semiconductors

The semiconductor industry is expanding at an unprecedented pace. Global semiconductor revenues are now forecast to exceed $1 trillion annually by 2030, yet recruitment is struggling to keep pace with the demand for new workers. This is why talent development is a critical focus for SEMI and the SEMI Foundation.Young professionals and students are crucial stakeholders of future talent. Held during SEMICON Europa, Building the Talent Pipeline event provided a showcase for some of Europe’s most enthusiastic promoters of careers in the industry: the Student Ambassadors of the European Chip Skills Academy (ECSA). The session opened with Andra Bornea, a Master’s student of electrical engineering at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca in Romania, who shared the inspiring story of her journey towards a career in electronics. “For me, it started when I attended the ECS Summer School in 2023 along with 39 other students. It was a life-changing experience,” Bornea shared.The Summer School is a week-long programme jointly organised by AENEAS, ECSA, EPoSS and Inside, bringing together lectures, demonstrations and interactive sessions that give students a first-hand glimpse into what a career in semiconductors can look like. For Bornea, the impact was immediate and decisive. “Attending the Summer School convinced me to shift the focus of my studies from telecommunications and pursue a Master’s in electrical engineering,” she added. Today, Bornea is one of 70 students across Europe who form the ECSA Student Ambassador Programme, a community she describes as “a vibrant network of motivated students working towards the goal of keeping Europe at the forefront of the global semiconductor industry.”Andra Bornea, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca The event also featured other ECSA student ambassadors who are actively promoting the semiconductor industry within their own academic communities. One of them was András Bálint Mészáros, an electrical engineering student at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, who spoke about his determination to build a student electronics club despite facing administrative hurdles along the way. Reflecting on the process, Mészáros said, “ECSA provided good opportunities to start a community of students interested in observing how the microelectronics industry works.”András Mészáros, Budapest University of Technology and Economics A similar spirit of initiative was shared by Nassim Beladel, a Master’s student at ETH Zurich, who described founding Young Neuromorphs which is a student association focused on computational hardware design inspired by the structure of the human brain. Beladel outlined ambitious plans for the group, including an FPGA hackathon in 2026 supported by the Edge AI Foundation, as well as a proposal to present the association’s work at an IEEE event in Shanghai. Nassim Beladel, ETH Zürich These new initiatives supplement a vibrant network of clubs and events around Europe. Octavian-Constantin Axinte, a Master’s student at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, told the forum of a Romanian competition for electronics students which has its roots way back in 1992. The Technologies of Interconnections in Electronics (TIE) contest attracted 1,500 students to its final stage in 2025. Axinte said that the benefits of participation included “hands-on experience of professional work, interaction with teachers, and, if all goes well, a job offer!” Octavian Axinte, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca Pioneering Research Efforts of the Next Generation of Students The Building the Talent Pipeline event also gave ECSA student ambassadors an opportunity to describe the findings of research projects that they have undertaken. Laura Sondakh, a Master’s student at Ghent University, presented her research into the environmental and social impacts of tantalum and cobalt which are critical minerals used in electronic components such as capacitors. “These minerals mostly come from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country which ranks very low on development indices,” she explained, noting that many mines are located in conflict-affected regions in the east of the country. Laura Sondakh, Ghent University Vuk Vulević, a Bachelor’s student of telecommunications and IT at the University of Belgrade, shared his work on the applications of quantum computing, highlighting its potential beyond classic engineering uses such as machine learning. He explained how quantum technologies could also be applied “in pharmacology, for simulating complex molecules and testing compounds virtually, and in finance, for performing risk analyses and Monte Carlo simulations