Billions for nanometres
Almost exactly a year ago, we ran a?newsletter?with the intro part highlighting the announcement of the European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (ESMC), Europe's new chip plant in Dresden, majority-owned by the semiconductor giant 台积公司 . This week, just over 12 months later, ground was broken at the site as the EU approved €5bn in state aid from the German government.
ESMC is expected to start producing silicon wafers in 2027 and reach full operational capacity in 2029. That's just in time for the deadline of 2030, self-imposed by the EU in its Chips Act, when the bloc’s share of global chip production should hit 20%.
In the meantime, elsewhere in Germany 英特尔 is?facing delays?in building its two chip plants known as Fab 29.1 and Fab 29.2, a project with a total budget of €30bn. Initially slated for construction in Magdeburg in 2023, the project has been delayed twice — most recently due to the EU not approving a €9.9bn subsidy and the postponed removal of black soil from the site.
If, despite the delays and uncertainty, both projects end up panning out as planned, the continent's chip industry will get a boost in terms of both value creation and production capacity, bringing us closer to the much-discussed technological sovereignty.
Check out the piece by Ioanna Lykiardopoulou diving into TSMC's plans and their strategic importance ??
What else we’re writing about
??? On this week's podcast, Ioanna Lykiardopoulou and Andrii Degeler talk about the international expansion of Bolt, the benefits of Europe’s big tech regulation, the recent blue moon appearance, electric vehicles in Norway, and more. Also featured is an on-stage interview with Lethabo Motsoaledi , co-founder and CTO of Voyc .
?? UK fintech Revolut has been?valued at $45bn?following a share sale by employees, making it Europe’s most valuable private tech company. Revolut’s new valuation puts it above the market capitalisation of most of Britain’s oldest banks, including Barclays, Lloyds Bank, and NatWest. Only HSBC is valued higher.
?? SportAI has grand?plans for tennis analytics. The startup wants to not only enhance a player’s technique, but also the racket they swing. The Norway-based business analyses sports footage in real-time and delivers instant, personalised feedback.
领英推荐
?? Robot coaches that read brain signals could pave a?new way for the rehabilitation?of stroke and brain injury survivors. That’s according to the EU-funded VITALISE project, led by researchers from the UK’s National Robotarium and developed in partnership with the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology.
?? A?rocket engine has exploded?during tests for a landmark space flight from the UK. The fire erupted at SaxaVord Spaceport , which aims to host the first vertical launch into orbit from Western Europe. German startup Rocket Factory Augsburg - RFA has exclusive access to the spaceport’s first launch pad.
?? Europe’s Juice spacecraft has completed the?world’s first lunar-Earth flyby. The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer — aka Juice — harnessed the gravity of Earth to sling itself in the direction of Venus. The route will provide a shortcut to Jupiter through the inner Solar System.
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