Catalonia will invest €400 million in InnoFAB, a center for advanced semiconductor development

The Catalan government has approved the launch of the InnoFAB project, a cutting-edge infrastructure that will make Catalonia a key player in developing advanced semiconductors, with a 2,000 m² state-of-the-art clean room. The project foresees the creation of a research and pre-production center for chips that use alternative materials to silicon and have strategic applications in sectors such as electronics, health, and energy.

InnoFAB is a strategic initiative that aims to provide a unique environment for start-ups and companies in the semiconductor sector, enhancing their manufacturing capabilities and accelerating the adoption of new solutions and products for all sectors and types of companies, including SMEs and large enterprises. This initiative will promote the creation of highly qualified scientific and technical jobs and consolidate Catalonia as a European hub for semiconductors. It will also strengthen the transfer of knowledge from research centers to the market.

This project is promoted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Research and Universities. With a total investment of €400 million, the project will start in 2025 with an initial contribution of €3.5 million to launch the tender for the engineering project.

InnoFAB is part of PERTE Chip and the European Chips Act, two European initiatives to strengthen the continent's technological autonomy. The project will receive European funding through the EU's Next Generation Fund.

José Antonio Garrido has been appointed coordinator of the interdepartmental working group to drive the project's deployment. He is an ICREA researcher at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), an internationally recognized center for advanced materials research, and a leading member of the European Graphene Flagship Programme.

The agreement also provides for the creation of a new public entity of the Government of Catalonia that will take over the execution and management of the project, as well as the ownership of the center and the land on which it will be located.

Catalonia's steps towards leadership in future electronics and innovation

With this step, Catalonia is making a clear commitment to being a leader in the electronics of the future, incorporating the capabilities of prototyping chips into the current design phases. InnoFAB will contribute to the consolidation of an ecosystem that is unique in Spain and Europe and will strengthen its capacity to attract talent and investment in a key area for reducing the technological gap at a global level.