£35 million boost for British semiconductor scientists

This collaboration opens the door to a substantial €1.3 billion funding pool, allocated by Horizon Europe for semiconductor technology research up to 2027.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, through Innovate UK, is supporting this initiative with an initial investment of £5 million this year. An additional funding of £30 million is earmarked for UK participation in research from 2025 to 2027. This move ensures that the UK semiconductor sector stands on equal footing with other countries in the consortium, offering them a fair chance to apply for a share of the €1.3 billion fund.

Technology Minister Saqib Bhatti shared his enthusiasm at a London semiconductor conference, stating: "Our membership of the Chips Joint Undertaking will boost Britain’s strengths in semiconductor science and research to secure our position in the global chip supply chain. This underscores our unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology and cements our important role in shaping the future of semiconductor technologies around the world."

This development follows a tailored agreement with the EU that integrated the UK into Horizon Europe last year. This partnership presents unparalleled opportunities for UK entities to spearhead global advancements in new technologies and research projects, ranging from healthcare to AI.

UK companies are now poised to benefit from Horizon Europe grants, averaging £450,000 per business. Notably, Nova Innovation led a consortium that secured over £17 million for tidal energy projects in Orkney, and The Floow, a South Yorkshire tech firm, was part of a nearly £3 million road safety project.

Jari Kinaret, Executive Director of Chips JU, welcomed the UK’s participation, stating: "We are very happy to welcome the UK to the Chips Joint Undertaking as a participating state. We are looking forward to working with the UK partners to develop the European industrial ecosystem in microelectronics and its applications, contributing to the continent’s scientific excellence and innovation leadership in semiconductor technologies and related fields."

This year, the Chips Joint Undertaking fund aligns well with UK research strengths, including calls focused on semiconductors for automotive applications and RISC-V architecture, alongside broader research support opportunities.

Sean Redmond of SiliconCatalyst highlighted the significance of this collaboration: "UK Semiconductor startups have a rich history of collaboration with the European Union. Our semiconductor research base is the fourth largest in the world. Commercialising these inventions with the help of the EU Chips Joint Undertaking will significantly increase their probability of success, mitigating risks by local collaborations that provide a clear path from lab to fab."

Jalal Bagherli, chairing multiple UK semiconductor initiatives, underscored the importance of this step for the UK Semiconductor Strategy, saying: "As the UK Semiconductor Strategy ramps up its implementation phase in support of a thriving industry, I believe this initiative is the next major step enabling engagement with our global partners to advance the state of the art in chip development and innovative packaging technologies in the UK."

The UK's role as a ‘Participating State’ in the Chips Joint Undertaking facilitates deeper collaboration with European counterparts, influencing research priorities and funding decisions as the program progresses. This includes a collaborative funding opportunity with the Republic of Korea focused on semiconductor chip performance through advanced packaging.

Martin Kuball from the University of Bristol voiced his anticipation: "We are excited for the UK to participate in the EU Chips Joint Undertaking. This will enable us to work with key EU partners to advance and commercialize high voltage power electronics we develop within in the IKC REWIRE, as well as high power high frequency RF technology we develop within UK, US and European Space Agency (ESA) programmes."

This collaboration heralds a new era of opportunity for UK semiconductor research and development, reinforcing the nation's leadership in emerging technologies like silicon photonics and compound semiconductors.

Chris Meadows, Director, CSconnected, said: “CSconnected, the organisation representing the South Wales Compound Semiconductor sector, warmly welcomes the news that the UK is to join the EU Chips Joint Undertaking.

“Collaboration is at the very heart of our fast growing and rapidly evolving semiconductor sector that underpins technologies of today and is key to enabling our future connected world, AI, robotics, and in meeting global net-zero ambitions.”

Jen Walls, Chief Executive Officer Clas-Sic Wafer Fab, said: “This is good news for UK Semiconductors, opening up opportunities for UK Companies to compete with our European peers on a more level playing field. The UK has a lot to offer in this sector and we are grateful as this will foster a more supportive environment for innovation.”

Vaysh Kewada, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Salience Labs, said: “Semiconductors are critical to the UK’s economic and national security. They underpin crucial technologies such as advancement in AI. The UK produces world-leading research in silicon photonics, compound semiconductors and others. This government support is a good step forward to foster growth and to ensure that the UK remains relevant in the critical technologies of tomorrow.”

Martin McHugh, CEO at CSA Catapult, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for UK researchers and businesses to strengthen links with our EU partners and collaborate on cutting-edge semiconductor projects of national importance.

“Access to the Horizon Europe funds will enable the UK to partner on projects where we have mutual and significant strengths, such as design, advanced packaging and compound semiconductors.

“Semiconductors are at the base of core technologies that can solve important societal challenges, among which net zero and electrification, and significant advancements in the field can be achieved only thanks to collaborative efforts and government support.”