Press Releases of Fraunhofer EMFT

Europe has invested billions in its semiconductor industry. The decisive question now is how the pilot lines established under the EU Chips Act can create industrial value creation. Leading representatives from industry, research, and policymaking will discuss this at FIRST by FMD on September 30 and October 1, 2026, at the EUREF Campus in Berlin.

A leading European consortium has officially launched ICOS² – International Cooperation on Semiconductor Innovation and Supply Resilience, a Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action aimed at reinforcing Europe’s position in the global semiconductor ecosystem through the promotion of international partnerships.

With the RISC-V Secure Element, the Fraunhofer Institutes for Integrated Circuits IIS, for Applied and Integrated Security AISEC, and for Electronic Microsystems and Solid State Technologies EMFT are introducing a security chip that was designed and manufactured in Germany. The design is based on transparent open-source hardware, integrates post-quantum cryptography, and can be used as a standalone chip or as a system-on-chip component. The goal is to offer companies a trustworthy and customizable trust anchor – with points of contact in the EU – for connected devices and to support them in meeting the requirements of the European Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

After three years of intensive collaboration, the European ICOS project has presented its final recommendations for strengthening the semiconductor industry in Europe. The report shows how international cooperation, targeted technological priorities and strategic partnerships can help translate Europe's research strength into industrial leadership and sustainably strengthen its role in the global semiconductor value chain.

Changes at the helm of one of Europe's largest technology organizations: Prof. Dr. Christoph Kutter replaces Alf Hendryk Wulf as president of the VDE. His presidency will focus on the next generation and the microelectronics of the future.

Oxford, 05 November 2025 – Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Microsystems and Solid State Technologies EMFT today announced a strategic partnership designed to accelerate the industrialisation of superconducting quantum technologies. By merging OQC’s system-level quantum expertise with Fraunhofer’s advanced fabrication capabilities, the partnership charts a new course towards scalable, manufacturable quantum computing. The collaboration represents a pivotal step in OQC’s journey towards fabless production, aligning superconducting quantum devices with industry-standard, CMOS-compatible processes that underpin global semiconductor manufacturing.

Agriculture is under considerable pressure to adapt. Climate change, resource scarcity, and growing sustainability demands require efficient solutions. At the same time, farms are expected to remain competitive and ensure reliable food supplies. From November 9 to 15, 2025, seven Fraunhofer Institutes will showcase the role of smart sensor technology, AI-supported analyses, and sustainable materials at AGRITECHNICA in Hannover, Germany (Hall 17, Booth B15).

The topic of chip design has developed into a central strategic competence at the Fraunhofer EMFT in recent years. In order to further optimize its R&D portfolio, the Munich-based institute will cooperate closely with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Holmer from OTH Regensburg in the future. Such close research cooperation with a Fraunhofer Institute is a unique opportunity for a university of applied sciences and underlines OTH Regensburg's high level of expertise in this field. The focus of the cooperation is on test development in the field of chips and systems, in which Prof. Holmer will provide significant new impetus. For OTH Regensburg, this closer cooperation, which began in 2024, marks a further milestone in positioning Eastern Bavaria as a strong location in the global semiconductor industry.

The development and characterization of scalable quantum hardware is a key factor for bringing quantum computing to real life applications. Researchers at Fraunhofer EMFT are working on innovative approaches to push this development. At this year´s World of Quantum, taking place from June 24-26 in Munich, our research team will present several demonstrators from its quantum technology research program, which showcase the seamless integration of scientific excellence and engineering expertise.

The European Union consortium PREVAIL, created to accelerate the development of next-generation edge-AI technologies, will open its services to external customers in June 2025. Coordinated by the EU’s four leading research and technology organizations (RTOs) - CEA-Leti in France, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Germany, imec in Belgium and VTT in Finland, the PREVAIL project provides a networked, multi-hub platform for prototype chip fabrication in advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology to EU stakeholders.