Tag Archives: Cluster for Application and Technology Research in Europe on NanoElectronics

100 billion euro investment in Europe’s nanoelectronics sector?

The Nov. 28, 2012 news item on Nanowerk about a proposed 100B euro investment in nanoelectronics is a little puzzling (Note: I have removed some links),

The AENEAS and CATRENE organisations announced today the publication of a new positioning document ‘Innovation for the future of Europe: Nanoelectronics beyond 2020’ (pdf).

Highlighting the need for Europe to substantially increase its research and innovation efforts in nanoelectronics in order to maintain its worldwide competitiveness, the document outlines a proposal by companies and institutes within Europe’s nanoelectronics ecosystem to invest 100 billion € up to the year 2020 on an ambitious research and innovation programme, planned and implemented in close cooperation with the European Union and the Member States.

I’m not entirely clear about who or which agencies are making this 100 billion € investment. In other words, whose money? The answer is not revealed in subsequent paragraphs of the news item nor is it in the positioning document.

We are offered this instead (from the news item),

Urgent strategy actions recommended in the positioning paper to secure the future of Europe’s nanoelectronics ecosystem include extension of the European Union’s dedicated budgets for Key Enabling Technologies to reflect their common dependence on nanoelectronics; simplified notification and enlarged eligibility for public funding in nanoelectronics, and greater focus on European Union funding for regional initiatives to support the proposed programme.

“Despite today’s climate of austerity, investing in technologies that will sustain Europe throughout the 21st century and solve important societal challenges such as energy efficiency, security and the aging population, makes economic sense,” explained Mr Villa [Enrico Villa, Chairman of CATRENE]. “We firmly believe that with the right investment and Europe-wide programme coordination, the European nanoelectronics ecosystem can increase Europe’s worldwide revenues by over 200 billion € per year and create an additional 250,000 direct and induced jobs in Europe.”

That seems like a plea for public funding than an attempt at public discussion.

Here’s more about AENEAS from its home page,

AENEAS is a non-profit industrial association established under French law, continuing the activities of the former ENIAC Platform and representing the Nanoelectronics R&D partners in the ENIAC Joint Undertaking.

It allows its members to participate in the Joint Technology Initiatives and provides the European Technology Platform with a legal backbone.

AENEAS is open to all European key players in Nanoelectronics, such as large industry, Small and Medium Enterprises, research institutes, academia, and associations.

Here’s more about CATRENE from its home page,

The recent EUREKA programme CATRENE (Cluster for Application and Technology Research in Europe on NanoElectronics) will effect Technological Leadership for a competitive European ICT industry. It is the ambition of Europe and the European companies to deliver nano-/microelectronics solutions that respond to the needs of society at large, improving the economic prosperity of Europe and reinforcing the ability of its industry to be at the forefront of the global competition.

CATRENE builds on the successful previous EUREKA programmes JESSI, MEDEA, and MEDEA+ in fostering the continued development of a dynamic European ecosystem with the critical mass necessary to compete at a global level in high technology industries.

CATRENE is a four-year programme, started 01 January 2008, and has been extended by another four years. This is in line with the changing landscape of the semiconductor industry as well as the present view on technology evolution and the time span over which most of the major applications will develop. Resources required will be annually around 2,500 person-years, equalling about € 4 billion for the extended programme.