What to prepare
- Institution or company name, country and work email.
- Target application and non-confidential end-use context.
- Node/process preference and whether another route is acceptable.
- Target tapeout window and sample objective.
MPW buyer question
Academic and startup MPW intake
A buyer-intent guide for universities, research labs and fabless startups preparing a non-confidential mature-node MPW brief.
Direct answer
How should academic and startup teams start an MPW inquiry?
Academic and startup MPW teams should start with a short non-confidential brief: node, process family, die-size range, schedule target, sample need, package/test assumption, institution or company context, and end-use summary.
- University and research buyers often care about course, grant, paper or demo deadlines.
- Fabless startups often need prototype evidence before customer pilots, fundraising or product-risk decisions.
- MST can help shape the first brief so the buyer does not expose GDS, PDK files or design IP too early.
Public boundary
- MST does not turn a public student/startup inquiry into a manufacturing commitment.
- Funding, procurement, export, end-use and partner review may still be required.
- Confidential design files move only after the correct NDA and secure route are approved.
Next step
Turn this into a reviewable MPW RFQ
Share a short non-confidential brief first. MST screens node, process, PDK/NDA, package/test, schedule, country and end-use before any sensitive design-file path.
Related MPW questions
MPW hub →MPW pricing factors
MPW pricing factors without public price promises
What drives MPW pricing before a formal quote?
PDK/NDA access pathPDK/NDA access path for MPW screening
How should buyers discuss PDK/NDA access before MPW?
package/test scopeMPW package/test scope before RFQ
What package/test details matter before an MPW RFQ?