TSMC: Pioneering the Chip Revolution

"Apple was relying on a company that was then seen as an also ran... That was in 2010 and then I think 2012 was the launch... fabbed by TSMC."

• Deliver reliability to attract major clients.
• Take calculated risks for big rewards.
• Recognize and seize transformative opportunities.

"TSMC powers the AI wave, manufacturing all of Nvidia's chips... They make the chips for a whole bunch of other fabulous companies."

• Invest in tech that supports future trends.
• Partner with industry leaders to drive innovation.
• Position your company as essential infrastructure.

"He was weighing these two opportunities... become a venture capitalist. Really? So, I don't know where or how..."

• Leverage cross-industry knowledge.
• Anticipate needs by understanding startup challenges.
• Create solutions that enable other entrepreneurs.

"They considered me a foreigner who suddenly became their boss. They were scared of me and they were right to be scared of him."

• Assert leadership to drive change.
• Overcome cultural barriers with clear vision.
• Build teams aligned with your mission.

"Morris is returning to lead TSMC... He sees golden opportunities ahead. It's 2009, mobile, right, smartphone."

• Stay attuned to emerging trends.
• Pivot strategies to align with market changes.
• Leverage experience to seize new opportunities.

"They intentionally have no brand. The brand is the customers. They want the customers to succeed."

• Prioritize core strengths over self-promotion.
• Empower customers to showcase your product.
• Build strong partnerships for distribution.

"They took 17 of the $20 billion in operating profit and plowed it all back into CapEx... $100 billion over the next three years."

• Reinvest profits to fuel innovation.
• Continuously enhance your product.
• Scale infrastructure to meet future demands.

"The result was so called learning curve pricing... our market share just kept expanding. That combined with other strategies made the TI integrated circuits business the biggest IC business in the world and also the most profitable."

• Embrace unconventional strategies.
• Inspire your team by leading with vision.
• Focus on long-term growth over short-term gains.

"Now, however, there was one problem with the pure play foundry model, and it was a fatal problem. It could be a fatal problem, which was, where's the market?"

• Innovate to meet unmet needs.
• Be patient as the market develops.
• Educate customers about your value proposition.

"He gets meetings with Intel, he gets meetings with TI, they're both like, you know, Morris, we like you, but no."

• Identify investors aligned with your vision.
• Persist through rejections and keep pushing.
• Leverage alternative funding sources like government support.