Portugal’s semiconductor dialogue takes shape with contributions from INESC TEC – six months after the kick off of the Competence Centre

Portugal’s position within the semiconductor ecosystem was one of the topics discussed at an event promoted by the Portuguese Competence Centre for Semiconductors (POEMS) – which features INESC TEC as a partner. 

Six months after the official launch of Portugal’s first Competence Centre for Semiconductors (POEMS), national and international partners and experts met in Lisbon for the Strategic Dialogues on Semiconductors in Portugal event. The initiative focused on two main questions: first, to create a space for dialogue on Portugal’s position within the European semiconductor ecosystem, particularly in the context of the European Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU). At the same time, the event served as an excellent opportunity to present academic and industrial activities aimed at strengthening the sector in Portugal – both in terms of training and education, and access to the European ecosystem and capital. 

Luís Miguel Pinho, researcher at INESC TEC, was among the participants. He highlighted the “contributions from the different sectors represented, which strengthened the coordination between actors in the national ecosystem and the connection between national strategy and European priorities”. 

As the POEMS partner responsible for training and skills development, INESC TEC took part in the Talent Development & Skills Retention session, dedicated to the challenge posed by human capital in the microelectronics and semiconductor field. Luís Miguel Pinho, who moderated the panel, described “the consolidation of a shared vision on the importance of talent and specialised training” as one of the session’s main achievements. 

He also noted that recognising the opportunities for collaboration with European initiatives such as the European Chips Skills Academy, the European Design Platform, and the pilot lines for heterogeneous and photonic integration was one of the key messages to emerge from the discussion. The panel brought together representatives from several entities, including the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities (CRUP), the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the European Chips Skills Academy, and industry organisations. 

POEMS has already been “assessing the needs of Portuguese companies and mapping the national training and education landscape, recently launching an academia–industry working group on this topic”, explained Luís Pinho. Beyond the training dimension, INESC TEC’s involvement in the Competence Centre also includes “innovative services in digital and analogue/RF design, optics, laser direct writing, and RISC-V processors”, as well as knowledge and technology transfer, mentoring, and entrepreneurship support. 

Six months of POEMS 

Although still recent, the Portuguese Competence Centre for Semiconductors (POEMS) already has a “set of highly positive results” to report – particularly when it comes to engagement with European initiatives in the same field. The Strategic Dialogues on Semiconductors in Portugal event, which gathered around one hundred participants, marked a “key moment” for the initiative. It made it possible “not only to present the project’s first activities but also to gather input that will guide the upcoming phases”, following a first semester focused on kick-starting operations. 

The researcher mentioned in this news piece is associated with INESC TEC and IPP-ISEP