On 28 January, IC DASH took part in the official launch event for ASTEERICS, the new French centre of excellence dedicated to microelectronics. The event brought together nearly 200 stakeholders from the European semiconductor ecosystem, representing industry, research, start-ups and investment.

The event provided an opportunity to outline the European support mechanisms for chip design, particularly under the EU Chips Act, and to demonstrate how initiatives such as EuroCDP and pilot lines are organised to accelerate innovation and industrial deployment in Europe.

Through keynote speeches, panel discussions, industry case studies, start-up pitches and strategic discussions, a common conclusion emerged: Europe’s competitiveness in the semiconductor sector will depend on cooperation, the sharing of expertise and coordinated access to technological resources.

An event offering valuable insights for the entire value chain

This meeting provided concrete insights for the various players in the industrial electronics sector:

• Start-ups and SMEs: a better understanding of the role of advanced microelectronics in improving the performance and competitiveness of their products and services.
• Fabless start-ups: an exploration of the challenges and opportunities associated with the development and launch of next-generation semiconductor solutions.
• Major industrial groups: an opportunity to identify new clients and strategic partners.
• Investors: an overview of growth prospects in the European semiconductor sector.

About ASTEERICS

Funded by the European Union through the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU), ASTEERICS is France’s national centre of expertise in microelectronics. Its mission is to support start-ups and SMEs seeking to develop or integrate European semiconductor technologies, with a view to improving the performance, energy efficiency and industrial competitiveness of their solutions.

Drawing on three cutting-edge, high-performance technologies – FDSOI, GaN and SiC – ASTEERICS offers:

• awareness-raising and training sessions on semiconductor technologies;
• tailored technical and financial support to identify the most suitable technology, structure projects and secure funding;
• access to European expertise, design tools, design houses, pilot production lines, foundries and backend services.

By strengthening the links between innovation, industrial needs and European technological capabilities, ASTEERICS is helping to accelerate the uptake of semiconductors in France and across Europe.

For IC DASH, this event marks an important step towards fostering collaboration within the European ecosystem and supporting technological sovereignty across the semiconductor value chain.