September 10, 2026. Europe has invested billions in the semiconductor industry. Now, the question is how the pilot lines established under the EU Chips Act will generate industrial value. Leading representatives from industry, research, and politics will discuss this topic at “FIRST by FMD” on September 30 and October 1, 2026, at the EUREF Campus in Berlin.
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The APECS pilot line for advanced packaging and heterointegration provides access to design, development, testing, and pilot production, thereby bridging the gap between research and industrial application. Prof. Dr. Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer Society, emphasizes that this transfer can only succeed through close collaboration between science and industry: “Europe’s future in microelectronics will be determined not only by roadmaps and work in the labs, but by the joint efforts of industry and scientific organizations to rapidly translate research excellence into scalable industrial technologies.”
The new FIRST by FMD Trend Forum focuses on the political and economic conditions that must be created to achieve this and the technological strengths Europe can leverage. Various sessions, panel discussions, and in-depth technical explorations of the key topics shaping the European semiconductor ecosystem, as well as strategic spotlights, bring together diverse perspectives. The discussion will not only focus on access to infrastructure but also on reliable framework conditions for the subsequent transition to industrial manufacturing.
Michael Hosemann of Siemens Healthineers explains: “Supporting process development capabilities is much needed and appreciated. However, we also need policies that allow for flexible scale-up and a sustainable long-term supply.” Alexandra-Gwyn Paetz from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) underscores the strategic importance of such framework conditions. “Germany’s position in microelectronics has far-reaching implications for our innovative strength—and thus also for our industrial competitiveness, technological sovereignty, and economic resilience. Our High-Tech Agenda therefore strengthens microelectronics as a key enabling technology.”
With the further development of the EU Chips Act, the question therefore arises as to what course Europe must now set for the next phase of its semiconductor strategy. It is crucial that the Chips Act 2.0 not only promotes research and new production capacities but also supports industrial scaling and long-term value creation in Europe.
Carsten Salewski of Viscom articulates a specific expectation: “In my view, ‘EU added value’ in Chips Act 2.0 must be EU-made production equipment for ‘new or substantially upgraded facilities for electronics manufacturing or integration’.”
Europe’s opportunity lies particularly in expanding existing expertise in the technology fields of advanced packaging, heterointegration, chiplets, and chip design in order to position itself strategically.
“Advanced packaging is the next battlefield. Europe needs packaging sovereignty alongside fab sovereignty. Laser beam shaping enables chiplet integration at scale,” explains Marcel Schäfer of TRUMPF.
Thomas Heurung of Siemens EDA adds: “Speed is of the essence in semiconductors. AI-enabled EDA and Europe’s chip design platform help startups reach proof of concept (PoC), secure funding, and reach customers faster.”
How these technologies and the necessary infrastructure can contribute to the European semiconductor strategy is a core component of the curated FIRST program. This will also be showcased on Demo Street. Here, visitors can experience technologies and specific applications in the fields of power, advanced packaging, radio frequency, MEMS, sensor technology, and photonics, and engage in conversation with the experts on site.
FIRST brings together leading players from across the European semiconductor ecosystem: Semiconductor manufacturers such as GlobalFoundries, Intel, STMicroelectronics, NXP, and UMS meet equipment and integration providers such as ASML, ASMPT, TRUMPF, Viscom, and Comet. Siemens EDA, EuroCDP, and the Chipdesign Germany network address the European design infrastructure, while Bosch, Audi, Siemens Healthineers, HENSOLDT, and Thales bring the requirements of key user industries into the discussion. Representatives from the European Commission, the Chips Joint Undertaking, and the BMFTR, as well as from the FMD and universities, round out the perspectives from policy and research.
As part of the EU Chips Act, the FMD will work with APECS over the coming years to establish a comprehensive pilot line for resilient and trustworthy heterogeneous systems that promotes the innovation capacity of European industry across the board. By enabling new functionalities through “System Technology Co-Optimization” (STCO), end-to-end design, and pilot production capacities, the pilot line facilitates the further development of innovations from research into practical, scalable manufacturing solutions. In addition, APECS offers a one-stop shop for customers in virtually all traditional vertical industrial sectors, including large corporations, SMEs, and startups. APECS brings together the expertise, infrastructure, and know-how of ten partners from eight European countries. In Germany, twelve institutes of the Fraunhofer Society (project coordinator) and two institutes of the Leibniz Association are participating in the pilot line. APECS is implemented by FMD. As part of APECS, FIRST by FMD was also launched as a European forum for decision-makers and trends in microelectronics.
FMD, a collaboration between 13 Fraunhofer Institutes and the Leibniz Institutes FBH and IHP, is the central point of contact for all issues related to micro- and nanoelectronic research and development in Germany and Europe. As a one-stop shop, the FMD combines the scientifically excellent technologies and system solutions of its partner research institutes into a customized, comprehensive offering. Under the virtual umbrella of the FMD, one of the largest consortia of its kind was thus established in 2017, with more than 5,500 employees and a unique diversity of expertise and infrastructure. Since 2024, FMD has been a registered word mark of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.
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👉 www.izm.fraunhofer.de
👉 www.forschungsfabrik-mikroelektronik.de
👉 www.apecs.eu
👉 www.first-by-fmd.de
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