Imec opens 2.5 billion euros chip pilot line as Europe looks to strengthen AI hand

By Nathan Vifflin

Feb 9 (Reuters) - Europe took a step to strengthen its hand in the global chip race on Monday as Belgian ​research firm imec opened "NanoIC", a 2.5 billion euros ($2.95 billion) pilot line ‌aimed at developing ultra-advanced semiconductors under the EU's Chips Act.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Europe is home to ‌major chipmaking equipment champions - including Dutch lithography leader ASML - but produces and designs only a small slice of the most advanced chips, leaving it largely on the sidelines of the AI-driven boom that has lifted U.S. and Asian players.

NanoIC is ⁠designed to close part ‌of that gap. Rather than building a full commercial factory, Europe is betting on a shared research model that lets ‍firms and labs prototype beyond-2nm process steps and integration before committing billions to volume manufacturing.

CONTEXT

The European Chips Act, unveiled in 2022, aims to double the EU's share of global ​semiconductor production to 20% by 2030. NanoIC will host ASML's most advanced ‌tool, the High NA EUV machine, alongside its full suite of accompanying tools.

BY THE NUMBERS

2.5 billion euros: The total investment for the NanoIC pilot line, comprising of 1.4 billion in public funding from the EU's Chips Joint Undertaking and the Flemish government and 1.1 billion in private contributions from industry ⁠leaders, with ASML representing the largest share.

KEY QUOTES

"We ​are all very proud and thankful that ​this is happening at the heart of Europe and will allow Europe to play an even more critical role in the ‍global semiconductor ecosystem" said ⁠ASML chief executive Christophe Fouquet in a statement.

"The NanoIC pilot line will play a crucial role in strengthening Europe's industrial fabric in the ⁠AI era", imec CEO Luc Van den hove said.

WHAT'S NEXT

imec expects the delivery of ASML's ‌High NA EUV tool in March.

($1 = 0.8483 euros)

(Reporting by Nathan Vifflin ‌in Gdansk; Editing by Matt Scuffham)