TSMC manufactures chips for Apple and Nvidia using its Taiwan-based foundries.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, abbreviated TSMC, is the world’s leading dedicated semiconductor foundry. A foundry manufactures chips designed by other companies instead of primarily selling chips under its own consumer brand. This business model lets customers concentrate on design while TSMC handles production.
Morris Chang founded TSMC in 1987 in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The company helped establish the modern pure-play foundry model, in which manufacturing capacity is offered to many chip designers. Its customers have included Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and numerous other semiconductor firms.
TSMC does not design every chip made in its factories, and it is distinct from companies such as Nvidia that design processors and accelerators. Its competitive importance comes from advanced process technology, manufacturing scale, and close relationships with chip designers.