MPW shuttles for startups in Asia
Short answer: a startup in Asia can get a small number of prototype chips from a shared Hua Hong Grace (HHGrace) MPW shuttle at 90, 55 or 40 nm through MST. Send a work email and a plain description of the chip; MST replies with the process that fits, the next shuttle window and a written quote. No design files are needed to start.
MPW (multi-project wafer) splits one mask set and wafer run across several designs, so each team pays for its slot instead of a full tape-out.
How it works
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | You send two details: work email and a short description of the chip. |
| 2 | MST replies with a written quote naming the HHGrace process, the shuttle window and the price. |
| 3 | You accept the quote and pay. |
| 4 | MST books the shuttle slot with the foundry and starts your tape-out. |
What to send first
- Chip function and end use.
- Target node or process family, if known (90, 55 or 40 nm).
- Design stage: concept, schematic, layout, DRC/LVS or tape-out-ready GDSII.
- Rough die area, number of dies needed and target timing.
- Bare die, packaged samples, wafer probe or test needs; PDK and NDA status.
- Do not send GDSII, OASIS, RTL, netlists or PDK files in the first message.
How pricing works
There is no public price list. Each project is quoted in writing before you pay, based on the process and node, die area and number of slots, the number of dies you need back, and any packaging or test.
Frequently asked questions
How can a startup in Asia get an MPW shuttle?
Send a work email and a short chip description to MST. MST replies with a matching HHGrace 90, 55 or 40 nm process, the next shuttle window and a written quote.
Can we start before GDSII is ready?
Yes. A plain description of function, design stage, die area, timing and package or test needs is enough to start.
How much does an MPW slot cost?
It is quoted per project in writing, based on node, die area, slots, dies needed and back-end services.
What do we get back?
Bare die from your shuttle slot, with optional packaging and test quoted together with the shuttle.
Which nodes are available?
HHGrace 90, 55 and 40 nm process families; process data comes from Hua Hong Semiconductor public reports.
Ask an engineer
Send your work email and a short chip description. MST replies with the process, shuttle window and a written quote.
Request an MPW quoteRelated pages
Sources
Values are taken from the manufacturer documents above, checked 2026-10-26. Specifications can change; confirm against the current datasheet before ordering. MST is a distributor; products are made by the manufacturers named.