On the 17th, Tenstorrent Japan opened a new office in Tokyo in preparation for the opening of a design center in Japan. In conjunction with this, a roundtable for media representatives was held. In addition to Mamoru Nakano , Country Manager of Tenstorrent Japan, Jim Keller , CEO of the head office , also took the stage.
Focus on recruiting engineers in Japan. Collaboration with Rapidus is also going well. First, Keller gave an overview of the company's efforts at the Japan office. The company will continue to recruit engineers domestically through the Japan office. It has already started activities by acquiring talent in various fields such as architecture, chiplet design, and AI software. The office is about 80 people in size, with about 15 people currently working there, but it plans to gradually expand its workforce and is also looking to expand the office. In addition, it will focus on human resource development through internship programs. In terms of training engineers, it will collaborate not only with domestic bases but also with bases in the United States. It will also send engineers to offices such as Santa Clara to learn various technologies.
The company is also collaborating with Rapidus to develop edge AI accelerators using 2nm process technology . Keller said he visited the manufacturing facility that Rapidus is currently building and confirmed that construction and equipment delivery are proceeding smoothly as planned. The pilot line is scheduled to be operational around June to July. Version 0.5 of the PDK (Process Design Kit) has already been provided, and they will continue to work closely together to improve it, aiming for tape-out within 2025.
Plans to launch scalable SoCs for automobiles using chiplets Next, Nakano explained the specifics while listening to Keller's explanation. The strategy is basically the same as global, and the company will develop IP business and AI product business based on AI accelerators, mainly for markets such as data centers, automobiles, and client/edge. For the latter, sales will be carried out through agents, and sales/service will be provided widely throughout the country. As part of its domestic efforts, Rapidus is developing a RISC-V CPU for edge AI using Rapidus' 2nm process technology in a NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) project.
The company expects to complete a prototype around 2027-2028. In addition, the company was selected as the contractor for the advanced course in the NEDO project "Research and Development Project to Strengthen the Foundation of Post-5G Information and Communications Systems/Human Resources Development." In the advanced course that the company will be responsible for, it will provide development know-how for CPUs, chiplets, accelerators, etc. using cutting-edge semiconductors.
The basics will be taught in the Japan office for the first three months, and then the trainees will be sent to the US base for one to two years of on-the-job training to develop advanced human resources. In the beginner's course, application vendors and others will provide the foundation, while in the intermediate course, research groups under the LSTC (Technology Research Association for Semiconductor Technology Center) such as the University of Tokyo will train design personnel for logic semiconductors from 28nm onwards.
For the sale of AI products in Japan, the company has signed agency contracts with Networld and Macnica. The company will develop PCIe cards, workstations, and server products equipped with wormhole generation accelerators . It also plans to launch SoCs for automobiles in the future. It will provide scalable products that can cover the low-end to high-end by utilizing chiplet technology. The opening of the Japan office and active recruitment of engineers are also aimed at the development of this IP business.
PC Watch, Mitsuru Utsunomiya
Jim Kellerの直下で働ける？テンストレント、日本でエンジニア採用強化へ（PC Watch） - Yahoo!ニュース
テンストレントジャパンは17日、日本でのデザインセンター開所に向けて、東京に新オフィスを開設。これにあわせ、報道関係者向けにラウンドテーブルを開催した。テンストレントジャパン カントリーマネージャ