Extending YMTC's Investment Reach

The Changcun Fund was established in 2023 by YMTC alongside the Hubei Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, a state-backed vehicle. Its previous mandate focused on memory-chip supply-chain players, so this move into FD-SOI logic manufacturing marks a deliberate broadening of China's semiconductor investment strategy .

Capital for Scale

SOI Micro increased its registered capital to 2.53 billion yuan (~$375 million) with the Changcun Fund appearing as a new shareholder. While the exact stake and investment amount were not disclosed, the capital injection is intended to help the company develop and eventually commercialize its low-power logic process .

An Ecosystem Ye Tianchun Has Long Advocated For

Years before founding SOI Micro, Ye Tianchun publicly argued that China's FD-SOI ecosystem needs more engagement from IC design companies to serve as a leapfrogging strategy for the domestic chip industry . The investment directly funds the manufacturing base needed to make that ecosystem viable.

The Bottom Line

The YMTC-backed fund's investment in SOI Micro is not merely a financial transaction. It is a strategic bet on FD-SOI as a viable, EUV-free alternative for China's semiconductor ambitions — backed by a founder with deep state credentials and a fund that is deliberately expanding its technological scope.

Extending YMTC's Investment Reach

The Changcun Fund was established in 2023 by YMTC alongside the Hubei Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, a state-backed vehicle. Its previous mandate focused on memory-chip supply-chain players, so this move into FD-SOI logic manufacturing marks a deliberate broadening of China's semiconductor investment strategy .

Capital for Scale

SOI Micro increased its registered capital to 2.53 billion yuan (~$375 million) with the Changcun Fund appearing as a new shareholder. While the exact stake and investment amount were not disclosed, the capital injection is intended to help the company develop and eventually commercialize its low-power logic process .

An Ecosystem Ye Tianchun Has Long Advocated For

Years before founding SOI Micro, Ye Tianchun publicly argued that China's FD-SOI ecosystem needs more engagement from IC design companies to serve as a leapfrogging strategy for the domestic chip industry . The investment directly funds the manufacturing base needed to make that ecosystem viable.

The Bottom Line

The YMTC-backed fund's investment in SOI Micro is not merely a financial transaction. It is a strategic bet on FD-SOI as a viable, EUV-free alternative for China's semiconductor ambitions — backed by a founder with deep state credentials and a fund that is deliberately expanding its technological scope.