On September 25, GlobalFoundries (GF), a leading wafer foundry, officially announced at its annual Technology Summit held in Shanghai that it will launch a collaboration with Zensemi (Guangzhou Zensemi Technology Co., Ltd.), a Chinese wafer foundry. Initially, the collaboration will focus on mature 40nm process technology, with a specific focus on CMOS products for the automotive electronics sector. GlobalFoundries emphasized that it will provide support for the relevant technologies.
Victor Hu, President of GlobalFoundries China, stated during his first public appearance since taking office that this collaboration aims to deepen localized layout to meet the rapidly growing demand of the Chinese semiconductor market. Having assumed office on September 1, Victor Hu brings over 25 years of experience in the semiconductor and technology industry, having previously worked at well-known enterprises such as Qorvo, HTC, and Broadcom.
Sudipto Bose, Vice President of GlobalFoundries’ Automotive End Market, pointed out that China is one of the fastest-growing markets for automotive electronics demand globally, and related businesses already account for 18% of the company’s shipments. He mentioned that GlobalFoundries’ strategy not only focuses on "In China, for China" but also aims to respond to local customers’ needs at "China Speed".
In fact, as early as early August this year, GlobalFoundries announced in its Q2 2025 fiscal year earnings report that it had reached a final agreement with a local Chinese foundry to provide reliable supply for its customers in mainland China, thereby advancing its "China for China" strategy. Customers will benefit from GlobalFoundries’ automotive-grade process technologies and manufacturing expertise to meet their domestic needs in China.
However, GlobalFoundries did not disclose the name of the specific Chinese wafer foundry it would collaborate with at that time. Now it is clear that the partner is Zensemi.
According to data, Zensemi was initiated by Guangzhou Bay Area Intelligent Sensor Industry Group Co., Ltd. and officially established in Guangzhou in April 2021, with a registered capital of RMB 7.275 billion. Its main business includes integrated circuit manufacturing and R&D design services. Currently, Zensemi is building a 12-inch wafer manufacturing production line focusing on sensors and supporting dedicated ASIC chips. Construction of the project started in December 2022; the production capacity of Phase I is expected to reach 20,000 wafers per month by the end of 2025, and the process technology for Phase I will adopt MEMS mechanical sensors and mature 130-55nm processes.
GlobalFoundries previously stated that its collaboration with Zensemi will enable customers to achieve rapid local mass production without redeveloping processes, lowering the threshold for market entry and enhancing the resilience of the local supply chain. Through collaboration with local foundries, GlobalFoundries can better support local Chinese semiconductor customers, improve supply chain stability, and contribute to the upgrading and localization of China’s semiconductor industry chain.
Looking ahead, GlobalFoundries plans to continue focusing on the supply chain needs of local OEMs, Fabless enterprises, and multinational customers, and gradually enhance its manufacturing and delivery capabilities in the Chinese market.
(Reprinted from https://news.eccn.com/）