Access to semiconductor pilot lines often begins with many questions. In this blog, Thiago Raddo shares how ChipNL CC helps start-ups and SMEs find the right path — by looking beyond the initial question, understanding the real need, and making the step to European Pilot Lines.
When companies are looking for pilot line opportunities, they usually start from a concrete need: support in chip design, access to advanced manufacturing facilities, or help in navigating the European semiconductor landscape. ChipNL CC acts as the first point of contact in the Netherlands for these questions.
By Thiago Raddo, ChipNL Competence Centre
ChipNL CC as a practical gateway
ChipNL CC is the gateway to the European Pilot Lines in the Netherlands — a practical contact point that helps startups and SMEs gain access to the facilities, expertise, and funding opportunities they need to further develop their technology.
In addition, ChipNL CC has an extensive network of key partners within the pilot lines. We support startups and SMEs in finding the right partners for their specific technological challenges and help them build sustainable collaborations within the European semiconductor ecosystem.
Understanding the real need
In practice, this means looking beyond the initial question and helping companies understand what they really need. Often a conversation starts with a technical question but quickly unfolds into a broader challenge: how do I get from idea to prototype? Which European facilities are relevant for my technology? How do I navigate the European funding landscape?
At ChipNL CC, we see it as part of our role to lower the barrier to the semiconductor value chain. We not only direct them to the right facilities, but also help in formulating the right application, understanding the requirements, and building the necessary networks.
Once we take the time to understand the broader context, the real challenge usually becomes clearer. At that point, we can provide more targeted advice on the available opportunities within the European Pilot Lines and the Dutch ecosystem.
The broader European context
Europe's digital future runs on semiconductors, but the past few years have shown how vulnerable we still are. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of global supply chains, resulting in severe chip shortages. This has highlighted the urgency of European technological sovereignty.
Europe's competition gap
Draghi's message is clear: Europe must close its competition gap in advanced technologies. The Draghi report states that Europe must scale up investments in research, development, and manufacturing capacity to remain competitive globally.
European policy response
The European Chips Act strengthens the European semiconductor ecosystem, enhances supply chain resilience, and promotes technological sovereignty. With the upcoming Chips Act 2.0, the ambition is further refined: more coordination, more investments, and a stronger focus on advanced manufacturing technologies.
The first European Pilot Lines
Europe has recently launched five pilot lines as shared capacity platforms to bridge the gap from lab innovation to manufacturable technologies:
FAMES — fully depleted silicon-on-insulator technology (fames-pilot-line.eu)
APECS — advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration (apecs.eu)
PIXEurope — advanced photonic integrated circuits (pixeurope.eu)
These pilot lines are supported by combined investments from the European Union and member states and are open and accessible to European companies, knowledge institutions, and startups.
What a pilot line does
A pilot line is situated between research and mass production. It is a platform for experimenting and prototyping, where companies can validate their technology without the full investment of a commercial production line. This makes pilot lines particularly suitable for startups and SMEs looking to scale their technology.
Guidance through the entire value chain
While the pilot lines offer non-discriminatory access, guidance remains a challenge. The entry point, navigating application procedures, and finding the right technological match require expertise that not every organization has in-house. This is precisely where the added value of ChipNL CC lies.
The Dutch semiconductor ecosystem
ChipNL CC is well integrated into the Dutch ecosystem. The Netherlands is among a select number of countries with a complete semiconductor value chain — from chip design and equipment to manufacturing facilities and knowledge-intensive services. Key players such as ASML, NXP, Philips, and a growing number of startups and scale-ups make the Netherlands one of the most complete semiconductor ecosystems in Europe.
From promising ideas to manufacturable technologies
The pilot lines are the new 'hands-on infrastructure' that can turn promising ideas into manufacturable technologies. With the right support — and that is precisely what ChipNL CC provides — European companies can bring their innovations to market faster and more effectively.