at high speed.” Vuk Vulević, University of Belgrade Z Zainab, a Research Assistant at Hochschule Anhalt, shared insights from her research into how mechanical strain can be introduced during the wafer saw-dicing process which is a critical step in turning wafers into individual chips. Using Raman spectroscopy, her work helps identify how key process parameters influence wafer integrity, enabling manufacturers to better optimise dicing conditions and reduce hidden damage that can affect chip reliability and manufacturing efficiency.Z Zainab, Research Assistant, Hochschule Anhalt Future Plans for Building the Talent Pipeline The event concluded by looking ahead at how SEMI and its partners are scaling up programmes to support talent development worldwide. Victoria Cummings, Senior Manager for Workforce Development and EU Projects at SEMI Europe, introduced Reinforcing Skills in Chips Design for Europe (RESCHIP4EU), a Master’s program for training the next generation of semiconductor designers supported by SEMI Europe and STMicroelectronics. Outlining the project’s ambition, Cummings said, “The program has a broad curriculum, covering everything from silicon chips and SoCs to safety-critical software, how to run a team, and how to start a semiconductor business.” Victoria Cummings, Senior Manager, Workforce Development and EU Projects, SEMI Europe The focus then shifted towards engaging younger learners. Marco van Schagen and Tijl Bouman, co-founders of JuniorIOT, unveiled their newest workshop, Chips in Schools, which builds on their work to spark interest in electronics among younger students. During a hands-on demonstration, audience members of all ages were invited to examine LEDs under a microscope, learning how different chips can be identified and classified by function.The Chips in Schools workshop will soon be available on the ECSA e-learning platform as part of the ongoing collaboration between ECSA and JuniorIOT. Reflecting on the importance of early engagement, van Schagen noted: “When we talk about the talent pipeline, we need to ask where this pipeline really begins. For us, it’s so important that we reach out to children early to foster their sense of curiosity and discovery.”Marco van Schagen, Co-founder of JuniorIOT, demonstrating the Chips in Schools workshop with Victoria Cummings.Rounding off the session, Mike Glavin, Program Director for Workforce Development at the SEMI Foundation, spoke about efforts to significantly scale the foundation’s impact. He described how, despite hundreds of individual microelectronics education initiatives across schools and colleges in the United States, their collective impact has often been limited by fragmentation and a lack of coordinated promotion. To address this, Glavin introduced the National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME), an initiative designed to unify and amplify existing programmes by connecting educators, students and regional partners. The goal, he explained, is to build scalable, sustainable talent pipelines: “We want to answer the questions, how do we train teachers to educate students about semiconductors? How do we connect to networks through which we can train educators at scale? And how do we develop resources so that a university can host its own semiconductor day, rather than requiring the SEMI Foundation to put it on?” Mike Glavin, Program Director for Workforce Development, SEMI Foundation From university labs to industry-aligned Master’s programs, the message at SEMICON Europa 2025 was clear: talent development is critical to sustaining Europe’s semiconductor ambitions. SEMI would like to thank its partners across academia and industry, as well as the vibrant community of ECSA Student Ambassadors, whose collaboration, commitment and creativity are helping to build a diverse, resilient talent pipeline and shaping the future of the global microelectronics ecosystem.SEMI Contact Jatin Mendiratta, Communications Coordinator, European Projects Email: [email protected]

Geopolitical shifts, rapid technological advancement, and supply chain pressures continue to redefine the global semiconductor landscape. These forces framed the discussions at the 2025 SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium Europe (ISS Europe), held in Sopot, Poland. Over two days, industry leaders, and policymakers examined how Europe can boost resilience amid growing uncertainty.Artificial intelligence (AI) stood out as a key driver—powering global chip demand and transforming industry operations. In the past year, AI applications like generative models and edge computing helped push chip sales to new highs. The EU Chips Act, effective since September 2023, also fueled change. It has drawn tens of