The presentation took place at the first edition of the València Silicon Forum, a meeting ground in which two other chairs pertaining to the UPV were also presented and where the leadership of the Valencian Community in this sector was highlighted.
The auditorium of the Confederación Empresarial de la Comunidad Valenciana hosted the I València Silicon Forum, an event organised by the València Silicon Cluster, the Universitat de València, the Universitat Politècnica, jointly with the collaboration of the Valencian Government and the PerteChip of microelectronics and semiconductors.
During the event, the three different chairs that the Universitat de València and the Universitat Politècnica have created, towards which they have received close to €14M from PerteChip, were presented.
These chairs are aimed at advanced materials for the microchips and semiconductors industry, in the case of the UV; and for electronic design and photonic chips in the case of the UPV. They are chairs born thanks to the work and collaboration between companies of the microelectronics and photonics sector in Valencia and the educational institutions.
Participating in the act were the president of the Valencian Government Carlos Mazón; Government Delegate, Pilar Bernabé; Special Commissioner for Microelectronics and Semiconductors, Jaime Martorell; president of the València Silicon Cluster, M. Teresa Bacete; president of the CEV, Eva Blasco; principal of the Universitat de València, Mavi Mestre; and principal of the Universitat Politècnica de València, José E. Capilla.
The president of the Cluster explained that the first step in order to grow the Valencian sector was the creation of the Cluster itself, the second step was the promotion of the chairs, and the third step will be the creation of an international campus, which will focus on talent and the applications in the industry. A campus for the creation of which a contribution of €50M will be asked from the government.
The fact is that, right now, the Valencian Community gathers a large number of companies that design chips. An industry that concentrates around 600 jobs. In this way, the campus seeks to consolidate this strength and to kick-start manufacturing lines.
The president of the Generalitat, in his intervention, has announced that he will ask from the central government the call for a bilateral commission to concretise, design and advance the project.
The commission has congratulated the Valencian Community for getting most of these grants. Also, it has pointed out that the Perte continues and that projects are being developed, empowering and funding all those that help towards becoming the leader in this sector at a European and global level.
The government delegate assured that the PerteChip will mark a turning point in an industry that will be key in the future. An industry at which, as the president of the CEV pointed out, Europe is late to the game of semiconductor autonomy, but which the Valencian Community is facing a unique opportunity to capitalise on the moment.
Lastly, the principals of the Valencian public universities have celebrated the established synergies, stating that the project is a strategic commitment for the future of the Valencian Community.
