Morris Chang

Morris Chang redefined global semiconductor manufacturing by founding TSMC and inventing the pure-play foundry model, enabling chip design without fabrication—a strategy that now accounts for over 90% of advanced logic production worldwide. In 2024, TSMC commanded 62% of the global foundry market, outpacing runner-up Samsung by more than threefold. This outperforms #2 Terry Gou's Foxconn assembly paradigm in strategic influence, as foundry services have become the backbone of tech giants like Apple and Nvidia. Chang’s vision turned Taiwan into the indispensable supplier of cutting-edge chips, making him the most consequential entrepreneur on this list.