November 1, 2025
Silicon or snake oil?
An investigation into Substrate
Chip miracle or mega-scam? Commenters roast Substrate
TLDR: An opinion probe says Substrate’s “cheap miracle chips” claim doesn’t add up, and commenters slam it as snake oil. The crowd roasts VCs, cites years-long ASML/TSMC timelines, and demands proof, while a few link hopeful stories—because chip hype sways money and the tech supply chain.
Internet sleuths and chip geeks are piling onto Substrate after an opinion investigation claimed the company’s “cheap, better chips” pitch is smoke and mirrors. The post alleges a founder with past scam baggage, a resume-free cofounder, AI-ish job listings, and a tiny lab that couldn’t possibly make chip magic. Commenters aren’t holding back: one zinger asks if venture capitalists are falling for scams “more obvious than a Nigerian prince,” while another cracks that stealing from rich people ends in prison. A lone “Fascinating” gets side-eye.
Amid the roast, some push nuance. A commenter links a New York Times explainer, asking if particle tricks could beat the big guys. Others debate whether Substrate even claims “direct write” (drawing tiny patterns straight onto the wafer) versus the industry’s photomask “scanning” method. For context: fabs make chips on circular wafers; ASML’s EUV (extreme ultraviolet) scanners took TSMC years and billions to reach mass production. That’s why the crowd’s vibe is extraordinary claims need extraordinary receipts.
The memes? “Silicon snake oil,” “Kickstarter Kernels,” and a European commenter roasted the rah-rah homepage copy. Verdict from the stands: show the machine, show the wafers, or stop the hype.
Key Points
- •The author, stating the post is opinion, alleges Substrate’s business appears fake and cites lack of evidence and an undersized facility.
- •The article explains basic chip fabrication: foundries use fabs to build multiple chips on circular wafers, later separated and packaged.
- •Two patterning methods are described: direct‑write (low throughput, consistency challenges) and scanning using high‑energy light through a patterned mask (industry standard).
- •ASML delivered EUV scanners to TSMC in 2014; TSMC took about five years and significant R&D spending to reach high‑volume manufacturing.
- •Masks can be made with e‑beam lithography (e.g., IMS Nanotechnology), but throughput is still orders of magnitude below scanning systems.