The agreement signed this afternoon will allow the launch of a center of excellence, which will be IMEC’s first outside Belgium. IMEC is the global leader in R&D in semiconductors, and this will boost the microelectronics ecosystem in Spain.
IMEC will dedicate the center to researching new materials beyond silicon, as well as developing new processes and equipment for various applications, and will also collaborate with universities.
The Government of Spain, through the Ministries for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, and for Science, Innovation and Universities; the Andalusian Regional Government; and the City Council of Málaga have signed a collaboration agreement that will enable the establishment of an IMEC innovation center for 300mm wafer chips at the Andalusia Technology Park.
The signing ceremony took place this afternoon with the presence of José Luis Escrivá, Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Administration; Juanma Moreno, President of the Andalusian Regional Government; and Francisco de la Torre, Mayor of Málaga.
Commitments of the parties
The agreement specifies that the Government of Spain will provide funding to construct the building through the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT) of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration. Additionally, it will contribute two-thirds of the funds required to equip and launch the cleanroom of the innovation center, as well as two-thirds of the operational costs once the center becomes operational.
The Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities will promote scientific research and technological transformation across the various activities of the project and will facilitate the transfer of relevant knowledge.
The Andalusian Regional Government will provide the land at the Andalusia Technology Park in Málaga, where the center will be built, as well as one-third of the funds for equipping and launching the cleanroom and one-third of the operational costs once the center is operational.
Finally, the City Council of Málaga is committed to facilitating all administrative and urban planning procedures to expedite the construction of the center, as well as collaborating in the relocation of personnel from other locations.
Statements from the leaders
José Luis Escrivá, Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, stated, “This project is a clear example of the economic model promoted by the Government: cutting-edge technology, alliances with leading private sector players, collaboration between administrations, connecting productive activities with universities and research centers, and generating hubs for talent attraction. These pioneering facilities will participate in research and cutting-edge chip designs, a critical area for the global economy.”
Juanma Moreno, President of the Andalusian Regional Government, emphasized, “This is a great day for Andalusia and Spain, as we are advancing an exciting project with this second global IMEC headquarters, but also because of how we are doing it—working together with the three administrations and the private sector.” According to Moreno, “We are shaping a powerful ‘tech south’, where all major corporations want to be because they know that here in Andalusia, the future is being shaped, thanks to the strength and solvency of the Andalusian tech ecosystem, with Málaga, Granada, and Seville as major hubs.” “Andalusia wants to lead the forefront of the ongoing transformation process,” he highlighted.
Francisco de la Torre, Mayor of Málaga, stated that IMEC’s presence in the city will position Málaga at the global forefront of semiconductors, contribute to the creation of a microelectronics ecosystem, and generate hundreds of jobs. De la Torre expressed gratitude that the meetings to make this project a reality, which involved months of discussions, had progressed smoothly and led to today’s signing. He cited this agreement as an example of what can be achieved through public-private alliances and loyal institutional collaboration. The City Council, he added, has cooperated with the necessary procedures and provided part of the land, aligning with the Government of Spain, the Andalusian Regional Government, Málaga TechPark, and the Ricardo Valle Institute for Innovation (Innova-IRV), to whom he extended his thanks for their joint efforts.
The project will lead to the establishment of IMEC’s second innovation center for 300mm wafer chips in the world. The center will focus on researching new materials beyond silicon, along with seeking new processes and developing new equipment for various applications. It will also serve as a bridge between research and industry through a ‘laboratory with a factory’, demonstrating the functionality and validating early-stage proof-of-concepts in chip technologies in industrial environments like the automotive sector.
This center will be IMEC’s first outside Belgium and will address the entire value chain, including the manufacturing of advanced chips on new substrates beyond silicon, as well as the development of prototypes for fields like medicine, photonics, and quantum computing. Additionally, an ecosystem of businesses will be developed around this facility to leverage the research results, strengthening Spain’s microelectronics sector.
Perte Chip
The Perte Chip is the largest of the 13 strategic projects initiated by the Government of Spain for the digital and sustainable transformation of the Spanish economy. With a budget of €12 billion in financial instruments, this initiative is promoting the consolidation of an industrial ecosystem in Spain across the entire semiconductor value chain, aiming to generate technological sovereignty in Europe and ensure digital reindustrialization with skilled jobs.
