GlobalFoundries reportedly sees strong demand for Chinese optical modules

thenextweb.com Sep 28, 2026

GlobalFoundries reportedly sees strong demand for Chinese optical modules

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 28, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

GlobalFoundries reported that demand for Chinese optical modules is robust, driven by the rapid expansion of data centres. The company’s photonics and radio chip unit, led by Shankaran Janardhanan, cited the growing need for high‑speed optical transceivers—about two‑thirds of the global market is supplied by Chinese firms. GlobalFoundries is investing heavily in photonics, including a 2025 acquisition of Singapore’s Advanced Micro Foundry, which will make it the largest pure‑play silicon photonics foundry. The firm also plans a large capacity expansion to meet AI‑driven demand and has secured a 2025 partnership to produce car chips in China.

💡 Why It Matters

· The surge in optical module demand underscores the critical role of photonics in scaling data‑centre bandwidth, while GlobalFoundries’ expansion signals a strategic pivot toward light‑based data transfer technologies that could reshape the semiconductor supply chain.

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TakeMe2Space to take data centres to space

TakeMe2Space, an Indian space‑tech start‑up, will launch two 100‑kg satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in late 2028. The pair will form India’s first orbital data‑centre network, each carrying 10 Nvidia Thor GPUs, 100 TB of storage and 1.5 kW of power. They will process multispectral Earth‑observation imagery onboard via the OrbitLab platform, delivering ready‑to‑use crop‑stress, flood and ship‑count maps instead of raw data. Optical inter‑satellite links will enable workload sharing, demonstrating scalable in‑orbit high‑performance computing.

💡 By moving data processing to orbit, the mission cuts ground‑based latency and bandwidth costs, offering near‑real‑time insights for agriculture, disaster response and maritime monitoring.

taipeitimes.com · Sep 28

AI boom fuels ‘k-shaped’ divide

Taiwan’s economy is splitting into a “K‑shaped” pattern as the global AI surge lifts high‑tech sectors while traditional industries lag, said Ju Haw of the Commerce Development Research Institute. He explained that profitable AI and semiconductor firms attract capital, skilled labor and renewable‑energy resources, crowding out manufacturing, tourism, hospitality and furniture businesses that lack the funds and manpower to modernise. Government data project GDP growth of 11.05 % this year after an 8.76 % rise last year, but wage gaps illustrate the divide: average pay at listed semiconductor companies reached NT$2.58 million, versus NT$543 000 in tourism. Some retailers, such as Eslite, report a 10 % rise in foot traffic, yet many small‑scale operators face rising costs, labour shortages and shrinking margins in 2024 now.

💡 The widening earnings gap threatens social cohesion, as AI‑driven prosperity concentrates in a narrow segment of Taiwan’s workforce.

newsable.asianetnews.com · Sep 27

18-year-old enters Gujarat’s Rs 1.4 lakh crore semiconductor space

18-year-old Rehan Mansuri launched Micronex in Sanand, Gujarat, to produce lead frames for the state’s Rs 1.4 lakh crore semiconductor ecosystem. The venture, backed by an Rs 80 crore initial investment, will operate from the Sanand Industrial Estate and aims to manufacture 50 crore lead‑frame units annually, creating about 250 jobs. Micronex signed a memorandum of understanding with Kaynes Semicon at SEMICON India 2026, securing a supply channel to local chip makers. Construction has begun, with production slated for May 2027, and the company plans to file a proposal under India Semiconductor Mission 2.0. The startup will serve power‑electronics and automotive customers before expanding into consumer and telecom segments, using copper‑alloy frames of 0.1 mm thickness. The initiative aligns with Gujarat’s push to localize chip components and reduce imports.

💡 By inserting a domestic lead‑frame supplier, Gujarat cuts reliance on foreign vendors, accelerating its goal of a self‑sufficient semiconductor supply chain.

koreatimes.co.kr · Sep 27

Nearly 4 in 10 Korean industrial technology leaks involve semiconductors: data

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported 107 instances of industrial technology theft abroad between 2021 and 2025, according to data submitted to the National Assembly. Semiconductor technology was the most frequently targeted sector, implicated in 40 cases, followed by displays (21) and electrical‑electronics (10). Seven incidents involved “national core technologies” deemed vital to security and economic growth; semiconductors accounted for nine of these critical leaks. A high‑profile case cited a former Samsung Electronics manager accused of passing the company’s 18‑nanometre DRAM manufacturing process to Chinese rival ChangXin Memory Technologies. Authorities said the breaches spanned multiple countries and often involved sophisticated supply‑chain infiltration, prompting calls for export controls and corporate vigilance. The findings underscore persistent espionage pressures on Korea’s high‑tech industries.

💡 The concentration of espionage in semiconductors threatens South Korea’s strategic edge in a sector that underpins global digital infrastructure, prompting urgent policy and corporate safeguards.

newswire.co.kr · Sep 27

Toshiba Launches 3300V SiC MOSFET Module with High Surge Current Capability that…

Tokyo‑based Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corp. introduced the IX800FXF2YMS4, a dual 3300‑volt silicon‑carbide MOSFET module rated for 800 A continuous drain current. The device incorporates the company’s third‑generation SiC chips and delivers a surge‑current I²t capability of 300 kA²·s, allowing it to withstand abnormal current spikes in railway traction inverters, renewable‑energy converters and industrial motor drives. Its low on‑state voltage of 1.4 V and modest switching losses (185 mJ turn‑on, 175 mJ turn‑off) reduce conduction and switching heat, enabling smaller cooling systems and higher overall efficiency. Packaged in Toshiba’s iXPLV™ format with silver‑sinter bonding, the module tolerates channel temperatures up to 175 °C, expanding the firm’s SiC portfolio to four products for compact, reliable power equipment. The launch positions Toshiba to meet efficiency standards across markets.

💡 Its high surge‑current tolerance in a compact package lets converters shrink, accelerating the rollout of denser, more reliable electrified rail and renewable‑energy infrastructure.

freepressjournal.in · Sep 27

‘Uttar Pradesh Emerging As AI, Semiconductor And Technology Hub’: Union Minister Jitin…

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada told a Greater Noida forum on September 26 that Uttar Pradesh is shifting from an electronics‑manufacturing hub to a national centre for artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and broader technology innovation. He highlighted recent investments by Samsung, Yotta and the establishment of data centres and AI labs across the state, noting that the government is extending the ecosystem beyond Noida to include design, component fabrication and export‑ready production. Prasada credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s leadership for accelerating the “double‑engine” coordination between centre and state. He asserted that the emerging value chain will create jobs for the state’s youth and position Uttar Pradesh as a key destination for global tech investment.

💡 Uttar Pradesh’s rapid expansion into AI and semiconductor manufacturing could reposition India’s tech supply chain, reducing reliance on overseas assembly and boosting domestic high‑skill employment.