site.btaProject for Establishing Centre of Competence in Integrated Circuits Launched at Technical University of Sofia

A project for a Centre of Competence in the Field of Integrated Circuits was launched at the Technical University of Sofia on Monday, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth said. The Centre is part of the Chips for Europe Initiative, supported by the EU Chips Act and the Digital Europe Programme.

Among the objectives of the project is to secure access to design platforms developing new advanced pilot lines and simulation medium, education and training of specialists in the area of microelectronics, support for small and medium sized enterprises and startups in the sector through access to resources, mentorship and financing, establishing sustainable connections between science professionals, businesses and the public sector, specializing in areas such as IC design, MEMS, and advanced enclosure techniques.

Researchers, technological organizations and academic institutions will be among the users of the Centre.

The two Deputy Ministers of Innovation and Growth, Georgi Angelov and Martin Danovski, participated at the opening and the kickoff meeting of the Centre.

“With the building of the Centre of Competence in the Field of Integrated Circuits, Bulgaria’s competence in the area has every chance to improve its high-tech environment in the next couple of years,” Georgi Angelov said. He pointed out that each member state has its own centre, the total number in Europe being 30.

According to him, the Bulgarian centre is notable for the fact that it includes foreign partners.

The Centre will unite leading Bulgarian academic and scientific institutions: the Technical University in Sofia, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, the Technical Universities of Gabrovo and Varna, Ruse University, the Institute of Electronics and the Institute of Solid State Physics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Industrial partners include Sofia Tech Park, the Association for Research and Development (SNIRD), and international organizations such as Imec (Belgium) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (Germany).

Georgi Angelov said that mechatronics and microelectronics are some of the priorities in the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization. The defined subdomains are IC design, machine manufacturing, attracting expertise, and establishing production in the field of enclosure manufacturing. According to him, right now Bulgaria is holding negotiations for cooperation with leading companies in the field.