April 9, 2026 -
With working prototypes, fresh funding, and IBM support, the company is aiming for mass production by 2027
By Skye Jacobs, Techspot
Japan's state-backed chip venture Rapidus has entered 2026 in a different position from when it was launched in 2022. The company has moved from a national bet on paper to an operating pilot line with working two-nanometer prototypes, fresh capital, and a leadership team openly talking about building fabs beyond Earth's atmosphere.
Rapidus' first plant, IIM-1 in Chitose, Hokkaido, has shifted from a construction site to a pilot line. In mid-2025, the company had activated the cleanroom, installed extreme ultraviolet tools, and began running test wafers through a two-nanometer gate-all-around process developed with IBM.