EU Commits €525 Million to Semiconductor Design Platform for Startups

The European Union is committing €525 million to the European Chips Design Platform, a program intended to help startups, small and midsize companies, and research teams develop semiconductor designs and bring them closer to production. Of the total, €440 million is earmarked for grants, while €85 million will support cloud-based infrastructure, services, and open-source design tools; eligible companies may receive grants of up to €16 million, with smaller awards available for early-stage prototypes. The platform is also intended to connect participants with chip-design software, reusable intellectual property, technical support, and manufacturing and testing resources, rather than build a new chip factory. The effort aims to strengthen Europe’s role in a global industry where its companies currently account for less than 1% of chip-design revenue, amid rising semiconductor demand, including for artificial intelligence.