Could Finland emerge as Europe’s leading semiconductor hub?

Innovations and Initiatives Innovations and Initiatives

Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-02-10 09:02:05 |

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Finland is positioning itself as a leader in Europe’s semiconductor industry, with the Tampere Region at the forefront of this effort through initiatives like the Finnish Chips Competence Centre, the SiPFAB pilot line, and the EU Design Platform, all backed by strong collaboration and a skilled workforce. The country has embraced the EU Chips Act with enthusiasm, building a robust national network to propel the semiconductor sector forward. This strategy unites universities, industry experts, and public entities to create a foundation for semiconductor business growth, with the Tampere Region playing a pivotal role.

Petri Räsänen, Director of the Chips from Tampere program at Business Tampere, emphasizes that national collaboration is key to rapid growth in this northern nation. He states, “The Tampere region’s semiconductor expertise stems from its legacy in designing complex integrated circuits and optoelectronics. Espoo’s Kvanttinova benefits from the research capabilities of VTT and Aalto University in materials science and silicon processing. Oulu’s strength lies in radio technology, while Joensuu is home to Photonics Finland, which focuses on optical and photonic specializations. Each area contributes uniquely, and together, we will succeed.”

Tampere’s semiconductor sector is undergoing a dynamic transformation through three major initiatives. Tampere University is establishing a SiPFAB pilot line for hybrid integration and packaging; the Finnish Chips Competence Centre (FiCCC) commenced operations in early 2025, headquartered in Tampere; and the EU Design Platform is helping to solidify Europe’s semiconductor leadership, with significant contributions from SoCHUB.

FiCCC: Finnish Chips Competence Centre
FiCCC serves as a national and European hub for semiconductor experts, linking companies and professionals across the sector. With €8m in EU funding, FiCCC aims to support companies in enhancing their expertise and fostering new collaboration networks. The competence centre is focused on two core areas where Finland excels:

1. High-performance, energy-efficient, and complex system-on-chip design.
2. Specialized manufacturing and integration processes, including quantum technologies, MEMS, RF, optoelectronics, wide bandgap semiconductors (SiC and GaN), ALD, and MBE technologies.

SiPFAB: Advancing Semiconductor Manufacturing
The SiPFAB pilot line at Tampere University addresses the final stages of semiconductor manufacturing, focusing on integration, packaging, and testing. This €40m project, with its state-of-the-art cleanroom facility, will serve as a hub for research and development in advanced packaging, positioning Tampere as a key player in Europe’s semiconductor landscape.

EU Design Platform for R&D
The EU Design Platform will enable fabless companies to access advanced chip design technologies through a cloud-based platform, strengthening Europe’s chip design expertise. The platform will also support startups and smaller companies in entering the design space, assisted by Design Enablement Teams.

Tampere’s Semiconductor Hub Potential
Petri Räsänen highlights Tampere’s advantage as a semiconductor hub, noting the availability of a highly educated workforce, partly thanks to Nokia’s legacy. Over 500 of the EU’s 8,000 chip design engineers are based in Tampere, where Nokia, Microsoft, and Nordic Semiconductors have significant operations. Tampere University is also committed to developing talent, making it the largest institution in Finland for chip design.

Tampere is home to a thriving cluster of companies focused on photonic systems, III-V compound semiconductors, and laser technologies, often called the “Laser Valley.” Key players in this cluster include Modulight, Schott, Coherent, Optofidelity, and Vexlum.

Ranked as Finland’s most attractive city, Tampere’s semiconductor future is promising, with significant demand expected for skilled professionals in the coming years.

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