The owner of the "Irtysh" processor developer has acquired a controlling stake in the Russian design center Malt System. AO "Tramplin Holding" bought a 51% share from the company's founder Sergey Elizarov. He now owns 39% of Malt System, with another 10% distributed among seven minority owners.
Malt System specializes in microelectronics development and has its own processor architecture, Malt-C. The company is known for processors for streaming network traffic processing and cryptographic transformations.
Malt System explained that the goal of the deal is to transform the company into a significant and strategically important commercial developer of specialized electronic and photonic blocks, integrated circuits, and complex devices. This involves working in Russia and the Global South, with the company planning to rely on its own developments – from concept to finished chip, domestic scientific expertise, and cooperation with partners.
Malt System was established in 2011 at Lomonosov Moscow State University. In 2021, the company registered the topology of the "Enceladus" (Malt-Cv3) processor, developed using 16 nm technology, with Rospatent.
"Enceladus" is designed for network traffic processing at speeds up to 1 Gbit/s. Its dimensions in a BGA package are no more than 9×9 mm. The developers called it the third processor in the Malt-C line and the first embedded and exceptionally compact processor in this series.
Initially, the first batch of "Enceladus" was expected to arrive from the TSMC factory in the first quarter of 2022. The SDK and debug board were planned for release in the third quarter of the same year.
In 2025, "Tramplin Electronics" received 1.3 billion rubles for the development of the "Irtysh" project. Chip samples are planned for the second quarter of 2027, with market entry scheduled for the same time. Production is organized in a "friendly country," and only product packaging is planned in Russia.
However, a serious discussion previously arose around the developer of "Irtysh" and its inclusion in the register of Russian products.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade previously noted that the characteristics of "Irtysh C632" are almost identical to the Chinese Loongson LS3C6000/D, and "Irtysh C616" is completely identical to Loongson LS3C6000/S. The department demanded that additional experts be involved in checking the chips before their inclusion in the register of Russian products.
"Tramplin Electronics" subsequently issued declarations of conformity for Chinese Loongson servers.
Experts believe that for the "Enceladus" project, the deal could provide financial support and access to "Tramplin's" production ties in China. And for "Irtysh," the acquisition of Malt System could mean strengthening the team and the opportunity to develop its own processor security module and crypto accelerator faster.