The EU Chips Access & Innovation Workshop, held on November 17, 2025, in Linz, was organized by Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) in collaboration with partners from FAMES, AT-C³, and EuroCDP. The workshop brought together leading experts, researchers, and policymakers to discuss strategies for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem under the EU Chips Act. The event focused on enabling open-access mechanisms, advancing semiconductor technologies, and creating collaborative opportunities for startups and SMEs.

The workshop opened with welcoming remarks from Christina Hirschl (SAL CEO), Ana Almansa (Austrian Government), and Dominique Noguet (CEA-Leti). Their speeches emphasized Europe’s ambition to achieve technological sovereignty and the critical role of pilot lines in fostering innovation. Keynote presentations followed, including an overview of the Chips for Europe Initiative by Francisco Ignacio Serradilla (Chips JU), who outlined funding priorities and strategic goals. Additionally, Dominique Noguet showcased the capabilities of the FAMES Pilot Line, highlighting advanced technologies such as FD-SOI 10nm & 7nm nodes, embedded non-volatile memory, 3D integration, and RF components.

A central part of the event was the panel discussion on Open Access Mechanisms & Services, featuring experts from SAL, VTT, CEZAMAT, and SOITEC. The discussion focused on ensuring fair and non-discriminatory access to pilot lines for European stakeholders. Interactive sessions explored specialized topics such as sustainability metrics (including the innovative E-score), RF filter design, ferroelectric memories, and approaches to heterogeneous integration.

The AT-C³ session highlighted Austria’s Chips Competence Center and its role in supporting SMEs and startups, with insights from Borislav Hinkov and Olivier Léchevin. Meanwhile, the EuroCDP session introduced the European Chips Design Platform, presenting licensing frameworks and open-source software contributions aimed at accelerating integrated circuit design across Europe.

Beyond presentations, the workshop served as a networking hub, fostering collaboration among industry players, research institutions, and policymakers. Participants explored upcoming initiatives such as the EuroCDP official launch at EFECS 2025, the Microelectronics & Competence Centers Workshop in Timisoara, and the FAMES Winter School in Grenoble. These initiatives underline Europe’s commitment to building a robust semiconductor ecosystem.

The workshop reinforced Europe’s strategic goals of achieving technological sovereignty, promoting open-access innovation for SMEs and academia, and advancing sustainable semiconductor manufacturing aligned with net-zero objectives. The event marked a significant step toward strengthening Europe’s position in the global semiconductor landscape.