National strategy for a 1 trillion market: Greece enters microchips

Its engraving is in the final stretch national strategy for Greece’s entry into the strategically important market of semiconductors, with a series of incentives and the creation of an institutional framework that will strengthen this effort.

The Ministry of Development has long focused on the microchip industry, wanting to identify where the country can excel and where it lags, so that it can then formulate an appropriate strategy to attract investment and develop the new ecosystem.

As the General Secretary of Private Investments of the Ministry of Development and Investments recently stated, Basilica of Loizou at 9^The Delphi Economic Forum, in the coming months incentives and the necessary legal framework will be created, so that in cooperation with Institutes and agencies, the Hellas to play a leading role in developments. She emphasized the need to have a comprehensive national strategy in the semiconductor sector, underlining that it is a strategic priority as it will strengthen the Greek economy.

For his part, its president Association of Greek Emerging Technologies Companies (HETIA) and Business Director at ES Systems, Manolis Zervakis described as a “golden opportunity” for investment and cooperation, the law passed by the EU (European Chips Act – a package of measures for security of supply, resilience and technological leadership of the EU). As he said, Greece can distinguish itself in RF design and in other areas of the chain, attract foreign companies and “to go to the next level”, creating an executive training academy, which will make our country “European hub”.

They are already active in the country 25 companies that are in the semiconductor ecosystem and the goal is to double that number to 50 in the coming years and the country to move from planning to pilot production lines. According to market executives, the Hellas can attract significant investment as there are many opportunities in the semiconductor industry. We remind you that a memorandum of cooperation on microcircuits and artificial intelligence has been signed by the Association of Greek Emerging Technologies Companies (HETiA), Demokritos and the Institute of Electronic Structure & Lasers.

The great opportunity that opens up for Greece

The semiconductor market is changing rapidly, with the changes being global, while new investments are constantly being made, offering a significant opportunity to Hellas to enter a fast-growing sector whose value is expected to exceed the 1 trillion euro the next five years. THE Hellas can play an important role in the field of microchip design, while it could then develop its footprint in packaging and testing.

Executives of the sector point out that the opportunity for Greece should not be lost, with the developments having to be immediate and within the 2024 that the foundations have been laid for our country to gain a presence in the semiconductor market. At the same time the European Chips Act it can be a useful tool that will attract investments to the country, provided that the corresponding criteria are also present, as they note that Greece combines stability, opportunities, but also human talent

They emphasize that the state aid and European policies should further promote the sector in the near future, as the new directions are now set and semiconductors can bring great climate savings, while at the same time the platform created by European Commission has the potential to gradually reduce dependence on the semiconductor sector.

Lack of talent, but there are solutions

THE general manager of Ansys Hellas, Babis Bakoliasat the Delphi Forum expressed the assessment that chips are the “dinosaur of the industry”, as “it’s not trendy like AI”, stressing that “the problem is, we don’t have talent”. He added that to make the chip manufacturing industry more attractive, it needs to take talent from universities and bring it to the market, pointing to the design sector as a growth area for Greece.

The market has highlighted the need to transform the country’s research organizations as the EU and the Hellas they can enter more dynamically in the area of ​​innovation. However, there is a great need to attract high-level research staff, but it is also necessary to utilize human resources and, in cooperation with universities, to produce the talent we lack.

Especially for her Hellas, the design platform is an activity that involves low-cost investments and requires a well-trained workforce. Our country has people and potential, but it needs the necessary training.