billions of euros into European semiconductor infrastructure, including major investments in Pomerania, the host region for this year’s symposium. “With AI expected to drive exponential growth in the semiconductor industry—projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030—Europe must act collectively to remain competitive,” said Laith Altimime, President of SEMI Europe. “We encourage collaboration across all countries to strengthen supply chain resilience, mitigate geopolitical risks, and harness the full potential of our diverse talent base.”Laith Altimime, President, SEMI EuropeSo what has the EU’s investment in the semiconductor industry achieved, and how much more remains to be done? Gustav Kalbe, Acting Director of Enabling and Emerging Technologies at the European Commission, cited €80 billion in public and private investment in European fabs as clear progress toward introducing "advanced technology that has not before been deployed on the continent of Europe." However, Kalbe emphasized a new urgency driven by AI’s rise. “We need in Europe a secure supply chain for AI chips in key sectors—particularly automotive,” said Kalbe. “That’s why we are really pushing for accelerated development of AI chips here.”Gustav Kalbe, Acting Director of Enabling and emerging technologies,DG CNECT, European CommissionPoland is a prime example of the EU Chips Act’s impact—driven by consistent government support. Dariusz Standerski, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Digital Affairs, highlighted Poland’s seven-pillar national semiconductor strategy, which includes expanding infrastructure and increasing engineering talent by 20% by 2030. “We need to build our production capacity to meet the strategic needs of Poland,” said Standerski. “Semiconductors are important not only because of market size, but because of their role in national security.”Dariusz Standerski, Secretary of State, Ministry of Digital Affairs, PolandRisks to the Industry from a World in Political TurmoilGeopolitical shifts and market volatility dominated the opening session of ISS Europe 2025. Malcolm Penn, CEO of Future Horizons, warned that despite strong 2024 revenues, industry fundamentals remain fragile. “All of the growth is in graphics processing units (GPUs) for AI and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI servers—every other product sector is currently in recession,” said Penn. He forecast 12% industry growth in 2025 but cautioned against overcapacity and price pressures from China. “We are not seeing unit growth, and without unit growth, you don’t have sustainable market growth,” explained Penn. “If momentum in AI slows, the industry could face a significant retrenchment.”Malcolm Penn, CEO of Future HorizonsLooking beyond the immediate outlook for semiconductors, Hendrik Bourgeois, Vice President for European Governmental Affairs at Intel, turned the spotlight onbroader economic and security challenges facing the region. Bourgeois outlined four strategic policy priorities for Europe: Build internal strength to ensure external (global) relevance;Deepen alliances beyond the United States—such as with the UK, Canada, Japan, and South Korea;Be open to a stronger economic relationship with China;Recognize that the U.S. is more than its federal government: states, cities, people and corporations all have a role to play in bringing stability and certainty.Hendrik Bourgeois, Vice President for European Governmental Affairs, IntelBenedikt Ernst, Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy Transformation at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, emphasized the strategic importance of strengthening Europe’s domestic semiconductor ecosystem. “No country or region can be fully self-sufficient,” said Ernst. “But Europe is particularly strong in domains like advanced materials, fabrication equipment, and semiconductor manufacturing. We have leading players in these fields – let’s bet on them.”Benedikt Ernst, Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy Transformation, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, GermanyMikolaj Trunin, Deputy Director of the Invest in Pomerania, and its Strategic Investment Manager Radoslaw Bojarczuk, highlighted the region’s rising profile among global investors. Despite a global downturn in foreign direct investment (FDI) since 2015, the region stretching from Gdansk and Warsaw to Dresden and Magdeburg is emerging as a vibrant semiconductor hub. “The environment is becoming increasingly attractive to outside investors drawn by the region’s large talent pool, robust venture capital activity, and strong and stable economic growth,” said Trunin.Left: Mikołaj Trunin, Deputy Director, Invest in PomeraniaRight: