The Netherlands has opened a new center to bolster semiconductor innovation.
Dubbed the ChipNL Competence Centre, the facility received €12 million ($12.6m) in funding from the European Commission and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The four-year project was established under the EU Chips Act and aims to promote innovation, collaboration, and talent development in Europe.
In November 2024, the European Commission (EC) announced plans to establish 27 Chips Competence Centres across 24 Member States and Norway to boost technical expertise and skills development in the semiconductor sector. More than €170m ($178m) is expected to be invested in the centers, with a second call for proposals set to be launched in early 2025.
In a statement from November, the EC said the centers will provide businesses, in particular startups and SMEs, with resources to develop semiconductor technologies, including support, training, and access to large infrastructure facilities established under the Chips Act, such as pilot lines and the design platform.
The Dutch ChipNL Competence Centre is a collaboration between Brainport Development, Chiptech Twente, High Tech NL, TNO, Jeppix, and Imec, while the regional development companies involved in the project are Oost NL, BOM, and Innovationquarter.
In addition to supporting Dutch semiconductor SMEs, startups, and scale-ups, the center will provide support to eligible organizations by helping them access relevant markets, including chip design, semiconductor production equipment, and quantum technology.