The Ministry of Economy is ready to take responsibility for the ambitious project, which envisages the creation of a microchip competence center, design and testing laboratory at the Riga Technical University (RTU), its further progress and finding the necessary source of funding – either in the form of redistribution of EU fund programs or state budget investments, the website reported labsoflatvia.lv.
During the meeting with the management of RTU, Economy Minister Viktors Valainis discussed issues related to the potential creation of a laboratory at RTU, as well as RTU’s involvement in achieving the human capital goals set by the Ministry of Economy. among technology leaders. There is no doubt that the state must join in and do everything possible to make this project a success,” emphasizes V. Valainis.
The requirement for the establishment of a microchip competence center in each member state is stipulated by the EU Microchip Act adopted last September, the main purpose of which is to ensure EU sovereignty and to a large extent self-sufficiency in the semiconductor market. RTU, in cooperation with the Institute of Electronics and Computer Sciences and the Institute of Solid State Physics, has now emerged as the coordinator of the semiconductor ecosystem, has made the necessary preparations and started cooperation negotiations with the leading European and global players in this field. The interest of the world’s scientific and business environment has been promoted by the work of RTU scientists in the development of silicon photonics chips, including several world records in data center interconnection technologies.
As representatives of RTU told in the conversation with the Minister of Economy, the plan is not only to establish a semiconductor competence center in accordance with the requirements of the EU regulation, but to go one step further and create a microchip design and testing laboratory under the auspices of RTU. It would serve both global and domestic chip makers once they emerged. It is the design and testing stage in the chip value chain that currently accounts for the largest part of the turnover, and Latvia has unique advantages in this area compared to its nearest neighbors – competent specialists and prepared technologies. However, the creation of the laboratory requires approximately 45 million euros of investment from the state over the next four years.
The possibilities and potential of Latvia to be included in the global value chain of semiconductors, their impact on the economy of Latvia was evaluated in the study “Development of the field of semiconductor technologies and applications in Latvia” conducted by the Institute of Solid State Physics of RTU and Lu. It also develops proposals for the development of the research, education and innovation and business environment.
2024-03-11 12:00:00
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