Penang unveils chip design academy to accelerate ‘Made-by-Malaysia’ AI chips and next-gen semiconductor talent

• Aims to train over 1,000 IC design engineers within five years
• Initiative supports Malaysia’s goal to lead in regional upstream semiconductor capabilities

The Penang state government has unveiled the Penang Chip Design Academy (PCDA), a cornerstone initiative positioned to reshape Malaysia’s future in integrated circuit (IC) design. From AI chips and high-speed memory to edge computing technologies, PCDA builds upstream design capabilities essential for global semiconductor leadership, Invest Penang noted in a statement.

The company said that with a bold mission to train over 1,000 IC design engineers within five years, the academy reinforces Penang’s emergence as a Southeast Asian IC design epicentre — and affirms Malaysia’s readiness to lead next-generation chip innovation on the global stage.

It added that PCDA is one of three strategic pillars under the Penang Silicon Design @5KM+ initiative, led by the company to build a tightly integrated front-end innovation ecosystem. The initiative supports Malaysia’s broader ambition to become a regional leader in upstream semiconductor capabilities — in full alignment with the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030).

Spearheaded in partnership with the Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC), PCDA is built on a strong government–industry–academia collaboration model. Its training programmes are designed by industry, for industry, and focus on four core IC design disciplines: physical design, design verification, custom layout, and analogue design. The courses target both fresh graduates and existing engineers, offering a suite of intensive four- to nine-week IC Design Mastery Courses.

According to Invest Penang, these courses are delivered by seasoned experts with more than two decades of hands-on experience in global semiconductor companies, ensuring real-world relevance and immediate applicability in high-impact roles. The first cohort began training on 16 June 2025.

In response to growing industry demand for next-generation chip innovation, the academy will also offer advanced upskilling in critical technologies shaping tomorrow’s semiconductor landscape. Its training modules cover high-speed interconnects such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express and Compute Express Link, as well as key memory technologies including double data rate and high-bandwidth memory. Additional future-tech modules — including advanced packaging, AI software, and emulation — will equip engineers to navigate complex design cycles, optimise system-level performance, and contribute to the development of Malaysia’s own chip architectures for global markets.

“The opening of the Penang Chip Design Academy is a strategic leap forward in Malaysia’s semiconductor ambition. It sends a strong signal to global investors that Penang is not only home to world-class manufacturing, but is fast becoming a hub for front-end IC design innovation — powered by a highly skilled, AI-ready local talent pool,” said Chow Kon Yeow, chief minister of Penang, who officiated the launch.

He added, “This is how we begin realising our vision of ‘made-by-Malaysia’ chips — designed, developed, and driven by Penang talent for the world.”

Looking ahead, PCDA is poised to power the next phase of Penang’s semiconductor leadership by producing a robust, AI-ready talent pipeline. This will directly support the growth of IC design companies and catalyse Malaysia’s ambition to become a global player in high-value chip development — from design to deployment.