Faculty of Electrical Engineering UL coordinates the Competence Center for Chips and Semiconductor Technologies.

The four-year project, with a total value of four million euros, is funded by the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU). Within the national call for co-financing the Competence Center for Chips, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering UL was selected as coordinator based on its sixty-year tradition of research and development in the field of chips.

The other project partners are:

• Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana
• Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Informatics, University of Maribor
• Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Nova Gorica
• Jožef Stefan Institute
• Centre of Excellence in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology – Nanocenter Ljubljana

KC Čip.si as a hub of knowledge and innovation in semiconductor technologies

KC Čip.si will operate in Slovenia and beyond as a hub for accelerating knowledge, development, and innovation in the field of chips and semiconductor technologies.

The center represents one of three measures within the proposed national Programme for the Development of Chips and Semiconductor Technologies in Slovenia until 2030. It aims to strengthen competencies and foster collaboration among various stakeholders in the field of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for niche applications, as well as next-generation chips, including photonic and quantum chips and components.

Planned activities of the Competence Center include:

• promoting the importance of chips and semiconductor technologies for ensuring greater sovereignty and independence of Slovenia and Europe in this field,
• strengthening and developing new knowledge and skills in chips and semiconductor technologies,
• providing access to national technological equipment, as well as to state-of-the-art European technological infrastructure (pilot lines) and design tools (EU Chips Design Platform),
• networking and fostering collaboration between educational and research institutions, micro, small, medium-sized, and large enterprises, start-ups, and other chip competence centers across Europe.

It will provide its users with services in the following areas:

• Professional training and education: specialized training courses for companies and other interested stakeholders, improvement of the quality of study programmes, and mentoring;
• Access to equipment: support in accessing national technological equipment, as well as European technological infrastructure and design tools;
• Consulting services: technology transfer and innovation support, access to funding (e.g. the European Chips Fund), and information on relevant events;
• Networking: connecting universities and research organizations with companies, and fostering collaboration with other chip competence centers across Europe.

Significance for the Slovenian Economy and Europe

The University of Ljubljana, together with other partners within the activities and services of KC Čip.si, will contribute with its advanced knowledge and experience to the development of the national and European semiconductor ecosystem. Chips are a central component of every modern electronic device. Without chips, there are no devices that help maintain our health and well-being, ensure safety, support environmental protection, enable energy efficiency and communication, or drive the development of new high value-added products and artificial intelligence. Without chips, there is no digitalization or green transition.

Annual revenue per employee in this sector exceeded 170,000 EUR in 2023, demonstrating that it is a high value-added industry with a strong multiplier effect.

Increasing competitiveness and positioning Slovenia globally

With the establishment of the center, Slovenia has the opportunity to co-create the future of semiconductor technology in Europe—not through mass production, but by focusing on niche segments of application-specific chips and technologies, where it can position itself among global leaders. Special opportunities also exist in the fields of photonic and quantum chips, where Slovenia must not fall behind Europe and the world. Research on these next-generation chips is already being conducted at the University of Ljubljana.

More information about the activities of KC Čip.si is available on the project website.