Japan Inches Toward AI Goals With Rapidus’ First Chip Prototype

Japan’s Rapidus Corp. has prototyped an advanced chip, an early step in the government-backed startup’s attempt to leapfrog years of innovation with the help of billions of dollars in public funding.

The company last week printed circuitry on wafers using 2-nanometer gate-all-around process technology, President Atsuyoshi Koike told reporters Friday. He did not disclose the number of functional chips produced.

Rapidus, which in April began developing wafers using extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment from ASML Holding NV, aims to be ready to help customers with their chips by March, Koike said. The company, which hopes to mass produce cutting-edge semiconductors ...