TSMC Pitches Intel JV to Nvidia, Broadcom

Under the proposal, TSMC would operate Intel's foundry division

- Reuters

SMC has pitched US chip designers Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices and Broadcom about taking stakes in a joint venture that would operate Intel's factories, according to four people familiar with the matter.

Under the proposal, the Taiwanese chipmaking giant would run the operations of Intel's foundry division, which makes chips adapted for the needs of customers, but it would not own more than 50%, the people said. Qualcomm has also been pitched by TSMC, according to one of the people cited above and a separate person.

The discussions, which are at an early stage, come after US President Donald Trump's administration requested TSMC, the world's leading contract chipmaker, assist in turning around the troubled US industrial icon, the people said on condition of anonymity because the talks are not public.