News: Suppliers
4 March 2025
CSA Catapult hosts UK government ministers and South Wales’ compound semiconductor cluster
Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult has welcomed members of the UK government’s cabinet to its Innovation Centre in Newport.
Established in 2018 by government agency Innovate UK, CSA Catapult is a not-for-profit center of excellence that specializes in the measurement, characterization, integration and validation of compound semiconductor technology spanning power electronics, advanced packaging, radio frequency and microwave, and photonics applications.
At the Innovation Centre, a roundtable discussion was jointly chaired by Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens and Secretary of State for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle. The ministers were joined by leading figures from South Wales’ compound semiconductor cluster to discuss how the sector will contribute to the UK government’s new industrial strategy and growth mission.
After the roundtable discussion, the Secretaries of State were given a tour of CSA Catapult’s Innovation Centre and shown its facilities.
As the UK’s authority on compound semiconductor applications and commercialization, CSA Catapult helps businesses to solve their problems when bringing compound semiconductor products to market. Since 2018, projects involving CSA Catapult have generated £600m gross value-added (GVA) to the UK economy and helped to create or safeguard over 4718 jobs. CSA Catapult customers have also leveraged £589m of public and private investment.
CSA Catapult’s vision is for the UK to become a global leader in developing and commercializing new applications for compound semiconductors. It recently submitted eight recommendations to the UK government’s industrial strategy, highlighting the need to recognise semiconductors as an enabler of key industries and supporting this with significant investment in R&D, infrastructure and skills. The Catapult also recommended the creation of a National Semiconductor Institute to strengthen, lead and co-ordinate targeted activity across the UK.
South Wales is home to CSconnected — the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster. The region hosts world-leading academic institutions, semiconductor prototyping facilities and global, high-volume manufacturing capabilities that collaborate across a range of compound semiconductor research and innovation programs.
“The UK has a competitive advantage in compound semiconductor research, technologies and manufacturing, so it’s important the UK government sees this in action and is shown the significant contribution that our industry can have on its growth mission,” says CSA Catapult’s CEO Martin McHugh. “The roundtable gave us an opportunity to highlight our strengths as a Catapult and how we support clusters across the country and to evidence the transformational impact that compound semiconductors are having on our everyday lives.”
“The compound semiconductors industry is a critical enabler of economic growth, technological innovation, and global competitiveness, with South Wales home to a world-leading cluster that is already delivering results through major inward investments, high-value exports and skilled job creation,” notes CSconnected’s chair Wyn Meredith. “The discussions today reflect a shared ambition to build on this foundation, with the UK’s Industrial Strategy providing the right framework for continued growth. By delivering sustained investment in R&D, infrastructure and supply chains, we can strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in semiconductor technologies, creating economic opportunities and securing a resilient future for the industry,” he believes.
“CSA Catapult plays a pivotal role in driving the incredible innovation happening in the Welsh semiconductor cluster, advancing technologies like high-speed communications and next-generation electronics,” comments Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology. “That work strengthens the UK’s position in the global semiconductor landscape and, by generating £600m for the UK economy and facilitating thousands of jobs, enables the long-term growth that improves lives across the UK and supports our Plan for Change,” he adds.
“The world-leading South Wales semiconductor cluster is vital for our economy and contributes to areas ranging from clean energy, aerospace and healthcare to national security,” says Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales. “The UK Government is backing our innovative businesses to continue to create high-skilled and well-paid jobs and to drive economic growth as part of our plan for change.”
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