MOSIS (MOS Implementation System) is an organization which allows companies and organizations to fabricate small batches of semiconductor devices (you know: all those technology buzzwords you've heard like ICs, VLSI, ASICs...) inexpensively.

Founded in 1981 as a DARPA project, MOSIS was originally intended to allow DoD contractors to submit designs for semiconductor integrated circuits such that multiple designs could be consolidated and manufactured in one pass -- dividing the cost among the participants. Later, the organization expanded to include educational institutions and non-government-related companies. Today, their services are used by groups in almost every country, particularly since most of their interaction with customers is conducted over the Internet.

Since 1994, MOSIS has been an independent company which provides a standardized interface between organizations needing small runs of custom integrated circuits and the variety of huge foundries around the world.

One of MOSIS' most popular services is their "TinyChip" program. Through this, organizations (mostly colleges and universities) can submit designs for relatively small circuits and have them produced at little or no cost thanks to grants from the NSF and large semiconductor companies. The TinyChip program adds strict limitations on the size, complexity, and features of circuits but for many students involved in courses, research or independent design projects, creating a TinyChip provides a service that would cost tens of thousands of dollars if attempted through "traditional" foundries.

For more information:
http://www.mosis.org