Fabless Company
The Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA) defines fabless as follows:
Fabless (without fab) refers to the business methodology of outsourcing the manufacturing of silicon wafers, which hundreds of semiconductor companies have adopted. Fabless companies focus on the design, development and marketing of their products and form alliances with silicon wafer manufacturers, or foundries.
Investopedia Commentary
The fabless model is an attractive and popular option for many semiconductor companies. By adopting a fabless business strategy, a company can focus time and resources on the design of innovative integrated circuits, while avoiding the high cost of building, operating, and upgrading a manufacturing facility.
See also: IPO