I-C3: Ireland's Chips Competence Centre

Background

I-C3 is one of 27 Chips Competence Centres across 24 Member States and Norway that are being launched in 2025 as part of the EU CHIPS Act. The aim of these competence centres is to enhance technical expertise and skills development in the semiconductor sector.

In the Irish context, over the past three decades, Ireland has undergone a remarkable transformation in the microelectronics industry, driven by strategic initiatives to diversify its economy. Successive Irish government commitments in fostering innovation and research is evident through substantial investments in R&D infrastructure and programs. Today, Ireland hosts approximately 70 companies with design centres, employing over 20,000 people and contributing significantly to the economy with billions in exports. Key multinational corporations like Analog Devices, Apple, Intel, Qualcomm and AMD have established R&D centres in Ireland since the mid-1980s, focusing on cutting-edge semiconductor research and design. Through promotion and use of the services of the centre, I-C3 will provide the focus necessary to double the number of people employed in Irish-based semiconductor startup companies and SMEs (from 500 to 1,000) by 2030. We believe that the centre will help establish Ireland and Europe as a prime location internationally for new semiconductor businesses and large enterprises, to complement our existing European reputation for manufacturing excellence.

Ireland’s Chips Competence Centre (I-C3) is an independent centre of semiconductor business and technology experts led by the consortium partners Tyndall National Institute, MIDAS Ireland (the Microelectronics Industry Association), University College Dublin and MCCI (the Enterprise Ireland-funded Technology Centre for Microelectronics). I-C3 will provide a central, unified resource to accelerate the achievement of enlarging the semiconductor sector in line with the national research and economic strategies and the opportunities presented by the European Chips Act. This will be achieved through facilitating access to technology, pilot lines, the design platform, training and funding advice. The centre will proactively promote the offerings of the Chips JU Pilot Lines and Design Platform to industrial partners across the semiconductor value chain in Ireland and the EU with a particular focus on the needs of Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Startups (including academic spinouts) together with academic partners.

Technology Focus of I-C3

Reflecting and reinforcing regional and national strengths, each competence centre will specialise in one or more key technology areas. This targeted approach secures long-term investment in localised expertise, ensuring a sustained focus on innovation and growth.  The focus of I-C3 and the range of semiconductor technologies of relevance to its clients’, while quite broad in reach, share a common theme of deep-tech semiconductor materials & processes and the dense integration of multiple functions in superheterogenous integration. The main focus areas of I-C3 will be: 

• Advanced material simulation & atomic-level processing chemistries 
• Novel 2D materials (TMDs), semiconducting oxides 
• Compound semiconductors 
• Magnetics, multiferroics and integrated power management 
• Advanced materials for chiplets and co-integration
• Advanced packaging technologies for micro-transfer print and electronics-photonics cointegration