Seven South Korean system semiconductor firms touted their investments at a local conference hosted by the government on Wednesday.
Semiconductor IR Conference 2020 was hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology and the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association.
Around ten funds took part in the conference to listen to the system semiconducor companies’ pitches, including GU Equity, L&S Venture Capital, UTC Investment and Quantum Ventures Korea.
The seven companies were Semi-Powerex (power semiconductor modules), Cesign (ToF, temperature sensors, analog IP, customize AISC), RTM (artificial intelligence-based semiconductor process inspection solution), APLE (plasma surface modification), Yes Powertechnix (SiC power semiconductor), GLS (60GHz telecom semiconductor) and Power Cube Semi (SiC power semiconductor, heater).
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced back in April a plan called System Semiconductor Vision and Strategy to foster the local system semiconductor industry. It has formed a 100 billion won fund for the industry since then. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix together invested 80 billion won. Korea Growth Investment put in 20 billion won.
The ministry said the fund has invested 1.5 billion won to a company that makes semiconductors for autonomous vehicles.
Korea Growth Investment said around 70% of the fund will be invested into power semiconductor firms.
Other areas of interest for the fund will be AI semiconductors, automobile semiconductors and telecom semiconductors.
A separate fund, called Semiconductor Growth Fund, which was found in 2017 with 216.3 billion won of investment, also made an investment, the ministry said. The fund has spend over 80 billion won in 43 fabless semiconductor companies, the ministry said.