Call for Applications: Strengthening the fabless Start-up and SME ecosystem in Europe

Scope

• Fabless semiconductor start-ups and SMEs play a key role in driving innovation and economic growth within the global technology sector. These companies, which design chips and outsource their manufacturing, are at the forefront of technological advancements, fueling innovative developments in semiconductor technologies related to AI, data processing, communications, automotive, and more. Globally, fabless companies contribute to approximately 50% of chip revenues. However, Europe’s share in this crucial market is less than 1%, highlighting a significant gap that needs to be addressed to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy and economic security. European fabless startups and SMEs often face significant challenges in accessing cohesive and timely information, financial resources, and relevant infrastructures and services. Nurturing and supporting the growth of European fabless SMEs is essential for building a competitive ecosystem that fosters rapid innovation, job creation, and sustainable growth. This Coordination and Support Action (CSA) aims to bridge this gap by providing targeted support and advocacy for Europe’s fabless semiconductor start-ups, SMEs and small mid-caps, ensuring their voice is heard and their potential is fully realized.
• The CSA will support European fabless start-ups, SMEs and mid-caps by establishing a coordination and knowledge hub to foster collaboration, improve access to strategic resources, and bridge the gap between them and decision-making entities. The proposed actions will aim to:
  • Establish a sustainable organization or network, potentially through the formation of an open industry association, to represent the interests of European fabless SMEs.
  • Promote dialogue and advocacy between fabless SMEs and European stakeholders, including public authorities and policymakers, while representing their interests with key industrial actors (such as foundries, EDA vendors, and design houses) as well as relevant initiatives of the Chips for Europe Initiative, the Chips Joint Undertaking and the IPCEIs on Microelectronics.
  • Enhance the visibility and engagement of fabless start-ups and SMEs in EU policy-making to leverage their innovation potential, strengthening Europe’s leadership in critical industry domains and in advanced semiconductors such as for AI, HPC, quantum, communications, advanced sensing, power systems and autonomous driving technologies and applications.
  • Align with relevant support actions in key EU programmes, including coordination with the network of the European Semiconductor Competence Centres and the Design Platform under the “Chips for Europe Initiative”.
  • Develop a central platform (a one stop-shop) for semiconductor start-ups and SMEs that aggregates and disseminates all essential information they need (e.g., policy updates, public and private funding opportunities, and technological advancements) and facilitates access to funding and investment opportunities.
  • Organize and participate in events, including workshops and conferences, to enhance the profile of fabless startups and SMEs, and strengthen their role in the broader European semiconductor ecosystem.
  • Foster partnerships and innovation through networks that connect start-ups and SMEs, promoting cross-sector knowledge-sharing and joint projects to advance technological solutions and business growth.
• The action should be coordinated and driven by the relevant representative European start-up and SME stakeholders operating in the field.

Funding Information

• Budget (EUR) – Year 2025: 1 000 000
• Contributions: around 1000000

Expected Outcomes

• Proposals should result in an enhanced and integrated support instrument for fabless startups, SMEs and mid-caps that drives collective growth and innovation. The outcomes should include:
  • A sustainable and active organization or network that represents the interests of European fabless SMEs (e.g. the consortium could form an open industry association).
  • A comprehensive framework facilitating dialogue between fabless SMEs and European stakeholders, including public authorities and key industrial actors, to address sector-specific needs and challenges.
  • A platform providing fabless SMEs with easy access to up-to-date information on relevant calls and funding opportunities, policy and regulatory developments, as well as key technological updates.
  • Active representation of fabless SMEs in high-profile forums and events, to strengthen their role and influence within the European semiconductor ecosystem.
  • Targeted services to support startup acceleration and scaling, with emphasis on advanced semiconductor technologies, such as chips for AI, low-power computing, autonomous driving, integrated photonics, etc.
• This CSA invites proposals that can foster a collaborative and inclusive European fabless ecosystem, capable of thriving in a dynamic global market.

Eligibility Criteria

• Entities eligible to participate:
  • Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from nonassociated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call/topic.
  • A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
• To become a beneficiary, legal entities must be eligible for funding.
• To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
  • the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions:
    • Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
  • the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States:
    • Aruba (NL), Bonaire (NL), Curação (NL), French Polynesia (FR), French Southern and Antarctic Territories (FR), Greenland (DK), New Caledonia (FR), Saba (NL), Saint Barthélemy (FR), Sint Eustatius (NL), Sint Maarten (NL), St. Pierre and Miquelon (FR), Wallis and Futuna Islands (FR).
  • countries associated to Horizon Europe;
    • Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

For more information, visit EC.