Among the world's largest companies by market capitalization, TSMC produces chips designed by companies such as Nvidia and Apple.
TSMC stands for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Founded in 1987 by Morris Chang, it pioneered the dedicated foundry model: customers design chips, while TSMC manufactures them without selling competing branded processors of its own.
This separation lets many technology companies use advanced manufacturing without building and operating their own fabrication networks. TSMC makes processors and other semiconductors for smartphones, computers, graphics systems, automobiles, and data centers.
TSMC is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, and has expanded production facilities overseas, including major investments in the United States and Japan. It is not the same kind of business as a traditional integrated chip company: its central role is manufacturing chips designed by others.