30 January 2017

Cardiff University's Institute for Compound Semiconductors receives £13m EU funding

The European Union (EU) has awarded £13m in funding to the new Institute for Compound Semiconductors (ICS), based at Cardiff University's Innovation Campus. The funding will contribute to building, equipping and running a cleanroom.

As a UK-based translational research center in compound semiconductors, ICS aims to turn its laboratory research into products and services by working with commercial partners.

"Investing in world leading facilities so that academia and industry can collaborate and drive forward research in this sector will be an important boost to the Welsh economy," says Mark Drakeford AM, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in the Welsh Government. "This EU funding will encourage high-quality well-paid employment in the participating companies and the creation of spin-out companies, new start-ups as well as attracting innovative compound semiconductor companies from across the UK and Europe," he adds.

"This EU funding is a vital component in our bid to generate prosperity in South Wales through industrial innovation," comments professor Colin Riordan, president & vice-chancellor of Cardiff University. "By investing in high-quality facilities and talented researchers, and by building long-standing commercial partnerships, Cardiff University's Innovation System will help deliver prosperity for Wales," he believes.

"The role of compound semiconductors as an enabling technology for a wide range of next-generation applications, from high-speed communications to autonomous vehicles, is widely acknowledged worldwide, with major initiatives underway by blue-chip organisations, academic institutions and government agencies, particularly in Asia and the USA," notes Dr Drew Nelson, CEO of Cardiff-based epiwafer foundry and substrate maker IQE plc, which is a partner with Cardiff University in the joint venture Compound Semiconductor Centre (CSC) formed in August 2015. "In Europe, Wales is uniquely positioned with a critical mass of compound semiconductor expertise to exploit the enormous commercial opportunities that will doubtlessly be generated," he adds. "Today's announcement of £13m investment by the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO) significantly adds weight and credibility to Wales becoming a global hub in this key enabling technology that will drive innovation over the coming years and decades."

The funding builds on long-running work between Cardiff University, IQE, and the Welsh and UK Governments to develop a hub of compound semiconductor expertise in South Wales, and includes awards of £17.3m from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and £12m from Welsh Government to support the development of the wider ICS facility.

See related items:

Cardiff University's £300m Innovation Campus approved by city planners

IQE and Cardiff University to help spearhead £50m UK Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult

CSC formally launched as first compound semiconductor cluster

IQE and Cardiff University establish JV to develop and commercialize compound semiconductor technologies in Europe

Tags: IQE

Visit: www.cardiff.ac.uk/innovation/campus-investment/translational-research-facility/