At Cirtec, we take pride in operating as a fabless semiconductor company, a strategic business model that brings both flexibility and value to the unique demands of the medical device industry. As an ISO 13485certified provider of Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and Application Specific Standard Products (ASSPs), Cirtec is uniquely positioned to deliver high-performance integrated circuits designed specifically for medical applications.
But what exactly does “fabless” mean—and why does it matter?
What Is a Fabless Semiconductor Company?
A fabless semiconductor company designs integrated circuits(ICs), but outsources the manufacturing to third-party partners, known as semiconductor foundries or "fabs." In addition to fabrication, we also partner with assembly and test suppliers to bring the final ICs to market.While we don’t operate our own silicon manufacturing facilities, we leverage the same world-class partners used by leading semiconductor companies like NVIDIA or Samsung, ensuring our customers get access to the latest technologies.
Why Fabless Makes Sense for Medical Devices
The semiconductor industry thrives on economies of scale. Most mainstream semiconductor companies rely on selling millions of ICs to justify the high up-front investment in non-recurring engineering (NRE) costs, things like mask tooling for wafer processing, custom test fixtures, and packaging development.
Medical devices, however, are different.
They often require highly specialized integrated circuits tailored to interact safely and effectively with the human body. These circuits don’t exist in standard product catalogs from traditional semiconductor vendors. That’s where Cirtec comes in.
By operating as a fabless company, we’re able to:
- Stay nimble and innovative in our designs
- Access cutting-edge manufacturing through industry-leading partners
- Deliver low-to-mid volume production runs economically
- Maintain strict medical quality standards, including ISO 13485 compliance
Our Two Business Models: Flexibility for Every Customer
Cirtec supports both custom and shared IC development through two business models designed to match the needs and budgets of medical device OEMs.
1. Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs)
ASICs are fully custom ICs designed for a single customer’s unique application. Cirtec works directly with your engineering team to define the functional, electrical, and packaging requirements of the IC. Once designed, we manufacture it using our trusted network of foundry and test partners and exclusively supply the IC to your company.
Because ASICs are fully customized, the customer is responsible for 100% of the NRE. However, this model ensures full control, long-term supply, and intellectual property protection ideal for differentiated devices or long-term implantables.
2. Application Specific Standard Products (ASSPs)
ASSPs are semi-custom ICs developed with shared input from multiple customers. These ICs are designed to address common functionality across a class of medical devices (for example, power management for neuromodulation systems).
Cirtec leads the design process, shares the NRE costs across all customers through a license fee, and manufactures the IC in larger volumes, helping to reduce unit cost while maintaining medical-grade quality. ASSPs area great fit for companies that want to accelerate development timelines without the burden of full NRE investment.
Why It All Matters
Medical device OEMs face increasing pressure to innovate while controlling costs and maintaining compliance. Cirtec’s fabless model allows us to:
- Reduce your time to market
- Lower the barrier to entry for custom ICs
- Deliver reliable, high-quality parts at low-to-mid volumes
- Support the full product lifecycle, from concept to commercialization
Whether you’re developing a groundbreaking neurostimulator, wearable biosensor, or an implantable drug delivery system, Cirtec’s fabless semiconductor approach offers the technical capability, quality assurance, and economic flexibility you need to succeed.
Written by: Rex Hales, Sr. Manager, IC Design Engineering