台灣IC設計服務業經營模式分析

Abstract

隨著半導體製程技術的大幅躍進，晶片複雜度愈來愈高，矽智財IP的興起因而造就半導體產業第三次變革，半導體業宣告進入完全專業分工的時代。由於系統單晶片（SoC）設計的各階段均遭遇驗證與分析的瓶頸，再加上若採用外部的IP，整合的難度將大幅提高，因而IP供應商和IC設計服務的商業模式因而萌芽興起。 自90年代初期台灣第一家IC設計服務業成立至今，迄今已有二十餘家的廠商家數，而IC設計服務業年產業規模亦大幅成長，但業者之間的營業規模差距卻日益明顯。尤其，隨著半導體製程邁向奈米級更精密節點(Node)發展，驟增的投資額和設計反覆風險增高，就IC設計服務業者在產業鏈的定位而言，提供客戶從「IC設計概念產生到產品量產」等「一次購足」 (One-stop shopping)的全套解決方案，因此扮演晶圓廠和客戶之間橋樑的「整合者」角色也將日益吃重。由於IC設計與製造在先進製程技術領域已變得更密不可分，為了降低製程技術所施予的限制，必須仰賴從佈局規範到設計法則的各項設計解決方案與製程密切配合，才能提供客戶高附加價值服務。因此，IC設計服務業者所屬晶圓代工廠之製程進展、市場佔有率與策略走向攸關其競爭力。再者，以往為IC設計服務業者營收主力的中小型設計業者成長力道預料將趨緩，因此IC設計服務業的市場餅有多大，正考驗業者的策略選擇與發展方向。

As the semiconductor industry moved to even more advanced process technologies, the design reuse methodology is fundamental to SoC design and it fuels the main trends in the chip industry — device integration. This drives growth in IP and design service model emerged. With increasing chip cost and time-to-market being significant concerns for semiconductor companies, design services providers play an increasingly important role in the semiconductor value chain to help alleviate pain points in these areas.

Fifteen years after its emergence in early 90’s, Taiwanese IC design service industry has expanded significantly in industry revenue with a current number of more than 20 in Taiwan. We found that company revenue gap is getting bigger and bigger, and IC design service providers are in the crux to find their way out. With the process technology approaching nanometer scale, it requires much higher precision and expertise in the wafer manufacturing process. It is therefore critical for IC design service providers to act as the role of “industry integrator”--to deliver value through integrating different stages of supply chain, including IPs, backend, wafer manufacturing, assembly and test together to fulfill customers’ needs. That trend signals closer collaboration between foundries and design service providers. As a result, the allied foundry partner’s process technology, market share and company strategies impact a lot to IC design service providers. This thesis analyzed IC design service business model in Taiwan and its core competence in nowadays competitive industry landscape. In addition, this study also identified future trends and opportunities of IC design service industry facing ahead.