In a new report from CBRE, the firm outlines how Arizona’s semiconductor ecosystem has matured from historic roots to a modern growth engine, underscoring the state’s long-standing strengths and its accelerating momentum. Drawing on industry data and recent project activity, CBRE details the factors that have elevated Arizona—its stability, talent pipeline, and coordinated public-private investment—setting the stage for the state’s next era of chip design, fabrication, and advanced manufacturing leadership.
Arizona boasts a rich history in the semiconductor industry, dating back over seven decades. Beginning with Motorola’s early contributions in the 1940s, the state’s position as a vital center for chip design, fabrication, and testing has been solidified over time. This evolution includes Intel’s arrival in 1979 and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) ongoing investments in its 1,100-acre manufacturing campus.
Since 2020, the State of Arizona has won more than 60 semiconductor expansions, amounting to over 16,000 jobs and $205 billion in capital investment—the most of any state in the country. The state’s lack of natural and weather related disasters, deep and fast-growing skilled labor pool, operational affordability and collaboration between local governments, universities, economic development agencies and employers continue to position Arizona at the forefront of America’s semiconductor resurgence.
