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Penang, 8 May 2025 – InvestPenang under the Penang Silicon Design @5km+ initiative, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), and Arm Limited (Arm), today hosted an Industry Briefing and Engagement Session on the Government of Malaysia and Arm strategic partnership — a strategic effort to position Malaysia, and Penang in particular, as a global hub for semiconductor innovation.

This session offered first-hand insight into the strategic framework between the Government of Malaysia and Arm. This partnership represents a significant leap toward establishing Malaysia as an IP-driven innovation economy, advancing beyond traditional manufacturing to focus on high-value design and intellectual property ownership, aligning with the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and National Semiconductor Strategy.

The session provided a detailed overview of the key components of the Government of Malaysia and Arm’s partnership, outlining its expected industry impact, highlighting the tangible benefits it offers to businesses and the strategic contributions local players can make, and the application process for participating in the programme.

In addition, the event also served as a platform for technical knowledge-sharing and capacity building. Attendees received a comprehensive overview of Arm’s Flexible Access (AFA) programme and Compute Subsystem (CSS) solutions— both designed to help IC design companies accelerate product development and reduce time-to-market.

Separate closed-door technical sessions were held for selected participants, offering an in-depth exploration of Arm’s CSS architecture and structural framework.

This milestone session builds on the momentum following the official launch of the Penang Silicon Design @5km+ initiative on 7^th December 2024. The Penang Silicon Design @5km+’s long-term vision is to enable the development of ‘Made by Malaysia’ AI chips — fully designed, built, and tested locally. By leveraging Arm’s advanced technology, Malaysian companies are now better positioned to produce high-value chips for AI, IoT, automotive, graphics, and other applications — strengthening the nation’s role in global supply chains.

The event gathered over 70 key stakeholders from IC design companies, federal and state agencies, multinational corporations, and local firms, all committed to advancing Malaysia’s role in the global semiconductor value chain.

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About InvestPenang
InvestPenang is the Penang State Government’s principal agency for the promotion of investment. Its objectives are to develop and sustain Penang’s economy by enhancing and continuously supporting business activities in the State through foreign and local investments, including spawning viable new growth centers. To realise its objectives, InvestPenang also runs initiatives like the SMART Penang Center (providing assistance to SMEs), Penang CAT Center (for talent attraction and retention), and Global Business Services (GBS) Focus Group (promoting and developing digital economy) and Penang Silicon Design @5km+ (establishing a unique and interconnected ecosystem for IC design and technology enterprises). For more information, please visit https://investpenang.gov.my/ and follow InvestPenang’s social media channels: Facebook; LinkedIn; WhatsApp Channel and TikTok.

About “Penang Silicon Design @5km+” Initiative
The “Penang Silicon Design @5km+” initiative was launched by Penang State Government, through its lead agency, InvestPenang. Aligning with National Semiconductor Strategy, this initiative is a transformative collaboration between government, academia and industry, aims to drive innovation, accelerate the AI revolution and position Malaysia as a leading global force to provide a complete and end-to-end solution. The “Penang Silicon Design @5km+” initiative consists of three key components: (1) Penang IC Design & Digital Park @Bayan Lepas; (2) Penang Chip Design Academy @PSDC; and (3) Silicon Research & Incubation Space @GBS TechSpace. For more information, please visit https://investpenang.gov.my/.

For media enquiries, please contact:

InvestPenang
Elaine Cheah / Arief Ferdaus Azmi
elaine@investpenang.gov.my / arief@investpenang.gov.my
+604-646 8833

“Penang Silicon Design @5km+” Initiative
Tun Qurratul Ain / Ong Mee Choo
ain@investpenang.gov.my / meechoo@investpenang.gov.my
T: +604-646 8833