The key objective of PowerBase “Enhanced substrates and GaN pilot lines enabling compact power applications” is to ensure the availability of Electronic Components and Systems (ECS) for key markets and for addressing societal challenges, aiming at keeping Europe at the forefront of the technology development, bridging the gap between research and exploitation, creating economic and employment growth in the European Union. The project PowerBase aims to contribute to the industrial ambition of value creation in Europe and fully supports this vision by addressing key topics of ECSEL multi annual strategic plan 2014. By positioning PowerBase as innovation action a clear focus on exploitation of the expected result is primary goal. To expand the limits in current power semiconductor technologies the project focuses on setting up a qualified wide band gap GaN technology Pilot line, on expanding the limits of today’s silicon based substrate materials for power semiconductors, improving manufacturing efficiency by innovative automation, setting up of a GaN compatible chip embedding pilot line and demonstrating innovation potential in leading compact power application domains. PowerBase is a project proposal with a vertical supply chain involved with contributions from partners in 7 European countries. This spans expertise from raw material research, process innovation, pilot line, assembly innovation and pilot line up to various application domains representing enhanced smart systems. The supporting partners consist of market leaders in their domain, having excellent technological background, which are fully committed to achieve the very challenging project goals. The project PowerBase aims to have significant impact on mart regions. High tech jobs in the area of semiconductor technologies and micro/nano electronics in general are expressed core competences of the regions Austria: Carinthia, Styria, Germany: Sachsen, Bavaria and many other countries/ regions involved.

CHAMP-ION aims to leverage EU fabrication capabilities to ensure sovereignty and lead in ion-trap quantum technologies by establishing an inclusive and sustainable, high quality pilot line network across the EU to advance ion-trap chip (ITC) innovation, securing the EU supply chain, supporting SME and Start-Up involvement, and establishing standards for industrialization and mass production. CHAMP-ION focuses on enabling Europe’s first open access pilot production capabilities for ITCs to advance EU’s competitive advantage in this key enabling technology by expanding high-quality industrial production with improved reliability. CHAMP-ION’s technical vision is to provide the entire value chain, from design to microfabrication and testing, for validated fully integrated and mass-producible advanced scalable ITCs exploiting integrated electronic and photonic structures on a chip. CHAMP-ION intends to drive ITC technology transfer from experimental to high yield, high quality production with advanced features for the next 10+ years by: (1) coordinating internal management of the Pilot Line (2) establishing and operating high quality fabrication capabilities for ITCs, including first-mover development of ITC Process Design Kits (PDKs) (3) ensuring mature advanced feature integration enabling scalable and efficient solutions for quantum technologies and (4) fostering inclusive network outreach, including a professionally managed single entry point, to enhance the market of interested target groups who can foster European utilization of ITCs. CHAMP-ION will become a central pivot point and incubator for the EU ion-trap industry, providing a one-stop-shop to high-quality ITCs tailored to user needs, and open to all EU stakeholders. This will empower an efficient, sustainable, competitive and resilient ecosystem of ITC-based quantum technologies that will improve EU strategic autonomy with applications in QU-communication, QU-sensing, QU-simulation and QU-computing.

Automated driving is a disruptive technology which opens the door to future multi-billion markets providing business opportunities to value chains in automotive and semiconductor industry.The European industry has leading competitive strength in the development and manufacturing of highly reliable electro-mechanical systems. In order to preserve this capability Europe needs to setup European standards for high level control such as real-time computing or big data processing. In order to respond on the global challenge AutoDrive has gathered Europe’s leading semiconductor companies, suppliers, OEMs, and research institutes committed to create a pan-European eco-system, which has the critical mass to initiate standards and provides the components and subsystems for automated driving. Currently, even the most sophisticated vehicle automation technology on the road is not able to surpass human driving capabilities – especially considering context awareness in any situation. Moreover, there is no common agreement on quantifiable dependability measures which hardware and embedded software have to achieve to allow safe automated driving for SAE Levels 3-5. AutoDrive aims for the design of (i) fail-aware (self-diagnostics), (ii) fail-safe, (iii) fail-operational (HW and SW redundancy) electronic components and systems architecture that enable the introduction of automated driving in all car categories. AutoDrive results will significantly contribute to safer and more efficient mobility. It will raise end-user acceptance and comfort by supporting drivers in highly challenging situations (active safety) as well as in regular driving situations. Combining both will reduce the number of road fatalities especially in rural scenarios and under adverse weather conditions. AutoDrive will contribute to Europe’s Vision Zero and to improved efficiency. This will sustain Leadership and even grow the market position of all AutoDrive partners.

The main objective of the iDev40 project proposal is to achieve a disruptive or “breakthrough change” step toward speedup in time to market by digitalising the European industry, closely interlinking development processes, logistics and manufacturing. Ultimately, the project aims at suitable digital technology advancements to strengthen the electronic components and systems industry in Europe. It addresses various industrial domains with one and the same approach of digitalisation towards competitive and innovative solutions. The new concept of introducing seamlessly integrated development together with automation and network solutions as well as enhancing the transparency of data, their consistence, flexibility and overall efficiency will lead to a significant speedup in the time to market (T2M) race. iDev40’s unique approach addresses: • AI learning, Data Life Cycle Management and IP Protection • Embedding Digital Development in Digital Production (the digital twin) • Close the Knowledge loop in product life cycle management along the supply chain • Collaboration 4.0 and Development of highly skilled R&D and Manufacturing Teams • Prove the innovated technologies on selected use cases in real productive environment Progress in mastering these challenges will significantly impact the productivity of future design processes embedded in an Industrial Internet environment. The global state-of-art technologies already offer tremendous diagnostics algorithms, machine controls, simulators, optimizers, etc., but only an extensive framework like iDev40 can combine them into effective integration into the development process enabling such powerful simulations like “digital twins” that ever more govern the hardware, manufacturing service and business functions. To cope with the exceptional complexity it becomes even more crucial to be competitive leaders in developing virtual representations of real physical implementation.