8 December 2025 Minister for Innovation Hanke: "Linz as a central player of the EU Chips Design platform" Silicon Austria Labs leads Design Enablement Team for Europe's chip future

It starts in Linz – also for Europe's chip future. With the new Design Enablement Team (DET) CHIPSIDEA, Silicon Austria Labs is opening up access to state-of-the-art semiconductor development for SMEs, start-ups and research institutions. In the entire EU there are only nine of these DETs – and Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) assumes a key role in the framework of the EU Chips Act by leading one of these DETs.

 In 2025, the Chips Joint Undertaking launched a call for Design Enablement Teams to support the design platform of the “Chips for Europe” initiative (pillar 1 of the EU Chips Act). This platform strengthens Europe's semiconductor design competence and promotes a robust ecosystem for start-ups and SMEs. It consists of two units: the Platform Coordination Team (PCT), which manages the central cloud infrastructure, and the Design Enablement Teams (DETs), which operate decentralized cloud instances and accompany users from design setup to chip tape-out.

Austria positions itself as a key player for Europe's chip future

Under the name CHIPSIDEA, Silicon Austria Labs leads one of these nine DETs, positioning Austria as a key player for the future of microelectronics. Together with ParityQC, SAL represents Austria in this strategic programme, combining cutting-edge research with industrial expertise. 

“The semiconductor industry is THE strategic industry of the 21st century, which is crucial for economic development in the coming decades. Chips, as fundamental building blocks of our technological and digitized world, have become the key factor for technological sovereignty, economic growth, and industrial resilience. Therefore, it is of immense importance that Europe establishes a sovereign chips infrastructure. With SAL taking over the management of the new DET, a real milestone has been achieved here,” explains Minister for Innovation and Infrastructure Peter Hanke. 

“Especially for Upper Austria as the No. 1 economic and industrial state, semiconductors are a crucial factor for innovation strength and competitiveness. With the new Design Enablement Team at Silicon Austria Labs in Linz, we sustainably strengthen Upper Austria’s role as a central hub in the European chip ecosystem. As a key actor of the EU Chips Design Platform, SAL opens access to state-of-the-art chip design infrastructure and essential know-how. This enhances the innovation strength of our companies – from the automotive industry to Industry 4.0 and satellite communication,” underlines Upper Austria’s Regional Councillor for Economic Affairs and Research Markus Achleitner. 

Innovative chip solutions for 5G, automotive and industry 

“With CHIPSIDEA, SAL underscores its role as a driver of innovation in Europe. Our strength lies in the unique combination of deep design expertise, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and an international team of highly qualified employees. The DET at SAL is not just a service – it is a strategic contribution to the competitiveness of Europe,” emphasizes Christina Hirschl, Managing Director of SAL. 

Technological focuses of CHIPSIDEA are on high-frequency and millimeter-wave chips for 5G/6G, mixed-signal designs and energy-efficient solutions for communication and sensor technology. The application areas range from automotive to energy, Industry 4.0, and space and defence. First pilot users are to be admitted from spring 2026 – a crucial step to dismantle cost and knowledge barriers and secure Europe's technological independence.