Brazil Paves New Semiconductor Path
After failing in the fab race, the country has started focusing on less capital-intensive segments.
After struggling to get its semiconductor industry off the ground for the last several years, Brazil finally may have found its place in the market with the development of IC design services, memory modules and packaging.
Brazil exists well under the radar when it comes to semiconductors. But with little or no fanfare, the nation over the years has been trying to build fabs, assemble chips and develop a fabless IC design industry. Brazil has seen some modest success here, but it also has experienced several setbacks, including the collapse of a Brazilian-based foundry venture with IBM several years ago, and the recent closure of CEITEC, a government-backed chip organization. NXP also recently shuttered its IC design operations in Brazil.