TSMC, formally Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, was founded in 1987 and manufactures many of the world’s advanced chips.
The company was established in Hsinchu, Taiwan, by Morris Chang. Its major innovation was the dedicated semiconductor foundry model: TSMC manufactures chips designed by other companies instead of primarily selling chips under its own consumer brand. This allows firms such as Nvidia, Apple, and AMD to outsource production while concentrating on chip design.
TSMC’s manufacturing leadership, especially in advanced process technologies, has made it one of the world’s most valuable companies by market capitalization. Its factories are concentrated in Taiwan, with additional investment in locations including the United States and Japan.
TSMC is not the same as Taiwan’s government or a consumer electronics brand. It is a semiconductor manufacturer whose customers often design the processors that appear in phones, computers, and data centers.