Spinverse successfully supported Fraunhofer in securing a substantial grant with a total of EUR 730 million for a new Microelectronics pilot line under the recent EU Chips Act. The funding from Horizon Europe and Digital Europe Programmes is earmarked for a groundbreaking APECS pilot line focused on Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration of Electronic Components and Systems.
The APECS pilot line, coordinated by Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics / Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD), aims to bolster the European Union's capabilities in the semiconductor sector, particularly in the development of next-generation technologies for advanced packaging and the integration of diverse chip and chiplet technologies.
Fraunhofer, Europe's largest research organization for applied research, is set to play a key role in realizing the ambitious objectives of this pilot line project. Launched at the end of 2024 and running until June 2029, the project consortium consists of ten European partners from eight countries.
The APECS (Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration of Electronic Components and Systems) pilot line will offer services, capabilities and training for European companies, especially SMEs, to integrate and package chiplets into novel electronic components and systems. The capabilities will include prototyping, novel characterization, quality assurance, testing and reliability (CTR) methodologies and a System-Technology Co-Design (STCO) framework to ensure quality, reliability and fast production ramp up in collaborating manufacturing organizations. It will offer a low-threshold, easily scalable industrial transfer of these innovations.
Spinverse funding experts Eeva Viinikka, Pirjo Pasanen and Mikael Sundholm supported Fraunhofer in their funding proposals by developing and optimising the content to ensure it matched the strict evaluation criteria set for the applicants. Spinverse was also supporting FMD in grant agreement negotiations.
During the proposal preparation, Fraunhofer found Spinverse highly responsive and effective in their communication. Andreas Bruening from Fraunhofer states: “Spinverse was highly professional and reliable, demonstrating excellent expertise, time management and client communication.” The head of the FMD business office, Dr. Stephan Guttowski, sums up: “Spinverse had very good professional understanding of the project and knowledge of proposal formalities and procedures. Their combination of skills made them an invaluable partner for our APECS proposal, significantly contributing to our success.”
The APECS pilot line is expected to have a transformative effect on the European semiconductor landscape by offering a European prototyping and piloting option for advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration. It will boost growth of the European semiconductor ecosystem by offering advanced packaging related technologies and testing especially for SMEs and RTOs. APECS is part of the EU’s Chips Act for key technologies that will drive future growth and innovation in Europe.
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More information: European Chiplet Innovation: APECS Pilot Line starts Operation in the Framework of the EU Chips Act(