KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — Around 300 top diploma to postgraduate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) candidates will join the ASEMxChampionChip eXperience programme, aimed at developing local talent in integrated circuit (IC) design.
State executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility Ng Sze Han said the initiative is expected to strengthen Selangor’s role in the global semiconductor ecosystem.
He said the programme, executed by Brazilian private advanced tech firm Von Braun Labs in partnership with the Advanced Semiconductor Academy of Malaysia (ASEM), reflects the state’s commitment to building a strong local semiconductor talent pipeline amid rising global demand for skilled workers in the industry.
“The programme will provide intensive hands-on training, beginning with digital logic fundamentals before progressing into register-transfer level (RTL) design.
“Powered by ChipInventor’s (Von Braun Labs offshoot) fully cloud-based electronic design automation (EDA) platform, participants will also undergo hardware-level validation using AWS FPGA (field-programmable gate array) technology to ensure they are industry ready.
“The key challenge facing the semiconductor industry today is no longer just silicon or computing power, but the shortage of critical human capital,” he said at the ASEMxChampionChip eXperience event launch at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) here today.
According to ASEM’s Instagram page, the programme is designed to equip university students with practical exposure to microelectronics and digital system design, nurturing the next generation of semiconductor talent.
Ng said the programme’s final showcase will take place during the Selangor AI and Semiconductor Summit 2026, which will be held in conjunction with the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2026 in October.
“Participating students will present their chip design innovations directly to global industry leaders and investors during the summit.
“The future of the global semiconductor industry must be built through international cooperation, shared expertise and stronger collaboration across borders,” he said.
Ng also thanked the Brazilian Embassy and Brazil’s Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry for supporting the initiative, describing the partnership as proof that technological advancement depends on collective effort and knowledge sharing.
