eenewseurope.com, Jun. 19, 2025 –
Ireland’s government recently announced the launch of the “Silicon Island” national semiconductor strategy. The comprehensive semiconductor strategy is aimed at advancing analog, digital, and packaging capabilities.
For engineers and execs across Europe, Ireland’s “Silicon Island” plan marks a real shift — opening doors for collaboration, investment, and supply chain diversification. It could strengthen Europe’s analog and mixed-signal ecosystem with global impact. Let’s consider the strategy and then dive into its implications for the analog industry.
The Silicon Island Plan
The Silicon Island plan sets the stage for new fab infrastructure, talent pipelines, and R&D growth by 2040. Aligned closely with the European Chips Act and the EU Digital Decade, the plan outlines ambitious targets for capacity expansion, R&D investment, and workforce development — specifically targeting analog-focused design and manufacturing.
The strategy leverages Ireland’s existing semiconductor strength — 130+ firms, 20,000 jobs, and €13.5 billion in annual exports — as a launchpad for future growth. It aims to add up to 34,500 jobs by 2040.
Key highlights for the analog industry:
- Targeted Infrastructure Expansion: The roadmap includes establishing one leading-edge fab, two trailing-edge foundries, and one advanced packaging facility. These assets are critical for analog and mixed-signal IC manufacturing beyond digital CMOS.
- R&D & Innovation Focus: The plan aims to extend R&D support to analog processes, packaging methods, and test methodologies.
- Start‑up & Talent Development: The strategy includes structured support for spin‑outs and SMEs through financial access, commercialization pathways, and creating a Semiconductor Advisory Council comprising industry, academia, and policy leaders — a key mechanism for fostering analog innovation.
- Labor Pipeline Reinforcement: Ireland will commission a skills study to understand and address future workforce demands — a smart step to ensure supply of analog, mixed-signal, and power management engineers.
Why does the Silicon Island plan matter to engineers and industry leaders?
- On‑shore Foundry Access: Delivering one leading-edge fab and two trailing-edge facilities opens direct European production options for analog manufacturers — reducing dependency on overseas fabs and shortening supply chains.
- Enhanced Mixed‑Signal R&D Ecosystem: The increased emphasis on capacity, talent, and pilot line integration provides fertile ground for analog/mixed-signal MEMS, PMICs, and RF front‑end innovation.
- Strengthened EU Sovereignty: By building talent, infrastructure, and IP in analog sectors, Ireland underpins Europe’s autonomy in critical semiconductor technologies — a core objective of the EU Chips Act, which we’ve covered in eeNews Europe.
- Partnership & Start‑Up Opportunities: Existing analog stakeholders — both established players and emerging startups — will benefit from early-stage support, pilot-line access, and incentives to scale within a structured ecosystem.
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