2024: a year of structuring actions for the alliance

With its 12 clusters and over 2,500 members, the Silicon Europe Alliance aims to play a key role in the development of the European microelectronics industry. Under the chairmanship of Erasmia Dupenloup (Minalogic) in 2024, several strategic initiatives were undertaken:

European projects: a strong commitment to innovation and competitiveness

• Active participation in the Chips Act initiative, with strong engagement in national and European Microelectronics Competence Centers projects. These centers will play a crucial role in promoting Chips JU actions, talent training, and supporting businesses—particularly startups and SMEs—in accessing European infrastructures (design platforms and pilot lines). Minalogic and the Silicon Europe Alliance will also play a major role in ensuring optimal coordination and alignment of these competence centers across Europe.
• Continuation of the Silicon Eurocluster project, a program supporting innovation, culminating in 12 funded projects and direct impact on 51 European SMEs through green vouchers for technological development and more sustainable solutions.
• Contribution to the INFRACHIP project, facilitating SME access to cutting-edge microelectronics research infrastructures, lowering innovation barriers, and boosting the competitiveness of European players.

International development and business: more opportunities for European companies

• The Alliance organized and participated in strategic events to foster connections among industry stakeholders across Europe:
  • • Minalogic Business Meetings (Saint-Étienne, France): Over 450 participants from 17 countries, enabling 1,200 B2B meetings.
  • • Silicon Saxony Day (Dresden, Germany): 712 participants, with international delegations from the Netherlands, Austria, Taiwan, and the Czech Republic.
  • • EBSCON (Graz, Austria): A networking event gathering 237 participants and facilitating 58 targeted B2B meetings.
• The Alliance also promoted European clusters and businesses on the international stage at SEMICON Taiwan and SEMICON Europa, where several member clusters hosted exhibition pavilions.

Lobbying and visibility

• Key interventions by Erasmia Dupenloup, Managing Director of Minalogic, at the European Cluster Conference in Brussels in May, a crucial event for dialogue between clusters and EU institutions, and at the Handover Chairmanship Event of the European Semiconductor Regions Alliance (ESRA) in November in Turin.
• Co-organization of "The Semiconductor Rendez-vous" in Prague, alongside the Czech National Semiconductor Cluster, to share technological advancements from the IPCEI ME/CT initiative and discuss benefits in terms of technological sovereignty and the green transition for local ecosystems.

Erasmia Dupenloup states: "We are very proud of the work accomplished within the Silicon Europe Alliance in 2024. The Alliance is now a key player in the Chips Act, and these concrete advances in innovation, business development, and European visibility for our ecosystems prove it. This momentum highlights the importance of structured and effective cooperation in strengthening European technological sovereignty."

2025: a new dynamic under Silicon Saxony’s chairmanship

On January 1, 2025, Frank Bösenberg, Managing Director of Silicon Saxony, succeeded Erasmia Dupenloup as President of the Alliance. Alongside three Vice Presidents, including Minalogic, he will continue strengthening the Alliance’s role at the European level.

Objectives for 2025:

• Political engagement: Strengthened interactions with the European Commission and ESRA (European Semiconductor Regions Alliance) in connection with the Chips Act and the EU Digital Agenda.
• Strategic cooperation: Updating the roadmap to better address geopolitical challenges and technological sovereignty.
• Network development: Welcoming new clusters and reinforcing synergies between European regional ecosystems.

Frank Bösenberg highlights: "Clusters like the ones organised within Silicon Europe are vital for strengthening Europe’s position as a global semiconductor player. By uniting the expertise of regional ecosystems and in particular SMEs across the continent, we can amplify our collective impact, foster innovation, and ensure Europe’s competitiveness on the global stage. In 2025, we aim to further deepen collaboration with European institutions and stakeholders while expanding our network to welcome new clusters. Together, we can meet the ambitious goals of the EU Chips Act and the Digital Agenda."

With this new leadership team and a reinforced strategy, the Silicon Europe Alliance is set to play an even more pivotal role in shaping the future of microelectronics in Europe.