Build the future in the physical world
The future of compute is built in the physical world.
Great semiconductor systems emerge when design, materials, capacity, packaging, memory, power, and people move together. Durable access to those layers turns technical ambition into dependable products.
The cards at right compare NVIDIA’s latest disclosed commitment balance with TSMC’s annual capital plan. They are different measures and are shown as a scale comparison, not equal spending or attributed capacity. Read the method.
NVIDIA and TSMCScale comparison
NVIDIA’s commitment balance is more than twice one year of TSMC’s planned capital budget. A commitment balance is not CapEx and is not a commitment to TSMC alone.
01 / A broader view
See the capital behind reliable access.
These indicators illuminate different ways companies prepare for supply. Their definitions and periods remain visible so each role is clear.
02 / The build stack
A great chip becomes a great system.
Every qualified layer, from wafer to power and thermal design, helps turn a promising architecture into a dependable deployment.
Leading-edge wafers
When qualified leading-edge capacity is concentrated, allocation itself becomes a strategic asset.
02Advanced packaging
The package is part of the chip. Capacity, yield, test, and public support all affect whether silicon can ship as a system.
03HBM and memory
Memory moves from commodity input to allocation market when demand, qualification, and packaging interact.
04Substrates
A finished design still depends on qualified substrates and companion inputs; the narrowest layer can govern shipment volume.
03 / Company files
See who builds the physical foundation.
Companies that operate fabs
Manufacturing owners
Foundries and integrated manufacturers turn capital, process expertise, and operations into qualified capacity.
TSMC
A pure-play foundry profile grounded in company-reported manufacturing capacity, alongside market context and capital plans.
Integrated manufacturer and foundry; official footprint record on fileIntel
A manufacturing-owner case showing how process performance, utilization, and execution shape the strategic value of physical assets.
Companies that secure capacity
Capacity partners
Design-led companies use commitments, partnerships, and investment to build dependable access.
NVIDIA
The clearest disclosed example of a fabless balance sheet carrying large manufacturing commitments alongside a much smaller annual CapEx figure.
Fabless semiconductor designerMarvell
A smaller but clean disclosed case of foundry and test-and-assembly commitments carrying a meaningful share of annual revenue.
Companies that build systems
Compute builders
Cloud platforms and silicon teams turn architectures, infrastructure, and supplier partnerships into deployed systems.
A technical-infrastructure case where custom TPU systems are designed alongside the servers, data centers, and networking that make them useful.
Compute platform and custom-silicon builderMeta
A system-builder case where custom silicon, optics supply, power, and deployment planning are being developed together.
04 / Learn
The research begins with a physical foundation.
Start with the essential manufacturing concepts, then follow the field guide into the systems, tools, materials, and people that turn an idea into a working semiconductor product.
What is a semiconductor fab?
A plain-language map of the factory, process-control system, and surrounding infrastructure that turn a design into repeatable silicon.
Start hereFabless versus IDM: a fuller capital picture
How ownership, outsourcing, and durable contracts can build semiconductor manufacturing access and capability.
Start hereHow semiconductor capacity is bought
A practical taxonomy for reservations, firm purchases, prepayments, guarantees, investments, and anchor agreements.