(March 16): The standout Chinese startup ByteDance Ltd. has begun hiring employees for a possible push into semiconductors, exploring an expansion well beyond the hit video app TikTok for which it is best known. The Beijing-based company has posted at least a dozen job openings related to semiconductors, including hardware and software engineers in cities like Shanghai and Beijing. A spokesperson for the company confirmed it’s hiring talent as it explores initiatives in the field, including building server chips based on Arm Ltd. designs. ByteDance, founded by Zhang Yiming, has become the most valuable startup in the world on the success of TikTok and its domestic clone, Douyin. The company, last valued at about $180 billion, is said to be exploring an initial public offering for some of its businesses in Hong Kong, including Douyin.