Malaysia and Brazil have launched a joint initiative to develop integrated circuit (IC) design talent, marking a coordinated push to strengthen semiconductor skills across both countries.
The programme, ChampionCHIP eXperience, Malaysia Edition, was launched on Thursday alongside SEMICON Southeast Asia. It is supported by the Advanced Semiconductor Academy Layasia (ASEM), Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec), and the Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park, according to a joint statement.
The initiative links Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem with Brazil-based ChipInventor, a cloud-based IC design education platform. Organisers said the collaboration is aimed at building deeper capability in IC design, a critical segment of the semiconductor value chain.
“The collaboration with Brazil exemplifies this vision, bringing together the expertise of ChipInventor, a leading Brazilian cloud-based IC design education platform, with Selangor’s established semiconductor ecosystem,” the statement said.
The launch was officiated by Selangor Executive Councillor for Investment, Trade and Mobility Ng Sze Han and Brazilian Ambassador to Malaysia Daniella Ortega Menezes.
The ChampionCHIP eXperience is an intensive IC design competition focused on identifying and developing new semiconductor talent in Malaysia.
The programme is powered by ChipInventor’s cloud-based Electronic Design Automation (EDA) platform. This allows students to access IC design tools without requiring physical lab infrastructure.
A total of 300 STEM students, from diploma to postgraduate level, will be selected from institutions across Malaysia. The training covers digital logic, RTL (Register-Transfer Level) design, and hardware validation.
Participants will also work on AWS FPGA systems for hands-on testing. The structure is designed to connect classroom learning with real semiconductor design workflows.
Organisers said the cloud-based approach removes cost barriers linked to traditional EDA tools. It also enables broader access to advanced chip design training.
The initiative aligns with Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS), which targets the development of 60,000 semiconductor professionals. IC design remains a key priority within the plan.
The programme will conclude at the Selangor AI & Semiconductor Summit 2026 (AISEM@Selangor) in October 2026, where participants will present their final projects.
(Source: Bernama)
