The Netherlands has launched a four-year project that aims to boost the European semiconductor industry, offering support for workforce development and funding opportunities as well as facilitating intra- and inter-industry connections. The ChipNL Competence Centre focuses on connecting parts of the value chains with small and medium Dutch enterprises, start- and scale-ups in the semiconductor sector, and related application markets, with a focus on semiconductor manufacturing equipment, chip design, integrated photonics, and quantum and heterogeneous integration. The center is a collaboration between Brainport Development, ChipTech Twente, High Tech NL, TNO, Joint European Platform for Photonic Integration Components and Circuits (JePPIX), imec, and regional development companies OostNL, BOM, and InnovationQuarter. The project has been allocated a budget of €12 million ($12.4 million) for the next four years by the European Commission and the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland. The newly established ChipNL Competence Centre will aid businesses working in the semiconductor industry by providing support with funding, research, and workforce development. Courtesy of the Eindhoven University of Technology/Florian Lemaitre. Users of the ChipNL Competence Centre will be able to access European pilot lines that allow them to test and validate new technologies. In addition, an innovative design platform is being developed within the EU Chips Act to support industry in designing and developing customized semiconductor solutions. The ChipNL Competence Centre also facilitates access to this by providing support and knowledge. TNO, imec, and JePPIX will be responsible for these activities. The Centre will additionally cooperate with the EU Skills Initiatives and the Microchip Talent reinforcement plan (known as project Beethoven) to cultivate talent, and will offer support to entities seeking funding through the EU Chip Fund.
