Malta Enterprise organised a kick-off workshop with players from the semiconductors sector and academia to discuss the setting up of a Competence Centre. This sought to explore how players in the local eco-system can synergise together in this realm and to gauge better how to maximise the opportunities under the Chips Act. The initiative, which brought together leaders from across the semiconductor community, including businesses of various sizes and academia, were given space to interact and voice out their reflections on the setting up of a competence centre.

This initiative was organised following a number of talks which Malta Enterprise held in Brussels last month with DG Connect and IMEC, the world's leading R&D and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies and the recent government commitment on the establishment of a Malta Competence Centre, which comes out of the background negotiations from the European Chips Act. This strategic move will seek to leverage on the vast experience that Malta has in the semiconductor sector while simultaneously exploring new niches. This will ultimately contribute to investment, the creation of quality employment opportunities, technological transfer and exports.

Josephine Vassallo Parnis, head EU Affairs at Malta Enterprise stated that the EU Chips Act is a window of opportunity to our players. We strongly believe that having a competence centre will be an important key to open the door to EU funding and other tools that are being made available through the Chips Fund.

Kurt Farrugia, CEO Malta Enterprise expressed his satisfaction on the work being carried out by Malta Enterprise to drive the semiconductors eco-system to new heights. The Competence Centre fits in the strategy to consolidate and develop further the local activity within the value chain. Reference was made to the important milestone that Malta and STMicroelectronics achieved under the second call for Important Projects of Common European Interests (IPCEI) in the semiconductor sector.  He also applauded the engagement and enthusiasm expressed by the participants who were present for this first workshop.

Dr Jo De Boeck, executive vice president and chief Strategist officer of IMEC and Matthew Xuereb, Policy expert at DG Connect addressed the audience.