Radosław Bojarczuk, Strategic Investment Manager, Invest in PomeraniaAdvancing on the Roadmap to Net ZeroThe symposium’s second session tackled sustainability—how to grow the industry beyond $1 trillion in revenue while cutting emissions. AI emerged as a key enabler of sustainable innovation. Bill Lussier, Managing Director of Tokyo Electron Europe, highlighted recycled aluminum which has a much lower carbon footprint, but noted that semiconductor equipment requires ultra-pure aluminum, which is not available off-the-shelf in recycled form. “The solution is to create a new circular economy for ultra-pure aluminum—a supply chain so complex that it cannot be managed without the aid of AI,” explained Lussier.Bill Lussier, Managing Director, Tokyo Electron EuropeAI is also helping decarbonize logistics, a critical yet often overlooked part of the semiconductor ecosystem. Rainer Kiefer, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Sales at Schenker AG, underscored the environmental cost of air cargo: “We need smart supply chain design to reduce the air miles of chips.” AI supports this by optimizing routing, loads, predictive maintenance, and demand forecasting. Rainer Kiefer, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Sales, Schenker AGHowever, AI brings new energy demands. Malgorzata Kasperska, Vice President of Secure Power at Schneider Electric, urged greater efficiency in AI data centers: “We need to optimize both power capacity and efficiency, and deploy high-density infrastructure, all while enhancing sustainability practices.” Malgorzata Kasperska, Vice President of Secure Power, Schneider ElectricEnergy-intensive fab operations remain a major challenge. Charles Vaillant, Chief Technology Officer at MANN+HUMMEL, noted that heating and ventilation account for up to 50% of a fab’s energy use. To improve efficiency, the company introduced a filtration system using activated carbon ceramic technology. The innovation reduces pressure drop, cutting fan energy use and delivering up to 41% energy savings in cleanroom environments.Charles Vaillant, Chief Technology Officer at MANN+HUMMELFinding the Talent to Fuel the Industry’s GrowthAttracting and developing talent remains a critical challenge for the semiconductor industry. Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, cited a visibility gap: “Young people don’t see these engineering and IT jobs. You cannot be what you do not see.” Meike Boekelmann, Chief Human Resources Officer at Comet, echoed the sentiment. “Face-to-face, we can get people excited about joining our industry,” said Boekelmann. “The challenge is getting them in front of us in the first place.” Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills,Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)In a panel discussion on Bridging the Talent Gap for Sustainable Growth, moderated by SEMI Europe’s Maria Daniela Perez, speakers explored how industry and academia can better collaborate to meet evolving workforce demands. Thomas Kralinski, Saxon State Secretary of Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy and Climate, emphasized the importance of future-ready education. “Do we know which fab is going to be built in 2035, or which start-up will be founded? No—but all the people who will work there are already alive. We need education to prepare these people for this unknown future.Thomas Kralinski, Saxon State Secretary of Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy and ClimatePanel Discussion on Bridging the Talent Gap for Sustainable GrowthAI Intensifies Scale of Innovation in Semiconductor FabricationDay two of ISS Europe 2025 spotlighted AI’s transformative impact on semiconductor innovation, from materials to manufacturing and chip design. John Behnke, General Manager for Smart Manufacturing at INFICON, emphasized AI’s growing role in managing fab complexity. “You need a lot of highly knowledgeable people to run a fab today,” said Behnke. “They must analyze huge amounts of data, and balance priorities like quality, on-time delivery, cycle time, and profitability.” In the future, he explained, AI-powered optimization engines will shoulder that burden by making autonomous decisions.John Behnke, General Manager for Smart Manufacturing, INFICONJean-Christophe Eloy, CEO of Yole Group, pointed to the rapid growth of data centers as a catalyst for architectural transformation, predicting a shift from monolithic AI ASICs to chiplet-based designs. “In the future, we can expect to see much of the value in the semiconductor business transfer from the front-end chip to the advanced packaging that integrates chiplets,” said Eloy. Jean-Christophe Eloy, CEO, Yole GroupThis sentiment was echoed by Christophe Frey, Vice President of EU