OTTAWA — Marvell Technology Inc. plans to invest $238 million over five years to expand its Ontario operations, a move the province says will accelerate its ambitions to become a global hub for advanced semiconductor design and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The Santa Clara–based semiconductor company will open a new Toronto office, expand its research and development teams in Ottawa and York Region, and build an 8,000-square-foot optical lab to support next-generation AI data-centre technologies. The project is expected to create up to 350 high-value jobs across Ontario’s technology corridor.
In announcing the investment Monday, the Ontario government cast the expansion as a milestone in its strategy to attract global tech leaders and strengthen domestic capacity in critical technologies tied to AI, cloud computing and advanced manufacturing.
“As one of the largest tech-hubs in North America, Ontario is proudly driving the development of next-generation technologies that are changing the face of leading industries, from consumer electronics to advanced manufacturing,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Ontario is proud to support Marvell Technology’s expansion, which will not only create hundreds of new, high-value jobs across our tech corridor, but reinforce the province’s leadership in the critical semiconductor industry.”
Ontario will provide up to $17 million from the Invest Ontario Fund to support the expansion. The province said Marvell’s commitment reflects the growing global demand for specialized semiconductors that power AI systems, including the custom silicon and high-speed connectivity components used by major cloud providers.
The company, which develops data-infrastructure semiconductor solutions for hyperscalers and enterprise customers, says its Ontario-based teams will play a significant role in enabling higher-performance AI computing systems.
“The world’s hyperscalers, leading data centre operators and OEMs rely on our technology to power their most demanding AI workloads,” said Sandeep Bharathi, president of the Data Center Group at Marvell. “Ontario offers a vast pool of professionals with expertise in the latest semiconductor and AI technologies, and we are delighted to bring new talent into the company to help extend our leadership position in next-gen, advanced AI data centre infrastructure solutions.”
The expansion includes a new optical lab intended to advance research into next-generation interconnect technologies—an area critical to improving the speed, efficiency and scalability of AI-driven data centres. The province described the investment as a competitive win at a time when jurisdictions worldwide are vying for semiconductor investment to secure supply chains and attract highly skilled workers.
Ontario has added 100,000 tech jobs since 2018 and now counts more than 430,000 tech workers across nearly 25,000 firms, according to provincial data. The government also points to its growing AI talent pipeline, including nearly 1,800 AI-focused master’s students enrolled each year and more than 1,100 graduates annually.
Local officials framed Marvell’s decision as validation of Ottawa’s position within the province’s broader technology corridor, which spans Toronto, Ottawa, Waterloo and surrounding regions.
“Marvell’s investment deepens Ontario’s contribution to technologies that form the backbone of tomorrow’s economy. Supporting projects like this reflects our strategic focus on anchoring critical technology innovation in Carleton and Ontario, ensuring the province remains globally competitive and a leader in shaping our future economy,” said George Darouze, MPP for Carleton.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said the move signals confidence in the region’s talent base. “Marvell’s expansion is a tremendous vote of confidence in Ottawa and in Ontario’s technology corridor. This investment means hundreds of new, high-quality jobs and new opportunities for the talented people who call our region home. Thank you, Marvell, for choosing to grow here, and thank you to the Government of Ontario for its support and funding that helped make this possible.”
Invest Ontario, the agency tasked with attracting global investment, said the decision strengthens the province’s foothold in AI-related industries.
“The Marvell expansion deepens Ontario’s contribution to technologies that form the backbone of tomorrow’s AI. Supporting projects like this reflects our strategic focus on anchoring critical technology innovation in Ontario, ensuring the province remains globally competitive and a leader in shaping the future economy,” said Khawar Nasim, CEO of Invest Ontario.
The province has attracted $113 billion in foreign direct investment and created one million new jobs since 2018, according to government figures. Officials say the Marvell project will help Ontario maintain momentum as international competition for semiconductor and AI investment intensifies.
