Smartkem announces preliminary JDA with Manz Asia

Smartkem (SMTK) announced that it has entered into a preliminary Joint Development Agreement, JDA, with Manz Asia, which, when finalized will focus on the co-development of next generation dielectric ink solutions for advanced packaging manufacturing, particularly tailored for AI chip packaging applications. Smartkem Chairman and CEO, Ian Jenks, comments: “This joint development agreement builds on our collaboration with Manz Asia which has already resulted in our first demonstration at SEMICON SEA 2025 of an advanced inkjet metalization process for packaging chips for production. Together, we intend to develop scalable, high-performance solutions that address the critical bottlenecks particularly in advanced computer and AI chip packaging. By combining Smartkem’s unique semiconductor materials with Manz’s precision inkjet technology, we expect to create new manufacturing paradigms that address the demand for 12″ wafer-level packaging solutions as well as extend beyond wafer-based limitations to open the door to efficient, large-area panel packaging. If successful our efforts will result in higher yield and lower cost per packaged chip, which we believe is critical for data centers deploying tens of thousands of AI accelerators.”