Engagement at Arm, who described the industry’s shift from systems-on-chip to systems-of-chips. “Chiplets represents a unique opportunity for Europe to re-enter the game of high-end chips,” said Frey. He emphasized the need for an open chiplet marketplace, an effort Arm supports, but warned, “There is a long road ahead of us,” citing the need for silicon qualification, profiling, test and debug infrastructure, software standards, and specifications for mechanical and thermal integration.Christophe Frey, Vice President of EU Engagement, ArmThat transition is already taking shape in manufacturing. Volker Herbig, Vice President of the Microsystems Business Unit at X-FAB, noted that capabilities developed for CMOS+MEMS sensor in the early 2000s are now enabling heterogeneous integration (HI) at scale. “We are now an open HI foundry,” said Herbig, adding that X-FAB is building a dedicated HI facility with support from the EU Chips Act. “This technology is propagating down from the high-performance computing (HPC) world to medical and industrial applications — It’s happening as we speak.”An Industry Changing Faster Than Ever Volker Herbig captured the industry’s rapid evolution with the “Red Queen” theory from Alice in Wonderland: “You need to run as fast as you can just to stay in the same place.”Volker Herbig, Vice-President, BU MEMS, X-FABClosing the symposium, Leonard Hobbs, Director for Government Affairs at Intel Ireland, cited Charles Darwin: “The species which can best adapt to changes in its environment is the one which survives,” Hobbs added, “Over the past two days we have learned much that can help Europe’s semiconductor industry to adapt successfully to a rapidly changed world.” Leonard Hobbs, Director for Government Affairs, Intel IrelandAt the symposium’s gala dinner, delegates celebrated leaders driving the industry forward. SEMI presented the 2024 SEMI European Award to Kurt Sievers, President and CEO of NXP Semiconductors, and honored Anna-Riikka Vuorikari-Antikainen, Chief Commercial Officer of Okmetic, with the Special Service Award.Kurt Sievers, President and CEO, NXP Semiconductors (Middle)Anna-Riikka Vuorikari-Antikainen, Chief Commercial Officer, OkmeticOn behalf of SEMI, the SEMI Europe team and ISS Europe committee would like to thank all speakers, sponsors, and attendees for making the event a great success.SEMI Contact Cassandra Melvin, Senior Director of Business Development and Operations Email: [email protected]

The European semiconductor ecosystem continues to evolve, driven by the ambitions outlined in the EU Chips Act. With goals to strengthen Europe’s technological leadership and double its semiconductor manufacturing market share to 20% by 2030, collaboration across the value chain is imperative. Heterogeneous Integration for Connectivity and Sustainability (HiCONNECTS), a Horizon Europe-funded project, exemplifies this collaborative spirit. The initiative aims to develop next-generation electronic components and systems using advanced heterogeneous integration core technology solutions.The HiCONNECTS consortium, comprising 65 partners with diverse expertise, is addressing key societal and industrial challenges. These efforts focus on advancing core technology solutions for energy-efficient, high-performance wireless and wired cloud and edge computing, as well as automotive radar systems.“Collaborating with 65 partners is no small feat—it’s akin to orchestrating a complex IT network,” says Ilan Englard, Coordinator of the HiCONNECTS project. “We streamline progress by creating local networks of partners, all interconnected through a central management framework of tasks, work packages, and coordination. Such large consortia form intricate systems where complexity fosters innovation, often leading to surprising and transformative outcomes.” As the three-year project progresses, HiCONNECTS is working to establish pilot lines focused on key areas:RF Electronic Heterogeneous IntegrationPhotonic Components for Heterogeneous IntegrationAdvanced Packaging for Heterogeneous IntegrationThese pilot lines, led by organizations such as the Ferdinand Braun Institute and imec, will develop systems and modules through advanced equipment development, manufacturing optimization, and integration of electronic and photonic components. Validation of equipment in integrated process flows will further enhance the heterogeneous integration landscape.Now in its third year, HiCONNECTS continues to welcome new members. This inclusiveness underscores the project’s flexibility and its commitment to incorporating fresh perspectives as new trends and challenges emerge. At the 12-month consortium meeting in Catania last February, Arbonaut was unanimously inducted to contribute to the forest fire use case, further expanding the project’s scope.