SILICON EUROPE · Developing a leading-edge European Micro- and nanoelectronics cluster for energy efficient ICT

Four of the leading European micro- and nanoelectronics regions are joining their research, development and production expertise to form the transnational, research-driven cluster “Silicon Europe”. Involved in this national “triple-helix” consortia are the following high-potential mature clusters: the German Silicon Saxony, centred in Dresden, the Dutch High Tech NL, centred around Eindhoven in the South Eastern part of the Netherlands, France’s Minalogic, centred in Grenoble, and Belgium’s DSP Valley, centred at Leuven.The Silicon Europe partners are linked by a common goal: to make Europe the world’s leading centre for energy efficient electronics – Silicon Europe – The Leaders for Energy Efficient ICT ElectronicsThe involved clusters in total have nearly 800 members , most of them (more than 75%) are SMEs, and count for more than 150.000 jobs (covering thereby more than 60% of the respective jobs in Europe) . They combine highly relevant research actors such as imec, CEA-Leti and Fraunhofer as well as large companies such as Philips, NXP, Globalfoundries, Infineon, STMicroelectronics and Thales. All involved clusters cover the full triple helix.Within Silicon Europe, following an in-depth analysis, joint action plans will be developed for concerted research in the field including the development of regional smart specialisation strategies and a internationalisation strategy for the involved clusters.Silicon Europe has as its ambition to place Europe in a leading position in research and development for the key enabling technology of Micro- and Nanoelectronics by using the full potential of synergy and complementarities of the existing high-potential clusters in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands and potentially other European clusters. The extension of the collaboration between the clusters towards a Joint Action Plan on local as well as on European level and its implementation will have a major impact on the competiveness of the entire sector.