EFECS 2024 Review - INSIDE Industry Association

Driving Innovation and Shape European Competitiveness

“𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲.” (Maria Cristina Russo (Director Prosperity, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation)

Over two days in Ghent, Belgium, the community came together to explore the key topics shaping Europe’s competitiveness in electronics and semiconductor technologies. The event, co-organised by INSIDE, brought together industry leaders, researchers, and innovators, showcasing groundbreaking advancements and fostering collaboration.

Key Highlights of the event

Inspiring Keynote Address

At the very beginning of the event Frédérique Le Grèves, President of STMicroelectronics France and EVP of Europe & France Public Affairs, delivered a compelling keynote speech. She outlined a vision for Europe’s semiconductor landscape, emphasizing:

The need for a long-term joint strategy to strengthen Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem.
Innovation-driven growth to bridge competitive gaps and advance technological leadership.
Prioritizing talent development and skill-building to secure a brighter future.

Deep Dives into Specialized Topics

Automotive Innovation

Then, Andreas Eckel, Teamlead Innovation Projects & Funding Management, TTTech and Michael Paulweber, expert in software-defined vehicles, with 40+ years in the industry and leadership at AVL, brought insights into next-gen mobility.

ECS for Health

At the intersection of electronics, components, and systems (ECS) with healthcare was another focal point, experts Juan A. Montiel-Nelson (University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), Dominique Goubier, and Olivier Horbowy (STMicroelectronics) showcased how ECS technologies are revolutionizing healthcare delivery and diagnostics.

Edge AI in Focus

Edge AI—a rapidly growing field—was also highlighted by Ovidiu Vermesan, Chief Scientist at SINTEF Digital, and Giulio Urlini, R&D Program Manager at STMicroelectronics. Their discussions delved into the future of autonomous systems and AI-enabled technologies, exploring how embedded intelligence is driving advancements in smart applications.

Europe’s Semiconductor Strategy: Insights from Key Leaders

The future of Europe’s prosperity lies in the strategic advancement of chips research and innovation (R&I). Maria Christina Russo (Director Prosperity, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation) delivered a compelling keynote speech, underscoring the pivotal role of chips R&I in shaping Europe’s economic future. Highlighting the foundation laid by the EU Chips Act, she called for a strategic approach to:

Drive innovation in next-generation semiconductor technologies.
Increase investment in skills development and green digital solutions.
Reduce dependencies by strengthening Europe’s technological autonomy.

Her message emphasized the urgency of building on existing progress to ensure Europe remains competitive on the global stage.

From his side, Gustav Kalbe, acting Director of Enabling and Emerging Technologies at DG CNECT, European Commission, provided a comprehensive overview of Europe’s current standing in the semiconductor sector and highlighted critical steps to solidify its leadership.

Implementation of the Chips for Europe Initiative: This initiative aims to bolster Europe’s semiconductor capabilities through targeted programs and collaborations.
Chips JU Pilot Lines: These pilot lines offer users across the EU access to cutting-edge innovation, providing essential opportunities to test and adopt groundbreaking technologies.
Strategic Investments: Kalbe emphasized the importance of addressing weaknesses within the EU’s semiconductor ecosystem and making informed decisions about where to allocate resources.
Collaboration for Success: Tackling the key challenges facing Europe requires a united effort. Kalbe called for enhanced cooperation among stakeholders to achieve shared goals and build a robust semiconductor industry.

Advancing Europe’s Semiconductor Industry: Alliances, Challenges, and Investment Opportunities

The Chips Ju Calls 2025 presentation brought to light significant advancements and challenges in the semiconductor industry.

Then a key highlight was the presentation of the Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor Technologies, led by Silvana Muscella, ALLPROS.eu Project Coordinator and CEO of Trust-IT Services. The Alliance connects stakeholders across Europe—industry leaders, research organizations, and associations—to address critical gaps in microchip production and foster growth and resilience. Muscella shared insights from working groups focused on skills development, supply chain resilience, and PFAS challenges.

Additionally, Marco Ceccarelli, Program Officer at DG CNECT, European Commission, presented on Europe’s deep-tech sector’s funding challenges and the Chips Fund’s role in addressing these issues before to underlining the potential of private equity investment in the semiconductor sector, emphasizing the sector’s pivotal role in driving digitalisation, the exciting growth opportunities within Europe’s semiconductor industry, and the need for robust investment strategies to sustain this momentum.

Driving Progress: From Edge AI and Healthcare Breakthroughs to Sustainable Energy and Green Technologies

Sessions – organised by Paolo Azzoni from INSIDE – focused on pushing the boundaries of constraints and current limitations of EDGE AI, then, Healthcare focusing on how ECS community can tackle modern challenges, emphasizing AI, digital integration, data-driven care to advance impactful solutions like remote patient monitoring and digital medical devices, or the Lab to Fab Accelerator on Advanced Packaging workshop ; highlighted innovative approaches to translating cutting-edge research into practical, scalable applications for real-world impact.

After that, the hightlights was focus on discussing the technologies shaping a more efficient and sustainable energy landscape : exploring Energy and Green Electronics with Erika Györvary, Lead of European Affairs at CSEM, and the future of Power Electronics with Jochen Koszescha, Senior Director at Infineon Technologies, delves into sustainable innovations and the technologies driving a greener and more energy-efficient future.

Then the spotlight was on the European Chips Academy, addressing the semiconductor talent gap and the most sought-after profiles, alongside the presentation of funding decisions for the 2024 Electronic Components and Systems (ECS) calls and the expected timeline for the 2025 calls, including quantum chip technology, and Competence Centre calls.

These discussions explored the current political landscape and the future of Europe’s competitiveness, with key insights drawn from the Mario Draghi Report.

Additionally, the introduction of the ECS Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (ECS SRIA) served as a critical guide to accelerate Europe’s digital transformation, reflecting European values, and laying the groundwork for the Chips JU ECS R&I Calls.

A Vision for the Future

As Europe moves forward, the insights from these sessions serve as a roadmap for fostering innovation, reducing dependencies, and securing a competitive edge in the global semiconductor market.

By investing in research, skills, and strategic collaborations, the European Union is laying the groundwork for a sustainable and prosperous future in advanced technologies.