Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, among the world's largest companies by market capitalization, was founded in 1987.
TSMC was established in Taiwan in 1987 by Morris Chang. Its major innovation was a dedicated foundry business model: TSMC manufactures chips designed by other companies rather than primarily selling chips under its own consumer brand.
This model allowed semiconductor designers to outsource fabrication while concentrating on architecture and product development. TSMC became a critical manufacturer for advanced processors used in smartphones, computers, networking equipment, and artificial-intelligence systems.
TSMC is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, where the Hsinchu Science Park became an important center for the island's technology industry. Its role is often confused with that of chip designers such as Nvidia or AMD: those companies create chip designs, while TSMC is chiefly known for manufacturing them.