European knowledge centres for semiconductors – so-called Chips Competence Centres – are crucial to further growth of technology, competition and innovation in this sector. The European Commission has approved ChipNL CC, a consortium that wants to set up the Dutch knowledge centre in the regions of Brainport Eindhoven and Twente. Public funding of €12 million is available for this through the EU Chips Act. €8 million comes from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and €4 million from the EU.
The knowledge centres will soon offer technical expertise in the field of semiconductors, quantum and photonics, for example. Start-ups, scale-ups in the SME sector and their suppliers in particular will gain faster and easier access to new markets, growth financing and investors. But also to skills in the field of personnel and production knowledge that would otherwise take years to build up internally. ChipNL is also part of a European network of 27 knowledge centres to strategically strengthen this crucial technology.
The ChipNL consortium involves Brainport Development, ChipTech Twente, High Tech NL, imec Netherlands, Oost NL, TNO and Eindhoven University of Technology.
Minister Beljaarts (Economic Affairs):
With innovative companies and suppliers, the Netherlands is a relevant global player in research, development and production of semiconductors. European cooperation including public funding is necessary to keep this sector globally competitive and to ensure the preservation of our prosperity and safety. These knowledge centres can ensure that expertise is available for a larger number of smaller companies. It is important that the sector not only grows, but that this value chain also becomes more diverse and broader.
European cooperation in the Chips Joint Undertaking
The Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) is the European public-private partnership that supports research, development and innovation in the field of semiconductor technologies and applications. It consists of companies, knowledge institutions and governments from various countries (EU and non-EU) and the European Commission. The Chips JU finances projects such as the Chips Competence Centres that contribute to strengthening the European competitive position. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) made the national nomination for this EU cooperation.
