YMTC-backed fund invests in China FD-SOI chipmaker SOI Micro
Synopsis
YMTC's venture arm has quietly backed FD-SOI specialist SOI Micro — led by a former Chinese Academy of Sciences chief — signalling that China's state-linked capital is now funding alternative chipmaking routes that sidestep the advanced lithography tools it cannot legally import.
Key Takeaways
SOI Micro 's registered capital increased to 2.53 billion yuan (US$375 million) from 2.39 billion yuan following the shareholder change confirmed on Thursday, 12 August 2026 .
The new investor, Changcun Industry Investment Fund , is backed by Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC) and the Hubei Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund , both based in Wuhan .
SOI Micro , founded in Guangzhou in 2022 , focuses on fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) technology — a low-power alternative to mainstream FinFET processes used by TSMC and Samsung Electronics .
The company is led by Ye Tianchun , former head of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Microelectronics and ex-chief technologist of China's state '02' chipmaking project .
The exact size of Changcun 's stake and investment amount were not disclosed; SOI Micro did not respond to a comment request.
SOI Micro, a Guangzhou-founded semiconductor manufacturer specialising in fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) technology, has secured a new high-profile investor: the Changcun Industry Investment Fund, a venture capital vehicle backed by Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC), China's leading NAND flash memory producer. The development, confirmed through a Thursday update on China's National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System, marks a notable expansion of YMTC's investment footprint beyond memory-chip supply chains into specialised logic manufacturing.
The Investment Details
SOI Micro's registered capital rose to 2.53 billion yuan (US$375 million) from 2.39 billion yuan following the shareholder change, with the Wuhan-based Changcun Industry Investment Fund listed as a new stakeholder. The precise size of Changcun's stake and the exact amount invested were not disclosed. SOI Micro did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Who Is Behind Changcun and SOI Micro
The Changcun Industry Investment Fund was established in 2023 by YMTC alongside the Hubei Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, a state-backed vehicle headquartered in Wuhan. Until now, its mandate had concentrated on memory-chip supply-chain participants. SOI Micro, founded in 2022 in Guangzhou, is led by Ye Tianchun, a veteran semiconductor technologist who previously headed the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Microelectronics and served as chief technologist for China's high-profile '02' project — a major state initiative aimed at advancing domestic chipmaking equipment and fabrication capabilities.
Why FD-SOI Matters to China's Chip Strategy
FD-SOI technology is a low-power chipmaking process that offers an alternative pathway to mainstream FinFET-based fabrication, the dominant architecture used by leading foundries such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Samsung Electronics. For China, which faces sustained export restrictions on advanced semiconductor equipment, FD-SOI represents a strategically attractive route: it can deliver competitive power efficiency at certain nodes without requiring the most advanced lithography tools. This makes it particularly relevant for automotive, IoT, and edge-computing applications.
What's Next
The Changcun fund's move signals that state-adjacent capital in China is broadening its bets beyond memory into alternative logic-chip architectures, diversifying the country's semiconductor investment portfolio. With Ye Tianchun's deep institutional ties and SOI Micro's growing capital base now exceeding 2.53 billion yuan, the company is positioned to accelerate process development and potentially attract further government-linked backing. Observers will be watching whether SOI Micro can translate this financial momentum into commercially viable wafer output — and how quickly it can scale to serve domestic fabless designers looking for alternatives to restricted foreign foundries.
Point of View
But it is manufacturable at nodes where China's domestic equipment can operate, making it a pragmatic hedge. What mainstream coverage often misses is the significance of Ye Tianchun's leadership — his institutional network spans the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the '02' state project, and now private capital, a rare convergence that could accelerate technology transfer from public research into commercial wafer production. The broader pattern is clear: China is not waiting for a single breakthrough foundry; it is building a diversified, state-backed lattice of alternative process technologies designed to collectively reduce dependence on TSMC and restricted Western tooling.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SOI Micro and what technology does it develop?
SOI Micro is a Chinese semiconductor manufacturer founded in Guangzhou in 2022 that develops fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) technology. FD-SOI is a low-power chipmaking process that serves as a complementary alternative to mainstream FinFET fabrication used by foundries such as TSMC and Samsung Electronics.
Why did the YMTC-backed fund invest in SOI Micro?
The Changcun Industry Investment Fund, established by YMTC and the Hubei Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund in 2023, invested to extend its reach beyond memory-chip supply chains into specialised logic manufacturing. The move reflects China's broader strategy of funding alternative chipmaking routes that do not rely on the most advanced lithography equipment subject to export restrictions.
How much has SOI Micro raised and who leads the company?
SOI Micro's registered capital now stands at 2.53 billion yuan (US$375 million) following the latest shareholder change. The company is led by Ye Tianchun, a veteran technologist who previously headed the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Microelectronics and served as chief technologist for China's state '02' chipmaking project.
What is FD-SOI technology and why is it strategically important for China?
FD-SOI (fully depleted silicon-on-insulator) is a chipmaking process that delivers competitive power efficiency without requiring the most advanced lithography tools, making it accessible to Chinese fabs operating under export controls. It is particularly suited to automotive, IoT, and edge-computing chips, segments where China has significant domestic demand.
How does this investment fit into China's broader semiconductor strategy?
The Changcun fund's move into logic-chip manufacturing signals that state-adjacent capital is diversifying beyond memory into alternative process technologies. It is part of a wider pattern of Chinese investment in domestic semiconductor ecosystems — spanning equipment, materials, and now specialised fabrication processes — aimed at reducing reliance on foreign foundries and restricted Western technology.
