Under a memorandum of understanding, AIIP will design, construct and own the facility and its underlying infrastructure, while ISRL USA will lead technical operations, research programmes and the management of an industry‑neutral, multi‑member platform. The partners say the facility is intended to support sustainable, high‑volume chip manufacturing by providing a shared environment for research and validation.
The planned centre will replicate high‑volume manufacturing conditions using a mix of legacy and leading‑edge process tools. It is designed to offer a fully instrumented R&D environment for work on areas such as materials reclaim, next‑generation abatement, equipment validation and workforce development. ISRL USA said the shared model would allow participants to run IP‑protected programmes at a fraction of the cost of building a private pilot line, which can exceed $100m.
“This is a defining moment for ISRL USA and the semiconductor industry,” said Scott Balaguer, chief executive of ISRL USA. “For the first time, we have a credible path to the subfab R&D infrastructure chipmakers urgently need. Together, we are building a platform where manufacturers, OEMs and innovators can collaborate on sustainability challenges that no single company can tackle alone.”
The subfab refers to the infrastructure layer beneath the cleanroom, responsible for functions such as vacuum pumping, gas abatement and chemical waste management. While it represents the largest share of the industry’s environmental footprint, there is currently no dedicated, shared R&D infrastructure focused on this part of the manufacturing process.
Leading chipmakers, including TSMC, Intel and Micron, have set net‑zero targets, but the industry lacks a common operating platform to validate and scale sustainability solutions in subfab systems. ISRL USA said it was established specifically to address this gap.
The proposed facility will operate as a shared infrastructure‑as‑a‑service platform, enabling semiconductor companies to conduct pre‑competitive research, validate technologies and generate compliance‑ready data at lower cost and with reduced risk compared with standalone pilot projects.
The memorandum sets out the framework for further definitive agreements and site selection, which is now under way. The partners said the project is structured to be eligible for CHIPS Act incentives, Horizon Europe programmes and regional economic development funding. Subject to securing full funding, operational readiness is targeted within 12 months.