At Microelectronics UK (24-25 September), Kanishka Narayan, Minister of State for semiconductors, emerging technology, AI and online safety announced investment designed to support the UK semiconductor industry.

Kanishka Narayan minister semicondutor at Microelectronics UK

The exhibition and conference for the microlectronics supply chain was held in London’s Excel Centre. In his keynote, the minister highlighted that the government is investing £10m in a new initiative with Innovate UK to help early stage companies innovate and will target high potential areas such as chip design and advanced packaging.

He also reiterated that the government’s 10-year plan, published in June, which recognises semiconductors as “a critical enabling technology, highlighting the UK’s global strengths in semiconductor design, in IP”.

It sets out a roadmap to “deliver real, tangible, impact [and] change for the UK semiconductor ecosystem,” he said.

Part of this is the £19m investment in establishing the UK semiconductor hub, bringing together industry and academia to support ecosystem growth. “I hope we will act as a front door for investors and for international partners, helping promote UK capabilities and attract investment,” he said.

As MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, he told the conference that the compound semiconductor cluster in South Wales is close to his heart. It brings together universities, local and multinational companies to create a Centre of Excellence in power electronics, photonics and advanced packaging. In other areas of the country, he said there is a growing momentum in automated electronics and power systems in the Midlands, and that the south-west is a hub of photonics companies. He said that almost £50m has been invested in core innovation and knowledge centres across the UK led by universities focused on neuromorphic computing, hydrogenous integration, silicon photonics and power electronics. He said these centres are “helping to accelerate the journey in world class research to market ready chip technologies”.

Another initiative is the Chip Design Enablement programme, with initial funding of £5m and a semiconductor skills package which includes bursaries for 200 undergraduates in this academic year. Narayan said the government has committed £40m to develop and expand this programme over the next five years “to reach thousands more learners across the UK”.

By: DocMemory
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