Written by Nick Wood
The UK's semiconductor research efforts will receive a boost after the government joined the EU's Chips Joint Undertaking (JU).
The Chips JU has a total budget of around €11 billion, with €4.175 billion contributed from various EU pots and the rest forked over by participating states and the private sector. It has five operational objectives, covering the design and production of new chips; quantum chip development; training; and facilitating access to debt and equity financing.
With this remit in mind, the Chips JU periodically invites eligible companies to apply for funding. Its three most recent calls for proposals, issued in early February, promise to allocate a combined total of €216 million.
So where does the UK fit in? The specific area of the Chips JU that involves the UK relates to research and innovation (R&I) activities centred on semiconductor technologies. This particular bit of the JU is funded to the tune of €1.3 billion by the EU's Horizon Europe scientific research scheme, which the UK rejoined last September.
To get its foot in the door, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) announced that the UK has agreed to contribute £5 million this year, plus another £30 million between 2025 and 2027.
