A $5 billion chip development center has opened in Silicon Valley.

On October 12, 2026, the American company Applied Materials unveiled the EPIC Center — a research and development center for semiconductor manufacturing technologies. The project involves investments of approximately $5 billion and aims to accelerate the development of new chips and equipment for their production.

The center is located in Sunnyvale, California. Its total area is approximately 55,700 square meters, with cleanroom space for semiconductor processing covering nearly 1.6 hectares. Here, specialists will be able to develop and test new materials, manufacturing processes, and equipment.

The EPIC Center was created as a collaborative platform for industry representatives. Typically, material research, equipment development, and technology testing take place at different locations. The new center will consolidate these stages in one location, enabling a faster transition from research to mass production.

Project partners include chip manufacturers TSMC, Intel, SK hynix, Micron, and Samsung Electronics. Broadcom, Advantest, SCREEN, Kioxia, and Besi will also join the initiative.

Researchers from Arizona State University, Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Los Angeles, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will participate in the studies.

The center focuses on developing technologies for AI infrastructure, including high-performance computing, memory, and advanced chip packaging methods. Applied Materials expects that collaborative efforts will help reduce development time and accelerate the adoption of new solutions in mass production.

Investment levels will increase as joint projects are launched, eventually reaching approximately $5 billion.

Applied Materials develops equipment and materials for semiconductor and display manufacturing. Its technologies are used in creating components for modern computing systems, including equipment for artificial intelligence.

Source: appliedmaterials.com