IC-Link, the chip-design and manufacturing service arm of Belgian research center imec, has joined TSMC's Cloud Alliance. The companies announced on September 23 that IC-Link plans a managed cloud service where chip designers can use TSMC's advanced-process design resources, computing capacity and their preferred design tools without assembling the environment themselves.
A process design kit contains the manufacturing rules and models needed to design a chip for a particular fabrication process. IC-Link says its secure environment will provide controlled access to TSMC kits and let customers bring their own electronic design automation tools and licenses. IC-Link would manage the hosting and infrastructure, while TSMC supplies the process technology and its existing cloud-design ecosystem.
TSMC already has cloud and design-tool partners in its Cloud Alliance. IC-Link says its planned service would be the first managed offering there to support a design flow using tools from multiple partners.
The announcement does not give a launch date, name the supported process nodes or list prices and compatible tool combinations. It also provides no measured reduction in design time or cost.
Sources
- Imec and TSMC collaboration announcement, September 23, 2026
- TSMC Cloud Alliance overview and existing cloud-design ecosystem
- Illustrative image: Micro-chips wafer, Syced, via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0. The wafer is not part of the announced service.
