Intel’s Foundry Under Lip-Bu Tan Secures Fortinet as First Security Chip Customer

Intel's foundry business, recently revitalized under CEO Lip-Bu Tan who took the helm in March 2025, has announced its first named customer: Fortinet, a leading cybersecurity company. This marks a significant milestone for Intel’s foundry ambitions as it seeks to compete with established contract chipmakers.

Fortinet’s engagement with Intel involves the manufacturing of custom security chips designed to enhance network protection capabilities. This move reflects an industry-wide trend where cybersecurity demands are driving the need for specialized silicon tailored to security workloads.

Intel’s foundry strategy under Tan emphasizes leveraging its manufacturing scale and technology to attract customers requiring bespoke chips, a shift from Intel’s traditional focus on internal chip design. Bringing Fortinet onboard signals a successful initial step in building a foundry business that can rival TSMC and Samsung.

For the broader semiconductor ecosystem, this collaboration could accelerate innovation in security hardware, potentially leading to more integrated and efficient security features in enterprise networks. Observers should watch how Intel expands its foundry client base and whether it can maintain competitive process technology to meet diverse customer needs.