Kazakhstan has taken a groundbreaking step in technological innovation with the successful fabrication of its first locally designed microchip, marking a significant milestone for the nation’s semiconductor industry.
Developed by researchers from Nazarbayev University’s School of Engineering and Digital Sciences (NU SEDS), Department of Computer Science, the microchip was produced through an international collaboration with the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Institute of Open Source Chip, as part of the “One Student, One Chip” program. The project also received critical support from local startup TEXER.AI, which was backed by a QazInnovation grant, reinforcing Kazakhstan’s growing tech ecosystem.
This milestone follows a formal agreement signed last year, allowing Kazakh students and engineers to participate in chip design and submit their processor for fabrication.
Nursultan Kabylkas, Assistant Professor at the SEDS CS Department, highlighted the significance of the milestone:
“Through this initiative, Kazakhstan has successfully designed and submitted its first RISC-V processor for production, marking a significant step toward the country’s semiconductor independence. Fabrication was carried out with the support of Chinese partners, ensuring that the design met international manufacturing standards. This milestone sets the stage for Kazakhstan’s entry into the global semiconductor industry, opening new opportunities for research, education, and future technological development. The project is expected to inspire further advancements in microprocessor design and strengthen the country’s position in cutting-edge hardware engineering."
Professor Yungang Bao, of the State Key Laboratory of Computer Architecture at the Institute of Computing Technology (ICT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and the project’s lead, emphasized the broader impact of this achievement:
“This collaboration holds profound significance. On one hand, it marks the completion of Kazakhstan's first locally-designed CPU chip, while on the other hand, it represents the first successful international cooperation under the "One Student One Chip" initiative. This successful collaboration has been made possible by open-source technology. My team will dedicate efforts to advancing open-source chips, aiming to enable increasing numbers of people worldwide to learn chip technology through open-source initiatives, thereby allowing more global citizens to benefit from advancements in chip technology.”
As the first “Designed in Kazakhstan” microchip becomes a reality, this success underscores the country’s commitment to developing a strong, innovative, and self-sustaining tech ecosystem.