TSMC, one of the world's largest semiconductor companies by market cap, was founded by engineer Morris Chang.
Chang founded Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company in 1987 in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The company helped establish the dedicated semiconductor foundry model: TSMC manufactures chips designed by other companies rather than primarily selling chips under its own consumer brand. That model became central to the modern electronics industry.
Before founding TSMC, Chang spent decades at Texas Instruments, where he held senior positions and worked on semiconductor manufacturing. His experience helped shape TSMC's focus on production expertise, process technology, and serving many chip designers.
TSMC is often confused with companies that design processors, such as Nvidia, or with equipment suppliers such as ASML. Those businesses occupy different parts of the semiconductor supply chain. TSMC's market value reflects investor expectations about its manufacturing network, technology, customers, and future earnings; it is not simply a measure of the number of chips it sells under its own name.