US ITC Upholds Ban on Innoscience GaN Products Over Patent Infringement - TimesTech

The U.S. International Trade Commission (US ITC) upheld its final determination in May 2026 to ban Innoscience's gallium nitride (GaN) products due to patent infringement by Infineon. This decision, f... Read original →

The US ITC’s ban on Innoscience’s GaN products signals that intellectual property in power semiconductors has evolved from legal leverage into a geopolitical moat. Technically, this delays adoption of 300mm GaN-on-Si wafers in AI data centers and EV fast-charging, pushing customers toward SiC or legacy silicon—raising system-level energy costs. From a compliance standpoint, GaN startups without robust patent portfolios now face existential supply chain risks, especially in regulated Western markets. Infineon’s 450+ GaN patent families effectively redefine competition: IP ownership equals manufacturing sovereignty. Over the next 12–24 months, leading IDMs will aggressively acquire niche IP holders, while GaN firms in Taiwan, China and mainland China may shift assembly to Southeast Asia—but cannot circumvent core patent walls. This ruling isn’t just about infringement; it’s a structural reset for high-value semiconductor competition.