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e-Shuttle and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Collaborate to Provide Silicon Shuttle Services for Asian Start-ups

The initiative, boostingAsia's semiconductor industry, provides first-of-a-kind Electron Beam Direct Writing (EBDW) technology at low cost. The proprietary EBDW technology developed by e-Shuttle significantly lowers the cost of prototyping ICs and reduces turnaround time.

Under the new initiative, HKSTP will provide development support, including design tools, evaluation systems, and a secured remote access design environment to design houses, which then send timing, power and other data to ESI for prototyping using the EBDW technology. The IC designers evaluate the design or product prototypes from e-Shuttle for recommendation to manufacturers. This process will allow even small and medium-sized design organizations to leverage leading prototyping technologies such as 65nm at very low cost.

The program with e-Shuttle complements HKSTP's IC Design Centre, which incorporates a wide range of IP services, including test development, IP trial, licensing, integration and verification -- plus a legal framework for semiconductor intellectual property development under an ISO 27001 certified design environment.

e-Shuttle was established by Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited and Advantest Corporation to provide low-cost prototyping services for leading-edge, large-scale ICs. e-Shuttle extends FML's silicon shuttle operations with its proprietary EBDW technology.

"Our cooperation with e-Shuttle will enable us to provide small and medium-sized technology developers with access to the most advanced prototyping technologies and FML's superior wafer manufacturing, as well as a one-stop-shop service for design start and production release, governed by global best practices and the rule of IP protection laws ofHong Kong," said Ir. S.W. Cheung, Hong Kong Science Park's Vice President for Business Development and Technology Support.

The new partnership supports the rapid growth ofAsia's semiconductor industry, and the shift of IC design from the U.S. andEurope to this region. According to e-Shuttle President Dr Haruo Tsuchikawa: "Working together with HKSTP, we will activate new innovation by design houses in the semiconductor industry. HKSTP has the manufacturing support environment that start-ups need. Its secure information security system, together with our technology, is critical to leading-edge IC development.

"Prototyping advanced ICs is usually very costly, including the high cost of reticle lithography. EBDW technology provides a short delivery cycle at less cost with mask-less production," continued Tsuchikawa.

"Since its establishment in 2001, HKSTP has been dedicated to IC and associated silicon IP development by forming strong alliances with key IT vendors, professional IC associations as well as leading universities," said Cheung. "This cooperation with e-Shuttle further extends our technology portfolio network toJapan."

About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation ("HKSTP") is a statutory body set up by the Government of the Hong Kong SAR. HKSTP provides innovative and technology driven infrastructure and support facilities which includes market-focused clustered laboratory services enablingHong Kong industries and services to be more competitive; a full-service incubation programme for technology and design start-ups; and fosters partnerships and collaboration between industry and universities/applied research institutes through consulting, training and research programmes. HKSTP offers advanced facilities and support services for high technology companies that include an IC Design Centre, an IC Development Support Centre, a Materials Analysis Laboratory, a Wireless Communications Test Laboratory and an Intellectual Property Servicing Centre.

HKSTP provides one-stop service for IC development, to offer technical support covering the entire process from design to production, backed by a team of seasoned and professional engineers with combined experience of more than 500 person-years.

More information about HKSTP is available at http://www.hkstp.org

About e-Shuttle

Headquartered inKawasaki, Japan, e-Shuttle, Inc. was founded by Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited and Advantest Corporation on November 1, 2006, to develop EBDW technologies for 90-, 65- and 45-nanometer process technologies, and to establish and offer semiconductor prototyping services, SiExpress(TM). (See the press release dated October 30, 2006.) For more information, visit http://www.e-shuttle.co.jp

SOURCE e-Shuttle