“The upcoming months are critical, as we move closer to delivering modules, systems, and demonstrators,” says Englard. “Our goal is to heterogeneously integrate the next generation of RF, electronic, and photonic components into networking, telecom, and radar systems, with support from module and equipment makers.”HiCONNECTS members at the 12-month consortium meeting in Catania, February 2024As this ambitious work progresses, sharing project results and achievements remains a top priority for the consortium to ensure meaningful social, political, and economic impact. By drawing attention to the results of the project, the consortium enhances the visibility, comprehension, and implementation of these advancements. Recently, four partners—Excillum, TNO, SANLAB, and Centria University of Applied Sciences—participated in a webinar titled “Heterogeneous Integration for Future High Speed Communication,” organized by SEMI Europe. The webinar is now available on demand for viewers worldwide.The significance of HiCONNECTS was further highlighted at SEMICON Europa 2024, where seven consortium members presented progress on topics ranging from advanced packaging to photonic integration. At the TechARENA, representatives from SEMI Europe, Excillum, Centria, Arbonaut, AT S, imec, and Applied Materials showcased the project’s contributions to the semiconductor ecosystem. “I was thrilled to present at the TECHArena and engage with the HiConnects partners,” said Julius Hållstedt, Head of segment - Semi Electronics, Excillum. “I especially appreciated the high attendance at my talk, which validated the strong interest in X-ray solutions for semiconductor applications. The insightful discussions at the SEMICON Europa exhibition and advanced packaging conference was a rewarding bonus.”HiCONNECTS Speakers at SEMICON Europa 2024By disseminating research and breakthroughs across various channels, such as publications, webinars, and conferences, HiCONNECTS is promoting knowledge sharing and fostering collaboration across the semiconductor ecosystem. This openness accelerates the adoption of new technologies, ensuring that European industry players remain at the forefront of critical advancements. Furthermore, sharing these results strengthens Europe’s position as a hub for cutting-edge research and development, driving both economic growth and technological leadership on the global stage.SEMI Europe is proud to be a consortium member of HiCONNECTS under the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU), which is funded by the EU Horizon Europe program and supported by numerous countries, including Austria, Italy, Germany, and Sweden.About HiCONNECTS:HiCONNECTS (Heterogeneous Integration for Connectivity and Sustainability) is a three-year project bringing together 65 partners to develop sustainable, energy-efficient cloud and edge computing platforms. The project focuses on high-performance computing, storage infrastructure, network interfaces, and real-time analysis of IoT sensors and big data.Kartikey Srivastava is Senior Specialist – Communications at SEMI Europe.

Vacuum pumps, pressure gauges, and vacuum valves combined make up the biggest expense on the bill of materials for semiconductor OEMs. The semiconductor industry consumed almost $2.7 billion worth of vacuum subsystems in 2020, with over 60% supplied by vendors based in Europe.

The current world news is awash with stories about this current economic downturn including speculations about its probable depth and duration. Questions loom regarding what it will take to restart the world economies and how to accomplish this restart effectively.

Global fab equipment spending promises to crawl out of a gloomy 2019 and see a modest recovery this year before a sharp uptick drives record investments in 2021 in a vivid display of the decades-old cyclicality playing out in the semiconductor industry.

Compared to the first half of 2019, the second half smacks of a recovery, with fab equipment spending revised upward to show a stronger 2019 overall in the latest update of the World Fab Forecast report, published by SEMI.

The global electronics industry normally experiences a seasonal upturn from mid-summer through the December holidays. However, this autumn’s upturn is less robust.

For the semiconductor industry, 2018 was nothing if not incredible. Chip revenue shot up to $469 billion, trouncing the record-setting $412 billion reached in 2017 to reach a new high. Both semiconductor equipment and materials hit record revenues of $65 billion and $52 billion, respectively.

Custer Consulting Group has its first estimate of global electronic equipment growth in 4Q’18 vs. 4Q’17.