METI's "AKATSUKI Project" R7 Subsidy Program Adopts "First Tapeout"

May 13, 2026

OpenSUSI, an incorporated association established by AIST Solutions to promote the semiconductor design ecosystem (Representative Director: Junichi Okamura), announces that its project "First Tapeout" has been adopted for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)'s R7 "Subsidy for Local Young Talent Discovery and Development Project (AKATSUKI Project)."

The AKATSUKI Project Secretariat announced the adoption results on April 24, 2026.

https://mitouteki.jp/r7/news/734/

Furthermore, OpenSUSI concluded a reseller agreement with U.S. ChipFoundry (Umbralogic Technologies LLC, CEO: Jeffrey DiCorpo) on April 2, 2026.

Based on this agreement, OpenSUSI supports the process from chip design to actual tapeout and operational evaluation.

In the AKATSUKI-adopted "First Tapeout" project, creators (participants), primarily students and young engineers, will be recruited nationwide, with a base in the Kyushu region, to develop a comprehensive talent development program from design to operational evaluation.

Outline of "AKATSUKI Project" and "First Tapeout" Project

The AKATSUKI Project is a young talent development support project overseen by the Information Technology Utilization Promotion Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, based on the government's "5-Year Startup Development Plan" (decided in 2022).

It is positioned as a local expansion of the IPA Mitou Project, which began in 2000, and aims to discover and nurture young ideas and technologies with project managers (PMs) active in the region providing support. In R7, 27 projects were adopted nationwide.

"First Tapeout" is a project where creators experience the entire process of implementing their ideas into a semiconductor chip, prototyping it in a factory, and finally getting that chip to work.

By using NDA-free open-source EDA for design tools and ChipFoundry's chipIgnite shuttle service for prototyping, an environment is created where creators can concentrate on implementing their ideas without being constrained by commercial EDA license terms or budget restrictions.

Three pillars of human resources to be developed in the "First Tapeout" project:

Human resources who can understand the full stack from system design to semiconductor physics (Layout) design.

Human resources who become architects, not just operators.

Human resources who can differentiate between software and hardware and have a perspective on business and investment recovery.

The aim of this project is to promote the generational change of domestic semiconductor design engineers, secure a pool of sharp talents, and motivate young people as an entry point to next-generation advanced semiconductor design education.

In the medium to long term, the goal is to produce human resources capable of semiconductor planning with an eye on Japan's advanced semiconductor manufacturing bases.

Implementation System

OpenSUSI will serve as the secretariat and overall PM for this project.

For actual accompanying support for creators, active engineers from the following three PM dispatch companies have been assigned as PMs and will provide direct guidance based on their practical experience in semiconductor design.

[PM Dispatch Companies]

NSW Corporation

Hitachi Industrial Control Solutions, Ltd.

Privetech Co., Ltd.

(In no particular order, alphabetical by Japanese syllabary)

For implementation and operation in the Kyushu region, the Kyushu Center of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), which established AIST Solutions, will provide operational support and regional coordination support.

In the future, new partners from industry, academia, government, finance, real estate, and local communities are also scheduled to participate sequentially.

Support by ChipFoundry's Services

OpenSUSI has concluded a formal reseller agreement with U.S. chip prototyping platform provider ChipFoundry for the Japanese market.

This allows Japanese users to utilize the chipIgnite shuttle program in Japanese through OpenSUSI as the domestic contact point.

The main services are as follows:

Chips can be manufactured at low cost and in a short period using the MPW (Multi-Project Wafer) method, utilizing an NDA-free open-source PDK compatible with SkyWater Technology's 130nm process.

Tapeout management: From application deadline to design data submission and manufacturing completion, OpenSUSI consistently manages the schedule in Japanese, ensuring smooth tapeout. Target: educational institutions and research institutions in Japan, with contracts with domestic corporations.