Tenstorrent partners with Japan to train chip designers

Tenstorrent, a Silicon Valley startup founded by veterans from Apple and Intel, has secured a deal with the Japanese government to train up to 200 Japanese chip designers over the next five years. This partnership, announced on Tuesday, includes a $50 million investment shared between Tenstorrent and Japan’s Leading-edge Semiconductor Technology Centre. It is part of Japan‘s initiative to revitalise its semiconductor industry, which has seen a significant decline since its dominance in the 1980s.

Central to this revitalisation effort is Rapidus, a government-backed contract chipmaker aiming to begin mass production of advanced semiconductors by 2027. To support Rapidus’s goals, the collaboration with Tenstorrent focuses on creating future customers by educating Japanese engineers in the US about chip design. Starting in April 2025, these engineers will work closely with Tenstorrent’s experienced team, including industry veterans who have worked on Apple chips.

The agreement allows Tenstorrent to retain the chip designs created during the training, which will utilise RISC-V, an open chip design architecture. Upon returning to Japan, the engineers will be equipped to leverage their new knowledge to develop their own RISC-V designs, further contributing to the growth of Japan’s semiconductor capabilities. Tenstorrent’s Chief Customer Officer, David Bennett, emphasised that Japan’s proactive investments reflect its commitment to taking control of its technological future.