This is a call for organisations to express interest to participate in the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) for Advanced Semiconductor Technologies (AST). Malta Enterprise will use this call to assess which and how much interest companies in the Malta have in potentially participating in this IPCEI AST. This potential IPCEI AST builds on the previous IPCEIs for Microelectronics, Microelectronics and Communications Technology, and the European Chips Act.
The goal of an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) is to support large-scale, cross-border projects that contribute significantly to the growth, jobs, and competitiveness of the European Union industry and economy, especially in strategic value chains. Through a combination of interrelated and mutually reinforcing projects participants in an IPCEI can develop further technical solutions and economies of scale.
This expression of your interest in participating in this IPCEI is not an application for funding. In submitting your request, you are simply expressing your interest and you are not committing to anything. Malta Enterprise is also not making any commitment towards an organisation that submits this expression of interest.
This call closes on Monday 2nd February 2026
Technology Scope
In developing this IPCEI European Member States, in close collaboration and through extensive consultation with the European industry, shall determined the most promising areas within the semiconductor industry where Europe could make a global difference.
These seven technology domains are intended to guide this expression of interest:
- AI chips and accelerators
- photonic integrated circuits
- chiplets and heterogeneous integration/ advanced packaging
- disruptive sensors for autonomy
- power electronics and disruptive energy-saving solutions
- secure communications (information protected from unauthorized access, interception, or manipulation)
- key enabling technologies, including production and testing machines, materials for electronic design automation ( EDA ).
Read a detailed description of these 7 technology domains in the document IPCEI AST - Technological Fields (pdf) below.
Project Scope
To be considered submitted projects should be:
- be highly quantitatively and qualitatively (disruptively) innovative;
- are carried out in the Malta;
- willing to cooperate with other European companies;
- Demonstrable European spillover effects (unintended side effects that spread to other, seemingly unrelated areas). That is the project shall provide collaboration and knowledge dissemination, information, or innovations to other organizations;
- fit into the European value chain of the semiconductor industry;
- contribute to the strengthening and future-proofing of the semiconductor value chain in Europe;
- have a significant size and/or scope;
- carry a significant degree of technological or financial risk (pre-commercial nature);
- have such a high level of ambition that the project cannot be realised without public funding;
- contain a significant contribution from the applicant(s);
SMEs, start-ups and scale-up
Direct participation in an IPCEI project can be challenging for SMEs due to the strict requirements and the time required to go through the European process. In addition to direct participation in the IPCEI AST, this expression of interest is intended to capture a broad ecosystem that can engage in collaborative actions that meet the seven technology domains listed above.
Expression of interest
Organisations interested in submitting an expression of interest or seeking further information should send an email on [email protected]. Malta Enterprise will contact you to discuss your project and should the project fit with the scope of the IPCEI AST we will provide you with the application forms required to formalise your interest.