Chip centre aims to make HK innovation hub

The government-funded Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp (HKSTP), backed by a clutch of technology partners led by Sun Microsystems and PCCW, has set up a chip-design centre aimed at galvanising semiconductor innovation in Hong Kong. The Integrated Circuit (IC) Design Centre is to be opened on Tuesday at phase one of the Hong Kong Science Park in Sha Tin, with an eye to luring local and overseas firms to do chip research and development. HKSTP chief executive Tam Chung-ding said the initiative could create up to 2,000 new chip-design jobs in Hong Kong over the next three years. Mr Tam said all those involved in the centre were upbeat about the centre's prospects, noting that multimedia IC specialist RedRock Semiconductor of Silicon Valley and local firm Dragonchip were the first to start work at the site. "The Sars outbreak has delayed the move of other IC firms to the centre," he said. "But we still expect to sign up 15 to 20 more chip companies this year." To cut the cost of semiconductor development, the IC Design Centre will provide users with electronic design automation software licences and support services, including a data centre and space for IC design training. PCCW was responsible for the network setup and systems integration, and management and security of the centre. Sun provided servers and workstations, and sponsored the training centre. Cadence, Mentor Graphics and Synopsys provided electronic design automation software tools at low cost, Mr Tam said. Research firm Gartner's Dataquest unit has forecast chip consumption in the mainland and Hong Kong will grow 18 per cent this year to US$27.4 billion. Gartner principal analyst Dorothy Lai said: "Since most information technology and electronics manufacturing operations have moved to the mainland and a few other low-cost areas in Asia, developing a competitive IC design industry in Hong Kong appears to be a viable undertaking for chip firms to pursue."Source: South China Morning Post