Tech Hardware and Semiconductor

Weekly Top Ten Tech Hardware and Semiconductor – Jun 21, 2026

This weekly newsletter pulls together summaries of the top ten most-read Insights across Tech Hardware and Semiconductor on Smartkarma.

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1. Is Anthropic Eating Figma’s Lunch?

By William Keating, Ingenuity

  • Mike Krieger, Instagram co-founder & now Anthropic’s Chief Product Officer, “building at Anthropic Labs”, resigned from the Board of Figma on 4/14/26.
  • According to an open letter from activist Findell, on 4/17/26, Anthropic released Claude Design, a product which directly competes with Figma. This pattern of events raises serious corporate governance concerns.
  • The Information claims that Figma was originally partnering with Anthropic on Claude Design, but pulled the plug at the last minute as the extent of the competitive threat became clearer

2. The Figma SaaSpocalypse. Are We There Yet?

By William Keating, Ingenuity

  • In Q1 2026, revenue grew 46% year-over-year to $333 million, accelerating from 40% last quarter and 38% in Q3.
  • Net dollar retention rate also increased to 139%, our highest rate in over 2 years. This is up 3 percentage points from last quarter.
  • In Q226, we expect revenue of $349 million,  implying 40% YoY growth. For FY2026, we expect revenue of $1.425 billion, implying 35% growth YoY, up $55 million from prior forecast

3. Silergy (6415.TT): Price Increase Effective July 1st.

By Patrick Liao

  • Following the recent IC price increases implemented by Texas Instruments (TXN US), Silergy Corp (6415 TT) has also begun raising prices for its IC products.
  • Based on our understanding, automotive PMICs (Power Management ICs) and server-related products are likely the primary drivers behind this latest round of price increases.
  • Silergy’s products typically require approximately two years to complete the qualification process, including both system-level validation and product transition procedures.

4. TechChain Insights Q&A: Himax’s Silicon Photonics Powering Nvidia’s Next Generation Chips

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

  • Himax’s CPO entry is a manufacturing story: it supplies the precision optics — lenses, prisms, V-grooves — inside the fiber array unit, built on 15 years of nanoimprint wafer-level optics.
  • Third-Party research (Hunterbrook, Ming-Chi Kuo) ties those optics to TSMC’s COUPE engine behind NVIDIA’s CPO switches, but Himax, TSMC, and NVIDIA have not confirmed it.
  • Gen 1 (1.6/3.2 Tbps) ships in small quantities from 2H26 and Gen 2 (6.4 Tbps) nears validation; lower volume, higher value than displays, funded by automotive.

5. Realtek (2379.TT): Five Layers for Investment Logic.

By Patrick Liao

  • The Investment Logic Behind Realtek Semiconductor (2379 TT)’s Share Price Strength has several layers.  
  • As a result, capital has begun rotating from expensive AI-related stocks into mid- and large-cap IC design companies. Realtek fits several of the market’s favored investment themes.
  • As a result, capital has begun rotating from expensive AI-related stocks into mid- and large-cap IC design companies. Realtek fits several of the market’s favored investment themes.

6. Silergy (6415.TT): Our Preferred Pick Among 8-Inch Foundries and Silicon Wafer Manufacturers.

By Patrick Liao

  • The Reasons Behind U.S. Weakness Are Not Necessarily the Reasons for Taiwan Weakness
  • Taiwan Has Its Own Industry-Specific Catalysts and The companies we have been following closely: Silergy Corp (6415 TT), Vanguard Intl Semiconductor (5347 TT) and Globalwafers (6488 TT).
  • This Is Actually a Positive Signal for Silergy if we observe: The broader Taiwan market remains positive, U.S. equities close lower but Taiwan doesn’t follow, Capital continues flowing into AI-sectors.

7. MHI (7011): Autonomous AI Via Preferred Networks

By Scott Foster, LightStream Research

  • Development of AI with Preferred Networks provides a Japanese alternative to the unreliable USA., which has just cut off foreign access to advanced Anthropic models. 
  • Successful H3 rocket launch reduces uncertainty. Positive spin on Global Combat Air Programme kicks that dented can down the road. 
  • Share price down 32% from early March peak to 31x FY Mar-27 EPS guidance as of June 13 close. Time to have another look. 

8. Vanguard (5347.TT): The 2nd Wave of 8″ Wafer Price Increase for 2H26~1Q27

By Patrick Liao

  • The AI boom has attracted a portion of wafer capacity, driving a significant increase in overall wafer demand.
  • In comparison, Vanguard’s share price likely still has considerable upside potential.  
  • Vanguard Intl Semiconductor (5347 TT) is focusing on the specialty market, with new products initially being shipped in relatively small volumes within specialty applications.