GlobalFoundries (GF) is partnering the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) to to fast-track the development of advanced packaging solutions — an increasingly critical area as artificial intelligence (AI) and data-intensive applications fuel new demands on chip performance and efficiency.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), A*Star’s research infrastructure and technical support will be made available to GF, while the semiconductor giant will contribute essential equipment to bolster A*Star’s R&D efforts.
The partnership aims to accelerate the rollout of next-generation packaging technologies at GF’s Singapore manufacturing hub as well as upskill local talent, aligning with Singapore’s Manufacturing 2030 vision to strengthen its position as a global innovation leader in advanced manufacturing.
“With growing demand for AI applications, we’re excited to tap into A*Star’s expertise and infrastructure to fast-track the deployment of new advanced packaging offerings, and most importantly, upskill our workforce. Our joint efforts in R&D and talent development will ultimately spur the continued growth of Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem,” said Tan Yew Kong, Senior Vice President and General Manager of GlobalFoundries Singapore.
“A*Star looks forward to working closely with GlobalFoundries to accelerate innovation and talent development in advanced packaging technologies and become leaders in this domain,” said Terence Gan, Executive Director of A*Star Institute of Microelectronics.
This move follows GF’s January announcement of a new Advanced Packaging and Photonics Center in New York, underscoring a coordinated global strategy to enhance advanced packaging capabilities in key regions.
By building a dual-location approach, GF aims to diversify its geographical footprint, leverage regional expertise and address critical supply chain resilience concerns that have become increasingly prominent in the semiconductor industry.
Innovation Partnerships
The A*Star partnership is the latest in a series of strategic collaborations that highlight GF’s commitment to innovation and industry leadership. Earlier this year, it signed a master research agreement with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to jointly advance semiconductor technologies for AI and other next-generation applications.
GF has also joined forces with Silicon Catalyst, the world’s only incubator and accelerator focused on semiconductor solutions. As a Strategic and In-Kind Partner, GF provides startups with access to its differentiated platforms, accelerating the development of IoT, automotive and AI applications.
In the automotive sector, GF’s 22FDX platform is powering next-generation radar systems through partnerships with Bosch and indie Semiconductor. These collaborations are enabling advanced driver assistance systems and high-performance radar solutions for safer, smarter vehicles.
GF’s partnership with Ayar Labs is bringing optical I/O technology to market, offering a high-bandwidth, low-power alternative to traditional copper interconnects for data centres and high-performance computing environments.
Entelechy Asia 