Syntiant Expands Global Footprint with New Manufacturing and R&D Campus in Penang, Malaysia
Grand Opening Ceremony Led by Honorable Jagdeep Singh Deo, Penang’s Deputy Chief Minister II, Highlights Strategic Partnership
IRVINE, Calif. and PENANG, Malaysia, Jan. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Syntiant Corp., a leading provider of full-stack, low-power embodied AI solutions from sensors to software, today announced the grand opening of its new manufacturing and R&D campus in Penang, Malaysia. The ceremony was officiated by the Honorable Jagdeep Singh Deo, Penang’s Deputy Chief Minister II, alongside Syntiant CEO and Co-founder Kurt Busch, marking a major milestone in the company’s growth in Asia.
Syntiant connects sensors, Neural Decision Processors (NDPs) and software to make voice a fast, natural interface for cloud-connected AI assistants using LLMs. By combining advanced microphones and on-device sensing with ultra-low-power inference, Syntiant enables always-on listening, intent detection and advanced AI noise reduction, making voice interaction practical even in the harshest environments. This capability is critical for robotics, earbuds and smart glasses, where battery life, privacy and latency are non-negotiable. The result is a context-aware embodied AI solution that reduces cloud dependency while improving responsiveness and reliability.
"We are proud to welcome Syntiant’s new campus to Penang,” said YB Jagdeep. “This investment strengthens our state’s position as a leading hub for advanced electronics and AI innovation, creating high-value jobs and opportunities for local talent."
The new Penang campus represents a significant upgrade from Syntiant’s previous Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone (FIZ) operation, more than doubling the company’s footprint to approximately 220,000 square feet. Designed as a next-generation manufacturing and R&D hub, the expanded site increases production capacity to approximately 1.6 billion units annually.
While supporting a workforce of up to 800 employees, the new operations center adds advanced MEMS processing, IC preparation, and expanded test and assembly capabilities to support high-volume production of Syntiant’s sensor and smart audio technologies. By bringing production, engineering and AI research together under one roof, the facility positions Syntiant to meet growing global demand while accelerating innovation across its product portfolio.
"Our new Penang manufacturing and R&D campus represents a major step forward for Syntiant in Asia,” said Busch. “By combining world-class manufacturing with cutting-edge AI research, we can accelerate innovation, better serve our customers and contribute to Malaysia’s growing technology ecosystem."
Driving Economic Growth and Innovation
Syntiant’s expansion aligns with Malaysia’s New Industrial Master Plan 2030, supporting high-tech job creation and technological advancement in the region. Following its acquisition of the Knowles Consumer MEMS Microphone business in 2024, Syntiant has significantly expanded its capabilities in AI-powered devices.
“Investing in Penang reflects our confidence in Malaysia’s talent and innovation ecosystem,” said Ong Lay Pean, general manager of Syntiant Malaysia. “This new facility positions us to turn cutting-edge research into real-world solutions that benefit consumers and industries globally.”
Penang’s strong talent pool, innovation ecosystem and infrastructure continue to attract global technology leaders. Supported by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and InvestPenang, Syntiant selected Penang as the site for its manufacturing and R&D expansion, reflecting confidence in Malaysia’s ability to turn innovation into real-world solutions. The establishment of a world-class AI R&D center in Penang aims to enhance national technological capabilities, accelerate movement up the semiconductor value chain and create high-skilled, high-value jobs for Malaysians.
Syntiant’s innovative solutions include a comprehensive range of MEMS microphones, vibration sensors and embodied AI audio technologies for IoT, consumer, automotive and industrial markets. More than 20 billion SiSonic™ MEMS microphones have been shipped globally, enabling myriad voice and audio capture applications, including clearer calls, far-field recording, speech recognition and noise cancellation. Additionally, Syntiant’s V2S vibration sensors offer superior performance in use cases such as own-voice pickup, emergency vehicle detection and predictive maintenance. Its low-power AISonic™ smart microphones deliver voice activation and contextual audio processing, providing always-on voice capabilities without compromising performance. More information on Syntiant’s sensor solutions can be found by visiting https://www.syntiant.com/sensors.
About Syntiant
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Syntiant® is Making Edge AI a Reality™ by delivering highly efficient processor, sensor, and software solutions. With more than 100 million purpose-built Neural Decision Processors and ML models deployed, along with billions of MEMS microphones and sensors, Syntiant’s technology is powering embodied AI applications for speech, audio, sensor and vision processing worldwide. From earbuds to automobiles, the company’s turnkey solutions enable advanced edge AI capabilities across diverse consumer and industrial use cases. More information on the company can be found by visiting www.syntiant.com or by following Syntiant on X @Syntiantcorp or LinkedIn.
Contact:
George Medici/Natalie Mu
PondelWilkinson
gmedici@pondel.com/nmu@pondel.com
310.279.5980
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/664673f1-c340-4269-ae34-14ddcdbfa0ae
Syntiant Expands Global Footprint with New Manufacturing and R&D Campus in Penang, Malaysia
Syntiant Corp. celebrated the grand opening of its new manufacturing and R&D campus in Penang, Malaysia. Pictured (left to right): Jason Goh (Head of Khazanah U.S.), Muhammad Ghadaffi (Head of MIDA Penang) Dato Loo Lee Lian (CEO of InvestPenang), Honourable Mr.Fahmi Zainol (Penang State Government Executive Committee), Honourable Mr.Jagdeep Singh Deo (Penang State Deputy Chief Minister 2), Kurt Busch (CEO of Syntiant), Honourable Lim Siew Khim (Penang State Government Executive Committee), Pieter Vorenkamp (COO of Syntiant), Ong Lay Pean (GM of Syntiant Malaysia).
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