 is a 7-nanometre (nm) edge AI processor that runs AI inference directly on devices rather than relying on cloud computing. This allows data to remain on-premises while enabling faster responses.
Its potential applications include autonomous robotics, smart agriculture, intelligent video analytics and AI education systems.
Founded in 2019 by industry veterans from Intel, Altera and Broadcom, SkyeChip holds 113 patents across Malaysia, the United States and China.
2. MaiStorage: aiDAPTIV+
MaiStorage’s aiDAPTIV+ combines high-performance cache memory solid-state drives (SSDs) with memory management middleware, allowing a system’s graphics processing unit (GPU), system memory and cache memory to work together.
This enables organisations to run larger AI models on their own systems while keeping data private, without needing to add more GPUs.
The product was jointly developed by Phison Electronics Corporation and MaiStorage, Phison’s regional hub and a Malaysian IC startup founded in 2024. MaiStorage designs NAND controllers, integrated circuits and storage modules for data centres, AI and automotive applications.
3. Silicon X: Malaysia’s First Homegrown FPGA
Silicon X has developed Malaysia’s and Southeast Asia’s first homegrown field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
The 14nm chip contains 30,000 logic elements and can be reprogrammed after manufacture, allowing its functionality to be adapted for different applications. It targets automotive systems and intelligent motor control, including smart billboards and large LED screens.
Led by Managing Director Ng Meng Wah, Silicon X develops both its chips and the software tools needed to use them in-house. The company is also extending its FPGA technology into telecommunications, AI, healthcare and aerospace.
4. Alphaswift Industries: FC Mini Flight Controller
Alphaswift Industries’ FC Mini is a compact flight controller that acts as a drone’s onboard control system. It manages flight stability, real-time sensor processing, autonomous missions and built-in safety functions.
The device combines dual inertial measurement units (IMUs), a pressure sensor and microSD flight logging. It supports 2S to 8S lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries and works with flight software including Betaflight, iNav and ArduPilot.
Led by Chief Executive Officer Dr Shian Lee, Alphaswift Industries develops drone technologies for logistics, agriculture and emergency response.
5. Infinecs Systems: Maxwell Automotive Power Regulator
Infinecs Systems’ Maxwell is an automotive low-dropout regulator (LDO) designed to provide stable power to in-car electronics.
It accepts input voltages of up to 40V and delivers a steady 3.3V or 5V output at up to 150 milliamps. Applications include infotainment screens and headlamps.
The chip incorporates protection against low voltage, short circuits and overheating, and can operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 125°C. It is also suitable for telecommunications equipment, battery management systems and motor drives.
Infinecs Systems is led by Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Kalai Selvan Subramaniam, with a team drawing on decades of experience at Intel and Motorola.
6. Weeroc Space: Conan Satellite Power Controller
Weeroc Space’s Conan is a power controller designed for gallium nitride (GaN)-based power conversion in satellites and other space systems.
The radiation-tolerant integrated circuit supports satellite and spacecraft power distribution, operating across a voltage range of 12V to 138V and managing currents of up to 10A.
Its features include overcurrent, voltage-drop and overheating protection, redundant safety mechanisms, real-time voltage, current and temperature monitoring, and eight independent heater controllers.
Weeroc Space, a European semiconductor design company, operates its design centre at the IC Design Park in Puchong. Led by Chief Executive Officer Dr Salleh Ahmad, its Malaysian team develops radiation-hardened chips for aerospace, satellite and scientific applications, supporting projects involving the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA and Airbus Defence and Space.
Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park Supports 400 Engineers
The six launches highlight the role of the Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park in developing local semiconductor design talent and capabilities.
Developed by Sidec, the park is described as Southeast Asia’s largest IC design park. It comprises IC Design Park 1 in Puchong and IC Design Park 2 in Cyberjaya, which houses Southeast Asia’s first Advanced Chip Testing Centre and the Advanced Semiconductor Academy of Malaysia (ASEM).
The park currently hosts more than 400 engineers across 20 companies.
ASEM has trained 850 engineers to date, with a reported 100% placement rate. Companies at the park also have access to electronic design automation (EDA) tools from Cadence, Synopsys, Siemens EDA and Keysight.
These resources support Malaysia’s front-end semiconductor design capabilities alongside its established manufacturing base.
“The IC Design Park currently hosts over 400 engineers across 20 companies, and these six chips are a tangible outcome of that ecosystem,” said Yong Kai Ping, Chief Executive Officer of Sidec. “Our focus is to provide IC design companies with the talent, design tools, funding linkages and market access they need to grow. We look forward to supporting more Malaysian companies as they take their designs from concept to silicon,” he added.
AiSEM@Selangor 2026 Showcases Malaysia’s AI and Semiconductor Industry
The chip launch took place on the third day of AiSEM@Selangor 2026, the AI and Semiconductor Summit held from 14 to 17 October at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur.
Under the theme “Designed By Malaysia: Building a Globally Competitive AI Semiconductor Ecosystem”, the four-day summit brings together industry players to showcase technology and strengthen Malaysia’s position in the AI and semiconductor sectors.
This year’s programme includes a showcase of more than 20 robots, an exhibition featuring over 150 technology exhibitors and conference sessions with 41 local and international speakers.
The event also features the Malaysia Semiconductor Recruitment Day, where more than 50 employers are recruiting fresh graduates and experienced professionals.
Together, the six chip launches and the wider summit highlight Malaysia’s push to build a more competitive semiconductor ecosystem, develop engineering talent and expand its role in designing technologies for global markets.
