Microsoft Partners With 11 Companies to Help Secure Microelectronics Supply Chain

Microsoft has teamed up with 11 companies to develop a technology platform that could help ensure the security of microelectronics design and manufacturing using the Azure cloud service.

The partnership with Applied Materials, BAE Systems, Battelle, Cadence Design Systems, GlobalFoundries, Intel, Nimbis Services, Northrop Grumman, Siemens EDA, Synopsys and Zero ASIC will support Microsoft’s work on the Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes using Advanced Commercial Capabilities Project with the Department of Defense, Mujtaba Hamid, principal program manager for Azure at Microsoft, wrote in a blog post published Thursday.

In October, Microsoft was announced as one of the recipients of Phase 1 other transaction awards to support DOD’s RAMP program, which intends to safeguard the U.S. supply chain by ensuring the security of components used in defense and other mission-critical platforms.

“Our approach combines unique expertise and experience which are critical to scale a solution addressing Confidential and Secure Cloud-Accessible Design Environment (CASCADE) such as, a secure, scalable, collaborative design, and manufacturing environment for silicon and microelectronics on Azure, and meet the objectives of RAMP,” Hamid wrote.

Microsoft and its partners will host the RAMP platform in Azure Government regions to ensure compliance with the Pentagon’s supply chain requirements.